the & company

Pieter Hugo - Control (video)

2011-10-24T13:50:00.000-05:00

You can teach any fool etiquette, but style is a gift. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKfwSFI8LhQ

A Deep Look Into Background Removal Techniques

2011-09-21T18:40:00.004-05:00

Such amazing information in here. Instant professional kinda stuff.
http://mediamilitia.com/an-in-depth-look-into-background-extraction-techniques/

Photography Effects

2011-09-21T18:26:00.000-05:00

You don't need to be Sigmund camera loader to use these simple techniques. Enjoy.
http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/design/eight-photography-effects/

How To Pick a Co-Founder

2011-09-21T17:54:00.000-05:00

Hmmmmmm, vehhhhhdddddy inte-desting.... http://venturehacks.com/articles/pick-cofounder

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries (actually)

2011-09-21T17:44:00.000-05:00

Salivation. Yes, that's a word.
http://www.nutmegnanny.com/2011/05/30/cheesecake-stuffed-strawberries/

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes (actually)

2011-09-16T19:36:00.001-05:00

Make these for your main squeeze one morning and they will never leave you.
http://www.recipegirl.com/2011/03/01/cinnamon-roll-pancakes/

A Look Into Burning Man 2011

2011-09-16T15:04:00.000-05:00

Photographer Scott London shows BM going from ashy to classy.
http://www.scottlondon.com/photo/burningman2011/001.html

Everything Is A Remix (documentary)

2011-09-16T14:53:00.000-05:00

Nothing is original anymore. Except this picture.
http://www.everythingisaremix.info/watch-the-series/

Movie Sequels and How They Compare To Each Other (graph)

2011-09-16T14:12:00.000-05:00

This is actually kind of interesting. http://rasher.dk/filmgraphs/?mode=absolute

So Many Quotes, So Little Time.

2011-09-16T13:52:00.000-05:00

If you like quotes from famous and not so famous people. They've comprised the best of them here. Enjoy.
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes

Lost Cities Of The World

2011-09-14T19:53:00.000-05:00

Two on the list are in the U.S. Both can be found in video games. Which ones?!
http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/27/the-worlds-ten-creepiest-abandoned-cities/

HACKING 101

2011-09-14T19:35:00.000-05:00

This works. http://www.aagneyam.com/blog/?cat=708

The Eating Well (recipes)

2011-09-14T19:19:00.000-05:00

Endless recipes that will make you happy in your face. http://punchfork.com

Real Spit. (video)

2011-08-31T19:46:00.000-05:00

Word life lyrics right here...enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQGUz-ntEPE&feature=share

More David Trachtenberg (video)

2011-08-26T16:32:00.001-05:00

This Director/Editor is one of the top under the radar guys out there. You'll see him making feature films someday or at least I hope so. Check out his stuff here. Enjoy.
http://www.davidtrachtenberg.net/

Portal: No Escape (video)

2011-08-26T16:12:00.001-05:00

An imaginative short film made with hyper-real visual effects by David Trachtenberg. He's setting the bar right where you can't reach it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4drucg1A6Xk&feature=player_embedded#!

Bad Done Good (music)

2011-08-25T15:02:00.007-05:00

Okay, I know mash-ups are so fucking-yesterday... but these are above anything I've heard so far. The best of the worst in the best way. I'm serious, take a dip - you'll see!
http://soundcloud.com/mixessss

The Real Grub Breakdown.

2011-08-24T19:50:00.001-05:00

Remember when you could eat anything? You can't, so don't. Begin here to see why.
http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/e4/foodcalories.html

Move + Learn + Eat! (video)

2011-08-23T19:16:00.005-05:00

Not jealous... Just envious.
http://www.worldhum.com/travel-blog/item/videos-you-must-see-move-learn-eat-20110805/

New Orleans... How I Miss Thee.

2011-08-23T18:59:00.002-05:00

This place was actually pretty creepy before the storm hit. Carny folk and thugs worked all the rides and shops. Shootings on the weekends, flash brawls, stare contests that end terribly. Actually, good times!
http://www.lovethesepics.com/2011/05/creepy-crusty-crumbling-illegal-tour-of-abandoned-six-flags-new-orleans-75-pics/

The 100 Most Beautiful Words in the English Language... Apparently.

2011-08-23T18:22:00.000-05:00

Ailurophile A cat-lover.
Assemblage A gathering.
Becoming Attractive.
Beleaguer To exhaust with attacks.
Brood To think alone.
Bucolic In a lovely rural setting.
Bungalow A small, cozy cottage.
Chatoyant Like a cat’s eye.
Comely Attractive.
Conflate To blend together.
Cynosure A focal point of admiration.
Dalliance A brief love affair.
Demesne Dominion, territory.
Demure Shy and reserved.
Denouement The resolution of a mystery.
Desuetude Disuse.
Desultory Slow, sluggish.
Diaphanous Filmy.
Dissemble Deceive.
Dulcet Sweet, sugary.
Ebullience Bubbling enthusiasm.
Effervescent Bubbly.
Efflorescence Flowering, blooming.
Elision Dropping a sound or syllable in a word.
Elixir A good potion.
Eloquence Beauty and persuasion in speech.
Embrocation Rubbing on a lotion.
Emollient A softener.
Ephemeral Short-lived.
Epiphany A sudden revelation.
Erstwhile At one time, for a time.
Ethereal Gaseous, invisible but detectable.
Evanescent Vanishing quickly, lasting a very short time.
Evocative Suggestive.
Fetching Pretty.
Felicity Pleasantness.
Forbearance Withholding response to provocation.
Fugacious Fleeting.
Furtive Shifty, sneaky.
Gambol To skip or leap about joyfully.
Glamour Beauty.
Gossamer The finest piece of thread, a spider’s silk.
Halcyon Happy, sunny, care-free.
Harbinger Messenger with news of the future.
Imbrication Overlapping and forming a regular pattern.
Imbroglio An altercation or complicated situation.
Imbue To infuse, instill.
Incipient Beginning, in an early stage.
Ineffable Unutterable, inexpressible.
Ingénue A naïve young woman.
Inglenook A cozy nook by the hearth.
Insouciance Blithe nonchalance.
Inure To become jaded.
Labyrinthine Twisting and turning.
Lagniappe A special kind of gift.
Lagoon A small gulf or inlet.
Languor Listlessness, inactivity.
Lassitude Weariness, listlessness.
Leisure Free time.
Lilt To move musically or lively.
Lissome Slender and graceful.
Lithe Slender and flexible.
Love Deep affection.
Mellifluous Sweet sounding.
Moiety One of two equal parts.
Mondegreen A slip of the ear.
Murmurous Murmuring.
Nemesis An unconquerable archenemy.
Offing The sea between the horizon and the offshore.
Onomatopoeia A word that sounds like its meaning.
Opulent Lush, luxuriant.
Palimpsest A manuscript written over earlier ones.
Panacea A solution for all problems
Panoply A complete set.
Pastiche An art work combining materials from various sources.
Penumbra A half-shadow.
Petrichor The smell of earth after rain.
Plethora A large quantity.
Propinquity An inclination.
Pyrrhic Successful with heavy losses.
Quintessential Most essential.
Ratatouille A spicy French stew.
Ravel To knit or unknit.
Redolent Fragrant.
Riparian By the bank of a stream.
Ripple A very small wave.
Scintilla A spark or very small thing.
Sempiternal Eternal.
Seraglio Rich, luxurious oriental palace or harem.
Serendipity Finding something nice while looking for something else.
Summery Light, delicate or warm and sunny.
Sumptuous Lush, luxurious.
Surreptitious Secretive, sneaky.
Susquehanna A river in Pennsylvania.
Susurrous Whispering, hissing.
Talisman A good luck charm.
Tintinnabulation Tinkling.
Umbrella Protection from sun or rain.
Untoward Unseemly, inappropriate.
Vestigial In trace amounts.
Wafture Waving.
Wherewithal The means.
Woebegone Sorrowful, downcast.

Gun Hill Road - Trailer

2011-08-17T16:29:00.000-05:00

Saw this movie recently on a whim. I realized amidst the hype of everything else around me, I almost forgot about the great indie movies that are still being made today. Don't sleep, be curious, watch Indies. http://www.gunhillroad.com/trailer

Dubstep...Gettin wit it After Dark.

2011-03-16T19:14:00.000-05:00

... Volume 3
http://www.getdarker.com/tv/

Boards of Canada - Everything You Do Is A Balloon (video)

2011-03-16T18:43:00.000-05:00

This group will get under skin... and slowly find it's way into your brain.

... Jacques Magazine

2011-03-16T17:57:00.001-05:00

Very satisfying.
http://jacquesmag.blogspot.com/?zx=ec7fc9a11df6552e

When Inspirations Strikes, Hold Onto it!

2011-03-16T17:14:00.000-05:00

This deserves some kind of award. http://downsizemyspace.com/?p=529

Exploring the Invisible Web

2011-03-16T16:36:00.000-05:00

Go where Google and Yahoo won't let you!
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-search-engines-explore-deep-invisible-web/

Useful Information for Those Shady Types

2011-03-10T20:16:00.001-06:00

Follow these tips and stay outta trouble while trolling the web. It's all about survival!
http://blog.survivalstation.org/51-free-tools-to-stay-informed-and-invisible-on-the-internet-52778.html

Wow Us With Your Latin.

2011-03-10T19:36:00.000-06:00

Drop some of these brain babies in your Facebook posts from time to time and they'll-a-come-a-flockin'.
http://www.tigress.com/emax/latin.html

The Can-Do attitude.

2011-03-10T18:07:00.000-06:00

Sometimes balls-out is the only way to go. http://www.acefitness.org/article/2927/

Secret's Safe

2011-01-10T15:15:00.000-06:00

Put in a secret, get one back. We won't tell. http://www.secretssafe.com

An Ode to Hot French Actresses!

2011-01-10T13:31:00.002-06:00

Found this site just trolling the web one day... It's quite entertaining if you like old pics of pretty girls. Some are nude and unfortunately, some aren't :-( http://kebekmac.blogspot.com

The MacGyver Approach to Winter Biking (zip ties!)

2011-01-07T17:59:00.000-06:00

Solutions... we got those. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/12/macgyver-diy-approach-to-winter-biking-zip-ties-photos.php

The freshest clothes from japan are here, online of course.

2011-01-07T17:45:00.000-06:00

Learn Japanese and be the fly-est of them all. http://www.jamhomemade.com

Destroyer - Kaputt (video)

2011-01-07T17:28:00.001-06:00

Simple and unique. Just like me! http://vimeo.com/18442047

Train Of Thought (video)

2011-01-06T14:07:00.002-06:00

This video is a great example of how CGI works in motion pictures. You add some color, a different story and a few camera angles and boom, Avatar. http://vimeo.com/15263537

Cocoon - Oh My God (video)

2011-01-06T13:50:00.000-06:00

One of the best animated, linear music videos I've seen in ages. The song is snazzy too. http://vimeo.com/18081310

The World Through Someone Else's Eyes

2010-12-17T20:05:00.000-06:00

I never knew Amsterdam was so... Spacious. http://airpano.ru

Marc Gomez del Moral (video)

2010-09-26T19:51:00.000-05:00

This video is filled with all sorts of awesome and a little sprinkle of genius. Check it!
http://www.marcgomezdelmoral.com/#651613/EL-GUINCHO-Bombay

From the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

2010-09-17T17:31:00.001-05:00

If you have the time, read this. It's quite enlightening to hear a strangers point of view about you're existence.
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/existence

World Health Rankings....

2010-09-14T14:27:00.003-05:00

The results are in... we're still kind of the best at this living thing.
http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/world-health-rankings

Simple is better.

2010-09-14T11:25:00.001-05:00

Oddly, I've seen these pics in my mind before seeing her work... I'm not bragging, just saying.
http://www.behance.net/Holtermand/Frame

If you create, look inside...

2010-09-07T16:24:00.000-05:00

The Creators Project is a completely new kind of arts and culture channel for a completely new kind of world.
http://thecreatorsproject.com

When Arts meets Commerce... be prepared, be confident.

2010-09-07T14:50:00.001-05:00

You'll have to look somewhere else on how to tie a proper tie.
http://www.focus.com/fyi/human-resources/managers-cheat-sheet-101-common-sense-rules-leaders/

Portland Design Works (*more bike stuff)

2010-08-31T17:56:00.001-05:00

For the urban cyclist that needs beautiful design and quality.
http://www.ridepdw.com/

For the Fixie Rider in all of us

2010-08-31T16:56:00.000-05:00

This place is full of odd tidbits on fixed gear culture from around the world. A good find for the novice rider or the seasoned roller. http://trackosaurusrex.com/pblog/

How to forecast weather without gadgets

2010-08-30T15:56:00.000-05:00

Now you can dress sexy for no reason at all.
http://www.marisys.com/how-to-forecast-weather_2010-05-26/

You produced that? Yeah right.

2010-08-30T13:20:00.001-05:00

Producing music has never been easier. This little ditty of a site by Scion is actually above par and the dubstep page is blessed. The interface is simple and the results sound great. You just might be on your way to being a heavyweight music producer, enjoy!
http://www.looplabs.com

Shangri La Hotel - it's in our nature (video)

2010-08-27T18:45:00.000-05:00

It's great to see companies stepping outside of the box to attract business. Makes me feel like I'm on the right track when I examine taking creative risks.
http://tim-ho.com/2010/06/shangri-la-new-ad-campaign-its-in-our-nature/

Sunglass Hut, we're done.

2010-08-27T15:38:00.000-05:00

I won't spend a grip on sunglasses. Cause they break, people steal them or you accidentally leave them by the pool at some hotel or in some cab. But these, these right here... It's best to think of them as a $200 investment in you. http://retrosuperfuture.com

L.A. Styleeee

2010-08-27T13:33:00.000-05:00

Dressing up is fun. See how >>> http://laculturecreators.blogspot.com

To Live and Ride in L.A. (fixed gear flick*)

2010-08-26T18:12:00.000-05:00

As a fixed gear rider in Los Angeles myself, just giving props to an awesome documentary. Well done my friends. http://www.trafikpictures.com/tlr/

Imagination overload over here with this guy...

2010-08-26T17:55:00.001-05:00

There's a lot of imagining going on in here. It's all slightly un-original but well played. Television, Webcam and Anaglyph are hours of fun! To me anyway. http://www.neave.com

The Rules of a Gentleman

2010-08-26T17:36:00.001-05:00

Peep these actions my dude. Follow if you will... http://www.therulesofagentleman.com

Bringing the Outdoors in.

2010-08-26T17:05:00.001-05:00

Didn't know I'd get so attached to this site. As a music selector and gadget hunter, I thought I'd seen it all. Then comes along something so simple... nature rules! http://naturesoundsfor.me

Self Publish a Book?

2010-08-26T15:38:00.000-05:00

Remember that idea you had, the one about the story that evolved eventually into an awesome movie script? Start here.
http://www.lulu.com/publish/books/?cid=us_home_nav_bk

Become a hacker. Everybody's doing it.

2010-08-25T17:33:00.001-05:00

Below is an introduction to hacking. It's great information. That's all it is, information. Use it wisely.
http://www.port7alliance.com/txt/hackbg.html

Gettin in it all day

2010-08-24T16:18:00.001-05:00

You can rob, cheat and steal from this site. Lots of cool mix tapes, remixes, videos and other cool jams. You're gonna like what you see, I guarantee.
http://musicnerdery.com

20 Things I've Learned form Traveling Around The World for Three Years

2010-08-24T13:59:00.000-05:00

On March 13, 2007, I handed over the keys to my house, put my possessions in storage and headed out to travel around the world with nothing but a backpack, my laptop and a camera.

Three and a half years and 70 countries later, I've gotten the equivalent of a Ph.D in general knowledge about the people and places of Planet Earth.
Here are some of the things I've learned:

1) People are generally good. Many people are afraid of the world beyond their door, yet the vast majority of humans are not thieves, murderers or rapists. They are people just like you and me who are trying to get by, to help their families and go about living their lives. There is no race, religion or nationality that is exempt from this rule. How they go about living their lives might be different, but their general goals are the same.

2) The media lies. If you only learned about other countries from the news, you'd think the world was a horrible place. The media will always sensationalize and simplify a story. I was in East Timor when the assassination attempts on President José Ramos-Horta, and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão in 2008. The stories in the news the next day were filed from Jakarta or Kuala Lumpur, not Dili. It was all secondhand news. I was in Bangkok during the political protests this year, but you'd never have any idea they were taking places if you were not in the immediate area where the protests were taking place. The media makes us scared of the rest of the world, and we shouldn't be.

3) The world is boring. If there isn't a natural disaster or an armed conflict, most places will never even be mentioned in the news. When is the last time you've heard Laos or Oman mentioned in a news story? What makes for good news are exceptional events, not ordinary events. Most of the world, just like your neighborhood, is pretty boring. It can be amazingly interesting, but to the locals, they just go about living their lives.

4) People don't hate Americans. I haven't encountered a single case of anti-Americanism in the last three-and-a-half years. Not one. (And no, I don't tell people I am Canadian.) If anything, people are fascinated by Americans and want to know more about the US. This isn't to say they love our government or our policies, but they do not have an issue with Americans as people. Even in places you'd think would be very anti-American, such as the Middle East, I was welcomed by friendly people.

5) Americans aren't as ignorant as you might think. There is a stereotype that Americans don't know much about the rest of the world. There is some truth to that, but isn't as bad as you might believe. The reason this stereotype exists is because most other countries on Earth pay very close attention to American news and politics. Most people view our ignorance in terms of reciprocity: i.e. I know about your country, why don't you know about mine? The truth is, if you quizzed people about third-party countries other than the US, they are equally as ignorant. When I confronted one German man about this, I asked him who the Prime Minister of Japan was. He had no clue. The problem with America is that we suffer from the same problem as the rest of the world: an obsession with American news. The quality of news I read in other parts of the world is on a par with what you will hear on NPR.

6) Americans don't travel. This stereotype is true. Americans don't travel overseas as much as Brits, Dutch, Germans, Canadians or Scandinavians. There are some good reasons for this (big country, short vacation time) and bad ones (fear and ignorance). We don't have a gap year culture like they have in the UK and we don't tend to take vacations longer than a week. I can't think of a single place I visited where I met Americans in numbers anywhere close to our relative population.

7) The rest of the world isn't full of germs. Many people travel with their own supply of water and an industrial vat of hand sanitizer. I can say in full honestly that I have never used hand sanitizer or gone out of my way to avoid contact with germs during my travels. It is true that in many places you can get nasty illnesses from drinking untreated water, but I don't think this means you have be a traveling Howard Hughes. Unless you have a particularly weak immune system or other illness, I wouldn't worry too much about local bugs.

8) You don't need a lot stuff. Condensing my life down from a 3,000 sq/ft house to a backpack was a lesson in knowing what really matters. I found I could get by just fine without 97% of the things I had sitting around my home. Now, if I purchase something, I think long and hard about it because anything I buy I will have to physically carry around. Because I have fewer possessions, I am more likely to buy things of higher quality and durability.

9) Traveling doesn't have to be expensive. Yes, if you insist on staying in five-star hotels and luxury resorts, travel can be very expensive. However, it is possible to visit many parts of the world and only spend $10-30 per day. In addition to traveling cheap, you can also earn money on the road teaching English or working on an organic farm. I've met many people who have been able to travel on a little more than $1,000/month. I met one man from the Ukraine who spent a month in Egypt on $300.

10) Culture matters. Many of our ideas for rescuing other countries all depend on them having similar incentives, values and attitudes as people in the west. This is not always true. I am reminded of when I walked past a Burger King in Hong Kong that was full of flowers. It looked like someone was having a funeral at the restaurant. It turned out to be people sending flowers in celebration of their grand opening. Opening a business was a reason to celebrate. In Samoa, I had a discussion with a taxi driver about why there were so few businesses of any type on the island of Savai'i. He told me that 90% of what he made had to go to his village. He had no problem helping his village, but they took so much there was little incentive to work. Today the majority of the GDP of Samoa consists of remittances sent back from the US or New Zealand. It is hard to make aid policies work when the culture isn't in harmony with the aid donors expectations.

11) Culture changes. Many people go overseas expecting to have an "authentic" experience, which really means they want to confirm some stereotype they have in their mind of happy people living in huts and villages. They are often disappointed to find urban people with technology. Visiting a different place doesn't mean visiting a different time. It is the 21st Century, and most people live in it. They are as likely to wear traditional clothes as Americans are to wear stove top hats like Abraham Lincoln. Cultures have always changed as new ideas, religions, technologies sprang up and different cultures mingled and traded with each other. Today is no different.

12) Everyone is proud of where they are from. When you meet someone local in another country, most people will be quick to tell you something about their city/province/country that they are proud of. Pride and patriotism seem to be universal values. I remember trying to cross the street once in Palau, one of the smallest countries in the world, and a high school kid came up to me and said, "This is how we cross the street in PALAU!" Even crossing the street became an act to tell me about his pride in his country. People involved in making foreign policy should be very aware of this.

13) America and Canada share a common culture. This may irk Canadians, but we really do share a common North American culture. If you meet someone overseas, it is almost impossible to tell if they are American or Canadian unless they have a particularly strong accent, or they pronounce the letter "z." It is easier to tell where in England someone is from than it is to tell if someone is from Denver or Toronto. We would probably be better off referring to a "North American" culture than an "American" culture. What differences do exist (Quebec being the exception) are more like differences between states and regions of a similar country.

14) Most people have a deep desire to travel around the world. Not shocking, but every day I meet people who are fascinated by what I do and how I live. The desire to travel is there, but fears and excuses usually prevent people from doing it. I understand that few people can drop what they are doing and travel around the world for three years, but traveling overseas for even a few months is within the realm of possible for many people at some point in their lives. Even on an island in the middle of the Pacific, people who would probably never leave their home island talked to me of one day wishing they could see New York or London for themselves. I think the desire to explore and see new things is fundamental to the human experience.

15) You can find the internet almost everywhere. I have been surprised at where I've found internet access. I've seen remote villages in the Solomon Islands with a packet radio link to another island for their internet access. I've been at an internet cafe in the Marshall Islands that accessed the web via a geosynchronous satellite. I've seen lodges in the rainforest of Borneo hooked up to the web. I once counted 27 open wifi signals in Taipei on a rooftop. We truly live in a wired world.

16) In developing countries, government is usually the problem. I have been shocked at the level of corruption that exists in most developing countries. Even if it is technically a democracy, most nations are run by and for the benefit of the elites that control the institutions of power. Political killings, bribery, extortion and kickbacks are the norm in many places. There is little difference between the Mafia and the governments in some countries I've visited. The corruption in the Philippines was especially surprising. It isn't just the people at the top who are corrupt. I've seen cops shake people down on the street for money, cigarettes or booze.

17) English is becoming universal. I estimated that there were at least 35 native languages I would have had to have learned if I wanted to speak with locals in their own tongue. That does not include all the languages found in Papua New Guinea or Vanuatu or regional dialects. It is not possible for humans to learn that many languages. English has become the de facto second language for the world. We are almost to a point where there are only two languages you need to know: whatever your parents speak... and English. English has become so popular it has achieved an escape velocity outside of the control of the US and UK. Countries like Nigeria and India use it as a unifying language in their polyglot nations. Other countries in the Pacific do all their schooling in English because the market just isn't there to translate textbooks into Samoan or Tongan.

18) Modernization is not Westernization. Just because people use electricity and have running water doesn't mean they are abandoning their culture to embrace western values. Technology and culture are totally different. Japan and South Korea are thoroughly modern countries, but are also thoroughly Asian. Modernization will certainly change a culture (see #11 above), but that doesn't mean they are trying to mimic the West.

19) We view other nations by a different set of criteria than we view ourselves. On the left, people who struggle the hardest for social change, decry changes in other countries that they view as a result of globalization. On the right, people who want to bring democracy to other countries would be up in arms at the suggestion that another country try to institute change in the US. In both cases, other nations are viewed by a different set of rules than we view ourselves. I don't think most people around the world want the help or pity of the West. At best, they would like us to do no harm.

20) Everyone should travel. At some point in your life, whether it is after college or when you retire, everyone should take some extended trip outside of their own country. The only way to really have a sense of how the world works is to see it yourself.

Question: I write like?

2010-08-24T13:12:00.001-05:00

Answer: J.D. Salinger (really?) http://iwl.me

The Science of Rock & Roll!

2010-08-24T13:02:00.000-05:00

Some people have tons of time and music on their hands. Good to know I'm not the only one.
http://roadsidejesus.com/periodic/ptableHola.html

The Cookies Story

2010-08-23T18:52:00.000-05:00

This actually did happen to a real person, and the real person was me.

I had gone to catch a train. This was April 1976, in Cambridge, U.K. I was a bit early for the train. I'd gotten the time of the train wrong.
I went to get myself a newspaper to do the crossword, and a cup of coffee and a packet of cookies. I went and sat at a table.
I want you to picture the scene. It's very important that you get this very clear in your mind.
Here's the table, newspaper, cup of coffee, packet of cookies. There's a guy sitting opposite me, perfectly ordinary-looking guy wearing a business suit, carrying a briefcase.
It didn't look like he was going to do anything weird. What he did was this: he suddenly leaned across, picked up the packet of cookies, tore it open, took one out, and ate it.
Now this, I have to say, is the sort of thing the British are very bad at dealing with. There's nothing in our background, upbringing, or education that teaches you how to deal with someone who in broad daylight has just stolen your cookies.
You know what would happen if this had been South Central Los Angeles. There would have very quickly been gunfire, helicopters coming in, CNN, you know. . . But in the end, I did what any red-blooded Englishman would do: I ignored it. And I stared at the newspaper, took a sip of coffee, tried to do a clue in the newspaper, couldn't do anything, and thought, what am I going to do?
In the end I thought, nothing for it, I'll just have to go for it, and I tried very hard not to notice the fact that the packet was already mysteriously opened. I took out a cookie for myself. I thought, that settled him. But it hadn't because a moment or two later he did it again. He took another cookie.
Having not mentioned it the first time, it was somehow even harder to raise the subject the second time around. "Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice . . ." I mean, it doesn't really work.
We went through the whole packet like this. When I say the whole packet, I mean there were only about eight cookies, but it felt like a lifetime. He took one, I took one, he took one, I took one. Finally, when we got to the end, he stood up and walked away.
Well, we exchanged meaningful looks, then he walked away, and I breathed a sigh of relief and sat back. A moment or two later the train was coming in, so I tossed back the rest of my coffee, stood up, picked up the newspaper, and underneath the newspaper were my cookies.
The thing I like particularly about this story is the sensation that somewhere in England there has been wandering around for the last quarter-century a perfectly ordinary guy who's had the same exact story, only he doesn't have the punch line.

(Excerpted from "The Salmon of Doubt: Hitchhiking the Galaxy One Last Time" by Douglas Adams)

Animated maps of war, religious history, secret prisons, occupations, blah-blah-blah

2010-08-18T19:58:00.001-05:00

Music would go perfect with this, but I guess that would be kind of passe.
http://www.mapsofwar.com

Jamie Livingston - Photo of the Day - 79' to 97'

2010-08-18T19:36:00.003-05:00

This is a collection of Polaroids from Jamie Livingston, one photo per day, from March 31, 1979 through October 25, 1997. In 1979 the photos start casually, with pictures of friends, picnics, dinners, and so on. By 1980, we start to figure out that the photographer is a filmmaker as well as a musician. Through the 80's most of the pictures are of himself, friends and fun with family in various settings (mainly New York). Sadly, through the 90's we see that things aren't as fun or cheery as they were in the previous pictures . We soon realize he has brain cancer. Through the rapid decline of his health, he marries and continues to takes photos until his death 19 days later on his birthday. Sad as it may feel and appear, this collection of pictures are fun, insane, hilarious and of course devastating at times. But, we're here to look and experience a part of this man's art. That's why he took a photo, once a day, for 18 years. 6,697 Polaroids.
Click Here for Photos

Fun with technology!

2010-08-18T10:29:00.001-05:00

This is a collection of interactive studies from the genius Andre Michelle. He's cool and wealthy enough to give us these tidbits of computer science for fun. You can also apply these activities to your website, blog, etc. Thanks Andre!
http://lab.andre-michelle.com

Drifting away.....

2010-08-12T19:24:00.000-05:00

You don't have to like cars and speed and hook-slides to appreciate this kind of stuff. But since your here, chillax for a while. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bjWJ52m0b4&feature=player_embedded#!

10 Tips for Creative Success

2010-08-12T12:20:00.000-05:00

If you are in a creative field, then you have most likely at one time or another encountered that dreaded feeling: Creative block. Not only is it uncomfortable, but it can make you question the merit of every idea you’ve ever had. However, we can all take comfort in the fact that it strikes even the most talented of creative professionals. Here are ten tips to help you power through the toughest projects and succeed in every creative challenge.

1. Embrace confusion.
Realize that creative haze is normal. Despite our wish to have a clearly defined path that leads us to the Big Idea, realistically that path can often be obscured by a thick cloud of haze. Be patient: you will eventually reach that moment of clarity. You may even be the person who leads everyone out of the smog.

2. Understand your audience.
Ask for a clearly defined target demographic for every assignment. With a more focused goal, you can better tailor your ideas and concepts so that they speak to your intended audience.

3. Ask questions.
Step outside of your office for a walk and talk to people about your product or design problem. You’ll be surprised at how many people are actually willing to stop and chat. Go to a nearby bookstore and browse the aisles for inspiration. Illustrations from a children’s book or even a cooking recipe may ignite the creative flame.

4. Go back to basics.
If you are at a standstill, just start laying elements out in their most elementary form, even if all you’ve got are the title, graphic and a small blurb. Take a step back and see the design problem for what it is. Then make it better. Add to it and eventually you will arrive at the solution.

5. Seek inspiration.
Check out design annuals and awards books for inspiration. After all, those represent the work that’s deemed to be the best in the field. But don’t spend all your time looking at other people’s work. The great ideas are within you—you need to grab a hold of them and make them real.

6. Know when to call it a night.
When you hit a wall, it may be time to go home, get some sleep and come back refreshed. Good ideas that may have seemed great the night before may be revealed as less-than-inspired in the cold light of a new day. By the same token, it’s amazing how the ideas start to flow when you return to work rejuvenated.

7. Listen and learn.
You may fall in love with a concept. It may seem like the idea of a lifetime—but then it gets rejected. Your first instinct might be to fight for it but, before you do, take a step back. It might be well worth the fight but first solve the problem according to the conditions you’ve been given. You might want to bring up the original concept again later, or you may find yourself moving on to something even better.

8. Recognize that they’re not just doodles.
You’ve already got the talent but you have to keep the creativity flowing. The next time you go to a museum or watch a television show, jot down noteworthy pieces or clever scenes. Keep a notebook with you and write down thoughts and ideas that pop up. You never know when the clever bug might bite.

9. Revisit the cutting room floor.
You start designing a few concepts and you end up with a collection of drafts, some good, some bad. Print them out, spread them out on the table and take a closer look at the ideas that you’ve developed. Seeing them laid out this way helps you to compare the pieces and identify the ones that really shine. Let the good ones guide you and you’ll end up with a masterpiece.

10. Take the good and take the bad.
We all enjoy a warm pat on the back but that doesn’t mean we should show our work to everyone in search for approval. Ask a few people whose creative opinions you trust to look at your work. Accept their advice and criticism along with their praise. If they tell you that the idea is not good, they might be right and it might be time to move onto your next idea. Embrace the bad news along with the good.

Her Morning Elegance / Oren Lavie (video)

2010-08-12T12:06:00.001-05:00

I like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_HXUhShhmY

More design stuff...

2010-08-12T11:44:00.000-05:00

There's a ton of design sites out there, but this one is always guaranteed, fresh. http://theroxor.com

Free documentaries!

2010-08-11T13:43:00.000-05:00

Watch, download free, full-length, political documentaries here. You're welcome! http://freedocumentaries.org

Dalai Lama’s 18 rules for living

2010-08-11T12:42:00.002-05:00

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
Follow the three Rs:
- Respect for self
- Respect for others
- Responsibility for all your actions.
Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
Spend some time alone every day.
Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.
Be gentle with the earth.
Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

It's gotta be the food!

2010-08-11T12:16:00.001-05:00

Zillions of good recipes in here, from vegetarian dishes to grilling, from meats to desserts to drinks. It sucks I'll never be able to create every dish on this site. But I can always lick the screen! http://www.tastespotting.com

A little history of TV presentation and graphic design

2010-08-11T11:34:00.000-05:00

This is a make-up of old TV show intros, trailers and animations. Mainly shows from the UK, but all the while, still pretty cool. Check the technique! http://www.tv-ark.org.uk

Developing memorable characters

2010-08-10T16:15:00.002-05:00

How much about your characters do you really know? Small details might seem superfluous even irrelevant to the story you intend to write, but the smallest detail informs the bigger picture. The more you know about your characters, the better you’ll create believable characters who live and breathe on the page and in their own fictional world.

What do you know about this character now that s/he doesn’t yet know?
What is this character’s greatest flaw?
What do you know about this character that s/he would never admit?
What is this character’s greatest asset?
If this character could choose a different identity, who would s/he be?
What music does this character sing to when no one else is around?
In what or whom does this character have the greatest faith?
What is this character’s favorite movie?
Does this character have a favorite article of clothing? Favorite shoes?
Does this character have a vice? Name it.
Name this character’s favorite person (living or dead).
What is this character’s secret wish?
What is this character’s proudest achievement?
Describe this character’s most embarrassing moment.
What is this character’s deepest regret?
What is this character’s greatest fear?
Describe this character’s most devastating moment.
What is this character’s greatest achievement?
What is this character’s greatest hope?
Does this character have an obsession? Name it.
What is this character’s greatest disappointment?
What is this character’s worst nightmare?
Whom does this character most wish to please? Why?
Describe this character’s mother.
Describe this character’s father.
If s/he had to choose, with whom would this character prefer to live?
Where does this character fall in birth order? What effect does this have?
Describe this character’s siblings or other close relatives.
Describe this character’s bedroom. Include three cherished items.
What is this character’s birth date? How does this character manifest traits of his/her astrological sign?
If this character had to live in seclusion for six months, what six items would s/he bring?
Why is this character angry?
What calms this character?
Describe a recurring dream or nightmare this character might have.
List the choices (not circumstances) that led this character to his/her current predicament.
List the circumstances over which this character has no control.
What wakes this character in the middle of the night?
How would a stranger describe this character?
What does this character resolve to do differently every morning?
Who depends on this character? Why?
If this character knew s/he had exactly one month to live, what would s/he do?
How would a dear friend or relative describe this character?
What is this character’s most noticeable physical attribute?
What is this character hiding from him/herself?
Write one additional thing about your character.

Academic Earth...mind your video.

2010-08-10T15:07:00.001-05:00

If only college was like this when I was there.. http://academicearth.org

When something is done so right, words are useless.

2010-08-10T14:41:00.002-05:00

I stumbled across Nick Brandt's work by accident. On sight, it looks like simple wildlife photography. But look closer, closer. Can you get closer - Do you even want to? Didn't think so. Enjoy.

http://www.younggalleryphoto.com/photography/brandt/brandt.html

Seems crime is easy in some places...

2010-08-06T22:57:00.000-05:00

When you think of how different most cultures are, it's easy to perceive some as over confident or more passive than others. It's even easier to imagine some having amazing cuisine and others, well, not so amazing cuisine. But in regards to criminal behavior and ways to fight it, this shit right here is just wrong.

Handcrafted genius

2010-08-06T22:36:00.000-05:00

https://www.miniot.com/webshop/#

Feeling the burn...

2010-08-06T22:11:00.000-05:00

With all the skate vids out there...it actually took Coca Cola to break new ground.

Minty with a Red Dress mix

2010-04-04T04:55:00.000-05:00

This is a downtempo mix, enjoy.

Minty with a Red Dress by rickyandres

An anthem.

2009-11-27T20:37:00.000-06:00

enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a47Y1lCRHlM

You Gotta Keep Up Bro!

2008-05-25T23:58:00.002-05:00

http://www.lastnightsparty.com
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It's Like I Told You Yesterday

2008-05-25T23:03:00.000-05:00

"If I see you there your dead, understand me...dead. And you owe me a beer before you die."

site: http://www.parttimepunks.com
video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cmO1HaTiNk

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Have You Watched Your Doc Today?

2008-05-25T22:15:00.000-05:00

Anyone who's ever conversed with me about film, mainly documentary film knows how I feel about the indirect abuse of power by cable television and their mash-ups of fact and popular news. Not to mention the view askew teachings of documentarians like Michael Moore and every other pseudo-celebrity that vomits into the ocean of do it yourself video. I'm not a hater, just making a point as some do when there is clearly a divide amongst boys and men. Unbiased as I am, here are the men. The boys you can find on your own. Enjoy, enlighten and dive into docs.

htt://www.filmakers.com/new.htm

These Kids Don't Play Like Kids

2008-03-02T04:08:00.000-06:00

Avi Buffalo - They're way too young to hook up with, way too smart to teach anything to and way ahead of anything your listening to right now. -

.Where's Your Dirty Mind?
http://www.la-underground.net/music/Avi%20Buffalo%20-%20Where's%20Your%20Dirty%20Mind.mp3
.Suns
http://www.la-underground.net/music/Avi%20Buffalo%20-%20Suns.mp3
.Truth Sets In
http://www.la-underground.net/music/Avi%20Buffalo%20-%20Truth%20Sets%20In.mp3

at Mr. T's Bowl (3/22)
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Why We Need Super Heroes

2008-03-02T03:31:00.000-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhO-OE931D4
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You may be from L.A. if...

2008-02-28T04:35:00.001-06:00

Taken from the FaceBook Group, You may be from L.A. if...

You know what Il Tremizino is.

You know at least 4 kids that drive nicer cars than the majority of the world.

You're known instantly from your rep.

You get very insulted when some one says that they too are from L.A., but then you find out they're from Downy or some butt fuck place like that.

You've been to Downy and hated it.

Santee Alley means something to you.

You know what chrome hearts is and if and when you wear/see it, you feel a sense of pride knowing that it reps where you're from.

You like The Game. Just because.

The beach is very close, but you don't end up there that much.

Most of the girls you know go to tanning salons, even though the beach is 5 miles away.

When it rains, you get extremely confused.

You try to avoid the 405 at all costs between 4 pm to 7 pm. Some times 7:30 pm, just to be safe.

You know some one, who knows some one, who knows some one, who knows some one that can get you into a club.

You know some one who can legitimately get you in to a club.

You know that that some one will probably never get you into a club because they'll forget about you, but you still kick it with them any way.

You know what Ramma Gennies is.

You DO NOT like the Valley and try AT ALL COSTS to stay south of the where the 405 North breaks off into the 101- north because that means that you've gone to far.

You know what a real Mexican gangster looks like.

You know guys that take better care of them selves than girls. And it's socially acceptable.

You keep it real 24/7.

When you go out of town, people instantly know that you are from L.A. because of the way you dress.

You know Masa is and quite frankly, not that good. It's just open and very close to Sunset so its a convenience and of course they've got Left Coast brew on tap.

You love Melrose. And Melrose means something to you.

You've seen celebrities walking around and you don't get that excited - you live in L.A. Big whoop.

Although, when you did see your favorite celebrity, you nearly shit a brick and called every one on your phone.

You keep people in your phone that you know you will never call, but they remain in your phone book just incase...

You know that Hammi is ghetto, Samo is like Hammi, Culver is not that gangsta, and Beverly is really rich.

You know tons of kids that go to private schools.

You know/knew (in high school) that AAAAAAAAAAAALLL of the fine girls came form Lycee France.

You know/knew that AAAAAALL the really easy girls came from Marlborough or Marymount.

You know/knew/were some one who hooked up with one of the girls from the above schools.

You DO NOT LIKE NOR CAL for any truly legitimate reason. You just REALLY REALLY do not like Nor Cal.

You like San Diego, but its not L.A.

You know kids from Orange County and you know that they are really weird.

You keep it real 24/7 cuz you're from L.A.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2362441029

Woody Allen

2008-02-25T16:22:00.000-06:00

"Modern moral thought begins and ends (at least in terms of its treatment in American films) with Woody Allen's Manhattan. His writing isn't just persuasive; it cuts like a laser through the gorgeous black-and-white valentine he constructs to the city. His one-take scenes and ingenious tracking shots etch an indelible portrait of a community in slow decay and are no less breathtaking than Renoir's Rules of the Game.

"The final close-up of the man/child Allen, as he hears the sobering news that 'You have to have a little faith in people' from his 17-year-old girlfriend, ranks with the most iconic and heartbreaking endings in cinema history--second only to perhaps that last shot of Chaplin in City Lights. This is not just a movie for New Yorkers or posers or film critics-- it is both a time capsule and an instruction manual for modern man. (Women are free to thumb through it as well, but they always want to tear out the pictures!)

"Manhattan isn't just great, it's the kind of movie that makes you wish you'd made it. No, I'll go further still: Manhattan makes you wish you were a better person."

-- Neil LaBute, filmmaker (In the Company of Men, The Wicker Man)

"Quotes"

As the poet said, 'Only God can make a tree' -- probably because it's so hard to figure out how to get the bark on.

Eighty percent of success is showing up.

Eternal nothingness is fine if you happen to be dressed for it.

His lack of education is more than compensated for by his keenly developed moral bankruptcy.

How can I believe in God when just last week I got my tongue caught in the roller of an electric typewriter?

How is it possible to find meaning in a finite world, given my waist and shirt size?

I am at two with nature.

I can't listen to that much Wagner. I start getting the urge to conquer Poland.

I don't want to achieve immortality through my work... I want to achieve it through not dying.

I tended to place my wife under a pedestal.

I took a speed reading course and read 'War and Peace' in twenty minutes. It involves Russia.

I was thrown out of college for cheating on the metaphysics exam; I looked into the soul of the boy sitting next to me.

I'm astounded by people who want to 'know' the universe when it's hard enough to find your way around Chinatown.

If it turns out that there is a God, I don't think that he's evil. But the worst that you can say about him is that basically he's an underachiever.

If only God would give me some clear sign! Like making a large deposit in my name in a Swiss bank.

Interestingly, according to modern astronomers, space is finite. This is a very comforting thought-- particularly for people who can never remember where they have left things.

It is impossible to experience one's death objectively and still carry a tune.

It is impossible to travel faster than the speed of light, and certainly not desirable, as one's hat keeps blowing off.

It seemed the world was divided into good and bad people. The good ones slept better... while the bad ones seemed to enjoy the waking hours much more.

Life is divided into the horrible and the miserable. Life is full of misery, loneliness, and suffering - and it's all over much too soon.

Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons.

Most of the time I don't have much fun. The rest of the time I don't have any fun at all.

My education was dismal. I went to a series of schools for mentally disturbed teachers.

My one regret in life is that I am not someone else.

Not only is there no God, but try getting a plumber on weekends.

On the plus side, death is one of the few things that can be done just as easily lying down.

Organized crime in America takes in over forty billion dollars a year and spends very little on office supplies.

Students achieving Oneness will move on to Twoness.

The government is unresponsive to the needs of the little man. Under 5'7", it is impossible to get your congressman on the phone.

Mixtape/LA 1986 (Compton)

2008-02-25T02:00:00.001-06:00

Mixtape/LA 1986 Compton (it was a good time)

I knew this kid from Brooklyn. He said my favorite rapper was garbage. Yes, garbage. I guess he - being from Brooklyn had some sort of advantage in rapper ratings or something - they did invent the shit. I took the comment in stride instead of going cold Brooklyn in that ass via Los Angeles. We were at work - so, not even if I could. But I never forgave that comment, until today of course.

I ran across this mix recorded of then, DJ Dr. Dre (pre-NWA) mixing dozens of records on a typical Saturday at the Rodium swap meet in Compton. I got my first Transformer at that swap meet and my mom always got her blenders there. It's masterfully crafted and blends everything from classic hip-hop to classic rock.

What I dig most is how good Dr. Dre is as a DJ and how my so called "garbage" rapper comes shining through (4:30) rapping purely beyond his years with a bold, new style that is to come and become copied by so many rappers to follow. This is a classic - mixed during a time when hip hop was merely sixteen. These rap songs from 1986 tell you hip hop is more than ready to drive, it's ready to fuck.

Download Here:

http://www.zshare.net/audio/6347027a527e8e/

Killing The Blues

2008-02-25T01:13:00.001-06:00

Killing The Blues by Alison Krauss & Robert Plant

Leaves were falling, just like embers,
In colors red and gold, they set us on fire
Burning just like moonbeams in our eyes.

Chorus...

Somebody said they saw me, swinging the world by the tail
Bouncing over a white cloud, killing the blues.

Now I'm guilty of something...
I hope you never do
Because there is nothing
Any sadder than losing yourself in love.

Chorus...

And then you've ask me... just to leave you
To set out on my own
And get what I needed.

You want me to find what I've already had.

The Way Wolves Think

2008-02-21T20:00:00.001-06:00

“As a child I felt myself to be alone, and I am still, because I know things and must hint at things which others apparently know nothing of, and for the most part do not want to know.” – Jung

“For me, being with people or even with one beloved person for any length of time without solitude is even worse (than loneliness). I feel dispersed, scattered, in pieces. I must have time alone to mull over any encounter and to extract its juice, its essence, to understand what has really happened to me as a consequence of it.” – May Sarton

“To the deserts go prophets and hermits, through deserts go pilgrims and exiles. Here the leaders of the great religions have sought the therapeutic and spiritual values of retreat, not to escape but to find reality.” – Wallace Stegner

“I love all waste and solitary places where we taste the pleasures of believing what we see is boundless, as we wish our souls to be.” – Shelley “Julian and Maddalo”

“If thou fill thy brain with Boston and New York, with fashion and covetousness and wilt stimulate thy jaded senses with wine and French coffee, thou shalt find no radiance of wisdom in the lonely waste of the pinewoods. On the brink of the waters of life and truth, we are miserably dying.” – Emerson

From a Sarajevo War Survivor

2008-02-21T19:30:00.001-06:00

Experiencing horrible things that can happen in a war - death of parents and friends, hunger and malnutrition, endless freezing cold, fear, sniper attacks.

1. Stockpiling helps. but you never no how long trouble will last, so locate near renewable food sources.

2. Living near a well with a manual pump is like being in Eden.

3. After awhile, even gold can lose its luster. But there is no luxury in war quite like toilet paper. Its surplus value is greater than gold's.

4. If you had to go without one utility, lose electricity - it's the easiest to do without (unless you're in a very nice climate with no need for heat.)

5. Canned foods are awesome, especially if their contents are tasty without heating. One of the best things to stockpile is canned gravy - it makes a lot of the dry unappetizing things you find to eat in war somewhat edible. Only needs enough heat to "warm", not to cook. It's cheap too, especially if you buy it in bulk.

6. Bring some books - escapist ones like romance or mysteries become more valuable as the war continues. Sure, it's great to have a lot of survival guides, but you'll figure most of that out on your own anyway - trust me, you'll have a lot of time on your hands.

7. The feeling that you're human can fade pretty fast. I can't tell you how many people I knew who would have traded a much needed meal for just a little bit of toothpaste, rouge, soap or cologne. Not much point in fighting if you have to lose your humanity. These things are morale-builders like nothing else.

8. Slow burning candles and matches, matches, matches

100 items to disappear first

1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy...target of thieves; maintenance etc.)
2. Water Filters/Purifiers
3. Portable Toilets
4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to become dried, for home uses.
5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)
6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.
7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots.
8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.
9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar
10. Rice - Beans - Wheat
11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food burns/must be boiled etc.,)
12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly)
13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking.
16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.
17. Survival Guide Book.
18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)
19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula. ointments/aspirin, etc.
20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)
21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)
22. Vitamins
23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item)
24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products.
25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)
26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil)
27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item)
28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)
29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).
30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels
31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months)
32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST)
33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)
34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit
35. Tuna Fish (in oil)
36. Fire Extinguishers (or..large box of Baking Soda in every room)
37. First aid kits
38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies
40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)
41. Flour, yeast & salt
42. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go first
43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators
44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime.)
45. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts
46. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS & torches, "No. 76 Dietz" Lanterns
47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times)
48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with wheels)
49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, etc
50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
51. Fishing supplies/tools
52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams
53. Duct Tape
54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes
55. Candles
56. Laundry Detergent (liquid)
57. Backpacks, Duffel Bags
58. Garden tools & supplies
59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies
60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc.
61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)
62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax)
63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel
64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc
65. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats
66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)
67. Board Games, Cards, Dice
68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer
69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets
70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)
71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water)
72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.
73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)
74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)
75. Soysauce, vinegar, bullions/gravy/soupbase
76. Reading glasses
77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)
78. "Survival-in-a-Can"
79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens
80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog
81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)
82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky
83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts
84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)
85. Lumber (all types)
86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)
87. Cots & Inflatable mattress's
88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.
89. Lantern Hangers
90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts
91. Teas
92. Coffee
93. Cigarettes
94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc,)
95. Paraffin wax
96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.
97. Chewing gum/candies
98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)
99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs
100. Goats/chickens

My first eclipse of the moon.

2008-02-21T18:15:00.000-06:00

It beats expectations. It instantly caught my eye, the moon, which was full the night before, had lost a mouth size piece from it’s down facing portion. I don’t watch the news for obvious reasons so I missed the hype that usually goes along with an eclipse or other phenomenon of the like. So, I took that as weird - the moon - once full - had spun backwards.

But I’m not that smart so I drove on and stored that into the X-files. However, with the help of traffic, some moment s later - I noticed the moon had progressed into a sliver of itself hanging in the sky - the rest still seen underneath a swirling smoke of dark sun. I stared from my car window in awe that I was seeing something unique. A disaster could have unfolded in the sky and I expected fate's timing as right. But, thankfully I was safe in my little round car.

I realize millions had possibly witnessed the phenomenon, though I saw it while in traffic, through my car window on my way home. Just as I saw the breathtaking Griffith Park Fires, the hypnotized gaze on drivers faces the morning of 9/11 and the feeling of emptiness as I traveled the highway to my family to tell them of my sisters passing. My moving vessels have held more feelings than any relationship I've ever had (except you, Jessica). I’m glad we shared the moon together last night (not you, the car). To add, I didn't know it was an eclipse until I saw it on the cover of the LA Times this morning - glad it wasn't a space monster.