A mild Snafusis

What I Wrote to My Congressman Jason Chaffetz about SOPA/PIPA

2012-01-18T10:29:00.000-08:00

Any intellectually honest investigation of SOPA/PIPA will reveal it as a vicious attack on our free information society. The technology is indistinguishable from what is used to control public opinion in China. It would lobotomize our infrastructure. It protects a single sector of the economy by sweepingly restricting the free movement of every other person and entity within U.S. jurisdiction. People will not invest in an ecosystem like that. The economy will suffer tremendously, but even more important than the economy are basic civil rights. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are among the god-given, unalienable rights we defend. Liberty and freedom of discourse fall squarely within our Constitutional rights. SOPA/PIPA grant courts and specific industries undue policing power that will set this country back, probably forever, in global standing on freedom and economic growth.
Mr. Chaffetz, please fight this. Thank you.

Ironically, in order to send this message about privacy and freedom, I had to provide a surprising amount of personal information. Phone number, address, full name, email. Funny... ish.

Not Prophecy, Just Wisdom: Ron Paul Predicts the Course of Libyan Revolution

2011-11-06T10:01:00.000-08:00

Let me first establish that I don't know how this whole thing will play out. I don't know where Libya will be a year from now, and certainly have no idea beyond that. But if I were a betting man, I'd put my money wherever Ron Paul says it'll go.

Ron Paul has been more prescient on more issues than the rest of Washington combined. The most recent example is the Libyan conflict.

This was spoken three months ago. Paul has been very vocal about his opposition to American involvement since the conflict began.

Now to today's (un)headline: Al Qaeda Flag flies above Libyan Rebel HQ

I say "(un)headline" because this is omitted from American mainstream media. You won't find mention of it on CNN, MSNBC, of even FOX. You have to go to news bureaus headquartered outside the US, or marginalized within the US. There are good reasons to take US news outlets with more than a grain of salt.

At what point do we collectively concede that Ron Paul really does get what he's talking about?

His voice stands far apart from the rest of Republican and Democratic rhetoric, so people call him fringe unelectable. But last I checked, people from virtually every point along the political spectrum are sick and tired of the existing rhetoric. Who mows Mitt Romney's lawn? Who cares?

Obama hasn't shown any ability to turn anything around. In nationwide polls, Paul matches him as well or better than any Republican candidate.

Any chance we can start to confess that there is only one candidate who understands our policies and the impact our policies have, both foreign and domestic?

Lost in (Dream) Translation

2011-11-01T23:17:00.001-07:00

The other day I woke up and groggily dictated to my phone what I had dreamt. "Dragon Dictation" is the best there is, from what I understand. But between my sleepy slurring and a still struggling technology, this is what came out the other side.

"I have very strange dreams last night and dreamt about some space on the entrance space that I was making a postcard for Eric Allman is a little bit scared to be on the edge of space is Alexis tensional dilemma attempts that I was going some place it's a basket of clothes this hospital has cool lift me down stopped and said I had talked them so real pain dirty as my glasses controlling as it was picking up close that truck for my basket close and then maybe I imagine this I felt like to."

P.S. The dream, from what I can remember, involved me writing a postcard, from a space station on the edge of the known universe, to my friend Eric Wellman.

A Popular "Unelectable": The Perception Problem Facing Ron Paul

2011-10-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

I'm on facebook a lot (too much really; but you should subscribe). Lately Ron Paul has been making frequent appearances in my news feed, where he is always a welcome guest.

I saw a post yesterday that was surprised about Dr. Paul's frequent mention.

The initial post is one we could take days, weeks, or months to discuss and answer, so we'll save that for another time. Each subsequent sentiment expressed in the thread is one I've heard before. After mention of Ron Pauls support for truly free markets, his defense of rapidly eroding freedoms, his prescient foresight of terrorism and economic catastrophes, his reverence for the highest law in our country, and his unquestioned intellectual consistency, the final comment is this:

"[The above] might all be true, but I don't believe he's electable."

Mitch, let's talk about that.

You're not the only one saying he's unelectable. Why is that? What indicators tell you he's not electable?

Is it the polls? The whole purpose of a straw poll is to show which way the wind blows. Paul has performed consistently and increasing well in straw polls. When he's on the ballot, he usually ends up in the top three. He's taken first place as often as Herman Cain and more often than Mitt Romney. If you want to look at online polls, Paul dominates in an almost comical fashion (for reasons I'll discuss later).

Maybe an old white Texan Christian doesn't have broad appeal? False. He's extremely popular with young voters, a demographic largely responsible for electing both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. He's popular with independents and even liberal voters disenchanted with President Obama. He has more donations from active service military than every other republican candidate combined, and more than the President. He has, unquestionably, the strongest grassroots support of any republican running.

Perhaps he wouldn't fare well against the President? Again, it's just not the case. In an article titled "Still no front-runner in the battle for the GOP Nomination" a CNN poll showed that, indeed there is a frontrunner when pitted agains Obama. After wadding through two thirds of the article, the report adds a seeming afterthought;

"Who does best against Obama? Paul. The congressman from Texas, who also ran as a libertarian candidate for president in 1988 and who is well liked by many in the tea party movement, trails the president by only seven points (52 to 45 percent) in a hypothetical general election showdown."

Paul's popularity has only grown since this article was published. Current polls put him evenly matched to Obama, who is spending more money than any political candidate in world history to keep his numbers up.

All of this is record of fact. Yet the refrain persists, "He's not electable." Can I suggest why you might be saying that?

It's because you keep hearing it from the "experts", people you feel you should trust, people who should know. I'm talking about the mainstream media and news.

We all know the MSM impacts the national dialogue. Aside from being a self-evident fact, it's also taught in every news and communication class in the country. It's called "Agenda-Setting Theory" and states basically this: The News isn't great at telling us what to think on a given topic, but it's very effective at telling us what to think about.

If CNN and MSNBC decide the death of a bombshell floozy is more newsworthy than the death of U.S. Soldiers, then we end up talking about Anna Nicole Smith instead of the sixth U.S. chopper to go down in Iraq in three weeks time.

Back to the current election; with a candidate performing so well in polls, with such broad appeal, whose popularity keeps rising, you'd think the MSM would have increasing coverage to take advantage of the wave and increase ratings. But it hasn't happened. Ron Paul has been so ignored that he's become the elephant in the room. He was so overlooked at the Iowa straw poll it became fodder for John Stewart's punditry.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Indecision 2012 - Corn Polled Edition - Ron Paul & the Top Tier

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

The Daily Show on Facebook

To deny it at this point is indefensible. Paul has clearly been given the cold shoulder by the MSM. The congressional veteran of 23 years, member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Joint Economic Committee, and the House Committee on Financial Services, and Chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology, has been granted a grand total of 18 minutes, 47 seconds during the last three republican debates. Romney was granted roughly that same speaking time during a single debate.

This brings us to why Paul perform so phenomenally well online. With MSM completely ignoring him, disenfranchised Paul supporters turn to the only place they can, the only communications outlet where their views will be represented: The Internet. YouTube searches for candidates' names show the disparity. Paul has over three times the volume of Romney in the only media ecosystem that is completely democratic in nature.

Put bluntly, he's a pretty popular guy.

Mitch, I hope I've made the concept clear. You're saying Ron Paul isn't electable because you were told he isn't electable. You were told this by people you feel you should trust, people who purport to be expert and objective. But the fact is, self-professed expertise is not objective. The MSM make up a very interested party, and should be seen as nothing more than an extremely visible special interest. You can't trust the words or actions of Fox, MSNBC, or CNN any more than you could trust the objectivity of a lobbyist from the oil, military, or pharmaceutical industries.

One last thought.

Ron Paul is electable. But even if he weren't, should that stop you from voting for him? Is there a prize for picking the winner? After all, this is an election for office, not a horse race.

The sure rebuttal is that by picking an "unelectable" candidate, you lend relative favor to the greater threat, the candidate from the other party. We'll get the wrong guy, you worry.

To any thinking, caring, considerate voter out there, I would hope the options are plain enough. By voting for the beauty queen or party pretty boy, you've already forfeit your voice, and have cast your ballot for the wrong guy all along.

Rebuttal: We're ALWAYS in Beta

2011-09-09T15:49:00.000-07:00

This is a response to a post from a friend of mine, who is reticent to fully integrate and rely on social media tools that aren't "finished".

See his post here.

My response is below, with a few changes from the original email (if I'm publishing this, I have to clean it up a bit.

Dan,

I can't comment on your blog. Is commenting enabled, or am I just missing something?

SO, I'll email you instead.

Social media has not only developed rapidly, it will always develop rapidly. Cloud software doesn't have to wait for manufacturing or supplies or distribution. It's just code. Companies like facebook, Google, and twitter employ lots of fulltime coders to do that, all day every day. They're always building, always expanding, always changing.

Have you noticed that facebook changes their interface ever few months? People put up a fuss for a bit, but then they get used to it and move on. The fussiness period is even getting shorter as users become used to this, as they get accustomed to the fact that we will always be in beta.

Any company that hopes to stay ahead in the social web, an industry that is direct to a huge base of consumers, and with so much competition, is going to have to always be improving, always updating, always adding, always innovating.

Part of the magic of Apple is that they actually can release a "finished" product. Everybody else is breaking their necks just to get the latest thing out the door. The culture they've fostered of absolute secrecy is vital in that, or people might catch up to them before they actually release the newest product.

It's also important for them to withhold some features that other companies would have just released. If they don't have something %100 there, they hang on to it till they do. That's why the iPhone got copy/paste ability after EVERY other phone on the market. That's why the next iPhone won't have 4G. The network isn't totally reliable yet, so they're waiting till it is.

If the pragmatists want to wait for a "finished" social media, they'll be waiting forever (or buying an Apple product that will soon be eclipsed by their next release). For most consumer tech, it's never finished. That's even a line in the movie The Social Network.

M: It won't be finished. That's the point. The way fashion's never finished.

E: What?

M: Fashion, fashion is never finished.

I think there are probably a lot of people who will be waiting forever.

The muddled mess has utility, though. Despite not being plug and play, it's very usable, and extremely valuable to those willing and able to get into the disarray that is the social web, with all it's tools and widgets, and cobble together something that creates value. It's like walking into a disorganized garage. There are tools and parts everywhere, some better than others, some expensive and some dimestore fare. But you're going to have to organize it yourself, after you decide what to build.

To stay relevant, services have to adapt. If they don't, they're made obsolete by competition, by those who do adapt. Somebody else in the garage will make a better machine. So, keep adapting.

As per the always in beta comment, it makes it kinda' ironic that I couldn't comment on the blog.

Somebody She's Glad to Know

2011-08-24T17:32:00.000-07:00

Following is an essay written by my tremendously bright and talented 13 year old niece. The prompt was to write about somebody you are glad to know.

One of the most successful YouTube commercial campaigns is for a tongue cleaner called the OraBrush. Surprising that a tongue cleaner would cause so much buzz, but this is largely due to the hysterical and halitophobic “OraBrush Guy” (I’m not so much afraid of me having bad breath. I’m afraid of other people having bad breath.) … This brash scientist is other wise known as, my quirky, adventurous, tech-nerd Uncle Austin. The semi-famous Austin Craig graduated from BYU with a degree in broadcast journalism. His talent for imitating others and sarcastic humor keeps all those around him in good spirits. He is loud, funny, smart and interested in absolutely everything.What Austin, a fellow “twinner”, loves more than anything else is a good conversation. The economy, music, food, Facebook, politics, school, electronics--he’ll talk about them all. And he won’t just talk. Austin will debate. The man has an opinion and he loves to be heard. Life is full of opportunities, and my uncle loves to grab them. Austin dabbles in gymnastics, photography, critiquing, running, and more. Spontaneous adventures are always on his agenda along with seminars, friends and traveling. It’s a wonder he’s still single! I’m so glad he’s such a great uncle and friend. As he once said, “Friends are like potatoes. If you eat them, they die … brought to you by Austin’s Words of Wisdom, Words of Wisdom by Austin.”

Clever girl, that's what I say.

David Foster Wallace at Kenyon College, May 21, 2005

2011-08-15T16:34:00.000-07:00

I'm ripping this off, entirely, from another blog. I just feel like it should be shared.

A friend sent this to me a few years ago, and I filed it away in a "Read Later" folder.

On Saturday, when the kind Sprint rep told me it would take 45 minutes to transfer my contacts from my old phone to the new, I found myself with no available smartphone, a laptop with no wifi, and nothing else to occupy my time. It took literally years to finally get my attention, but I opened up the "Read Later" folder. The first thing in the folder that caught my eye was David Foster Wallace's commencement address from Kenyon, to the graduating class of 2005.

Before you click away and read the whole text, let me familiarize you a bit with the author. From Wikipedia:

David Foster Wallace (February 21, 1962 – September 12, 2008) was an American author of novels, essays, and short stories, and a professor at Pomona College in Claremont, California. He was widely known for his 1996 novel Infinite Jest,^[4]^[5] which Time included in its All-Time 100 Greatest Novels list (covering the period 1923–2006).^[6]

Los Angeles Times book editor David Ulin called Wallace "one of the most influential and innovative writers of the last 20 years".^[4]

Wallace killed himself by hanging in 2008. He'd suffered from depression through his whole adult life, and when there was a complication with his medication, he succumbed. It's sad, but reading through this speech, I think I understand a little where he was coming from. I found this address comforting and consonant with my own life experience. I'll probably be reading more of his work.

Now go ahead and read it. Click here.

UPDATE: Mountain Dew Rips Off YouTuber and Indie Rappers

2011-07-25T08:45:00.000-07:00

NOTE: This is a followup to a story blogged a few days ago. Click here for Part 1.
If there were ANY doubt about the Mountain Dew ad I blogged a few days ago, we can doubt no more.

I messaged DevinSuperTramp, who said he'd actually been contacted by the ad agency before they shot the video. They were looking for the contact info of riders in his original.

We can put the issue to rest, but here is my final frustration and my final question:

Why didn't they take the opportunity to make a great story, hire the original artists, get a fantastic end product, and avoid the inevitable lashback from copying 100% an already very popular independently produced work?
That would have worked better for ALL involved.

Hello,
My name is John [last name omitted], and I'm writing to find out the locations, ages, and availabilities of riders in a YouTube video uploaded by you. We are checking on them for a Mountain Dew commercial. The availability dates are April 26 - April 28. April 26 is wardrobe, April 27 is rehearsal, and April 28 is the shoot.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thanks!
------------
Lisa Fields Casting

West Hollywood, CA 90069

---
Hey Devin,
Thanks for getting back to me. We're looking for bikers who can do lake jumps between the ages of 18-25. If we could get the names and contacts of anyone that might be appropriate, that would be great.
This is a national spot, so any riders that are chosen would be flown first class and put up in first class hotels.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks!

Mountain Dew Rips Off YouTuber and Indie Rappers

2011-07-20T11:30:00.000-07:00

Saw it this morning. It's pretty obvious.

Mountain Dew posted a video of BMX bikers going off a jump into a pond. It has a good summer-time feel to it, with a fun hip-hop track going in the background. See video HERE:

UPDATE: Embedding for this video has been disabled. Click HERE to watch the video.

That would be fine, and there wouldn't be a story, EXCEPT they ripped it off, wholesale, with no mention or credit to the creators.

The following video was posted Oct. 3 2010.

Same concept. Same theme. Same shots. Same editing. Same musical style. Same everything.

Why wouldn't they hire the original creators? That's what Apple did, and what Microsoft should have done. Instead, they took the Urban Outfitters route, and ripped off independent artists. How do they benefit from backhanding the online communities that inspired the content?

The original video is from DevinSuperTramp, a partnered YouTuber who appears to be working hard to release content regularly to make money through YouTube's Partner Program. The original music is from Can't Stop Won't Stop, an unsigned hip-hop group trying to grow their following on Facebook. Point is, these artists are struggling to make a name for themselves.

It doesn't help when a huge company steals their work without so much as a shout-out. The MountainDew YouTube channel has a behind the scenes video claiming the inspiration came from a video on WildeManMedia's channel. Take a look, compare the videos side by side, and you tell me which video was the inspiration for their ad.

My take? They ripped it off, knew they ripped it off, and created a back-story to cover their tracks. Disgusting.

[Full Disclosure: I helped a little on the production of the original video, so this one made me mad in a personal way.]

Google+ Circles Suggestion

2011-07-11T13:44:00.000-07:00

Google+ has won me over. I love it, and I think more and more people will use it and love it. In not too much time, it'll give facebook a real run for it's money.

But at a week and a half old, it's a developing platform. I have a thought about Circles.

Circles are a fantastic feature that will make managing posts and contacts much much easier. If it was managed graphically, it could be easier still.

If circles could be seen as a virtual space, something that could be managed by grabbing and dragging them, a lot more information could be readily conveyed and managed. For instance, if I could grab one circle, say "Extended Family" or "Orabrush Contacts" (Orabrush is where I work), and drag them into another circle, like "Family" or "Business Contacts", then I could make subsets.

Circles within circles.

This way, if I want to publish a post to all of my business contacts, including Orabrush contacts, it can be designated and managed graphically by high lighting circles. If I want to deselect a circle, I can just click it

What do you think? If you like it, share this on Google+. If you don't, let me know in the comments.

I haven't blogged in ages. But I'm starting again.

How to Buy a New Phone

2011-04-24T11:29:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine asked if I could help her find a new phone. She was asking about Verizon, but the ideas apply with any carrier. Here is my advice.

Dear Anna,

I'm honored.

For Verizon, you should consider...

1) The iPhone. Can't go wrong. I'm holding out for the iPhone 5, which will most likely come out next Fall. If you can wait for that, it may be your best, most long lasting option. If you have to get one now, the iPhone 4 is a excellent choice. There is a good reason it's so acclaimed. It's a fantastic piece of hardware, and they're great about taking care of their customers. You pay for it, but you get the best.

2) An Android Phone. There are several to choose from, and each will have it's own strengths and quirks. I have an HTC EVO. It was the hands down best phone on the market for about three days, then the iPhone 4 was announced. It does everything I want, but the battery is an Achilles heel that almost had me returning it to the store. Make sure the battery life will work for you, and think about the things that you do the most on your phone. Camera important to you? Physical keyboard? Maybe you just want something that's small. Go to the store and try out a few. There are always features from my previous phones that I like and look for when shopping for a new one. Also, there are pitfalls from previous phones that I try to avoid.

If you're looking for a tool to help, I'd check out these sites.

http://gdgt.com/find/

You can select the features that are important to you, and it will narrow down the selection on which devices have those features. The site as a whole is a great community for exploring and discussing consumer electronics past, present, and future.

If you're looking for a service plan that works for you, check this out.

https://www.billshrink.com/

It will import your usage info from your existing provider, scan the plans available, and let you know which one will meet your needs for the least amount of money, all told. They also help with advice on most other major expenses in a person's life.

Again, make sure to handle one before you buy.

As for non-Apple, non-Android phones, I hear the new Windows phones are really slick, but honestly I've never handled one. I've never heard people complain about their Blackberries, but I've never heard people talk about how much they love them, either.

If at the end of the day, you really only want to talk on your phone and send texts, then don't worry yourself with getting a bleeding edge smartphone. I've been seriously considering getting a simple phone that only does calls and texts. There is a price to pay for being wired ALL the time, and I'm wondering if it's worth it to me anymore.

Hope that helps, and hope you're doing REALLY well.

Your Friend,

-Austin

Predictive Text

2011-02-13T11:11:00.001-08:00

This is what my phone thought I was writing when I fell asleep with my hand on the touch screen keyboard.

"Kk Kk knob Kk Kkk kin kill junkb ink in nok Kk in knob I kill Kkn Li IBM nun BC Kk info Nikki knob Kk minimumk Kk in In knob I Kkk Kikikkkkk obik kin kin Ki OKni Jim ki knob link knob Kiki kneel bulk I'm illn nun Kikik in join Jimikkn knob knobk Kiki Kim ninth knob illn knobkuu non inn knock Ik Kk Nikki knock mom kin intok linkk Kim ill Kiki OK mom knock Jimk Jimi Kiki kink kill kinkk nb mini knobkkj junkj ill I killbib knob nun nu Kikikk knock knock knock Kiki kill Jax knob knock in mom NKn Kiki nbj knock Kk I in NK NK bookk knob IBMk mom OK jambn knob I non kin ill OK mini knobn I'mki knob Kk knock kin Kiki non hi I Kiki Kikikk Mic ink NK Kiki Jax Kiki Iik nbnk hi knobc book knob kill nu Kiki in I Kikik knob knock Kiki Kkn killn Kiki Kiki killkii inn OK I nunn knocknk Kiki Kik Inu knock in nb OKkj kill Kiki Kiki Kiki numb knob mom Ik nun Ici Kk Kikikc in in Inu UL bunk union kill hi knock Kikin kill I nb ill Jillk knock I I'm kinjk in? Killkb Kiki Iiik NKn Kiki jam knob HM monk juju Iik knob oil nb junkh Kikk Kikikn Kiki I Kiki OK Kk knobk inknn knobnn OK in NKb Jillkki Kiki ill Jillk Kiki Ohiok knobkikin no I ink Kikik knobk kill Ij illki nbk knob knobk Kk knobkjki numb Kacink knobc knockjk Jan Ikkkin nuji Kiki ifkkk knob link OK inkkj Kiki Kiki NKj knob in knobni knob NK Iiki knob Kimu Kk I Kiki handbookk I'm Kiki knob NK knockn knob Mu Kk I'mkj in Ik Li knob OK NKn Kiki Kiki Ikk knobj kill Ink knockjkk knock kinkk Jimikkk Kiki jam Iiniii IBMk Jillkkki Inu nbk OK knobjkkijkki knob knobk I'm I knob ink inbkk kin Iikj Kiki Kikinnn Kikik kin knob Ikjnnnj knob ki kun knob union kj Kikij knob ill killer"

This Happens Every Time I Ask for an Address

2010-08-28T20:14:00.000-07:00

Two Days Left

2010-08-21T23:14:00.001-07:00

DON'T FORGET! CLICK HERE TO

VOTE EARLY AND OFTEN!

And vote for GoogleSuperstar, too! We're buddies.

Professor

2010-08-20T23:48:00.000-07:00

My unexpected response to an innocent prompt in a facebook status update.

Q: What are some of your favorite things that your professors did to make classtime effective or fun? Please share!

A: The best professors were the ones who respected me and spoke to me as an equal. I studied and performed well for those classes. If a teacher EVER talked down to me, [expletive] them. It drove me crazy if I ever thought a teacher was talking down to me. I got in to the [expletive] school and in to this [expletive] program and in to your [expletive] class, don't you DARE talk to me like some incompetent child. Were you ANY better when you were in my shoes millennia ago?

The ones who believed in me and showed that faith in what they said and did, to them I will forever be sincerely and unfailingly grateful.

Probably more than you wanted, but that's my answer.

TV Torture. Day 2.

2010-08-03T13:24:00.001-07:00

DON'T FORGET! CLICK HERE TO

VOTE EARLY AND OFTEN!

Funny thought

2010-08-01T15:11:00.001-07:00

If I had a wooden leg, there are so many funny things I could do. Like do a butterfly knife show for the talent show, then top it off by stabbing myself in the wooden thigh and screaming.

Remember, Vote Early and Often!

2010-07-30T23:47:00.000-07:00

Everybody, I need your help.

I've entered a contest to win the most fantastic job I've ever heard of.

And I'm absolutely perfect for it.

I'm pulling out all the stops. Time to blitz the World Wide Web.

Check out the TV Torture Blog.

Follow the progress on Twitter.

Join the Facebook Event.
(this is how you can get updates and reminders)

And believe me, I'm just getting started. I'm going to get this gig if it kills me.

High Adventure

2010-07-25T23:10:00.000-07:00

Last Week I was in New York, for the first time. It was a lot of fun. We were filming, but I don't really think I should upload any of the footage. You'll see it soon enough. We got home late Tuesday night.

Wednesday, I went to see Inception. It's not a perfect film, but a very strong one, and well worth it's box office take and your seeing.

The visuals are stunning. The acting us superb. Christopher Nolan undertook a tremendous world to try to explain during the duration of a feature length film, and both he and the viewer have to move quickly to keep pace. He's a talented story-teller, as evidenced by his previous work, but even still, this is stretching. With as intricate a world, the story may have lent itself better to a series (a la LOST).

All the same, it's stunning, and I will be seeing it again in theaters.

Nolan's films offer homage in the best fashion. It's clear where his inspiration came for a lot of his work, but it never feels like a rip-off. He alwasy frames his borrowed ideas and aesthetic in a new enough context that it feels original. Inception was clearly a heist film, with all the tropes of the genre. It's the last job, the final steal before our protagonist can set life straight and move on. He assembles the team. They outline an intricate plan, with precise roles and timing and objectives. But it's more than a heist movie.

Think of it like The Italian Job meets The Matrix meets Solaris. The New York Times has some other comparisons as well. The New York Times always has interesting supplemental material to the best movies.

Thursday I went to the Twilight Concert Series for the first time this summer. It's always a good time, and free, but I've been out of town up till this point. Beirut was playing.

If you're not familiar with their sound, it's distinctly gypsy. Funny to think of what these guys must have been like in high school. They play trumpet, accordian, and trombone, among others. I can't imagine they were the "in" crowd, yet here they were at the Twilight Concert Series, playing a packed show, with people cheering for them like rock stars. It was a lot of fun.

The album version may give you a better indication of their sound.

The below videos are from last Friday, July 23, 2010, on BYU Campus. It was much more chaotic and painful then you might expect, but very fun. Ladies and Gentlemen, the World's Biggest Water Balloon Fight.

Saturday, I went to a pond outside Alpine UT. It doesn't sound like much, but man-o-man, is it fun with the right equipment.
This isn't a video of me or my friends, but it's the same thing in the same place, and gives you a good idea.

That night we went to Fiesta Days in Spanish Fork. I didn't make it to the rodeo, but I did see the fireworks.

Last week, all I did was play. I need to work a lot during this coming week to make up for it.

We collected the signatures; Now the fight begins

2010-06-09T11:25:00.001-07:00

I don't even live in Connecticut, but I'm very interested in this race. I hope Schiff takes it, it'd be a big deal for this country.

Hello Everybody,

We did it!

Thanks to your overwhelming support our campaign team collected and submitted well over the 8,500 signatures required for the petition. Although we are awaiting the official certification of these signatures, we are confident that my name will appear on the ballot August 10th. And we could not have done it without you! Whether you knocked on doors, made phone calls, waited around train stations and shopping centers or made a generous contribution, you made the difference.

I have no doubt that we have what it takes to win this election. But the fight has just begun. The next 2 months are critical to positioning our campaign for victory on November 2nd. But first we must win the nomination, and I'm counting on your continued support to make sure that happens.

There are 5 ways you can get involved in the campaign, and I hope you will participate in at least one of them.

	Make a one-time or monthly sustaining contribution
	Order official Schiff for Senate gear today
	Support Schiff for Senate on Facebook
	Tweet about Schiff for Senate on Twitter; and
	Volunteer your time to knock on doors, make phone calls or help out at headquarters

I'm ready to give this race and our country my all. I hope you will be right beside me fighting for the free market and making sure that I head to Washington in January to save America.

America is counting on you and so am I.

Peter Schiff
Republican U.S. Senate Candidate

P.S. Thank you for making our signature petition drive a success. I hope I can count on your continued support whether it's making a contribution, spreading the word about our campaign or volunteering your time. Thank you again.

Paid for by Schiff for Senate

Schiff for Senate
P.O. Box 3647
Milford, CT 06460

Debt

2010-05-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

We're all eyeball deep in financial trouble.

It's not like we weren't all given fair warning.

Eat well, Live long.

2010-05-24T22:45:00.000-07:00

I'm not crazy about his speaking skills, but this is just good advice.

Same goes for this.

Fwd: News Alert: Rand Paul Wins Republican Senate Nomination in Kentucky

2010-05-18T17:49:00.001-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: NYTimes.com News Alert <nytdirect@nytimes.com>
Date: Tue, May 18, 2010 at 5:05 PM
Subject: News Alert: Rand Paul Wins Republican Senate Nomination in Kentucky
To: Austin

Breaking News Alert
The New York Times
Tue, May 18, 2010 -- 8:04 PM ET
-----

Rand Paul Wins Republican Senate Nomination in Kentucky

Rand Paul, one of the early leaders of the Tea Party
movement, won the Republican nomination for Senate in
Kentucky on Tuesday night, delivering a powerful blow to the
party's establishment and offering the clearest evidence yet
of the strength of the anti-government sentiment simmering at
the grass-roots level.

Mr. Paul, the son of Representative Ron Paul of Texas, easily
defeated Trey Grayson, the secretary of state from Kentucky.
Voters turned against Mr. Grayson even though he had the
support of the state's best-known political leader - Mitch
McConnell, the Senate Republican leader.

Read More:
http://www.nytimes.com?emc=na

-----
Now get New York Times breaking news alerts sent to your mobile phone.
Sign up by texting NEWSALERTS to 698698 (NYTNYT).
-----

About This E-Mail
You received this message because you are signed up to receive breaking news
alerts from NYTimes.com.

To unsubscribe, change your e-mail address or to sign up for daily headlines
or other newsletters, go to:
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Copyright 2010 The New York Times Company

Cure Cancer? Sure thing. Turns out it's a lifestyle choice, even more than you thought.

2010-05-18T16:30:00.000-07:00

It isn't easy to manage what your diet consists of. Anybody who'se tried to lose (or gain) weight can tell you that. But it's a primary factor in the length and quality of your whole life. Think about that, your entire life. Worth making an effort. It can directly save you from eventual heart disease, and, it turns out, cancer. Those two account for over half the disease deaths in the United States. Think about that, you will live much longer if you eat right. Why aren't all of us intensely studying this subject? I need to learn more.

Here is a good place to start. Take a look at how changing your diet can prevent cancer in an almost sure-fire way. Fascinating.

LOST

2010-05-17T00:06:00.000-07:00

LOST is almost over. It's been a fun ride. If you want to catch up, it's not too late. You could watch some 90 hours of DVD or streaming video, which is what I did last summer. Or you could watch this 108 second clip. Either way.

The Grand Illusion

2010-05-15T17:08:00.000-07:00

This is a great film. I watched it several times for my "French and Itialian Cinema" class, a course that frankly changed my college career. I wrote a paper about The Grand Illusion that I wish I could now find.

It's a Critic's Pick in the New York Times right now. Well worth watching their take. Watch all the way through to the end, I promise, you'll be glad you did. I laughed audibly.

The Critic's Pick: 'The Grand Illusion'

I Want

2010-05-14T22:50:00.000-07:00

Someday, sooner than later, I'll need to curb my materialism. I want too many things. There has always been a latent part of me that wants a motorcycle. I don't think I'm anywhere closer to fulfilling that desire now than I ever have been, but it is a thing I think about. "If I were to get a motorcycle", I ask myself, "what kind would I get, and why?"

And, more often than not, I answer thusly.

I'd get something classic, timeless, even anachronistic. Anything but new. Modern, maybe, but in the vein of modern art. That's really what I'd want. Form as prominent as function; a ride that's equal parts expression as it is transportation. The above bike meets those requirements, and, not-withstanding their differences, virtually any motorcycle from this blog.

From pipe-dream to commercial reality, I'm well overdue to replace my phone. I'd like to say the G1 was a faithful companion, but it wasn't half the sidekick that my dear old Sidekick was.

My breaking point was a year ago. I'd defended the G1 when it was made fun of. Sure, it didn't always work like it was supposed to, and wasn't as fast or have as many apps as an iPhone. "But come on, people!", I would say, "Does everything have to be an iPhone?" There are plenty of reasons to avoid getting wholly in bed with Apple, but that's neither here nor there. My decicion was deliberate, principled, and I was standing by it.

Then, last summer, probably eight months after I first got the G1, I was getting a girl's number. We didn't have anything in common, and I never even called her, but it just seemed like the proper thing to do at the time. She began reciting the ten digits she'd probably given out more times than she'd ever wanted to. "Hang on", I said. "My phone is... slow sometimes." I was ready to take the number. The G1 was not.

"What kind of phone is that?"

"It's the G1, it's the phone Google came out with. It can do a lot, but it's a new system, and is still slow and buggy."

"Oh... why didn't you just get an iPhone."

At any moment during the previous 8 months, if she or anybody had asked that, I would have spouted off a fruitless tirade about openness in development and the virtues of competition and individual customization. It wouldn't have gotten me her number, but that's neither here nor there. The point is, I didn't do that. There was no tirade. There was a quiet moment of reflection.

Why... didn't I get an iPhone? An iPhone would have worked. This whole time.

If I had gotten an iPhone, I wouldn't be defending my hardware from ridicule. It wouldn't have broken down repeatedly. It wouldn't have force closed half the programs. I wouldn't have had to wait for firmware updates so I could simply use the hardware for what it was designed for. I wouldn't have had to deal with single touch interface, even though the hardware is perfectly capable of multi-touch. I wouldn't have had to buy an adapter on eBay so I could plug headphones into the thing, and then have that adapter malfunction (but not entirely break) just enough so that I'd keep trying to use it, even though it would cause songs to restart and jumble around my playlist for no apparent provocation at all. I wouldn't have had to buy an extended battery pack that turned my new shiny tech into a brick sized Zach Morris style walkie-talkie, just so I could actually use the thing throughout the day and not have it completely die before 3:00 p.m., and then have the backing on that battery break off. I wouldn't have had to buy a MicroSD card with 16GB on it so I could actually use it for some mobile storage, and then have the card get corrupted.

I wouldn't be waiting to get this pretty girl's number.

Why didn't I get an iPhone?

As it has completely broken a couple times, I'm on my 3rd G1. That's not to say it's stopped breaking, it's just that the malfunctions now are more of annoyances; little things that are usually solved with a reboot. But should I have to reboot my phone regularly, daily, mid-day, mid-use? Sometimes it just reboots itself. I think it must be a self-defense mechanism, like a boot camp trainee who curls into a fetal ball when he can't handle his drill sergeant anymore. I wouldn't have thought I was asking too much of the thing. After all, I'm only using it for what it's purportedly designed for, should be up for the job. Man up, soldier. Your momma ain't here to wipe your nose anymore.

I coddled it so when it was new. Made sure it stayed nice, clean, shiny. That was then. The other day, I dropped it from 5 feet up. The screen cracked, and I didn't even care.

Also, since my review of T-Mobile isn't exactly glowing, I think it's time to move on. I've payed an obscene amount of money to them over the past 5 years, for virtually no customer recognition. I thought maybe this would be like a country club; you pay a fortune, but they treat you like royalty. Nope. Every time I've had to deal with T-Mobile, they've politely treated me like an annoyance. That is, they've hardly fixed anything for me ever, but they smiled the whole time. Yup, time to move on.

Enter the Sprint EVO 4G. Nice, isn't it?

It does everything. It even has that fun kickstand and red accents. For further proof, see the spec sheet here.

We'll see. I've hopefully learned my lesson some, and won't order till I hear the announcement on the new iPhone. That'll probably happen in June. We'll see.

Is anybody reading this? I wouldn't. If you've gotten this far, really reading, I don't know whether to be impressed or startled. If you've read this far, and are still reading, I want you to go to the comments, Now, and leave the two word comment, "octopus foots". Go ahead, do it.

YouCut

2010-05-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

"Imagine if your government was JUST as focused on SAVING money as it is on SPENDING money."

I wish I had the money to donate to Peter Schiff. I believe him.

2010-05-13T13:58:00.000-07:00

I don't have the money. Maybe you do.

Hello Everybody,

America faces a ticking time bomb that is going to explode in the next few years, and that's why I need to be in the U.S. Senate.

Washington's profligate ways have run up an unsustainable $13 trillion debt, and there will be an economic collapse far more spectacular that what we've already seen if we do not act immediately.

That's why I'm turning to you. Our campaign must get our fiscal conservative message on the air immediately, but ad space is expensive in Connecticut. We need to raise $100,000 by May 21st - the first day of the Republican State Convention - to fund this media buy. Will you help me?

Follow this link to make an urgent contribution of $25, $50, $100, $250 or more to our campaign.Please do not delay; time is not on our side!

Don't let Washington insiders fool you. The economic growth we've seen this year is phony - it's based on consumption and debt financing. If we do not put an end to Congress' spending spree, there will be an economic catastrophe that dwarfs the 2009 recession.

Mark my words... The bond market will collapse. The value of the dollar will plunge. Interest rateswill rise. There will be runaway inflation and unemployment. And the only way to prevent this is to get government spending under control.

But I'm prepared to go to Washington and help fix these massive problems before an even bigger crisis occurs, that's why I'm running for the Senate. I understand how government regulation and policy affect the free market better than most people, thanks to my experience in the financial sector. And I can promise you that the federal government is responsible for the financial crisis that continues to plague our country.

Polls show that my message and background win the Republican Primary, but I urgently need your help. Not enough voters know about our campaign, and the only way to fix that is to flood the airwaves with our message. That's why raising $100,000 before the Convention begins on May 21st is critical.

So can I count on you? Consider it an investment in the economic security of America, and make the most generous contribution you can by following this link.

America is counting on you, and so am I.

Peter Schiff

P.S. Unless we act now, America will face an economic catastrophe greater than anything we've experienced. Help our campaign launch a new media buy by following this link and making a contribution of $25, $50, $100, $250 or more right away. We must raise $100,000 before the Republican State Convention begins in May 21st.

Testimony of the Book of Mormon

2010-05-03T15:13:00.001-07:00

There was an invitation on Facebook for Latter-day Saints to blitz this YouTube video.
The idea is that if members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
all congregate upon this video in a single day, there may be enough momentum
for YouTube to recognize its rise in popularity, driving recommendations for
more people to watch via the automated systems that identify viral videos.

I'm not sure if that will happen. We're a global church of broad activity, but still
small by global standards, and not all of our members are active on social media.

But it's still a good one to watch, for all of us, regardless of faith or background.
After all, we're all God's children. Take a look.

Void

2010-04-28T23:14:00.001-07:00

I don't really blog that much anymore. Tragic.

Acting Resume

2010-04-25T23:59:00.000-07:00

I'm an actor. I can prove it. I have the headshots and resume. See:

Who could have seen that one coming? Certainly not me.

Yikes

2010-04-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

Tony commented on my last post that I should check out the Yike Bike. Great minds think alike, and Engadget did a review of the Yike just a day after their review of that Honda oddity.

I'd call it "Willy" (like "Wheelie", get it?)

2010-04-07T09:58:00.000-07:00

Looks like it's time for somebody to build Rosie the Robot for real.
Honda has made a single wheeled device that outdoes the Segway in weirdness. I really have no idea how this works.

I'm not sure who will buy these, if it ever comes to market (it won't). Cubicle dwellers? The price point would have to be pretty low.
See the video HERE.

Please Buy My Camera. Again.

2010-03-29T17:21:00.000-07:00

I thought it already sold, but it didn't actually sell. The "buyer" is no longer registered on eBay. Thanks a lot, jdax8xx from Phoenix, AZ.

SEE THE AUCTION HERE, and Happy Bidding.

00004

"El" Tom Perry

2010-03-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks to David for this idea.

[Sent from Google Voice] Fwd: A Voicemail from Sam

2010-03-29T16:35:00.001-07:00

The Inimitable Sam Yam, for your listening pleasure.

	Sam Yamamoto
	3/27/10 11:48 AM
Hi mister. Craig, This is Shannon, Yeah. My, My My, My, My My, My, My My, My, My My, My, My My, My, My My, My, My My, My, My, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Hello Joe, give me a call back. Bye. Play message

Don't have a Google Voice account? Find out more on www.google.com/voice.

Please Buy My Camera

2010-03-26T14:44:00.000-07:00

I don't use it enough to justify having a sophisticated expensive piece of equipment.

This is the eBay listing.

Dragon Hunter Online

2010-03-24T09:14:00.001-07:00

Remember when I mentioned my friend Steve's movie Dragon Hunter? I just noticed it's on Hulu. Neat.

P.S. I haven't watched it yet. Certainly checking it out when I get home.

Lessig for President

2010-03-19T11:32:00.000-07:00

This video helps me feel much better about identifying myself as a "Conservative" when it doesn't feel like the party has really had it's act together in 20 years.

The Jetpack

2010-03-13T12:34:00.000-08:00

The Legend. The Myth.

A few days ago, the Martin Jetpack became the first commercially available VTOL "jetpack" device, a dream of tinkerers and sci-fi enthusiasts since before Buck Rogers.

NOTE: Clever of them to use the ethereal, ambient, vaguely electronic background music. It's far more reminiscent of this age old dream of personal flight than the more natural "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" noise that I'm sure the ducted fans emit.

Just look at it. Its beautiful.

I know, it isn't really a jetpack, per se. The term is generic at this point. Devices more closely mimicing the traditional look and size have been around since the 60s, but flight time is prohibitively short. The device below is powered by Hydrogen Peroxide, of all things.

There have, over the decades, been tweaks and permutations, but none that provided a sustained, practical transportation experience, simply novelty. But that was enough to fuel development.

The Germans' began R&D of the "Himmelstürmer" during WWII.

James Bond used one (for real) in the 1965 production of Thunderball.

GoFast made one as a promotional vehicle, branding themselves as adrenaline junkie bad boys (I think they're missing the point, the larger cultural picture).

Juan Lozano of Mexico built one, no joke, in his backyard. This man is dedicated.

I've mentioned jetpacks a few times before right on this blog, even the Martin Jetpack when it was still very much in development.

Even though the Martin pack is now available, the fact is, I'm not a pilot, and they're dreadfully expensive, about $86,000. I've thought maybe the JetLev would be more practical, but its twice as expensive than the Martin pack, running at 129,000 €, or about $177,478.

It's just machined metal, a hose, and a jet ski.
I wonder if I could make one...

Dreams, dreams. We're all entitled to have them.

As an aside, I think the Martin pack needs to have some sort of foot rest. Don't you think it would be a little annoying to have them just dangling the whole time?

Shirt designs

2010-02-27T12:30:00.000-08:00

Don't read too deeply in to these. They just kind of happened. I didn't put a great deal of conscious thought or effort into any of them. It's mostly just fun to doodle.

I'm open to suggestions and thoughts.

Auteurs

2010-02-13T21:02:00.000-08:00

I like mashups. It's how pop-culture works today, and maybe always has.

If you can think of other variations on this theme, I'm anxious to hear about them.

The natives are getting restless...

2010-02-13T13:09:00.001-08:00

Momentum

2010-02-06T11:28:00.000-08:00

An official YouTube blog talked about Orabrush.
Ad Age talked about Orabrush in an article.
Silicon Valley Insider picked it up too.
Neat.

Overhaul

2010-01-13T16:46:00.000-08:00

I've been blogging far far less lately. I think I'll give this page a redesign to infuse some new life. This is more for me than the readers, but in all honesty, so is the content.

End of the Digital Detox

2010-01-08T17:25:00.000-08:00

I'm done with my Web 2.0 Fast, Digital Detox, or as Angela called it, my facebook diet.

I'll post a reflection on how the digital detox went, but right now, CES is going on.

And I want one of these.

Experimental Psychology - Change Blindness

2009-12-15T10:19:00.001-08:00

Maybe I'm fooling myself, but I REALLY think I WOULD notice the switch. Who knows.

Augmented Reality - Share

2009-12-15T00:39:00.000-08:00

Remember that ad I did with Andrew Bagley a little while back? He mentioned that he had been working on a pretty cool Augmented Reality piece for a major national magazine that would come out soon. That magazine was WIRED magazine, and the augmented reality spot was a little widget calling attention to Vampire Power.

See my picture on the Vampire Power website.

Try it. It's fun. And on the intro page, you might recognize some of the faces they demo at the bottom.

Anglilch

2009-12-04T09:41:00.000-08:00

I've asked this question a thousand times, no joke.

About This Video

An Italian singer wrote this song with gibberish to sound like English. If you've ever wondered what other people think Americans sound like, this is it.

See more funny videos and Music Videos at Today's Big Thing.

It's like Beck, Weird Al, and Led Zeppelin played backwards. I keep instinctively trying to understand what they're saying, and have to try to remember that they're not saying anything.

TopTenREVIEWS Reviews.

2009-11-23T14:29:00.000-08:00

My first videos from TopTenREVIEWS.com are up. Here are two links.

I’ll be honest, it's not my absolute best work. I need to smile more and put more energy into these. I think that’s why they hired me in the first place, after seeing the OraBrush ads.

It's time in front of a camera, though, and I'm glad for that.

A Litmus for Authenticity

2009-11-15T22:15:00.000-08:00

I haven't written anything substantial in a long time. I'm a little afraid of that. Writing isn't like riding a bike, and in all honesty, I'm not entirely persuaded riding a bike is like riding a bike. Without practice and persistence in life, I think we each may simply melt into a puddle of loosely sentient flesh.

That being said, you may just as likely melt while watching this video.

From what I can gather, this group broadcasts on public access cable in central Florida.

The lack of sophistication reminds me oddly of Napoleon Dynamite. Their whole existence is anachronistic. I mean, if you had to guess, when might you place this broadcast on a timeline? They're also local, but without location. While P.T. Katt and M. Gormley are in Florida, they could as easily be in any rural minor American locale. The same is true of Jared and Jerusha Hess' most recent work, Gentlman Broncos.

Again, the characters are only vaguely aware of themselves. They lack the proverbial mirror to actually see themselves as others see them.

There is a character in Gentlemen Broncos who would be right at home on the "Uncharted Zone". Lonnie Donaho talks about "the industry" and his "feature films" shot on a home VHS camcorder. He might also get along well with the proprietor of this local outfit.

These men are AUTHENTICALLY poor performers in a way that I am entirely incapable of, in a way that I doubt can be duplicated by parody (Save by Jared Hess). I could not make something this bad if I tried. They'll never win awards or critical acclaim. They'd be lucky to come close to covering their costs, though they just might from gawkers paying money to see what is, by most accounts, an absolute train wreck. They seem to be entirely unaware of any developments in their field over the last twenty to thirty years. What's more, they are either OBLIVIOUS to or genuinely Do Not Care what people think of their work.

I can't tell if these are the most remarkable examples of hubris I've ever seen, or the complete absence. They don't presume to elevate their work over others, or even to compare. By all appearances they are doing this for their own enjoyment. If anybody else cares to watch, that's simply a bonus.

Hubris or not, regard for others work or none, these two groups present the most undeniable, clear cases of authenticity anywhere in media I know of. They are transparently bad, but you know it isn't a joke to them. Nobody would invest the time necessary to produce so much ostensibly unremarkable work. In being so transparent, they're also more true than almost any mainstream electronic culture. It's made by and for them and theirs. And that's tremendous.

Michel Gondry seems to understand this in a way many other filmmakers don't. It's reflected in his movies, and I love his movies.

Copyright, Science, and Education

2009-11-11T10:29:00.000-08:00

Larry Lessig is somebody I'd like to be more like. I know I've talked about him before. I admire his independent intellect and adaptability.

He makes more sense on the subject of Copyright than any other individual or institution I've ever encountered. Laws should Make Sense.

Shouldn't intellectual property be made more available with the passage of time? For a huge swath of archival footage, the opposite is true. After just a few years, all rights revert back to the owner of the copyright.

According to Lessig, that means that much of the 20th century's documentary work on film will literally decay and be obliterated instead of being digitized, democratized, and distributed for the good of those who could learn from and use it. Instead, it will literally rot.

Interestingly, the most progressive groups pertaining to open use of electronic media are not only very forward thinking artists like Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, and Girl Talk, nut also Al-Jazeera, the Arabic language cable news network.

See video below:

Liberalism

2009-10-14T10:18:00.000-07:00

I sincerely do want you to listen to the audio here. It's all Ronald Reagan. And he couldn't be more spot on if he were speaking today.

It's real. I'm really done.

2009-10-04T22:22:00.000-07:00

I'm done. I'm really finished with school. I'll never go to another day of formalized education if I don't want to. It's more bittersweet than I would have thought, but is certainly sweet.

I'm listening to Animal by Miike Snow right now.

from BYU Diploma Status
to Austin Michael Craig
date Fri, Oct 2, 2009 at 10:13 PM
subject Your BYU Bachelor of Arts has been mailed

Dear Austin,
Congratulations on receiving your Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University.
As of 10/2/2009 your diploma was mailed to:
Austin Michael Craig
4** N 2** E
Provo UT 84606

Please allow up to 10 days for delivery via 'First Class US Mail'.
Please do not call Brigham Young University at this time,
as your diploma has already been mailed.

Click the following link to VIEW YOUR DIPLOMA!
https://www.michaelsutter.com/emaildiplomastatus?mailstatusid=8118-2051323-270

Congratulations again on your fine achievement!

Can't Stop Won't Stop

2009-10-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

Really diggin' new stuff from some friend, Can't Stop Won't Stop.

iGo Web Ad

2009-09-20T00:06:00.000-07:00

This is the ad that a family friend had me come shoot about a month ago in Tempe, AZ.

It's a flash video without any embedding options, so go on over to the iGo.com website to check it out. I'm on the third line, the "Laptop Charger" spots.

There wasn't a lot of wiggle room on the script. When I wanted to get creative with it, the director reigned me back in. Hope you like it.

3DTV. Finally.

2009-09-17T11:37:00.000-07:00

I say finally, but to be honest, it's not even here yet. Heaven knows it's been a long time coming. Hope it actually comes to market soon.

Find of the Day

2009-09-08T22:09:00.000-07:00

Remember the note I found on campus? It's the FOUND magazine find of the day. Dope.

Hey Austin,

Let me be the first to congratulate you for passing along the finest
of the finds... we've just finished posting your submission as our
Find of the Day. Head on over to www.foundmagazine.com and take a look.

Thank you SO MUCH for passing your find along. Each year we get around
three million visitors to the site to check on these finds-- you can be
sure tons of people will appreciate the effort you took to scoop up the
goods.

Take a look at the text and double check that everything looks good to
you-- if you'd like something to be changed, let us know and we'll gladly
take care of it...

So thanks again and as always... SEND US YOUR FINDS!!

All the best,
Jason and Davy and all your friends here at FOUND

FOUND Magazine | www.foundmagazine.com

PS3 Slim - I want it.

2009-08-28T12:28:00.000-07:00

For your money, hands down the best Blu-ray player available. Upgrade-proof through Sony's free network. And this is a rather clever ad.

And now that it's $300, I might be able to buy one some day.

Fortunate

2009-08-27T23:49:00.000-07:00

Hypnotic

2009-08-27T15:24:00.000-07:00

Very cool sculpture I saw on Vimeo. Already posted it on facebook, I think, but thought I'd share here.

My time spent reading

2009-08-21T13:32:00.000-07:00

We all have 24 hours in a day. That's it. No more, no less. I really should be spending my time figuring out how to preserve as much of it as I can.

Frequently, though, I spend that time reading. Books include the Omnivore's Dilemna, I am half-way through it. I read the screenplay to Being John Malkovich. Lunatic, that wonderful Charlie Kauffman. And I read a lot of blogs. Technology and society and politics and art and film. It takes in a broad swath of what we call culture.

Here is a sampling.

I, like everybody else who bought one, am disappointed with the lack of progression with the G1. A girl asked me recently when my phone was slow in taking numbers, why I would buy anything but the iPhone. In the past, I would have defended my phone. Not anymore. I'm just praying it'll handle the load of newer tech.

I know the clamour has died down, but I still think WolframAlpha will do some amazing things. You'll see.

I don't know what this is all about, but I'm excited for it.

Someday, the cameras on our phones will take gigapixel snapshots.

This may be the best wedding announcement I've ever seen.

I like to download music from the web, but I like to do it legally.

I have a very hard time trusting the methods, motivations, and integrity of government institutions anymore.

I'm really glad I found blogger.

I hope to someday build something of inherent value rather than chatter and hype.

Effective multimedia is all about production, the deliberate, careful synthesis of disparate many layered elements. That goes for movies, music, anything.

I've been proclaiming the advent of augmented reality for years, and now it looks like we might be gearing up for a rise in it's visibility. Bruce Sterling, whom I've mentioned before, says so. I'm afraid this might just be the Peak of Inflated Expectations of the Hype Cycle, though.

Right up there with Bruce Sterling is Kevin Kelly in my opinion. The man is a genius.

Telecoms are the biggest racket in the world. American's are paying through the nose, and Apple is making a killing. I hope to some day make enough money to turn that industry on it's head.

MadMan

2009-08-11T22:25:00.000-07:00

Sometimes Craig Fergusen knocks it out of the park.
I mean, LOOK at that face.

I'll be honest, I don't watch his show. At least not on broadcast TV. I don't own a television, despite majoring in broadcast journalism. But what I've seen online is brilliant.

Here is some of his ranting during the presidential election of last year.

And you know what? I think I might be able to do his job pretty well myself. I do lack that awesome accent, though.

Self Promotion

2009-07-31T15:07:00.000-07:00

If there is the slightest chance any of you haven't seen this already, let me remedy that right now.

We shot this a week ago. It was fun and compared to my normal job, paid well. I should do this kind of thing more often. So feel free to hire me as your pitch-man.
Also, you can get a free Orabrush here. ---> ORABRUSH

Statistician

2009-07-30T16:29:00.000-07:00

This is the man who, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, talks at me and about 100 other people about probabilities.

This is what I do to keep my sanity intact.

Rushkoff comedy sketch for Colbert

2009-07-24T11:57:00.001-07:00

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Exclusive - Backstage With Douglas Rushkoff

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Mark Sanford

via boingboing

Gothic High Tech

2009-07-21T19:01:00.000-07:00

He cusses a couple times, about half-way through. I'm really sorry, but I felt like the content was too good to ignore.

I can all but promise that most of you will find this talk by Bruce Sterling long, confusing, boring nonsense. But it made good sense to me. Enough that I'd like to share it.

I first became aware of Bruce Sterling about ten years ago when I read a story of his in a collection of The Year's Best Science Fiction Short Stories. I bought it at D.I. for $2.⁰⁰. It was a fantastic purchase.

In this talk, he touches on some points that I've personally noticed and thought about, such as the increasing anachronism of our society, our turning to cheerleaders instead of leaders, and transition to nowhere.

I hope that as I build a life beyond that of a college student, I can buck those trends.

A real accomplishment of this talk is this: he may have convinced me to de-clutter my life and living space. I've known in my head for years that I need to do this, but I didn't feel it, didn't understand it. I think I understand it better now.

Special Note to Katie and/or Ben if you happen to read this: I hope you'll find the last half of this interesting. He talks about a lifestyle of which I think you both are shining models .

Rest in Peace, Walter Cronkite

2009-07-17T18:07:00.000-07:00

He was the best, and I hope and imagine we won't be able to forget him.

Teaching

2009-07-12T12:51:00.001-07:00

Note to Sunday School Teachers: Don't over-think the lesson. Understand it, share that, testify of it, but let's not shoot beyond the mark. Metaphors will always break down, no need to needle a point till it crumbles.

News Alert: Google Plans to Introduce a PC Operating System

2009-07-07T21:52:00.000-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "NYTimes.com News Alert" <nytdirect@nytimes.com>
Date: Jul 7, 2009 10:44 PM
Subject: News Alert: Google Plans to Introduce a PC Operating System

Breaking News Alert
The New York Times
Wednesday, July 8, 2009 -- 12:39 AM ET
-----

Google Plans to Introduce a PC Operating System

In a direct challenge to Microsoft, Google is expected to
announce on Wednesday that it is developing an operating
system for a personal computer based on its Chrome browser,
according to two people briefed on Google's plans.

The move would sharpen the already intense competition
between Google and Microsoft, whose Windows operating system
controls the basic functions of the vast majority of personal
computers.

Read More:
http://www.nytimes.com/?emc=na

-----
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for the alerts by texting NEWSALERTS to 698698 (NYTNYT).
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Today in the News

2009-07-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

via Stereotypist.

NOT a Review: Why I won't be seeing "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"

2009-06-29T16:37:00.000-07:00

If you ever read my blog, you know that I love movies and robots. The casual observer might think I'd be head-over-heels for the new Transformers movie. But I can't and won't.

Because I saw the first one.

Because it is universally hated by everybody who cares what they see, but widely accepted by those trying to kill $8 and a weekend night with nothing else at the box office.

Because of this hysterically bad clip . This is what the PR people released as a solid representation of the film, to whet your appetite. An RC car robot doing his best Joe Pesci impression. Somehow, I'm not really hungry for that.

Because Jordan couldn't even write a review (and his reveiw for "17 Again" was spot on.

I imagine the greatest entertainment value available from this movie is indirect; i.e. reading the hysterical reviews. <=NOTE: The last link has some offensive (but well deserved) comparison to a baser genre of film, if you take my meaning.

But most of all, because I don't want to support it.

The following was written by a friend of a friend.

"Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen" and its predecessor, aside from being devoid of any substantive narrative quality, are pointlessly violent, meaninglessly vulgar, and shockingly sexed-up movies despicably marketed to children. Ads for the film run during virtually every commercial break on Nickelodeon. Burger King is featuring Transformers kids' meals. Advertisements for myriad toys feature bright-eyed, curly headed tots. It is even included on Nick Junior's "Flicks for Kids" list! All this in spite of the production's claims that the target demographic is older teenagers and adults. My nephews (ages 4, 7, and 9) knew the exact date the film would be released long before the slated date. And they watch "Sponge Bob" and "iCarly", not Spike, Adult Swim or even major networks like ABC and Fox. The youngster networks run ads that, conveniently, skip the pin-up-esque shot of Megan Fox straddling a motorcycle in barely-there shorts.

KidsInMind.com, an online resource for "ratings that work" rated the film as follows on a 10 points scale: Sex/Nudity-6, Violence/Gore-7, Profanity-5. Compare to other action films with clearly much older target demographics: "Terminator Salvation", "X-Men Origins", "The Dark Knight", "Iron Man", etc. Each one listed rated lower in both profanity and sexual content though were comparable in violence. "Transformers" was even rated on par in sexual content with "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past", an inuendo-filled film, incidentally, marketed to adults. "Transformers" rated higher in sex/nudity than "Casino Royale". Reflect on that for a minute: a James Bond film ranks lower in sex/nudity than a film based on a Saturday morning cartoon!

I do not attack responsible and meaningful depictions of violence and sexuality or such use of profanity, but this film is irresponsible and superficial. Add the advertising of a more mature film to young children and you can tack on "exploitative" to the list of adjectives. This production does not deserve a contribution from you at the box office. Your admission ticket tells Bay and Spielberg that you think this is okay and you'll keep stuffing their pockets for being skeez bags.

So I'll never see it. Out of principle, I won't see it in the theater. And when the special effects glut is on a smaller screen home viewing, what's the point? Besides, I watched part of the first Transformers on a TV that displayed twice the regular frame rate. The special effects failed to be impressive at that picture clarity. It looked uncomfortably like a video game. No fun at that point.

RIP MJ

2009-06-26T15:09:00.000-07:00

I know I'm late on this one.

I'll try to remember the best.

Personally, I am a huge Thriller fan. Love that song. Listen to it year round. And Rock With You. Timeless, those.

You can hand this to the man: When his songs start, everyone hits the dance floor. Everyone.

Here is a pretty solid short bio of The King of Pop.

Happy Father's Day.

2009-06-21T17:15:00.000-07:00

I love my Dad. He is as great a father as anybody could have. Hope you all have a wonderful Father's Day. http://bit.ly/H4k0p #fb

Stop. Motion. Stop. Motion.

2009-06-12T18:44:00.000-07:00

It's the simple stuff that always gets me.

Stop motion has had a Web golden age over the last couple years. I've wanted to try, but it's just so time consuming.

Here are a couple that I rather like.

This one uses the ubiquitous post-it. Simple idea. Very effective.

If you like the tune, it's by Röyksopp, a Norwegian duo. It's called "Eple". Listen to the whole song below.

Eple (Original Edit) - Röyksopp

Nokia successfully coordinated a truly viral campaign, not an easy task, I can tell you from experience. As with the earlier video, there is a chiptune playing in the background. I think the makers understand their audience for this all too well.

If you like this, it's worth checking out the making of video on the campaign's site.

It's the simple stuff that always gets me. I think I may take the time to actually make one of these some day soon. I'll keep you posted.

Forgotten

2009-06-06T20:22:00.000-07:00

I wanted to finish some thoughts I had on a couple previous topics. But I can't remember what I was going to say. I just can't remember.

The Department of Lost Souls

2009-06-06T10:07:00.001-07:00

Replace "Wall Street" with "conventional newsroom journalism". That's where I am.

Radiant

2009-06-05T17:56:00.000-07:00

I drew this during class a few months ago when we had a guest lecturer.

Dreamy

2009-06-02T12:59:00.000-07:00

I stopped recording my dreams, so I don't remember them as well as I used to. But I appreciate how often I seem to show up in other peoples' dreams.

Got this message from a friend earlier today.

Had another weird dream about you. We were at graduation and your G1 turned into a Transformer. And then we were on a roller coaster.

Well, that about sums it up. That's the perfect day.

Loophole

2009-06-02T00:04:00.001-07:00

I just finished the fourth season of LOST. It took me just over two weeks from the first episode of the first season.

That J.J. Abrams. He knows how to weave a mystery. Or, at the very least, he knows how to keep you in suspense.

Android Video

2009-05-29T13:58:00.000-07:00

I finally got the Cupcake update for my G1. This is the first video I've taken with my phone. Also, I can upload it directly to YouTube immediately after taking the video.

Lookout, world. I'm coming atcha' with a camera.

A Disciple, Scholar, and Gentleman

2009-05-29T11:43:00.000-07:00

Truman G. Madsen died. He was a tremendous person. I saw him speak several times and had the chance once to speak to him myself. He'll be missed.

Reviews and More: Coraline (in 3D), Star Trek, Terminator Salvation

2009-05-26T13:15:00.000-07:00

I haven't done reviews in a while. Been busy. So I'll speed through these.

Coraline was fun, if a little awkward at times. Not entirely sure I'd want young kids to see it, and older kids would probably boycott, thinking it too juvenile. Henry Selick delivers an eerie atmosphere on par with the Nightmare Before Christmas. The visual appeal is great. It's colorful, dynamic, and geometric. If you're excited for a dark but playful nightmare world, check it out. The 3D even helps the film, instead of distracting.

Star Trek is a blast. It is. It's just plain, simple, action fun. J.J. Abrams knows what he is doing, as I've mentioned before. You don't have to know a thing about the Star Trek back-story or mythology. You don't even have to like sci-fi, because while this uses the tropes of a sci-fi, at it's heart it's an action flick (even action-comedy). It's good-looking people doing really cool stuff, with chase scenes, fights, explosions, kissing, and jokes. It's the bread and butter of a Hollywood film, and in this case, that isn't a bad thing.

Terminator Salvation was entertaining, but ultimately a letdown. Next time I won't get my hopes up when the director calls himself McG and has an ouvre consisting mainly of Charlie's Angels. There seemed to be no consideration for the style and feel of the previous films, especially the well-loved first two.

I will say this. While it lacked any pacing, buildup, or subtlety, it was a very impressive wrecked world. The effects were seamless, the sound was immersive, and the actors did an effective job with what they were given. I guess that's all it takes for mainstream reviewers to like it, too.

Speaking of Terminator, Angela pointed out an interesting article on why the Terminators make us so uncomfortable. The Uncanny Valley is a concept I've known for years now. Though it's a common query today, it's not a new idea. It never seems to lose my interest, either. It's at the heart of a surprising amount of great fiction, I think because it begs the question of identity.

That Uncanny Valley might have seemed like an impossible chasm for some film-makers (you listening, Zemeckis?), but it may have finally been crossed, and did it so fluidly that we hardly noticed.

The possibility of photorealism with even the human face plays right in with the trending cinéma vérité fictional narrative style showing up so often. We're in a post-reality-TV world, well on our way through the maturation of YouTube. We see films like the Bourne series, where shaky camerawork "immerses" the audience, where you feel the uncontrolled reality of the situation (though I feel that particular example was excessive and alienating).

You'll see more and more films not only using the documentary aesthetic, but the form as well. The Blair Witch project broke that ground, showing how effective the technique is. Their mockumentary on the Sci-Fi channel took me in as a sixteen-year-old, hook, line, and sinker. I've talked before about the "found footage" techniques used in Cloverfield and Diary of the Dead. It was even recently featured in a BYU Film project manned by a class that unfortunately didn't fit in to my schedule. Would have been great to be a part of that.

The style is becoming recursive, with doctored videos showing up on YouTube as though they were home videos. Here is a recent example that's floated around the Web.

The same form is used for an upcoming sci-fi picture presented by Peter Jackson.

The trailer for District 9 plays out as though it were a documentary, with the only indication of fiction coming from the impossible premise. That same premise was used in a short film from the same director. District 9 is really an expansion of that short (seen below). I'm excited.

Of note is the fact that I can't think of a single major film in this style that didn't use some kind of ARG and/or viral marketing. Viral ARG is becoming more and more common, but is far from universal. It's the exception rather than the rule. However, when we see first person narratives, it's a must, a staple. The film form and the promotional techniques play together to draw the audience in, to have them not only watch, but experience the world of the film.

How is all this for some stream of consciousness?

I've got more to say on the matter. A lot more. But for now, I'll leave it as is.

Expect more on this and related topics soon.

Hope Ya Know, We Had a Hard Time

2009-05-24T16:51:00.000-07:00

This is somewhat out of the regular for this blog, but I thought it was worth sharing.

Fair Use

2009-05-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

I'm blogging this as much so I can remember where it is when I want to refer to it as I am to share it.

Here is the full report.

See previous posts like The Pirate's Dilemma, XKCD on copyright, and Larry Lessig.

>100 Days

2009-05-19T15:25:00.000-07:00

I did number 21.

Number 39 shamelessly ripped me off.

They probably made a healthy chunk of change from that.

C'est la vie.

UPDATE: I emailed them.

Hi,

I made a remarkably similar design to the Barack On! print you guys have. I created and posted it to spreadshirt.com a year ago.
http://blog.spreadshirt.net/us/2009/04/30/100-days-100-obama-t-shirts/
I did the design on number 21. Your design is at 39.
It's the same phrase and effectively the same image.
You tell me; is this just great minds thinking alike, or coincidence, or did you get the idea from my original design?
Do you think you could give me some kind of credit for that? Mention my name, or send me a check, or at least send me a shirt?
I know this is the Web and that's the nature of things, take, use, borrow, steal, whatever we want to call it, but I think you could at least give some kind of shout out.
Just a thought. Your design is better than mine, but you might consider giving me some kind of appreciation. Thanks, good job, good luck.

-Austin M. Craig

The Green Myth

2009-05-19T10:13:00.001-07:00

I really appreciate and enjoy Bill Moyers Journal. I'm more and more convinced that PBS broadcasts much of the best journalism and socially responsible dialogue anywhere.

I particularly enjoyed his discussion with Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence (and excellent book), Social Intelligence, and most recently, Ecological Intelligence. He explains why the idea of going green in largely a myth.

Moyers said Goleman's book was heartbreaking, but I thought their talk was enlightening and motivating. I recommend watching it. Just click here.

NOTE: Even if you don't watch the video, visit GoodGuide. It's a database of the ecological and social responsibility factor of the products we buy. Skin Deep is the same thing for cosmetics.

Microsoft's Home of the Future

2009-05-14T13:22:00.000-07:00

Last summer, I took a tour of the Home of the Future on the Microsoft Campus. They took a bunch of us interns and showed us around. I got to tramp all around this neat house.

I wasn't allowed to take pictures then, but it doesn't look like Microsoft's vision of the Future Home has changed much since then. Take a look.

Tribes

2009-05-12T10:53:00.001-07:00

Watch This.

Star Trek - Just a good, fun movie?

2009-05-07T16:41:00.000-07:00

If you read this blog, you should know by now that I like that J.J. Abrams guy, and I like sci-fi, and I like movies.

So it should come as no surprise that I'm going with some friends to an advance screening of the new Star Trek movie. This should be good.

Early reviews are positive, though not everybody is happy with the outcome.

Trekkies Bash New Star Trek Film As 'Fun, Watchable'

The Hunt for Gollum,

2009-05-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

NOTE: This post is link heavy, but I didn't want the font color to distract from the content. Hover over a word to see if there is a related link.

NPR ran an interesting piece yesterday. It's got a few notable angles.

The Lord of the Rings franchise has been wildly successful. Fans came from every demographic, flocking to theaters, to the web, and to the DVDs in their various iterations. It's been five and a half years since The Return of the King, the last of the trilogy, was released, and it's still a touchstone the industry tries to replicate (some with more taste than some [many] others).

Enter The Hunt for Gollum. The 40 minute featurette was written, directed, acted, and filmed by volunteer fans. Every aspect of pre-production, production, and post-production was coordinated and executed by people who simply loved Middle-earth and wanted to see another LOTR movie.

Fan fiction is notoriously...bad. There is a reason writers and filmmakers get paid to do what they do. They're very good at it. The average joe with his home video camera and PC (historically speaking) isn't. Even noble efforts lack the resources to put together high production value.

But The Hunt for Gollum crew seems to be a dedicated team. They took their time (two years) and scrapped together an impressive group of talent.

And from the looks of it, they deliver.

Trailer 2 - The Hunt For Gollum [2]
by HuntForGollum

True, it's not indiscernible from the Hollywood hits. But you can be sure many fans of the series, myself included, will be checking this out when it's released on May 3 (in HD, no less).

Such an impressive feat, using widely recognized media, begs the question:

Is this legal? Doesn't this constitute piracy? Aren't there copyright issues at play here? Intellectual property? brand hijacking? Wholesale theft!?

The lawyers can (and likely will) argue both ways.

An apologist might say, "It's fair use, nobody is making money!"

The prosecution may answer, "It's copyright infringement that devalues a developing property!"

New Line is far from done with the Ring series. Why stop when it's still making money? The Lord of the Rings' prequel The Hobbit is being adapted for a 2012 release, directed by Guillermo del Toro of Pan's Labyrinth fame. Expect ticket sales to be big.

This kind of conflict has been, and will continue to be, a growing problem. Intellectual Property laws are in bad need of reform, but more than that, business modelers need to understand the new paradigm that cheap technology presents.

Technology is cheap. No, really. You may think it's pricey to get the latest and the greatest gear, but compared to only a few years ago, when that gear didn't exist, it's cheap.

Anybody can get the tools to create media. Good tools. An HD camera and a computer with video editing software doesn't cost that much. In fact, I'm planning on purchasing some this week.

What that means is there is no barrier to entry. Anyone can do this (probably very poorly) for very little cash.

Take a look at YouTube, Twitter, Blogger, Flickr, etc. Everybody is a writer, videographer, and artist. Everyone is a celebrity.

And nothing (short of a time machine) can change that.

With that reality in mind, media producers need to leverage the anxious crowd. User-Generated Content will be vitally important to most media outlets if they want to survive (and thrive) in coming years. Some early adopters are already putting that strategy to play, and making a hefty profit.

It even works for established brands. One American film maker has directed only six feature films since 1971, but his properties have become so popular, copied, and parodied, that his net worth is $3.9 billion (with a b). His name is George Lucas.

So, what do we say? Sue The Hunt for Gollum crew? I don't know why. They're drawing more eyes to a valuable franchise, keeping interest alive till the next installment is released (as if the viewers of The hunt for Gollum won't also go see The Hobbit opening weekend). The makers don't have any money; they're not making any money. But if producers play their cards right, the crew will make money for the studios.

I don't think honey bees ever stop to realize who ultimately reaps the harvest, but it's never far from the beekeeper's mind.

Or maybe it's just a matter of perspective.

What if we are all just pawns in corn's clever strategy game to rule the Earth? Author Michael Pollan asks us to see the world from a plant's-eye view.

Race to the Bottom

2009-04-24T19:05:00.000-07:00

This is why I think I bought my netbook too soon.
And this.

Final Paper for Comms 482: Mass Media and World Religions

2009-04-23T11:06:00.000-07:00

Contact is one of my favorite movies, and has been since I first saw it. I read the book immediately after. It still gets me, every time..

If you actually read this (I doubt anybody will) then let me know what you think.

Austin Craig
Dr. Quint Randle
Comms 482
04/22/09

From Skeptic to Evangelist: The Apologetics of Faith in the film Contact

Science fiction has almost always been the safe haven of outcasts, weirdos, and social dissidents. But whether that audience knows it or not, the genre has grown in popularity as (generic) conventions are adopted by more mainstream fare. Despite it's reputation for the outlandish, unbelievable, and often just silly, sci-fi will always be fertile grounds for broadly appealing and deeply meaningful material. At it's core, it's an outgrowth of Enlightenment ideas; that the natural world is a product of physical laws, and that the enlightened can learn virtually everything that is from observing the world with a logical, rational mind (CLARK 2005). By in large, the notion of some power or entity outside the natural system simply isn't grasping the size of the natural system. For most sci-fi, there is no truly supernatural, metaphysical, or divine. Some science fiction dealing directly with religion, either outright or in loosely veiled terms, makes the assumption pronounced rather than implicit, as in Frank Herbert's Dune series. But occasionally, a work comes along in the genre that defies the elitist convention, and explores religion and religiosity in earnest. Even noted theologian and scholar C.S. Lewis wrote a space trilogy featuring scientists and space explorers who mirror priests, angels, and demons (CLARK 2005). A more contemporary and recognizable example is the 1997 film Contact by Robert Zemeckis. Unlike the previously mentioned work, however, Contact originates with Carl Sagan, a popular astronomer and noted agnostic (HEAD 2006). Believers need not be defensive regarding Contact, however. The film is surprisingly apologetic toward religion. In fact, Contact presents academic science as a religion, complete with articles of faith, dogmas, and martyrs, and as fundamentally based on belief in unseen things as any of the Abrahamic creeds.

The film centers on Dr. Ellie Arroway, a gifted scientist searching for intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. Her mother died before Ellie can remember, and her father died unexpectedly when she was nine years old. Her penchant for reaching is shown in her precocious youth, searching for the furthest discernible signal on her CB radio. As an adult, her search for E.T. is ridiculed by the overwhelming majority of her peers, but Dr. Arroway's passion won't be subdued. The persistence pays off when a powerful interstellar signal is received, apparently proving that we are not alone, that our planet is not the only one harboring intelligent life.

Contact makes no pretense of its identity. It is science fiction with an eye toward religion. The science of Contact is clear. The filmmakers went to painstaking effort to portray a scenario that was entirely plausible. Ann Druyan, wife of Carl Sagan, co-author, and consultant on the film, said, “Carl's and my dream was to write something that would be a fictional representation of what contact would actually be like, that would convey something of the true grandeur of the universe” (DRUYAN 1997, emphasis added). The setting is primarily in real places, using real, even dated technology. The Arecibo Radio Observatory in Puerto Rico was used by Ellie in Contact before losing funding, but was also used by the real life SETI initiative led by Carl Sagan for several years before it lost funding. The film even uses archival footage of President Bill Clinton, when he spoke following the discovery of supposed primitive Martian bacterial fossils on the Allan Hills 84001 meteorite in 1996 (DAY 1998).

The fiction of Contact is equally clear. The movie's namesake and center is the message received from an alien civilization. However, nothing whatsoever of this sort has ever even remotely happened. It would be, as Ellie says, the biggest discovery in “the history of history”.

The religion of Contact is almost as pervasive as the science. Palmer Joss (played by Matthew McConaughey) is a spiritualist and theologian, self described as “a man of the cloth...without the cloth” and characterized as “God's diplomat”. He is Ellie's love interest, and the movie's positive face of religious faith, just as Ellie is the image of a “good” scientist. They embody virtues we hold dear in fiction, virtues that enable societal advancement. These “substantive” virtues contrast what we see in the film's other characters, who are much more self serving (KUPFER 1999). They portray “bad” religion and science. After the alien message is decoded as instructions, blueprints for a machine, the first attempt to follow the instruction is thwarted by a religious extremist (a Christian suicide bomber from Panguitch, Utah, of all places). The ill-fated, would-be first interstellar traveler from Earth is David Drumlin, scientific aid to the U.S. President. Through the whole movie, he alternately derails, then overtakes Ellie's research. While Dr. Drumlin isn't ever framed as morally bad as the religious zealot is, he is shown as lacking the same faith that Ellie embodies. He demonstrates a lack of faith in scientific possibilities as well as humanity’s virtue, not unlike the religious extremist. Science and Religion are shown side by side as comparable quests for truth. Both have their faithful disciples and heretics (though the identity of each depends which camp the observer stands). Both are used for what others might see as Good or Evil purposes. Perhaps the surface conflict between the two approaches stems from their underlying similarity.

In Contact, we see the main character undergo a fundamental shift in her world view. She has always been a devout scientist, but maintained that science is objectively better than religion. That view may become a little less hard-lined after her voyage to the stars. Mike Alsford discusses in his book, What If? Religious Themes in Science Fiction, how frequently science fiction protagonists experience such a change. “Invariably, the catalyst that triggers the paradigm shift in these stories, a change from one world-view to another, is the introduction of an element which begins to break down the sense of order previously accepted by default” (ALSFORD 2000). The characters in these examples of sci-fi undergo a conversion of sorts. Near the end of the film, Dr. Arroway bears testimony as fervently as any evangelical missionary ever did. Her witness is challenged, and she is asked to concede that the whole voyage was a hallucination and the signal an elaborate hoax. To paraphrase her response would do the testimony injustice.
“Because I can't. I had an experience...I can't prove it, I can't even explain it. But everything that I know as a human being, everything that I am tells me that it was real. I was given something wonderful, something that changed me...a vision of the universe...that tells us undeniably how tiny and how insignificant and how rare and precious we all are. A vision that tells us that we belong to something greater than ourselves, that we are not, that none of us are alone. I wish I could share that. I wish that everyone, if even for one moment, could feel that awe and humility and that hope. That continues to be my wish.”
The scene is a turning of the tables. It recalls earlier in the film when Ellie challenges Palmer Joss’ faith, saying he may have emotionally needed such a religious experience, so he unwittingly fabricated one. She cites Occam’s razor, the principle that, all factors being equal, the simplest answer is the most likely. Now the same logic is returned to her. Before the journey, she is asked if such a traveler would have “faith” in those sending the message. She responds that she’d rather say a sense of adventure. The same question is posed after her journey, and the answer is entirely changed. She perfectly plays out what Stephen Clark explains in his essay, Science Fiction and Religion. While organized religion itself is often derided, “There is nonetheless a religious theme that seems to be widely endorsed by science fiction fans and writers; that humanity, if only it can mature, will give the world, the universe, significance” (CLARK 2005). The meaning she finds is a perfect analog to the religion she so readily dismissed earlier. The role reversal manifests itself also during her journey, when scientific objectivity escapes her; “some celestial event...no worlds to describe...they should have sent a poet. I had no idea...” (ZEMECKIS 1998).

Zemeckis uses not only religious rhetoric throughout the film, but accompanying religious imagery. When Ellie is escorted to the second machine, she wears what can only be described as armor, a strange precaution for a space traveler. She is followed by two Japanese men, ostensibly technicians, but they appear almost as guards. She stands in as Joan of Ark, a fellow visionary and martyr for her cause, to be escorted to the fires of her doom and exaltation. She fills an archetypal role, as the strong woman. Similarly, Palmer Joss gives Ellie a pocket compass that ultimately saves her, at least from severe injury. The image of a compass is used by Freemasons and other ancient religious orders (GILKES 2004). It is pointed out by Palmer Joss after Ellie objects to the Christian Coalition demanding to know where the aliens stand on God, that she did in fact find a literal booming voice from the sky, just as any number of Biblical prophets. Ellie even offers an unwitting prayer of sorts after her father dies. On her CB radio, she calls out to the void for the only parent she has ever known. “Dad, come back.” The climax comes later, when she meets the alien as her father in their constructed ideal setting, her personal heaven. He explains to her a plan, and how those from all creation have grown to knowledge and become exalted as he is. Time ceases to hold meaning there, but the significance of her experience can't even be fully expressed by her afterward.

Contact intertwines so many religious symbols and dialog so densely, that to catch them all would require a careful scene by scene analysis. Yet the story is fluid enough and outside any traditional religious context that it could draw in religiously skeptical audiences. It may even be veiled enough to draw in, and change, people as skeptical and doubting as Ellie herself was until her converting interstellar (and spiritual) journey. As an audience, we take that journey too, and come away with greater a faith in science, god, humanity, or all of those and more.

Works Cited

Alsford, Mike. What If? Religious Themes in Science Fiction. London. Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd., 2000

Clark, Stephen R.L. “Science Fiction and Religion.” A Companion to Science Fiction. Malden: Blackwell Ltd., 2005. 96-97.

Contact. Dir. Robert Zemeckis. Perf. Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey. DVD. Warner Home Video, 1998.

Druyan, Ann. “About the production.”Contact Production Notes. 1997. Warner Brothers. 21 Apr. 2009 .

Gilkes, Peter. Masonic ritual :Spoilt for Choice. 2004 Masonic Quarterly Magazine (10). 21 Apr. 2009

Head, Tom. Conversations with Carl Sagan. Skeptic 13 (1), pp.32-38 Univ. of Mississippi Press 2006.

Horsfield, Peter, Mary E. Hess, and Adan M. Medrano. Belief in Media. Burlington: Ashgate Company. 2004.

Johnson, Robert K. Reel Spirituality: Theology and Film in Dialogue. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2000

Kupfer, Joseph H. Visions of Virtue in Popular Film Boulder: Westview P, 1999

Marsh, Clive. Theology Goes to the Moview; An introduction to critical Christian thinking. New York: Routledge, 2007.

McClain, Carl. Morals and the Movies. Kansas City: Beacon Hill, 1970.

Sagan, Carl. Contact: a novel. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1985

I've been repeating that stuff...

2009-04-16T22:17:00.000-07:00

I saw "Of Mice and Men" a few weeks ago. A simple, amazing film, and one of the first books I remember reading that really moved me.

That being said, this...THIS is hysterical. A little something to hold you over till finals are over.

"You GOTTA TELL ME These Things!"

Believe it or not, this scenario actually crossed my mind as a child. It's not unlike the Truman Show complex. I never thought the people around me were actors, but I did wonder if they weren't coddling to me. WHAT IF...What if I am mentally handicapped, and I don't know it? I mean, nobody ever just tells a mentally challenged person outright that they're challenged, right? What if I'm just an idiot ("Do people think I'm an idiot!?") and I just don't know it? Nobody would ever say a word, and I'd never be the wiser.

I finally concluded that my ability to grasp this hypothetical situation pretty well precluded it being a reality.

Planks on a Platform

2009-04-16T20:08:00.000-07:00

Noticed this on Google Trends.

Nobody seems to care once the candidates stop talking about it.

Strong evidence for agenda-setting theory. Question is, does the media set the agenda, the candidates, or both?

Impact Intl

2009-04-14T02:24:00.000-07:00

Some of you may have heard that I was volunteering with a group called Impact International this semester. In conjunction with my work there, I've taken a Social Entrepreneurship course that has been fantastic. Special thanks to the teachers, it's been a true education. This is my final presentation for the class. At least it's the slides. Enjoy.

Austin's contributions to Impact International

View more presentations from austinmichaelcraig.

And, for a complete change of pace, here is a video of me and my friends break dancing.

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Happy Lamp

2009-04-10T18:10:00.000-07:00

I want to repeat every sentiment of this post on boingboing gadgets.

Would you call that "Napoleonic" or "Hessian"?

2009-04-10T12:20:00.000-07:00

I'm still pretty upset about this.

I slept in this morning. The alarm went off, I turned it off, and fell off, back into sleep. Finals are approaching, and the strain is taking it's toll. I've got five papers to write, two tests to prepare for, and a presentation to give. Also, I'm still working at BYU Weekly and completing my internship at ABC 4. I'm pretty tired most of the time. So I should have known this might happen.

I missed the first 45 minutes of Jared and Jerusha Hess speaking to a film class, and thought I'd only hear about ten minutes after I got there. I wanted to record it and post it online here, but didn't because I thought I'd missed the whole thing.

They talked for another 90 minutes, patiently answering all the student questions. There couldn't have been more than 15 of us there.

They talked about their movies (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre, and the upcoming Gentleman Broncos, which I hear is very good).

It was interesting to contrast them to other speakers who have come to BYU. I heard Richard Dutcher speak a couple years ago. Kurt Hale came to speak to a class of mine recently (again, didn't record it, sorry). Including the Hess duo, they all have very different philosophies on filmmaking.

Dutcher seemed very committed to the integrity of his craft, but did it at the expense of everything else, alienating his audience with graphic content and seeming self-aggrandizement. He ultimately left the LDS Church, I assume partly because he felt it conflicted with what he wanted to do in film. He lives and works just down the street from me. I see him on his porch sometimes.
NOTE: Big assumption on my part there, so forgive me, Richard, if I'm way off base. It wouldn't be the first time I'd ticked off a local filmmaker.

Hale is an active member of the LDS Church, even a member of a BYU Bishopric. He is far less concerned with the "artistic integrity" of his work than Dutcher. It is purely monetary, simply a business. Dutcher said as much of Hale, in obvious frustration that, for the few LDS filmmakers there are, they didn't all take seriously the craft of film. Hale's approach is so businesslike that I'm sure his most recent work would upset some of his first great fans. Mormons are known for their conservatism in virtually everything, especially media consumption. It's not doctrine to avoid rated R movies, but it might as well be for a wide swath of the faithful. So, with most active LDS avoiding graphic content, it's interesting that Hale seems to have no qualms with creating it. Lately he has been working in Zombie movies (of which, yes, I am a bit of fan, academically) and slasher films. He doesn't shrink from the gore of both genres and the inevitable frisky teens known from the latter. He does this, is comfortable with it, recognizes many people see a conflict, and openly states that he sees none.

The Hess's were different altogether. They clearly have priorities above money and artistic integrity, but seem to get both just fine. When Fox pushed to cast Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in Gentleman Broncos, Jared simply said no. The studio offered an $18 million budget, but retained some creative control. Instead, the Hess's renegotiated, and were offered $10 million less, while maintaining the casting and final cut rights. They took it. The budget cut didn't seem to matter to them. They made Napoleon Dynamite on a $400 thousand budget, and that worked okay. Why should they worry about this?

It was great hearing from them. They do what they love, are successful, and a happy family, parents of two. I was glad to see that. They did it.

So thanks, Jared and Jerusha. Sorry I came in late, but I'm really glad I came anyway. And really, thanks Richard and Kurt, too. Always helpful to see a variety. I hope we all get to talk again some day soon.

It's Pajamas. P-A-J-A-M-A-S.

2009-04-05T16:15:00.000-07:00

I saw some girls wearing these about four years ago. That would have been a good time to start selling them.