Weblog | Archives for April 2001
Past posts.
Have you ever noticed how

Have you ever noticed how a lot of photos taken by emo types are of things like empty apartment corners or trees in winter?

I'm not reading anything into it; this is just my marketing ploy: every time you see such a photo, you'll think of this website. Clever, no?

"...humanity is going out like

"...humanity is going out like a bad sit-com. No grand finale, no last-minute revelations or tying up all the unrelated plot-lines, just cancellation due to lack of viewer interest." - Al Burian, Punk Planet #42

Philosophers have been considering the

Philosophers have been considering the issue of free will for thousands of years: do we have the power to make decisions, or do we move along a set path too intricate to perceive? While everyday existence seems to verify free will, science has historically solved problems once thought to be outside of human capacity.

Quantum mechanics stated that randomness is a part of our universe; which signaled a massive change in our view of science. Previously we believed that future events could be determined, given the ability to calculate faster than nature and enough knowledge about the present state. Godel's theorem, which states that no mathematical system can prove or disprove every problem, is another example of the last century's shift in scientific thought.

A number of modern thinkers have proposed that these developments support the existence of free will; such as in Robert Penrose's excellent book The Emperor's New Mind. I remain unconvinced, however; it seems to me that this only proves that our inescapable path is impossible to predict. Given that we are built from the same components as the rest of the universe, and that these components follow the same rules, free will does not seem possible.

Free or not, I'm going to see Taxi Driver at the midnight movie tonight. Yeah.

I had an idea for

I had an idea for an art project today:

1) Purchase a large bag of stuffed animals, like the kind that carnys use as prizes.

2) Rip the seams at all limbs, heads, and beaks. Organize them into neat piles. Don't forget the torsos!

3) Remix. Sew some limbs neatly, others sloppily with ugly thick red yarn. Be creative.

4) Create "the angle", a blurb of text that drives up the perceived value and market price. "In ancient times the animal was a symbol of power, and only the finest material was used in creating visages. Modern man asserts his dominance over the animal by mocking it with cheap and whimsical construction." Something like that.

Tax Return

Tax Return! I spent some money for the first time in a while. Here's the haul:

Giant Robot #21
This is the design issue; it's packed with artist interviews and some great pictures. Giant Robot focuses on asian/asian-american issues and culture, but it's a fun read for anyone.

Artbyte March/April '01
Artbyte is a well designed mag about digital arts. In this issue: satellites, mobile homes, video jockeying, and a number of artist spotlights.

Le Tigre - From the Desk of Mr. Lady
I bought this against the advice of countless reviewers, and I love it. Le Tigre doesn't play the Riot Grrrl card too heavily; although the punk sound is in there, it's mixed in with a healthy dose of humor and electronic production.

Sigur Rós - Ágćtis Byrjun
I bought this based on the advice of countless reviewers, and I don't really like it that much. To be fair, I haven't listened to it enough to form a definite opinion.

Skyline | Comments (1)

Welcome to skyline weblog.

The name 'skyline' comes from a private mythology I created as a child:

The world is surrounded by a thick black cloth, with pinholes (called stars) through which one can see the other side. The other side flickers blue like television on blank walls, or burns orange like a flame, or is sometimes an intense clean white. What is it on the other side?