metaphorge- the Archbishop of Balogna!!!

and on the drums: Cesar Chavez!

Sun, 17 May 2009 07:43:24 GMT

IMG_7502, originally uploaded by metaphorge.

Tawaret at the Rosicrucian Museum in San Jose

Thu, 14 May 2009 08:55:25 GMT

DSCF0182, originally uploaded by metaphorge.

Anyone want to hazard a guess as to why I'm reposting this particular photo now?

checking email in Aswan...

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:34:49 GMT

DSCF5627, originally uploaded by metaphorge.

...at the McDonald's by the Nile overlooking the felucca harbor and ancient ruins (constructed by Thutmose III) in the background.

I couldn't resist getting darkmoon to snap a photo, great juxtaposition of 3000 years of human technological development.

headless towel monkey!!!

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:27:36 GMT

DSCF5599, originally uploaded by metaphorge.

Happy Easter everyone!

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 13:46:15 GMT

The supremely creepy Easter decoration in the Ramses Hilton lobby in Cairo, Egypt.
originally uploaded by metaphorge.

"Here comes Peter Cottontail
Looking like a fiend from Hell!"

at the pyramids in giza

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 03:02:10 GMT

DSCF4493, originally uploaded by metaphorge.

More photos from out VERy full day yesterday: http://www.flickr.com/photos/metaphorge/sets/72157616297870907/

Yesterday in Amsterdam....

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 10:53:59 GMT

DSCF4136, originally uploaded by metaphorge.

Greetings from Cairo!

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 03:53:46 GMT

Greetings from Cairo!, originally uploaded by metaphorge.

Here's the view from our room at the Ramses Hilton. It took FOREVER to get here, check my twitter if you really want all the sordid details.

three things

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:55:43 GMT

1. I haven't been posting in my blog very much for a while (I'm sure you've noticed). I figured out yesterday that the biggest impediment to posting in my blog has been composing a post about why I haven't been posting in my blog. Sometimes I'm so recursive I want to scream.

2. darkmoon, tyrsalvia and I are about to fly to Amsterdam, then Egypt, on a trip with darkmoon's family. This will give me something to write about once I return.

3. How are you guys?

"the first war ever to be 100% outsourced to private enterprise"

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 02:55:30 GMT

I've recently fallen in love with the new John Cusack film War, Inc., a darkly comedic satire of the military industrial complex in the 21st century.

Cusack plays Brand Hauser, an assassin (undercover as a trade-show producer) sent to eliminate a local political leader in the central Asian nation of Turaqistan, which has been occupied by the large private corporation Tamerlane, chaired by the former American Vice President (Dan Aykroyd, in a hilarious take on Dick Cheney).

Throw in a crusading liberal reporter (Marisa Tomei) and oversexed Middle Eastern popstar Yonica Babyyeah (Hillary Duff), and things will not go quite according to plan.

Rent it. It's well worth your time. It's very silly, but there's a subtlety to its criticism as well. I particularly liked the tanks covered with corporate sponsorship logos a la NASCAR and the "affinity ads" ("We're building Happiness!" "We're building Freedom!") and gift bags of corporate swag promoting Tamerlane. If you've ever been to a trade show the film is particularly hilarious.

Abney Park

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:16:50 GMT

Photos from this weekend's Abney Park show are here.

toying with the election

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 06:00:47 GMT

Hey, you got politics in my action figures!

Hey, you got action figures in my politics!

steam powered! the california steampunk convention...

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:46:47 GMT

... was this just passed weekend in Sunnyvale. I'll have more photos and info later, but here's a photo of tyrsalvia, darkmoon and I in our Sunday outfits:

effective mind control techniques, chapter 4567

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 22:37:31 GMT

It seems like one of tne of the most effective possible "mind control" techniques would be convincing someone they should avoid doing something because doing so would be succumbing to "mind control".

1. Identify fear.

2. Conflate undesriable activity with fear.

3. Activity will be avoided.

See also: convincing someone to do or not do something because they will be a "sheep" if they do not.

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:10:25 GMT

"What purpose in these deeds,
Oh fox confessor please,
Who married me to these orphan blues?"

"It’s not for you to know,
But for you to weep and wonder,
When the death of your civilization precedes you...."
-Neko Case, "Fox Confessor Brings the Flood"

FansProject's City Commander upgrade armor for Classics Ultra Magnus

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:56:37 GMT

Here's a video review (not by me) of one of the most amazing third-party TransFormers items I've ever seen: the FansProject "TF-Parallax City Commander" trailer/armor for Transformers Classics Ultra Magnus:

What's particularly impressive about this item is that it is not made by Takara or Hasbro, but instead comes from a group of fans in Hong Kong. The engineering is amazing on this, and it really demonstrates what is possible with modern prototyping and manufacturing tools for small groups.

Mine's on the way. I'm REALLY looking forward to this set; FansProject will also be releasing a "Shadow Commander" set in December for this year's SDCC TransFormers exclusive, Nemesis Prime, which ends up being the dare-I-say SEXIEST TransFormer I've ever set eyes on:

I always did have a thing for 'bots in black. ;D

this just has not been John McCain's week:

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:41:29 GMT

I thought that the photo I iconized earlier today was the funniest thing to come out of last night's debate. Apparently I was wrong:

I almost feel bad about laughing at this one, because, as Kevin Drum said:

"This picture is a microcosm of the entire campaign. It's totally unfair, it could happen to any of us, it's just an unfortunate trick of timing and angle, but....well, nothing is going right for John McCain this year, is it? The guy is cursed."

It is truly unfortunate, especially considering how the photo apparently came about in the first place:

"There was apparently a bit at the end (which I didn't see myself) where McCain tries to come around the table to shake the moderator's hand, and they both go in the same direction around the table, and then both reverse themselves, and McCain makes a funny face to indicate that they're doing something dopey."

It would be grossly unfair to hang John McCain with his ability to laugh at himself. We need more politicians who can do that.

Still: BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

GIP: bi-partisanship

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:22:04 GMT

Because SOMEONE had to make this icon from this photograph:
Feel free to use it, credit would be appreciated. :)

open source doomsday machine research?

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 00:06:14 GMT

One of the things I really enjoy about the Esozone conference is the interesting questions it raises.

Today's question: <b>why isn't there more open source development work done on doomsday devices?</b>

the 2008 american presidential race (per current CNN polls)

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:56:28 GMT

skullf*cking (work safe and hilarious)

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 23:22:08 GMT

Johannes has an accident
Originally uploaded by metaphorge

We'll get more photos up once we return from KOL Con V in Phoenix, but this video by darkmoon from the opening night of Arse Elektronika 2008 was too good to wait until then to post.

It is, amazingly, most likely work safe.

so, what's with the wall street chaos?

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 20:09:05 GMT

I don't know how many of you have been following the recent stories of the implosion of several titans of the U.S. financial services industry (Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns) and closely related industries (Washington Mutual is in severe trouble and is putting itself on the auction block, and the Federal Government just bought a 79% stake of American International Group, one of the world's largest insurers, to keep it from going under).

This is an excellent article on many of the reasons why this has all happened.

While you're at it, knowing the skinny on the subprime mortgage crisis in general is not a bad idea, and this article is pretty good overview of the sequnce of events.
And yes, this should matter to you.

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 06:05:23 GMT

Whomever is doing background checks and spin control for the McCain campaign need to be fired.

apparently McCain and Palin go way back

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 08:07:28 GMT

McCain-Palin 2008, originally uploaded by metaphorge.

Hooray, I found a photo! John McCain and Michael Palin performing together for a sold-out performance at the Hollywood Bowl back in the seventies, I think it was a benefit for Vietnam vets. Sorry about the quality, apparently this is a video capture from an old VHS tape. I'll see if I can find a better one.

mccain's VP

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:27:16 GMT

I understand that there are countless Monty Python fans around the U.S., but I am very disappointed in John McCain's choice as a Vice Presidential candidate.

I mean, Michael Palin isn't even an American!

Edit: On the bright side, Palin looks GREAT in drag, much better than Joe Biden would, and I suppose McCain deserves credit for trying to appeal to the comedic transvestite set, though I would have gone with Izzard on this count. Also Palin is an accomplished author.

Further edit: I found a photo.