Monthly Archives: January 2005

Ritual and Culture BME update

Friday, January 7, 2005

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I've just posted another image update; today everything is in the public ritual and culture section (about a thousand new pictures). You can also expect the set of articles from the potential BME staff writers to start going up today and over the next week.

I think it's rather important that people understand exactly what kind of person Bush is appointing as Attorney General (more). As the New York Times put it, “you know how bad the situation is when the president's choice for attorney general has to formally pledge not to support torture anymore” (more) — personally though I think if you feel the Geneva convention is “quaint and obsolete”, you're not the kind of person that should be Attorney General.

The ACLU has thoroughly documented Gonzalez's role in US torture tactics (more) which continue to this day in blatant violation of international law (more). The Washington Post as well is running a long series of papers showing Gonzalez's and even George Bush's personal involvement and condoning of torture (more). That's the kind of thing that sends people who aren't politicians to prison.

If you want to give yourself nightmares, here's how dark this chapter in American history is getting: Army doctors are being employed to “tailor” torture sessions specifically to the “needs” of individual detainees to push them to their limits without actually killing them (more). That said, they weren't always successful and some were tortured to death (more). Ooopsie!

Tortured to death? Am I some overreacting hippy? Perhaps interrogating someone to death is just normal operating procedure and not torture at all. Let's see what Bush's choice for Attorney General has to say about that (more; emphasis mine):


Leahy asked Gonzales if he agrees now with that memo's finding that, for an act to constitute illegal torture, it has to cause pain equivalent to that of "organ failure, impairment of bodily function or even death."

"I do not, senator," Gonzales said. "That does not represent the position of the executive branch."

The question is, is he disavowing the memo because it's going too far, or because it's not going far enough? From his actions, I fear the latter. So… if causing death from aggressive interrogation is not torture, then what the hell do they have to do to cross the line to torture? Fuck the corpse?

Oh wait, they did that too.

I'm a little late on this last story, but I think it's important to understand the official US response to the Tsunami, care of Tom DeLay (more). Rather than just reading it, I strongly urge you to listen to the MP3 (via DemWatch). In short, he stands up at the 109th Congressional Prayer Service (which personally troubles me in and of itself), and says (my paraphrase):


Did you ever wonder why Florida and Sri Lanka turned out differently? Let me explain. A Christian nation is like a house built upon a rock. The floods come, and it still stands. A foolish un-Christian nation is like a house built upon the sand. The floods come, and wash the evil away.

I'm sure Jesus is real proud.

Given that even here on IAM there are people who believe nutcases (and bigots) like Kent Hovind, I again suggest that people should have to get some kind of a “capable of critical thought” license before trying to hook up with God. Look, God is a smart, smart fellow. He doesn't enjoy the company of dumbasses, especially “righteous” ones. I'm pretty sure that if hell is full of anything, it's full of idiots. In fact, I'll go so far as to say I don't even believe in evil. I just believe in stupid.

Anyway, if you want something nice to read (if you enjoy sailing anyway, which I do), I really enjoyed this brief autobiographical story from Teddy Seymour (more), the first black man to sail solo around the world. As much as some of the hardcore solo speed record people like Ellen Macarthur and Francis Joyon (who has one hell of a hot boat) just blow my minds mind, I really appreciated Teddy's way of doing it and outlook on life. Maybe one day that's a dream I can realize, but it's a big one, I know…

That said, I'm still a sucker for wingsails though, but maybe that's the geek in me talking.

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On the subject of Bruce Tillson

Thursday, January 6, 2005

Hey Google, I've got a story for you to index. There are people in this world who get off on complaining. I don't know why. Maybe they want to see their name on a critical letter to the editor or maybe they're just miserable people. Probably somewhere inbetween the two. I really am not sure. Anyway, earlier today I got an email from Bruce “I wanna lick you all over” Tillson.

Subject: AS a member of the medical community.....

I am a psychologist and I have seen many of these types of behaviour in both younger people and adults.
Body Modification , as you so gently refer to "cutting and mutiliation" is a sickness.

The act of normal tattooing and piercing is a cultural ritual that has been arpund for several thousands of years and is pretty much accepted by society until one's actions become actual mutilation and present a medical ahzard to the human body.

Self-mutilation is a self destructive act that can bring hazardous results to the practioner. This activity is not socially acceptable in any form or fashion.
To take the risk of injury or even death is not to be taken lightly and out in a "glamorous light" as your website does.

I , in my own opinion , should be guiding the self abuser to find help not to encourage this behaviour.

With this age of bacterial infections that are resistant to all known antibiotics and the "flesh eating" infections, one leaves themselves open to serious health risks.

If you are an adult and I believe you are , maybe a little more responsibilty in your presentation of this serious social problem is in order.

I had a 14 year old daughter that was sucked into self mutilation. She began doing it for social acceptance. She was not abused, she had a wonderful family life, and was well liked in school.

We found out about her "habit" when we were summoned to the emergency room one afternoon , after school , because one of her "friends" had attempted to "sculpt" a Celtic figure on her left leg and in the process severed an artery at the site.

Her lag eventually had to be amputated and 3 months after she died of a staph bacterial infection that was caused by tetanus. Noit from the surgical instruments but by the knfe and razor blade used by her "friend".

Her "friend was chagred and convicted of involuntary manslaughter. He was 16 at the time of the incident. He was tried as an adult and will be in prison for 22 more years.

At least he will have the chance to have a life. My daughter will not.

Get these people to stop what they are doing if you can at all do something to help them. These photos "glorify" this type of sick behavior.
Your site does a wonderful job of showing the lengths that people will go to except , the way you present it, it appears to be safe behavior.

Good Luck

Good Luck.

Well that was an elaborate and far-fetched tale… but…

Bruce Tillson aka “gitarguy” is no doctor. If you couldn't guess it from the poorly constructed email, his numerous letters complaining about everything from Eminem to the liberal media (or as he puts it so tastefully and eloquently, the “whore press”), coupled with incessant hitting on girls in their guest books is a good secondary indicator. I was in the middle of writing the submissions emailer and I really didn't have time to waste on some joker who doesn't even want to whine honestly, so I replied simply (all my replies in this entry are in red),

Yeah, whatever, "doctor".

You're well known as a habitual liar with nothing better to do than send whiny letters. You really ought to go back to messaging girls how you'd like to lick them all over. At least that just made you look like an idiot.

What, you didn't think I could find out who you were in 60 seconds? Get a life.

His online history for the last few years was remarkably accessible, and thanks to the power of deranged US capitalism that'll sell anything to anyone at bottom-dollar prices, so was his home address, phone number, social security number, credit details, and so on if I (or you) wanted it. Like most assholes though, I guess he was kind of surprised to have his ruse called. He replied,

Just who the fuck are you??

I seriousy doubt if you know anything about me

Sorry, Bruce, I really do know all about you. I replied,


Feel free to think that, it makes no difference to me.

Got a problem with how readily available your records are? That's a matter for you to take up with your bank.

Now go hassle someone else.

Bruce still wasn't entirely convinced that I was telling the truth I guess, and summoned up his last bit of courage with his reply,

First,,why are you such an angry person?
Second,, where do you get the idea that I write to girls and tell them I want to "lick them all over"??

Angry? You've got me all wrong, Bruce. From my point of view this is a chuckle factory. But I only have so much time, so I'm going to have to cut this conversation short.

I'm not angry, you're the one sending me deranged lies. As far as where I get my ideas, do you need me to quote you exactly? Here we go: "Just want to tell you that if it were at all possible, I would like to lick you from the ground up!!!!!" or maybe you prefer this quote: "I would love to spend a week climbing all over that beautiful body of yours !!!!!"

Your internet usage is very easy to track.

Now, unless you'd like to offer some proof for your claims, go hassle someone else.

Time for Bruce to run away now.

Listen. You have your issues and I have mine.
Let's leave it there and move on. If I bothered your "space" I apologize. I have a right to my opinion and so do you.
My story is true....maybe this didn't happen to me but it happened to someone close to me.

Peace

Yeah, it happened to “a friend”. Sure, Bruce… but I suppose I'm cool with peace. If he sends me another message maybe I'll amuse myself by sending him a satellite photo of his house. That's always a good one that really fucks with people's heads.

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All tattoo BME update

Thursday, January 6, 2005

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I've just posted another BME udpate. I told you I was going to be posting them constantly! I know that when I said that in the past it didn't always happen, but with the new buffered update software, it's a lot easier to achieve. Anyway, this update is all tattoos (main tattoo galleries, tattoo portfolios, and a few pieces of flash). Thanks to everyone who sent in their photos, and to Sabrina for the cover shot (I don't think she's on IAM, but correct me if I'm wrong).

Sorry people haven't been getting messages letting them know the URLs of their submissions. Because there's now a gap between when an image is processed and when it's actually added to the site, I can't use the old membership tool to send that information. But I'm going to write a new tool for that today, so if you've got an image up in 2005, expect that email later today… unless your ISP is total blacklist blocking Mexican-sourced messages (parts of AOL and hotmail are, as are wanadoo.fr and others — it really sucks).

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More Baja Coast Photos

Wednesday, January 5, 2005

  Went out with Jon to the beaches again this afternoon. Canada is a beach country as well, but I never get tired of it, especially when they're long deserted stretches. We took the (rented) Jeep off-road, maybe about two miles past the end of the official road. It wasn't a bad trail though, the only part that worried me were some of the sandier dunes because we could have easily gotten bogged down.

I don't think I included any of them in the pictures above, but there were a few houses (and impromptu shacks) scattered among the mountains overlooking the ocean. I can't imagine the land costs much. Part of me thinks it would be a good idea to buy twenty acres and just offer it to anyone here that's willing to put in the time of building some earthships. I believe it could be done for an incredibly minimal investment financially… the only investment would be a lot of hard work. But in trade for a better life… I wonder if that appeals to anyone reading this?

Yeah, I still think about Project Drop Out Tune In all the time!

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…and it begins

Wednesday, January 5, 2005

…the propaganda, that is!
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