August 13, 2008
Draw anything with Japanese Hiragana!
My buddy Matt Morgan (morgasm) brought this cool flash app called Fontpark by Morisawa to my attention. The site first plays a few examples of what you can do. The rest is up to how you combine Japanese kana to draw almost anything. Animation is super slick. Loving this site.
Hit the jump to see what I created. His name is Bucktooth. Don't forget to see it in action!
Posted by tranism at 4:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
August 12, 2008
Plankton update
It's been almost a whole year since Plankton moved back to Sweden but we still see each other often and still the best of friends. We chatted this morning (night for me) and he wanted to show me his new purple v-neck. We're both clothing whores. He's coming back out here for 2 months later this year. Can't wait! Say hi to him ya'll!
Hit the jump for another pic
Posted by tranism at 2:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
August 11, 2008
Catfish clay pot
It's been awhile since I've had fish and I thought a great way to watch the men's 400m relay would be to enjoy my favorite fish; catfish! Hope you enjoy my recipe for catfish clay pot.
Posted by tranism at 10:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
August 9, 2008
Imperial spring roll noodle salad
I am so done with this heat. In fact, I'm spent. I need the cool breeze of October to hit ASAP. Unfortunately I'm not adept at climate change so I made this delicious noodle salad. It's a traditional Vietnamese dish tho I've substituted pork with tofu and bamboo. Serve it with iced white tea. Mmm mmm!
Posted by tranism at 8:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
August 5, 2008
Rilakkuma
I love this bear. The fact that he stands by a bus stop all day makes me love him even more! His name is Rilakkuma by San-X.
Posted by tranism at 1:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
August 3, 2008
Stuffed bitter melon in lotus soup
Bitter melon is a wonderful vegetable. It takes some getting used to but simply put, it's one of the best veggies out there. We're talking twice the beta carotene of broccoli, twice the calcium of spinach, twice the potassium of banana, loaded with fiber and vitamins C and B. No wonder it's consider a medicinal plant in Asia! On the other hand you've got lotus root which is a zero fat, high fiber, loaded with vitamins vegetable.
My mom made this whenever I had acne flare ups because it's considered a "cooling" food to bring your body back into equilibrium, flushing out toxins from the liver which normalizes hormone production - the catalyst for over active sebaceous glands resulting in acne. WHEW that was a long sentence. It's also great for major hang overs. I've modified her recipe with meat substitute but honestly, you don't miss it in this dish.
Posted by tranism at 1:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
July 25, 2008
DIY fisheye lens
I know I haven't been blogging much lately. With almost all my time focused on my menswear collection, it's a treat to come back to the interwebs and find so many cool things. One in particular is this DIY fisheye lens project. I'm an amateur photographer and find it a relaxing hobby. Unfortunately it's a very expensive one, particularly lenses. If you don't mind a blurry LOMO effect to your fisheye photography and have a free weekend, definitely check it out.
Posted by tranism at 11:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
June 15, 2008
A special treat
After nearly a week coping with the flu, I'm at the tail end of it and to celebrate I made myself Vietnamese crepes. The flavors of colonial Vietnam are fantastic.
UPDATED: Recipe after the jump
Crepe batter:
- 1 bag of Vietnamese crepe mix (comes with a bag of turmeric)
- 3 1/2 cups cold water
- 1/2 unsweetened coconut milk
- 3 thinly sliced scallions on a bias
Filling:
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 shallots thinly sliced
- 12 medium sized shrimps peeled and halved
- 2 strips of bacon cut into 1 in. pieces
- 6 button mushrooms thinly sliced
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1 bunch mint
- Bag of bean sprouts
- Pinch of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
- Crisp fried shallots to garnish (can omit if you can't find it)
Dressing:
- 1 cup water
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 2 limes juiced
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 Thai chili pepper finely chopped
- 4 tbsp Asian fish sauce
Alternatively you can buy prepared fish sauce called Nuoc Mam Pha San in any Asian grocery store.
Instructions:
In a big bowl mix together crepe mix, coconut milk, water, and scallions. Make sure its smooth and milky in consistency. Set aside and let it rest for 10 minutes.
For dressing, bring water to a boil and dissolve sugar. Set aside to cool. Once cool mix the rest of the dressing ingredients together and set aside.
Heat a non-stick skillet on medium high heat. Throw shallots in until fragrant which damn near instant. Add the shrimp, bacon, mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Toss until shrimp and bacon are cook. Set aside.
Clean up the non-stick skillet and place it back on medium high heat. Drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil in pan and immediately ladle just enough batter to coat the entire bottom by rolling it around. When the edges starts to pull away from the pan, layer in a little bit of the filling you cooked earlier, bean sprouts, a few mint leaves, and a few sprigs of cilantro on one side. Carefully fold over the other size and cover the pan for a minute.
Slide onto a plate and garnish with crisp fried shallots. Add as much dressing as you like and enjoy with a few pieces of fresh sliced cucumbers.
Posted by tranism at 4:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
May 31, 2008
Calling All Illustrators. Pandas Wanted
Hey readers, any of you awesome illustrators? If so please contact me. I'm currently working on my menswear collection inspired by none other - the giant panda. I need someone who can roughly draw out the anatomy of a giant panda standing up. I need front, back, 3/4, and aerial views, similar to what 3D character models do. If you're willing to spare some of your free time to help me, please let me know. I've got tons of photographs and reference material we can work from. Ignore my craptastic gesture drawings above.
Posted by tranism at 6:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
May 23, 2008
Flickr Tag Galaxy
I use my flickr daily, can't get enough really. So I'm always excited to try all these new apps utilizing the flickr api. In the end I end up just using the site but momentary wanderlust always has me amazed at what some programmers are able to do. Take for example Tag Galaxy, a flickr photo browser that puts flickr inside a galaxy you navigate via tags. Slow computers beware. Hit the jump to see a little video demo or just try it for yourself!
Posted by tranism at 5:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
April 23, 2008
I Gots No Interweb
The promise of high speed fiber optic cable lured me. Now that it's installed, I can barely stay connected. Posts will resume when I'm once again am part of the great interweb.
Posted by tranism at 8:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
April 11, 2008
Garbage Island
Disease, miscarriage, toxicity - if you care at all about those things then you need to care about what's happening to the environment. They're all directly related to each other. In the middle of the pacific ocean just north of Hawaii is a large vortex as currents from Asia and North America meet. Tons of floating trash migrates to this vortex, most of which is plastic designed to last forever. Watch this amazing 12 part VBS TV series about the so called Garbage Island.
Posted by tranism at 2:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
April 8, 2008
Honey I'm Home!
So here's a tidbit about me. I absolutely love honey. I've been known to down honey packets and mini jars. Yes it sounds sickening but I just can't get enough. I use it in place of sugar and prefer it as an ice cream topping over chocolate or caramel.
About a month ago I decided I wanted to own a beehive so after some research I found a place out in Oxnard, California that lets anyone sponsor one. The farmers get the money they need to maintain and consumers get to visit the hive and take home fresh honey.
Some things I learned. . .
- Fresh honey (right off the comb) is sooo much better than anything packaged. TRUST ME.
- Bees are hot! Literally! You can feel heat emanating from their combs.
- They work so hard. It takes 400 trips for the colony to produce 1 tablespoon of honey.
- Some bees die defending as you harvest. I try to be really careful. I understand karma dammit.
- Chunks of honey filled combs make AWESOME gifts.
Posted by tranism at 5:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Bokeh Heart
Awww isn't doggy cute!!! What's more, how are those lights heart shaped? My friends, it's all in the bokeh.
Posted by tranism at 12:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
March 22, 2008
Congratulations Cocky!
Big congrats to my buddy Nicholas aka Cocky, model extraordinaire, is the male lead in Leona Lewis' new video (U.S. version) Bleeding Love. You go boy!!!
Posted by tranism at 1:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
March 21, 2008
Messed Up
Sorry about the 24 hour site outage yesterday. See kids, this is what happens when you forget to auto-renew your domain name!
All is back and all is well now. Thanks for the hundreds of emails. I'm totally okay and no I didn't get hacked. :)
Posted by tranism at 11:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
February 11, 2008
Stockholm Furniture Fair 2008
So this year's furniture fair wasn't too exciting. Some of the lamps were cool but nothing we haven't seen before. True to form the furniture was very Scandinavian. However, if that's your steelo then you'll love what was shown, many of which you'll find in stores this year. Hit the jump to see all the photos.
Thanks Richie!
Posted by tranism at 8:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
February 5, 2008
Future You Say What?
Cool little website where you can write to yourself in the future. When that time arrives, you'll get the message.
via Notcot
Posted by tranism at 10:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
January 31, 2008
Cock Climbing
I apologize for the title but I had to. See, a friend sent me this link and the title describes it to the tee. A wall full of illuminated condoms fully erect. Don't turn away tho, there's artistic merit here. It's just one of many pieces on display at the "Sex in Design/Design in Sex" exhibition. Everything from dildos, butt plugs, to very unique urinals. Where might one see this? At the Museum of Sex in New York City of course.
Thanks Jeff!
Posted by tranism at 4:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
January 28, 2008
There's Nothing You Can Do About It
Posted by tranism at 3:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
January 24, 2008
Icy Hell, No He Didn't!
The Bush administration failed to meet deadlines to place polar bears under environmental protection. BUT they did have time to approve a new bill that would allow oil drilling in polar bear habitats. Coincidence?
This man and his administration are maddening! Help by writing to your state representative. All you have to do is fill out a form and hit send.
Posted by tranism at 2:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
January 13, 2008
El Orphanato
Guillermo del Toro's "El Orphanato" (The Orphanage) is one of the finest modern ghost stories I've seen. Without spoiling the movie, he manages to craft a suspense thriller without the use of big special effects. It's all in the camera work, music, and timing which is why he's a brilliant producer/director. El Orphanato is definitely this year's Pans Labyrinth. It's in limited release but if you have the chance, please go see it.
Posted by tranism at 1:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
January 7, 2008
Bush Admin Removes Enviro Protection, Approves Logging
It's sad but true. The Bush Administration is busy working back door deals to remove environmental protection laws over Oregon's Old Growth Forest to the tune of a 700% increase in logging if passed. The forests are OLD and some trees are ANCIENT. They've been there long before humans even settled in Oregon. They not only add to the natural majestic beauty of Oregon but provide shelter for many animals and natural flood protection.
It's disappointing to know all that money could be spent on educating the public about recycling and building new sustainable facilities to support new industries but I guess with the Bush Administration, stuffing coffers is more important.
Take action now and watch this video.
Posted by tranism at 3:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
January 2, 2008
Adopt Me A Misio
I'm interested in this new project called Misio which asks you to adopt a crochet doll complete with his/her own name and bio. The idea is you as the parent document Misio's travels akin to the whole travel gnome thing and post it to the Misio website. The community of Misio parents, whom are from all around the world, can see where all the Misios have been.
It costs $60 to adopt and there are only a handful left. Will someone adopt one for me? I'd love to have a Misio to take on adventures.
Posted by tranism at 3:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
December 22, 2007
Happy Holidays To All, Will Return January 2 2008
I just want to thank all of you readers for an awesome 2007 here at Electro^Plankton. I've made so many new friends thru this outlet and I can't wait to see what's in store next year. Until then, I along with everyone at Electro^Plankton wishes you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year!
Posted by tranism at 6:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
December 14, 2007
Happy Dead Bear Says Holiday Haiku Contest!
Hey peeps, this year Electro^Plankton is teaming up with Attus Apparel to give away one of their awesome polo tees. All you have to do is comment with your best Holiday Haiku. As a refresher, Haiku's follow a 5,7,5 syllable pattern.
Poems must be original and fall within the winter holiday theme. Contest runs thru the weekend and we'll pick a winner Monday. Make sure you leave an email addy. To get you started, I'll write the first one.
Christmas oh Christmas,
Just 11 days away,
Better start shopping!
UPDATE: We have a winner. Congrats to Metaleaf!
Posted by tranism at 4:36 PM | Permalink
November 26, 2007
Got Me A New Lens
I finally did it and splurged on my first lens outside the standard 18-55mm that came with my Nikon. I decided on the Sigma 30mm f/ 1.4 HSM lens and here's why.
Firstly, Nikon doesn't make a prime lens that'll work with the D40. I mean any lens will technically work but you'll lose some functionality.
Secondly, the Sigma has some nice reviews. Quick auto/manual focus and the 1.4 F-stop means I can take the candid indoor shots I want without using a tripod.
Thirdly, I need to learn framing and composition. Originally I thought my design background would make composing pictures easy but it's not. Looking thru a lens sorta changes things. I guess the methodologies are similar but executed differently. I constantly relied on zoom to fix any framing issues. I figure with a prime lens I'll be forced to learn how to frame pictures with just what I see.
Posted by tranism at 1:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
November 22, 2007
Plankton Visits, Happy Thanksgiving!
Plankton a.k.a Daniel came all the way from Sweden for a visit yesterday. Here he is in my office relegated to a small corner of my desk. So what's he been up to? Well to keep it short, new house, old friends, and working with Adidas Europe. Not too shabby eh?
Of course, our friend Morgan who just works 5 minutes away stopped by too. When the two of them get together. . . strange kids I tell ya. Hit the jump!
Posted by tranism at 2:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
November 20, 2007
New Nikkor 18-55 With Vibration Reduction
Oh joy! Just in time for the holidays too! Nikon just announced a new lens to their lineup, the Nikkor AF-S 18-55mm VR. From what I can tell, it's the same lens included in the D40 and D40x kits except with the inclusion of vibration reduction.
Vibration reduction optically moves the glass elements inside the lens to adapt to your shaky hands. I'm not a pro photographer as you can see, so this will definitely help me when I need the shutter to stay open just a tad longer.
Lemme tell you a story. When I first got my D40, I was stoked. I used it everywhere. It's amazing how the world looks a little different behind the lens. I noticed a lot more detail in the simplest of things. Eventually I realized my hands were not steady enough to take those beautiful night shots of Los Angeles from the canyons or indoor shots with no flash. So I researched for a lens that would help and of course Nikon has plenty with VR built-in. Unfortunately they all approach the $1000 range so I packed up my camera until a more affordable solution came. Goodbye monopod and tripod. Thank you Nikon!
The best part? It's only $199 and available this December.
Posted by tranism at 12:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
November 14, 2007
Murakami At The Geffen MOCA
If you live in Los Angeles, do yourself a favor and hit up the MOCA Geffen building to see Murakami's latest exhibit. I was fortunate enough to go to opening night and it was amazing. Painting, sculptures, LV bags, and his latest work a cartoon.
Posted by tranism at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
November 6, 2007
Expand Your Vocabulary To End Hunger
Please go there now. It doesn't cost you a thing. All you do is answer multiple choice questions to define words like, "what does overstate mean?" Each correct answer sends 10 grains of rice to the United Nations to help end world hunger. Play for as long as you like and please pass site URL on.
Thanks Jeff!
Posted by tranism at 1:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
November 1, 2007
Best Halloween Costume of 2007
I'm easily impressed when it comes to home made costumes because even with my fashion background, I suck at theatrics. This daddy and son pair portraying Maurice Sendak's classic 'Where the Wild Things Are' is the best costume I've seen this Halloween.
The costume is for sale for $2,100. There's only one so if you really love it and have the cash to burn, SPEND SPEND SPEND!
via Notcot
Posted by tranism at 1:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
October 20, 2007
We'll Be Back Monday
I'll be enjoying the festivities at the E4All game convention this weekend so I won't be posting. I'll also keep count how many times I got my ass (fanny for you British people) kicked in Super Smash Brothers Brawl.
Have a safe weekend!
Posted by tranism at 8:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
September 24, 2007
A Boomerang If You Like Pretty Lights
I like anything with pretty lights. They hypnotize me. Take for instance the Scimitar Boomerang designed by Eric Darnell. This beautiful night shot was taken to show off the pretty oscillating pattern produced by the Scimitar's embedded LEDS. Hmm, I'm tempted to get crafty now.
You can read more about the science of boomerangs in the current issue of Popular Mechanics.
Posted by tranism at 8:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
August 28, 2007
A Cat, Moon, Convo, iPhone, Apartment, And Talking Bear
The end of August is near and I'm glad. If anything it means we're slowly approaching what I consider the best time of the year, the last 4 months. And so I wanted to examine what went on these past few weeks as we bring August to a close.
First we had the lunar eclipse on the 28th. I've seen eclipses before but have never photographed it. Since I have a brand new shiny SLR camera, I thought why not put it thru it's paces? About 40 shots later, I finally ended up with the right exposure and shutter speed. It's pretty but did I really just stay up til' 3 AM to photograph this? Interesting indeed.
Hit the jump to find out what else happened this month.
I mentioned a long time ago about my friend adopting a cat he named Sqeebles. He was just a few months old then and I'm happy to say Sqeebles is doing fine. In fact, he's over a year old now and loves fruit.
They say kids grow up fast. It's so true. I can remember it like yesterday when he was meowing in my hands. Now he just sleeps and purrs all the time. They say dogs have it best, I think cats do.
Seeing Sqeebles sort of rekindled a desire within me to get a kitten. But wait, I already have a dog and it's hard enough taking care of him. No, the kitten will have to wait. To get my mind off the kitten, I decided to pack. Yes I'm moving to a new apartment. After 3 months, I've finally settled on a place. My main criteria were hardwood flooring, central a/c, a balcony or deck, full bath, underground parking, and washer/dryer. I move in on the 1st and am so excited. You should also know every time I move, I throw out most of my furniture and start anew. In fact, the new couch I ordered arrived just last week and is now sitting in my new apartment. YAY!
So back to the packing. As I dusted off my DVD library, I came across a totally underrated movie, A.I. Who cares if it didn't turn out to be the masterpiece critics wanted between Kubrick and Spielberg. I was totally in it for the bear, also known as Super Teddy. At the time of the movie, you could run out to the toy store and buy a real Super Teddy. Sure he couldn't walk but press his tummy and the voice box is there. I run to my closet to find him and there he was, buried beneath layers of discarded boxes. A little dusty and crushed, but does he work? I pressed his tummy and he tells me, "I'm your friend". I undo the voice box inside and throw teddy into the wash.
Needless to say I never finished packing. I'm a huge procrastinator when it comes to big changes like that. But I work well under pressure and as Sept. 1 nears, I'll be ready. Of course when I procrastinate, it doesn't mean I'm doing nothing. I remain productive and on one particular day, I decide to chat it up with my good buddy Eric who tells me about a new business opportunity he's involved in. Some rich guy in the Hollywood Hills wants to buy a home there and have Eric take care of it. What's the catch I ask. This leads into a short blurb of our conversation. I am convinced the guy wants something more. Eric insists he's straight and accuses me of being a big Queen. Am I really?
Speaking of being productive. My friend Rui who just purchased an iPhone (that thing is sooo last month), texts me and raves about how cool it is. I told him to be careful with it since he has butterfingers. I suggested several different cases. He refuses to buy one since he feels it ruins the aesthetics of the phone. He also proclaims that the screen is next to impossible to scratch. I ask him how does he know? Did he drop it already? No, apparently he's put a razor blade to it. For what pray tell? The above picture explains.
A footnote to that last story, that's just flower. Rui isn't a drug addict. I don't befriend druggies. With that said, I'm exhausted. It's 3:40 AM. I think I'm gonna pull Super Teddy out, give him a good squeeze and turn in. Nite ya'll!
Posted by tranism at 3:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
August 17, 2007
We Be Upgradin'
Please be patient with us as we upgrade our back end. As you may have noticed, we've stripped away some features but fret not, there are some big plans in the works. Please email us if you encounter any glitches.
Team Electro^Plankton
Posted by tranism at 3:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
August 7, 2007
Cut-Outs Help Slow Down Traffic
Realistic, life-size cardboard cut-outs of children are being used in a Northern Ohio neighborhood to slow down speeding cars. It all started with one man and his prints of grandchildren for their grandparents but they appeared so real that they quickly thought of the idea to use them to slow down traffic.
The inventor is now selling these to various people, even police stations caught on the idea and are having life-size police men holding their lazer guns printed.
Simple yet a pretty cool idea, though this particular kid above looks pretty scary. Doesn't he remind you of the kid from "The Pet Cemetary"?
Posted by diverseawareness at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
July 20, 2007
Summer Activities, Be A Voyeur
HBOVoyeur is must see TV, except you're supposed to watch it online. The series revolves around one apartment building in which you, the voyeur watches all that happens from a cross section view. The website lets you zoom into an individual apartment or zoom out to see the whole story unfold. There's no dialogue, just music so it may be hard to figure out what's happening. Just keep watching and you'll understand. It's really addictive and I can't get enough. Especially when one tenant is confused about his missing lamp but you know the neighbor downstairs stole it. Ooh DRAMA!
via Josh Spear
Posted by tranism at 3:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
July 17, 2007
Human Brain Cloud
You know that associative word game? You know, where I say a word, then you say the first word that comes to mind, and so on, and so forth. Well imagine that on a large worldwide interweb scale. The Human Brain Cloud lets you see which words are more commonly associated with their parent words. Interesting to see how many of us think alike and a few of us don't. For example, how did somebody come up with "monkey" after seeing the word "spice"?
via Neatorama
Posted by tranism at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
July 5, 2007
I am (back)
Hi all, I just wanted to check in and let you guys know that I've finally gotten everything set up here in Stockholm, Sweden. I have landed a job with Foreign.se as an Art Director but I'm still on a hunt for a place to live. I was abroad for a long time but I have to say that I already feel at home here. I’m missing my dearest friends and separated family but it’s HELLA easier to keep in contact with 3.6Mbit mobile internet!
I wish my fellow bloggers and readers a great summer and I look forward to continuing to blog on here.
ps. I apologize to all contributors and people that have emailed me, I promise I will get back to you soon.
Best,
Plankton
Posted by diverseawareness at 1:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
June 28, 2007
150 Miles Above Earth
I get scared 18 steps up a ladder. That's about as extreme as I get when it comes to heights. For those who aren't pussies, how about 150 miles above the Earth?
A bunch of extreme sports enthusiasts scientists plan on attempting such a jump in 2009. They've designed a special suit capable of protecting their fragile bodies from the immense pressures and temperatures of space and I use that term loosely. 150 miles up is on the outer fringes of the upper atmosphere.
But before they make that jump, and that's an understatement, they're gonna try 120,000 feet first to see if it's possible. Hmm, smart cookies huh? The free fall could reach speeds of more than 2,500 mph. Now that's fast! Of course this isn't all for fun games. The scientists hope the suit can be used by astronauts as an escape route back to Earth. It may not be the first space dive but it's certainly the most stylish. Can I say GO GO POWER RANGERS!
via Gearfuse
Posted by tranism at 9:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
June 14, 2007
I'm A Total Blog Whore
Guess what? I write for 3 other blogs. I'm also the new Editor in Chief of Yanko Design, a blog I frequently reference for material. Nextlust is tech focused, Binary Joy is video game centric, and Yanko Design is everything design. Even tho I'm moonlighting, Electro^Plankton isn't going anywhere. I just want to thank you all for giving me the kind of exposure that enabled me to get these other blogging jobs. Thank you all for giving me a place to spread my own special brand of butter. Eww, that sounded gross.
Anyways, HUZZAH!
Posted by tranism at 9:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
May 21, 2007
Electro^Plankton Noob Darrel Stone
Everybody help me in welcoming the newest noob to Electro^Plankton, Darrel Stone. I've known him for about 2 years now back when he had his own blog. He would send me random stuff that eventually found its way here. Fast foward 2 years later, a big relocation move and some run-in with Sonic the Hedgehog, Darrel is ready to grace us with his unique view on all things worth knowing.
Posted by tranism at 12:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
May 19, 2007
Save The Music Design Contest
Pacific Design, a company known for colorful, functional iPod® cases and cutting edge laptop bags and the VH1 Save The Music Foundation have announced the VH1 Save The Music Case Collection Design Contest.
Beginning April 20, 2007 and running through June 20, 2007, contestants of all ages can enter by submitting their designs along with a brief biography and a few sentences about what VH1 Save The Music means to them. Designs must be 300 dpi in a jpeg or tiff format and scanned drawings will also be accepted.
Pacific Design will select five finalists and feature their designs on their website from July 1st - July 31st. During this time, customers and other visitors will vote on their favorite designs. Pacific Design will then tally the results and announce the winner.
Pacific Design will apply the winning design to six Pacific Design products to create the VH1 Save The Music Case Collection which will include the following products: Action II Messenger, Action Pro Backpack, Horizontal Universal Cell Phone Case, iPhone Case, iPod Nano Flip Case, and iPod Video Flip Case. The person with the winning design will also receive an Apple iPhone, Apple iPod nano, and a VH1 Gift Basket.
I know readers of this blog are quite the creative bunch so what are you waiting for? It's a chance to exercise your design chops and support a great organization.
Posted by tranism at 10:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
May 2, 2007
So Who Wants A Joost Invite?
If you want one, now is the time to beg ask. Sound off in the comments with your first, last name and email address. HURRY!
UPDATE 1: Plenty more to go around people so keep commenting!
UPDATE 2: People PLEASE follow instructions. I need your first and last name along with your email address.
UPDATE 3: Still plenty more invites to go around. See I like sharing! And just FYI, you need a Windows PC or Intel Mac to use Joost.
UPDATE 4: Hey people, I'm gonna have to close the invitations for now. The 62 people listed here will receive their invites tomorrow. For those that didn't get in on time, don't worry. I still have more but I just want to get this first group of invites out first before I open it up again. Stay tuned. For the rest of you who will get invites tomorrow, HAPPY JOOSTING FROM ELECTRO^PLANKTON!
UPDATE 5: I've sent all invites to everyone who was able to comment to this post. I believe there are about 63 - 64 of you. If you don't get it today, let me know and I'll fix it but that's ONLY if you were able to post here on time. For all others, stay tuned. I'll open up invites soon. I do have one invite reserved for regular reader A.J. Do you want one or not? Email me.
Posted by tranism at 3:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (62)
April 28, 2007
Live From Coachella Björk
It's night time and it's 'effin HOT here at Coachella, mostly because of all the people breathing around me. UGH! But my night is made better by Björk who performed some of her oldies and lots of new material off her upcoming album Volta. One of my fav performances was her encore of a song called "Independence".
This is the Björk I fell in love with; the hardcore electronica bass thumping screaming girl. The crowd was nuts and if they weren't nuts to begin with, they were by the time she reached the climax of this song. "Independence" sounds like old school Sugarcubes mixed with the B-52's. This ladies and gentlemen is techno. No wait, scratch that. This is Björk techno!
UPDATE: Many more videos from last night's performance. Hit the jump!
Posted by tranism at 6:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
April 27, 2007
Want A Free Trip To Hollywood?
Hey peeps, the 15 GIGS OF FEAR Contest is back, this time in support of the upcoming horror flick 28 Weeks Later. Just like the previous one, you create the scariest video mash-up and upload to Fox Atomic's site. If you win, you'll get an all expensed paid trip to Hollywood, tour the Fox Studio lot and be made into a bleeding, oozing, brain-hungry zombie just like in 28 Weeks Later.
All submissions must be entered by April 30th. Then it's up to the public to vote for which is their favorite. On May 11th a winner will be chosen from the top 20.
Posted by tranism at 5:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
April 23, 2007
Sexy Enough To Make Me Wanna Try Surfing
Plankton and I don't often agree on our idea's of fun. One activity he enjoys that I don't is surfing. I like water just fine (I'm a Cancer) but I never got into surfing. Maybe because surfing is more about being in a natural state - to be one with the water sort of speak. Technology has no place there so it never appealed to me. The Light Wave Surfboard may be the ticket to get me back in the water.
Designed for surfers who prefer to ride in the early mornings, the Light Wave Surfboard features headlights, rail lights and fin lights. The lights are activated by pressure sensitive dimmer switches and by tilting the nose up above the water to light the way. The entire system is powered by two replaceable batteries.
Meh, now that I've written this, my excitement has subsided. Maybe when they find a way to integrate wings so I can fly across the surface like a stingray.
via Cool Hunting
Posted by tranism at 3:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
April 13, 2007
I'm Joosting
I just want to thank the boys over at Fresh Creation for the Joost invite. Because of them, I am now enjoying Saturday morning cartoons right on my desktop.
For those not in the know;
"Joost is a new way of watching TV on the internet. With Joost you get all the things you love about TV, including high quality full screen pictures, hundreds of full length shows and easy channel flipping."
There's actually a ton of other things too like chatting with people watching the same programs. Anywho, once I start getting some invites to send, I'll let you faithful readers know.
Posted by tranism at 1:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)
March 30, 2007
Björk Tour 2007 Pre-Sale
She's finally doing it. Björk is embarking on an 18 month world tour in conjunction with the release of her upcoming album, Volta.
Pre-sale tickets for some U.S. venues went on sale yesterday and are all closed. Pay attention to THIS PAGE as more pre-sale tickets are announced.
I should totally organized a little party after the concert.
UPDATE: Looks like video leaks of her album are appearing all over the Internet. Could be a marketing ploy to promote Volta and her tour. Either way these video clips give you an idea of what Volta sounds like. Definitely worth watching.
Posted by tranism at 12:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
March 22, 2007
My Google is Pretty
My last twitter was "customizing my google page. It's purdy".
Not that it's the greatest invention since . . . Google search, but customizing the Google homepage to be yours is a nice departure from the blank white page we've all become accustomed to. All you need is a Google account, Gmail for example. Log in with you Gmail and then visit the Google homepage. You'll see a new button that says "customize". Click that and choose from the 6 themes available. You can also customize what type of information you want displayed on your homepage. I have news and weather on mine.
The cool thing is the themes change scenes based on your local time. It's daylight right now as I'm writing this so my theme is sunny and bright with 'ole foxy taking a row in the lake. Once the sun sets, he'll be fast asleep in his sleeping bag.
Pointless I know, but cute nonetheless.
Posted by tranism at 2:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
March 17, 2007
TMNT Contest, Enter Now!
Are you excited to see the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie? I know I am. I have fond memories running home from school to catch it on time. Obviously this pre-dates TiVO. This new movie only rekindles my love for the four brothers. In theaters on the 23rd, so close but still so far away. In the meantime, why not enter a contest to see if you can win some TMNT goodies?
My buddy Ben over at Binary Moon is holding a contest. Winner gets some tshirts, posters and other doo-dads. All you have to do is answer one simple question. Answer correctly and you get entered into a random drawing. All entries have to be in by the 21st so HURRY!
Posted by tranism at 1:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
March 15, 2007
Got Milk Board Game
Board games are so not dead. They're still fun with the right group of people. Just like any other game, it's all about content and this one is a doozy.
Get the Glass is an online board game where you play to help the milk-deprived Adachi family. The 5 worlds you navigate thru are breathtakingly beautiful in a miniature scale model type way. It won't be easy tho. You've got people hot on your tail. Do a good job and you'll "get the glass". But why would a family be so milk-deprived? Well, simply because it's all part of the Got Milk campaign. First cookies, then cows, now board games. LOVE IT!
via The Presurfer
Posted by tranism at 4:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Stay Organized, Tag It Up
My files are everywhere, despite my best efforts to keep them organized. It's just sometimes when I'm working, I can't be bothered to stop, organize and then continue working again. It just messes up workflow. One way to stay organized is by using tags.
I'm sure regular web surfers have seen, maybe even used them. Tags are keywords you assign to pictures, files, music, anything really. A well known example is Flickr's implementation of tags. For example, I've uploaded a picture of some friends playing Wii. I might tag the photo as friends, wii and video games. Now I can find that photo again and any other photos based on subject matter as opposed to trying to remember file names. Tags are also used on many web sites with the same results. People can find articles and even see which tags are most popular. So now comes the obvious, implementing tags into the desktop environment and that's where these 2 little apps shine. (Mac only)
First up is TagBot. You can tag anything by right-clicking the file and assigning a name. Any file is at you tagging whims; documents, pictures, music, contacts etc. The system is integrated into Spotlight so no need for external windows cluttering up your desktop. Just type in tag(s) and BAM, there they are. The app also has a small transparent window that lets you drag and drop files onto it, be it on already pre-existing tags or new ones. Double-clicking on any of the tags will bring up a window with all associated files. TagBot is Universal Binary and incredibly stable. Downside is it's $20.
For a free alternative, try Punakea. It does everything TagBot does with a few helpful additions. You can tag bookmarks and URL links. The interface resides in a sidebar window that slides out when you cursor over the edge of the screen. Just like TagBot you can drag and drop files, assign and create tags right in the sidebar. One additional feature is the ability to view all your tags in a cloud, which just lists them all out in a justified block of text. Each tag font size in that cloud is relative to how much content falls under its association. If a tag cloud isn't your style, you can use the sidebar or Spotlight. The downsides are no right-click contextual menus for quick tagging and it's beta software - supposedly can be unstable, but I've yet to encounter a crash or bug despite my robust use of it.
Both TagBot and Punakea have active communities that openly talk to users. I've found both to be incredible assets to my workflow and file management. It leaves me free to clutter up my desktop as I work and easily find what I need when I do have time to organize everything into proper folders.
Posted by tranism at 3:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
March 9, 2007
Calling All Movie Writers!
Have you got the next blockbuster movie idea just itchin' to be made? Well this is your chance. Enter the 15 gigs of fear contest over at Fox Atomic.
All you have to do is make a video mash-up using video clips from The Hills Have Eyes 2 movie, set to Chevelle's new single. That's it! It's easy to enter and the current crop of recent entries look good but I know some of you who read this blog can do better.
All entries need to be in by March 12th. Then public voting decides the top 20 finalists that go to horror master Wes Craven for final judging. The winner will be announced on March 23rd.
Grand prize is a trip to Hollywood to meet with Fox Atomic and pitch your movie idea! Of course some cold hard cash is good too so you'll definitely get some of that as well.
HURRY ENTER NOW!
Posted by tranism at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
March 4, 2007
OMG China Blocks Us!
China is touted as having the world's most sophisticated firewall in the world. I don't believe it's any more sophisticated than my Netgear router. Probably just looking for words like "anti" and "red" during meta tag searches. In any case, China thinks I'm some anti-communist parading as an ordinary blogger.
Well you know what? You've found me out. Kudos to you China. You've won, but it's too late. Soon I shall topple your government and take over. MUAH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
On a serious note, I'm not sure how accurate this site is since I see trackback URLS from China all the time. So somebody over there is reading.
Check to see if your web site is blocked
UPDATE: Some Chinese readers have pointed out this blog really is blocked, but some have found ways to circumvent the proxies. It seems China blocks anything with the suffix "ism" in it.
Posted by tranism at 7:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
February 25, 2007
Revision Revolt
The challenge: how would you intelligently power a city block in a sustainable manner? Think big idea. Think small environmental impact. Think about ways to make a difference in how we fuel our future. Re:Volt is your chance to flip a switch on the status quo on dirty energy. To use the sun, wind or even people in an inventive way. To make a positive impact on our environment. For the next three months, we're looking for your revolutionary plan. Wherever you are, whatever you do, you could be the one to empower the next ideas about power. Imagination is a force so think about it and enter the competition. The deadline is April 1st.
more info here
Posted by tranism at 9:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
February 16, 2007
Annual San Francisco Pillow Fight 2007
What did you do this Valentine's Day? Candies, flowers and romantic dinners at swanky restaurants are passe. The city of San Francisco chose to celebrate by holding its annual Pillow Fight at Justin Herman Plaza right in the thick of the city. This year, over 1000 people gathered and waited for the bull horn to sound off at which a frenzy of overstuffed pillows went amuck with feathers and laughter ringing thru downtown.
I've lived in Dallas, New York and Los Angeles, but San Francisco holds a special place in my heart. People there really do march to a different drum beat. For a major metropolitan area, it's amazingly dense with people who share a similar outlook on civics, the environment, love and life. I really do "heart" San Francisco. When I lived there, I remember seeing a huge billboard that summed up the city's attitude;
"Superficial? Not us!"
more pictures after the jump
all photos via laughing squid
flickr photos of this year's pillow fight
Posted by tranism at 12:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
February 7, 2007
Welcome Mac.Selectroclash!
Hey peeps, help me welcome the newest addition to electro^plankton - guest blogger Mac a.k.a mac.selectroclash. He's some whiz-kid that DJs, blogs, shops and just so happens to be gadget obsessed. In a nutshell, he fits in here perfectly. He'll be bringin' all the hot shiaazz by way of New York and I'm already fawning over him because he's from my original home state; the great state of Texas. Please don't hold that against us.
Make sure to check out his mixes - Sirius Satellite on OutQ Channel 106, Saturday nights!
Posted by tranism at 3:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
January 28, 2007
A Social Network You Might Like
I know I know what you're thinking. Do we really need another social network? If it's anything like CityPixel then yes, yes we do.
CityPixel exists as an internet city utilizing a very clever pixel-block art style. When you first sign up, you choose an apartment and slowly decorate it. Your avatar also represents your location within the city in real time. The other avatars are people that are logged in. Just like any other social network, you amass friends, send messages and share multimedia.
If you're willing to give another social network a try, sign up with PixelCity. It's loads of fun and best of all, free.
Posted by tranism at 10:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
December 10, 2006
Nintendo's Interactive Game Calendar
click the image to enlarge
Snowdriftland is an online flash game set-up to release each of its 24 stages on a specific day of the month. The game is really just a spot for Nintendo to bombard you with banner ads but the game is absolutely addicting, you won't even notice them.
You play as a snowman traveling thru a cloned Super Mario World collecting snowflakes (gold coins) while battling penguins, orcas, spiders and flying squirrels just to name a few. The mechanics are spot on and it proves once again, Nintendo is King of retro gaming. Aside from the excellent gameplay, the music is drugfully addicting. I found myself humming it while walking the dog.
What are you waiting for, go play it now!
Posted by tranism at 11:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
DIY Photo Blocks
I've been on this D.I.Y. kick lately. I'm finding it to be much more rewarding that my usual gift/receipt/neat packaging combo. There are a few people whom I have no idea what to get so they automatically get home-made gifts.
The Photo Block Kit by Photojojo is a perfect gift for that person. Each kit comes with eight 2 x 3 hardwood blocks (good enough for two sets), some special glue, foam brush and sealer. Grab a 4x 6 photo and follow the instructions to create a beautiful photo block. The sealer protects the photo and creates a beautiful finish. They can play around with arrangement and create a custom look in their home or office.
ENJOY!
Posted by tranism at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
December 5, 2006
DIY 3D Snowflake
I have this strange need to fold paper. I've been known to sit and fold scraps, post-it notes and tissue just for the heck of it. So I decided to up it a notch and look for something really challenging and I've found it.
WikiHow has instructions on how to fold your own 3D snowflake. All it takes is some paper, scissors, tape, stapler, patience, and little bit of talent. It took me a long time to make the first one but after that, I was able to almost mass produce them. I plan on getting some bigger sheets of paper to make a giant snowflake. The geometry is beautiful and definitely helped me get into the holiday spirit!
Posted by tranism at 2:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
November 24, 2006
We're Away
We're away for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend so look for new posts this coming Monday, the 27th.
EAT UP EVERYONE!
Posted by tranism at 12:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
November 14, 2006
Faster Than Any Condom
Not sure what category this would fall under so I filed it under "techness". And just for sh*ts and giggles, I also filed it under "activities".
This is for all those lazy ass people who still complain how condoms ruin by interrupting the heat of the moment. If 10 seconds is too long (my personal best) then perhaps a condom that takes less than 5 seconds to go from packaging onto your slim-jim is more to your suiting.
The Pronto condom is just like any other condom, made from latex and offers the same level of protection. The difference is in the packaging which is specially designed to act as an applicator. You simply snap the package in the middle and slide the pack downwards automatically unrolling the condom over your shaft in one fell swoop. Just check out this movie if you don't believe me.
The Pronto is currently for sale in South Africa only but the company assures worldwide patents have been secured and you should be able to find them at your local drug stores sometime early next year.
Cheers to safe sex!
Posted by tranism at 5:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Twilight Special
It's time to fire up your copy of Animals Crossing for the DS people. I know it's probably been months since you've visited your town but trust me, if it's anything like my town was, then you're way overdue.
Weeds have basically taken over. My yard looks like the 2 blocks east of USC (for those who live in Los Angeles, you know the reference). I must have spent 10 minutes trying to clean everything out and another 20 trying to soothe my neighbors whom were super mad about my neglect. LISTEN GUYS, I'm sorry I fupped up your property value!
Anyways, back to the hand at topic. The reason for my return to Wild World, and yours, is because Nintendo is planning on a special Zelda Twilight Princess gift for all those that sign on between the 17th - 24th of November. If you're an Animal Crossing vet, you KNOW how coveted any Zelda artifact is in that world.
By the way, Gay Gamer is my new favorite blog and their header caption explains it better than I can; "for boys who like boys who like joysticks!"
Cheers to that mates!
Posted by tranism at 5:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
November 6, 2006
Northern Lights
My friend Mattias recently sent me this amazing capture of the "Northen Lights" in Umea Sweden.
This atmospheric projection of light is the result of colliding particles that release their energy in the form of visible light. It's a fairly complex phenomena, but yet fairly common this time of the year.
Posted by diverseawareness at 9:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
October 30, 2006
Still Alive
Recovering from Vegas. Will post soon. . .
Posted by tranism at 8:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
September 3, 2006
Labor Day Weekend in Santa Barbara
So here I am in Santa Barbara, California. It's a nice city but totally not my steelo. I have never seen streets this clean. State street is insanely immaculate. The birds even look like they're hired trash moogers.
But anyways, I promised myself I wouldn't do any blogging but the city is blanketed in free wifi. It's 3 am and I'm not sleepy, so why not blog? Unfortunately I'm using a borrowed PC so I don't have access to my usual blogging utilities. So be nice if you notice weird formatting glitches.
UPDATED 09-03-06
It's almost 8 pm here and I'm tired. I just had a big ass dinner and now I feel sick because the ice cream I'm snogging down now isn't agreeing with me. Nonetheless I wanted to get in some blogging before I have to return this PC. It's been a nice trip, somewhat relaxing, A WHOLE LOT OF WALKING, but I finally tried to do something I normally resist - enjoying the small outdoors and nature's nature, although a bit suburbanized. However, next year I am sooo picking the destination. Anyways I hope plankton had a good weekend. I get back on the road tomorrow and probably along with everyone else traveling down the 101, will hit an insurmountable amount of traffic. Oh well, at least I'm not driving and I have my Nintendo DS with me.
more pictures after the jump
So our trip started like this. HELLA TRAFFIC. This is EXACTLY what I get for leaving at 6 pm, in the middle of rush hour. I was jealous of all the motorcycles that effortlessly bypassed everyone. A note for my next trip. Do no rent an American SUV. The seats are so hard and the A/C sucks!
Santa Barbara generally looks like this no matter where you go. Spanish mission type villas and courtyards surrounded by palms.
My friend and I stayed at the Eagle Inn. First place I've been where pets are okay. Charming isn't it?
For some reason I was drawn to this tree and as it turns out, it is special! The story is some little girl planted it many many years ago. It's now the largest and oldest tree in the city. It looks really eery at night tho, almost like a Tim Burton creation.
Took a boat ride and luckily Dolphins showed up. Perhaps it was because they heard the wailing cries of Bjork's singing from my mp3 player. I couldn't help but think of the smart ass dolphins in the Hitchhiker's Guide. Perhaps these fellas know when our inevitable doom will occur.
So I'm eating some clam chowder minding my business when this Pelican, or at least that's what I think he is, waddles up towards me. He looks hungry but I had no fish on hand.
The Santa Barbara courthouse is quite beautiful. It sorta reminded me of something you might find at Disneyland.
My friend and I somehow scored tickets to see the Foo Fighters. Although our seats SUCKED ASS HARD, the Fighters were good - a totally acoustic set. I enjoyed them, and my hot dog on a stick too.
Posted by tranism at 2:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
August 17, 2006
Origami While You Bus
Other than listening to your iPod, looking out the window, pretending not to stare at other riders; you can now use that 'oh so useless' bus transfer and make some origami.
REZ DESIGN slapped on stickers across Liverpool buses to give riders something constructive to do. Why not make an origami french fries holder? Hey, you never know when you need something like that. The design is water tight too. I bet if some of the Survivor contestants knew how to make it, they would have had a hell-of-an easier time transporting fresh water.
Posted by tranism at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
July 26, 2006
Reef Surf Tent
I've traveled to Costa Rica 3 times the last 4 years to surf and I know this would be perfect for my next trip. No more cockroach infested hostel's, just me and my tent right on the beach.
LifeStyleDesign has created the Reef Surf Tent. The tent takes architectural inspiration from the gaping mouth of a whale and provides the aesthetic appeal of second skin clothing. It comes in two parts: an inflatable sleep pod (no rods) and an adjustable canopy (with rods) - both of which pack snugly into what doubles as an ice chest.
another picture after the jump.
Posted by diverseawareness at 10:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
June 20, 2006
Bored With World Cup? How About RoboCup?
While the rest of the world tunes in on the World Cup semi-finals, there was another football battle in Bremen Germany called the RoboCup, represented by 24 Universities from over a dozen countries. The four-legged tournament is the one I'm most interested in since it's football (soccer for you Americans) played by the beloved Aibo. But these aren't the domesticated variety you get at your local Sony Style shop. These Aibos are hardcore athletes with their tails and ears copped off, and team numbers painted on the sides of their faces like war-paint.
The challenge for competitors is to design software that can allow each of the four competitors on a team to communicate, strategize, out-manoeuvre, defend, and score against the opposing team. It's no small feat since each team's success is directly motivated by how well their human coaches have "trained" them.
There are 24 teams and all of them play completely independent of human control. These dogs have to think for themselves and that's where the best minds from the world's top universities come in. This is more than just about Aibos. It's about which school has the programming and engineering prowess - and victory means heavy bragging rights.
Befittingly, team Germany came out on top with their Aibos opening a can of whoop ass on the Chinese, Japanese, American, and Dutch teams (their biggest competitors).
Lets visit some key moments. (above image - Germany and Japan scrap over the ball)
more pictures after the jump
Trainers and coaches giving their Aibos the much needed pep-talk before a game
German keeper blocks the ball as teammate looks on just in case
Japan goes for the goal and launches the ball
Japan and Germany - man, the playing field can get mighty hectic!
Aibo receiving a little tune-up before a game
Japan desparetly tries to control the ball
Posted by tranism at 1:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
June 15, 2006
Bossaball - All In The Air
This is Bossaball - a mix of volleyball, football, gymnastics and capoeira. The court is a combination of inflatables and trampolines making it easy to get good hang time to spike the ball in ways normally impossible.
This just looks like a whole lot of fun to me and I would love to try it.
more photos after the jump
Posted by diverseawareness at 1:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
May 15, 2006
Joga Bonito
With less then a month left until kick off in the 2006 world cup, it's the perfect time to be reminded why soccer is the greatest sport in the world.
Through narration by Eric Cantona, Nike's Joga Bonita is meant to remind the world of how the game is suppose to be played and what better way to demonstrate it then letting the Brazilian team show the way.
watch the clip
Posted by diverseawareness at 10:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
April 17, 2006
Sander K is a Pioneer
This Saturday it was once again Sander Kleinenberg's turn to master the turn tables on the main floor at Avalon on Vine Street in Hollywood. It had been roughly a year since he last appeared at this venue and I could sense the excitement in the air as I slowed down while passing the line that stretched far down the block.
For all of you that have yet to visit this club this means a lengthy line! The parking around the club starts out at $35 dollars flat rate for a parking space and as you drive further down Vine street the parking gets cheaper. As we approach the restless crowd of people waiting to enter the club we called our friend Eric that works on the inside and literally 2 minutes later we merged our way through a already sweaty lobby dance floor straight into the VIP section which overlooks the main dance floor.
The opening set was taken care of by Trent Cantrelle who is originally from New Orleans where he for several years was a resident DJ for big promoter Donnie "Disco" Estopinal. Trent set was Tech-house with many fun progressive turns that kept the floor inhabitants moving , definitely a perfect warm up for what was coming up.
The time passed, last call for alcohol and the eagerness for Sander was at its peak when he finally emerged out of the darkness and started flipping through his large cd case. The giant LCD screens displayed on each side of the podium lit up and now "Everybody" knew it was time. The words, "LOVE" "EVERYTHING" "ERASER" started rolling up and down the large screens and as he kicked off his first beat the club went absolutely berserk. It was beautiful.
For some reason I can't remember many of the new mixes he played but some of the highlights were; Bodyrox - Yeah Yeah (D Ramirez Mix), Mylo - Muscle Car (Sander Kleinenberg 'Pace Car' Mix). Something noticeable was the frequent sound of "Electro" that now is almost as predominent as everything else that influences his original sound. As a whole the set was just as good as I expected and overall I believe that most people there would agree on Sander being a Pioneer DJ. I've seen his DVDJ set develop over the years and I think its safe to say that he is alone at the top being the only DJ that successfully brings his sets across both visually and through his music.
Unfortunately before the set reached its end I had to get going but I left the scene smiling knowing I will be back next time for some more.
Posted by diverseawareness at 1:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
April 2, 2006
Howl's Papercraft
Yes make a scale model of Howl's Moving Castle from the Miyazaki masterpiece Howl's Moving Castle.
This papercraft proj