A Dirty Hippie

So, if one were to map out the intersection of the various subsets of our culture, it seems likely that one of the groupings that you would notice is the one between geeks and hippies.  And I can understand a large part of the reason behind this, mainly since I am included in that intersection.  But what makes me ponder a bit is figuring out the reasons why this intersection exists as well as the history behind it’s existence.

The main situation, as I see it, is this huge connection between the hippie culture and the San Francisco Bay area, as well as where many of those hippies were sprouting from at the culture’s birth.  And where that was coming from was universities like Cal in Berkeley.  No doubt many of those hippies were involved in fairly geeky studies.  Fast forward to the birth of Silicon Valley and you have to be sure to add universities such as Stanford and San Jose State, and online communities such as The Well.

Now when you think of a classic geek, you likely think of someone fairly intellectual, someone probably fairly creative, and likely someone pretty forward thinking (you can’t dream in Sci-Fi realm without thinking forward now can you?)  So what do you think of when you thinking of a hippie?  Maybe someone who might not adhere to the standards of hygiene that the rest of society does (exactly what this blog’s name pays homage to.)  Likely someone with long hair.  Probably someone who operates a bit outside the box of your normal member of the rest of society.  But also likely someone who’s fairly creative and someone who’s fairly forward thinking. So it’s probably those shared traits that bring these two groups together.

So that’s what I’ll leave as my conclusion to that question. The reason is the shared traits and the history is the shared community.

But my entire reason for writing about this is that there was a truly geeky accurance just a couple of days ago.  That was when Unixtime reached 1234567890, which according to an online conversion site happened on Friday the 13th of Feb 2009 at 23:31:30 GMT (15:31:30 PST). And Bay Area geeks (and hippies) couldn’t help but celebrate unixtime reaching 1234567890 as reported in Laughing Squid.

Oh, and I hope you caught the reference behind this post’s title.

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… C: wait… SD: wait…

Tags: berkeley, geeks, hippies, unixtime

Well, not really.  Just us dirty hippies in general:

http://www.theagitator.com/2009/02/01/a-letter-id-like-to-see-but-wont/

Tags: Bong, Michael Phelps

Apparently Christian Bale was having a hard day at work recently, on the set of Terminator 4, and he ended up erupting in a spate of anger.  The whole thing ended up getting recorded and folks have subsequently used it as the basis of music.  There’s one such song that’s a mashup/remix of it (a mashup with a little bit of a good Electro House track from STFU called Shut The Fuck Up, which I’ve played out in DJ sets) called Bale Out - RevoLucian’s Christian Bale Remix.  Have a look, but be forewarned that it’s Not Safe For Work.

Tags: Christian Bale, Mashup, RevoLucian, STFU

I just learned that the man who coined the term Zippy (meaning Zen-inspired Professional Pagan), Fraser Clark, passed away recently.  I only heard of it today, but it seems that this news may be more than a week old.  Apparently he succumbed to liver cancer.  But as one would expect, he was surrounded by friends at home when he died.

Living in the San Francisco Bay area in the 90’s, and being involved in the dance music community, one couldn’t help but feel the influence of Mr. Clark.  The primary realization of that path is through the phrase P.L.U.R., which stands for Peace Love Unity Respect.  In San Francisco in the 90’s it seems that this motto was one that many people in the scene truly took to heart.

It was a realization of the synergy between the British New Age Travelers and the Ravers that inspired Clark to create a club night called Megatripolis at Heaven in London in the early 90s.  The aspect of this club night that truly raised the energy was the concept of combining talks from visionaries along with dance music, primarily of the chill/ambient type.  It’s my feeling that by presenting this visionary information in a TAZ environment Clark served to raise the level of society a notch.

It may simply be my jaded view of things, but I can’t help but feel sadness in the belief that all too much of these energy raising actions have left the dance music scene.  The combination of spirituality and visionary ideas alongside ecstatic dance as well as ambient music doesn’t seem to occur as much as in the past.  But with repressive laws such as the RAVE Act (which was inserted into the Amber Alert bill courtesy of our current Vice President Joe Biden, BTW) one would expect such a result.  And don’t even get me started about the decline of Burning Man. :)  Even so, there are still events that uphold these ideals.  You just have to search a little harder to find them.

If you’d like to find out more I’d suggest reading this very nice article announcing Fraser Clark’s passing as well as Matrixmaster’s bio of Fraser Clark (along with Fraser Clark podcasts.)

Namaste.

Tags: Amber Alert, Burning Man, Fraser Clark, Visionary, Zippy

Well, in a figurative way at least.  I was heading to an interview at CBS Radio when I passed an action that the people at Direct Action To Stop The War had set up where they had a dunk tank sort of setup with a George Bush figure that you could throw shoes at.  How could I resist?  Especially after having been in costume protesting at the previous inauguration?  (And NO, they didn’t get our permission to publish that image.)

Anyway, with the first try I found out the holding onto a show at the sole (of a shoe with an extended sole) causes one to not release that show so easily.  The end result was throws that were way too low.  So I ended up taking a second change and knocked The Fuhrer square in the head on one of the two attempts.  VERY satisfying.  Although I would have been immensly MORE satisfied if hundreds of thousands (or is it in the millions now) of Iraqi women and children hadn’t died unnecessarily alongside thousands of US military.  (But screw the Blackwater security folks over there.)

The same antiwar activists will be setting up shop tomorrow in the same Justin Herman Plaza location tomorrow as well as at the Civic Center in San Francisco on Inauguration Day.  So if you’re in the area you might get some satisfaction in taking part.

Tags: antiwar, George W. Bush, shoe

It’s really interesting to contemplate on the idea of honesty, because
honesty actually turns me on.  It would seem like such a simple trait to
follow, but it also seems like all too many people don’t.  I think that
one of the main reasons is fear.  Fear of being hurt primarily, be it
through ridicule, abandonment, or a number of other possible outcomes.

But the truth is that not being honest usually hurts more.  For by not
being honest you are completely disrespecting the receiver of your
communications.  And it’s guaranteed that disrespect will result in a
negative outcome.

So, instead, give respect and be honest.  You’ll be glad you were.
After all, honesty is sexy!

I’m not sure how many of you readers have been noticing the night sky for the past couple of months or so, but there’s been a bit of a dance going on every evening.  The planets Jupiter and Venus have been having this mating ritual in the southwestern skies at around sunset time.  Unfortunately at this time the window where they passed the closest in the sky was at the end of November.  But don’t let that discourage you because I believe that this dance will continue to happen for a couple of more months.

Oddly enough, as I travel through the skies this Christmas eve heading to San Francisco to see the woman that I love the most in this world and looking out the window, I can’t help but think of the story of a certain person that was born around this time and visited by 3 wise men.  And I can’t help but compare the brilliance of tonight’s night sky with that documented so many years ago.

And with that I want to wish everyone, regardless of your beliefs, many blessings.  We all deserve them.  And I also hope that you are near those that you love the most.  For they are the most precious thing in life.

There was one point in time where I was lucky enough to be able to experience what, I understand, is considered a highly monumental occurance in the Buddhist culture.  One on the level of being a sign that something monumental has happened.  That one point in time for me was smack dab in the middle of a Vipassana Meditation course.  The course took place on beautiful grounds about 2.5 hours Northwest of San Francisco, only about an hour this side of Mendocino.  The grounds were situated in among beautiful trees and next to a gentle flowing creek.

On this particular day there had been rain in the morning, which had let up by the afternoon flowing in a more intense and less intense fashion.  Our afternoon sittings were broken up by a short span of time that allowed for a stretch, a restroom break, and not much more. During that break I had done just that and stood watching one of my co attendees (who had a bit of an emotional disorder) as he was pulling his towels and other things, that he had apparently washed in the sink, off the fence rails and tent strings.  While doing this he repeatedly glanced up at the sky.  And in seeing him do so once or twice, I looked up too.  And the sight I was greeted with was a full circular rainbow.  One that was barely broken by a portion of a tree standing between myself and the rainbow.

Now note that a Vipassana training is a 10 day silent meditation training.  Which meant I couldn’t TELL the others about what I saw.  And there actually wasn’t anyone close by TO tell.

So after the rainbow quickly disapated and the remaining days of the course passed by the end of the silence finally came.  And in asking all the other people I could, not a one of them were lucky enough to see the circular rainbow, other than the one man who was retrieving his laundry.

To me the event was a sign.  One that simply confirmed that I was doing the right thing in being in that training.  One that further confirmed an earlier sign, also delivered in the form of a rainbow, that I should GO to Vipassana training.

That earlier sign happened on the way home from a visit to a friend who at the time was a recent ex.  As a matter of fact the first visit together since breaking up while on a trip around India.  A trip that was a combination birthday (mine) visit, and attendance of a presentation she had put together of her India experience, complete with live music, traditional Indian dance, and slideshows of some of her photos.  The trip seemed to be a footnote to the fresh breakup in that it was continually raining throughout.  And this nasty weather simply served to finalize her not attending an earlier Vipassana training course that was beginning later that Sunday.

This meant a little bit of an extended visit with her, but it also meant fairly poor driving conditions for the trip home.  And it was on this trip home, as I was winding through the trees along the curvy road that I was watching a rainbow forming and growing.  This rainbow kept growing and growing until it was a full rainbow stretching from the horizon on the right to the horizon on the left.  Only difference from the other rainbows I’ve experience is that THIS one actually ended in FRONT of the trees along the hillside to my left.  And at the same time as this was happening I happened to noticed a sign that was placed along the side of the road to my right.  A sign welcoming the attendees of the Vipassana meditation course that my ex-girlfriend had just skipped out on.

It was with that sign in mind that I went online as soon as I got home and signed myself up for the next training.  The very training where, midway through, I experienced the circular rainbow.

That was some 3 1/2 years ago.  And I was reminded of that experience today as I was on a flight from Des Moines to Phoenix for Christmas.  Looking out the window as we had just finished passing over Albuerqueque I saw a circular rainbow amongst the clouse.  I had to laugh a bt though as being in the clouds makes this a common occurance rather than a rare one.  But I’ll take it as a sign.

A sign that I’m heading in the right direction.  A sign that I was lucky to be on this flight in the first place, being that I was flying on a standby ticket out of Des Moines on a 50 seat commuter jet only days before Christmas.  BUT I was heading to see my family and continue on to see my girlfriend from a heavily strained relationship.  And I hope that this sign means good things for both those relationships.

So I wish you all notice that signs revealing themselves around you and maybe, just maybe, take action based on what they speak to you.  And I wish you all much joy in these future days, beginning with the joy of being able to be with family and loved ones.

A sign repeated throughout the Vipassana training, and posted on the walls, is Be Happy.  I hope for you all to Be Happy.

So, a while back I was very well made aware of the fact that Life Is Not About Things.  Made so aware that this simple fact presented itself as an acronym: LINAT.  Because if you think about it, life truly is NOT about things.  A concept which is WHOLEY in contrast with that which is marketed to us each and every day.  After all, we are Americans.  We must consume.

But must we?  Has the social fabric of this nation been forever built upon a foundation of “Keeping up with the Jones”?  My feeling is no.  But the reality is that we’ve lived in a world for some 60 plus odd years where we’ve been told time and time again that we’re not really worth so much unless we have a Brand X car in our driveway/garage and a ensemble of Brand Y clothes and are wearing Brand Z shoes.  Now how silly is that???  What purpose does that drive really serve?

Sadly enough it actually serves a pretty huge purpose.  One which keeps a large portion of the populous living in a continual state of work/sleep/work/sleep.  And it seems that the full result of that way of operating is exposing itself in today’s America.  We’ve been enticed by easy credit, which has resulted in us buying into the idea of needing to overspend on things we don’t need (even houses that are more than we need), which has resulted in a big “Woops” when the bill has finally come due.

But it seems that I’ve gotten a little sidetracked from my original intent of speaking about the lesson of “stuff”.  Which can be pretty easy to do considering.  But my original reason for writing about the fact that “Life Is Not About Things” is truly related to “things”.  And how even the most well intentioned people may find themselves somewhat wrapped up in the concept.

For the experience of my day included receiving a phone call this afternoon from one of the roommates in San Francisco.  The phone call was pretty much to the affect of “We’re cleaning out things from the kitchen and putting the excess out on the curb.  But we realized that some of this stuff might be yours.  So call us.”  Which in the big picture is all well and good.  But in the microcosm, the timeframe in which I was allowed to respond was apparently less than 8 hours.  For within those 8 hours these “things”, that might have been mine, apparently had already found their way to the curb.  So in a return phone call back to one of the roommates I was asked, “is the white toaster yours?” (It was.)  But if it found a new home that would be find with me.  And ” is the X yours?” (same idea.)  And “Is the juicer yours?”  (It is.)  Now THAT was something I do have use for on many ocassions.  Including juicing up whatever is at hand and feeding roommates and friends.

So this was oddly a bit more impacting.  Because the immediate question that came to mind was along the lines of “is this something that I can do without?”  Which it seems the likely answer is “yes”, since I’ve done without it for the last two months.  But in a more thought out response it seems that the answer is “no”, as it’s served a very useful function in bringing nutrition to the reality of a lot of different people a lot of different times.

So the final question that remains is one of whether or not having that sort of attachment to a “thing” is right or is wrong.  Because, in my mind, the ultimate reality is one of the experiences you have throughout life.  BUT those experiences MIGHT be enhanced here and there by some tool that you’re able to use.  Some tool like a juicer.  What do you think?

Now, I’ve never been one to be very motivated in a job where the person sitting at the top makes
500 times what I make.  And I’ve actually been fairly lucky to have not had THAT experience.  But,
sadly, that’s the common reality today.  (Yes, the average CEO is currently making 500 times the
salary that the average worker is.)  So now that my “job” is to remodel and improve my house, that
motivation has emerged.  Even more so the motivation of FINALLY being through with it has definitely brought inspiration.  So much inspiration that I actually ended up using up more than half of an 18lb. bag of joint compound in one day.  I DO want this done.

Now think of what could be accomplished through that sort of motivation in the workplace.
Motivation of a job well done.  Motivation where your efforts are justly rewarding through the
results you achieve.  Wouldn’t that be a powerful thing?  Instead, here in America, reward ends
up being tied to the fact of being in the right place at the right town, often through the fact
of knowing the right people.  It’s a “good ol’ boys” network to the extreme.  (Simply put some
time into inspecting the people sitting on the board of directors of most companies.)  The
result of which is what we have today; undeserving CEOs making 500 times the salary of deserving
workers.  Workers who without there would be no company on which to suck off the teat.

Which brings me to a useful observation I’ve gained via the work that I’ve done.  And this is
one of being an engineer, the one who creates that product which a company is able to sell.
Obviously, without a product a company wouldn’t exist.  And at the same time, without someone
to sell that product a company wouldn’t have any success.  And without someone to put that
product together on the assembly line a company also wouldn’t have success.  And without people
to oversee and guide things that company would likely flounder.  There’s actually a fair amount
involved to bring success.

But that success depends on the efforts of a range of people.  As an engineer there’s a pretty
substantial amount of knowledge that I’ve had to gain to be able to create a given product.
And that a salesperson, who’s skillset is primrily in being able to say the right things in
order to sell the product to someone, ends up earning the same or more isn’t very motivating.
And sometimes that ability to convince isn’t even necessary as a customer may already be sold.
On the assembly line, the knowledge necessary to do the job is actually on a par with the
salesperson.  They likely COULD be salespeople if they had that ability to influence.  And
yet the difference in pay is likely pretty astounding.  With a CEO, the skills needed are
fairly substantial.  A CEO needs to have the ability to see the big picture and to guide a
company in the right direction.  But how much more intelligent and knowledgable must a CEO
be than the other people?  And is the difference on a par to being compensated 500 times
that of an average worker.  (Is it really that difficult to come up with an answer to that?)

Which brings me back to the motivation of finally completing a remodel of a house.  It’s
a simple one.  And it’s one where there is no inequity.  The effort put in is directly
rewarded through the completion of a task and the fact of moving that much closer to
completion.  If capitalism only had that much equality I can only wonder what could be
accomplished.