New Super Ape Music Available Now!

My new band has released a couple of tracks. Check them out and let me know what you think!

You can buy them using the link on the above player. Digital versions are also available on Amazon and iTunes. How convenient is that?

If you are in the Charlotte, NC area on Jan. 9th you can buy these songs on 7" vinyl at our show at Visulite Theater! Do it!!

Let’s Abolish the Income Tax, Shall We?

Over the 2009 tax season we were all treated to a multitude of ‘Tea Party’ demonstrations. One of the main purposes of these demonstrations, aside from promoting anti federalism in general, was to promote the Fair Tax Act. When I first heard of the Fair Tax Act a few years ago, it resonated with my common sense in a way that peaked my curiosity and I have followed its evolution ever since. Even though I don't like the idea of being associated with right wing extremists, I personally would like to see the 16th amendment to the constitution repealed and the Fair Tax Act ratified in its place.

What is the Fair Tax?

The Fair Tax is simply a 30% exclusive or 23% inclusive national sales tax meant to transfer tax revenue for the government to consumer consumption as opposed to consumer income. There is no difference in practice between the inclusive or exclusive rates. It is purely a semantic argument that proponents and opponents use to confuse the issue and avoid getting to the bottom of things. 23% inclusive means that the tax is included in the cost of the item. If the cost of an item is $100.00, twenty-three of those dollars are paid to the government by the retailer, i.e. $77.00 to the retailer and $23.00 to the government. If you divide $23 by $77 to find the exclusive tax rate, your answer is .298701287. Round this to the nearest hundredth, convert to a percent and you get 30%. Proponents like to use the number 23% and opponents like to use the 30% figure. Even though I understand the proponent’s argument that the sales tax is replacing an inclusive income tax so it should be expressed inclusively, since most people are used to sales taxes being expressed exclusively, I think the proponents shoot their own feet a little by using the smaller inclusive number, making them appear unnecessarily disingenuous. But, all in all, the concept of our government deriving its revenue from our consumption as opposed to our income has more positives than negatives, regardless of what the rate is and whether it is expressed inclusively or exclusively.

First and foremost, a consumption tax empowers the individual. There are no FICA, Medicare, or payroll taxes, so you take home your whole paycheck. You alone get to choose when to pay taxes by deciding to purchase a new good or service. One positive effect resulting from this is the encouragement of savings, which the lack thereof, in my opinion, has resulted in our current financial crisis. Our economy is too dependent on consumer spending and too many industries have been built on the backs of consumers with outrageous credit card balances. The Fair Tax nurtures fiscal responsibility and thoughtful spending both in the individual and the federal government.

A consumption tax will broaden the tax base by incorporating monies from illegal immigrants, illicit individuals and organizations, and tourists. Some estimates suggest that over a trillion dollars a year would be added to the tax base. Criminals spend large sums of their money and right now it is untapped under our current tax system. This, on principal alone, is a very strong reason to support the Fair Tax Act.

The consumption tax is simple. We all know where we stand. When we buy something, we see the tax rate on the receipt. It cannot be fiddled with by lawmakers using convoluted tax codes to confuse the laymen without us knowing. You will not need to hire an accountant or buy software to prepare your taxes. Yet again, this means more money in your pocket. Sorry CPA’s you’ll just have to fry bigger fish or get into information technology or something.

One of the most intriguing and controversial aspects of the Fair Tax Act is the monthly payment of prebates to every legal citizen of the United States. This is meant to prevent the Fair Tax from being a regressive or even a proportional tax. Instead of exempting certain goods considered to be necessities, each household will receive a check from the Social Security Administration. The amount of which will be calculated based on the current Department of Health and Human Services’ poverty level guideline multiplied by the tax rate. This basically ensures that the consumption tax is negated on necessities. A two adult household with one child would receive $468 a month. A one person household would get $199 a month! Yes, even Bill Gates would get this check, but imagine how much Bill probably spends on nonessential luxuries.

Another interesting part of the plan is that the tax is only collected at the point of purchase of a new good or service at the retail level. This is good for business because businesses will not be paying taxes on any purchases used to create their product or grow their organization. This also means that used items are not taxed, including homes! So the frugal minded lower income person trying to better their life can buy used and avoid the tax since it was already paid by the original purchaser. That sounds like some trickledown economics I can get behind.

Opponents claim that the Fair tax would burden the lower and middle class, but I just don’t see how this is possible with the inclusion of the prebate. The tax is effectively zero for the lowest earners and definitely reduced for the middle class. Another argument is that the Fair Tax is not revenue neutral, meaning that it doesn’t generate enough money to pay for itself and match the current system dollar for dollar. This is where economist with bigger calculators than I bicker endlessly, but I say if revenues go down a little, then so be it. The government has become a little too attached to our money and I would like to see our leaders have to reign things in a bit anyway.

The Fair Tax may seem like a long shot, but the idea is growing legs. Support is coming from different parts of the political landscape, which is always a good sign in my book. Our current income tax system, as it stands, is too complex and hinders personal growth. We are taxed every which way, i.e. our income, our savings, our capital gains, our gifts, our estate taxes, current sales taxes, on and on and on. It has to stop; we cannot continue to pass this messy burden off on future generations. The convoluted and expensive income tax system can and should be replaced with one simple consumption tax.

Orientation

Always Islands-Beta.exe

always islands-Beta.exe - Windows Live

The above link will allow you to download an early version of an interactive project I am developing for school. The file is approximately 30mb and totally safe. It being a stand alone executable, it does not install anything. It takes a while to load up because I have not optimized the file sizes yet. Hit F1 when the game is done loading to see a help screen. Let me know if you have any trouble.

When you are done you can just delete the executable file and that's it. No further action is required to remove it from your computer. This is for Windows operating systems only.

When you are done, please go here: Feedback and fill out the form. Thank you very much, your participation is greatly appreciated. Hope you dig it!

Music Appreciation

I am a music lover. From the anti-pop curiosities of The Red Krayola and Faust to the incredibly dense and complex compositions of Iannis Xenakis or Beethoven, from the ambient music of Brian Eno and the incidental music of John Cage to the biting intelligence of John Lennon or the intense spiritual exploration of John Coltrane, to me great music holds one thread in common: Passion

No matter the genre, if the artists follows his or her passion then truly genuine and beautiful music will be the result. Each of the artists listed above have devoted their lives to the exploration of music and the effect it has on the listener. For instance, John Coltrane's obsession with the mystical power of music pushed him to create some of the most challenging jazz music ever created. If you can wrap your ears around his later pieces, a task most people refuse to do, incredible sonic adventures await your imagination. I remember after a listen through of the Olatunji concert, Coltrane's last live performance recorded in 1967, I was literally transcendent. My entire nervous systems was on fire, my skin taut with goosebumps, eyes moistened with joyful tears and the air around me felt like highly charged plasma.

Hoobastank has never made me feel this way.

This is not to say that popular music can not be great. I am no elitist, I can shake my ass to some Kanye West or Britney Spears with the best of them. The question is: Will these artists be cherished 10, 20, 100 years from now. Kanye, maybe. Britney, probably not. The key is love and respect for the art form and fighting the urge to cater to the lowest common denominator. Despite Kanye's public persona, his music does shine with a distinct take on modern Hip-Hop and R&B that has the potential to resonate beyond a few years. On the other hand, though Britney may be able to elicit a toe tap and a semi hard-on, I don't think there is anything behind her music but the hungry bank account of a corporation trying to make a quick buck through titillation, exploitation, and celebrity scandal. Does Britney have a passion for music? She may, but I can not tell by listening to her songs.

Listen, like pretty much everything under the sun, I am aware that music appreciation is completely and beautifully subjective. I am not trying to hold my musical tastes above others, most people detest stuff that I think is the bees knees. If Hoobastank makes you feel something, then by George feel it! And let them know you feel it by buying their records and going to see them live, because that passion, that power to change us is a wonderful thing that deserves to be rewarded. Just don't be afraid of digging a little deeper. Research the influences of your favorite artists for there is so much to explore and appreciate.

In Response to Death

I am twelve years old, standing in the living room of my childhood home. A soccer ball I had just moments ago been kicking happily with friends rolls haphazardly along the floor and comes to rest near my mother, now a pool of tears soaking the couch. Two words gave life to this scene, ripping through my family, “Edgar's Dead.”

My grandpa is dead.

My chest tightens and my vision blurs.

I am seventeen, traveling the United States with a couple of friends and we are an hour south of San Francisco on the awe inspiring California coastal highway, where mountains erode into the ocean. Looking out from the edge of a scenic rest stop, the crashing waves call me down to the rocky shoreline. Against the advice of my cautious friends and wearing only a t-shirt, shorts, and some cheap foam gas station flip-flops, I decide to hop over the safety rail and begin my precarious descent. The slope of the hillside seems manageable enough, but the terrain is not accustomed to supporting the foolish whims of a teenager.

The ground moves.

I am falling.

On my knees, surrounded by family, rosary beads dangling from my tiny fists, I slowly whisper long dead verses which offer no sanctuary from the tendrils of death's shadow darkening my heart. Grandpa lies motionless in the coffin. The priest stands to perform the Eucharist.

I drink the blood of Jesus.

I eat his flesh.

The hillside leaps up and drags it's dry, rocky teeth across my body, performing it's own holy communion, chewing my flesh and drinking my blood. Time dilates. My breathing relaxes. My vision is clear. I am not afraid... it is my turn to say goodbye. I lean over the casket, staring, terrified of Grandpa's stillness... I turn my head and there, right where hillside becomes cliff... my lips touch his forehead... clutching the root for dear life... he is cold... my descent halts... and my hot tears burn away the undertakers facade.

I am alive.

These two moments, crystallized in my thoughts, have defined the boundaries of my life. In revolt against death, I left it's shadow lurking in that catholic church, trapping pools of stained light on the cold stone, and stepped into the unfiltered rays of the Sun. I chased life, seeking affirmation, beauty, and truth with reckless abandon. Until that day in California when, with my friends unable to help me, I had to climb about fifty feet back up the same slope I had just slid down. My body, bloody and raw, flip-flops nowhere to be seen, I made my way slowly up to safety, grateful to be alive and bearing a new found appreciation for both life and death.

Now, each adventurous step is to be taken with thoughtful precision.

R.A.W.

Robert Anton Wilson blew my young eighteen year old mind all over the cosmos and I have been exploring and playing with the fragments ever since. He seems, at this point in my evolution and understanding, to have been a writer, guerrilla ontologist, prankster, comedian, philosopher, model agnostic, and meta-programmer. I could go on and on, but most importantly to me, he lived an adventurous life by constantly exploring ideas about the nature of reality and our perception of it.

I believe his writings to be attempts to dislodge the reader from whatever perception or belief system forms their world view, or, in his words, their "reality tunnel". By challenging the readers philosophical, spiritual, and psychological foundations, shaking them to their very core, he awakens them out of the stupor of dogmatic, domesticated primate behavior. All of this he handles in such a way, to make it a joyful process. Differing idea's and belief systems become maps to apply to your perception and experiment with as opposed to being concepts worth dying or killing for. Inspired by philosopher Alfred Korzybski, R.A.W. called for abolishing the use of the verbs “is”, “are”, and “was” and championed the word "maybe", to force people to think in more relativistic ways. If actually adopted, how different would the world be?

He lived as I feel all humans should live, fearlessly curious and playfully irreverent. To live life constrained by strange myths and traditions, believing your curiosity to be dangerous or sinful, seems a horrible waste to me. I am very grateful to have discovered the works of Old Bob at such an impressionable age. His writings still alter my consciousness, and therefore my neurological filter, to this day, keeping me from falling asleep at the wheel and missing this fantastic voyage.

First 3D Modeling Attempts

The first one is obviously a hairy intergalactic dreamcatcher and the second is a simple rocket, now give me a job and pay me lots of money.

Hopefully, we will see some evolution from these initial experiments!

In From The Cold

When reflecting on Kandinsky’s “Winter Landscape 1909”, I am instantly struck by the cool palate of colors, which so beautifully capture the end of a crisp winter day, and the distance between the observer and the home depicted in the center of this impressionistic landscape. As I let this composition blanket my perception like a fresh snow, my childhood winters spent in northern Illinois begin to envelope my thoughts.

I am standing at the foot of a two and a half acre ‘mountain’, tethered sled in tow, exhausted after a full day at play in the harsh Midwest elements. My face, the only extremity exposed, is bright red with warm blood coursing through my numbed cheeks. My breaths, billowing clouds of ice crystals, rocket from my burning lungs. My eyes gaze up the long gravel driveway, fixed on one goal, the inviting glow of my grandparent’s home atop the hill. The warmth of a grandmother’s hug, a steaming cup of hot cocoa, the comfort of a grandfather’s lap, and the crackle of a roaring fire all call to every cell in my being.

Do I continue to explore out in the wild on my own or do I call it a day and snuggle by the fire, safe and content in the arms of family?

This simple moment, frozen in my memory and thawed by the brilliance of Kandinsky, becomes an allegory for the human condition when merged with the imagery of this wonderful painting. Most of us yearn for the warmth of human companionship as opposed to a life of alienation. Some stay on the outskirts and are curious to explore the unknown, navigating risks such as self indulgence, ridicule, exile, and even execution. What hopes lie in your heart? Do you long for a simple life in the bosom of tradition? Do you dream of enhancing the human condition by pushing the envelopes of art and science? Or are you on the fringe, coldhearted and alone, scheming to rain pain and destruction on a world gone wrong?

“Winter Landscape 1909” begs of me answers to these questions with it’s cozy home set in a barren winter landscape, just a little bit down the road. A beacon in the frigid emptiness guiding you towards the promise of warmth and respite from the cold or a warning that here lays the path most taken, a path ‘greatness’ avoids. Such is the power of art, to command self reflection and transform the observer’s perception of the world.

Which path shall I take?

Game Design: Most Important Aspect

When I think about what makes me finish a game, game play mechanics seem to be the most important hook. Interaction with the virtual environment is what the art form is all about and if the mechanic is broken, player immersion can be ruined, leaving the player frustrated and ready to move onto a new game no matter how engaging the story or beautiful the graphics may be. On the other hand, I will finish a game with strong game play even if the story or graphics are weak.

I believe games as art have amazing potential to transform the player. I want to explore game play that inspires creative and independent thought. In the same way a conversation, book, film, album, or painting can profoundly change an individual and the way they perceive the universe and their place in it. Too me, interactive simulation is the holy grail of expression, able to incorporate all other art forms within its scope. What an exciting palate to have at your disposal!