I feel this lends itself to the discussion we had in DIVA 200 about the digital realm and its impact on society. This view is from the gaming perspective at the DICE 2010 convention. Have a listen.
http://kotaku.com/5479125/points-for-toothbrushing-the-gaming-speech-everyone-is-talking-about?skyline=true&s=i
....i feel the rush of the powerful, the sip of ambrosia still bubbling on my tongue as i realize i have my foot on the threshold of omnipotence. i become the Creator, the Great Judge as I decide what springs to life and what remains unformed in the shadows. i become the God of this New World and i revel in its glory, in its abundance..
and then when i stop, the ambrosia dries up, the colors grow cold and i am removed from the splendour- the uninvited guest at the party. the key is locked away and i can no longer access that world which was once mine to enjoy, the same world i willed into being. the paintbrush falls and i am vanquished. i am human, once again.
and then when i stop, the ambrosia dries up, the colors grow cold and i am removed from the splendour- the uninvited guest at the party. the key is locked away and i can no longer access that world which was once mine to enjoy, the same world i willed into being. the paintbrush falls and i am vanquished. i am human, once again.
i figured let me get this blog on track for once, haha.
our next assignment is something that isn't too new to me- we're designing a vinyl sticker to be displayed somewhere on granville isle/emily carr. due to my lack of transportation, i don't really know where on granville island i would want to put my sticker, nor what i want to express in the assignment itself. i've become more interstedin exploring the rationale behind this whole 'anti-olympics' sentiment that seems to be running rampant throughout the city [mainly because i find it to be rather silly, but that's for another entry], so i may decide to jump on that. now all that would be left is to find a suitable location...
our next assignment is something that isn't too new to me- we're designing a vinyl sticker to be displayed somewhere on granville isle/emily carr. due to my lack of transportation, i don't really know where on granville island i would want to put my sticker, nor what i want to express in the assignment itself. i've become more interstedin exploring the rationale behind this whole 'anti-olympics' sentiment that seems to be running rampant throughout the city [mainly because i find it to be rather silly, but that's for another entry], so i may decide to jump on that. now all that would be left is to find a suitable location...
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
activism,
dumbasses,
PETA,
protesting
0
comments
My Problem with Protesters Part One- PETA
this particular topic has been bugging me for about two weeks now, the idea of protesting and the tactics people/organizations undertake to get their points across. most people who know me well enough know that i'm pretty opinionated about things that rub me the wrong way. what i'm also pretty vocal about is when organizations or people do/say INCREDIBLY stupid things to leave an impression.
my DIVA 200 class got a taste of this when i said that i'm not a fan of PETA. might sound odd, considering my love for animals, and even my involvement with julie's *glisten)hive installation. it hurts my soul when i see an abused animal, and i still get teary-eyed when i see freshly-killed meat heading to the market.
i also know that PETA has done quite a bit to rectify the animal cruelty problem, and there are a few success stories attributed to their intervention. and some of their idealisms i can say i approve of- for instance, their anti-fur campaign. i HATE seeing people in fur, even more so when it's not like an antique coat or something akin to a hand-me-down. the whole 'i'd rather go naked than wear fur' campaign? brilliant, really.
where i differ with PETA's 'good intentions' is mainly their methods. there's a way to educate people without resorting to scare tactics, sensationalist pranks and what i consider borderline deception. oh don't worry, i'll give my examples.
point 1/2- their scare tactics/deception.
yes, some of the things they show are pretty gruesome. i have a pretty weak constitution for slaughterhouse footage and the life, so i know that my use of the term 'scare tactics' could be taken with a grain of salt. however, when they go ahead and scare a pre-teen into becoming a vegetarian, i draw the line. i can't find the exact article of the case im referring to, but here's a link to the same campaign. But this detail of this same case is what irritated me. This kid and his mum were out, and a PETA offical LURED this kid away from his mother with what he thought was an honest to goodness McDonald's Happy Meal. what he got instead was the scare of his young life- pamphlets and GRAPHIC photos of chickens being 'abused' and slaughtered for food, specifically for McDonald's Chicken McNuggets. the personnel did NOT approach the mother first. the personnel did NOT ask permission from the mother who WAS with her son at the time, or even give her the pamphlets to decide for herself if it's something she wants to share with her kid in any shape or form. instead, she virtually scared him into NEVER EATING CHICKEN AGAIN.
this is a kid who isn't even 13 yet! somehow this is considered right??
do kids need to know how their food is produced? at some point in time, yes they should. when they are OLD ENOUGH to properly make that decision for themselves.
should you, as a member of PETA, essentially USURP the role of a parent and share with susceptible minds these frightening images of gore and death? absolutely NOT.
and this beelines itself to the deception bit. at first glance, a lot of their propaganda will fool you into buying into their little stunt. from a design side, sure- you can say it's really clever, changing Ronald McDonald into a knife-wielding murderer [as if kids with a fear of clowns ALREADY didn't have a hard time as is!], or the Inukshuk logo for the 2010 Winter Olympics being subtly changed into a figure clubbing a baby seal. but ethically? it's fucking sick.
why are you so okay with deceiving/tricking people into buying into your crap? is it because you know if you tried the diplomatic approach [like holding a damn conversation], they're going to make you out to be a bunch of nutjobs?!
point three- the goddamn stunts.
YES WE GET IT. killing seals is bad. very bad. we also get that it should be stopped, and shame on those who support it/stand by idly and do nothing about it. but do you REALLY have to pie a ministry official in the face on national television??
i'm sorry, but antics like this? that's just childish in my eyes. it's akin to a 5 year old throwing the most feared of temper tantrums JUST so that people can ooooh and aaaaah over her and she can feel validated and loved and noticed for the next 5 minutes. what is that benefitting? i'll answer this one for you: NOT A DAMN THING. you are NOT stopping a seal getting clubbed to death by throwing a shaving cream pie in a person's face. you are not causing someone to stop and think about the animals that suffer by drenching them in what looks suspiciously like blood. instead, you are probably going to get them thinking about how they can have you arrested. and that won't be saving a seal or a chicken, either.
also, getting all uppity because the President of the United States swatted a fly is really, REALLY lame. not to mention stupid. i'm sure that energy could've been put into stopping a seal from being clubbed. but no, you chose to pour your tears over a FLY. something i'm so damned sure you yourself have swatted, squished and Baygon-ed the HELL out of. no tears wept for the bears in china being kept illegally for their bile for 'ancient chinese medicine', or for the wolves and wolf pups that Sarah Palin is okay with SHOOTING IN THE HEAD from a fucking HELICOPTER. you cry over a FLY.
i'm REALLY gonna sympathise with your causes now!
look, i'm all about getting you point across. i get that need as someone who has delved into activism back in the Bahamas. but i consider it a point of pride that i NEVER tried to trick, manipulate or shock someone to get my views across. there's a better way to do these things and get results, and even to gain respect for what you do. ever wonder why PETA's name is almost like mud to the common folk? it's for shit like this that they pull, to make you believe that they're saints in disguise for pitying those of creation without the ability to overcome us and defend ourselves from their cruelty. maybe if most of the stunts they pull weren't as asinine, you'd actually have more supporters.
part two of this rant comes later- this was too much work to type about.
my DIVA 200 class got a taste of this when i said that i'm not a fan of PETA. might sound odd, considering my love for animals, and even my involvement with julie's *glisten)hive installation. it hurts my soul when i see an abused animal, and i still get teary-eyed when i see freshly-killed meat heading to the market.
i also know that PETA has done quite a bit to rectify the animal cruelty problem, and there are a few success stories attributed to their intervention. and some of their idealisms i can say i approve of- for instance, their anti-fur campaign. i HATE seeing people in fur, even more so when it's not like an antique coat or something akin to a hand-me-down. the whole 'i'd rather go naked than wear fur' campaign? brilliant, really.
where i differ with PETA's 'good intentions' is mainly their methods. there's a way to educate people without resorting to scare tactics, sensationalist pranks and what i consider borderline deception. oh don't worry, i'll give my examples.
point 1/2- their scare tactics/deception.
yes, some of the things they show are pretty gruesome. i have a pretty weak constitution for slaughterhouse footage and the life, so i know that my use of the term 'scare tactics' could be taken with a grain of salt. however, when they go ahead and scare a pre-teen into becoming a vegetarian, i draw the line. i can't find the exact article of the case im referring to, but here's a link to the same campaign. But this detail of this same case is what irritated me. This kid and his mum were out, and a PETA offical LURED this kid away from his mother with what he thought was an honest to goodness McDonald's Happy Meal. what he got instead was the scare of his young life- pamphlets and GRAPHIC photos of chickens being 'abused' and slaughtered for food, specifically for McDonald's Chicken McNuggets. the personnel did NOT approach the mother first. the personnel did NOT ask permission from the mother who WAS with her son at the time, or even give her the pamphlets to decide for herself if it's something she wants to share with her kid in any shape or form. instead, she virtually scared him into NEVER EATING CHICKEN AGAIN.
this is a kid who isn't even 13 yet! somehow this is considered right??
do kids need to know how their food is produced? at some point in time, yes they should. when they are OLD ENOUGH to properly make that decision for themselves.
should you, as a member of PETA, essentially USURP the role of a parent and share with susceptible minds these frightening images of gore and death? absolutely NOT.
and this beelines itself to the deception bit. at first glance, a lot of their propaganda will fool you into buying into their little stunt. from a design side, sure- you can say it's really clever, changing Ronald McDonald into a knife-wielding murderer [as if kids with a fear of clowns ALREADY didn't have a hard time as is!], or the Inukshuk logo for the 2010 Winter Olympics being subtly changed into a figure clubbing a baby seal. but ethically? it's fucking sick.
why are you so okay with deceiving/tricking people into buying into your crap? is it because you know if you tried the diplomatic approach [like holding a damn conversation], they're going to make you out to be a bunch of nutjobs?!
point three- the goddamn stunts.
YES WE GET IT. killing seals is bad. very bad. we also get that it should be stopped, and shame on those who support it/stand by idly and do nothing about it. but do you REALLY have to pie a ministry official in the face on national television??
i'm sorry, but antics like this? that's just childish in my eyes. it's akin to a 5 year old throwing the most feared of temper tantrums JUST so that people can ooooh and aaaaah over her and she can feel validated and loved and noticed for the next 5 minutes. what is that benefitting? i'll answer this one for you: NOT A DAMN THING. you are NOT stopping a seal getting clubbed to death by throwing a shaving cream pie in a person's face. you are not causing someone to stop and think about the animals that suffer by drenching them in what looks suspiciously like blood. instead, you are probably going to get them thinking about how they can have you arrested. and that won't be saving a seal or a chicken, either.
also, getting all uppity because the President of the United States swatted a fly is really, REALLY lame. not to mention stupid. i'm sure that energy could've been put into stopping a seal from being clubbed. but no, you chose to pour your tears over a FLY. something i'm so damned sure you yourself have swatted, squished and Baygon-ed the HELL out of. no tears wept for the bears in china being kept illegally for their bile for 'ancient chinese medicine', or for the wolves and wolf pups that Sarah Palin is okay with SHOOTING IN THE HEAD from a fucking HELICOPTER. you cry over a FLY.
i'm REALLY gonna sympathise with your causes now!
look, i'm all about getting you point across. i get that need as someone who has delved into activism back in the Bahamas. but i consider it a point of pride that i NEVER tried to trick, manipulate or shock someone to get my views across. there's a better way to do these things and get results, and even to gain respect for what you do. ever wonder why PETA's name is almost like mud to the common folk? it's for shit like this that they pull, to make you believe that they're saints in disguise for pitying those of creation without the ability to overcome us and defend ourselves from their cruelty. maybe if most of the stunts they pull weren't as asinine, you'd actually have more supporters.
part two of this rant comes later- this was too much work to type about.
my boyfriend Travaldo started his own gaming/entertainment podcast a little while ago- if you're a person who appreciates witty banter and honest talk about video games, then the NPC Podcast is for you- take a listen, become a fan, write in, and tell 'em Lindsay sent you :D
link will also be added to the Blogroll.
art to be posted within the next few days! thank gawd for a two week break from school!
link will also be added to the Blogroll.
art to be posted within the next few days! thank gawd for a two week break from school!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
art,
Bahamas
0
comments
a little slice of home: the East of East Street project
it dawned on me that i haven't really shared much positivity about the Bahamas here on this blog- it's kinda because i couldn't find any, haha. but this awesome 10-min documentary was posted on Facebook recently which highlighted a special community art project that took place last summer, and that i got to volunteer my time to for a few days.
actually, if it wasn't for this project, i never would've learned about ECUAD, so call it providence if you'd like, haha
anywho! you can find the link here- enjoy!
actually, if it wasn't for this project, i never would've learned about ECUAD, so call it providence if you'd like, haha
anywho! you can find the link here- enjoy!
after much screaming at the screen, several well-chosen profanities, a dozen middle fingers, a good exhale and some brownies to make me feel better [thanks love!], i've FINALLY completed my DIVA 200 assignment. i liked the project, don't get me wrong. i just loathe audacity and all its problems galore. i'd be better off working with sock puppets at this rate.
again, my apologies for not meeting the deadline of 6pm. i really did try, but the best-laid of mice, men, and a certain Rogue, do often go awry.... and consider this a warning, for anyone who decides to sneak a listen- things do get kinda loud [it's intentional!] so if you DON'T like to blast music in your ears, i wouldn't suggest turning the volume up for this one. seriously. i nearly lost my right eardrum with how many times i had to check it.
anyway, enough with my ramblings. here it is. next entry will be more entertaining and thought-provoking, i swears. thank the gods for the next two weeks off- i could use the vacation.
again, my apologies for not meeting the deadline of 6pm. i really did try, but the best-laid of mice, men, and a certain Rogue, do often go awry.... and consider this a warning, for anyone who decides to sneak a listen- things do get kinda loud [it's intentional!] so if you DON'T like to blast music in your ears, i wouldn't suggest turning the volume up for this one. seriously. i nearly lost my right eardrum with how many times i had to check it.
anyway, enough with my ramblings. here it is. next entry will be more entertaining and thought-provoking, i swears. thank the gods for the next two weeks off- i could use the vacation.
i think the title speaks for itself.
thanks to me having a lecture class this afternoon, the only way i can possibly complete my audio assignment fo DIVA 200 is if i carry my boyfriend's laptop with me and multitask. [the bonus to that is that now i HAVE a reason to stay awake!] so a warning to my classmates who by now must be already finished with their version- i'll probably be a bit late with putting mine up for download. i'll definitely have it up before the night is over [i only have one portion to go], but i highly doubt it will be before 6.. sorry!
thanks to me having a lecture class this afternoon, the only way i can possibly complete my audio assignment fo DIVA 200 is if i carry my boyfriend's laptop with me and multitask. [the bonus to that is that now i HAVE a reason to stay awake!] so a warning to my classmates who by now must be already finished with their version- i'll probably be a bit late with putting mine up for download. i'll definitely have it up before the night is over [i only have one portion to go], but i highly doubt it will be before 6.. sorry!
so i'm gonna share with you folks the two poems i have been sent to depict for my involvement with Transforming Spaces. they're written by a fellow Art student/badass poet named Xan-Xi B. and her poems are pretty damn deep. i love them for their tone, their subject matter, and their strength. it's an honour to get the chance to depict them.
in the meantime, if you have any thoughts/interpretations about the pieces, don't be shy- let me know what you think. it could help influence/reinforce my interpretation of the pieces- and subsequently, affect the final product.
in the meantime, if you have any thoughts/interpretations about the pieces, don't be shy- let me know what you think. it could help influence/reinforce my interpretation of the pieces- and subsequently, affect the final product.
Her Name by: Xan-Xi
She is
wounded Earth
hostile
afraid
A ghost of Glory
roughened pearl
robbed of its shine
She is
a Mother; raped
forced to incubate
seeds of despair
birth poverty
Her womb is swollen
Heavy
She grunts
screams
squats
and squeezes
bawling men
from her sex
Flies alight on her face
bathe in her sweat
They shit there
Fly away
Remember?
Fertile and pregnant
Earth shook and shivered
Coughed blood
Then- held firm as
Her children rejoiced
Her war is won
Begun.
Earth belonged to them
at last
She is free.
She is proud.
She is beautiful.
She is
Big-hipped
Violet-lipped
Strong.
Now
Earth trembles
Earth quakes
Her babies are sick
She coughs
lungs rattle
as she tries to
expel
snot
It clogs her throat.
Long-lodged bullets shift
She weeps.
She is My Sister.
Her name is
Haiti.
Sister, Love by: Xan-Xi
Sisters to the sea
Stones in the ocean
We are-
Hispaniola
half-side
of a pot pourri
sweet, spicy flavour
mix-up
fix-up
boil together for
hot pepper-pot
Beautiful flower
Haiti
Once a pearl
Gem of the
Caribbean
Naked now
only hard rock
to sit on
to shit on
Sisters to the sea
Stones in the ocean
We are-
Haiti
you’ve been
robbed
mauled
butchered
chopped up
chopped down
until the tears of the people
soaked through
the dust
and dampened the
bones of those
black, dark
Africans
that fought for their
Liberation to
Paradise
Sisters to the sea
Stones in the ocean
We are-
Haiti cries
a little more
everyday
as everyday
more babies are
ripped from their
mothers’ wombs
life-cord dangling
political suicide
Know this!
Sister Haiti
has been
scrubbed rotten
rubbed rotten
sucked rotten
and loved
until rotten
Sisters to the sea
Stones in the ocean
We are-
Rocks on the
same water
We are
from the same Africa
Man!
the same Africa land
Shared the same womb
sucked the same
tits-
Tell Me
Why you want to
fight your brother-Man
Deny your mother
Come on Man
Sisters to the sea
Stones in the ocean
We are-
Skin pressed
glistening
black
Our pasts move together
close
like the gentle stroking
the sexing
of two lovers on
the Caribbean sea
Sister, Love
I will deny you
no longer
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