EPISODE 18: The Deep

On this day in whatever year this was, I sweated more buckets than a small village trying to put out a fire...

I painted this at 818 Studios at One Spark one year many moons ago alongside Campbell, OXEGEN, VAN, and a few others. I also remember doing a bunch of characer throwies and scaring a few of the patrons of the show. This was something that couldn't be helped, seeing as they came to see street art and that's exactly what we gave them. You can't see it, but I'm shrugging my shoulders aggressively right now...

...From the Archives!

Blackbook Collab 2000
This was something the homie from Chicago and I did when we were out in the desert in 29 Palms in between two 2 month training operations. That California heat did something to our linework for those 4 months. Yet we left there having listened to so much good West Coast Hip Hop we weren't even mad. Young guns.

I'm just going to get right down to making some folks mad...

From Intellectual Takeout:

THE CASE FOR AI LITERACY IN A SKEPTICAL AGE

"The artificial intelligence debate is immediately polarizing. We’ve all heard our family or friends talk about it. AI is either seen as a boon or met with severe pessimism.

But there’s a middle ground worth considering. This isn’t about championing AI as the solution to all our problems. Rather, it’s about realizing that AI literacy is essential, whether we choose to use these tools or not.

AI literacy isn’t about becoming an expert in machine learning. Unless you work in that field, it won’t do you much good. Instead, it’s about understanding what generative AI systems are, what they can and cannot do, and how they’re likely going to shape our economic landscape in the future."

>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<
I imagine that someone who's vehemently against the implimentation of AI systems, LLM'S, image generators, etc. probably sounds like I used to sound when I outright refused to learn to use Photoshop. Turns out you end up kinda needing it at some point. Being a purist is admirable in many ways, but evolution is inevitable. I truly don't believe that AI can in any way replace traditional art, film, music, or any of various other human made creative endeavors. However it's easier and faster to assemble something with an electric drill than a handheld screwdriver.

For all of us on the dark side in perpetuity, let the madness of 2026 begin...

From Screen Rant:

THIS NEW SERIAL KILLER MOVIE FROM THE WRITER OF SE7EN COULD BE THE NEXT SLEEPER HORROR HIT

PSYCHO KILLER TRAILER

"2025 will stand as a benchmark for horror, as it was loaded with everything from Oscar-caliber box office smash hits to universally-acclaimed independent films. While Sinners and Weapons may be the titles that everyone remembers long-term, smaller-scale hits like Companion, Clown In A Cornfield, and Heart Eyes set the tone before we got into peak spring and summer movie season.

2026 is already off to a strong start as far as critical scores are concerned, as January will see the release of We Bury the Dead, Primate, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, and Sam Raimi's return to horror in Send Help. While Send Help may still fit the bill, none of the January releases has qualified as a major box office success.

That could change in February, as one horror movie on the docket seems poised to be a breakout hit in the way the aforementioned early 2025 releases were. 20th Century Fox is set to debut Psycho Killer on February 20th, which could be the box office sleeper hit that truly kicks off 2026's horror run."

You may recognize the lead, Georgina Campbell from Barbarian, Black Mirror, or that one movie where she's a park ranger in a very disturbing situation that I'm too lazy to look up right now but will probably highlight this text and link it later on. Andrew Kevin Walker wrote this (yep, that Se7en dude) so the twisted factor will be on 10. Not too many film makers can do a serial killer / slasher joint and make you feel like you can't guess what they'll do next or what they're motives are, so buckle up.

Thank you @dandoonah for sending me this!...

This is a snapshot of the state of mind of the majority of America right now. Even though that photo is parody gold and their tweets are off the chain, it says something that a police department has a social media account that clowns that much...

This had me tense the entire trailer and - at first - I kinda failed to understand why...

IRON LUNG TRAILER
...then I read the synopsis...

From Iron Lung:

"Set in a post-apocalyptic future where an event known as "The Quiet Rapture" caused all known stars and habitable planets in the universe to disappear, a convict is sent to search an ocean of blood discovered on a desolate moon, using a small submarine nicknamed the "Iron Lung".

An ocean of blood. The only hope left after The Quiet Rapture. In the rusting halls of crumbling space stations, the last remnants of humanity craft a submarine to explore the bleeding depths… and weld one soul inside to pilot it. But hope in this void is as illusionary as the starlight. This is not an expedition.

It’s an execution."

It's something about the feeling of extreme remote isolation in this description that makes this seem like an interesting story apart from everything that's been released so far. Cosmic Horror works because of the existential dread its narratives usually invoke. To shut the lights out on the entire universe, then somehow come to the conclusion that an ocean of blood has the answers to...look, all I can say is whoever wrote this (Mark Fischbach) pass that, please.

This will forever be etched in my memory as one of the weirdest things I've ever experienced sitting down. Almost up there with Beau Is Afraid...

VIVARIUM TRAILER
From Thrillist:

"This piece contains spoilers for Vivarium.

In Vivarium, a young couple finds themselves drawn into and trapped inside a 21st century suburban nightmare: a neighborhood populated by an endless sprawl of homes of the exact same size and shape, isolated from the world and crushed by the brutal sameness of their surroundings. Unlike your typical 21st century suburban nightmare, the couple also finds themselves enslaved to a race of interdimensional humanoids, forced to nurture one of their kind as it grows, with unnatural swiftness, from infant to adult."

>>> WATCH FULL MOVIE HERE <<<
I went into this blind and not knowing anything about the story it was based on. I honestly didn't expect it to be anyting but an artsy drama, yet it swiftly turned into something strainingly disturbing and a little twisted. The majority of the film has you thinking "W exacty TF is going on right now?", but it definitely pays off. You can relate to the characters frustration and confusion while they endure the surreal events they're suffering and you become emerged in solving the problems they're faced with. I'm glad I stumbled upon this because I'd honestly never heard anything about it.

Speaking of stumbling upon...

LOXY - X OF SWORDS MIX (2020)
You don't just listen to a Loxy mix...you survive it. The breaks, the selection, the mood, the transitions; all of it makes for a head-heavy listening experience. Took me six years to hear it, though.

I was about to do my usual corny outro, but then I saw this...

GHOST TRAIN TRAILER
Sleep tight, and stay up!

LYNX & MAPLE - SHAKU
#toycrusher #taulwatersuniverse #mechdirective #art #artblog #jacksonville #jacksonvilleflorida #jax #jaxart #jaxartist #duvalcounty #duuuval #horror #jacksonvilleart #jaxartblog #intellectualtakeout #ailiteracy #psychokillermovie #andrewkevinwalker #onespark #oxegenmbk #818studios #loxy #metalheadz #ironlung #markfischbach #lynxandmaple #thrillist #vivariummovie #ghosttrain2026

Episode 17: BAD MEN

Hold on, first up we gotta get this out of the way...

This is why you can't believe anything on the internet. You don't just get accused of something like this. You either did it or you didn't...

...From the Archives!

RANDOM DOODLES FROM 2000
I had to skip around with these due to all the nudity (trying to keep this as clean as possible considering who's writing this). One can't help but laugh when seeing things they did a quarter of a century ago. It's like sitting around with a group of old friends and they remind you of some of the cringe things you did in public that are now hilarious. Listen, I don't need other people for that, fam. My brain does that on a regular basis. What I can't get over (or even remember) is why I used the markers and pencils I did. Probably because I didn't know any better, but also probably due to the fact that the "technology" wasn't where it is now. Feast your eyes on those wonky characters, y'all.

There's always something suppressing something in this universe...

From Scientific American:

An artist’s rendition of a precessing jet erupting from the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy VV 340A, based on combined optical, infrared and radio observations. W. M. Keck Observatory / Adam Makarenko

"For decades, astronomers have known that supermassive black holes lurk at the hearts of essentially all large galaxies, occasionally feasting on infalling material and burping out powerful jets. But what’s been less clear is how, exactly, this activity shapes their surrounding galaxies.

Now researchers have found a crucial piece of this galactic puzzle by observing a supermassive black hole shooting out a wobbling jet in the galaxy VV 340A, some 450 million light-years from Earth. The jet acts as a cosmic scale snowplow, pushing away gas that would otherwise fuel the creation of new stars. The result was announced at this year’s winter meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Phoenix, Ariz."

>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<
This is very much an igorant thing to type on a keyboard, but while reading that article I couldn't help but keep thinking "black holes have tentacles" and "the Flying Spaghetti Monster is real". It's nonsense like that rattling around in my head which keeps people like me from being employed in scientific disciplines, no doubt.

It may just be that I'm getting old, but I could've sworn this flick had already been released...

GALE: YELLOW BRICK ROAD TRAILER
I really do believe I've seen this trailer at least over a year ago, but whatever.

The story of The Wizard of OZ already kinda scared me as a kid. Maybe not so much the story in general, but more so the characters (The wicked witch, flying monkeys, the projection of the man behind the curtain, etc). I found it all to be very ominous and offputting (I had no idea what those words meant back then). However, now that there is a sequel being released and it's horror, I may be justified in my youthful terror. I think this is going to be a good one!

Another sad loss for the film and creative industry...

T.K. CARTER PASSES AWAY AT 69 From DEADLINE:

TK Carter attends the Chiller Theatre Expo on Oct. 27, 2018 in Parsippany, New Jersey. Bobby Bank/Getty Images

The actor was found dead on Friday in his Duarte, California home after calling 9-1-1 at 5:42pm, TMZ reported. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed, but foul play is not expected.

Born Dec. 18, 1956 in New York City, Carter grew up outside of Los Angeles, where he began performing as a standup comedian at age 12, going on to perform at the Comedy Store and other notable venues.

T.K. Carter did A LOT of work to entertain us over the span of his life. I mostly remember him from Good Times and 227, but he also had a role in one of my all time favorite horror movies The Thing. A funny and witty entertainer who was prolific and talented, no doubt.

More horror! More horror!...

LILY'S RITUAL TRAILER
I personally wouldn't trust anyone who has a necklace with a razor blade pendant attached to it, but that's just me. This also gives some insight as to what really goes on during those "girls trips" your wife or girlfriend be takin'. If she isn't cheating on you she's doing some weird stuff, no doubt. I'm kidding (kinda), but this one looks disturbing. It's a reminder that no one should be dabbling in any kind of occult activities in their off time. Ever. Definitely another one on the list!

Y'all already know, so this one needs no introduction...

HEREDITARY TRAILER
From A24:

"When Ellen, the matriarch of the Graham family, passes away, her daughter's family begins to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry. The more they discover, the more they find themselves trying to outrun the sinister fate they seem to have inherited. Making his feature debut, writer-director Ari Aster unleashes a nightmare vision of a domestic breakdown that exhibits the craft and precision of a nascent auteur, transforming a familial tragedy into something ominous and deeply disquieting, and pushing the horror movie into chilling new terrain with its shattering portrait of heritage gone to hell."

>>> WATCH THE FULL MOVIE HERE <<<
Now, here's the thing: I'm not an expert at critiquing anything, let alone film, so this is just my opinion. However, I do believe this movie is a double entendre for both the actual storyline and inherited family mental illness. What gives me this idea is the element of none of the characters being in any type of control of the situation, even though they may feel that they are. It's "hereditary" that they've been put there and fighting their way out of it is hopeless and a bit hubristic, but they don't know that.

Many don't like this film and found it boring. Sometimes that's how people respond to art; especially if their viewing creative work to feel something rather than think about something. So, I get it. No one goes to a nightclub to hear music that's brooding or ominous - unless they're gothic I guess. All that aside, Toni Colette and Milly Shapiro are next level in their performances (not to mention the rest of the cast), so if you don't feel anything watching this you probably need more fiber in your diet. I kid, but seriously...watch this if you haven't already.

Clearly I haven't been keeping up with podcasts because I missed this...

SAMURAI MUSIC PODCAST 065: PRESHA MIX

>>> LISTEN HERE <<< From SoundCloud:

Recorded live at OHM Berlin - 16.10.2025

A new chapter. Stripped-back pressure, deeper space, 170 slowed into focus.

Music from Aerae, Archypness, Brendon Moeller, Feral, Hoji, Ilayruni, Marco Shuttle, Mike Parker, Ness, Pianeti Sintetici, Reeko, Sciama, Solma, The Untouchables, Vardae

Subscribe to the Samurai Music Official Podcast on Apple Music - found.ee/samcast

What I love most about Presha's mixes (as much as the rest of the Samurai / HORO camp) is that each one has a different way of transporting you to a separate realm. Sometimes this realm is full of the esoteric and harrowing, sometimes it's just straight futuristic and ominous. One thing's for sure, these rides are always creative fuel for me. Click that link to see what I'm talking about...

2026 is turning out so far to be a year that's still up in the air for me, not gonna lie. However, we've only just begun so let's keep it movin.

Stay up!

KRUST - BAD INTENTIONS
#toycrusher #taulwatersuniverse #mechdirective #art #artblog #jacksonville #jacksonvilleflorida #jax #jaxart #jaxartist #duvalcounty #duuuval #horror #jacksonvilleart #jaxartblog #scientificamerican #blackholes #theuniverse #cosmicevents #galeyellowbrickroad #thewizardofoz #lilysritual #hereditary #samuraimusicpodcast #presha #djkrust #fullcycle #drumandbass

Episode 16: Stick & Move

You ever order a pizza, then they deliver it unsliced?...

Anyway...

This photo will go down in my digital history as proof that I was dirt poor at one point. I painted this at the mighty Shanty Town in Springfield (shout out to Triclops) somewhere between 2019 - 2020. I was supposed to be working (we were there to actually paint something professionally), but instead I was out back painting on the fence. That's probably why I was dirt poor. Oddly, though, I think that night was the first time I ate sushi in my entire life. So, I wasn't exactly dirt poor; just broke.

But...

The XO
This is the last thing I drew in 2025. I make a lot of promises I don't keep; I have so many half done canvases all over the place it's actually a shame. Especially since I've been asked a couple of times if I had any work available. Don't follow my example if you happen to be a young creative reading this. People will lose respect for you, then you'll end up being a graphic designer. (Not throwing shade on designers, I am one 😂) But I'll be drawing weird stuff until I'm geriatric; it's just one of my glitches.

I know it is a taboo form of cognitive or hindsight bias to say things like this out loud, but this...THIS is something I've been saying for most of my adult life...

From Big Think:

ANNE-LAURE LE CUNFF ON THE MENTAL SCRIPTS THAT HOLD YOU BACK

The mental scripts that hold you back by Big Think

And how we can break out of our default patterns.

Read on Substack

I've heard many people touch on this subject - mostly philosophers - and I've heard it phrased in other terms like "the universal bind". How I've heard it explained in the past is there are two different forces that pull an individual in separate directions: who you are and inherently know yourself to be versus who you are told you are and what is expected of you. I've also learned that this is one of the major sources of my anxiety; as it is with many people. I can't really speak for many groups of people, but I know in my culture there are many expectations put upon and aspersions cast upon Black men.

Keeping all of this in mind, my personal philosophy is that "weird" is a relative and somewhat nebulous term cast upon someone when they don't display a willingness to fall into the expectations of others. That or they walk a path that isn't expected of them because of aforementioned aspersions.

What a world we live in.

I'm not entirely sure what happened to the sound for this video during the transer between devices, but it's now a silent film made by yours truly I like to call...

I N S O M N I A C Cinema

synthography by: MECH DIRECTIVE
Certain forms of media are made and destined to become a little destabilizing. I'm the type of creative that just likes to see how things move and learn what I can do to direct them. For more of this type of tomfoolery, head on over to Threads.

There was a time that I had to dig extensively to find an article like this...

From Intellectual Takeout:

COLLIN JONES - WHY 'THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS" FEELS UNCOMFORTABLY MODERN

"When people first encounter C.S. Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters,” they assume they’re getting a Christian book about temptation or a moral fable written for a specific audience who lived in a particular time.

Yet as I’ve begun reading the book for the first time, it’s clear that Lewis is doing something more precise than mere theology. Beneath the religious framework lies a careful investigation into how the human mind works – revealing how easily it can be manipulated.

Early in the first letter, Screwtape explains to his nephew Wormwood how the human he’s assigned to has long been accustomed “to have a dozen incompatible philosophies dancing about together inside his head.” This line struck me as profoundly modern. With the advent of the internet, we’re surrounded by compelling arguments that claim to describe how the world works, how we ought to live, and what ultimately matters in life."

>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<
I once got into a discussion with someone on the subject of whether it's more traumatizing for a young person to see sex portrayed on screen or violence portrayed on screen. I've actually been in that discussion with a variety of people; and some of the justifications for violence actually made me go abruptly silent.

Though the confusion and awe were not so much about their individual replies. Rather it was the obviousness of their lack of an origin of thought which lead them to their conclusions that was striking. Like when you hear someone singing a song that you've never heard, yet you can tell they heard it on the radio and have no idea who sings it.

I never saw any hype building up to this one, but man does it look impressive...

THEY WILL KILL YOU TRAILER
From Warner Bros:

"They Will Kill You is an upcoming American horror film directed by Kirill Sokolov, from a script written by him and Alex Litvak. The film will star Zazie Beetz, Myha'la, Tom Felton, Heather Graham, and Patricia Arquette.

A desperate woman answers a cryptic ad for a live-in housekeeper at a luxurious yet foreboding New York City high-rise. Upon arrival, she uncovers the building's sinister history: residents have vanished without trace for decades, fueling whispers of a Satanic cult lurking in the shadows. As she navigates the eccentric, secretive community, paranoia mounts—doors creak at night, symbols appear in the walls, and her new "family" hides deadly secrets. What starts as a gig from hell spirals into a fight for survival against ritualistic horrors..."

>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<
The story is very intriguing, the characters seem sharp, the fight scenes are off the chain, and that subtle element of underlying comedy is present which makes this a recipe for promising cinema. I hope these types of left-field hitters keep coming!

Bruh, I slept on this one for waaay too long...

PEARL TRAILER
First, let me start off by mentioning how creepy the beginning of the end credits are. I mean, the majority of the movie is off the rails disturbing, but sitting there watching the beginning of the credits gave me the chills...for real. Pearl is the origin story of the villain from X and MaXXXine, parts of a trilogy coming out of the A24 camp. It stars Mia Goth and I'm telling you, she kills that role (no pun intended). There's also a scene where she pulls an Ellen Burstyn in Requeim for a Dream and bodies it (again, no pun intended). If she didn't win an award for that scene (I don't believe she did), then the acting game is rigged.

>>> WATCH THE FULL MOVIE HERE <<<
Horror in 2026 looks like it's going to be as promising (if not more) as it has been the last few years...

PRIMATE Trailer
We've all seen Monkey Shines, The Monkey, and Planet of the Apes. We've even seen that one movie that I can't recall the name of that they sent a chimp into a room full of radiation to see how long it would survive (that was brutal). PRIMATE, however, seems to be a frightening mix of a few of those tropes without the musical instruments or the tribal warfare. It'll be another one on the list.

Now this, ladies and y'alls, is next level legendary...

MTV Rewind

>>> STREAM HERE <<<
I keep saying this, but the fact that I can sit here and just stream Yo! MTV Raps is enough, let alone being able to go back and see decades of music videos is one of the best things to happen on the internet. The major appeal to us old heads is that there's no algorithm - it's just a lottery of music like it was pre-internet. I realize this is bordering the overly nostalgic, but there's worlds of inspiration to be had within that audio realm.

I'm a sucker for unpopular tunes, so I'm going to end this with a tune in which I wore the vinyl right the hell out. Catch me on the next episode.

Stay up!

Q PROJECT - STICKY FINGERS (TWISTED INDIVIDUAL REMIX)
#toycrusher #taulwatersuniverse #mechdirective #art #artblog #jacksonville #jacksonvilleflorida #jax #jaxart #jaxartist #duvalcounty #duuuval #horror #jacksonvilleart #jaxartblog #pearl #a24 #miagoth #ellenburstyn #requiemforadream #horror #qproject #twistedindividual #drumandbass #annelaurelecunff #iwantmymtvrewind #primatemovie #intellectualtakeout #cslewis #thescrewtapeletters #theywillkillyou

EPISODE 15: Brain Hacking

Hope everyone had a great Christmas, happy New Year, and gained some weight over these past few weeks. It's an American tradition to put on some pounds this time of year, you know...

This photograph is one of the rare sightings of yours truly - alongside the mighty OXEGEN - live on Channel 4 Morning News about...well I honestly don't remember the exact time frame. I want to say this was around the end of 2008 or 2009 in the winter to promote an art show we were a part of sponsered by ECKO Unlimited and hosted by Chris White. There's also an interview floating around on the internet somewhere of me making a fool of myself and opening my mouth live on morning television. I don't have time to dig for it, but it honestly isn't worth watching...

...from The Archives!

BRAIN HACKING - 2000
Looking back on a lot of these sketches, it seems like I was just using random types of markers that I'd find on the sidewalk or under couch cushions. (I wasn't, btw) I can admit that these types of characters were executed before I had any type of art education other than what I'd learned on the street or from other artists that I had been influenced by up to this point. It was like a creative Wild West between my brain and my hand. Living on the edge, man. Crazy days.

This is something I've been saying (and getting into a few debates and arguments about over the course of my adult life) for a while now...

From Big Think:

IN THE WEST, YOGA IS EXERCISE. IN THE EAST IT IS SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER

Annelisa Leinbach / Big Think; Wikimedia Commons

"While yoga has become a trendy lifestyle and wellness practice in North America, its roots are ancient, spiritual, and profound. Originally developed in Hinduism, yoga provides a path to achieve a higher state of consciousness and to unite with the divine."

>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<
I don't know, I don't really like to get to spiritual or metaphysical these days because why would you? I will confess, though, I'm guilty of using yoga to calm my nerves so I don't curse people out. So, I'm probably part of the problem...

Full disclosure: this next interview is not for the easily offended, but is hands down one of the wildest yet inspirational interviews I've seen yet...

ANDREW HUBERMAN INTERVIEWS DAVID CHOE ON ADDICTION, PAIN, AND CREATIVITY

"David Choe is a world-renowned artist, writer, podcaster and TV host. He tells how as a child, he was made to believe he was destined for greatness but also that he was a complete disgrace, leading him to channel his energy—including deep shame—into art that brought him global recognition. He shares about his addictions that put him on a decades-long cycle of extreme highs and lows and that forced him to eventually acknowledge and heal the childhood trauma he was battling inside. David shows up with raw, authentic presence to show us how we can transmute pain and shame into our best creative work and, more importantly, how complete vulnerability, especially about our hardest experiences, is the ultimate tool for forgiveness and self-acceptance. He also tells us the actual story about early Facebook, Pee-wee Herman and Santa Claus."

If you know David Choe's story, then you know if anyone is qualified to confidently speak about these subjects to someone like Andrew Huberman it's him. I've been a fan of his since The Whale, but I can remember a time when he had his own podcast and was going wild on Instagram. Even though that's his recent history and only the surface level of who he is, Choe is someone who's lived life as a true authtentic creative. Obviously he's also a "Do Not Try This At Home" warning to young creatives who aren't built for his type of life.

Is this true?...

SCIENTISTS DISCOVER THE FIGURE THAT FORMS WHEN A LIFE IS ACTIVATED

For the first time, MIT scientists managed to observe what happens at the exact instant a human life begins. We’re not talking about minutes later, or hours: we’re talking about the precise second in which the egg is fertilized.

What they saw was unexpected. Right after fertilization, biochemical waves travel across the egg as if someone had pressed an invisible switch. It’s not a chaotic reaction: it’s an organized activation signal, a true biological “second zero” that sets everything that comes afterward into motion.

What’s unsettling is that these waves are not distributed at random. They follow rhythmic patterns and proportions that the researchers compare to shapes that repeat throughout nature: spirals, orderly growth, sequences similar to Fibonacci, the same ones that appear in galaxies, seashells, and plants.

From SciTech Daily:

Researchers have taken a pivotal step toward understanding how living cells could have originated from nonliving matter.

At some point in Earth’s history, nonliving, inorganic substances gave rise to the first forms of life. This transition from lifeless matter to living organisms remains one of science’s most profound and unresolved questions. Today, researchers are engineering synthetic cells that behave like real biological cells in an effort to uncover insights into how life might have originally emerged on our planet.

>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<
Whenever I come across any new scientific theories or discoveries I start with a few questions. "What does the general population do with this information? Is it something we can impliment in our daily thought and lives to improve things? Is it a step in unlocking mysteries yet unsolved? Should the rest of us really care? etc." This may sound ignorant (probably through sheer definition of the word), but I kind of place this type of information in the "does it really matter?" bin.

THE AMAZING WORLD OF GUMBALL - BACTERIA

Lemme show ya somethin'...

Look, I fully realize this is a decades ago trend, but I've never been one to jump on trends so here we are. It took me years just to go from MySpace to FaceBook - stop judging me. Oddly enough, this video kind of demonstrates my tedious and machine like tendency for linear, Euclidean order. That's a highfalutin way of saying I'm a little odd. Anyway...

There aren't too many good feelings that are better than a solid modern day adaptation of a great book you read decades ago...

THE LONG WALK TRAILER
The Stephen King Universe has made a resurgence in the last few years thanks to the IT series plus a slew of other films and I'm most definitely here for it. What I've noticed is that there's been a significant uptick in talk about the King World due to the premier of the IT: Welcome to Derry TV series; I'm undoubtedly guilty of devling back into a bunch of the older films just to see how well things connect.

However, The Long Walk is one of those stories by King that stick with you over the course of your life. I remember reading this decades ago while I was on a field op in Camp Lejuene and being horrified but immersed by and in the story itself. The characters are sharp on screen and are often times entertaining, regardless of the dire dystopian situation they find themselves in. If you're a fan of the Stephen King Universe, this one is highly recommended.

GET. EX. CITED!...

WE BURY THE DEAD TRAILER
I try not to hype up new releases because it can easily turn out to be disappointing once the feature actually hits the screen, but I'm a sucker for zombie flicks; even the bad ones. There's something about the genre that keeps me interested. I should probably talk to someone about that. However, this one looks promising as this is the first time I've seen Daisy Ridley outside of a Star Wars role. (I fully realize she's done other films besides, but bear with me.) What makes We Bury The Dead different is the filmmakers idea as it relates to the temperament of the zombies. It gives them leeway to still be somewhat human...until they're not anymore. I'm ready for it.

Anyone who knows me can tell you that my taste in music is eclectic and odd; sometimes bordering disturbing. Yet on the lighter side of that spectrum you can catch me bumping these awesome human beings...

STEREOLAB - PLASTIC MILE
From Mojo:

“We have to organise how society is run in radically different ways, based on radically different values…”

>>> READ THE INTERVIEW HERE <<<
I'd read that interview; they're an interesting group of individuals. I first got tuned in to them around 1995 by one of my homies from high school and was instantly enthralled with their original sound. There have been quite a few clones that have popped up in subsequent years after their debut in 1990, but at the time the mantra was "no one sounds like Stereolab". On top of that they're very prolific and consistent in their quality of releases. I only own about 7 of their albums, but I can't say I've ever heard a bad one.

I don't like ending this episode on a dreary note, but this has been some of the saddest news I've seen all year...

From NBC News:

JAMES RANSONE PASSES AWAY AT 46

James Ransone in Westwood, Calif., in 2019.Robyn Beck / AFP via Getty Images file

"Actor James Ransone died Friday apparently by suicide, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner. He was 46.

Ransone, a native of Maryland, was best known for playing Ziggy Sobotka in the TV series "The Wire" and for his role as Eddie Kaspbrak in the horror movie "It: Chapter Two."

He acted on shows such as "Generation Kill" and "Bosch," with his final TV appearance in a Season 2 episode of "Poker Face" that aired in June, according to The Movie Database."

>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<
My condolences to James' family, friends, and colleagues. He absolutely killed the roles he played in Sinister and IT, and had a distinct type of humor to his demeanor that anyone could admire.

This hits very close to home (as I'm sure it does with quite a few of us). One of my childhood friends took his own life a couple of decades ago by getting extremely inebriated and driving head on into a semi truck. I remember the last time I spoke to him he kept telling me how weak of a man he felt he was. He grew up next door to me in Atlantic Arms in Mayport, had five sisters that were younger than him, an absent father and mother who was a drug addict. His life was rough, but he was one of the kindest people you could meet and was one of my best friends.

Another friend that I was stationed with at Camp Lejuene also took his own life by undisclosed measures. He was heavy into Black Metal, loved to fight and would stick up for anyone who was on his side, but still one of the kindest and most intelligent people I've met.

I say this to say that it is imperative that people look out for one another. Know that anyone you encounter could be struggling with life in ways you couldn't conceive or imagine and still be smiling and laughing with you, going to work, and taking care of their families.

The world at large is no joke, believe me...

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 or go to 988lifeline.org to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.

BIOSTASIS - BRAIN HACK
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