Scot Bastian Ph.D.
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CFI Summit News: Educational Conference or Conspiracy Cover? You Decide!

9/24/2013

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The CFI Summit is coming to Tacoma, Washington next month on October 24-27. A joint conference of the Center for Inquiry and its affiliate organizations, the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and the Council for Secular Humanism. Many "members" (operatives?) in the highly secretive skeptical community in the Pacific Northwest are very interested in this conference. The (supposed)topic of the conference,
described in their very own literature, as a "Meeting of minds—a call to collaborative action...The time has come: humanists, skeptics, and other critical thinkers coming together to work together for a more rational world."  Well, to this blogger, this seems like thinly-disguised propaganda highly reminiscent of the Bilderberg Group. One wonders about their secret, hidden, agenda. That is, what is their "real," plan? I present the following points of evidence for your consideration: 1) Why would this organization gather in the relatively obscure location of Tacoma WA, rather than a major population center like New York City or Chicago? (Note: They even avoided nearby Seattle. Perhaps to avoid associations with the disastrous WTO protests in 1999? Hmm.); 2) A number of the attendees are KNOWN to be government employees. 3) Many participants are well-known, educated-elites, supposed "scientists," possessing Ph.D.s or M.D.s 4) Several of the speakers are known to be atheists, or at least, have atheist leanings. 5) They are meeting (conspiring?) at the Hotel Murano which is described as having a "bold Euro décor themed to the region’s art-glass heritage." (italics added). "Euro décor," suggesting subconsciously a possible world-government agenda, and, cryptically, "art-glass heritage," creating a facade, a false-veneer, of openness. And finally; 6) Some, but not all, of the participants have pronounced liberal leanings.

    I ask you, isn't this evidence enough? What, exactly, are they hiding? Who are the principals (i.e.puppeteers), pulling the strings at the CFI Summit? A closer look identifies Bill Nye, a known corrupter of youth, using the folksy pseudonym "The Science Guy," who for several years now has been trying to wrest the hearts and minds of children from the teachings of their caring parents because, as he describes it, "We need them." See video here. I ask: Need them for what? What sort of behavioral-priming and indoctrination is going on. Preparation for admission to a secret science cult? One can only speculate. Perhaps his position as Executive Director of the Planetary Society is a clue. No, I'm not saying definitively that alien intelligence is involved--but it could be. Another leader in the organization is Harriet Hall, (AKA the "Skepdoc"), who, as a known retiree of the Air Force, undoubtedly provides a shadowy military intelligence-gathering presence at the meeting. Dr. Hall is well-known for her advocacy of so-called, "science-based" medicine in lieu of the much more popular alternative medicine. Yet another dark presence is Susan Gerbic, who, in conjunction with her army of "Guerrilla Skeptics," directs a sort of skeptical "truth squad," to propagandize the internet. Their primary target is Wikipedia, where these "Guerrillas" covertly introduce their version of "objective skeptical truth," in place of far-superior subjective truths.
    The speakers are listed at the CFI Summit website, which is almost certainly a front. (Who knows what hyperlinks can be accessed using top-secret passwords that only "certain select individuals" have been provided with.) Just a cursory view identifies a smorgasbord of evil. A sampling: Jim Alcock (Professor of Psychology), Greta Christina (admitted atheist), Elizabeth Cornwall (Initiator of the OUT campaign, suspected internationalist), Michael De Dora (representative to the United Nations) Eugenie C. Scott (Darwinist), Ophelia Benson (known feminist)...the sordid assemblage of propaganda purveyors goes on. This organization even has the hubris to have a "costume"party (clearly a means to provide cover for attendance by additional anonymous attendees) with entertainment provided by, (shockingly) the "Heathens."  To see complete details see this link. But, be forewarned, there is no certainty in this blogger's mind that website visitors aren't being monitored. Go there at your own risk.
    As you can tell, I have been carefully watching the activities of this organization. I ask your indulgence Do You Think? Blog fans, to look closely at the below photograph. What do you see? 


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Don't see it yet? Perhaps it is too subtle to the untrained eye. Let me remove some of what I'm sure is deliberately confusing print. Look carefully below. 
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Still having trouble? Look carefully at the shadowy dark "smudge" on the mountain, just to the lower left edge of the summit. Or, look at the below picture, which is an enlarged view.
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Aha! Now you see it, don't you?  Note the dark shadow. A clearly identifiable cryptid.
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Look carefully at the enlarged, enhanced, photo on the left and compare it to the classic picture on the right. Yes, indeed, it is the icon of the Pacific Northwest: bigfoot. Although in the picture on the left he seems slightly ethereal, and perhaps a bit more obese, there is no mistaking what it REALLY is. Yes, this conference is an obvious cover operation for their thinly-disguised purpose. The surface agenda may be education, but the not-so-obvious agenda is to examine this irrefutable proof of the existence of bigfoot. THAT is the real reason why they (And just who is the REAL THEY behind the they one wonders.) have created this assemblage of so-called skeptics. And I will add that NOWHERE on the CFI Summit announcement can I find any indication that bigfoot will be a topic of discussion--as if any more proof was needed.
    But, Do Ya Think? Blog fans, take heart, this intrepid blogger will be attending the conference. Attendance may be the wrong description. I will MONITOR their activities and will report any irregularities faithfully. The truth is out there, and I intend to find it.
 
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The Beauty and the Horror

9/22/2013

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The video below reminded me of a poem I studied in college. It was written in 1802, but is seems very applicable to today.


The World Is Too Much With Us 
By William Wordsworth
The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;--

Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not. Great God! I’d rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn.

MIDWAY a Message from the Gyre : a short film by Chris Jordan from Midway on Vimeo.

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Part 2:  More Astonishing Art and Technology of Burning Man

9/15/2013

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A few days ago I blogged about a couple of wonderful Burning Man projects. Burning Man is so full of wonders that I decided to highlight a couple more.
    Peter Hudson and the crew of Hudzo Design have been big contributors to the Playa over the past few years.  They create interactive, large-scale, three dimensional, stroboscopic zoetropes. Yikes, what is that? Here is a link to a nice interview with Peter Hudson where he defines a zoetrope as "a device that produces the illusion of motion from a rapid succession of static pictures." In Peter's projects, instead of pictures, he uses rotating consecutive sculptures creating the illusion of continuous movement by flashing a stroboscope, giving the eerie appearance of a 3D film. All of the zoetropes from Hudzo that I have seen are run by collaborative human power, such as, by pulling ropes, pumping levers, or banging on drums, which particularly for Burners, is satisfying self-empowerment (We like to play, especially together.). If this description is a little unclear, check out the videos below and this should give you a better idea. Hudzo Design has brought several different zoetropes to Burning Man called "Deeper," "Tantalus," "Charon," "Sisyphish," and "Homouroboros." Most of his creations are inspired by mythology. It is fascinating to me that these creations can actually tell a tale albeit a very short (several second) "story."
    Peter, is nothing if not ambitious, and he has announced a new project entitled "Eternal Return." Although the exact details of the project are secret, some clues can be found on his webpage, "The concept of the eternal return is touched upon in virtually all cultural and religious narratives. The concept can be found in Ancient Egyptian, Mayan and Aztec beliefs, in East Indian, and ancient Greek philosophy, as well as the 19th century deliberations of Friedrich Nietzsche. In Tibetan Buddhism, the concept is explored in Samsara, cyclic existence represented by the Bhavacakra symbol, the “wheel of life” depicted on the walls of temples and monasteries." 
        Wow!  I'm certainly excited to see how he can convey all of these concepts in one project. I'm also happy that this will be a departure from past, darker, themes: "Eternal Return will celebrate the joy and ecstasy of life, not just repeated, but begun anew." If you want more details, or at least clues, regarding Eternal Return, or, if you would like to help support this kind of art, check out this link.
    So, from the bottom of my fluttering (defibrillating?), stroboscopic, heart, thank you Peter for sharing your gifts with us, and may you have many (maybe even "eternal") returns to Burning Man. Below are links to videos of "Homobouros," (the monkey zoetrope) (left) and, my personal favorite, "Charon," by day (center) and night (right).


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Two other breath-taking displays at Burning Man were "Truth is Beauty," which is similar to the equally impressive "Bliss Dance" from three years ago. I'm certainly not alone in my selection of these works as a Burning Man favorites.  I know that I'm going to be accused of hyperbole when I say that I believe that both "Bliss Dance" and "Truth is Beauty" are every bit as affecting as Michelangelo's sculpture of "David."  Okay, I admit that I've only seen pictures of the "David" sculpture, so I might feel differently if I ever get to Italy, but time will tell if the modern works have the same enduring quality as the classical piece. Neither Truth is Beauty, nor Bliss Dance are constructed of marble, but, using smaller bronze models, the full-sized statues are constructed from steel rod and tubing, LED lights, and a skin of stainless steel mesh. One can't help but be impressed that "Truth is Beauty," which is 55 feet tall, was designed to stand on tip-toe and still withstood the windy, dusty desert environment. I didn't see it during the most severe wind storms on the Playa, but I saw nary a shimmer from the moderate winds that I observed. Very stable construction. The effect is stunning. 
    Truth is Beauty and Bliss Dance were created by Marco Cochrane, as part of the "Bliss Project" They are the first two of three large sculptures using Deja Solis as a model. The third project, called "R-evolution" is planned. The stated intent of these creations is to, "be a catalyst for social change; to de-objectify women and inspire men and women to take action to end violence against women, thus allowing both women and men to live fully and thrive." The Bliss Project is sponsored by Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts organization. Donations are tax deductible. Please visit this link if you would like to support this project. Below, I have selected three videos that highlight these projects, none of which are really satisfying compared to the real thing. On the left is an interview with Cochrane where he talks a little bit about the technology.  In the middle is an aerial video of Truth is Beauty from this year. On the right is a time lapse video of some of the color changes that Bliss Dance goes through.

Gosh, as I look over the four projects that I've highlighted from Burning Man I feel like I'm really not doing justice to all of the other artists and participants. Here is a compilation of the "50 Coolest Burning Man Art Installations Ever," if you would like to check out some of the other projects. 
    I have gone to Burning Man eight times and I feel very lucky. I know is has become almost cliche to say that the festival is a life-changing event, but it certainly has been for me. Thank you to my fellow Burners.  Hope to see you on the Playa next year.
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The Astonishing Art and Technology of Burning Man

9/10/2013

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Whew! I'm back from Burning Man. I've been back for over a week and I'm still overwhelmed. What a great year! The quality of the art and eye-popping technology leaves the default world in it's dust. Today I'm going to focus on two standout projects among the many that I witnessed on the Playa.
    By far my favorite art car "el Pulpo Mecanico" or, the steampunk octopus, as it is lovingly known at Burning Man. This large, fire-belching, eye-popping, other-wordly wonder was created by Duane Flatmo with a lot of help from his friends, who hail from Arcata, California. I'm not the only one who loves El Pulpo, it has even generated worshipers. According to the Facebook site, The Church of th El Pulpo Mecanico,

"WE FOLLOW EL PULPO MECANICO. THERE IS NO OTHER. JOIN US OR PERISH IN HIS OCTOPEDAL FIRE."
(And, yes, it is in all caps; so you better obey.)

Here is the description of the project from the official website: "The "El Pulpo" is a combination of art and technology melded together. We built this knowing that it would be fun to watch as the giant cam spun up through the center moving the tentacles and eyes in and out while fire spewed from the tentacles and head. No hydraulics or computers were used in this contraption. We built the sculpture primarily out of recycled and used junk found at our local scrap yard."
    I strongly recommend you visit the website which has the details of the conception and construction of this magnificent work of art. There were rumors that this is the last appearance for this work at Burning Man. And it looks like, since there is a remodel in the works, the rumors might be true. A short video of the remodel is linked on the right below. I don't know if they can top what they've already done, but I'm definitely excited to see what they come up with next year.

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Another favorite, of the much-lower tech variety, was a puppet, an ichthyosaur, AKA "Dr. Camp's Holy Bones." Brought to the Playa by a group hailing from Reno Nevada. The lead artist is Jerry Snyder, who was interviewed in this blog entry. The puppet-creature is based on the actual ichthyosaurs, which are textbook examples of convergent evolution. They sort of resemble a mix of dinosaurs, crocodiles and porpoises. Real ichthyosaurs were about 6 to 13 feet long, but the puppet was over 50 feet. [Oops!  Apparently I was wrong about this.  Please see Jerry Snyder's correction in the comment section below.] The puppet was suspended from a frame and the primary construction materials were plywood and ropes.  It was designed so you could tug on the ropes which caused the alligator-like jaws to open and close and the puppet to writhe through the atmosphere, giving the impression, particularly effective at night, that it was swimming through the ocean. Very spooky.  Very cool. Apparently, Dr. Camp is the name of a legitimate paleontologist, but it was decided to commandeer his name and create a fictional character.  As Jerry explains it, " We’re sort of reinventing him as this itinerant miner who wanders into Berlin, Nevada, an ignorant, uneducated guy who has this revelation that this is God’s portrait on Earth. This is the face, the image of God!...God is a fish-lizard!" I admit that I have seen god take on various forms in assorted mythologies in the world, but a fish-like dinosaurian god is a first for me. My thanks to all the folks who helped bring this fabulous project to Burning Man! All hail the fish lizard! May he inhabit our dreams forever!

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    Scot Bastian Ph.D. is a scientist and artist who lives in Seattle WA.

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