My most recent piece was up at the Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum for a show called Super Santa Barbara II, the theme of which is Net Neutrality.  The piece that I produced is called Telecom Treaty and the following is the text I wrote to go on the didactic next to the installation:

When deciding on a subject for this show I was struck by one of the many political issues that are surrounding the topic of net neutrality, minority manipulation.  It has recently come to light that a handful of telecom companies have been making major donations to minority advocacy groups and that these groups have come forward as some of the strongest voices in the anti-net neutrality campaign.  This struck me as odd because the people that these groups represent would be the most negatively affected by such a change in policy as they tend to be the poorest and least represented communities.  This reminded me of the American Indian treaties in which the Native Americans were lead to believe that contracts they were signing would make their life easier and instead many were quickly moved off their land.  The imagery I chose is indicative of the Indian treaties but with a corporate twist.

I liked this book, it is obvious that Blount Jr. really loves the Marx Brothers, as do I.  This, if you hadn’t guessed, is an in depth look at the film Duck Soup and stories about the people involved in its production, namely the Marx Brothers (Groucho, Chicko, Harpo and Zeppo).   I found this book entertaining for the most part.  I wasn’t as big of a fan of some of the long tangents Blount Jr. made about the non-Brothers people involved.  But it kept me interested the whole time.  I do think that as a reader you ether have to be a fan of the Marx Brothers or you need to watch Duck Soup before you  read it.

“You can lead a horticulture, but you can’t make her think.”

-Gummo Marx (the only of the brothers not in Duck Soup)

Hi all. I just got done knitting a snail from a pattern in the book Amigurumi Knits by Hansi Singh.  If you are into knitting and are board with hats scarves and socks this is a book that you need to look into.  Singh does a good job instructing you on how to build a wide variety of plants and animals including a praying mantis, peas in a pod, an octopus and even a jackalope.

Out in the West Texas town of El Paso
I fell in love with a Mexican girl.
Night-time would find me in Rosa’s cantina;
Music would play and Felina would whirl.

…

I saddled up and away I did go,
Riding alone in the dark.
Maybe tomorrow
A bullet may find me.
Tonight nothing’s worse than this
Pain in my heart.

And at last here I

Am on the hill overlooking El Paso;
I can see Rosa’s cantina below.
My love is strong and it pushes me onward.
Down off the hill to Felina I go.

Off to my right I see five mounted cowboys;
Off to my left ride a dozen or more.
Shouting and shooting I can’t let them catch me.
I have to make it to Rosa’s back door.

Something is dreadfully wrong for I feel
A deep burning pain in my side.
Though I am trying
To stay in the saddle,
I’m getting weary,
Unable to ride.

But my love for

Felina is strong and I rise where I’ve fallen,
Though I am weary I can’t stop to rest.
I see the white puff of smoke from the rifle.
I feel the bullet go deep in my chest.

From out of nowhere Felina has found me,
Kissing my cheek as she kneels by my side.
Cradled by two loving arms that I’ll die for,
One little kiss and Felina, good-bye.

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www.jasonsober.net

Hey Guys and Gals.  I am writing a bunch of articles for Santa Barbara’s citizen journalism website City2.0 in which I am critiquing movies that are being shown at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.  If you are interested you should go ahead and look at the following link that goes to my part of their website ‘A Sober Perspective‘ (I know its cheesy).  Later on I will repost some of the articles on here but during the festival I am leaving them just on the City2.0 web page.  I hope you read and enjoy.  Please let me know if you think that I should change my writing style or layout.