Craziness

Generally, there is (here) an ever-present struggle against time. Life is struggle so does that mean it's life vs. time? Seems like it, really. There is always a vs., a struggle.

Logic.

Today, I saw hordes of pro-lifers all thick in the Cherry Creek area (a little far from the core of the DNC) where I get my film processed. It's really a very ugly thing when people use shock, fear and graphic horror to do what they think is right. Is that even a real image on your poster? Didn't you just park your giant gas-guzzling van with propaganda-transport trailer in two spots meant for a local business that you didn't even patronize? Fuck you and your self-serving need for more population to up the warm-body count for your 'righteous' (oil)wars. Respect is not in the vicinity of these acts.

Couple that with construction everywhere and you've got a recipe for irritation. Let's be clean for the convention, right? Too late.

Yeah, I went to caucus for Obama and I'm proud of that. Doesn't mean I want to be anywhere near downtown next week. No, I'm not sure there's a point. I'm just kindof angry.

Light-brites of Bombtitude

hmm, metal, screws, bakelite, eerie red glow, must be a bomb.

I'd say "Welcome to the culture of fear" but we're all so steeped in it that it hardly makes sense to proclaim any kind of arrival. We're here. Let's eat.

If that link doesn't work, my apologies. The story is about how Turner will pay $2M to "make amends" for their Cartoon Network-forged and approved (people, no one farts in broadcast companies without big-money people saying ok and running it by fact-checkers and squads of lawyers) Adult Swim advertising campaign. Marketing is salivating on parts of the phrase "no such thing as bad publicity" and Ted has a decent sized grin on his face because let's face it, it's chump change to him and it's been a significant story every time my Google homepage opens up and news falls out.

So ok, people got nervous. It's like one of the sheep making pidgeon noises though, not mountain lion growls. You know something's odd but not really threatening. I for one am wondering at what point does a bomb designer think it would be great to shove an explosive device into a lite-brite and display it for everyone and their mom to get a shot at finding and diffusing it. Sort of like trying to kill yourself by taking 6 baby aspirin. It's a fucking 'mooninite', people. Now you might say, most people don't watch that stupid show, how would they know? To which I would say:

1) No YOU"RE stupid, I like that show.
2) Talk to your kids, they will tell you about it. They may even tell you about their lives between commercials.
3) I'm irritated and can't organize my thoughts at this point.

Even better. Turner says "Here's $2M. Now are we cool?" and they will be cool. Sure, some damage was done in terms of time and shutdowns. I can't imagine how much it could suck in a city like Boston -are you guys still digging that giant tunnel over there? I hate 10 minutes of traffic in Denver and it's nothing compared to cities like Phoenix, Portland, San Fran, pick one...But here's the kicker, Turner is off the hook it seems and the two guys hired by the marketing company that contracts for Turner are STILL ON THE RACK. They pleaded not-guilty but the fucking charges are still there! WHAT? Am I the only person that sees a problem with this? If these guys, who are probably artists trying to work in the marketing world until they catch a break and enjoy some success on a better scale for widdling pieces of creativity into the machine for kindling, weren't hired to do this, they might have passed on the experience. Why does it seem like the company is running out on these guys, hands on their towels?

Now their bosses could be cool and supportive and they could live in good homes and have great coffees and go to art shows for their freinds and be really tied into a creative department that appreciates their efforts, blah blah blah. I don't know. I obviously don't know a lot except that I am pissed off that the smallest tier of this campaign is being held responsible for a nationwide effort through a huge company that has $2M to say "oh, sorry." If those two guys had $2M I bet they could smirk and pay for it all to go away but they don't. Otherwise they wouldn't have been paid to go out in the middle of the night and hang lite-brites around the city.

I appreciate the due dilligence in the name of safety. I understand that certain things must be questioned. I'm just saying let's not completely lose our sanity. If you do, I'd try looking for it behind the armoire...OF DESPAIR!

Just a little reality check people. and yes, I realize that people have hidden bombs in toys, I even saw "The Rock".

I shouldn't have said that. Carry on.

edited 2/5 to uncover the mystery sentences that I left out or forgot to finish. How do you people get through these things?

Not trying to hate

The state of graff in this neighborhood needs work. I won't lie. My contributions are suspect, but come on. The best remedy for toy scrawl is practice or to cap that fucking marker and shove it back into your pocket.

That being said, at least someone is tryin'. Here's something to think about. Do you have a message? Do you want me to stop and think for a moment about my mindless consumerism or my SUV that eats barrels of gasoline, soldiers and their kids? Then write that, please, seriously, WRITE THAT. Oh you just meant to put out a quick throwie of your name? huh. Well maybe cook it in your black book for a little while longer. Spring is just around the corner. Save up and bomb.

check the sneaks, that's for le shaypeg on hols

Why did I need a plog again?

Hey Amazon.com,

How's things? Congrats on the whole downloadable movie thing. Apparently you were right about convenience vs quality. (Apple looks a little like they took one in the jimmy right now) I'll probably keep the netflix though, if it's all the same to you. Given my choice I'd have a projector set up on the ceiling and a nice wide screen set across from me on which to view those shiny discs that cycle through my hands. I might buy that from you. hell if I was rich I'd be happy to order a ton of the things I'd like to have from you. You know how I get all 4-yr-old-going-to-a-birthday-party when I see a cardboard box outside my door. We should start with the stereo and home theater componenets though, for reals. They're older than the dogs and are beginning to sound it in addition to their quirks and malfunctions. How about that Onkyo DVD-Audio, SACD, pretty much any format you need player? That's a start. Oh and a decent 6.1 receiver, I don't think I really need 7.1 but it depends on who's buyin, eh? I'm staying in a lower budget bracket. I didn't even put that Marantz on my wishlist. It got bumped by my lust for a Nikon D200 with the nice long VR lens. Yeah i know, the Mamiya 7 is a lot to pay for a rangefinder, but still, it's medium format and it's not like I'm asking for a Leica. How cool is that? I know I know, no more cameras for a while. Feeding the sexy polaroid with 600 film is proving expensive enough.

Ok my point was and is, why do you keep throwing things in front of me that I didn't ask for? Besides the obvious advertising of what you want to sell me, of course. In short, what the fuck do I need a plog for? Was there a rage against your machine to have these things installed on everyone's reccomendation page? Was the search not working for us consumers fast enough? Did we clamour for more information about how you could better sell something to us?

I see the little click for 'what is a plog' but to be honest I got about 3 sentences into it and got bored, couldn't be bothered to finish it. It felt like I was reading about why I need to be further pimped. I'm ok without it. Maybe it will prove valuable, I've no idea. Usually when someone is explaining the revolutionary value of something as they are revealing it to me, there is a pitch at the end. Someone asks for my money. Yes, that's why you exist, I get that. That's why I can log on and find a 3 dollar used copy of an obscure design patterns bookwithin a few minutes and then save it because I wasn't all that serious about Baroque iconography anyway.

But if you really want to do something that I think I want, throw me some big coupons. Hell, set up a nice business account for me and fill it with 5 grand. I'll start a design house that will knock your socks off. Or I'll dissapear into the mist with a seriously scary bunch of optics and send you a postcard from an obscure country that begged to be silently and unobtrusively captured for the world to see it's character and know that such a pristine thing still exists. And I won't tell anyone where it is so it can continue to be so. I may need a surfboard too but I'll get that from a friend, thanks.

I'm not sure I have a photo for this letter. I'm not sure this even needed to be written. It's not helped me much. Sliding towards the delete button...