The Art of Communication, with Louis CK

I've only recently stumbled across the works of Louis CK and, like him or not, he is brilliant. Especially when talking about some of the most controversial topics because, like any great comedian, he brings the topics to the table and makes us think about them. Even to the point of great discomfort. Like when he talks about race, or abortion. 

Because he's a master of communication.

Instead of constantly talking, or yelling, we should be focusing on the most universal forms of communicating.

Laughing.

On a deeper level, Louis is actually trying to make a comment here on the actual ruthlessness of the economy we live . . .

I think I'm obsessed with articulation. With the magic of putting things, just the right way. There are 207 words in this joke, and, not a single one is wasted. They're used either in meaning or in rhythm to contribute to the overall affect. An affect that lets us see the world from a different angle, and, more importantly, makes us laugh. 

And laughter is the manifestation of hope. 

You can also listen to this TED Radio Hour entitled, Painfully Funny, where Guy Raz talks with various comedians about how they use "humor as a weapon and a shield, to ward off doubt, discrimination, and even depression."

It's great - especially Maysoon Zayid: Should Humor Make Us Uncomfortable? and Kevin Breel: What Can Depression Teach Us About Comedy? But also, Negin Farsad: Can Humor Fight Prejudice?

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :  Power of Discussion  :  Monopoly is only fun if you win

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Chase

“Chase” is a mesmerizing stop motion animated short, shot in Ireland and Poland, that was directed by Sligo, Ireland artist Páraic Mc Gloughlin. The captivating film, compiled of Páraic’s own personal photos and sounds, explores time and the similar decisions that we all make and the paths we take in life.

Shot in Ireland and Poland – a journey that explores ideas of decision, choice, consequence, circumstance and time among other things, a personal perception on how we try to find whatever it is we are searching for. The film looks at objects, people, and places which share common properties, our connection with one another and our environments in the very similar yet very different paths we share (via).

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :  Humanity  :  Art  :  Short Films

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Being human, and the price of a solitary life

"Just you and the wind. And the time just melts away."

I think whats so tricky sometimes talking about the lookout experience is your not talking to anybody about it. You more intuit it, you more experience it. . . you just find yourself sitting on the porch watching the world go by.

This video, this lifestyle, is radically intriguing to me - especially during times such as these. Life on mountain tops, rising with the sun, seems so simple, so beautiful, and so much more lovely, wrestling with the wind and rain and dooming snow, rather than with the ugliness of mankind. 

But it also seems so unbelievable selfish, lonely, and ultimately, unsatisfying. Because even though the mountains have a way, they can't teach us what it means to be human. 

Chris McCandless gave his life to pursue a life of solitude, only to find that "happiness is only real when shared" and I think that's true. But it's also incomplete. 

Because humans are meant for so much more.

The 2015 Templeton Prize Laureate, Jean Vanier, speaks on the Big Question: "What does it mean to be fully human?"

 : I'm a member of the huge human family :

 . . . To discover who I am is also to discover a unity between my head and my heart. The head we are called to grow, to understand, and to work through things. But the heart is something else. It is about concern by others. We are born into a relationship. And that relationship that we all lived is a relationship with our mom. We were so small. So weak. So fragile. And we heard the words which are the most important, and maybe the words we need to hear all our life: I love you as you are. You are my beloved son or my beloved daughter. And this is what gives consistency to people. They know they are loved. And that's what they're seeking, maybe for the rest of their lives . . .

The problem today is that many people are filled with fear. They are frightened of people, frightened of losing. And because people are filled with fear they can no longer be open to others. They're protecting themselves, protecting their class, protecting their group, protecting their religion. We're all in a state of protection (seeking isolation). To become fully human is to let down the barriers, to open up. And to discover that every person is beautiful. Under all the jobs they're doing, their responsibilities, there is you. And you, at the heart of who you are, you're somebody also crying out, "Does somebody love me not just for what I can do, but for who I am?"

So to be fully human is the development of the heart and the head, and then we can become one. One inside of us. Becoming one inside of us we can little by little let down the ego, the need to prove that I am better than you. And then I can begin to see in other people, other groups, other religions, other cultures, that people are wonderful. And then we can come and we can work for peace together.

Often, living a life of isolation is easier than dealing with who we are - fully fallible human beings. But living in isolation also robs us of the best of what life can offer: forgiveness, love, and the complete acceptance of who we are. Like family.

Something the wind, the porch, and the mountains can never be.

To be human is to be known, to share happiness and tragedy with those we love, and to sit together, hand in hand, as the world quickly and beautifully passes by.

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :  Simple Living  :  Humanity  :  Why Chris Mccandless must die

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Why the solar eclipse will blow our minds

This kind of event puts you in contact with the cosmos; you can feel the motions of the heavenly bodies. We can feel how vast our solar system really is.

 

In 2016, Alaskan Airlines even adjusted flight #870, from Anchorage to Honolulu, so their passengers could watch the eclipse above the clouds. 

At 35,000 feet, it's hard not to get excited.  

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :  The scale of our solar system  :  Cool stuff we've sent into space

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When 2+2 equals 5, it's time to stand

Sometimes, it's best not to believe what we're taught.

When I showed this to my students a few years back, I asked, "Why imaginary guns? Why not the real thing?"

"Because they're not killing him," a student responded, "but his mind. And his imagination."

Perhaps the same can be said for the mindless adherence to rules, ideas, and religion. 

Ethnic (or any) diversity is like fresh air: It benefits everybody who experiences it. By disrupting conformity it produces a public good. To step back from the goal of {diversity} would deprive {everyone}, regardless of their racial or ethnic background, of the opportunity to benefit from the improved cognitive performance that diversity promotes.

Because,

When surrounded by people “like ourselves,” we are easily influenced, more likely to fall for wrong ideas. Diversity prompts better, critical thinking. It contributes to error detection. It keeps us from drifting toward miscalculation (via).

Sadly, at times, it takes someone standing at the chalkboard or standing in front of a tank to remind us how far we've drifted. 

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :  Diversity  :  Heineken commercial - More than a drink  :  Dangers of a Single Story

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A 10-Minute Silent Song Is Climbing iTunes Charts

"Samir Mezrahi’s nine-minute-and-58-second-long track consisting of pure silence is quickly climbing up iTunes’ charts.

Inspired by the frustration felt by anyone who has plugged their phone into a car radio only to hear the first alphabetically listed song in their music library blare over the speakers, “A a a a a Very Good Song” is designed to jump to the top of the list." (via).

And by doing so, Mezrahi is allowing ten minutes of silence to invade our otherwise loud and busy day, which, according to various studies, is exactly what we need.

 "In a loud and distracting world," the Huffington Post reports, "finding pockets of stillness can benefit your brain and body" (via).  

Here are four science-backed reasons why:

1. Silence relieves stress and tension. 
2. Silence replenishes our mental resources.
3. In silence, we can tap into the brain’s default mode network (daydreaming, meditating, fantasying, etc.)
4. Getting quiet can regenerate brain cells.

Being silent means more than just holding one's tongue. It means listening for the soft and subtle sounds of wind sweeping through the tall grass, of birds singing in the near distance, or the pure giggle of a child deep in play.

Silence also allows us a chance to hear our thoughts, and to chase them, over winding streams and wild lands; it allows our imaginations to run free rather than be caged by entertainment. 

In silence, we are available to the greatest songs of all, Life.

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :  Music  :  Creativity

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The Tank Man : At the cost of life

Photo by Jeff Widener

There are several videos that capture this event, and a few with Jeff Widener describing the moments surrounding this iconic photo. They're all pretty good, but this one, the one without any music or explanation, is the best. Without the distractions, you can almost feel it. The crowd, the tanks, and the moment of a man who has finally had enough, and decides to do something about it.

Even at the cost of his life. 

No one knows what has happened to the Tank Man. He has never surfaced and no one has ever claimed him as a father, son, husband, or friend, but his actions have inspired countries and individuals around the world.

After yesterday's post on the Charlottesville shooting, remembering this event which occurred on June 5, 1989, seems most appropriate.

So does this quote, which was recently shared with me by a friend.

It reads,

We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must - at that moment - become the center of the universe.
- Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor and the author of Night.

And this one, by Alan Patton: 

In the deserted harbour, there is yet water that laps against the quays. In the dark and silent forest there is a leaf that falls. Behind the polished panelling the white ant eats away the wood. Nothing is ever quiet, except for fools. - Cry, the Beloved Country

May we never be considered fools. 

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :  Humility  :  Tank Man Documentary

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Charlottesville: An up-close look at race and terror

This is perhaps the best on-the-ground view of what went down in Charlottesville over the weekend. It’s graphic in spots. Prepare to be angry and sad and frustrated and scared (via).

Because this, too, is America. 

On Saturday hundreds of white nationalists, alt-righters, and neo-Nazis traveled to Charlottesville, Virginia to participate in the “Unite the Right” rally. By Saturday evening three people were dead – one protester, and two police officers – and many more injured. 

“VICE News Tonight” correspondent Elle Reeve went behind the scenes with white nationalist leaders, including Christopher Cantwell, Robert Ray, David Duke, and Matthew Heimbach — as well as counter-protesters. VICE News Tonight also spoke with residents of Charlottesville, members of the Black Lives Matter movement, and the Charlottesville Police.

From the neo-Nazi protests at Emancipation Park to Cantwell’s hideaway outside of Virginia, “VICE News Tonight” provides viewers with exclusive, up close and personal access inside the unrest (via).

In the face of such hatred, how do we forgive? How do we improve? 

Where do we go from here?

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :  Humanity  :  How to Forgive  :  Chris Paul forgives the men who killed his grandfather

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Bacon and God's Wrath : After 90 years, a Jewish woman eats bacon

I was recently asked by a friend who isn't exactly an atheist, "What if you're wrong?"

He didn't ask this in an arrogant or A-hole sort of way - the way many people do - but in a genuine, inquisitive sort of way; in a way that lead me to believe he has asked himself the same question many times, and, more importantly, will continue to do so. 

Since that day, which was almost three weeks ago now, I haven't been able to put the thought down. Even now, my mind hasn't found a conclusion yet, and I doubt it ever will. Which is a good, I think, because, what if I am wrong? And not just about my faith, but about a million other things I feel so certain about that, seemingly, have grave and everlasting (or not) consequences? What if I'm wrong not just on a few small things, but a few huge things?

About people?

And about Life?

"What if you're wrong" might be the hardest, most important question to answer because if we are, it means we have to admit it, and that we have to change. 

It means having to say we're sorry, which, at times, is harder than sliding a camel through the eye of a needle. 

You're torn between the safety of where you are and the loyalty to your parents. I can't help but wondering if it's somewhat that's part of the genes. Part of the brain pattern. I think that for me, this is the essential part of the documentary.

That connectedness. It was more than I ever got from going to synagogue.

It's courageous to choose to the truth, even if that means abandoning what we know.

At the root of all humanity, there is doubt. We all doubt, even though we speak of absolutes and act with deep certainty, at the depths of us all, there is doubt. And because so, it should be something that unites us, not divides. Knowing that all of us are without absolutely certainty should fill us with compassion and patience, not arrogance and piety. 

At least, that's what Philip Seymour Hoffman says.

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :  On playing Devil's Advocate  :  Where Ideas come from  :  On Empathy

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11 GIFs that explain (seemingly) simple things

These may or may not help in the advancement of life, but I bet you can't stop watching them. 

 

How popcorn is made:

Huh. 

How a cheetah runs and uses its tail for stability:

Now that is cool. Kinda makes me wish I had a tail. 

How locks work: 

Or, just pound screw driver in. 

How a dandelion spreads its seeds:

Question. Does this happen in a single day? Because the sky never changes. 

How a sowing machine works:

I've sincerely always wondered about this. 

How a dog drinks water:

And this.

How vines find support:

For some reason, this is super cool to me.

How a trumpet works:

So simple. Yet, Miles Davis makes it seem so incredibly complicated. 

How the Pythagorean Theorem works:

Oh . . . I still don't get it.

How to visualize and explain the value of pi

Finally. Math makes a little bit of sense.

How the gladiator spider hunts:

This is quite simply the most terrifying thing I've ever seen. Ever. Thank the Lord spiders don't fly, or hunt in packs, or scream wildly whenever they catch their prey. 

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :  The Magic of Making Sound  : Japanese Fish Makes Ocean Art  :  They Shyness of Trees

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Monica Lewinsky: The Price of Shame

At the age of 22, I fell in love with my boss. At the age of 24, I learned the devastating consequences. Not a day goes by that I'm not reminded of my mistake. And I regret that mistake deeply. In 1998, after being swept up in an improbable romance, I was then swept up into the eye of a political, legal, and media maelstrom like we had never seen before. It was the first time the traditional news was usurped by the internet for a major news story. A click that reverberated around the world. What that meant for me personally was that overnight, I went from a complete private figure, to a publicly humiliated one. Worldwide.

A few months ago I listened to Monica Lewinsky share her story on the podcast To Endure, by TED Radio Hour. The whole hour is worth listening to but Ms. Lewinsky's story, starting at minute marker 30:56, is truly inspiring, and revealing, and I strongly encourage you listen to the the interview. I thought it better than the TED Talk because, like she says from the TED stage, "It was easy to forget that that woman was dimensional." And she's right. This interview provided, perhaps for the first time in my life, empathy towards her and her plight. 

I was only fifteen-ish when the story broke, but my understanding of her then and up until I listened to her story was most certainly, one dimensional. Because it was easy. And because, if I'm honest, I didn't really care that much to change it. Now, I'm eager to.

Here is another dimension of Monica Lewinsky.

We need to return to being a culture of compassion. Compassion and empathy.

Since the scandal of '98, Monica Lewinsky went on to receive a Masters in Social Psychology from the London School of Economics and Political Science. In 2014, she released an essay for Vanity Fair named "Shame and Survival," which was nominated for a National Magazine Award. She's currently involved with anti-bullying projects in the U.S. and U.K. (via). 

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :  Dangers of a Single Story  :  Humanity  :  TED Talks

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"Former enemies, now friends" : WWII Vets reunite with Japanese soldiers

"An Oregon couple is providing closure to the descendants of Japanese soldiers killed in World War II by repatriating the "good luck" flags they carried into battle, which were acquired by American GIs. Lee Cowan talks to veterans and their families about a respectful and emotional return - and of a bond born of war and strengthened in peace" (via).

At age 95, Bud still doesn't take lightly. "I provided all the ammunition that killed all these folks. And I'm not exactly, totally happy that I did that. But at the time, that was my job. I couldn't question that.

Why is it important to return the flags now?

"It's a closer. You can't keep hating people."

"It wasn't some souvenir. It was their father come home."

This generation will soon be gone, and so will their stories, their lessons, and their pain. The oldest living WWII Vet is 109 years old. WWII wasn't good, but they had to go. And, more times then often, they represent the best of us. 

World War II veterans visited Iwo Jima for the 70th anniversary of one most iconic battles of World War II, March 21, 2015.

I recently passed a man in a local grocery store who was wearing a "WW II Veteran" hat. I walked past, in the traditional silence I pass most people in a grocery store. Later, I wish I had said stopped him and said, "thank you." Watching films like this affirms the need to do this in the future. To say thank you for going, thank you for shouldering the burden of coming home, and thank you for loving us all - the many men and women whom you'll never know - so much.

Our lives, our freedoms, are because of you. 

Thank you. 

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :  Real People  :  Humanity

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Double King Explained!

I've posted some of Felix Colgrave's works before and probably will again. He's pretty fricken cool. 

However, I'm posting this more for my AP students who spent an entire class trying to dissect and interpret, but who, like myself, struggled to truly make sense of it. 

This guys interpretation my not be perfect, but it still helps quite a bit. 

Check out more of Felix Colgrave's works, click here. And if you have any further insights or opinions on this or any of his works, please, share your thoughts!

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :  Short Films  :  Art

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Privileged America, your table is ready

This morning, after listening to the podcast "State vs Johnson," by Malcolm Gladwell I was uncomfortable. No, that's not right. I was angry - pissed even - because I just hate stories like these. It's about a colored man accused of raping a white woman during the Jim Crow era. He didn't do it, but that didn't matter. She said he did.

The podcast ended about seven minutes before the walk was over so I had time to try and digest it a bit. It was a bit like trying to swallow a much too large piece of apple. After forcing it down with a giant chin-to-chest gulp, it scraped all the way down, leaving my chest soar and bruised for the rest of the day. Suddenly, simple eating becomes a painful chore. 

Around noon, I grabbed a beer and tried to sort out my thoughts. I drank coffee instead.

A few nights earlier, I wasted too much time watching Louis C.K. videos because a good friend of mine, Eric Trauger, always talks about him, and for good reason: Louis C.K. is brilliant - in a hysterically difficult to watch sort of way - because, well, he nails us. Right on the head. And it's super uncomfortable.

Especially if you're privileged white. 

In "State vs Johnson," Gladwell points out the parallel between Johnson's case and that described in To Kill a Mockingbird. The only difference being, Johnson didn't have Atticus Finch. He had a drunk who didn't understand the constitution, or the rights of all men.

(As a side note, I absolutely, with all that I know and am, disagree with Gladwell's assessment of Atticus' motive of persuasion).

Soon after the podcast ended, one thought that came to mind was on the idea of rights. After the trial, where Johnson was unsurprisingly found guilty, a new lawyer, Vernon Jordan, stepped in to try and rectify the verdict on the basis of violated Amendment rights - the fourteenth specifically- which says that no state shall "deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws (via)." 

Johnson, a born citizen of the United States, had certain unalienable rights. But because of the color of his skin and because of the egregious actions he was assumed to have done, his rights were tossed aside, like crumbs on a picnic table. 

Suddenly, inherent rights, seam so fickle, so fragile, only as strong as the men and women who ensure them. 

The twin brother to rights is deserve, and in our American culture, we use them interchangeably. He or she deserves or has the right to do this or that, we feel the freedom to buy or do as we please because we deserve it, and please, feel the freedom to speak up and speak out because it is our First Amendment right, any high schooler knows that.

These ideas of complete independence and freedom are rooted in the declarations of our constitution, that all men are created equal and with the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As Americans, we understand these truths, and we hold them to be self-evident.

But, what if they're not? What if we don't actually deserve anything? What if we, really, have absolutely no right to demand any rights at all?

What if, like Atticus Finch, all we really have is the weight of responsibility. 

None of us chose anything about our birth, we just showed up, involuntarily. Louis C.K. hits on this when he says, "If it were an option, I would re-up (on being white) every year." 

That's a pretty important "if" because it emphasis the point that none of us had a choice in anything about how we came into this world. Not who are parents are, their nationality, or ethnicity they are or decided to have sex with. We didn't decide any of it. We had not a single bit of input. Even after we were born, our opinions didn't count. If our parents lived on a farm, we lived on a farm. If they moved to the city, we went along - kicking and screaming or otherwise. From the beginning, we had no say, none, on some of the most deciding factors of life. 

We didn't even have a say if we wanted to be born at all.

However, overtime, we begin to expect, demand even, what we are so confident think we deserve. 

Yet, these men and women, without rights and without privilege, shaped the course of America.

We know America is what we make of it. That, "the Tuskegee Airman, and the Navajo Code Talkers, and the Japanese Americans who fought for this country even as their own liberty (a right or privilege) had been denied" taught and lived out for us a great lesson on what it means to be American, and what it means to be human.

"We are all called to do something. We are all called, to play a role," not simply sit about, demanding our rights and privileges, but to live a life of deep responsibility, like Sojourner Truth, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Atticus Finch

Many of those men and women who walked that bridge, including that southern baptist preacher who had a dream, didn't look to the Constitution for strength to stand up and do something, they looked to their responsibility, their role within the time, and they made something of it. They were men and women of integrity, not entitlement. And they, along with many others both past and present, are what have helped make America great. Not their rights. 

But we're not finished. In fact, if we look around, I think it's clear to say we are far from it.

May we, especially those of us born into undeserved privilege, live in a similar way and with like conviction and embrace the roles we are called to play - to make our homes, our communities, our country and our world great, not simply ourselves. To live, not with selfish and ambition, but with a sense of urgent responsibility, to use our gifts and talents and rights for the benefit of others, not merely ourselves. And to love. Good God may we learn to love and think of each others as more important than ourselves. 

Then, and only then, will We be great. 

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :  Humanity  :  History  :  The Misunderstood Black Panther Party

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Music : Illusion and Mastery

I wasn't going to watch this one even though it kept popping up on various websites and even though I love soundtracks. I don't know why, I just didn't want to watch it.

Then, it popped up again. So I watched it.

I'm glad I did. I think you will be too.

Afterward, I was lead to this one of John Bonham, the drummer for Led Zeppelin. 

 For almost 20 years now, I've maintained a steady level of less-than-mediocre drumming skills - which is pretty impressive, if I do say so myself - so have always been drawn to really, really good drummers.

Even though I can't read music, the pictures really helped and I can now say with confidence, this guy is brilliant. 

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :  Movies Without Soundtracks  :  The Story Behind Soundtracks

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Danny Macaskill : The Ridge

Sometimes, people amaze me.

Born December 23, 1985, Danny MacAskill is a Scottish trials cyclist, from Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye. He works professionally as a street trials pro rider for Inspired Bicycles Ltd and is one helluva crazy dude. 

You can read more about Danny on his website and watch his new video, Wee Day Out where he explores the rural landscape around Edinburgh. The film "sets out to capture the simple fun of a ride in the country with moments of incredible riding and a touch of humor. Danny pulls off never-seen-before tricks, most of which would normally be assumed impossible on a mountain bike, like leaping onto a single train track, turning a hay bale into a giant unicycle, riding over a cottage, and disappearing into a 6ft puddle."

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :   Other Guys who will make your palms sweat  :  Great Wall Adventures

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President Bush : in search of atonement

George W. Bush is painting portraits of soldiers, and they're pretty amazing.

"In his book, 'Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors'" Peter Schjeldahl writes, "President Bush has painted ninety-eight portraits of "physically and/or mentally wounded Armed Forces veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars" (via).

The quality of the art is astonishingly high for someone who—because he “felt antsy” in retirement, he writes, after “I had been an art-agnostic all my life”—took up painting from a standing stop, four years ago, at the age of sixty-six. Bush’s eye and hand have improved drastically since hacked images of a couple of clumsy, apparently nude self-portraits in a bathroom surfaced, in 2013. (He made those, he said, to shock his painting tutor—the first of three plainly crackerjack ones whom he acknowledges in the book.)

Bush now commands a style, generic but efficient, of thick, summary brushwork that aims to capture expression as well as physiognomy. There’s a remoteness in the use of photographs. The subjects aren’t present to the artist. They’re elsewhere. But they look honestly observed and persuasively alive.

I love this acknowledgement because it highlights the closeness, the intimate connection, President Bush has with these men and women - even if they're not physically present. He isn't painting their portraits as a publicity stunt or to merely "be liked" by a country that criticized him so often. He's doing it because his heart and mind are wrestling through the immense responsibility of being a President, of sending people he didn't know into war, while he stays behind.

A responsibility and weight we'll will never understand. 

President Bush sent these men and women into harm’s way, and they came back harmed—often minus limbs from I.E.D. and mine explosions—and, in all cases, traumatized to some degree. Ex-President Bush met them in the course of running a charity, the George W. Bush Institute’s Military Service Initiative, which he set up to honor and aid veterans.

Bush’s portraits are accompanied in the book by upbeat tales of recovery . . . the book’s tone isn’t self-congratulatory. It’s self-comforting, rather, in its exercise of Bush’s never-doubted sincerity and humility—virtues that were maddeningly futile when he governed, and that now shine brighter, in contrast with Trump, than may be merited.

Having obliviously made murderous errors, Bush now obliviously atones for them. What do you do with someone like that? (via)

I love that concluding question, and I love that a New Yorker journalist asked it because a journalist of such caliber is supposed to answer questions, relieve doubt and confusion, and articulate a way we should and want to think. 

But he doesn't. Which makes it a perfect ending. Because it leaves it up to us - we are responsible for figuring it out - for concluding his thoughts. 

What do you do with someone like that?

Well, we Forgive,  empathize, and allow him to live outside of our constructed single story. We allow him to be a human who lived out his humanity on the grandest of stages, for everyone to see. And we allow him, and learn from, his attempts to seek amends. Because that's what heroes do.

And, if Michelle Obama can take to the former president, despite their vast differences, I think we all can.

I just love this photo and all that it represents. 

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :   Humanity  :  History of the "President"  :  A Mapping of US Presidents

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How to Forgive.

What more needs to be said?

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Nat Geo's Travel Photos of the Year

"The results of the 2017 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest are now in, with grand-prize winner Sergio Tapiro Velasco set to receive a 10-day trip for two to the Galápagos Archipelago with National Geographic Expeditions, for his incredible shot of lightning striking the erupting Colima Volcano in Mexico (below). National Geographic was kind enough to allow {ALAN TAYLOR} to share the winners and honorable mentions with us here, from three categories: Nature, Cities, and People. The photos and captions were written by the photographers, and lightly edited for style" (via)

The Power of Nature - Grand Prize and 1st Prize Nature Category. Powerful eruption of Colima Volcano in Mexico on December 13th, 2015. That night, the weather was dry and cold, friction of ash particles generated a big lightning rod of about 600 meters that connected ash and volcano, illuminating the dark scene. In last part of 2015, this volcano showed a lot of eruptive activity with ash explosions that raised 2-3 km above the crater. Most of the night explosions produced incandescent rock falls and lightning not bigger than 100 meters in average

Al Ain - Honorable mention, Cities. New city on the desert.

The Man’s Stare - Honorable mention, People. The photo was taken on July 23rd 2016 at Tongi Railway Station in Gazipur, Bangladesh. I was there taking photos and waiting for a moment. A train from Dhaka toward another district stopped at the platform for 5 minutes for lifting passengers. It was raining a lot. Suddenly I found a pair of curious eyes looking at me through the window and on his left an umbrella has been put to protect from the rain. I got the moment.

Interesting Moment - 2nd Place, People. Museum visitors curiously watching Rembrandt's painting "Syndics of the Drapers' Guild" where it gave the illusion that the people on the paintings too are curiously watching the visitors.

My favorite is "The Man's Stare." What a captured moment. 

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :   Amazing Photos :  Nat Geo 2016 Year in Photos  :  Portrait Photography of Martin Schoeller

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Advice from Lord Birthday

Lord Birthday was created in the summer of 2015, on a train from Vancouver to Portland, but Chad, the man behind Lord Birthday, didn't want anyone to know it was him. Nobody. Not his colleagues at Oregon State University, not his parents, not his friends. 

Only his wife could know that Chad - super clean, extremely shy, sink-in-the-corner Chad - had another side to his otherwise boring personality.

It wasn't until this episode, True You, produced by Invisibilia, that Chad told the world who he truly was. 

And he was terrified. Because for him, Chad getting "too involved" with Lord Birthday would, sorta, kill Lord Birthday. Because, suddenly, Lord Birthday would be censored - there would be a double take. "What will my parents think?"

Chad/Lord Birthday has a book deal in the makings and can be followed on instagram and GoComics (if you just keep pressing the "random" button under each picture, you'll be entertained for hours). 

So far, Lord Birthday isn't dead.

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :   Chalk Art  :  Art

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