RECIDIVISM

I did not even know I knew this word existed until I woke with it in my head Monday morning. I had to look it up to find its meaning. Isn't that strange. A word... I often wake with songs in my head. I time my sleep, so I wake up during a dream cycle. (A trick I leaned when reading about how to have lucid dreams.) So I often remember what I was dreaming. But to recall a word; a specific, uncommon word; a previously unknown word.

Recidivism: the act of a person repeating an undesirable behavior after they have either experienced negative consequences of that behavior, or have been treated or trained to extinguish that behavior.

Such a great word. My children practice the philosophy of recidivism. (Always use a new word in a sentence, right.) Why did I wake with it in my head?

WILD INTERNATIONAL - One Day As A Lion

Geographic Concentration of Inspiration

In the last ten or so years there have been two geographic areas that have been sources of musical and literary influence:

England: Radiohead, Clinic, The Beta Band, Warren Ellis, Neil Gaiman, Garth Ennis
Oregon: Modest Mouse, The Shins, Chuck Palahniuk

I find it odd that the music and words I look to for inspiration are located in these two geographic concentrations. If I were to extend Oregon to include the Northwest, you can add Nirvana, Pavement, Built to Spill and Tom Robbins (though I grew tired of his work after 4 or 5 books.) I'm not sure if it's the dreary melancholy of the weather these two share. It could be the paranoid secularism of England. It could be the transgressive and progressive nature of the Pacific Northwest. In any case, I am drawn to these sources time and time again.

IN THE SHADOW OF NO TOWERS by Art Spiegelman

http://www.randomhouse.com/pantheon/graphicnovels/towersHomeless.html

"For Art Spiegelman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Maus, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 were both highly personal and intensely political. In the Shadow of No Towers, his first new book of comics since the groundbreaking Maus, is a masterful and moving account of the events and aftermath of that tragic day.

Spiegelman and his family bore witness to the attacks in their lower Manhattan neighborhood: his teenage daughter had started school directly below the towers days earlier, and they had lived in the area for years. But the horrors they survived that morning were only the beginning for Spiegelman, as his anguish was quickly displaced by fury at the U.S. government, which shamelessly co-opted the events for its own preconceived agenda.

He responded in the way he knows best. In an oversized, two-page-spread format that echoes the scale of the earliest newspaper comics (which Spiegelman says brought him solace after the attacks), he relates his experience of the national tragedy in drawings and text that convey—with his singular artistry and his characteristic provocation, outrage, and wit—the unfathomable enormity of the event itself, the obvious and insidious effects it had on his life, and the extraordinary, often hidden changes that have been enacted in the name of post-9/11 national security and that have begun to undermine the very foundation of American democracy."

(Thanks, Jeremy.)

I often wonder...

BOOMBOX - The Lonely Island feat. Julian Casablancas

Another one of my favorite things on the internet. I never get tired of this song...

Radiohead - FOLLOW ME AROUND

"You will become a hypocrite. You'll become a liar. You'll try to paper up your own cracks. And everybody does it, and that's what being an adult is. ...sorry."

This song and Thom's quote have been in my head all day. A bit of dismal realism is good on occasion. It keeps you honest. As for the song, I only know of it from the documentary, "Meeting People is Easy."

"I Want To Get High, But I Don't Want Brain Damage."

A new single from The Flaming Lips and Lightning Bolt...

Awesome!

Grey Alien Caught on Tape

One of the creepiest things on the internet...

WASHINGTON by Cox & Combes

One of my favorite things on the internet...

Gullah: Where did "ya'll" come from?

What follows is a brief report on a lecture about the Gullah. It lacks detail, but it serves as a decent introduction this Creole language.

GULLAH

Jerry Moss is an academy award nominated filmmaker who visited class to discuss the Creole language, Gullah. He began by briefly outlining the circumstances in which the language developed. During British expansion, the territory known as Georgia was colonized by the second and third sons of prominent families. Rice farming was more desirable that cotton, but due to the irrigation needs of the crop, coastal locations were essential. It was difficult and complicated to condition the land, as it had to be dredged manually; therefore, land owners sought specialists from the Rice Coast of Africa. These specialists supervised and directed the slaves working the fields. As a result, Gullah began as the pidgin spoken on rice plantations, which were located along the Eastern Seaboard, from North Florida to North Carolina. It started out of the necessity for efficient communication among landowners and specialists; specialists and laborers.

Two things must be considered when considering the conditions that brought the language into fruition. One must first pay attention to the labor system of most rice plantations that existed. Task systems were incorporated as the desired labor system. Under this mechanism, slaves had free time to spend after their chores were completed. This allowed for many leisure activities that would have encouraged casual communication among the laborers, which were from diverse societies in Africa. Development of a pidgin would have been essential. Also, during the summer, no whites were around at all. In other words, no native English speakers were on the plantations. This brought about a language more influenced by African retention. Lorenzo Turner investigated the Gullah and discovered over 1400 words retained from African languages. There are few remaining English influenced words in use today.

Mr. Moss spoke briefly about the grammar, and I mean really briefly. He stated the language has a word for second person plural, “ya’ll."

Dead Eyes Open: Free Web Zombie Comic

http://deadeyesopen.com/dead-eyes-open-1-cover/

This comic is an introduction to what is great about zombie literature. Like good science fiction, it uses the subject matter to address complex social issues. It helps you step outside of reality to view events more objectively. Enjoy...

Even as I left Florida...

I moved from Jacksonville ten years ago this week. It was only four formative years, but I had a lifetime of experiences. Rarely a day goes by that I don't think of someone I knew or something that happened there. Granted, I lived in Tallacrappy a while before moving to Atlanta, but I think of those months as sort of a decompression chamber.

SIGNAL by Paul Duffield

http://www.spoonbard.com/signal/

This comic by the illustrator of http://www.freakangels.com/ is absolutely beautiful. As the site mentions, it is inspired by SETI and Carl Sagan's COSMOS series.

On a personal note, it parallels the most lucid dream I've ever had:

I was in my late teens, still living with my folks. In the dream, I walk through their kitchen and suddenly realize I am dreaming. To test this, I stand in front of the screen door leading to the front yard. I thrust my arms forward and blow the door of its hinges, sending it flying to land crumpled on the lawn. To go a bit further, I begin doing somersaults across the grass until I reach the drive way. I then look up, take a few steps forward and take flight.

At this point it becomes a balancing act to keep this state of mind. I soon get control, and I find that the harder I tighten my fists, the faster and further I travel. I streak into the farthest reaches of space until I stop in this area of gaseous "caterpillars." I realize I am witnessing the birth of stars in some sort of galactic incubator.

I wake.

Martin Prado Shows His Versatility

One of the most underrated players in the MLB...

The Imagination Age

"Active participants in the Imagination Age are becoming cultural ambassadors by introducing virtual strangers to unfamiliar customs, costumes, traditions, rituals and beliefs, which humanizes foreign cultures, contributes to a sense of belonging to one’s own culture and fosters an interdependent perspective on sharing the riches of all systems. Cultural transformation is a constant process, and the challenges of modernization can threaten identity, which leads to unrest and eventually, if left unchecked, to violent conflict. Under such conditions it is tempting to impose homogeneity, which undermines the highly specific systems that encompass the myriad luminosity of the human experience." - Rita J. King

http://theimaginationage.net/

http://sciencehouse.com/

Modest Mouse Debuts New Song at Issac Brock's House :: Music :: News :: Paste

Modest Mouse Debuts New Song at Issac Brock's House :: Music :: News :: Paste

Sin City Trade Paper Back Lot

Big time eBay comics score:



Sin City

Dame to Kill for

Big Fate Kill

That Yellow Bastard (Hard Cover)

Booze Broads and Bullets

Hell and Back

Family Values

Low final bid + groupon = $13.14 TOTAL

Danger Mouse and Friends

Danger Mouse collaborations are currently my preferred listening material:

"Modern Guilt" w/ Beck

"Broken Bells" w/ James Mercer

Dark Night of the Soul w/ Sparklehorse and assorted awesome folk.

He puts his thumbprint on everything, and it all has a unique flavor. I can't wait for "Rome" to come out next month, with Danielle Luppi, Jack White and Norah Jones.

Where In Mongolia Is The Tomb Of Ghengis Khan?

From your recliner, tag satellite photos of Northern Mongolia in the search of the most prolific procreator of all time. I can't think of a better was to "waste" time. What are you going to do; watch another television show?

http://exploration.nationalgeographic.com/mongolia/

PRECISION

PRECISION

This is one of the MANY interesting things I routinely pick up from the social networking of Warren Ellis.

THE TEMPLE MOUNT: The Most Significant Piece of Real Estate in Monotheistic Culture

Though a bit confusing, this article gives a great synopsis of the most significant piece of real estate in monotheistic culture. I do not recommend paying much attention to the archaeologist's opinions regarding the site, as the material was not found in situ. Once the items are out of context, a serious scholar can not reliable interpret the data.

What is Beneath the Temple Mount?

MGMT - Kids and Flash Delirium

KIDS



FLASH DELIRIUM



I love MGMT videos as much as their songs. These are especially awesome/innovative/twisted/etc.

Whoever Brought Me Here, Will Have To Take Me Home

All day I think about it, then at night I say it.
Where did I come from, and what am I supposed to be doing?
I have no idea.
My soul is from elsewhere, I'm sure of that,
and I intend to end up there.

This drunkenness began in some other tavern.
When I get back around to that place,
I'll be completely sober. Meanwhile,
I'm like a bird from another continent, sitting in this aviary.
The day is coming when I fly off,
but who is it now in my ear who hears my voice?
Who says words with my mouth?

Who looks out with my eyes? What is the soul?
I cannot stop asking.
If I could taste one sip of an answer,
I could break out of this prison for drunks.
I didn't come here of my own accord, and I can't leave that way.
Whoever brought me here, will have to take me home.

This poetry. I never know what I'm going to say.
I don't plan it.
When I'm outside the saying of it,
I get very quiet and rarely speak at all.

- RUMI (Translated by Coleman Barks)

Trent Reznor won an Oscar...?

...And it made me think of my favorite "industrial" band, Pitchshifter. Instead of simple, dismal notions of depravity over drum machines and samples, Pitchshifter came with well-crafted anti-establishment counter propaganda and British brand paranoia... and subliminal messages. Which as far as I can tell, compelled listerners to eat cold cuts.


(Sorry, no videos of my favorites on Youtube.)

RIVAL SCHOOLS - Wring It Out

Walter Schreifels has been writing this kind of song for more than 20 years. There's nothing new and innovative here, but that doesn't mean I am able to get it out of my head. See also, Gorilla Biscuits and Quicksand:

FULL DARK, NO STARS

Just finished this King novel. Read it in under a week, in fact. Not much of an accomplishment in prior years, but with a wife who works nights and two children, I'd say its pdq.

Four great page burning stories that do what Mr. King does best: The pages melt away, and you are immersed in his world. I don't know how he does it. I try to pay attention to his technique, but instead I get lost in the story. Which is why I remain a "Constant Reader."

He did use some of his old tricks in these stories. No one pissed themselves, but two characters clenched their fists painfully tight. None to the point of bleeding, like in many of his stories. And shockingly, there was only one "Ayuh," though three of the tales were set in Maine.

Despite twenty years of reading his material, I have many books left to consume. No doubt, Absent Reader, I will get to them all.

INVICTUS

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

William Ernest Henley


Finally watched "Invictus" last night. Difficult to imagine the horrors experienced by Mandela and his family, and the compassion born after his strife is something we should all seek.

CLINIC: Why do I like this band so much?

I have posted about this U.K. band in the past, but I've been listening to them a lot lately. Specifically this song, and the entire album, Winchester Cathedral:



It's been 9 years since Paige and I moved to Atlanta, and Clinic was the first show we saw here. It was out in East Atlanta, at a club called the Echo Lounge. We had never even heard their music. I had read about them in Spin and noticed they were in town that week. "Walking with Thee" had just been released, so they primarily played these songs:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/recsradio/radio/B00005YX3X/ref=pd_krex_dp_001_001?ie=UTF8&track=001&disc=001
From then on, I was hooked.

Umberto Eco's Take on Wikileaks

http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/414871-not-such-wicked-leaks
This is some interesting insight from the castrator of conspiracy.

Reggie Watts

I will definitely be checking out more of this dude. Great social commentary.

Atlanta Comic Con

At Paige's suggestion, I decided to check out the Atlanta Comic Con this afternoon. I met her at work, and we switched cars to avoid waking our sons. The venue was only a few blocks away, and I arrived just in time to realize I had missed the Walkind Dead forum by 30 minutes. At this point I almost skipped the whole thing because I didn't want to pay the $20 fee, and I'm not the type to sneak in. I decided to approach the ticket booth in any case, and to my surprise, the attendent offered me a student pass at $5. I kindly paid the woman with gratitude, and entered the convention area.

Immediately to my left was Burt Ward. Just beyond him was Arthur Fonzarelli. Across from the Fonz was none other than Lando Calrissian. It honestly weirded me out, so I ducked to another aisle. Here there were dozens of artists selling prints and originals of everything imaginable. I ended up getting three prints of some Marvel zombies (Hulk (below), Spiderman and Captain America) for $10. All the artists were pretty reasonable and approachable.



There were also dozens of comics vendors. They had anything and everything you could ask for. One guy had a ton of old Alpha Flight, and I asked which one had the origin of Wolverine. He proceeded to tell me Logan's first appearance was in Hulk, but I asked about his ORIGIN story. I remember it being in #64 or something. I'll have to check it out. The vendors also made me think about liquidating my comics collection in order to acquire complete runs of just a few series.

The experience was time well spent. I should be more prepared next year. I honestly didn't know what to expect today. Once home, I read you had to pay the "stars" for autographs, even photos taken with your own camera. I'm glad I did not ask for one. It really would have added insult to injury.

THE MORNING BENDERS

Never heard these guys until two days ago when they opened for the Broken Bells. I haven't been this impressed by a live introduction to a band since I heard the Muse open for Cold Play many years ago. The entire CD is really quite good. I'll be listening to it a lot over the next few months to say the least. I look forward to seeing them perform again.

Quick Thought...

You know what I like most about living in Atlanta? On any day you can go outside and with barely any effort whatsoever meet someone unlike anyone you’ve ever met before. On any day. With minimal effort. Just go around the corner or get in the longest line. It will happen.

Great Climate Blog

http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2009/12/07/the-real-climate-scandal/

Two versions of the song that made me a fan. (after Creep made me buy the cd.) I just received the vinyl of the former. I look forward the hearing the other b-sides/pablo precursors.

The Beta Band: Squares

An oldie but a goodie...it helps me out when commuting, but I know they are singing about me.

Ginsberg's HOWL performed by Jon Tuturro

A professor played this in a poetry class I attended long ago in a galaxy far away. I remember primarily being further impressed with Turturro's acting, as I lacked the sensibilities to fully grasp a personal interpretation of the poem. With that in mind I revisited the performance, and I decided to post it. Feel free to comment your thoughts on the poem.

VUEVE CLIQUOT

TASTE:

Rich, round fruit fills the mouth, and there is a lightly bitter, yeasty finish of citrus rind. These are the attributes of a quality wine vinified in the traditional method. Vueve Clicquot is the supreme example of Champagne. For me, it is the measuring stick. Though I’ve not had the opportunity to taste the elite brand, Krug; I have sampled many other premium brands: Dom Perignon, Moet, Cristal, Deutz, and the hip-hop driven Ace of Spades. They were found wanting in the face of this brand, and they pale in historical significance within the shadow of Clicquot.

HISTORY:

Vueve is the French term for widow, and Clicquot is the namesake. Madame Clicquot Posardin took over her husband’s small Champagne business when he died, making her a widow at the age of 27. At the time most Champagnes were cloudy and required decanting before serving. Madame Clicquot invented a process called remuage which left the product crystal clear. Also known as riddling, this procedure gradually turns and shakes the bottle so that the sediment of dead yeast cells moves to the neck for subsequent removal by disgorgement. The process remains integral to the regulations of traditional Champagne production.

The label of Vueve Clicquot reflects significant events in the wine’s history. The star on each label is representative of the 1911 vintage. During the harvest of this year, a brilliant comet was visible in the night sky. Considered by many to be the pinnacle of the brand’s production, the vintage continues in the wine’s mythology through its representation of a star, everpresent on Clicquot’s label.

An anchor lies within the star. In 1920, Britain and France ceased all trade with Russia. Unfortunately, for the widow Clicquot, the Russian Czar was quite the enthusiast of this unique bubbly. To avoid economic collapse, Madame Clicquot enlisted blockade runners to ship her product to awaiting consumers in the embattled nation. As a result, the winery survived the following years. They remain producers today due largely to this bold move, and choose to represent the event by placing an anchor on the label.



I hope you have found this interesting and informative. I suggest picking up a bottle during your next wine purchase. Whole Foods, Costco, and other retail establishments will generally price it at between $40-$50 a bottle. It truly is a unique experience at a reasonable price. Please comment to let me know what you think of Vueve Clicquot after you have tried it. Thanks.

MARIJUANA WILL NEVER BE LEGAL

750,000 arrests per year (#3 crime)
+ 25,000 - 30,000 people incarcerated at any given time.
= $$$$$ in revenue for our government

(Source: The Botany of Desire documentary on PBS)

HOWEVER: The current Newsweek states the country would save 13.5 billion if it were made legal.

COMMENTARY: I'm not sure where the $13 billion comes from, but I've always told proponents that the first step is decriminalization. Marijuana has to be separated from other drugs first. Myself, I never thought it was a big deal. It's not like I ever had a hard time finding it. Besides, the workplace would remain stigmatized toward the recreational practice, so it really doesn't matter if it is legal or not.

Archaeology of Halloween

These look to be some pretty cool articles on the archaeology of witches, zombies and vampires. I can't wait to check them out further.

http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/halloween/

WAYNE COYNE ON WHY THE LIPS TUNE UP IN FRONT OF THE CROWD

"I've always viewed this as part of the show. You're gonna see us set up our stuff, see exactly how this works. You are gonna know that this is not magic. And yet, when the music starts, it's still gonna destroy you."

- SPIN (Nov. 09)

TWO GREAT QUOTES FROM THE OCTOBER SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE

"Batman. For the most part, I identify more with the 'make-yourself' type of hero as opposed to the ones who have their powers thrust upon them. It mimics the idea of how we can take care of the people around us through mundane, human roles."

MARK NEWPORT P. 26

"One comment she remembers was an officer's take on Claude Lorrain's 17th-century painting Sermon on the Mount, in which a crowd gazes up at Jesus. 'If I drove up on the scene and saw all these people looking up,' the cop said, 'I'd figure I had a jumper.'"

NEAL HIRSCHFELD P. 54

RUSH LIMBAUGH IS A SKAT MUNCHER

CHICK PUBLICATIONS

Crazy, paranoid, hellfire comics from my youth. I remember these well. What kid wouldn't if faced with their message. I would still find them in restrooms in Jacksonville when I lived there in the late 90s/ early 00s, and I still have a few of them. I visited the website tonight and found this gem to embed:



I also found some great propaganda about freemasonry, evolution and catholicism. I hope to purchase all of these in the near future. I'm absolutely fascinated by the content.

THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD

Men walkin long the railroad tracks
Goin someplace theres no goin back
Highway patrol choppers comin up over the bridge
Hot soup on a campfire under the bridge
Shelter line stretchin round the corner
Welcome to the new world order
Families sleepin in their cars in the southwest
No home no job no peace no rest
The highway is alive tonight
But nobodys kiddin nobody about where it goes
Im sittin down here in the campfire light
Searchin for the ghost of Tom Joad
He pulls a prayer book out of his sleeping bag
Preacher lights up a butt and takes a drag
Waitin for when the last shall be first and the first shall be last
In a cardboard box neath the underpass
Got a one-way ticket to the promised land
You got a hole in your belly and gun in your hand
Sleepin on a pillow of solid rock
Bathin in the city aqueduct
The highway is alive tonight
Where its headed everybody knows
Im sittin down here in the campfire light
Waitin on the ghost of Tom Joad
Now tom said mom, wherever theres a cop beatin a guy
Wherever a hungry newborn baby cries
Where theres a fight against the blood and hatred in the air
Look for me mom Ill be there
Wherever theres somebody fightin for a place to stand
Or a decent job or a helpin hand
Wherever somebodys strugglin to be free
Look in their eyes mom youll see me.
Well the highway is alive tonight
But nobodys kiddin nobody about where it goes
Im sittin down here in the campfire light
With the ghost of old Tom Joad

KING RAT

The song is supposedly based on James Clavell's novel of the same name that was released in 1962. The late Heath Ledger directed the video. The song features the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.



If you have the opportunity, check out the Dirty D. They are a good night out. I saw them at Smith's Olde Bar a few years ago, and it was time well spent.

THE WHALE SONG by MODEST MOUSE

I guess I am a scout
So I should find a way out
So everyone can find a way out

They keep us in
To pull us out
I'm rising up
Wish I was sinking down
And it's not like
There was warning
We were happy
And it's not like
There was mourning
In the warning

I know I am a scout
I should've found a way out
So everyone can find a way out

I know I am a scout
I should've found a way out
So everyone can find a way out

Instead of seeing a neighbor out
God, I wish I would've found a way out
It's the last time
We were happy
Ever happy

I know I was a scout
I should've found a way out
So everyone could find a way out

Well I know I was a scout
I should've found a way out
So everyone could find a way out

Well I know I was a scout
I should've found a way out
So everyone could find a way out

I first heard this song at the Tabernacle show last March. I wrote in my notebook at the time: "Mmm...tastes like jam." Now that I've heard it as a studio release, my impression still stands. This seems like a song that came together in a studio jam session, but it is infectious. And yes, the riff does sound like a whale.

90's HEAVY

A great song from my youth. Check out the crowd around 5 min 10 sec:

Georgia Guidestones Vandalism

I took a personal field trip here a few years ago. I arrived on the summer solstice, thinking I would be a part of something. I wasn't. I was the only person there at noon on June 21.

But I was not disappointed. So what if no one else was there; so what if the clouds prevented a view of the so-called calendar. These monuments remain as a reminder of how we should treat ourselves. If their prophecies are realized; then we are all lost.


RELAX, PEOPLE; IT IS NOT AS BAD AS YOU THINK.

SLANG: You can make it happen

LOG OFF: Term used when you have to make a bowel movement.

I'm not interested in credit for coining this term. My only hope is that five or ten years from now, while in a crowded space, I hear someone say, "Dude, I'll be right back. I gotta log off."

That, my friend, will be reward enough.

LESS AMBITIOUS TERMS (about vaginas)

TWAT SNOT: Term for vaginal secretion
CLITSAURUS: An engorged, swollen clitoris (I have my fingers crossed for this one.)

Me in '96 (just wish I'd heard the song then)

Oh noose tied myself in, tied myself too tight
Looking kind of anxious in your cross armed stance
Like a bad tempered prom queen at a homecoming dance
And I claim I'm not excited with my life any more
So I blame this town, this job, these friends
The truth is it's myself
And I'm trying to understand myself
and pinpoint where i am
When I finally get it figured out
I've change the whole damn plan
Oh noose tied myself in, tied myself too tight
Talking shit about a pretty sunset
Blanketing opinions that I'll probably regret soon
I've changed my mind so much I cant even trust it
My mind changed me so much I cant even trust myself

-From Modest Mouse

YEARLY LYRICS

I will soon post lyrics with years as the title. These are simply songs that represent the things I was going through at the time. Also, I am getting rid of the legislative and wine blogs that I began. I intend to repost some of the material here for no one to read.

The Cluth Pro-Rock Search Engine

How cool is this? You can have a banner with the Clutch logo in your browser. And you can get free stuff. Plus, it uses Google like we all do already.

http://searchwithclutch.prodege.com/?cmd=sb-register&rb=223919

Colin Powell's Presidential Endorsement

History of Halloween

AFTER: THE FINISHED PRODUCT

Paige's Dad, George helped out again, cutting the molding. Jody came over and helped me with the suspended ceiling perimeter.

DURING

Paige and Jody helped out with the puddy.



Paige's Dad, George, was a tremendous help building this wall to separate our hot water heater and HVAC unit.

BEFORE

REMODELING PROJECT

To make room for Mattox, I finally got off my ass and remodeled our basement. Virtually on may own and at a cost of about $850, I completed the project in about 5 weeks. Photos of the three phases follow in the next posts.

H.R. 1424 Final Vote

How the U.S. House from Georgia voted:
• Rep. John Barrow (D-12) N
• Rep. Sanford Bishop, Jr. (D-2) Y
• Rep. Paul Broun (R-10) N
• Rep. Nathan Deal (R-9) N
• Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-11) N
• Rep. Hank Johnson (D-4) N
• Rep. Jack Kingston (R-1) N
• Rep. John Lewis (D-5) Y
• Rep. John Linder (R-7) N
• Rep. Jim Marshall (D-8) Y
• Rep. Tom Price (R-6) N
• Rep. David Scott (D-13) Y
• Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-3) N

Both senators, Issackson and Chambliss voted in favor of the resolution.

Personally, I believe its passage to be a mistake. It will do nothing to address the culture of the market. The problems will persist, and we will still suffer a long recession. Unfortunately, we no longer have the funds to distribute any "economic stimulus packages". I love those things.

PALAHNIUK'S PACKAGE

In a previous post I showed Paige's signed copy of CHOKE. I speculated about the meaning of the inscription.

Actually, while talking to Chuck before the event, he inquired about the people he was signing to. I explained Paige couldn't make it because she was home looking after JJ. He said, "You want to do something fun and evil?"

"Yeah."

He grabbed an envelope from behind him and handed it to me. He told me to send her information to him in the addressed envelope, and in a couple months, he would send her a package. He implored me not to tell her, to let it be a surprise.


CONTENTS: Hand-beaded and personalized necklace, trick deck of cards, cigarette ink pen, SE Asian influenced temporary tattoos, joke pack of gum, 2 bouncy balls, bacon and eggs bandage assortment, laser pointer, two-headed nickel, soothing bells, chocolate sampler, plastic severed finger, jacknife comb, tobasco sauce, a seed assortment of forget-me-nots herbs and carrots, 2 personalized cds of stories he recorded in audio, and a moist towelette guaranteed to wash away your sins.



Above is the letter he wrote to her. I hope you can read it. The last lines are priceless: "Please never hesitate to surprise someone. Celebrate Christmas anytime as often as you want. Clean up this mess. I'll Shut Up Now, Chuck Palahniuk

CLEAN UP THIS MESS

Some Local Politics

Voodoo priestess says Cobb official bounced checks
Kesting’s attorney says she never met with ‘priestess, witch doctor, or anyone’

By KENT A. MILES, CHRISTIAN BOONE


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution


Monday, October 06, 2008


The South Carolina “voodoo priestess” who has accused Cobb County Commissioner Annette Kesting of writing $3,000 in bad checks for her services said Tuesday she only wanted to be paid for her work.

George Ann Mills said Kesting approached her at home in Blythewood, S.C., in late August seeking otherworldly help against her political rival, Woody Thompson.

Kesting wasn’t available for comment today. Her lawyer has denied these events.
“She said, ‘Do you see cancer in him? I said he looks like a very healthy man’,” Mills said, noting that Kesting held up a photo of a man she said was Thompson. “She said, ‘Is there anything you can do about this … give him cancer, or make him have an accident or something?’ “

Mills said she refused, saying she didn’t want Thompson’s blood on her hands. She offered to “make trouble for him, to make people see who he really is.”
Mills said Kesting wrote two checks totaling $3,000, which were returned for insufficient funds. Kesting then sent two $1,000 money orders in payment. Mills produced a copy of a MoneyGram receipt, dated Aug. 28. The receipt, which she faxed to the AJC, listed Kesting’s husband, Christian, as the sender.

“I kept a paper trail of everything,” Mills said. “I don’t think this would have ever come out if I had been paid.”

Law enforcement authorities in Georgia and South Carolina are investigating the bad check allegations against Kesting.

Sims Gordon, Kesting’s attorney, said Kesting denies meeting Mills.
“She had not seen seen a priestess, witch doctor, or anyone in South Carolina,” Gordon said.

Synopsis: “Economic Stabilization Act,” H.R. 1424

The legislation authorizes the Treasury Secretary to immediately use up to $250 billion to purchase distressed assets from institutional investors. If needed, the secretary may then access an additional $100 billion to purchase these distressed assets but only with presidential approval.

An additional $350 billion may be accessed if the president transmits a written report to Congress requesting the funds. The Treasury Secretary may use this additional authority unless Congress passes a joint resolution of disapproval within 15 days.

The legislation includes a number of provisions to ensure oversight by Congress and accountability to the taxpayers, including prohibitions on executive compensation to ensure bad actors are not rewarded. Specifically, companies that receive more than $300 million from this plan will have limits placed on their top five executives. These limits include a ban from receiving a “golden parachute” as well as limits in the tax deductions they can take on compensation over $500,000.

RADIOHEAD - House of Cards

oracular?

Letterman vs. McCain : Round 1

Letterman's the best. I'm sure there'll be more to come.

WATCHMEN MOTION COMIC

(IS THAT THE VOICE OF SPACE GHOST?)

brilliant

Where we are headed.

I found this a while back when goggling space images. It's only a matter of time.

More Chuck

He asked who JJ was, and I told him my son. He asked how old he was; I said two. He winced.



Paige "accidentally" put gum between the pages of our first copy of CHOKE, so I purchased this one at the event for Chuck to sign for her. The inscription is a bit cryptic. I could be a reference to the plot, but I don't think so. Paige thinks it may be a reference to her pregnancy. I did tell him we were expecting. Could it have another meaning?





I saw a couple other inscriptions, and they were similar: Who smells like a real porn god; who has real porn star hair; who makes love look easy, sleazy. I prefer mine simply because I am a real man, and he poured a bit of Stetson cologne in the pages of the book.

Palahniuk Highlights

As #034 (Snuff reference) I was able to meet him before the event. I'm not sure who took this photo, but I found it and all others @ chuckpalahniuk.net. You can access this site by clicking "The Cult" in the links sidebar.



The auditorium was packed with over 500 people. I was sitting just out of view in the upper right of the frame, a couple rows back from the stage. The demographics were what you would expect: Primarily 20-30 year olds with tattoos and piercings abound. Much more hair was dyed black than blonde, and the bunch was lively.



He began the presentation by dispersing blow-up dolls for an inflation competition. He gave away autographed copies of KNOCKEMSTIFF by Donald Ray Pollock to the winners.



I'm glad I didn't catch one of these. I got on the new fangled way: EBAY.



He then settled in to share some stories and anecdotes. I call the one above Petey. I shot it on my digital camera, and it's only jumpy at the beginning, so bear with it a few seconds. He also read a short story, LOSER, that was an exclusive for the book tour. In it, an acid filled frat pledge is on The Price is Right and makes it to the showcase showdown. These things happen in the story, but that is not what the story is about. Like many of his other works, it is caustic commentary of societal obsession with image and materialism. I'm not including it here because I want to keep it as an experience for only those in attendence (and Paige). If he ever publishes the story, I'll post it.



Following a rather mundane Q & A, he closed by tossing signed autograph hounds to the audience. Unfortunately, I didn't get one of these.



Along with the blow up doll, the autograph hound is a prominent item in SNUFF. The other item is a cyanide pill. He couldn't really give those away, much less sign them.

FREAK ANGELS...

...is s free weekly web comic written by Warren Ellis. I won't go into the details, but it's one of the best ways to kill ten minutes each week.



The graphic above will automatically show the new content each week.

CHUCK PALAHNIUK...

...was in Atlanta on June 4. It was his first visit to the capital of the South since I've lived here: Over six years and seven books! He was promoting his new book, SNUFF, and spoke for about two hours.


It made sense, logistically, for me to arrive a couple (3) hours early for the event. It was a bit weird for me to be there that early, but I did get to meet Chuck.

He was quite approachable. He personalized 3 books: Snuff for me, Choke for Paige and Rant for J.J. I also asked him about his craft. I wanted to know if he wrote from notes, an outline, or pounded out his ideas freely as they occurred until the story was finished. He explained that he writes notes as things occur, stories are heard, and research is done. He then, on a rainy day, will type out these notes on his PC. Next he prints a hard copy of the notes and carries it around with him, so he doesn't have to be confined to his home. He further notes this copy, and once he feels he has a story together, he hammers out a draft. It was incredible to hear a talent like him explain this process. It really charged my batteries.

In the next two posts, I'll present some photos of the event I nabbed from chuckpalahkiuk.net and a video I shot of a story he told. I'll also post the personalized signings of his novels.

RADIOHEAD

We went to the show a couple months ago, but I made no post. I plan to make up for it in the following:

FIRST A FEW CHOICE CLIPS





NOW THE SET LIST

Set 1: All I Need, There There, Lucky, 15 Step, Where I End and You Begin, Nude, Pyramid Song, Optimistic, Weird Fishes, National Anthem, Idioteque, You and Whose Army?, Reckoner, Everything in Its Right Place, Bangers + Mash, Bodysnatchers, Videotape

Encore 1: Gloaming, Talk Show Host, Just, Faust Arp, How to Disappear

Encore 2: Paranoid Android, House of Cards

FINALLY...COMMENTS

The show was great, the atmosphere was great, the band was great. They were right on with most songs; though, Paranoid Android seemed a bit awkward. It had been FIVE YEARS since they toured. I truly hope it's not another 5; Thom will be 45!

P.S.

We saw the show for free, sort of. I purchased three copies of the box set release of In Rainbows. I sold two on eBay for a $60 profit, and we used gift cards to pay the balance. As my friend Mason says, "Well that's like a sore peter;...you just can't beat it."

Goofy Video

Decisions, decisions

When your responsibility in this world becomes elevated beyond your own existence; decions must be made. I am willing to sacrifice a rockin' Clinic show for a Chuck Palahniuk event.



I'm so dramatic.

JUST WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS...

By specimenj at 2008-04-18

ANOTHER THAT SHARES MY GENETIC MATERIAL. THIS ONE LOOKS TO BE A THANKSGIVING TURKEY. THINGS ARE WELL SO FAR, AND I'LL KEEP THE READER UPDATED.

COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR RADIOHEAD

CHINESPIRATION

The upcoming Beijing olympics have spawned intense criticism (and rightfully so). When the Olympics were first announced to be in China a few years back, I saw a poster in a professor's office of the hands of a handcuffed person forming the bottom two of the traditional five Olympic rings. I could not find the poster I saw in their office, but I wanted to post a few conceptual drawings and photos that show the global discontent with Chinese policies. But really, will knocking the torch from the hands of a wheel chair bound participant help or hurt your cause. Let's think these things through next time.











As for a boycott; you can't. There's no way to prevent the purchase of Chinese products. There hasn't been a way around it for 30 years. We should simply continue to protest their policies while avoiding their products when we can.

More importantly, support all the participating athletes. They train their entire lives for this moment, and they deserve our apolitical endorsement. After all, what have you been doing for the last decade?

2 MILESTONES; 1 BLOG

In case you can't make out the score on the screen, it's 116,740!




ALSO: This is my 100th post. (Yeah!)

My Lawn Mowing Song

The White Stripes album, Icky Thump, came out last year just after we closed on our house, and I would always listen to it while mowing my lawn. Like a scent that triggers a memory, "Catch Hell Blues" will always be associated with pushing my Briggs and Stratton up the mountainous region I call a yard.



ALSO, this song in particular reminds me of hanging out in Jody's garage apartment in the mid 90s. It was the place to be in Waycrizzy, and if you leave out the slide that Jack White uses, it sounds like Jody's best work on the electric. Meg's rudimentary drumming even mimics Mason's perfectly.

This video stops before the best verses begin, so I recommend you purchase or illegally download the complete version. While you're at it, get their complete discography; it's worth it.

Pinnacle of Taxidermy

From the author of Transmetropolitan...

You are never going into space.

You will never own a jet pack.

Your car will never fly.

HIV will not be cured in your lifetime.

Cancer will not be cured in your lifetime.

The common cold will not be cured in your lifetime.

Don't these things bother you?

Suicide is the third biggest killer of teenagers in the United States.

In 1999 more people in America died from suicide than from homicide.

Do you think about this?

As anyone who ever read MyDeathSpace.com for any period of time know, the leading cause of death in America is automobile accident. This is generally interpolated into a number placed under the heading "accidental death." When the operation of cars is the leading cause of loss of life I'm not entirely sure how it comes under the term "accidental death." It wasn't a fucking accident, it was done by someone with a car. It's 2007 and we don't know how to operate cars without killing people. It's not a fucking accident if it was caused by someone getting into a one-ton metal bullet that cannot be operated with complete control at all times.

In Europe in 2004, 13000 kids – persons under the age of fourteen -- died due to poor water. It’s 2007 and the society does not yet understand how to operate water.

Are you thinking about this now?

People keep asking me what DOKTOR SLEEPLESS is about. This is what it's about.

Someone stole your future. Don't you ever wonder who?

- WARREN ELLIS

DIG DUG

This classic is one of my all-time favorites. I began feeding quarters into this machine while standing on a stool when I was around 8, and I still play it on my Game Boy Advanced. Last month, it occurred to me that I was approaching it the wrong way. This was one of the first big time coin-ops. Back then, points were the goal, not level advancement. This epiphany has drastically improved my Dig Dug experience.
For the last month, I’ve been consumed. I don’t know what score is high enough for me to be satiated, but my highest thus far is 99,670. I can’t seem to break the 100K barrier, but I challenge ANYONE to get as close as I have. I’m willing to put money as well as my reputation as a 5-tool-gamer on the line.

BE DRUNK

by Charles Baudelaire Translated by Louis Simpson

You have to be always drunk. That's all there is to it--it's the
only way. So as not to feel the horrible burden of time that breaks
your back and bends you to the earth, you have to be continually
drunk.

But on what? Wine, poetry or virtue, as you wish. But be
drunk.

And if sometimes, on the steps of a palace or the green grass of
a ditch, in the mournful solitude of your room, you wake again,
drunkenness already diminishing or gone, ask the wind, the wave,
the star, the bird, the clock, everything that is flying, everything
that is groaning, everything that is rolling, everything that is
singing, everything that is speaking. . .ask what time it is and
wind, wave, star, bird, clock will answer you: "It is time to be
drunk! So as not to be the martyred slaves of time, be drunk, be
continually drunk! On wine, on poetry or on virtue as you wish."

Return of that Jay Guy

I have too many aunts, uncles, coworkers and cousins on my myspace friends list, so I'm comming back home. I hope you enjoy the new content.

Finally on Myspace.com

I've decided to move this forum to a much less ambitious site: www.myspace.com/jaybrigman

I held many lofty endeavors with this blog, but it didn't work out. There was always enough going on in the world to satisfy the things I set out in my first entry, but for the most part, it just didn't feel like me. It was way too serious. I decided to just post what was on my mind instead, and "Perception Equals Reality" just doesn't fit. So, check out the new site. Some of my entries here will be seen on the myspace site, and I hope to post regularly. See you there.

Immigration

This has always been a hot topic, but recent legislation has made it particularly relevant to Georgians. As a result, I have decided to post the "Findings" section of my project for my senior seminar in Anthropology. Let me know if there are any questions. I plan to post my fieldnotes in related posts.

Discussion of Findings:
The research conducted on undocumented migration in the United States yielded significant results, and the information obtained reflected popular concepts of segmented labor market and neoclassical theories. In addition, one respondent in particular engaged me in a discussion with regarding Marx’s theory of labor exploitation. In this section, I will also describe some of the aspects of the research that contribute to the body of anthropological knowledge currently available. Next I will give prospects for continued research on this interesting topic. First, though, I would like to relate the aspects of the project that hindered thorough investigation of undocumented non-citizens in this country, for there were many.
Complications are bound to arise when conducting qualitative research. Despite my efforts in this endeavor, my results were limited by many factors. Many of these limitations stem from the fact that the respondents were from a culture foreign to me. My expertise in the Spanish language can be described as pedestrian, at best. This language barrier prevented me from being able to obtain detailed information regarding the migration experiences of Respondent A. I utilized a translator with much success, but the data gathered was general in nature. A difference in native tongue also limited the coherence of the questionnaire. My translator was not available, so I had to depend on an Internet source for its translation. As a result, some of the questions may have been unclear. Also, my research dealt with participants from a focused geographic area. The motives of immigrants from other parts of the country may differ from those of my respondents, who all live in the Metro Atlanta Area. Also, all of the participants are employed in the hospitality industry in one form or another. I do not expect that their motives to come to this country would be different than those employed in other economic arenas, but there is no way to confirm this. The most significant limitation of this study was the meager sample size. Such a paltry sum of respondents has severely limited the significance of the data. Much effort was placed into increasing the number of respondents, but the language barrier and the topic’s sensitivity prevented disclosure from an ample number of participants. Such limitations have prevented a study as inclusive as I had wished, but important data remains that can be correlated with other bodies of literature dealing with migration and related theory.
Prior to conducting the fieldwork for this project, I was introduced to several pieces of literature dealing with segmented labor market theory. In this concept, immigration is described as integral to a global system of postindustrial economies, and these capitalist systems have a constant demand for an inexpensive labor force (Clark, 2004; Duignan, 2004; Espenshade, 1995; Murphy, 2001; Schloenhardt, 1999). Regional imbalances in economic development exist between varying countries, and people from countries that have attained a lower level of development become prime candidates to help form a migrant workforce of cheap laborers for more economically sound destinations.
Though the evidence appears scant, I found correlations between this avenue of anthropological thought and the data accumulated from respondents A and B. Each of these participants revealed the presence of many relatives and friends here in the United States and across the Atlantic in the European Union. Respondent B stated one dollar earned in America and the E.U. equals more than three dollars earned in Peru, and Respondent A related that the schools in Peru were grossly inadequate in comparison to those in the U.S. and E.U. These statements revealed significant disparities in economic development between Peru, the U.S., and the E.U. What was revealed about the preponderance of jobs in these areas related to Peru says a bit about the demand for inexpensive labor as well. Both respondents, A and B, revealed no prospects of employment as financially gratifying as those in the U.S. and E. U., but their occupations are considered by many to be quite undesirable. I found this to support the perception that more developed economies display an active demand for these people. As stated previously, the evidence remains scant, but the data seems to support the conventional wisdom related to segmented labor market theory.
The results also relate to neoclassical theory as individuals wish to move from a less stable economic environment to one that can potentially provide benefits (Clark, 2004; Espenshade, 1995; Murphy, 2001; Schloenhardt, 1999; Yang, 1998). This theory expresses the idea that migrants wish to maximize their incomes, so they move to areas of higher income levels. As highlighted by Espenshade (1995), there is a micro aspect of this theory that stresses individual agency. People make their own decisions as they move from unfavorable circumstances to a place where gains can be reached in hopes of accumulating wealth.
Respondents A and B provided great detail regarding this way of thinking. As soon as my Phase 2 interview with Respondent A began, the participant explained his reasons for migration as purely economic. He came here to make money in order to improve his financial standing as well as that of his family. This was an affirmation of neoclassical theory, and it confirmed the hypothesis I carried into the study. Respondent B reiterated these motives in his interview. Before he decided to immigrate to America, his grandparents stated, “Look at us; at how we live. You don’t want this. You could do better in the United States.” Respondent B’s father had established himself in Atlanta, and he had been slowly accumulating wealth for several years. His family’s feelings and the prosperity of his father spurned his decision to come to this country; further exemplifying neoclassical trends in migration theory. In addition, Respondent D plainly stated on the questionnaire that he moved to the U.S. for job opportunities.
There are other aspects joined with this component of micro-neoclassical theory. A lack of speed in educational development in one country may help contribute to a migrant’s motivation (Yang, 1998). Those with educational aspirations may not be able to attend university in their own country; thus, there exists a great benefit in migration to America. No information on this was obtained from respondents C or D, but these motives were confirmed as both respondents, A and B, referenced their educational aspirations and the prohibitive nature of an education in Peru. Post-secondary education in Peru is simply too expensive for them to participate, so they came here in hope of one day working toward a higher education.
In addition, the age of the respondents at the time of their migration was found to be in support of this economic theory. Evidence suggests market driven motives for immigration when a disproportionate number of migrants are from lower age brackets (Clark, 2004). All of the respondents were in their mid to late teens at the time of their migrations. If their motives were political, their ages would have been distributed on a larger scale, and they probably would have traveled with family members. For all of the reasons discussed, I found there to be a significant representation of neoclassical theory in the data accumulated in this research.
Data gathered also revealed support of common labor theory. Marxist theory states that a person’s labor power can be a commodity utilized to better one’s conditions. When a person uses their labor power as a necessity, their choices become much more limited, and they can become bound by the options given them by the entity consuming their labor power (Lysandrou, 2000). Coercive techniques could be used to insure the cooperation of those involved, and these conditions can lead to exploitation (Espenshade, 1995; Schloenhardt, 1999). To address this issue in my research, I spoke at length about this concept with Respondent B during Phase 3 of the interview process. I asked if the participant was familiar with the term “exploitation”, and he said he thought it meant “something like take advantage of.” After this exchange, I inquired as to what he thought about the instances of forced labor he experienced in his journey to America. He stated that since others had made the trip before him, he was familiar with what he would have to do. Also, the head coyote, whom he met in Lima, Peru, detailed these work arrangements with him before the trip began. The respondent stated he and his colleagues knew what would be expected of them, and they chose to participate anyway. He plainly related to me that he did not feel exploited in any way. He was aware of what he would have to go through, but he admitted it did not make the journey any easier.
In this qualitative study, I did not only wish to highlight the migrant experience and its relationship to prominent theory; I hoped to shed light on some aspects of migration not covered by many bodies of anthropological literature. Despite the volume of research relating to this topic, no apparent research has been conducted on the recruiting methods employed by coyotes. Likewise, little is known about where recruitment takes place. Also, no knowledge has been accrued regarding migrant preparation for their journey or its associated cost (Schloenhardt, 1999).
In this research, I found there was really no “recruitment” associated with a respondent’s cooperation with an illegal trafficking network. Of the two respondents who had their migration facilitated by a smuggling network, both personally knew people associated with coyotes. Their families arranged for them to be involved with them and aided their preparation for the journey, which only took a couple weeks. I had expected familial involvement in the respondents’ expeditions, but I was surprised by the extent of it. Family members of both of these respondents not only introduced them to the network of coyotes; they helped finance the trip and provided a support network for the newly arrived immigrants here in this country. Though no literature I was exposed to hint at trip duration, the data shows that it took a great amount of time for them to complete their journey. It took five months and five days for one; for the other, it took just over six months. The considerable cost involved was also a significant discovery. Respondent A’s migration cost thirteen thousand dollars, while Respondent B spent fifteen thousand in order for him to make it to the States. These unique aspects of the study do much to illustrate the migrants’ experience while they contribute to the existing body of anthropological literature associated with undocumented migration.
The results of this investigation provided many avenues for future study. For one, I would like to obtain more specific economic information in order to compare the developmental aspects of Peruvian and American economies. Also, more detailed demographic information is warranted. I need to further establish the conditions of the respondents in relation to other citizens of their homelands to further exemplify neoclassical and segmented labor market theories. Also, each respondent that crossed the Guatemalan/Mexican border experienced difficulties. For this reason, I would like to investigate the restrictive measures taken by the Mexican government to prevent illegal migration. Most importantly, I would like to conduct research on multinational crossings along the Mexican/American border. Respondent B was held in a jail consisting of many segregated nationalities. From this, it can be implied that people from distinct and varying nationalities utilize this permeable border to arrive in the United States. I am not aware of any research conducted on this matter, and I would gladly undertake it.

New Residents

Two new residents have moved in. They are expecting just like Paige and I. Here's a shot of one of them keeping their eggs warm in the nest they've built in our Christmas tree stand.

Official Ultrasound Photo

Definitely a boy.

Twig And Berries

This photo leads us to believe we are going to have a little man this August. The official results will be released after our appointment on Wednesday.