Dormant Visions Till January 10th...

To Boulder, Colorado for Christmas and New Years...(and the "holidays"). More nonsense and frolic to appear somewhere around January 10th.

Please entertain or offend yourself with my past semi-creative endeavors which can be found in the archives or, for real inspiration or disgust, check out my other sites -- enraged musings and contemplations with no shades of gray.

Ikebana

Opposing violence, power, and authority...sometimes.

Canyon grub aftermath

One of those artsy photographs people (like myself) take when they're pretending to be photographers...

The eruption of anxiety

"Workers of the world unite" -- the end result of socialist philosophy...every time. (From the "killing fields" memorial near Phnom Penh, Cambodia).

Serpent

Sprint

Archetypal Contrast

"Diversity" and groupthink in the age of socialist mind-games.

Frozen Still Life

Wisper

Bondage. (Sculpture by Andreas Schluter - Berlin)

Paul Danish Essay On Holiday Materialism

Delicate Fragments and Snow.

Directional Conformity. (Found material assemblage on wood).

What about the state's needs?

Mezzotint engraving from my personal collection.

Mezzotint is an unique process that produces velvety contrast particularly suited to landscape. The technique was best utilized in the 19th century's Romantic landscape genre.

Cathedral of transportation (train station in Koeln,Germany)

Reichstag (Berlin, Germany)

Conflict of Interest

Mandala (actually, a ceiling chandelier in a gothic building in Prague)

A better world through sustained failure.

Cloud Scaffold.

Transitory Nightmare in B-flat.

Words that speak louder than actions.

Earthquake Damage in Nagaoka, Japan

I took a bike ride the other day along the foothills in Nagaoka (where I live). In the downtown area of the city there is very little evidence of damage at all. As one gets closer to the mountains (in the countryside), they can see a far more devastating picture of events. There are numerous houses collapsed or on the brink of collapsing. The ground itself is contorted and cracked almost everywhere.

I recently received an e-mail regarding prior photographs of the earthquake damage that I had posted. In the e-mail, the writer's point was that I was irresponsible for having gone into a disaster area for "glory photo's." Some people may come to such a conclusion, but I need to point out that my motivation was hardly a desire to seek "glory" from the misfortune of others. I wasn't the only person taking picture of what is obviously an unusual event, and I certainly have no intention of making light of such circumstance. Most likely, the reader has merely read my political writings and wanted to make the usual Leftist point that people who disagree with their worldview are innate moral scoundrels -- hardly a well proven case.

It may be a valid concern to some that tragedy be left unpondered.

The earthquake in Nagaoka and the surrounding area was a highly unusual event. I think some will find these photos of interest. One's sympathy for the victims of the event is hardly reduced by them.

Damage from earthquake in Nagaoka, Japan. Roadside manhole cover.

Earthquake damage in Nagaoka, Japan. Damaged road by Shinkansen track.

Damage from earthquake in Nagaoka, Japan. Cracked soil on farm path.

Cracked Pavement from Oct. 23rd. earthquake in Nagaoka, Japan.

Earthquake damage in Nagaoka, Japan. Path leading to shrine.

Apparition (pile of dirty laundry in low light)

Cynicism (assemblage on wood).

The odd alternative

Rebel with a cause...and cool shoes.

Three evenings later. A rainy night in Nagaoka appears to return to normal.

The interface between my apartment building and the wine shop next door.

The Jusco department store entrance after earthquake in Ojiya city, Japan. Most of the interior in the two story building collapsed. I will post a brief commentary on the events of the earthquake in Japan's Niigata region tomorrow on the Promethean Antagonist blogsite.

Overturned car, from earthquake in Ojiya, Japan.

Earthquake damage to Jusco department store. Ojiya, Japan.

Collapsed Home -- damage from earthquake. Ojiya, Japan.

Jusco Department Store following earthquake, Ojiya, Japan.

Niigata, Japan Earthquake. The city of Ojiya.

The Metaphors Of Ambiguity Proclaim Their Innocence...but how can we be sure they're telling the truth? (found object assemblage on wood)

The Rustic Portal

Contemplating An Allegory Of Residual Catharsis (found object assemblage on wood)

Empathy

...Angels in gardens swaying to the beat of a hummingbird's wings,

one touched by brow and I fancied an image of light turned to lace,

one sighed and a breeze welled up within me,

one cried and I never smiled again...

Cow's Chapel

Pool Of Passions

Down deep, into the pool of passions plunge thy hands, to surface once more images from past euphoria.

To again dwell within the sweet and timeless. Nostalgias to make real again the ecstasies of affection which had once passed between two of like substanace.

Bring thy cupped hand to the air and wonder. View with selfish desire your spirit's form as it trickles back into the murky depths to once more reside in darkness.

In fierce craving, once more submerge thy palms, in hopes of catching a fleeting glimpse of time, both distant yet pervasive.

View with fear the crimson gloom that stirs within the depths. Passion's pool of water reflects to eyes the warmth of memory yet to fingers only frigid chill.

Hands are not enough!

Plunge thy soul deep within memories liquid tomb.

Swirl amongst the crimson gloom, inhale the demon's toxic blood, and drown within its spirit.

Crave all that was beautiful and lie still on the floor of the pool of passions.

Life and Metal

His highness, the grand wizard of fine cuisine and moral superiority, visits France's former colony, Vietnam.

Testament in glass and stone