Read My Ego

My Ego from the Archives: The Light In-Front of the Tunnel

2009-04-12T07:49:00.000-07:00

The following essay, "The Light in Front of the Tunnel," was written by My Ego in 2002. The essay is dedicated to the essential nature of the Apocalyptic thinking. Happy Easter...

Download The Light in Front of the Tunnel.

~mIe

Winning is A Losing Strategy

2009-03-09T06:26:00.000-07:00

My Ego is competitive... perhaps a bit too competitive at times. And while My Ego certainly loves to win, the end goal is always to grow stronger and wiser as a player.

As described by game theory philosopher James Carse, there are (at least) two types of players: finite players, and the infinite players. The former plays the game to win, the latter plays for the continuance of the game, or, "finite players play within boundaries; infinite players play with boundaries."

When My Ego goes for a game of tennis, My Ego wants the best possible opponent to play with. Doing so greatly raises My Ego's game, helping to take it to the next level, and creating a more intense match, where both sides are playing their best. When watching sports, My Ego rarely roots for one team or another, in favor of seeing a great game. While one player may lose, the crowd wins when the game is played with the utmost talent, respect, and tense competition.

So for My Ego to hear the respected leader of the GOP, Rush Limbaugh, exclaim that he "wishes for Obama to lose," My Ego can only laugh out loud at the utter futility of such a statement, as once again the reductionist, ignorant philosophy-manifest by Rush's "base" proves the Republicans have yet to realize why they lost the election so badly to an inexperienced young bi-racial man. This attitude typifies the "play to win" philosophy of the finite player, the player who will win at any cost... including the cost of the utter downfall of our country.

It's time for an Infinite Republican to STAND UP and TAKE CONTROL of the party, yet playing by the rules of infinite play, or, with the rules. An intelligent, forward thinking Republican who renounces intolerance and hatred in the same breath as providing Integrally-minded, fiscally conservative solutions to the immense problems we face. Yes, Republicans can be Integral, too.

To be clear: My Ego WANTS an amazing Republican to step up and lead the party out of the morass of hate it is currently consumed within. My Ego certainly doesn't want the downfall or failure of the Republicans, rather, for them to play at their highest potential at all times. This way, the crowd--or the world--will win.

What a game it would be!

~mIe

Are You Even Really Out There

2009-03-02T16:50:00.001-08:00

Ok people.

My Ego needs to be FED. Do you even want My Ego here? Is there a point to continue this blog? Rarely are there ever comments (love you Ana), or what My Ego wishes were thoughtful, ongoing meanderings with the blogosphere at large. This takes much of the wind out of My Ego's sails, people.

If you actually care, leave a comment... If you don't, the Ego will be archived soon.

You know how My Ego loves a good ultimatum to motivate.

~mIe

Meet the First Integral President

2009-02-05T15:35:00.000-08:00

When My Ego thinks of Barack Obama, My Ego does not think of the first black president.

Barack Obama is the first integral president in history. Integral, in short, is a model of living that seeks to integrate the positive (while facing the negative) elements of all stages and levels of consciousness, that unfold in all human beings, across all cultures and societies.

Less inclusive stages of consciousness are myopic in perspective, seeing all of reality as being of one, and only one "real" reality. For instance, from the traditional perspective (using the graph from the all stages and level link above), you either believe in the God I believe in, or you don't know the Truth. There is one and only one interpretation, either with it, or against it. From the modernist/rationalist perspective, if it can't be proven with logic, science, and math, then it certainly isn't real. From the post-modern consciousness, all is equal, nothing is better or higher than anything else, and believing otherwise is a mere illusion.

Surely My Ego is over-generalizing here, as if there were a choice in this limited, short-attension span format.

Now, the Integral consciousness differs from those stages that precede it specifically in that it's ever-present objective is to balance the simultaneous truths at all levels of the spiral of conscious development. Rather than requiring all humans to operate at this and only this level, the goal is now to foster the health and positive sides of each level, regardless of how limited in awareness.

Yesterday morning, February 5, 2009, President Obama gave what could be the most defining speech in history that was a thorough, awe-inspiring creed of the Integral perspective, given on the topic of faith--really, Integral spirituality and faith. My Ego's words pale in comparison, so without further ado, watch the entire speech to see what the Integral consciousness manifest sounds like. Enjoy... ~mIe

WTF is a DANCE PARTY.

2009-01-26T13:08:00.000-08:00

video remix

Make them Famous

2009-01-18T10:12:00.000-08:00

On the 2008 campaign trail, we saw John McCain, in regards to spenders of pork projects, resuscitate Ronald Regan's call to "make them famous" for their unnecessary spending. While My Ego is not opposed to calling out those who cause harm, My Ego believes now is certainly the time for famous making, yet of a different variety.

My Ego finds no fault with the idea of celebrity in and of itself--the challenge is to redefine celebrities as those who challenge our dying ways of being the most, those who's intellect is as sharp as their Armani suits, and those who lift us to be our better selves, and not let us fall into the shadows. Celebrity isn't the problem; who we look at as celebrity and how we use their influence is.

Imagine a world where our leading scientists were lauded as rock stars; where historians were idolized on TMZ, where philosophers were no longer seen as dusty old men, rather the keepers of expanding and encompassing value systems that are being debated by text-messaging teenagers.

Imagine TED talks being held as a part of Bonnaroo, where Eaves Behar jammed on the 100$ laptop with Wilco, and Jeff Han VJ'd for NIN with his touch screen technology. Think of William McDonough dating Jennifer Aniston, and Malcome Gladwell surrounded by a swarm of press following him everywhere he went.

Some say My Ego is just a dreamer...

~mIe

Gamechanger Alert :: YouTube HD

2009-01-08T06:38:00.000-08:00

YouTube now offeres the ability to load and play HD resolution video. This is a quite a game changer, and the biggest issue with YouTube has been the utterly lack-luster render quality of their video. The high quality was an underwhelming step, but the HD vid looks just amazing.

The first video My Ego watched in YouTube HD was a stunning stop motion commercial for Brussel's-based Electrabel. My Ego isn't a huge fan of promoting commercials, but simply can't help it on this one...

My Ego really misses RESFEST...

~mIe

Where is the Meta-Media Channel?

2009-01-06T05:59:00.000-08:00

My Ego is enjoying some coffee and cereal, with a tangerine soon to come. CNN buzzes in the background, as seems to be the normal morning routine now that My Ego has cable--for better or worse.

A particular story caught My Ego's eye, the concept of which seems to be a recurring theme across the news networks. This theme: covering the media's a/effects on our culture. In this case, the "media" is covering the effects of the media's influence on the Obama girls.

If My Ego had many millions of dollars, My Ego would most certainly launch the Meta-Media channel, which, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, would cover the effects the media has on the media in covering the media's effects on culture. It would be something of a constant Daily Show, but without the humor--at least not purposeful humor.

The vision is a real-time "media literacy" channel that takes each worthy story, and shows how each relevant major and indie media outlet filters the story, and focuses on the difference between them.

~mIe

It

2008-12-30T16:00:00.000-08:00

is a bar of soap.

Why the "I" in pIece?

2008-12-30T09:42:00.000-08:00

A few fellow Egos have asked My Ego what the capital "I" is to represent in the pIece Now post. My Ego tries to not reveal such hidden meanings, allow readers to grapple with the meaning of meanings. While the interpretations that each reader may project onto My Ego's intended meaning also hold true, My Ego certainly can explain My Ego's Ego.

In all the shards of glass, I is (t)here. I, friends, is you is I. No matter your political slant, skin color, gender, sexual orientation, love of hate or Rick Warren--the broken glass at our feet is a mess we are all responsible for. To place blame at this point would be to fundamentally misinterpret time's ever-present unfolding, Now.

There is no other way to create the Integral stained glass mosaic without first seeing I in every pIece, taking responsibility for each, and finding the most effective and efficient means of gluing them together.

I is in every pIece.*

*Please don't confuse I with My Ego. They [are/not] the same.

pIece Now

2008-12-28T07:58:00.000-08:00

The Glass House of America has been shattered. My Ego will not waste words on the building of the glass house, or how it became broken. The undeniable fact is that the house has been shattered to pieces, which now lay in smoldering, colored piles across the country, as glass dust particles spread throughout the world via the winds of cyclic change.

The shards now cutting our bare feed leave us with two distinct options: keep walking on them until we bleed to death, or find ways to take the pieces; big and small, colorful and black and white, with every nuance of opacity, and glue them back together into a stained-glass mosaic structure of beIng like nothing before.

While many will fearfully run around yelling to the heavens with a fist full of glass, throwing shards at those with different types and colors of glass trying to get one last cut into the Other, there will be those of us collecting the pieces for imminent use. The key to our new Now is in developing many new types of glue with which to build the new stained glass mosaic. Some of the glue will dry hard as a rock, while some will be porous and allow light and subtle substance to shine through. We'll focus on the glue, and we'll find the right glue for the right glass.

There will still, and always, be those throwing the shards at each other, but their fists will eventually grow too bloody to have any real effect. Meanwhile, when the mosaic first starts to come together, we'll be too close to it for it to make any sense. We'll see only colors and pieces, and of course the glue. Yet, as we continue to pIece the artwork together, we'll slowly step away from the window, and we'll begin to see Shapes. Forms. Characters. Narratives. Stories. Forms based on reciprocity. Characters who's motives transcend to the greater good, while including our selves in doing so. Narratives that prove the values of both/and over the division of either/or. Stories that include other's narratives, different culture's characters, yet... the same Universal Forms.

Let us not forget that this is indeed still a window-Being; a substantive surface that allows light to pass through it in both directions. There will always be a window between isIng and the Light, yet it's up to those putting the pieces back together to shape a new window to refract the Light so shed as far and wide as possible.

We are the leaders of the Integral generation. We are those willing to tell a new story by pIecing the old ones together in our inclusive, ever-evolving image.

It's time, frienemies, to pIece Now.

~mIe

Naive Irony

2008-12-25T09:23:00.000-08:00

8 years ago, a new century arrived with an ever-increasing set of dichotomies, further dividing our country into the polarized camps that seem to come so easily to us. Meanwhile, the small but rising group of Integrators danced between the two, looking for any ground of mutual respect with which to grow a new system of values based on reciprocal development.

In the new millennium, My Ego has lost count of the number of times My Ego has been accused of being "naive" in the face of said polarity. Soon after the attacks of 9/11, My Ego repeatedly called for a new energy economy based on independence from foreign oil and creation of a new energy economy based on sustainable principles. Using the "energy" gained from 9/11 to our advantage, there was never a better time to come together and re-purpose that energy into... new energy.

My Ego even began developing the foundation for the business My Ego runs to this day, with the mission statement "Developing Sustainability Through Creativity." My Ego based this decision on a predicted rise in "green" marketing and an infusion of capital into the green movement. My Ego can't keep track of the number of times My Ego was accused of being young and naive, laughed at for being overly idealistic and that one day, My Ego would "understand how things really are." Naive, indeed.

Looking back, it seems a cliche argument, yet My Ego fought hard against the Iraq war from day one. Let's be clear: My Ego was not "anti-war", in fact My Ego argued at the time for the proliferation of strategic dis-integration of fundamentalist networks in Afghanistan and Pakistan, through military and information warfare. My Ego called out the utter lack of respectable rationale for the Iraq invasion, the lack of any real evidence for invading outside of adding fuel to the flames of the Military Industrial Complex... surely, My Ego was the naive, unseasoned judge of international politics.

The list could go on and on, but let's skip to the grand finale of this thesis.

The greatest of My Ego's naive insight of them all... support of our president elect, Barack Obama. The day after the DNC convention in 2004, My Ego sent an email out to friends and family, and will never forget bringing to work the same message: the man who gave the keynote address would be the next president of the United States. The redicule and laughter received can not be understated; for four years My Ego stood hard and fast against this claim. No way a black man could ever be president against the vitriol of Palin's America, none the less the primary against the Clinton machine.

And now, the crux of the post, and the twisted questions that stands before My Ego. Despite the actual outcomes of the examples given, the fact My Ego still supports the president elect further proves My Ego's naivite, so the argument goes.

Thus, despite the fact that My Ego has been vindicated as spot-on for many of the most fundamental issues of the new millenium, despite that My Ego has proven to the nay-sayers that the impossible is possible, that hope can prevail over fear, that inclusion can win over diviseness, My Ego is still accused of being naieve. "You'll see," say the self-fulfilling prophetic ignoramists.

What exactly will it take to be respected as a human being making focused, calculated and honest decisions that seek to include the finer points of both sides of the argument, without detracting from commonality of either? Will that day ever come?

Time, in it's enduring ever-presence, will tell...

Debate #1: Read My Ego's Review

2008-09-28T15:29:00.001-07:00

In the form of a letter to My Ego's college rhetoric/debate professor. My Ego was a Rhetoric major, afterall...

Dr K-

I [MY EGO] agree with you that McCain showed stronger ethos in his prowess in foreign policy, and overall won on points. Yet, as you say, his body language was quite unsettling, and I'm [MY EGO] afraid his claims for 'reaching across the aisle' come off quite contradictory when he clearly holds contempt for Obama and the dems.

I [MY EGO] can't say I [MY EGO] agree with you on the "I agree" soundbite. This only further proves that Obama has the capacity to see simultaneous existing truths that compose a greater context. If the McCain camp makes a commercial using them, the Obama camp can respond with this message, and show clip after clip of their spiteful, angry opponent.

Obama continues to show he is as "presidential" a candidate I've [MY EGO] ever seen, but I [MY EGO] do think there is lots of room for improvement. Specifically, I [MY EGO] think he needs to focus more on individual, emotionally-charged words. He emphasizes the point he makes with a well-crafted sentence. He needs to find the important words, hone in, stress them, repeat them passionately. The best example of this was when he was talking about how McCain won't meet with the predident of Spain... "I mean, SPAIN!". More of that impassioned focus on single words... not that the Spain example is substantively what I mean, but it has the passion side.

Also, I [MY EGO] can't believe Obama isn't going at McCain harder on the facts of the surge. There is mounting evidence that the surge came after the Shia sectarian violence and ethnic cleansing had already wiped out much of the Sunni population, especially in Baghdad.

Ethnic cleansing the real cause.

Strategic missions led to reduction in violence pre-surge.

McCain disagreed with the surge.

Just the evidence in those three stories alone should be top focus of Obama. The surge is all McCain has.

That's where I'm [MY EGO] at. Make me a pundit! ; )

Best,

My Ego

Hi [MY EGO'S REAL NAME],

I have been in Chicago working with Greek TV on a documentary on the campaign. I did not have time to do any commentary on radio or TV, but will give a talk on the conventions here on October 23. In terms of authoritativeness, it appeared to me that McCain showed great knowledge on foreign affairs, and Obama made the "soundbite" mistake of agreeing with him on 8 occasions. Those will be pulled together into an ad, count on it. In terms of communication, McCain made the mistake of not looking at Obama, thus giving the impression that he was either nervous or rude, neither very good nonverbal messages. This is the same behavior that hurt Gore in 2000 and Bush in 2004, and because the public and the media will slowly begin to focus less on issues and more on communicativeness, Obama wins the debate. That's my take. How about you?

K

Hollywood Script Brief: Hockey Mom

2008-09-13T11:02:00.000-07:00

Feature Film Brief
by My Ego

Hockey Mom

In a world dominated by men in power, the unthinkable becomes a reality after a bat-shit crazy old Vietnam POW survivor makes a brash, politically dazzling move by bringing a self proclaimed "Hockey Mom" PTA leader onto his presidential ticket as VP.

Small town hockey moms rejoice, while the incredibly condescending, clueless mom of 5 solicits health care advice from her pregnant 17 year old daughter. She consults her fisherman-husband, who's boat trolls the seas east of Russia, for foreign policy advice as Putin lines up nuclear missiles along the Poland border. American Idol winners are installed in cabinet positions, while America's Biggest Loser 2008 becomes head of the FDA.

Meanwhile, the Democratic candidate and now jailed traitor, Senator Muhammad Osama Ahmadinejad looks on from his Guantanimo jail cell in peril as Hockey Mom is foreced to make the ultimate decision of all: whether to have her youngest daughter, now 11, abort the incestual love-child born out of wedlock with her Downs Syndrom boy, age 7.

RNC Strategic Tag Cloud for 2008 Presidential Campaign

2008-09-05T08:11:00.000-07:00

sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism nigger sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism sexism

The Most Important Experience of All: Media Hype Overload

2008-09-01T11:04:00.000-07:00

EclecticMethod's Media Hype Overload from Eclectic Method on Vimeo.

We all now know the contrasts in experience between Obama and Palin, as they have been hashed over in the media quite a bit in the past few days.

However, My Ego has seen no mention of what My Ego considers the most important experience of all: Media Vetting, and how each candidate deals with it. My Ego isn't making a case for either candidate, rather pointing out the lack of coverage and analysis, of what My Ego believes to be the most important type of experience now needed to be president.

We've now had the past 20 months of "vetting" Mr. Obama, who has stood in the bright spotlight off media onslaught that has come his way. Between Reverend Wright, Ayers, Rezco, his whitey-hating wife, and all the rest, we've seen how Obama has handled the big media machine on a daily basis. Political or executive experience aside, this is the very experience that is most needed, for better or worse (likely worse), when it comes to 21st century politics.

Within a mere 72 hours, we say Mrs. Palin only getting the first glimpses of what she'll soon face; between her 17 year-old daughter's pregnancy, to the questioning of her mothering of the four month old Down Syndrome baby, to the brother-in-law firing scandle, we've only just begun to see how Mrs. Palin will handle what will only be more and more attention over the next eight weeks.

Barack Obama: The Tiger Woods of Michael Jordan

2008-08-29T07:25:00.001-07:00

As evidenced by last night's sweeping oratory in front of 85,000 screaming fans, it has never been more clear that in the context of Michael Jordan, no one is more Tiger Woods-like than Barack Obama.

Obama was swooshing rhetorical three-pointers with the ease, grace and intensity of Woods staring down a putt on the 72 hole at the Masters. The ultimate test of true greatness is how a Michael Jordan steps up to the line in moments of the highest pressure; Obama once again proved that such high-pressure situations are where he shines most, as he and the Democrats won the playoffs, now invigorated for the Finals in November.

"We haven't seen a Michael Jordan give a speech like this since my big brother nailed that half-court, at-the-buzzer allegory at the LA Coliseum in 1960," said a tearful Senator (D) Ted Kennedy shortly after the speech.

It goes without saying that Obama's moment in Denver was one that shatters all prior precedent for a Michael Jordan, by showcasing the junior senator's ability to unify his team by opening the evening by passing the ball to his own Scotty Pippen, senator Hillary Rodam Clinton, who led the team to the final game of the series after a career performance of her own on Tuesday.

Despite the glowing reviews and mind-numbing post-game assessments of the mainstream media, the McCain team dismissed Obama's Tiger Woodsness as a thin, plastic facade that is not ready to lead the nation in a time of war. "After the Nike endorsements, the celebrity parties and rock-star performances, there isn't much about Obama's Michael Jordan that can even compare to Tiger Woods," said McCain chief of staff Mark Salter.

The Republican playoffs end next week, where McCain is the odds-on favorite to take the crown as the Ben Hogan of Bob Pettit.

Why There is No Hope For America, in Three Easy Links

2008-08-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

Dear All with IQ's above 100,

Get your passports ready...

First this.

Then this..

And, finally, this...

Sigh..

~mIe

McCain: Stand-In Candidate

2008-07-11T06:39:00.000-07:00

What's all the fuss, my friends?

Do you really think John McCain is the ACTUAL candidate for the GOP, my friends??

My friends, listen up: John McCain is a stand-in. It's only a matter of time, my friends, before he withdraws from the race, for whatever reason that best serves the party. Perhaps it will be health risks due to old age, or the growing anxiety over his lack of "natural born" status and an American citizen. Perhaps they'll slip a little pill into his Quaker Oats, my friends.

And you know, my friends, whoever will replace him will be the slickest, most party-line Reganite this side of the Pacific. And you know they are training this guy like Ivan Drago in Rocky IV. Perhaps it's good old Mitt, he sure looks the part, but he'll surely need to convert to Baptist, my friends.

The fact remains, my friends. John McCain will NOT be the Republican nominee for President of the United States.

Don't say My Ego didn't warn you...

~mIe

How My Ego Dies

2008-05-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

My Ego had a premonition today while walking in the cold rain down Graham Ave. It is written that My Ego will cease to exist in one of two ways:

The first is My Ego's body being struck by a car, while the driver is tapping away on his iPhone.

The second is My Ego's body being struck by a car, while My Ego is tapping away on My Ego's iPhone.

Thus, skip the autopsy. You heard it here first...

~mIe

Bob Marley Video Remix By Eclectic Method

2008-05-11T16:08:00.000-07:00

Audio-Video renegade remix trio ECLECTIC METHOD are at it again, with their final official vMix on IMEEM, closing off a four-video promotion with none of than the Legend, Bob Marley.

Enjoy...

~mIe

Why the Wait?

2008-05-09T08:39:00.000-07:00

Hi Hillary-

How are you? How's it going? Seems to me you're awfully patient... What are you waiting for, exactly? At what point is it you plan to drop out of the race?

Pertinent questions indeed, folks. Yet what really is she waiting for?

Call My Ego crazy, but it seems there is a new answer emerging in My Ego's Ego. What if, just what if, she is waiting for someone to take out her opponent? When My Ego says "take out," My Ego does not speak of Chinese food.

Surely as this thing progresses, those very same working-class white folk that Mrs. Clinton so adores are increasingly liable to take destiny into their own hands, and rid the world of this dark-skinned, big-eared nuisance that is stealing all the attention. The sad thing is, My Ego wouldn't put it past her.

So, Mrs. Clinton... just how low will you go??

~mIe

What if?

2008-04-29T15:28:00.001-07:00

Just what if??

There was no what???

Then _________????

It Ain't Easy Being Elitist

2008-04-28T16:32:00.000-07:00

Let's face it. We elitists are having a really hard time as of late defending the honor and ceaseless reverence we so deserve.

Do you think it's easy having to drive a Prius around all day? Always being in fear of running over innocent blind people because our cars are so whisper quiet as compared with your rusty old Ford truck? So you have John Melloncamp singing this is your country, well that's just great. My Ego has arrived to tell you this is certainly NOT your country, Christian ideologues.

Look, middle America--Whole Foods ain't cheap, but who would you ever look up to if it weren't for us? My Ego has never heard of a rich, elite celebrity dreaming to be an obese employee of Wallmart, have you? And, have you ever even tried a latte? Let My Ego tell you: they're truly delicious. Especially with shade grown beans, ground and roasted fresh with a dash of soy milk, and served in a bio-degradable cup.

Let me make My Ego clear: this country was founded upon, developed by, and lead by elitists since day one. It's perfectly understood that those of you stuck between the US coasts feel compelled to take claim to being the only "real" Americans, but we won't let your jealousy and simple-minded projections stop us from continuing the work that makes you love/hate us so deeply.

Don't worry, despite the fact that you continue to look down on (a hard thing to do from below, agreed) us, we'll still make your movies, influence your culture, design your clothes, produce the music you love, and continue to further the internet and media tools that make your life worth living. Don't hate us because we're reducing our carbon footprint while make your second trip today to McDonald's in your gas guzzling SUV.

It's time to take a stand, elitists. We can not let this discrimination continue any longer, and must fight back against the fat slobs who are trying to take credit for being more patriotic and more American than we are.

Elitists love America, too. The difference is we can use our college (masters, even) education to logically prove so... if you could only understand what logic is and why we need it.

~mIe

With All Due Respect...

2008-03-30T14:45:00.000-07:00

I think you're a fucking idiot.

~mIe

The Race to Hate

2008-03-21T18:39:00.000-07:00

Ah yes, friends. It's getting ugly. Long dormant, yet now only beginning to show its face, the long history of racism in America is beginning to shine through the cracks of ignorance that hold this country together.

As the cracks begin to grow wider, the question is starting to nag My Ego: where is all this heading? At what point does hate become violence?

My Ego has yet to hear of this in the media, so why not throw it out there...

Riots.

Think about it... or, just comb the internet and read comments on YouTube. My Ego has always been aware of how ignorant, unintelligent, and downright arrogant our culture can be, but little has My Ego been aware of the amount of raw HATE exists out there. Suppose that makes My Ego ignorant, eh?

It never ceases to amaze My Ego how quickly people can fall off the logic cliff into the scathing, pre-rational quagmire of hate that is only just beginning to now bubble up. It is clear that there is no way this hate will 'allow' Obama to take the presidency. Whether it's Hillary stealing the superdelegates at the convention, or, dare I say, assassination...

Whatever the scenario they take him out with looks like, we're really going to see just how much hate is out there.

Time to get a gun...

~mIe

Dear Dad,

2008-03-14T16:03:00.000-07:00

On Mar 14, 2008, at 6:05 PM, myegosdad@aol.com wrote:

Have you ever listened to Rove? He is brilliant. May not agree with his tactics but be is smart. Why are you in debt? Because of "my" small business adminstration? How did I do that? I guess I must have co-signed the note you took or whatever you are talking about. South Africa has become a peaceful, prosperous place since Mandela took over and since. It's amazing to me that we live in the most powerful, non threatening, prosperous, free-est and generous country known to civilization and you never have one good thing to say about it. France IS nice this time of year.

And My Ego responded:

Rove is indeed smart, very smart. And I'll bet Hitler was even smarter than Rove... I mean, a mere 655k? To kill 6 million, you've got to be top notch genius.

Why am I in debt?

Its called the three trillion dollar war; 3 trillion adds up to over 30k, per american. It's an admin you voted for (twice), and a war you supported up till about 6 months ago. So, in my estimation, that makes you, however insignificantly, responsible. This is the gov't of the people, right? This person didn't vote for either, and my position on it hasn't budged since.

Mandela... a black man, who questions implications of the arrogant actions of the US, CAN create a lasting, peaceful country? Sounds like Obama should be your top choice.

To call us the most powerful, yet to also to know that we could be crushed at any second if China and Saudi Arabia were to cash in our debts? And a military so stretched, when we have a disaster in our own country, we don't even have the ground troops to send in for help? How powerful are we really? Do you really want to find out? I certainly don't.

Non-threatening? You simply can not be serious. We are the threat machine! We declare the Axis of Evil, we sanction and threat to remove sanction, our entire foreign policy is based on threats, lies, and distortion, and we're non-threatening? By the way did you see the state dept just (after 6 years) made the official announcement that there were no ties between Iraq and Al Queda, therefore 9/11? No weapons, no ties. All threats.

Prosperous. Sorry to say this, but... the US has a total debt of $53 Trillion, and the highest debt ratio in history. That's $175,154 per man, woman and child - - or $700,616 per family of 4, $33,781 more debt per family than last year. Last year total debt increased $4.3 Trillion, 5.5 times more than GDP. External debt owed foreign interests increased $2.2 Trillion; Household, business and financial sector debt soared 7-11%.

And, the above does not include un-funded pensions and medical promises. This is prosperity?

Ok, now, we're the freest. We're free-er then Holland? We're free-er than Canada? We're freer than Sweden? This email is being recorded, and we're free??

And finally, I don't have one good thing to say about America. Here's what I love about this country, and love till then end:

I love the constitution. I love the separation of church and state. I love the diversity. I love the incredible land and environment. I love the balance of powers. I love the Bill of Rights. I love the right to free speech. I love the right to privacy.

EVERY SINGLE THING I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE ABOUT THIS COUNTRY IS IN SERIOUS DANGER. HOW CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT???

And no matter what, please don't forget that I LOVE YOU AND MOM MORE. Please know that, just because you can't beat me in a political argument, I still love you more than any thing. : )

~mIe

Osama-Jewberg '08

2008-03-02T15:43:00.000-08:00

Dearest Readers of My Ego-

My Ego has returned to cast stones into the media ocean. Duck!

Tonight's topic is what My Ego believes to be the most logical next step for the Obama camp; a move so unexpected and daring, it will surely be the final stage towards the End of Man.

Thanks to the cunning sarcasm of one of My Ego's most trusted sources, Jack Chester, we have a name for the ensuing phenomena:

OSAMA-JEWBERG, '08.

That's right folks. Barack Obama and Michael Bloomberg will team up to destroy the world. And by destroy, My Ego means "create." And by create, we mean: Creastroy. His-story has come full circle: the black man re-unites with the Jew to rule the world.

How will it all go down, you (I) ask? Folks, its all underway. Just last week, Bloomberg was dropping hints for what's to come, just read carefully. Hillary is the perfect pawn, set on the verge of single-handedly destroying the Democratic party with her never-ending need for power.

The announcement will arrive on Wednesday, March 5th, soon after Obama crushes Clinton in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Just when it seems the Democratic party is ready to unite behind their chosen leader in Obama, Hillary will clench tighter, fighting the Truth with more lies and double-spoken attacks, forcing the Florida and Michigan delegates to pony up. Just when it seems all hope is lost, the big announcement will be made...

Obama will hand Clinton the Democratic ticket, simply hand it to her with grace and charm to the amazement of all. He will then announce the big move--he's leaving the Democratic race to run as an Independent with Bloomberg.

Osama-Jewberg...

So much for America to hate, you've got to love em.

~mIe

Life Pro: Mike Huckabee

2007-12-18T08:13:00.000-08:00

My Ego doesn't want to get too political, but read this and found it way too funny not to quote in the 'ol blog.

The candidate who not-so-subtly has a white Cross behind him in his latest Iowa Christmas TV commercial, had this to say in the news today:

"The difference between us is that I did something he never had to do. I carried out the death penalty 16 times, more than any other governor in my state's history," Huckabee told reporters in Los Angeles before attending a Beverly Hills fundraiser. "That's hardly soft on crime when you make that tough decision and actually carry it out."

Ok, just to make sure My Ego has this right. The GOP candidate, famous for his Christian values, is ENTHUSIASTICALLY PROUD of the number of PEOPLE HE HAS KILLED.

My GOD Jesus would be SO PROUD of you, Mike! Kill a few million more, and you might be ordained a Saint one day!

Best,

~mIe

The Intern Economy

2007-12-16T16:52:00.000-08:00

The Ecology of the Economy... an interconnected web of systems that shapes and drives the flow of cash at the local, national, and global level. We hear of the impending credit crisis, surging fuel prices, and the financial havoc potential in the face of terror, yet we rarely consider what could be the greatest lynch pin of them all--the final looming thread that, if pulled, could unravel the global economy as we know it.

This thread, my friends: the Intern.

Forget about illegal immigration. Let's talk about illegal internships. Let's talk about full work days for NO PAY whatsoever, lets talk about doing the most unsatisfactory work for little to no return. Lets talk about how the only kids able to first get, then maintain said internships are the one's whose parents are footing the bill for their Murray Hill 2 bedroom. The rich stay rich, while the poor get poorer thanks to our ongoing and ever-expanding dependency on the office intern.

It is for this reason that interns will never unite or unionize... they simply don't need to, cuz daddy will just get them another one... or until Phil from Marketing hangs over the office balcony railing after a few beers and a tequila shot at the holiday office party, thus leaving that coveted position of giggling, IMing fucktard wide open for them to get paid to take on.

Interns beware: your days are numbered. Quietly give the Blackberry back, and walk out the door.

Thanks,

~mIe

Dear Writers: Please End the Strike, For the Sake of My Ego

2007-12-10T15:08:00.001-08:00

Look writers, My Ego gets it. You're not getting paid for DVD and online distribution, so you gather together and strike to get what you want. My Ego gets all its media from either iTunes paid downloads, or DVDs. So if anyone knows you deserve your percentage, it's My Ego.

But, Writers, there is a larger problem here, namely, My Ego. See, My Ego gets about 90% of the news from the Daily Show alone, so how the hell is My Ego supposed stay informed on what's going on?

And who is My Ego to turn to when reading the CIA has destroyed more evidence of this administration's wrong-doings?? My Ego needs to be numbed by slick wit of Dr. Jon Stewart, and the Zen-master-like-pointing-out-of-contradiction-through-satire of Professor Colbert.

Writers. Please, for the sake of My Ego, come back to work!!!

Thanks in advance,

~mIe

The Holon: Key to the Lock of Or

2007-12-09T13:26:00.000-08:00

Its amazing how one word can solve so many complex questions and issues. Such words are the key to unlocking My Ego, and the meta-systems of Integral being-in-the world.

One of the most important key-words of this kind is "holon". Originally coined by Arthur Koestler in 1967, a holon is simultaneously a 'whole' and a 'part', or, a 'whole-part.' Everything is a holon. Thus, there are no wholes, and there are no parts, there are only holons.

For instance, a letter is a 'whole' letter in itself, yet in a greater context, is only a 'part' of a word. Seen through time, which is it? A whole, or a part? That word is a word in itself, yet in a greater context, only a part of a sentence. Sentence to paragraph, paragraph to page, page to chapter, chapter to book-there is no end (and no beginning... only begendings) to the holonic system. Take it down to the molecules in the ink, up to the total of all books ever printed; all holons.

Some say money is the root of all evil. My Ego says "or" is the root of all evil. Well, which is it... 'money' or 'or'?

"Or" is the cold metal shell of the lock that is opened using the key-holon; a lock that when opened show limitless simultaneity and inter-connectedness of all holon systems, all the way Up (heaven), all the way down (hell). Or is the last protector of the Great Western Myth, Dualism. Break the lock of duality with the holon key.

Us or them? This or that? Here or there? Being or Time?

I, or thou?

What would happen if Or was removed from syntax all together?

Us and them. This and that. Here and there. Being and Time.

I and Thou.

~mIe

time for Time

2007-12-07T14:29:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

Its been a while, hasn't it?

I hope you are well!

Best,

Yours,

All the Best,

Thanks!

Many thanks!

Respect,

Till then,

Sincerely,

~mIe

The X-Mas Season Begins With Even More Waste

2007-11-28T12:29:00.000-08:00

Dear All Retailers,

PLEASE STOP SENDING MY EGO CATALOGS.

Thanks,

~mIe

From My Ego's Poetry Archive

2007-11-26T14:44:00.000-08:00

My Ego has been researching Keats' Negative Capability theory, which in essence is that truth, beauty, and goodness manifest themselves when one is 'standing in duality', or 'being in uncertainties.' Another interesting synonym is liminality. Negative Capability is the ability for a human to attain a stage of being-action that allows for the simultaneity of multiple perspectives to mutually co-exist.

This concept reminded My Ego of a poem written back in the college years, that My Ego will now share with you. Why? Because its My Ego. Enjoy, ~mIe

Lost, Ever-Binding

The See is deep here.
Real Me in
Nothing.

Standing in the undertow
is my only true love.

drown wishing you were there
as if you’re already
Not.

A ship on the Horizon
appears
to those lounging on the beach
as
waves crash to the rhythm
hearts dance to the rhythm
drums beat to the rhythm
feet swing to the rhythm

rhythm moves to what.

Found, Ever-Loosing

The Doctor Story, Then and Now

2007-11-23T12:25:00.000-08:00

When My Ego was a little developing Ego, Dad used to tell this story any time My Little Ego would complain about a physical problem.

He'd say, "When I was your age, I went to the doctor, and I said, 'Doc, every time I raise my arm up like this, it hurts!'" The doctor then said, "So don't raise your arm up!" That was the end of the story.

My Ego went to the doctor this week, and said, "Doc, every time I raise my arm up like this, it hurts!" The doctor then said, "Here is a prescription for some pain killers for your arm, and one for anti-depressants until you get over the trauma of it."

Happy Thanksgiving,

~mIe

Theo Watson = Smart

2007-11-20T07:17:00.000-08:00

There are a few humans in this world My Ego will outright label 'geniuses'... My Ego has had the pleasure of the years to stumble upon a handful of them. While there are certainly the megalomaniacs of the genre, it must never be forgotten that many, if not most, of said genius' happen to some of the sweetest, must humble and authentic people My Ego has encountered. Perhaps true genius is found in one who is constantly facing the limits of one's knowledge and imagination as juxtaposed against the total sum of all knowledge; the strategic dance within the juxtaposition in turn becomes wisdom.

One such creative force is interactive programmer Theo Watson. Currently out of Amsterdam, Theo combines the forces of techne with the forces of nature, to produce stunning interactive multimedia installations that simultaneous engage one's sense of fun and deeper purpose.

Check out Theo's latest installation, Funky Forest, to see genius manifest.

Enjoy!

~mIe

Fear of the Unknown: Improvisation and the Indie Scene

2007-11-15T10:34:00.000-08:00

My Ego went to see one of My Ego's favorite band, Broken Social Scene, at Webster Hall last night. The show was solid, but lacked something that My Ego finds lacking in just about every 'indie' or 'hipster'-related scene: improvisation.

Improvisation is the bedrock of American music, if not the genesis (and end goal) of music itself; to part the Curtain to let rays of light through by teasing it with the dance of vibrations in the air. To My Ego, musicians must have this goal at the forefront of his or her intentions--be it dark, fast, melodic, rhythmic, skillful, soulful--parting the Curtain is the Ultimate release, the very essence and purpose of music.

It seems as though a fear of the Unknown is at play here... Fear of messing up, hitting the wrong note. Fear of being boring, 'wanky,' or too 'noodly.' fear of being associated with certain relics of the past that don't agree with a particular current culture. Denying improvisation for the sake of a scene is simply absurd. Even a band like Broken Social Scene, who My Ego feels a more likely candidate for extend improvisational segments of a set, seemed to lack the fire of improvisation, and the spirit of the Moment.

So, you might end up reviewed here. Oh, and this band certainly didn't complain about playing to a crowd who appreciates improvisation. If only they'd (actually) stretch it out here and there.

To sum it up, Indie folk: please, for the sake of My Ego, will you just jam???

~mIe

A Revelant Idea

2007-11-14T08:10:00.000-08:00

My Ego has been trying to find a word for a particular phenomena for the past few weeks. There are some synonymous phrases and concepts, but not a set word to describe the phenomena. There is a (good) chance a word does exist, would love to know what it is, so please send it along.

Thus, My Ego has created a new word to add to Webster: (n) revelant.

A revelant is a meta-literal (a literal happening that serves as a metaphor) sub-contextual occurrence that 'sums up' a larger contextual occurrence; a revelent 'reveals the relevant.' Rather, when someone or something does or says something that 'reveals' who or what they are in a greater sense. A revelant may also be described as a moment that reveals quintessence.

A fine example of a revelant:

"Other Republican candidates may retort to personal attacks and negative ads."—Fund-raising letter from George W. Bush, quoted in the Washington Post, March 24, 2000

This one moment reveals the greater context of Bush's idiocy and blatant contradictory actions.

Revelants happen often, and can be found if one is Listening through a holonic contextual lens of interpretation. If you Listen carefully, you'll see them often.

~mIe

The Looming But...

2007-11-08T09:07:00.000-08:00

I really like this post,

(but)

~mIe

Prey for Fat Christians

2007-11-07T06:25:00.000-08:00

My Ego's in-laws from Arkansas sent along this joke, with the CC field wide open. Sorry, but if you make the Rev Billy Graham into the hero of the joke, My Ego is going to react, and reply to 'all'. Please don't think the reaction was in support of Hillary. There is nothing that makes My Ego more angry than the contradictory Christian. My Ego loves the teaches of the man named Jesus. What they have to do with Billy Graham has yet to be discovered...

The Joke:

A plane with 4 passengers is about to crash, but has only 3 parachutes. The first passenger said, "I'm Kobe Bryant, the best NBA basketballplayer. The Lakers need me, I can't afford to die.."

So he took the first parachute and left the plane. The second passenger, Hillary Clinton, said, "I am the wife of the former President of the United States; I am the most ambitious woman in the world. I am also a New York Senator, a potential future President and, above all,the smartest woman in the world." She grabbed the second parachute and jumped out of the plane. The third passenger, Rev.
Billy Graham, says to the fourth passenger, a 10 year-old school boy, "I am old and I don't have many years left. As a Christian I will sacrifice my life and let
you have the last parachute." The boy said, "It's ok; there's still a parachute left for you. America's smartest woman took my school backpack."

My Ego's Reaction:

A passenger plane with 300 million Americans is about to crash. George Bush is the pilot. He comes onto the intercom and says, "Don't worry passengers. Everything is going to be fine, God told me so. Iraq is progressing, the mission is already accomplished there, the economy is in great shape (just look at how well all my friends are doing!), the fine people of New Orleans are safe and sound, and all of the people aboard this plane are insured, healthy, fit, and happy."

Then the plane crashed into the mountain of 7 TRILLION dollars worth of debt; a mountain created in a mere 7 years by a so-called 'small government, free market' Republican.

But don't worry, everything is going to be fine. God told me so.

~mIe

Sorry Excuse Makers... Mercury Is Out of Retrograde...

2007-11-02T07:57:00.000-07:00

My Ego is sorry to say Mercury is no longer in retrograde.

Those of you outsourcing your responsibility onto this poor little planet will have to find another crutch to lean on for now, of course until the next Mercury cycle goes retro. My Ego highly suggests global warming (ie child-with-matches) induced forest fires, the Bush Administration, more absurd lies from Giuliani or the sad truth that Colbert can't run for president as good scapegoats for your lack of will and evading acceptance of personal responsibility.

~mIe

mIe

2007-10-31T13:43:00.000-07:00

Folks have been asking who "mIe" is. For those of you not tuned in on a regular basis (ie no one), this is My Ego's abbreviated name at the end of each post. But who is My Ego?

mIe is not m"L"e, that is an "I" (as in i, but really I, as in i, but, really, I)(or 1), pronounced "eye" or otherwise-spelled-as "eIe" (as in i, but really I, as in i, but really, I)(or 1).

mIe = I through me. Lowercase "m," Capital "I", lowercase "e."

I = You = mIe = You = I

~mIe

The Green Suicide Bomber

2007-10-29T07:12:00.001-07:00

Finally! A suicide bomber who actually cares about the future of the planet! Most suicide bombers could care less about being green, but this selfless being has finally woken up to see the plight of our Mother Earth!

"A suicide bomber riding a bicycle Monday killed at least 28 Iraqi police at an Iraqi police base in Baquba, the U.S. military said."

Gone, my friends, are the days of the gas-guzzling 'car-bomber' style suicide explosion attacks on our humble troops and sensitive environment; this next-generation, consciously-evolved trend of the bike-bomber can only mean good things for the future of sustainable warfare.

It seems both sides of the war seem to agree, from green nuclear waste to the army going green, its easy to say our future will be as bright as the flash a mushroom cloud...

mIe

The Mnemotechnosphere

2007-10-27T13:59:00.001-07:00

Warning: this post is philosophical. If you're not into thinking (if you want to see a stark example of the sad state of our country, read the comments below the video), please spare yourself the effort. Like all philosophy, much of this exploration has already been said, but My Ego has the ability to make up new words to describe phenomenological nuances thereof, so its new enough to share. Maybe.

***

The Mnemotechnosphere

My Ego sure is surrounded by technology. Digi cams, DVD turntables, videocameras, and My Ego's soon-to-be iPhone (once v2 is released, of course) surround My Ego like thoughts surround the mind, dancing hither and thither, sometimes alone, often in unison. It increasingly seems as though this mind-dance is literally manifesting itself into the world; the subject slowly mutates into an object (Nurture becomes Nature, but more on that later...), blurring the line between the meta and the physical.

What is all this tech doing to My Ego? How is My Ego affected (therefore effected) by the endless sea of pixels and mountains of iRacks? It seems to My Ego that memory is becoming externalized; our thoughts, memories, and desires are being exported from our minds, hearts, and souls, and downloaded into our various devices for the world to see.

My Ego sees a new sphere of memory evolving as Moore's Law unfolds. Lets call it the Mnemotechnosphere. The Mnemotechnosphere is the realm within which our memories become digitally externalized, the newly-emerging and ever-expanding network of externalized memory systems. The Mnemotechnosphere is the in-the-world Tango parter of the Noosphere. In other words, our collective memory is literally becoming objectified and revealed for the world to see and share as the Mnemotechnosphere. The Mnemotechnosphere is the realm of the subjective-objective; the Sobjective.

For instance, My Ego snaps a photo with the iPhone. My Ego is there, perceiving the moment, and downloading it into My Ego's subjective memory system. This system is mine and mine only; not even words can come close to describing what these memories are to me. The exterior reality the photo is taken "of" is the object, in this context. My Ego shows you the photo on the iPhone a few minutes later. This phenomenological experience takes place within the Mnemotechnosphere, between two subjects viewing a Sobject. The Web 2.0 is of course the best example of the Mnemotechnosphere in action, the blogosphere being a finger on the hand of the Mnemotechnosphere.

The more we externalize and meta-tag our memories into the Mnemotechnosphere, the more the Noosphere becomes a 'viewable' presence in our every-day life. Another great example of the Mnemotechnosphere is the Virtual Earth project, that pieces together photographic images to form shared objects in computerized space.

The question returns back to the a/effect this is having on us. It is easy to fear that the more we externalize our collective memory into the Mnemotechnosphere, the less we'll be able to remember. Therefore, like any other technology, the reliance on the Mnemotechnosphere is the greatest danger.

More to come on this...

mIe

***UPDATE: David Brooks wrote about the Mnemotechnosphere the DAY BEFORE My Ego posted about it. While his prose smokes My Ego's, he didn't come up with a pseudo-philo-scien-psycho-term to describe the realm within which it develops.

"Necessity"

2007-10-24T20:50:00.001-07:00

I'm told now that I have a blog, I need to link to other blogs to spread the e-love far and wide. Surfed around for a bit, and was "impressed" with the "sensibility" of The Blog of Unnecessary Quotation Marks.

That's all. My Ego is ready for "bed."

mIe

Out of Rainbows

2007-10-24T06:36:00.000-07:00

Presumably to make them feel better about themselves, folks have been asking for My Ego's opinion of the new Radiohead record, In Rainbows. First, lets address the nearly impossible set and setting with which to judge this record. While the 'out-of-nowhere' drop of the record earlier this month helped reduce some of the expected zeitgeist build-up of the ten-track mp3 download, there is little doubt that getting an unbiased listen is next to impossible. Besides, it seems any criticism of Radiohead is looked upon with utter disdain, scorn, and disbelief within the (lets call it "music-savvy") community. Open-minded, Radiohead fans are not.

Lets face it; Radiohead is without-a-doubt the most important band in the world--if the world you live in is one of constant fear of the Not-Yet, the "inevitable" End of Time as we know it. Of course, if your limited (unlike My Ego) construct of reality is so reductionist and limited as to think we're living the End. Wild fires in Malibu, Tsunamis, Katrina... the only difference between these calamities and those throughout history is the ability to capture them digitally, and cut them up into little tragic loops of despair and destruction that we can YouTube day and night. Not a generation goes by that doesn't believe they are seeing the End, and this truth will never change. Thinking we're the first and only is where the mistake lies. But more on the End in another post...

Or, if you're of the conscious-construct of Robert Nesta Marley, you may think something along the lines of "Have no fear for atomic energy/none of them can stop Time." My Ego akins this sentiment as a universal Truth, while "The infrastructure will collapse/Voltage spikes/Throw your keys in the bowl," is getting all a bit boring, don't you think? Whether we're here or not, Time will Ing. More on Ing in a future post...

Of course we have all sorts of references to love, desire, and even sexuality on In Rainbows, yet (and finally, a thesis?) there seems to be one (most) essential element lacking from the record: Melody.

Throughout musical history, from the East to the West, melody is the sign of Spirit in music; and what, after all, is Mus-ic, without Spirit/Melody. Really, how many of the In Rainbows tracks do you find yourself humming? Whistling while walking down the street?

Some tell My Ego this is because In Rainbows is a very 'complex' record, and it takes time to understand the rich layers and blah blah blah. Nothing, folks, is more complex than the simple. And Nothing more Beautiful than the Simplex. Woa wait a second, Ego. What's this about Spirit? What are you, some sort of religious fanatic? Yep. That's right. Religion and Spirituality are the same thing.

In fact, it seems that Thom has lost God. WHOA EGO, take it easy. God is a four letter word! For the faint of heart (meant quite literally), I'll use My Ego's alternate spelling, _0_.

Go ahead, I dare you to throw The Bends into your iPod, and have a good walk. In My Ego's never-humble opinion, The Bends is the Ultimate Radiohead record. Listen to those melodies; feel the attainment of the 'Simplex' and the cohesion of _0_ throughout. OK Computer, certainly one of the most incredible records ever recorded, certainly attains near _0_ levels, yet begins to strive for the complexity that eventually weaves its way through Kid A, Amnesiac, Theif, to the _0_-less experience that is In Rainbows.

Umm... Ego... isn't that entire paragraph just a subjective, opinionated rambling on what you enjoy, and therefore consider to be 'of' _0_.

I'm sorry, have you forgotten that this is My Ego?

mIe.

The Real Punk Rockers

2007-10-22T20:09:00.000-07:00

**UPDATE 10.23.07: To add some more relevance/context to this post, read this BBC article

Wikipedia says:

"Punk rock is an anti-establishment rock music genre and movement that emerged in the mid-1970s. Preceded by a variety of protopunk music of the 1960s and early 1970s, punk rock developed between 1974 and 1977 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, where groups such as the Ramones, Sex Pistols, and The Clash were recognized as the vanguard of a new musical movement."

Like any other movement, eventually Punk Rock became a caricature of itself, with sheep-like droves of 'post-punk-hipsters' slurring about town with what often times can be confused as a uniform, less style of dress... especially a style of dressed based upon 'freedom,' 'originality,' and 'counter-culture.' Seems like most of these folks are nothing more than robots, seemingly programmed to cover their bot-limbs with tight black jeans, a tattoo sleeve, and ironic t-shirt.

With such a sad state of Punk affairs, where is the true spirit of Punk? Where is the true revolt, and what are these Punk-rockers revolting against?

Eclectic Method, the UK's audio-video mash-up masterminds, fit the bill more than any other talent in the world. Yet their revolt is one of the intellectual variety, specifically that of intellectual property. Purposefully doing so or not, Eclectic Method continue to break through barriers of intellectual property the likes of which have never been seen, and will in no doubt re-shape the way video property is used and distributed throughout the world.

Video by video--be it a Britney video or the hottest HBO program--the Method take the last vestige of massive media property, and mash it to beat-driven, danceable shreds. One can't help but feel the undercurrents of a big fuck you to the Man when watching the Method perfor live, with a healthy dose of humor, scratch chops, and psychedelic wizardry for added measure. Using Pioneer's DVJ DVD turntables, Ececltic Method scratch and mix video/audio samples as a DJ would audio tracks, creating improvised, play-to-the-crowd experiences like nothing else in the world.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the next true Punk Movement--lets call it Meta-Punk--is upon us. All hail the video Sex Pistols...

mIe

Yep, It's Definitely Mercury's Fault

2007-10-22T12:22:00.000-07:00

Hey did you hear? Mercury is in retrograde. Ohhhh. So that explains why I can't get any work done today. Or why my computer is acting slowly. Or why I have time to even write this. Clearly, any problem I have is due to Mercury being in retrograde.

So... When the fuck isn't Mercury in retrograde, anyway? For a week in the Spring when the flowers start to bloom? Then it gets hot and muggy... must be Mercury!

Here's a tip to ward off people who give more importance to planets then to humans:

When you see a Astriopath sizing you up, judging your every-last attribute, lips trembling in eager anticipation for asking you, "What is your sign?" Clearly this person already has you pegged into one sign or another, and man are they sure.

When this happens, simply tell the Astriopath this:

"If you can tell me what sign I am in three guesses, we'll keep talking. If you don't guess in three tries, you have to give up on Astrology altogether."

No better way to get an Astriopath to shrivel into a tiny, scared, submissive fool than this.

Man does MY EGO just love making people feel like that!!

mIe

Your Ego??

2007-10-22T09:14:00.001-07:00

Folks have been asking me:

"Is this your ego" I am reading?

The answer is yes, this is your ego.

Best,

mIe

Drowning in Easy Green

2007-10-22T08:33:00.000-07:00

If I see one more advert, commercial, magazine, newsletter, or blog dedicated to "Going Green", I'm going to vomit... and it will certainly be more colors than green, although that spinach was tasty last night. Last I checked, there were more colors in nature besides green--the number might even be infinite.

Why are we so fixated on Going Green, anyhow? (Reductionist alert!) The same reason we Americans do anything else: because we are promised it is "easy" to do so. And what more could we ever want out of life than the 'easy' way out? Nothing rewards MY EGO quite like the quick and easy; after all my ego is a series of the quick and easy all balled up into one gluttonous, ever-expanding glob of misinformation. We live in The Culture of Easy (a theme I'll be coming back to more in the future), where speed is the ultimate means to an end... and End which may come sooner than we all think. Or perhaps has already come?

Just buy some carbon credits to offset that massive rock tour! Plant a tree, save a life! Switch to LED bulbs and viola! You're green!

Clearly, use of "Green" seems to hearken back to an older usage of 'green', a synonym of 'naive' or 'new to a way of thinking.' To think that the task at hand, if there is even any point to said task, will be easy... well... You may want to do a bit more research before painting the world one color...

Then again, its just MY EGO talking...

mIe

Don't Read This

2007-10-21T21:04:00.000-07:00

Warned you, no?

So My Ego decided to create a blog. Suppose you are wondering why, so My Ego shall reward you with an answer. As soon as you stop talking to yourself. Stop it, now, seriously. Ok world, My Ego awaits. Be prepared to read all about it.

- mIe