A Call For Action

"The President can't do this alone. You must weigh in and get everyone you know to weigh in, too. Bombard your senators and representatives. Organize and mobilize others. And let the White House know how strongly you feel. This is one of those battles that define a presidency. But more importantly, it's one of those battles that define the state of American democracy."

American friends and family,

In a recent Salon Op-Ed, Robert Reich requests that we all call or write our senators and representatives to demand a public option for health care. Just in case you didn't know, I agree 100%. But even if you disagree, it's time to let your views be known.

The Republicans oppose this option because a large government plan would likely undercut the fees charged by for-profit insurance agencies. And this is bad, why?

One last Yosemite Photo

A couple of months ago I posted a few photos of Yosemite and the poppies in bloom (here, here, here, here and here). In an indictment of my writing, but a HUGE compliment to my photography, several folks thought I was posting my dad's photos. Nope, they were mine. He did, however, just send me this image of Dodger and me returning from our long walk through the poppies.

Dick (err, Dad) just posted a photo of the house they are building in California on his blog.

But Is It Art?

Emma and I saw the comedy group "Geeks Night Out" on Thursday. One of them, Mike Belgrave, shared with us a video he had just posted on YouTube. He made his version of Pink Floyd's "In the Flesh" from The Wall using scrounged materials. Basically, everything involved with this video, including the Casio keyboard, was found, donated, or bought second-hand for dirt cheap.

Scrounging meets comedian meets Legos meets Pink Floyd. What could possibly go wrong?



It turns out making Pink Floyd videos from Legos has been done before... but they all seem to source the original music. To answer the question in the post title, "Hell, yes!" Nice job Mike.

Tiny Art Director

BoingBoing (and Erik L) recently highlighted this great concept blog, in which an artist takes commissions from his daughter (now 4YO), and prints her feedback. In general, she rejects his work, in charming childish ways...

The Brief: A dinosaur chasing us
The Critique: Where's us? Draw us on the picture! I'm going to fix him the way I like him. This is how I don't like him. Please, please erase him! Erase him now!
Job Status: Rejected
Additional Comments: Get those claws out of here!
Artist Statement: The Tiny Art Director hates this more than anything I've ever done for her, with the possible exception of the crocodiles from the other day.

Found on Amazon

Just read the customer reviews on this amazing t-shirt.

The Curveball Explained

One of the prominent pitches in baseball is the curveball, which unlike a fastball, defeats a batter through its movement rather than its speed. Through my youth, the scientists and all said that curveballs don't actually move unusually, but follow a regular parabolic curve. So any unusual "action" must be an optical illusion. A few years ago, some scientists demonstrated that the spin does actually affect the flight of the ball, much as David Beckham's free kicks actually did truly bend.

I was absolutely amazed to see this demonstration that highlights what happens when a ball moves from periphial to central visual systems. Try it, and be AMAZED.

The truth lies somewhere between the spin and illusion camps, methinks.

(thanks BoingBoing!)

(FYI - The image is of Sandy Koufax, who probably had the greatest curveball of all time, and was certainly the dominant pitcher of the post-war era)

More H1N1 Humor

Another funny from BoingBoing...

Know Your Meme: Keyboard Cat

Enough about new viruses (H1N1) spreading destruction... Let's talk swiftly disseminating web memes. Here is a very bizarre new meme, Play Him Off, Keyboard Cat, applied to an awkward on-line father-son confrontation.

I first saw this meme today on BoingBoing, which featured a guest passing out on Glen Beck. The cool website, knowyourmeme, explains this strange meme's history, and its purpose: "demonstrating the use of Keyboard Cat as an effective punchline to any awkward or painful situation."

I predict the FAIL meme which I discussed last year will outlive the Keyboard Cat. But the brightest fires burn out fast, or whatever...

Important Tip On Swine Flu

Many wonder what to do about the swine flu...

Don't do this!



(thanks, Dick!)

Pixel Graffiti

I have posted pictures of cool graffiti before. There are several spots in north London where it seems encouraged.

Here's one that really caught my eye. It stands out from the more normal vandalism, eh?

Each pixel is maybe three or four inches square, so it is a pretty big image, maybe 8 feet high (not sure, I will double check next time I walk by).

On the close-up, I really like how they didn't prime over the previous graffiti. Surely it was intentional and not laziness. The influence of the bright colors adds warmth to the final image, which might otherwise be too clinical.