DIGI-ME ON QARRTSILUNI

Part of my 2006 series of digitally painted self-portraits  "in-the-manner-of" are included in the latest issue of qarrtsiluni whose current theme is Imitation. I'm so happy to appear again in this consistently, persistently, stubbornly excellent online magazine. 

Speaking of digital painting (Hi Hockney! I don't have an iPad but my Wacom graphic tablet has been in constant use since 2004) I love it, it's fun, absorbing, exciting and stimulating to my eye and hand and brain but something entirely different takes place during a direct interaction of the hand and the whole mind-body with a live, un-mediated surface in a live un-mediated environment. I can't define what that difference is and I can't be entirely certain that it's better than its digitally orchestrated version, but somebody sometime somewhere will surely write a thesis on this subject.

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ARE YOU BEING ZAPPED? DO YOU CARE? MICROWAVE RADIATION FROM WIRELESS DEVICES

Watch this YouTube video and think about it. The Swiss government is warning its citizens about cordless phones and other wireless devices - why isn't every government doing the same? Obvious answers:

1. Because there's really nothing to worry about, folks. This level of radiation is perfectly safe. Anyone who thinks different is either ignorant, hypochondriac, a conspiracy-theorist nutcase, or all of those.

2. Because there might be plenty to worry about but the industries producing all of this technology are far too profitable and far too advanced to stop their progress or to go back to drawing boards and re-think the whole thing. And they are certainly not keen to publicise any data which points to the dangers. 

3. Because hey, life is brutish and short! So why not enjoy our dangerous and delightful gadgets while we can? And if we, or our children, or grandchildren, die from cancers caused by constant and close contact with such gadgets.....oh, too bad! That's life! Deal with it! 

We've all seen young children (and of course adults too) with mobile phones pressed against their heads, having hours-long conversations. And pregnant women resting their laptops (or iPads) on conveniently swollen bellies as they surf the net. And men with laptop between their legs as they sit on a train working or playing computer games. All perfectly safe? I don't think so. And yes, I do care.

I'm getting rid of my one cordless phone. I've never liked it anyway, sometimes it sort of buzzes against my head. And I don't have an iPad or a SmartPhone. And I've never rested my laptop on my lap. Anyway I mainly use a desktop and have no WiFi devices. Whew!

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