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The quote is Mr Alan Watts. Although charmingly engrossing with his cadence and style, and as much as he did for Buddhism and Philosophy in the West, his critics will absolutely suggest he was a surface level pop psychologist, a self-styled and self-aware “entertainer” of philosophy. I admit, I adore him. And he is far and away more grounded in relation of philosophical adjacent to spiritual matters, vs Eckhart tolle whom I also appreciate and enjoy, but he could have taken some of his own advice, and not skated so near pseudoscience to make his point. In light of that, Alan Watts is someone I would highly recommend exploring.

I believe the quote in the subject line is folk etymology and apocryphal. The entire original premise was this:

“Through our eyes, the universe is perceiving itself. Through our ears, the universe is listening to its harmonies. We are the witnesses through which the universe becomes conscious of its glory, of its magnificence.”
– Alan Wilson Watts

and “You are an aperture through which the universe is looking at and exploring itself.”

My interpretation of the quote is simply that we bring consciousness to the universe. Without us experiencing it, the universe is cold, dead, and without meaning nor intent. We bring it to life because of our senses and ability to consider it, and we get to share in that together.

Terence Mckenna: “The universe is a novelty producing engine. Suddenly the human enterprise is not peripheral, the human enterprise is what it’s all about”

Another sort of Zen adjacent concept to ease your anxiety a bit:

 

You can’t fall out of the universe.

 

And, after all that, a Eckhart Tolle quote I think about a lot:

“If there is no joy, ease, or lightness in what you are doing, it does not necessarily mean that you need to change what you are doing. It may be sufficient to change the how. “How” is always more important than “what.” See if you can give much more attention to the doing than to the result that you want to achieve through it. Give your fullest attention to whatever the moment presents. This implies that you also completely accept what is, because you cannot give your full attention to something and at the same time resist it.”
– Eckhart Tolle

 

ONWARD!

 

Well, well, well… is it not the joy of making a decision decades ago that’s worked out in light of AI and algorithms!!! An Ode to Physical Media:

You don’t know what music is fake, churned out by AI, just a playlist delivered by an algorithm shaped by a careless vacuum.

You don’t know what videos are real, viral or not, unless it’s in front of your eyes, or vetted by trustworthy sources… and even then.

This is an era where I can have a source code, a record of events, a representation that is in my control, in my space, in my ownership, with citations, and crew, and cast, and band members, and session dates, and I can verify and I can hear and see truth.

I think physical media just gained a leg up, when it comes to veracity, control, and freedom from a lack of truth or shared reality.

I think these 4K dvds and albums will do me just fine in a baffling future of full exposure of nothing but our madness and panic to know if it’s real, any of it.

SO!!

I don’t use Pandora, Spotify, or Youtube music. I do use bandcamp on my phone and download purchases. But I mainly listen to vinyl. It’s just what I adopted by the late 80s, and I DJ, and I hate learning curves and I don’t like stuff “delivered at me”.

But ownership of media, albeit a choice but a privilege as well, has a new advantage that has come to light…

AI is making it’s way into genres of music, from ambient to jazz and more, where it’s targeting talent that is human, and steals listens from them with fake music. It’s insane. What’s real? Having music “delivered” to you, as a passive vessel meant to be a user, not human… is gross. But then not even listening to humans with your passive listening and stealing from an artist by giving passive airtime to AI slop? THIS IS WILD!!

 

SPACE

 

  • Live 4K from the Space Station right now:

 

 

  • An absolutely *stellar* (homonyms, double entendres, puns!), harrying, wild recount of the Boeing Starliner, and human daring, ingenuity, maybe some stupidity, some trust, and thrusters man thrusters. This is a hell of a story:

Starliner’s flight to the space station was far wilder than most of us thought “Hey, this is a very precarious situation we’re in.” https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/04/the-harrowing-story-of-what-flying-starliner-was-like-when-its-thrusters-failed/

 

 

  • Solar particles are pushing starlink to burn up in the atmosphere faster.

The sun is killing off SpaceX’s Starlink satellites There have never been so many satellites orbiting Earth as there are today, thanks in part to the launch of mega constellations like SpaceX’s Starlink internet service – and now we are learning just how the sun’s activity can affect them https://www.newscientist.com/article/2481905-the-sun-is-killing-off-spacexs-starlink-satellites/

 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

  • Doctors Find They Can Detect Cancer in Blood Years Before Diagnosis – “Three years earlier provides time for intervention.”

As detailed in a partially government-funded study published in the journal Cancer Discovery last month, the team found that genetic material being shed by cancer tumors can show up in the bloodstream far earlier than previously thought, paving the way for promising new cancer screening methods that could potentially head off the disease long before it gets more serious. https://futurism.com/neoscope/doctors-detect-cancer-blood-years-diagnosis

 

 

 

 

  • Ancient Polynesian sailors knew how to traverse huge distances of water, in large part due to their ancient scientific understanding of navigation and wave forms:

“The Polynesians also used wave and swell formations to navigate. Many of the habitable areas of the Pacific Ocean are groups of islands (or atolls) in chains hundreds of kilometres long. Island chains have predictable effects on waves and currents. Navigators who lived within a group of islands would learn the effect various islands had on the swell shape, direction, and motion, and would have been able to correct their path accordingly. Even when they arrived in the vicinity of an unfamiliar chain of islands, they may have been able to detect signs similar to those of their home.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polynesian_navigation

“Traditional navigators use a range of signs that show they are close to land before they can actually see it. Clouds hanging over high islands, reflections of lagoons in the sky, plants washed out into the ocean after a storm on land, wave refraction patterns (swells ‘bouncing’ off islands alters their patterns), and birds coming out to fish during the day and then returning to their home island are all signs used to detect land”. https://www.learnz.org.nz/location192/bg-standard-f/polynesian-navigation

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not all are made equal, but we’re getting there:

 

But, remember last newsletter had the Unitree G1? They also fight, at the first robot kickboxing matches in history. I am confident these were controlled, not autonomous, but amazing.

 

Some would ask, “Why the Headgear”? Well… a quote from Prometheus and David the synthetic will help a bit:

Charlie: Why are you wearing a suit, man?

David: I beg your pardon?

Charlie: You don’t breathe, remember? So, why wear the suit?

David: I was designed like this because you people are more comfortable interacting with your own kind. If I didn’t wear the suit, it would defeat the purpose.

Charlie: Making you guys pretty close, huh?

David: Not too close I hope

 

 

  • This is unbelievable, so fact checking it: it’s real. It’s dystopic future ambivalence: what was the mountain range doing? Is that above tree line? What’s happening here? Is that weird bolstered by the clean energy? SO MANY FEELINGS:

Wild Video Shows Entire Mountain Range in China Covered With Solar Panels This is nuts. https://futurism.com/china-solar-mountain-video

 

 

  • These are always sandbox tests. Yes, they are somewhat survival horror we’re doomed frightening, all the same:

Advanced OpenAI Model Caught Sabotaging Code Intended to Shut It Down Hell-bent on survival — or, maybe, doing more math problems. https://futurism.com/openai-model-sabotage-shutdown-code

 

 

“Some would sing, some would play around and go upside down, others would want to show another bird their toys.” Two weak, older macaws, for example, became very close and even called out to one another “Hi! Come here! Hello!” from their respective screens.

The birds forged strong friendships, which researchers measured by how frequently they chose to call the same individual. Parrots who initiated the highest number of video calls also received the most calls, which suggests a “reciprocal dynamic similar to human socialization,” per the statement.

The experiment also brought parrots and humans closer together—on both sides of the screen. Some birds were even reported to have developed attachments to the human caretakers of their virtual friends.”

 

 

  • During sentencing after a guilty verdict at a road rage trial, the dead victim’s AI creation asked for leniency for the guilty.

 

 

  • With my ant problem, I’m going to start doing this:

“The odd insect is only found on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. It creeps along spiderwebs, feeding on trapped insects and decorating its silk case with their body parts.”

A carnivorous ‘bone collector’ caterpillar dresses in the remains of its prey https://apnews.com/article/carnivorous-caterpillar-hawaii-bone-collector-624af97c9a1c65fc3a2eac85cf19b4f6

 

 

  • They were trying to make videophones a thing WAY before Sharper Image did in the 80s.

Vintage Videophones That Once Looked Straight Out of a Sci-Fi Movie https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/vintage-videophones/

 

COMEDY

 

  • This re-edit of Willy Wonka into a horror film with VFX shots is HILARIOUS to me, but it’s definitely dark humor.

 

 

 

  • This lost Mitch Hedberg footage is pretty important, and it’s been a project that has been a long time coming. It’s from a cancelled MTV show that was just going to be Mitch on the Road, sorta.

 

 

  • LOL THIS IS SO GREAT: Henry Rollins and Diamond David Lee Roth:

I fact checked this: TRUE. Hank talks about it in one of his specials.

@dickduffle That time Henry Rollins met Diamond Dave and got mildly bullied. #davidleeroth #henryrollins #vanhalen #blackflag #conanobrien #conanobrienneedsafriend #billhader #billhaderedit #davidleerothedit #henryrollinsedit #diamonddave #beer #funny #funnyvideos #rocknroll ? original sound – DickDuffle

 

 

  • For this joke to make sense, see the Bus Tapes under Music to understand:

A horn player who had been playing with Buddy Rich for many years came back from vacation to hear a rumour that Buddy had died. He didn’t quite believe it, so he phoned Buddy’s wife.

“Can I speak to Buddy please?”

Buddy’s wife said, “I’m sorry, Buddy passed away last week.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” he said and hung up.

He called again the next day.

“Is Buddy there please?”

“No, I’m sorry. Buddy’s no longer with us; he passed away.”

“Oh. I see,” he said and hung up the phone.

He called again the third day.

“Can I speak to Buddy please?” he asked when she answered.

She recognized his voice, and said:

“Look, I’ve told you before. For the third time…BUDDY’S DEAD!” And slammed down the phone.

Two minutes later, he called again.

“Is Buddy at home please?”

Buddy’s wife was furious. “I’m not going to tell you again! Buddy is dead….D. E. A. D. DEAD. Why do you keep calling me to ask for Buddy???!!!!”

He thought for a moment, and said:

“I just love hearing you say it.”

 

 

  • Michael Shannon reads an INSANE sorority letter. It’s filthy raunchy, and you’ll laugh hard:

 

 

  • Josh Johnson is not a flash in the pan, so therefore I am pretty sure he’ll end up a once in a generation comic, if for nothing else but his ability to constantly write. He’s chosen to not fall into the crowd work trap, because he doesn’t have to show those clips on social media to entice people to come. The rarity here is that all modern comics have to show crowd work clips on social, because they can’t spoil their sets and straight ahead material.

But Josh? HE WRITES DAILY. He is releasing 50 minute small club sets on different topics a few times a month. He is writing and workshopping new material daily and weekly, and arriving at new 50 minute sets within weeks. It’s insane. I am not asking you to watch this whole set, but his delivery, setups, style, etc. It’s really something to watch.

 

 

  • I’m a little late on my annual May 18th anniversary celebration of Gino D’Acampo’s “If my Grandmother had wheels, she would have been a bicycle”.

 

MOVIES & TV

 

  • Bill Hader on getting gaslit by asshole Marty Kove, the bad sensei from Karate Kid. “You WANNA COOKIE? MILKSHAKE?” Man what an ASS.

 

 

 

 

  • Could you imagine this set… and add Van Damme? The original Predator had an ego that didn’t like the hot jungle, apparently, and they recast Van Damme, and redid the design, and the rest is Predator History!

r/scifi - LET'S TALK MOVIES

 

This is great 3mins on the original suit:

A bunch more from stan winston school: https://www.stanwinstonschool.com/blog/the-original-predator-suit-jean-claude-van-damme

Van Damme (not a big deal) actually made the final cut:

 

All history is so lucky McTiernan moved on to the Winston collaboration… James Cameron actually advised Stan on the idea for Mandibles that moved in and out! Cameron is everywhere. You know he even helped get the money for a $1 Million ransom to get Guillermo Del Toro’s kidnapped father back? https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/james-cameron-guillermo-del-toro-dad-kidnappers/

 

 

  • JAWS:

If not my favorite movie, the one I consider most perfect. DAMN YOU ASH JUMP CUT TO MANNEQUIN HEAD IN ALIEN!!! DRAT!!!

I love this film. I love the characters, how they develop, together. How Brody falls in love with the water through the other two men’s stories, etc. The shot design, the oners, the focal lengths, etc. EVERYTHING. And yeah I own it but 50th anniversary?

And this will be on Disney+ and Hulu I guess… a new making of, of sorts. SUPER EXCITED!

 

 

 

ANECDOTES

  • I got the new 4K Dollar Trilogy by Arrow. So many gems, wonderful moments. Arrow lovingly boxed these, and the info is amazing! But I think the best anecdote was that Sergio Leone said Clint Eastwood had two expressions: Hat On, and Hat Off.
  • John Boorman, director of Deliverance, used a dummy going over a waterfall. After seeing it, Burt Reynolds insisted on doing it himself. He was injured but asked Boorman how it looked. Boorman told him “like a dummy going over a waterfall”.

 

 

 

  • Upshot: This deserves a 4K, and the way it was shot SAYS SO. THANKS. But this is fascinating if you’re a photographer or like cinematography. It’s all lens and stuff. =) Great production gallery of images tho: https://theasc.com/articles/ac-gallery-mandy

Mandy: Edge of Darkness: Cinematographer Benjamin Loeb brings intense lighting and color techniques to Panos Cosmatos’ tale of supernatural mayhem.
https://theasc.com/articles/mandy-edge-of-darkness

 

 

  • Very niche, interesting to me. I could end up making a film with this philosophy:

‘A cultural uprising’: What is Dogma 25 – the new cinematic movement unveiled in Cannes? https://www.euronews.com/culture/2025/05/19/a-cultural-uprising-what-is-dogma-25-the-new-cinematic-movement-unveiled-in-cannes

 

MUSIC

 

  • Buddy Rich had the foulest mouth. I don’t think his bus was a safe space. Blowin’ clams, ie bad, flat, disgusting notes, is a great phrase. Too bad he sounds like hell to work for:

 

 

 

  • I started a recent music festival set with this to set the table, and guess what? It went well. Be sure to wear flowers in your hair, aka San Francisco, from the “Last Black Man in San Francisco” soundtrack. It’s one of my favorite films ever.

 

 

 

  • Why don’t more people talk about Jordan Rakei?

 

 

  • Polo & Pan: Busby Berkeley would be proud.

 

 

  • RIO ROMEO!! SO MUCH TALENT OUT THERE. Katie Tupper, Freya Ridings… and this young human. It’s theatre vs alt vs… Tom Waits? It’s amazing stuff. Very cabaret, and very magical.

 

 

  • The Pursuit of Audio Excellence by Henry Rollins

“It wasn’t until I got a bit older, heard better systems, found myself on both sides of a PA, and started spending incredible amounts of time in recording, mixing, and mastering studios, that I understood that the more optimal the playback, the more of the source tape and its intent would be revealed to me. This is what started a fairly obsessive journey, seconded only by my fascination, curiosity, and love of music itself.” https://www.stereophile.com/content/pursuit-audio-excellence-2

 

KCRW expands on this, and waxes philosophical about sound:

Audiophile Alert: Henry Rollins & Me https://www.kcrw.com/music/articles/audiophile-alert-henry-rollins-me

and we end with a podcast: A Sonic Tour of Henry Rollins’ House https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/design-and-architecture/high-fidelity-with-henry-rollins-ma-yansong-comes-to-l-a/a-sonic-tour-of-henry-rollins-house

 

  • Speaking of punk:

The world’s largest collection of punk records leaving Bay Area for Tennessee The archives of Maximum Rocknroll, a treasure trove of music history, are headed to a new home https://www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/article/largest-punk-record-collection-leaving-bay-area-20331178.php

 

PEOPLE, CULTURE & SOCIETY & NOOOOoooope

 

  • Nope

Student Researcher Freed From Cave After Becoming Stuck Three Miles Underground https://futurism.com/student-researcher-rescued-cave

 

 

 

  • NOOoope NOPE NOPE. Also, PLEASE BE PREPARED: there are two nopes here. The first real nope, the jump off the bridge. The second nope is a jump cut to scare you all JAWS style in the water. It is not real. Are you reading this? I ruined the jumpscare, but it’s not real and you will still jump and I bet you’re not reading this.

 

 

 

  • So how’d that go?

More than 60 nations signed a pact to outlaw war after WWI. https://historyfacts.com/world-history/fact/pact-to-outlaw-war-after-wwi/

 

 

  • Why didn’t we learn this in school about amazing Black Women from American History!?!?!

 

 

  • So, you know, Michael Parenti was a political scientist leaning Marxist. Not my thang. BUT, this is an interesting tidbit, about the Third World not being poor, nor underdeveloped… it’s just exploited. These places are rich with resources, but the people are poor, because of what the first world takes. Fascinating.

 

 

 

  • LET’S GO YOUTH WITH RATIONAL KINDNESS!!! Indian kid not buying the endless war and violence and hate!

 

 

  • This is WILD behavior that is making the rounds. The cute fuzzy blond guy comes out and absolutely owns the yard, quietly. This has been viewed by many dog people who are just enthralled with this alpha level of boss.

 

 

 

  • Umm… In 1848, a Scotsman put on a disguise, walked into China, and stole the secrets of tea. Industrial espionage is how the Brits and the rest of the West got the good stuff. This story is pretty wild!

The Great British Tea Heist: Botanist Robert Fortune traveled to China and stole trade secrets of the tea industry, discovering a fraud in the process https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-great-british-tea-heist-9866709/

 

 

 

 

 

VEHICLES

I almost won this: not sure I got wise, chickened out, or what. But I would have won if not a last second bidding glitch of sorts (on my end, not the site), and I could have drown it back from Las Vegas, and likely sold it for more. This was a steal at no reserve, and I was willing to go $250 more. My loss, for sure, but what do you when you have it? LOL That ain’t parking in the city.

1966 Oldsmobile Toronado Deluxe https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1966-oldsmobile-toronado-deluxe

 

 

  • Team New Zealand in 11th place just nails a last minute haul over #8, #9, and #10. The speed of these F50 are blistering:

 

 

  • So, a real Speeder Bike Thingy for Forest Land Star Wars edition, but it looks more like something from Grand Theft Auto? I can’t even believe this is real, but it is purported to be real. As someone else said, “So pumped, I already bought the full body cast”

 

 

 

 

  • Okay back to reality:

 

@benjiautotransport 1 bedroom apartment in a 1975 Deathwish Dodge van #classicridesonly #chevelleusa #protouring #restomod #moparmonday #dodge #dodgetrucks #baggedtrucks #dodgevan #hotrod #classiccar #classictruck #slammedtrucks #musclecar #fyp #viral #muscletruck #streetrod #streetrods #streettruck #streettrucks #classicsdaily #hotrods #classiccars #classictrucks #musclecars #customtrucks #hotrodsandmusclecars #customcars #customcar #americanmuscle #americanmusclecars ? original sound – Oakley Corbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • This 1992 GMC Typhoon was a SLEEPER:

1992 GMC Typhoon

By Uncle FishbitsCategories: Newsletter