Video Art: Civilization
Click the pic to see an amazing piece of video art.
Many thanks to my uber-cool friend Don Whittington for posting a link to this movie on Facebook. You can find information on video artist Marco Brambilla and his art at this link.
Pucker Up!
Thanks, Dr. Judy, for pointing us to this video.
Be sure to strap your a$$ on pretty good, because you might laugh it off otherwise.
Health Care Reform
The most definitive, or better said redefinitive, act in the recent history of the United States has taken place and people are reacting all over the place. Progressives are celebrating the establishment of federal control over health insurance and conservatives are bemoaning the demise of the Constitution. Extremists are demonizing each other and I find myself speaking up in spurts against some of the outrageous statements. When I “speak up” on a social networking site, my comment is limited and only gives a taste of what I believe and where I stand. Tired of being bullied and told my opinion doesn’t count because it’s wrong, I am compelled to do something truly American: to state my beliefs and take a stand.
This is a very long post so settle in before you read it. If you are inclined to criticize me harshly for not agreeing with your point of view, it will make it much easier for you to target your criticism to what I actually say!
Continue Reading »
In Your Spare Time…
I got the link to this video from my friend andsmall business coach Janet Slack. She posted it on Facebook.
It shows an elaborate Rube Goldberg machine, one of those things where a single action sets in motion the next action and so on, and they involve levers and rolling balls and often dominoes. This one is spectacularly choreographed so it’s a blast as a piece of staging, as an artistic composition, and as a little piece of film.
Demonstrates how massive projects can be broken down to one step at a time, because that’s how the machine progresses. Shows the focus of purpose and intention and the creative power of playfulness. Enjoy!
Pocket Ninjas!
This preview transports me to a place I can’t identify and don’t think I would ever intentionally go, but somehow once I’m there…
Mourning Obamanomics and the 95/5 Rule
I was just getting into the groove of Obamanomics when those bitter, religious Massachusettsite gun-clingers went brain dead and voted for a bitter, religious, gun-clinging, truck-driving evil Republican. Hope is gone. Change can’t come. Change filled with hope remains but a misty dream. No “chopange” for me.
I have to admit – I was lulled in by that simpleton “Joe the Plumber” early on. Turns out his name wasn’t really Joe, or he wasn’t really a plumber, or something, but the point is when the media pointed out some little quirk in his personal story I should have followed them in reviling “Joe.”
I couldn’t see then how putting an ordinary citizen under the microscope to shut down his message had anything to do with the quality or accuracy of his message. In fact, I thought it was unfair. Kind of reminded me of the propaganda tactics I learned about when we studied Triumph of the Will and Birth of a Nation in that introductory film class in college.
But I gave up my concern for fairness, for logic, for honesty, and for intellectual consistency as soon as I realized what was at stake: the 95/5 rule.
Continue Reading »
Reporters Are Everyday Folks, Right?
In an article posted on Yahoo! news, Associated Press writer Matt Sedensky unfortunately validates the image of reporters being out of touch with middle America. Describing the pastor who now leads Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Florida, where nationally known Dr. D. James Kennedy was pastor for decades, Sedensky writes:
“Meantime, he cuts a far different image, forgoing the type of choir robe Kennedy wore during services…”
Dr. Kennedy wore a traditional pastoral robe in the pulpit, like those worn every Sunday by many, perhaps even most, Protestant pastors, and nearly all priests. It is a symbol of the position, the office of pastor. Pastor means shepherd, like the Good Shepherd in the parable, like Christ was as he cared for and led the church while on earth. The robe is a reminder to the congregation and to the pastor that his role is in service to people and submission to God.
Perhaps Mr. Sedensky is only familiar with church through movies like Sister Act?
Racism Alert!!
The Italians have gone too far. Have they no decency, no shame, no respect for others? Read how they speak about black people.
In the Time.com article What Berlusconi’s Obama ‘Jokes’ Say About Italy, Jeff Israely writes:
“In supposedly polite company, one can still hear the word negro, (pronounced neh-grow) which essentially translates to the N word.”
If you don’t get the full impact of Mr. Israely’s comments, check out an Italian-English dictionary on-line like this one. You will see that the Italian word “negro” means black. Sit down, take a deep breath, and prepare yourself. This is shocking.
Simply replace “negro” with “black” and you’ll feel the outrage:
“In supposedly polite company, one can still hear the word black, which essentially translates to the N word.”
And I thought we were making progress, albeit incremental, on racial understanding in this world.
Immerse Yourself
Responsibility
This post first appeared April 23, 2007, on the original Blogger format for this blog. I’m reposting it on this hosted site as I slowly move the blog to its new home. I rearranged it, edited it, and rewrote a bit, but only the parts that really bothered me. I left a lot of the crummy stuff intact.
Do you know a middle school or high school student who has had a group project assigned, been told their individual grade is based on the group’s performance, and then been stuck in a group with the unavailable slacker who won’t do his part? If you’re a parent you know exactly what I mean. Your A or A/B student got her summary paragraphs done and e-mailed some photos to the person who was supposed to print things out for the presentation, or put together the PowerPoint. A night or two before the presentation, your child and the other two productive group members are scrambling to create the visual part of the project because the slacker can’t cowboy up.
Continue Reading »