Urgent Message to HQ

Send more drones please.

Journalist of the Revolution

That's not Leo Tolstoy, but rather Glenn Beck, speaker of truths. I don't know why the Pony is there. But behold the truth about the so called "Democrats":

As you can clearly see.

Wake up people, it's time to act!

Um, no.

That's more like it!

Words are wind

Oh Summer child, give up hope now for any new books from noted author George RR Martin. For he has been taken with writers block and fame, and the Wall shall fall before you see another.

A New Kind of Love

These are the men of the future. Consider the men of the past. Think of a boy born in 1900, who grew up into a world of radio then TV. Think of how different he'd be than this young man above, born in the Internet. All the rules are changing.

Without foundation in this new world, we drift, assuming new personas, at least for a while. And some more passionately than others.

The Internet has opened a Pandora's Box, and it won't be easily shut. It could be shut though - a good sized solar flare would fry modern technology, and we'd revert to the year 1900 quickly enough, for a decade or more. But the Internet would return, inevitably.

My advice for this new world? Be flexible of mind and body.

I forget

I'm too hip to watch TV, so I have no idea what the TV talked about today in regards 911. My sources on the Intertubes were remarkably muted. So muted I said to myself, "Redshirt, I think we're finally over 911 in some significant sense." Even the 911 jokes were kinda lame. As such!

A stylish 911 shirt.

Have some 911 candy! The nougat filling is made of irony.

Plenty of folks got 911 birthdays, and who could forget that? No one, never!

What I'll never forget is the way 911 was used by some in power to gain more power, and to engage in acts of empire. And get filthy rich. Never forget that, and the way the event is used to manipulate you. Laugh instead, even if you suffered tragedy. Because tragedy will always happen - it just happens, sometimes. It need not be a Kristallnacht. And so as I said before, I mock. I laugh. I post stupid jokes. Why not? The real terror is this reality.

To end with perhaps an actual funny joke, click below - but beware! Boobies.

Team Other

I'm on Team Other, as DHARMA was a totalitarian intrusion upon the innocence of the Island, on par with The Man in Black himself.

Who was the Smoke Monster, of course. Which was what? Magic. DHARMA, on the other hand, was all about science and control and groovy 70's symbology.

Like all the Hieroglyphs. If you watched the show, you'll recall this stretch of episodes being dark as heck. Creepy stuff - the tale of Ben Gale.

But then, if you were raised on Mystery Magic Island, you'd be pretty twisted too. Thus, count me in for Team Other, cuz the rank and file had the best intentions of the Island in mind - and if you lived on Mystery Magic Island, you'd work to placate it as well. Logically.

The New Protector

I miss "Lost". Really. It was such an engaging show. So many great stories, so many great characters, like Hugo, or AKA Hurley, The New Protector. Hail!

If you've never watched "Lost", do so immediately.

Batfreud

All the heroes were involved in the war effort (WW2 only - the other wars, not so much), but as a nerd, I'd like to raise a quibble: If you've got Superman, Batman, and Robin on your side, instead of having them raise and harvest Victory Gardens you instead used them to, oh, I don't know. Kill Hitler? But alas! There are no real heroes. Just drawings, or words, or characters on a screen.

From the original Batman serial film series - 1949, yo! Batman and Robin. The baggy leotards are intimidating, yes? But still, 1949! These 15 short stories ran before the featured movie of the day.

It's interesting to note through art the changing of society's standards. All the tough guys from the early days of movies and tv look like [arnold]little girly men[/arnold]. No definition! Do they even lift?

When you're "Adam West" smooth, maybe you don't need to be jacked.

Your car needs to be, however. Gee whiz tools define the character.

And now consider the Batman mythos as underlined here - created in 1939, WW2 propaganda campaigns, and already with a film series in 1949. A popular TV series in the 60's. Also a wacky movie. Movies in the 80's - 10's. And so many, many comics. A myth is born before our eyes, and enters the Jungian collective - we all "get it", right? Rich playboy with tragic background fights evil using cool toys? It's an expression of our desire for fairness in a closed, controlled system that is not fair, in which we are mostly powerless. A modern hero, for modern times.

Batman also might be a symbol for revenge, but I leave that for you to judge, and also what it says about humanity if true.

For your pleasure

Let two of the Friends guide you through the exciting new features of the revolutionary Windows 95! Like "right-clicking"! Seriously, though, life lesson: When I got switched to Win95 from Win3.1 I was pissed - I had Win3.1 all figured out, and this new fangled Windows was pointless and stupid! Lo, after getting used to it, it was of course far superior to Win 3.1 and so Redshirt learned a lesson: Don't fear change!

Sadly, I could not find any music to install Win95 by - and it was a chore, since it was disk based. That is - "INSERT DISK 12 of 19". Lot's o' tedium. So, while you're inserting disks, check out the fetching songs of Ms. Janet Greene!

Some really catchy beats that are fun to dance to!

Tutankhamon of the World

All pictures from 2008/early 2009 - either during Obama's trip in the Summer, election night, or the day Obama was sworn in. This guy's got it right - like it or not, the leader of America has enormous influence over all the people of the world in a variety of ways. And thus, about 10 million people in a handful of states thus determine the fate of the world. Choose wisely, America! The world already has.

Socialism! Communism! Ismism!

Totally spontaneous celebration in Islamabad - ain't that an awesome name for a city too?

This drunk guy in Norway loves Barry!

As do these drunks in London.

And these folks in Nairobi.

And this family in Bosnia.

As well as this family in Sadr City.

It's an Obama party in Kabul!

Yes, rare Wingnut who might be reading this blog. I'm well aware that the rest of the world does not get to vote for President of the USA. However, surely (ha!) even you would agree better to have a leader that the rest of the world respects and is eager to work with, rather than some Corporate empty suit espousing idiocy in the form of "American Exceptionalism". Right? Ha, yeah, right.

The vast majority of the world truly respects Obama, and yet we here in America are forced to endure the overly loud opinions of a small minority of idiots and bigots, who somehow have coerced the American media establishment to defer to their every raving. It's sad, and scary, but it's also not working.

America will re-elect Barack Obama, and he can get back to work in fixing the disasters of W. and the rest of the Republican Radicals.

Built on Blood

The Colosseum, a Roman masterpiece. Used for Gladiatorial combat - men killing other men, most times one on one, sometimes with dozens of men fighting. Heck, the Romans flooded the Colosseum and used miniature war ships to have naval battle for the crowds. And it was all about the crowds - bread and circuses. The sport of men killing men was enjoyed for hundreds of years. How many died for this sport? How many more cheered? The Colosseum had an occupancy rate of 50,000. There were gladiatorial arenas all over the Republic/Empire, in every nook and corner. It was the NFL of the Roman era. Consider this when reading of the Spartacus rebellion - he was a gladiatorial superstar, leading a rebellion against the ruling order. Also remember that 40% of the population was enslaved. Slavery sucks, and though true slavery has been banned worldwide (above board), are we not all wage slaves? Forced to work in a system that enforces compliance?

Also too, tooth art rules. And as for bonus rulage, here's the Ludus from Spartacus, training ground of Gladiators:

When I win the MegaPowerBucksBall I shall build a proper Roman villa, with walled yet open garden areas within the space. Roman villas rule.

"Spartacus" employs the "Upstairs/downstairs" trope to the max. Downstairs, as you can see - beside the sheer cliff - is the slaves quarters, and it's grim and brutal. Above is the Dominus' level, and it's open and airy and beautiful, filled with pools, pillars, and marble halls lined with busts. Upstairs for the Master, downstairs for the slave. Is it not still so, in aggregate?

I Am!

Spartacus! I feel it necessary to add to the Intertubes record that I LOVE the Starz show "Spartacus". It's amazing beyond words and I'd encourage anyone who has a tolerance for sex and violence to watch it ASAP. For it is VERY sexy and VERY violent, and often mixes up the two - but is that not life?

I trust you all know the "true" story of Spartacus? If not, here be Wiki of it. An iconic story of FREEDOM and slavery - a story we live today, via dollars and wages.

The show is amazingly deep, yet plenty superficial. Here I give hunks and hotties:

There is an enormous amount of sex and violence in the show - X-rated levels, I'm sure. But this is our history - randy and filled with swords. We live today in the pinnacle of safety and sobriety. Back then, circa 70 BCE, it was a more Darwinian reality:

Think of how little truly changed from 100,000 BCE to approximately 1400 AD. It was almost completely swords and togas for most of our (humanity) existence. But then the Renaissance happened, and then the Industrial Revolution, and then computers, and now there's no speed limit, no end to it. We live in magical, fantastic times. Appreciate it, especially compared to our long, long history.

Also, appreciate the artistic beauty of the following screenshots of the show. Click for big as always. Spartacus!

The moment of revolt. Is it not beautiful? Well done, artistic people, say I!

Crazy good!

Happy Tree

Have you ever seen Bob Ross paint? If not, here. I unironically enjoyed the show immensely, first because I found the process of painting a landscape fascinating. Second, because Bob Ross spoke so serenely, calmly, it was hypnotic. I gave up on TV though for a long while, then Ross died, like we all will one day, and alas, this simple pleasure has been taken from us all.

But there's still photoshop.

There are a collection of starting images that are iconic in the Halls of Photoshop. The Kent State shooting, the head shot execution in Vietnam and the pic of the naked kids running terrified down a road, a segregated water fountain, and so on. This pic above shows a starving child being stalked by a vulture and is a fine example of a moral dilemma - when to document, when to intervene? The photographer, Kevin Carter, did not intervene, and won the Pulitzer for this photo. But it did not end well for him.

It sure seems like it will end well for Harrison Ford, though. Big star forever. Though I do question the Calista Flockhart decision.

Faceless

That's the appeal, right? The anonymity? The faceless soldier in a war far grander than you'll ever gather? The Brotherhood that is losing one's self and taking on the same identity as so many others? Or is it all the chicks Stormtroopers get?

Big in Japan. Oh yeah!

I think the Trooper here is the umpire, which makes no sense. But then, have you ever watched Japanese TV? It's crazy!

Like these dudes. Every bachelor party in Japan has a Stormtrooper.

And every museum has a Stormtrooper exhibit.

I wonder if anyone has written a thesis on the conflation of the Stormtrooper with the Samurai. There's a Grad degree there!