Friday, January 23, 2009
Shark Surfing
A killer video of a guy on a surfboard getting a pull from a great white shark.
Thanks to Digg for the linkage...
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
0 Comments
Permalink
Thanks to Digg for the linkage...
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
Friday, January 02, 2009
Harlan Ellison Lays it Down!
While I find Harlan Ellison to be a self-important dick, he probably has a right to be - his list of credits is longer than my fucking book. But I have to agree with his point in this video. He hits the nail on the head with an aircraft carrier:
Harlan's anger is one-hundred percent justified. It's something I've blogged about here at conradzero.com for years now - the new technology of the Internet simply doesn't mesh up with our existing Free Market Society. Now, anyone with a computer and a blog is a journalist, and anyone with a computer and a soundcard is a music producer, anyone with a computer and a videocamera is a movie director.
Arts created with words/audio/video are being devalued - it's that simple. Thanks to the Internet, a deluge of people who have always wanted to be a musician or writer or movie producer now have their chance; who cares if they are working for free? Who cares if they go around undercutting professionals who need to get paid for their craft because that's how they make a living?
Never mind that I worked for free; just think of the Exposure!!!
Your homework: Think about what would happen if you showed up at Target and offered to stock the shelves for free.
Thanks to Michelle Raftner for the link.
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
2 Comments
Permalink
Harlan's anger is one-hundred percent justified. It's something I've blogged about here at conradzero.com for years now - the new technology of the Internet simply doesn't mesh up with our existing Free Market Society. Now, anyone with a computer and a blog is a journalist, and anyone with a computer and a soundcard is a music producer, anyone with a computer and a videocamera is a movie director.
Arts created with words/audio/video are being devalued - it's that simple. Thanks to the Internet, a deluge of people who have always wanted to be a musician or writer or movie producer now have their chance; who cares if they are working for free? Who cares if they go around undercutting professionals who need to get paid for their craft because that's how they make a living?
Hey Mom, I'm a real writer because Darren Rowse let me write a guest post on Problogger!!!!
Hey World, I'm a real composer because I scored a movie project from VersusMedia!!!
Hey World, I'm a real musician because I uploaded a music video to MySpace!!!
Never mind that I worked for free; just think of the Exposure!!!
Your homework: Think about what would happen if you showed up at Target and offered to stock the shelves for free.
Thanks to Michelle Raftner for the link.
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
Thursday, January 01, 2009
2008 - The Unreview
Happy Fucking New Year. Did 2008 suck? It certainly tried.
There were a fair share of bright moments. Jagged Spiral's long-awaited CD release of "Days From Evil" came and went, and was definitely the highlight of my year. A handful of media reviews, ranging from "needs improvement" up to "gave me the piss-myself nightmares" were exciting to read over and over again, even the "needs improvement" one. Being important enough to dislike still makes you feel important. Famous or Infamous? Hell, I'll take both.
I was hoping the CD release party (at Club Underground on 11 July 2008) would be the start of an exciting summer of booking shows, networking with bands/venues/fans, promoting the album and generating excitement for our new material. Instead, I was informed that it's "all about the music," and little more. That pretty much moved us back to the studio; writing and recording. I guess that's our comfort zone; "a sin that we're good at," if I can plagiarize my own work.
We'll be recording and mixing our new album throughout the spring, you can read more about what the band is up to at www.jaggedspiral.com.
The second half of 2008, I shifted most of my free time to "The Demonslayer's Handbook", and tried to get my mind around the traditional-publishing vs self-publishing processes. The manuscript is done, and my faithful beta-reader-fan-club have devoured the text and reported back plenty of useful criticism. Finding a professional editor is my first primary objective of 2009.
Sometime this year, I'll be updating the website theme, because I unroll like that. Something pencilly, hand-drawn... not entirely sure yet, but no shiny floor, and probably not Web 3.0. I'll also be putting together a newsletter and mailing list, and I've got some other interesting promotional ideas for the book release, which I'm hoping could be as soon as October 2009...
As far as the rest of the world goes, I've found very few movies or bands to rave about in 2008. Batman trumped Indy by far, and I bet I'm not alone in believing that the Indiana Jones franchise should have been left with our hero riding off into the sunset.
NIN's new album was mediocre at best, so much so that I ended up skipping the "Lights in the Sky" tour, and it wasn't till afterwards that I heard it was one of the most spectacular and technically challenging concerts performed (seconded only by Pink Floyd's Wall tour). That'll teach me to skip on NIN!.
Metallica went 'back to their roots', admitting that their last handful of albums sucked. And 'Death Magnetic' simply proves what we've known all along; they can't play like they used to! And while the world gave Metallica no sympathy for the album's poor production value, I thought the music sucked far worse than the production. Between mp3s, radio stations like 93X, and bands like Jagged Spiral, I put up with overcompression all the time, but I've always said I'd rather listen to a good song at poor quality than a poor song at good quality. Like I've said numerous times before, the Real Metallica died in a plane crash during the Black Album tour, and some alien-clone-posers took their places. It's really the only viable explanation.
Guns-N-Roses meanwhile (if we can still call the band that) ran quite far from their roots, and by contractual obligation released "Chinese Democracy" an album which proves that 13 years and 13 Million can't make crappy songs any better. As overproduced as a Brittney Spears album, "Chinese Democracy" lacks the Slash-guitar-hero-hookiness that made G-n-R so great. Sorry Axl, its been great, but I think GNR died in a plane crash with Metallica at the exact same time...
Meanwhile, AC/DC released "Black Ice", the exact same album they've released for years, and are playing sold out shows. The band still refuses to sell it's music on i-tunes. Axl and Metallica could take a lesson here (if they were still alive, that is.)
On the local music front, Mark Mallman is a tough act to top. I saw him at the Varsity for New Year's; as I've mentioned, the man is insane. I hear local hip-hop duo Atmosphere got voted "Band of the Year", for their album, When life hands you lemons, you paint that shit gold" which really should win based on the title alone.
For new stuff, I'll be checking out The Best New Bands of 2008 at First Ave on Jan 14th, and report back here.
And for Video Games, its a close tie between "Dead Space" and "Fallout 3" for my Game of the Year. I just finished Dead Space and it kicks undead-outer-space-horror-sci-fi-tail. I just started Fallout 3, and while it looks like an amazing game overall, Dead Space is the winner for mood, atmosphere and storyline. Spore was disappointing. Portal was fun, and just long enough, but more of a diversion or a mini-game. I've just loaded up Left 4 Dead, and plan to fight the undead hoardes with some friends next weekend.
What the hell is up with Guitar Hero, Rock Band and all the music games? Is real music popular again? I like it. Don't forget that Real Music comes from guitars, not record-scratchers.
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
0 Comments
Permalink
There were a fair share of bright moments. Jagged Spiral's long-awaited CD release of "Days From Evil" came and went, and was definitely the highlight of my year. A handful of media reviews, ranging from "needs improvement" up to "gave me the piss-myself nightmares" were exciting to read over and over again, even the "needs improvement" one. Being important enough to dislike still makes you feel important. Famous or Infamous? Hell, I'll take both.
I was hoping the CD release party (at Club Underground on 11 July 2008) would be the start of an exciting summer of booking shows, networking with bands/venues/fans, promoting the album and generating excitement for our new material. Instead, I was informed that it's "all about the music," and little more. That pretty much moved us back to the studio; writing and recording. I guess that's our comfort zone; "a sin that we're good at," if I can plagiarize my own work.
We'll be recording and mixing our new album throughout the spring, you can read more about what the band is up to at www.jaggedspiral.com.
The second half of 2008, I shifted most of my free time to "The Demonslayer's Handbook", and tried to get my mind around the traditional-publishing vs self-publishing processes. The manuscript is done, and my faithful beta-reader-fan-club have devoured the text and reported back plenty of useful criticism. Finding a professional editor is my first primary objective of 2009.
Sometime this year, I'll be updating the website theme, because I unroll like that. Something pencilly, hand-drawn... not entirely sure yet, but no shiny floor, and probably not Web 3.0. I'll also be putting together a newsletter and mailing list, and I've got some other interesting promotional ideas for the book release, which I'm hoping could be as soon as October 2009...
As far as the rest of the world goes, I've found very few movies or bands to rave about in 2008. Batman trumped Indy by far, and I bet I'm not alone in believing that the Indiana Jones franchise should have been left with our hero riding off into the sunset.
NIN's new album was mediocre at best, so much so that I ended up skipping the "Lights in the Sky" tour, and it wasn't till afterwards that I heard it was one of the most spectacular and technically challenging concerts performed (seconded only by Pink Floyd's Wall tour). That'll teach me to skip on NIN!.
Metallica went 'back to their roots', admitting that their last handful of albums sucked. And 'Death Magnetic' simply proves what we've known all along; they can't play like they used to! And while the world gave Metallica no sympathy for the album's poor production value, I thought the music sucked far worse than the production. Between mp3s, radio stations like 93X, and bands like Jagged Spiral, I put up with overcompression all the time, but I've always said I'd rather listen to a good song at poor quality than a poor song at good quality. Like I've said numerous times before, the Real Metallica died in a plane crash during the Black Album tour, and some alien-clone-posers took their places. It's really the only viable explanation.
Guns-N-Roses meanwhile (if we can still call the band that) ran quite far from their roots, and by contractual obligation released "Chinese Democracy" an album which proves that 13 years and 13 Million can't make crappy songs any better. As overproduced as a Brittney Spears album, "Chinese Democracy" lacks the Slash-guitar-hero-hookiness that made G-n-R so great. Sorry Axl, its been great, but I think GNR died in a plane crash with Metallica at the exact same time...
Meanwhile, AC/DC released "Black Ice", the exact same album they've released for years, and are playing sold out shows. The band still refuses to sell it's music on i-tunes. Axl and Metallica could take a lesson here (if they were still alive, that is.)
On the local music front, Mark Mallman is a tough act to top. I saw him at the Varsity for New Year's; as I've mentioned, the man is insane. I hear local hip-hop duo Atmosphere got voted "Band of the Year", for their album, When life hands you lemons, you paint that shit gold" which really should win based on the title alone.
For new stuff, I'll be checking out The Best New Bands of 2008 at First Ave on Jan 14th, and report back here.
And for Video Games, its a close tie between "Dead Space" and "Fallout 3" for my Game of the Year. I just finished Dead Space and it kicks undead-outer-space-horror-sci-fi-tail. I just started Fallout 3, and while it looks like an amazing game overall, Dead Space is the winner for mood, atmosphere and storyline. Spore was disappointing. Portal was fun, and just long enough, but more of a diversion or a mini-game. I've just loaded up Left 4 Dead, and plan to fight the undead hoardes with some friends next weekend.
What the hell is up with Guitar Hero, Rock Band and all the music games? Is real music popular again? I like it. Don't forget that Real Music comes from guitars, not record-scratchers.
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
Labels: A Day In The Life, year-in-review
Friday, December 12, 2008
Happy Motivational Friday!
Doesn't this just make you want to get off your ass and DO SOMETHING?
...Almost?
BTW: Make sure you check out the Full Moon tonight, it's supposed to be (relatively) close to the Earth...
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
Labels: Call To Action, Videos
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Book Review: Self-Publishing for Dummies by Jason R Rich
This book is exactly what you expect, and what I really like about the "Dummies" line. They really aren't written for dummies at all. They don't presume any advanced knowledge of the subject, and explain all concepts and terms so everyone can understand them. That said, Self-Publishing For Dummies isn't going to be enough for you to get your Self-Publishing business off the ground. It's enough of an overview to teach you what you *don't* know, and point out some resources to fill in the gaps in your subject knowledge.
I'd recommend this book as the first (of many) books to read on the subject of Self Publishing.
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
Labels: Book Review
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
All ur status are belong to www.ping.fm!^Ping! Twit! Blog! Post! Update! Mwuhahahaha!
0 Comments
Permalink
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Natural...um...Harvest....ugh
Sorry about this one folks. I've a habit of sending out e-mails and blog posts without fully considering their impact on my audience. So why stop now, eh? Exactly.
Here is a link to Natural Harvest: A Collection of Semen-Based Recipes. Dare you to bring some of *these* to the company potluck!
From the website: Semen is not only nutritious, but it also has a wonderful texture and amazing cooking properties. Like fine wine and cheeses, the taste of semen is complex and dynamic. Semen is inexpensive to produce and is commonly available in many, if not most, homes and restaurants. Despite all of these positive qualities, semen remains neglected as a food. This book hopes to change that. Once you overcome any initial hesitation, you will be surprised to learn how wonderful semen is in the kitchen. Semen is an exciting ingredient that can give every dish you make an interesting twist. If you are a passionate cook and are not afraid to experiment with new ingredients - you will love this cook book!
Not hard to see why this book is self-published. Oh, and you really should read the comments on that page...wow!
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
0 Comments
Permalink
Here is a link to Natural Harvest: A Collection of Semen-Based Recipes. Dare you to bring some of *these* to the company potluck!
From the website: Semen is not only nutritious, but it also has a wonderful texture and amazing cooking properties. Like fine wine and cheeses, the taste of semen is complex and dynamic. Semen is inexpensive to produce and is commonly available in many, if not most, homes and restaurants. Despite all of these positive qualities, semen remains neglected as a food. This book hopes to change that. Once you overcome any initial hesitation, you will be surprised to learn how wonderful semen is in the kitchen. Semen is an exciting ingredient that can give every dish you make an interesting twist. If you are a passionate cook and are not afraid to experiment with new ingredients - you will love this cook book!
Not hard to see why this book is self-published. Oh, and you really should read the comments on that page...wow!
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
Labels: Book Review, Funny
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Burn Away the Days
0 Comments PermalinkWednesday, November 19, 2008
Metallica wins the Loudness War!
0 Comments PermalinkTuesday, November 18, 2008
Book Review: A Case for Ghosts by J. Allan Danelek
With a title like: "A Case for Ghosts - An Objective Look at the Paranormal" I was expecting to read theories about how ghosts could be real and how they 'work'. I was expecting case studies, scientific analysis and interviews that generate data to support those theories. (Otherwise, the title would be "A Case *against* Ghosts") Unfortunately, that isn't what I got.
To be fair, you should understand that writers who release through a publisher don't always get much/any say in the cover graphics, jacket copy and title of their book. The publisher supposedly has a better handle on what kind of name/color/words to wrap the book in to give it a larger appeal, so it wouldn't surprise me if Mr Danalek shares in my disappointment. Whether the fault of Mr. Danelek or his publisher, "A Case for Ghosts" was Severely Mis-Titled, directly resulting in several unfavorable reviews online.
That said, the book is not necessarily bad. If you tear the cover off the book and cross out the title (physically or mentally) you could give the book a charitable review, and I'll try to do so here:
The Bad:
Almost every chapter starts with an interruption. "In this chapter, we will talk about X. But, before we can learn about X, first we should Y..." Eventually the chapter gets around to subject X, but the digressions were annoying, and calling attention to them only made them worse. Instead, Y should have been included as a sidebar, footnote, or simply worked into the text where necessary. The start of the chapter should hook the reader, not detour them into definition-hell or but-first-some-history-purgatory.
Mr Danalek mentions plenty of cases that warrant our "serious consideration", but fails to give any specifics. In fact, there aren't any facts about the cases he mentions AT ALL, and this is frustrating for those looking for objectivity (Remember, we crossed off the title...) The bibliography is severely anemic. Nothing here indicates Mr Danalek experienced these cases himself. The lack of facts in this text makes it difficult to lock in any of the argument. It can't have been difficult to get some real-world data or cases to ground his arguments upon. Without something to base his case on, his arguments have no more weight than the ghosts he is studying.
In one chapter, Mr Danalek denounces the idea of demons, proclaiming them to simply be angry ghosts; spirits of the formerly living who were mean people when they were alive, and the only difference is that they're dead now. In a later chapter, he quickly accepts the concept of Guardian Angels (or Spirt Guides) as though the truth were obvious. Overlooking the fact that these are merely opinions, these two beliefs are completely incompatible. You simply don't get one without the other, that would be like only believing in "Good" people and not "Evil" people, or in the "Beneficial" uses for Gravity or Electricity, without believing in the "Dangerous". I can tolerate Mr Danalek's lack of objectivity, but I won't tolerate inconsistency.
The book does go off-topic a bit. There's a whole lot of personal information in this book, and I'm always wary of books that have too much "I...Me...My" in them. There are also diversions (some of them pages in length) into Mr Danalek's analysis of Religion which needs either its own section, or should be marked as 'outside the scope of this book'. This issue should have been caught by an editor.
The Good:
Mr Danalek has done some research, and he is knowledgeable on the subject of the ghostly aspects of the paranormal. He provides all sides of the issues of hauntings, different types of ghosts, spirit communications, possession and other tasty topics, then he provides his opinion on what he believes throughout the writing and in the conclusion of each chapter. I'm pleased to see that he entertains views that he does not agree with.
For a philosophical overview of such an esoteric subject, the writing is easily accessible. Not much by way of jargon, and what little is used is clearly explained. The book is a good overview of the subject, covering a wide range of paranormal topics but staying in the Ghostly realm, and thankfully leaving out Bigfoot, Aliens and the Loch Ness Monster.
The Upshot:
"A Case for Ghosts" gives a good, broad overview of the Spiritual subsection of the Paranormal. Those interested in the field of Ghost Hunting should pair it up with "How to be a Ghost Hunter" by Richard Southall.
Ignore the title. Don't expect any objectivity in "A Case for Ghosts - An Objective Look at the Paranormal". Expect to see a rundown of all sides of a broad range of issues, followed by Mr Danalek's opinion on the matter. Those already familiar with the subject and seeking answers, proof or research - [jedi]this is not the book you're looking for[/jedi]
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
0 Comments
Permalink
To be fair, you should understand that writers who release through a publisher don't always get much/any say in the cover graphics, jacket copy and title of their book. The publisher supposedly has a better handle on what kind of name/color/words to wrap the book in to give it a larger appeal, so it wouldn't surprise me if Mr Danalek shares in my disappointment. Whether the fault of Mr. Danelek or his publisher, "A Case for Ghosts" was Severely Mis-Titled, directly resulting in several unfavorable reviews online.
That said, the book is not necessarily bad. If you tear the cover off the book and cross out the title (physically or mentally) you could give the book a charitable review, and I'll try to do so here:
The Bad:
Almost every chapter starts with an interruption. "In this chapter, we will talk about X. But, before we can learn about X, first we should Y..." Eventually the chapter gets around to subject X, but the digressions were annoying, and calling attention to them only made them worse. Instead, Y should have been included as a sidebar, footnote, or simply worked into the text where necessary. The start of the chapter should hook the reader, not detour them into definition-hell or but-first-some-history-purgatory.
Mr Danalek mentions plenty of cases that warrant our "serious consideration", but fails to give any specifics. In fact, there aren't any facts about the cases he mentions AT ALL, and this is frustrating for those looking for objectivity (Remember, we crossed off the title...) The bibliography is severely anemic. Nothing here indicates Mr Danalek experienced these cases himself. The lack of facts in this text makes it difficult to lock in any of the argument. It can't have been difficult to get some real-world data or cases to ground his arguments upon. Without something to base his case on, his arguments have no more weight than the ghosts he is studying.
In one chapter, Mr Danalek denounces the idea of demons, proclaiming them to simply be angry ghosts; spirits of the formerly living who were mean people when they were alive, and the only difference is that they're dead now. In a later chapter, he quickly accepts the concept of Guardian Angels (or Spirt Guides) as though the truth were obvious. Overlooking the fact that these are merely opinions, these two beliefs are completely incompatible. You simply don't get one without the other, that would be like only believing in "Good" people and not "Evil" people, or in the "Beneficial" uses for Gravity or Electricity, without believing in the "Dangerous". I can tolerate Mr Danalek's lack of objectivity, but I won't tolerate inconsistency.
The book does go off-topic a bit. There's a whole lot of personal information in this book, and I'm always wary of books that have too much "I...Me...My" in them. There are also diversions (some of them pages in length) into Mr Danalek's analysis of Religion which needs either its own section, or should be marked as 'outside the scope of this book'. This issue should have been caught by an editor.
The Good:
Mr Danalek has done some research, and he is knowledgeable on the subject of the ghostly aspects of the paranormal. He provides all sides of the issues of hauntings, different types of ghosts, spirit communications, possession and other tasty topics, then he provides his opinion on what he believes throughout the writing and in the conclusion of each chapter. I'm pleased to see that he entertains views that he does not agree with.
For a philosophical overview of such an esoteric subject, the writing is easily accessible. Not much by way of jargon, and what little is used is clearly explained. The book is a good overview of the subject, covering a wide range of paranormal topics but staying in the Ghostly realm, and thankfully leaving out Bigfoot, Aliens and the Loch Ness Monster.
The Upshot:
"A Case for Ghosts" gives a good, broad overview of the Spiritual subsection of the Paranormal. Those interested in the field of Ghost Hunting should pair it up with "How to be a Ghost Hunter" by Richard Southall.
Ignore the title. Don't expect any objectivity in "A Case for Ghosts - An Objective Look at the Paranormal". Expect to see a rundown of all sides of a broad range of issues, followed by Mr Danalek's opinion on the matter. Those already familiar with the subject and seeking answers, proof or research - [jedi]this is not the book you're looking for[/jedi]
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
Labels: Book Review
Friday, November 14, 2008
I Write Dead People!
My preference for the Final Voyage would be a Viking Longboat set aflame.
Getting your ashes shot into space via Celestis was a reasonable second choice...
...but getting your ashes made into pencil lead pretty much trumps that idea.
Just when you think you've heard it all. Thanks to Neil Gaiman for the link.
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
0 Comments
Permalink
Getting your ashes shot into space via Celestis was a reasonable second choice...
...but getting your ashes made into pencil lead pretty much trumps that idea.
Just when you think you've heard it all. Thanks to Neil Gaiman for the link.
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
Labels: Cool Product
Monday, November 10, 2008
Write or Die
This is a fantastic idea:
Dr Wicked's Website Write or Die lets you set up a word-count goal and a time limit. If you pause for too long, or get distracted, the screen turns red, then your words start getting erased! Talk about motivation!
At any point, you can hit Done and save what you've written to your clipboard. The website also offers the following HTML code as a badge of honor. Its a bit messy, I haven't edited it, just dropped it in so you can see what it looks like:
I'll let you guess what the two words were...
Thanks to Lifehacker for the link.
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
0 Comments
Permalink
Dr Wicked's Website Write or Die lets you set up a word-count goal and a time limit. If you pause for too long, or get distracted, the screen turns red, then your words start getting erased! Talk about motivation!
At any point, you can hit Done and save what you've written to your clipboard. The website also offers the following HTML code as a badge of honor. Its a bit messy, I haven't edited it, just dropped it in so you can see what it looks like:
 | 2 |
 | |
1  | |
 | |
| lab.drwicked.com | |
I'll let you guess what the two words were...
Thanks to Lifehacker for the link.
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
Labels: Cool Website, Writing
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Sleevefacing
If you haven't head about Sleevefacing, you're in for a treat. The official definition from the official website: "one or more persons obscuring or augmenting any part of their body or bodies with record sleeve(s) causing an illusion"
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
0 Comments
Permalink
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
Labels: Cool Invention, Funny, Videos
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Hail the new President
1 Comments PermalinkSunday, November 02, 2008
Book Review: American Exorcism by Michael W Cuneo
At first, I found it strange that Mr Cuneo chose "American" as the focus for his book, American Exorcism (2001, Doubleday). I was more interested in the Exorcism than the American, and Mr Cuneo is obviously more interested in the American than the Exorcism, but I was still able to get quite a bit out of it.
Mr Cuneo chalks up much of the (American) uprising of demonic possession and exorcism in the 20th century to the (American) Entertainment Industry. More specifically, the release of William Peter Blatty's 1973 blockbuster film "The Exorcist" and Malachi Martin's book, "Hostage to the Devil". And rightfully so, since the number of "possessions" and officially appointed Exorcists has increased exponentially since these works were released. Did you know Exorcists now have their own Association?
"American Exorcism" covers the media blitz surrounding the subject of Exorcism, and the more famous and infamous cases. It covers everything from Real Exorcists appointed by the Roman Catholic church, to the Evangelical ministries of "Deliverance". The Rogue priests performing exorcisms without the approval of the church to the charlatans, cultists, and kooks who see demons behind every questionable human behaviour.
The Good: Mr Cuneo does his homework. He doesn't simply study the case files from the comfort of his office, he goes out and interviews all the important people, he attends the conferences and the exorcisms. He gives you his findings and his opinions based on firsthand experience.
Most importantly, unlike the majority of books in this minor field, Mr Cuneo is a true open-minded skeptic. He's a Sociologist first and foremost, and I think he's got an accurate view of Americans and what makes them tick. He isn't a priest or a religious convert, passing off his opinion as research. This makes "American Exorcism" a truly objective work, which is truly rare in this field.
The Bad: Sadly, the only bad is the stupidity, gullibility and American-ness of Americans. But you knew that already.
The Unfortunate: In all of Mr Cuneo's research, he never came across anything he was willing to classify as demonic. Call me "American", but I would have loved to get a glimpse of something behind all the smoke and mirrors.
The Upshot: "American Exorcism" is an absolute necessary book for anyone researching Exorcism, especially as it pertains to its effect on American culture.
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
0 Comments
Permalink
Mr Cuneo chalks up much of the (American) uprising of demonic possession and exorcism in the 20th century to the (American) Entertainment Industry. More specifically, the release of William Peter Blatty's 1973 blockbuster film "The Exorcist" and Malachi Martin's book, "Hostage to the Devil". And rightfully so, since the number of "possessions" and officially appointed Exorcists has increased exponentially since these works were released. Did you know Exorcists now have their own Association?
"American Exorcism" covers the media blitz surrounding the subject of Exorcism, and the more famous and infamous cases. It covers everything from Real Exorcists appointed by the Roman Catholic church, to the Evangelical ministries of "Deliverance". The Rogue priests performing exorcisms without the approval of the church to the charlatans, cultists, and kooks who see demons behind every questionable human behaviour.
The Good: Mr Cuneo does his homework. He doesn't simply study the case files from the comfort of his office, he goes out and interviews all the important people, he attends the conferences and the exorcisms. He gives you his findings and his opinions based on firsthand experience.
Most importantly, unlike the majority of books in this minor field, Mr Cuneo is a true open-minded skeptic. He's a Sociologist first and foremost, and I think he's got an accurate view of Americans and what makes them tick. He isn't a priest or a religious convert, passing off his opinion as research. This makes "American Exorcism" a truly objective work, which is truly rare in this field.
The Bad: Sadly, the only bad is the stupidity, gullibility and American-ness of Americans. But you knew that already.
The Unfortunate: In all of Mr Cuneo's research, he never came across anything he was willing to classify as demonic. Call me "American", but I would have loved to get a glimpse of something behind all the smoke and mirrors.
The Upshot: "American Exorcism" is an absolute necessary book for anyone researching Exorcism, especially as it pertains to its effect on American culture.
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
Labels: americans, Book Review, Cultural Observation, Demonology
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Sound Unseen 2008
Sound Unseen 2008 begins tonight. Check the website for all the awesome to-do's, and watch this groovy trailer for the event:
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
0 Comments
Permalink
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
Labels: Cool Event, Minneapolis Event
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Sound Unseen - Rock and Bowl next Monday!
On Monday October 20, 2008, you can have your chance to bowl against some local Minneapolis bands:10-20-2008
7pm -10pm at Memory Lanes
Sound Unseen Music Film and Art Festival Presents
ROCK AND BOWL - Come bowl with us at Memory Lanes!
2520 26th Ave S, Minneapolis, 55406
Cost: $5 - Includes Bowling
John Kass will be selling records and DJing this year's Rock N' Bowl.
Reserve your spot today! Sign up in teams of four. To do so, please email: info@soundunseen.com.
Participating Bands:
- Bella Koshka
- So It Goes
- Military Special
- The Guystorm
- Weaver at the Loom
- Zebulon Pike
- Gospel Gossip
- The God Damn Doo Wop Band
- Building Better Bombs
- The Soviet Machines
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
Labels: Cool Event, Minneapolis Event
Friday, October 10, 2008
The Demonslayer's Handbook - Escaped!
We're told that everyone has a story inside them.
Somehow, mine escaped.
I looked over at the printer, and there it was. Over four-hundred, tree-killing pages of adjective-laden, occult/action/adventure nonsense, sure to send even the most patient copy editor into conniptions. (Unless they charged by the mistake.)
As you read this, several copies of "The Demonslayer's Handbook - Book One" are circulating a tightly scrutinized list of pre-readers. In the meantime, I've drowned myself in books, websites and RSS feeds on writing/publishing from insiders and outsiders, those who've succeeded and failed, those who swear by the system, and those who swear at it. After what seems like ages of introspection and research, I've come to several conclusions.
First, any writer foolish enough to go through the traditional publishing route for a 'book deal' (esp. for fiction) is... a complete fool. Whatever can be said about the recording industry for music goes equally well for the publishing industry. You'd be money ahead using those printed manuscript pages to heat your home this winter.
Second, anyone foolish enough to try to self-publish their work of fiction is... an utter fool. Publishers will tell you that Print On Demand is the new 'vanity press' and Amazon is destroying the printed world by enticing authors to 'the Dark Side' of self-publishing their own works. Why would anyone buy your crap that's about as low-quality and apocryphal as the average blog post? You're better off taking all the money you would have put into the set-up fee for Print On Demand, and take it to the casino instead.
The upshot here is that anyone foolish enough to try to write a work of fiction now-a-days is...well, a complete and utter fool. Especially niche-y, urban fantasy that sounds like a knock-up of Dan Brown's "Demons and Angels" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".
So the vote is in. Conventional Wisdom has Spoken. Don't do it. Don't be a complete and utter fool.
Ha! Good thing I'm a rebel who only listens to conventional wisdom long enough to decide what I can do to piss everyone off. The book's very existence is as unplanned as a broken condom; no reason it can't be leveraged into a Happy Accident.
I've no doubt that I'll be not only a complete and utter fool, but also a complete and utter failure. However, if I may be so bold as to quote the wise King Theoden:
"If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end, as to be worthy of remembrance."
In other words, if I can't be astounding, then perhaps I can be an astounding failure. I could very well end up the publishing industry's poster-boy for Why You Should Never Ever Self Publish!
I'm going to put together a list of goals, and a timeline. I'll track all the time and expenses spent on this Beautiful Disaster, and I'll be sure to post all the cold, hard numbers right here on www.conradzero.com.
Just you watch...
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
0 Comments
Permalink
Somehow, mine escaped.
I looked over at the printer, and there it was. Over four-hundred, tree-killing pages of adjective-laden, occult/action/adventure nonsense, sure to send even the most patient copy editor into conniptions. (Unless they charged by the mistake.)
As you read this, several copies of "The Demonslayer's Handbook - Book One" are circulating a tightly scrutinized list of pre-readers. In the meantime, I've drowned myself in books, websites and RSS feeds on writing/publishing from insiders and outsiders, those who've succeeded and failed, those who swear by the system, and those who swear at it. After what seems like ages of introspection and research, I've come to several conclusions.
First, any writer foolish enough to go through the traditional publishing route for a 'book deal' (esp. for fiction) is... a complete fool. Whatever can be said about the recording industry for music goes equally well for the publishing industry. You'd be money ahead using those printed manuscript pages to heat your home this winter.
Second, anyone foolish enough to try to self-publish their work of fiction is... an utter fool. Publishers will tell you that Print On Demand is the new 'vanity press' and Amazon is destroying the printed world by enticing authors to 'the Dark Side' of self-publishing their own works. Why would anyone buy your crap that's about as low-quality and apocryphal as the average blog post? You're better off taking all the money you would have put into the set-up fee for Print On Demand, and take it to the casino instead.
The upshot here is that anyone foolish enough to try to write a work of fiction now-a-days is...well, a complete and utter fool. Especially niche-y, urban fantasy that sounds like a knock-up of Dan Brown's "Demons and Angels" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".
So the vote is in. Conventional Wisdom has Spoken. Don't do it. Don't be a complete and utter fool.
Ha! Good thing I'm a rebel who only listens to conventional wisdom long enough to decide what I can do to piss everyone off. The book's very existence is as unplanned as a broken condom; no reason it can't be leveraged into a Happy Accident.
I've no doubt that I'll be not only a complete and utter fool, but also a complete and utter failure. However, if I may be so bold as to quote the wise King Theoden:
"If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end, as to be worthy of remembrance."In other words, if I can't be astounding, then perhaps I can be an astounding failure. I could very well end up the publishing industry's poster-boy for Why You Should Never Ever Self Publish!
I'm going to put together a list of goals, and a timeline. I'll track all the time and expenses spent on this Beautiful Disaster, and I'll be sure to post all the cold, hard numbers right here on www.conradzero.com.
Just you watch...
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
Labels: The Demonslayers Handbook, Writing
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Blog Review: ZenHabits
It's sites like ZenHabits.net that make me want to be a better blogger. I've no delusions that conradzero.com is useful by any stretch of the imagination, but ZenHabits is chock-full of useful, practical, real-world information on how to make your life simpler and better.
It's positive and cheerful too, but don't let that get you down.
There's a marvelous post over there right now by Leo, titled Success Isn’t a Competition: Boosting Others Helps You in the Long Run. It's title pretty much sums the post up. There's some good examples of the idea applied to blogging, but the idea lends itself well to other areas of life. I'd argue that competition is healthy to a point, but there's a lot of truth to what Leo says.
Leo's also starting a "Helping Hand" program, and reaching out to offer support to other bloggers in any way he can. That's great, and I wish him the best. He's already helping me by blogging useful advice. I'm helping him in return by telling all three of my blog readers what a great site ZenHabits is. It's the least I can do.
Ya'all really ought to read it. Leo's got a lot of useful wisdom to share.
Don't pass up on zenhabits! It'd be like starting every sentence of your blog post with a contraction.
That'd be lame.
Art's Resistance
-Z'ro
0 Comments
Permalink
It's positive and cheerful too, but don't let that get you down.
There's a marvelous post over there right now by Leo, titled Success Isn’t a Competition: Boosting Others Helps You in the Long Run. It's title pretty much sums the post up. There's some good examples of the idea applied to blogging, but the idea lends itself well to other areas of life. I'd argue that competition is healthy to a point, but there's a lot of truth to what Leo says.
Leo's also starting a "Helping Hand" program, and reaching out to offer support to other bloggers in any way he can. That's great, and I wish him the best. He's already helping me by blogging useful advice. I'm helping him in return by telling all three of my blog readers what a great site ZenHabits is. It's the least I can do.
Ya'all really ought to read it. Leo's got a lot of useful wisdom to share.
Don't pass up on zenhabits! It'd be like starting every sentence of your blog post with a contraction.
That'd be lame.
Art's Resistance
-Z'ro
Labels: Blogging, Cool Website, Ubercool
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Book Review - "The Spiritualist" by Megan Chance
After reading one too many technical books, I had to shift back into a bit of fictional fun, and Megan Chance's latest work 'The Spiritualist' caught my attention. According to her website, 'The Spiritualist' is...
...a tale of murder and intrigue, class and the occult, as one woman’s desperate search for a killer reveals that truth may be the greatest illusion of all...
More specifically, 'The Spiritualist' is a murder-mystery set in the 1800's, involving the heroine, Evie, who married into high-society. When Evie's husband disappears after a visit to a 'spirit circle', Evie is sucked into an intricate web of deceit between the elite social circles, her own family and an occult group led by a charismatic medium. It's a story of high-society, table-rapping spirits, charlatans, and romance.
Alright, so it isn't something I'd typically read. There weren't any ninjas or explosions in it. All the more reason you should be shocked and amazed at my assessment: Megan Chance is a *fantastic* writer, and 'The Spiritualist' is a great book.
The Good
Megan Chance writes believable characters. Even for the elite class and different time period the characters come from; I really believed in them. Their actions, reactions and motivations were understandable, if not forgivable. I never felt like I was watching 'The English Patient' where suspension of disbelief was pushed beyond superhuman limits.
The storyline was tight and linear, with few wasted pages. The plot pulls you in, and doesn't disappoint, keeping and a sure-and-steady pace. And just the right amount of intrigue, to keep you reading past your bedtime.
Anoter great thing about the book was the cover, and the lack of half-naked people embracing thereon. Let's be honest, that doesn't even belong on the covers of trashy romance novels. DISCLAIMER: The story has romance in it, and Megan Chance did win the "Romance Writers of America’s RITA award for excellence in Romantic Fiction". But don't hold that against her, or this story. The romance was tastefully done.
But the best part of the book is the writing. The sentences simply flowed, and made me realize how much my own writing sounds like a hastily translated 'Dick and Jane' book. Megan paints smooth, silky pictures of the 1800s in your head with her words.
The Bad
There weren't any ninjas or explosions. Yeah, that's about it. Note to self, Megan: 'Next book - needs more ninjas'.
The Upshot
'The Spiritualist' is a treat for anyone wanting an escape to a well-constructed, well-written, 1800s romantic-occult-murder-mystery.
Megan Chance's website.
'The Spiritualist' on Amazon.com
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
0 Comments
Permalink
...a tale of murder and intrigue, class and the occult, as one woman’s desperate search for a killer reveals that truth may be the greatest illusion of all...
More specifically, 'The Spiritualist' is a murder-mystery set in the 1800's, involving the heroine, Evie, who married into high-society. When Evie's husband disappears after a visit to a 'spirit circle', Evie is sucked into an intricate web of deceit between the elite social circles, her own family and an occult group led by a charismatic medium. It's a story of high-society, table-rapping spirits, charlatans, and romance.
Alright, so it isn't something I'd typically read. There weren't any ninjas or explosions in it. All the more reason you should be shocked and amazed at my assessment: Megan Chance is a *fantastic* writer, and 'The Spiritualist' is a great book.
The Good
Megan Chance writes believable characters. Even for the elite class and different time period the characters come from; I really believed in them. Their actions, reactions and motivations were understandable, if not forgivable. I never felt like I was watching 'The English Patient' where suspension of disbelief was pushed beyond superhuman limits.
The storyline was tight and linear, with few wasted pages. The plot pulls you in, and doesn't disappoint, keeping and a sure-and-steady pace. And just the right amount of intrigue, to keep you reading past your bedtime.
Anoter great thing about the book was the cover, and the lack of half-naked people embracing thereon. Let's be honest, that doesn't even belong on the covers of trashy romance novels. DISCLAIMER: The story has romance in it, and Megan Chance did win the "Romance Writers of America’s RITA award for excellence in Romantic Fiction". But don't hold that against her, or this story. The romance was tastefully done.
But the best part of the book is the writing. The sentences simply flowed, and made me realize how much my own writing sounds like a hastily translated 'Dick and Jane' book. Megan paints smooth, silky pictures of the 1800s in your head with her words.
The Bad
There weren't any ninjas or explosions. Yeah, that's about it. Note to self, Megan: 'Next book - needs more ninjas'.
The Upshot
'The Spiritualist' is a treat for anyone wanting an escape to a well-constructed, well-written, 1800s romantic-occult-murder-mystery.
Megan Chance's website.
'The Spiritualist' on Amazon.com
Art Is Resistance
-Zero
Labels: Book Review
Blog Feeds
Subscribe to this Blog by E-Mail
Zero Links
Jagged Links
Search
Blog Archives
- February 2004
- March 2004
- April 2004
- May 2004
- June 2004
- July 2004
- August 2004
- September 2004
- October 2004
- November 2004
- December 2004
- January 2005
- February 2005
- March 2005
- April 2005
- May 2005
- June 2005
- July 2005
- August 2005
- September 2005
- October 2005
- November 2005
- December 2005
- January 2006
- February 2006
- March 2006
- April 2006
- May 2006
- June 2006
- July 2006
- August 2006
- September 2006
- October 2006
- November 2006
- December 2006
- January 2007
- February 2007
- March 2007
- April 2007
- May 2007
- June 2007
- July 2007
- August 2007
- September 2007
- October 2007
- November 2007
- December 2007
- January 2008
- February 2008
- March 2008
- April 2008
- May 2008
- June 2008
- July 2008
- August 2008
- September 2008
- October 2008
- November 2008
- December 2008
- January 2009
