Revolution

First - I discovered yesterday that Barrow actually IS a place! Made famous in what is easily one of my favorite comic novellas EVER (30 Days of Night) this tiny town is perched in the northernmost settled area of Alaska. Makes that story all the more interesting....

On a completely different but equally interesting front - Mars Rover pics are continuing to come in. October was the anniversary of the thousandth day of it's unprecedented exploration. It seems the more we know - the more mystery shrouds the red planet. Is there life? Was there water? One thing is clear - the view is amazing! So incredible to be alive in a time when such things are not only possible but regular.

One not so great thing about today - it is the 43rd anniversary of Kennedy's assassination. For my Parent's generation it's the thing that they remember as sort of a turning point. But was it really? Great Men were dying long before Kennedy, and Great Men have died since. I'm certain that Great Men will die in the future. What is it that made his death so important? I'm not belittling his death - I'm just curious. Why did it mark our collective consciousness? Was it the death of innocense, was it a turning point for the world? The same could be said for our generations moment - September 11th - though more what I remember about that is how from then on forward as long as we can milk it horrible tragedy has become our excuse to do whatever we want. I hope that changes, because it's disgusting. It makes me ashamed not only to be an American but also to be a human at times - that you could take someone else's ultimate pain and make it into a crutch to push your own agenda. That is the very definition of soulless politicians.

Final Thought - from my Buddhist Thought of the Day:

The Void is not of the nature of a black abyss or a bottomless pit. Rather is its nature 'vast and expansive like space itself'. It is apprehended as 'serene, marvelous, all-pure, brilliant and all-inclusive'. Above all does it partake of the nature of light. And it is not anything. For Void is Mind Itself, and Mind Itself is Void.

- Ask the Awakened by Wei Wu Wei

If I could learn to understand that statement - much of my life would make sense to me. I wish you all an amazing holiday! Enjoy your families, your friends, your homes, your food, your LIVES. We have so much to be thankful for - don't forget what is really important.

Hello Hell - Meet Handbasket

Proof that the end is near:
KFC has constructed a logo that is now visible from space. Now the aliens can gaze down upon our fair planet and say "nope - no intelligent life there - prepare for invasion". It does look kind of fake to me. There are other photos that make it look less fake here: http://michaelcastellon.blogspot.com/2006/11/kfcs-logo-first-to-be-seen-from-space.html. Scroll down there's a weird gap at the beginning. Let me know what you guys think.







Obsessively listening to:

http://www.pandora.com/music/album/4f83c46151c69734



Daily Dose of Lebowski:

"Ve believe in nothing, Lebowski."
"Yeah, ve believe in nothing."
"Tomorrow, ve come and ve cut off your johnson."



Hoo-rah for Science!

http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/viewnews.php?id=82442

Though I'm sure the creationists won't agree...but I think you could completely agree with the creationists and they'd still argue semantics with you.

College Basketball Heaven:

Florida vs. Jacksonville - 7pm

Maryland vs. St. John's - 7pm

Open the Cargo Bay Doors....

Obsessively Listening To:
http://www.ifilm.com/video/2665489

Now for something weird:

http://gadgets.candyham.com/2006/03/01/ambient-orb-information-at-your-eyeball-tips/#respond

I'm not sure what to even make of that thing. I think it definitely goes up there in the HAL scale of weirdo electronic devices that pretty much just freak me out. I mean - I don't want some flashy orb directing my mind. No thanks - I'll pass. Keep to yourself HAL.

History Lesson:

Today in 1969 protestors marched on Washington in a peaceful rally against the Vietnam War. And here we are today...running around in the same circles and feeling self justified for doing so. Why don't we ever learn from history? When will we stop being the world's "superhero" when we're really just the bully in sheep's clothing? Face it - we don't do anything if it's not to help ourselves. No one does. Ugh.

That having been said - I suppose it's really no surprise to me what my "Art of the Day" selection was. I will share it with you though:

I studied this piece in my Art History courses in High School in College. It's a piece by Jheronimus Bosch called The Last Judgement. It's always been haunting to me - and today is no different. There is so much detail - and all of it is pain. Even in the garden there is pain. What does that say about humanity? What do we have to look forward to? This painting shows no heaven except for as a perch from which that all knowing, omnipotent, generic cartoon god sits in judgement. The souls are all in hell - whether it be the hell of shame in the garden, the hell of earth and daily suffering, or the hell of damnation and eternal torment. Not a very hopeful tale I know - but such is my mood this morning.

I was going to try to end on a positive note - but even Calvin and Hobbes seem to be telling me something today:

To Touch The Stars

On this day in 1889 a woman set out to do an amazing thing. To beat the fictional trip of Around the World in 80 Days. She did it. It took Nellie Bly 72 days to complete her very REAL trip around the world.

When did we lose this magic? When did the need to dream - to achieve the impossible (or rather the impossible that DIDN'T include winning the nuclear race and ultimate world domination) disappear from the world?

I remember reading as a child and wanting the impossible. Wanting the gateway to Narnia in the back of my closet, wanting to Hitchhike across the galaxy, wanting that train ride cross country just to see what was there. This woman wanted it, and she aimed for it, and she got it. Where has that gone? Why don't we want that anymore? When does the magic of childhood and imagination give up the ghost and slide out of our bodies never to be seen again?

Jumping In....

Well - I really like the set-up of this site much better than MySpace - plus - no annoying ads and friend requests from bands. Now... if only I can get the rest of my buds to move here as well! For the time being I'll post in both places! Yes - yes.... that is my solution!