Alec Corday

The Hobbit BTS

admin — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 16:23:02 +0000

Enjoy Peter Jackson in his Vid-Blogs for The Hobbit! It’s in HD, so fullscreen it right away to get your first Hobbit impressions!

Sea Angels

admin — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 00:36:57 +0000

It began with reading a small article in a magazine 15 years ago that inspired me to sit down and write this novel. It’s been a few years but now it’s finished and I’m currently working on sending it out agents and publishers and working out amarketing plan, which will include a complex web site and a prequel web series. For your pleasure, here is a sample teaser trailer I threw together.

More to come! Check out the book’s site here.

Pato Loco Studios

admin — Thu, 26 May 2011 15:36:48 +0000

My friend Alex “Munk” Lanzarin has begun producing a series of comedy shorts to release onto the internets. Helping him out is Yours Truly and together we are building and setting up Pato Loco Studios where we will be shooting these films. The first has recently been released onto the unsuspecting internets and is bound to become a classic. Enjoy below The Space Adventures of the Intergalactic Space Bounty Hunter from Outer Space: The Legend of the Invisible and very, very Dangerous Boom Dragons!

Arizona 2011

admin — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:15:37 +0000

A few pix from my trip to Arizona in February…

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Smackdown

admin — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 13:51:18 +0000

A few days ago my friend Alex Soandso asked me to explain why I have such a low opinion of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator tests.

He forgot who he was messing with. Here is my response.

____________________________________

Ohhh… You asked for it. This is going to hurt. Just a little. A lot.

Point #1:

1 Timotheus 6:20

Point #2:

I’ve taken the MBTI in the past 10 years several times over, thanks to that self-help book Please Understand Me, parts I & II. The results varied each time. My argumentation and despise directed towards its are not based on not having tried the chicken, but on having tried and tested several variations of the chicken and still finding it only tastes like… chicken. Thus my following arguments are based not merely on my own opinions, but on studies and research of other investigator, both skeptics and believers. Opinions on the MBTI in the field of psychology are as split as on this message board, and I shall now dredge forth a few points of evidence, just to give you a hard time. Ain’t I nice?

Point #3:

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator tests originate from Jung’s theory of psychological type (in itself an extension on the ancient study of temperament by Hippocrates and Plato) which in 1921 introduced a sequence of eight cognitive functions by which a personality could be pigeonhol– I mean ‘typed’. Since creation (1) the human types discovered has increased exponentially: from 2 (good and evil) to 4 (Plato) to 8 (Jung) to 16 (Myers-Briggs). I would not be surprised if within the next few years someone finds 32. However, neither the MBTI nor the Jungian models (or Plato for that matter) offer any scientific or experimental proof to support even the existence of these functions, never mind any proof of manifestation. It could thus be argued that the MBTI is ‘unscientific’ by its genesis alone as it offers no evidence for its statements. I don’t wish to discredit Carl Jung per se: he’s a wily Swiss he is. His ideas of integrating the conscious with the unconscious have shaped psychology as we know it and is indeed fundamental to an individuals search for his or her ‘id’ (Freudian pun intended). But I am also certain he would strongly disagree with the MBTI interpretation of his original concepts of temperaments, or at the very least caution its use. But I digress.

To clarify, there are some differences between Jung’s and Myers and Briggs’s interpretations. For example, to Jung a person who is dominant introverted thinking would be considered rational, dominated by the decision-making function. To Myers, however, that very same person would be irrational because the individual uses an information-gathering function to interact with its world. It is this element of world-interaction Jung never included. I admit that from a theoretical point of view we can argue that the MBTI has a moderately successful quantification of Jung’s original principles. However, as I stated above, both models remain theory. There have been no controlled scientific studies supporting either theories. MBTIs can thus be considered less scientific than Evolutionary Theories — and that’s a whole another can of worms you do not want to open in my presence as I’ll have you face-up on the mat so fast it’ll make your head spin. Same goes for Global Warming. I’m just sayin’.

In 1991 the National Academy of Sciences committee concluded that only the I-E scale has adequate construct validity compared to other assessment tools, while the S-N and T-F scales show relatively weak validity. The review committee then stated that there is “not sufficient, well-designed research to justify the use of the MBTI in career counseling programs”. In contrast it is therefor interesting to note that the MBTI ethical guidelines state that “it is unethical and in many cases illegal to require job applicants to take the Indicator if the results will be used to screen out applicants.” As the intent of the MBTI is to provide “a framework for understanding individual differences, and … a dynamic model of individual development” it is useful to determine general personality traits but should by no means be used for hiring or firing individuals. Although “used” by some corporations and agencies as you mentioned, it is understood that actually “using” MBTI results is illegal and unethical.

As you correctly stated, MBTIs also lack falsifiability, which can cause confirmation bias in the interpretation of the results. It is therefor easy to control the outcome, either consciously or unconsciously. A person with certain emotional issues for example may respond to certain questions based on their emotional state and return negative or positive results that may worsen their state if the test is taken seriously.

So don’t. MBTIs are tools, much like a doctor’s stethoscope. But “cough twice and turn your head” is no way to determine a person’s health, mental or otherwise. It can give a superficial insight into a type, but that can any other test as well. A simplified version of the MBTI is the Oreo Personality Test. As an example and for my amusement I added it to Appendix B. Take it and weep.

Point #4:

While my statements above were simple uppercuts to MBTIs, I would like to deliver a final roundhouse kick to the wannabe science called “psychology” in general. And since nobody (besides Chuck Norris) can deliver a good roundhouse like the WT Society can, here is quotation from a 1979 Awake article on Mind Doctors.

Both psychologists and psychiatrists borrow respectability and prestige from the breathtaking achievements of such sciences as mathematics, chemistry, biology and physics, according to an article in “Maclean’s” magazine. Calling their professions “science” and associating their bedlam of contradictory speculations with natural sciences based on experimental evidence is hardly convincing. The column in “Maclean’s” concludes: “When a psychiatrist’s, sociologist’s, or psychologist’s advice is given the same weight as a physicist’s, dentist’s or engineer’s, we are deluding ourselves only a little less than those who consulted the entrails of a sheep or the Oracle of Delphi.”

‘Nuff said. As science has begun to replace God in this world, and psychologists clerics, the MBTI has become a modern-day rosary, a tool some people believe will bring them closer to their ‘id’.

I weep for the species.

Conclusion #1:

It is important to remember that the tests and information gained from any of the dozens of MBTI variations out there are empirical. It is a working, interesting instrument to use in the exploration of the human type, but we also don’t quite understand why or how it works. This means its use must be judicious: any small variation or deviation from the test process — as you stated correctly — can change the outcome. Humans are delicate creatures after all. The human ‘id’ is way too complex to be labeled on paper. It would be naive and downright silly to attempt to do so. Of course, it is possible to generalize human psyche in a ‘fortune-cookie’ fashion: state the obvious and general that statistically applies to a large amount of the human population. There is a profession that lives from this concept of generalization: Horoscope writers. Unfortunately many people lend the MBTI way too much credibility, forgetting that it is only a tool and the results biased at best.

Conclusion #2:

1. MBTI tests attempt to quantify the unquantifiable and are therefor inherently inaccurate.
2. Although interesting, MBTIs should never be used as a definite determination of personality. Just because the test tells you you are an [insert your letters here] doesn’t mean you really are.
3. Empirical data is just that. Don’t stake your life on it.
4. Yes, in the above come-back I’ve compared MBTIs to stethoscopes, fortune cookies, horoscopes and rosaries. Deal with it.
5. Don’t mess with a student of psychology and avid researcher.
6. Don’t copy and paste from answers.com.
7. My Freudian slip is showing.
8. You may now get off the mat.

Appendix A:
Here is some suggested further research for your enlightenment and amusement.

Who were Jung, Freud and Adler, the fathers of psychoanalysis?

—An amusing (but accurate) depiction of Freud, Jung and Adler and their point of view of love.

—In-depth research on psycho-babble… i mean -analysis.

Do MBTIs work?

—“Measuring the MBTI… and coming up short.”

—“Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: A cultural and Ethical Evaluation”

—Futurama Episode 1 “Space Pilot 3000” Fry’s dilemma over his computer-assigned job result based on a personality test is an obvious jab at the possible misuse of MBTIs.

— “Is the Myers Briggs Type Indicator the Right Tool to Use?”

Appendix B:

The Oreo Personality Test

Psychologists have discovered that the manner in which one eats Oreo cookies provides great insight into one’s personality. Choose which method best describes your favorite method of eating Oreos:

1. The whole thing all at once
2. One bite at a time
3. Slow and methodical nibbles, examining the results of each bite afterwards
4. In little feverous nibbles
5. Dunked in some liquid (milk, coffee, etc.)
6. Twisted apart, the inside, then the cookie
7. Twisted apart, the inside, and toss the cookie
8. Just the cookie, not the inside
9. I just like to lick them, not eat them.
10. I don’t have a favorite way because I don’t like Oreo cookies.

Your Personality:

1. The whole thing all at once: You consume life with abandon, you are fun to be with, exciting, carefree with some hint of recklessness. You are totally irresponsible. No one should trust you with their children.

2. One bite at a time: You are lucky to be one of the 5.4 billion other people who eat their Oreos this very same way. Just like them, you lack imagination, but that’s okay, not to worry, you’re normal.

3. Slow and methodical nibbles: You follow the rules. You’re very tidy and orderly. You’re very meticulous in every detail with every thing you do to the point of being anal-retentive and irritating to others. Stay out of the fast lane if you’re only going to go the speed limit.

4. Feverous nibbles: Your boss likes you because you get your work done quickly. You always have a million things to do and never enough time to do them. Mental breakdowns and suicides run in your family. Valium and Ritalin would do you good.

5. Dunked: Everyone likes you because you are always upbeat. You like to sugarcoat unpleasant experiences and rationalize bad situations into good ones. You are in total denial about the shambles you call a life. You have a propensity towards narcotics addiction.

6. Twisted apart, the inside, and then the cookie: You have a highly curious nature. You take pleasure in breaking things apart to find out how they work, though not always able to put them back together, so you destroy all the evidence of your activities. You deny your involvement when things go wrong. You are a compulsive liar and exhibit deviant, if not criminal, behavior.

7. Twisted apart, the inside, and then toss the cookie: You are good at business and take risks that pay off. You take what you want and throw the rest away. You are greedy, selfish, mean, and lack feelings for others. You should be ashamed of yourself. But that’s ok, you don’t care, you got yours.

8. Just the cookie, not the inside: You enjoy pain.

9. I just like to lick them, not eat them: Stay away from small furry animals and seek professional medical help–immediately.

10. I don’t have a favorite way because I don’t like Oreo cookies.: You probably come from a rich family, like to wear nice things, and go to upscale restaurants. You are particular and fussy about the things you buy, own, and wear. Things have to be just right. You like to be pampered. You are a prim.

__________________________

Who’s your daddy now! *Alec does victory dance*

End of line.

Knol

admin — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 04:15:15 +0000

I’ve begun publishing some of my older articles on Knol, Google’s answer to Wikipedia (of sorts). I figured either let them rot on my hard drive or give ‘em to the world to enjoy. So world: enjoy!

The Knol concept is a bit different than Wikipedia: not everyone is allowed to correct articles, only the author may. Readers however can suggest changes in the comment section. A downside is that any quack can write an article and talk about the end of the world. Oh wait, that’s what one of my articles is about…

Oh well, here it goes: the first set after the jump. Don’t ask me how I know so much about weather and the air force.

Click the hurricane to blow you away.

Rubberside Down

admin — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 03:24:15 +0000

End of 2008 my brother, myself and a close friend of ours decided to take a dirtbiking tour around the Dominican Republic. We filmed the entire adventure and then published the entire thing as a web series. I can honestly say its my most professional filming/editing job… and it could still use some work. Nevertheless, enjoy the trailer here and then head on over to see the full show that I’m still currently editing and publishing.

My dad has been named the UN Ambassador for the African Refugees in Ghana

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:38:05 +0000

So my father received this email. Anybody else smell Nigerian Spam?

———————————–

Attention

Good day.

I am the United Nations Presidential Task Force Chairman for Refugees here in Ghana. I here by pass this information to you that the Member of the Parliament is looking for God fearing person who can be the Ambassador to the African refugees.

The meeting was held yesterday in the castle House in OSU (president Office). Your name has been nominated So that you can be the Ambassador for the African Refugees.

I want you to forward all your details to us so that we can pass your details to the United Nation Head Office in England and America so that United Nation Head Office in England and America can put your name in the registration Book for this appointment and send you official letter regarding this appointment.

I wait to Hear from you.

Hon.Dr. Peter G. Arthur

The Presidential Task force Chairman
United Nations Head Quarter Accra Ghana
Accra Ghana

Tempting. Lemme think about it.

admin — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 21:38:34 +0000

I just got this email. I thought you should read it. For your eternal mirth, here it is. Spelling and grammar is [sic].

Hello,

It is well known that women from your country are very beautiful, have high moral and family values.

Therefore now it became very prestigious amoung the Russian millionaires and rich people to get married with women from your country.

If you are young and beautiful woman, aged 18-35 and willing to get married with a Russian man and live in luxury,
please send us your pictures and short resume and we will forward this information to the interested men.

The pictures can be sent to our email address: ——–

If you personally are not interested in this offer, we would appreciate if you could forward it to your female friends.

With best regards from Russia,

F—– A—-,
White Eagle Marriage Agency.
Russia.

When was the last time Germany won anything, anyway?

admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 04:39:40 +0000

1982 actually.

No, this is not a post about soccer (Football to you Americans, a game consisting of 22 skilled players, one impartial referee, two eagle-eyed referee’s assistants and one stupid ball). I realize there is this WorldCup thingy going on, but anyone who knows me knows that I couldn’t care less about who is kicking that leather (or polyurethane) ball around and winning at it.

This is about the Eurovision Song Contest, the original American Idol. Well, possibly more than that, as its been a TV show transmitting since 1956 (older than Doctor Who!) and only professionals participate. Most famously it brought us ABBA in 1974 and has been an important tent-pole in European musical culture ever since (I mean the contest, not ABBA, although, come to think of it…).

In case you live under a rock or in America, you may have heard that Lena won the contest, a cute-as-a-button singer from Germany, who charmed all of Europe with her song “Satellite” (no, not a cover of the lesser ‘Satellites’ by Beyonce!).

Well, the line-up this year was fantastic to say the least, and although Lena’s song is great, I feel it was a photo-finish for the most part. To cut a long story short, here is my selection of the best of the best, in no particular order. But I wonder, whatever happened? Most are doing their songs in English, as opposed to their native tongues only a few years ago…

Oh, never mind. Enjoy!

Do Not Feed The Monkey or How I Failed At Video-Blogging

admin — Sun, 23 May 2010 23:20:54 +0000

Far back in 2006 I tried to do a video blogging series, back when I still had DoNotFeedTheMonkey.com. I had nothing to talk about and nothing to say. And it shows. Only managed a few episodes before I realize how pointless and nonsensical it was. Enjoy my failed attempts at Video Blogging! Any resemblance to Zoolander is just his tough luck.

PS: “You suck!” comments will be instantly deleted as they only state the obvious.

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Future

admin — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 04:47:58 +0000

“Your happiness grows in direct proportion to your acceptance
and in inverse proportion to your expectations.”

Michael J. Fox has always been a kind of hero to me.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not someone who idolizes human beings, but I have always been admiring his work and his ability to stay above himself. I still remember myself as a snot-nosed 6-year old philosopher sitting on an isle on a transatlantic flight to the US in 1985, and watching a strange movie with this cool kid, a crazy-haired doc and a flying car. I couldn’t hear the sound because it was a few rows forward in business-class (us cattle in coach had to watch something else), but this cool dude stood out. As did the car. Back in School I would argue with kids over which was the cooler car: the silver DeLorean that could fly, or that black TransAm that could talk. Ah, the 80s.

When a video-store opened around the corner it was a given that I would get my dad to rent me Back To The Future I through III. I could relate to him on many levels, not just height-wise. He was everything a cool kid should be: self-confident, witty, cute and funny. I never really saw Family Ties as that show never made it to my TV screen, but other movies did imprint him as Teh Awesome in my impressionable young mind: The Secret of my Success, For Love Or Money and especially Greedy, more so for teaming him up with Kirk Douglas. In so many ways I wanted to be him. Just watch this 80s Pepsi commercial to see what I mean.

I wanted to be that cool. And then… I grew too tall. I was somewhat short in my school years, but alas a growth-spurt set in around 15, and now I am too tall to be him. Still, I followed his career into SpinCity and beyond. When he bowed out of SpinCity I knew something was wrong, as did we all (why would he always have his hands in his pockets?) and by then his Parkinson’s was full out of the closet.

For years I never heard from him again, except for the occasional mention in the news, a graceful come-back at Rush “foot-in-mouth” Limbaugh and a cameo on Scrubs.

Now in his late 40s and struggling with this ailment he reflected back on his life in his new book A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Future. NPR made an interview with him on that book that enticed me to write this post to share said interview. Although a radio interview where Mike drops jokes, wit and truths as he always has, it is Parkinson’s that is ever present, even in the voice-only interview. We may have seen him on TV with his condition, but it is in the audio that it somehow truly comes across.

Click here to listen to the NPR MJF Interview, or right-click to download.

Don’t let it ever be said that someone called him a chicken…

Unearthing Ancient Artifacts

admin — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:52:26 +0000

I was cleaning out my server when I stumbled across this site I created for some of my funky home-videos, ages ago (featuring often my parents, oddly enough). Back then when my editing skillz were mediocre to lousy, I did it all just for fun’s sake, and YouTube was but a site I’ve only heard of (thus the self-hosting).

For your consideration, here are a few videos from ages past. Like two years ago. Old stuff. Some are funny, some are sad, some just are. I recommend Driving Me Crazy and Old Tucson (especially the ‘bad’ part). And half-way-through of 40. And maybe Public Message. And then there is of course the old trailer for Rubberside Down.

Click to enjoy.

Amber – The Caribbean Approach

admin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 01:10:59 +0000

I recently had the honor of writing the feature article for the fall/winter 2009 issue of the magazine InColor, published by the International Colored Gemstone Association. I had to dig deep into my knowledge of amber (of what little there is) and it’s history as relevant to the Caribbean, as well as do some very in-depth research. I also supplied several high-quality images for the article.

You can read the online version of the edition here. Enjoy!

I’d like to point out that, although the cover-image is credited to me, it was actually taken by my sister-in-law, Nancy. Just FYI…

SOE

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:27:18 +0000

I’m currently deep in the development of www.SensoryOverloadEntertainment.com, the site for my small (but quickly growing) design firm.

We are a team of highly skilled Renaissance Men (and Women) versed in various of the arts, who banded together to bring you the best possible art and entertainment solutions for your business.

Whether it is web design, graphic art, copy writing,photography, ghost blogging, video/audio productions or even Motion Picture/Web Series Marketing, we try to deliver what your business needs to stand out in a competitive online world.

Browse our portfolio to find out what we can do for your business and let us deliver the best possible quality at the best possible prices!

Check us out here…

Full Fathom Five

admin — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 04:19:08 +0000

Full Fathom Five is a 5-part web series that will serve as a prequel to my novel Sea Angels.

It describes the occurrences leading up towards the beginning of the novel, introducing a few characters that play a big part in it, yet without revealing the plot of the book and developing only more mysteries resolved only in the novel.

It will be a series of vlog entries created by one minor character.

Currently in pre-production.

Will be part of the site www.seaangelsnovel.com

Tied

admin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 04:57:00 +0000

A crazy idea for a comedy short-film has been rattling my brain for years now.

It’s but a 5-minute description of the world’s biggest conspiracy theory, a plot so evil, it’s been hanging around our necks for hundreds of years, yet we can do nothing about it. Who started it? Where did it come from? Who is that evil, evil group of people behind it?

Except answers. But, be careful, they’re watching us. They… are… everywhere.

Currently in the script-writing stage. Trust me, it’s going to be hilarious if I do say so myself…

Macadam Flower

admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 02:58:14 +0000

Inspiration, I have you now!

I’m happy to announce my favorite singer Emma Shapplin has just released her newest album, and its a step in a new direction. After her previous pop-opera albums Carmine Meo and Etterna, she now released Macadam Flower, a new more modern approach to her style.

And in English.

While her previous productions were entirely in Old Italian (with the exception of the song Discovering Yourself) and very operatic with a few pop-techno-touches, this album is an unexpected cross-cut of instrumental and techno-rock songs, a few in her native French (!!). While I enjoy the album, I still feel her previous works are more epic in scale and thus inspirational, at least for me.

Still, Macadam Flower is very enjoyable. Allow me to place here a few of her past songs for you to savor and learn why she’s my fav diva. Besides the fact that she writes or produces most of her own stuff. Christine Daae incarnate!

Here a few of her songs, including:

From Macadam Flower the single Nothing Wrong.
From the Red Planet Soundtrack the song (and my all time fav song from her or anyone) The Fifth Heaven, here used in a Final Fantasy remix.
From her album Carmine Meo the single Discovering Yourself.