The Enquirer - Camp: "It's Beyond Belief":
"This week, 31 atheist and agnostic youths from Ohio, Kentucky, New York and other states have gathered in Butler County for Camp Quest, one of a handful of summer camps nationwide where children are taught there is no God."
This is what we need.
More humanist organizations...
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Friday, July 21, 2006
POWERS & KABUKI TO BE REPRINTED FREE/DAILY AT NEWSARAMA.COM - NEWSARAMA
You should read these -
POWERS & KABUKI TO BE REPRINTED FREE/DAILY AT NEWSARAMA.COM - NEWSARAMA: "NEWSARAMA.COM and the comic book creators collectively known as “MOB” – David Mack, Mike Avon Oeming and Brian Michael Bendis – are pleased to jointly announce that Bendis and Oeming’s Eisner Award-winning creator-owned series POWERS, and Mack’s creator-owned KABUKI, will both be reprinted in their entirety as daily, serial, FREE comic book strips on Newsarama.com. POWERS will debut Monday, July 24th, KABUKI in the following weeks."
At their peak these books are as good anything comicdom has to offer. Powers is like "Homicide" with superheroes, and Kabuki really plays to the medium's strengths creating beautiful, bold, and often dreamlike stories.
And now, over time, you can read them all for free...
lucky bastards...
POWERS & KABUKI TO BE REPRINTED FREE/DAILY AT NEWSARAMA.COM - NEWSARAMA: "NEWSARAMA.COM and the comic book creators collectively known as “MOB” – David Mack, Mike Avon Oeming and Brian Michael Bendis – are pleased to jointly announce that Bendis and Oeming’s Eisner Award-winning creator-owned series POWERS, and Mack’s creator-owned KABUKI, will both be reprinted in their entirety as daily, serial, FREE comic book strips on Newsarama.com. POWERS will debut Monday, July 24th, KABUKI in the following weeks."
At their peak these books are as good anything comicdom has to offer. Powers is like "Homicide" with superheroes, and Kabuki really plays to the medium's strengths creating beautiful, bold, and often dreamlike stories.
And now, over time, you can read them all for free...
lucky bastards...
DOOM PATROL, DEADMAN TO THE BIG SCREEN; HULK GETS DIRECTOR - NEWSARAMA
DOOM PATROL, DEADMAN TO THE BIG SCREEN; HULK GETS DIRECTOR - NEWSARAMA:
This could be very good:
"On the Deadman front, Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy) is in negotiations to develop the comics-to-film adaptation, teaming up with Don Murphy's Angry Films."
This will be better than the Ang Lee mess:
"Finally, action director Louis Leterrier (Transporter, Transporter 2) has signed on to direct The Incredible Hulk for Marvel Studios. which according to the trade, will return the character to his comic book roots."
It's not that the Ang Lee hulk movie was an awful movie,
it was just an awful hulk movie.
There are some very distinct issues that The Hulk deals with, and none of them are father issues. Issues of identity, control, society, alienation, rage, the beast within - all kinds of good stuff to play with, but Ang Lee came in with a different agenda and made a movie about a character who turned big and green but was not, in fundamental ways, the character I wanted to see a movie about...you know, The Hulk?
This could be very good:
"On the Deadman front, Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy) is in negotiations to develop the comics-to-film adaptation, teaming up with Don Murphy's Angry Films."
This will be better than the Ang Lee mess:
"Finally, action director Louis Leterrier (Transporter, Transporter 2) has signed on to direct The Incredible Hulk for Marvel Studios. which according to the trade, will return the character to his comic book roots."
It's not that the Ang Lee hulk movie was an awful movie,
it was just an awful hulk movie.
There are some very distinct issues that The Hulk deals with, and none of them are father issues. Issues of identity, control, society, alienation, rage, the beast within - all kinds of good stuff to play with, but Ang Lee came in with a different agenda and made a movie about a character who turned big and green but was not, in fundamental ways, the character I wanted to see a movie about...you know, The Hulk?
Thursday, July 20, 2006
OpenDNS | Providing A Safer And Faster DNS
OpenDNS | Providing A Safer And Faster DNS
Cool stuff.
I just switched and the difference is noticeable right away.
Cool stuff.
I just switched and the difference is noticeable right away.
Variety.com - Warner making room for 'Doom'
Ran across this on AICN too this a.m. and since we been talkin' Doom Patrol here thought I'd just give it a mention -
Variety.com - Warner making room for 'Doom':
"Warner Bros. Pictures is giving new life to DC Comics cult favorite 'Doom Patrol,' about a band of superheroes with freakish powers, with Akiva Goldsman producing the bigscreen adaptation through his Warners-based Weed Road Pictures."
Variety.com - Warner making room for 'Doom':
"Warner Bros. Pictures is giving new life to DC Comics cult favorite 'Doom Patrol,' about a band of superheroes with freakish powers, with Akiva Goldsman producing the bigscreen adaptation through his Warners-based Weed Road Pictures."
Ain't It Cool News: The best in movie, TV, DVD, and comic book news.
So Frank Miller is directing "The Spirit."
Could be good, could be bad...
but this quote from AICN is funny!
Ain't It Cool News: The best in movie, TV, DVD, and comic book news.:
"I saw Frank on the set of SIN CITY and saw the way he worked with the actors to steer them right with their characters. Rodriguez did most of the technical directing (camera placement, etc), but you could also argue that Miller did a lot of that work with his original art for the SIN CITY graphic novels."
The acting in "Sin City" was awful. Only Mickey Rourke, and maybe the hobbit, made their roles actually "work" - everyone else looked pretty uncomfortable with the awful dialogue.
Could be good, could be bad...
but this quote from AICN is funny!
Ain't It Cool News: The best in movie, TV, DVD, and comic book news.:
"I saw Frank on the set of SIN CITY and saw the way he worked with the actors to steer them right with their characters. Rodriguez did most of the technical directing (camera placement, etc), but you could also argue that Miller did a lot of that work with his original art for the SIN CITY graphic novels."
The acting in "Sin City" was awful. Only Mickey Rourke, and maybe the hobbit, made their roles actually "work" - everyone else looked pretty uncomfortable with the awful dialogue.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Just a reminder - We open Friday
And we're in the new Houston Press.
(even if they do call it a Freneticore play...)
(even if they do call it a Freneticore play...)
A Kid Ornery Production
In association with the Federal Entertainment Authority
Under special arrangement with the Samuel French Company
http://www.myspace.com/theaddingmachine
call 832-725-4109 for reservations or more information.
WHEN: 8pm Fridays and Saturdays, July 21,22,28,29, 2006, with a special ‘pay what you will’ performance Monday July 24.
WHERE: FrenetiCore Theater, located at 5102 Navigation, in Houston’s hyperfunky East End.
HOW MUCH: $10 all seats, all shows, except for Monday July 24, when your conscience decides the price.
Boing Boing: Indie band sticks free CDRs of its music on its gig posters
Sheesh...
Boing Boing: Indie band sticks free CDRs of its music on its gig posters
Guess I should have taken a pic of "Mathletes CD-R Flier #1" that went under windshields all over Houston promoting a couple of shows and giving folks a few free mathletes tunes...
Boing Boing: Indie band sticks free CDRs of its music on its gig posters
Guess I should have taken a pic of "Mathletes CD-R Flier #1" that went under windshields all over Houston promoting a couple of shows and giving folks a few free mathletes tunes...
Guardian Unlimited Books | By genre | Happiness is always a delusion
Via Bookslut:
Guardian Unlimited Books | By genre | Happiness is always a delusion
here's a few quotes:
I don't want happiness to be part of the currency," he sighs, "but by that I don't mean that I want people to be miserable, but I do think that if you have a sense of reality you are going to be really troubled. Anybody in this culture who watches the news and can be happy - there's something wrong with them.
You're supposed to go: 'Happiness! Yes, that's all I want!' But what about justice or reality or ruthlessness - or whatever my preferred thing is?"
There is a presumption that there is a weakness in the people who are depressed or a weakness on the part of scientific research and one of these two groups has got to pull its socks up. Scientists have got to get better and find us a drug and the depressed have got to stop malingering. The ethos is: 'Actually life is wonderful, great - get out there!' That's totally unrealistic and it's bound to fail."
"Sanity involves learning to enjoy conflict, and giving up on all myths of harmony, consistency and redemption."
"Freudian psychoanalysis suggests that there is something over and above this. These are parts of ourselves - that don't want to live, that hate our children, that want ourselves to fail. Freud is saying there is something strange about humans: they are recalcitrant to what is supposed to be their project. That seems to me to be persuasive." It also, you might notice, suggests humans have a design flaw.
Guardian Unlimited Books | By genre | Happiness is always a delusion
here's a few quotes:
I don't want happiness to be part of the currency," he sighs, "but by that I don't mean that I want people to be miserable, but I do think that if you have a sense of reality you are going to be really troubled. Anybody in this culture who watches the news and can be happy - there's something wrong with them.
You're supposed to go: 'Happiness! Yes, that's all I want!' But what about justice or reality or ruthlessness - or whatever my preferred thing is?"
There is a presumption that there is a weakness in the people who are depressed or a weakness on the part of scientific research and one of these two groups has got to pull its socks up. Scientists have got to get better and find us a drug and the depressed have got to stop malingering. The ethos is: 'Actually life is wonderful, great - get out there!' That's totally unrealistic and it's bound to fail."
"Sanity involves learning to enjoy conflict, and giving up on all myths of harmony, consistency and redemption."
"Freudian psychoanalysis suggests that there is something over and above this. These are parts of ourselves - that don't want to live, that hate our children, that want ourselves to fail. Freud is saying there is something strange about humans: they are recalcitrant to what is supposed to be their project. That seems to me to be persuasive." It also, you might notice, suggests humans have a design flaw.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Santa Barbara IMC: TRANCE-Formation of America
Here's a link to a .pdf of an amazing book:
Santa Barbara IMC: TRANCE-Formation of America
seriously worth your time...
whether you believe it or not.
Santa Barbara IMC: TRANCE-Formation of America
seriously worth your time...
whether you believe it or not.
KERBLOG: still alive and well and living in beirut
The Blog of a young trumpet player in Beirut...
via Dave Dove
KERBLOG: still alive and well and living in beirut:
"'anyways, music and drawing are the only things keeping me going these days.
i recorded two hours of bombs trumpet from my balcony yesterday night.
some bombs were really close (what kind of mouthpiece do the israeli pilots use to have this sound?). the tension you get in your playing is incredible. also, i draw all time.
i always said that i regret not being adult during the war to see if you can
do something in these situations. now i feel bad to draw or play music while
people are burning. i convince myself by saying it is my only way to resist. that i have to witness. that it is very important.
but i am not really convinced. i try to be a fucking witness. to show a
little bit what's happening here. in my own way. but having regards for what
is a good drawing or a good music track drives me crazy. i cannot stop
saying after a bomb: 'yeah, this one was huge. i'll leave a long silence
then make a small sound to balance the track.' this is totally crazy!'
"
via Dave Dove
KERBLOG: still alive and well and living in beirut:
"'anyways, music and drawing are the only things keeping me going these days.
i recorded two hours of bombs trumpet from my balcony yesterday night.
some bombs were really close (what kind of mouthpiece do the israeli pilots use to have this sound?). the tension you get in your playing is incredible. also, i draw all time.
i always said that i regret not being adult during the war to see if you can
do something in these situations. now i feel bad to draw or play music while
people are burning. i convince myself by saying it is my only way to resist. that i have to witness. that it is very important.
but i am not really convinced. i try to be a fucking witness. to show a
little bit what's happening here. in my own way. but having regards for what
is a good drawing or a good music track drives me crazy. i cannot stop
saying after a bomb: 'yeah, this one was huge. i'll leave a long silence
then make a small sound to balance the track.' this is totally crazy!'
"
Doom Patrol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Doom Patrol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
"In Morrison's final storyline, it was revealed that the Chief had caused the 'accidents' which turned Cliff, Larry Trainor and Rita Farr into freaks with the express intention of creating the Doom Patrol. He also unleashed nanobots into the world, hoping to create a catastrophe which would make the world a stranger and more wonderful place. However, Caulder did not anticipate being decapitated by the Candlemaker."
Here's what I don't understand...
at the end of this new teen titans issue, the doom patrol learns the chief created them, intentionally caused the "accidents" which made them into tortured heroes, and they don't kill him, imprison him, or even beat the crap out of him... They make him not the boss anymore, and Changeling says something like, "I think he means well." - fuck that. Man's a super-villian plain and simple and he needs to be stopped before he makes more self-pitying monsters, right? Somebody makes me a robot against my will they're getting their head bashed in... that's all I'm sayin'.
"In Morrison's final storyline, it was revealed that the Chief had caused the 'accidents' which turned Cliff, Larry Trainor and Rita Farr into freaks with the express intention of creating the Doom Patrol. He also unleashed nanobots into the world, hoping to create a catastrophe which would make the world a stranger and more wonderful place. However, Caulder did not anticipate being decapitated by the Candlemaker."
Here's what I don't understand...
at the end of this new teen titans issue, the doom patrol learns the chief created them, intentionally caused the "accidents" which made them into tortured heroes, and they don't kill him, imprison him, or even beat the crap out of him... They make him not the boss anymore, and Changeling says something like, "I think he means well." - fuck that. Man's a super-villian plain and simple and he needs to be stopped before he makes more self-pitying monsters, right? Somebody makes me a robot against my will they're getting their head bashed in... that's all I'm sayin'.
Guardian Unlimited Books | Review | HP Lovecraft by Michel Houellebecq
Guardian Unlimited Books | Review | HP Lovecraft by Michel Houellebecq:
Why read Lovecraft?
"Life is painful and disappointing. It is useless, therefore, to write new, realistic novels. We generally know where we stand in relation to reality and don't care to know any more. Humanity, such as it is, inspires only an attenuated curiosity in us. All those prodigiously refined notations, situations, anecdotes ... All they do, once a book has been set aside, is reinforce the slight revulsion that is already adequately nourished by any one of our 'real life' days."
Why read Lovecraft?
"Life is painful and disappointing. It is useless, therefore, to write new, realistic novels. We generally know where we stand in relation to reality and don't care to know any more. Humanity, such as it is, inspires only an attenuated curiosity in us. All those prodigiously refined notations, situations, anecdotes ... All they do, once a book has been set aside, is reinforce the slight revulsion that is already adequately nourished by any one of our 'real life' days."
The Seattle Times: Living: Curses! We seem to be turning into a pack of potty-mouths
The Seattle Times: Living: Curses! We seem to be turning into a pack of potty-mouths:
"'People are using [profanity] in completely neutral and surprising situations,' said John Singler, a professor of linguistics at New York University. 'There's no taboo there.'"
Profanity shifts...
there were times when words like, "Swell!" were considered indecent for mixed company... I would argue if "there's no taboo there" then it ain't profanity.
"'The English language isn't used to its full extent and purpose," she said. "There are plenty of explanatory words that can be used instead of swearing. So why not use those?'"
uhm, why use those? why not use either, or both? why not say what you mean? even if it is just, "shut your fuckin' mouth before I shove my fist down your fuckin' throat." - tell me how to express that idea with the same intensity without the swears...
anyone who watches "Deadwood" will grow to understand the poetry of "cocksucker"...
that is all.
"'People are using [profanity] in completely neutral and surprising situations,' said John Singler, a professor of linguistics at New York University. 'There's no taboo there.'"
Profanity shifts...
there were times when words like, "Swell!" were considered indecent for mixed company... I would argue if "there's no taboo there" then it ain't profanity.
"'The English language isn't used to its full extent and purpose," she said. "There are plenty of explanatory words that can be used instead of swearing. So why not use those?'"
uhm, why use those? why not use either, or both? why not say what you mean? even if it is just, "shut your fuckin' mouth before I shove my fist down your fuckin' throat." - tell me how to express that idea with the same intensity without the swears...
anyone who watches "Deadwood" will grow to understand the poetry of "cocksucker"...
that is all.
Monday, July 17, 2006
The chickens coming home to roost where they're told
REAL ART (and politics and culture):
"Kids spend, if you include kindergarten, thirteen years in an artificially created social situation that is utterly heirarchical and authority laden before they are unleashed on the greater society. Their entire days are strictly structured and organized; there are rules out the wazoo, and rigid consequences for their violation. There are punishments and rewards, in the form of grades and institutional acceptance or rejection, for the often meaningless tasks known more popularly as 'assignments.' Bullying and social elitism among students is not only tolerated but often actively encouraged by teachers, administrators, and coaches. Keep in mind that children are immersed in this environment for thirteen of the most formative years of their lives. They may know their multiplication tables and the preamble to the Constitution when they graduate, but they know much better that there are rewards for people who get with the system, and punishments for people who don't."
maybe home schooling isn't such a bad idea...
or you could just join VHEMT!
"Kids spend, if you include kindergarten, thirteen years in an artificially created social situation that is utterly heirarchical and authority laden before they are unleashed on the greater society. Their entire days are strictly structured and organized; there are rules out the wazoo, and rigid consequences for their violation. There are punishments and rewards, in the form of grades and institutional acceptance or rejection, for the often meaningless tasks known more popularly as 'assignments.' Bullying and social elitism among students is not only tolerated but often actively encouraged by teachers, administrators, and coaches. Keep in mind that children are immersed in this environment for thirteen of the most formative years of their lives. They may know their multiplication tables and the preamble to the Constitution when they graduate, but they know much better that there are rewards for people who get with the system, and punishments for people who don't."
maybe home schooling isn't such a bad idea...
or you could just join VHEMT!
BLP Movie Night
Looks like you can make "The Adding Machine" and still catch everything at BLP movie night...which is good.
it's funny stuff.
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