doctoral candidate in rhetoric and scientific and technical communication
entertainment
punk wisdom
05 years ago
This weekend I watched Punk: Attitude on IFC.
When I was a teen in the 1980s, I listened to a lot of American punk: Dead Kennedys, Circle Jerks, and Black Flag most specifically. They spoke to my disenfranchised, lower-middle class existence. There were times when I tried to get into the British punk scene and listened to the Sex Pistols, Adam and the Ants, Buzzcocks, etc. but it was the American punk I was drawn to more.
It was interesting to watch the program because a lot of what was being said was exactly how I felt at the time.
Interesting things to come out of the program were how some of the old punkers talked about current day phenomenons. I can’t remember who said these two things that stuck in my head but I found them profound. One guy said that today we have a manufactured anger going on. He said anger is being induced at every turn.
I started thinking about this. It’s true. Our leaders incite anger, fear, and hate. They encourage us to be a part of the bigger, better gang or face being ostracized for being different. We are being fed anger over the 9/11 events, the Mexican-American border, drugs, gay marriage and the fact that many nations do not support our militaristic movements. All of this manufactured anger takes away from issues that we should be really angry about: lack of funding for education, lack of universal health care, the increasing divide between the rich and poor, the fact that many people within our own country are going hungry and homeless, that people are STILL not receiving federal assistance in the Katrina-torn south, that bombings are going on in Thailand and Spain, that people are being systematically killed in nations all over the world by their own leaders, that we are destroying our environment, that our government is increasingly taking away our rights.
We are being told what to be angry about to take the focus off of things that may affect us more immediately.
Another person said that the internets are the punk of this generation. This is the area where people can rant and rave, speak out against injustices, feel free shouting out about their causes, and get people involved.
I think, though, that there are forces against these freedoms, just as there were factions against punk. Freedom is scary to those who want to control. Take China, for instance, where the government is very strict about what can and cannot be seen on the internets.
When I first starting my online escapades in the mid-to-late 80s, I felt like a rebel. Hardly anyone else was doing it then. Even in the early 90s, when the cool browsers started coming out and I was one of the few using the new Netscape Gold 1.0, I felt like someone who was on the cutting/sub edge of something.
Now? I don’t think I do. I feel like just one of millions and millions who are, once again, lost in the shuffle of bigger names, people with bigger voices, and not having a voice that is getting heard.
But maybe that is exactly what she meant when she said that. Punk didn’t have huge followings (in comparison to pop/rock/etc.) but the people who did were loyal. Just as I am loyal to select blogs (none of which are “big” names), I have loyal readers who have stuck by for quite a while. Is the importance how many we reach or that we are being true to ourselves and sharing our message?
I’m willing to bet, in the long run, it will be the latter.
friday fun, #6
05 years ago
In honor of today being World Aids Day, 2006, all of the items I share will be products to support AIDS research, AIDS awareness, and AIDS eradication. While I don’t own any red clothing (it’s just not my color), I urge all of you to wear red today in support of World Aids Day.
broadway cares
Broadway Cares has several red ribbon items for sale. They have the ubiquitous bracelets, a red ribbon ornament for your holiday tree, and a playbill red ribbon pin.
headcovers unlimited
Every good awareness party needs cookies. Headcovers unlimited (which caters to patients who are dealing with chemo, etc., is selling the Aids Awareness Ribbon Cookie Cutter.
gay men’s health crisis
If you want to go all out with your ribbon-wearing, this is the ribbon to get. It’s stylish and long-lasting. GMHC offers the red ribbon enamel pin.
(product) red
(product) red has the best selection of items. From a cool red cell phone to the red American Express card to the much-coveted red iPod, this is the place to shop.
national aids trust
The UK’s national aids trust has some interesting products for sale. I can’t say that I’d really want a safety pin with a beaded ribbon on it but it may appeal to some.
Please support AIDS research and show your support today.
friday fun #5
05 years ago
Being the giving person that I am, I wanted to give you a running start at all of your gift-buying for the holiday season. Some of these are cool and I wouldn’t mind getting them in my stocking for Solstice / Christmas / Hanukkah / Kwanzaa.
diy
Do you have old t-shirts that you no longer wear? Especially those with cool logos that you just can’t bear to throw away? Recycle them and share the wealth! The good people at instructables show you how to turn your old t-shirt into a designer laptop keypad cover.
no more ouchies
And speaking of laptops, have you burned yourself by putting your laptop directly against your body while using it? Or is that just me? The good folks at Belkin have devised a cushiony laptop platform, the CushTop.
light me up
Penguins are all the rage. And what’s not to love about the quirky little tuxedo’d beings? They are downright cute! Kokὸ created the penguin lamp for those of us with money to burn – but wait! There’s more! A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of these cute lamps goes toward a penguin foundation. Stylish and altruistic. Can it get any better?
c-c-c-cold?
Not any more. This is the product made for someone like me who always takes a blanket on long drives with other people. They always want to turn on the air conditioning and I’m turning blue. Well, it won’t happen any longer (as long as I have control of the cigarette lighter!). AutoSport has designed the electric travel blanket. And none too soon, I must say. Now, if only I could get this to work on an airplane.
macro crazy
Where was this when all I did was macro shots? I could have been the cameraphone macro queen! These inventions always come a bit late for me. But not for you…now is your chance. Become the next big name in photography with your cool new macro lens for your cell phone.
macro gallery
Once you get all of those photos taken with your new macro lens, you may want to set up a gallery. This diy gallery is easy and stylish. I may do it myself.
who needs $800 handbags?
I don’t carry a purse but if I did…the ribbon photo bag would probably not be it. It’s a bit too hip for me. It might appeal to your grandma…or your kids’ grandma. But don’t despair. I do have a recycled product that is just up your geeky alley: the diskette handbag. They’ve thought of everything. Even the metal slide has been glued down. What next?
in style
And finally, because no holiday would be complete without some really stylish clothing, I give you Way of the Rodent holiday shirts. Forget ties. Your dad will love these trendy t-shirts. Personally, I would like PacMan walking across my chest. :-) And just in case dad isn’t into simple t-shirts, you may want to feed into his inner artist. Some funky-cool scientists came up with the perfect air guitar accoutrement: the air guitar shirt. The silent masses will be silent no more.
Happy shopping!
friday fun #4
05 years ago
We missed Friday fun last week so we’re definitely going to make up for it this week. This week it is all about the audio and visual.
Obviously I love the visual. I spend hours on end taking and processing my photography. But what you don’t know is that while I’m doing that, I’m often listening to podcasts or music on my iTunes. I learn fun and interesting things and they give me more quirky things to wow the dinner party crowds with (as if I actually went to dinner parties).
retro
Remember those things called cassette tapes? You know what I mean. We had boxes and boxes of them. We made them for boyfriends so that they could hear exactly what sappy music made us think of them (or was that only me???). Do you have any old tapes around that you don’t listen to anymore (if only I could convert that Spandau Ballet to digitally-formatted CDs with ease *sigh*)? Okay, obviously, I do have some. But now, like ginsu knives, they are the perfect accessories. Yes, even you can now be the proud owner of a cassette tape wallet!
tarantino?
You make videos. You think they are good. You think you should be making money off of your low-budget videos. Or your documentary may be the next big thing to break open the scandals in your hometown. Revver believes in you, too. Get paid for the videos you upload.
get out your pencils?
You’ve always wanted to be a comic book artist but just didn’t have the right pencils to make it to the big time. Fear not, intrepid doodler. Photojojo shows you how to convert your digital photography (yes, digital photography) into that prized comic book art you’ve always wanted.
fingers tired?
Is writing email getting you down? Is it taking up too much of your time? Slawesome now offers voice email. And if you want to try it out on someone, I’m more than willing to be your victim (especially if you’re male and have an interesting accent – heh).
old school
This is old, I know, but still worth the link. And for those of you who haven’t been to the Apple Movie Trailers web pages, you’re missing out. Loads of trailers to entice you into movie viewing. It’s well worth the hours you can spend wasting away here. Forget house cleaning and meeting with clients. Watch movie trailers!
excuses, excuses
I thought I came up with good excuses for having an out-of-date blog. These take the cake. And they are real. Thanks to the f-blog for collecting them for us.
I won’t request any finders fees. If you hit the big time, just remember us little people that helped you get there. Now get out there and become famous!
friday fun #3
05 years ago
This Friday’s fun is going to be filled with ghosts and ghouls, pumpkins and parties.
Halloween is one of my favorite times. People make it a point to have fun. Imagine that. It’s also my sister-in-law’s birthday (big shoutout to Jenn!).
So, without further delay….
screams
Josh Shapiro and the NPR gang have come up with some audio streaming that is meant to raise the hair on your neck. It’s not only Halloween fun but an adventure into new technologies.
orange is the new black
Who hasn’t always wanted their own pumpkin computer? I mean, really. This computer will dissolve in 5-4-3…
existential pumpkin
Have you ever wondered what a pumpkin thinks of its life and those around it? Pumpkins have deep, esoteric thoughts. Think carefully before you tear the innards from a pumpkin’s body.
black is *not* the new black
Only Martha would think that black pumpkins would be the new trend. I wonder if she uses environmentally-friendly paint?
zap!
Dude! This is so 1980s. I was coloring my hair blue back when I was a young pup.
snap!
You’re worried about getting your Halloween photos perfect, aren’t you? Or is that only me? Well, photojojo gives us all a few pointers that will help in any low light, high glare situation.
no investigations here
And only because I think that HP needs some good press, I’m going to share their oh-so-fun halloween projects.
o, scary night!
On a final note, imagine being an immigrant to the United States. Imagine that you had *never* heard of Halloween nor known about this strange event where ghoulish characters knock on your door and make threatening sounds. Juliet Jegasothy talks about her first Halloween in the States after immigrating from Sri Lanka. She has a great sense of humor about it even though it sounds like it was a very scary evening.
Have some fun out there today. Halloween is *not* just for kids.
love: internet style
05 years ago
For some reason, I can’t seem to embed movies in my blog anymore. They throw off all of my settings. So, I’ll link to it until I figure out what the problem is.
Yes. I know it’s irritating. And yes, I know this is the type of song that will stay in your head all day long.
But come on! It’s funny. And so close to the truth (at least for me, at times) that it’s almost painful.
What, you may ask, is the painful part? Oh, it’s the meeting someone online that you can’t wait to talk to. It’s the logging in to email or IM and hoping against hope that that person is there. When he isn’t, you are disappointed but would you ever show it? Oh, no. You (or, in this case, me) act nonchalant as if nothing fazes you.
Nothing. Not one thing.
Not even his apparent disregard for your full-blown crush.
Ahem.
Not that I pine for people, you know. I don’t. I’m much more independent than that. I don’t need to wile away my days, thinking about and missing someone.
Really.
I don’t.
Am I fooling you yet?
I have myself half convinced of this.
But only half.
Because the other part of me, the much more insightful and intelligent part, knows that I’m full of it. Like anyone else, I enjoy attention and like to know I matter.
friday fun #2
05 years ago
I like doing this post. Mostly because I get to share interesting, quirky, fun, or bizarre things that I find while I’m out surfing around the ‘net. Today is no exception.
color
You remember that Sony Bravia ad that featured thousands of colorful balls being dumped down a San Francisco street? They’ve done it again. This time with environmentally and human-friendly paints. This is an amazing commercial that has me going back to it just to see the choreography.
words
Have you ever felt the burning desire to read more of Darwin’s writings? Come on. You know you have. You know you’re interested in reading more about his escapades in the Galapagos Islands and while he was on the Beagle. Now you can. BBC News reports that Darwin is now online. What took him so long?
animals
You like pink, right? Who doesn’t like pink? You like piggies, right? You like iPods? Answer yes to any or all of those questions and this product might be exactly what you’re looking for: Pink piggie speakers. Everyone should have a pair.
religion
Stephen Colbert, a practicing Catholic and witty satirist, and Richard Dawkins, a renowned biologist, debate the existence of God. At times funny and scary, this video will show you that even serious, brilliant scientists can have a great sense of humor.
photography
Shell has announced the Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Beautiful and amazing photographs of wildlife in places that most of us only dream about visiting. Well worth the visit.
fur
05 years ago
The other night I watched HBO’s First Look for the new movie, Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus. I was excited to watch it because it has created a bit of a ruckus in the online photography community.
Some people are appalled at this movie. It’s not a true portrayal of Arbus or her family or her craft, they say. Others say that Kidman is the wrong person to portray Arbus. Still others say that making something up about a real person is an abomination.
I like movies. For me, they are all about escaping from the every day and going into a totally different world. I am interested in movies with photographers in them – real or not. It’s interesting to see a writer’s/director’s portrayal of the art.
As I watched First Look, I found the commitment of the actors in the film to be amazing. They all read up on Arbus and the people she photographed. They studied her photography. They learned as much about her and her craft as possible.
The screenwriter, Patricia Bosworth, also wrote a biography about Arbus. She said that she was interested in taking the reality of the photographer and applying it to a fictional situation. She said that it speaks of the type of person that Arbus was. Amy Danger, the production designer, has created amazing scenery that is worthy of being photographed itself. It is pure eye candy that pulls the viewer into a world that is at once retro and, at the same time, surreal.
If this movie gives us even the smallest glimpse into the kind of person that Arbus was and why she photographed in the way she did, it will mitigate the misgivings of the naysayers. If it delivers on the beautiful colors, subtle nuances and interesting characters as the trailers and First Look intimate, it will be just the type of movie that I can lose myself in for a few hours. I’m looking forward to seeing it.
friday fun
05 years ago
I’ve been saving up a bunch of links to blog about because they strike my fancy at the time.
I thought that today I could share a few of those links and let you in on all of the enjoyment that I have while reading RSS feeds and checking all of you out. (there is only slight sarcasm there – really).
mathowie’s community blog
This is a 22-minute song using Arlo Guthrie’s Alice’s Restaurant as a foundation. It’s a humorous look at online communities and how people interact.
guess-the-google
This is a highly addictive game that requires you to understand that all elusive Google algorithm of how it associates different images with different words. Some of them are obscure. Some of them are simple.
A hint: pay attention to words in the images. It helps.
animator vs. animation
This is a great Flash animation of the animation trying to outdo the animator. It’s fun. The director of my department sent it out to a few of us one morning. His son had found it.
flashforward film festival winners & finalists
Amazing, irreverent, beautiful Flash productions. All of these are winners and/or Finalists in the Flashforward2006 Austin Film Festival. Take your time with this. There is some amazing work in there.
I think that’s good for this Friday. I’ll save some for next Friday. Let me know what you think and if you found any of this worth your while or fun or boring or what.
enjoying laundry
05 years ago
I like doing laundry. I really do. I like the smell of it. The way it is soft and warm coming out of the dryer.
So, when I found a link to Dominic Wilcox’s Orgasmatron 3000, I had to stop and pause.
What would be better than doing something you enjoy except doing something you enjoy with an added…ummm…kick?
:-)