Guyton/Walker

A contemporary duo of painters named Guyton and Walker are two men who have combined their artist identity as a collaboration. If traditional pop art still lives on it’s in this work. Fruit is unwrapped and thrown in fields of deco pattern and geometric shapes. The paintings are big and bright and are very attractive to the eye. The duo has shown at the Whitney, Albright-Knox, and are in the MoMA collection but I’ve never heard of them until today. The work is fruitful and I hope it develops in other directions.

Protest Portion

I just saw at 11:52 pm that wordpress has labeled all thumbnail links with a censor stamp. I admit I was caught off guard by this but is this correct? Blogs and walls with protest apps is fine but decorating a site with blocking pictures seems pointless. I suppose it makes me more observant of how great the visual elements of web pages are since the last century ended but the internet is an information resource not a job. It contains jobs and maintaining it is a job but the internet cannot go on strike. It means nothing to Congress and people are just annoyed when they see this. In support of the protest I won’t post a picture for this post

Easy Riders

If it’s true for me then for others it may be so that sporadic memories enter the mind especially in these uncertain times. In our youth people spent most of their time buried in academia and regulations in the public school systems so odds are you’ll flashback inane locker talk, embarrassing gossip, or fist fights. I remember distinctly at Hackett Middle School I had tech/wood shop as the last period of the day. I don’t remember much of anything I learned there except for using a jigsaw blade. But the teacher Mr. Laiacona was teaching some sort of historical lesson and endowed upon us a virtue…

“It’s common knowledge that newer generations have an easier life than the generations before them.”

I suppose this virtue could have been relevant at one point if one reviews the level of suffering and standard of living that has changed over course of human society. Seeing all the unemployment, low job prospects, low wages, high living costs, increase in technology purchases, high tuition, and a planet that seems to be crumbling for the unknown…it doesn’t seem like things are easier just better. And this is information coming from a man who was part of post-WWII American generation that had the cheapest standard of living in the from the 1950′s to 70′s. College was a couple of hundred dollars a semester and you were practically guaranteed a job with a degree as opposed to now its inflated 20 fold and now a Masters Degree is required too. It just seems revolting how Baby Boomers have the nerve to talk about how they survived the Civil Rights/Vietnam era when even though there was so much national turmoil it didn’t matter if dollar stores were non-existent because things actually costed less than a dollar. To make these words even more embittered its the heads of capital investment also a bunch of boomers who’ve exported our jobs and allowed domestic prices run wild.

But back to the virtue, when teachers say unknown philosophical statements like this it usually leaves a meaningful impression. I recall thinking “I never thought of that.” It’s not like middle school students needed to think of that statement at that time in their lives. But surely all these educators must have known in the late 90′s and early 2000′s that a wave was coming towards the young workers of tomorrow. That overseas competition would grow and well paying jobs would be less of a given for many of us. Reflecting now it makes me really mad that school was a place telling us how lucky we were and not prepare the majority of students for professional careers. Not that 1984 is my intellectual bible but Orwell saw a degraded culture where the new generation would have no sense that contemporary life was actually worse than a better past time. The next time someone says how easy kids and young adults have it now a days with ipods, computers, smart phones, and monster.com tell them to shut up because these are just popular commodities and not proof of personal success, only success of sales and ownership. But then again no one talks about how easy kids have these days for obvious reasons.

Get that look of the face

Why do I feel so annoyed when I see this banner advertisement. It must be that stupid expression on this girls face that a director thought was excellent. Well it’s not, when you have a face like that with a title like that and a theme like that it means this is some culturally inept home video parade meant to promote consumer products for artistic outlets. That’s not to say I don’t shoot video on camcorders but I do not brag about that like its a high grade tool. If I could I’d own a Canon EOS for great HD video. But this is just a pointless theme 9 going on teen? What is she 9 or is she nineteen neither of those ages are considered very important high points. Maybe I’m bitter, or I just can’t relate being childless. But I hate this ad campaign…fuck you Canon.

 

Brandon Harris Wiki Bio

Brandon Harris is a master web designer for wikipedia. I can tell he has a lot of skills that promote the websites style and awareness. Be aware that he is aware of its importance and will sculpt it to whatever form it needs. His gaze is piercing.

 

 

I am an employee of the Wikimedia Foundation. My title is “Senior Designer.”

I am easily findable and am willing to help you in whatever way I can.

I can be found on irc.freenode.net in the channels #mediawiki, #wikimedia-dev and #wikimedia

I can be emailed at bharris@wikimedia.org

This is my staff account and is considered separate from my personal account, Jorm.

Work

Here is a partial list of the things I am or have worked on:

• Athena – a “universal” skin for Wikipedia, designed to work on mobile, tablet, and desktop resolutions and capabilities.
• New Editor Engagement (formerly -1 to 100) – a master project working on editor retention.
  • New Page Triage – a tool to make the process of New Page Patrol better
  • Article Creation Workflow – various fixes to make article creation better and saner
  • Reference Tooltips – a simple change to make viewing references easier
  • Timestamp Position Modifications – trying to make the documents appear more alive
  • MoodBar – a tool designed to encourage new user feedback.
  • Feedback Dashboard – a tool to view and respond to new user feedback (sent via MoodBar)
  • WikiLove – a small tool for awarding “WikiLove”
  • Quick Comments – a small feature designed to make it easier to leave messages for users
  • Global Profile- a system designed to ease difficulty for page patrol, reduce “bite”, and encourage identity within the projects
• Interlanguage Design Pass
• 2011 Q2 UploadWizard Design Pass
• LiquidThreads redesign – a rethinking on collaborative systems
• Personal Image Filter proposal – a board proposal concerning controversial content
• MediaWiki Style Guide – A work in progress regarding MediaWiki interface consistency
• Article Feedback Tool, Phase 1 – Phase one of the Article Feedback Tool
• Article Feedback Tool, Phase 2 – Phase 2 of the Article Feedback Tool. (Design was modified heavily during implementation).
• Account Creation workflows (includes some visual design)
• Pending Changes Design Modifications – Some usability enhancements for Pending Changes (not all were implemented)
• The MediaWiki installer
• TradeTrack – a tool for WMF trademark management

Weaponlord

I saw a cartridge of this but did not purchase it. But reading info about this game makes me appreciate it as fascinating art. The first true 2D sword fighting game. But even more interesting is the primitive website a producer and staff creator of the game made about Weapon Lord. He’s like the Ed Boon of the sword combat genre.

http://weaponlord.crunchtimegames.com/

 

Brad Harris 6 Panel 1

I think the following message is overly desperate and mostly a diehard internet crusader who loves his website maintenance too much…because if he looses it he’s out of job. Welcome to the dark king of Hipsters.

-Brandon Harris Presents

From Wikipedia programmer Brandon Harris

I feel like I’m living the first line of my obituary.I don’t think there will be anything else that I do in my life as important as what I do now for Wikipedia. We’re not just building an encyclopedia, we’re working to make people free. When we have access to free knowledge, we are better people. We understand the world is bigger than us, and we become infected with tolerance and understanding.

Wikipedia is the 5th largest website in the world. I work at the small non-profit that keeps it on the web. We don’t run ads because doing so would sacrifice our independence. The site is not and should never be a propaganda tool.

Our work is possible because of donations from our readers. Will you help protect Wikipedia by donating $5, $20, $50 or whatever you can afford?

I work at the Wikimedia Foundation because everything in my soul tells me it’s the right thing to do. I’ve worked at huge tech companies, doing some job to build some crappy thing that’s designed to steal money from some kid who doesn’t know it. I would come home from work crushed.

You might not know this, but the Wikimedia Foundation operates with a very small staff. Most other top-ten sites have tens of thousands of people and massive budgets. But they produce a fraction of what we pull off with sticks and wire.

When you give to Wikipedia, you’re supporting free knowledge around the world. You’re not only leaving a legacy for your children and for their children, you’re elevating people around the world who have access to this treasure. You’re assuring that one day everyone else will too.

Thank you,

Brandon Harris

Programmer, Wikimedia Foundation

 

 

For the record I find this cultural consciousness hilarious.

My favorite Painting of All

Andrew Wyeth is not my favorite artist Dali is. But his painting Chistina’s World is spectacular…a picture with a story of unlimited possibilities because it is the sole start of story. Something is waiting for the woman in the house far away. It makes me unsure what her fate or feelings are. Her body seems tied down and cannot leave the area. Is she escaping or recalling the force that draws her attention to the line of sight. The building is dark and lifeless. A piece of cloth hangs from a line and it almost looks like a figure. The whole scene is cinematic and can stir emotions of fear, curiosity, sorrow, and insecurity held together by a bond uneasiness. The dreaminess and scariness all rolled into one and there is no catharsis or conclusion. It is a sad story wrapped into itself. The picture is a point of visual origin for the never ending dramas of the main hero facing against the unknown challenges of an antagonist.

So here is a cartridge of Metroid I bought last Sunday from Jay Street Videogames in Crossgates. Granted this not the nicest condition the game could be housed in. It’s scratched, dirty, plays like a typical copy of metroid, and sold for an average price of 15 bucks. Now I am not a fan of metroid…it’s good but it’s never really captivated me as a player. I feel pretty much the same about the franchise as a whole too. Yet there was something that caught my attention beyond the cartridge picture and title.

This signature that is marked on the cartridge case. I’ve seen a lot of games labeled by owners in black marker and I have never seen a name like this. Is it a nick name, actual name, a cryptic reminder or message? I can’t even properly make out the lettering completely. Is it…

Batt Angles

Balt Aylis

Batt Aylis

Balt Ayles

Batt Ayles

or

Batt uglis

Balt uylis?

This is the first time a name on a game captivated me. Normally I think a lot of buyers find names on games unattractive and decrease value. The store clerk asked me if I wanted a copy a metroid without graffiti. He didn’t seem to get that the name was why I was deliberating it’s purchase. He might not ever get it. But maybe there is something more here…I felt when I bought the game there was a story here with the game. Who wrote this and what does it mean? The game could even be the possible memorabilia of someone notorious, famous, or unnoticed. They cared enough about the game to label it and then it still ends up a used game store. In a used game stores there is no personality attached to the items…no memories for the buyer with the specific game. But labeling it gives a source ID like where’s george for dollar bills. I’m going to start looking at names on games with a different type of value now. I may buy more titles with a name attached to them because that singular copy makes it unique from every other physical copy in existence. I want to know where this once belonged.

If a reader out there recognizes this name or signature or copy of metroid write back here…

Polaroids

In my previous post I found a photograph at the rummage sale at the First Methodist Church in Delmar NY. Another neat item was a Polaroid Flashgun with all the booklets and box included. I got the equipment simply because finding old photo and video equipment is a mini hobby of mine and stuff like this is finite so there’s no telling if demand will grow. After taking the item home and reviewing it’s contents I found a suprise inside.

Polaroids of strangers…dated December 1965. I guess the prints were forgotten and left in the box carelessly. Judging by the weather and architecture I could imagine the home being in Delmar or somewhere in the Northeast. It’s a modest lower middle class home and the prints seem forced or time catalysts. I imagine this man and his companion were waiting for something to happen and were just fooling around with the camera. There seems to be no purpose for this picture except that it is made. Suprisingly I think the details could pass for being from the last decade let alone 50 years. But then there was another photo that was even more unexpected…and maybe racey for these people.

 

 

 

A woman…middle aged…in a bed…in her underwear…in a private room…which looks identical to the decor of people I knew over the age 0f 65. 65…why that number too?

Anyway I figure the woman’s husband snapped this…I guess new technology demands some erotic exploitation. The woman in this photo maybe dead or very frail and weathered. There’s something abound the orange blanket and the lamp that makes me feel fuzzy and warm with nostalgia of the smell of my grandfathers former home. This picture reads as a reflection on the old times of the senior citizens I met as a child. This was modern living for them and they lie around in underwear and let photos capture them exposed in a setting I consider tacky and cozy. It’s like a pin up for old fashioned interior design. Based on the next photo I found I’m guessing the woman is on vacation in Florida.

If the person who owned these pictures wants them back lets negotiate a price since the content is above average. If not I’ll cherish the pictures…in a platonic way for the bedroom shot. I think I’ll keep looking for photos left behind in time and see if I learn anything.