I'm Still Killing Weeds

I am back in the US after 8 days in the UK. A whirlwind trip from London to Edinburgh to Loch Katrine. I've learned that 8 hour flights physically and mentally hurt. William Hogarths paintings look better in person then the ink plates you normally see in US museums and publications. 

Marriage A-la-Mode: 5, The Bagnio - 1743

The impact of Thomas Gainsborough on the early works of the Hudson River School is redundantly evident in their large scale paintings. 

Mr. and Mrs. Andrews 1750

And experienced the scathing biting sarcasm first hand from a Virgin train conductor on the way back from Edinburgh to London's King Cross station. 

Oh and its nigh impossible for me to understand the Scottish accent or for they to understand my accent in the highlands of Scotland. I'm looking right at you late night Aberfoyle fire crew. Oh and lastly, wiring the smoke alarms to the main instead of batteries. Great idea, except when every fluctuation of the power sets off the fire alarm and the only way to turn it off is to turn off the breaker box over and over and over throughout the night. And finally - British TV. Nothing seemed more comforting especially that first night when jet lag kicked in. than the humorous banter between host and co host of:

BBC One - Pointless

The Shipping Forecast on BBC Radio 4

Inspector Morse and random commercials of ITV3 and BBC 2

Life and Death in the 80s

Christopher Walkin (Brainstorm) Olivia Wilde (The Lazarus Effect)

The 80s. If our insatiable march towards the then ever lurking threat of nuclear apocalypse between the Soviets and the US did not kills us then surely our lack of ethically questionable and morally suspect technological research would, right?

Brainstorm - 1983 (or the Occulus rift of the 1980s)
 

Sci Fi films often tackle cultural and social issues that other films dare not venture into for genuine concern it will muddy the plot points. With that in mind I had high hopes for the trailer of a film aptly named The Lazarus Effect. Much like Brainstorm in the mid 80s the plot promises to take a long hard look at Western culture and the complicated often problematic relationship between science and faith.

 

The Lazarus Effect - A contemporary film that promised to review the current scientific perspective on death as a process rather than an end point. With recent scientific research of Peter Rhee as covered by David Robson in his article for BBC News "The ultimate comeback: Bringing the dead back to life" and their subsequent process of seeking FDA approval to begin clinical research in human subjects within the US, (eg Phase 1) it seems a perfect time for a film like The Lazarus Effect. However, the trailer alone exhibits the well worn faith based tropes of this topic. Scientist messing with the process of life and death always always always results in the Christian duality of heaven and hell punishment. I walked into the trailer hoping it would take the road that Brainstorm did, and sadly ended up looking at a two minute parable about Christian faith.

Swing-2010-Johannes Vogl.mov

the church of the future

KENNETH TIN-KIN HUNG: In G.O.D. We Trust

KENNETH TIN-KIN HUNG
"In G.O.D. We Trust remixes the political and economical hardships Barrack Obama has to overcome within various religious contexts. In the series the 44th US president keeps reincarnating into seven various prophets, spiritual leaders and deities in order to heal the world, including Jesus Christ, Buddha, Elegua, Lady of Guadalupe, Krishna, Mohammad and Abraham. The series uses the pillar belief, remix the important stories and substitute the key elements of the religious texts with current political and economical climate. Rather than idolizing Obama, In G.O.D. We Trust examines the hope and changes the popular 44th US president promises to deliver and the obstacle along the way.

The title of the series appropriate the US national motto, but with a twist. In G.O.D. We Trust the word GOD is an abbreviation of Global Obama Devotion. Contrary to the artist previous works that criticize the manipulation of religions in politics, In GOD We Trust starts from the religious teaching and reinterpret the moral values with current affair. The result is a spiritual journey that even Atheist cannot deny it."

Fast and Furious - VOLVO OCEAN RACE 2008/9

Le Vendee Globe (2000-2001)_min33.avi