Recent Blog Posts: Bakotopia

abandoned

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 08:44:24 PST

Barack Obama is BLACK!

Sat, 17 Feb 2007 17:16:47 PST

As of more recently we've become bombarded with this new political phenomenon known as Barack Obama. This charismatic senator from Illinois has, as of late, begun to attract the attention of a vast array of supporters for his recently announced 2008 presidential candidacy.

However, in true mainstream media fashion, there is always a jump on trying to 'expose' the seamy underbelly of political candidates. So in order to save you time and energy, I've compiled a list of character detriments which have been revealed through cunning expository journalism by a number of different news outlets which will serve best to deter you from even thinking about researching Obama's politics. Ready?...

- Barack Obama does in fact...lean toward the left of the political spectrum

- Barack Obama's name not only contains the middle name Hussein, but his last name rhymes with Osama as well, which, as we all know, means that his political agenda is going to parallel that of Saddam and Osama, just as George Bush's politics has paralleled a variety of shrubbery.

- Barack Obama does in fact... smoke cigarettes! This, I believe, is the key to destroying his campaign altogether! Nobody in the history of the United States has ever had any aspect of their person carry a flaw as heinous as smoking occasionally!

- Barack Obama is in fact...Black.

My favorite aspect of this candidate's list of critical (flaws?) is the fact that he is a black man. Unless of course, you yourself are black, then he is not really black. He's more African-African American than African-American. He just hasn't felt the sting of slavery (as every single black citizen of America has been subject to). It stings my soul to hear people prattle on about how there is so much racism in this country and how "the Man" is keeping the black society down, and when a candidate arises that, as of yet, seems to have a fighting chance, he is "not black enough!" I agree though, I think we should try to get Tupac Shakur elected as the next president. Hell, we all know he isn't really dead anyway! Or better yet, P. Diddy would suffice. He is already so politically involved, what with his Vote or Die! campaign which has worked so well in mobilizing the youth.

There is no doubt in my mind that Barack Obama's race has helped to build public intrigue and push his media exposure, but is that necessarily a bad thing? And from the perspective of modern marketing and advertising, doesn't it usually take new packaging to reintroduce society to features which may have been previously overlooked? If he were white and with the same ideologies, he probably would not be receiving the attention he has gained, but as far as I'm concerned, if all it takes for attention to be paid is that a candidate must be black, then let him have it. I'd rather have his initial popularity be based upon skin color if that is going to help pave way for, as Obama puts it, "...a different kind of politics." His strong articulation and personable nature, however, have certainly not hurt this grand-scaled constituent swooning.

True, one should not let their vote go to the first person with a vibrant smile and strong voice. The same can be said, however, for non-sequitur blast campaigns. Read up and then get build a conclusion. The key phrase there is "Read Up."

how to get your songs online when you don't have a webpage or know what the h you're doing

Sat, 17 Feb 2007 16:06:29 PST

i finally pried a song out of my 8 track recorder & got it online through a very complicated process (had to stream the song into the computer tape deck-style because windows wouldn't recognize the tascam portastudio thing)... then using the audacity program, smoothed the song out a little bit (www.audacity.com) then used www.esnips.com to host the song and wa-la! there you go. you can do it, too, if you don't mind going ultra lo-fi, which i don't at all. :)

the song is at

www.duskdevils.blogspot.com

American Beauty

Sat, 17 Feb 2007 08:48:53 PST

Here is one more. Again check out my work at www.paper2pencil.com

An update on my latest drawings

Sat, 17 Feb 2007 08:46:23 PST

I know its been awhile since I have updated anything here so here is a sample of what I have been up to!

Feel free to stop by my website at www.paper2pencil.com to see more of my stuff. I am available for commissioned assignments, from your photos and I am always interested in meeting local models to work with for the pieces that go off to galleries! In fact while on vacation this week I plan on hitting some galleries in the LA area wtih several of my drawings!

David

paper2pencil_vanderpool@yahoo.com

Meow No#5

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 21:14:33 PST

Whew! Thank goodness Valentine's Day is behind us but that reminds me how this special day used to mean buying flowers for your favorite girl to show her how much she was adored. Alas, though, Valentine's Day is getting weed whacked by environmentalists determined to end flowercide and Global Warming.

According to environmentalists, buying Valentine's flowers is committing flowercide because most of the "death merchants" (retailers) cut the stems and put them in vases for their customers. Later, in a couple days, the flowers die an ignoble death. Further, the greenhouses where flowers are enslaved are compared to Nazi concentration camps.

Environmentalists also warn that transporting flowers via trucks, airplanes, and cars is damaging the environment through carbon emissions, a cause of Global Warming.

Fortunately, environmentalists are also educating people to grow their own flowers in earth friendly pots instead of buying them. This way, the proponents say, the flowers are nurtured with dignity.

While thinking about an earth friendly Valentine's Day, a recent survey gave me pause about all this romance stuff. It seems many Englanders are mighty ignorant about the mechanics of preventative procreation.

One out of three Englanders believe a woman can prevent pregnancy by jumping up and down while taking a pee pee. The survey suggests there is "widespread confusion and misunderstanding" about preventative procreation and educators are calling for schools to take over educating children about sex.

I would like to add that maybe a license to engage in procreational recreations could help, too. We have driver's licenses don't we? Why shouldn't sex be licensed? It used to be!

Consider it, some 30 million mixed up Englanders will engage in Valentine's Day related entertainments and at least a third of them likely believe something like jumping up and down will keep Olivia Ovum from meeting Sparky Sperm.

Well, I guess it is time to give some sage day-after type advice to our Valentiners and for this purpose I have consulted my good friend Saki who says, "In baiting a mouse-trap with cheese, always leave room for the mouse."

Ah, so that's what those flowers are really all about!

Will Bush be made “an offer he can’t refuse?”

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 17:19:38 PST

The Bank of America is quite comfortable betraying America for profits. Our government is quite comfortable betraying America by not only refusing to secure our borders for the sake of profits, but will punish those sworn to protect our borders if they do their job. Caesar Bush and Company, corporate bosses may be laughing all the way to the bank, but there is going to be a reckoning for their being without a soul, and without a soul being without romance.

Since it is abundantly clear our government is run like The Godfather’s Mafia why isn’t someone stepping up to the plate and making Caesar Bush an offer he can’t refuse? What We the People need is someone with the courage and properly placed, someone like Don Corleone to put a gun to his head and tell Caesar either sign a contract in favor of America instead of nations like Saudi Arabia, Mexico and China, to do what is right for America, things like securing our borders and expelling illegal aliens used for slave labor and punishing those that hire them, that either his signature or his brains will be on that contract!

Of course it’s whimsical, but in my whimsy I can well imagine George Washington having the whole bunch in the White House, Congress, and Supreme Court tried for treason and hung! But it is far from whimsy to acknowledge our Triune Federal Dictatorship is run for profit benefiting only the wealthy just like Don Corleone’s Mafia, but without the romance.

Hey, did I say “romance?” You bet I did; but my use of the word must not be confused with some simplistically smarmy starry-eyed nonsense. The element of romance runs throughout the whole of The Godfather trilogy, and the saga would be nothing without this element of romance. Take away the romance of those involved in our own War for Independence and it would never have happened. The Sons of Liberty, the Founding Fathers were all consummate romantics, romanticizing all the ideals that were to be turned to calling all in whose breasts burned the intense flame of freedom, the flame of freedom from tyrants and despots, the freedom to live in liberty from the oppressor! What are Betsy Ross and our flag but symbols of the power of romance. It does no good to wrap yourself in that flag or wave the bloody shirt unless these are done in the surrounding aura and undiluted power of romance!

In “The Crossing” when Washington refuses to meet with the dying Hessian leader because he would not honor those who fight for profit he is confronted by the words of his aide, “In the end we all fight for profit.” It was the politically correct thing in the film, but could not have been further from the truth. The truth is found in the romance of that sacred honor of George Washington, that sacred honor never the handmaid to profits pledged by our Founding Fathers no amount of profits could displace. It was not profits that caused so many to suffer for the cause of liberty at Valley Forge, to respond to Thomas Paine’s cry to fight for liberty, but the romance of a promised America that was to be!

But the dark side of romance, ah, there is Lincoln’s War that would never have happened without “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” romanticizing the plight of Negroes held in slavery while conveniently ignoring the even worse wage slavery of “northern overseers” at the time as Henry Thoreau pointed out; and as Henry admitted while opposing the war with Mexico even he “could spit a Mexican with a good relish” when the martial music is playing loudly, “the trumpet that sings of fame” being a siren call, there is the basis of most wars that are propagandized by romanticizing the call to arms. In this sense even Hitler succeeded in romanticizing his vision of a thousand year Reich complete with all the art and architecture of his romantic vision for Germany. And to counter Hitler the Allies had to successfully romanticize their own call to arms.

Boris Pasternak’s Noble Prize-winning “Doctor Zhivago” brought to the screen certainly showed the romance of the Russian Revolution, and “Lawrence of Arabia” certainly romanticized the plight of Arabs. One might well say that without being able to romanticize something all other efforts to move the hearts of people to a cause, especially to the sacrificing of their lives for a cause would be in vain. And it is here where all the efforts of Caesar Bush and Company are doomed to fail. They have nothing to work with when it comes to romance.

Consider the religious fervor of our enemies; this is whipped up by romantic notions of a promised paradise to the martyrs of the Muslim religion. But America having been betrayed of its Christian heritage and culture, its Christian ideals there is no romantic appeal to counter the propaganda of Islam. When Caesar Bush made that first attempt using the word “Crusade” he was very quickly shouted down. The Crusades of old were romanticized, but the religious connotation aside no one was going to buy into a “crusade” for profits further enriching Caesar Bush and Company. But while abuses continue in the name of the Christian religion, it is patently ridiculous for detractors to make any comparison between the ideals of Jesus and those of Mohammad.

Caesar Bush and Company cannot make bricks without straw, they cannot gather Americans together in common cause without the romance of such a cause. And there is no romance to be found in calling for the sacrifice of lives just to make the wealthy even wealthier. Where is “glory” to be found in wars without romance? Consider all the books and films that glorify the sacrifice of lives in a cause based on romantic ideals. But take away that element of romance, and what have you? What you would never have is a film like “Casablanca.” And it would take the romance of a Casablanca to unite Americans once more in a cause.

However, WWII was romanticized for all the right reasons. We flocked to see Casablanca and delighted in Norman Rockwell’s America that accurately romanticized the America so many were sacrificed for at the time. But those many if called from their graves now would say “What was the point?” For those sacrificed to Korea and Vietnam, these would say “What was the point?” As Jesus made emphatically clear, there is nothing romantic about money except in instances like the widow’s mite, the story of the beggar and the wealthy man, and Judas betraying the innocent blood for money. In all such instances the romance is found in the sacrifices that distinguish between good and evil. But in the end the verdict of Jesus is to render to Caesar and to God based on the romantic concept of what belongs to either.

When I wrote “Romance: The real power and greatness of America,” I knew this was the motivation and the basis of the success of our Founding Fathers, of our War for Independence, America’s success in WWII, and I knew this seems to have escaped the notice of those like Caesar Bush and Company. You cannot pull Americans together in common cause without this element of romance being the decisive factor. Take all the words like good, fair, just, honorable, and they are all meaningless without that element of romance. And if the romance of America is betrayed by allowing the invasion of Mexico and the colonizing of America by Mexicans just to satisfy the greed of the wealthy for slave labor, if America continues to be betrayed by politicians and their corporate bosses for oil and to other nations like China for the sake of profits, no one in power can expect Americans to support such a government as we have now. There is no soul in such a government, and having no soul there is no romance.

From the time of Shakespeare on the English language is unsurpassed in expressing romance. But that most beautiful and expressive of languages is now betrayed in America by “Press one for English” and ballots printed in foreign tongues. Our very existence as a nation is threatened by those without a soul, without romance, willing to betray America for money ever as much as Judas did of Jesus.

This is not to say romance can flourish without bread; that is patently ridiculous, and despite his preaching a doctrine of simplicity in living most people would agree with Henry’s remark that “Economy is a subject which admits of being treated with levity, but it cannot so be disposed of.” But I believe many people would be happier if they would not spend so much of their lives “to keep bright the devil’s door-knobs” only to discover in the end all they were really seeking and wanted was the fulfillment of the romantic promise of “Rosebud.” Wisdom dictates it isn’t who has the most toys in the end who wins, but who you have helped along the way that really counts toward a life with any purpose and meaning, a life filled with the romance of living.

There are many helping philanthropic organizations, but philanthropy should never be confused with kindness. For example, it is no act of kindness to encourage irresponsible unproductive mouths whether in America or elsewhere to be fed at the expense of the responsibly productive who limit the number of babies to that which can be properly cared for with prospects for a future not dependent on welfare. But as to politicians that pander for votes I suffer no illusions they will pound the drum for birth control, that they will in any way attempt to interfere with the “reproductive rights” of multitudes feeding at the welfare tax trough, including illegal aliens though nowhere in our Constitution are any such “rights” to be found.

It is a pronounced hypocrisy on the part of those preaching against abortion to refuse to point out the fault of those in power refusing to encourage contraception and birth control. Were they to direct their energy to prodding politicians in this direction rather than abstinence there would be far fewer abortions. Human nature does not lend itself to abstinence, but if our nanny Federal Caesar and its legions in the various states would encourage contraception and birth control rather than reward illegitimate births at taxpayer expense the abortion problem would soon be a moot point. And it is here where economics rather than a sinister “philanthropy” at the expense of taxpayers should make its power felt.

Who doesn’t get a laugh out of Eliza Doolittle’s father telling Professor Higgins he is one of the undeserving poor and intends to keep on being one of the undeserving poor. But when any politician begins mouthing the phrase “Family values” I immediately want to ask them why they are not taking any responsibility for the millions of children born to unwed mothers, why they encourage at the expense of taxpayers the undeserving poor to continue to be the undeserving poor?

No, romance cannot exist as an orphan without bread. But when romance is betrayed for a superfluity of riches, as America is being betrayed by those without a conscience, without a soul but rather an insatiable appetite for wealth and power there is no room for romance. And being without a soul, thereby being without romance our present leaders are doomed. Someone will make these Judases “an offer they can’t refuse.” It may come by that terrorist nuclear bomb going off at LAX or DC, but that “offer” is going to be made.

ed jagels bug?

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 15:37:34 PST

Lords of Buggersfield?

PIPEHEAD is a saga, an ongoing story about life. It’s also a comic about faceless bugs that live in a soup factory. They have no identity other than they know they’re alive. They’re surviving. They care about each other… They sometimes die and get boiled in big vats of soupy goo. They're bottom feeders...

archives

new cartoon

Distant Fairs Station to Station

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 15:37:31 PST

Distant Fairs Station to Station

Wednesday, February 14 - Fresno - Royal Dutch Company Studios - This was Ricky's day. After some frustrating time spent working out hard drive issues, we finally got down to tracking some tunes. Ricky's Strat's frets definitely need some work - one in particular is making ... more ... more ... more ...

Visit The Dalloways Blog for the rest of the story.

Speeders

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 13:31:16 PST

These were taken in about a 15 minute time frame I have more from my camera that I need to upload.

Musicians Death, Daughter Injured, Family Needs Help..Selling Band Equipment

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 12:43:10 PST

Bakotopia Friends This Family Needs Your Help

Ok...Here is the situation..A friend

and fellow musician of ours Robert Heft

has sent us a post on this.

The following is from his friend Marcus

that is a Drummer in Dallas. He has a close

friend and fellow musician that was a

victim of a terrible car crash. He died and

his adopted daughter was severly injured.

The family is now selling off some of his Amps

that he had collected. There is some cool stuff

on the website that has been setup.

The family has been forced to sell them to

pay for the funeral expenses and to pay

the mounting doctor bills for the little girl

that was injured. If you are interested and

serious about purchasing these items we

are posting the link here:

http://marksamps.com

Please help if you can. But most of all

please send out good thoughts of healing

and prayer for the little girl and to the family

that is caught up in this horrible tradgedy.

They will need all the support that they can get.

Thanks Bakotopian Friends,Fellow Musicians,

& Family...

If you have any questions please post or

e-mail me :)

Sincerely,

Tam = Lead Vocalist = Instant Karma Band

Pipehead

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 12:35:05 PST

New cartoon.

PIPEHEAD is a saga, an ongoing story about life. It’s also a comic about faceless bugs that live in a soup factory. They have no identity other than they know they’re alive. They’re surviving. They care about each other… They sometimes die and get boiled in big vats of soupy goo. They're bottom feeders...

-n.l.

Shadow Dog

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 12:14:16 PST

Hey Everyone - So I have been MIA - Bakersfield Life has me hopping!
Here's a little update in my life. And don't foget to check out the new issue of Bakersfield Life this Saturday (2/17) in The Bakersfield Californian...

Three weeks ago, I had to put my dog down. He was 14-years-old. He had really bad hips and couldn't move around anymore. He was my little buddy. His name was Shadow and he was a Siberian Husky with Blue eyes. He was a stubborn dog, pretty much doing whatever it was he wanted. He loved to sleep in my room, although I think he thought it was, I was the one sharing it. The day we put him down I was lying on the floor next to him. We were eye to eye and I pet his head and we talked. He would move his little blue eyes and blink and try and lick me every now and then. I really miss him. So long story short, I won't take anything for granted anymore.

Vastness

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 10:56:17 PST

This is a song called "Vastness" very cool . Music and lyrics by Tino

Stage Soulfulness

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 10:26:04 PST

Emma noticed something had changed, something was not right.

She whispered to me, “Did she? Did she?”

I nodded my head and turned my focus back to the stage where emotions were rising. I heard Emma gulp and felt her energy begin to change.

She started to cry. Not quiet, all to her self crying, but weeping crying. It was crying that both the audience members and the actors could tune into – an emotional homing device of sorts.

I watched as the women on stage breathed in Emma’s tears and mingled them with their own. I felt my own heart begin to tug and my own tears begin to flow. I found myself leaping into M’Lynn’s position as Kimber Peaker-Lozano brought the quintessential loving mother to life on stage.

I witnessed Annelle (Chelsea Brewer) apologize the best she could and I leaped into her heart and felt her shame and sadness erupt in me.

I held onto my heart as I saw Truvy (Althea Williams) make it right, knowing nothing would be right again.

I laughed within my tears as I saw Clairee (Annette Bridgeman) use Ouiser (Jan Hefner) as a diversion, so that our tears would be silenced and we would remember to laugh even for just a moment.

And then we all cried some more.

We didn’t see Shelby (Amy Hall) on stage again until curtain call.

I was reminded of one of the reasons live theatre is so sacred. The audience and the actors literally blend their heart, their breath, their souls – and the result is literally life changing.

Emma will remember this production forever. I can hear her future voice saying “Remember when we saw Steel Magnolias and I couldn’t stop crying?”

We walked backstage after the show – to that precious inner sanctum – to congratulate the cast and crew. We not only have the privilege of being audience members, we are also friends of the artists on-stage and backstage.

I poked my head in one dressing room and I heard Chelsea saying something like, “yeah, well in ‘Five Women’ every night there was a place where at least three of us were supposed to be crying and every night, on cue, there would be….oh, Julie! I was just telling how you would… Emma… Emma…. You were amazing…” and one by one Emma received hugs and admiration from the artists.

“We want you in our audience every night, Emma.”

“Why, because I was crying?” and as she said it she started crying again. “I couldn’t help it.. I mean… she… she… she….”

I looked over at Annette, who I shared the stage with in Les Femmes Artistes at Spotlight Theatre in March, 2006. I said, “The emotions… oh, the emotions… were incredible.” The smile I felt in our eye contact is one I will treasure forever, that “I see your soul and I know it” eye contact.

Sheila McClure worked magic to bring forth this incredible work of art. Her team, including Jeremiah Lowry and Michelle Weingarden, Carla Stanley, Kathy Koslowski and Vicki Jameson, all deserve kudos.

They created soulfulness each audience member could breathe into and connect with their whole heart, their whole mind, their entire experience.

====

Steel Magnolias plays at Bakersfield Community Theatre Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM from February 16 through March 3. Sunday matinees at 2 PM. BCT is located at 2400 South Chester, just north of Wilson Rd.

Tickets are $10/$8 for Seniors, Students and Active Military