Using Adobe After Effects to Explain Complex Ideas

After Effects Enables Complex Structure of Thought™ — that we can implement, absorb and grow toward the Positive.

This is an excellent video posted by Jennie Hochthanner about the controversial Troy, Michigan Library debacle.  It’s the best example I’ve seen about a positive way to combat the Hegelian Dialectic that confronts us all on a daily basis.  And if you are not familiar with the Hegelian Dialectic, watching this video is a must. And this is incredibly important in understanding what is going globally today.

In order to make the larger point and teach an important lesson, the small group of Troy Citizens demonstrate a number of incredibly relevant things, especially now in this complex, woven tapestry of reality we share. I will let you draw your own conclusions about their actions and what they did – but it is brilliant, and I commend their valiant effort.

But Jeannie Hochthanner’s incredible visualization of the events, thru the power of Adobe After Effects and (I imagine) Final Cut Pro – weaves the visual tale in a way that compliments and enhances the explanation of the narrator, even more so than just canned footage of the Participants. Nice Job Jeannie.

This technique is so vital and incredibly needed today. And it is a great example that sets he table for all of us to hurdle barriers that keep us from understanding, on many levels.

We seem to be repeating history in varying degrees because we keep falling for all the same old ‘tricks’ – the most recent Anti-Muslim Film being the latest example. I believe this is because the people responsible for funding and putting out the film are attempting to achieve the desired response of Turmoil and Conflict.

A Change of Heart

Dick Cheney’s recent heart transplant gives him
a unique opportunity at a spiritual redemption, if he so chooses.

Dick Cheney received a new heart this weekend.

One of the many jokes I heard about this development was if they could find a donor ‘with as black a heart’ to match Cheney’s.

But after snickering about this, I remembered that I had seen that patients who received transplants inherited Tastes, Traits, Memories, Quirks, etc, from the donors of their organs.This happens sometimes with the lungs and liver, but very specifically from Heart donors.

A quick video.google search reinforces this – here’s an example (part 1 of 4):

It will be interesting to see how ‘Darth Cheney’ reacts to his new heart.

In my ever-evolving personal belief Thought Structure™, although I find what Cheney and his NeoCon Kabal have done to this planet, and our collective reality in general, morally incomprehensible, I can’t and won’t judge him. Or even hate him and his ilk.

However, I would support that he be held responsible for his actions. I know he probably feels the same way, but he would never admit that out loud. I bet Cheney fears death more than most – I would if I were Cheney, and if I had any inkling that I would be judged for his actions in this lifetime. I do believe that He, like all of us, will be held responsible – and that he will have to pay off his karmic debt at some point, in some fashion.

That being said, while he heals with his new, hopefully kinder, gentler heart over the coming weeks and months, it will be interesting to see how Cheney reacts to this new, ‘less-black’ heart.

Will he inherit any cravings, traits, quirks, memories or beliefs of the person whose heart he inherited? Hopefully a person who values life, has a sense of selflessness and justice?

Maybe.

Scrooge needed the spiritual world to come into his dreams to change his heart. The Grinch learned his lesson and changed his heart on his own.

Maybe Cheney, Literally, needed a Physical Change of Heart to actually realize what life, and this reality we all inhabit together, is all about.

It is my hope that this becomes the feel-good Story of the Summer of 2012, with Cheney joining hands with the rest of the good people of this Planet Earth, in a hilarious music video-type montage of him, espousing all forms of the Beatitudes and converting hate and intolerance into inclusion and acceptance.

I really think that this would be… Possible..!  Because anything is.

Maybe Will Ferrell could play Dubya in it.

Wouldn’t that be something?

Irony Exemplified: Islamic Hearings, Wisconsin Workers Rights vs Anti-Bullying

You have to hand it to Karl Rove and the Republican Think Tank$ – they are Masters of their Domains, Orchestrating in Unbelievable Fashion the distractions and noise machines to Divide and Conquer the American Public. Like clockwork, after the questionable legality of the Wisconsin Statehouse Republicans finagling their legislation last night in a Scorched Earth manner, acting in the interests of the very few as opposed to what is fair and just.

Notice the majority of this "Spontaneous" Labor busting? They're in the North, because the Southern States already have Unions Stripped of their Rights.

The Next Day, as I write this, the Peter King ‘Islamic Radicalization’ meetings – which have no purpose, IMO, than to distract, divide and pit the 99.5% of us ‘Have Nots’ against each other. Meanwhile, the powers that be, Legally or Illegaly, pass questionable laws that strip all of us of our Rights and our ability to voice not only our Opinions, but our Dissent against this whole Very Successful, Very Cleaver, Incredibly Effective and now Not-S0-Hidden Agenda.

This ‘Al-Qaeda-izing’ ( the database ) of the entire Muslim Community completely distracts the MSM ( purposely ) from what is really happening here, and pitting the ill-informed public against each other is the tactic of choice again, Beautifully Maestro’ed by the Hidden Agendas.

Then across the hill you have Michelle and President Obama speaking to educators, parents, and community leaders as well as politicians who seem to care about Bullying and the Tactics of Bullying, and the examples and reasons behind bullying…

Does anyone else see the Irony and Lessons of this Point in time in the Structure of Thought™ has laid out before us on this day?

I want to just recognize that in my belief system, there are clues and underlying reasons things happen – sometimes it truly is a coincidence, but there are other times when the Synchronicity is almost Blatant – and this is one of those times. If Corporations are People and Money is Speech, well then We the People are being Bullied by Citizens United, American Crossroads, Fox News, et al.

Like I have said before, I really am no fan of either political party, and just because it is Legal doesn’t make it Correct to implement, profits before people, without Conscience.

At the Least, the Democratic Party, again at the Least, the majority of those who call themselves ‘Democrats’ believe in Ethical, Moral, and Reasoned Behavior – and handcuffed by their Corporate Purse Strings aside… they want the same opportunities for all Americans, not just the Rich White people.

And yes, Elections do have consequences – but the People of Wisconsin never heard Walker mention he was going to do what he has done… and it’s plain to see the Bait and Switch Tactics He and his Ilk have employed… The FACT that they have done this at all is a Bullying Tactic. It’s Lying Liars.

Let’s hope that these events, when looked at through the Prism of Positive Thought Structure™, will show those who have denied that things like this don’t just happen in a Vacuum. We have to Stand Up to this Bully – in the truest sense of Gandhi, with Non-Violent, Peaceful, Organized Non-Compliance. I give the People of Wisconsin and Muslim Americans Immense Credit for ‘Keeping a Lid on their Pots.’ It is my hope that the best of Humanity and cooler, less selfish heads will prevail, and that these Bullies will be brought to Justice. Comments or Dissent is welcome and encouraged.

Ray Noland: Blago / Banksy… My Thoughts and Observations from Huffpost

Ray Noland: Blago / Banksy –

First, I made the following comment at Huffington post, you can see the article I commented on here –

Second, here is my embellished comment: I am / was a big fan of all the Blago/Banksy graffiti that were sprayed all around Chicago – and I covered it extensively in 3+ Posts on my blog “The Structure of Thought™ – this is the way it has always been®”. It’s my opinion that you cannot patent a “style” of art ( you can invent a style, however, so that something can be “Banksy-esque” so to speak, even tho he didn’t “invent” it ) just like a medical or big pharma company can’t “Patent” a gene or a chromosome – even tho the law says you can. Just because it is legal, doesn’t make it right.

That being said, the whole point of Art in its highest calling IMO is to generate positive Thought Structure™, discussion, and push society towards enlightenment. If you go back and read my posts on Ray’s Art it shows the noblest aspect to what the purpose of ANY art can do – call attention to issues, our culture, the flaws in our society, our misplaced values and dysfunctional aspects of the Pop Culture we have created. That is powerful, how one individual can help push society towards the positive.

If you think about it, one good idea can change everything. Hopefully for the better.

Check out the Blago/Banksy entries I talked about here & here – there’s at least 3 updates, with 2 being in the first link, showing pictures from Wicker Park, Bucktown, the Skylark fire pic with some shots of me warming myself next to the cold, empty fire that Blago is trying to start… pretty fun stuff. Check them out…

peace!

Three Dimensional Thought Structure™ applied to Linear Politics

PART I

The purpose of this particular post is to try to wrap my brain around a theory I have had in my head for quite awhile, and to try to explain it to you. The events over the past couple of weeks/months that we’ve all witnessed regarding to where things fall in the “Linear” political spectrum, ( mainly Glenn Beck and his Magic Chalkboard )  using the labels the ‘Left’ or the ‘Right’ in regards to politics, have started to touch on this theory.  This helped me pull down a semblance of this Idea Grouping, this Structure of Thought™ , that I have been trying to manifest for at least the past 5+ years.

And I’m not kidding when I say I’ve been thinking about this ‘Thought Structure’ for a few years… the proof is in the viewing of either of my 2 earliest digital collages here and here. This is where all these “types” of thoughts I have come from, and how they look to me. The Structure of Thought™ is what I call it… and it is really hard for me to put something so… etherical?  into words that even myself can understand.

In The Daily Show's brilliant parody of Glenn Beck, Jon Stewart mocks Glenn's pattern of drawing on the chalkboard similar graphics to what I've been working on in my own little brain.

 

So let me set the table by saying that it’s hard to articulate these Thought Structures™, for lack of a better term, or “theory of forms,” as I think Plato called them, at least for me, coming at it from the artistic viewpoint.

My goal for this fairly extensive post is to convey the idea of how the political parties and factions thereof can be labeled and analyzed within the Structure of Thought™.

First and formost,  look at the Banner ‘The Structure of Thought™’ above. You can see the graphics I put together for the title of this particular Blog. These are not just for decoration… they actually mean something to me, and hopefully try to explain my perception to you, fair reader.

When I look at them I know they convey a method that, if used with interchanging variables that is measured with absolutes, can help us Humans more refine, label and direct anything, from economics, policy, acts, thoughts, deeds… into a “more perfect” way to help measure decision and choice.

This procedure, in turn,  helps “sharpen our pencil” so to speak to more closely mimic nature, find solutions to problems, refine arguments, make better decisions, decipher right from wrong, etc. etc.

And as in Nature, there is Beautiful Structure of Thought™, and there is terrifying, paradoxical, repulsive Structure of Thought™… the thesis statement of this exercise could be said that the more beautiful, natural ways we shape our Thought Structure™, the more functional, effective, moral, ethical way it will effect all of us.

A guest “blog” by George Carlin

What're ya, Fuckin’ Stoopid?

What, are you people F*%#&!’n STOOPID?

Oh, I’m sorry, didn’t mean to offend, didn’t mean to put anyone off by my “intro demeanor.”

Yeah so I’ve been dead awhile… A little over a year now.  June 22 of 2008, to be exact. And I didn’t realize dying on the Summer Solstice was such a big deal. But it is. You’re gonna have to trust me on that one, but that’s not why I am writing this f&%$#n’ BLOG.

Bllllog. What the hell is a blog anyway? You f&%king human beings.

So it’s been awhile since I’ve had a “chat” with any of you, me being passed on to the next thing and all. and I have some pent-up energy to lay out here… and I’ll get to how Pussified the Health Care Debacle has become as long as you keep reading.

But First off, let me tell ya, being dead… ya know—being dead is pretty f&$king cool!

That is, as long as you didn’t completely f&%k up while you were alive…!

So Being Dead. Let me tell ya about it. Being dead gives your soul, your essence, that which is unique in the universe, your own, unique self, the unexplainable paradox that which is “you”—a chance to reflect upon all that is. In other “words,” Death gives you… Perspective. … Per—spec—tive.

And, since time doesn’t really exist here where, fortunately for all of you, I still AM, M’KAY? ….it’s a little hard to “put” into “words,” …and you remember how much I love words and language.

S**t I based my whole  career talking about F&%kin’ Words!

This is how We should pay Baseball Players, Part I

Well, it’s the halfway point in the 2009 baseball season, and I thought this would be a good time to throw my hat into the ring in regards to this familiar and annoying topic. I’ve had this conversation with many people, as all baseball fans tend to do amongst themselves.

Why can’t they pay baseball players according to their statistics, instead of to what their potential seems to be? How many times have we seen a guy sign a big contract, for zillions of dollars, in ANY sport, not just baseball—only to see the athlete just tank and under-perform the next season.

Then there’s the owners, all the variables that go along with running a league, merchandising, licensing, agents bargaining… so many things that affect the bottom line in regards to any pay structure, and to expand, on any economic model. And as an artist and not being born with a left-side of my brain (I use that part of my skull for Christmas ornament storage),  talking money is a true stretch for my poor little lonely right brain to handle.

So I don’t know why I am obsessed with how I think ‘we’ should pay baseball players—maybe it’s because it has led me to a way to combine different Structures of Thought™ on how to cope with this March to Ruin that is our economy right now—or whatever the corporatocracy wants us to believe at this moment in history. Since the entire system is basically shot, now is the time to just change the whole structure—not just the Thought Structure, but the entire economic process. And we can start by trying it out on how we pay baseball players.

This is the start of a framework for this pay structure. It melds lines of thought into different branches of how to handle the different ways to pay, through the separate schools of thought. The roots of where the revenue comes from is the green circle, and this Visual Display of Quantitative Information (thank you Edward R. Tufte) is just a first draft as to how it could work. And I believe this could be applied across the board to other revenue-driven models.

First of all, the NFL more closely follows this model, by somewhat pooling all their revenue and approaching the distribution of money within the league, the use of salary caps, and the loose philosophy that health of the league as a whole is in the best interest of all teams, and that parity within the league gives all a better chance at winning. Plus it keeps all fans interested, because every year their team has a chance.

“The Secret” before “The Secret”

I found this audio selection about six months ago, and I have listened to it maybe 10-15 times since. I think I had heard of Earl Nightingale before, and he reads this philosophy very convincingly. And I really like how it starts… Men simply don’t think. How true is this in our million mile an hour world today?

There is a lot of insight and truth in this message—and it’s obvious even today with all the hubbub that popped up about “The Secret” about what, 2 years ago now?

Wake Up Call

First let me say I am so thankful that I remain busy and have tons to do… hence the sporadic nature of my Posts. I wish I were more consistent—I strive for at least one a week. But I gotta make hay while the sun shines.

That being said, one of the reasons I started this blog is to critique and ferret out video documentaries on the net for my friends and other intellectually curious that maybe “normal” people wouldn’t necessarily see. So I comb Video Google ( instead of YouTube, because they have full length videos ) and watch / listen to them while I work.

UPDATE Again—Even MORE “Banksy” Chicago Style

Just Spotted this one in a heavily trafficed area within walking distance of my office – same as the one that was painted over, but with the great added touch of the disapproving Barking Dog… such a nice touch! I was in the car as I drove by—I hurriedly whipped out my camera and snapped pics of some people posing with the graffiti. I wish I was quick enough to have snapped a pic of the main in the close up below when the girl was taking his pic… he posed in the Blago Jogging position himself, which was very hilarious to watch. I snapped my shots when he was taking the picture of his companion, returning the favor so to speak.

There was a small crowd of people checking it out, seeming to be mulling over if they were going to engage with the piece, waiting to take their turn and snap a pic with the image.

Same as from my initial entry, but with the added flair of the disapproving pooch, representing the rabid voters of Illinois!

Do any of my Fellow Chicagonians have any other Blago/Banksy sightings they’d like to share? Feel free to comment and leave a location… I’ll try to check it out or find any other blogs, articles or pics on the net that deal with it. I really think this is facinating… Art doing what it is meant to do, the highest calling of all, making people engaged and thinking about the true meanings of our own behaviors and that of our leaders. Really makes your head spin if you think about it.

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About ten days ago I was driving by the underpass where that hilarious Blogo graffiti was painted… and my heart sank—it was painted over! I was so sad. I had come to enjoy driving by it everyday, seeing Rod’s sunshiney face peeing over his shoulder at me as I drove by, saying hi. Hi Rod, I’d say. I wonder what you are doing today… where you are trying to shamelessly self-promote yourself, watching your wife eat a bug, and wishing, wishing it was your bug to eat. Man, what a missed opportunity!

For the next couple of days, that part of my drive felt… empty. Like a vaccuum void where something meaningful was taken away. I would drive by and stare at the now blank spot on the wall—I missed Rod. And in thinking in the bigger picture, I was mad at the censorship. Yes, the tried and true debate of the value of graffiti itself. Graffiti has been slow to grow on me, because when it is destructive of private property, that makes me angry. But this is an underpass on a public piece of transport! Plus it spoke to me… it carried a message, a meaning. It was a barb of pointed Thought Structure™ that poked my brain with irony, humor, and the knowledge of the “logos” of what that particular graffiti stood for… the sorry state of politics that exists in many factions today.

The BlogoBanksy ‘Strikes’ again!

So last Thursday, as I’m driving by to get home, lo and behold – The BlogoBanksy strikes again! This time it was on the other side of the street – but directly across from where the first one was painted. This one is of Blogo lighting a campfire, with the same guilty look on his face as the ‘jogger’ Blogo. What does the lighting of the campfire represent? Feel free to chime in your own opinions… I’d love to hear what you think.

So now I feel better. I hope the city leaves this one up for longer than a month. Even in this form, this Graffiti is undoubtedly Art. It makes you think. At least it makes ME think.

What do you think? I think that this is one of the greatest callings of Art. Pushing the Structure of Thought™, even kicking and screaming, towards a more intelligent, more benevolent existence.

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I don’t know how many of these have been painted around Chicago, but someone tossed this new image up close by my office late last week. Is it the Real Banksy? Probably not… but you never know.

blago—banksy

The provocative, elusive artist Banksy is a “legend wrapped in an enigma inside a paradox” to semi-quote Joe Pesci as David Ferrie from JFK. Check out both youtube video links I’ve placed in this blog entry  if you don’t know who he is. And this Chicago-style deep-dish example is not only editorially poignant but hilarious… constructive, and deliciously ironic. It captures the flavor of the whole ordeal in one simple image. Brilliant.

As many of you are aware, Rod Blagojevich is the much bally-hooey-ed impeached former Governor of Illinois… and old news at that, much to his narcissistic chagrin. Again, as a dyed-in-the-wool conspiracy theorist, it is my belief that he was dragged out of office and disgraced only because he went against the banking system… the day before he was busted by Federal Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald he came out at an impromptu press conference and started barking about investigating Bank of America and pulling all the state’s business with the Giant Bank—the next morning the Feds are at his door.

It was within that next week the press phalanx started to follow Blago and his giant hairdoo’s every move… trying to jog in the frigid cold of an early December day. By his gait, it was obvious that Rod rarely, if ever, jogged. He was really out sniffing about, trying to garner some much coveted attention. A clue to the media whore he would become. Republocrat or Demican, IMHO both are fair game and one in the same these days… those of you who know me know that I am non-partisan when it comes to exposing hypocrasy.

So it is in that light that the “Banksiesque” Chicago effort is again brilliant. It captures the complete awkward absurdity of the giant egomaniac former governor in an act of pure irony… himself barely a runner, looking over his shoulder, looking for the press to make sure they follow, looking for attention, ANY attention… and also approval.

what a tangled web we weave

Filled with fear that he is getting neither, he can’t help but to also be looking for the inevitable arm of justice to grab him by his furrowed neck like a bad kitten and toss him into the can. Much has been made about his mental state—as a seasoned veteran of dealing with mental wackiness, I diagose Blago as “suffering” from narissistic bi-polar… which is a main symptom of being in that state of mind of which I am very familiar.

That particular narcissistic Structure of Thought™, when you are immersed in it, blinds you to the obvious. And I can’t sympathize with his diabolical behavior. Blago is a symptom of our time, a pathetic example of what our system run amuck without principles, checks and balances, morals, ethics, compassion and logic produces. Hopefully he will get some sembalance of treatment and counselling when he’s paying his debt to society.