Hi. For those that were friends of the Vapor Puppets on MySpace Music, sorry to de-friend you, but I had a bit of a fit after a brief but idiotic exchange with a former member of the band. I deleted the VP music page, and my YouTube page, with all my subscribers, all 50 videos that I had made and uploaded, including the ones in which I did not use Vapor Puppet music. It was a rash decision. So be it.

To the point: I started a new MySpace page. I finally sat with Garage Band long enough to put a track together. Meet DJ Glunch: myspace.com/djglunch

Ok. I took a blog entry from 2004 , recorded it, then mixed it on Garage Band last night.

New Video....

After posting the entry below, the blog received a visit from Fairfax Virginia, then, a moment later, my internet diagnostics indicated that the internet and server had failed. Cue paranoia.

Confessions of a Conspiracy Junkie



Conspiracy "Freaks" used to be fringe culture, the frayed ends of the fringe, far out of the consensus view. It seems to me that the threads of the fabric of American Culture are weaving the Conspiracy motif more prominently as new threads extend the fringe further out. The term "Conspiracy Nut" doesn't quite have the oomph it once did. It doesn't connotate the same degree of wild eyed freakishness as it might have, say, in the '70's, or '80's.

I think it may be time for Americans to ask themselves if they can differentiate between various degrees and qualities of Conspiracy Theory. A theory based on facts that contradict the consensus story-line remains a conspiracy theory until the minds of the times can no longer deny it, and must accept it as true.

The theories surrounding the events of September 11, 2001 are many and varied. The notion the "9-11 Was An Inside Job", I think, has moved beyond theory, and has been increasingly accepted as fact. Who knows who was on the inside, who planned and facilitated the job? I don't know for sure, but I do know that there are too many facts puncturing the veracity of the official story for me to believe it. A majority of critical thinkers agree that the official story has no legs, yet, so much of our nations premise is rooted in this weak and unsubstantiated lie. Our wars, our political speeches, our news, our defense, our international relations, our economy, etc.: all took a turn at the false premise of 9-11. Yet, in the "public" dialogue, the subject still gets treated with the same eye rolling snarkishness as a Big Foot sighting.

The notion that George W. Bush was elected President of the United States still has traction in many peoples minds. That is not a fact that can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Since taking office, Bush has done nothing to demonstrate that he perceives himself as a servant of the American public, and everything to bolster the impression that his ambition is tyranny. And yet we still call him President Bush, officially, eight years on.

A minority conspires to "manage" us as consumers and voters, and we, the former citizens, are only inspired enough to debate the style of management we are subjected to. We are not only the subjects of a pack of lies, but we maintain our subjection by living under the premise that these transparent lies are true, when we, for the most part, know that they are not.

Now take a look at this video that came out last week and consider carefully how it makes you feel:

Naomi Wolf: The Coup Happened This Week


I feel funny, but not funny ha ha.


I am posting a list of videos that will provide some perspective on our National situation, for those that feel it, but have a hard time articulating what they are feeling. These are not 5 min clips, but hour long episodes, and I recommend them as a course of study on the American Condition as we stride into the 21st Century

First: The Century of the Self - Part 1: "This series is about how those in power have used Freud's theories to try and control the dangerous crowd in an age of mass democracy." (Double click to view big screen)


The Century of the Self - Part 2


The Century of the Self - Part 3


The Century of the Self - Part 4


Ok. Those serve as the premise for this next BBC series:

"The Power of Nightmares" -Part 1: The rise of the Neo-Cons and Radical Islam



"The Power of Nightmares"- Part 2


"The Power of Nightmares"- Part 3


So, what do you think about all that?

The Big Story



This was posted on YouTube eight months ago. It had only 200 hits when I watched it the first time. Now it has well over 3,000,000. The video wasn't a bluf. Anonymous started a worldwide campaign to expose the "Church" of Scientology by organizing protests in front of Scientology properties. The protesters wear black suits and black stockings over their heads, or Guy Fawkes masks, or some other anonymizing headgear, then promote the scandals and reveal the dark secrets of the organization.

The problem of having a movement named Anonymous, with anonymous voices and faces, is that anyone can do anything in the name of Anonymous. Their stated mission was to strip Scientology of it's tax free status. They have made headway in their endeavor. But what about the other things done in the name of Anonymous? As they say in Hollywood, any press is good press. Here is the Fox News "investigative" report on Anonymous:



Notice there was no mention of Scientology. "Be Afraid", I think was the point of the "report." If Fox had actually done an investigative and journalistic piece on Anonymous, people might be inspired. We can't have that now, can we?

Here is a BBC report on the activities of Anonymous:



Search for Anonymous on YouTube, Flickr, Yahoo, Google, etc. They are generating a lot of web traffic, or rather, they have catylized a lot of web traffic. It's noteworthy, I think. That's why I'm noting it. Here is the most recent Anonymous Video:




Anonymous has been effective in generating press coverage for the protests, thus opening old wounds and inflicting new ones that have increasingly bled money from the Scientology organization for damage control. At no expense to Anonymous. I think this is a well executed model of how to fight a large oppressive organization using truth as a weapon.

Tax The Cult, originally uploaded by _Christo_.

The Anonymous strategy seems reminiscent of another story.

Four years after 9/11/01, Osama Bin Laden sent a tape to the U.S. that was identical in tone. As a nation we have launched a blitzkreig against the specter of terrorists at the expense of many lives, the national economy, and our standing in the world. Osama stated that the intended target was the power structures of oppression and exploitation rooted in our nation, not the citizens of America. Anonymous has attacked Scientology, the organization, not the suckers that subscribe to it.

As far as Bin Laden goes, who knows the real story? Did Bin Laden pull off 9/11, or just take credit for it? Did the Bush administration perpetrate 9/11, or did it just become the obvious target of "Conspiracy" theorists? Is Osama Bin Laden George W's half brother? Did Osama die years ago only to have his ghost live on in manufactured propaganda?

The "9/11 Truth Movement" has been spending itself fighting the governmental ghosts. What if the source of the attack came from none of the above, an unknown element? These mysteries make for good drama on the World Stage, but humanity needs some "meddling kids" to pull the mask off of the monsters if we are going to have some resolution to the story. Spreading the story of the monster just keeps the story alive. I've heard good questions raised by the Truth Movement, but the truth seems to elude them still. There is a plethora of evidence that the Official Story of what happened on 9/11 is a bogus one, but the smoking gun, the link between the event and the actual perpetrators/architects remains elusive. Some say one becomes what one fights. America fights Terrorists. The Truth Movement fights lies and propaganda.

From an objective point of view, the tactics of the two "Jihad" story lines (Terrorists vs. USA, and Anonymous vs. Scientology) have been undeniably effective against their targets. The USA hasn't stopped terrorism. The 9/11 Truthers still haven't been able to smoke the demolition team out of their bunker. In a world where communication is global and instant, narratives with gaping cracks stuffed with lies and/or conjecture are difficult and expensive to maintain, and easy to attack. Anonymous picked a target (Scientology), elucidated the problem in compelling terms (deadly cult practices), and creatively (and economically) delivered the assault with impressive results. Concerned humans have something to learn from this example.

, originally uploaded by _Christo_.

This blog entry is not an endorsement or criticism of anyone or anything involved in these cases. I am writing about tactics. As a Nation, we still have a kink for the traditional battlefield, but the Arena of Information hosts the key battles in the war for the future of this world. What context frames our daily discussions? Political? Environmental? National? Religious? Racial? Economical? I would like to encourage the consideration of the context of Life on Earth. I feel that this context may be over due for serious consideration in relation to our old favorites.

What are the enemies of Life on Earth? How can they be illuminated, examined, and mitigated? Something worth consideration, me thinks. The previous contexts I mentioned are worthy of discussion, and are important aspects of Life on Earth, but could be rendered moot if the lager context doesn't receive more considered air time. Standing around the kitchen arguing over who started the fire as the house burns around us isn't very helpful.

Stepping out of our limited habitual contexts of personal concerns can be terrifying, but liberating. And I think it's necessary for the preservation/restoration of sanity. There is a Big Story outside the little dramas. Here is the premise: We all live here on this planet. We are dependent on this planet and each other, for survival, and for healthy development. Entertaining and operating from that context takes you out of the little bickering dramas and puts you on the stage of the Big Story.

(Psst.. it's your line...)

PS- UPDATE

"Anonymous" on Fox tonight-Concerning Sarah Palin's email

The excerpts from my book have been moved to their own Blog. I will be cleaning up the entries in the next few days and adding more. Stay tuned to this Blog for your regular programming...

Address of the "It Seemed Funny at the Time..." Blog: http://itseemedfunnyatthetime.blogspot.com/

Cherry Blossom Cabaret @ Next Door

Josh 86 @ Next Door

Lantern Floating festival, Honolulu, Memorial Day, 2008

Wailana Coffee House, Waikiki - Memorial Day 2008

For Photographs in this set, go to my Flickr Page

Hotel St., China Town, Honolulu, Hawai'i : Wednesday Night

Rabbit Island on a voggy afternoon.

Dictionary.com funded by sponsors of terrorism
(Click for full image of screen Grab)

ATTENTION: More beauty please

I very rarely use other peoples photographs on my site here, But I found this and had to post it. The photo is by John Stanmeyer and was posted on the National Geographic site.
Mt. Bromo and Mt. Semero in East Java- John Stanmeyer
(click on photo for larger version)

L.A. called me. It called me in class one day in fourth grade. I was sitting in my chair staring at the clock. I could see it, for once, because I had glasses for the first time in my life. My vision had always been terrible though I didn’t know ‘til my visit to the Doctor. I missed out on a lot of basics because I couldn’t see the chalkboard unless I squinted hard, and even then it was hit or miss. I didn’t ask for clarification of the things I wasn’t getting because I was the new kid in town, so I did my best to keep a low profile. Everyone had pencil to paper and the carbon scratches were all I could hear. I was supposed to be scratching away as well probably, but I was fixated on the sliver of the second hand that I could now see so clearly. I watched it glide around the face, distinctly straight and precise, yet fluid in its rotation. I focused on the minute hand next, seeking to detect its motion. Suddenly, the minute hand seemed to flow like the second hand and twenty minutes passed in the span of 20 seconds. The bell rang and class was over, and the all the hands seemed to resume their proper speed. I walked into the hallway and knew that I was moving to Los Angeles. I pictured myself there as a matter of fact realization that I would be there, not as an idea, or a goal I had suddenly aspired to.

One day, while driving down Highland Blvd. on the way to emcee at the Mad Hatters, I suddenly felt a “ping” of sorts. I thought “this is my life” and I started looking around wildly for signs of where I was. I saw DeLongpre Avenue, I saw Fountain Avenue, and then I saw a billboard for the Los Angeles Times. “I’m in L.A.” I thought. Then I looked in the rearview mirror and saw that I had long hair. “I have long hair,” I thought. I looked at the open topped Land Cruiser I was driving. “I drive a Jeep,” I thought. Then the ping faded. I was once again driving to my regular gig in the town I had lived in for a year. Then I thought of fourth grade and I thought I heard pencil scratches, but it was sub aural. Beneath the resonant growl of the six-cylinder engine, below the hum of the tires, beyond the audible buzz-hum of the city, I felt the sound in my being. Imagine an electro-metallic grinding sensation as a life form. I felt I was hearing a colossal note, tremoring for generations in a living score beyond time. Then I thought my pervious thought had been quite odd, and wondered what people would think if they knew what I had thought.

A NEGATIVE VIEW OF LOS ANGELES

Hi. Writing About LA in the 90's motivated me to pull out the photo archives. These are shots I took in and around the Los Angeles area, including son photos from the riots of '92. (click on photos for larger versions)