In Plain Sight » Culture

Happy Thanksgiving 2011

Shawn — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 06:40:00 +0000

Sorry, no turkey pictures this year. Instead, I thought I’d present you with Abraham Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamation.

Fortune is Fickle

Shawn — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 05:40:15 +0000

I want you to sit back and imagine.

Imagine a man who is at the pinnacle of his profession; he has no equal. He holds the Division I records for wins (409), bowl appearances (37), and bowl wins (24).

He has worked to shape young men for 66 years, two or three generations.

He instituted a paradigm shift in the way many thought about how college football was played out east. The Nittany Lions fought their way to perennial contender status in the 80s, winning two national championships in that decade.

Five-time Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year. Three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year. Imagine that.

Now it’s all gone. The Penn State Board of Trustees has relieved Joe Paterno and university president Graham Spanier of their duties, and rightfully so. They failed to make the right decision at a key moment and they failed to prevent untold psychological damage to a number of children.

Imagine the magnitude of this fallout. Watergate comes to mind as something that comes close, but I wasn’t alive for that, so I can’t be certain.

They say that no crisis should go unwasted and it’s true in this case. It’s an example of what happens when you trade integrity for comfort and prestige. We should teach our young ones to do the right thing even if it’s not popular or even if they risk losing a lot.

And if you’re so inclined, pray for the victims.

Danny Macaskill – Industrial Revolutions

Shawn — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 23:36:50 +0000

It’s not so much the tricks that I like, but the underlying motif.

The Future of Storytelling

Shawn — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 03:32:41 +0000

I’d wager that the next George Lucas won’t be a filmmaker. He, or she, will be a game designer.

Thoughts?

Still Alive, Still Here

Shawn — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 03:35:35 +0000

It’s been a busy one lately. But here’s something to tide you over. I found them on Spotify. I’d like to send each and every one of you an invite, but I don’t think I can now. Sorry.

And When I’m On a Market…

Shawn — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 05:26:28 +0000

…words move faster…

New Order – True Faith

Shawn — Mon, 16 May 2011 04:53:31 +0000

Still one of the coolest videos ever produced…

New Symphony X Track…

Shawn — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 03:28:03 +0000

…is here. At this blog. For your listening pleasure

Symphony X – The End of Innocence by jax-vh

Iconoclast, the new album, comes out June 21st in North America.

Silversun Pickups – Panic Switch

Shawn — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 21:38:08 +0000

KXT played this tune the other day and I haven’t been able to stop listening yet.

The Backwater Gospel

Shawn — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 05:37:15 +0000

The link below points to a film by some bachelor of arts students enrolled at the Animation Workshop, located in lovely Denmark. The film was influenced by the work of Those Poor Bastards and features music (and voice acting) by Sons of Perdition. They’re not well-known musical acts, but I came across both of them while exploring the darker side of country music.

If your children are the sort that enjoy cussing and blood, they’ll enjoy this. :)

The Backwater Gospel

Note: Sorry, Vimeo won’t let me embed this here. Trust me, the link is worth a visit.