The future

The future won’t exactly look like this…but close!

Woah.

Woah.

carefully in control of his appearance

The President isn’t unable to bear the sight or sound of dissent, but carefully in control of his appearance.

Carve-up of oil riches begins

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Carve-up of oil riches begins

dubyadubyadubya.com

According to dubyadubyadubya.com, America is experiencing Technical Difficulties. These will probably last through 2008 at which point the current Talking Head of State could be replaced by another.

Boris Vallejo

Boris Vallejo was obviously heavily influenced by Frazetta. He carryied the torch…kept the dream alive…ripped him off — whatever you call it, the connection is unmistakable. Boris basically gives Frazetta’s art an updating. The late-70’s/early-80’s saw models become skinnier, and special effects more realistic. Boris reflected this with airbrushed beauty and more detail than Frazetta had used. The result is that Boris’ art is technically more realistic, but lacks the kinetic fun with which Frazetta winked at the vewer. Boris’ women are airbrushed and sophisticated-looking, reflecting pop culture’s changing tastes to resemble repose Playmates rather than curvy, kinetic vixens.

Frank Frazetta

Happened to stumble upon Frank Frazetta’s work…I guess I’m going in reverse chronology, but that’s how research is done…sometimes. High res images are available on this unofficial site. Now on to Boris Vallejo…

Risk-taking in the film industry

Risk-taking in the film industry is less about Art than profit, but every now and then a brave person challenges that trend with an experiment. In 2000, Mike Figgis pushed digital video to create one film out of four concurrent, unedited shots, shown simultaneously in the quadrants of a single screen. DV has come a long way from Timecode’s soupy grain and thin, but playful plot of Hollywood-intrigue. This year, Alexander Sokurov’s dream project became reality thanks to 24p High Definition DV cameras, and a prototype 100 minute capacity hard disk. In Russian Ark, a narrator guides the camera for a single 90 minute shot through the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, revisiting some more opulent points in Russia’s pre-Communist past. Coming to the Music Box January 31.

sheriandkathy.com

I just completed sheriandkathy.com for my friend Henry Ng. His comics and illustration are great work so go check it out!

holiday history

I just got this from my friend Alex:

It is 4:00AM EST on the day that devote Christians refer to as the birthday of a one Mr. Jesus Christ. For those that like to think outside of conventional conservative religion box I would like to serve you up some holiday history. For those that think Christianity is the only way, you can blindly look past history (like all Christians) and jump to my closing paragraph.

The Egyptian and Persian traditions merged in ancient Rome, in a festival to the ancient god of seed-time, Saturn.

The people gave themselves up to wild joy. They feasted, they gave gifts, they decorated their homes with greenery.

The usual order of the year was suspended: grudges and quarrels forgotten; wars interrupted or postponed. Businesses, courts, schools closed. Rich and poor were equal, slaves were served by masters, children headed the family. Cross-dressing and masquerades, merriment of all kinds prevailed. A mock king — the Lord of Misrule — was crowned. Candles and lamps chased away the spirits of darkness.

As Roman culture became more licentious, so did Saturnalia.

Saturnalia may have been responsible for the pageantry of our midwinter festival, but it’s Mithraism that seems to have inspired certain symbolic religious elements of Christmas. Mithraism arose in the Mediterranean world at the same time as Christianity. Saturnalia was a Pagan Roman winter solstice festival. Starting in mid-December there would be feasts that could last for a week or more. Similarities that were stolen by the Christians are such things as merry-making, rest and relaxation, connections with family, celebrating the beginning of the new year. Some Pagan rituals that have remained though not necessarily endorsed by the Christians is gift giving, helping the less fortunate, greens, candles and honored figures such as santa and father time.

A brief outline of Saturnalia can be found at [here].

The comparison of Mithraists and Christians is not coincidental. December 25 was Mithras’ birthday before it was Jesus’. The Online Mithraic Faith Newsletter [no longer available] says: “Since earliest history, the Sun has been celebrated with rituals by many cultures when it began it’s journey into dominance after it’s apparent weakness during winter. The origin of these rites, Mithrasists believe, is this proclamation at the dawn of human history by Mithras commanding His followers to observe such rites on that day to celebrate the birth of Mithras, the Invincible Sun.”

But the actual choice of December 25 for Christmas was made under the Emperor Aurelian because this was the date of the Winter Solstice and was the day devotees of Mithras celebrated the dies natalis solis invicti (birthday of the invincible sun).

Mithraism, like Christianity, offers salvation to its adherents. Mithras was born into the world to save humanity from evil. Both figures ascended in human form, Mithras to wield the sun chariot, Christ to Heaven. The following summarizes the aspects of Mithraism that are also found in Christianity.

“Mithras, the sun-god, was born of a virgin in a cave on December 25, and worshipped on Sunday, the day of the conquering sun. He was a savior-god who rivaled Jesus in popularity. He died and was resurrected in order to become a messenger god, an intermediary between man and the good god of light, and the leader of the forces of righteousness against the dark forces of the god evil.”

Our society has become a melting pot of religions, especially in this country. Those of us that have chosen that an organized religion is not the right path might care not for the pageantry of the church this time of year but must recognize the significance. The celebrating of the winter solstice. Crops have been harvested and there is much time before the ground is ready to be turned. Time to connect with loved ones and friends and share good times before you must tend the fields of life.

Happy holidays to everyone and safe travels. Have a fun and safe New Years Eve and I wish you all the best.

Sincerely.

AR