Grrrr

ActionScript Hassles. !@#$% @#$@#$. Tired.

Financial End O' Days

I unilaterally declare it time to stop using the ridiculous euphemism, "Recession" and head on into "Depression" territory. Barring the unforeseen discovery of rainbow space diamonds among the nation's gravel pits, we're screwed. On the upside, I already drive a Depression-ready car--a 1991 "3-door" white Buick Park Avenue (as seen above!), so I'm ready on that score. I hope y'all are too. Time to dust off good old fashioned humility, hard-work, and lend-a-hand-can-do-ism -- or, despondent, self-pitying, abusive drunkenness -- whatever suits your personal style.

I'd also like to take a moment to thank the powers that be for the financial bonanza we're raking in from our various wars, deregulation, tax cuts, and overall awesomeness. Great job! Well-played, fellows. Truly, well-played!

Big Steve Hammond sent along a nice link to an animation by Jonathan Jarvis, "The Crisis of Credit Realized," explaining the banking collapse. Check it out. It filled in some big gaps for me.

Listless

Julie might be out of a job next year, along with many other improbably gifted and dedicated public school teachers. That's bleakness of a high order because these people are good at what they do, and what they do is good for this place.

Probably a good time to listen to some Billy Bragg. UPDATE: Here are the chords to It Says Here, if you want to bust it out.
It Says Here
Billy Bragg
Chords (as per Miles)

G C G D Intro
C G D Verse
G Em C G Bridge 1
D Em D Em Bridge 2
G F C Instrumental before finale

Back in the Day

Lordy. Getting a bit behind in life these days. Got an email out of the blue with a drawing of mine I haven't seen in 16-19 years. Wild. It's a drawing of my pal, Nick Oredson. Got to get the Arms and Ether for tomorrow goin'. Man. Also, got to finish screening animation for Ashland International Film Festival juryin'. Blah blah blagh.

On the up side, had a great time playing basketball with the fellas and then goofing around with Sam. We worked on Buddy Holly by Weezer, shot hoops at Walker School, then watched some George Gervin and Pistol Pete Marovich on YouTube. This evening the family got together to chill with 97 year-old Grandma out at the folks'. Fun stuff.

Ramblin' Homme

Hmmm, I feel like everything is falling apart, though I suppose it was never solid to begin with.
The weather is breaking. The sun is coming through. The wind is blowing. That's good. That's something we can start with. It's a beginning.

I leave you with some precious wisdom I've passed on to my students lately.

"command-k"
"F9"
"F8"

Looks like I'm the teacher of the year. Keep your eyes peeled for my upcoming bio-pic starring Paul Giamatti in the starring role (with Laura Linney as quietly supportive Julie!). Tears are shed (in empathy! in joy! in loss!), lives are changed, but most of all, spirits are up-fuckin'-lifted.

Arms and Ether is on schedule for Monday (ta-dah.)

This Monday marks the first appearance of Pickelhaube and L'il Evan! So get over to Arms and Ether and differentiate yourself from the other animals by laughing.
I've posted the original Pickelhaube concept drawing above (from way back in 2003! ed.) What's better than a pickelhaube with that awesome spike on it? One with three, that's what.

Corruption!

There's something brilliant about corruption. Maybe it's just how unnecessary it usually is. Most corrupt types really don't need to be doing what they're doing--they just seem to want to do it because it's awesome. I appreciate the zany, "let's take this thing to the next level" spirit of it all. Here's a charming example of "privatization" in action from today's NYT. Nice work. In tough economic times, you've got to show some initiative. I hope we can all come up with similarly inspired solutions to the economic crisis. Remember, "crisis = threat + opportunity!"

"A Hustle Here

And a hustle there.
Time traveling at my leisure in an indestructible body is the place where.
I said, "Hey Sucre, Prends a Walk sur Das Wilde Side."

Beholde this olden drawing (2002!!!!!!) made, when as a young, olde-man, I thought I could unlock an "alternate ending" to life by finding the right FAQ/Walkthrough. Ah ha ha ha ha! Oh, man. Whew. Funny stuff. I tell you.

But seriously, you folke. The orderly 4 panel method of Arms et Ether is wont to disintegrate at short notice. The world and the mind are too fluid, too slippery. So @#$% it.

This ought to make you happy

Walk On The Wild Side by Young@Heart.
I'm thinking Lou Reed did not forsee this.

New Arms & Ether Strip Is Out! Ack!

Okay, it's the 6th Arms & Ether strip. Go check it out.
Now with more physical violence and fewer allusions!!

Just Wondering

Has anyone kicked as much melodic ass as Paul McCartney did with his bass on Sgt Pepper's? "With A Little Help From My Friends?" Damn, brother, you're killing me here. "Getting Better" -- for !@#$'s sake. I don't think there's been anything like it before of since. Maybe if you took some happy Austrian tuba player from the late 19th century, injected him with ecstasy, took away his hope and fear, gave him visions of the spirit world and turned him loose with the understanding that heaven and hell surround us here on earth you might get something like it. Maybe.

Pops

Here's a video of Lawson Inada reading some William Stafford at a Stafford Tribute at the SOU Hannon Library recently. Dad's not only the Poet Laureate of Oregon, he's also adept at taking his grandson to see Paul Blart Mall Cop. Pops is definitely multi-class. Video by Angela Howe-Decker and Mark Decker for the Ashland Daily Tidings.

Inadaville Salutes Warren Hedges

Here's Warren doing an impressive 21st century Albrecht Durer on the Cintiq. The H-Dog has been laying down some heavy niceness over at Immanent Domain. I'm particularly enjoying the BeDeviled's Dictionary. If you've got a weakness for words you'll be glad you went. Go check it out--it's a regular "fistful of hollars."

Maybe They Got Arshavin After All

Yes, this is some interactive shiznay. What does it all mean? The code and .fla file for this wonderfulness are over at the Comics and Picture Books/Interactive site.

Getting There

I'm feeling a bit worn down. But if the doors of perception were cleansed clicked . . .? Give it a shot. This is an in-process bit of ActionScript/Flash I've been putting together for a demonstration of the advent calendar assignment my Interactive Studio class is working on. I'll post the code over on the class site, later on. Also--gots to get the latest Arms and Ether up tonight!

Argh! Ray Dennis Steckler--RIP!

Finally:
Here's the ActionScript 2.0 FLA file for the Doors o' Perception file above. Enjoy!