28 June 2008
"In all his Skinniness"
26 June 2008
White Birds, Not White Boys
"Music with a beat can sometimes help people with Parkinson’s disease to initiate and coordinate walking," says Patel. "But we don’t know why. If non-human animals can synchronize to a beat, what we learn from their brains could be relevant for understanding the mechanisms behind the clinical power of rhythmic music in Parkinson’s."
Oh My!(The one-legged head-banging about halfway thru is what polished me off!)
WE WON, I think
Answering a 127-year old constitutional question, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to have a gun, at least in one’s home. The Court, splitting 5-4, struck down a District of Columbia ban on handgun possession.
Justice Antonin Scalia’s opinion for the majority stressed that the Court was not casting doubt on long-standing bans on gun possession by felons or the mentally retarded, or laws barring guns from schools or government buildings, or laws putting conditions on gun sales.
In District of Columbia v. Heller (07-290), the Court nullified two provisions of the city of Washington’s strict 1976 gun control law: a flat ban on possessing a gun in one’s home, and a requirement that any gun — except one kept at a business — must be unloaded and disassembled or have a trigger lock in place. The Court said it was not passing on a part of the law requiring that guns be licensed.
Source: SCOTUS Blog
Click here for the full opinion in PDF format
In the whole long struggle for gun rights, this may be the most significant day in our lifetimes. It won't overturn every gun law in the country, but it provides a powerful affirmation that the right to keep and bear arms is an individual right guaranteed to all American citizens. That right is not a "collective" right of the states, and it exists irrespective of participation in a "well regulated militia."
There is some "weasel language" in the decision:
But Scalia made clear that the Second Amendment right to bear arms is "not unlimited.''
"It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose,'' he said.
Scalia said the court's opinion should not cast doubt on longstanding concealed weapons prohibitions or bans on possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in schools or government buildings. Source
Read more:
Court: A constitutional right to a gun
Possible impact of Heller on Chicago handgun ban
Obama Camp Disavows Last Year's 'Inartful' Statement on D.C. Gun Law
25 June 2008
Small, Yet Huge
Highest Quality Card Stock and Envelopes* No minimum quantity.
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Okay. I got this in the mail today. I got a big smile on my face, but not for the reason you are thinking of. It's Pretty unexceptional: An old dog on a card and a postage stamp. What's the big deal? Like the silly little Polaroids, the "Internet Thingy", and the cameraphone? Yes. I had someone very close to me spend 45 minutes on the phone telling me that it was a waste of time, among other kind things. The point is lost on everyone around me save a few. But I know what it means. It's a big deal.
Don't forget to make your custom postage!
Don't Do It Again
| Doctor Unheimlich has diagnosed me with Hillbilly's Disorder | |
| Cause: | influence of the Devil |
| Symptoms: | groin swelling, hives, excessive liver pain, tongue swelling |
| Cure: | don't do it again |
I will NEVER do it again.
24 June 2008
23 June 2008
This Dude Is The Real Thing
Okay I know, this has been out in the artmosphere for some time, but it's new and exciting to me. Thanks to the ever prescient Boing Boing,I found Michael Paulus.Please, if you don't know about Michael Paulus, go and look at his projects. You'll need time, because there are three or four that are really great. In addition to the Cartoon-Anatomicals, I am pretty partial to The Stars And Abraham. That is all.
FLORIDA, YOU ROCK!
I wish I had a kid, so I could send him proudly wearing this TRUCKER'S HAT, with a t-shirt to match, when his SCHOOL goes on a trip to the Florida State Senate chambers. I wonder if they would use the Taser on him like that kid at the University of Florida a while back.. Read why Florida's Department of Education only recently ruled that Evolution could be taught in Florida SCHOOLS, and why Florida continues to be the laughingstock of the country, HERE.
22 June 2008
Finishing My Thought
Forgive me for seeming redundant, but I have to go ahead and finish this tangential thought. If I don't, it'll bounce around in my head for several days, and cause a lot of confusion.Firstly, I wondered out loud if maybe this was one of the few pictures where Johnny betrayed his true feelings about his celebrity as "The World's Greatest Freak". Johnny lived a full, productive, creative life, but I guess we'll never know.
Finally: There's nothing wrong with being a collector, a fan, and obsessed hoarder of memorabilia, property, and used Q-Tips.
It's another thing, however, to be all of those things while at the same time claiming to be an "historian', "Curator", and "Preservationist." Choose one, sir, and either bring your fabulous collection out of the barn to place in a permanent museum collection somewhere, or your own commercial Freakshow gallery. Nothing wrong with either. Just can't have it both ways.
( Next time, Give the boys top billing instead your museum, and show some taste with the Glow-In-The-Dark ink.)
20 June 2008
The Eck Profits Live On
One of the original photos, Before.The Johnny Eck Museum,has issued a new print of the brothers in young adulthood. I can't show it to you, nor can you see it anywhere, because the gentleman that owns-manages-profits from much of the estate's treasures has not updated his website for a long, long time, and he predictably guards those treasures jealously. I have no real idea what goes on up there, and this guy is not much help, but I do know that painting, airbrushing, Photoshopping, and attempting to Trademark and profit from Johnny Eck's image[s] is at the very least a pretty rotten thing to do. It's one thing to "Curate", "Collect, and "Preserve", it's another to bastardize and profit from your "object of preservation". (there are a number of obvious examples on the site.) And finally, the best treat of it all: Glow in The Dark Ink.
art print. They are SIGNED and numbered and in an edition of only 56.
Handstand of Johnny in the background is clear matte, the ivy around
the image is GLOW IN THE DARK, the image of Johnny and Robert is sepia
toned and the text is metallic silver. It is roughly 22"x 33"
It is $95"
Did he say SIgned, Glow In The Dark?
Sir, you are disgraceful.
19 June 2008
Almost there...
Now there's just 5 hours and 15 minutes to go before resuming life's routine torture.
Sent via CrackBerry
17 June 2008
4-KING GENIUSX4
The "First Art-O-Mat in Florida" 
Alright. Strange, but cool. I saw this in my art store a couple of days ago, and I'm sure it gets no action there. The rest are in big time art galleries in big cities. The only thing I can think of, is that Clark Whittington, (4-king Genius, and brainchild of the project), placed one here in the beginning. The other irony, is that Art-O-Mat.Org, was founded and resides in Winston-Salem, NC. Home of of a GARGANTUAN cigarette maker. Maybe those acres and acres of despised machines gave him inspiration. Note: Only one of these in Europe. Really, not that many in the states. If you know a gallery owner, or want Clark to Represent for you... Go on then: ART-O-MAT.ORG.
I spoke. Too soon
Sent via CrackBerry
16 June 2008
Mercury Abides Indeed
What I saw on the way to the Apple Store (Blackberry 8320)It's been an interesting couple days- Wait, three weeks. Moments before my little technology crisis the other night, I received a couple of bits of wisdom from our friend benhästen: Be cognizant of Mercury, and a reminder that Bob Dylan is a very gifted man. I need to listen to Dylan non-stop for the next four days.
15 June 2008
14 June 2008
What I Seen Last Night
On the way to get my evening Big Gulp™: Sitting on my perch, enjoying the cooler dusk air, I seen ants digging a futile hole to China in the sand, like Sisyphus, only in reverse. Then I seen the lake, rippling gently with the wind. Then I seen a stoplight, and had to wait a long time. Then I seen a woman walking on the sidewalk. As I came closer, she began beating her self in the skull so hard, I thought she might fall over. On the way home, I seen a Great Blue Heron sitting serenely at the edge of the lake savoring a bit of fish. Then I seen my house. I was glad to get home. Non-Fiction, Tales From The Big Gulp™.
13 June 2008
12 June 2008
Hazmat
Well, I just placed my order for B&W film chemistry, timer, and other widgets. Marian threw out my Graylab, tanks, thermometer, etc., so I'm having to replace those things. Due to our enhanced homeland insecurity hazmat rules, there are a lot of darkroom chemicals that you can't mail order anymore. Stupid. Like I'm going to build a bomb with stop bath. Looking forward to getting that stuff...
Found Victorian Postcard #02
"Dott J. Had better write soon" 1906/1 cent Victorian: 1880-1907Forget that this is addressed to my Great-Grandfather, "Pappy". This came in the mail today, and I got all silly like a school child. It could have come from a stranger in Arkansas- It doesn't matter. This kind of illustration, new or old, found or family or foe, does something to me. If you have some you want to send me, that's okay too.
10 June 2008
"3 days of peace, love, and photography."
Festival of The Photograph, 2008They are all just beyond gifted, but to have them all in one place at the same time? I can only hope that maybe I'll be in the vicinity of Mary Ellen Mark before I die. * P.S.: Joel-Peter Witkin is one heavy cat!
09 June 2008
"Quick Louis, Get The Leica!"
It Reads:
This a large necklace – very much real size – but my oh my is it wonderful! It has a fantastic three dimensional effect, but it’s as light as a feather, and comes with an 18” silver plated chain.
All pendants are made of printed and cut acrylic, which is rigid, quite light, and slightly translucent.”
Synchronicity being what it is, I have been up most of the last two nights digging out old artwork from the store, including the handsome Hound you see on yonder coffee mug. I am pulling out all the stops on Zazzle, to help pay a few bills, and perhaps pay off a camera. (As an aside, I think it's unfair to have to try and compete with The Library of Congress.) The stuff you see above is in a collection at Paraphernalia, via our friend Mo. The pieces are made by screening 19th century wood engravings and period anatomical drawings on acrylic, which is then fashioned into the art you see by a woman named Miss Vanda, in Manchester, UK. This is a genius use of the artwork I love, which, btw, Syd and I started applying to cloth and vinyl in 1991. I am obsessed with wood engravings and wood blocks- From Odo and Meijii in Japan, right on up to the mid-20th century in the US. ('Aint Dover been sweet to provide us with millions of copyright free illustrations? I'm not so sure they have Otsu-e or Shunga, but I could be wrong.) Now anyone who would adore this stuff or work with it, has awesome taste. Git on over there if you haven't already. I'm saving up for a couple to hang from my mirror over the dashboard in the car. btw, I'm pretty sure that Louis Lane probably did not carry a Leica.
08 June 2008
That Terrible Light Again
Down at the swamp yesterday sunsetPolaroid, 600 film, raw scan, A LOT of dust, who cares.
07 June 2008
When All else fails
I wasn't on deadline. No one was screaming at me over the radio that they were desperate for filler and had to have it now. Of course not, I was just a kid. But I learned that this is what you had to do to get yourself, and your boss, out of a jam. Little kids+Pigeons=Feature, on a slow news day. Ahem. I am not ashamed to say that I have more than one of these.
Singular Vision
You have a thought, a feeling or an outrage, and it occurs to you to write it down, make a video or draw a picture that expresses it. But then you think there are millions of others out there thinking the same thing, many with greater communication or artistic skills than you have. So, you end up not writing it, not drawing it, and your vision is never captured or recorded. Mass culture has convinced you that your point of view is inconsequential. This is a loss...
One of my guns
This is one of my guns. It is not my only gun, but it is one of my favorites. It’s a five-shot Smith & Wesson .38 Special +p, Model 642, if you’re interested in that. The “+p” indicates that it is more powerful than the traditional .38 Special, somewhere between the .38 Special and the .357 Magnum in power. Out of its stubby 2” barrel, it will kick out a 135 grain hollow point at 900 feet per second. That’s generally enough to ruin anyone’s day.
This little gun is pretty much my constant companion, and no, I don’t fly on airlines because I can’t take it with me on the plane and I don’t like to check it through in my baggage. The airlines steal your guns.
Spare me the gun control lectures. You’re pouring water on a duck’s back. When you are alone against people who mean to do you harm, there is nothing like a gun to level the playing field and convince Mr. Evildoer to choose a different course of action. You don’t actually have to shoot anyone most of the time; just put the idea in their mind. I’ve been there, so don’t expect me to give up my gun for someone else’s vision of a social utopia. I don’t have the time to wait around for that.
I hope Mr. Obama is reading this.
06 June 2008
The folks in Paris are going to be upset
My next door neighbor has stolen the Eiffel Tower. I didn't even know he had been out of the country. I saw him just the other day at the liquor store buying lottery tickets. He's quick. I'm dying to find out how he got it out of the country without anyone noticing. I mean, without this thing, Paris looks like Abilene, Kansas. I'm impressed.
I am concerned, however, about the inevitable retaliatory strike. The French will not take this lying down. I'm certain war will break out any minute. Ultimately, I'm sure we'll win in the end. After all, when was the last time the French won a war by themselves. But nevertheless, they're a feisty batch, however ill-advised, and they can do some damage. I'm expecting the French Foreign Legion to come pouring over the alley fence any minute. To that end, I got the 
AK-47 out of the lock-up and loaded a few more 30-round magazines. "When you absolutely have to kill every **** in the room, accept no substitutes." I actually have two of these little darlings, one for shooting and one for backup or parts. I keep about two thousand rounds of 7.62x39mm full metal jacket on hand, just in case TSHTF. A boy really can't have too many AK's, especially when you're facing an invasion from the French at any minute. If I take any prisoners, I'll torture them until I make them give up their recipe for Hollandaise sauce. I love that stuff.
Preston's Walking Shoes
I could wax on an on about who Press is, what Press' limitations are, and pontificate about the evils and failures of government and society. Instead, I'll just say that I have been running into Preston in the neighborhood for about two years. Preston walks. Preston walks a lot. Today, I ran into him over by the Dunkin' Donuts when I was out running errands. We talked for about 15 minutes, a little about the VA, all woven in with some stuff about Ted Nugent, a snake the size of a pick-up truck wrapped around a tree limb, and Cat-Scratch-Fever. I didn't get it all due to his missing choppers, but that was the gist of it. We came to a stopping point, and he happily agreed to let me shoot a Polaroid of his walking shoes. I made one for him, and one for me. The first, he stuck his right foot out as if to vogue. Perfect. Preston doesn't ask for money, but he will bum a smoke. I think the caption on the slippers says it all. We're going to have coffee next time we see each other.
05 June 2008
Someday When I'm Rich
I'm not sure there is anything worse than morbid sentimentality, cliche, and trite expression. Having said that, I guess I need to learn to better Live and Let Live. I suppose what it comes down to, is that if it means enough to you, it's okay.
I have carried this photograph with me everywhere I have gone for the last 20+ years. I've had it in its old school Agfa-Gevaert photo paper box, the same box I put it in when my mom gave it to me. I hadn't planned on getting it out anytime soon, because there is nothing I'll allow to be done with it until I can afford a genuine restoration. What got me going on this, is when I was awestruck, (again), by the Steichen portrait that I posted with Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge a while back. Now mind you, this is no Steichen, but it is one of the first portraits to ever move me, and it's not bad. It doesn't matter that it's my grandfather. It's a portrait that can do things to some folks. Wouldn't you like to have a portrait something like this, instead of fake trees and a split-rail fence at Sears and Roebuck?
Okay, so He's with me all the time. In my head, everywhere. So who needs a damn photograph?
(End of sentimental transmission.)
04 June 2008
Man, You 'Aint Seen Nothing
Image Credit: Stephen VossOkay, now the fun begins, sir. If you think that what the Clinton's and the Red State smear machine did to you during primary season was bad, then Mr. Obama, you are in for a big shock. I'm hoping that this is what Axelrod has been chanting in your ear for many months. For months, Karl Rove has declared repeatedly that he will "dismantle" you and your "Hopemongers".
Better get your head around some things fast: The economy, immigration, the Ass-Hat fanatics in Tehran, a fatally flawed gun control position, these are the issues by which your fortunes will rise and fall, and it could happen over night. They will strike fear into the extremist Neo-Peckerwoods, who besides being racist and white-supremacists, traditionally vote against their best interests when told they are under siege, and are instant votes in the bag with a a good dose of false TV ads. Just with the Neo-Peckerwood, the Evangelical Zealots will be on you like a cheap suit. It is also certain that the Jewish people need to be convinced that you will consider the Persians a bigger threat than you seem to be willing to acknowledge, and that Tehran's funding of Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, among others is not merely "community building." I know that's just a little of it, but finally, get out front with anything scandalous, just like you did with the Toot. And please, be careful.
btw, Stephen Voss, is a Badass. I'm partly fond of him because he lived and worked in Kentucky before moving to DC, where he now competes head to head with someone I am not too fond of, and whose-ass-he-kicks-royally. And he's a Lightstalker.
03 June 2008
Definitely Madness - The Alamo
The Alamo, Nikon D70s, May 24, 2008
It’s the foundation myth, and I use the word “myth” carefully, in the technical sense, like a religious icon that points to an inexpressible reality beyond itself: The Alamo. I can’t remember a time when it wasn’t in my consciousness. I think that when babies are given their vaccinations, they give babies in Texas an Alamo shot. I can’t even be sure that I remember the first time that I saw it. I know I was very, very young. I know also that it was the most powerful place I had ever been. In some ways, it still is.
An Animal to be Taken Seriously
Say hello to Bevo. And all that's standing between you and him is that little bitty wire fence. Fortunately he was friendly.
Hitchhiking
This is me trying to catch a ride on this flying saucer in Italy, Texas. The antisocial little Martians or whatever they were wouldn't even open the door. And I had my new hat on and everything.
What Happened
Here's what happened: "There are Weapons Of Mass Destruction, Saddam meets regularly with Bin Laden, and is trying to secure Plutonium from Niger." "Oh, BTW, Valerie Plame is a dirty little CIA Slut." "I Swear."(2003) Now, admitted liar, sycophant, hypocrite, war profiteer and former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan, has written a cool little book, What Happened, in which he blames everyone else for the lies leading up to the Iraq War, and claiming to be duped. Now this book will probably sell in double-digit millions of copies worldwide, making this Little Man a wildly large fortune. He is currently on book tour, and was spotted Sunday morning on The Mr. MaGoo Show. Now, after a TV ad funded by, and a petition also signed by thousands of " Left-Wing-Radical-Anti-War-Zealots" was circulated demanding the Little Man give his book royalties to American vets and their families, Mr. MaGoo, asked the Little Man about it. The Little Man stammered, and said that he and his wife always looked for ways to support the troops , "like sending care packages", and the like, and yes, maybe, I don't know, a portion, maybe. FIve years too late, my boy. The man should think carefully about his itinerary, when he goes abroad to spend those many millions from his tell-all.
I'm going back to my Happy Place now.
02 June 2008
My Little Swamp, From Above
My little portion of Lake IvanhoeI have recovered from my little spasm of self-pity last night, and I have decided to focus on the pleasant things around me. Lake Ivanhoe is a huge piece of water that extends far eastward from this view. My part is deeper, and has been partially dammed for progress, really don't know when. It's difficult to stay all torn up when you have these types of things 200 ft. from your front door.
The FDEP website with everything you did/did not want to know about Florida's water resources, is here.
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