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Quebec, Canada 
This is a self portrait I set up in the bathroom of my former law office (back in the big firm days). I used to bring my gear to work, which people thought was weird. This was in the superficial existential crisis days. Which have since been replaced with the current existential crisis days. 😆 Taken with my Nikon D700 at the time. Now, it seems the iPhone has replaced everything.
For anyone who hasn’t had the opportunity to see this piece, it is in Chicago. It is tremendously impressive, in size and effect. The artist is Anish Kapoor, and he has produced some other incredible works of art that are equally impressive to experience.
“What I wanted to do in Millennium Park is make something that would engage the Chicago skyline ... so that one will see the clouds kind of floating in, with those very tall buildings reflected in the work. And then, since it is in the form of a gate, the participant, the viewer, will be able to enter into this very deep chamber that does, in a way, the same thing to one's reflection as the exterior of the piece is doing to the reflection of the city around.”
—Anish Kapoor
Hi everyone, I realize I have been sporadic on uploading podcasts, streams, and vlawgs directly to locals. I’m going to do it systematically, and not sporadically going forward - soon as I get to reliable Internet. I’ll upload all of the ones I have not yet uploaded so they are also in Locals. Sorry about that, and see you all tonight!
A very fitting post on a day when I was required to register online, and show “papers” in order to travel between provinces. And the story behind this portrait is also amazing
“In the wake of the attack on pearl harbor, Churchill arrived in Ottawa, to thank the allies for their assistance.
Unaware that a photographer had been commissioned to take his portrait he refused to remove his cigar. Once the photographer was set up he walked towards Churchill, removed the cigar from his mouth and took his famous photograph with the scowl.
Of the incident, Churchill told Karsh “You can even make a roaring lion stand still to be photographed.”
This image is one of the most widely reproduced political portraits. It gave photographers permission to take more honest, and even critical, portraits of political leaders.”
I could never make something like this up, because I simply can’t think on such levels. But Vox can. https://www.vox.com/22578430/murder-crime-2020-2021-covid-19-pandemic
If you’re short on time, skip to the end… There we are, Robert and me! https://which-50.com/relax-lockdown-edition/
Cleaning up the basement, I found one of my works from high school. You can probably see the Salvador Dali influence. I was heavy into crosshatching. And other things at the time! 😂 i’m fairly certain this was a photograph I picked up from National Geographic. I was also very fond of National Geographic. Before politics ruined it. Lol in another post for art of the day, I will show some of my more… Imaginary stuff. enjoy the day!
Salvador Dali was one of my absolute favourite artists as a teenager. This was before I understood that artists had to live a certain life in order for their art to be taken seriously. The same work will be interpreted totally differently if it comes from an eccentric like Salvador Dali, versus a lawyer working a corporate job. Setting aside Salvador Dali as an individual (eccentric would be to put it mildly), I have always loved his artwork. This piece, “the persistence of memory”, is arguably his most famous work.
“Dalí described his meticulously rendered works as “hand-painted dream photographs,” and certainly, the melted watches that make their appearance in this Surrealist masterpiece have become familiar symbols of that moment when reverie seems to uncannily invade the everyday. The coast of the artist’s native Catalonia serves as the backdrop for this landscape of time, in which infinity and decay are held in equipoise. As for the odd, rubbery creature in the center of the composition, it’s the artist himself, or rather his profile, stretched and flattened like Silly Putty”.—Howard Halle
Well I couldn't figure out how to convert the PDF to HTML. Which is weird, because I could have sworn I did it before. But I found the lawsuit online. Here it is https://www.slfliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2021/06/202106029-Deemar-v.-D65-Complaint.pdf
I find it incredible to think that this rock has been protruding from a lake for so long, that over the course of time, random seeds managed to their way across the hundreds of metres of water - likely somewhere in the feathers of a bird - find a place on this rock, take root, and grow into these trees. In the early part of the season, this rock island nests a bunch of baby birds. The beautiful side of Canada.
Fitting from yesterday‘s stream, Johnny Cash “Hurt”. This was originally a Nine Inch Nails song, written by Trent Reznor. After Johnny Cash‘s version of it, Trent reportedly said it is no longer his work. What makes it so beautiful is how different the meaning of the song can be depending on the subject. While it ostensibly related to drugs and self harm in the original version, when placed in the context of Johnny Cash‘s life, it almost comes off as a epitaph.
Here is last nights’s stream on podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/viva-barnes-law-for-the-people/id1500286132?i=1000528990350
I could have sworn I created a campaign for anti-media in colour, but alas, I’m losing my mind. I blame the children. So I created it. Here it is. For anyone who wanted the anti-media jersey in colours! https://represent.com/anti-media-colors
Ansel Adams. Just unspeakable beauty… This work sold for nearly $1 million.
“Ansel Adams photographed the record-setting print in 1942. The image was commissioned by the Department of the Interior. The mural-sized print of Jackson Hole is one of fewer than 10 thought to exist. David H. Arrington acquired it directly from a descendant of Ansel Adams.”
As many of you probably know, I am among the least “Zen” people on earth. The little engine in my head rarely stops chattering. But this song by Angels & Airwaves is one of the few songs that reduces the chatter, if only for 8 minutes. It’s worth listening to with good stereo headphones, eyes closed, phone on silent. Enjoy. It’s an absolute work of art.
Hi everyone… I’m trying to quell my anger and remain optimistic. This is a tweet from our Premier, François Legault. It truly feels like we are living in the twilight zone. The tweet literally translates as follows: “today, the [health official] revealed the modalities of the use of the vaccine passport. We must all put it into effect in order to avoid confinement this fall. it is now more true than ever: vaccination is our passport to liberty”.
I’m not being melodramatic when I say this. It turns my stomach to read this. never in a million years would I have ever thought that Quebec would be a place where “vaccination makes one free” would be a government policy, and not a hyperbolic meme on Twitter. but although it is discouraging, it is also motivating. I am going to find out what percentage of the population supports this Korematsu, Jacobson, Buck-level madness. If I am less of a minority than I think I am, I will be happy. If I am more of a minority then I hope to be, I will be liberated - in some sad way. I will not have left this country - this country will have left me. Either way, at least we will have an answer.
Don’t read too much into the frustration of this post. I’m just venting. ✌️
Hi everyone,
I think it was last week, two people put up amazing images for a Hush Hush shirt. Talex for sure, and someone else who I forgot (if that was you, please don’t take it personally :-) Robert and I love the images, and will happily put it on a shirt and send the two of you the first shirts. Just because we are lawyers, and want to avoid conflict, if you send them to us (send in the high-quality, Hi-Rez format), it is an explicit renunciation of any and all rights you could have otherwise claimed in the design. Not trying to be greedy, just want to avoid issues. David@vivafrei.com
I want to wish everyone the happiest of Independence Days. A year ago, I could never have imagined a community as amazing as this. Today, it means something more than I can possibly put towards. enjoy the fireworks. Enjoy the festivities. Enjoy friends and family. Enjoy the freedom, and always remain vigilant to preserve it. This community is an inspiration that I take a tremendous amount of pride and happiness in. And to quote Razor Fist, but like a Canadian: G-d Freaking Speed! May the next years be freer than the last years. ✌️ And a pic that makes me happy to look at.
After deliberating, Robert and I have decided to postpone the stream so that it will not interfere with Independence Day celebrations. Monday night at 19:00 ET. Watch some fireworks! Enjoy some barbecues! Happy Fourth of July! And may future years be freer than these last years
I am not sharing this to be crass, only to really illustrate how people can make side money just by licensing random videos. That cute video of Winston playing with the tennis ball, that I used in my sponsored video for Newsflare, just sold. First sale on this video alone, £67.50 net. It truly is a great way to earn a little extra money, and have a lot of fun while doing it. Use my invite to sign up https://invite.newsflare.com/vivafrei
The video licensing agency I have been using for years sponsored my latest video. It’s also just a pretty darn good way for people to try to make some money with videos they probably already have on their cell phones :-) if you set up an account, use my referral code! https://invite.newsflare.com/vivafrei video here:
Hi everyone, you asked. We deliver (albeit a little late, but that's my bad...) We're still working on certain expanded merch options, but in the interim, here are some HUSH HUSH shirts (front and back).
In darker colors (white text): https://represent.com/hush-hush-colors
In lighter colors (black text): https://represent.com/hush-hush-white
Enjoy!
Locals now has live stream for some communities, and we have that feature. I’m going to go live at 18:00 to give it a test run. It is just going to be me because so far, it’s only one person per live stream, so we haven’t figured out how Robert and I can do it at the same time. Bring some questions, I might be fishing :-)
