This is a famous sculpture in Minneapolis, MN, recently defaced in the Kony 2012 “blanket the night” phase of the campaign. This is why Kony 2012 is stupid… but maybe I should explain it in more detail for those of you who don’t understand why. 

Let me begin by saying that I don’t agree with people who use kidnapped children as soldiers, nor do I condone war criminals or their activities. I do wish people were more aware, but that’s like wishing gold is going to drop out of my ass. 

Kony 2012 is, in essence, a giant one-sided way of the western world looking at vastly different cultures going through turbulent times. In our eyes, the events in Uganda were largely unknowns, and if you only watched the Invisible Children video… 30 minutes of a one-sided view… you have no idea what you are talking about when it comes to the complexities of the wars in central Africa.

But why is Kony 2012 stupid? Well, let’s put it this way. A bunch of people watched a 30 minute video, and were then pointed directly to the single source of information for products, which they would pay money for. Yes, it goes to a charity… but most of the people giving probably had no idea what the dynamics of the situation were or are. They have no idea how their money is actually being used. But hey, this guy is bad, the 30 minute video said so! Then, some of these people took on a next step. They covered cities with posters, trying to raise awareness about someone who is considered by some to be a freedom fighter, against someone who only used the same tactics as the government he’s combated, and has hence lost to for all intents and purposes. Kony may have committed atrocities. He may also not have. It’s not exactly beyond the Ugandan government to blame violence on someone that threatens their rule. Just sayin’, people haven’t looked into this. They give their money, and perhaps slap up a few posters… and that’s how they tried to change the world forever… such a small amount of work for a massive amount of self-gratification. Lazy, sloppy… stupid.

And then we get this outright act of vandalism. For some reason, some people seem to think that Vandalism is a legitimate means of communication. Perhaps. On walls, underpasses, benches, bridges… often I’m not even sure I have a problem with some well-done graffiti… but when you deface public art to get your point across, when you damage priceless landmarks… you’ve gone way to fucking far. You know what that does? It pisses people off. And it makes them mad at you. They don’t give a crap about some guy they’ve never heard of halfway around the globe, they care about finding the person responsible for the vandalism and punishing them. All that makes the whole Kony campaign look like is a bunch of miscreant neo-anarchist douchebags who are still living off old money and are just rich hipsters. But then again. Maybe that’s all they are.

Now, I’m not saying horrible shit hasn’t happened, or that we should just let other nations enact genocide on one another, but this world is full of people far worse than Joseph Kony. It’s full of governments worse than Kony. Like Uganda. Or should we just ignore the “Kill the Gays” bill? Or how about Syria or Bahrain, who have murdered citizens in conflicts based on the freedom of the people? Or what about North Korea, who is working towards long-range nuclear capability, puts its people into labor-camps where they work until they die, and has a starving and dying populace? Or what about Russia, where the elections are rigged and Putin just looks like another long-term leader in what is a very corrupt nation? These Kony 2012 people want us to focus on some back-water militant who, in the eyes of some, is not an evil man, rather a force against other evil people? Sounds like a great excuse to get out of taking care of real world issues to me. Kony may indeed be a world issue… but he pales in comparison to so many other tyrants and villains. You wanna change the world? Vote. Pay attention to the planet, read the news, and frequently contact your elected representatives… or better yet, become a politician. You know how you don’t change the world? Slapping up a few posters, and tagging a world-famous work of art. That’s not how you change the world. That’s how you transform yourself into a gigantic douche. 

(Source: ilovecharts)

There’s been a lot of hype over the new bill being passed around the District of Columbia lately. That bill is the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act. The intent of the bill is to give the US government, and private companies, the ability to monitor and protect their interests and to “protect” citizens from cyber attacks.

The main problem with the bill is that it’s language is vastly broad and widens a massive gap of grey area in which the government and private companies can operate. The few definitions are shaky at best, and many terms lack much in the way of legal definition within the document, instead being left up to interpretation by anyone choosing to use the bill in their own interest. Don’t believe me? Read the bill yourself. http://intelligence.house.gov/sites/intelligence.house.gov/files/documents/HR3523.pdf

While protecting private companies is important, and going after people who steal secret and copyrighted material is just as vital, this bill pretty much gives people the leeway to get their fingers all up in your business as long as someone deems that you are a threat. CISPA seems to be a Cyber-police catch-all in disguise. As long as you are deemed a threat, or there is any supposed suspicion that you might be up to something, they can violate your privacy, and even cut you out of the internet for good. In this day-in-age, as commerce moves forward, that’s certainly something to be concerned about.

Sign the petition to have the bill dropped here:

http://act.demandprogress.org/letter/cispa/?akid=1306.672577 

So, I was gunna draw a bridge, and just as I started, a car came by and I had to abort… then… I decided to roll with it. 

Here is my first attempt at a proper recipe. I am semi-working on a project for a cookbook about my various cooking endeavors. Working title “On The Fly [ Cooking for 20-somethings ] “

This is my spin on an old classic. Some might call it destruction. I call it “workin’ with it”. I have probably the worst electric stove on the planet, so, if my ass can cook this, so can you!

I gained my knowledge of this recipe through multiple other recipes and an episode of “No Reservations” (Thanks, Tony) which put me over the edge with the inspiration to make it.

Beef Bourguignon is a french stew made with wine, onions, carrots, potatoes, and, here’s the important part… beef! You can make it with other meats too, but a nice, fatty, cheap cut of beef is your best bet for this one.

My spin? I used a semi-expensive argentinian malbec that had sat for a week, which means it wasn’t good to drink anymore due to acidity, and I used a good bit of water with some soy sauce splashed in. Oh, and cheapo galic salt. That makes it into too much food I make. This dish alone was enough for 6 small-medium meals for me along with a side of bread, which I had a plenitude of at the time. It lasted for a week and a half and kept very well in the fridge. It had amazing flavor all the way to the last bite, of the last bowl, 10 days later.

What I Used
-~2lbs of beef, chopped into cubes
- 1 chopped onion
- 3 carrots, cleaned, peeled chopped
- 2 potatoes, cleaned, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tbsp flour
- ¼ - ½ soy sauce
- 1½ cup of red wine
-  water
- salt
- pepper
- garlic salt


What You Need To Do:

1: Prepare all your stuff. I failed to do this and was trying to cook around my roomate who was also making himself his own dinner at that time. This made cooking difficult for me and I ended up with some burned onions at one point. Also, don’t do what I did and drop all your potatoes and carrots all over the floor. They take a while to rinse.

2: Get your pan heated to a medium temperature and oil it. Make sure the oil gets all over the cooking surface and inner sides. While I used a metal wok, a flat-bottomed, thick metal pan is best for this dish. If you have a gas stove, awesome. Electric… you’ll have to work with it. I managed.
3: Grab a plate and your chopped up beef. Cook the beef a little at a time, not all at once. 2 lbs of cool beef will make your pan too cold to be effective. Sear the beef just enough to cook the outside of it (turn it brown), then remove from the pan and place on the plate for later.

4: Add those onions. Dump those all in, splash in some soy sauce if you so dare, since I did (why not?). Stir them around periodically. These should not burn, just cook them until they’re a nice golden - golden brown color.

5: Add the flour, shaking it so it lands evenly over the onions. Stir and cook it for 2-3 more minutes. I added some more soy here because, let’s face it, I have a problem.

6: Now comes the fun part. See all that stuff cooked to the bottom of the pan? It’s delicious, and you want it in the sauce. Trust me. Add your wine and scrape that stuff off the bottom of the pan. Leave it in the sauce (you’ll never get it out anyway). It’s part of the deliciousness.

7: Add everything else, and then top off with a little more wine and some water if necessary. I actually added 2 cups of water on top of the 1½ cups of wine I then added another splash of soy sauce. My bottle was then empty, though I doubt some more would have hurt.

8: Simmer all of this for a least 2 hours. DO NOT BOIL! Some bubbling is ok, a roiling boil is a guarantee that your pan is too hot and you will burn your dish! Longer time isn’t necessarily worse, though. (In fact, it may be better.) Check back every 15-20 minutes, stir, and then leave to cook. About an hour in, things are technically “cooked” but not really edible. At this point I added a little salt to my preference. Thing is, salting can occur later too if you’re not super picky about things. I prefer to get my salt levels right ASAP… though too much can destroy your meal.

9: After 2+ hours, it’ll be done, the beef should be almost falling apart and easy to cut with a fork or even a spoon. Potatoes and carrots should be fairly soft as well. If it’s not done, keep cooking until it is.

[a satire] 

I’m better than you. Just accept that. I’ve got a moral fiber stronger than you, based on reason, and not religion or what someone else has told me is right. I look into stuff, and that makes me know better than you. I get good grades in school. I’m smart enough to make my own choices and not fuck up. I can cook, draw, ski, hike, run, bike, drive, and race, all of which, I am better than you at. I have innate senses that give me guidance in this life. I realize what death is and accept it instead of hiding behind invincibility and doubt. That all makes me better than you.

I’m better than you because I accept who I am, fully, with all the quirks. I am kinda fat, kinda socially awkward, and that makes me better than you. I am better than you because I am right, and you are wrong, plain and simple. I have done my studies, I have done my research. I just know better. Want me to cite that, I will. Citation me. I heard it somewhere, from a trusted friend, and that makes it 100% accurate. I’m better than you because I know everything about the world. I have the answers right here, in front of me, and that puts me in a higher position. Hell, I am better at writing that you. There’s nothing you can find wrong here in this letter. Nothing at all.

I’m better than you because I traveled more than you, and I have seen more than you. I have been halfway around the world and back, and that right there, clearly, makes me better than you. I have tasted fine wines, fine food, and fine liqour. I have sailed boats and flown planes. I have friends in all sorts of destinations. I am connected, I am cultured, I am an artist, and that makes me far better than you.

Some of my choice photographs from the Vertfest clinic. Was able to go out and shoot with Grant Gunderson, and pro skiers Molly Baker and Zack Giffin. It was truly a privilege to be able to spend the day with people who make their profession in the action sports industry. Shot in Feb, 2012. 

magicaldeductions:

ok lets see if that thing with glasses chicks suddenly becoming super weird feminine when they whip off their glasses works

woop

well that was anticlimatic wait

wait

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON

What that is dumb and does not happen.

Look,…

(Source: sassylesbianluka)

A photograph on a chairlift on a night where it was absolutely dumping at Alpental. It snowed 4-5 inches within a few hours. 

This is my summer. I am not sure when I will get the chance to have such a relaxed summer again in my life, so I am taking full advantage of it. Then again. I take full advantage of life. It’s just what I do. I only have so much time anyway, and being that no one is willing to say, hand me a space ship to galavant off to Jupiter, I think I will just have to sit right here and do what I can while I can do it. 

So far, so good. I climbed halfway up Mt Rainier, to just below Camp Muir, and then skied to Paradise. I scored the best star photos of my entire life. I’ve been to parties that blew my mind. I’ve been OUT of my mind in the forest, convinced that a cougar was hunting me while on a camping trip. I’ve played with fireworks, and almost blown my face off. Damn short fused firecrackers. I’ve also sat around, on my fat, slobby ass, and otherwise have done nothing, at least until today. 

Today, thank god, I got out of the house, on a Tuesday of all days. I biked around Lake Union, on a beautiful late evening ride. I also got to see my Cousin play in her band at a local bar. They’re touring from Florida. I feel refreshed and energized, even still at 3 am, which for most of you would probably be like 10pm, or 9 pm, whatever is your bed time. It’s great. Tomorrow, I am going to dive back into my costume building work, and also get my hair re-bleached and dyed pink for my mom’s wedding. Trust me. Pink is going to work. Why? Because I’ll make it work. I’m just that kind of guy. 

Going to a crazy party this weekend. I am going to have a damn good time there, or so I hope. I’m also betting that my sour cream and onion ruffles and monterey jack cheese dip will go over well. Cheap thrills, I know. I may also bring a handle of vodka. I love vodka. It’s like a russian spy. It sneaks into your drink and before you know it, you’re on the floor vomiting wondering what went wrong. That is, of course, if you’re not careful and also an idiot. Mix your own drinks, or be smart, and drink slow. Don’t be like me and decide to polish off six shots of vodka while making curry and watching Vanishing Point, only to be so hammered that you spill curry all over the kitchen and you forget what happened in the movie. There was a car, some dude, and he drove it. Right. Good job me. 

 I digress.

So, this summer is turning out to be awesome. Next weekend, the one after this coming one, I am going camping in a ghost town. The week after, my mom is getting married, AGAIN. (this makes #2 during my lifetime.), the week after that, I am going to a massive dance party being thrown by a local DJ I know. He’s bringing in people from Vancouver, Portland, and even Florida for this thing. It’s going to be off. the. fucking. chain. I need to find a DD, because I am tired of being DD.

After that I have a few weeks of reprieve before I am flying off to Europe for ten days to see Germany, and where my Grandfather fought in Holland, during Operation Market Garden. My grandpa is coming with us too. This may be the last big trip of his life, being an octogenarian and all.  

After that… There’s not much. I am going to be helping run a local convention, just doing some basic staff work in the mornings, and photo work during the day in September. 

I hope to return to the slopes of Rainier this summer. I am in love with the mountain, and I want to stand on top of it someday. Maybe I’ll see the top of Adams before the summer is out. Who knows, I am up for anything. 

Then, it is back to school. I need to find a job, or something else to fill my weeks up, being that I can only go to school part time now. I hope to nab an internship. We’ll see how that goes. 

Anyway. Right now, I am happy. That’s all I want from life. Money, material possessions, things of that nature are all secondary really. Happiness wont always be there, but for the moment, I will revel in it, because I can. I am alive, and content with myself now, and where I am going. I couldn’t have said that two years ago.

I guess that just goes to show you that if you take life by the reigns, and utilize your advantages and tools, you really can go somewhere.

Tomorrow is a new day. Let us see where life takes me.