The World's Revolution

Kashmir

First Tunisia, then Egypt, now Algeria... I am guessing the United States will be the last to finally join... I mean I guess Wikileaks is the beginning of our virtual revolution... I really can't wait, really.

These are some thought-inspiring quotes I've come across:

"Under this system of capitalism, so many in this society and so much of humanity are forced to endure great hardship and suffering, exploitation, injustice and brutality, while wars and the ongoing destruction of the natural environment threaten the very future of humanity." -Revolution Newspaper USA

"Government does not work for regular people. It appears to work quite well for big corporations, banks, insurance companies, military contractors, lobbyists, and for the rich and powerful. But it does not work for people."

"Americans must be as willing to dream as the people in Tahrir Square. We must dare to step outside our old understandings and our old fears."

Wars in the World Today

Pakistan

Somalia

India

Poetic Acts of Living

Poetic Acts: "Boldness, humor, an aptitude for questioning the postulated mediocrity of ordinary life, and a love for the free act. And what is the definition of a poetic act? It should be beautiful, aesthetic, and without any justification. It can also lead to some violence. The poetic act is a call to reality: One must face one's own death, the unforseen, our own shadow, the worms that swarm inside of us. This life that we want to be logical is really crazy, shocking, marvelous and cruel. We claim our behavior is logical and consistent, but it is, in fact, irrational, crazy, contradictory. If we lucidly observe our reality, we would affirm that it is poetic, illogical, exuberant. In those times I was, without a doubt, immature, a young, harebrained, insolent kid; this does not deny that that particular period taught me to perceive the crazy creativity of existence and to not identify with the limits the majority of people enclose themselves in until they cannot bear it anymore and burst." - Alejandro Jodorowsky, "Psychomagic"

Obsession

i want to make a video for light asylum, badly. for this song.
visuals are flying in my mind like waves crash in the ocean. magical, ethereal lighting, passionate energy... intense.

Follow up: Just heard from Shannon, the lead singer and they JUST self released a music video for this song. Boo!

Spontaneous Mass Revolt - Egypt Jan.28, 2011

It really is a spontaneous mass revolt that we’re seeing on the streets right now.

AHMAD SHOKR: Well, I think it’s left people really inspired. And it’s—you know, many people, for the first time, believe that revolution is possible, that political change from the street is something that can happen. You know, of course, there’s many differences between Egypt and Tunisia, differences in the composition of the respective societies, of the regimes. Of course, the military and security forces in Egypt are much larger and much better equipped and better funded than they were in Tunisia. So, of course, there are differences, and a replication of Tunisian-style events in Egypt is still a question. But there’s no doubt that people have definitely been incredibly inspired. I mean, people that I know personally, who just a few weeks ago would have never thought to set foot in a demonstration, who were, for the most part, completely depoliticized, are taking to the streets, are fired up and believe that being on the streets and calling for change can actually do something, can actually make a difference right now.

Witches Lullabye

Violet Vuladure was born the only witch in her family. Her parents always wondered why their daughter could sleep so calmly compared to her brothers. After tucking her in to bed, kissing her goodnight and closing her purple bedroom door they wouldn't hear even a peep from her room, unlike her fearful brothers.

One day her younger brother Victor had such a horrible nightmare that he ran into Violet's bedroom in the middle of the night- only to find Violet having tea with 2 older witches and 3 goblins.
Victor's first instinct was to scream, but within a blink of an eye a goblin held his hand over Victor's mouth. Violet stopped giggling and approached her little brother, "Please promise not to tell mom and dad. I'll let you play with us. We're having chocolate cake and raspberry tea. These are my friends. " Victor terrified and watery-eyed looked at his big sister, "Who are they? They look like monsters." The witch with red hair laughs and bends down to little Victor's face, "Oh Victor, dear sweet baby boy, this is a fragment of hell and you've stepped inside it! She laughs,  "But it really isn't as bad as the hell you will one day know as life. Here, have some chocolate cake."

The Swamp Behind The Scenes

These photos are from the making of the Bad Fathers, "The Swamp" music video.

James, the tap-dancing crocodile

Evan (gaffer)

 

James and Fabiola

 Loriel

 Coffee Happiness

100th take of playback, faby and pavy dancing deliriously

Life on Mars... or Peru

For the holidays this year, Timur and I planned an excursion to the other side of the equator, to various locations in Peru. It was a beautiful familiar trip to the historically rich country of the Incas. Our first day in Lima we ate the most delicious fresh fish and ceviche at La Mar, completed by a brawl and shooting in the parking lot by two men and too many Pisco Sours. I got to visit my grandmother, experience an incredible new chocolate shop, see plenty of museums and then we traveled to the Amazon.

In the Amazon I kept thinking of Herzog's, "Fitzcaraldo". Perhaps because upon arrival we were picked up in one of the infamous fitzcarldo boats and we experienced one of the most tranquil and loudest atmospheres in the world. At night the jungle came to life. Everything was enormous and so powerful, from plants, animals to bacteria and fungi.

After the amazon we traveled to the kingdom of the Incas, Cusco and experienced Macchu Pichu and a lot of other native ruins and valleys. It was a beautiful way to cross over to 2011. Even more, it was a wonderful way to fall in love with the world, its many different cultures and people and feel inspired to help others.

Here are some photos from our trip. Oh yeah, we also shot a music video for Timur's Bowie single, "Life on Mars."