Damn Spam.

I recently signed up for what I though was a legitimate scientific newsletter only to find that it was some quack creationist. Needless to say I was quite disappointed. The ad was on a legitimate science site from which I was reading several interesting articles so when I clicked the link I assumed that I would be receiving more of the same in my email every few days.

It didn't take more then a couple of lines in on the first letter to realize I had been duped, but out of curiosity I continued to read the emails. As I read them day after day my level of irritation grew, not just at the constant berating of Atheists and Agnostics and the obviously low intelligence they must possess for not being able to comprehend the existence of God but the way he tried to incorporate real scientific language and relate twisted portions of real scientific theories into his own pseudo science.

This is the most frustrating kind of religious quack to me because I know there are probably a ton of idiots out there being dazzled by his bullshit. A whole pile of hopelessly faithful people whose views have been trashed by scientist’s findings for years desperate for some kind of scientific sounding “evidence” to throw back at them. I guess if you can't beat it bastardize it and claim it as your own.
I will spare you the pain of reading the entire series and share some snippets of the pure genius that was suppose to be his big EUREKA! moment;

"Every cell in your body contains a message encoded in DNA. It's very simple. Messages, languages, and coded information ONLY come from a mind. Messages, languages and coded information never, ever come from anything else besides a mind. To the person who says that life arose naturally, you need only ask: "Where did the information come from? Show me just ONE example of a language that didn't come from a mind." If books and poems and TV shows come from human intelligence, then all living things inevitably came from a superintelligence. Every word you hear, every sentence you speak, every dog that barks, every song you sing, every email you read, every packet of information that zings across the Internet, is proof of the existence of God. Because information and language always originate in a mind. This riddle is so simple any child can understand; so complex, no atheist can solve."

Maybe it is just my pathetic little atheist brain, but I fail to see how the fact that humans can communicate to each other by creating and sharing information proves that God created DNA and subsequently humans. This is garble and it boggles my mind that this guy believes himself and enough so that he distributes this crap to the masses. This guy doesn't know shit but unfortunately he is and probably always will be convinced that he does. Even more unfortunate is that he will continue to try and convince others that he does and so many people are ignorant enough to fall for it.

Some older ones from that were in the Artspace 50/50 fundraiser in the spring.

Lyall Brownlee.

Lost and Found

From the opening night of Lost and Found, at Artspace in Peterborough. A shot of the artists and curator. It was a good night, once I actually got the slideshow for my installation working properly, a lot of wine was consumed.

Lyall Brownlee

Awkward Teenage Moment, the track pant boner.

Lyall Brownlee

Media and our Role Models

Every now and then a new commercial or television show comes out that seems to set off a barrage of articles regarding body image and the portrayal of body types in media. Generally these articles express a disapproval of the use of thin beautiful people to sell products, sell pop music or to star in popular television shows and movies.
Recently I heard a discussion on the radio praising a new show in which the lead characters are overweight. I haven't seen the show but from what I understand their weight problem is part of the plot line and they attempt to make light of these issues. Another new show I've noticed becoming quite popular is Man vs. Food, where an overweight American engages in food challenges, gorging on disgusting piles of unhealthy fare while hoards of fans cheer him on. This got me thinking about several other disturbing trends taking place on television and the internet such as food porn and obese teenage boys dancing shirtless on you tube.
Is this becoming some kind of overcompensation for years of the media trying to sell a nearly unattainable idea of beauty? Isn't making light of obesity, making people feel okay about being overweight just as bad if not worse? Approximately three quarters of the population of the US and over half the population of Canada are obese. This is not okay, being overweight and the lifestyle generally associated with it are not healthy. The related health problems and disabilities are not good for the economy and being in Canada my taxes go to the health care system which trys to manage the aftermath of the problem.
I understand that there are many factors that contribute to obesity and in some cases there are genetic and medical conditions that contribute to weight issues and this can be difficult to control, it is not my intention to make these people feel bad about themselves. But the majority of weight problems in the general population I believe can be controlled by the choices people make on how they live their lives.
The use of fit, beautiful people in marketing and pop culture is not going to go away. It is ingrained in our biological make up to be attracted to these genetically blessed humans for breeding purposes. But making it seem okay to be fat or lead an unhealthy lifestyle is not the answer.
I don't have hard abs or a perfect complexion, I have body hair and bad tattoos, but I am a healthy 175lbs for my 6'1 frame and I feel good about myself. This is maintained by excersizing almost every day, a healthy diet and refraining from unproductive activities like watching television or gaming. I'm not perfect, I drink beer and indulge in a bag of chips here and there but these are balanced out by playing sports, excersizing and a positive attitude. This is a healthy attainable lifestyle for any normal busy person but is hardly glorified in popular culture.
The real answer is for the masses to turn off the tv, put down the tabloids and spend some time in reality. Then maybe our society will stop worshiping these manufactured idols and find healthy positive role models. Successful friends, neighbors, professors, colleagues, cultural icons, artists, athletes, etc. Respectable, moral, well balanced people capable of critical thinking and living healthy, this is what everyone should strive to be.
It is a sad state of affairs, I see gangs of kids roaming downtown that want to be Paris Hilton or Eminem, hear countless stories of young women suffering from eating disorders and see overweight people trapped in a cycle of self degrading behavior. When is someone in the mass media going to make it cool to just be a smart, moral, healthy person?

The Heart Wants What it Wants

This painting is currently up at the Chuck Akudu gallery in Toronto. Posters of this are available at the Cannery art center for $10.

Lyall Brownlee.