The United States of Identity Crisis

Soundtrack: "Superunknown" by Soundgarden

I typically stay away from politics on this blog.  But the current state of our nation's political climate has me all riled up and I feel like it's time to say something about that.  So pull up a chair, it's story time with Uncle Toph.  

Once upon a time a nation, recognized as being the strongest nation of all of the nations at that time, elected a new leader.  This president was elected under the pretense of hope and change, the change being from the past administration's power-hungry ways.  This nation had been founded on certain principles and ideals, outlined in two documents known as the Constitution and Bill of Rights.  These documents provided a solid foundation and framework for how the nation was to operate.  But for many years the leaders and lawmakers of this nation had been abusing and even ignoring these guidelines.  The new president made a lot of promises to the people, and although none of them were related to these sacred documents, nobody cared.  He was someone new.

Things have changed, but not necessarily for the better.  The president is of course Barack Obama, and the change he has brought has not been the kind of change this nation needs.

I present to you the seventh and eight articles of the Bill of Rights, also known as Amendment V and VI respectively:

Article the seventh [Amendment V]

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Article the eighth [Amendment VI]

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation;to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Now let's talk about why I have the Fifth and Sixth amendments posted up on this here blog.  Amendment V declares the right to due process in a trial.  Amendment VI declares the right to a speedy public trial.  Both of these amendments relate to the proposed introduction of indefinite detention without trial.

What is indefinite detention?  It would establish a legal basis for the United States to incarcerate terrorism suspects who are deemed a threat to national security but cannot be tried.  It an attempt to keep the terrorists off the street, so to speak.  It's being hailed as a matter of national security, but it brings up an interesting conundrum.  These people are assumed terrorists and the evidence against them is completely circumstantial, yet grave enough that the authorities feel that they are a threat to the American people.  But does that supercede the principles upon which our nation was founded?  If we are to say that we are indeed the greatest nation, a nation built on our constitution, then we owe it to ourselves and the world around us to adhere to the framework that has been put in place.  And that means that the people who are unable to be tried fairly have to be released.

I don't like that personally.  I'd like to see the terrorists go away, but we are talking about the law.  This proposed indefinite detention is another step towards creating a precedence of acceptance of violations of the Constitution.  I would argue that the acceptance of the Constitutions "obsolescence" has been happening gradually for many years.  We as a nation keep electing leaders who abuse the law, ignore the law, even change the law for their own purposes.  When are we as a nation going to grow a pair, step up, and stand up for the rights given to us under the Constitution?  It starts with the terrorists, and we're OK with that.  Then indefinite detention will be proposed for extreme capital cases, and then less extreme cases, until all of a sudden whoops, no more Amendment V and VI.  Is that acceptable to you?  It isn't to me.  I don't want to hear arguments about "greater good" or "sacrificing things for justice", such arguments are sad cop-outs.

Stand up, America.  Grow a fucking pair of testicles and fight for what is right.

The Man Everybody Loves To Hate

Soundtrack: "Disarm" by The Smashing Pumpkins

People in the graphic design world love to hate David Carson.  Especially this guy.  Actually, as an aside, I have not even heard the name Joe Clark before.  And in his postscript he comes off even more self-righteous and egotistical than Carson.  Way to be a dick, guy.

Anyway, David Carson is someone who is reviled because he breaks rules.  When he was art director for Ray Gun magazine he would do kooky things like set articles in dingbats (his reasoning was that the article was very poorly written), run lines of type together and layer them so they became strange messes and nests of typographic oddness, and utilize abstract and experimental photography and illustration.  It was a thankless job.  The readers appreciated it, I know I did when I was just a teenager, but the graphic design community did not take kindly to his brand of design.  It was artistic, free-spirited, dynamic... God forbid!

As the world has moved towards homogenization, individuality is being replaced by standardization.  Designers are taught that we should use a grid, that we should make our design projects adhere to certain standards, and that our material is required to have accessibility in mind.  They are good rules to learn, but after designers leave school they are so indoctrinated that many of them cannot think outside the box.  Instead of serving design, they serve the process.

Carson does not have a background in graphic design.  His background is surfing and sociology.  Before he was hired as the art director for Transworld Skateboarding and later Beach Culture, he was a high school teacher in San Diego.  He came to graphic design through the bohemian beach culture of Southern California, his background is people.  So who better as an art director and visual communicator than David Carson?

The work he did in the 90's is not as relevant today as it once was, but culture is cyclical.  I'm already starting to see a revival of Paula Scher's bold typographical style, and grunge typography is starting to resurface.  I have a feeling that very soon the can of worms Carson opened will once again be opened.  I can't wait.

The Most Important Movie of the 21st Century

Soundtrack: Feed the Animals by Girl Talk

This afternoon, as I do every now and then, I was browsing through the film trailers on Apple's web site.  I ran across a trailer for a documentary about the American food industry.  It is called Food, Inc and it is probably going to be the most important film you will ever see in your life.

How and why do I feel qualified to make that assertion, you ask?  Because it is about something so simple that almost everyone has taken granted, yet it is one of the most basic of human necessities.

For as long as I've lived, just a tad over 28 years, my mom and dad strove to provide our fairly average family with nutritious food.  Even now that I've been out of the house for years she still goes out of her way to make sure my brother and I eat well.  It's one of the things that I have taken to heart, and I consider myself lucky because of it.  My eating habits could be healthier, but for the most part I avoid the things that I know are not good for me.  Saturated fats, high fructose corn syrup, chemical preservatives, etc.  And many of the people I know do the same thing.

But after seeing this trailer I have a feeling when I go to see this film it will completely floor me, and anyone else who watches it.  So please, do yourself a favor and go see it.  I have a feeling it will change your life.

You can see the trailer for the documentary here.

Rollin' A D40 For My Dead Homie

Soundtrack: "D'yer Mak'er" by Led Zeppelin

Last year I blogged about the death of Gary Gygax, one of the creators of the pen-and-paper role playing game Dungeons and Dragons.  A few days ago Dave Arneson, the other co-creator of the game, joined his buddy in the big dragon lair in the sky.  They leave a long legacy of gaming excellence.  In fact, after Gary's death last year Blizzard dedicated one of their World of Warcraft content patches to him.  I'd be surprised if they didn't do the same for Dave (conveniently, they have a big content patch shipping later this month).

Rest in piece, Dave.  And say hi to Gary for me!

In Memoriam

Soundtrack: "Black" by Pearl Jam

15 years ago today Kurt Cobain died.  Nobody is really sure exactly when Layne Staley died 7 years ago but it was probably this day as well.  Both of these men were the epitome of the tortured artist.  Both of these men were bullhorns for my generation.  Both of these men died tragically to the demons that haunted them.  Both of these men are missed.

Goodbye boys.

Consider donating to the Layne Staley Fund.  It is a non-profit that is dedicated to providing hope, education, support and treatment funds for heroin recovery in the Seattle music community.

Suck It, Coldplay

Soundtrack: "Love Is Noise" by The Verve

This is the newest music video from Britain's The Verve.  You might remember their big hit "Bittersweet Symphony" from about 12 years ago.  It was all over the place and then the band dropped off the radar and broke up.  They are back now and they aren't holding back.  Take a listen to "Love Is Noise" and you might find the same thing I did... infectious hooks, foot-tapping beats and Richard Ashcroft's smooth vocals tying the whole thing together.

The thing is... it's effortless.  When I compare this song to the most recent offering from Coldplay, who are trying to be the best rock band in the world, what The Verve do is effortless and fluid.  Coldplay should have stuck to their Indie-rock-gone-arena approach of A Rush of Blood to the Head because it's what they do best.

Gotta go.  I need to listen to this song about 5 more times.

Video Games Are Not For Nerds

First off, I am finally coming back to this blog because after a long time of hating a lot of things, I realized I miss it.  Burnout is a terrible thing for a creative person, and it has taken me some time to get back to where I am comfortable with doing this again.  After all, I am a geek.  A culture geek.  I belong here.

Speaking of geek culture, let's talk about video games.  They aren't for nerds any more.  They haven't been for a while.  As games have moved into the 21st century, game publishers always make sure that their biggest titles feature fun multiplayer action.  Because let's face it, even geeks like to get together with our friends.  Except instead of watching a game, we play it.  Video games have united people across the globe, people who under other circumstances may never have met each other.  And in the right situations, the outcome can be magical.

Face it: people you would never expect to be gamers are coming out of the closet so to speak.  And they aren't just playing the latest shooter game or Madden '09.  They're playing Massively Multiplayer Online games, or MMOs, those dirty, no-good games that according to many people are the cause of so many problems in the world.  That's a discussion for an entirely different conversation, so let's just leave it at this: despite the bad rap MMOs get, a lot of successful people are playing them.  From movie stars to families spread out across the world to soldiers and military wives separated by duty and service, these games offer a unique type of social interaction along with a long list of other great qualities.

Speaking of social interaction, MMOs aren't the only games to offer it.  I just mentioned how a game like World of Warcraft can bring people together.  But there are plenty of other games that offer the same thing.  Halo, Team Fortress 2, and Call of Duty are great first-person shooter games that have achievements, rankings, large team size, and fun gameplay.  The great thing is that they offer online play as well, so whether you have four people in your living room or you're playing against your old high school buddy that lives 1500 miles away, there is a palpable camaraderie that develops.

So here's the deal: it doesn't matter what kind of game you play.  Video games have evolved from simple one-player affairs into huge social networks.  And with the huge craze in social networking right now, no wonder they are so popular.  Just make sure that if you play, it's not the only thing you do.  Go out and goof around with friends or go hiking or snowboarding once in a while.  Everything in moderation.

Time to go.  I gotta go race cars... on a television screen.

Barackula

Right here.

Oh, and hi there.

Doin’ It For Baby Jesus

Soundtrack: “Jesus Freak” by DC Talk

I just want to take a moment to share some good news with you. I have decided to enter the priesthood. This might come as a shock to some of you, but it just seems to be where I see my path going. I grew up in a Lutheran household and hold to many of Martin Luther's values. But lately I have seen how progressive, yet traditional, the Catholic church is and that is something that I identify with strongly. Not only that, but I feel a life of celibacy, service, and prayer will benefit me. I have been struggling with my place in the world for some time now. It has seemed that my life is in need of answers and this is the best way I can see them answered.

It is not going to be easy, but I think I can do it. Tomorrow I go in for a psych evaluation, keep me in your thoughts and prayers. Hopefully I’ll pass!

Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

Music: “Carry Me Home” by The Living End

It’s official: Rosebud is dead. For those who do not know who Rosebud is, that is the name I affectionately know my Apple PowerBook G4 as. Years of use and abuse have had their toll and she has bit the bullet so to speak. So many deaths related to my geek life lately... it is just a little depressing.

On a completely different subject, Happy Easter. I hope it has been a good one for you, whatever meaning the day holds for you.

Rest In Peace, Gary

Soundtrack: Pablo Honey by Radiohead

By now the news of Gary Gygax’ death has spread wide and far across the internet. If you do not know who Gary Gygax is, he is one of the original creators of the most popular pen and paper roleplaying game in the world, also known as Dungeons and Dragons. As a self-described geek I am more than familiar with D&D. My years in junior high and high school were spent crawling dungeons and killing monsters with my friends, and that has extended into my years in college. Lately I have been doing less pen-and-paper and more video-based dungeon raiding, but the concept is still the same. So I wanted to say some words in Gary’s honor.

The thing that appealed to me most about D&D was the imagination. Gary and Dave Arneson created something so simple yet so vast in it’s breadth. The concept is thus: you take on the persona of an adventurer in a medieval fantsy setting and join other adventurers in quests to find treasure or complete an objective or just kill monsters. Adventurers start with a specific set of skills and attributes and as you progress and gain experience your skills and attributes are augmented. Although it was not the first table-top roleplaying game; there had been table-top wargames for years when Dave and Gary introduced D&D in the 70’s, it was a new way of looking at wargames which has since spawned an entire gaming industry.

Gary had a great career that had ups and down like any career. He worked on game design all the way through to his death. He is definitely an inspiration to me, I hope to be so lucky to do what I love to do through my last days. Farewell Gary, I'm pouring out a 40 for you.

Observations From The Bus Stop

Soundtrack: “We’re In This Together” by Nine Inch Nails

I am back to using the wonderful public transportation system of this greater Denver metro area. And I have some observations to share.

1. In some neighborhoods apparently sitting at a bus stop means you are either a drug dealer or seeking the services of a drug dealer.

2. When you are running late you always miss the bus. When you show up early to the bus stop you miss the buss. When you really need to be somewhere at a certain alloted time you miss the bus. Or the bus doesn’t come, or it breaks down or whatever other disaster could possibly happen to keep you from getting to where you need to be.

3. Bus drivers are either quite warm and friendly people or they do not speak your language. There is no middle ground.

As I have more observations I will share them.

Happy New Year. 2008 is gonna be great.

Fuck RIAA

Soundtrack: “Silencer” by In Our Failure

I am sure there is at least one or two people out there in internet-land who have noticed my absence. I apologize, but the well was dry and it was time for me to take a break and let my anger get the best of me.

And it has.

I have reason to be angry. Everyone does. The music industry is still being the greedy pen of pigs it has been for years. I know I have been saying that for as long as this blog has existed, just look at my last blog entry for cryin' out loud. So in lieu of repeating myself I would like to refer you to the best piece of writing I have read in a long time. Possibly ever. A dude named Rob Sheridan has a blog. He wrote an article about the changing face of the music industry. Please read it and follow his suggestions because it is the only way things will change.

Steal This Album

Soundtrack: “The Day The Whole World Went Away” by Nine Inch Nails

So it’s been a while, hasn’t it? I apologize for the downtown but I have been feeling largely uninspired lately. Life has revolved around searching for employment and video games but there is a light at the end of the tunnel friends.

I am of course a little depressed about the state of music and the music industry. It isn’t what it used to be back in the glory days. After watching great documentaries on stories like Stax Records makes me wish that it was still about the music any more. But it is not about the music for about 75% of the industry, or so says my egotistical opinion.

Nine Inch Nails has been touring Australia recently and last night they performed in Sydney at the Hordern Pavilion. He asked about the price of his CD. Now, for some background, in international markets it is often a practice of the record companies to hike up the prices for dubious economic reasons. Last time Trent was in Australia earlier this summer he discussed this practice and slammed it.

In his follow up last night he told the audience to steal his album, a practice that I am sure would give the greedy monkeys in Metallica a heart attack. “Steal away. Steal and steal and steal some more and give it to all your friends and keep on stealin'. Because one way or another these motherfuckers will get it through their head that they're ripping people off and that that's not right.”

This brings up a moral quandary. Is pulling a Robin Hood to bring down the big bad wolf of the music industry, an industry that peripherally employs hundreds of thousands, is that right? There is always going to be a need for certain jobs, so those who have some experience will be able to find new ones. At the same time, many of these people make spit in a bucket compared to what the executives make, and every year these executives raise the price of their product a little more so they can enjoy the latest Ferrari or Aston Martin or whatever it is that gets them off.

I've made my choice. I've worked in both sides of the industry, behind the scenes and retail, and I'm going to steal, steal, steal some more. But I am not going to steal for the sake of stealing. Along with that comes supporting the artist directly. If I download the new Nine Inch Nails album (an album that I purchased, actually), I will go to their concert and buy their merchandise and support the band through the concert ticket. I also buy music from the iTunes store in order to support alternative forms of distribution. So go out there and steal and shake things up. Just don't take down everyone. Some people still need to eat.

The Top Ten Reasons To Not Have A Cell Phone

Soundtrack: The Fiance by The Chariot

I love Wired.com. Their Gadget Lab section ran this column today and I could not agree more.

Invisible Man Can Has Expanz

Soundtrack: “Sure Shot” by the Beastie Boys

Whilst doing my usual internet surfing I came upon the “lol bible”. And well, I lol’d.

She’s Out Back Counting Stars

Soundtrack: “Stars” by Hum

Kids these days have no idea what they are talking about when they say “I listen to Emo.” What they call Emo these days is nothing more than poppy derivative bullshit. According to a bunch of online sources including Fourfa.com and Wikipedia, Emo and “Emocore” are terms used to describe a subgenre of hardcore punk which originated in the Washington, DC music scene of the mid-1980s. One of the bands that popped up in the early 90s and actually found a little more success than some of it’s peers is Hum. I remember hearing “Stars” in high school and falling in love with the song. It was heavy, it was beautiful, it was one of the best songs I had heard. In fact it is one of the songs that made me want to write music. So, when some 15-year-old kid wearing his girlfriend’s pants and a bad haircut tells you he listens to “Emo”, he's full of shit. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you some real Emo!

“Reality” Television

Soundtrack: “Ain’t No Right” by Jane’s Addiction

Last week a huge controversy started when the BBC showed a promo clip from an upcoming documentary about Queen Elizabeth II. The documentary is a day-in-the-life type affair during which she has a photo shoot with famed photographer Annie Liebovitz. In the clip the Queen is portrayed as storming out on the photo shoot. But the incident never happened, and the BBC was forced to immediately apologize. After a little bit more investigation it turns out that the media firm who produced the documentary and the promo clip, RDF Media, is responsible for the whole mess. However, this does not mean that the BBC is completely innocent. They made the decision to air the piece and they now much live with the consequences. But I think the controversy behind this has raised a great point: “Reality” television is rarely real.

Let’s look at this. In an age of technology that allows us to create amazingly real hoaxes, and through the power of video editing, we can achieve any outcome we want to. Instances such as this makes me wonder just how much drama really exists in shows such as “Big Brother” and “The Real World”. First of all, the entire premise is not even reality, so already there is a strike against calling them “reality” shows. These people manufacture drama, and use fun things like multiple camera angles and more than one take to really bring out said drama. And producers have all kinds of post-production tools to help them squeeze even more drama out of situations. And people seem to love it.

Frankly, I think it is an insult to humanity and I think we as a society need to take a long hard look at what we package as reality. This is not real life, this is sensationalism. But hey, isn’t that what America is all about?

Building A Better Me

Soundtrack: “Dashboard” by Modest Mouse

Among other projects like prepping my parents’ house for painting, I have been working hard at getting a cohesive and well-put-together portfolio done. Of course I have grandiose plans for it, it wouldn’t be me otherwise, but I am also being realistic in my expectations for it. The most important of these expectations is to build a portfolio that not only shows what my technical and creative skills are but also shows every person who looks at it who I am. This is a feat that I have found takes a large amount of introspection and self-reflection. I do not always like what I see, but I am having to leave that behind that and focus on the good parts. I am an abstract analyzer and thus I tend to reflect on how something could be better. That especially applies to me and for so long I have been in this mode of living where guilt and regret over past mistakes has defined me. I make myself a tragic figure instead of someone who overcomes adversity to come out on top. It is a tough thing to change when it is all you know.

So instead of dwelling, of late I have been working to apply my positive attributes to the things I know I am not good at. For example, I am not good at managing my time but I am good at managing graphic matrices and how things fit in a space. So how then can I apply that to my time management? It is forcing me to be even more creative with how I do things. And anyone who knows me knows that being creative is my favorite thing.

The Next Pat Benatar?

Soundtrack: “Never Again” by Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson has a new album and her detractors are busy right now eating their own words. It may not be as poppy and “commercially viable” as her last album, but that is what people said about her last album when they compared it to her first album. The album is not only #2 on the iTunes top album list, it debuted on the overall charts at #2. It is also #19 on the Billboard Pop chart. That is pretty damn good for only one day on the charts. Interestingly enough Disney sweetheart Hannah Montana has the #1 album on the iTunes store right now. How it got #1 in the first place is beyond me… I am guessing a lot of tween and teen girls with their parents’ credit cards.

While these teeny boppers are buying manufactured tripe like Hannah Montana, Kelly Clarkson is growing up. This album has outsold her last two, despite it clearly being a darker, more bitter, more edgy offering than in the past. In fact, Kelly reminds me a little of a certain rocker girl from Brooklyn who made it big. I grew up in the 80s and I remember Pat Benatar well. There are some similarities in their careers. Both have professional vocal training, Pat in opera and Kelly in choir. They were both discovered at singing contests. And they both have had management troubles. But one thing is clear: they are both extremely talented singers and songwriters who aren't just the flavor of the week. Of all the American Idol winners Kelly is the only one other than Carrie Underwood who is taken seriously at all. And like Carrie she is relying on her own talent and charm to make her career, not her American Idol win.

So what is the point of all this? Despite people who are saying otherwise, Kelly Clarkson is a strong and talented musician who may not take Pat Benatar’s title of “the most successful female rock vocalist of all time,” but I think her career is only getting started. The only thing that is lacking is truly epic songs. With some hard work she can change that. So rock out, Kelly. And hit us with your best shot.