“Oy mate, I’m ’avin’ a ’ead rush!”
Monday, 30 May 2011
Saturday, 28 May 2011
Scientific Illustration
Illustration is fantastic in its own right, but I have a particular soft spot for scientific illustration.
Here is a Tumblr page that just keeps on loading and loading, with hundreds of stunning examples. I see some Ernst Haeckel in there, and about everything else imaginable.
S.o.t.D. - Arcadian (Global Communications Remix) – Link
Arcadian (Global Communications Remix) – Link
Warp was another of those labels I would happily buy stuff from unheard, and while they weren’t all satisfying, the great outweighed the so-so by a long shot.
Warp was another of those labels I would happily buy stuff from unheard, and while they weren’t all satisfying, the great outweighed the so-so by a long shot.
S.o.t.D. - Aphasia – cEvin Key
Aphasia – cEvin Key
If I had to form a “super-group”, like an ambient-dub-techno Asia, Kevin Crompton would be one of the members.
If I had to form a “super-group”, like an ambient-dub-techno Asia, Kevin Crompton would be one of the members.
Friday, 27 May 2011
S.o.t.D. - Music (Peshay Rework) – LTJ Bukem
Thursday, 26 May 2011
S.o.t.D. - Simplesmente (Tom Middleton Cosmos Mix) – Bebel Gilberto
Northern Survival PDF
Northern Survival was published in 1968 by the Education Division, Northern Administration Branch, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. (A branch of the Canadian government that doesn’t even exist anymore)
It features sections on First Aid, Travel in Northern Terrain, Shelter (including a fairly detailed section on building igloos, and life inside one), Navigation, Knots, Water, Food (including identifying edible plants, hunting, fishing, foraging and trapping), Fire, Signalling, Care and Use of Equipment and Clothing, and a few other miscellaneous tips and techniques.
Brutal production value; double spaced, typewritten, single sided pages, illustrations are “okay”. I haven’t jazzed it up at all. If it was printed crooked on the page, it’s crooked in the PDF. If the typewriter filled the counter of a letter with ink schmutz, it appears on the PDF.
The Cerlox binding on it was as old as me, and had started to fall apart. I took it in to work, to make a double sided copy and re-bind it. I then had the bright idea to scan it in and turn it into a .pdf file. I figured others might like this, and when a slow afternoon rolled around… There was no copyright on it, so I’m hoping that’s not an issue. I’m not sharing this to make money, I just want to share useful info with others. If someone from the Canadian government tells me to take it down, well then I’ll take it down.
It features sections on First Aid, Travel in Northern Terrain, Shelter (including a fairly detailed section on building igloos, and life inside one), Navigation, Knots, Water, Food (including identifying edible plants, hunting, fishing, foraging and trapping), Fire, Signalling, Care and Use of Equipment and Clothing, and a few other miscellaneous tips and techniques.
Brutal production value; double spaced, typewritten, single sided pages, illustrations are “okay”. I haven’t jazzed it up at all. If it was printed crooked on the page, it’s crooked in the PDF. If the typewriter filled the counter of a letter with ink schmutz, it appears on the PDF.
The Cerlox binding on it was as old as me, and had started to fall apart. I took it in to work, to make a double sided copy and re-bind it. I then had the bright idea to scan it in and turn it into a .pdf file. I figured others might like this, and when a slow afternoon rolled around… There was no copyright on it, so I’m hoping that’s not an issue. I’m not sharing this to make money, I just want to share useful info with others. If someone from the Canadian government tells me to take it down, well then I’ll take it down.
It’s by no means the greatest survival manual ever published. Not compared to the .pdf of the Swedish Army Arctic Warfare manual I got a while back. But it’s still got some useful stuff in it, and I guess it could also be viewed as a bit of history too. Plus it’s free. (although if you want to send something groovy back through the ether, that’s always appreciated.)
Wednesday, 25 May 2011
S.o.t.D. - Lumever – Mikkel Metal
Garbage Truck
Can you see I’m laughing in this picture?
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
S.o.t.D. - Luetin – Underworld
Just love this tempo. Great track to start out a set with, building up in tempo as it goes.
Signage: PC Repair Shop
My wanting to take a photo of a sign is usually dependent on two things. It’s either really good, or it’s really, uhm, amateurish is the gentle way of putting it.
Bibliophilia: 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.
Saturday, 21 May 2011
S.o.t.D. - This Way (Hideo Kobayashi Remix) - Hollis P. Monroe
Heaven
I hope if there is a Heaven, it looks something like this. (photo by Jason Irwin)
French River area in spring, and the water was very high. We had passed through in the fall, and an area that we had to drag the canoe through, I could now not touch bottom with my paddle, no matter how far I leaned out, or how far down I reached. We explored up a channel, and managed to make it through into a lake that I doubt is accessed by humans much. Saw the biggest deer I’ve ever seen in my life, (I thought it was a big horse at first glance), a turtle the size of an overturned wheel barrow, martens not in the least bit bothered by humans.
We were worried about getting back out again a few days later, but we managed to squeeze through, although the water level had dropped a bit. Talking to some locals, they said they hadn’t seen the water this high in a long time.
S.o.t.D. - Valley/Plateau - The Orb
I have to put these two songs together, since they follow one another, and I don’t think I’ve ever listened to just the one. Off of what I think is possibly the best Orb release, Orbus Terrarum.
S.o.t.D. – The Time – Soulstance
Friday, 20 May 2011
Bibliophilia: 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.
S.o.t.D. - 12:18 – Global Communications
Thursday, 19 May 2011
S.o.t.D. - Star Chasers – 4Hero
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
S.o.t.D. - Universal Reprise – 4Hero
(Missed a track yesterday. Walked 35 km, and when I got home I was pooped and went right to bed.)
Speaking of really great albums, Two Pages by 4Hero, I would rate as a near masterpiece. One or two tracks I don’t dig so much, but all in all, totally solid effort that blends breakbeat, drum & bass, soul, jazz.
S.o.t.D. - The Tree Knows Everything – Adam F
CMYKPAT and DPMCYK
Had the notion to create some CMYK camouflage patterns. I dig camo, I’ve spent my adult life dealing with the four magic colours. Might use it as a background one day or something...who knows.
So I’m on Twitter....
....I guess. Still not sure I really get Twitter. But I went over there and registered my name....so no one else could I suppose.
Maybe I’ll get into it. I had this blog registered for months and months before I got off my butt to do anything with it. Then I took off at a run out of the starting gate. So who knows.
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
Bibliophilia: Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln’s Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities – Amy Stewart
I actually got this out of the library to show to a friend who mentioned wanting a garden full of poisonous and toxic plants, but ended up reading it myself and finding it very informative.
Monday, 16 May 2011
Arabic Geometry
A friend just sent me a link to this and it’s a really great article on two things I quite like – geometry and patterns. (there is a second part to it incidentally.)
Street Art - Beagle Bus
I’ve posted some other examples of things being put up around town, and I don’t know if it’s the same person who put up this whimsical little sticker.
Sosoetry - Anand @ 8
So my little monkey buddy just turned 8, and bored the night before, I sat down and wrote a goofy poem about him. Some of these things are true, and some were meant as a tease. He doesn’t really like Justin Bieber, or Katy Perry for that matter. But sadly he does like Michael Jackson (although that is waning - fortunately), and the dreck they play on Virgin 99.9.
Anand’s height means he’ll never be a jockey
but perhaps he’ll end up playing hockey
he loves the perennial underdogs the MapleLeafs
even if they stink like worn too long underbriefs
on a skateboard he hopes to sidewalk surf
in the mean time he’ll play with his Nerf
he’s obsessed with flinging foam blaster darts
and has expressed interest in learning raster art
his dad tells him “he’s totally whack son”
but he still loves the late Michael Jackson
he likes to sing and dance to the songs of Thriller
and really loves 99.9 Virgin Radios starchy filler
in particular he has a crush on Katy Perry
her songs stick in his head like a dingleberry
him and Rohan really love Justin Bieber
he makes them delirious as in a fever
they want to copy his mop of hair
and imitate his stylish fashion flair
instead of eating dinner he whines for cookies
which causes his uncle to give him noogies
he wants a husky as a pet
and really digs Boba Fett
that he’s multi armed and devious
makes him like General Grievious
but I don’t get his thing with Anakin
really dude, I’m confused and askin’
it takes a while, but years later
he becomes the evil Darth Vader
the mere thought of playing his Wii
fills him with a profound sense of glee
he hops around, flails about, and squeals
hurling glowing orbs and a stun ray
“aww come on!” he plaintively appeals
when the results don’t go his way
Sunday, 15 May 2011
Bibliophilia: Design For Victory – William L. Bird and Harry R. Rubenstein
Loads of great examples of a golden, perhaps the golden age of poster art.
Saturday, 14 May 2011
S.o.t.D. - Mr. Chombee Has The Flaw – The Herbaliser
Friday, 13 May 2011
S.o.t.D. - Don’t Crash - Front 242
Hike towards Red Hill Valley
For some weird reason, I almost never head out towards the east end of town. Given all the great places to explore just on this end, I just never get out that way. There is a rail trail that I have walked at night a bunch of times out there. Last Sunday was the most spectacular day imaginable and I really needed to get out and go wandering. So, off to the much neglected eastern part of town it was.
Looking back the way I had come, at Wentworth Street.
Freaky place to cross since cars come whipping down the mountain and race around the corner.
The dreaded Wentworth Stairs. (A view from above.{You can also scroll across to the right to see the whole route I followed.})
498 steps.
Looking east.
Looking west.
Looking east.
Not sure what purpose this chimney served. Something to do with the railway I guess.
The terrain once you step off the trail. The area that skirts the rail trail is surprisingly large.
Looking east. Despite it being a spectacular day, very few people passed me by. A bunch of cyclists, one other hiker, ie, he had a big pack on, but other than maybe two or three dozen people, that was it. But I’ll bet the malls were packed.
The brickworks along Lawrence Road.
The old railway bridge crossing the Kenilworth Access.
Looking west, back towards the bridge.
Looking east.
Stairs at Margate Avenue.
A bit further on from these very official, well engineered stairs, is a set of set of stairs I’ve known about for a while, Uli’s Stairs. I was under the impression that they had been around for decades, since the 20’s or 30’s. But no, I got to meet the builder and found out that they had been completed in 07.
Built entirely by hand by one man out of 305 stone slabs. And no that guy sitting there didn’t build them. ;-)
The steps leading down the Rail Trail to Greenhill Avenue.
Hand rail detail.
Hand rail detail.
The steps leading up from the Rail Trail to Mountain Brow Blvd. & Fennell Ave E.
Looking back down the steps. It’s fair to say these steps are a bit of a challenge to climb.
I could hear a bucket banging around up ahead and it was Uli tending to the flower beds he thoughtfully built into the stairs.
And there he is. Had a nice chat with him. His name is Ulrich and he owned a steel company. I gather he found retirement rather dull, so for excitement he built some stairs. Took him about 4 to 5 years, an hour or two here, an hour here.
I found going up them a little hairy, but the old fella just gambols up and down them like a mountain goat.
The view at the top.
There is also a big sign at the top stating that the city is not responsible for these stairs, and actively discouraging people from using them at all.
From there I continued on along Mountain Brow Blvd. (I think I know where I want to buy a house when my career as a rock star takes off.)
Looking out across the Red Hill Valley to the Niagara Escarpment on the other side.
Watched raptors swooping along the currents, some of them whipping past at eye level, but they were always ahead of me, and by the time I got to the spots they had been, they had moved further along.
Did meet a totally friendly cat resting in the shade.
Cute little critter.
Looking out across east Hamilton, with Lake Ontario in the distance.
The view from Mountain Drive Park with Gage Park down on the right.
Looking out from the Juravinski Cancer Centre.
Nice day, nice hike.
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