The Weekend Graphs

I still decided to take some time today and find you some intertainment on the interwebz...because you all deserve it!

Enjoy...now back to A-Z posts



Hey, does it work??



The scientific approach...




Survey Says!!!!!




The local bar sure ain't Vegas




Apparently

LSD-25

Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (acid))

LSD. The holy grail of spiritual awakening in the counter-culture days of the late 60's. And on the plus side, almost non-existent addictivity!  The name however conjures up thoughts of drinking from a car battery or some other equally horrific "acid" source. When most times it is a small drop of liquid (tasteless) on absorbent paper (blotter) that is put under the tongue to dissolve. So I've been told.

Hence the term "blotter acid".

LSD causes different reactions in different people but many report intensified awareness. Altered visual effects (the melting wall or rippling carpet). Some get very intensely "into" something, quite often music. Some see imaginary things as products of their own mind. For those not mentally unstable or damaged to begin with, it is an awakening. So I have been told.

This appears to have been one of Hunter's favorite sources of recreation and inspiration. To what degree it's hard to say. When he states in Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas that among other drugs, he had a large number of sheets of high quality blotter acid it gives the impression he lived on it. Sadly another chief effect of LSD is the quick build up of a tolerance to its mind-expanding effects. Taking it more than a couple times a week greatly diminishes the result. So I have been told.

Acid has been a largely misunderstood drug from the 60's primarily due to the government testing soldiers with it for mind control possibilities. LSD has been used to treat alcoholism and in psychotherapy treatments.

Now how about this? In Switzerland from 2008 - 2011 they have been experimenting with end of life anxiety treatment using LSD for terminally-ill patients. Results are promising and no negative results have been reported. Really? And who would have done this reporting...the dead?

Flash backs have really been non-existent and are more of an urban legend. No record of anyone ever dying of an Acid OD has been found and tests show there are no long-term physiological effects on the brain or the rest of the body.

I will say this, if this were available in the US for easing anxiety for terminal illness...count me in.

Mahalo

Kyle, Chris - America's Deadliest Sniper

Chris Kyle - 1974 to 2013

 Chris Kyle was a Texas boy. He was also America's most prolific sniper during the Iraq war. He holds the longest confirmed kill on record. A Shot of some 2100 yards. That's 21 football fields. That's almost a mile and a quarter. Lucky...maybe, phenomenal...absolutely. He also holds the record for confirmed kills at 160.  On His first long range shot, he hesitated...then as ordered, took the shot. It was an Iraqi women approaching a group of Marines with a grenade in her hand.

Seems like a lot of death. And I am sure there will be opinions on both sides of the issue. But remember, he did not create the circumstance. He was just extremely well-trained to thrive in it. He was a US Serviceman, a Navy SEAL, a warrior defending our rights. Serving 4 tours of duty during Operation Iraqi Freedom, he survived being shot at repeatedly and hit twice, though his gear and good fortune saved his life. The enemy had as much as an $80,000 bounty on his head. They knew and feared him.

His platoon (sniper Element Charlie) wore the Punisher symbol as their own. It was a badge of pride for the group and it was theirs alone. This is the remembrance version of the symbol.

 His book is pretty gripping material. Even though he states in the preface that the military had cleared all the information he used in the book, I kept finding it unbelievable that much of what I read that was disparaging to our military and government, was allowed to be published. I am glad it was. Give American Sniper a read and get a look at the life of a man who gave his all for his country and incredibly kept his marriage together as he returned for tour after tour.

 In the end (as happens with too much consistent irony) his life ended not on the battlefield but in his beloved state of Texas after he left the military. Not far from where I have a summer home some 40 miles or so south of Ft Worth, he and a friend had taken another veteran who was struggling with PTSD to a gun range in Glen Rose, TX for an afternoon of shooting. Chris worked with many soldiers who had returned from the war broken and fragile. Somehow on this day, February 2rd, 2013 it all went  terribly wrong. Eddie Ray Routh, the other ex-soldier, shot and killed Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield. The entire state of Texas was stunned.

Chris Kyle's funeral was held in the new Cowboys stadium at midfield, his casket on the Star. A huge crowd was in attendance and the service was broadcast live on TV and the Internet. It was a moving ceremony. The funeral procession the next day to the burial site in Austin, TX stretched over 200 miles. It is said to have been the longest funeral procession in history. The travel route of I-35 was lined most all the way with many paying their last respects to a soldier, a father, an American.

~Semper Fi~

Jimson Weed

Datura Stramonium - Jimson Weed

Today finds us diving into the "seedy" side of Hunter Thompson's writing references. And to start, we have to look to the Jimson Weed. Known in some circles as the Devil's Trumpet or the softer version...Angels Trumpet.

Either way, the slightest amount above medicinal dose and depending on your religion, you will be seeing one or the other.

Datura Stramonium is a member of the nightshade family and possesses belladonna alkaloids atropine and scopolamine. This has been used to treat asthma and as a pain killer in early surgery. However, it is also a hallucinogen and deliriant  that produces intense visions that may last for days.

This of course is what Hunter is relying on whenever he mentions using a "bit of the jimsonweed". He even referred to using it on his wedding night in 2003 at the age of 65. True or not it is hard to figure. But several of his papers reference the use. Curiously he almost never uses the word marijuana in his writing.

It is really unknown if he ever really smoked the jimmy weed or if he did, was there any productive writing?

But Jimson Weed is just the tip of the iceberg for the Gonzo journalist of our age. Saturday will enlighten you a wee bit more.

Until then, stay upright.

~Tempest Fugit~

Imagination

 

The other half of the Hunter Thompson recording duo was the deeply disturbed fantastically imaginative artist, Ralph Steadman. In usual Thompson fashion, fate played a part in the selection of the artist who would graphically document Hunter's twisted visions. It occurred on the Kentucky Derby assignment when the original artist who was to meet Thompson at the Derby to illustrate his writing, couldn't make it. Last minute replacement recommended by Hunter's editor, was Ralph Steadman. Who was an artist in England at the time, flew over and joined Hunter in what would become the hilariously satire-laden story, The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved. A biting retribution for the wrongs of HST's youth growing up in Kentucky and the Southern "code". The two together formed a life-long bond of boundless imagination when art imitated life...in a fun house! Some of Steadman's artwork can be found here.

With the theme today being imagination, I want to take this time to recognize four writers whose work I have enjoyed, admired, and most importantly...require more of! I believe many of you are familiar with them but for those who are not, please give them an opportunity to entertain you as they have me.

Alex J Cavanaugh

I met Alex online back when he was just about to explode with his site and also his publishing career. He has always been a faithful and constant commenter on my site and was extremely instrumental in doubling my followers during my first A-Z campaign.

 

 

When  CassaStar came out I had already committed to return the favor by buying, reading, and reviewing the book. It is in a genre I like a lot (Sci-Fi) and I was prepared to enjoy the story. But....

 

 

 

 

 

 

WOW! I loved this book. I read it over the period of about 4 days. Not   because I am a slow reader or the book was complicated but because I was not wanting it to end. The book showed what great imagination and storytelling ability Alex possessed. At the end I was sad for it to be over. Then I found out a second book (CassaFire) was coming out...same excitement thing for me except I actually WON a signed copy in one of his giveaways! Amazing, considering how many people must have entered for it.

 

Now we have the final book of the trilogy (CassaStorm) coming out this fall and I can not wait. I still say, some producer somewhere is missing a great movie series opportunity.

~~~~~~~

Nancy S Thompson

I met Nancy from last year's A-Z Challenge. We seemed to have bonded over our mutual appreciation for the band, Alice In Chains. And we have frequented each other's blogs ever since. And boy am I glad I did...

I read The Mistaken as soon as it was available. I immediately found myself immersed in, and actually felt a part of, this story. The premise showed great imagination on Nancy's part and the intricate and well-woven story was just captivating.  For her first novel I was blown away with how really GOOD it was. I could feel Tyler's pain, rage, sadness, humanity...all of it. The visuals that were always in my mind as I read, were exactly what I expect from a good book. And this one is tremendous! IF you have not already picked this one up, do it. I can't wait for her next work! Love your stuff, Nancy!!

~~~~~~~~

Milo James Fowler

I read Milo's work just because I like his cool name!! Just kidding, man. I read Milo's work because it is good, it is insanely original, and it makes me laugh from time to time. I do not know how his thought processes work but it is a little off center. And that's the good part. His Coyote Cal epics remind me of the movie Cowboys and Aliens, only this is more like Gunsmoke.

Milo has sooo much work out there I doubt he sleeps. Or maybe he can write while he sleeps. Or there is a pod beside his bed...something!!! I have read a ton of his work since the stories are short and there is not a one I have not enjoyed. If you crave a little twisted bent to your reading, Milo is your guy. Thanks for the entertainment, man.

~~~~~~~~~

Clarissa Draper

I believe I ran into Clarissa an A-Z or so ago. Her informative blog and creative A-Z posts keeping me coming back for more. Her imaginative foray into writing was the Sholes Key. I must say I saw the book cover staring me in the face every time I visited her site. but it took me awhile to actually but buy the book. I downloaded it to my Kindle and took it to Belize on vacation.

 

I could not put this book down once I started it (obviously I did or my wife would have killed me, on vacation and all). I love a good mystery, growing up a voracious fan of Agatha Christie, and this was a great mystery. Imaginative storytelling and constant "what's going to happen next" anxiety. Again, I had very vivid images of what I was reading and got pulled right into the action. I am eagerly awaiting the next output from Clarissa.

~~~~~~~~

I am proud to know each of these authors by their works and their blogs. I consider them friends.

Please take time to visit each of these wonderful writer's blogs (click their Names to go straight there). None will disappoint and who knows, you may make a new friend.

Hunter S. Thompson - Legend And The Man

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro"

Hunter S Thompson the man, the myth, the legend. His life was a strangely long and fulfilled one, given all his indulgences. He married twice and has one son from his first marriage. Five other pregnancies resulted in 3 miscarries and 2 who died soon after birth.

From the streets of Kentucky to the isolation of the Owl Farm in Woody Creek Colorado, the life and times of Dr. Thompson were varied, inspired, and inspirational. The well documented use of drugs and alcohol fueling some of the most creative writing to ever be put down on paper. The oft quoted phrase included in the photo above speaks volumes to that fact. He would tell people there were much better reporters then he because he almost never tried to "reconstruct a story". Inserting himself into the mix and flavoring it with metaphors and twisted facts and fiction...the final creation was, in the words of Tom Wolfe, "part journalism and part personal memoir admixed with powers of wild invention and wilder rhetoric."

Hunter ran for Sheriff in 1970 in Pitkin County, CO. The ticket was the Freak Power Party and several other offices were being contested by this hastily created "alternative" party. In the end, Thompson was such a threat to win that the Republican candidate withdrew to consolidate the voters on the Democratic side and the Dems withdrew their candidate for count commissioner.  The fix was in so to speak.

He was an avid member of the NRA and an early supporter of NORML, serving on the group's advisory board for over 30 years up until the time he died.

He kept numerous weapons on his Owl Farm "fortified compound" and fired them regularly on his property. A self-proclaimed weapons expert.

Thompson's books, as I have mentioned in previous posts, are a joy to read. The action and verbiage mixing fact and fiction just pull you right along like a magic carpet ride. The list of his works can be found by clicking the link on his name at the beginning of the post. Along with a better detailed chronology of his life than I could give time to here.

In the end, he went out as he wanted...on his own terms. The only spooky part is, he had called his wife who happened to be in town at the time, and asked her to come home and help him finish his ESPN2 column for the night. He actually cocked the shotgun while laying the phone down on the table. She mistook the cocking sound for keys being typed on his typewriter so she hung up...just as he pulled the trigger. His son and family were visiting and in the next room. At first his son thought some books had fallen off the shelves when he heard the shot, and didn't come in for a few minutes.

After calling the police, Juan (Hunter's son) went outside and fired 3 shotgun blasts into the air to "honor his father".

Johnny Depp funded the funeral that went exactly to Hunter's specification (see my E post). Many celebrities attended the blasting of Thompson's ashes into the sky. Among them, Jack Nicholson, Sen. John Kerry, George McGovern, Bill Murray, and of course, Depp himself.

I have included 3 brief videos below. The first is a long clip from the 4 part session Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride videography of Hunter's life told by the people who knew him (very good, save it- listen later. The 10:50 mark starts great stuff on Where The Buffalo Roam), the second is a stirring reading of Hunter's suicide note by Nick Nolte, and lastly is the trailer from Where The Buffalo Roam. I am still struck by how EXACT Murray's voice and inflections are to Thompsons.
 













~Res Ipsa Loquitor~



FIn

Global Street Art

Time for the G-spot.

This post maybe somewhat off-track, but I wanted to share something I have found and been engrossed with for a couple years now. I resisted the urge to continue my HST saga and venturing into "Gonzo" for my G-post, but due to circumstances I decided to give you a break today.

Street Art, specifically Global Street Art.

It is a phenomenon that has arisen out of a combination of gang tagging and graffiti. These talents have evolved into an art form and the trend has spread around the world. There are some amazing and talented people out there with spray cans of paint.

These creations range from 3-D effects on flat walls and streets, to utilizing the building or wall features, to interacting with the surroundings (like the first one below). The reference of the man in the picture on the last shot shows how large some of these wall paintings are.

Some of this artwork is still in search of its artist. The website Global Street Art has posted numerous pictures of this work, in trying to find the artists. The art work is from all over the world - UK to China, Spain to Russia, Australia to Brazil. The guy that started this site had another blog I followed but when his passion for chasing this art form spread beyond our borders, he took the plunge and took on a new mission in life. Hence the Global Street Art site was born. I have their Facebook page followed so I get updates on all the new postings.

I want to share a few examples and if you are interested in more you can visit the page I have put up with more examples or you can click on the link above and go to the site for a large viewing and more about where these are found. I thought this was very cool stuff, and I enjoy sharing cool stuff with you...my friends.

 

 

This one is incredible. Chalk drawing on the street. Yes this is a flat drawing on the pavement!!

 

All pictures belong to their respective photographers and are found on the Global Street Art Facebook site with locations where the artwork was done