EXTREME MARXISM, for Kids!

Listen to the Mouse. All war is class war. And we're losing.

Oh Comrade Brown! Never trust a Menshevik!

Sanctioned fodder

Fair and balanced.

North Korea is ready to fight, apparently.

Totally wild!

Hero to some

Against the evil NAZI hordes, mind you, who had just lain waste to your country. Would not any man in this army be considered a hero to his fellow countrymen? Every tribe is looking for heroes, and war often provides them. So too, revolution.

Vladmir I Lenin, nerd who changed the world.

The nerd celebrated at sporting events.

The nerd who would sweep away the royalty of earth in the name of the common man.

The nerd who is a hero to many, but certainly not all. Are there any heroes who are? Lenin was sincere in his revolutionary beliefs, and is not responsible for any of the later horrors of the USSR - that's Stalin and his successors, but mostly Stalin. Dude was whack and in the running for "Evilest human, ever". Don't blame his deeds on Lenin, who liked kittens, and fighting authority. Here's an 1895 mugshot:

A nerd who got inspired by some other nerds (Marx, Engalls), and led a worldwide revolution. It would be incredibly awesome if it didn't collapse so quickly into totalitarian nightmare. Maybe there's a lesson there.

Or maybe not.

Workers of the World!

Class is in session, teaching today is Lenin Cat.

Please keep in mind Lenin Cat does not approve of the Lenins, Stalins, or Maos of the world, as they are totalitarian dictators who used the ideas of Marx to brutally control vast countries/populations, killing millions. Communism sucks. But Marxism is something else entirely, and that's what Lenin Cat is talking about: Power to the workers through freely chosen collectivism and a redistribution of wealth across the entire population fairly. Free food, free housing, free education, free healthcare for everyone, no exceptions.  For we, the 99%, are all workers, and run this world - literally - and always have.

Power to the people! Who else is going to fix/run something like this?

Another sweet Prokudin.

Who, I ask? It is the teachers, the nurses, the bakers, the mechanics, the drivers, the haulers, the sorters and pickers and sewers and stitchers who run this world, who make it possible. Not the uber-wealthy, who always have and always will be an anchor weighing down entire societies. Witness today's Royalty:

Just a quick weekend trip on my plane and yacht! From Rich Kids of Instagram. Witness the bar tabs:

And this shit just goes on and on. It's disgusting. 120K for a bottle of alcohol? Obscene.  Yet he we are, in this reality. What are you going to do about it? Not care? Keep your head down? Join in and help the rich keep everyone down? Your choice, of course. Mine? Hipster War.

Or not. Regardless, workers of the world must unite, for to not is to be individually enslaved. And perhaps we all are already, via debt.  Even if, we still must fight back in whatever ways we can. For instance, don't shop at Wal Mart. Fun fact! The Walton children's collective wealth represents something like 42% of the entire USA population - the lower part, obviously. How can anyone argue extremes like this are in any way good for a society, a country? Trickle down? Jerbs? Tell me more.

Living in Sci-Fi

Pencil in Hover Cars and that's some serious Sci-Fi skyline, amirite? NYC, Ladies and Gents - keeping up with the times. Check out Hong Kong or your latest Chinese Metropolis for proof - it's a dog eat dog world out there, architecturally speaking. With so many loose billions floating hither and yon, the City 'scape's gonna get EXTREME.

Martian dreaming no longer

Look at that beautiful planet! Look at it - click for big. Stunning. The large scar running across the center is the Valles Marineris and is over 4,000 KM long. Picture 10,000 Grand Canyons stretched across America for reference. Awe inspiring, and that's Mars - planet of Marvels. Behold the tallest mountain in the Solar System, Olympus Mons:

In addition to the two rovers currently wheeling over the surface, dealing with stuff like

Epic Dust Devil. True theory: It is theorized both Spirit and Opportunity were saved on several occasions by small Dust Devils, which cleaned them of accumulated dust, dust which was covering their solar panels and thus a threat to their continued operation.  Thanks!

We also have several satellites in orbit around Mars, snapping awesome pics every dang day.  Like so:

Sunrise over Olympus Mons. Sweet.

My point? Other than general awesomeness of our reality - space, time, matter, all of it - is that Mars, the Moon, and pretty much the entire Solar System is the province of robots, and not man, for the foreseeable future. I say this with much chagrin, since it has long been my dream to see space colonies and space stations and all the Star Trek/Apollo future you could give me. Which will be none.

Putting men in space is expensive, dangerous, and ultimately not very productive. Robots can do  - and will get ever better - most anything a man could do science wise, and much more. Other than a flag planting, why should man go to Mars? Sure, it'd be awesome, and I'd love to see it, but there's not much logical reason to it. Better to send the droids.

And so it will be forever, until we find a way to cheaply and safely get into orbit. Once that's figured out, and many other things (radiation, gravity, food, etc), then and only then will mankind venture into space in numbers that mean something. Till then, we're just engaging in an Extreme Sport. Alas!

Never to be. :(

Those Clowns in Congress

Literally. Also totally! Convened to congress all matters clown.

Oddly, perhaps, I find Guatemalan clowns decidedly less terrifying than American clowns. The happy, go lucky nature of these clowns makes me think American clowns are intentionally trying to be scary. And EXTREME.

I mean, to quote Reverend Wright, "God Damn America!" What's wrong with us?


(Republicans)

Big Wheel

Not the easiest way to get around town, but definitely one of the most EXTREME. And if that's your scene, then well, you're straight dope pimpin', man. To the max.

Co-opt

The evolution of Ice Cube mirrors our society. Strangely!

Consider: Ice Cube was once a hard core gang banger. Now he stars in family friendly movies and lives in a large mansion with many luxuries. This is the power of Power: Pleasure or punishment. Co-opt those that can be co-opted with easy pleasures and loose chains. Those who actively oppose must be crushed.

And so we see the evolution of celebrity. Ice Cube was once hardcore but is now family friendly. AC-DC was once forbidden to "normal" audiences. Now their music is used in commercials, pregames, and radio lead ins. Tattoos were once the province of sailors and criminals. Now Redshirt's Mom has one, and so many more. You see?

Our world has become EXTREME! In all regards. Not surprising, I suppose, given the last 70 years of humanity. But how to jibe with our current Theocratic longings, with the rise of the lunatic Tea Party?

Notes for future oppressors: A middle class is your best friend, as they provide the stability necessary to make your reign long lasting. Oppress your subjects too much and they will rebel, to everyone's loss. Keep a slight majority well fed and entertained and you and yours can rule forever.

Power of the Lego

Amazing. I drool. Though I imagine I wouldn't have the patience necessary to construct such a wonder. It's a 3D puzzle, with instructions and a cool end product. I understand Lego now!

This is the Super Star Destroyer, Darth Vader's personal flagship. When a regular Star Destroyer just ain't enough. And thus a parable for our EXTREME society - when the regular Star Destroyer wowed audiences in 1977, something bigger was needed to get the same wow in 1980. And so on, forever. This is the power of EXTREME.

The Redemption of Vader. But can Vader be redeemed? Is there a point where your crimes are so great no amount of good deeds can save you? Is killing the most evil dude in the Universe good deed enough? Scholars will debate these questions long into the future.

Thanks to the prequels (oh what a double edged sword) we know Anakin Skywalker was a precocious kid who turned into whiny teen then self absorbed Brah who just happened to be the Chosen One. Also, brainwashing from that evil dude. And so the ultimate henchman was made, in machine and metal, living on a whim of the evil dude. The Vader the world came to fear - and still does - was really just a sad sack Savior twisted by the Devil, but did a really good deed in the end. Hooray, mythology! Even better when told in Lego form.

The Cuteness and The Horror

Puppies gotta eat. Indeed, everything living has to eat, one way or another. It's one of the cruel truths of our reality: For all animals, to survive, to live, you must kill. Plants are much more hippy about it, living off the sun, water, and dirt.

And it is this reality - kill or die - which is the main agent of evolution. For, quite simply, those traits that add either to your success in killing or in processing the carcass increase your chances of living. And to live is to have the chance to reproduce, and reproduction IS the meaning of life. One way or another. That's the answer to the fabled question, by the way, and I answer it oh-so-offhandedly because it's rather obvious: The meaning of Life is to reproduce. And that's the subject of an infinite amount of stories.

So, in my roundabout way, I come to the subject of obesity. It does not exist in the wild, for no creature, except one, is successful enough to ward off the seasonal ebbs and flow of the food chain. Every animal out there, save one (and the ones he/she chooses to favor), is in a brutal competition for scarce resources and there simply is no means to get fat.

But then there's humans!

She's cute, if she lost like 200 or so pounds. Only human society of the modern era could create such a woman. Even 60-70 years ago, it would have been unheard of (or the result of an actual genetic condition) for someone to be this obese, except possibly for the very rich. But now it's almost commonplace. Even the animals we have domesticated can suffer from this miracle (in that it never occurs in nature) of obesity:

All due to our technology, which in that span of 60-70 years has become magical, and will only become more so. The wonders/horrors that await us are mindboggling. Prepare yourself for ever more extremes, for it is the inevitable result of overcoming nature's "kill or die" decree.

Sex Trek 2: Star Sexier

So - apparently - this Star Trek porn homage is taking off. Here's a cast pic from one of the latest. Pretty impressive, actually. I haven't seen the "movie", so I can't speak to that.

It's funny they chose The Next Generation because it's without a doubt the least sexy Trek. The Original Series is clearly the sexiest.

Hey! That's Olivia Munn, beloved of nerds everywhere. But truly, the original fashions rocked:

That's right, ladies - it's a working retro tricorder! Ready to be scanned?

TNG and DS9 were both unsexy, as was Voyager when it started. But then ratings sagged, the network execs stepped in, and we got 7 of 9. The same crew that brought us the sexiest Borg ever also gave us the super-extreme amped to the max sexy Enterprise!

Even though it was the future, it wasn't the super future, so in order to remain free of alien bacteria and space germs, anyone returning from a planet would have to lather up in the Decon Chamber. Preferably, hot chicks and dudes and a dog. Imagine the creative team behind Enterprise creating this "set" - "OK, we got to show more T&A, and we don't have a holodeck. What to do... what to do... DECON!"

Enterprise was a transparent attempt to "Sex up" Trek after the supposed blandness of TNG through 1/2 Voyager. It failed, equally transparently. But that won't stop those slick Hollywood execs from trying to make the next Trek sexier still.

To be fair, at times, few and far between, Enterprise had some cool moments. Check out this segue!

No doubt pandering to nerds like me, but I can't begrudge any mainstream reference to Sagan.

Marijuanadeen

Since it's time to end all America's "Wars" on ideas, let's say we declare victory in the War on Drugs and bring our boys home. How many more doors need to be kicked in before we, as a country (land of the free, home of the brave dontchya know?!) say, enough?

The War on Drugs has caused fare more perversions of our country, and hence the world, than the War on Terror - but give it time! Like with any prohibitions, otherwise "good" people get locked up (and twisted), and criminals grow ever bolder competing over all that Black Market money. The police get more extreme in response and the cycle goes on and on and on, until, that is, we as a people say "Enough".

Won't you? Not yet?

Crimes Against Humanity

Truly, of all the horrors America has unleashed upon the world, and there are many (and there are many wonders too - America is a land of EXTREMES!!!), Jersey Shore ranks among the worst. Perhaps THE worst. Sorry, World.

Able was I

Say what you will about Napoleon, but dude knew how to rally the troops. 


Also too:

Just cuz, you betchya!

Some say in ice

Our brains are hard wired to see patterns, shapes, faces. What did you see here, the first time you looked at it?

How about here?

But then sometimes our brains, via our eyes, are presented with something that makes no sense, too abstract, too absurd, and it bypasses that identification channel:

And the absurd is a liberation.  Or a fortress, of solitude (yes, the google's source for Superman puns!).

Or a theory turned into visual metaphor:

This is Freudian, literally, to the Extreme. Not sure if it's correct, or even close to correct. Yet, there's something here that makes sense to me - do you have another voice in your head? One which often says things like "I'm not sure that's a good idea", or "Maybe we should sleep for a couple of hours before driving" or "Maybe you shouldn't eat that piece of cheese on the floor". Etc. I believe - hope! - we all do, and if so, I ask you: What is that voice? Or who?

Are we all schizophrenics? Or, is the idea of different personalities, different perspectives within the same "individual", the truth? Or a closer approximation thereof.