The deaths

The deaths
Originally uploaded by Miss Aniela.

Life, Death and Rebirth

Life, Death and Rebirth
Originally uploaded by musicmuse_ca.

Agent Smith and his Apple Pie

This is pretty funny. Agent Smith and Morpheus are clearly in the scene, but who is that talking about apple pies and atoms?Carl Sagan, apparently.

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Detournement and Culture Jamming for Jesus!

Who knew Jesus was an Adbuster?
Originally uploaded by mediageek.

If Christianity paved the way for Colonialism and TV paved the way for the globalization of Consumerism, then what if we combine all of these techniques and re-appropriate corporate logos and images, put the newly-created art onto t-shirts, and send out the message!

Oh, it's already been done?

Super Marie

super-marie.jpg
Originally uploaded by imazine.

This image is an example of what might be called a "detournement", a type of art, stylized by the founders of Situationist International. These types of images create a contrast between pop iconography, advertising images, media concepts, and the "realities" that exist in the world. They portray the absurdities that often pop up when you consider the meaning of the message that advertising and public relations sends, in the face of what is happening around us.

Another term that is similar to detournement is "culture jamming", a style of activism that employs a similar method.

Internal Combustion - A book I'd like to read

Internal Combustion
Originally uploaded by Miller Info Commons.

Protest Art

Stop War
Originally uploaded by docrivs.

I collect photos of protest art, especially when the art is displayed outdoors, is likely to be illegally placed, and is in a conspicuous location. Graffiti is great to look at, and you can debate all day about vandalism and the crime of defacing private and/or public property, but I still enjoy looking at it. I must respect the skill and audacity of graf writers.

This particular stencil art piece was one I encountered in a park in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was September 2006, the day of the Zozobra festival. It was there all by itself, but I liked how there were little pieces of a flower resting on top.

Blues Fest, YSO, 2007

 
It was raining really hard, and I didn't want any of the people to leave, because we were trying to sell our rugs and crafts. So, I joined a group of guys and we had an impromptu blues jam in the rain. People stayed out there, watching. Some of them danced. Some of them stayed out in the grass and mud and some of the people got up on stage with us and danced to stay out of the rain. It was a pretty good time, I must say.

Stop Bush!

This impromptu graffiti was discovered in YSO, Yellow Springs, Ohio, during the Blues Fest 2007.
 

The Floorwalkers

The Floorwalkers: Kerry
Originally uploaded by eplowry.

I jammed with a guy from work a couple of weeks ago, after we closed, and I had a great time. We played all kinds of cover songs and a couple of originals for a very small audience of our co-workers. I haven't heard his band yet, the Floorwalkers, but I'd like to check them out. This is a cool photo I found of Kerry, on Flickr. I thought I'd let the world know that Kerry can play a mean guitar, and he's got a good, rootsy, soulful singing voice, as well. It's kind of deep, which is good for that music. I'd be interested in jamming again, especially with some electrics, and maybe with a drummer and bass player. I'd like to hear Kerry play dobro too.

Just read a good review

I’ve just read a good review about this book, and after seeing it in so many hands of readers all over, including my sister’s, I just have to check it out. Right now, though, I am reading about 5 or 6 different books about corporations, globalization, and development. They all touch on the environment in many ways and the ideas of sustainable development. As an anthropology major in college, though, I still have my interests in evolution, religion, and the philosophy of science.

See more progress on: read the god delusion

Update on Ryan's Aimless Project

Hey there! I have an update on Ryan's comings and goings. For those who need a reminder, my long-time friend, Ryan, is travelling the country by foot, public transportation, and hitchhiking, with a video camera and a cell phone. Like an amateur anthropologist (as Ryan's buddy, Lew, put it) is documenting what he sees as the reality of America, and he wants to tell the world about his experiences. He's kept up an interesting blog. He posts photos every now and again, and he has his own website that explains what he is doing, why he is doing it, and how he came up with the idea.

If you'd like to see what Ryan can do with a video camera, then check out his "quasi-trailers", as he calls them.

At this point, Ryan is calling on his readers, including myself, to help him replace the gear that he has been using for so long. His tent is too small for him to fit comfortably inside, because he is too tall for it. His belt is too big for him. His pants are too big for him. His backpack has a waist strap that is too big for him. His socks have holes in them. The treads in his shoes are so worn down that it hurts him to walk. His sleeping bag is not insulated enough to keep him warm.

What Ryan hopes is that companies will want to help Ryan by providing him with these goods. In return, the donors (or sponsors) would be able to promote their products on his website. With Ryan's backing on a good product it could only help generate interest and potential sales.

I believe that Ryan would also like to have a light notebook PC and a better video camera and cell phone (that still takes photos). However, I think he is mainly concerned about the necessities of surviving the journey right now.

So, how can we help out Aimless Ryan?

He wants us to contact a bunch of manufacturers, requesting them to help him. He has a page on his website that lays out what it would mean to sponsor Aimless.

The short list:
Kelty --> Contact Kelty about sponsorships
Gregory
Columbia
Coleman
Timberland
REI
The North Face
Eureka!
Therm-A-Rest
Sierra Designs
Amtrak
Apple
Sony
Canon

If you'd like to contact Ryan personally, then go to his contact page.

Thanks for your attention!

Happy Nathy

208
Originally uploaded by happy_nathy^_^.

The Land Where Anything Is Possible

Statue of Liberty, NYC
Originally uploaded by Daniel A. Norman.

Is this truly the land of opportunity?

Is the "American Dream" a dream worth pursuing? Is it actually attainable for more than just a few people?

This photo, by Daniel A. Norman (copyrighted, 2007), shows the clouds over NYC, the clouds over the Statue of Liberty, the symbol of all that is the American Dream. This is the place of possibility for many people around the world, but that idea is being challenged more and more lately.

With increasing anti-American sentiment, largely after Bush sent our troops over to Iraq to fight the so-called "War on Terror", I am really not sure that there is a more important topic to think about and to write about than this "American Dream".

I don't know about you, but I'm struggling.

I'm not homeless (yet). I'm not unemployed (yet). I still have some income and some assets to call my own (at the moment). However, these conditions are only temporary, for I am in debt, just like the majority of Americans I know and have heard about. I owe money.

So, now I live paycheck to paycheck, hoping that I make enough each week to pay my bills, and I recklessly spend on things I don't need.

Now, I'm trying to wake myself up, and I'm trying to move.

Notes on the American Dream Series

The dream of a land where there is...
Opportunity
Achievement
Success
Freedom
Independence
Justice
Wealth
Rags to Riches
Truth
Happiness
Determination
Hard Work
Better Standards of Living
Freedom from religious persecution
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Expression
Safety
Social Justice
Human Rights
Civil Rights
The Great Gatsby
Death of a Salesman
Fight Club
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
On The Road
In Cold Blood
"Know Your Enemy"
Scarface
The Pursuit of Happyness
American Beauty
Miss Saigon

Compromise
Conformity
Assimiliation
Submission
Ignorance
Hypocrisy
Brutality
Celebrity
The Elite
Power
Denial

American Dream, 3

What is the "American Dream?"

American Dream, 2

We R America
Originally uploaded by R.A.M.O.N.E..

American Dream, 1

Supergirl
Originally uploaded by R.A.M.O.N.E..

The American Dream

What the hell is this "American Dream"? What do people from all over the world think is this "American Dream" that I've been hearing about all of my damn life?

Does the American Dream exist, or is it really only as real as Santa Claus and The Easter Bunny, legends that really have just helped fuel our culture of consumption?

Are people merely naive when they believe that it is worthwhile to pursue the "American Dream"?

I'm an atheist. I don't believe in much of anything at all that cannot be explained through materialist methods. If it is more than an idea but it is not made up of matter, then I am very skeptical that it exists. So, for me to listen to you tell me that I need to believe in god and believe that this being is watching over us, judging us morally, and manipulating our destinies, is an exercise in open-mindedness and patience, for me. I really have to hold my breath and hope that you don't ask me if I believe what you say is true and that it has changed my way of thinking, because it most likely has not.

So, when someone comes up to you and starts bringing up this idea of the "American Dream" what do you say?

Well, here's what I say...
[More Later]

Matt Weber, Costco, Consumption, and Loneliness

Granbury Walmart
Originally uploaded by granbury18.

Matt Weber is an excellent photographer. He really knows how to capture an emotion through one single image, and he can also put together a series of images that explore the complexities of our culture and what it means to be human, at least in our age.

I like this one of the little girl and the young couple, shopping at Costco, one of the many giant "superstores" that reduce the sticker price of the products they sell, at the cost of reduced wages for their employees and the demise of the "mom's and pop's" stores. Costco, WalMart, Sam's Club, and many other big chain stores represent what globalization, global culture, and development really mean to me: homogenization, dehumanization, and the marketing of consumption as a way of life.

The little girl in this image does not appear to be happy to be where she is, and that may not reflect the reality of her inner feelings, but it definitely adds to the messages this photo sends to me. She looks lonely, neglected, and sad, to me. That's how this world sometimes makes me feel, and I think I see that in others too.

Thanks, Matt. I think art needs to be out there, and I am glad that the internet helps get the artists to throw their works up for people all over to view.

Watch out for those "good time girls"

Disco - Almaty
Originally uploaded by herwigphoto.com.

OBEY Giant action figure

obey einstürzende neubaten
Originally uploaded by japanese forms.

Shepard Fairey, Street Artist, Provocateur, Advertising Subversive,

Shepard Fairey in London
Originally uploaded by pure evil bunny.

This guy, although he is not the only guy doing this, is doing some impressive things. I think the idea to Question Everything is a pure and good idea. We need to think about our symbols, our propaganda, our cultural iconography, our art, and our conversations.

The "war on terror" and the "war" in Iraq and "Homeland Security" and "9/11" and all of the other catchphrases we use in the media and digest like babies are worth deconstructing. We may find that these things have been appropriated for someone else's uses and purposes -- uses and purposes that we don't really want to support.

It is one thing to say it. It is another thing to create something that inspires people to action.

Action. A good word.

Swimming

Swimming Pool
Originally uploaded by Mike Hipple.

I have yet to go swimming even one time this summer. I long for water, relaxation, and sun.

Action Figure Art

rawr!
Originally uploaded by zannah.

I love this style of photography that uses sculptures or pop culture material in creative ways. It looks like this character is actually walking around in the real world.

Missing the ocean

Watching the surfer boys.
Originally uploaded by Morven.

I grew up very close to Salem and Marblehead Harbor, in Marblehead, Massachusetts. A lot of my time was spent by the water, swimming, exploring, and just watching. This image reminds me of the days where I would just stare at the waves and think about the other world that lay beneath them.

A very flexible girl

4l6qjqr
Originally uploaded by Dr. Yuji Kotorida.

This is Miki Komori, a Japanese model, and I think that's pretty much a 180 degree angle.

Pre-Colonial Folk Art

pict0542
Originally uploaded by docrivs.

I snapped this image at the folk art museum in Santa Fe last September, and it represents the kind of folk art that I really like -- the retablos style. Retablos can be constructed like sculpture, inside of a box. This type of retablos is called a box retablos.

Bikini-clad woman pins man with her thighs

I'm not sure what to make of this video. Is it really a fantasy to be pinned by some hot, bikini-clad woman's thighs, or is this just a really strange part of our culture?



read more | digg story

The Corbin Sparrow

electric car
Originally uploaded by McBeth.

This electric vehicle is like a motorcycle genetically paired with a motorcycle. The company is out of business now, but the idea lives on.

Electric Vehicles

Bombardier NEV 02
Originally uploaded by Humanoide.

What happened to the electric car?? Why don't we have millions of zero emission electric vehicles riding around on the streets? What is going on?!? These cars are great! They produce no pollution and the eliminate all of the problems of foreign and domestic oil dependency.

Ryan, Train Hopping Hobo

Ryan has hopped his first train. He met up with a couple of young hobos, and he jumped a freight to get out of Columbus. He was last heading west on said train, but they were discovered and forced off of the train. Now, I'm not sure where he is or what happened. I think he's just fine, though. Read about it here

Aimless T-Shirts

 
I spoke with Ryan about a t-shirt idea, and I am thinking about images for the shirt. The back or front will just have the URL of the website in bold lettering.

Ryan, Agenda Pusher

In one of Ryan's most recent Aimless posts, he addressed someone who, apparently, was relatively interested in him when he met him, in person. However, after a deeper look at Ryan's Aimless website, this guy came to a different conclusion...

"Thank god your liberal ass is out of our state. Do me a favor, take your paranoid conspiracy driven ass to Cali and stay there. You are a two face person. I thought u were for real but your not, just trying to push your agenda. Oh, stay away from Michigan too. BTW OSU sucks!!!!!!!!!"

He didn't sign his email message to Ryan. He identified himself as 'Deputy Dawg', from Florida. What a moron.

Ryan, in one of his more clever retorts, responded very well, I think. This is a classic Ryanism, I think:

I can't help it if your state is full of total assholes, dude. If you were not one of them, I probably made it very clear that you were not one of them. So if it bothers you that I think assholes are assholes, go ahead and be an asshole about it.

Yeah, I'm trying to push my agenda of doing nice things for people. Clearly that is too difficult for you. (I never claimed to be Jesus, so I'm allowed to talk shit about assholes.)

And use your real name next time, pussy.

So, check out Aimless, if you haven't already, and be looking for Ryan at ComFest this year. It should be great. Maybe you'll see me there, too.

He's singin' in Korean

Stephen Colbert discusses the vast cultural impact he has had on world culture, acknowledging references to himself in Time Magazine's "Most Influential" lists and the NY Times crossword. Then, he discusses his rivalry with Korean R&B star, Rain, and showcases his new Korean R&B video he is sure will top anything that Rain could ever produce.



read more | digg story

Gig at IndiaOak Pub, Clintonville, June 2, 2007

 
This was taken at the IndiaOak Pub in Clintonville last night, when I played for about an hour. I opened up for Mike Johnson and his buds, Justin and Edmund. Edmund ran sound most of the evening, and I ran sound a little bit when Mike and Justin were playing. I had a great time. There was a decent turnout for me, thanks to Glen, Nick, Olga, Alex, Yurya, Matt, and Yulia. Mike, Justin, and Edmund also had a decent turnout. I ran into Matt Gill, who co-owns the bar with his brother and who I used to work with. The bartenders were really cool. Hopefully, I didn't embarass myself too much, because it was a fun night.

Setlist:
Just What I Needed - The Cars
Just Like Heaven - The Cure
Grey Street- Dave Matthews Band
In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel
I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Death Cab For Cutie
Guns Of Brixton - The Clash
What Goes Around Comes Around - Justin Timberlake
Doin' Time - Sublime
The Unforgettable Fire - U2
Another Lonely Day - Ben Harper
Only God Knows Why - Kid Rock

Maybe I'm out here 2 free U

It's funny, but when I follow Ryan's short but frequent mobile posts to his blog I always find some interesting Ryanisms.

This one goes like this:
"You R NOT free if U live in fear of a 160-Lb guy w/ a backpack, America. Sadly, that's clearly the prevailing trend. Maybe I'm out here 2 free U."

To me, it sounds like a good song title or album title or book title.

It was about a year ago that I posted one of the first promotions of Aimless. At that time, I wasn't sure that Ryan would actually DO IT, but he did, and I am very happy that he did. It's very inspiring to me to know that he is out there, making his project work.

What The Maynard - I Play the Piano!

This guy makes good short films and videos, and he also plays the piano rather well. I like these two movie theme songs he composed.



read more | digg story

Pastor Lew meets Ryan

A pastor named Lew picked up Ryan, who was trying to get a ride in Florida. He was really impressed by him and his adventure, so he wrote about it on his blog, revolution. Ryan has often been very outspoken when it comes to evangelist types and people who claim to follow the example of Jesus.

Ryan has written a lot about our culture, as Lew points out, has become a true student of our culture, or what I would call, an anthropologist. I love it!!!!! I went to school and studied how to become an anthropologist, and Ryan has actually employed himself as an anthropologist. That's very cool, because it inspires me not to throw away my own dreams.

I'm going to have to contact Lew and see how we can work together to help support Ryan with some more marketing and promotions, grassroots-style.

ArcherPhotos, on Flickr

Necklace IMG_1601 small
Originally uploaded by ArcherPhoto.

This guy's photos are excellent, and he has many beautiful models to photograph

Retablos in Sepia

Retablos
Originally uploaded by shadowbomb.

There are so many great photos to find!

Retablos of gratitude

Thank you for being with me in prison
Originally uploaded by riddle.

This retablos is a thank you from a former inmate to San Francisco de Asis.

Spin - Video on AtomFilms.Com

Meet DJ Scratch, the destiny-altering hero for our times



read more | digg story

A story about LaKari

LaKari was inspired by a goal of placing anonymous notes, written on post-it note paper, in random places for strangers to find. It is kind of an Amelie, playful, trickster kind of thing to do. It’s kind of adventurous and interesting. I wrote an entry that LaKari read about starting a website that displayed photos of the notes and short entries about the notes, and she started one up! It was really good to feel that I had helped inspire someone to do something fun and cool. So, I’d like to meet LaKari someday. I’m glad that we were able to meet through email, at least.

Learn more about LaKari

How to learn to play the guitar

1. Have a good instrument that is in shape, has new strings, and is fun to play, and go to the library to look at their selection of music/guitar books to pick one to start with
2. Learn how to tune the guitar with a guitar tuner or with the pitch from another instrument that is already in tune (piano, pitch pipe, etc.)
3. Learn how to play a fretted note and a bit of basic terminology about music and the guitar (what are ‘frets’? what does ‘up the neck’ mean? what does ‘up pick’ mean? what is ‘down picking’? what is a ‘chord’?...etc)
4. Learn how to play a chord, learn it’s name, learn the notes that make it up, learn other notes on the fretboard
5. Learn how to strum, learn different strum patterns, learn about tempo, learn how to tap your foot to keep time
6. Learn how to strum a couple of chords, learn how to move from chord to chord, learn how to use different strum patterns for the same chords
7. Learn how to play a simple song
8. Learn more songs, chords, rhythms
9. Explore different styles of music
10. Listen to great guitar players
11. Go to watch great guitar players perform
12. Ask questions
13. Seek a good guitar teacher who you like
14. Learn how to sing and play guitar at the same time
15. Write your own music and lyrics
16. Play with others (drummers, bassists, other guitarists, singers, piano players, cello players, violinists… etc)
17. Learn scales and lead patterns
18. Transcribe songs into music
19. Learn as much as you can about harmony and theory
20. Learn how to sight read and read charts
21. Continue learning how to learn and practicing all of the above

- Jay (Docrivs.Com, Blogger, StumbleUpon, MySpace, Flickr, del.icio.us...)

See more progress on: learn to play my guitar

Downtown Columbus Skyline During Storm

Downtown Columbus Skyline During Storm
Originally uploaded by docrivs.

I took this photo during a tornado threat. It wasn't even night yet, but the skies were so dark it was hard to tell.

Rapture

rapture
Originally uploaded by docrivs.

Naked Under The Trenchcoat

trenchcoat
Originally uploaded by docrivs.

This may or may not be a common fantasy among other guys, but it certainly is one of mine. It is no coincidence, however, that the model in these photos resembles someone important in my life.

Retablos, Art of Spanish South America and Central America

Retablos, Real de Catorce
Originally uploaded by riddle.

I love this style of artwork. Retablos, particularly box retablos, amaze me. I first really took an appreciation for this style of art at the Columbus Arts Festival back in the summer of 2002. It rained that time, but it was still awesome.

I gained a greater appreciation of box retablos during my visits to Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Praying to the sky

al cielo ?
Originally uploaded by Álvaro Rivas.

Tonight, at work, I was about to bring salt and pepper to a table of three guests. They had just ordered a second round of drinks and had received their food. However, when I reached their table and was about to deliver the salt and pepper shakers they reached for each other's hands, and started praying, or saying grace, or something. I felt awkward, so I turned away and waited for a few seconds. When I thought they were finished I put the shakers on the table and walked away.

I don't recall ever seeing people praying in a restaurant, or saying grace in a restaurant, before the food is eaten. It was strange to me.

Bibliophilia

books
Originally uploaded by docrivs.

Lots of people have expressed an interest in this photo that I captured from another website and uploaded to Flickr. I really like this photo! I love to look at old libraries and old books. They remind me of the existence of a connection between the present and the past, the present and the future, and the past and the future.

Graffiti in Adamastor, Lisboa

Graffiti in Adamastor, Lisboa
Originally uploaded by Portuguese Geotagged Graffiti.

To truly live is to completely let go of fear and doubt and to go beyond death

The Perfect Bio Photo For A Forensic Scientist or Crime Writer

Dan Boned
Originally uploaded by donster.

I like this photo, uploaded by donster, on Flikr. The shadows are great, but the way the light reflects on the bones and on the subject's face is perfect. The subject (Dan?) has a look on his face that seems to say that he is content and forward-looking, which indicates wisdom.

Moving On To The Land Of Where I Want To Be

It's interesting to me how cyclical life really is, despite how much we perceive it to be a series of linear events.

We think of life as a line among lines...
Born---->This is what I did when I was 2---->I moved here when I was 5---->I found this when I was 6---->I lost this when I was 8---->I learned about this when I was 10---->I experienced this when I was 11---->I did this when I was 21---->Died

Each person's and thing's history, in this framework, is a series of events that happen at certain points in time, connected by cause and effect at certain pivotal points, all within the framework of the history of reality. Many things occur at the same time, and some of those things are directly related, but we forget that we do not understand what time and space really is.

Some cultures are based on a time, history, and lifestyle in terms of cycles and circles, rather than lines. There really is no beginning. There really is no end. Everything is in constant change and flux.

Tonight, I realized something. The multitudes of lists that I make are not just exercises in worthless distraction. This practice of making lists is how I store and restore ideas. I think that I was born to be a writer.

I've wanted to be so many things: spy, soldier, musician, computer programmer, technician, writer, environmentalist, father, husband, lover, son, brother, adventurer... All of these desires and experiences have helped to create me into who I am. A writer writes. A writer shares experience and knowledge. A writer entertains and informs. I've been practicing to be a writer all of my life, and I've made excuses and excuses to keep myself from the potential for failure and the fear of not having enough money for so long that I feel as if I am experiencing what Neo experienced when he was rescued from the Matrix and brought into Zion.

I've been reading this great book, Writing Down The Bones, by Natalie Goldberg. I've been receiving payment in return for "guitar lessons" from a student who really wants someone to work with as a writing partner. I've been passed over on getting promoted to bartender, or at least it feels that way. I've had little luck in trying to get into the IT field. I've had little luck in trying to save my marriage and many other relationships that appear to have been failing. Now, it's time to take control of the ball.

Although this is a more personal blog post, I am not really revealing the whole of it. The point is that I am undergoing change, as usual, but I am more conscious of that change now.

Art is a good reason to live!!!!

I love music, and I love ART! In anthropology we call this material culture or cultural traditions, depending on if it is “material” (can be touched, physical, an artifact) or not. Music from other parts of the world besides America is great to explore, especially now that the internet and digital music has made it possible to record sounds and spread them around the world in an instant, or an instant of an instant.

See more progress on: Experience a variety of new and exciting music

docrivs Musician's Profile on Musician's Referral Service at Musician's Institute

I've posted a profile on the Musician's Referral Service website on the Musician's Institute website. It's not an extremely complicated page, but there is a short bio of me on there, some song samples, a description of my influences and gear, and a photo (the one you see here). Please visit and refer anyone here who may need guitar lessons or my assistance as a performing artist. Thanks, docrivs

If you resist change

If you resist change
Originally uploaded by docrivs.

I've decided to test an upload to Flickr via email. This photo represents

the state I am in right now and a challenge that I will always face.