Berkeley is a city many people associate with weirdness. Good or bad, the weirdness is usually a result of people wanting to be different or themselves without the pressures of the society. These pressures are usually slopes that tend to roll down people into a pile of red tape, in case someone wants to do something that puts a bad name to the reputation of that society. While Berkeley tends to call itself a hippie or a trendy culture, it can in fact, when observed, can be seen as a city that takes many qualities of San Francisco and applies them to a quieter, less hyper and in many cases a safer area called Berkeley.

Shark van, shark van, who are you?
Shark van, shark van, what are you?
Shark van, shark van, who drives you?
Shark van, shark van, where are you?

Berkeley houses many different types of visual differences compared to many of the neighboring cities. Even San Francisco, which exceeds Berkeley in many levels, has random exhibits of emotions and ideas in people and the artifacts that are visible to both the people and the cameras. Whether one is on Facebook or on MySpace, people in Berkeley can walk around with almost any attire in many of the different areas around the UC Berkeley campus. This Shark Van in Berkeley is one of such artifacts in Berkeley which differs than many, if not most, of the vehicles in San Francisco. While it is unknown whether the Shark Van can conquer the heights of the hilly roads in San Francisco, it is very clear that the Shark Van exists to conquer the curiosity, or visual satisfaction, of many observers.

Who drives the Shark Van? What is is used for? I am not sure. I would love to find out. I have seen the Shark Van drive by me more than once when I used to live in Berkeley. Then, the thoughts of where to eat the next Thai food or which movie to watch that night immediately followed the happy face that came around after seeing the Shark Van. Now, I have to think about the Shark Van and wonder about the reasons behind and around it, and the reasons it creates for other things.

Shark van, shark van, can I ride with you?
Shark van, shark van, I am scared if you carry candy with you?
Shark van, shark van, who was it that made you?
Shark van driver, shark van driver, do you eat vegetables, or do you eat shark and tofu?

So here is the Shark Van. Found in Berkeley in this picture. The actual shark, or the driver, may live nearby.

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Sky watches Sun and Clouds battle.

Get the popcorn and buy a ticket,
for the sky is sitting around,
the greatest battle of the day is here,
between the sun and the clouds.

There is no need for special effects,
this move one has a natural feel,
light and shadows collide brilliantly,
to create the wheel of life and zeal.

Funny, that this may not be mentioned,
on your social networks and in e-mails,
Facebook and MySpace will not hold their breath,
and Digg and Twitter will simply talk about whales.

Come, living creatures,
you can also watch if you want to,
figure out if the sun will come up,
or if the clouds will push it down the view.

This happened when Window 95 came out,
and this happened way before it too,
this happened when apples fell to the ground,
and this happened way before that too.

A big battle is raging on here,
one that affects you all everyday,
the clouds and the sun go at it repeatedly,
like life itself praying on preying on the prey.

You can watch this while you drive,
and die while marveling at the beauty,
you can take pictures to hold on for a while,
and feel like Flickr memories are your duty.

So sit and enjoy, for what you are about to see,
may keep on happening, even after you are gone,
or maybe it will stop, and an outcome will be seen,
in your lifetime, to this battle for the night rages on.

Location: Sparks, Nevada, USA.

Also on BrightKite, Facebook, Flickr, MySpace, Twitter and TwitPic.

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Tell me. I'll listen. - by Bes Zain

Tell me, I will listen,
for I have a lot to say too,
tell me, I will listen,
for I see a lot of words in you.

What is it, you can share,
I think I can keep a secret or two,
tell me, I want to hear,
I will listen and tell you something too.

If those that society wants you to be with,
do not understand you, do not listen to you,
you can find out others and just be anything,
for the real listener may simply be within you.

Do you want to make money,
or do you want to work online?
Want a friend on Facebook,
or a physical friend offline?

Do you want to eat more food,
or do you want to write more?
Do you want to blog on MySpace,
or do you want to hide some more?

Do you want to study,
or do you want to stop working?
Do you want to socialize more,
or do you want to stop flirting?

Do you know what you want,
or are you still thinking?
Have you made out a plan yet,
or are you still planning?

Is something bothering you,
or are you bothering someone?
Is there anything that you want to do,
or do you want to be someone?

Tell me what it is,
if you wish to tell me.
For you have a choice to be silent,
for being silent communicates too.

Tell me, I will listen,
for I am wondering if I should speak too,
tell me, I will listen,
for I see a lot of life in me too.

Info: The two heads, Eggheads, are called “Yin & Yang”, by Robert Arneson, previously a professor at UC Davis. This is located in The Embarcadero public park area, right by the San Francisco Piers [near the universally famous Fisherman's Wharf]. The rest of the Eggheads by Robert Arneson are scattered around UC Davis in Davis, California.

Photographer: Katie.

Related: “Communicate yes & no”

Also on BrightKite, Facebook, Flickr, MySpace, Twitter and TwitPic.

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