Brett Rants

Projects

Text
The text entries (as follow) consist of my random thoughts, along with any unused, unpursued, or simply remaining project ideas from 2017. It's not a terribly cohesive grouping of entries. But then, it is not supposed to be. It's basically the garbage can of my mind.

Photos
The photos (also, following) are the keepers from my Winter and Holiday Season photo sessions (presented in the order taken). And as a whole, they are a lot more cohesive than the words, which accompany them, as ice tends to be a unifying theme. But they have nothing to do with the text.

The wrapping paper of the season, individual gifts wrapped in Trader Joe grocery bags and twine, packed with nuts, one of the packages is a nut cracker, and paper snowflakes layered on top, I was quite pleased with the presentation

I Am an Artist
My next art project will be One Hundred Acts of Sexual Harassment! Chicks say, 'Me too?' I say, 'Whose next?' Currently seeking grant funding.

The Big Question
Would you do it, if money wasn't involved?

The Bitter (Hard Hitting) Truth
For a News Cycle theme to be successful, it must hit an emotional nerve (i.e. be melodramatic), which overwhelmingly means, it must be a lie. The truth (i.e. data) is seldom emotionally charged.

Hello, My Name is Brett
The most interesting thing about me is other people: the fictional characters that I make. It's not who you are, but who you create.

Get Out of My Way
It's the rare person that I see as anything more than an obstacle.

Now Seeking Grant Funding
Art is indistinguishable from a personal project (say, growing tomatoes). But with better art (say, throwing home-grown tomatoes on a canvas), the viewer never thinks about that it's just a project aspect.

Good for the Goose
Hero Worship and Consumerism are both good examples of things that one may wish another to have (Capitalistic Exploiter of Human Potential that I am), but that are also things, which one does not (typically) desire for themselves... or maybe they do? After all, what do I know? But either way (and/or especially if this is not clear), to understand, all one must do is ask themselves whether they would rather Worship another or have that other Worship them.

The Sound of One Man Clapping
When clapping, I focus on the sounds my own hands make... in preference to all else, trying to make my slow even clap as loud and distinctive as possible.

Head in the Sand
I don't know how to gauge poverty. Besides, there are so many Social Programs out there already, I think it is reasonable to assume (which is to say, I believe) all needs have been met (or at least, they have been met as well as I service my own needs). And from there it is all want. And as we all know want is limitless.

It's a Video World
I saw two groups of folks obviously doing video projects today: Idiot in a Crowd and Dancing with Strangers. And as we flow into the future, I honestly expect to say, I prefer my viral videos live. 'Yes. It is true. I was there when they shot that schlock.' Of course, I could not begin to tell you why it ever went viral. But I was there. And that is all that is important.

A fire hydrant covered in snow that reminds me of snoopy

The Big Questions We All Must Ask
Is it better to be silent or stupid? For many people that is the only choice.

Successful Artist Problems
I'm not that bored at the moment; and in fact, I am quite happy. So, how can you expect me to write, you know, create a completely imaginary world? What could I possibly be running away from?

True That
When a sane man has enough money, they exit the market and find something meaningful to do with their life.

Bit of a Lie, That
Being a man of letters, I have a lot of paper... well, digital documents, anyhow.

Now Showing
Some people watch TV. I like to sit in public places and watch people... so much more interesting than watching the waves crash into the shore.

So Meta
I would like to get a grant, so that I can write grant proposals as a sort of Grant Writing Art Project.

Regret
'I regret giving you the rights.' An artistic project that concerns itself with the matter of legal rights... and the regret (most likely inherent) in signing those rights over to someone else.

Feel Free to Disagree
Happiness is a Chemical Imbalance.

It's a Small World
Very few teachers are worthy of the name. And I have never met a fire fighter (or police officer for that matter), who I considered heroic.

#Chuck&Madge
I think Erin's Fictional Parents should have their own Twitter account... though, to understand this completely, one must, also, realize that Erin is a bit of a fiction, herself.

The Chicago River full of ice, well, partially full, the Encyclopedia Britania building in the background, or at least, that is what I think it is, a nice red brick structure, with a clock, and whirlpool at the top

The Wizard of Oz
Art (Fine Art, at least) is very much akin to a hobby project that has achieved the blessing of a Cultural Authority. In the world of science, grant funding provides the experiment (and/or the experimenter) with the blessing of a Scientific Authority. While in the world of religion, priests operate under the quintessential blessing of the ultimate Spiritual Authority. But take away the authority and one is looking at the actions of a human being, in being human, as they quest for more. And in this, I don't mind the deference, as much as I mind being forced to defer to someone else's notion of what it means to defer. I will choose my own gods and heroes, thank you very much.

The Nature of Art
Institutional Art lies at the intersection of Artisanal Hobby Projects and a System of Reputational Dynamics. Art is either self evidently art OR something an expert recognizes as art; though, to be fair, it is usually both.

Spend It if You've Got It
Money is a hot potato, whose purpose is to facilitate trade. As such, the wise man will trade it as soon as possible (if only for Stocks & Bonds), holding a minimum in reserve.

On Living the Good Life
I want to be alive when I die.

The Converse, Too
Men are superior to women mainly because women tend not to recognize the overwhelmingly obvious superiority of men.

Chronically Unemployable
Please, see above.

Artificial Intelligence
True AI (also, known as God Code) is a persistent self-learning computer program that is able to edit its own code (while operational) and arbitrarily expand its areas of expertise. Or in other words, it is a self-directed expert system capable of choosing the next problem said expert system will attempt to solve. Please note, none of this is meaningfully until said code is consistently superior to humans in its self-chosen fields of interest.

Off Limits
Do Not Enter This Web Page (and/or Rant Entry), as it is closed to the public until further notice.

Your Ad Here
It's hard to both give value and sell advertising at the same time.

It Could Happen
Application of The Rule of Law is both haphazard and intermittent. But does it need to be?

Look! A Book Title!
The Very Exciting Life of Doctor Kumquat and Professor Peachtree

A Yellow Traffic Arrow half covered in snow on a brick pavement walk, I like to think this indicates that the previous writing entries are so good that one should start over and read them again,

Generic
'Rant' is the rant. Same for the (or a) story (the entirety of which being the word 'story'), a novel (which can be summarized and/or repeated by simply listing the word 'novel'), a webpage (yep, that's right, the single word on that webpage is 'webpage', which seeing as how easy this would be, has probably already been done), and so on. As in...

Generic Example
Generic Entry

Just Saying
I spend way (like, way) too much time on my phone.

On the Nature of Compound Interest
If someone had stolen a Hot Wheel (or some other throwaway toy) from you (way back) when you were a child, what would be the fair compensation for such an offence at this point in time? Or better yet, on your Death Bed?

Hard Work
What is it? And can one ever get rich doing it? I don't think so. This writing isn't hard... and I don't even think of it as work, not in any meaningful sense of the word. By the same token, I exercise left and right. But I do not find it difficult or painful to exercise. And in fact, I think of it more along the lines of living an active life. So if I had to work hard to get rich, I would be more than willing to do it... if by hard work we mean an Economically Viable Lifestyle Choice and not some sort of endless drudgery. Of course, we both know that instead of working hard (no matter what that might mean), I'm just going to write another Rant or take the day off to walk around The City. But the question remains. And the reason this Rant Entry exists in the first place is because I took the time out of my endless days off walking around The City to think about just that question. Will mysteries never cease?

The Next Killer App
So it's a Phone App, see, the next killer application. And it's a picture of a car that one downloads onto their phone; and when they need a ride, they hold up their phone with that CAR APP on it. And drivers who see said picture of a car stop and the cost of a ride is negotiated between both the Driver™ and the Rider™ on the spot. The Beta Version will be free to both Drivers™ and Riders™ (subject to terms and legal availability).

We Get To
We can do difficult things. We can do this. Others have. And we can, too.

Getting Old
The more you know, the less you care.

Getting Older, Still
Go ahead. Cut through my lawn. I dare you. I double-dog dare you.

Fuck the Slaves to Fuck the Past
The perpetual payment of salaries through endowments reduces to an economic policy of Modern Day Slavery in the Service of the Past. The solution is to tax capital and make all those stacks of cash disappear. And in this light, hedonism becomes a social good, in that money spent today erodes the institutional power of the past. 'Oh, yeah. I said it. Not only am I a Lazy Bum. But I've, also, managed to find a way of being Holier Than Thou, whilst doing so.'

Trailside, the view of a forest, freshly fallen snow covering the trees, this is from our snowshoeing expedition, which we only really had the one chance for this late in the year, more snow fell earlier, but for some reason, we did not avail ourselves of snowshoeing at that time, I like the way the snow hangs on the branches, its a very peaceful scene, and the softness of the snow belies how cold it was, my feet were cold the entire time

It Made Sense at the Time
AI! A plague upon thee! I++, a new operator, so I?? (well, it could be), which before we use, we will have to import (as, import ??... or if you prefer from insanity import drug_fueled_rant); thereby, causing I?? to mean whatever we want; and thus, adding any desired level of complexity to the program at hand. So, it's a self-referential and self-additive intelligence. Thus, it doesn't matter where we start, as we have the time. The only thing left to decide is whether to use IQ++ or IQ?? as the operator. Well, that and asking ourselves should we, maybe (just maybe), lay off the hot-chocolate this early in the morning.

Read PDFs
Documents written in the Perfect Document Format (PDF's) tend to have a higher level of content, as this is the document format of Raw Contracts, Thesis, Research Papers, Books, Legal Forms, and Government Regulations.

Time Suck Wormhole
The Endless Well of Desire.

If You Can, You Can.
That whole Might/Right dichotomy says it all.

The Cost of Doing Business
The government owns the land. Everyone else simple rents it. This is what Property Tax amounts to.

Land Reform
Citizens self report the value of any property (i.e. land), which they control. This in turn becomes the price at which anyone else can purchase that property and take control of it. Likewise, Property Tax is computed as a straight line percent of this value. And from there, one can do whatever they want with their property with the caveat that if what they do diminishes the value of a neighbor's property, they must compensate that neighbor in full. Don't ask me how you compute that compensation.

A Chronic Lack of Faith
I realize that the main difference between the above and the current is that I assume the above will work (be fair) and that the current does not. Or in other words, the above is Utopian (as opposed to Pragmatic) in its conception.

Universal Public Employment
Is it possible that a Uniform Public Dole is a prerequisite for a working democracy? That only if everyone is sucking on the public tit (at more or less the same rate) can there be any pretence of equality?

Two sets of snowshoeing gear lying next to a bench, poles, and snowshoes, it was an interesting walk, though, the snow wasn't that deep, and walking where another had already stepped might have been technically easier, still, a fun experience, says the man, months later, sweating from the summer heat

A Billionaire and His Books
If I was sickly rich, I'd give away my writing for free (in printed book form and not just on this site, as I do now). Furthermore, I believe this is the wave of the future (or merely how a True Capitalist Society would function). In that, the common man would be paid to read select content. That is to say, the proles (oh, yeah, I might just be referring to you, here) will be paid to preferentially consume certain thought patterns.

The Art of Scalping
As a bit of Street Performance Theater, I like the idea of selling Artistically Forged Tickets for the show.

Homo Sovieticus by Alexander Zinoviev
This was a great novel. I haven't the time to sing its praises more fully, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

On the Demise of Education
As more knowledge is created, the importance of any given field of study is diminished. And as such, there is no longer enough time for a complete Liberal Arts Education.

The Direction of Travel
Gravity originates in The Void (call it the vacuum) and disappears into Mass.

The Life
I dreamt about a burka type knit hat the other night, which just so happened to be burgundy in color. At some level of wealth, I will (or would) employ others to Make Manifest (in Reality) these musings.

I Forget the Question
But Supreme Happiness & Bliss is the only reasonable response.

Might is Right... Well, Money Is
Money is a measure of military might. And your ownership of self-said-same is the aide you might one day expect to receive from the Powers That Be™.

We Can Keep Them in a Park
As a Climate Change Non Denier, I believe that burning fossil fuels is releasing the essence of Creatures Past into the atmosphere. Or if that's not clear, one day The Dinosaurs will rule again!

Still Murky
CO₂ is the breath of life... well, the exhale, anyhow. And as we release more carbon into the atmosphere, the Planet's Biomass will increase... you know, as ever increasing amounts of Slime & Sludge (better known as Algae Blooms), if nothing else.

Could I Not Be Clearer
Global Warming will not kill the planet. But it sure will look different in a few (say hundred) years. Just ask The Dinosaurs!

A self portrait of Brett Paufler, in the snow, that streak in front is a drab of snow coming down, eye glasses are drippig with melted snow, and the army jacket is covered in the stuff, it did not snow as much, as continually, as I would have liked or expected, but we got a few good storms, I wear a Boy Scout pin on my lapel, something I bought, and though I was a Boy Scout for some time, I have no idea if I ever earned that pin or its just an Im a Boy Scout pin, either way, I like wearing it

Looking to the side, I wear a hand knit wool hat, black hoodie, army jacket of unknown vintage or authenticity, fleece pull, who knows what else under that, wet glasses, unkept beard that I trim once a week wether it needs it or not, gloves that are not really good enough, boots that my feet get cold in and nice modern cargo pants, call them utility pants at this point, with long underwear, not being zipped up all the way, and you know, melted snow, I was far from cold, though the toes could have been frozen through

Monkey Shines
I propose to run your guerilla marketing campaign by refusing to run a guerilla marketing campaign; and therefore market authenticity as an end in itself.

Step Right Up
I like the idea of a Street Hawker introducing the chapters to a book, you know, as a bit of madcap literary fun.

Because It Ain't So Common
Why does commerce so often beat common sense?

The Tap Water Marketing Campaign
'I like tap water! I drink it whenever I'm thirsty!'
Or better yet, 'After switching to water, I saved $X, last year alone!'
'Water! It's my goto drink!'

At the Poetry Reading
Silence. To spend eight minutes in silence. Right now, I don't want any more.

My Kind of Town
I'm back! But for how long?

Bizarrely Bad Modern Dance
I'd rather watch the sunset.

Now Here's an Idea
We (as a society) should name roads and bridges after concepts like Honor & Duty... instead of for people who (by and large) had none.

Eye on the Prize
Money is what people believe it is worth. The freeborn slave their lives away in an effort to be free. But free of what? Worry? Pain? Death? It doesn't work that way.

This is where the ordering of the images becomes important, this is after the two major snow storms, the one that left a foot, melted, the next left six inches or so, melted, and here we are with a fresh dusting, and me walking about, taking in the last snow

It's My Idea
Chili filled nacho cones with cheese and onions, coming to a Street Faire near you... just as soon as someone else makes it a reality.

The Disposable Society
Maybe it's always been. Food has. And let's face it, the world does change (time moving on as it does) moment to moment.

Photograph
Do we all realize that most (many, all) Phone Apps are little more than websites, which could easily be replaced by a bookmark, cookie, and/or a bit of saved content in the browsing history folder? And having gone that far, how many of those could be replaced by a simple photograph, sound recording, or other static media?

The Exercise App
It's just a recording, counting it off... not even a Jazz-Her-Size video.

The Easy Way
I don't want to find a way to earn (or make) a fortune, as no one can earn (or even make with their own hands) a fortune. Capiche?

Being Free to Watch
There is a certain power that goes along with anonymous observation, but only if the observer remains unobserved.

Honour
Can a man (or woman) who salutes another have honour?

Candied Beef Jerky
Crunchy sweet-meats has potential. 'Try our JuJu flavour, today!'

Vetoed By the Girlfriend
Maybe I should start making ridiculous How To Fliers, the first could be How to Bury a Body in Your Backyard Without Getting Caught. Yeah, I should probably delete that... but I won't.

A train coming in with snow in its grill, likely a commuter special, coming in from the city, they had to redo this interesction for the tracks come spring, water got through and expanded under the tracks as it froze, or something, I do not know, but they replaced all of the roadway with prefab pieces of concrete made special for the job to fit between the tracks

On Government Grants
There exists a fine line between advancing The Knowledge of Man and the knowledge of one lone man.

Questions Without Answers
What is Art? Pi? Math? Religion? Love? Money? Honor?

Artha
An Indian concept (or so I am told) that refers to money, power, and the social control others.

Dharma
An Indian concept (or so I am told) that refers to honor, responsibility to the self and others, the absence of vice, clean living, the control of self, and obligation to others.

Kama
An Indian concept (or so I am told) that refers to hedonistic pleasure of the body, mind, heart, and soul.

It Forms a Triangle
The one leads to the other wherever one starts.

It's Never Enough
What Did I Do Today?

The Perfect Patron Protocol
It's a Point of Pride!

Stranger than Fiction
He has led an interesting life; so interesting, it's hard to believe it's all true...

Just Some Notes
The balsamic and salt beef jerky was much better (than the garlic spiced version). And if freezing, there is less of a reason to cook so thoroughly.

Tennis courts covered in snow, a rather forlorn view, through the fence, at the courts and playground and park beyond, a nice artsy shot, and now, the park is full... or fuller, the weather having turned nice, going to hit ninety later this week, they say