Frack

Funky music, animation and science journalism - nice.

Speaks for itself, I think, so I'll just say drinking water should not be flammable. Ever.

(via bioephemera)

*waits quietly for inevitable BSG jokes*

Animated Science of the Deep

Earlier this week was the 50th anniversary of the first manned dive to the deepest point on Earth: the Marianas Trench, south of Japan, near Guam, along the edge of the Philipine Basin. Wired magazine posted this wonderful, animated documentary. They credit the interview to Victor Ozols, and video to Roman Wolter. Featuring the audio recording of an interview with Jacques Piccard, who made the dive, the stylish animation never sacrifices science substance for aesthetics. Information is clearly and elegantly portrayed in illustrations, sufficiently schematic to be easily absorbed, yet really lovely and engaging. If all science museum exhibits were this good, I'd never escape the museum.

Also, I am reminded once again how much I want to go to the seafloor. I was once on a research cruise aboard the R/V Atlantis and got to see ALVIN, but sadly, no dives were included during that trip.

My mother, who is claustrophobic, has made me promise that if I ever get the opportunity to go in a submersible, that I am not to tell her until I have safely returned ashore.

(cross-posted to my other blog)

for R.

I love stop motion from chloe fleury on Vimeo.

Also, did you know about British WWI & WWII re-enactors? "In this series titled Re-Enactors , British photographer Jim Naughten has beautifully documented some of the people {and their very accurate costumes} who choose to spend their weekends recreating various battles and drills from the First and Second World War. " (via the Jealous Curator)

accidental recording artist

I am following If Charlie Parker Was a Gunslinger, There'd be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats's advice and posting this. The animation can be watched on the NFB site. Not someone I specifically listen too, but more part of the aether in this country, now part of our heritage. Kate McGarrigle's obit.

cool cats

The Cat Piano from PRA on Vimeo.

a noir animation via fenris_lorsrai on LJ.


Grafitti by Brusse in Barcelona, via Wooster Collective

Oh, and for the Josh Whedon hos, the craftster blog has posted Whedon themed needlework. Check it out.

Lost & Foundry

Yesterday, I went out to the craftster Toronto meet-up in Kensington Market, which was fun, and gave me the chance to stop by the Bass & Minnow gallery periodically. Faunalia and her cohorts in the OCAD bronze sculpture group had their triumphant Lost & Foundry show. The OCAD foundry has narrowly avoided getting cut, and will continue to provide a venue in Toronto for this sort of amazing art:

(melting pepper sculpture by the instructor Claire)



These are Baba Yaga's Hut (complete with smoking incense) and the fox smole self-portrait by Faunalia! The photographer showing her work at the smaller Minnow room next door said that people were drawn into the show, just to see the magnificent hut... which they then wanted to buy, of course.




It was great day- I hung out with Faunalia, Reynardin, and Someotherathena (a too-rare treat) and even saw Blythechild, if only briefly. I managed to get all my errands done (including obtaining the GIANT 5 lbs. bag of stuffing for pillows). Faunalia, Reynardin, and Someotherathena and I had dinner at Pho Hung, remembered the bad old days, discussed books, heard all about Dunce Bucket (upcoming animated phenomena). Someotherathena regaled us with the hysterically funny tale of the trials and tribulations of having to serve five male, Brasilian supermodels at one's bookstore. Though the rest of us are not blessed challenged with this problem, we must confess we could see the difficulty she described (but I do not suggest listing to, or watching the associated hand gestures to this story, with a full bladder).

Since we all want to see: TARA MCPHERSON, Print Exhibition & Signing, Friday May 8th, 2009, 6-9pm at Narwhal Art Projects, I propose that be our next dinner be on Friday, prior to (or after) the show.*


*Especially for those of you who missed this: