Richard Barnes meets a Prehistoric Whale

(i made this during September.)

On August 31, 2009, at the University of Michigan, in preparation for his gallery installation 'Past Perfect/Future Tense', artist Richard Barnes and a prehistoric whale skeleton led a parade of onlookers across campus from the Exhibit Museum to the Institute for the Humanities.

See the installation, Sept 17 through Oct 30, in the gallery at the U-M Institute for the Humanities, 202 S Thayer at Washington, Ann Arbor, MI

exhibition curated by Amanda Krugliak

music
ccmixter.org/files/Pitx/13813
ccmixter.org/files/stickymcbiscuit/670
ccmixter.org/files/accousticRyan/5248

funding for the arts is under-estimated

The senate adopted an amendment to the current stimulus bill that effectively restricts any stimulus money for the arts, most specifically $50 million for the NEA.

"This amendment would mandate that no stimulus funding be used for 'any casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course, swimming pool, stadium, community park, museum, theater, art center, and highway beautification project'”
(senatus.wordpress.com)

but Toby Ziegler and I, feel differently about availability of funding for the arts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA1hCogpHnk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy1DClkECF4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZHr1o0Mnn0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gE-XqsGpP0

Li'l Brudda

My little brother - entrepreneur he is - is starting his own corporate design company.
Or perhaps, it is two? One new (Chair Image Consulting), inside another existing (Core Design Group.) [Not sure. . Anyway.]



He is quite creative.
and here I am, supporting.

Michigan Film Tax Incentive Endangered

Over the past couple days I've drafted a statement opposing a Michigan Senate Bill 1535 that would put a constricting cap on Michigan's current film tax incentive.

The cap would limit the state's support of the film/arts industry, turn away production companies from outside Michigan, and eliminate jobs.

I've attached the statement here
-- http://JoeyOstrander.googlepages.com/StAgFilmIncentCap.pdf --

Please feel free (i.e. compelled) to read, and call your Senator to tell them to vote against SB 1535.

"Will Experiment End World?" report from NBC

... but we are still here... for now.

this is what i'm doing right now

art direction
for local independent feature
Starlight & Superfish
http://thetriumvirate.com/starlight/

The EFEX Project on the radio

Here is a Michigan Public Radio news story about one filmmaking project I have been involved in in the past. You can listen to an .mp3 of the radio broadcast which aired June 3rd, 2008.

Clearly it, and we filmmakers, are gaining some recognition for the hard work we are doing in this state.


((( I hope the very few people who actually see this post will be interested in listening. It's a well composed news story. Thanks to Jennifer Guerra, et al.)))

Jason Kendall Ray

It took me an hour and a half to read this article...

____Ray of Hope____
about Jason Kendall Ray
aka Rameses, the UNC mascot,
aka youth leader,
aka front man for Nine PM Traffic,
aka etc, etc, etc...

Recently,
as we were discussing how I believe some people I am close to look to me expecting to see pride or strength or success,
a friend asked me who it is that I look up to.

While one may expect some obvious well-known professionals,
directors or artists or writers,
I had never deeply considered the individuals that inspire me to be who I am.

I have never truly kept track of the people and their stories whom,
when I hear of or read of or meet or get to know them,
I am affected, moved, shaped, changed.

I think this record begins today
with Jason Kendall Ray.

Michigan vs. Notre Dame

The greatest rivalry in college football - Michigan over Ohio State as we all know - may soon be bested by the other greatest rivalry in college football between the two winningest teams in college football history.

The contract between Michigan and Notre Dame has been extended through 2031 season. The two most storied teams in college college football will play each other every year for decades.

By the time this contract expires I expect Notre Dame to realize the mutual benefits of joining the Big Ten conference. Then these two schools will play each other every year forever.

And at some point the Michigan over Notre Dame rivalry will become the greatest. Ohio State will take its place in the second toughest rivalry back seat exactly where it belongs... behind a classier school with a stronger heritage.

Face it red and silver, more people just like green and gold...
almost as much as maize and blue.

Jeremy Blake Swam Out to Sea

This is a modern day Romeo & Juliet tragedy...

Jeremy Blake wrote a love note, removed his clothes and swam out to sea one week after his love, Theresa Duncan, committed suicide.

Blake was a guest in Ann Arbor as a part of the Penny Stamps Distingushed Visitors Series operated by the University of Michigan School of Art & Design, March 25, 2004. I saw him speak of his work... animating as a painter paints... and on film projects such as Punch Drunk Love. I was impressed with his art and his accomplishments at a relatively young age.

Romantic or insane? I would argue both. And Shakespeare would agree.
Maybe I would do the same.

Beck "Round the Bend" video by Jeremy Blake

Underappreciated Lifesavers in Seoul

Drinkers in Korea Dial for Designated Drivers nytimes.com
Chronically fatigued, underpaid, and overworked overnight, I have a great respect for someone who has the courage to perform such a job. I would hope they realize the that they not only provide a transportation service, but a lifesaving service. When this business picks up more world-wide, and statistics are readily available on these designated drivers for hire, I expect the numbers of lives they save (i.e. the decline in drunk driving accidents) to be comparable to the lives that firefighters or policeman save.

Great public service. Kudos, South Koreans.

"Doctors are now medicating unhappiness..."

It looks like there is a solution to waking up in the morning.
CDC: Antidepressants most prescribed drugs in U.S.

"'Depression is a major public health issue,' said Dr. Kelly Posner." And here I thought it was a fact of life.
"She added that 25 percent of adults will have a major depressive episode." I thought we all would. Is it not everyone? This would be depressing.

I understand that some people can be clinically depressed, but prescribing drugs to make someone happier = just one more reason I am disappointed in America.

I read the news like it's my job.

Really. I wake up every morning and feel like my day cannot begin without checking up on the world. Perhaps I need to make sure it is taking good care of itself. Do I need to save the day? Or do I just need to know it is safe to go outside?

The News is like my 'Good Morning' cup of coffee... although I hate coffee. It's usually a glass of milk I can't go without. Erases that parched feeling, you know.

In the morning, I always look at (in this order):
** the "Headlines" RSS feed in the Firefox toolbar - usually links to BBC
** CNN.com for straight-to-the-point fact-based news
** NYTimes.com for creative stories I more enjoy reading - if I were biased this is all I would read
** ESPN.com for sports news obviously
Then I link or search to wherever the stories I have read might lead me. Whether it's some new technology, a big game recap, discoveries in space or on Mars (my favorite,) or - what I expect myself to keep up on - art/film news, I always seem to look for something extra to read... especially if what I've read so far seems boring. I wouldn't want to start my day off feeling like the world is going to be boring today.

Today's topics of interest:
** a plastic plane - well... mostly
** the case of the missing lake
** “The Case Against Perfection”
** homeruns bound for "the drink" - I have no idea where I got that from. "The drink?"
** and the biggest annual bicycle race in the world

Naturally I am drawn to the articles with the most photos, or sometimes the prettiest photos. Some of which are just photo essays. Others are friends' blogs, especially when they keep them up-to-date. And sometimes... sometimes it's the facebook that has the best photos of the day. I usually don't even read a story if there isn't at least one picture.

Movie trailers are good to keep up on. I have a special place in my heart for talking robots. Not the lame-ass fictional kind, but more realistic ones.

And often enough, I have a soft place.

Oh. And I always check the weather too. Ann Arbor's, not Westland's, regardless of where I'll be. Dangerously hot today...

I think I'll go play some basketball before I get back to job searching... and law fighting.