2013 is going to be okay after all...

Took awhile for it to finally get here, but totally worth the wait.

NIC: Global Trends 2030

Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds

Drone Flights Within the U.S.

From the EFF: an interesting read on Drone Flights Within the United States.

A Few Ideas on the Fiscal Cliff

I'm no professor of economics, but these ideas all sound reasonable to me.  

 

Of course I'm not rich and have been unemployed for two years after being laid off due to corporate downsizing and just lost those unemployment benefits due to federal cuts and I have no health insurance and recently just barely got over bronchitis without dying and I have a pre-existing condition that most insurance companies will penalize me for having if I could afford their policies at all.  Okay so I might be a little biased towards these ideas or maybe I'm just feeling a little entitled to staying alive and healthy.  

 

I wish that the politicians who make these decisions could have just one day like I've had over the past three weeks.  Just one day.  I spent a full week running around basically begging for some discount health organization to help me with my bronchitis as it got worse and worse.  I was turned away or told I'd be called back in a week or told I was ineligible because of the amount of money that the people who took me in make.  I have no source of income and would be on the street if these guys hadn't helped me out, but I can't get help with healthcare because apparently their income is my income.  If I were homeless I could get all the healthcare I needed.

 

I went crazy for a few days because of this bullshit.  Thank god the ER treated me.  I wouldn't be here otherwise.  I've got it easy.  There are others who are much worse off than I am.  I wish rich people knew what it was like to beg and struggle against impossible rules and to have to fight for your basic needs.  I wish they knew because maybe just maybe they'd stop being such greedy selfish assholes for five minutes and have a little mercy on the rest of us.

Mercury Retrograde Ego Deconstruction

I've been experiencing what feels like an accelerated initiation cycle since the beginning of November involving dramatic disruptions in my health condition, my communications, my ability to travel, and my ability to provide for myself.  It has felt pretty much like I've got a huge target on my forehead.

I'm chalking all the ultra disruption up to the heavy duty Mercury retrograde in Scorpio / Sagittarius during November with lots of heavy hitters (Saturn, Pluto, Mars, and the North Node) joining in either my sign, Capricorn, or in Scorpio.  Toss in two eclipses for good measure and you have what has turned out to be the worst Mercury retrograde I've ever experienced.

Regardless, this transition has literally kicked my butt.  I got physically ill with the flu the week that Mercury turned retrograde and all the hotspots of his retrograde passage have corresponded with a downturn in my life.  I had the flu turn into acute bronchitis, my sim card in my phone died, my truck has a cracked head gasket, and my unemployment benefits ended.  Not. My. Month.

I'm only just now beginning to process all the disruptions of the past month.  I'm okay managing them as long as I feel like I can get with the flow of the energies.  This one has had me on the ropes for over a month...on the ropes, over a barrel, and with multiple guns to my head.  There has been no safe harbor.  It wasn't until yesterday that a glimmer of hope appeared.  I realized that this whole process has felt like a deconstruction of my ego.  I know that doesn't sound like a glimmer of hope, but sometimes understanding is the greatest tool when the universe decides to shake up my ant farm.

I'm a big fan of the control of my life being in my hands and this entire set of energetics has taken that control from me at every turn.  I'm still struggling with it even now, but at least I have a better understanding.  Letting go of what I see as essentially my right as a conscious entity, to be in control of my life, is kind of difficult.  However, the universe will not be denied, so I can give it up willingly or continue fighting until I'm exhausted.  Either way the universe wins...and I'm feeling pretty darned exhausted right now.

I really don't know how all this is going to turn out, because giving up my control is perhaps my core issue.  After the crappy two years I've had of Saturn in Libra I'm really not looking forward to his journey through Scorpio.  Especially if this past month has been any indication of what I have to look forward to.  I'm trying hard to keep my chin up, but I'm really tired of getting the cosmic beat down.  We'll see what this coming week holds.  Mercury is going to be passing over the North node again on Friday and setting off all these energies once more.  I hope I can survive it.

Origins and Futures with Steve Judd

Check out his website for personal readings and excellent horoscopes.

MUST WATCH 9/11:Loose Change

I lost my original link for this one.  I'm very grateful to the stranger who directed me back to this video. 

MUST WATCH Psywar: The Real Battlefield is in the Mind

We live in a scary world.

MUST WATCH: George Orwell Rolls in his Grave

Something everyone needs to see.

Protect the internet from the ITU

We Are Change: Olive Stone on Obama and 9/11 Truth

These guys are fighting the good fight.  Check 'em out!

We Are Change: Oliver Stone - Who Caused the Most Suffering in American History?

These guys are fighting the good fight.  Check 'em out!

The Wilderness

Found this on Blog of the Living Dead.  It's a fascinating watch.  Although their fund drive seems to be over, check out these indie filmmakers at 12movies12minutes and indiegogo.

Some ideas on Religion from Steve Judd

Check out Steve's Website for excellent horoscopes and personal readings.

We Are Change: Former Senator on NDAA and Drone Strike

The guys do good work.  Check them out at wearechange.org

Some Political Ideas from Steve Judd

Check out Steve's Website for excellent horoscopes and personal readings.

Some Economic Ideas from Steve Judd

Check out Steve's Website for excellent horoscopes and personal readings.

Some Environmental Ideas from Steve Judd

Check out Steve's Website for excellent horoscopes and personal readings.  The man knows his stuff.  :-)

Julian Assange and Bradley Manning Update

The Holy Land 5

Ten Strikes Attack on Internet Freedom

Halloween Animatic

Just in time for the haunted season, here is a Halloween Reboot Animatic from WestLawn Films.  I had a few creepy tingly moments while watching.  Some nice homage to the first two movies here and some good creepy film making in general.  Enjoy and by the way Happy October!

Julian Assange, Enemy of the State?

Read more on Truthdig.com.

New at Zombie Bites: The Featured Creature!

At Zombie Bites this month I've begun a new weekly offering called the Featured Creature.  Each week I will be posting a fresh Creature sketch from my hand drawn sketchbooks.  At the suggestion of one of my readers, I began adding elements in Photoshop.  Developing the images further with Photoshop by adding tones and effects quickly became a staple of the Featured Creatures.  Here are a few of the images I've posted so far.  Drop by and let me know your thoughts!

The Camp and Cult Blogathon

Here is a late posting for the Camp and Cult Blogathon at She Blogged by Night.  There are only a few more days left so please go check out the fun!  My sincerest apologies for the late information.

GRITtv Interview with Chris Hedges, Co-Author of Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt

An interesting interview with Chris Hedges, whose work I was not aware of before now.  Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt at Amazon.

Occupy One Year Later

One Last Try.

EXP3 has become a deadzone.  It has been almost a year since I've posted on this blog.  I would say at this point, my graphic design career is well and truly in the toilet.  I think that might be a message from the universe.  I really don't know anymore.  The only successful jobs in Graphic Design seem to be as a corporate robot and well, that just isn't my bag.  Everything seems to require an endless flow of cash, and of that I've got none.

I'm gonna try again here at EXP3.  We'll see what happens.  I don't know what direction I'm headed in, but I'm gonna slap on a fresh coat of paint here and see if I can catch something on fire.  At this point I'm looking at this just being a crossroads for my other blogs, but something else may come from that.  I've got a few ideas.  We'll see what happens.

Be sure to check out the feeds in the side bar from my three art blogs. I've been very busy with Zombie Bites, Trail of Breadcrumbs, and Wind of the Gods for the past year despite everything that has occurred in my life.  I feel like I've established a good rhythm with those three.  Check them out and let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading and I hope that soon this will become more than just a placeholder.  Wish me luck!