Exploriment

S.o.t.D. - Worthless – Dido

2012-02-19T17:10:00.004-05:00

Worthless – Dido

February Photo A Day: Day 19: Something I Hate To Do

2012-02-19T13:23:00.002-05:00

S.o.t.D. - Natural Frequency – Irresistible Force

2012-02-18T16:50:00.007-05:00

Natural Frequency – Irresistible Force

14 minutes that for me invariably gets played about 14 hours on repeat.

February Photo A Day:Day 18: Drink

2012-02-18T11:40:00.000-05:00

February Photo A Day: Day 17: Time

2012-02-17T12:38:00.001-05:00

S.o.t.D. - Tranquility Base – Omicron

2012-02-17T10:47:00.003-05:00

Tranquility Base – Omicron

The soundtrack to floating in space.

February Photo A Day: Day 16: Something New

2012-02-16T17:52:00.000-05:00

S.o.t.D. - Tou Le Monde – Daddy Ous

2012-02-16T15:02:00.009-05:00

Tou Le Monde – Daddy Ous

I have several of the Hi-Fidelity Dub Sessions, and each of them is absolutely smoking hot.

A semi-regular review of books – pt. 3

2012-02-16T11:34:00.001-05:00

And once more, picking up where Blogger decided to go “poof” and make all my effort go up in smoke....

The Influencing Machine: Brooke Gladstone on the Media – Brooke Gladstone

I had never heard of her or her show before this, and I found this a very enjoyable look at the history of the “media” and the supposed bias of media. In short, her assertion is that most times media biases are not nearly as pronounced as some would claim.

Discussed it a bit here, accompanied by a short video.

Pictures That Tick – Dave McKean

I like his collage/digital work far more than the sparse ink and brush style used here, but I still happily get anything he does.

The Botany of Desire: A Plant’s Eye View of the World – Michael Pollan

I absolutely loved The Omnivores Dilemma (please read), and while this didn’t cause quite the paradigm shift of TOD, I enjoyed this a lot. Humans like to think that we control plants....but perhaps plants are far more active participants in the whole affair. He examines four plants and the things that we appreciate about them: Apples and Sweetness, Tulips and Beauty, Marijuana and Intoxication, and Potatoes and Control. Each of those plants was at one time endemic to only a small part of the planet, but the qualities that humans found attractive about them meant that we spread them across the globe, a feat that would have been difficult or impossible without the intervention of humans. In time humans tweaked these plants into ever newer strains and variants, that, again would likely have been impossible without the brains and hands of people. But could it be that there is some vast plant intelligence that knew what it was doing and used unwitting people to help in its aim to spread throughout the world? Do we control them or did they seduce us into controlling them?

Design For Victory: World War II Posters On The American Home Front – William L. Bird and Harry R. Rubenstein

Loads of great examples of a golden, perhaps the golden age of poster art.

Locke & Key: Welcome To Lovecraft – Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez

Locke & Key: Headgames – Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez

Locke & Key: Crown of Shadows – Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez

Locke & Key: Keys to the Kingdom – Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez

LOVED these. Quite violent and rather gory, the first collection mainly, but the story is incredible and the art is spectacular. Each of Gabriel Rodriguez’ pages is at the caliber of the covers on most comic books. This series ranks up there with Sandman and Fables for me.

The art is so well done, that it makes already well written characters even more compelling. Bode in particular is amazing.

The first few pages of the fourth collection “Keys to the Kingdom”, have two pages done in a very different style, and the next two pages are back to more recognizably Gabriel’s style. Then back to this other cruder style for two pages, then back to Rodriguez’ more refined style. Couldn’t figure out what was going at first, but several pages later, there is a subtle hint that explains it all. See if you can catch it. One of those make you laugh out loud, wonderful touches that really add to this book.

Highly recommended.

The Embarrassment of Riches: An Interpretation of Dutch Culture in the Golden Age – Simon Schama

I’m somewhat chagrined to say that I don’t know that much about the history of the country I was born in. I go to the library and the shelves are filled with books about the British Isles, and many about France, and lots about Italy and Germany and many other countries, but the Netherlands is apparently too small to rank. In the afore-mentioned Botany of Desire, this book was mentioned so I searched the library data-base and they had it. While I found it about as dry as a packet of rusks, I did gain a new appreciation of my homeland.

The Kite Runner (Graphic Novel) – Khaled Hosseini

I never read the actual novel, and this comic book adaptation means that I don’t have to read all them pages of little words and stuff. Much easier when there are pictures to help explain it all. But seriously, the art is fantastic, and the story is very moving. And after reading it, I want to buy a beer for anyone that has shot a Talibanistani in the face even more than before.

Just My Type: A Book About Fonts – Simon Garfield

I admit to being a type geek, but even someone who knows nothing about the subject will enjoy these bite sized sections about the surprisingly involved world of typography. Great cover too.

Xenozoic – Mark Schultz

Has a definite 50’s pulp feel to it. Centuries into the future, after a great cataclysm of some kind, dinosaurs once again roam the earth, as well as people. With an ancient city rising from the water, and master mechanic/adventurer Jack Tenrec, who has managed to get a warehouse of old Cadillacs working again. With Hanna Dundee, a brainy, voluptuous babe with a gun belt on her hips, they get up to all sorts of adventures. (Tell me what story wouldn’t be improved by a well armed, smart, buxom hotty? I know my life would be infinitely better if I had such a being in it.)

One thing I noticed is that the story was done over quite a few years. I suspect the author/artist worked on it between other gigs. His art definitely gets better and a lot tighter as the years go on.

Tell me those last few panels don’t speak volumes.

This was also released elsewhere as Cadillacs and Dinosaurs. There is also a second volume to this that I am trying to find.

Liked this a whole lot. Great art, fun story.

True Enough: Learning to Live in a Post-Fact Society – Farhad Manjoo

Deals with the innate biases people have and their reticence to look at issues through anything other than that bias. Also with the fragmentation of media, it has become easier for people to cherry pick their sources. Major pet peeve of mine is people who refuse to countenance any view point other than their own, and only surround themselves with people who agree with all their view points. Just not healthy.

Kick-Ass – Mark Millar & John Romita Jr.

Who hasn’t at one time or another thought of putting on a costume and kicking some criminal ass? Well, as this book shows, doing so may end with you getting your ass kicked by criminals. Very gory, very violent, but I want to see the film adaptation of this now.

O Siyam: Aboriginal Art Inspired by the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games – Gerald McMaster

Some really stellar examples of contemporary North West Coast art, in a wide variety of mediums.

The Race – Clive Cussler & Justin Scott

Breaks out of the mold a bit of the previous three Isaac Bell novels. But like those, this is still a fun barnstormer of a novel.

Chew: Taster’s Choice – John Layman & Rob Guillory

This did nothing for me, and I will even go so far as to say I disliked it.

The Fundamentals of Graphic Design – Gavin Ambrose & Paul Harris

Already know what those fundamentals are, but I still picked up some good stuff from this.

Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 – David Petersen

Mouse Guard: Winter 1152 – David Petersen

Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard – David Petersen

Reminded me a little bit of one of my favourite books, Rien Poortvliet’s Gnomes, in how it paints a very rich picture of an alternate society. The third one is okay, but the first two I liked a whole lot. Heroes, villains, epic quests, betrayal, life and death situations, these have it all.

Thinking With Type – Ellen Lupton

Superb book on the subject.

Reamde – Neal Stephenson
Another huge (1000 pages) novel from the brilliant Neal Stephenson. Bit too long perhaps, and not quite as richly complex as some of his others, but an enjoyable, sweeping thriller.

Enemy Ace: War In Heaven – Garth Ennis
I gather the original Enemy Ace from the 60's was set in WW1, and this is a generation later. Hans von Hammer is called out of retirement to fight for a regime he loathes. He loves to fly and is very good at being a fighter pilot, he just holds the nazis in contempt. Dilemma. Great art of those beautiful WW2 era piston (and some jet) planes.

One Bad Day – Steve Rolston
Rolston was the artist on first few arcs of the afore mentioned Queen & Country, and I liked his sparse, bold style. This isn’t the greatest comic ever, but I enjoyed it. Set in Toronto as well.

Motel Art Improvement Service – Jason Little
Dug the premise of this book. An artist gets a job at motels as a janitor, and removes the art from the walls and improves it. A gal sets out to cycle across the country, but an unfortunate incident causes her to end up at the hotel he is at. They meet and wild adventures ensue.

Age of Bronze: A Thousand Ships – Eric Shanower

Age of Bronze: Sacrifice – Eric Shanower
I admit to not being that well read on Greek history, and while I’m sure some will scoff that a mere comic book will teach me much about the subject, I got at the very least a decent introduction to the topic. I appreciated that the author/artist included a list of history/archeology books that the reader could look up if the subject intrigued them enough to want to learn more.

Transfer of Power – Vince Flynn

The Third Option – Vince Flynn

Separation of Power – Vince Flynn

Executive Power – Vince Flynn

Memorial Day – Vince Flynn

Consent To Kill – Vince Flynn

Act of Treason – Vince Flynn

Protect and Defend – Vince Flynn

Extreme Measures – Vince Flynn

Pursuit of Honour – Vince Flynn

American Assassin – Vince Flynn
These are essentially super hero books - a very politically incorrect super hero. Liberals will be aghast as he fucks up terrorists. Admittedly they’re fluffy, but I like them as mindless escapism. But why do the covers have to be so appallingly bad? Given the caliber of work presented in things like Spectrum, these are just insipid. I realize the target audience is pretty much made up of conservative, white males, but please, can these be made to look just a smidgen more exciting than a report from the federal accounting office.

All right. Back to reading.

February Photo A Day: Day 15: Phone

2012-02-15T17:49:00.000-05:00

S.o.t.D. - Embrace – Motionfield

2012-02-15T13:42:00.005-05:00

Embrace – Motionfield

So good.

S.o.t.D. - My Oblivion – Tindersticks

2012-02-14T16:34:00.007-05:00

My Oblivion – Tindersticks

Sombre, yet totally gorgeous tune. Pretty much describes everything they do. One of my favourite male singers, along with Mick Allen from Wolfgang Press and Nick Cave.

Alternatives to Refrigerators

2012-02-14T14:06:00.001-05:00

Friend on Facebook posted this and I thought it was really nifty. High tech is often not the only solution.

http://www.treehugger.com/kitchen-design/saving-food-fridge-it-will-taste-better-may-even-last-longer-and-reduce-your-energy-bills.html

February Photo A Day: Day 14: Heart

2012-02-14T11:14:00.002-05:00

S.o.t.D. - The What – Colossus

2012-02-13T17:28:00.001-05:00

The What – Colossus

I’m generally not a big fan of hip-hop, largely due to the high level of douchebaggery involved. These guys I like a lot however.

February Photo A Day: Day 13: Blue

2012-02-13T10:53:00.000-05:00

S.o.t.D. - I Got This Feeling (G Club Classic Vocal Mix) – Baby Bumps

2012-02-12T15:21:00.000-05:00

I Got This Feeling (G Club Classic Vocal Mix) – Baby Bumps

Just what we need at this point in the winter - a super uplifting track.

February Photo A Day: Day 12: Closet

2012-02-12T13:59:00.000-05:00

S.o.t.D. - Feeling Good (New Dawn) – Virtue

2012-02-11T16:11:00.000-05:00

Feeling Good (New Dawn) – Virtue

Track I found on a compilation tape. Nice to hear it again after not hearing it for years.

Type Design - Plutocrat

2012-02-11T12:46:00.002-05:00

Another old typeface. I started this back in 91. Nothing earth-shatteringly original, simple shapes used to create a simple display face, but I still like it. A lot of the time back then my aim was simply to have something a little funkier than what I had access to, and to have something that no one else had.

Like so many of my typefaces, this was one that I would add a couple of characters to here and there, as the need arose for a logo or headline. Sometimes I would generate an actual font to load into the system, and sometimes it would remain as a Fontographer file, with characters to be exported as needed. So a lot of my early typefaces were only Fontographer files and not having a way to access them, kept many of them locked away for ages. I’ve converted all of them with FontLab’s FogLamp, and it’s neat to see stuff I haven’t seen in a decade or more.

Back when I did this I had to spread alternate characters across three different fonts, but now with OpenType I think I’ll just stick them all into one font.

And in use in a logo.

February Photo A Day: Day 11: Makes Me Happy

2012-02-11T11:04:00.000-05:00

More Roarshacks

2012-02-10T13:51:00.000-05:00

S.o.t.D. - Taouage Bleu – Ben Onono

2012-02-10T12:04:00.001-05:00

Taouage Bleu – Ben Onono

Damn those stupid YouTube banner ads that cover up luscious female derriere.

February Photo A Day: Day 10: Self Portrait

2012-02-10T11:42:00.000-05:00

Logo - 1200 Records

2012-02-09T17:20:00.001-05:00

Logo for a record label. The dots will be recognizable to anyone who has ever used a Technics SL–1200 turntable as the pitch indicator dots along the edge of the platter.

Logo - Exploriment Needle & Thread

2012-02-09T17:17:00.002-05:00

No particular reason for this. Just goofing around, finding things to do with Cosmodrome, and a vague notion to have some kind of symbol for the sewing branch of the Exploriment Corporation.

Logo - Sweet Handmade Ideations

2012-02-09T16:04:00.002-05:00

A few ideas for logos for a bakery. As always, I generate a bunch of concepts, some of which I like, and some of which I am lukewarm about. But I think it’s best to throw them out there and let the client decide which are worthy of exploration and which are not. I take them to certain point, not too polished, and figure that fine tuning can proceed from there.

In no particular order of personal preference:

S.o.t.D. - Sabor De Verano (The Way Out West Mix) - Jose Padilla

2012-02-09T14:53:00.000-05:00

Sabor De Verano (The Way Out West Mix) - Jose Padilla

I’ve never heard anything by Mr. Padilla beyond this track I got on a compilation a decade or so ago, but I dig this.

February Photo A Day: Day 9: Front Door

2012-02-09T12:42:00.000-05:00

Logo - DJ BASE

2012-02-09T12:14:00.001-05:00

I mentioned a while back going through old storage mediums and consolidating all of it on one external hard disc. Sadly, I have a bunch of old projects that I may never get at again, just because of the difficulty of accessing obsolete storage mediums and obsolete programs.

This is an old logo that happily I found in another file, an Illustrator file, not a FreeHand file, like most of my stuff. Off to the side on the paste board.

Originally he wanted to call himself DJ BASS, but that name was taken. So he went with BASE instead. That allowed me to do an ambigramish logo. Couldn’t think of a way to do the DJ part so it could be flipped vertically and still read the same way.

Logo - H&H Ideations

2012-02-08T16:37:00.003-05:00

Pretty much just riffing, trying out some different ideas. Some I like and think have promise, and others I’m lukewarm about. But it’s good to get those ideas out. Sometimes looking at them gives you an idea on how to improve them, sometimes the client will make a suggestion that takes it in a whole other direction.

In more or less descending order of how much I like the idea. I’m sure more ideas are forthcoming. Still some doodles in my sketchpad that I haven’t even explored yet.

Roarshacks

2012-02-08T15:48:00.001-05:00

This idea came to me in a dream last night. Figured it was an idea worth exploring at the very least.

S.o.t.D. - 2 Minutes - Dzihan & Kamien

2012-02-08T14:48:00.005-05:00

2 Minutes - Dzihan & Kamien

My introduction to these Austrians. Knew it wouldn’t be the only thing of theirs I wanted to hear.

February Photo A Day: Day 8: Sun

2012-02-08T13:27:00.000-05:00

S.o.t.D. - High Frequency – Irresistible Force

2012-02-07T20:26:00.007-05:00

High Frequency – Irresistible Force

Lie down and be counted.

February Photo A Day: Day 7: Buttons

2012-02-07T17:48:00.003-05:00

Still not sure I grasp the scale of my place in the universe....

2012-02-07T11:33:00.000-05:00

Nifty little animation about the size of everything in the universe.

http://www.onemorelevel.com/game/scale_of_the_universe_2012

S.o.t.D. - Sky High – Irresistible Force

2012-02-06T15:22:00.006-05:00

Sky High – Irresistible Force

Oh, the happy, happy memories that come flooding back when I hear this album. Whheeeeeeeeeeeee..........

February Photo A Day: Day 6: Supper

2012-02-06T12:47:00.000-05:00

Van Wagners Beach

2012-02-06T12:40:00.003-05:00

After finishing school on Saturday I decided to go wandering. I needed to go out to Ottawa Street for some Cordura (too expensive, but anyway....) and from there decided to go out to an area I had never been to before, Van Wagners Beach, the Windermere Basin, around there somewhere.

Now, Hamilton has some really lovely areas, which I have shown in abundance. Hamilton also has some incredibly grim areas. It has been and continues to be a heavy industrial town. Two massive steel plants and a bunch of other not so nice to look at industries. It’s all concentrated along the waterfront out in the east end. The Windermere Basin had the dubious distinction (I believe it still may) as the, or one of the most polluted spots in Canada. Valiant efforts have been made to clean it up, but a century + of dumping filth into the harbour is going to have a negative effect. (I knew a guy years ago who was a diver and he said that the area in front of Dofasco and Stelco had a layer of black, gooey, tarry sludge many meters deep and stretching many meters out into the harbour.)

After crossing the city, and a stop at Princess Auto (where I had never been either), I cut down the Red Hill Valley Trail towards the lake.

Looking towards Stoney Creek.

Looking towards Burlington and Oakville.

Another perspective looking up the Hamilton Beach.

Debated whether I should walk to Burlington, even debated whether I should walk the Around the Bay Race route (which I will do one of these days), but decided I didn’t really have the time, and it was getting dark. Part of doing these little jaunts is to take photos. Might get up really early one morning and do this again.

Walking up Woodward Avenue, I came out from under an overpass and saw this scene. Looked more stunning in real life though. Really need to get a better camera.

Basinview Motel Brochure

2012-02-06T10:57:00.000-05:00

When I was visiting family in Scova Notia a while back I went by the local tourism center and looked at all the display cards for all the motels, bed and breakfasts, and other tourist attractions. I noticed that theirs wasn’t very oomphy. Blue text on white stock. Others had colour photos to attract the customers eye. Figured I would do something with a bit more pizzazz. Given how cheap colour printing has become, and how small the runs you have to get are, this will hopefully generate a little more business for them.

When I was there I noticed lots of hummingbirds flitting about, so used that as the image. Working on maybe turning that idea into a logo as well.

S.o.t.D. - Shimmer – Plej

2012-02-05T14:58:00.005-05:00

Shimmer – Plej

Smooth and sophisticated loungey house from Sweden. That reminds me, Jay still has my Plej CD. Son of a....

February Photo A Day:Day 5: 10 o’clock

2012-02-05T10:00:00.004-05:00

S.o.t.D. - Raintime – Wolfgang Press

2012-02-04T16:03:00.001-05:00

Raintime – Wolfgang Press

I want to live in the alternate universe where Wolfgang Press still put out an album a year with cover art by 23 Envelope.

Artspiration – Aly Fell

2012-02-04T12:23:00.000-05:00

British illustrator Alistair Fell does very spectacular pin-ups. Love what he does. (Link after the pics.)

http://www.darkrising.co.uk/

February Photo A Day: Day 4: Stranger

2012-02-04T11:28:00.003-05:00

S.o.t.D. - Vessel – Upside Down Umbrella

2012-02-03T13:56:00.001-05:00

Vessel – Upside Down Umbrella

Glitchy, off kilter rhythms, and slightly ominous. I like it!

Caldera Cone - a Tumblehome Imaging Gear Review

2012-02-03T13:41:00.001-05:00

My little buddy Jay doing an excellent video review of the Caldera Cone. It’s like the guy knows what he’s doing.

February Photo a Day: Day 3: Hands

2012-02-03T12:26:00.000-05:00

Upside Down, Left To Right: A Letterpress Film

2012-02-03T11:10:00.000-05:00

Another day, another film about printing. Letterpress printing this time. I know that in today’s fast paced world, if it exists at all, it is largely an artisinal pastime. Glad that it is still being taught somewhere though. When I went to school, I got a taste of it, and I’m very glad that I did. I really do think exposure to the techniques of old is invaluable. Know where you’ve been to know where you’re going.

February Photo A Day: Day 2: Words

2012-02-02T17:47:00.002-05:00

S.o.t.D. - Darklight (Underdog Version) – Emperors New Clothes

2012-02-02T13:46:00.011-05:00

Darklight (Underdog Version) – Emperors New Clothes

Chilled out, vocal-less trip-hop.

February Photo A Day: Day 1: Your View Today

2012-02-01T20:29:00.001-05:00

S.o.t.D. - Didascalias Theme – Rey Salinero

2012-02-01T14:33:00.003-05:00

Didascalias Theme – Rey Salinero

I’ve been looking for this one for a while. Creamy!

Printing Video

2012-02-01T12:38:00.000-05:00

I’ve been involved in the print trade in various capacities for many years. Usually all the steps before the job goes on the press. This video shows a few different techniques: lithography, thermography, engraving, foil blocking and embossing. I find the soundtrack pretty hypnotising too.

S.o.t.D. - Novox – Jenglander

2012-01-31T16:30:00.006-05:00

Novox – Jenglander

Know nothing about this act, other than the fact that they hail from the country of Jengland.

Break-Away Necklace

2012-01-31T13:48:00.001-05:00

I guess it’s important to have some kind of a break-away if you wear something around your neck. Even though I’m not ashamed to state that I’m a bit of a safety ninny, I have worn a neck knife for years on just a piece of 2mm cord. I guess on some level I have a problem with weak points. But I do realize that it is probably a good idea. I’ve looked at some of the little plastic break-away hardware, and wasn’t so impressed with it. It came undone too easily for my liking.

Was in a dollar store recently and saw this. For a dollar, I figured I’d give it a try.

Will all dollar stores have this? I have no idea. Are these super popular and available everywhere? I have no idea. Are they available in longer than 18" lengths? I have no idea.

Don’t know if there is a proper name for this kind of closure. I call it Ball and Loop.

Now, 18" makes it a choker on me. A choker with a break-away to avoid choking, but a choker nonetheless. I guess these are marketed towards 8 year old girls, not burly adults who carry knives around their necks. Thought of getting a second one to lengthen it, but that would then add two weak points.

So far so good. Mind you, three days of wearing it isn’t that much of a test. Although I have worn it while I slept, and if all that tossing and turning I do hasn’t ripped it loose, that’s a hopeful sign. I can see this being problematic if you carried a knife that required you to really yank on the handle to get it out of the sheath. But what I carry has been fine so far.

Haywire

2012-01-30T20:37:00.000-05:00

I haven’t had the money to go to movies for a long time, but last night I said “Damn the Torpedoes!” and went to see Haywire. Friends had good things to say about it. I got properly prepared and went.

Loved it.

Gina Carano. Heellllooo! I’m in love. I thought she was very believable in the role. She’s not that emotive, but given what her character does, I wasn’t expecting a saccharin-y girlfriend type. And frankly she makes a better “hero” than most male actors cast in that role. The whole movie felt plausible. The fight scenes were realistic, with none of the hyper fast editing most fight movies seem to feature now. And Steven Soderbergh I’ve been a fan of for quite a while now.

And she looks good. Looks good in a black dress. Looks good in leather riding a motorbike. Looks good in a wetsuit. Just plain looks good. She’s got thighs and hips and ass and boobage. Yum.

There’s rally driving, parkour, fighting, trade craft, acrobatics, good weapons handling, intrigue, some subtle humour. And Gina Carano looking good.

S.o.t.D. - Poetic Licence – Kani

2012-01-30T13:25:00.003-05:00

Poetic Licence – Kani

Another languid toe tapper.

S.o.t.D. - Captain Coull’s Parrott – Peatbog Faeries

2012-01-29T13:15:00.008-05:00

Captain Coull’s Parrott – Peatbog Faeries

Dubby, gaelic folk...or something.

Three Port Tour

2012-01-28T11:38:00.000-05:00

The Hueston’s, of the Aylmer Express where I used to work, had their first Three Port Tour this past August.

There are three races to choose from: 160 km, 100 km and 50 km. The shortest takes you from Aylmer to Port Bruce and back. The middle distance takes you to two Ports from Aylmer, Bruce and Burwell I guess. And the longest one takes you to Port Stanley as well.

East Elgin is a lovely area and perfect for cycling. If you’re in the area and into cycle touring or racing, mark it on your calendar.

http://www.threeporttour.com/

http://www.lcw.ca/filemgmt_data/files/3_port_tour.pdf

Northern Lights

2012-01-28T11:16:00.000-05:00

Some spectacular examples of auroras produced by the recent solar storms.

Yosemite Timelapse

2012-01-28T11:03:00.013-05:00

S.o.t.D. - Crabbuckit – The Good Lovelies

2012-01-28T11:03:00.012-05:00

Crabbuckit – The Good Lovelies

They’re good and they are lovely. All their stuff is absolutely wonderful. Definitely check them out. A cover of the k-os hit.

Sun & Moon

2012-01-27T13:43:00.002-05:00

Been noodling around with this idea off and on for ages. I intended it as a logo. Played around with it a bit here and there yesterday and today, and I think it’s all right. Not really very suitable as a logo any more though. Lots of fun to do anyway.

S.o.t.D. - Visions – Intense

2012-01-27T13:43:00.000-05:00

Visions – Intense

Perhaps the most appropriately named musical act ever. If I was ever to be in a car chase or a gun battle or something like that, I’d want this playing in the background. Drum & Bass done very right.

S.o.t.D. - Mind At The End Of The Tether – Tackhead

2012-01-26T14:13:00.002-05:00

Mind At The End Of The Tether – Tackhead

The equivalent of a sonic grenade going off in my brain when I first heard the On-U-Sound sound.

Patagonia Timelapse

2012-01-26T13:25:00.001-05:00

Always been intrigued by Patagonia. If I had to live in South America, I would want to live in the southern part of it. The rest is a little too fetid for me.

More Photo Restoration

2012-01-25T14:35:00.000-05:00

Another one I think is only partially done, but still an improvement over the original. I want a job doing this stuff.

Photo Restoration

2012-01-25T13:29:00.003-05:00

I realize that more than doing web design, which I am currently going to school for, I would much rather just do PhotoShop stuff. A job restoring old photos would fill my soul with joy. Imagine how happy you could make people fixing up their old destroyed mementos of family. Deciphering cuneiform as my brother so aptly puts it, no, that makes my brain ache.

This is a photo of my pal Brian’s grandfather. Still have a bunch I want to do to it, but I figure this is a good start for something I just did over my lunch break.

S.o.t.D. - Boogie Woogie – Kruder & Dorfmeister

2012-01-25T13:05:00.001-05:00

Boogie Woogie – Kruder & Dorfmeister

Not really any boogieing going on in this tune, but pretty swell regardless.

Bruce Trail in Winter

2012-01-24T14:30:00.001-05:00

Taken a little way beyond this area, about a week after they were taken.

Dundas Valley.

S.o.t.D. - Pale Clouded White – Cocteau Twins

2012-01-24T12:55:00.005-05:00

Pale Clouded White – Cocteau Twins

What can I possibly say that hasn’t been said already? Oh, I know.....awesome cover art. Oh....I’m sure someone has already said that. All right. Just enjoy the music then.

Winter Waterfront

2012-01-24T12:38:00.001-05:00

Taken on two separate days. Freezing both days. To smartasses who say that Hamilton is like Pittsburgh but without any of the charm, I offer this.

Taken from Central Park. Not quite as grandiose as that more famous one, but a nice little park anyway.

Looking towards the Waterfront Trail.

Downtown on the left.

Brrrrrrr.......

Untitled

2012-01-24T12:30:00.000-05:00

S.o.t.D. - Melonella – Cocteau Twins

2012-01-23T15:42:00.000-05:00

Melonella – Cocteau Twins

To me this is the point the Cocteau Twins were at their peak, between the Tiny Dynamine and Echoes in a Shallow Bay EPs and the Victorialand LP.

Algoma Guardian

2012-01-23T14:20:00.000-05:00

On a recent stroll down to the waterfront I saw a ship looming up above everything else. It looked monstrously big. Definitely wanted to check it out. A few months back there was a laker, the Maritime Trader docked by Pier 8. The ship that was there now, the Algoma Guardian had to be twice the size of that one, if not larger.

That warehouse is two or three stories high.

That anchor is at least 2 meters long.

More than 20 meters wide. That propeller is wider than most cars are long.

That superstructure is at least six stories above the deck.

That bow anchor is at least twice as big as the stern anchor.

More than 200 meters long.

The HMCS Haida could completely disappear in its hold.

Change’mups

2012-01-22T13:33:00.000-05:00

Browsing around on EDCForums a while ago, someone posted some pictures of a change wallet that they had made, based on a Montbell example (top four pics), that is apparently an Asia only item.

I thought it was pretty nifty and decided to make one myself. Using three different widths of webbing and some Velcro, I cobbled it together in an evening.

About 2" by 2".

I added some pull tabs, to make opening it easier.

The original has a little slot along the back for bills or bus tickets or stamps, which mine does not have. But I think I make a few more of these, and will likely incorporate it then. I also want to make a wallet for myself and I think this idea may be incorporated right into it. I’ve had two wallets with a zippered change compartment, and on both, the zipper has gone kaput. Velcro will also give up the ghost, but replacing it is usually less of a chore than replacing a zipper.

All in all, this little thing works very nicely.

S.o.t.D. - Red Shift (live) – Michael Brook

2012-01-22T12:34:00.003-05:00

Red Shift (live) – Michael Brook

Generally not a big lover of guitars, but Michael Brook is someone whose innovative treatments of the guitar I find really compelling.

S.o.t.D. - Fila Funk – Fila Brazilia

2012-01-21T09:07:00.002-05:00

Fila Funk – Fila Brazilia

The first thing of Fila’s I’d ever heard. Made me want to hear a lot more.

S.o.t.D. - Merluche Ideale – René et Gaston

2012-01-20T11:00:00.000-05:00

Merluche Ideale – René et Gaston

Builder.

A semi-regular review of books – pt. 2

2012-01-20T10:54:00.002-05:00

All right, let’s pick up where Blogger destroyed.......

Cryptonomicon – Neal Stephenson

Another massive novel from a huge talent. Combining history, geography, treasure hunting, sci-fi, cryptology, and probably a few other things I’m forgetting. Absolutely loved this novel.

Killing Rommel – Steven Pressfield

Fiction, but I suspect a very accurate story about the Long Range Desert Group, and their younger cousins, the Special Air Service, and their exploits behind the lines in North Africa. Fascinating chapter in history. If I have a criticism of it, I wish that there were more detailed maps included.

The Profession – Steven Pressfield

Set about 20 years in the future, and delves into the rise of private militaries. Something I find fascinating, yet ultimately unsettling. The protagonist, once an acolyte of the head of a private army large enough to do as it pleases, tries to stop him from seizing the reins of the United States. Definite parallels with the Roman Empire. Liked it, but I think I like his historical novels a bit more than his speculative novels.

Anathem – Neal Stephenson

I was very intrigued by this, but ultimately had to put it down to return to at a later date. The book is set in a whole other world, and having to learn all the terms and such, when I’m already trying to fill my head with a pile of arcane knowledge was too much. It’s not a novel that you can just dive right into and breeze through. It requires you to learn the language, customs and cultures of an alternate universe. I’ll get back into this when I have a week or two without any other pressing mental challenges.

Not A Good Day To Die – Sean Naylor

Roberts Ridge – Malcolm MacPherson

I know someone who I thought was involved in the Roberts Ridge battle, but he does not make an appearance. I know why now, and I still got a lot out of these books. One deals with the larger battle of Operation Anaconda, and how the higher ups messed up, and the other deals with a specific aspect of it, and the amazing courage and perseverance by all involved.

Seven Pillars of Wisdom – T.E. Lawrence

I’ve seen this book mentioned for decades, especially how it relates to asymmetric warfare. Seeing it mentioned again recently prompted me to pick up this classic. Great read and insights into a very engrossing character from history.

Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants – Dav Pilkey
Yes I really did read this. My nephew had a second copy and insisted I have it. “Here, you like to read. I want you to have it.” And it actually was a fun read. Kids will like it, but if you’re a parent reading to your kids, you will have fun reading it too.

Lewis & Clark – Nick Bertozzi
Another chapter of history that I have to admit to being a bit foggy on. I knew the basic outline of the story, but this got me interested enough that I will go and dig a little deeper into this slice of Americana.

Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know – Ranulph Fiennes
I now know that when I die and go to hell, it will consist of an eternity of pulling 500+ kilogram sleds up chunks of ice the size of five story buildings in make you whimper like a sissy cold, and then down the other side into slushy sea ice, trying to avoid leg crushing crevices. Polar exploration/exploits? No thank you! (The descriptions of frostbitten fingers and walking around with black, rotting stumps of dead flesh on the ends of his fingers made me really queasy.) Still, remarkable character. His 7 marathons, on 7 continents, in 7 (consecutive!) days, not too long after almost dying of a heart attack is an amazing feat in and of itself. And yes, he is related to those actor guys.

The World Through Maps: A History of Cartography – John Rennie Short
Being a total map geek and frustrated cartographer, I got a lot out of this very comprehensive look at the history of maps and mapping.

Rule 34 – Charles Stross
I admit it, the tattooed, pistol packing babe on the cover got me to pick it up and check it out, and the description got me to read it. I liked the gritty blend of sci-fi/police drama. Told from the perspective of three characters, but mainly from that of Liz Cavanaugh, a Scottish police inspector in the not too far future who has to investigate the ever widening world of cyber-crime. Weird and unsettling, but mainly because you start to wonder whether some of it might not come to pass fifteen years in the future.

The Adventurist: My Life in Dangerous Places – Robert Young Pelton
This one precedes the books where he buddies up to real deal BTDT guys in the airport lounge, milks them for their stories and then passes them off as his own. This is the charge leveled against him by some folks I know, who really dislike him. As one wag puts it, “I’d call him a bullshit artist, but that would be insulting to bullshit artists.” Still, reading this helps keep that “pack it all in and go wandering” flame alive.

Weathercraft – Jim Woodring
One of the more surreal things I’ve read in a long time. There’s a narrative logic, after a fashion, but it is still just bizarre. Each page would make amazing blotter art.

The War of Art – Steven Pressfield
Who involved in creative pursuits hasn’t faced a blockage at some point?

How To Survive The End Of The World As We Know It – James Wesley Rawles
Not that paranoid, but lots of good info in this book. I will happily read anything that adds to the stockpile of knowledge on how to keep living a bit longer.

Dressing & Cooking Wild Game – Teresa Marrone

Wild Game Cookbook – Doug & Peggy Kazulak
Learned a fair bit from both books, and cribbed a few recipes.

Information is Beautiful – David McCandless
Yes it is, and not only were there lots of inspiring examples of data visualization and information graphics, but I also learned a bunch of neat little factoids from it.

Chimo – David Collier
David came in to the place I worked at years ago to use the photocopier. I’ve read some of his other books, but I particularly enjoyed this recounting of his efforts to rejoin the Canadian Forces (at the age of 40) to become a part of their Artists Program.

Simon Girty: Wilderness Warrior – Edward Butts
An amazing character from Canadian history that I had never heard of before. Kidnapped at a young age by natives he lived amongst the for years and earned their skills and languages. His fluency and skills led to him being both a diplomat/translator as well as a scout/warrior for the British during the American War of Independence. Operating in the area of what is today Ohio/Indiana/Kentucky/Michigan, his exploits mean that he is thought of as a hero on this side of the border, and as a villain on the other side of the border.

S.o.t.D. - Black Rainbow – Psychic TV

2012-01-19T10:51:00.007-05:00

Black Rainbow – Psychic TV

Of all the phases PTV went through, I think this was my favourite. One of the things that introduced me to the whole acidhouse scene. Lots of acts that had been part of the whole electronic/industrial scene moved towards more of a techno/house/ambient sound, and I was happy to go along for the ride. You can only be dour for so long.

S.o.t.D. - Just A Fuckin’ Idiot – Future Sound of London

2012-01-18T15:22:00.001-05:00

Just A Fuckin’ Idiot – Future Sound of London

Ominous. Yet soothing.

Contrariwise

2012-01-18T13:04:00.001-05:00

Contrariwise is a blog that collects examples of two things I like, literature and tattoo, and by virtue of that often also touches on a third thing I like, typography.

People take quotes that mean something to them from books they like and have them tattooed on themselves. Not something I would want to do personally, but I always appreciate the motivations that go into someone getting a tattoo. Some of the examples aren’t spectacular, but I enjoy seeing them nonetheless.

http://www.contrariwise.org/

Another item in this vein is the BodyType Tattoo book, which collects examples of type tattoos. Not necessarily literature though.

S.o.t.D. - Fun To Be Had – Nitzer Ebb

2012-01-17T10:47:00.003-05:00

Fun To Be Had – Nitzer Ebb

Never a huge fan of these guys, but I really liked this track a lot.

America’s Test Kitchen Tests Fire Extinguishers

2012-01-17T09:54:00.000-05:00

For anyone not in the know, America’s Test Kitchen is a truly amazing institution.

They apply an almost scientific rigour to cooking, testing not only recipes but ingredients as well, and also testing the implements to prepare dishes with. As they put it “Our mission is simple: to develop the absolute best recipes for all of your favorite foods. To do this, we test each recipe 30, 40, sometimes as many as 70 times, until we arrive at the combination of ingredients, technique, temperature, cooking time, and equipment that yields the best, most-foolproof recipe.”

They did a test of something important that goes beyond cookery - fire extinguishers. Worth a look.

A semi-regular review of books – pt. 1

2012-01-16T20:09:00.008-05:00

So about a half year ago I did a review of a bunch of the books I read in the previous half year. Decided to do it again for the next half years reading. Spent a few months putting up a picture of the cover and a link to the Google Books section on it, and my thoughts about the book. Spent a bit of time here, an hour there, half hour there, and finally got it all ready. Hit post.....and.....Blogger decided to disappear about two thirds of my post into thin air.

Fuck!

To say that I felt deflated is putting it mildly. Still like the idea of sharing what I enjoyed reading, but I think rather than put all that time into one huge post only to get pole-axed when it vanishes into the ether, I’ll do it in smaller chunks, maybe once a month

Anyhoo.....the last half year saw no slow-down in my voracious reading appetite. And as always, the subject matter was as all over the place as this blog is. From low-brow thrillers to high brow treatises. Fluffy entertainment to learning something completely new. I rip through books at a blistering pace, and I often have several on the go at once. A serious learning book, and a graphic novel to end my day, and usually a proper novel as well to dip into as the mood strikes me.

And this is only a portion of what I read. I’ve been reading a pile of books on HTML and CSS (yawn) and it seems like I never stop reading books on PhotoShop (yay). There are also a bunch of comic books/graphic novels I didn’t include. The list is ridiculously long as it is.

Wicked Bugs: The Louse That Conquered Napoleon’s Army and Other Diabolical Insects.

I read her other book Wicked plants: the weed that killed Lincoln’s mother and other botanical atrocities, and I liked the style of it, and enjoyed this one as much. Very entertaining – well, as entertaining as foot long centipedes that hang from the ceilings of caves and snatch bats out of the air, disease carrying ticks and mosquitos, forest felling borers, biblical swarms of locusts, ants that have a bite so painful it feels like getting shot, flies that lay eggs under the skin, fleas that burrow under toenails and lay a bean sized egg sac, and termites that do more damage to New Orleans than Hurricane Katrina did – can be. There are 10 quintillion insects on the planet – 200 million for every person. Humans! You do not rule the earth.

Until reading this book, I was not aware of the Schmidt Sting Pain Index.

Dawn Land – Joseph Bruchac and Will Davis

A graphic novel adaptation of Bruchac’s 1993 novel. Set 10,000 years in the past in what would today be called New England, Young Hunter sets out on an epic quest to defeat the pre-historic Stone Giants who terrorize his people. Davis uses a sparse, brush and ink technique that very ably translates this magical tale.

Captain Gravity and the Power of the Vril – Joshua Dysart, Sal Velluto, Mike Garcia

With a flying man, super powers, Nazis, occultists, damsels in distress, archeologists looking for a lost civilization, Hollywood movie sets, Russian spies, British secret agents, locations all over the globe - this wonderful graphic novel is a terrific homage to the pulp serials of decades past. Great story, great art. If I was to offer up a lazy comparison, I would say Indiana Jones meets the Rocketeer.

Up North Again: More of Ontario’s Wilderness, from Ladybugs to the Pleiades – Doug Bennet

Devoured the first one and devoured this one. Since I love spending time up in boreal forests, books like this teach me much about the flora and fauna I find up there.

Lucifer’s Hammer – Larry Niven

Considered a classic in the end of the world, apocalyptic genre. Enjoyed it.

The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable – Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Interesting, but I found it a bit dry. Might have found it more compelling if it had been condensed into a New Yorker or Vanity Fair article.

SEAL Team Six Memoirs of An Elite Navy SEAL Sniper – Howard E. Wasdin

Howard is quite a character and he wrote a great account of his time in S.T. 6, including his involvement in the infamous Black Hawk Down incident. Everything in the book pre-dates any of the current G.W.O.T. operations, but engrossing nonetheless.

Dies the Fire – S. M. Stirling

Found this tortuous to be very honest. I enjoy the whole post-apocalypse genre, but I had a major problem with the premise I just couldn’t get over. Okay, technology stops working – electronics and electricity fail to function. That, I can buy into. An EMP will see to that. But gunpowder no longer works? Huh? It’s about as simple a chemical reaction as there is. And steam no longer works? What!?
And then all the wiccan, gaelic speaking stuff, got tedious fast. It was all a little to SCA for me. It is apparently part of a trilogy, but while I finished this, I wasn’t interested enough to want to get the other two.
(Right after I delved into Neal Stephenson’s Cryptonomicon, which was light years better in every way, merely serving to showcase this novels shortcomings.)

Worldchanging: A Users Guide for the 21st Century

http://www.worldchanging.com/book/
Great primer on a variety of topics. Short but good introduction to a host of topics - environmental issues, urban planning, alternative energies, transportation, agriculture, sustainable food, population pressures, conservation, refugees, disaster response, water, sustainable communities, socially responsible investment, biomimicry, micro-lending, disaster relief, etc., etc. - with some recommended books or websites to check out if you want to go more in depth. Big long list of books written down for me to check out at the library in the coming weeks and months.

Design like You Give A Damn: Architectural Responses to Humanitarian Crises
http://designlikeyougiveadamn.architectureforhumanity.org/
A more specific subset of the issues discussed in the above book - namely architecture, but more specifically architecture and product design to address refugees, people displaced because of natural and environmental disaster, homelessness, better housing for people in slums, etc. Creative solutions that strive for a light ecological footprint and also strive for being appropriate for the locale and culture. Not every attempt is necessarily successful, but fantastic to see people at least tossing those ideas out there. That open dialogue leads to refinements, improvements, etc. Some examples are little more than rough sketches, some CAD drawings, some are things that have been built. Very inspiring.

Glimmer: How Design Can Transform your Life, and Maybe Even the World by Warren Berger
Totally loved it. Some really great insights into design, and how design is becoming far more important to companies that want to survive and thrive in today’s world. Many companies think design is merely the packaging, the glossy veneer so to speak. But smart companies realize that design needs to extend not just to how the product looks, but everything. They need to design the whole experience, from how the product looks, but more importantly how it works, and the detailed research that goes into functionality, to how the company interacts with their existing and potential customers, via a website, phone interaction, etc.

It uses Bruce Mau’s terrific essay An Incomplete Manifesto For Growth as a starting point.

Several sections were very profound, and one I thought was especially good.

Brian Collins of the firm COLLINS states that the experience design movement is reinventing the marketing model that has been dominated by advertising for the last half century. That old model made it feasible that a large company could offer a lackluster customer experience, yet still coax people to purchase its bland offerings, thanks to the sheer power of message bombardment. But over the past decade, a flip-flop began to take place. Ads started to lose their power because of changes in media (including more fragmentation and greater audience control and participation). Meanwhile, those same changes in the media heightened the importance of providing quality customer experiences because customers now had more ways to talk to each other. Today, increasingly, the experience is the advertising.

The companies that are unable to figure out how to design and deliver that experience have little else to do but make pleas for our attention that are mostly ignored–in other words, they advertise. Collins believes we may now be reaching the point at which advertising becomes the penalty paid by companies that cannot design well. “In this new environment,” he says, “you could think of traditional advertising as a tax on laggards.”

Glimmer p.147-148

It also delved into the curse of a lot of designers - that they’re interested in everything - that they want to learn and try everything. I can identify. Buckminster Fuller would call it being a ‘comprehensivist’.

“When I’m totally unqualified for a job, that’s when I do my best work. If you’re trying to find a new way to think about something to make it better, it can actually hurt you to have too much experience in that particular milieu–because you understand the expectations too well. And that can cause you to limit and edit your possibilities, based on what you already know ‘doesn’t work’. ” - Paula Scher

Another section touched on why being creative is such a charge.

People tend to think of happiness as a goal, but it’s more of a process, according to Martin Seligman, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and the former president of the American Psychological Association. Seligman maintains that there are two activities that lead to happiness. One is what he calls “engaging” activity–the challenging and often creative activity that tends to lead to a “flow experience.”

When you’re engaged in these types of creative activities, it activates an area of the brain called the nucleus accumbens that controls how we feel about life, according to Dr. S. Ausim Azizi, chairman of the department of neurology at Temple University’s School of Medicine. He noted that creative activities that you enjoy also stimulate the brain’s septal zone–the “feel good” area–and that makes you feel happy.

But the other part of the puzzle has to do with the second type of activity that can make you happy. Seligman has observed that in addition to those “engaging” or creatively stimulating activities, there are also “meaningful” activities that tend to make people happy. These, he says, involve “using what you’re best at to serve others or participate in a cause bigger than yourself.”

If you’re doing a certain kind of design–“problem solving design”–you are combining both types of activities. You are creating and contributing to a larger cause, simultaneously.

Through constant acts of creative design, you recreate yourself. You help propel your own growth spiral, feeding off the energy of creation. That’s not just a feeling, it’s a fact: being in that state of “design flow” raises the levels of neurotransmitters in your brain, such as endorphins and dopamine, and that keeps you focussed and energized, according to Dr. Gabriella Corá of the Florida Neuroscience Center. Glimmer p.264-266

Against All Enemies – Tom Clancy

Not sure that he is as good as he was. I think he really has become a franchise. I think his co-writers pretty much do it all now. I enjoyed it, but I’m not sure it’s the kind of tight, well researched thriller he became known for.

Robopocalypse – Daniel H. Wilson

Reminded me a little of WorldWarZ, in terms of it being the recollection of a participant in a cataclysmic battle for the survival of humanity. Only instead of zombies it’s robots.

The Little House – Virginia Lee Burton

Discussed here.

Standing Small: A Celebration of 30 Years of the LEGO Minifigure – Nevin Martell
Sure Mini-Figs are fun and all, but mainly I got this to share with my nephew who is a bigger fan of them than I am.

Queen & Country, Declassified Vol. 3: Report of Proceedings – Antony Johnston
I’ve been a fan of this series right from the start, but have missed some of the later ones.

Escapement – Jay Lake
Just couldn’t get into this. Gave it 200 hundred pages. Maybe it has something to do with not reading the one that preceded this, but the world the author created I just didn’t find compelling at all. Earth set in Victorian times, but a huge wall at the equator separates the northern and southern hemispheres, and a clockwork is visible in the sky. Didn’t do it for me.

Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion – George J. Thompson

Not that I get into that many disagreements with people (I’m perfect and always right {sarcasm people, sarcasm}), but I figured it would be fun to learn some different, more subtle ways to deal with any potential differences of opinion.

S.o.t.D. - Cradle – Heidi Berry

2012-01-16T10:45:00.003-05:00

Cradle – Heidi Berry

Another gem from 4AD, and another act that I’m saddened to say packed it in way too early.

S.o.t.D. - Pink Planet – DJ Miku

2012-01-15T10:31:00.013-05:00

Pink Planet – DJ Miku

Insanely funky booty shaker.

S.o.t.D. - Nothing To Be Afraid Of – Lazyboy

2012-01-14T10:24:00.004-05:00

Nothing To Be Afraid Of – Lazyboy

Dubby chilled out funkiness. Love the photos used in the vid. I’m likely weird, but forests at low light or when it’s foggy are places/times I really like.

S.o.t.D. - And Relax! – Cinematic Orchestra

2012-01-13T15:18:00.003-05:00

And Relax! – Cinematic Orchestra

Magnificence.

S.o.t.D. - Take A Chance – Roger Sanchez

2012-01-12T12:13:00.003-05:00

Take A Chance – Roger Sanchez

Totally sexy tune.

FotoShop by Adobé

2012-01-11T16:00:00.000-05:00

Too funny not to give it a plug.

S.o.t.D. - New Tomorrow – Legendary Pink Dots

2012-01-11T15:09:00.004-05:00

New Tomorrow – Legendary Pink Dots

Never got that into L.P.D. but this track I liked a lot. From Crushed Velvet Apocalypse.

S.o.t.D. - The Phoenix (River and Rain) – God Within

2012-01-10T14:59:00.012-05:00

The Phoenix (River and Rain) – God Within

One of the Hardkiss brothers. Totally takes me back to a trip to Montreal and the first time I.....I heard this track.

Land Information Ontario - Make A Map

2012-01-09T13:58:00.008-05:00

This made me feel all tingly. Make a map of whatever area you want in Ontario and add layers of whatever information is relevant to you.

And you can also draw in elements of your own.

If anyone has difficulty locating me any time in the next month, this will be why.

Exciting!

http://www.lio.ontario.ca/imf-ows/imf.jsp?site=makeamap_en

S.o.t.D. - Sail (feat. Kate Rogers) (Rae & Christian remix) – Aim

2012-01-09T13:58:00.005-05:00

Sail (feat. Kate Rogers) (Rae & Christian remix) – Aim

The original version of this is pretty swell too.

S.o.t.D. - Midnight in Europe – 030

2012-01-08T13:51:00.001-05:00

Midnight in Europe – 030

All the TranceEuropeExpress compilations were epic, and this track in particular was one I really liked. Sitting out on the breakwaters out in the Beaches in Toronto, late at night, listening to this. Good times.

S.o.t.D. - On and On – Mocean Worker

2012-01-07T11:47:00.003-05:00

On and On – Mocean Worker

The entire Enter the Mowo record was great, but I particularly liked this track.