Bio:
I am a data scientist, a computer program developer, and artist working in Milwaukee, WI USA. I am internationally published in numerous media.
Some addresses of note with my work:
Black Lives Matter
This morning I was presented with a challenge to write on the Black Lives Matter movement.
AntiFa (anti-fascism) and BLM have had some press in our area that was difficult. I would like to make a statement about it: All Lives Matter.
AntiFa (again, anti-fascism) hate none, whereas the Blue Lives Matter movement has literally taken hold on the premise that black people shoot them. This is not very often true.
According to data at the FBI regarding shootings of the police, a total of about 300 have happened. I am unable to find police shootings of civilians at this point in the development of the FBI data. I will review it when it is available.
I suggest forgetting the unrealistic idea off defunding the police.
Instead, disarm the increasingly violent police.
I have done a little bit of research regarding the subject of unarmed police. As it so turns: unarmed police are 190 times less likely to be shot in the line of duty than armed ones. Less than 20 police were harmed or killed in the line of duty while unarmed.
The more heavily armed, the more likely harmed, according to the data.
Erik Kaconis and Improv at The Interchange Theater Co-op
1975: George Carlin opened at the humble beginnings of the Saturday Night Live. Using a break from character in order to drive surprise, the now iconic first utterance of “Live from New York…” was said with a smile. It was 3 years before NBC took notice of the fledgling troupe to give Johnny Carson a weekend. Blasting them into production on national television and producing a platform for greats such as Robin Williams, Danny DeVito, and Rita Rudner.
In just as humble a beginning from Milwaukee, on any given Friday or Saturday at 7:30pm: Milwaukee has a new force in underground comedy. It’s thoughtful, barking, snickering laughter.
Erik Kaconis hosts a randomized improv comedy show interesting enough to warm a stodgy critic’s heart, but also calculated enough to combat the rigamarole of larger less esoteric acts such as ComedySportz while remaining PG-13 accessible. Truthfully, it promises good times for almost all ages (with a stocked bar – parental guidance sought)
Erik’s concept at the Interchange Theater Co-op is interesting. Part student, part professional, the coop members perform every weekend riled by their audiences.
Topics include anything that the audience can surmise. They tag team and team-work through their skits in ways both nuanced and also sometimes obvious. If the crazy is getting too crazy, or if the out-of-control is getting too out-of-control, each team-mate signals a need for help or the ability to help in a meaningful tug-of-laughter-push-pulling for the show to go on.
It’s $10 at the door. Season tickets $100.
Erik teaches comedy clinics and offers shares into the theater to support it.
628 N 10th Street Milwaukee, WI 53233
Whore’s Manifesto: A Book Review
Whore’s Manifesto is an anthology of writings by sex workers, mostly poetry. It truly tries to do well by its writers but sometimes falls into a pit of 2 dimensionality by the writing chosen.
It’s angry, and only angry. But there are some atypical flavors of anger.
The summation of the anthology: hypocrisy hurts and be responsible with the hearts and bodies of those that serve you.
These men and women tell their story in a progressively more curt tone to customers that mostly use them. They talk of their definition of love being skewed, they say that not a single sex-act is a “mercy-fuck” should it be for pay.
The poetry of the anthology is not so much inspired as it is agonized and tired of their relationships with others. That is the only piece of magic in the book: it allows a peek into the hopes for change of the sex-worker. Mostly it is bitter sarchasm.
There are jokes poked at the men and women that see them: case and point, the poem, “Seducing God,” written by Mason, a male prostitute, sneers in bitter laughter at the priests who hire him, then confuse him for sinner over service provider.
All of the poetry carries the same thrilling bloody discontent at hypocrisy of those that hire them.
Another poem — the first of the book — by L’Crave speaks of her having been on the internet before being allowed by her parents to have an email. The poem then starts a squirming rapid cadence of pedo-imagery to help one feel the guilt of her first customer who took her virginity from her before she had developed value for it.
Whore’s Manifesto is a book of the mistrust and anger that those feel in the sex work industry. From dancers to prostitutes, they all feel as if they have been dealt a hand short a card and that they have played their only ace in the form of sex work.
Its thesis is to be kinder and more responsible for your relationships, paid or not.