June 25, 2009
Hey Hey,
This probably isn’t blog material but I will be back in town July3rd – 8th, so if you feel like disc golfin, drinkin, or anything fun hit me up!
May 20, 2009
The picture below is of an actual fine art piece in the National Gallery of Australia. It is titled “An Oak Tree” and it is by Michael Craig-Martin. It features a small plaque next to it reading (out of frame):
An Oak Tree
“Q. To begin with, could you describe this work?
A. Yes, of course. What I’ve done is change a glass of water into a full-grown oak tree without altering the accidents of the glass of water.
Q. The accidents?
A. Yes. The colour, feel, weight, size …
Q. Do you mean that the glass of water is a symbol of an oak tree?
A. No. It’s not a symbol. I’ve changed the physical substance of the glass of water into that of an oak tree.
Q. It looks like a glass of water.
A. Of course it does. I didn’t change its appearance. But it’s not a glass of water, it’s an oak tree.
Q. Can you prove what you’ve claimed to have done?
A. Well, yes and no. I claim to have maintained the physical form of the glass of water and, as you can see, I have. However, as one normally looks for evidence of physical change in terms of altered form, no such proof exists.
Q. Haven’t you simply called this glass of water an oak tree?
A. Absolutely not. It is not a glass of water anymore. I have changed its actual substance. It would no longer be accurate to call it a glass of water. One could call it anything one wished but that would not alter the fact that it is an oak tree.
Q. Isn’t this just a case of the emperor’s new clothes?
A. No. With the emperor’s new clothes people claimed to see something that wasn’t there because they felt they should. I would be very surprised if anyone told me they saw an oak tree.
Q. Was it difficult to effect the change?
A. No effort at all. But it took me years of work before I realised I could do it.
Q. When precisely did the glass of water become an oak tree?
A. When I put the water in the glass.
Q. Does this happen every time you fill a glass with water?
A. No, of course not. Only when I intend to change it into an oak tree.
Q. Then intention causes the change?
A. I would say it precipitates the change.
Q. You don’t know how you do it?
A. It contradicts what I feel I know about cause and effect.
Q. It seems to me that you are claiming to have worked a miracle. Isn’t that the case?
A. I’m flattered that you think so.
Q. But aren’t you the only person who can do something like this?
A. How could I know?
Q. Could you teach others to do it?
A. No, it’s not something one can teach.
Q. Do you consider that changing the glass of water into an oak tree constitutes an art work?
A. Yes.
Q. What precisely is the art work? The glass of water?
A. There is no glass of water anymore.
Q. The process of change?
A. There is no process involved in the change.
Q. The oak tree?
A. Yes. The oak tree.
Q. But the oak tree only exists in the mind.
A. No. The actual oak tree is physically present but in the form of the glass of water. As the glass of water was a particular glass of water, the oak tree is also a particular oak tree. To conceive the category ‘oak tree’ or to picture a particular oak tree is not to understand and experience what appears to be a glass of water as an oak tree. Just as it is imperceivable it also inconceivable.
Q. Did the particular oak tree exist somewhere else before it took the form of a glass of water?
A. No. This particular oak tree did not exist previously. I should also point out that it does not and will not ever have any other form than that of a glass of water.
Q. How long will it continue to be an oak tree?
A. Until I change it.
“
May 19, 2009
I want to live in California.
May 19, 2009
Hahahahaha! I love this song. This is the live version.
Grayskul – Dope – Watch more Videos at Vodpod.
May 13, 2009
If your like me you are probably wounder why all of a sudden Pirates are hijacking ships off of Somalia. It’s interesting that these questions aren’t brought up or answered by major media outlets, like ABC, or The New York Times, until you read this. At first you would just assume, this is about greed. But as usual the reality is much more awful…
May 13, 2009
Most relevant in our time?
“Anatomy of Mass Panic: War of the Worlds
Orson Wells broadcast an adaptation of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds on radio in 1938, causing panic in nearly 3 million of the 6 million people who listened to the broadcast. Princeton psychologists later interviewed 135 New Jersey residents about their reactions to the broadcast.
A surprising number of frightened people never bothered to check out the validity of the broadcast, and some highly educated individuals believed it was true just because it was on the radio and thus “authoritative.” We like to think we’re more sophisticated today and wouldn’t fall for such an obvious dramatization, but don’t be too sure, Media manipulation of our emotions and desires is a regular art form these days. Just ask Madison Avenue!”
May 8, 2009
I haven’t listened to the radio IN YEARS. I have never liked how all the bands sound alike, or copy each others styles, lyrics, themes, and looks. Often times local talent is never heard. Instead you just here the same “pop”-y bullshit day in and day out. Or the same 20 tracks over and over and over again. Nothing new makes it into rotation. Everything is filtered by large record labels. So I mostly just listened to CDs in the car for the past 5 years. I discover a lot of great new music on Last.fm. Which is full of tons of independent music!
Last week, while at work I heard the song “None Shall Pass” by Aesop Rock on the radio, I was shocked. I couldn’t believe this song made it to radio. Then someone here mentioned that the radio station was MPR and that they play tons of really great music, all day long. Rock, Hip Hop, & Independent, genera are all mixed together and are played all day everyday. Which are all genera I love! Atmosphere, Brother Ali, Aesop Rock, are regular plays on “the Current”.
The “Twin Cities” are known for their underground music movement. Minneapolis has a rich artistic heritage, and intellectual culture. It breeds really great independent groups. Atmosphere, Brother Ali, Aesop Rock, are regular plays on “the Current”. Listen to The Current at 89.3 in the Twin Cities and 88.7 in Rochester.
Most recently I have really liked: Eels – Fresh Blood, I discovered it on “the Current” you can listen to the Current online, just click here.
Eels – Fresh Blood – Watch more Videos at Vodpod.
May 4, 2009