“Paprika, is the inside of my head this messed up?!” If you’ve never seen Paprika, Satoshi Kon‘s wildly imaginative anime from ‘06, it’s definitely a head trip worth taking. The film’s infamous “parade” sequence disturbs and dazzles in equal measures (see here, and here), and possibly explains why the “augmented reality” clip below induced in me a host of uneasy feelings. Thanks again, JapanProbe!
Some men aspire to be gods, while others just want to shack up with them. The latter is the case for V K Saxena, a 72 retired railway man from India, who has donned bangles, skirt and makeup in imitation of Radha, the goddess lover of Krishna.
Saxena claimed that he felt more spiritual awakening in this form.
He also added, ?
So much Church of Scientology news to catch up on from the weekend, and it all seems to revolve around its Celebrity Centre head, Tommy Davis (see above).
First, writer-director Paul Haggis (Crash, Million Dollar Baby) with his blistering “open letter” to Davis attacking him for: A.) backing the sponsorship of the gay-rights-denying Proposition 8, and B.) downplaying the existence of the Church’s “disconnection” policy, which (strongly!) encourages its current members to severe all ties to those who dare flee resign from Scientology.
Next comes Nightline’s equally harrowing Scientology “expose.” In the clip below (Part III of V), Martin “Ambush” Bashir, familiar to—and beloved by—many for his role as Michael Jackson’s “Grand Inquisitor,” tangles with Davis over how to best reconcile mainstreamy Church doctrine with galactic emperor, Xenu. The fallout begins at the clip’s end, with links below to the entire Nightline special.
Random factoid: Tommy Davis is the son of actress Anne Archer, Scientology grande dame, and co-star of that excellent ‘70s film, Lifeguard.
On ABC’s Nightline: Scientology Exposed Part I, II, IV, V
Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Scientology But Were Afraid To Ask
Sebastian Horsley is the author of Dandy in the Underworld, famous for publicly (literally) crucifying himself and for having been turned away from the US at Customs in New York for being a bad influence on American morals. They still make these guys? I thought they’d given up by now. But, improbably, Sebastian Horsley exists, and you and I are the richer for it.
In the below video, Horsely explains the morals, economics and perks of spending your entire inheritance on prostitutes. Cool story bro.
This may be a bit of old news, but I’d never seen it before, and if you haven’t, either, I suspect this will impress you as much as it did me.
GenPets are bioengineered human/animal hybrids which come in plastic packaging in suspended animation. Once you buy one you get to “activate” them and let them loose. About the Pets from the site:
The Genpets?
Interesting video from Informationactivism.org, found via the excellent responsible-advertising blog Osocio.
10 tactics for turning information into action shows how rights advocates around the world have used the internet and digital technologies to create positive change. The 50 minute film will be launched at the Front Line Club in London, in December 2009 with a series of screenings worldwide. It is accompanied with a deck of cards featuring tools, tips and advice to help you plan your Info-activism action. The 10 Tactics project website will be launched in November.
B.J. Snowden with Fred Schneider from the B-52s
The companion piece to the Songs in the Key of Z post (see below) is what came right after it on the show, the music video for B.J. Snowden’s mighty In Canada video, taken from her Life in the USA and Canada CD. BJ Snowden is a very interesting talent. Her songs are catchy, they are original and they are fully formed. They are also malformed, but I don’t mean that in an insulting way, I’m just trying to describe her music accurately. B.J. could have been another Andrew Lloyd Webber, except that her music is missing a few chromosomes.
Suffice to say, once you have heard this song even one time, you will never, ever forget it.
In one of those incredible-but-true show business stories, fate has played a role in Ms. Snowden?
Here’s a blast from the past (well my past, not yours): some kind soul has put the outsider music piece I did for the Disinformation series years ago on YouTube. I haven’t seen this clip in years and it was weird to see myself nearly ten years younger. (It’s my birthday today, so I keep trying to tell myself “You haven’t changed much!”).
Featured in this clip is the wonderful Irwin Chusid, author of Songs in the Key of Z: The Curious Universe of Outsider Music, which is well worth your time. It may even launch a few new musical obsessions.
“Brokeback Island” by Dave MacDowell
“Fat Kenickie” by Danielle Rizzolo
Here’s an amusing look at a Kevin Smith-themed art show held at Gallery Nineteen Eighty Eight in Los Angeles. More paintings here.
(via Nerdcore)