06 September 2008

word clouds

here's something fun: word clouds for the Obama and McCain nomination speeches. Click the word clouds to see a larger version.

first, Obama's speech:


now, McCain's speech:


and just for shits and giggles, here's the word cloud from that nutcase Giuliani's speech from the RNC:


i doctored Giuliani's speech a little, as you probably guessed. i removed some 9-11 references to help the shape of the word cloud. ;)

check out wordle to create your own. it's fun and there are a variety of fonts, themes and such to use.
here are two i made for the GPP:



share this

this needs to be shared.
the republican spin machine is in full force and the fucking liars, crooks, general miscreants and douchebags are at it again.
but, leave it up to Mr. John Stewart to call them on it.



assholes.
oh, and Rove...Wasilla is the 5th largest city in Alaska, not the 2nd. Douche!
and does anyone else want to punch pinhead William O'Reilly in the mouth? fucking waste. makes the irish look bad.

04 September 2008

football, poetry and politics

god damn, it's great college football season is back. GO GATORS!

i've received, and returned, the proof of my latest chapbook, [untitled], to be released by Propaganda Press very shortly. i'm very proud of this book and excited for it's release. i'll post the pertinent information here when it's released.

apparently, and this is brand new information, John McCain was a prisoner of war. did anyone else know this?
man, it might be smart for him to start using that in his campaign; like whenever he can: as excuses for his many mistakes and gaffes, as rebuttals to any questions on his ineffectual and outdated policies, as filler during speeches, as proof he's able to lead this country into war.

21 August 2008

new books

the last post mentioned a potential chapbook to come out very soon. well, it has been confirmed. 34 poems, titled [untitled] and will be released by Alternating Current anon. price to be determined.
the Pocket Protector mini-chapbook with them will be out later, December, and will be titled Nowhere, Utah. it'll sell for $3 and is available for pre-order at the above website.
i'll update when they get released.

also, leah angstman, the publisher behind Alternating Currents, has posted a poem titled on poet justin.barrett on her blog. it's flattering having another poet write a poem inspired by reading your work. thanks, leah. :)

NOTE: see the comments section of the August 10th post (Poetry Stuff) below for more information regarding ordering, the Pocket Protector mini-chapbook series, and other stuff by leah and Alternating Current!

17 August 2008

real quick

have two new poems up for your viewing pleasure (or displeasure) at His Cock Is Money. there are a variety of styles present in this newly released blog/journal.

there is also some news i will be reporting soon about some new chapbooks to be released by yours truly, probably next month or so. definitely one, but possibly more in the future.

also, don't forget to order your copies of the fantastic broadsides from Ten Point Press. they will be releasing VERY SOON and you WILL be stunned by their beauty. STUNNED!

and, i've not mentioned it in a long while, but the Guerilla Poetics Project is still going strong and we're over 400 logged and registered finds. check it out! all the hip kids are members. don't be the last person on your block to join...

10 August 2008

poetry stuff

the second issue of nibble arrived yesterday, and it's every bit as good as the first. great poetry by christopher cunningham, Father Luke, Richard Krech, Christopher Robin, yours truly and many more. great stuff.

i also was recently invited to submit work for a chapbook in Alternating Current' chapbook series title Pocket Protectors. It's a very small chapbook of poems. i've submitted my stuff and will update here when i find out when it'll be published, and how to obtain a copy.

07 August 2008

fingers crossed: why i hope we don't find life on Mars

humans have sent many probes towards Mars, some succeeding, some not. the main reason for most of these missions, at least of late, is to find life on Mars, or the evidence that life once existed there. other reasons include looking for water, in the form of ice, and to see if it really is feasible for humans to one day inhabit it.

though the discovery of life on Mars, or the evidence that life once existed on Mars, would be heralded in the newspapers and by most scientists, it could very well be a death knell for humankind (and is certainly something i hope never happens). why?

the Great Filter is why.

10 years ago, Robin Hanson wrote a very compelling article titled, The Great Filter -- Are We Almost Past It?, we he theorizes that life continues, evolutionarily, to fill each ecological niche, and with consciousness and technological advances, humans have done the same. the ultimate end being extra-terrestrial colonization. however, if this colonization is the result of life, and life is so abundant in our universe (as it is typically hypothesized to be), then where are they?
this Great Silence must be explained. one explanation is something called the Great Filter: either one or many very improbable steps that the evolutionary path must take to go from the building blocks of life to colonization.

the crux of the issue is this: if we find NO life anywhere else, it's likely that we've already made it through the Great Filter, having been VERY lucky and fortunate to have done so (obviously). but, BUT, if we do find life elsewhere, no matter how simple, and if we don't encounter any other sentient beings who've colonized other planets, then it's likely we've yet to reach the Great Filter.

it's a very sobering read.
two other articles about the same thing are here and here. (NOTE: the last one is a pdf of Nick Bostrom's great article that appeared in the MIT Technology Review.)

so, here's to hoping Spirit, Opportunity and Phoenix find nothing more than ice, iron oxide dust and basaltic rock.

28 July 2008

a shameless plug

in the last post i mentioned 10pt Press and their first 5 broadsides, of which i am proud and honored to be one.
the broadside of my poem (Marriage, as Still Life) is designed and ready to be printed (and it's shit hot!) for an August/September release. Sean Lynch of 10pt Press is taking pre-shipment orders already, and for $5 a broadside (one that is beautiful enough to be framed and hung on your wall, even in your living room where it will look totally awesome), it's a steal. so, please, if you're into my stuff, and you want to own a geniune art object, head over to the website, check out the teaser previews (which show a small part of just how amazing these fuckers are going to look), and send Mr. Lynch an email reserving a copy for yourself. There are only 50 being printed, so they won't be around for too long.

and, while you're at it, reserve a copy of the other 4 (by Tony O'Neill, Christopher Cunningham, Hosho McCreesh, and Brian McGettrick), they promise to be just as scintillating and just as gorgeous. my order for one of each is already in.

/end plug

23 July 2008

blinkers and motorcycles and bicycles, oh my (oh, and a poetry update)

i can't believe i didn't discuss this in my previous driving rants, but what the fuck is up with people not knowing how to use a blinker? or even what their purpose is? blinkers (or directionals, for you Europeans among us) are not an afterthought clicked on as you're making your turn, or a compulsory movement you make while you're already in your turning lane.
blinkers are to warn other people what you are about to do, so they don't suddenly ram you with their car. far too many people use blinkers as if they facilitate the turn or something. if you're already in the fucking turning lane, what's the point? put it on before you brake and get into the turning lane.
seriously, people who misuse blinkers piss me off more than those who don't use them at all. if you're willing to use the damn thing, use it properly for christ's sake!

motorcycles. have you suddenly noticed more motorcycles out on the road recently. well, apparently these things get better mileage, which means this sudden increase is a direct result of the rising gas prices. that wouldn't be so bad except controlling a motorcycle isn't easy, and isn't for everyone. with all these morons trading in their Hummers and F-150s for Harleys, without really knowing how to drive the fucking thing, we know have an interstate full of halfwit motorcycle riders (most without helmets, as that's only an optional accessory here in Utah). they're making it even more dangerous to drive on the highways, which is pretty fucking amazing.

well, what can i possibly have against bicycles? nothing, really, except there're more of those, too. and there's a small segment of bicycle riders (i.e. the director of HR for my company...ahem) who REFUSE to use the goddamn bike lane made specifically for them and ride on the edge of the car lane. what the fuck? one of these days: oops, the sun was in my eyes and my side view mirror just caught him. what, i was doing 80 in a 20? and witnesses say i swerved towards him? i don't know about all that, officer, but he was in my lane...
get over into your little, fucking lane, okay guy? christ! i'm bigger than you and the goofy fucking helmet isn't going to save your ass. (seriously, i have nothing against bikes and i'd ride to work if i didn't live so far from work, it's just some people ruin all the fun for everyone else).

poetry updates:
received good news from Jeff Fleming of nibble that two poems have been accepted for future issues. one for issue #2 and one for issue #3. hot damn. glad as hell to be in future issues of this promising new journal.

i also have been selected as one of 5 poets to be included amongst the inaugural releases of the new 10pt Press, out of Ireland. they will be broadsides designed by the ultra-talented Sean Lynch. the other 4 poets are Brian McGettrick, Hosho McCreesh, Christopher Cunningham and Tony O'Neill. a small glimpse of the O'Neill and McCreesh broadsides are available on the website, and i've seen the first draft of mine. all are AMAZING. words cannot describe the beauty these broadside will display. i'm proud as fuck to be included in this project, and with such amazing poets as Chris, Brian, Hosho and Tony!

UPDATE: Sean has posted a teaser pic of the broadside on the 10pt Press website. check it out. the thing just purrs, my friend. sexy as hell. is Lynch a madman genius? the verdict is still out, but i wouldn't bet against it! i know he's half of that, at least. ;)
i've already reserved a copy of all the other broadsides, and i recommend you do the same as these things aren't going to be available for too long. with an Aug/Sept release for them, and only 50 copies printed, most might be sold before they even ship!

16 July 2008

some litrachure stuff

it's been a long while since i've updated this thing with anything literary.
well, here goes.

the inaugural issue of nibble arrive in my mailbox today, and it's a fabulous little journal. nibble, published by Jeff Fleming (of CannedPhlegm and Cranial Tempest of yore) out of Oakland, is a journal of short poems. i'm a huge fan and big proponent of the short poem, so this journal was right up my alley. many great poems lie between the pages of this magazine, including one by yours truly. :) pick up an issue or, better yet, support them with a subscription.

and that's it.
oh wait, i have a submission out to Nerve Cowboy, but that's about all. it goes slow here.

i picked up a new typewriter as my other two were shot and repairing them ain't cheap. so, i bought a new one (and by "new" i mean i bought in on eBay and it's new to me). it works great and hopefully will for a long while. maybe this will spark a new era in my writing: one in which i actually write. i'll call it my productive period.

what else?
i just finished A Million Little Pieces by James Frey. my wife read it years ago and said i would like it. i put in on my pile and finally got to it. good book. i understand he made up some shit, some of which were important plot points, but fuck it. yeah, so what, it's an alleged "memoir" but fuck it. we all make shit up, and we have since writing began. do we truly believe Herodotus's history of the ancient land? so, he embellished. fuck it. whatever. it's an entertaining read. the thing that got to me more than the fabrications were the odd stylistic choices in his writing: the strange, misplaced "whoms"...the random capitalizations...the run-on sentences, the need to detail every part of the action (he opened the car door and took out his keys and sat down on the seat and inserted the key and started the car and depressed the accelerator and drove off), and the lack of quotations for speech. all that shit pissed me off more than the outright lies. you had to know reading it that this shit was false, right?

anyhow. whatever. good book. next up: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. another book my wife recommended. hmmm...

09 July 2008

driving redux, and a bit about science

it appears my driving post from a little bit ago did no good at all. it's as if very few people actually read my blog. that can't be.

well, regardless, people are still driving as retarded as ever. and with the increase in gas prices, we've got morons accelerating slower when a red light turns green, or on an interstate on-ramp, or refusing to get anywhere near speed limit (all in the hopes of squeezing a few more miles per gallon out of their Hummers or Suburbans).

i know it'll never change, but it still pisses me off having to negotiate around these dipshits every day.


science.

as most of you know, i work as a scientist. my official title is Scientist III. i studied science in college and have a fairly firm grasp on the scientific method and what it entails. what gets me is how little science is thought of in the general public, to non-scientists (especially politicians). i don't understand this, but it definitely exists. and, i'm not talking about those moonbat creationists who refuse to believe in the soundness of evolutionary biology. i'm talking about the everyday people who work as accountants and waitresses and bus drivers.

i get the sense that most people think science is little changed from early Greek society, when it was in the realm of philosophy, to be debated and argued and discussed; each person with a different "scientific" view of the world. trust me, it's not. nor are we in our basements trying to conjure the final alchemical formula to change lead into gold (or at least we only do that during our spare time).

science is a strict discipline of measuring, formulating, observing, theorizing, gathering more data, fine tuning theories and always (ALWAYS) updating current thought to whatever data we currently have. Newton was right until Einstein came along. it doesn't make Newton wrong, just less precise. Linneaus was all we had until Darwin. and current science builds on the previous work of scientists who've come before us.

so, what does all this mean? it means science is the best "guess" (and by guess i mean best theory based on facts as we know them now) as to how the world works; be it evolution, global warming, quantum physics or the theory of plate tectonics. there might be a discovery later that changes our current thoughts, but it WILL be fact-based.

ignoring science because it seems a little weird (quantum physics) or doesn't jive with your current (religious) world view (evolution) or is politically charged (global warming) is foolish. you do so at your own risk (and in some cases, at the risk of everyone you love). pretty much every major advancement we have seen as a species could be attributed directly to science.

we do i rant about this? i'm just sick and tired of hearing politicians and religious leaders and, well, damn near everyone else bemoan the evil that is science. without science, we wouldn't have tvs, refrigerators, cars, or airplanes. without science, we'd still die from simple bacterial infections and would have a life expectancy somewhere around 40. without science, we would still be worshipping gods and revere men who wear funny hats (oh, wait...). without science, we would still be in the Dark Ages. some people find that comforting, i find it frightening.

thanks, science; we love you!

24 June 2008

my results

well, folks, the results are in:
my boys are all swimmers.

the doc says i'm normal in pretty much all categories, except one: motility.
which means they work fine, they're just a touch on the lazy side.
go figure.
the nut doesn't fall too far from the tree, i suppose.

next, they'll tell me my sperm likes to play video games, enjoys sipping on Beamish Stout, and can often be found lying on the couch doing absolutely nothing.
which, now that i think about it, would be weird. what would a couch be doing in my scrotum? and wouldn't i have noticed it down there?

anyway, good to know that i'm not sterile. banner day in the .barrett household, let me tell you!

23 June 2008

rip...

May 12 1937 - June 22 2008

18 June 2008

what i've been up to

some of you might be wondering what exactly i've been up to during my hiatus. instead of regaling you with my tales of winning multiple Olympic medals and two Nobel prizes, not to mention the numerous humanitarian awards and the Congressional Medal of Honor; instead of all of that, i will just humbly say: nothing. No, instead of tooting my own horn (which you know, from the last post, i'm quite good at) by telling you about the six Pulitzer Prize-winning novels i wrote, or the countless women and children i saved from sure death with bravery and cunning, or about the time i invented a fighter plane, test flew it, armed it, flew a one-man sortee culminating in 65 confirmed air-to-air kills; instead of all of that, suffice it to say that i didn't do very much of anything.

i relaxed. got to know myself a little better (again, see the previous post) and arrived at a point on my journey where i can finally do what i've always loved doing: eating endless bowls of Cap'n Crunch...oh, and writing poetry.

one day, perhaps, i'll spin my grandiose tales for all of your amusement. maybe one day.

12 June 2008

today

i masturbated in a public toilet today. and i left my semen on the counter.
oh wait, i should probably preface that by saying that the wife and i are attempting to conceive and are experiencing a little bit of difficulty in doing so. therefore, we both need to be examined to ensure we both are viable and fertile.
so, at lunch today, i headed over to the hospital where i was unceremoniously shuffled into a bathroom and given a specimen cup. the nurse, or whoever she was, told me to leave the cup on the counter when i was done.

i had the option of doing it at home and transporting the...ahem...product to the hospital, but we live about an hour from it and i would need to get it there in an hour and a half. that seemed too close to me, so i chose the second option: making a deposit at the hospital.

let me tell you, guys (and girls, i suppose), there is something really unnerving about being led into a bathroom (by a woman no less) to perform something as intimate as that, with everyone else out there knowing what you're doing. and as unnerving as walking into the bathroom is, walking out is even worse; your face flush with blood, your forehead sweating, your pants oddly bulged...never mind.

i’d been practicing for this moment for many years, so it didn’t take me long; but then, i suddenly got nervous that the speed at which i was able to produce a sample would be noticed by the nurse and the receptionists and the other patients in the waiting room, so i waited. i washed my hands.
three times.
i waited, until enough time passed that it would seem like i’m capable of sustained excitement. i left the bathroom and told the nurse on my way out that the sample was on the counter.

when i got back to work, i felt fabulous: relaxed, vigorous, focused. i noticed a veritable bounce to my step. i bounded up the stairs, taking two at a time. i pinged around the hallways like a plebe cadet. if only i’d known that a lunchtime discharge would produce such a feeling of bliss and tranquility i would’ve jerked off in the bathroom at lunch every day.

if it sounds like i'm oddly proud of the fact that i masturbated in a public toilet and left my semen on the counter, i am. well, maybe not proud so much as strangely not embarrassed.
anymore.
now that it's over.

UPDATE: when i got home i told my wife about what i went through. she said she was proud of me for doing it, and in a bathroom. so, i guess my pride isn't all that strange. or maybe we're both weirdoes, i don't know.
she also said it sounded kinda odd that i had to do this in the bathroom. it was definitely a semen analysis, but i suddenly got scared that maybe they only needed a urine sample. for christ's sake, i said, i left that poor nurse a sample of semen and all she watned was some pee. she was probably wondering what took me so long (well...) and what all those noises in there were. i'm fairly certain i did everything right, but my wife has given me a fright by suggesting it.

it is rather strange, though, that i had to do this in a bathroom. i always thought it would be some kind of room, with videos or magazines (for stimulation). certainly i'd hoped it wasn't covered in shag with stained couches and recliners -- stainless steel to facilitate a complete hosing down would be best -- but, never in my wildest dreams did i imagine it would be a bathroom.
and, the least the nurse could've done was give me a hand (thank you thank you. remember to tip your waitress...).
but, nope. all i got was a specimen cup, a sterile bathroom and my imagination.
i suppose it's good thing it turns out i'm a pervert.


06 June 2008

burning bridges

i've been giving this a lot of thought lately (no reason really...i swear). my parents always told me to never burn bridges if i were to ever leave a job; no matter what the circumstances, no matter how much i'd want to. their rationale was that you never know when you might need that person's help in the future, or when your paths might cross again.

it's a good thought, in theory, but i say FUCK THAT. arson is fun.

here's why i think burning bridges is not only acceptable, but often your only option:
1) it can actually lead to some change for those coworkers you are leaving behind whom you like. i've seen, on more than one occasion, where comments made during an exit interview sparked some change in the management. it's not common, but it does happen.
2) it makes you feel better. maybe not the best reason, but it's true.
3) it's always best to be truthful. what does sugar-coating your feelings accomplish? your boss is a douchebag. he's a perfectionist, a nano-manager and ill-suited to communicating effectively to cats, never mind other humans. let it be known, people. plus, if you were to ever find yourself on a bridge that leads in his direction you'll wish it were burned. so burn that motherfucker down.

this really has nothing to do with anything topical or pertinent to being a poet, but it's been on my mind lately. exit interviews are ridiculous, anyway. but, if you truly want to accomplish something, spew away. denigrate everyone you feel deserves it. let them sort through the ashes for whatever remains. fuck it, you've got a new job with a whole new set of assholes to deal with.

04 June 2008

driving

i want to take some time to discuss driving. we all do it, and we all hate it. or, at least i do. why do i hate driving so much? it's because of dipshits like you (well, actually i hope you guys aren't the dipshits out there, but maybe you are). i drive over 50 miles a day to commute to my ever-loving job, half of it highway and half of it residential; and it never fails that i will encounter at least one (usually multiple) asshole/idiot/timid driver every single day.

so, what do i see out there? i see people who don't drive with a purpose. driving without purpose is far and away my worst pet peeve. if you don't know where you're going, and you don't know how to get there, and you don't know when you're expected to be there, then do not get in your car and start driving around. if you do have places to be, then fucking go there already. driving without purpose and on a cell phone is liable to get you killed (and not necessarily by an accident, unless me ramming my arm down your throat and pulling out your spine can be considered an accident).

i also notice a shit-ton of people who brake inappropriately (which might not be a big deal when going 20mph, but is a big fucking deal when going 75 on an interstate), who are too timid to make the lane change ("i see someone in my side-view mirrors, oh god...he's nearly 4 miles close to me...what do i dooooo?"), who are too preoccupied with their breakfasts or phone conversations or whatever the fuck else they are doing to realize i'm on their ass in the left lane and flashing my lights for them to move the hell over.

things to watch out for:
1) cars with temporary tags. they are new cars, or at least new to the driver. the driver is either still figuring out the car, or not willing to drive it properly lest they scratch their precious vehicle. be aware of these folks, and prepare for sudden, inexplicable braking as they learn the intracacies of their brakes.

2) Kias, Daewoos, Suzukis. i have no idea why these cars have drivers who have no idea what they hell they are doing, but it seems to be true. now, i know i'm generalizing here. hell, i drive a Saturn and Saturns could easily be lumped in there as well. anyway, invariably, whenever i'm behind a Kia i get caught up in some kind of morass of idiocy as the driver attempts to make an exit on the Interstate, from the left lane, at 35mph or some other such dumbfuckery. the new breed of tiny car is also a part of this, as are the hybrids. (Yaris, Scion, Matrix, Prius, etc.). i have no idea why this is so, but maybe morons are just attracted to this sort of car. i don't know.

3) BMWs. just watch out. trust me.

okay, i'm done with my rant. i apologize if i offended you. if i did, it’s about time you learn how to fucking drive. if i didn't, you probably deal with this crap every day, too, and nodded along.

go ahead and leave a comment of your driving pet peeves. i’m sure there are many. hell, maybe i’m the kind of driver that pisses you off. maybe you can’t stand those drivers who know where they’re going, how to get there and when they need to be there. if so, tough shit.

watch where you’re going folks, follow the flow of traffic and don’t drive distracted. and always be sure to have a purpose for getting behind the wheel.
be safe.

02 June 2008

is there anybody out there?

doubtful.
there were very few out there when i wrote this damned thing full time. but, maybe...just maybe...there are some scragglers who check this thing in the hopes that i'll come back. today is your lucky day, you sick puppies (just as today is a shitty day for all editors...you thought you were rid of me. well, think again douchebags!) -- seems i'm back.

of course, my mother is probably the only one who checks this thing anymore. so, HI MOM! love you.

so, what brought about this ignominious return?
well, my good friend Hosho McCreesh informed me, a week ago, that it had been a full year since i hung up my spurs for the soft days of margaritas and 'smores. i hadn't realized. seems like it's been both longer and shorter than that. either way, a year is a long time and i've used it to recharge, to think, to learn, to read all the shit being published out there by all those poemwhore hacks and i realized i needed to rejoin the fray. a sort of attempt to clean up this mess.
just kidding. sorta. but not really.

anyway, lots of shit has happened in the intervening year. maybe i'll get to it in future posts. maybe not. i'm sure i'll hit some of it (like my many trips to Luxembourg and Tangiers and Laos, all the bands i hung out with while they were on tour, all the novels i wrote and won Pulitzers and Nobels for, all the concept cars i helped design and got to drive...maybe i'll get to all that if i have time and run out of interesting stuff to talk about).

what's that? i've dodged the question long enough, you say?
well, the answer is yes. i'm writing again, though haltingly and sparingly, but that's okay. i've become the Stuart Smalley of the small press world. (you remember him, right? i'm good enough, i'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.) only my mantra is: i'm sick, i'm tired and doggone it, shut the fuck up because i just don't have the time for your incessant whining you fucking, little pansy! oh, and you smell.
i've also decided to give myself a break, and vowed to not put so much pressure on myself to create. i'd lost the enjoyment of writing poetry and when that happened it was only a matter of time before i quit. i'm looking to rediscover that enjoyment again. so far, so good.

work sucks. thought i'd throw that in there. hate it. wish it didn't exist. hate most of the fools there. Utah is a spectacular place, but it sure does breed it's fair (or more than fair) share of weird, foolish, socially-inept people. happens to be that a majority of them work at my company. lucky me.

what else? not much. just glad to be back. and hope to slowly get back into the scene. hope you saved a spot for me.

26 May 2007

22 May 2007

i have no idea why

puzzle but not guzzle

tickle but not pickle

conquistador but not amarillo

tintinnabulation
and susurrus but not cacophony or din

go figure.