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?



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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.



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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.