Grandma's Hearse

Spotted this on the way back from Amsterdam.

Radio Song of the week - 2

Suspicious Red Towel

Took this photo a couple of weeks ago in Kingston. I hope they like pink.

Gunpower, Treason and Plot

This evening across the country the sky will be illuminated by hundreds and thousands of fireworks, lawns will be scorched by bonfires made up of garden debris (most likely a little damp and green) and the odd effigie of Guy Fawkes will sit a little precariously on top.
It is the anniversary if the Gunpowder plot of 1605. It is also by coincidence Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, the first time it has fallen on November the 5th since 1972.

An interesting article on Creative Review blog today looks at the names some of these fireworks are called. Mostly nowadays derived from military terms, war and conflict. It references how names for fireworks have changed over the years with reference to current affairs, notably the language of space exploration that adorned these recreational explosives in the '50s and '60s. More relevant names for some of today's fireworks might be, 'Tuition Fee Rocket' or 'LibDem-olition'.
The recent U-turn by the LibDems on tuition fees is horrendous. Many people voted LibDem as a direct result of their public declaration and almost unanimous signing of a pledge not to raise them. Now within this coalition they have bent over and voted in favour of increasing the fees. This is of course a coalition and like any relationship you can't get everything your own way, but within the vote anyone had the opportunity to abstain....they didn't. You may think it naive to believe that a politician could be honest and not back track, but the LibDems had a unique chance to buck this trend, and stand up for key policies. They were never going to win a majority government, so if they did get into power it would be in a coalition. Ultimately they should never have signed and publicly declared to prevent any increase in tuition fees if they weren't prepared to follow it through. They are now completely and utterly tarred with the same brush as the other two parties. Well done.

I think that this day is a very important one within British history, and maybe more relevant this year than for a long time. While the original plot was intended to commit regicide of King James I of England and VI of Scotland, it's location of The House of Lords is perhaps more poignant. In the wake of the expenses scandal and with the country in financial dire straits, maybe this should be a day where politicians remember the potential of people power and to tread a little more carefully.

Tonight I hope all politicians feel a little hot under the collar and can see the metaphor in the burning fuse.

http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2010/november/fireworks-design

Radio Song of the week

Scary Pumpkin

This is one of the ways I've kept myself busy this week.

Limit to your Love

I have been refraning from posting this because it's done the rounds a bit already. But I've not been able to stop listening to it from the first go. It's now nestled in my top 10 songs of all time....I realise it's a big statement, but I think it's valid.

Dave Osborne

My favourite poem
by a friend of mine,
who I have not seen
in a very long time

Cheat Legal

Good ad - this is the long version

Panique au Village

You'll recognise this style of animation from the Cravendale adverts. I've always been a fan of them, but never known who did them. Now thanks to It's Nice That (not for the first time) my knowledge has grown.
This is the Trailer for a feature length film...if you can believe that. quite a jump from 15second shorts.

http://www.atowncalledpanic.com/

Chinese Swan Lake

Probably the most mental balancing act I've ever seen

iPad light painting - Making Future Magic

Making Future Magic: iPad light painting from Dentsu London on Vimeo.

This is awesome...I can just about grasp making the words, but as far as making the abstract shapes spin, change and move in all directions, my head just can't bend that way.
This is waiting to be raped by a massive ad agency.

The Reluctant Father

Phillip Toledano's photographic diary of the first month he was a father. Genius funny. Here's the caption that accompanies the picture above:

Some men deal with their baby rage by drinking, or playing video games.

I made plates.

I thought this was high comedy, but Carla was not so amused.

For the longest time, when people asked to see a picture of Loulou, this was what I'd show them.

I liked not showing the usual cherubic photo. An adorable shot of Loulou poking her head out of a casserole pot, or something similarly bilious.

Does every baby picture have to be sweet and beautiful?

Crying is as much a part of it, if not most of it, at the beginning.


Read the whole thing, it's very good
found at: http://www.itsnicethat.com/
Phillip Toledano: http://theanthropologist.net/#/PhillipToledano/TheReluctantFather/

nendo: thin black line

A collection of black wire furniture by Japanese studio Nendo will be shown at the Saatchi gallery in London later this month.
The collection also includes a clothes rack and all are intended to look like sketches.....mission accomplished. The chair (above) certainly achieves this and I love the boundary it crosses between practical furniture and sculpture/art. I wonder how comfy the chair is?? but also in a wider context, does the fact that it's going to be presented at the Saatchi gallery make it more art than furniture? If they let you sit on the chair then maybe its furniture, if not....then art? Or if the chair isn't comfy, then does it become art by default as no-one will sit on it anyway? Or is it a case of what the intention was when it was originally designed/made; I guess it's still furniture if it was intended to be uncomfortable from the idea's conception.

http://www.nendo.jp/en/
taken from: http://www.dezeen.com/2010/09/07/thin-black-lines-by-nendo/

Antidote

I'm currently on a month long internship at Anitdote. Just started my second week, and enjoying the challenges so far.

http://www.antidote.co.uk/
http://antidotelikes.blogspot.com/