brucine (broo'-seen), 1) n. Pharm., Chem. a bitter, poisonous alkaloid, C23H26N2O4, obtained from the nux vomica tree; 2) n. Bruce Bortin's 'low-impact' weblog

Thursday, December 30, 2004

NEW Same Great Scent


NEW Same Great Scent, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

From the Department of Confusing Commercial Utterances.

Monday, December 27, 2004

Mercury

We took John & Kum out to dinner last night at Santa Barbara's hip new restaurant, Elements. I only wish I'd brought my harem pants.

Mercury, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

"I'd like to start out with a nice bowl of mercury, followed by the molybdenum, yes, I'd like that medium rare. And for desert, if I have room, I'd love to try a little of the hafnium torte. With some sodium curls. Thanks."

Anchovies


Anchovy, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

This morning, Amal & I were discussing life under water. Because it's raining? So if you're swimming and it's a warm swimming pool and it's raining out, you don't care so much about the rain?

And if you're under water, then you probably don't even care at all, but you can only stay under there for five hours with scubatanks.

But I have special fish-gill scubatanks that work forever, and also a waterproof computer and waterproof books so we won't get bored, and we could order underwater pizza.

It's a good idea, however, not to get anchovies on your underwater pizza. Because what if you were eating the pizza, and some anchovies swam by right then? It would probably make those anchovies pretty unhappy to see that.

Dime


Dime, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Somebody wrote (& keefergillman forwarded it to me):

___________________________________________

  • Inauguration Day, Silent Protest

    Since our religious leaders will not speak out against the war in
    Iraq, since our political leaders don't have the moral courage to
    oppose it, Inauguration Day, Thursday, January 20th, 2005 is "Not One
    Damn Dime Day" in America.

    On "Not One Damn Dime Day," those who oppose what is happening in our
    name in Iraq can speak up with a 24-hour national boycott of all forms
    of consumer spending.

    During "Not One Damn Dime Day" please don't spend money. Not one damn
    dime for gasoline. Not one damn dime for necessities or for impulse
    purchases. Not one damn dime for anything for 24 hours.

    For 24 hours, please do what you can to shut the retail economy down.
    The object is simple. Remind the people in power that the war in Iraq
    is immoral and illegal; that they are responsible for starting it and
    that it is their responsibility to stop it.

    "Not One Damn Dime Day" is to remind them, too, that they work for the
    people of the United States of America, not for the international
    corporations and K Street lobbyists who represent the corporations and
    funnel cash into American politics.

    There's no rally to attend. No marching to do. No left or right wing
    agenda to rant about. On "Not One Damn Dime Day" you take action by
    doing nothing. You open your mouth by keeping your wallet closed. For
    24 hours, nothing gets spent, not one damn dime, to remind our
    religious leaders and our politicians of their moral responsibility to
    end the war in Iraq and give America back to the people.

    Please share this email with as many people as possible. --

___________________________________________

Looks like a plan. BB sez check it out.

Sunday, December 26, 2004

Santa Barbara


Santa Barbara, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

We took a walk in Stevens Park today with John, Kum-Kum, Cerina & Amal. It was lovely, if overcast. I shot some video, but not the photo above.

Thursday, December 23, 2004

Here's another idea:



How about a virus whose virulence is proportional to the celebrity of its host?
There could be a positive feedback loop tied to being mentioned in
Sick People magazine.



This pic is by no means meant to represent any kind of glaat at Leonardo DiCaprio. He's just representative of celebrity in my mind. And when I was looking for a picture to photoshop, I couldn't for the life of me remember Jude Law's name.


Here's an idea:

Hey, what about snortable mitochondria?



  • Might be good.
  • Might only be good for violently accelerated nose-hair growth and mucus production

Wednesday, December 22, 2004

Q: What's Catatonic Man's Favorite Soft-drink?


Catatonic Man, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

--Based on a character by Bart Johnson, that crazy sonofabitch.

Tits on Ghidrah?


Tits on Ghidrah?, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Yu-gi-oh toy that I bought for the Oakland Fire Dept's xmas toy-drive today. I'm not really sure about this toy. It certainly resembles Ghidrah, the three-headed monster that gives Godzilla such trouble now and then. But I can't say as I remember Ghidrah having breasts.

Chinese Checkers


Chinese Checkers, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

For the Oakland Fire Dept's xmas toy-drive. Our motto: "It's marginally better than nothing."

Bahktari


New Rug, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Happy Christmas Mary!

Old Druid Greeting


Old Druid Greeting, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

"May your Solstice be wax-free and fragrant."

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

crudite


crudite, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Cathy's Xmas
a poem


She's going to LA
But only for a day
Just to bake a birthday cake
And prepare the crudite.

Monday, December 20, 2004

Street Neg 001


Street Neg 001, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

...or these?

Street Neg 002


Street Neg 002, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Summer beach scene. Anybody know these folks?

Street Neg 000


Street Neg 000, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Found this on Jackson Street the other day. Picked it up, taped it to a piece of white paper, photographed it with light behind it. Photoshopped the results to come up with....

Tuesday, December 14, 2004

All the candles


All the candles, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

From Eight, a short flick I did for Andrea for the last night of Hannukah.

We blew out the last candle after filming the lighting, because we were doing it last night, and we only needed seven. Just trying to keep it, you know, Kosher.

After "Oh, mein"


After "Oh, mein", originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Mary & me at the end of our super secret handshake.

From Eight, a short flick I did for Andrea for the last night of Hannukah.

Hannukah Prayer 2


Hannukah Prayer 2, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

...right before "It's Yvonne? Ooh!"

From Eight, a short flick I did for Andrea for the last night of Hannukah.

Beginning of Hannukah Prayer


Beginning of Hannukah Prayer, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Beginning of the prayer over the Hannukah candles.

From Eight, a short flick I did for Andrea for the last night of Hannukah.

Monday, December 13, 2004

Detox Mouse Falls off the Wagon


Detox Mouse Falls off the Wagon, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

We had a little Xmas Tree trimming/Hannukah party here last night.

Lemmiwinks in Cage


Lemmiwinks in Cage, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Here's Lemmiwinks in his cage. His bedding is made of shredded 1040 Forms.

Lemmi in Ball


Lemmi in Ball, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Adam's mouse Lemmiwinks as Detox Mouse

Detox Mouse Title


Detox Mouse Title, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

This is a still from the opening title of my short video, Detox Mouse Does His Taxes.

Detox Mouse premiered at the 21 Grand "T-10 Short Video Festival" last Saturday.

Sunday, December 12, 2004

Sunset Poolside Photo


Sunset Poolside Photo, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Here's a photo of some hosers enjoying the sunset.

Sunset Poolside Sketch


Sunset PoolsideSketch, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Here's a drawing of some hosers enjoying the sunset.

Iggy


Iggy, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Outside our 4th storey hotel room was the top of a palm tree. An iguana lived there, on the fronds. Can you find him?

Boog Collage


Boog Collage, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Bouganvilla petals from the plants on our balcony at the Buenaventura in Puerto Vallarta

Monday, November 29, 2004

Off to Puerto Vallarta today.


Back next week.
I don't anticipate doing any posting (or much of anything else, really) until then.



Bye!

Sunday, November 28, 2004

Jim Mail


Jim Mail, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Jim's Change of Address finally kicked in yesterday. Thank God I won't have to go and bug those women at window 12 anymore.

Wednesday, November 24, 2004

Exodus Still 2


Exodus Still 2, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Breaking tempered glass

Exodus Still 1


Exodus Still 1, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

From my latest movie, about moving out of my studio. I sent stills to my press kit on withoutabox.com today, submitted the dvd to the Tiburon International Film Festival.

This shot shows me throwing crap out, with the drug warning from Wellbutrin superimposed on the action.

Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Shopping Bag Sketch


Shopping Bag Sketch, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Thinking about sculpture/performance. Xmas shopping season is just around the corner!

What's in these bags?

Monday, November 15, 2004

Medal


Medal, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Dagmar came over today and we made some "Real American Hero" medals for her birthday party on Saturday.

Dagmar writes:
"this year it will be a special party. i actually have
something to celebrate: for the first time in seven
years i am turning older legally. yes, i now am a card
carrying alien residing in this beautiful country, the
united states of america.
and so i want to dedicate this birthday to you - all
my friends who helped me become a green card carrying
member of society, and who helped me not go completely
crazy during those rocky and confusing seven years."

Saturday, November 13, 2004

Glory Hole


Glory Hole, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Perhaps not what you were thinking.

Pipe Warmer


Pipe Warmer, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Boomer


Boomer, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

One of the best things about blowing glass with Dan is that sometimes Boomer is there, too, and every once in a great while, he can be talked into doing his droll Chihuly impression.

Encomium


Encomium, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Blew glass with Daniel Reilly yesterday. Dan's utilizing some fairly advanced decorative techniques these days. We made an 'encomium', if I understood Dan correctly, although, looking up that word, it's nothing like what the rest of the world seems to think that it means. It was one of those 'picking up a pre-made cup from the annealer on a sleeve of glass on the pipe' kind of deals.

We also made a graal piece, incorporating a pre-blown blank that had been coldworked through layers of color. It all worked out pretty well.

Friday, November 12, 2004

Silver View Posters


Silver View Pano, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Corn Oil

25 LB.

Thursday, November 11, 2004

Silver View


Silver View, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Grand Opening Plants


Grand Opening Plants, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Grand Opening


Grand Opening, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

The Silver View Supermarket opened today in the building that Goodluck used to occupy. It's so pretty in there. It's like an art installation of a Chinese Supermarket opening.

They don't have their business business down yet. Checkout was like an exercise in faith....Nothing got weighed, just, eyeballed and rung up. And paying with plastic was a big problem unless you were buying $20 or more groceries, so I had to schlep to an ATM four blocks away for cash and then come back to the store. Then making change almost destroyed the transaction. Couldn't make the conceptual leap required to recognize that two nickles are equivalent to one dime.

I'm going back tomorrow!

Wednesday, November 10, 2004

Hummer!


Hummer, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Finally bagged me a Hummer yesterday. I think that completes the set.

The bumpersticker reads:

The air you breathe means NOTHING to me

Homer...


Homer, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Hammer...


Tuesday, November 09, 2004

New Bike



It's a sweet ride.

Thanks, Mary

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

Boohoo, me little downtube is broke!

The downtube on my bike failed today, right at the crank joint. Well, that frame didn't owe nobody nothin.

But I sure loved that bike.

Monday, November 01, 2004

bag man


bag man, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

The zipper on my old JanSport backpack is feblodget. I got tired of fighting it, so, yesterday I went to the Laney Flea Market to replace it. I think I might have made a horrible mistake.

Does this fluorescent orange messenger bag make my ass look fat?

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