Final Philosophy INC Headquarters Sale

Rebel Headquarters

Here is a batch of photos from MAMMA Presents Philosophy INC’s Rebel Headquarters Sale.

Roanoke Fall 2009

Philosophy INC’s Rebel Headquarters Sale

On October 1st 2009 at 7pm Fleda A. Ring Artworks  will present MAMMA presents
Philosophy INC’s Rebel Headquarters Sale. (Google Map)

Matt Ames, filmmaker, donates to Car Less Brit Museum

Matt Ames, filmmaker, donates to Car Less Brit Museum from Car Less Brit on Vimeo.

Please help ban questionable products

Please pass this letter on to your government representatives!

Dear Senator,
I was recently shopping at a local retail outlet when I came across a product for sale that gave me pause. Frankly, I was shocked to see this product for sale at our local shopping mall, a mall frequented by Americans of many ages and ethnic backgrounds. The product I am writing to you about is called ‘Fart Powder’.

I have never bought, used or seen ‘Fart Powder’ in use but it is my understanding that the intended use of this product begins by one individual surreptitiously adding the powder to the food or drink of another. After a period of time the person digesting the powder has a gastronomical reaction, farting, the result of which is intended to be humorous to the person or persons stealthy adding the ‘Fart Powder’ to the food or beverage of the intended recipient.

The retail workers where I was shopping, even the manager, were unaware of the ingredients of ‘Fart Powder’ or how it actually caused the gastronomical reaction to occur. They also seemed quite dismissive of my concerns about the product. I will tell you what I told them: This product shows a total disregarded for the health and safety of others and also encourages and teaches people how to poison each other. It actually teaches us that poisoning friends and family is somehow funny.

I hope that you will have more of an understanding than the people at the establishment called ‘Spencer’s Gifts’. And I also hope that you can appreciate my desire not to live in a country that disregards the health of others and also promotes freely available poisoning products. It is for these reasons that I intend to start a non-profit organization to ban the sale of ‘Fart Powder’. I know the economy is bad and that ‘Fart Powder’ factory workers may lose their jobs, but I think that health and safety and promoting a non-poisoning community is more important.

Thank you,

Matt Ames

Starlite Drive In Theater: RIP Richard Beasley

Richard Beasley, owner and builder of The Starlite Drive-In Theater in Christiansburg, VA, passed away on July 26th this year. Mr. Beasley helped me with a lot of the information and documentation for a short video I made about his theater. He was older but still had his wits about him when we spoke. It’d be my guess that there aren’t many original drive-in theater owners left around. Here’s his obituary from the NRV news.

The drive-in theater pretty much died off in the 1980s or earlier. Here in Roanoke we had six drive-in theaters as late as 1978. Even that seems incredible now. Six drive-in theaters? From the names of the drive-ins listed below it also seems to have been a common practice to name the theater after the street upon which it was located.

Mr. Beasly was a really friendly and helpful man. Below the graphic of Roanoke drive-ins is the video I made with his help. Many thank Mr. Beasley.

Random Thoughts #17

There’s probably some great history of liquor I know nothing about.

There should be a cocktail napkin philosophy museum.

Headline: Manhole Cover Collector Also World Wrestling Champ!

There’s always some talking baby to suck you back into the meaningless vortex of the late capitalist universe.
Children laugh when dogs enter school buildings and when the over head projector misses the screen.

Bad word: Nonissue

Stupid company meeting begins with the song “These are the Days.”

Company man stresses the “AH” moment we need to strive for.

Is there a culture that made really crummy potery?

VA Heights Redux

Occasionally when my buddy Pat Greene and I talk we’ll discuss filming a little movie about VA Heights, a neighborhood in Orlando, Florida where we were neighbors. Recently we spoke about the film idea and later that day I stumbled upon some notes I’d taken when I lived in Virginia Heights. Here are a few of them and some images:

Ideas: Weather is always beautiful, French speaking, calisthenics, Philosophy INC, Mr. Ho, itinerary, political/spiritual and philosophical, cat as mascot, ‘we the people’, successful neighborhood watch, giant sloth from Pangaea,  historical dramatization, crime, conspiracy, UFOs, old piano man works on plays, neighborhood gossip, businesses ruin neighborhood, sister city, mowing lawn and waving, trains, lake, Lee, Louise, Theosophy, Chief, Alex, Gordon, Wills, Attapulgus, Allen, Jerrod, Hide Away, Henry’s, protest, folk museum, Sue, cat lady, Angel Store, Sean, Lisa, My Brother’s Keeper, Trans Photo, 7-11, society and conduct, dos and don’ts, transport, magazines, electricity, time (eastern standard), laundry, health issues, gay and lesbian, disabled, seniors, dangers and annoyances, holidays, accommodations, emergencies, entertainment.

Corny song:
“Virginia Heights….we’re reaching new heights.
On the wings of a golden egret
And a chariot full of friendliness”

Sights:
Attapulgus

Satellite

Va Heights (Polaroid)

Virginia Heights Gazette (Click for larger image)

Here’s a Flickr photo set with more images from Virginia Heights.

Notes on television

Things to do to make your television show successful.

1. Interview people with an interesting background.

2. Pause to bring an idea to attention. As in “Well, the key to this is……..investments.”

3. Have men sitting around in chairs talking about something.

4. Keep everything clean.

5.  Have daughters teach their mothers something about men.

6. Have people hitting each other.

7.  Pretend that you care about something.

8. Have people cry a lot.