Drop Dead Gorgeous

The Drop Dead Gorgeous Series

For anyone who has eaten the whole box, or bag, or carton the photographs in this series make light of our secret binges. Here, the consequences of indulgence are tabloid or monster movie deaths. Daniela Edburg’s Drop Dead Gorgeous both mocks and satisfies our cravings.

Born in Houston in 1975, Daniela Edburg grew up in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. She got her bachelor’s degree in visual arts from the National University in the excellence program at the San Carlos Academy in Mexico City, where she still lives and works.

Images appear courtesy of Kunsthaus and Daniela Edburg, copyright © Daniela Edburg, all rights reserved.

A series of 12 delightful manipulated images by Daniela Edburg.

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Dying For Dick

DAFFY DOES DOOM
By Maureen Dowd

01/27/07 New York Times

Dick Durbin went to the floor of the Senate on Thursday night to denounce the vice president as "delusional."

It was shocking, and Senator Durbin should be ashamed of himself.

Delusional is far too mild a word to describe Dick Cheney. Delusional doesn't begin to capture the profound, transcendental one-flew-over daftness of the man.

Has anyone in the history of the United States ever been so singularly wrong and misguided about such phenomenally important events and continued to insist he's right in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary?

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[Stealth Lesbian has a far better post (& title) on Dying For Dick with detailed graphics.]

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Top Ten Hubble Space photographs

Achingly beautiful.

After correcting an initial problem with the lens when the Hubble Space Telescope was first launched in 1990, the floating astro-observatory began to relay back to Earth, incredible snapshots of the "final frontier" it was perusing.

Recently, astronomers voted on the top photographs taken by Hubble, in its 16-year journey so far. Remarking in the article from the Daily Mail, reporter Michael Hanlon says the photos "illustrate that our universe is not only deeply strange, but also almost impossibly beautiful."

To view the top ten Hubble Space photographs, CLICK HERE.

(via Ralph Metzner)

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Fidelity Out of Sudan

The campaign to force companies not to invest in Sudan is moving into new territory: your mutual funds.

For years, Sudan's Darfur region has been the scene of brutal militia attacks that have left hundreds of thousands dead -- violence described by the United Nations as getting support from the Sudanese government, and by the Bush administration as constituting "genocide."

At the same time, Sudan is home to investments by large international companies that are fixtures in many Americans' mutual funds and retirement plans.

Through its mutual funds, Boston-based Fidelity is the largest U.S. holder of American depositary shares in PetroChina Co., a Chinese oil giant with Sudanese projects. *Fidelity's Contrafund, one of its top performers, has the largest stake in PetroChina of any mutual fund.

*Some of you may have some of their 401K money in Fidelity's Contrafund. It's a very popular fund and has been one of the best mutual funds around for years. As a disclaimer, I personally made a nice sum of money in the early 90s due to my investing in Contrafund. Not anymore. Do look into your portfolio and if it's feasible, move your money away from Fidelity altogether.

There have already been some successes: In the past week, Siemens AG, the German electronics giant and a target of activists, said it would pull out of Sudan for "humanitarian" reasons by July. Some financial corporations are considering Sudan-free mutual funds.

There are ways for investors to see if a mutual fund has Sudan-related investments. The site sudandivestment.org includes a feature, "The Sudan Screening Tool," which evaluates fund holdings based on criteria related to Darfur. Another site, investedinterests.com, offers a similar tool that examines an array of issues, from Sudan to terrorism.

Look at Fidelity Out Of Sudan for email instructions and phone numbers to Fidelity. While you're there, consider signing the petition, which anyone can do, or call to voice your opinion.

(via: wsj)



North Carolina pension to divest from 9 companies linked to Sudan violence

RELATED:
11/26/06
01/18/06
07/30/04

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Saturday Morning Me

saturday morning me//
long burgundy gown/moon & stars slippers/
hazelnut café au lait/oj/cream cheese biscuit/
sandalwood & candles burning filling the air/
listening: - leaving behind the sun by Lahto/
bedhead/get back red/what i said/can i go back to bed?/
so how about you?/

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Manet And The Execution Of Maximillian

Manet and the Execution of Maximilian [info]

Five compositions, including three large paintings committed by Manet from 1867-1869, in response to the execution of the pawn in Napoleons' game, have been assembled for viewing for the first time in the United States. (It's been in the Tate in London for some of the time--editor)

Maxmillian, a reasonably idealistic Austrian archduke, was installed by Napoleon III as Emperor of Mexico. His taking the throne, thus deposing President Benito Juarez, was implemented to validate the French imperialistic invasion of Mexico. Juarez gathered his forces and reclaimed his title. Napoleon left Maximilian to his own devices. The sad emperor, sporting his beloved sombrero, was led outside the town of Queretaro and executed by a firing squad.

The accompanying albumen silver prints of Francois Aubert serve as historical interest and cross into the realm of art. Aubert was a French photographer commissioned by Maximillian to document the fringe element of his new subjects. It was also the fate of Albert to document the execution squad, casket, garments and body of the executed emperor. The bloodied, bullet ridden shirt and sombrero of Maximillian are exquisite.

The show is great. And the Emperor's shirt a humble emblem of vain and ill placed power. (via ~ coffeebreak)

At MOMA until January 29.

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All India Radio

ALL INDIA RADIO

I've recently discovered All India Radio, an Australian group, and I'm really enjoying their sound. If Boards Of Canada were from India, they'd be All India Radio. Well, almost. I should quote some reviews so you can get a better idea of what they sound like.

"Sigur Ros without the vocals meets Brian Eno and Transglobal Underground. Lo-fi & ambient soundscapes & eerie ethnic street sounds." - The Age Newspaper

And, DJ Shadow meets Boards Of Canada, ambient soundscapes and lo-fi beats with some Twin Peaks & Ennio Morricone weirdness thrown in for good measure. "This is some good shit. Ladies and gentlemen, we are floating in our imaginations" - Beat Magazine.

"A.I.R. takes you on a dreamlike journey-not unlike what one could imagine the results would be if K&D, Alan Parsons and Calexico were to hang in a studio for a week. Top notch" - Groove Palace Radio

I picked out some songs from their 002, Permanent Evolutions, and Echo Other CDs and bought them at iTunes after sampling them on CDBaby.com. Maybe it's something you might also enjoy.

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Hendrix Energy Drink

A new energy drink doesn't promise to give you the juice to play guitar like Jimi Hendrix, but it does hope to give you a "Liquid Experience."

Beverage Concepts says its nonalcoholic "Liquid Experience" drinks, named for Hendrix's breakthrough album, "Are You Experienced?" will debut in April.

The concept is irking some Hendrix fans, many of whom still consider him the greatest guitarist of all time.

"To see his image and the beautiful feelings it has created during my lifetime cheapened by base advertising ... is very disappointing tome," said bassist Michael Balzary, better known as Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The image of Hendrix, who died in 1970 from a drug overdose in London,has been licensed for products including baby clothing, an air freshener, lava lamp and a Christmas ornament. Portions of royalties have gone to several educational causes, including the United Negro College Fund, said Bruce Kuhlman, director of licensing and brand development for Authentic Hendrix, the Seattle-based company that controls use of Hendrix's name and images.

Pretty cheesy. His Dad and sister control Authentic Hendrix. Oh, no! I just got a look at all that crap on the website.

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Larry Carlson, Visionary Artist

More tripped out goodies from artist, Larry Carlson.

NORTH VALE - Interactive pictures - Take a trip to the strange and spooky land of North Vale. (2007). Enjoy your visit and be sure to click around the pictures to uncover hidden worlds.

This collection of six new interactive pictures was created by taking photos of the Vermont landscape and other subjects which were processed and animated digitally. The pictures also feature an original soundtrack by Larry Carlson.

And Z.Q. - is an art book that features a collection of surreal back and white images. (2007)



Visit his MySpace site for more interactive fun.

Lucky for us this versatile visionary stays busy making his art and showing his art.

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SOTU Drinking Game

I always think these games are right-on about the predictable buzzwords or talking points that are mentioned. Especially when the "sectarian violence", the pseudonym for civil war, is used.

SOTU Drinking Game 2007

Every time he says.... - # of Drinks

“The state of our union is strong…” (or some version of this) - 1,+1 if he breaks down in tears

"the American people" - 1

troops - small 1

surge - quick 1

Iraq - 1

Baghdad - 1

"sectarian violence" - 1 Car Bomb recipe

Iran - 1

terror (however itÂ’s pronounced) - small 1

detainees - 1, with your hands behind your back

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - 2 (+1 if he pronounces it correctly)

Saddam Hussein or Saddam - 1

elections - 1 if referring to another country's, 2 if referring to the 2006 midterms

freedom - 1

Homeland - 1 if followed by "Security"; 2 if another context

"Bring it on" - Arm-wrestle the person next to you; loser drinks

MORE//

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T-Shirt Leaves Man Stranded

Political T-shirt leaves man stranded - National - theage.com.au

I don't see why he can't wear what he wants to on the plane. Where will it all end? I thought Melbourne, Australia, would be more lenient about it.
via: julie

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Ted Nugent Goes Off. Again.

AUSTIN, Texas - Governor Rick Perry expressed shock today at the inflammatory public antics of Ted Nugent. Known as "The Motor City Madman," Nugent was the closing act at the Governor's Inaugural Ball this week. He appeared on stage at the black-tie gala in a cutoff T-shirt with a Confederate flag on it, brandishing machine guns and shouting offensive remarks about people who don't speak English.

"Never in a million years did I expect something outrageous from Ted Nugent," said Governor Perry. "He and I are old hunting buddies, and there's always been a sort of unspoken rule between us that what we say in the deer stand stays in the deer stand. I mean shee-it, I done told that Yankee redneck twice-t!"

I really liked Ted years ago before he revealed himself to be such a tool.

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Saturday Morning Me

*saturday morning me//
go go espresso/apple-carrot juice/
long skirt, leotard, tights/red plaid, black, black/
daydream: weekend on the houseboat/
reality: work, laundry, yardwork/
listening: joni mitchell/
so how about you?/


George Bush Quote:
"One word sums up probably the responsibility of any Governor, and that one word is, 'to be prepared'."

*neither rain, nor snow, nor slovenliness can keep me fromSMM

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Healing Iraq

I got your alt news right here.

Read about the recent bombing at Baghdad?s Mustansiriya University from Zeyad of Healing Iraq.

Can you imagine the scene? Try. Think of your own schools, your own college campuses. Think of how you would feel if your own son or daughter had to go to school in the hell that is called Iraq. Think of what you would do if you heard the news that the school was bombed.

Eyewitnesses said cell phones were still ringing urgently in pockets and purses lying around human body parts. Try to imagine the person on the other line.

A man searched for his son and finally found his head and torso, but no legs. ?Where is his other half?? he asked, before he started shaking with violent sobs.

Over here, the above scenes elicit a 20-second sound bite in the news, perhaps immediately followed by dog food or deodorant commercials. At best, politicians would use it in talking points, to justify even more bloodshed and destruction.

Daily news and comments on the situation in post Saddam Iraq by an Iraqi dentist, this weblog's been around a long time and is where I go for the truth about Baghdad.

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W A R/D A N C E

W A R/D A N C E

Across the country, Ugandan children are getting ready for the biggest event of the year: the annual Kampala Music Festival. Fifty-six schools will compete, but only one will go home the champion. No one expects it to be Patongo ? schools in the middle of refugee camps don?t win awards.

But when the music starts, expressions shift. After a lifetime of trauma, this year Patongo Primary School students have something magical to anticipate. For the first time, they have qualifed to compete in Kampala?s national festival. The capital city may as well be on another planet to these kids. Most have never left the camp, but they dream about Kampala?s towering buildings, plentiful soda and soldier-free streets. Unlike the wealthier schools from the south, Patongo?s students scrap for school uniforms and instruments. Despite the odds, the children endlessly practice their performances, filling the sweltering one room schoolhouse with dust. They are driven by heart, talent and, for some, the need to rebuild lives shattered by the L.R.A.. After months of practicing, it all builds to the big night in Kampala. If their bus can safely make it through rebel territory, they?ll take the stage and give it their all. Win or lose, these children will show what true heart can achieve. (via: World Vision)

Documentaries have richly peppered the film landscape quite generously of late and War/Dance is one beautiful and tender documentary showing at Sundance this week.

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? & The Mysterians

? & The Mysterians

Anyone remember 96 Tears by ? & The Mysterians? (mp3)

from the WFMU website
Question Mark's stats are simple: He hails from Mars, celebrates his birthday on the 13th of every month, his favorite color is orange (rumor has it a new favorite color is in the works) and he hates peanut butter. He's also one of the friendliest, funniest and coolest lead singer superstars working the circuit these days.

Last week Q's house (which also was home to his manager and his manager's wife) caught fire and he lost all of his possessions along with some of his beloved animals. Without any insurance, they're living in a trailer until better circumstances can be worked out. Benefit concerts are being arranged and info for helping out Question Mark can be found here.

Maybe not the greatest song in the world, but it sure was great fun when it came out.

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Doomsday Clock

Experts assessing the dangers posed to civilisation have added climate change to the prospect of nuclear annihilation as the greatest threats to humankind.

As a result, the group has moved the minute hand on its famous "Doomsday Clock" two minutes closer to midnight.

The concept timepiece, devised by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, now stands at five minutes to the hour.

The clock was first featured by the magazine 60 years ago, shortly after the US dropped its A-bombs on Japan.

Not since the darkest days of the Cold War has the Bulletin, which covers global security issues, felt the need to place the minute hand so close to midnight.

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Climate resets 'Doomsday Clock'

Blogged with Flock

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Martin Luther King, Jr

Martin Luther King Day

Do you realize he was assassinated at the age of 39? In my opinion, he went right into the heart of prejudiced Birmingham, Alabama, where

"...there had been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in any other city in the nation"

to try and talk with city officials about racism.

"...when you take a cross-county drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel will accept you; when you are humiliated day in and day out by nagging signs reading "white" and "colored"; when your first name becomes "nigger," your middle name becomes "boy" (however old you are) and your last name becomes "John," and your wife and mother are never given the respected title "Mrs."; when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you no forever fighting a degenerating sense of "nobodiness" then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait. There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair. I hope, sirs, you can understand our legitimate and unavoidable impatience."

Cite: Letter from Birmingham Jail

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

If you can imagine that this being the mentality of our country back then, imagine also how liberating it was to have a man like Dr Martin Luther King, Jr take up the banner on racism and prejudice in America. It was a very beautiful thing.

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House A Soldier/Resister

War Resisters in need of assistance! If you can help, please do! Can you help house a soldier/resister on their way to Canada?

"If you have room where you can house a resister for a few days, a few weeks or longer, please get in touch with us," the group said.

Since the news broke that George Bush will be announcing an increased deployment of 20,000 troops to Iraq, there has been a huge response within the U.S. military.

The War Resisters Support Campaign has been inundated with requests from soldiers who are considering coming to Canada.

This is an urgent appeal for housing spots for the new arrivals. If you have room where you can house a resister for a few days, a few weeks or longer, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH US.

Welcoming a war resister here with the offer of temporary housing is a concrete way to help put an end to war in Iraq. Anything you can do to help would be greatly appreciated!

Please contact:

Tom at tomriley@pace-il.ca
or
Christine at 647.393.3096
or

Leave a message at:

The War Resisters Support Campaign office:
416.598.1222, resisters@sympatico.ca

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Human Be-In 40 Years Today

Sunday January the 14th is the 40th anniversary of Golden Gate Park's Human Be-In.

"Close your eyes, man, and think of this: ten thousand people, most of them young, half of them stoned, in Golden Gate Park listening to music, to poetry, celebrating life, celebrating being human. Sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll. A Human Be-In."

"A Gathering of the Tribes for a Human Be-In," announced on the cover of the new issue of the San Francisco Oracle, would feature Timothy Leary, Allen Ginsberg, Gary Snyder, Richard (Ram Dass) Alpert, Dick Gregory, Lenore Kandel, Jerry Ruben, and All SF Rock Bands January 14, 1967, 1 to 5 pm in Golden Gate Park 30,000 people showed up. The Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service and others called the tune. Leary, in his first San Francisco appearance, uttered the sound bite of the decade: "Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out."

Photo credit: Larry Keenan

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Saturday Morning Me

saturday *afternoon* me//
out for breakfast/salon/fresh market/
sipping on carrot-apple juice/
buddy asleep at my feet/
listening: my body is a cage by arcade fire/
so how about you?

We either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is the same. --Carlos Castaneda

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Anyone Using New Blogger?

Has anyone that uses Blogger switched over to the new Blogger yet? Did you have any problems?

I'd love to get some feedback.

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RANDOM 10 SONGS

FRIDAY RANDOM 10 SONGS

1) Jacket - David Vandervelde
2) Freedom's Waiting - Negativland
3) They're Laughing At Me - The Bran Flakes
4) Refur - Sigur Ros
5) Intervention - Arcade Fire
6) Tikwid - Animal Collective
7) Isn't That A Beauty? - Sucking Chest Wound
8) Be Cool - Psychic TV
9) Count Each Kiss - Lorenza Ponce
10)Fancy Claps - Wolf Parade

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Asheville couple arrested

Asheville couple arrested for having public sex at beach

Shortly after noon Saturday, Myrtle Beach Police took a report of a couple spotted having sex on a balcony at The Breakers Resort.

Officers talked with four witnesses, including an 11-year-old girl, who reported seeing a nude man and woman engaging in sexual intercourse on a balcony facing the resort?s pool.

Officers went to the couple?s room and knocked but got no reply. They gained entrance to the vacant room next door and went to the balcony where an officer spotted the woman on the next balcony wearing only a T-shirt.

He told her to get dressed and answer the door, and after several seconds of arguing with the officer, saying she didn?t need to get dressed and didn?t want to answer the door, the man let the officers into the room, according to police. The couple told police they have been dating for seven years and that if the people downstairs didn?t want to see them, they didn?t have to look, officers said in the investigative report.

The couple also told police the man had recently received a prescription for the erectile dysfunction medicine Cialis and they were in love.

link

Well, maybe after living with his E.D. problem, they couldn't ignore, um, the call.

Just what does separate us from the animals? Animals do it in the open and people can usually wait until they can find someplace private.

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W E B T R A I L | Flurb, Anarchy, UFOs, Junky's, Orwellian

Have you FLURBed lately? Rudy Rucker's The Third Bomb is a good article on the latest Flurb and don't miss Cul-de-Sac by John Shirley. Actually, they are ALL good articles on the Flurb.

At Anarchist U, it's all about structure. (wtf?) The four-year-old free school has survived partly because it's, um, well organized. The mere fact that it's entering its fourth year without an address or a registrar, and with total operating expenses of about $50 a year (most of which is the fee for hosting its website, http://www.anarchistu.org), is something of a milestone. [via]
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"If it wasn't for my girlfriend sighting the objects first, I would concede the possibility that it was a hallucination. She knew nothing of my silent request to show me something, and pointed out the objects before I saw them." Professor Pan expounds on the attempted manipulation of UFO manifestations, the concept of UFOs as egregores, and the probability that UFOs are a multidimensional phenomena with a nod to Jacques Vallee, Brother Blue, RAW, Crowley and with more great links to explore. link

:: I missed The Junky's Christmas again this year, (and for the past 15 years) Originally produced in 1993 and presented by Francis Ford Coppola, the film has just been released on DVD. [via]

CHILDREN OF MEN - Fans of progressive rock know Battersea from the cover of Pink Floyd?s 1977 concept album "Animals," the one with the floating pink pig and a playlist that includes songs like "Pigs" and "Sheep." The album seems to have been inspired by George Orwell?s 1945 allegorical novel, "Animal Farm" (the book?s money quote: "But some animals are more equal than others"). [via]
link

Whether there's an Orwellian spin or an artistic approach, the reviews for Children Of Men are kind. On NYTimes.com below the article there is a list of similar movies that lists Brave New World, The Stand, THX 1138, Gattaca, and In the Country of the Last Things. Now THAT should be included on the banner.

George Bush Quote
"See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda."

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Bhagavan Das

The American kirtan movement is alive and well in Asheville, NC.

Bhagavan Das, one of the central figures in Ram Dass' Be Here Now, returned to Asheville this week to lead kirtan at the Namaste Center on Saturday, Jan. 6. (Virato interviewed him on his radio program the last time he was in town.)

And there's Sangita Devi, a group that holds kirtan Namaste every Tuesday @ 7:30 p.m., for a donation. Info: sangitadevi.com.

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Nena Von Schlebrugge

Uma? No. It certainly looks like Uma Thurman. It's Nena Von Schlebrugge, Uma's mother, as she gets ready to wed Timothy Leary. (She later divorced Leary and married Tibetan scholar, Dr. Robert Thurman.)

Nena was 28 when she met Leary, who was then 45, at his annual Fourth of July party upstate in Millbrook. According to Robert Greenfield (who recently wrote a bio of Leary), she told the mind-altering Harvard professor that she "wanted to go to India to seek ultimate wisdom, not to mention the secret sexual practices of the Orient."

"They took LSD and three days later they decided to get married," recalls Leary's ex-girlfriend Peggy Hitchcock.

Their Millbrook nuptials were a "phantasmagoric, magical mystery tour, the first real big coming-out party for all the A-list, jet-set, high-fashion beautiful people from New York who had recently discovered LSD," writes Greenfield. "Guests lined up to present the newlyweds with hash, grass and psychedelic mushrooms, as well as snuffboxes filled with LSD and cocaine." The wedding cake was crowned with the Hindu deities Shakti and Siva having sex.

You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You
By D A Pennebaker
1964, 12 minutes, Black & White

Watch Video (Quick Time)

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Robert Anton Wilson

Do Not Go Gently Into That Good Night

By Robert Anton Wilson

Hi there,
Various medical authorities swarm in and out of here predicting I have between two days and two months to live. I think they are guessing. I remain cheerful and unimpressed. I look forward without dogmatic optimism but without dread. I love you all and I deeply implore you to keep the lasagna flying.

Please pardon my levity, I don't see how to take death seriously. It seems absurd.
RAW

(typed from his bedside at his fnord by the sea)

I didn't realize he was this close to leaving his skinsuit behind. I have to think that the recent outpouring of reciprocal love has become a beautiful goodbye to a true visionary.

**UPDATE:**
Robert Anton Wilson Defies Medical Experts and leaves his body @4:50 AM on binary date 01/11.

link

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