I find what this guy to be doing pretty amazing, though I do not like the song.
2.21.2008
2.19.2008
Sentimental Pussyfooting
This is something I wrote to Rita Feliciano, a dance critic in the Bay Area, about my upcoming show, Sentimental Pussyfooting - a study in plagiarism. She was wondering how the show fits into the concept of dance.
"This work fits right into dance. In this show, I am
using works by Yoko Ono, Trisha Brown, John Cage, Jess
Curtis and Paul Taylor as points of departure.
The idea behind the show is to use structures that
have been created by and are attached to specific
artists and re-use/reclaim/re-examine them. The way I
see it dance, or most dance, has the same structure.
Lights go on, music and movement start. It's
essentially the same skeleton every time. Whether
it's ODC or Scott Wells, the skeleton is the same.
Just the meat around the bones has changed. The
costumes are different, the music is different etc.
But still essentially the same piece. Or is it?
The piece by Yoko Ono that I will be examining is her
"Cut Piece". First done in '64, she sits on stage and
audience members come on stage and cut her clothing.
In my show I will do this piece again. I will sit on
stage, audience members will come on stage and cut off
my clothes. Some people will say that I am doing
Ono's piece again. But am I? The scissors are
different, the clothes, the audience, the location,
the pathways cut into the clothing will be different.
If ODC and Scott Wells are different pieces then Ono's
piece and mine are different. In both cases, the
costumes are different. The people executing the
movements are different. The pathways of the bodies
and scissors are different. The lighting is
different. The soundscore is different. Yet the
skeleton remains the same.
People are more likely to say that I am repeating
Ono's piece because it is a different enough of a
skeleton from the basic dance skeleton. No one says
to ODC or Paul Taylor - "Oh lights, movement, and
music...that is So and So's piece" Why not? Because
that skeleton is from time immemorial. And most dance
I see is just repeating the same skeleton over and
over again. And dance is so rich because we keep
investigating the same skeleton over and over again.
Where would dance be if people stopped making dances
to music because that had already been done?
By keeping certain structures identified with certain
artists, the collective artistic investigation is
limited. By saying - Oh we can't do that because that
is So and So's piece - we cut ourselves off from so
many possibilties. Every piece in this show that I am
relating to, I consider a door that was created when
the pieces were originally made, a door for us to walk
through. Those artists pointed us in new directions.
It is up to us to continue in those directions and
continue their investigations."
"This work fits right into dance. In this show, I am
using works by Yoko Ono, Trisha Brown, John Cage, Jess
Curtis and Paul Taylor as points of departure.
The idea behind the show is to use structures that
have been created by and are attached to specific
artists and re-use/reclaim/re-examine them. The way I
see it dance, or most dance, has the same structure.
Lights go on, music and movement start. It's
essentially the same skeleton every time. Whether
it's ODC or Scott Wells, the skeleton is the same.
Just the meat around the bones has changed. The
costumes are different, the music is different etc.
But still essentially the same piece. Or is it?
The piece by Yoko Ono that I will be examining is her
"Cut Piece". First done in '64, she sits on stage and
audience members come on stage and cut her clothing.
In my show I will do this piece again. I will sit on
stage, audience members will come on stage and cut off
my clothes. Some people will say that I am doing
Ono's piece again. But am I? The scissors are
different, the clothes, the audience, the location,
the pathways cut into the clothing will be different.
If ODC and Scott Wells are different pieces then Ono's
piece and mine are different. In both cases, the
costumes are different. The people executing the
movements are different. The pathways of the bodies
and scissors are different. The lighting is
different. The soundscore is different. Yet the
skeleton remains the same.
People are more likely to say that I am repeating
Ono's piece because it is a different enough of a
skeleton from the basic dance skeleton. No one says
to ODC or Paul Taylor - "Oh lights, movement, and
music...that is So and So's piece" Why not? Because
that skeleton is from time immemorial. And most dance
I see is just repeating the same skeleton over and
over again. And dance is so rich because we keep
investigating the same skeleton over and over again.
Where would dance be if people stopped making dances
to music because that had already been done?
By keeping certain structures identified with certain
artists, the collective artistic investigation is
limited. By saying - Oh we can't do that because that
is So and So's piece - we cut ourselves off from so
many possibilties. Every piece in this show that I am
relating to, I consider a door that was created when
the pieces were originally made, a door for us to walk
through. Those artists pointed us in new directions.
It is up to us to continue in those directions and
continue their investigations."
2.15.2008
2.14.2008
Art Theft
In a case of slight exaggeration-
Julian Radcliffe, chairman of the Art Loss Register, which operates a database to help recover lost and stolen art equated art thieves with murders and child slavers.
Now, I am all for art, but to equate people who are basically fancy shoplifters with murders...that is a grand exaggeration. I think it is another case of someone whose vision has become so myopic, so involved in one's field that s/he has lost perspective.
Julian Radcliffe, chairman of the Art Loss Register, which operates a database to help recover lost and stolen art equated art thieves with murders and child slavers.
Now, I am all for art, but to equate people who are basically fancy shoplifters with murders...that is a grand exaggeration. I think it is another case of someone whose vision has become so myopic, so involved in one's field that s/he has lost perspective.
2.04.2008
United Charging for 2nd Bag
This is just nuts. United Airlines is now charging people $25 to check a 2nd bag. They say that it is because of the cost of fuel. Extra bags use more fuel as they add weight.
Well, what about fat people? Following the extra cost for extra weight logic, fat people should have to pay more also. Why should I at 185 lbs. pay the same as someone who weighs 250lbs.? How about pregnant women? Extra weight extra cost... Should I get a discount if I void my bowels and bladder before getting on the plane? How much does the collective amount of fecal matter weigh on a plane? Maybe I can get a discount if I promise to never use the bathroom while flying. If no one uses it, no need to clean it...think of the savings there. Maybe airlines could start charging people to use the bathroom.
Toilet paper will be extra.
Well, what about fat people? Following the extra cost for extra weight logic, fat people should have to pay more also. Why should I at 185 lbs. pay the same as someone who weighs 250lbs.? How about pregnant women? Extra weight extra cost... Should I get a discount if I void my bowels and bladder before getting on the plane? How much does the collective amount of fecal matter weigh on a plane? Maybe I can get a discount if I promise to never use the bathroom while flying. If no one uses it, no need to clean it...think of the savings there. Maybe airlines could start charging people to use the bathroom.
Toilet paper will be extra.
2.01.2008
Magnets
First Fridays took place or is taking place right now in Oakland. Saw a bunch of work. Most of it didn't hit me. But liked some paintings and sculptures by Michael Meyers in the Johansson Projects gallery. The paintings were of trucks, reminded me of a video I made a while ago, part of the Half Breed series. Hmm...thought it was on my site but guess not. What was the point of this entry? Not sure. Well after seeing a lot of work, I think 5 galleries, and didn't recognize anyone. Funny how the dance world and "visual" art world don't seem to be connected. Dance is a visual art. Kinda useless to the audience if they are blind. But after seeing work and not liking most of it, made me want to put more of an effort into getting my video work out there. Packing it well and sending it out.
Packaging I thought of involves climbing rope, magnets and Fritos. Looking for magnets online led me to a cool page. I've got 8 magnets coming my way.
Hungry
Packaging I thought of involves climbing rope, magnets and Fritos. Looking for magnets online led me to a cool page. I've got 8 magnets coming my way.
Hungry
1.28.2008
Cragganmore
If it's not Scottish, it's crap. But in this case it is Scottish and it is crap.
After performing at a benefit for Million Fishes in San Francisco last night, K and I went to the Chieftain, a nice Irish pub on the corner of 5th and Howard. Tried Cragganmore as I have never had it before and had a dream about. Did not like it one bit.
After performing at a benefit for Million Fishes in San Francisco last night, K and I went to the Chieftain, a nice Irish pub on the corner of 5th and Howard. Tried Cragganmore as I have never had it before and had a dream about. Did not like it one bit.
1.27.2008
Pulley tendon poppage
Well, yesterday as I was bouldering at the gym as I pulled on a hold with my left finger, I heard a nice popping sound. Didn't really hurt that much, but after talking to a doctor who is also a climber, he said that I popped a pulley tendon. The A2 or something like that. I forget exactly. Based upon where the stiffness is between my hand and the first knuckle of my left ring finger. I think I did this several years ago in '95 when I was climbing in a gym in Austria. 12 years later and the same injury. And the lame thing is it was not a very hard climb. Not that I can do anything really hard anyways, but still.
So while icing, more time to play Hordes of Orcs. After remembering how to take a picture of my desktop - caps lock, shift+commad+4, click drag crosshairs - took a picture of the impossible level of cross something. Forget the name of the level. But have already completed that level, but wanted to try out the LVL. 5 lighting tower. (Warning!! Approaching geekdom) Here is a photo of it- 16 arrow towers, radiation, ice and lighting at max. After learning the bait trick, this game just becomes a waiting game. Symmetry...you gotta love it! Hit them with some radiation as they enter, ice to slow them down, lighting to fry them...
So while icing, more time to play Hordes of Orcs. After remembering how to take a picture of my desktop - caps lock, shift+commad+4, click drag crosshairs - took a picture of the impossible level of cross something. Forget the name of the level. But have already completed that level, but wanted to try out the LVL. 5 lighting tower. (Warning!! Approaching geekdom) Here is a photo of it- 16 arrow towers, radiation, ice and lighting at max. After learning the bait trick, this game just becomes a waiting game. Symmetry...you gotta love it! Hit them with some radiation as they enter, ice to slow them down, lighting to fry them...
1.23.2008
Truth was first US casualty in Iraq war: study
DUH!
Is anything going to happen as a result of this study? No.
Is anyone going to lift a finger? No.
Is anyone surprised? No.
I am too busy. I have a dentist appointment in 1 hour.
Is anything going to happen as a result of this study? No.
Is anyone going to lift a finger? No.
Is anyone surprised? No.
I am too busy. I have a dentist appointment in 1 hour.
1.22.2008
Over 30
(If you are 30 or older you will think this is hilarious!!!!)
When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious
diatribes about how hard things were when they were growing up; what with
walking twenty-five miles to school every morning...uphill BOTH ways
…yadda, yadda, yadda
And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in
hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on kids about how hard I
had it and how easy they've got it!
But now that...
I'm over the ripe old age of thirty, I can't help but look around and notice
the youth of today. You've got it so easy!
I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a dang Utopia!
And I hate to say it but you kids today you don't know how good you've got
it!
1. When I was a kid we didn't have The Internet. If we wanted to know
something, we had to go to the freakin' library and look it up ourselves - - - in the
card catalog!!
2. There was no email!! We had to actually write somebody a letter...with a
pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the
mailbox and it would take like a week to get there! Never mind the 'send' key...
3. There were no MP3's or Napster! You wanted to steal music, you had
to walk to the "record" store and shoplift it yourself! *Or you had to wait
around all day to tape it off the radio and the DJ would usually talk over
the beginning and @#*% it all up! *
4. We didn't have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and
somebody else called they got a busy signal, that's it!
5. And we didn't have fancy Caller ID Boxes either! When the phone rang, you
had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your mom, your boss, your
bookie, your drug dealer, a collections agent, you just didn't know!!! You
had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!
6. We didn't have any fancy Sony Playstation video games with
high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like ' Space
Invaders ' and 'asteroids' and the graphics were horrible! Your guy was a
little square! You actually had to use your imagination! And there were no
multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen forever! And you could
never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and
faster until you died! Just like LIFE!
7. When you went to the movie theater there no such thing as stadium
seating! All the seats were the same height! If a tall guy or some old broad
with a hat sat in front of you and you couldn't see, you were just screwed! Nowadays
you can buy a dvd of a movie 4 months after you saw in the theater---back then you waited
almost 5 years before they showed it, edited for television, as the Movie of the Week.
8. Sure, we had cable television, but back then that was only like 15
channels and there was no on screen menu! You had to use a little book
called a TV Guide to find out what was on!
And there was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on
Saturday Morning. Do you hear what I'm saying!?! We had to wait ALL WEEK for
cartoons!
9. And we didn't have microwaves, if we wanted to heat something up, we had
to use the stove or go build a fire ... imagine that! If we wanted popcorn,
we had to use that stupid JiffyPop thing or a pan with HOT oil and Real
popcorn kernels and shake it all over the stove forever like an idiot.
10. When we were on the phone with our friends and our parents walked-in, we
were stuck to the wall with a cord, a 7 foot cord that ran to the phone -
not the phone base, the actual phone. We barely had enough length to sit on
the floor and still be able to twirl the phone cord in our fingers. If you
suddenly had to go to the bathroom - guess what we had to do.....hang up and
talk to them later.
That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy.
You're spoiled.
You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1980!
Regards,
The over 30 Crowd
When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious
diatribes about how hard things were when they were growing up; what with
walking twenty-five miles to school every morning...uphill BOTH ways
…yadda, yadda, yadda
And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in
hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on kids about how hard I
had it and how easy they've got it!
But now that...
I'm over the ripe old age of thirty, I can't help but look around and notice
the youth of today. You've got it so easy!
I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a dang Utopia!
And I hate to say it but you kids today you don't know how good you've got
it!
1. When I was a kid we didn't have The Internet. If we wanted to know
something, we had to go to the freakin' library and look it up ourselves - - - in the
card catalog!!
2. There was no email!! We had to actually write somebody a letter...with a
pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the
mailbox and it would take like a week to get there! Never mind the 'send' key...
3. There were no MP3's or Napster! You wanted to steal music, you had
to walk to the "record" store and shoplift it yourself! *Or you had to wait
around all day to tape it off the radio and the DJ would usually talk over
the beginning and @#*% it all up! *
4. We didn't have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and
somebody else called they got a busy signal, that's it!
5. And we didn't have fancy Caller ID Boxes either! When the phone rang, you
had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your mom, your boss, your
bookie, your drug dealer, a collections agent, you just didn't know!!! You
had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!
6. We didn't have any fancy Sony Playstation video games with
high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like ' Space
Invaders ' and 'asteroids' and the graphics were horrible! Your guy was a
little square! You actually had to use your imagination! And there were no
multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen forever! And you could
never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and
faster until you died! Just like LIFE!
7. When you went to the movie theater there no such thing as stadium
seating! All the seats were the same height! If a tall guy or some old broad
with a hat sat in front of you and you couldn't see, you were just screwed! Nowadays
you can buy a dvd of a movie 4 months after you saw in the theater---back then you waited
almost 5 years before they showed it, edited for television, as the Movie of the Week.
8. Sure, we had cable television, but back then that was only like 15
channels and there was no on screen menu! You had to use a little book
called a TV Guide to find out what was on!
And there was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on
Saturday Morning. Do you hear what I'm saying!?! We had to wait ALL WEEK for
cartoons!
9. And we didn't have microwaves, if we wanted to heat something up, we had
to use the stove or go build a fire ... imagine that! If we wanted popcorn,
we had to use that stupid JiffyPop thing or a pan with HOT oil and Real
popcorn kernels and shake it all over the stove forever like an idiot.
10. When we were on the phone with our friends and our parents walked-in, we
were stuck to the wall with a cord, a 7 foot cord that ran to the phone -
not the phone base, the actual phone. We barely had enough length to sit on
the floor and still be able to twirl the phone cord in our fingers. If you
suddenly had to go to the bathroom - guess what we had to do.....hang up and
talk to them later.
That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy.
You're spoiled.
You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1980!
Regards,
The over 30 Crowd
1.19.2008
Should we be surprised that...
it was a Republican? Or a politician? Hillary's question planting was pretty low also. Guess it doesn't matter what side of the aisle a person sits. People will sink pretty low to get ahead.
1.18.2008
talk about serious core strength
She would make a kick ass climber.
But why did she drop the swan lake? I think she could have stuck with that and had a stronger piece, a more interesting juxtaposition of elements. She was, however, probably not going for that, though. I would love to do a piece with 5 of such dancers. Such extroverted performance quality, but not much connection to the music. Well not that really but, could use a little subtlety...such a snob I am.
But why did she drop the swan lake? I think she could have stuck with that and had a stronger piece, a more interesting juxtaposition of elements. She was, however, probably not going for that, though. I would love to do a piece with 5 of such dancers. Such extroverted performance quality, but not much connection to the music. Well not that really but, could use a little subtlety...such a snob I am.
Bush's Stimulus Package
Do we need any more proof that this president is a moron? O.K. so I don't have a better plan, but then again I am not a graduate of Harvard business school. Isn't Harvard ashamed of their graduate? Maybe they should revoke his degree. Is such a thing possible? Back in 2004 Bush received a letter from "senior business and economics professors" saying that the president's " economic policies are taking the country in the wrong direction"
My stimulus plan would be to drop all income tax for people making less than $35,000 and raise it some on people in the higher brackets. Doesn't Warren Buffett pay a smaller percentage on his income than his secretary? He paid 17.7% and she paid 30% . I remember hearing once that people who make less money tend to save less money. And more money in circulation is good for the economy, right. So if the lower end of the economic scale has more cash they'll spend it.
But what do I know? I don't have and M.B.A.
My stimulus plan would be to drop all income tax for people making less than $35,000 and raise it some on people in the higher brackets. Doesn't Warren Buffett pay a smaller percentage on his income than his secretary? He paid 17.7% and she paid 30% . I remember hearing once that people who make less money tend to save less money. And more money in circulation is good for the economy, right. So if the lower end of the economic scale has more cash they'll spend it.
But what do I know? I don't have and M.B.A.
1.11.2008
Hillary is not the Comeback Kid
John McCain, yes but not Hillary. First of all, she has not been behind long enough. As far as I can tell, she was only behind Obama for a week after the Iowa caucus. Behind for a week and then she beats Obama in New Hampshire. McCain has been way down near the bottom of the polls for weeks and then he wins New Hampshire. That is comeback. But behind for a week and then back on top...maybe that one week was an anomoly. (is that how that word is spelled?)
And can anyone explain to me why all the primaries aren't on the same day? And why we have to vote one a Tuesday? Here in Germany the elections are on the weekend. And they have higher voter turnout. Hmm...maybe the powers that be in the States don't want high voter turn out. But then again it doesn't matter how we vote. Those voting machines are easy to hack anyways
"Voting holds no real power, he who counts the votes has the true power." Joseph Stalin
And can anyone explain to me why all the primaries aren't on the same day? And why we have to vote one a Tuesday? Here in Germany the elections are on the weekend. And they have higher voter turnout. Hmm...maybe the powers that be in the States don't want high voter turn out. But then again it doesn't matter how we vote. Those voting machines are easy to hack anyways
"Voting holds no real power, he who counts the votes has the true power." Joseph Stalin
12.19.2007
12.16.2007
Inflation and the FDIC
I was at a Wells Fargo Branch recently in Walnut Creek. I noticed signs all over the bank saying how each account was insured by the FDIC. The FDIC was created in 1933 to provide "deposit insurance which currently guarantees checking and savings deposits in member banks up to $100,000 per depositor."
Adjusted for inflation, the $100,000 you would receive if your bank failed in 1933 would be $1,428,225.34 in today's dollars. So are we being ripped off, or not as well insured as we were back in 1933. $100,000 in 2006 dollars is worth only $7001.70 in 1933 dollars.
Why has the deposit insurance not kept up with the rate of inflation?
Adjusted for inflation, the $100,000 you would receive if your bank failed in 1933 would be $1,428,225.34 in today's dollars. So are we being ripped off, or not as well insured as we were back in 1933. $100,000 in 2006 dollars is worth only $7001.70 in 1933 dollars.
Why has the deposit insurance not kept up with the rate of inflation?
12.11.2007
What the Fuck? File #2G
Second thing to put in the "What the Fuck File."
What I want to know is why did the surgeons reattach it?
What I want to know is why did the surgeons reattach it?
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