Officially Evil

It’s official. I have transgressed to the dark side. I am now (and have been for a couple of weeks) an Apple affiliate. That’s for iTunes and their store. But hell, I won’t try to plus-sell you or get you to buy “anti-virus” software that is, itself, a virus (like Norton; don’t be a fool and buy things you can get for free that work better than consumer fodder).

But back to the item at hand. My original intentions for researching this avenue of revenue were entirely altruistic. I was asked by a colleague, a musician, about getting his work onto the iTunes catalog. But, as with many things Apple, it turned into an anal probe. I just wanted to get some uploader and some development software and they wanted my 1st-born.

Then I realized that most artists don’t have the time, inclination or fortitude to go through this kind of beauracracy. I almost don’t. I thought that if I could spare some poor bastard the process that they could get their work onto the world-stage where it gets the attention it deserves (rather than giving up after navigating 100 pages in Klingon business-ese). Of course, I’m incredibly broke, so getting 5% of sales on things found through my sites (out of the pocket of Apple, not the artist) was very tantalizing to me. I’m already doing 20 non-profit projects and my time has become rare.

So, I acquiesce to the title Sell-out but offer my new found channels to anyone, local or global, that would like to get their media on iTunes. I add that there are tons of free services and nice places out there (like GarageBand) and wish anyone that goes that way luck in their entrepreneurial journey. There’s so much beauty in giving your art to the world for free. It’s just some of us gotta eat, too.

 

Self E-grandizement

I was googling myself the other night (I know, a disgusting and egoistic practice) just to see what came up. I noticed that my images were being used by people from all over the world. That’s excellent. It’s why I put them up on flickr. Below are some screenshots and links to those sites:

Steve Perry Worship

There are 2 sites that link to my photo. It’s the worst one I’ve ever taken, but I leave it up because it’s so popular

Linked on The Perry Plaza & Hotel and Melodicrock.com

Deutch Jugendkultur

A German site where they were apparently talking about German hip-hop (I can still read it a bit from my HS days)

Posted on CrapLog.de

French Spoof

Someone used a photo I took of a very colorful Fall bush and used it as one of several pictures of sea coral. I can’t fault them, as I titled the image coral because it resembled the organism…

Posted on Dinosoria.com

What do Clowns have to do with it?

I still can’t figure it out; nice they used my image though. I Like this image. It was taken at a neat deli between Chinatown and Little Tokyo

Posted on Emergent Chaos

Love For the Nihon Lady

This blog has used a couple of my photos; very pretty photos throughout.

Posted on Millionaire Japan Idols

These links and more can be found on my del.icio.us profile, something you may have noticed at the footer of my website under the tag Rev.Raikes.

 

Clemente Lecture Series

Clemente Lecture Series legal-size flyer
Originally uploaded by the layoutist.

So, in addition to being gainfully employed at the WSU Learning Center, I am involved in the Bard College Clemente Course in the Humanities. I know – it’s a mouthful, especially when you add “Advisory Council” to the end of that. I’m part of that, too.

In fact, I wouldn’t have my new job if I wasn’t involved with this program that helps the economically disadvantaged get college credit. I wouldn’t have even gone to school, most likely, to get my Associate degree.

It all sounds pretty dry and boring to those not in the course. I don’t know, maybe it’s lame to the participants. But I don’t know many places where people get together to hash out philosophy, art, literature, and what makes the western world tick, in lay terms. My mind is blown every time I inject myself into this Socratic-based forum.

So, now it’s open to the public on select dates. This is an attempt to interface with the local community and get a dialog going. If you are in the Jefferson County area on the dates below, I strongly urge you to make an appearance. Skeptics (as to whether intellectual discourse can be entertaining/explosive) are doubly urged to take part.

Landscape & Democracy:
A Free Lecture and Performance Series

• February 20th: Panel Discussion, “What is Democracy?” Clemente Faculty and guests, moderated by Scott Wilson.
• March 6th: “The Selling of the American West,” Slides, lecture and discussion with Danny Adams, Clemente Course History of Art faculty.
• March 20th: “Does Nature Have Rights?” Philosophy lecture and discussion with guest speaker Ron Moore, University of Washington Department of Philosophy and Aesthetics.
• April 10th: Benefit Concert “Songs of Home: a Recital of American Music” Sydney Keegan, mezzo-soprano and friends.
• April 24th: “Reinhabiting Language” special guests Holly Hughes and Tom Jay.

All events, except for the April 10th concert, take place in the Spruce Room, Washington State University, Port Hadlock (201 W. Patison), at 7 PM. The concert will be at the Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Pt. Townsend.

here’s the article that ran in the local paper

 

Cyberpunk

Watch this amazing commentary on social evolution by Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Kansas State University, Michael Wesch, then read on:

Web 2.0 … The Machine is Us/ing Us

As I was checking my gmail to find the link to this vid that a colleague sent me, I noticed that the ad-pane on the side had referenced the content of the email to assist me in my shopping/research needs. Neither is this the first time that I have noticed this phenomenon, nor is it scary to me that my personal info is being used in this manner; especially after viewing material as moving as the above.

When I was a teen reading William Gibson novels (creator of the term cyberspace) I used to dream about a time when humans could mesh with technology and any sensory/communicative treasure was a mere thought away. While we are a long way off from realizing VR or having cables sticking out of our skulls, we are being conditioned and conditioning the neural-net for symbiosis.

This thing that pretends to be a toy does so in order to trick humans into playing with it, to addict. When we play we shine. We can plug into the muse, or whatever one may call that collective id.

The human mass organism is subconsciously conspiring to get back that extra-sensory ability that we may have had eons ago, and this is the tool. The web is more than a series of wires and nodes. It is a different face for the timeless ether the Stygian witches tapped, a crystal ball, a meditation on the beauty of our ugliness.

We are as great & horrible, caring & efficiently cold and wildly astounding as the universe that spawned us. Look into the shimmering void and see yourself.

in honor of this post, anyone that asks me for a gmail account will be given one while they last. i am not a shill, i just have tons of them to give away.
just leave me a comment on this or any future posts.

 

Obama Said Knock You Out

Anyone that’s been paying attention on my blog or knows me can tell that I’m about as white (more of a sickly pink actually) as a person can get. I often joke that all the soul I’ve got resides in the little pinkie on my right hand. Plus, I was reared in Indiana, so I should probably be all ignant about people that don’t look or act the same as I do.

Maybe I am and I’m just too dumb to know it, like the old guy at the college party that thinks he’s hip because he’s heard of the Smashing Pumpkins (yeah, that reference was meant to be dated). But when a little bird told me that a certain person in the public eye, who happens to be African-American, had his blackness questioned, I stopped cold. It’s not really important who this person is. The question, is he black enough, is patently absurd (patent pending). I think the more poignant query would be, is this country too white?

Is our thought dominated by the images of the lavish white culture (btw, something of which I have only been able to snatch crumbs). How about the Super bowl: the first African-American coaches to make it to this prestigious sports pinnacle, ever, just made it this year. For as long as I can remember, the teams have been made-up of at least half African-American players.

These are just topical examples. I could care less about football or who does what in it (the problem with football is that it isn’t basketball). It just shows-ta-go-ya the 411, as the kids say (do they still say that?). I’m not calling for a revolution or anything. But, I could stand to hear a little more Al Green, and a lot less Brooks & Dunn when I’m flipping the dial.

 

Beautiful Freakin’ Day

Just walked outside (5a.m.) and it’s so warm for Feb.
In other news, I am now gainfully employed at WSU (note: video below). The access that they afford me, as well as anyone that wants to come down to the computer lab, is amazing. They have the new Intel-based Macs with video editing software, audio-blogging ‘wares and cameras & mic’s right on the monitor/body. If you are in the Jefferson County, WA area, I highly suggest you stop down, even if just to check your email.

 

A Quest Called Tribe

buzzcutplaid
Originally uploaded by revraikes.

Just dropping names today:
I have been reading a book that a couple of my friends gave me as a gift because they believe in me. It’s a really nice feeling. They care about what happens to me and wish me the best.

Even though I have been dragging my feet on reading this book (which everybody has been suggesting) because I try to steer clear of self-help books, I have made it through half of the book already (no mean feet for me). My thoughts on self-help books were echoed in School for Scoundrels, “You can’t help yourself, because your self sucks!”

“End the suspense,” say you. The book is called What Color is Your Parachute. I’m not here to sell you this book. You haven’t walked into an Amway meeting. I don’t care if you ever read it. Whatever it takes you to get to a place where your life is as close to your expectations as you can get it, that’s what you need. I can’t tell you how to get there. I can only tell you what paths I have taken (of which there are many to enlightenment).

Some of the things suggested in this book, I have already done by instinct. Some I have done by necessity, whether it be for my mental, physical or emotional survival. One of the latest things I have done is join Tribe.net.

If you are already a member, get ahold of me there. I need to meet people. That’s why the book suggested the site, for networking. I’m already addicted to networking sites, but this one seems less clogged with jerkoids & malchicks (like myspace, which I won’t even link-to here). Or, If you are in need of a personal web page, but have no clue, they do a pretty nice job of setting you up with one.

That’s it, I just wanted to give a shout-out and lay my digits on ya. On that face, I’m trying to keep my PMA and focus on the positive possibilities of meeting creative types that want to make things happen.

 

Who Wins?

waronpoverty
Originally uploaded by revraikes.

I hate to seem like an ingrate. I have received a lot of assistance through philanthropic endeavors. I used to have a job as Director of a local teen center. I worked for Jefferson County in WA at the dump/hazardous waste station. I even received free schooling and credits to apply toward further education at a college of my choosing.

That being said, the operative phrase used to have a job translates to the fact that the teen center no longer exists (the dump supplied 1-day/month). And, the Bard College Clemente Program that gave me free books, some food and a new outlook on life can now only afford to give the current students half of the time (and almost none of the literature) they used to be able to offer.

These places are or were funded by many different sources, several local. However, it seems probable that the trickle down effect of cuts in Federal funding used to help our economically and socially disadvantaged has had a hand in the retraction of aid. If you think this is a purely personal gripe, I argue that this is just a microcosm of the greater picture of which we all share a part.

This comes to the fore of my mind because I have returned to the Clemente Program to give back to the community (which gave me so much, and continues to give) and because of the State of the Union Address that aired earlier tonight. To illustrate, the snippet that caught my ear:

• And let us continue to support the expanded trade and debt relief that are the best hope for lifting lives and eliminating poverty.

I posit that elimination, in the Bush-camp context, means the eradication of the poor.

It reminds me of another quote, from the Scrooge that Albert Finney played. He was entreated about the dying poor and replied, …they had better do it and decrease the surplus population. This is the legacy of Carnegie, of the aptly named robber barons which the Democratic spokesman (Jim Webb) referenced in the rebuttal after the Union Address.

Take a close-up look at the picture in this post (by clicking on it). I snapped this in Seattle just this weekend.
This is the solution. We get the brush. And why are we in this state of mind, we the poor? Why do we have a ghetto mentality? We are dumb. We have no idea. Yes, that is partly our fault for not pursuing the ever elusive carrot called happiness, the American dream/myth. It’s our failure, in a democracy where libraries roam free and are plentiful, that we do not seek the truth like a dog after a tantalizing leg.

Yet…we had a lot of help getting dumb and fractured. Freedom from education leaves each of us working 2-3 minimum-wage jobs, apiece (if we are lucky enough to get them). The rest of the world, too has been helped out of their prosperity, further casualties in the War on Poverty, to distribute the resources of the planet as our betters see fit.

Make no mistake, this very real war in which we are entrenched is one of the faster ways (than starvation of mind and promise) to kill off 3rd-world populations and take what is theirs.
Please, caretakers of the great unwashed masses, don’t do us any more favors.

 

So Long, Old Man

pagerize
Originally uploaded by revraikes.

Good-bye and good riddance. What a crap year. However, the year of the dog is going to be hanging around at the foot of the fireplace for another couple of months.

Don’t get me wrong, I put as much stock in the Chinese zodiac as I do the existence of a higher power in the universe (it’s all just our little way of describing the big thing). However, it’s hard to deny a definitive turn in the mood of America, if not the world, with the closing of the year.

I can see people walking away from the idiotic, slowly and laboriously, like an indignant mutt told to stop begging at the table. It’s about time. Hopefully this trend will mature. It’s been quite a few years since I’ve seen any reason, or even joy, on the mass scale.

Here’s to a better tomorrow.
May yours bring you the light of all that you are owed
– and some that you aren’t:
we, none of us, are purfict.

 

Stick a Pitchfork in Me

footypajamas
Originally uploaded by revraikes.

…I’m done. Done with X-mas. Done with running around. Done with giving lip service or trying to salvage anything about the religion this holiday represents.

I’m going Buddhist so that I can gleefully reply, “No, thank you for the invitation, but I can’t make it to your Seasonal Affective Disorder hoe-down (that’s right, it spells sad; they just had to name it that).”

I thought I could bring some relative coolness to this religion schlock-fest by becoming a reverend, and not being a total perv’ or pretending I don’t have a bung-hole. I was wrong. It’s beyond duct tape. All this season and the culture it represents does is foment a guilt complex or, if you are an extrovert, rage. The latter is often channeled out as scary-manic-exuberance (a.k.a. Christmas cheer).

So, I give up. The only place that seems close to reasonable is Zen Buddhism. I mean, I tried getting into Neo-Paganism, but it’s just too ritualistic. And atheism just seems as fanatical as any of the Judeo-Christian sects.

Here I am. Stone me with candy-canes and dried up, old, 12th generation fruit-cakes. I don’t care. I’m handing in my resignation. Later, eternal salvation, hello illumination…