BENBENEK MEETS BOING BOING

I’ve always been a big fan of the futuristic and forward-thinking
Boing Boing mega-blog – and about two months ago I signed-up
as a registered user on the Boing Boing mega-blog and began
contributing posts to the ongoing Boing Boing message board.

I’ve always enjoyed contributing to message boards
on various topics all over the internet…not so much
because I have any unique or important opinions but
because it’s a good way (for me) to practice my typing.

So anyway, I signed up for the Boing Boing message board
and began contributing posts and I thought I was doing
pretty good. My posts were well-written (I think) and
sometimes humorous and contained no expletives.

Over a couple of months I posted a couple dozen
messages and I thought I was doing well, that is until
the other day when my Boing Boing account disappeared
and all of my posted messages disappeared without explanation
or even a small email warning or postcard telling me what
message board sin (if any) I had committed.

I wasn’t so much upset as I was puzzled, so I’ve decided to take
all of my Boing Boing message board posts and turn them into
a long multi-stanza internet poem (I had saved all of my posts)

So, here it is…my poem (it’s long and unedited) and it’s called…

DELETED BENBENEK BOING BOING POSTS IN POETIC FORM

One of the most overused and silly words
these days is “repurposed” – it plain wreaks
of Orwellian cuteness and vagueness

If a city newspaper rack is obsolete
and an eyesore then remove it.

Every city also has rusty and worn out
stop signs. Why not repurpose these
signs as tie racks or perhaps they can
be repurposed into vertical chess boards.

So many well-intentioned downtown
“repurposing” art projects in my
city have quickly turned into abandoned
problems. Bright ideas quickly fade
and besides, most artists are
flakes anyway.

——————————————–

I don’t know…

This idea doesn’t seem to particularly “beautify”
the ugly newspaper rack in the photo.

I can see that once the program fades away
all that Toronto will be left with is piles
of dirt (with worms and spiders) inside
old ugly newspaper racks

Anyway, news racks won’t be an eyesore
in the near future because the internet
will have killed off all newspapers.

——————————————–

It always strikes me as funny when
someone’s pseudonym is cited in a story
and then their real name is immediately
inserted with parenthesis.

If the guy goes by R.U. Sirius, shouldn’t that name suffice?
Why the clarification?

It always strikes me as funny when
someone’s pseudonym is cited in a story and
then their real name is immediately inserted with parenthesis.

If the guy goes by R.U. Sirius, shouldn’t that name suffice?
Why the clarification?

——————————————–

I had my rat-skin loin cloth and diamond
encrusted nipple rings all packed. I guess I’ll
have to switch to Plan B which was to go shopping
and text a bunch of friends for no reason.

——————————————–

The headline reads “sucks out colors”

I thought this meant it turns a photo into grayscale

Even “extracts out” is imprecise and redundant.

In reality ColorSuckr identifies colors

I wouldn’t use ColorSuckr for
a serious project…but it would
be convenient if I wanted to
color code a page of vacation
pictures for my Blogger blog

Cute!

——————————————–

I’m always amazed at the amount of LITE beer
that is consumed in this country. Whatta sin!

Next to non-fat milk,
it just has to be one of the
most sinister things
consumed by modern
human beings

BTW – the “beer can” wall seems to
be a most clever and common feature of
almost every male household, ages 16-99

——————————————–

I’m all for the majesty of the oral tradition,
but this awkward (and hard to hear) reading of
your “ambitious short story” (isn’t all literature
ambitious in one sense or another?) really
shattered my usually lengthy patience.

I couldn’t make it through
the first 45 seconds of vid #1

Plus the angle of the video makes
the endeavor less than appealing

I’ll wait for the stereo CD version where
Peter Coyote reads the book like a book
should be read

——————————————–

There’s absolutely nothing like good old fashioned
primitive paste-up techniques for getting ideas across.
The very process of working with type,
stats and half-tones is an evocative one.

The use of Photoshop, Illustrator and other modern
publishing apps may provide technical perfection,
but it’s rare that a 2009 book cover, newspaper
or magazine lay-out can match work done back in the heyday.

I have the bound facsimile version of San Francisco’
ORACLE newspaper and am continually astounded
at the rich lay-outs and artwork. Funny what a bunch
of out-casts could do with ink pen and paper and a pica pole

These Penguin book covers are like extensions
of an artist’s mind, not simply someone’s meticulous
keystrokes on an Apple Keyboard.

——————————————–

What’s up with all the Bushmiller bashing?

He was a master of black and white dynamics
and also an ace geometric composition-ist

His gags were always corny,
but ya can’t have it all!

——————————————–

Don Knotts was indeed funny and a great character actor.
But to place him in the same league with Ernie Kovacs
is just plain silly and misguided

It would be like saying Suzanne Somers
is as good an actress as Meryl Streep
or that Drew Friedman is as good
an artist as William Blake

Don Knotts acted other people’s lines (mostly) -
Kovacs created an entire mode of televised entertainment

——————————————–

America and the rest of the Western World in general suffers
from an over-abundance of irony. If you watch or listen to
the news (and everybody does) you would think we live in
a country completely populated by smart-ass
and unfunny stand-up comedians.

One of charming and heartbreaking parts of dwelling
upon the past is that the past (in many ways) was innocent,
therefore no need for people to be comics. Reality was felt
more directly, not through any number of screens

In other words, it’s become more and more difficult
for the average American to state exactly what he or
she feels. Emotions and ideas are often over-cloaked
n irony and sarcasm to the ultimate detriment of us all

Reality, what a concept! Nanoo nanoo!

——————————————–

I’m all for the aquatic ape theory,
but I have a strong feeling that ancient
primates also had fleshy-feathery
wings that allowed them to hunt
and gather from lofty altitudes

I’m working up my hypothesis
into a concise paper which will

——————————————–

I’ve always wondered what happened to that famous
intricate blue jean vest the Manson Girls™
collectively embroidered for Charlie…

I’ve seen fleeting photos of it and it looked to be quite intense.
Apparently it just disappeared. Anybody know where
it went or if there are better photos of it online?

I knit and embroider, hence my interest.

——————————————–

The one major reason I never dropped acid or took other
psychedelics is because of all the stories I’d heard about
“how fun” it was to stare in a mirror (on LSD) and watch time
reverse and watch all the facial reincarnations of myself
flash before me, eventually revealing my current face
in all its cosmic glory and wonderfulness.

When I look in the mirror I just want to
be sure I don’t have a big pimple
between my eyes – I don’t
necessarily want to see the real me

——————————————–

Is that Papa Denny Doherty towering
above the crowd with his beard?

So many Hippie and Underground types attempted
to bridge the gap between strange ideals and Broadway ethics.
Some succeeded (“Hair”) but many didn’t.

Funny, I’ve got a copy of Philip’s “Papa John”
right here about to be re-read. Great book.

——————————————–

I think one of the mistakes of the Human Potential movement
(and many contemplative religions) was/is that we have to slow
down and relax in order to fully experience life. Personally I find
that I’m most alive when orchestrating four or five life tasks at once.

If I discover that I’ve burned down the kitchen
or lost my Hard Drive full of recipes that’s a sign
that maybe one or two tasks at a time is enough…

Boredom is the enemy of Life. It’s entirely possible to
be busy and fully aware (and alive) at the same time.
I always found meditation to be a self-inflicted prison
and rather pointless (for me)

——————————————–

Mr Droit’s book does indeed sound fascinating.

It sounds like he supplies some pat “answers” for some or
all of these experiments…in which case, they aren’t really
experiments but rather “tasks” – is this the case?

Great post, whatever brings immediacy and
basic awareness to folks is fine with me.

——————————————–

This description could apply to the
entire GW Bush administration and to
the last episode of “Seinfeld”

——————————————–

I have several comic book and record collector friends
and since the advent of the internet such hoaxes have
become easier and easier for them to perpetrate (for fun, mind you…)

One friend of mine pretended to have in his possession
a never-before-heard cassette interview with the
now-not-very-active but highly collectible Captain Beefheart.

In reality, the tape actually once existed but had been lost.
So my friend was able to supply accurate info regarding it…
he just didn’t have an actual tape to trade or sell.

Upon the posting of one small notice on a small Beefheart
user group my friend was inundated with requests
for and about the tape.

Avid collectors (of anything) are often blinded to certain
mundane realities and would be the first to smother their
own pet hamsters in order to get their greedy mitts on
a first edition copy of “MAD” or a mint Beatles butcher cover.

One person’s hoax is another’s cruel joke.

Fascinating…

——————————————–

I know they’re separate issues,
but isn’t this Chris Brown the same Chris Brown
that brutally bashed singer Rihanna?

The fact that he made a few extra
gazillion dollars on YouTube is
far eclipsed by the fact that
he went ballistic on a woman
in a car

I wish him no success

——————————————–

It’s uplifting to see Jill and Kevin (the wedding couple)
funnel any possible monies to the Wellstone Institute.
It’s rare that such internet “stars” would actually
use their fleeting fame for some good.

Then again, it shouldn’t really take
a videotaped wedding on YouTube to
remind people that violence towards
women is plain wrong.

It’s also a bit sad to know that Chris Brown
will forever be haunted by his violent actions
during that famous car ride… no matter
how jammin’ his songs are, no matter
how many hits

——————————————–

If Cory’s post (this post) concerned a popular money-making
viral video starring OJ Simpson (or Phil Spector or any number
of other violent felons) all of the content of said video would
be under serious scrutiny, here and in other cyber places.

Thank goodness Jill and Kevin (this week’s current viral
sensations) had the fortitude to address (however vaguely
and delicately) Chris Brown’s recent brush with violence and with the law.

YouTube content (specifically and generally) must be subject
to scrutiny, just like TV and motion pictures. If I had children,
I would not allow them near a Chris Brown song…

Imagine if we found out that OJ Simpson or Phil Spector (or…)
were profiting from a fluke viral video because a small link was
embedded in the video by a production company
or some other entertainment entity.

——————————————–

This entire post concerns the money
made by Brown’s record company
because Brown’s song is in the video.

This is good for Brown
and it seems to be cause
for gleeful celebration by Cory

Just imagine if Chris Brown had smacked down
your daughter in a speeding car. His record sales
would probably be the last joyous thing on your mind

——————————————–

Seems like some overly complicated explanations for
some pretty basic human functionings.

A lot of this stuff was adequately covered
by pop authors like Alvin Toffler and Ken Keyes Jr
back in the good old days

Marshall McLuhan of course delved into
the cross-pollination of human thought
better than anyone and with great humor

Just because a random element is inserted (see: internet)
that doesn’t change things to any large degree.

I mean, microwave ovens have probably
affected humanity more than the internet
(quick and easy and hot food!)

Throughout human time folks have been
duscussing how things work.

Memes. Genes. Whatever.

We’re all just human beings
trying to survive and be loved

——————————————–

Yes, it was an interesting microwave comment
and one that I basically pulled out of my posterior…

However, I think the prevailing notion in the world is that
the internet is the absolute driving force behind everything,
when really more simple technologies still illuminate our
daily mundane lives (we can’t all be experts in memes!)

I know I would be a nervous wreck without my GE refrigerator
and also the air conditioner that’s sticking out of my bedroom
window provides great comfort. Can the internet keep my
ice tea cold? Nah…

——————————————–

Without the internet, people would still be writing and would
still be sending snail mail letters and would still be sharing
photos (in albums, ooh…) and a million other things.

The internet HAS made things go faster…but “fast” is a relative term.
Fast ain’t necessarily better and the person who dies
with the most toys might just be another person who dies.

Viva microwave ovens!

——————————————–

Gosh…

NO HELMET.

Talk about supreme confidence
in a dangerous contraption.

——————————————–

This is what Annie needs to perk up her career in the USA
and also to bring some youth-energy into her camp (pun intended)

She HAS always been a creative inspiration on (let’s say…) a David Bowie level -
and has always had a huge, huge following in Britain and most of Europe.
But, yes…some sort of underground breakthrough might push
her back into the Yankee limelight.

Mash-Ups, yeah…OK good idea. Maybe four years too late,
but a good idea nevertheless.

——————————————–

Isn’t this something like giving a chimp a rock, a book of matches and
a small stick and watching to see if he can get get yummy ants out of a hole?

——————————————–

And He doesn’t make you sign for Him

——————————————–

I would like to hear more about these
”so-called satisfiability problems”

——————————————–

God, those people back in the 1960s sure were idiots! It’s good to know
that we 2009 people have smartened up and don’t
do stupid things like those idiotic 1960s people!

Now, excuse me while I get my tattoo pierced…

——————————————–

oh so cute!

my Boston Terrier would love to get her sharp fangs
into those obviously chewy Game Boy bits and bobs!

——————————————–

Mustn’t forget DJ Andrea Enthal’s massive and continuous
promotion of the Minutemen on her late night “!2 O’Clock Rock”
radio show on KPFK-FM (Los Angeles)

If I’m not mistaken, she almost single-handedly
broke the band nationwide with her many LIVE
concert broadcasts of the band. They seemed to
be on her show every other week

PS – they’ve finally begun restoration
work on the old SST Records building
on 4th and Linden in Long Beach
(an Art Deco masterpiece!)

——————————————–

The old SST sign is still towering
over the old parking lot across the street.
I’m surprised no one’s cut it down
and ripped it off.

——————————————–

Although often plastered with the Punk Rock label,
the Minutemen were themselves influenced by many
mainstream rock acts (Blue Oyster Cult,
Creedence Clearwater, Bob Dylan)

D. Boon’s guitar playing was highly
influenced by Funk music (James Brown)
and Free Jazz…and their lyrics were
informed by the Beats

Living in Lawndale I can attest to
the Minutemen’s long-running reign
as Pedro’s most famous Rock kings

——————————————–

Saw them twice, once at LA’s massive
Street Scene and again in a small college setting.
Great both times.

“Double Nickles” is not just a great Punk record
it’s a great record, period.

There’s a brand new Watt interview
in LA Record Magazine (street version)

And the best thing about “We Jam Econo” is watching
Watt drive and drive and talk and talk and drive and talk

——————————————–

Yes, you are correct. I have clearly never
played any form of RTS, other strategy game,
or puzzle game…

Does checkers count?

Board games, card games and other games
of chance (and most pro sports) are not
my cup of tea either.

I wonder if video games in general have
contributed to the very high obesity costs
in the United States – which may be as high
as 157 billion dollars annually – ?

I’m quite certain that sitting in front of a screen
playing video games all day doesn’t make one
LESS obese – but, that’s simply my opinion

——————————————–

Anyway…

As I typed above, I used to have a fondness for Pong,
which I believe was one of the most popular video games
ever devised by ingenious and creative (yet fragile) human minds.

The general gist of video games hasn’t changed
much over the past thirty years…has it?

Wack things that move and score points!

Or another variation is: BLOW UP things and score points!

Virtual reality and dazzling three-dimensional graphic effects
cannot mask the basic truth that video games are still (in 2009)
all about wacking things and scoring points.

——————————————–

I must admit that there was a certain amount
of comforting predictability in those early versions of Pong.
And the black/white contrast was definitely reassuring
for early gaming advocates

It seemed to be all downhill after that for video games,
with all those monsters and spaceships jumping out from
behind rocks and stuff

Yep, Pong – can’t beat it

——————————————–

Somehow I missed the whole early phenomenon of gaming
when I was growing up. I believe I played maybe one game of
PacMan at our local miniature golf/arcade back in the ancient days
(groans and slaps self awake…)

If anything, PONG seemed to be a more logical game for me to play.
Having only played it a handful of times, I found its ’simplicity to
be overwhelming – “Zen-like” I suppose some would call it.

As far as modern video-based games are concerned, culturally-speaking
I have to lump them together with other large wastes of time, like obsessively
watching CNN, daytime soap operas and American Idol or collecting action figures.

Basically it’s a question of “why spend hours and days watching
a computer or TV screen when one can be outside
getting exercise and/or experiencing real life”

Plus, blowing up things with joysticks is kinda tacky.

——————————————–

Who knew that Mick Jones was the “Bill Wyman” of The Clash
During my speed metal years I noticed that every band had
a member who took care of band ephemera. I’m not sure if
“librarian” is the accurate term…perhaps
“Grand Keeper of the Rock” will suffice.

——————————————–

Some friends and I were talking the other day about
the Disneyland-originated phrase “E TICKET” and how
it was used to indicate how thrilling any particular
any life experience would or could be.

Dropping acid I suppose is an E-TICKET or falling in love…
or skydiving in the nude or winning appliances on a TV game show

We all agreed that the phrase is less and less common.
Really, the only place a person can get an E-TICKET
now is on eBay in the Disney collectibles section.

——————————————–

“A cautionary tale for banks…”
( a great name for a song)!
I’m ever fascinated by what people THINK is funny.

For instance, I successfully avoided the TV comedy
“Friends” for the whole run of the show until now,
when I recently caught an entire episode.

What was consistently touted as hilarious and
funny (and groundbreaking) is in fact a poorly-written,
poorly acted and juvenile show.

These days I rarely ask for friends or family for
their opinions about the latest TV or film comedies

Inevitably such opinions
are at variance with my own
very high comedic standards.

What is my opinion about
“Shitbag from Tomorrow”?

I decline to comment.

——————————————–

This Phantom Phorty-Phive looks like it has great potential…
as does the whole Sweetest Psychopath website

I had to break out my old, rusty copy of SiteSucker (Mac OSX)
in order to download the entirety of the site…why click when you can rummage?

I’m not too keen on the over-abundance of vintage stripper and
cult movie poster JPEGS, but I sure like all the
pulp book covers the Psychopath Psite has.

Great post!

——————————————–

This reminds me of Fellini’s “And the Ship Sailed On’
Interesting concept(s) for art!
Terence McKenna used to describe the
human/advertising dynamic as one that
was “trendlessly fluctuating” -
In other words, we are constantly floating
from one vague cultural notion to another.
PS – I can name quite a few plants
and trees in my neighborhood…
and I can even recognize a few of
my neighbors by name

——————————————–

I’m not sure what being an artist has to do with this story.

Is withdrawing $190,000 in $20 bills some sort of artistic statement?
(probably not, because he’s a painter…)

I see this as yet another yawn-inducing “tough times” human interest story.
In fact “tough times” stories like this are all over the place (NPR, TV, newspapers,
magazines) -they’re easy to produce and editors and producers love ‘em.

We’re all affected by the crummy economy.
This sad story of “an artist” affects me neither less
nor more than any other “tough times” story.

——————————————–

I seem to remember that every week or so, my various teachers
would pass out little booklets containing short lists
of books we could order en masse.

We’d have to take the list home and get book approval from our parents…
as well as get the two or three dollars it took to secure the order.
Oh what a joy, I must have ordered ten books per month
or maybe a hundred!

There’s only ONE book that I ordered through this clever system
that really stood out…and that book was/is
“THE PETER MAX PAPER AIRPLANE BOOK”
which is a little cut-out book filled with crazy
Peter Max designs (late 1960s…ooh!)

I kept that little book pristine for years and loved
and adored it…when I moved, IT moved!

And I finally sold it on eBay for fifty dollars (last year)

So much for sentimentality!

——————————————–

PS – I thought “Go Ask Alice” was ghost written
by Abbie Hoffman’s wife, Anita Hoffman (??) Yes?

——————————————–

Other than wearing a kooky dress and high heels,
collage artist Kurt Schwitters did this first back
in the 20th Century.

He’d fill his deep coat pockets and pants pockets
with various items he’d picked up on his
many foot journeys (gum wrappers, feathers…)

He ended up creating portions of his famed
“Cathedral of Erotic Misery” with his found junk
(destroyed by the Nazis, I believe)

The found art movements of the turbulent
1960s onward owe a complete debt to Schwitters

These videos of Ms Berg simply seem silly
(and not “artistic silly”)

——————————————–

I always thought the appropriate garb for
a cat burglar would tend to be black tights, black turtleneck,
black stocking cap and black smudgy make-up
(oh, and black ballet slippers!)

A brown corduroy jumper, blue jeans
and Nike trainers would most likely
make this fellow either a pizza delivery
boy or a runner for a local bookie.
Part of me cringes at the thought of using books
as something other than leafy receptacles for words
(ie; re-casting books as sculpture)

Yet another part of me finds many of these
book-art-creations wholly satisfying.

I suppose all Art carries with it
an element of destruction

And I also suppose that some
of these book-art-creations bring
out the wild destructo-kindergartener
in us all…

(must scribble in coloring book
until pages catch fire!)

——————————————–

Isn’t the across-the-board use of pseudonyms
on the internet a real major form of deception?

How many people use their real names on
message boards(such as this one) and how
much deception is rendered under the cloak
of a fake name or alias?

If we were all forced to use our
real names, what would the literary result be?

——————————————–

The big, big problem with Irwin Chusid’s book “Songs in the Key of Z”
is that Chusid desperately attempts to link disparate musicians such as
Captain Beefheart, Syd Barrett, The Shaggs and producer Joe Meek
under the heading “OUTSIDER MUSIC”

Most of the artists in his book have absolutely ZERO to do with each other
(musically or otherwise) so why cram them all in one book? -
besides, the term “Outsider” itself means nothing in this
inside/outside/upside down musical world of ours.

However, the Jim Flora art is admittedly great – I try to purchase any
Flora album covers when they happily cross my path. They sure are yummy!

——————————————–

Looks to me like the famous couple in the famous Woodstock
photo on the famous Woodstock album cover is Patty Hearst
and Barry Williams (Greg from the Brady Bunch)

——————————————–

Well, yes!

Sha Na Na are great in the Woodstock movie!

You have to understand that at that point in time (1969) there weren’t really such things
as rock “oldies” or retro rock “oldie” revival shows. The film “American Graffiti”
REALLY kick-started the whole oldies craze three or four years later, but…

In a way, Sha Na Na were flying in the face
of serious free-form hippie rock when they rocked the
house with their greasy performance art at Woodstock.

Later on Sha Na Na devolved into just
another numbskull syndicated TV show…
but their roots are much more significant
and refreshing.

——————————————–

Although universally lauded as the pinnacle of Hippie culture, in my opinion
Woodstock turned out to be the biggest sell-out and buy-in of the era.

In terms of fashion statement, Woodstock was rather low-brow (ugh, mud puddles
and helicopters?) and the current mind-numbling GLUT of 40th Anniversary
Woodstock collectible crapola flooding department stores (anybody been to
the Woodstock section at Target lately?) is beyond repulsive.

Perhaps the “Hippies” did it right at the Monterey Pop festival in 1967,
but then again that festival was staged (no pun intended) by greedy music
moguls such as Lou Adler seeking to capitalize on
the whole free love rock and roll thing

I think you’d have to travel back in time to the Merry Pranksters (1964-1966)
or maybe back to Lenny Bruce for a real feel of Hippiedom. Old fashioned
Hippie literature is where the fun is at (see: Abbie Hoffman, Emmet Grogan, etc)

Some great things did come out of Woodstock (Buzz Uzzle’s photos and some
of the music, for instance) but in a way it heralded a lot of what’s bad in America now.
I’ve never thought the kids of the late 1960s lived up to their part of the bargain.

——————————————–

Was “Woodstock 99″ the one where the little mindless snotty brats
BURNED DOWN many of the vendor tents and danced on the smoldering rubble?

I guess that could be considered worse than Woodstock ‘69

And then there’s the movie…

“Woodstock” THE MOVIE should be considered in a different manner than
Woodstock the event. Really, only people who attended could
give an accurate assessment of the weekend.

Everything else is speculation (outside the film)

——————————————–

If you’ve ever heard The Grateful Dead’s set from Woodstock,
you’d know for sure that it wasn’t all peaches and cream.

I’m sure the impeccable WAVY GRAVY (see: Hugh Romney) will be seen
on TV quite a bit during this 40th Anniversary, as he was on stage a lot.

WAVY GRAVY – there’s one guy who was (and is) the furthest out of them all…
yet he’s managed to build long-lasting charities and camps for children
and the sick. What has Jimi Hendrix done lately?

I wish I was of Woodstock age so I could have seen Sha Na Na -
they had a lot more energy than The Who OR Hendrix.

——————————————–

It’s because of a thing I found on
my keyboard a few weeks ago…

I think it’s called an “enter” key.

It can snap a sentence in two
like the Incredible Hulk and
bring any text to its’ knees

Now, if I make no sense,
at least my paragraphs will be tidy
and I can sleep at night

——————————————–

I may sound like a dummy (not the first time)
but is actual real, important information being
traded back on forth on Twitter?

I know some reports have Iranian demonstrators
“Tweeting” to the outside world about atrocities.

Are folks actually trading financial information
and other high-level information via Twitter?

Seems a bit like taking a photo of
the Second Coming of Jesus with
a cellphone camera

Ya know, the tool just
doesn’t seem to match the task

——————————————–

John Hodgman seems to be the harmless “go to guy” these days…
a person who does a little bit of everything whilst not doing much at all.

His odd reputation seems to stem entirely from the Mac/Windows
TV ads and also from the ongoing “Hobo Name List” enterprises

The Mac/Windows ads seem to have given him credibility with
the geekier side of cultural life…and the hobo name stuff, well…
who knows what that’s all about!

Does he write books?
Who DOESN’T these days!

I’m sure he’s a great guy, but the ultra-dry humor
and impish-ness just doesn’t cut the mustard for me
(and I’m pretty open-minded when it comes to men
of the opposite sex)
proudly be titled:

——————————————–
FOOTNOTE – I need to re-format the text portion of this lengthy poem and probably will not get to that task for months (if ever) – so, whatever.

Gettin’ My Coffee at the Coffee Truck

HPS LONDON TOUR 2009 – ARRIVING IN OCTOBER!

After a short and brief and tiny fourteen month gap, Houseplant Picture Studio is heading back OVER to our second home which seems to be London, England which is approximately a ten hour journey by plane but (as they say…) well worth it. As usual, we’ll be sending back reports (maybe LIVE maybe not…) and taking loads of special investigative photos. We’ve got a different grown-up hotel this time, right near the Royal Albert Hall (where Twiggy once played with Eric Clapton and Jonathan Ross and then Peter Sellers and nine members of Take That showed up…) and a seasoned portion of Hyde Park. Anyway, it should be a total gasser-er-er and I personally always enjoy getting right off the plane to rigorously check up on old haunts and to re-trace steps and to make sure that old bits of London-esque graffiti are still where I left them (there’s graffiti on a series of doors near ASDA in Charlton that’s been there well over ten years! What the fuck?! No shit!)

HPS London Tour 2009 – coming in October!

KRAFT JET-PUFFED MARSHMALLOWS

I’m like totally stunned at the fact that I’m like totally really into Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows right now. I mean, it’s probably been several years or more since I’d eaten actual basic puffy white marshmallows straight out of the plastic bag, but this is a truly nice thing which I am doing currently for my self now and I’m like totally really fucking into marshmallows right now. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I’m also like totally into that funny Seinfeld TV show which is a TV show I had not previously been into previously until very recently (it’s funny and I like it!) and perhaps the good feelings I get from watching the Seinfeld TV show have oozed pleasantly and assisted me (in an etheric sense) in enjoying basic kick-ass marshmallows (full-size, not miniatures or pink or blue marshmallows) again…so, yeah, it’s Seinfeld and marshmallows all the way as mid-August rears it’s head and forces September into a stand-off at home plate.

BENBENEK – American Car Stereo

Have yet to even begin album number seven which will definitely be called “Jesus A Go-Go” but already must announce the title of album number eight which is now officially entitled “American Car Stereo” and which will feature a few originals and a slew of carefully chosen covers, as well as one (or two) hot rod and/or cruising favorites circa 1961 through 1996 and most definitely “Everybody Plays the Fool” which was done so well by The Main Ingredient.

More news concerning this project as it or they come in.
Hey, I just got a brand new haircut! It should last a while…

BENBENEK – JESUS A GO-GO

Just finished the latest BENBENEK album SONGS OF THE GOLDEN WEST and am officially announcing the next album project which is going to be called JESUS A GO-GO which will feature mostly covers and a few originals related to Gospel music and Jesus Christ

Should be ready by Christmas!

Also, speaking of religion…watched Bill Maher’s semi-documentary called RELIGULOUS and it’s pretty good, I learned a wee bit about the profound idiocy of (some) world religions and even though Maher is no Michael Moore, I give it 7 out of 10 stars!

Bill Maher Official Website

The swell video game magic of TRON!

Gosh, hadn’t seen TRON (the sci-fi animated LIVE action Disney movie) since I was 18 – turns out it has held up SPLENDIDLY, in fact it hasn’t aged much at all, other than some of the mulletized haircuts and the snug faded dorky blue jeans some of the actors wear (outside the video game…)

Visually, TRON (of course) is stunning, having been compiled using comfy composites, ace animation, LIVE action (again) and dozens of other movie-esque techniques.

Apparently “they’re” doing a TRON 2 – so, let’s hope it stays on budget and lives up to the trademark. All in all, TRON is one motherfucking great kick-ass wonderful fucking movie!

Michael Jackson

Upon hearing of his (MJ’s) timely death (all deaths are timely and in the long run, timeless) I was reminded internally of a slogan I once glimpsed on a t-shirt in a local clothing shop which humorously read:

“Where else but in America can a poor
young Black boy grow up to be a rich ugly White woman…”

Of course PHIL OCHS said it best when he sang:
“No, no, no…don’t play the chords of fame”

VANDALISM – edited by Colin Ward (1973)

The great thing about having one of our local libraries selling
used and discarded books for a dime (10 cents) is that killer,
straightforward and somewhat oddball books (like this one)
find their way(s) into my ever-morphing cheap-o-yet-effective
“level two” reading library. Definitely this is not a book I would
pay ten bucks or even a dollar for… yet it’s near priceless,
with tons of early 1970s-style photos of vandalism and
spray paint-isms…all accompanied by rather rigid-laced
commentary and some statistics. All pretty tame in this
age of body modification and spatial (ie; sculptural or
skyscrapertural) one-upmanship…however, quite to the point!

Robert Frank – Cocksucker Blues

It had been a year since I last watched this thing and since it was a nothing-to-watch-Friday-night-kinda-evening I popped in my grainy DVD (dubbed from Outer Mars) copy of Cocksucker Blues and I’ve only made it 35 minutes into it so far, but I need to reiterate how great it is on many non-Stonesian levels, including the almost random camera moves, the indestructible soundtrack which exists as an entity unto itself, plus what about the Heavy Metal Parking Lot-style crowd shots and hangers-on shots also?…and also really solely it is not-to-be-missed for Mick Taylor and his solo during Brown Sugar and can’t forget the auto tour into The Deep Dark South

somebody’s posted the whole film right here

Benson Sound Incorporated – Oklahoma City

Ever since right out of high school I’ve been a rootin’ tootin’ big fan of obscure (and semi-obscure) Christian pop albums circa late-1960s through the 1980s…and many of the albums that I hold dearest (especially those by Darrell and Pat and others) have definitely been recorded (since 1969) at Benson Sound Incorporated over in Oklahoma City – the “Benson Sound” is mighty clean and crisp with punchy bass! Can’t beat it, nope!

Benson Sound Incorporated

Chuang Tzu – Genius of the Absurd

Now here’s a book that’s apparently right down my alley…the whole complete collected writings of Chinese mega-Taoist Chuang Tzu – had to get the “good vibes” ACE 1971 version (via James Legge and Clae Waltham) because it’s pocket-size and built for speed reading.

I’ve heard (literally) good things about Chuang Tzu very recently (seek out Alan Watts and his kick-ass “Wisdom of the Ridiculous” lecture) and am puzzled as to why it took me until now to figure out I should read this guy. Have already finished the short introduction and am ready to plow full-bore (boar) into this obviously bitchin’ book.

How now paperback Tao?

I Dream of Jeannie message board

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere recently, I have always forever been in search of the ultimate internet message board and finally after years of searching forever I have discovered the best and ultimate (and only one you’ll ever need) message board ever devised by fragile human minds…

And this particular great message board is totally all about the old TV show “I Dream of Jeannie” and I don’t think anyone’s posted on it since about 2006 but that just makes it better…

I Dream of Jeannie message board

The Three Stooges

Don’t know how I ever missed taking the Three Stooges train. I vaguely remember seeing old black and white (what else?) Three Stooges shorts on Saturday morning TV or Sunday afternoon TV or whenever, but I cannot recall ever latching on to the whole Three Stooges mythos as many of my kind-hearted and often drunken friends did.

Basically I’d gone my whole life without having the perverse desire to watch The Three Stooges, up until about two weeks ago when I suddenly (out of the blue) was struck by the “perverse desire” to watch some actual raw unfettered Three Stooges in the flesh – - so quickly (to quench my innocent thirst) I managed to find an actual whole small compilation called “Curly Classics” online (only $3.80 at Amazon) and, and, and…

And I watched the first three shorts (on the compilation) straight through…I wasn’t bored or distracted but I was struck by the fact that Moe Howard definitely must be the angriest man ever placed on earth (angrier but funnier than Hitler!) and I generally was overwhelmed and ultimately strategically enlightened by The Three Stooges in about an hour.

So, I’ll have to eventually check out the “Shemp Years” and maybe I’ll even get some Three Stooges fridge magnets and a couple of Three Stooges metal wall hangings. Some obsessions simply take time to flourish.

All Three Stooges-related websites on the web seem to suck big time, so sorry no fun links!

THE GOOD ONES ALWAYS WRITE

Today I received an email reply from writer and Fug (and other things) Ed Sanders – I had written Sanders about three months ago and had asked him a simple question concerning some factual material in a short piece he wrote concerning Wavy Gravy

And not only did Ed Sanders answer my simple question, he answered it thoroughly. Now, Ed Sanders is maybe perhaps one of the 5 or 10 greatest living American writers and he’s also made his mark majorly in many fields.

And he took out time (and took time out) to write me. Wow.

This once again proves my self-inflicted adage that “the good ones always write” – in other words, throughout my life I’ve had some letter-writing and email contact with some fairly well-known collective cultural icons (I traded letters with actor Dick York back in the late 1980s, etc) and (almost to a person) the best ones (“the good ones”) have always taken time (out of their busy schedules) to write me back when sent a question or comment (by me)

Contrast that with many lesser cultural characters (anywhere and everywhere, especially on the internet) who make it their business to avoid replying to emails, who avoid being straightforward and who avoid being somewhat kind and considerate when it comes to people asking about their work (or art…or music…or writing)

But yeah…the good ones always write.

Ed Sanders – Woodstock Journal

get on down with The Fugs

James Allen – As a Man Thinketh

Since we’re surrounded by libraries here in Long Beach, I tend to drop
by one or two per week (on strict average) – the other day I was in the Bach Library up near the big park across from the big bank near a big street – and I was looking at books and I happened to look at the audio books (yeah, ugh…) and I noticed that there was an audio book of James Allen’s book “As a Man Thinketh” which is maybe one of the top two or three human potential (or self-help) books ever written (maybe the best)

As a Man Thinketh (PDF CLICK HERE)

And I pondered checking out that particular audio book, but decided not to…my week went on and I kept thinking about “As a Man Thinketh” which is a book I’ve read before but never owned…and I thought about it and thought about it…and later this week I happened to be in another library (in Seal Beach) and there was a large rolling bookshelf which housed books for sale and I began browsing through the sale books and lo and behold stuck in a corner on one of the shelves was a copy of James Allen’s book “As a Man Thinketh”…how very coincidental and nice, especially so since the book was only TEN CENTS wow! I bought it and now I own it! Talk about unplanned pregnant commerce!

No matter how we (as a sedentary species) slice and dice the question, there truly is (are) no such thing(s) as coincidence(s) – hence this quick story regarding James Allen’s book “As a Man Thinketh” which (hopefully) illustrates the point, however vaguely and…brevitous.

I’m just sayin…

I’m just sayin’…

I’m pretty tired of people using the phrase “I’m just sayin’…”

THE HPS OLD PROVO HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOKS INTERNET ADVENTURE! – NOW REALLY ONLINE!

HOUSEPLANT PICTURE STUDIO

MOTORCYCLE GUY ON THE 101

“Found ourselves speeding along the 101 Freeway near Burbank
and spotted this modern day motorcycle guy speeding along, too…”

MOTORCYCLE GUY ON THE 101

PINK SOCKS

Back on August 14, 2008 I found a folded-up bunch of notebook paper pages in the street. I quickly uncovered the fact that the folded-up notebook paper pages (in fact) contained a large, handwritten adult-themed, pornographic story called PINK SOCKS (plus two untitled story fragments)

PINK SOCKS – CLICK HERE

THE GRAPHIC ARTISTRY OF JEFF BAIJ

I was a stone’s throw away from shutting down *COMMENTS* here, but Jeff Baij (see below) has singlehandedly restored my faith in random web humanity interaction stuff. And people who know me can attest (and swear) that when I like something, I’m not whistling Dixie.

Oops, gotta pick up this post…

I don’t think I’ve ever met a person with an *I* preceding a *J* in their last name. But, thanks to the great and powerful internet, I sort of have.

CLICK HERE SOON FOR THE WEBSITE OF JEFF BAIJ

Jeff Baij does seem to understand that even a basic GIF can be delightful in the face of all the rancid and wanton crumminess that passes itself off as “conceptual web art” (on the internet, Dear Lord…which is ever a haven for the talentless)

And Jeff (Baij with the *I* and *J*) looks like he’s got a “motion thing” going on, which I’ve never seen within the context of a plain old Quicktime movie…like moving frames depicting a continuum…a continuum of a simple scene (such as someone standing up on a porch)

Yep, I like this stuff…and if I was a real big-timey art critic and if I knew bigger words, I would write more about Jeff Baij (rhymes with beige?) and his splendid internet-ish art pieces by golly.

START AT *MISC* AND WORK AROUND – JEFF’S GOT IT GOING ON…

Reminds me a little of what my friend Jake
does up in Manchester…BAD WATER

I’m loving the Olympics!

Like many hundreds or millions of very like-minded individuals around the world, I myself am enjoying the great 2008 Olympics which are being currently held in Bejing (China) – there are many Olympic events which I am finding to be very entertaining and inspirational.

I really love the following Olympic “events” –

1) the event where
people jump in water and
move their arms and legs around

2) the event where people
swing around two bars

3) the event where people
whack a small ball over a net
and then jump around

4) the event where people
with swords (and weird clothes)
try to kill each other

5) the event(s) where people run

And there are many other Olympics “events” I am
enjoying (on TV) and there is an entire whole week
left of the Olympics and that’s nice.

BEANIEVISION

Check out comment writer
Tom’s BLOG which is called:

BEANIEVISION

There’s a photo of a frozen custard place (on Tom’s BLOG) that
I think I saw on the FOOD CHANNEL (the place, not the photo…)

If you have any fun links, send them in!

Cool beans!