<body>

directorcommentary | jasonbentley.org

Jason Bentley, Santa Clara, California: writing, photography, graphic design, music, audio, video, technology, life

December 19, 2004

Art imitates life imitating art imitating life

It's funny cuz it's true.

http://www.somethingpositive.net/sp11222004.shtml

jb | | # |  

Letters from Simba's fans

Simba got a Christmas card yesterday. I went to a poker party and Micah, my former housemate, brought some lingering mail that had been gathering dust in Redwood City. I opened the mail on the train home last night and in the stack was an envelope addressed only to Simba. Since it wasn't postmarked, it was legal for me to open it. So I did.

Inside the envelope was this card:



The card reads:

"Know what I love about you? You always know what I'm talking about..." [open card]
"even when I don't!"

Inside, the following was written on the card:




Hi Simba! (the cat)

I miss you! I was wondering if you are alright since I haven't seen you for 2 to 3 months. Then heard from one fo your former housemates on Turkshead lane that you had moved to Santa Clara.

You are a wonderful and extremely friendly unique cat. I miss your occasional visits and your friendly face. Hope you like your new neighbors. I am sure you will make many new friens with your unique personality. Have a great holiday. lots of food and napping next to a warm fireplace.

Your former next door friend,

Jim Wong
I was naturally rather touched, so I showed Simba the card this morning. He was very happy to hear from Mr. Wong and suggested that he pose for some pictures.






Hi, Jim!

Thanks for your card! It was really nice to hear from you. I'm adjusting to life in Santa Clara. It's not as cushy as the Shores, but hey - I grew up in Santa Cruz, so I'm not so pampered as my urbane demeanor might suggest. Though I will say there is no where near enough mulch here. As you probably recall, I like mulch. It's fun to roll around in on hot summer days.

Anyway, I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to say goodbye. Poor planning on the part of my human cohabitant saw to it that I was whisked away under the cover of night. I thought I was part of an elaborate heist. You can imagine my let down when I found out I was just moving.

Have a great Christmas and New Year, and I'll definately be sure to keep as warm as I can. I don't have a fireplace here, but there's a quiet majesty to baseboard heating that I never knew existed. I like being close to it, as it is very conducive to dreamy naps. And dreams are where its at.

Simba!

jb | | # |  

Clarity through distortion

The ultraconservative news website NewsMax.com is offering shirts and mousepads that misappropriate scientific images to distort political truths.



The folks at NewsMax.com know full well their audience prefers to see things in stark terms, regardless of the situation's reality, so they comfortably avoid publication of any of the other maps produced during a University of Michigan study by Michael Gastner, Cosma Shalizi, and Mark Newman.

When the country is viewed as cartogram, a process where state boundaries are distorted based on population density, a clear picture emerges:



And if conservatives hate maps like that one imagine how they feel about one like this:



Or worse yet, this:



Things aren't black and white or red and blue.

jb | | # |  

A bit of the old i/o

Comfort Stand Recordings, another kick-ass label that distributes content under Creative Commons licenses, released a boffo compilation called: Wakka Chikka Wakka Chikka: Porn Music for the Masses Volume I. I'm getting a lotta spins outta this one. The easily offended and hopelessly repressed may wanna steer clear. Everyone else, grab the Kleenex and dig it! Dig it! Dig it!!!

Who's Fantasy Is This, Anyways? by Mr. Melvis (featuring R. Stevie Moore and Ms. Demeanor) is worth it for pure dark hilarity (and fun with a keyboard sampler). "WAAAAAAAAAGH!"

jb | | # |  

Bloody Hell

Some recent events have inspired me to create another blog. I know, I know - I'm going relatively gangbusters on this one. Well, I've created the new one to not only take a little pressure off this one, but also as an attempt at creating a weblog that uses contributions from others, and all the stuff that goes along with managing that.

The blog is called "Blood Red States." It's at www.jasonbentley.org/brs. I'm using a default template for it at the moment, but I'll soon give it it's own unique look and hopefully a lovingly lurid voice in the political blogosphere.

jb | | # |