Maps That Will Change How You Look At The World

I always find maps and infographics fascinating, and these are particularly interesting.

What Antarctica would look like without ice. You’ll be stunned to see what the most common highest paid public employee in America is. You’ll laugh at literal Chinese translations for European country names. Graphs showing the world’s population by latitude and longitude. Countries sized by how much oil they have. Selected U.S. cities renamed for countries with similar GDPs. Where there are internet “black holes”. Air traffic over 24 hours.

Some of these maps are works of art (rivers of America, earthquake frequency, airline routes all over the world {shown below})

What directions the rivers of the world flow in.

Lightning strikes

Airline routes all over the world.

http://slightlywarped.com/crapfactory/curiosities/2013/august/maps_that_will_change.htm

http://slightlywarped.com/crapfactory/curiosities/2013/october/more_maps.htm
(The second one has a few repeats, but the new one make it worth it.)

Warriors Day Parade

(Another case of tardy posting...)

The pipe and drum band of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders taken on Warrior’s Day, the day before Remembrance Day.

Remediation at Nicholson Resource Management Area

Photos I took on the weekend before Halloween and only now getting around to posting.

Nicholson Resource Management Area is an area that was donated to the Royal Botanical Gardens some time back by a private land owner. Not much was done with it by the land owner, and the RBG has had to devote their resources to other areas of concern. So they put out the call to some of their volunteers to do some remediation. And I answered the call.

It sits in area butted up against and just below the Niagara Escarpment. It’s one of the areas that will be encompassed in the Cootes To Escarpment Park System. One area in particular had become swampy - and wasn’t supposed to be. Just as much as draining wetlands is not a good thing, apparently areas becoming wetlands that aren’t naturally wetlands isn’t good either. Don’t know all the ins and outs, but this is what I was told.

On a cold and windy and rainy day, ten volunteers and four staff braved the elements to remediate the area. Those efforts included removing buckthorn, and planting 124 trees and shrubs, over a 100 dogwood stakes and nine liters of bur oak acorns.

I had hiked out there, and was already a bit damp when I arrived, but wading around in water up past my ankles for a few hours, with a driving rain the whole time, and I was completely soaked through. Despite all the rain gear. Still enjoyed the experience a lot though.

S.o.t.D. - Silent Stream – Marko Fürstenberg

Silent Stream – Marko Fürstenberg

Some more of his brooding, pulsating dub-techno.

S.o.t.D. - Shop Work – Marko Fürstenberg

Shop Work – Marko Fürstenberg

Really dig his stuff.

S.o.t.D. - On & On (Blu Mar Ten remix) – Erykah Badu

On & On (Blu Mar Ten remix) – Erykah Badu

I recall hearing this in 95 I think - it blew me away then and it is still just as good all these many years later.

S.o.t.D. - Magic – AMyn

Magic – AMyn

Apparently this track is a remix of/samples part of Magic by Robin Thicke. Whatever.

S.o.t.D. - Nothing Gold (Todd Terje Remix) – Joakim

Nothing Gold (Todd Terje Remix) – Joakim

A few days ago I mentioned that a track by mister Terje reminded me of Matthew Herbert, and this remixed track (not sure how much the original track is responsible for it) has a bit of a Röyksopp feel to it. Again, just fine with me. 

S.o.t.D. - From Afterlife She Speaks – Fanu

From Afterlife She Speaks – Fanu

S.o.t.D. - With A Little Luck – Wings

With A Little Luck – Wings

Always liked Wings, but never pay that much attention to them. Listened to a greatest hits album recently and had a hard time picking a song I liked most.

Grand Canyon Inversion

The Grand Canyon, while mind boggling in and of itself, is slightly more amazing in these images. It experiences temperature inversions, about once or twice a year, where cool air rising from the bottom of the canyon meets warm air from above, creating a layer of fog in the canyon. 

S.o.t.D. - Day – Omar S.

Day – Omar S.

Funky booty shaker. Uses a sample from Come See About Me by The Supremes.

Made a NaoLoop

I commented on a forum post recently, where someone enquired about a NaoLab NaoLoop.

A minimalist wallet.

Now my problem with it was that the price for the most elaborate model, ie, one with more slots, was about the equivalent of $25 Cdn. For about 25¢ worth of elastic, 5¢ worth of seam tape, and 2¢ worth of thread, and a few minutes of sewing, one could achieve the same results. Minus the fancy metal crimp at the end, for which some lowly seam tape would have to suffice.

It wasn’t something I was really that interested in, but to prove a point, I dug out some elastic 2" webbing, and for a total of 19 minutes of time as I watched a documentary, I made this. I’m sure the people who came up with this product are lovely people, who paid a graphic designer some decent money to come up with a logo and slick website, and had a charming Kickstarter campaign. I almost feel a little bit bad in encouraging a DIY take on their idea. But like my problem with the outrageous money charged for the “Chairless”, the actual value of it versus the amount charged is way out of whack. Have people become so incapable that they can’t see that, show some gumption and save a quantity of money that could go towards food in the pantry, gas in the tank, etc.? Anyone with a pittance in supplies and tools, two opposable thumbs, some imagination and a modicum of patience could make this.

Stop being ripped off by flashy gewgaws that you can make yourself.

10 Commandments - Redux

I’ve been re-reading Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion and Christopher Hitchens’ God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything in the last two weeks, and am about to delve into Sam Harris’ Letter to a Christian Nation for a debut read.

I’ve never been a “believer”. My grand father thought it was all an utter crock, and my father thought that if there was a God, he would never have allowed WW2 to happen. That his school chums were forcibly removed to extermination camps by people with ‘Got Mit Uns’ on their belt buckles just re-inforced it. My mothers felt the same. Not believing in a super-natural higher power, what were my parents supposed to instill in me other than a love for learning, an ability to reason and an open minded willingness to investigate all issues? If I wanted to become religious, they figured I could make up my own mind when I reached adulthood.

I’m well into adulthood now, and not only have I not had an urge to adopt a religious belief, my disbelief has only grown with time.

Hitchens in particular has recently been fueling my feelings that I shouldn’t just be passively a-religious, but to be actively anti-religious.

He wrote a piece in Vanity Fair, about the 10 Commandments. Like so much of the Abrahamic religions, it seems like it is often accepted without any critical appraisal. Sure, some of them are perfectly reasonable. But I think 5 of them should be stricken from the list. (I thought Louis C.K.’s comment was spot on:
“It’s in the Ten Commandments to not take the Lord’s name in vain. Rape isn’t up there, by the way. No, rape is not a Ten Commandment. But don’t say the dude’s name with a shitty attitude.”)

Hitchens has come up with a revised 10 Commandments, as have two other atheists, the afore mentioned Richard Dawkins and Penn Jillette. While fundamentalists likely begin foaming at the mouth at the mere mention of these blasphemers, I think their suggestions demonstrate more humanity and common sense than the one Moses was supposedly given on Mount Sinai. As Dawkins puts it, “it is the sort of list that any ordinary, decent person today would come up with.”

Christopher Hitchens’ New 10 Commandments

1. Do not condemn people on the basis of their ethnicity or their colour.
2. Do not ever even think of using people as private property.
3. Despise those who use violence or the threat of it in sexual relations.
4. Hide your face and weep if you dare to harm a child.
5. Do not condemn people for their inborn nature. (“Why would God create so many homosexuals, only to torture and destroy them?”)
6. Be aware that you, too, are an animal, and dependent on the web of nature. Try to think and act accordingly.
7. Do not imagine you can avoid judgment if you rob people [by lying to them] rather than with a knife.
8. Turn off that cell phone.
9. Denounce all jihadists and crusaders for what they are: psychopathic criminals with ugly delusions and terrible sexual repressions.
10. Reject any faith if their commandments contradict any of the above.

Richard Dawkins’ New 10 Commandments (plus 4 suggested additions)

1. Do not do to others what you would not want them to do to you.
2. In all things, strive to cause no harm.
3. Treat your fellow human beings, your fellow living things, and the world in general with love, honesty, faithfulness and respect.
4. Do not overlook evil or shrink from administering justice, but always be ready to forgive wrongdoing freely admitted and honestly regretted.
5. Live life with a sense of joy and wonder.
6. Always seek to be learning something new.
7. Test all things; always check your ideas against the facts, and be ready to discard even a cherished belief if it does not conform to them.
8. Never seek to censor or cut yourself off from dissent; always respect the right of others to disagree with you.
9. Form independent opinions on the basis of your own reason and experience; do not allow yourself to be led blindly by others.
10. Question everything.
11. Enjoy your own sex life (so long as it damages nobody else) and leave others to enjoy theirs in private whatever their inclinations, which are none of your business.
12. Do not discriminate or oppress on the basis of sex, race or (as far as possible) species.
13. Do not indoctrinate your children. Teach them how to think for themselves, how to evaluate evidence, and how to disagree with you.
14. Value the future on a timescale longer than your own.

Penn Jillette’s New 10 Commandments

1. The highest ideals are human intelligence, creativity and love. Respect these above all.
2. Do not put things or even ideas above other human beings. (Let’s scream at each other about Kindle versus iPad, solar versus nuclear, Republican versus Libertarian, Garth Brooks versus Sun Ra— but when your house is on fire, I’ll be there to help.)
3. Say what you mean, even when talking to yourself. (What used to be an oath to god is now quite simply respecting yourself.)
4. Put aside some time to rest and think. (If you’re religious, that might be the Sabbath; if you’re a Vegas magician, that’ll be the day with the lowest grosses.)
5. Be there for your family. Love your parents, your partner, and your children. (Love is deeper than honor, and parents matter, but so do spouse and children.)
6. Respect and protect all human life. (Many believe that “Thou shalt not kill” only refers to people in the same tribe. I say it’s all human life.)
7. Keep your promises. (If you can’t be sexually exclusive to your spouse, don’t make that deal.)
8. Don’t steal. (This includes magic tricks and jokes — you know who you are!)
9. Don’t lie. (You know, unless you’re doing magic tricks and it's part of your job. Does that make it OK for politicians, too?)
10. Don’t waste too much time wishing, hoping, and being envious.

S.o.t.D. - Cruising Detroit – PFM

Cruising Detroit – PFM

I have some interesting memories of crossing the border and cruising around Detroit on the way to techno clubs.

A smooth track from the masters of the ambient D&B genre.

S.o.t.D. - Alothea – Zomby

Alothea – Zomby

Wow, 4AD isn’t the label of my youth any more. Love this shuffling beat, but it sure is different than what they had on the label in the 80s.

S.o.t.D. - Echo System – Fingers In The Noise

Echo System – Fingers In The Noise

Sublime track. Great space imagery in the video as well.

S.o.t.D. - Inspector Norse – Todd Terje

Inspector Norse – Todd Terje

Mr. Terje sounds like a protegé of Matthew Herbert. Poppy fun but slightly nerdy, house.

S.o.t.D. - Hold It Down – Submerse

Hold It Down – Submerse

Garage-y and a little bit bubble gummy.

S.o.t.D. - Cold Blood – Total Science (feat. Riya)

Cold Blood – Total Science (feat. Riya)

Once again proving my theory that anything with Riya on vocals is going to be stellar. This pounding growler, is brought up to a whole other level by the addition of her lyrics and fantastic voice.

Science will trump pseudo-science every time.

Livraria Lello & Irmão in Porto, Portuga

Livraria Lello & Irmão in Porto, Portugal. I may just have to go there so I can experience this level of magnificence first hand.

Hitchcraft – Leatherman WAVE

I mentioned in a recent post, finding some Atwood Microcord. Having also recently figured out the Lanyard knot, I wanted to do it a bunch more times to get better at it. So, I put a new sinnet on my Leatherman WAVE. Well, one of them anyway. I put a clip on it so that I can remove when needed. It’s handy for yanking out of a deep pouch, but if you have to do much screwdrivering, it’s a nuisance.

S.o.t.D. - Pieces – Kaiben

Pieces – Kaiben

Smooth and polished. Very nice track.

The Making of Making

Sure, it’s a Nike thing, but I still found it inspirational.

S.o.t.D. - Rose Rouge – St. Germain

Rose Rouge – St. Germain

Still fantastic after all these years. Samples Woman of the Ghetto by Marlena Shaw and Take Five by the Dave Brubeck Quartet.

S.o.t.D. - Good Feelings – Tommy Vercetti

Good Feelings – Tommy Vercetti

Completely fun, hands in the air house. If I could find a place with little to no booze, filled with a few hundred groovy people who just want to smile and dance, playing this kind of stuff, I would love to spend an evening there. Not sure places like that can be found any more.

S.o.t.D. - My Mind Was a Fog... My Heart Became a Bomb – Hammock

My Mind Was a Fog... My Heart Became a Bomb – Hammock

Don’t know too much about these guys. Two American guitartists, Marc Byrd and Andrew Thompson, who used many other instruments in creating stuff like this gorgeously melancholy ambience.

I read a quote of Marc Byrd’s recently that I can totally relate to. “There are times when the need to create a thing begins to interrupt your life. And if you don’t give in to it, everything else starts to suffer.”

S.o.t.D. - Bluesette (AMyn Remix) – Toots Thielemans

Bluesette (AMyn Remix) – Toots Thielemans

Somewhat embarrassed to admit that I have never heard of Mr. Thielemans, or this song. Remix takes the original in a whole new direction, but I like that.

S.o.t.D. - Run Away (Vortex Involute remix) – Yana Kay

Run Away (Vortex Involute remix) – Yana Kay

This is almost too much of a good thing. Certain things you can only eat so much of, before you get sick of it. Completely gonzo D&B. After about a minute, minute and a bit, I end it, but this is intense. Like I said, good, but only in limited doses.

S.o.t.D. - Something In the Air – Maya Jane Coles

Something In the Air – Maya Jane Coles

I discovered this on a phenomenal Bonobo DJ set. Sweetness.

Sidewalk Art on Prince William Street

S.o.t.D. - To Let Myself Go (Kaiben Remix) – Ane Brun

To Let Myself Go (Kaiben Remix) – Ane Brun

Sweet, chilled out track. Great beat, nice vocals. Yum.

S.o.t.D. - Piano Funk (Live Acoustic Version) – Total Science & S.P.Y. (feat. Riya & DaM FunK)

Piano Funk (Live Acoustic Version) – Total Science & S.P.Y. (feat. Riya & DaM FunK)

Okay, after yesterdays totally kickass track, here is an acoustic version of it - just a piano and Riya and Collette Warren signing. Uhhhhh...WOW!

S.o.t.D. - Piano Funk – Total Science & S.P.Y. (feat. Riya & DaM FunK)

Piano Funk – Total Science & S.P.Y. (feat. Riya & DaM FunK)

Pardon my language, but holy fuckballs is this ever great! I said a while back that anything Riya sings on is worth checking out. Her vocals, over top of Total Science and S.P.Y., and look out! That muted bassy horn sound, that “wahh-wahh” that punctuates the track periodically....so good!

S.o.t.D. - Perilous – Phaeleh (feat. I-Mitri)

Perilous – Phaeleh (feat. I-Mitri)

Some dubby, bassy goodness. I know gals who unashamedly tell me that the bass at parties makes them orgasm. This track will do that.

S.o.t.D. - Deflexion – Klartraum

Deflexion – Klartraum

Some funky tech-house. And I just have to say Nadja Lind....yum.

S.o.t.D. - Sad and Lonely – DJ Shadow

Sad and Lonely – DJ Shadow

The vocals on this are sampled from a 1957 song by Susan Reed.

S.o.t.D. - The Life Machine – Tubeway Army

The Life Machine – Tubeway Army

I was really into the first three Gary Numan albums, and my interest waned after that. But it was one of the things that got me really turned on to electronic music. It wasn’t quite as pronounced yet on this, his first album, bu there were enough hints of what was to come.

Hitchcraft – Microcord

When I first got into making sinnets and the like, I used 550 paracord. It’s what I had. But it is kind of bulky. The resulting fobs, zipper pulls and the like ended up a burly item. Which can be fine in certain instances, but I started playing around with thinner cord, and liked the results better. One in particular was Type 1 cord, but when I ordered it, the colour choices were very limited, and I only got OD and foliage green. I intended to order some more colour (now that the palette has increased) when next I put in an order.

While browsing around at the generally craptastic surplus store near me, I stumbled across a bunch of cord in different colours.

Atwood Micro Cord. Thinner than the type 1. For the price, what the heck, try out a few.

A not so great photo showing the difference in size between 550 cord, type 1 cord and micro cord.

I grabbed spools of black (which I think may actually be a very dark navy blue), dark grey, orange, purple and red.

One odd thing is that the purple and grey are fairly stiff, where as the other three are quite a bit more flexible.

A red and grey fob for my Victorinox Huntsman.

Purple zipper pulls on a purple fleece jacket. Nice and grippy.

Zipper pull on a pouch that holds all my cables.

Purple solomon bar over a light grey Spectra line core. With two lanyard knots at either end - the first time I’ve managed that one. The tutorials I had tried weren’t that clear, but finally found one that I could understand. That and a bit of perseverance.

That’s what I’ve done so far with this cord. I’m sure more will follow.

S.o.t.D. - The Box – Orbital

The Box – Orbital

I decided to put the half hour version of this up. Epic.

S.o.t.D. - Rondo Capriccioso Op. 14 (Felix Mendelssohn) – Jorge Bolet

Rondo Capriccioso Op. 14 (Felix Mendelssohn) – Jorge Bolet

It’s a toss-up whether I prefer Anton Kuerti’s interpretation or this one. Lovely piece.

S.o.t.D. - Presence – Bandulu

Presence – Bandulu

I have some pleasant memories of being in dark warehouse spaces lit by little more than a strobe light and this playing.

Coming soon from Google: Google Pothead

S.o.t.D. - Steps To The Stars – Miranda

Steps To The Stars – Miranda

Epic goa track. Takes a while to build, but when it really kicks into full gear - look out.

Greg Curnoe

21 years ago today.

My girlfriend and I went out for breakfast, and spent the rest of the morning sauntering around town, doing some shopping at the market. At one point she suddenly started to cry. Her having a cry wasn’t so unusual. But she also had some eerie psychic powers.
“I’m not sure....I just feel incredibly sad all of a sudden.”
It seemed to pass, and we went about our day.
Later that evening, the phone rang, and she answered it. She began balling her eyes out.

A friend called us to inquire if we had heard the bad news.

Greg had been killed. He was riding with his cycling club, the London Centennial Wheelers, and an inattentive driver had smashed into the entire peloton, grievously injuring many, killing Greg.

Later we ascertained when it had happened, and her crying spell had happened around the same time. Like I said; eerie.

I went to school with Greg’s 3 kids, and we became good friends. I spent a lot of time at their house. Over time, Greg became more than someone who was my friends dad, and a Canadian artist of quite some renown. I loved hanging out in his studio where we would talk about music, with him pulling records out of his extensive collection to introduce me to stuff, and thrusting books into my hands on a variety of subjects from his vast library.

This connection with books extended to his having his book Deeds/Abstracts printed at the company I worked for in the months leading up to his untimely demise. It was an honour and a privilege to shepherd it through the whole process.

He called Kathryn and I up to ask if we wanted to come over to drink a bottle of wine he was about to open. We declined the offer, since we had to catch an early flight to Montreal the next morning, to visit coincidentally enough, his daughter. We got back on the Friday. He was killed the next day. Do I ever wish we had stayed up late to have that last bottle of wine with him and Sheila.

Still, I am blessed that I got to know him, and his family.

Greg loved bicycles and they were often featured in his prodigious output. This one is called Mariposa T.T. and it’s a serigraph on plexiglas and hails from 1979.

S.o.t.D. - Twist – Tones on Tail

Twist – Tones on Tail

Bit of a minor key surf track.

S.o.t.D. - Harsh Stone White – Skinny Puppy

Harsh Stone White – Skinny Puppy

The puppy may be skinny, but the music is heavy.

S.o.t.D. - God Moving Over The Face Of The Waters – Moby

God Moving Over The Face Of The Waters – Moby

As heard in the soundtrack of the great, great Heat.

Lest We Forget

S.o.t.D. - Sleepy Maggie – Ashley MacIsaac

Sleepy Maggie – Ashley MacIsaac

Left Forearm Tattoo

I’ve shown two pieces I’ve created in the last few days for my right forearm. The front and the back which will then be filled in from there.

Now, I also have a drawing in a similar vein for the left forearm, also based around the idea of spirals and foliage. Sadly, I did this drawing a bunch of years ago, and I am still waiting for that goddamn Jarkko up in Kincardine, Ontario to do it. Damn him!

I took these photos back when I completed this drawing and taped the paper printout to my arm, again to ascertain if everything went where I wanted it to.

S.o.t.D. - Dark River – Coil

Dark River – Coil

Off of Love’s Secret Domain from 1991.

I love Coil.

Mini Cooper S - the Canadian Special Edition

Back of Right Forearm Tattoo

In conjunction with the one I created for the front of my right forearm, here is one for the back. Just seeing if everything goes where it’s supposed to. The spiral on the bump on the outside of the wrist (I believe it’s the ulnar styloid process) needs to be modified a bit. Made tighter and smaller. I’ll likely work out the stuff that goes between the two sections afterwards.

S.o.t.D. - Chinese Black – Neon Judgement

Chinese Black – Neon Judgement

I think this was the only one of their records I ever got, but a pretty decent track.

S.o.t.D. - Love War Riot (Dogon-Nogon Vocoder Message Mix) – Psychic TV

Love War Riot (Dogon-Nogon Vocoder Message Mix) – Psychic TV

I got a 10" vinyl copy of this, because while it was a whole lot different than what they had been doing before, it was also a whole lot better than what they had been doing. It was dare I say.....fun! One of those tracks in 88, 89, 90 that turned me on to this whole “acid house” thing that was coming out of England at the time.

Front of Right Forearm Tattoo

Piece I’ve drawn for the front of my right forearm. Just seeing if everything goes where it’s supposed to. Working on the piece for the back of my right forearm. And from there I’ll figure out the rest.

S.o.t.D. - The Power of Lard – Lard

The Power of Lard – Lard

I’ve mentioned before that there was a time when I was a fan of most of the stuff Al Jourgenson put out. I have vinyl by Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Pailhead, Acid Horse, Lard, and probably a few I’m forgetting. And then I lost all interest in his junk fueled antics. 

And while I never cared about the Dead Kennedies, I do have some of Jello Biafra’s early spoken word albums, and went to a spoken word set he did. His Felix the Cat voice is one I can only take in moderation, this slice of punk rock absurdity is fun.

S.o.t.D. - Gigantor – Thrillabeats

Gigantor – Thrillabeats

A very appropriately named act. Absolutely mind boggling production on this. I dare you not to listen to this really loud. 

WOW!

S.o.t.D. - Nothing Natural – Lush

Nothing Natural – Lush

Incandescent song from a fantastic band. Glad I got to see them live, but bummed they are no longer a going concern.

Pioneer Axe

Peter Vogt made this terrific 10 minute film in 1965 of the Emerson Stevens axe shop in Oakland Maine. Makers of the Pioneer brand of axes, they were the last remaining shop in a town that had once housed a dozen axe making shops. They closed a few months after this film was made. Amazing to see the process involved in making axes. It’s easy to imagine that the way they did things in 1965 was the way they did things in 1865.

S.o.t.D. - Rock It – Herbie Hancock

Rock It – Herbie Hancock

I think a lot of people just saw this as a weird novelty track at the time, but it just deepened my love of anything electronic, and opened my ears to hip hop and the potential of turntables.

S.o.t.D. - Leprechauns Arise – Bassnectar

Leprechauns Arise – Bassnectar

What I’ve heard of his lately hasn’t done much for me, but this album I liked quite a bit.

S.o.t.D. - Distraction – Phaeleh

Distraction – Phaeleh

Instantly on repeat for a while.

Phaeleh = awesome.