Hanging Five Trailer from Stakedance on Vimeo.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Hang Five trailer...
Just so I don't forget about it and I can check it out later.
Hanging Five Trailer from Stakedance on Vimeo.
Hanging Five Trailer from Stakedance on Vimeo.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
I love skateboarding (part 1)...
Skate and destroy has been the motto for adolescent punks for the past decade or more. I never agreed with this and actually thought the antithesis. Skate and create seemed a much more healthy perspective to have which is the motto of a new film series that Transworld Skateboarding Magazine has funded.
They take an interesting perspective from creating things and making something out of it. You can find the whole series on YouTube but I like the higher resolution from Vimeo. The DVS spots are my favorite. I am going to share them below so that you all can understand, hopefully, a little bit of the joy that I have felt growing up skateboarding and that I continue to feel the few times a month I actually go. They are super beautiful.
DVS BEHIND THE SCENES of Skate & Create from DVS Shoe Company on Vimeo.
DVS Skate & Create from DVS Shoe Company on Vimeo.
They take an interesting perspective from creating things and making something out of it. You can find the whole series on YouTube but I like the higher resolution from Vimeo. The DVS spots are my favorite. I am going to share them below so that you all can understand, hopefully, a little bit of the joy that I have felt growing up skateboarding and that I continue to feel the few times a month I actually go. They are super beautiful.
DVS BEHIND THE SCENES of Skate & Create from DVS Shoe Company on Vimeo.
DVS Skate & Create from DVS Shoe Company on Vimeo.
Cool Experiemental Film...
Just browsing during the reading (catch up on sleep, work and fun) days and I found this. I didn't want to loose it because it gives me some interesting ideas.
here.
Animal Collective - My Girls from Rob Chesnutt on Vimeo.
here.
Animal Collective - My Girls from Rob Chesnutt on Vimeo.
Monday, April 13, 2009
New blogs...
So I started some new blogs for myself. They are for different purposes. I will explain that here.
The first one is http://traviswatched.blogspot.com/. This is a blog that I made for myself about movies that I watch. I watch a lot of movies being a film major and all and I always forget which ones I have watched. When people ask what a good movie is, I find that I always come up with the same responses and not what I would like to. I think that by being accountable and writing them down here to share with the world, I will remember them better. A better explanation can be seen on the actual blog.
The second is an experiment that I am doing. I did a report about digital media and connecting to the world. I am going to document my life in short little increments of video and post them to this blog. They won't be anything really that great but it will be something. Just one minute videos of me and what I am doing, usually without any editing. They can be found at http://videotravis.blogspot.com/ . So if I don't post as much here on this blog, check out the others and see the short little things that are going on there.
One resource, one experiment.
Good times.
The first one is http://traviswatched.blogspot.com/. This is a blog that I made for myself about movies that I watch. I watch a lot of movies being a film major and all and I always forget which ones I have watched. When people ask what a good movie is, I find that I always come up with the same responses and not what I would like to. I think that by being accountable and writing them down here to share with the world, I will remember them better. A better explanation can be seen on the actual blog.
The second is an experiment that I am doing. I did a report about digital media and connecting to the world. I am going to document my life in short little increments of video and post them to this blog. They won't be anything really that great but it will be something. Just one minute videos of me and what I am doing, usually without any editing. They can be found at http://videotravis.blogspot.com/ . So if I don't post as much here on this blog, check out the others and see the short little things that are going on there.
One resource, one experiment.
Good times.
Samurai Jack...
Cartoons are wonderful. Some people believe that cartoons are only for children. Though this might be true generally (especially today when cartoons are completely mindless) there are a few exceptions and when those exceptions happen, it is something to latch on to. Samurai Jack is a great cartoon about honor, pride, charity and (of course) samurais.
That was the intro.
Incredibly cinematic and just plain wonderful.
I am now the proud owner of seasons 1 and 2.
They came today just in time for finals.
That was the intro.
Incredibly cinematic and just plain wonderful.
I am now the proud owner of seasons 1 and 2.
They came today just in time for finals.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Review of Article "The Politics of Poverty Eradication" by Hakan Bjorkman...
This is an article that I read for a paper that I am working on. Here is the summary and analysis of the article as well. I encourage you to look at the article and read it yourself. It was one of the better ones this semester, well, at least it got my blood going a bit.
There are many different aspects that make up poverty. Of these, one of the most difficult to address is the politics of poverty. Because poverty also serves some of the vested interests, oppressed populations have congregated and risen up in opposition, often in violence. It seemed to me that those who had power, had it in either or both of the two following forms; power over resources and power of ideology. Most of the conflict that has arisen in pre-twentieth century has been over control over resources. Within the last century however, most of the fight has been about ideology or rights. This reminds me of the discussion that we had about human rights and the article that we read about the human development paradigm and the intrinsic value that it places on essential human rights both physically and ideologically. There are inalienable rights that people have such as education, health, and well-being. The Politics of Poverty Eradication article rounds up the many different ways that people have fought for these rights and can continue to do so in a nonviolent way. At the core of this belief is the value that us as Latter-day Saints embrace, that each of us is a son or daughter of God, or on a more secular level, that each of us has intrinsic value that is essentially no more or less than that of anybody else.
By so believing, we are tied and bound to participate in development. As we have discussed in class, development is multi-dimensional and there are many different ways that we can participate. Politics of Poverty Eradication is also multi dimensional in it’s approach, I believe, and lets us know how we can participate as individuals in whole groups to alleviate poverty. There are people that are needed in communities, whose primary role is to advocate self-help, such as has been demonstrated my the women’s movement. Another aspect that has been incredibly important is the development of NGOs and their role in pressing for reform with government agencies and local people, becoming a type of mediator between the two. Historically, trade unions have been of utmost importance to how first world countries have developed. Although trade union membership has declined significantly in first world countries, the empowerment of these unions in developing countries remains quite important. They help people come together, united in a cause to push for the general welfare. And people’s movements remain a constant force for change. Such movements, like the Green Belt movement in Kenya can be extremely effective at helping promote change from the bottom up, or as we say in class, from the top up.
At the center of all of these different movements is the principle of participatory politics and having the essential activist state. Something that I thought was quite interesting was how the author defined a disabling state as a government who is more concerned with building itself up in military and infrastructure than with the welfare of it’s social spending and people. Like more of the neoclassical approaches that we have seen during the course of the semester, the numbers might equal out but people are not numbers. A country is made of its people, not it’s buildings and weapons. Fortunately through the spread of democracy, people have more choice in what they participate in. The statistics indicated in the article show as countries shift to democratic systems, education increases followed by other important steps like women’s rights and environmental sustainability.
The most important thing that I have gathered from this article was the absolute necessity to participate in democracy and vote. The disgusting statistic from 1991 to 1994 of only 39% of eligible voters turning out was embarrassing while places like Malta, Belgium and Latvia are above 90%. As we continue to promote development worldwide, the best thing we can do is have an understanding and conviction of the importance of human rights and participating in our own governments policy making. By each individual, family and community doing their part, we can take a stand against poverty.
There are many different aspects that make up poverty. Of these, one of the most difficult to address is the politics of poverty. Because poverty also serves some of the vested interests, oppressed populations have congregated and risen up in opposition, often in violence. It seemed to me that those who had power, had it in either or both of the two following forms; power over resources and power of ideology. Most of the conflict that has arisen in pre-twentieth century has been over control over resources. Within the last century however, most of the fight has been about ideology or rights. This reminds me of the discussion that we had about human rights and the article that we read about the human development paradigm and the intrinsic value that it places on essential human rights both physically and ideologically. There are inalienable rights that people have such as education, health, and well-being. The Politics of Poverty Eradication article rounds up the many different ways that people have fought for these rights and can continue to do so in a nonviolent way. At the core of this belief is the value that us as Latter-day Saints embrace, that each of us is a son or daughter of God, or on a more secular level, that each of us has intrinsic value that is essentially no more or less than that of anybody else.
By so believing, we are tied and bound to participate in development. As we have discussed in class, development is multi-dimensional and there are many different ways that we can participate. Politics of Poverty Eradication is also multi dimensional in it’s approach, I believe, and lets us know how we can participate as individuals in whole groups to alleviate poverty. There are people that are needed in communities, whose primary role is to advocate self-help, such as has been demonstrated my the women’s movement. Another aspect that has been incredibly important is the development of NGOs and their role in pressing for reform with government agencies and local people, becoming a type of mediator between the two. Historically, trade unions have been of utmost importance to how first world countries have developed. Although trade union membership has declined significantly in first world countries, the empowerment of these unions in developing countries remains quite important. They help people come together, united in a cause to push for the general welfare. And people’s movements remain a constant force for change. Such movements, like the Green Belt movement in Kenya can be extremely effective at helping promote change from the bottom up, or as we say in class, from the top up.
At the center of all of these different movements is the principle of participatory politics and having the essential activist state. Something that I thought was quite interesting was how the author defined a disabling state as a government who is more concerned with building itself up in military and infrastructure than with the welfare of it’s social spending and people. Like more of the neoclassical approaches that we have seen during the course of the semester, the numbers might equal out but people are not numbers. A country is made of its people, not it’s buildings and weapons. Fortunately through the spread of democracy, people have more choice in what they participate in. The statistics indicated in the article show as countries shift to democratic systems, education increases followed by other important steps like women’s rights and environmental sustainability.
The most important thing that I have gathered from this article was the absolute necessity to participate in democracy and vote. The disgusting statistic from 1991 to 1994 of only 39% of eligible voters turning out was embarrassing while places like Malta, Belgium and Latvia are above 90%. As we continue to promote development worldwide, the best thing we can do is have an understanding and conviction of the importance of human rights and participating in our own governments policy making. By each individual, family and community doing their part, we can take a stand against poverty.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
"All work and no play make Travis go something something..." "Crazy?" "Don't mind if I do! AHAHAH"
So I am ready for school to be done. After having my video critiqued, my heart ripped out and served on a DVD platter, having proposals, projects, and papers thrust at me (when teachers do that you are bound to drop something), no time to eat or sleep or do things that make my life more rounded (sorry Becky), and being overall tired and grumpy. The consolation that I have is that I only have two weeks left and that is light at the end of the tunnel. Then it is just another term of school (only it will be strictly making films). I know everybody goes through this, but I thought that I would moan about it a bit.
Friday, April 3, 2009
2 Stupid Dogs...
Most of you might find this annoying, but I found a cartoon that I used to love on YouTube last night.
2 Stupid Dogs is a show about two really stupid dogs. The thing that I love most about it though is that the whole plot of the episodes revolves around something really simple.
For example:
They are walking.
They come across a telephone that is unhinged from a pay phone.
The telephone asks for a quarter please.
They spend the rest of the episode trying to earn a quarter.
In film history, there was a movement called absurdism. It puts ordinary people in everyday situations but makes them go to extraordinary lengths to get what they want or everything combines against them so that they can't get what they want.
2 Stupid Dogs is absurdist, and I think it is really funny. It hearkens to a day with Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, and Buster Keaton. Here are a few of the best episodes in my opinion. Enjoy!
2 Stupid Dogs is a show about two really stupid dogs. The thing that I love most about it though is that the whole plot of the episodes revolves around something really simple.
For example:
They are walking.
They come across a telephone that is unhinged from a pay phone.
The telephone asks for a quarter please.
They spend the rest of the episode trying to earn a quarter.
In film history, there was a movement called absurdism. It puts ordinary people in everyday situations but makes them go to extraordinary lengths to get what they want or everything combines against them so that they can't get what they want.
2 Stupid Dogs is absurdist, and I think it is really funny. It hearkens to a day with Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, and Buster Keaton. Here are a few of the best episodes in my opinion. Enjoy!
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