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July 31, 2007
Tuesday ridiculousness
»

Chocolate Rain

NomiRoll'd

I should probably be saving these videos until Friday but they are too bizarre to sit on for almost an entire week.

10:49 AM » [ Comments (7) ]

Travis Morrison - All Y'all
»

Travis Morrison will be releasing his second solo album on August 21st. Catbirdseat sums it up nicely in my book. You can preview the entire album on his site or just snag this mp3 for a taste:

» Travis Morrison Hellfighters - As We Proceed

10:36 AM » [ Comments (1) ]

Name that clock
»

Without clicking these instructions can you name the origin of the design of this clock? It's a great homage in my opinion.

10:26 AM » [ Comments (1) ]

T-Mobile HotSpot
»

Despite having just joined the throngs of iPhone users out there I gotta give it to T-Mobile for putting together a solid site for their Wi-Fi enabled phones. The Only Phone You Need is a well done, easy to use, informative walkthrough of what exactly is going on with their Wi-Fi phones. From a web design / development standpoint it's got all the bells and whistles a great Flash site would need without coming across like it's got a ton of bells and whistles. Now if only T-Mobile would get their act together and offer a phone with the plan that isn't absolutely lame (try rewarding your early adopters instead of punishing them).

10:22 AM » [ Comments (1) ]

Tun3r Radio
»

Believe it or not but every single square show in the above image represents a streaming online radio and TUN3R lets you browse through them all with the ease of turning the dial (or, in this case, the dragging of the crosshairs). Conceptually it's a great site but how you would use it practically to find your favorite site, or favorite genre, is beyond me. Fortunately, once you land in a spot you're happy with the streaming options are easy to use.

10:16 AM » [ Comments (0) ]

Indie Sex
»

This week IFC will be airing a four part mini-series entitled Indie Sex that investigates the role of sex and sexuality throughout the film world (both independent and commercial). I was fortunate enough to see an early viewing of part one, "Censored", last night and was rather impressed by everything they covered in the installment. From the Legion of Decency to Jack Valenti's and the MPAA / MPPDA to the early smut films raging against the Hays Code they pretty much talked about it (including the fact that the MPAA ratings board is going to be "more open" with their ratings guidelines starting this year - possibly thanks to this?).

I recommend everyone try to watch "Censorship" and ask themselves why it is that our country has such a conservative take on showing sexuality on screen but almost any level of violence is acceptable.

10:10 AM » [ Comments (4) ]

July 30, 2007
Miro - the "only" video player you need
»

Madrid clued me in to this new video player / manager called Miro that claims to be "the only video player you need" - a large claim to try to live up to. So, I tried it out.

Turns out that Miro is only intended to manage videos that you download through Miro. So, you can queue up your favorite YouTube vids, it will rip them to your Library and you can watch them back later. It even integrates with BitTorrent. The huge flaw in this setup is that I already have a bunch of stuff downloaded and am unable to simply drag-n-drop it into the Library.

Miro presents itself as the iTunes of video (both in look and functionality) but will need to emerge from Public Preview Beta before I'm able to fully embrace it.

01:30 PM » [ Comments (4) ]

Last.FM rankings
»

Hynes clued me in to these two great online applications that take a look at your Last.FM account and calculate certain outcomes based on them:

Mainstream-O-Meter - How mainstream is your taste? My results put me at 27.01% mainstream. Not bad!

Eclectic Style - how eclectic is your musical style? My results put me at a 60/100 ratio. Not as diverse as it should be but not too shabby.

Thanks Friends With Managers!

12:25 PM » [ Comments (11) ]

Dome Sweet Dome
»

I went to see The Simpsons Movie this weekend with expectations geared for full disappointment. The last few seasons of the show have been less than stellar, seemingly sinking into more and more obscure and ridiculous jokes. However, the movie was completely on point. They had a great mix of the original 'family humor' that made the Simpsons what they are and also managed to keep some of the better parts of their ridiculous humor that they've come to love lately. I was also pleased that they didn't go the ultra-vulgar route just to appease audiences and kept all that mostly to a minimum - only using it when it worked perfectly.

12:12 PM » [ Comments (1) ]

High School Reunion
» I will keep this short as I typically do not post very many personal happenings in my life on here but this weekend was my 10-year high school reunion and I feel the need to remark on it. The event was not something that I ever thought I would attend, as high school is not something I look back on as a golden time in life (it certainly wasn't bad in the slightest but it wasn't my penultimate experience thus far). However, after a few friends got together on Friday night I was comfortable enough to attend the real deal get together on Saturday and, much to my own surprise, had a really good time. The people that I didn't care to talk to I just didn't talk to. The people that I was curious how their life had been going I got to catch up with. Oddly, it is an experience that I would actually recommend to anyone that had a close group of friends during high school.

11:13 AM » [ Comments (9) ]

July 27, 2007
Friday Videos - July 27th
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Internet Crash

Liquid Space

Grim Bowling

The One You Love

Snoop Kirby

Invisible Rope - Lrg

A few notes:
· The Grim Reaper video is really only funny due to it's production values and the baby that goes spinning around - I'm not laughing at the subject matter.

· You can read more about the Liquid Smoke here - I hope this becomes a trend because the effect is incredible. Via Chad.

· This video would have been a serious contender this week if it wasn't a weird ad for a Madlib album. But if you love Bollywood, watch it anyway.

01:12 PM » [ Comments (2) ]

The Dude (Vinyl)
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Overall I don't own that many vinyl figures but upon seeing these Big Lebowski figures I think it's time for the collection to grow. Be sure to check the detail on this one because those Jelly's that The Dude is wearing are the perfect touch to the outfit.

12:08 PM » [ Comments (4) ]

jTip vs jQuery Tooltip
» For the record, I prefer jTip to the official jQuery Tooltip plugin. Why? Because it doesn't break my entire site in IE7. That's good enough reason, right?

12:04 PM » [ Comments (0) ]

LA. not L.A.
» Did some reading over at mikeboutte.com regarding Jena, LA and some seriously overblown racial tensions going on. The story starts with some black students sitting beneath the "white tree" on campus and the insane racist aftermath from such a simple event. Unfortunately I bet there are things like this going on across the country (mostly in the South) all the time and I just can't comprehend how this is still an issue. I realize there are larger political issues on the table these days (Iraq, Alberto Gonzalez, Cheney, N. Korea, the political machine in general) but it's rather telling to me that we spend so much time struggling with these global issues that we tend to forget that things here at home still have some room for improvement.

12:03 PM » [ Comments (4) ]

Stop Art (Literal)
»

Regardless of your stance on the War (are people still for it?) you have to appreciate this piece of street art - incredibly clever, well conceived and properly executed.

11:42 AM » [ Comments (2) ]

Two Sites - One Big Fun
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Grow Interactive just launched two incredibly nice sites. The first is Big State Games, a site devoted to promoting the Big State Festival in College Station, TX. Granted, the subject matter isn't really what I'm that enthused with (Country music, State Fair) but they've managed to make the site quite engaging. The games are simple but addictive.

Second is Disco Dream Ride, a site promoting the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team that gives you the chance to upload a pic of yourself (or use your built in camera!) and be added in to a silly little video. Here's a tip - hit up the site and be sure to use completely inappropriate faces for the emotions requested.. it makes it a lot more fun.

Great work Grow - once again bringing some incredibly solid web game.

11:36 AM » [ Comments (2) ]

The Future of Futurama
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I've known for awhile that Futurama would be making its triumphant return with a series of straight-to-DVD movies (which will also air as episodes on Comedy Central) but this article sheds some light on the finer details of the deal - namely that the first movie is entitled Bender's Big Score and will be released on Nov. 27. This is exciting news indeed.

10:50 AM » [ Comments (0) ]

July 26, 2007
Spoon vs Bomb
»

There seems to be a bit of an ongoing "debate" between the similarity of two songs. One being "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb" from Spoon, the other being "Killing Machine" from How I Became The Bomb. Daniel clued me in to it originally but apparently others have heard the similarity as well because it's made way to Nashville Cream, Catbird Seat and even ole Stereogum. There is, clearly, a similarity between the two tracks but I'm prone to believe it is entirely coincidental. It should also be noted that the How I Became The Bomb guys are certainly not crying foul - they are as entertained by the similarity as anyone else. I think it would be in their best interest to now record their own song that harkens vague similarities to "Stay Don't Go" just because I want to hear someone in that band beatbox.

» How I Became The Bomb - Killing Machine (2006)

» Spoon - You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb (2007)

» Spoon / HIBTB - How I Became The Cherry Bomb (Rough Mashup)

02:20 PM » [ Comments (11) ]

Joey Lawrence Photography
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The photographic portfolio of 17-year old Joey Lawrence is a serious testament to great lighting, knowing your post process and the undeniable keen eye for a good shot. The Homeless series has a nice humanized edge to it and the band shots are quite original (though a majority of the band members all have the same look - odd). Be sure to check out both galleries (the two links on the main page actually go to seperate galleries) and take a peek at the blog for a little bit of behind the scenes insight. Via Daniel.

11:54 AM » [ Comments (7) ]

It Works - Promise
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Everyone check out this image and decide which direction the silhouette is spinning - clockwise or counterclockwise. Once you've made up your mind, cover up the main silhouette with your hand and just watch the show - thinking that it is spinning in the opposite direction you originally imagined. With a little concentration, she'll switch and your mind will be officially blown. Thanks Chad.

11:38 AM » [ Comments (6) ]

YouTube Doubler (Beta)
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When Ryan first sent me the link to YouTube Doubler I don't think I quite got what the point was. Yes, Worf caught in a time loop is amusing for a moment but that doesn't exactly create a boiling desire to return to the site. However, I finally get it now - the video combo's are brilliant. Check out River Dance vs. Robot Dance, DJ Qbert vs A Cat, Guitar vs Guitar or Honda vs. Uniqlo. All pretty amazing in my book (particularly when the servers don't crap out).

11:34 AM » [ Comments (0) ]

Mix Series Still in Full Swing
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Not that anyone should need reminding but the Summer Mix Series is still in full swing. There have been a number of recent submissions with some great concepts / themes behind them (the Sell Out mix being particularly clever). Anyone have any favorites so far? I still can't get that Hello Girlfriend mix out of my head!

10:34 AM » [ Comments (6) ]

New Site Poll
» Let's take a poll: Who wants links to open in a new window? I can implement it but I've seen so many sites straying from such practices these days that I assumed it was becoming a standard (you know, let the user decide where it opens by using key commands rather than forcing the decision upon them).

10:31 AM » [ Comments (19) ]

July 25, 2007
The Greatest Video
»

The alternate video for the Kanye West track "You Can't Tell Me Nothin", featuring Zach Galifianakis and Will Oldham, is the single greatest music video ever put to tape. I couldn't wipe the grin off my face as I watched the entire thing. Link via Renaud.

12:37 PM » [ Comments (13) ]

Indie Labs Relaunch
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Indie Labs, the people responsible for Big Cartel, have redesigned and relaunched their site. I love the clean look and attention to detail (that pull quote on the sub pages does things right!). Hopefully these guys have some more product sites up their sleeves.. I'd love to see what they come up with.

12:14 PM » [ Comments (1) ]

Snow Angels
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Did anyone else know that David Gordon Green had a new movie with Sam Rockwell? It's called Snow Angels (adapted from the book) and you can hear him talk about it here. Apparently it's slated for a release in 2008... I had no idea.

12:06 PM » [ Comments (4) ]

Superbad
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Last night I caught a sneak preview of the new Judd Apatow produced / Seth Rogen penned Superbad - featuring Michael Cera and Jonah Hill. Personally, I highly enjoyed it. It was like a brand new movie straight from the 80's about the bumbling kids who try to get the girls, etc. etc. The plot itself is far from unique in its grand arc but what makes the movie far from boring is the dialogue and characters. You basically know the end before you're even 10 minutes into the experience. However, if you're into the style of humor and vulgarity that peeks its head out in The 40-Year Old Virgin and is featured a bit more prominently in Knocked Up then you're in for a treat because they go whole all out from the starting gate to the finish line. Granted, there are a few "sweet" moments between the two main characters as they leave their high school lives but it's really about the pure audacity and shocking nature of what they are saying (mostly Jonah Hill) 99% of the time.

On the whole, I recommend seeing it if you're into that sort of humor.. otherwise I'd skip it to avoid being offended.

11:43 AM » [ Comments (2) ]

July 24, 2007
A New Yew
» In case anyone didn't notice, I've redesigned yewknee. It's wider, more web 2.0-y and hopefully better. There are likely a few flaws here and there because I'm not one to do a ton of beta-testing but it was long overdue. Hopefully I'll actually be able to implement some sub-sections one day but, for now, enjoy the new (and hopefully easier to use) yewknee.

11:39 AM » [ Comments (52) ]

Protomen - 8Bit Style
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Protomen hhave announced that they will be releasing, in conjunction with Makeup and Vanity Set, a remixed version of their self-titled debut album (July 31st - preorderable here). The catch? All the remixes are done with 8-bit Nintendo-esque sounds. An appropriate new sound for the band given their entire M.O. regarding this guy.

» The Protmen - The Will of One Byte (Makeup and Vanity Set Remix)

11:28 AM » [ Comments (1) ]

Toto Washlet - The Toilet Revolution
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Alright, here's the deal. The Toto Washlet is one of those sites where the subject matter is overwhelmingly laughable just because it's about a new fangled toilet contraption (aka - an affordable bidet) but if you spent a few moments with it you will discover that it's actually extremely well done. The video walk throughs, the product explanations, etc. - all top notch and engaging. It's really quite amazing how long I spent on a site about the toilet seat of the future.

11:12 AM » [ Comments (4) ]

Josh Anderson - Photography
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The Josh Anderson photography portfolio has a strong amount of portraits (as any photographer should) but he also has a nice robust portion of his site dedicated to News photography. The ability to capture a moment or event in just the right way is a skill that many photographers lack and it's nice to see it executed so well here.

11:06 AM » [ Comments (2) ]

Wilhelm Scream
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Wilhelm

A fairly comprehensive clip compilation of the Wilhelm Scream.

10:54 AM » [ Comments (1) ]

Derek, Simon, Michael Cera
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Be forewarned, this Derek & Simon episode has some vulgarity involved so it's probably best considered NSFW. The Michael Cera role makes it worth risking your job.

10:45 AM » [ Comments (0) ]

Darjeeling Limited (B)
»

The Darjeeling Limited trailer is now available for viewing. It has all of the classic Wes Anderson attributes that you would expect - quirky dialogue, great music, fantastically composed shots, intriguing music and a penchant for great typography.

10:41 AM » [ Comments (4) ]

July 23, 2007
Z Channel
»

The IFC documentary Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession is the story of one of the first pay-cable TV stations in the nation (based in LA) that owed its popularity to its head of programming, Jerry Harvey. The film focused on the significance of the channel and how it would benefit the art of film on the whole (airing Director's Cuts of films that had long since been forgotten) and how Harvey himself was responsible for bringing these changes to the airwaves. There are a ton of director cameos (Quentin Tarantino's appearance solidifies himself as an absolute spazz) and interviews with people directly involved with the channel, and Harvey himself.

The movie tended to drag at about the halfway point but I can see a true cinema-phile having a blast hearing about all of these classic, forgotten, films and their rebirth to the airwaves. One of the more inspiring aspects of the film was how it painted the picture that Harvey was basically able to single handedly make a name for himself, his channel and this rebirth / appreciation of film all through his dedication to the art in general. His tragic death is, obviously, unfortunate but given the way that the channel was moving to compete with HBO and Showtime, his purpose would have been lost.

The movie does beg the question now though, where do you find this sort of dedication to cinema? HBO and Showtime, even in their variations, don't show films of the style of Z Channel. So if you're an aspiring film maker, or a film maker treated poorly by a studio, where is your best place to get the word out? Z Channel was a unique experience and it'd be nice to see someone else bring that style back to TV (or maybe a high speed internet site).

12:18 PM » [ Comments (1) ]

Crimes On Paper
»

I have long been a fan of the band Self but haven't had a whole lot to gloam on to recently since Matt Mahaffey began his production work with Wired All Wrong and lost my interest a little bit (don't get me wrong, he's a great songwriter.. but that particular venue doesn't do so much for me).

Recently I ran across the blog Crimes On Paper - a music blog that has set forth on the task of dissecting every Self song ever released. A daunting task to say the least. The breakdowns are an interesting look at the history of the band and how each fits into the entire scope of their discography and the music market at the time. Plus, it's a great walk down memory lane to inspire breaking out those Self tracks and reminding myself why they rank so highly in my book.

11:58 AM » [ Comments (3) ]

Rock Sellout
»

I've been keeping an eye on the music news / mp3 blog Rock Sellout for a little bit now and I must say, it's got a good bit of news to keep me coming back. For instance, Tokyo Police Club signs to Saddle Creek - that's good pop culture information for my useless information brain module. But aside from that there is a large similarity in musical tastes and enough divergence to keep it interesting. Give it a whirl and let me know what you think.

11:47 AM » [ Comments (4) ]

More Nerd Goodies
» Here are some more nerd goodies for you nerds.

Slimbox - another alternative to Lightbox, though this one is supposedly much smaller and based on the mootools js library.

Lemonz Dream Podcast Maker - if you're interested in putting together a full length podcast (or mix) this may be a handy tool for you.

iPhone Nano Rumor - obviously there isn't too much weight to this one given that it's a rumor but it's an interesting concept, albeit one that I would find ultimately frustrating. Scroll wheel for dialing sounds like a rotary throwback that I'm not interested in having revived.

11:43 AM » [ Comments (0) ]

Brandon Bird Print
»

There's a new Brandon Bird print up for sale. Yes, it is a Highlander themed print and that is Sean Connery giving a piggy back ride. Sometimes the extreme fixation on pop culture in fine art can grow tired but I think in this case, Brandon Bird rules them all and keeps it amusing.

11:37 AM » [ Comments (1) ]

July 20, 2007
Friday Videos - July 20th
»

News Anchors

Karate

Inmate Thriller

Trek

Not a ton for this week but enough to keep you entertained. Have a great weekend.

03:09 PM » [ Comments (3) ]

Exotic Duck Farm / Dev Tank
»

Joey just redesigned Exotic Duck Farm and launched a some updates to his photography portfolio Developing Tank. Enjoy.

02:31 PM » [ Comments (0) ]

Blitzen Trapper
»

It is rare these days that I am introduced to a band that I become so enamored with that I seek out anything and everything I can get my hands on from them. So I was quite pleased upon hearing Wild Mountain Nation from Blitzen Trapper - a Portland sextet that creates music brilliantly fusing bluegrass, pop, alt country, rock and.. well, you see the point. It's not an easy balance to achieve and it's not a sound that you hear too often. It's catchy, it's sincere and it's actually fun to listen to. You can read more about them here, see some recent Pitchfork praisings here and buy their whole catalog here.

» Blitzen Trapper - Futures & Folly

» Blitzen Trapper - Asleep for Days

» Blitzen Trapper - Texaco

» Blitzen Trapper - Crazy On You (Heart)

02:16 PM » [ Comments (2) ]

Mind blowing papercar
»

The attached screenshot may not be much to look at but spend about 10 seconds with the Papercar and you will quickly understand why it is so mind blowing. Certainly it's more impressive if you're a Flash developer but it's still a quick bit of fun if you're just a casual internet user as well.

01:43 PM » [ Comments (2) ]

Darjeeling Limited
»

The official poster for the forthcoming Wes Anderson pic The Darjeeling Limited has hit the internets. Apparently the official first trailer will be shown before Sunshine and Once - so get out and see one of those. I am assuming this film will be much like The Life Aquatic in that it will take numerous viewings over a vaguely long stretch of time to fully appreciate it (at least for me). But maybe it will be an instant classic ala Rushmore / Royal Tenenbaums. Link via Big Screen, Little Screen.

01:27 PM » [ Comments (1) ]

WRVU playlist
» For anyone curious as to what I played on WRVU with Janet the other night but not curious enough to actually listen to the broadcast - you can check out the playlist right here.

01:12 PM » [ Comments (1) ]

PopJunkie - Summer 07
»

Pop Junkie just unveiled their Summer 2007 line of goodies. I am particularly fond of the Out To Sea shirt but there are plenty of other goods if that's not your thing.

01:09 PM » [ Comments (0) ]

Airplane Graveyard
»

The Airplane Graveyard set is pretty intense given its HDR nature but I think the long shots are the most effective.

11:20 AM » [ Comments (7) ]

Swedish Internet
» I want to meet this woman - and so does any BitTorrent geek in the world.

10:31 AM » [ Comments (2) ]

July 19, 2007
Bloggers making monies
»

Ryan sent me this great article about How Top Bloggers Earn Money. For instance, pictured here is Mark Frauenfelder, one author of Boing Boing (a directory of wonderful things) and partial recipient to $1 million a year in ad sales. For blogging about random stuff! Granted, it's usually very entertaining random stuff but that's quite a bit of money for being a blogger.

The rest of the article goes on to break down some of the most popular blogs and the amount of income each of them makes. I'd love to see some numbers on the recently sold Stereogum and the ever ad pervasive Pitchfork but I will settle for knowing that I Can Has Cheezburger.com pulls in roughly $6k a month for posting ridiculous photos of cats. The American Dream. Realized.

02:35 PM » [ Comments (4) ]

Kingsbury Film
»

The portfolio of photography and film showcasing the works of Jonathan Kingsbury just recently launched and it's surprisingly fun. Instead of taking the ultra-clean approach to a photography portfolio the site adds a bunch of simple interactions with various creatures and the environment giving it an upbeat, fun feel - much like the actual works contained within.

There are a ton of local Nashville bands in the folio including the likes of Forget Cassettes, The Protomen, De Novo Dahl, The Comfies, The Privates, Glossary and more I'm sure I am forgetting.

11:45 AM » [ Comments (0) ]

Transformers - proper
»

Rather than get all riled up about the crap-a-thon that is the Michael Bay take on Transformers I will point out a few other links that are actually interesting or amusing and actually pertain to Transformers:

Transformers Toy Design - fascinating article with toy designer Alex Kubalsky regarding his process, his inspiration and his work with creating Transformers toys. Lots of prototype pics, sketches and insights into his process. Via Chad.

A Letter To Optimus Prime From His Geico Auto Insurance Agent - amazing.

Transmorphers - from the same film company that brought about the brilliance known as Snakes on a Train, Pirates of Treasure Island and The Da Vinci Treasure. I'd be willing to bet this is every bit as entertaining as the Michael Bay version.

11:40 AM » [ Comments (2) ]

MIT Reinvents eXtreme
» MIT finds cure for fear - aka "Extreme Sports 2.0" is on the way. via Falfa.

The Other Hogwarts - perfect! via Arlo.

How To Be Creative - I got through about 6 pages of this before realizing that I had a bunch of things that I was already working on and didn't need the pep talk but it was interesting regardless. Via Landry.

11:21 AM » [ Comments (1) ]

AdverBox
»

Awhile back Paige linked to the advertising blog Adverbox and I've been checking it out on and off ever since. The creativity and execution behind most of the ads they post is engaging and often inspiring - such as this series of WWF ads.

11:07 AM » [ Comments (0) ]

Rob Weychert Interview
» Rob Weychert Interview - great interview with Rob Weychert of Happy Cog Studios. Aside from having an obviously solid understanding of both design and code architecture he makes some memorable quotes worth noting - this one being my personal favorite:

...things in daily life often remind me of the value of designing within constraints, like realizing how much of a nightmare it would be to drive on a ten-lane highway without lined lanes. The one place inspiration seems least likely to strike me is in the chair in front of my computer. Getting out and observing the world, talking to people, and learning as much as possible are the best ways I’ve found to keep my mind fertile ground for inspiration to take root when it’s ready.

11:00 AM » [ Comments (0) ]

July 18, 2007
KAWSone HUGE
»

Wow. And only $2500.

04:31 PM » [ Comments (8) ]

Sandstorm Engulfment
»

I've seen videos of gigantic sandstorms before but this never gets old.. it's one of the more impressive naturally occurring "holy crap" moments out there.

03:05 PM » [ Comments (1) ]

Goulet
» Arlo says - "if you want the BEST ringtone in history.. #2 on this page."

He's right. It's the best ringtone I've ever heard.

02:55 PM » [ Comments (2) ]

Insound - Mix Vol 2
»

Insound has released the second volume in their mix series entitled Let's Get Digital. I was, pleasantly, surprised to find that all of the songs in the mix are individual tracks - not one big podcast style audio file. So if you aren't down with that new Architecture in Helsinki song, you can nix it from the playlist.

Overall, it's a great looking list of artists mixed in with a handful that I've never heard of (always a good sign).

» Various Artists - Let's Get Digital 2

02:30 PM » [ Comments (0) ]

WRVU - recap
» The show last night was a ton of fun and I have to thank Janet once again for inviting to share some music on the air. If you missed the show you can stream it right here (amazingly VLC can handle it - you don't have to use Real Player - thanks Robbie) and Janet should have the official playlist up in a day or two.

10:22 AM » [ Comments (5) ]

July 17, 2007
WRVU - Tonight!
»

Tonight's the night! I have been invited to guest DJ on WRVU by Janet Timmons - aka Out The Other. I've been working on getting some music choices together for the past week in the hopes that I can bring something worthwhile to the musical table tonight. It has been a difficult task given how busy I've been but I'm fairly confident in my choices - though topping last week will not be easy.

Either way, please tune in to WRVU 91.1 FM tonight from 8 - 10pm CST (you can listen via the web if you have Real Player) and check out the selections that Janet and I put forth for your enjoyment.

05:02 PM » [ Comments (7) ]

Adopt A Squid
»

If you're really into squids, it may be time to adopt. Personally I think Wilhelmina would be a great addition to any household - lounging around on the couch. Or maybe Benedict.. though from the looks of him he would take up an entire room.

01:54 PM » [ Comments (0) ]

Smooshtacts
»

The iPhone Contact Smoosh is a brilliant idea... only made that much better by the random Blankenship cameo.

01:49 PM » [ Comments (5) ]

Not for the weak stomached
» Running Bulls Gore 7 In Pamplona - this image is absolutely graphic and if you are the type of person that has a queasy stomach, pass on it. It's not a bloody, gorey death but it's certainly not easy to look at. I suggest if you don't think you can handle it you become soothed by the calming nature of this image. Both via Ryan.

01:45 PM » [ Comments (4) ]

KAWS meets Arkitip
»

I can't remember the last time I bought an issue of Arkitip but the KAWS collaboration makes it awfully tempting.

01:32 PM » [ Comments (1) ]

Nerd Links
» Nerd links for nerds:

Perian - a giant codec pack for Quicktime users that enables the viewing of just about any format you may encounter. Supports file formats I've never even heard of. Who needs VLC when you can just update your native QT environment with a codec!

Embedding YouTube videos in Flash - a halfway decent thread on pulling in YouTube videos in Flash - a procedure that you would think would be relatively easy. I believe YouTube is going to adopt the Google API soon and hopefully that will fix some of the major hurdles of actually getting a controllable video into Flash.

jQuery Slide Viewer - I hear through the grapevine that jQuery is on the way out and moo tools are on the way up but there are still some great little apps out there (like this one) that keep me coming back.

01:31 PM » [ Comments (3) ]

July 16, 2007
Summer Mix 2007 - with comments!
»

This weekend I did a bit of coding on the Summer Mix Series and now there are comments for every mix. So, get in there and start discussing your favorite mixes with people and letting the mix compilers know how much you appreciate their hard work.

12:07 PM » [ Comments (3) ]

Scary
»

Demons

S.A.M.

Both of these videos scared me for very different reasons.

12:05 PM » [ Comments (1) ]

NoPattern - New!
»

There's a brand new No Pattern site up and running featuring a ton of new work that I had not seen - plus shirts, prints and a book. As always, the work showcases a nice variety of styles, mostly falling under the umbrella of collage. The furniture collaboration is top notch!

11:59 AM » [ Comments (0) ]

Invisible Cartoon
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A 1947 Life Magazine article asked several famous comic strip artists of the time to draw their most famous character in their typical style, and then once again blindfolded. The results are both hysterical and incredible - particularly when the character shows zero resemblance to the intended original.

11:55 AM » [ Comments (0) ]

We Own This Town Help
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Recently I went nuts on We Own This Town and posted a ton of shows. Upon doing so I realized that it'd be nice if the site served as a central place for relevant Nashville band news. Unfortunately, this is suprisingly hard to come by. A band, like SJ and The Props will release an EP and finding any information about it - such as tracklisting, cover art, where it is available, etc - is next to impossible. This is unfortunate for any band and I'm making the official call out today to have people start submitting band news to WOTT. So, please, if you're in a band or know someone in a band - submit some news about them.. it can't hurt to have more local awareness about your release / show!

11:50 AM » [ Comments (0) ]

Business Cards Pt. 2
» January 2007 Chris Mikesell purchased 250 business cards for $.99 (after shipping). Now, seven months later the utmost potential of those business cards was realized.

Words can't even begin to describe how great it is that business cards emblazoned with "Potential Lunch Winner" would actually win someone a free lunch. Good work.

11:35 AM » [ Comments (2) ]

July 13, 2007
Friday Videos - July 13th
»

Owl Defense

Anti-Helium

Space Invaders

Maps - You Don't Know Her Name

Samsung Dance

Naked Guy

Have a great weekend!

10:55 AM » [ Comments (0) ]

The Halftime Report
» Janet at Out The Other has posted her Halftime Report summarizing her projected top albums of the year, so far. I concur with several of the choices but was unsure what my personal choices would be.. any nominee's?

10:51 AM » [ Comments (1) ]

The Force.. Unleashed
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Yesterday, KNI launched a new site for the upcoming Lucas Arts game, The Force Unleashed. The game is meant to act as a stop gap between Episode III and Episode IV and, from what I'm told, will be considered official canon. I recommend watching the videos on the mechanics of the game itself as it seems to be breaking some new ground with the way it handles environments and interaction between characters.

From a design standpoint, I give huge kudos to my KNI comrades for a job well done. I didn't touch a single thing on this one but I am proud to be involved with a company that created such a fantastic site.

10:24 AM » [ Comments (6) ]

The Cloud: Dubai
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Dubai could already easily be declared home of the most over the top / ambitious building projects in the world (see: Burj al-Arab, The World, Dubai Mall, etc) but if Nadim Karam's design for The Cloud resort is approved and somehow actually constructed, it will take things to an entirely new level (no pun intended). Link via Mr. Hale.

10:16 AM » [ Comments (0) ]

Book of Ax
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The Book of Ax has several t-shirt designs worth investigating. The "Proginoskes" and "Ghost Speech" being my two personal favorites.. but if I knew any children I'd be ordering that "Leonine" shirt for them so that they could declare their superiority among the rest of the flock.

10:09 AM » [ Comments (2) ]

ClearBox
» If there's anyone interested in an alternative to Lightbox I suggest taking a look at ClearBox - it's mostly the same thing but with a bit more of a rounded look and some great automated slideshow functionality.

10:03 AM » [ Comments (1) ]

July 12, 2007
VHS or BETA Giveaway
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Prequel

You Got Me

So, VHS or Beta is playing at Mercy Lounge on Friday night and I've been given a pair of tickets to give away to it. So, in an attempt to be fair - whoever wants the tickets, leave a comment on this post and whomever happens to be the most entertaining (or just in the right place at the right time) will get the pair.

11:18 AM » [ Comments (6) ]

Mix Series Success
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You're keeping an eye on the Summer Mix Series right? So far the music has been great and the cover art has been super top notch as well. If I can find some time in the next few days I hope to enable commenting on the mixes so everyone can share their individual love for each one.. you're getting your mix together, right?

11:07 AM » [ Comments (6) ]

Stars - In Our Bedroom After the War
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Recently Stars announced that they will be putting out their next album, In Our Bedroom After The War, on September 25th. That news is exciting enough in and of itself but check this snippet out from their website:

Traditional music business practice says we are to begin sending out copies of this album now. We give advance copies to print publications in hopes of securing features that coincide with our September date. We meet with radio stations in hopes of securing airplay. etc, etc.

Inevitably someone will leak the album.

Throughout this process, the most important people in this value chain, the fans, are given only two options - wait until September 25th to legally purchase the new album or choose from a variety of sources and download the album for free, at any time.

...

As such, we are making the new Stars album available for legal download today, four days after it's completion. The CD and double vinyl versions of the album will still be released on our official release date, September 25th. We hope you will continue to support music retailers should a physical album in all it's packaged glory be your choice of format.

So, it's available on iTunes already (not eMusic - blah) and I have to give them kudos for such a thing. It's a slippery slope to run because those that want to buy the CD but not wait until September actually will buy the album twice but it does ensure that the band gets the support they deserve.

» Stars - The Night Stars Here

11:00 AM » [ Comments (0) ]

Codename: Cloverfield
»

Have you seen the trailer for the new JJ Abrams movie? It's untitled (codename: Cloverfield) and it's got the Internet all bug-a-boo! What's it about? No one knows. Apparently the sites Ethan Haas Was Right and Ethan Haas Was Wrong are viral tie-ins to get people attempting to decipher what the deal is. Personally, I hope he's able to keep it a total secret until the 18th of January (though unlikely).

Find out more from this post on The Yellow Stereo.. the speculation regarding what the movie is about pretty much runs the entire range of completely stupid to quite a possibility. Regardless, watch that trailer!

10:43 AM » [ Comments (6) ]

Indy News
» Wow - No CGI in INDY IV is probably the best news I've read in some time. Can we look forward to more big time directors shunning a dependence on computer generated plot devices? I sure hope so.

10:14 AM » [ Comments (1) ]

July 11, 2007
OK X
»

So Stereogum released a compilation yesterday entitled OKX: A Tribute To OK Computer, a song by song breakdown of the Radiohead album performed via various covers. The whole thing can be downloaded here. Overall, there are some great new takes on the "classic" songs but there are some serious duds as well - you may as well not waste your time with the re-invisioning of "Fitter Happier" or "Electioneering" as they basically fall into the category of Unlistenable. Seriously, why do people like Cold War Kids?

Obviously it's a worthwhile compilation to check out but don't expect it to overtake any of the originals - you just can't properly recreate "Paranoid Android" without actually being Radiohead.

11:33 AM » [ Comments (6) ]

Whatever, Nevermind
» Nevermind Baby Turns 16 - turns out the baby from the cover of Nirvana's Nevermind is now a full-fledged teen. The best part is that he's full on skater kid - how appropriate. Link via Chad.

11:26 AM » [ Comments (4) ]

July 10, 2007
Summer Mix 2007
»

It's finally here - the Summer Mix Series 2007. So, go get your download on with the first three submissions and start compiling your own mix! Be sure to read the guidelines before submitting and if you're ever confused - just drop me an email and I'll be happy to clear things up.

Happy Mixing!

12:03 PM » [ Comments (7) ]

Trevor: The Mentos Intern
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Do I have any idea what the point of Trevor: The Mentos Intern is? Absolutely not but it's a clever ad campaign to keep the Mentos brand in the public eye. I don't know what it's like at night but during the day, Trevor is just chatting away with the live video stream. What a job!

11:57 AM » [ Comments (3) ]

Southland Tales - Where You At?
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The other day I was wondering where's the next full-length film from Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly? I mean, it's been six years and his supposed next film, Southland Tales, is nowhere to be seen (despite showing at Cannes over a year ago). IMDB says there is a March 2008 release date but that seems so far off.

Regardless of it's release, there are several clips to watch but they aren't much to get excited about (particular this). Is this a case of a sophomore slump or the Idiocracy syndrome?

11:21 AM » [ Comments (9) ]

We Are In Control
»

The Protomen just relaunched their site with a full-length music video for "Hope Rides Alone." The style is an interesting mix of illustration, collage and full motion vid - the combination certainly works with the song and the vibe of the band. Hopefully more is on the way. Version Industries gets the gold star for putting it all together.

11:01 AM » [ Comments (0) ]

QBN Sessions
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Twelve speakers will gather at the Getty Museum to speak on their particular crafts as part of the QBN Sessions - among them, Shepard Fairey, Phunk Studio, Matt Owens, Mark Owens, etc. Not a bad way to spend a day really. You'd either leave completely inspired or incredibly depressed.

10:47 AM » [ Comments (0) ]

July 09, 2007
Kuksi - Baby Death Grotesque
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The level of detail and aging involved in the absolutely brilliantly insane Kuksi Grotesque is mind blowing. I can't even begin to imagine how this came to be but I'm glad that it did. Be sure to click through the whole Grotesque gallery to really comprehend everything that is going on. Via Chad.

02:06 PM » [ Comments (0) ]

Headhoods - hoods for your head
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Headhoods are one of those ideas that you've seen played on here and there for some time but never had it occur to you that it would be brilliantly simple to have a whole line of hoodies dedicated to the style. The "King of Hearts" and "Grrila" are likely my favorites...

11:33 AM » [ Comments (0) ]

uTorrent for Mac
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Reading this news that uTorrent would soon be an OS X application was both soothing and exciting. I've always felt that Azureus was way too much of a client and Transmission was a bit too little for me. uTorrent should be juuust right.

10:56 AM » [ Comments (3) ]

July 06, 2007
Friday Videos - July 6th
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About Face

Soundwave

You Can't Skimp

For Jamie

Enjoy your weekend - I plan on starting (and finishing) the Summer Mix Series. So get your game in order for submissions early next week!

03:48 PM » [ Comments (1) ]

Silent Uproar 3.0
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Silent Uproar relaunched last night with a new design and, hopefully, the capability to interact with readers a bit more. This initial relaunch is just to get the ball rolling and more features will come as time passes by but I am elated to see that the site now has a modernized, clean, look with some slick AJAX-y commenting! Congrats to Scott and Robbie for pulling that all together.

12:45 PM » [ Comments (7) ]

Hard Format - Design Appreciation
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Food - Organic and GM

It's quite possible that HardFormat.org could become my favorite site on the web to browse through inspiring packaging designs. The first round of examples that they've posted are fantastic and I look forward to more appreciation of the art of music packaging (not as an archaic task but as a current worthwhile endeavor). Link via Out The Other.

12:30 PM » [ Comments (0) ]

Bee Burning
»

It's probably a little hard to tell what is going on in that picture but just go here and it will all make sense. Seeing photographic evidence of one man's journey to rid his swingset of a huge mass of bee's is nothing short of amazing. It's also a nice blend of over the top stupidity and daring - always a winning combo.

12:24 PM » [ Comments (5) ]

T-Mobile Wi-Fi Coverage
» Has anyone seen the latest T-Mobile promotions for their @Home program? The basic jist is that T-Mobile is now offering a limited number of phones that are able to switch between their mobile network and VOiP Wi-Fi connections. The benefit of this is that if you're using the Wi-Fi connection, you're not using up any of your minutes. This article does a great job of breaking down the specifics of how the deal works, how it would benefit the consumer and how it benefits T-Mobile.

Unfortunately, the news got a little buried due to all the iPhone hype but I think it's an incredibly innovative step forward for T-Mobile. It's just lame that the phone selection is so limited, and that the phones are terrible. But the plan... well, that's brilliant.

12:19 PM » [ Comments (2) ]

Octosquid. Yes. Octosquid.
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Octopus + Squid = Octosquid. Everyone knows that but it was never considered a true reality until now. Granted, it may just be a new species of Squid (or Octopus) but the idea that a new species could emerge between the two just means we're one step closer to greeting our cephalopod overlords.

12:11 PM » [ Comments (1) ]

5 Words
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Analysis

Take 5 random words from a book, illustrate them in any way you see fit, make an art project of it.

11:52 AM » [ Comments (2) ]

July 05, 2007
Safe Travels Ye Weary Browser
» Hopefully everyone had a great Independence Day yesterday filled with cookouts, fireworks and other All-American things. I'm tying down a bunch of loose ends for the next few days before my travel back to Nashville but hopefully my nerd out time will produce some worthy results.

Google Reader vs Netvibes? Discuss.

09:46 AM » [ Comments (9) ]

July 03, 2007
Music Videos for Tuesday
»

Tokyo Police Club - Your English Is Good

Blue States - Allies

The Tokyo Police Club song is taken from the forthcoming Mean Beard 7" of "Your English Is Good".

Blue States are a Memphis Industries band with a new album on the way...

02:45 PM » [ Comments (3) ]

Spoiling Albums - Thoughts?
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Lately I've been contemplating a decision that I think requires a bit of conversation - spoiling albums before their release. By "spoiling" I mean - downloading the entire album prior to its actual release and playing it so much that by the time it's actually released, the desire to purchase the music is completely gone because it is old news. I understand in these modern times of digital media and Now culture that having to wait on something is a difficult task but isn't the anticipation part of what makes the album itself enjoyable?

The above albums, the latest from Interpol, Mark Ronson and UNKLE, have all been fairly played out in my iTunes rotation and my interest in actually procuring the disc, or buying the downloads, has fallen by the wayside. With the exception of the UNKLE record - which I only consciously only snagged three tracks of as to tease my taste.

Without beating a dead horse on the point of actually paying for music regardless of where you think the money is going and how fair it is to the artist I think it is safe to say that paying for something you enjoy is a worthwhile endeavor. So why has the practice of spoiling music become so popular? Is it just too uncool to be behind the times and not have heard the latest from X band in its entirety? Is waiting and anticipating something so passe now with Internet speeds that actually desiring something will become a thing of the past?

02:36 PM » [ Comments (8) ]

Sunshine (Extended)
»

The extended trailer for the new Danny Boyle movie Sunshine has been released. If you want to stay ignorant to some of the in's and out's of the plot I would suggest skipping it but otherwise, go and enjoy the amazing visual styles. There are moments that remind me of the best quiet parts of Solaris but that's bound to happen when your movie is set on a space station.. otherwise, Sunshine looks to be much more thrill packed than I had originally suspected.

02:08 PM » [ Comments (2) ]

Live Free or Die Hard
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Last night I had the pleasure of seeing Live Free or Die Hard. I think it goes without saying that this iteration in the series takes things to a whole new level - both in terms of plot premise and actual action sequences but one thing it is not, is boring. A great mindless action movie is tough to come by in my opinion and ole Bruce Willis brought some incredibly great game this time around (even if he was more psychotic than he normally seems to be).

02:02 PM » [ Comments (4) ]

July 02, 2007
SnoCap
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Lately I've been seeing these Snocap stores on bands MySpace pages and been curious as to what the deal was. It seems like selling your music directly to the consumer is a good idea but why ask them to set up yet another account to buy something outside of their iTunes or eMusic (or Napster or Rhapsody, etc. etc) account? Whatever the reason is, I am glad that artists are doing it. For one, the music is DRM free - a factor that keeps me from buying much music from iTunes (iTunes Plus is great but not widespread yet). Secondly, it gets the music directly to you without having to deal with a distributor, electronic or not, which is great because some places (namely eMusic) don't really carry all that I'm looking for.

Long story short, I've been able to get the latest Robbers on High Street EP that was "exclusive" to iTunes (and DRM'ed) and the full length Handsome Furs record that was nowhere to be found on eMusic. The downloads cost me less than $10, I've got DRM free mp3's, and the money went directly to the artist. Win / Win situation in my eyes! Thanks Snocap.

03:53 PM » [ Comments (4) ]

Ben De Rienzo
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Check out the photography portfolio of Ben De Rienzo for a plethora of intriguing portraits and various images from across the national (and world actually). The site was designed by Chartermain and has a nice, clean, slick interface. No nonsense really.. I enjoy the transition from the portfolio to the about section. My only complaint isn't that I can't deep link to an individual photo.. so all I can do is tell you is tell you to search for the great photo of Abraham Lincoln that looks like a model toy.

02:45 PM » [ Comments (0) ]

YASL Typefaces - CHEAP
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Looks like You Are So Last Year has put up a few type deals up on their blog worth checking out. The Moonface font has that nice hand drawn style to it.. could be worth having around for the low low price of $5. The poster stash is basically incredible as well.. sheesh, these guys have got it all!

01:51 PM » [ Comments (0) ]

GREEK: Poor Clark Duke
» Over the weekend I saw a poster for the new ABC Family show Greek - which looked mostly insipid and vaguely offensive to watch but down in the corner of the poster was a strange occurrence - Clark Duke of Clark and Michael is just sitting there obviously cast as the geeky "non-greek" roommate. What a shame.

01:46 PM » [ Comments (5) ]

ONCE (movie)
»

Over the weekend I caught the new John Carney film Once. I hadn't even seen the trailer before heading into the movie but multiple people had told me that if you're a fan of music, you must see this movie. It's a sweet story of a down and out Irish guy (Glen Hansard of The Frames) finding a connection with a Czech immigrant (Marketa Irglova) through songwriting and playing music. Many reviews have touted it as a "modern day musical" and that's really not an inappropriate description - as a majority of the emotional and character revelations are expressed purely through the music they are playing. Overall I'd say it's best as a date movie but anyone that enjoys a little drama mixed with some great music will enjoy the film.

01:01 PM » [ Comments (1) ]

Angry Cookie Face
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You can own the Angry Cookie Face for just a few bucks. What you would do with it is anyones guess but it certainly is entertaining. Thanks Andy.

12:46 PM » [ Comments (1) ]