Videos for Everyone

    Here is a little something for Everyone:


And here is another:


    And last, but certainly in no way the least:



    I hope that you have enjoyed the videos as much as I have. When I find some more 'gems' such as these, I'll be sure to share them with you all. 

    
Insights:

-I'm starting to worry that I may be unable to provide two, quality insights every post. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to try my hardest to keep that from becoming reality. 

-Frequent bike-riding can lead to leg and posture problems if you are not careful to diversify your activities. Bowing of the legs can occur if too much biking is done, and it is important to make sure your entire body receives the fullest range of motions when working out.

Do aliens really live amongst us?

     So I thought I would take a little time tonight and post some art and a great video by an accomplished mycologist.

     If you like mushrooms as much as I do, and you think of them as alien and intelligent. Then this video could be for you. 
And also, if you are just generally interested in mushrooms and would like a great array of facts and imagery, then this video is for you as well.


Paul Stamets - 6 Ways Mushrooms Can Save The World

     (I was trying to insert the video on here, but my rat-brain could not comprehend..) 

    Vernin is also a very big art fan. So tonight is a special post involving some strange, and sometimes provocative art works. 

    First off is a personal favorite artist whom I have discovered only recently. He is known very well for his character/concept designs in A K I R A .

Tatsuyki Tanaka

Vernin's 1st featured artist.

 

These all come from Tanaka's book entitled: Cannabis Works

I highly suggest it. 

 

 Strangely enough, there isn't too much info out there on the guy. And he hasn't done as much as one might expect. 

But regardless, he is one of the best illustrators I have ever seen in my life.

There isn't room on this blog to give these images justice. They are incredibly detailed and accurate, and the artistic process is amazing. Tanaka does his work in mechanical-pencil and then simply scans them and does highlighting and colouring in Adobe. I have been studying his technique for some time now...

 

Send me a message if you would like additional information on Tanaka. Serious inquiries only please. 

    Next are some random, mostly anonymous works. 

I've decided that each visual-art post will include a featured artist. 

(next time will be Dali, including some very rare, excellent paintings that I'd be surprised if you had seen.)

The last two were by: Tom Ormound

Shishkin

    There you have it. That's all I have time for tonight. 

If you have any questions about any of the works, I'd be happy to help answer them if possible. 

Thanks for visiting! And keep an open mind!

-Vernin The Rat

       Insights:

              Confucius is responsible for some of my 

                    favorite quotes. They are simple, 

                      and infinitely helpful to me, personally.

If you experience a mosquito problem near your home patio, keeping a wasp nest in your yard can prove to be effective. I have kept two up this year, one back behind the shed, and another under the car-port. They have not been aggressive in the slightest and I haven't even Seen a mosquito in my yard this year. 

3:24am - Time to post some images.

    The crickets are loud tonight. Yet, I still leave the windows open. I saw a lot of fallen leaves today, and I can't hardly believe it is becoming autumn again. What a strange season it is...So to get my mind off of the horrible fact that our beloved summer comes to an end - I'm going to post some select images from my personal collection. 

 In honor of the crickets and their fine, diligent service this year: I'd like to post a link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHt_54LuS_k 

  This episode of Vernin's Rat-nest will be random themed, with a hint of Japan. It'd be too boring for me if I were to just post them by themselves, so I'll be giving explanations of some.

 

Kirosuma at his book signing in Nagoya.

Kirosuma's theory: "When whipped-cream is applied to the breasts of a female human, and when those breasts are then subjected to examination by young, prosperous 'ladder-babies,' there is a highly probable chance that I will be able to further combat my addiction to alcohol."    -Kirosuma, speaking on the behalf of his newest book entitled: B-Balla'z

"Kirosuma has an impressive way with the world, and his books have received a cult-like following that is unmatched by anything in this physical realm."   -Habi Ewoley, director of the Humanzee's

That is a very good question.

It's been fun. 
But now I must enter into a slumber. 
I hope you've enjoyed the images and information on Kirosuma as much as I have! 

This is Vernin, signing off. Have a nice meal and keep watching the skies!  

Insights: 
-Much happiness can be achieved by taking a walk in the forest. And even more can be found when one takes time to be quiet and listen to what surrounds them. 
-The internet is one of man's most powerful tools. Like the mycelium structures that fungi produce to network themselves, we too have connected all most all of the world together. In time I think it could rival the effectiveness of the fungi networks if only it is to preserve it's freedom.

New Beginnings

    After many years, The Void has found a new home. It happens to be right here on blogger.com. I am still not entirely sure of what will become of The Void. But as of right now it will merely be a shrine to everything that I love.

    You can expect many things from The Void. Including: Reviews of most anything that can be reviewed, great and rare images coming from around the net, and great insights that can only come from me: Vernin. There is much work to do so forgive me if The Void seems scarce at the moment.



    
    You might be wondering about who I am. And how a rat became the owner of The Void. Well it is a fascinating story and I am happy to dwell on it. But I think it would be more intriguing to do it in installments. So, without further adieu, here is chapter one of Vernin's Saga:

Chapter One :  Narrated By Phil L.

     









    
    
    It is a late autumn evening in the town of Denver. A testing lab for food coloring is left with only a few eerie lights on and a consistent beep can be heard every 12 seconds from a specific machine. Vernin grew to hate the beep. He would anticipate it's arrival and cringe during it's un-wanted outburst. He wondered if his comrades felt the same. Although they thought his whinings about the subject to be annoying, he couldn't help but predict that they too were being driven completely insane by the noise.
    There was a total of fifteen rats that called room 5a their home. Vernin's bin was located on the very bottom right of the stainless steel rack that they all jokingly called "The PJ's." Above Vernin was his long-time friend - Sodiq. And all around them were the rest of the rats. All of whom Vernin thought of as ignorant, and highly submissive. Everyone saw something different in Sodiq and Vernin, and for that the two rats were mostly outcasted from the usual conversations and outings.
    Sodiq and Vernin had come from different litters, but had been put together as younglings and chosen for a special research project involving chemicals referred to as the 2C's. They both exhibited great potential as lab rats and were admired by the staff's director to no end. Professor Nottinghiem loved them so much in fact, that he had a special rat-pen constructed for them. It had everything young rats needed to be prosperous: The full collection of The Twilight Zone, many different European cheeses, a rat-wheel, and a Japanese garden. Life was great for the two young rats, and they grew to be the best of friends. It wasn't until the untimely death of Prof. Nottinghiem that their lives began to take a turn for the worst.
    Because only the Professor truly cared for the duo, their special treatment ended immediately after his leave. They were given bins and placed on the rack with all the others; who at this point despised them for their special treatment. It was as if they had gone to prison after living a life of luxury. Sodiq never really questioned the event and once commented: "We are RATS. You need to accept it Vernin. This is where we belong, and this is where we will stay, and this is where we will die. There is nothing that you nor I can do to change it..." But Vernin never could believe such a statement. He Knew he was different than the others. He questioned things that all the other rats accepted as their reality. He wondered about life abroad their prison-lab, and dream't of living in one of the fabled sewer colonies.
   One night, all of the rats commenced their outing as usual. An old-timer living on the top shelf was a master at getting his bin open, and he would help all the others escape nightly if just for a little while. Although they could not leave room 5a, it still provided a slight sense of satisfaction. As usual, Sodiq and Vernin were the last to be helped out of their bins. Most of the rats congregate and test their skills in the cheese maze. But Sodiq and Vernin had a habit of finding a nice corner to plan escapes in.
   There was a feeling of hopelessness that would come over Sodiq while Vernin constructed his plans. He could not fathom how or why Vernin was so confident in his goal to someday leave the lab. And he always felt that they would die old and senile while still devising feeble plans. But something was different about this night...Vernin had a different spark in him. He was very uneasy and eager to get Sodiq away from the others. Something was up.
    "It is time Sodiq. I Know it is finally time. They've finally slipped up after all these years." Vernin explains the current situation: "Remember the spill on the burner this afternoon Sodiq?"
Sodiq nods. "Well...The ventilation was not enough to disperse the fumes. Long story short: The intern forgot to close the window after locking up." It took a moment for Sodiq to process the situation. It was unbelievable. He couldn't breathe. "What do we do Vernin!? How do we escape without the others finding out!?" Vernin was disgruntled by the idea of leaving without the others. Although they had mistreated both him and Sodiq, he felt it was not their fault. Would he not be judgmental in their position?
    "They are coming with us Sodiq. And they will be a great help in our escape. There is a double screen that we need to chew through and we don't have enough night-time to chew it by ourselves..." Sodiq was quite surprised by the comment. But he really didn't give it a second thought. He ultimately always listened to Vernin's wisdom and found it easier to be a follower. Vernin and Sodiq immediately told the others of the situation. There were four rats that decided to stay behind on behalf of their old-age. The Old-Timer had decided upon this. He felt that the older rats would lag the group behind in their escape from the lab building. They were going to die soon anyways...everyone knew it was true. This is a chance in a lifetime for all of them. No one had ever heard about an escape ever happening, and until now, it was considered a fool's dream.


Be sure to catch the next installment: The Escape

   I'll leave you with the Insights Section. (You'll be able to find it at the end of every post from here on.) 

-Women actually Are Not attracted to honest, sensitive men.

-Gyokuro is one of Japan's finest exported teas and I for one have received great health from drinking it.