Saguaro National Monument

it’s like heaven with cactus.

Your first morning at the resort.  You wake up and hear an angel singing.  Conveniently disguised as a cactus wren, perched atop a nearby saguaro.

You feel light, and soon you’ll be feeling joyous.  Especially after you stretch your fairway wood to its limit and shoot an eagle on the tenth hole.  There are 3,000 more hoes beckoning.  And in a place so celestial, it might be possible to play them all.

Tomorrow you’ll be drawn to explore mystical wonders.  The Grand Canyon, Saguaro National Monument.  The White Mountains Monument Valley.  The view by the pool from the vantage point of your lounge chair.

Outside your window you see Arizona.  But you know where you really are.  Don’t you?

visual source:  homeexchange

Does it actually take 8 different point of views to see who assassinated the president?

Moments after he arrives in Spain for a landmark anti terrorism summit, U.S. President Ashton is shot. The 15 minutes leading up to the shooting are rehashed — Rashomon-style — from the perspective of various onlookers: two Secret Service agents (Dennis Quaid and Matthew Fox), a TV reporter (Sigourney Weaver) and a tourist (Forest Whitaker).

I’m not going to lie but the premise is actually quite intriguing. I was looking forward to actually seeing this movie, but it collapsed into car crashes, shoot-outs, and utterly implausible plot developments.

The one thing I liked about the film was its style. It revealed something new at just about every vantage point, and sometimes things we didn’t understand the first time, we understand somehow later on.

Then, after awhile the flashbacks really start to be annoying. I felt like I was watching Groundhog Day by the 5th flashback, cause to be truly honest, this film has way too much plot and not enough action to let us have fun with. Instead we always have to think about whats going on at that exact moment.

The one big twist to the whole film is that the president that gets shot isn’t really the real president. Yes, it’s one of those dumb look alike twists. I found this completely stupid and just put in to give William Hurt some lines to work with. Also, the cliches come out almost every step of the way. You have lines like “but you gave me your word”, and I’m thinking how could they give you their word, their terrorists!!!

The cast is well-picked but not the best acted. William Hurt does an OK job as the president, Forrest Whittaker probably gives the best performance as a lovable camera man. Dennis Quaid and Matthew Fox probably play some of the dumbest security guards ever who ditch out lines so bad that I won’t even try to restate them.

Consensus: Though with an intriguing premise, Vantage Point turns into a loud, dumb, and stiffly acted gimmick of a film.

3/10=SomeOleBullShittt!!!!!!!

Weed, grass, pot…let ‘em smoke it. Gay, homosexual, partners…let ‘em put a ring on it. Inconvenient, unintended, accident…let ‘em kill it. Decent, moral, compassionate…let ’em all just forget it.

When I read an article by Jacob Weisberg in a recent issue of Newsweek, that is exactly the message I took away from it. Weisberg seems to think if enough people want to do something, every one else should just get out of the way and let them do it. My problem with this short-sightedness is that when anything goes, everything goes.

“Our forms of prohibition are more sins of omission than commission,” Weisberg writes in the article, titled, “Gay Marriage & Marijuana: You can’t stop either. Why that’s good.”* “Rather than trying to take away long-standing rights, they’re instances of conservative laws failing to keep pace with a liberalizing society.”

While I do think too many in the media would love it if Americans could just lounge around all day massaging their same-sex spouses, inhaling cannabis, eating Doritos and shooting babies with BB guns, I do think a majority of Americans still disagree. Certain elements of society — namely, the media — are “liberalizing,” but many Americans such as myself feel like a lot of this is being shoved down our throats. We are starting to choke.

Weisberg quotes the president, Barack Obama, saying, “‘I inhaled — that was the point.’”*  That is just one more reason I am glad I did not vote for the man. Seriously, even when he admits he consumed illegal drugs, Obama does it in a condescending way.

Pointing out that the bastion of conservative ideology, The New York Times, (can you hear my sarcasm?) has recognized gay unions on its wedding pages for the past seven years, Weisberg says this reflects “evolving social norms.”* I say this is just another example of a media outlet foisting its views on us.

Weisberg writes, “What’s advancing the decriminalization of marijuana is not just the demand for pot as medicine but the number of adults — more than 23 million in the past year…who use it and don’t believe they should face legal jeopardy.”*

Wow, I am amazed the “but Mom, everybody else is doing it” excuse can be used at any age now. Weisberg calls this the “evolving definition of the pursuit of happiness.”* I call this another example of our declining civilization.

Rome crumbled once the societal elites turned to hedonism. Is that the path we wish to travel? Should we let just anything go?

Discussing the relaxing of marijuana laws, Weisberg reports, “In L.A., you need only tell an on-site doctor at a walk-in pot emporium that you feel anxious to walk out with a legal bag of Captain Kush.”* Well, I have to stay up late to get this article done. How long before I can step into a walk-in methamphetamine boutique to pick up some Captain Keep-Me-Awake?

This is exactly my point. Where do we draw the line? When does it stop? Who is going to stand up and yell, “Enough!”? When are we going to realize what I said before — when anything goes, everything goes?

I do not think the problem is that society is becoming more liberal. I think the problem is that we are becoming weak and spineless.

We are too afraid of appearing judgmental. We are too afraid of being deemed politically incorrect. We are too afraid of causing offense.

I say the whole thing about not judging others is a load of crap. We judge others all the time. It is in our nature to do so. If I hurt your feelings and you think I am politically incorrect, go cry to your mama. If I offend, maybe you should be offended. Perhaps that is exactly what you need.

* Quotes from the article, “Gay Marriage & Marijuana: You can’t stop either. Why that’s good.” Newsweek. Nov. 9, 2009. (24).

by The Great White Gypsy

The Box – Written and Directed by Richard Kelly
The premise of this film sounds like a bad teenage horror story. A strange man gives a box to a couple having money problems. They will get money every time they push the button, but every time, someone they don’t know will die. Though it’s riding on Cameron Diaz’s acting skills (um…), if anyone can make it cool, writer/director Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko, Southland Tales) will have no problem.
Cameron Diaz, James Marsden, Frank Langella, James Rebhorn
November 6

Endgame – Directed by Pete Travis, Written by Paula Milne
Another slow, patient South African political film? Meh. I mean, I really like Hurt and Ejiofor, but Pete Travis directed Vantage Point, which sucked asshole. I really, really want it to be good, I’m just scared it’s going to be really, really bad.
William Hurt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Johnny Lee Miller, Mark Strong, Derek Jacobi
November 6

The Men Who Stare at Goats – Directed by Grant Heslov, Written by Peter Straughan
Actor Grant Heslov hasn’t done much directing. Same goes for Peter Straughan and writing. But if you look at this cast, you really can’t go wrong in a story about Telekenisis/Psychic programs in the army. Hell yes.
George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey, Robert Patrick, Stephen Root
November 6

Precious – Directed by Lee Daniels, Written by Geoffrey Fletcher
I hate the fact that the full title of this film is “Precious: Based on a novel by Sapphire”. I also hate the fact that Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey are “presenting” this one. However, cliché and cheesy as it most likely is, I seriously almost cried watching the preview. This has the potential for two hours of raw emotion that leaves you speechless. Or two hours of horrible acting and bullshit storyline. I’ll wait for cable.
Gabourey Sidibe, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz
November 6

The Fantastic Mr. Fox – Written and Directed by Wes Anderson
I hate, I hate, I hate Wes Anderson. However, there are always a couple elements of his films that impress me, and his attempts at stop motion animation intrigue me. Will I like it? Probably not. Will I see it? Of course.
George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson, Michael Gambon
November 13

Pirate Radio – Written and Directed by Richard Curtis
When I saw the preview for this, I thought, “Hey, that looks exactly like that movie advertised last year called “The Boat that Rocked”. Wait… I have no idea why this film took so long to release, or why they changed the title, but after waiting so long, I’ve built it up to possible “Almost Famous” level in my head. I really hope I’m not disappointed.  About a boatful of radio DJ’s who broadcast banned music over British airwaves in the ‘60’s. Curtis directed Love Actually.
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh, Nick Frost
November 13

The Messenger – Written and Directed by Oren Moverman
Foster and Harrelson play a very overlooked part of the military in this new drama about the officers who deliver the horrible news to KIA soldiers’ families. Foster starts to care too much…you see where this is going. Moverman’s first film, looks good.
Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton, Jena Malone
November 13

2012 – Directed by Roland Emmerich, Written by Roland Emmerich and Harald Kloser
When I want to see an action packed explosion film with weak story, I’ll catch the new Michael Bay flick. When I want to see a really entertaining film with great special effects that will leave me dumber for having watched it, I’ll go see a Roland Emmerich film (Independence Day, Stargate, Godzilla, 10,000 BC). If you don’t know what this film is about, you should probably look into it, cause we’re kinda running out of time, dude…
John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Woody Harrelson, Danny Glover, Oliver Platt
November 13

That Evening Sun – Written and Directed by Scot Teems
I think Clint Eastwood had a scheduling conflict playing a grumpy old man in Gran Turino, so Holbrook stepped in. This is a perfect example of a cookie-cutter Midwest drama starring a senior citizen afraid of change that might not be very good, but will definitely get nominated for at least 2 Oscars. Don’t get me wrong, Hal is great, but the story has the potential to be full of holes.
Hal Holbrook, Ray McKinnon, Mia Wasikowska, Carrie Preston
November 13

Uncertainty – Written and Directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel
At the risk of sounding like a douchebag, I am very uncertain about this movie. Part romantic comedy, part drama, part action thriller? So confused. McGehee and Siegel have written and directed three other films together, and I’ve never heard of any of them. But Gordon-Levitt hasn’t let me down so far, and Thirlby and Collins are sexy. I’ll flip a coin.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lynn Collins, Olivia Thirlby
November 13

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans – Directed by Werner Herzog, Written by William M. Finkelstein
Controverial old-school director Werner Herzog (Encounters at the End of the World, Grizzly Man) is remaking the 1992 drama (starring Harvey Keitel) about a gambling/drug addict cop, and he’s setting it in post-Katrina New Orleans. They say it’s Cage’s best performance since Leaving Las Vegas (not really hard), and Kilmer’s presence is reassuring. Looking forward to it.
Nicholas Cage, Val Kilmer, Eva Mendes, Michael Shannon, Fairuza Balk, Xzibit, Shawn Hatosy
November 20

Chi Bi (Red Cliff) – Directed by John Woo, Written by John Woo and Khan Chan
This is an epic film in the style of Hero and House of Flying Daggers. John Woo started out with some good films (A Better Tomorrow, Killer, Hard Boiled), he even had some good American movies (Hard Target, Face/Off), though there were bullshit ones too (Windtalkers, Paycheck). However, his dramas, like Last Hurrah for Chivalry, have gone largerly unnoticed by American audiences. And, of course, it’s been out in China for two years, and we’re just getting it now. Tarantino needs to step his game up.
Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Wei Zhao
November 20

Fix – Directed by Tao Ruspoli, Written by Charles Castaldi and Paul Duran
Documentary filmmaker Ruspoli blends styles in this fictional documentary about a convicted drug dealer and his friends, who are attempting to raise enough money to put him in rehab before 8pm so he can avoid jail time. I can already tell that Andrews’ over-the-top personality is going to steal the show, and Wilde is kinda cute. When’s it coming to Netflix?
Olivia Wilde, Tao Ruspoli, Dedee Pfeiffer, Shawn Andrews
November 20

The Missing Person – Written and Directed by Noah Buschel
Modern noir about a private detective (Shannon in a lead role…nice) searching for a missing person after 9/11. Elements of drama and comedy make it appear a little disjointed, but Shannon and Ryan are solid. Kinda surprised it didn’t go straight to DVD, but whatever.
Michael Shannon, Amy Ryan, Frank Wood
November 20

Me and Orson Welles – Directed by Richard Linklater, Written by Holly Gent Palmo
I can’t see Efron’s name on anything without thinking Highschool Musical, which makes me want to punch everyone under the age of 17 in the eye. However, this film is a little more dramatic, a lot less musical, and Christian McKay looks like the best Orson Welles since D’onofrio in Ed Wood. And if that still doesn’t convince you to see this period film about Welles directing stage plays, I have three words for you: Richard motherfucking Linklater (Scanner Darkly, Waking Life, Dazed and Confused). There you go.
Zac Efron, Claire Danes, Christian McKay, Ben Chaplin
November 25

Ninja Assassin – Directed by James McTeigue, Written by Matthew Sand and J. Michael Straczynski
The directors of The Matrix are producing this balls-to-the-wall violence-fest about…are you ready? A Ninja Assassin. Crazy right? Just think blades, bullets, blood, and nonstop special effects. I can’t freaking wait.
Sung Kang
November 25

The Road – Directed by John Hillcoat, Written by Joe Penhall
I must admit, I didn’t care for Cormac McCarthy’s award winning novel. The fact that writer and director are inexperienced worries me. Whether the acting, cinematography and effects can save it or not, the story makes me think no one will like this no matter what.
Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce, Garret Dillahunt
November 25

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

Metropia – Directed by Tarik Saleh, Written by Fredrik Edin
Anything with Vincent Gallo attatched generally gets my attention (Buffalo 66 was fucking weird). In this animated social commentary, Gallo’s character goes nuts when he starts hearing voices in the expansive underground tunnels Europe was forced to build after gas prices went too high. The animation looks pretty damn cool, so we’ll see.
Vincent Gallo, Udo Kier, Juliette Lewis, Stellan Skarsgard, Alexander Skarsgard
November 6 (Sweden)

Harry Brown – Directed by Daniel Barber, Written by Gary Young
Michael Caine hasn’t really been a badass since Get Carter, but this one may change that. Granted, it’s another cranky old man pissed off at street hooligans, but they did kill his friend…and he is ex-military. Comes out in the UK this month, possible limited releases in US.
Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Iain Glen
November 11 (UK)

Los abrazos rotos (Broken Embraces) – Written and Directed by Pedro Almodovar
Almodovar is huge in Spain, and the last time he teamed with Cruz was Volver, which was damn good. This film is about a writer/director telling a young man the story of why he changed his name after an accident took the life of his true love 14 years prior. Limited release this month, but expect it to be everywhere in time for the Oscars.
Penelope Cruz, Lluis Homar
November 20 (Limited)

Mammoth – Written and Directed by Lukas Moodysson
Husband and wife with a “perfect” life are put to the test when he takes a business trip to Thailand and decides to let loose a little. It looks very similar to parts of Babel, but more focused. Bernal and Williams have grown on me the last couple years, and Moodysson has done good work in Sweden.
Michelle Williams, Gael Garcia Bernal
November 20 (Limited)

“…Lasting through scores of centuries of unwritten and written languages, it is natural that many different names have become attached to such structures, and they are accordingly known by the names – Barrow, Burf, Butt, Cairn, Cruc, Garn, How, Knapp, Low, Mary, Moat, Moot, Mound, Mount, Toot, Tump, Tumulus, Twt. Also less distinctively as Brugh, Bury, Castle, Knowl; these last names being also used in other senses…” – Alfred Watkins – The Old Straight Track 1925

Our idea…

We want to build a large spiral mound in the flat landscape of East Yorkshire. The mound will be constructed from soil, chalk and rubble like its Neolithic counterparts. The mound will have a spiral walkway from its base to the summit where people will be able to enjoy the spectacular vantage point it presents.

It will provide:

A Vantage point in a sparse landscape.

A meeting place and venue for seasonal and other festivities.

A rich ecological resource.

The creation of a new ‘natural’ space.

Community Focus on a lasting positive environmental legacy.

A time hardy monument whose story will continue to unfold deep into the future.

We will create a structure that will not only generate a new and interesting space for the community and the region but will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come. It could become a location for seasonal celebrations, community festivals, annual events, outdoor theatre and fayres, beginning with the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in 2012.

Special attention will be paid to the ecology, planting of trees (fruits and otherwise), herbs, wild grasses and meadow flowers, both on the mound and in its immediate vicinity. In a landscape on which centuries of agri-industrialised monoculture has impacted on the natural habitat, our planting will be inspired by perma-culture and promote diversity in the environment, providing much needed variegation for a rich wildlife to flourish. We know of farmers in the area who have begun to turn significant parts of their land into woodland habitat, there is a widely recognised need for natural diversity in the locale.

The design of the mound will reflect its location through its geometry and its sensitivity to the eco-system. The spiral itself, though simple, will indicate a certain harmonious relationship with the microcosm and macrocosm and an awareness of its complexities, mirroring spiral galaxies, weather systems, sunflower heads, subatomic particles, the Nautilus shell, the Fibonacci number series etc. The path will be an Archimedes or Fermat’s logarithmic spiral allowing a flowing spiraling processional route over the mound, from North to South. It will be a simple and profound symbol of our collective awareness of the universe its machinations, its hidden forms and our place within it.

There is evidence to suggest that in pre-history the British landscape was carefully mapped out in a Ley system, and the locations of many ancient mounds and monuments, cross roads and indeed churches (latterly constructed on already important sites) correspond to this theory. Certainly mound’s like Silbury Hill and its surrounding earthworks are consistent with this notion. In recent centuries much of this evidence of  ‘primitive’ civilisation has been eradicated in East Yorkshire, through the expansion of the urban footprint and the industrialisation of agriculture. By creating something new and unique in the landscape we are simultaneously reviving a tradition.

An artificial hill is a kind of battery in the landscape, perhaps all the energy that has gone toward its construction is stored in some mysterious format we can’t fathom. The energy is directed toward a crucial central point, compressed time.

The high drama of such an object in an almost completely flat landscape cannot be over emphasised.

A climb to a high point in a landscape, to simply look around, seems to be an innate desire. From a vantage point between the land and the sky we gain fresh perspective (and air!), we are rejuvenated by exposure to the elements and our dreams and aspirations are given wings.

The British Isles has a wealth of ancient monuments and sites many of which were clearly constructed for reasons other than burials, habitations or as strategic fortification. Whether they were constructed as beacons for travellers or ritual meeting places or for some other mysterious reason we don’t actually know, but we do know that many of these sites have become celebrated and utilised as symbolic meeting places for many reasons. The builders themselves remain a mystery too. In the case of Silbury Hill in Wiltshire for instance, several generations must have been driven by coercion or cohesion to build it! Was it an echo of the nearby Glastonbury Tor (a natural monument)? Did the builders use some form of mathematics? Evidence would suggest so. Were they driven by passion or punishment?

“…Born in a cavern of mount Kylene, on the summit of which he had from the oldest times a sanctuary, he became the patron of the skilled athlete. In the oldest places of worship, however, the good shepherd, bearing the hooked stick. He guides wayfarers on unknown paths. Stone heaps with pillars in them, which serve as fingerposts, were hence sacred to him, so that the latter were often adorned with a head of Hermes; or on cross-roads even with three or four heads. As patron of market traffic, he became the god of trades-folk, and so brought his worship to Rome, where he was confused with the old Roman deity of Mercurius. Regarded thus he bears as the god of trade a purse as token. The herdsman’s stick passes over into the herald’s staff. After the transformation of Hermes into the god of luck this becomes the magical wishing-rod. As a wayfarer Hermes wears wings on his travellers hat and his shoes to indicate swiftness. As an interlude he becomes the patron of thieves, and to him is ascribed the herdsman’s pipe, the lyre, and other inventions. He becomes the messenger of the gods, and the leader over unknown track-ways of departed souls to the nether world…”

– Alfred Watkins – The Old Straight Track.1925.

Intrinsic to the mounds design will be many ‘secrets’, of geometry, physics and biology.

These ‘secrets’ will not only add to the legacy of the mound but also serve as useful tools for educators to explain certain principles to students, to act as a practical tool to illustrate them. Logarithmic Spirals in nature and engineering, lunar dials, Fibonacci series, Archimedes spirals, spiral galaxies, astronomy, bio diversity, permaculture.

The addition of  a stone wall solar / lunar light sculpture that coincides with the summer and winter solstices, autumn and spring equinoxes etc, is a particularly interesting and exciting prospect.

Simply put we want to construct a monument that celebrates the landscape and its people, and is a meeting place for the celebration of culture, nature, art, science and learning.

For young people to see adults making a positive tangible impact on the environment and looking toward the future with care and attention is comfort and inspiration.

Leg won’t stop shaking? Here, swallow this pill. Eyelashes not long or thick enough? Here, take a swig of this. Scared to meet new people? No problem, we can fix that. Sex life not quite what it used to be? Believe me, we’ve got you covered.

It seems there is a drug for every possible malady nowadays. There are so many things called “sicknesses,” “disorders,” or “diseases” now that I never even knew existed, and somewhere on the market, there is a drug to cure each and every one of them.

Until I found out what RLS meant, I was wondering why they were drugging the Mormons. Now, thanks to Requip of course, we all know that RLS is an acronym for “Restless Leg Syndrome.” Who knew there was such a thing? I always thought if someone’s leg was shaking, they had to go to the bathroom (of course, there are plenty of drugs to help dampen those urges, too).

I was so shocked the other day to see an advertisement on television for a drug called “Latisse” that actually claims to make eyelashes thicker. I guess this is for the women who do not have the time for mascara. Of course, it comes with a warning about how it might irritate your eyes. It does not seem like it would be worth it to me. Big eyelashes, but red, irritated, watery eyes. What a strange trade.

The social anxiety commercial always makes me laugh. I believe it is for a drug called “Clarocet.” The actor in the advertisement is so happy to be out at a party, finally able to mingle with people again. The funny part is when the side effects are listed. It is totally hilarious.

“May cause diarrhea, incontinence, bladder-control problems, sudden mood swings and/or impotence.” Wow, that is totally amazing. Whoever takes that drug is going to be the life of the party.

They will want to mix and mingle. All their fear of social interaction will be gone. The only problem is going to arise when they wet themselves while going bipolar on the other party guests. Yeah, they will be going out again real soon after that. Seems like they should have just embraced their anxiety.

The whole impotence thing leads us up to my last complaint. What is it with all these Viagra and Cialis commercials? I was watching the American League Championship Series the other night and it seemed like every other commercial was for these two pills. What in the heck is going on? Can’t this go back to being a private matter?

I am so tired of seeing those people in the tub. I wish they would just be clean already. Does Cialis really just make you want to take a really long bath outside while the sun sets? Perhaps these men do not need the drug at all. It is the inordinate amount of time they spend in the bathtub that is causing the problem.

It is time to return to the better days of the past, when I could turn on the T.V. and not be confronted with all these advertisements for drugs. We all need medicine some time. We know where to get it, and our doctor or pharmacist can help us figure out what to get. We do not need the T.V. to tell us.

Om even een indruk te geven van de muziek van dEUS (zie post ‘Tempo of a Restless Soul’), bij dezen een video bij één van hun recentere nummers. Met een hoofdrol voor twee BN-ers!

The ravenous rapture of repulsive, disgusting raindrops that were soaked in the clouds of infamy prior to their journey down to earth is all I can perceive from where I float above and within the fog of their collective minds.  Audacious as it may seem, pride is the driving force behind their insignificant thoughts and visions of grandeur.  What could possibly motivate us to collectively follow the moanings and groanings of those who preceed us?  Perhaps the question is actually rhetorical in nature, or perhaps not.  Some things are not for the knowing, but only for legendary calculations.  Bonafide as they may be, things below and things above seem trivial by comparison.  Of course, comparison is but a foreshadowing of things that were but may never be again.  And things that may never be again only serve to discourage those who ironically were planted there to encourage the rest of us.  And these stages of necessary encouragement always seem to follow the same pattern:

1) Abundance.  2) Desire for more.  3) Over-abundance.  4) Wilderness.  5) The edge of nowhere.  

So here we stand at the edge of nowhere, yet desiring more.  Perplexed, mortified, paralyzed and morose individuals are useless in such an undesireable frame of reference.  Neither from the vantage point of the plains nor the high places have given any relief in our attempt to recount the journey thus far.  The prior inhabitants set the boundaries and everyone who follows is powerless to change them within the depths of their minds.  A schism results from such shenanigans and all who read of it can only stand by, helplessly, powerless, pathetically forlorn in the midst of  the shapeless thorns and thistles.  ”It’s never been done before”, they whisper.  “Therefore it can never be done again for the first time”, again in a whisper, but this time with their eyes darting to and fro as the western sky becomes darker and darker. 

 With no conscience, it is neither right nor wrong.  With no law, there is no lawbreaker.  With no artist, there is no art.  The ability to distinguish between the inner self of conclusions and the outer being of distinct principles and/or ideas has long since departed the valleys of multiple indecisions.  Choose now or choose never are the only remaining options beyond the reach of their disposal.  Obviously, with a new found sense of identity, neither inheritance was intended to reproduce in such a frivilous manner.  But, who knew?

I fredags eftermiddag hoppade jag på tåget som skulle ta mig ned till Småland och lilla Habo. Jag åkte dit för att hälsa på en kompis som jag här på bloggen kallar för fröken Habo. För nästa drygt ett år sedan hjälpte jag henne att flytta och som tack för hjälpen lovade hon att bjuda på vin och mat när tillfälle fanns. De gånger under det gångna året det var på gång att träffas kom det alltid något annat i vägen, men nu så passade alla pusselbitar.

När jag kom fram mötte fröken Habo upp mig på stationen och vi drog hem till henne. Nästan direkt efter detta åkte vi till Mullsjö för att träffa hennes syster och vänner över en kopp kaffe. När vi kom till Habo igen åkte vi först och handlade och sedan hem till henne där vi lagade köttfärspizza och drack en hel del rött. Det var trevligt och gott. Vi tittade även på en film som var ganska kass. Titeln på denna film är “Amusement” och jag rekommenderar den inte trots att det är en skräckfilm och skräck är något som jag gillar i vanliga fall.

Lördagen blev en riktig slappar dag då det regnade praktiskt taget hela dagen och då passade jag på att fotografera lite. Dels i hennes hem men även från hennes altan och några av dessa bilder visar jag upp denna veckan här på bloggen under titeln “Borta bra men hemma bäst”. På eftermiddagen blev jag rätt seg, tror det kan ha varit av allt rött man drack kvällen innan. Det blev en hel del tv tittande och jag tog även en hel del bilder på fröken Habo. Några av dem blev riktigt bra. Lördagskvällen avslutade vi med att titta på filmen “Vantage Point” som var helt ok.

Under söndagen hände inget speciellt och vid 14-tiden skjutsade fröken Habo upp mig till stationen där jag hoppade på tåget hem till Skövde. Resan hem gick bra. När jag kom fram skulle jag hem till min mamma och hjälpa henne med datorn, men när jag hoppade av tåget kom det världens regnskur och det var bara att vänta ut den innan jag traskade till morsan. Där fick jag lite käk efter att jag hade fixat hennes dator. Sen var det bara att glida hemåt och softa i ett par timmar innan det var dags att kila hem till syrran och Lillröss för att se på Ellos-AIK. Matchen var sisådär, men jag blev rätt nöjd med resultatet trots att det blev 0-0, samt att Pertans ersättare Walid Atta gjorde en grym match som innerback. Efter att matchen var slut gled jag hem igen och tog det bara riktigt soft resten av kvällen.

Det var min helg.

***************

Fröken Habo visade upp en trailer på en skräckfilm som jag hoppas kommer till Sverige och Skövde under hösten. Den verkar hur grym som helst och heter “Paranormal Activity”. Här nedan visar jag trailern. Håll i hatten!

Det var allt för idag.

På återseende i morgon!

I have been out of the loop for a while. Between school, sickness and two little children, it seems there never is enough time or energy. A few weeks ago, I wanted to write about the Serena Williams and Kanye West incidents. Now, those stories are old news. Sadly, as I perused comments about Williams and West, I found out that racism is anything but “old” news.

Now, I have not been a supporter of Barack Obama as President. This has nothing to do with the color of his skin and everything to do with his policies and attitude. While he did not receive my vote because of our divergent stance on many issues, part of me was happy to see America elect a black man president. I thought this proved that racism was becoming old news in America. I was so wrong.

Racism reared its ugly head again in the Williams and West debacles. I was completely blown away.

I read so many comments on Kanye West’s inane stunt at the Video Music Awards that seemed to indicate that his actions had something to do with him being black.

Kanye West is not an idiot because he is black. Kanye West is an idiot because he is an idiot. This has nothing to do with race. Every race has its share of them. If there is anything that is colorblind it is this — idiocy draws no color lines. Really, it is about as simple as that.

The Serena story is something else entirely. I am not a follower of tennis, so normally I would not care. But, I read the story about what happened at the U.S. Open and I watched the video. Then, I began to read the comments. I could not believe it.  Nearly half the people blamed her actions on her being black, while another 15 percent just posted blatantly racist comments. I was stunned by this.

Do I think Serena was wrong? Yes, I most definitely do. She acted in a totally inappropriate and unprofessional manner. Do I think it had anything to do with her being black? No, I do not. It has everything to do with her being a highly competitive individual who does not accept defeat easily.

In most things I do in life, I expect to win. I go in with the attitude that I am going to be the victor, even if it takes me 20 times. If I make a mistake, I get angry at myself. Do I sometimes take this anger out on others? Yes, I am sorry to say I do. I work on this and strive to not allow it to happen in the future, but sometimes it comes back, especially when I become frustrated with myself.

Luckily for me, I am not a professional star athlete like Serena Williams. My bouts of competitive anger are not international news. I honestly believe Serena was just so angry and frustrated at herself. She was not playing at a level of which she knows she is capable. She showed her frustration at her play when she broke her racket.

While I am in no way attempting to excuse what Serena said or did to that line judge, I do not think Serena’s anger was really with the official. Serena’s anger was with herself. The line judge was just unlucky enough to get in the way.

Competitive people play life with a fire and a passion that sometimes burns hot. It does not matter what color skin we have — the temperature is still the same.

I am proud to say I am a diehard Kansas City Chiefs fan. They are my team and I will stick with them through anything. Whether they win or lose, there is no other team for which I want to cheer. So I wish people would just stop counting them out when the season has just begun.

Most of the comments directed at the Chiefs by the announcers were negative. It was as if the announcers were already predicting an 0-16 season for the Chiefs in just the first half of Sunday’s season opener against the Baltimore Ravens. It was so annoying.

There was no “constructive” criticism. There was just criticism and, as it turned out, most of it was wrong.

Here are some of the choice statements the announcers made in just the first 16 minutes of play:

• “The Chiefs can’t deal with this suffocating defense.”– This was said after the Ravens made the Chiefs go three and out on their opening drive, which actually is a common occurrence for any team. While it was an unsuccessful start to the game for the Chiefs, the players appeared to breathing just fine.
• “The Chiefs cannot do anything on offense.” — This was sort of true at the time it was said, but the first quarter was not even over. We had time to turn it around.
• “Kansas City has not been able to muster any kind of drive.” — This was said just 50 seconds after the second-bulleted comment above, still in the first quarter. It was true, yet still early in the game.
• “Brody Croyle is not surrounded by a lot of talent.” – This is when I started to truly get annoyed by the asinine announcers. The players around Croyle clearly are talented or they would not be in the National Football League. An NFL team does not usually shell out millions of dollars to guys who cannot play the game. Yes, the Chiefs might not have a bunch of superstars, but saying the players are not talented is inaccurate.
• “They need help because they are not about to get it done offensively with that personnel right now.” — Amazingly this was still the FIRST QUARTER of the game. So much for giving them a chance. Just write them off in the first 15 minutes.
• “If they have any chance in the game, it’s going to have to come on this side of the ball (the defense); they will have to make some plays and keep it close.”– Wow, for real? While the defense did get the Chiefs going with an awesome blocked punt recovered in the endzone and an outstanding interception returned 72 yards to within the 10-yard-line, it was still the FIRST QUARTER when this comment was made. Last I checked, football had four of those.
• “The way this game is going, that might have been the only way that Kansas City can score.” – This was said just one minute into the second quarter after the Chiefs narrowly missed saddling the Ravens with a safety. We ended up scoring two touchdowns off the arm of Croyle.

I know this will most likely be a rough year for the Chiefs. But if there is one thing I cannot tolerate, it is being counted out before the game (and, in this case, the season) has begun. People who count others out like this tend to underestimate their opponents. Surprises lurk in underestimation.

The Chiefs did lose the season opener to the Ravens by a score of 38-24, but I was on the edge of my seat with just five minutes remaining as the Chiefs tied the game at 24. Despite an admittedly sluggish start, Croyle threw for a respectable 177 yards and the two aforementioned touchdowns.

I just hope some mouths were forced shut by the Chiefs decent performance in the season opener. If not, I will probably just have to get used to muting the game and providing some positive, constructive commentary of my own.

Good luck, Chiefs. Play well. There are many of us who believe. Just push your mute button too, and you will hear us.

.. Told you it’s going to be good.

This is what happens when you anger God.

You may not be a fan of supernatural-esq action movies, I on the other hand do, I also pride myself on bringing you, my beloved readers, news of upcoming and seemingly fantastic yet completely unheard of movies of an epic nature. This is one of those movies.

Alas, Legion is here.. Or atleast, the trailer is. Legion itself will not be with us until January 22nd 2010 I’m afraid. However, the trailer makes up for the time we have to spend waiting in awe and amazement for this diamond of a movie amongst the proverbial quartz. If you are a lover of intense biblical references, or of films such as Constantine, or possibly even Supernatural, then this is the film for you. Oh i’m being deadly serious, this is one of those almighty, post-apocalyptic, holier than thou, demon and angel films with a large and rather unexpected dose of kick ass.

As always, a cast listing is in order, and shockingly there are not many well known individuals in said film. Some of these peoples are as follows; Lucas Black (The X-files, Jarhead, The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift), Charlie. S. Dutton (Gothika, Alien, Fame), Tyrese Gibson (2 Fast 2 Furious, Transformers, Death Race, Transformers 2), Dennis Quiad (The Day After Tomorrow, Vantage Point, G.I Joe: The Rise Of Cobra) and finally, Paul Bettany (Firewall, A Knight’s Tale, The Da Vinci Code). You may be thinking that this is contradictory to my statement about not being well known, well It’s true, whilst the films they star in are pretty famous, the actors themselves are not nearly recognized nearly as much. So it should be interesting as to how this movie pans out. It is however, expected to be pretty prodigious.

Everyone knows the phrase, “The only things that are certain are death and taxes,” is used when discussing events that will go on forever.  To those two, I would like to add Easter grass, for it also is eternal.

It is already the middle of September, nearly five full months since Easter passed, yet that does not seem to matter to the Easter grass. It is still hanging around. I cannot believe it.

It has become a joke in our house. Some how, some way, it seems about once a month or so, a piece of Easter grass adheres to the bottom of my foot as I am walking around the house. I run to find my wife now to show her (for some reason, this does not happen to her). I exclaim, “Mary, you won’t believe it. There is a piece of …” She interrupts and shouts back, “Easter grass!” I respond, “Yes, Mary, yes and it is stuck to my foot!” We laugh about it and I swear to her that I will never use Easter grass again, even though I know I probably will.

Easter grass is just simply amazing. It has reached the point where I am just totally astounded and in awe of its absolute resilience.

How does it stick around for so long? Where does it hide? Why does it only come out every once in a while? Why does only one piece come out at a time?

To most everyone, Easter grass is just fake cut plastic that you fill a basket with for your children once a year. Yet, there are three important lessons we can learn from the Easter grass.

One, don’t give too much of yourself at once, people will just be overwhelmed by that. Parcel yourself out and give a little bit each time, spread over the course of lifetime (I think the lifespan of Easter grass has to be at least 400 years).

Two, hang in there despite the odds. We have vacuumed the house dozens of times since Easter and we have one of those fancy Dyson “It-doesn’t-lose-suction” vacuums; yet, the Easter grass has the sheer tenacity to still be around. One cannot help but be impressed.

Lastly, it might be a small thing and it might even annoy you, but if you find the humor in it, that’s all that matters in the end. For a month after Easter, it drove me nuts. Now, I just can’t help but laugh (while still being totally astonished by it).

For most of my life, when someone asked me to list three things that we could count on forever, I could only think of the two — death and taxes. Now I know what my third thing is — it is Easter grass.

I can step on it from one Easter to the next. I could probably step on it for the next 400 years if death wasn’t one of the three things on the list. That truly is miraculous.

Sara Bachelder of Mexico Casting is a national casting company. They have a very extensive casting resume and have been involved in the following productions:

Fast and Furious – Columbia / Sony Pictures
You Don’t Mess with the Zohan – Columbia / Sony Pictures
Beverly Hills Chihuahua (South of the Boarder)
The Heartbreak Kid – Dreamworks / Paramount
The Hunting Party – The Weinstein Co.
Vantage Point – Columbia / Sony Pictures
Nacho Libre – Paramount
and many more…

This guy is everywhere, talking about every thing and yet nothing is getting done. He came on like the second coming itself (and does actually believe he is our “savior,” albeit not a “Christian” one, God forbid), yet he has nothing to show for it.

Maybe, if he would get off my television for a bit, he could get some things accomplished. On second thought, maybe television is right where he should be to keep us all safe from his plans. I can change the channel much easier than I can find $900 billion.

Tonight he was on television again telling us what a great health-care reform plan he has. His plan will not only drive our country further down the path to bankruptcy, but it will allow employers an easy out of paying for their workers’ insurance.

All the stress from our country being in debt, higher taxes, trying to figure out how to participate in the “public” option because our employer dropped our nice, “private” one, is going to kill us all. It will not matter if we have health insurance or not.

We will be dead just from thinking about it. Dead or broke. We will be starving to death, but finally we will all have health insurance, dang it! Ridiculous. This is a crazy joke.

If I am an employer, and suddenly this “public” option is available, why would I continue to pay for my workers’ insurance? I would not. In his effort to insure those who are not currently insured, Obama is going to take away the insurance millions of people have now. The old switcheroo…hope you are paying attention.

Earlier this week, I had to watch him yet again, but this time it was right in the middle of my school day. He did not say any thing new. He did not say any thing controversial. He actually just said what we, as teachers, already say every day. Yet, he somehow believes he just thought of it.

I have to give him credit, though. I have to say he is one shrewd politician. What better way to ensure your reelection in four years?

His main strength was among younger voters. Who better to appeal to then current 14- to 18-year-olds, the very demographic that will be voting for the first time in the next election? This is a brilliant strategy to ensure the young will vote for him. He is indoctrinating them into the cult of Obama.

Good job, Obama. Way to continue to sell yourself; way to continue jamming up the air waves with your omnipresent smirk; way to continue making me find the darn remote. But, I have to say I am sorry, because a long time ago I swore I would not join a cult.

I got 2 movie recommendations this week. Well, this week is my first week of this semester  and it gets really busy in the campus, so I haven’t get a chance to visit my dvds seller (a. k. a. abang2 dvd). So, I would share 2 of my movie collections. The first one is Vantage Point. It’s about a murder of the president of USA in Spain. Actually from the story side I don’t feel much different from the other heroic-action-movie. But I really appreciate the idea of the execution. This story brought up from 8 points of view of the character. I think I’ve read somewhere that they shoot with 8 cameras from different angle of the character. And the truth reveal pretty shocking at the end. Well, I want to salute the Director and DOP of this movie, because they made an action movie become a very interesting movie. And for me, this is one of the best Whitaker’s appearances. An intelligent movie and intense thriller.

The second movie is Once. This is a music film about a guitarist/songwriter and a Czech girl who play piano. They get to know each other and they found connections in his songs. I have to tell you that all the songs in this movie are great! I even search the mp3. Well this is an indie movie I guess and it already won some awards too. This movie tells us the meaning of commitment, dream, love and friendship. It’s a very simple movie, though touching and inspiring. Well, that’s my recommendation. Enjoy!

For many years and for obvious reasons, Denver has been known as ”Mile High City.” Recent news emanating from there about enforcement of marijuana possession laws is giving a whole new meaning to that nickname.

Last week, a committee voted to send a letter to the Denver County Court urging the fine for possession of less than one ounce of marijuana to be one dollar. The total penalty for marijuana possession would be $111 once state fines and other fees are levied. (1)

While these other fines do increase the severity of the punishment, Denver will still be sending out a strong message about its lenient view regarding marijuana possession if the court accepts this recommendation. The Mile High city truly will be a place to get high.

As a former high-school teacher (I teach middle school now), I heard students talk about the safety, pleasure and healthful nature of smoking ”weed.” Despite all their praise of the habit, I continued to advise them against such behavior and pointed out all the reasons they should stop, including the fact that I do not agree that marijuana is safe or healthy (as far as pleasure goes, I cannot attest to that since I have never myself indulged).

I am no expert, far from it, but I saw what marijuana did to my students. I could tell which ones were “potheads.” They were the ones with the glazed eyes, staring off into space during my class. They were the ones who never got their work in on time, if at all. They were the ones who did not have even an inkling of concern or plans for their future.

That was the effect I found most devastating about the drug — its power at creating apathy. The students who abused marijuana were the most apathetic young people I have ever met. Nothing mattered to them — not their education, not their futures, not their lives.

The only thing they cared about was getting home that afternoon so they could take some “hits.” They would joke about it, but I knew that most likely that is what they were going to do after school. While “jonesing” for another hit, they would stand there and argue how marijuana is non-addictive. I could never make them see the irony of that.

And now a committee — who knew a city had such a thing as a “marijuana policy review panel” — is recommending that Denver make a mockery of its drug laws by lowering the fine for marijuana possession to $1. This is a shame.

People actually do believe marijuana is “safe.” It is this misguided belief that makes marijuana one of the most frightening drugs of all. When something appears “safe,” we are more free to partake in it. It is like the wolf in sheep’s clothing — once we realize the danger, it is far too late. And, here is Denver potentially providing the wolf with the innocuous costume.

Not only do I not agree with the contents of this letter, I also do not understand how this committee was appointed or how its members were chosen. How does an activist who heads an organization dedicated to the legalization of marijuana — Mason Tvert, the executive director of Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER, more irony) — end up on an official marijuana policy committee in the first place? He does not seem like the most impartial choice to me for such a group.

No wonder this committee agreed to send such a ludicrous letter to the presiding county judge. With members such as Tvert, this group is busy blowing smoke, obscuring the facts as they take one more step in their quest for legal marijuana.

(1) http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_13212872

Overture Films’ “Pandorum,” starring Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster, Cam Gigandet, Antje Traue, Cung Le, Eddie Rouse, André Hennicke and Norman Reedus.

The science fiction horror is directed by Christian Alvart from the writing by Jeremy Bolt, Paul W.S. Anderson, Martin Moszkowicz and Robert Kulzer. Film opens on September 25th.

Antje Traue

In “Pandorum,” actors, Dennis Quaid (Vantage Point, The Express) and Ben Foster (3:10 to Yuma, Alpha Dog), join Cam Gigandet (Never Back Down, Twilight), Cung Le (Tekken, Fighting), newcomer Antje Traue and director Christian Alvart (Antibodies) to tell the terrifying story of two crew members stranded on a spacecraft who quickly realize they are not alone.

Two astronauts awaken in a hyper-sleep chamber aboard a seemingly abandoned spacecraft. It’s pitch black, they are disoriented, and the only sound is a low rumble and creak from the belly of the spacecraft. They can’t remember anything – who are they, what is their mission? The only way out of the chamber is a dark and narrow airshaft. Corporal Bower (Foster), the younger of the two, crawls inside, while the other, Lt. Payton (Quaid), stays behind for guidance on a radio transmitter. As Bower ventures deeper and deeper into the ship, he begins to uncover a terrifying reality. Slowly the spacecraft’s shocking and deadly secrets come unraveled, and the astronauts realize that the survival of mankind hinges on their actions.

Frightening words and scary numbers are being bandied about when it comes to the H1N1 virus, otherwise known as the “Swine Flu.” Words such as “pandemic,” “epidemic,” “surge” and “die.” The numbers range from 30 percent of the U.S. population to 50 percent, with up to 90,000 dead.

All these frightening words, all these scary numbers; yet, little evidence to back them up. More people will wind up dying out of sheer terror thinking about the swine flu than actually from the illness itself.

Tonight, the Channel 9 (ABC-Kansas City) news caught my attention with their report on the swine flu. The report said that some so-called “experts” were saying up to half of the U.S. population could be infected by the H1N1 virus this year and up to 90,000 people could die.

I then read an article by Mike Stobbe of the Associated Press that reported the findings of a ”White House expert panel” that said anywhere from 30 percent to half of Americans could be infected “during the course of this pandemic and that from 30,000 to 90,000 could die.” (1)

To that I say, prove it. To that I say, I will believe it when I see it. To that I say, stop trying to scare us to death and start governing the way you should.

We are being toyed with by this sorry excuse for a government. This is the classic trick of the illusionist, being executed on a grand scale. The trick is distraction and, sorry to say, for many it is working.

When the threat becomes one against life itself, all other threats rapidly recede into the background. Front and center is swine flu and its voracious appetite for destruction.

Economic woes are forgotton; the rising cost of energy is forgotton; the attacks on the very foundations of our society are forgotton. We are too busy sanitizing our lives, hiding behind useless masks with big deer-in-the-headlight eyes to see all that is being taken from us.

It is unbelievable to me that in the very same AP article, just a little more than a paragraph under the claim that “30,000 to 90,000″ people might die, Stobbe writes, “No cause for panic. So far, swine flu isn’t much more threatening than regular seasonal flu.”

What? Are you serious? Who is sending out the misinformation here? The White House and its “experts”? The optimists at the AP? Who are we supposed to believe?

Here’s what I believe — don’t buy into the hype, don’t believe what you hear. Use common sense and don’t allow these “experts” to frighten you to death. Let’s not repeat the big Y2K scam (invest in a generator company, anyone?)  and make the elderly rush out to purchase bubbles in which to live (if I knew what company made those bubbles, I would definitely invest!).

Since the threat of terrorism has diminished, the government needs some other way to distract us while our rights, freedoms and ethics continue to erode. This White House has found just such a threat and have given it a name.

Its name is the “Swine Flu.” I think it is just a bunch of slop.

(1) http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090901/ap_on_he_me/us_med_swine_flu10_things

I have pored through countless articles. I have listened to numerous discussions by alleged experts. Politicians have filled my airwaves with their prattle. They say they are stimulating the economy by injecting billions of dollars into it. I have yet to feel a thing.

It is true, big business most assuredly is reaping the rewards. After talking to many ordinary people like myself, I am not alone in believing that this “economic stimulus” package has not been very stimulating for the rest of us.

Who exactly has benefitted from the $11.4 billion the government has doled out since Barack Obama became president? I do not know of any one personally who has. I have, however, been dismayed to hear it reported how these corporate louses are still making out. The thieves. How is it possible that the ones who lost all the money in the first place (and got paid to do it!) are getting giant paydays again? It totally astounds me.

These corporate yahoos continue to rake in all the dough, while I lose neighbors? Houses continue to go vacant around me and no one does a thing. What’s so stimulating about that?

My wife and I had a great neighbor, Julie, living directly behind us. We got along, we talked. On a couple of occasions, we even had dinner together. Now, she and her children are gone. She is a single mother and she could not afford to make her house payments anymore. Am I the only one who sees something wrong with that?

Julie said she was only struggling with three of her 12 house payments in the year. She worked full time, but with the expenses of two growing children coupled with rising food and energy costs, she could not keep up.

I asked Julie what it would take to make it so she could stay in her house. She just wished there was a way to lower her interest rate without having to refinance, thus avoiding the addition of more closing costs on top of an over-extended loan.

Why could this not have been part of the stimulus package? Why should homeowners not be able to get lower interest rates? Perhaps, some nice neighbors would not be lost because they would be able to keep their homes. Imagine that one.

“If I was a first-time homebuyer, there would be all kinds of help for me,” Julie said. “For people who don’t have a home, the stimulus package is great to help them get one. But, I have a home I am trying to make payments on, and there is no help for me.”

My neighbor has taken her two children and moved in with her mother. Her home now sits empty behind mine. She is trying to sell it, but will probably have to take a loss. Another house right next door to me also is empty now. It is so depressing to see these empty houses. I am so sad when I think of what great neighbors lived in those two houses and I wish there was a way they could come back.

On a trip this summer, I saw signs in several states that said certain road projects were funded by the economic stimulus package. I never once saw a sign stating, “The economic stimulus plan will help you keep your home.” Now, that would be quite the concept. Keep the people who already own homes in them!

They need to call this plan what it is. It is not economic stimulus — it is corporate welfare. Economic stimulus would keep people in their homes. Economic stimulus would help my wife and I raise our children without constantly stressing about money, despite our two good jobs. Economic stimulus should make me tingle with sheer excitement and joy — economic stimulus should be stimulating.  

Instead, I shake my head in dismay and irritation as another corporate honcho who got us into this fiasco receives a multimillion dollar bonus. If only I could mess up so bad.

To an observer in space, humanitys footprint on the surface of the Earth is large and varied.

Astronauts circling the Earth have the perfect vantage point, taking in whole regions at once.

Source:
http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/travel/photos/nasa-photos-cities-at-night/21223