Every bunny was Kung Fu fighting!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Alma
I'm always on the lookout for special short films... I love them, especially little animations. So when I came upon "Alma" by Rodrigo Blaas, I thought I'd share this cautionary tale that isn't quite what it first appears to be...
Alma from Rodrigo Blaas on Vimeo
Alma from Rodrigo Blaas on Vimeo
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Rolling Sculptures
Some cars are so beautifully designed and exquisitely engineered that they transcend mere transportation to become works of art. They are rolling sculptures. The High Museum of Art in Atlanta is hosting an exhibition to celebrate automotive design, and it has gathered a very impressive assortment of cars.
The Allure of the Automobile, which runs through June 20, features 18 vehicles created in what could be called the golden age of design, from the early 1930s through the early 1960s. Here are a few...
The Allure of the Automobile, which runs through June 20, features 18 vehicles created in what could be called the golden age of design, from the early 1930s through the early 1960s. Here are a few...
1938 Alfa Romeo 8C2900B Touring Berlinetta. Phil Hill, America’s first world champion driver, said of this car, “If that doesn’t get your heart racing, then you don’t have any blood in you.” The Touring Berlinetta exudes strength and refinement and finely shaped design that is hard to equal, let alone surpass.
1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato. An Italian body with a British heart. Sleek, yet muscular; refined, yet designed for the track. Though the design looks simple at first, the longer you look at it, the more you see. Like all good art.
The 1959 Chevrolet Corvette “Bill Mitchell” Stingray prototype is a show car that made it, more or less, into production when the second-generation Corvette rolled out in 1963. Mitchell replaced the legendary Harley Earl as GM’s vp for styling in 1958, and he traded Earl’s bulbous styling for sculpted designs. This car blends the classic lines of European sportscars with the futuristic cues popular among American automakers in the 1950s to create a car that still looks fresh.
Pick just about any Ferrari from the 1950s and ’60s and it’s a stunner. And the 250 SWB (for short wheelbase) Berlinetta is one of the prettiest. The car (this one is a 1961 model) is among the most important GT race cars ever and one of the most beautiful. Styling is often secondary to function in auto racing, but the 250 SWB is an example of form and function coming together in harmony.
This is the 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster. It was Mercedes’ flagship vehicle, and no expense was spared. It perfectly represents the art deco styling of its era, and with a supercharged engine (the “K” stands for “kompressor”), it was as powerful as it was sleek. Even a car as old as a 1937 Mercedes can look thoroughly fresh if it’s designed right, and everything about this car was done right.
This little brute is the 1953 Porsche 550 Le Mans/La Carrera Panamerica Coupe, and it has a very impressive racing history. It also has very impressive styling. Although many automakers design cars to look streamlined, the 550 coupe is streamlined. It was designed with an eye toward maximum aerodynamic efficiency. It’s another example of form and function coming together beautifully in a timeless design that can be seen today in the Cayman and Boxster.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
A Dead Fly is a Useful Fly
Dead Fly Art
I think this just might take the cake or at least a big piece
of it. :)
I think this just might take the cake or at least a big piece
of it. :)
Find more DFA here.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Lightbulb Terrarium
A sweet and clever way to make your space happy by adding a unique, smile worthy element to your surroundings...
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Tea Time
Cigarette Tea Bags
Cigarettea are creative tea bags that look just like real cigarettes.
Ineeka Tea Bags
Cool tea bags that have paper arms on the sides that fold out in order to make them into a single-use filter.
tPod Tea Bags
Small paper boats attached to tea bags by Elisabeth Soós.
Tea Forté
Tall polyhedral infuser tea packs by Peter Hewitt, each with a disarmingly natural-looking leaf/sprout tag.
Tea Stick
Cool tea bags designed for people who do not make their tea in a kitchen: gardeners, builders and campers.
T Bag
Example of literal design applied to a tea bag by Felix Reinki.
Tea To Go Sticks
Tea bags are attached inside of the tea stick so there is no need to use the spoon for stirring.
Maum Tea Bags
Cool tea bag designs look like people with different personalities.
Tea Stick Stirrer
Designed by Lee Yun Qin, tea sticks can also act as a stirrer, allowing the user to enjoy the tea through stirring it easily.
Lighting Tea Bag
Cool lighting concept by Wonsik Chae imitates the form of a tea bag.
Hanger Tea
Creative tea bags by Soon Mo Kang are shaped like T-shirts with a hanger that hangs on the tea cup.
Herbal Tea Bags
Clever tea bags designed to associate tea with a healthy lifestyle.
Origami Tea Bags
Creative tea bags designed by Natalia Ponomareva from Russia.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
2-2 Tango
There is a school of thought that a good relationship is an easy relationship. Personally, I think relationships are trying no matter what.
Fighting with a loved one sucks so much. The hurts hurt more leaving us not knowing which end is up. Most of us don't fight fairly. We yell... we may name call... we curse... we talk over one another... we exhibit little self-control as constructive communication goes out the window. Or... we shutdown and retreat within ourselves erecting the formidable brick wall that cannot be breached... burying our most tender of feelings deep and out of harms way. Even if we keep our heads about us, we usually hear what we want to hear which is often not what was intended... We often hear only criticism and blame.
It's human nature to not let blame ride upon our shoulders. We go to great lengths to shrug off blame, to excuse it away and to deny it. To ease our own burden, we will go so far as to blame each other and to blame circumstance for our shortcomings and wrong doings. It takes maturity and a higher-order of thinking to see with clarity where we go wrong; to admit failings and apologize for them. It takes great strength of character to rectify wrongs and prevent them from reoccurring. Saying we're sorry and meaning it, matters. A neglected, heartfelt apology for a wound inflicted is sure to leave a scar.
Some of us will do anything to avoid the reality of our own misconduct. Sometimes we do so out of pure stubbornness. When faced with the possibility of being wrong, it's difficult to give-in and put our own needs aside for the sake of another. It's human to fight against the threat of being taken for a doormat. We will battle to defend ourselves because not to means risking real vulnerability and appearing like a weakling. It takes a lot to acknowledge and live with the things we do wrong, and the hurts we inflict. It can be almost impossible to regain peace within ourselves after realizing our greatest faults and flaws... and so, we rebel to avoid coming to terms with ourselves.
It's a wonder any of us ever get along and retain relationships for as long as we do. It takes more than compromise. Successful relationships require selflessness, patience, tolerance and an abundance of unconditional love. I think a sure sign of true love is being able to faithfully put our partner first; to nurture them and protect them, and to possess unlimited understanding and care... to demonstrate through our actions and words that we are their biggest fans, even if at times it comes at a cost to ourselves. Sounds like I'm depicting a Saint... I wonder how many of us can actually be this gracious and urbane. I wonder how many of us won't give unless given to. I suppose the answer is reflected in the divorce rate.
Truth be told, in order to balance the relationship scale, there must be a good measure of reciprocation in all things. To survive as a couple there needs to be some sense of equality... some sense of equal footing. The foundation of a good relationship shouldn't be built upon what our partner can do for us. It's selfish to base our feelings upon what we stand to gain from our partner. We cannot succeed in a lasting, loving relationship unless we truly like one another and believe in each other minus the trappings. A love like this is born of "mutual" respect and admiration at all times, regardless of being in agreement or not. There must be a genuine desire to be part of our partner's life based upon a sincere; no strings attached interest in them as a human being.
Most importantly, a relationship cannot survive and flourish without mutual trust ... trust that we can go to our loved one with anything and they will listen and be receptive without judgment because they want to, not because they are expected to... trust that they will not put their agenda first every time when faced with our time of need... trust that their preconceived notions will not deafen them... trust that our feelings will be taken care of... trust that they will be true... trust that they will not abandon us when times are hard... trust that they have our best interests at heart and that their actions will reflect that they genuinely do whether they are by our side or not.
Perhaps what I describe is a fairy tale...
Fighting with a loved one sucks so much. The hurts hurt more leaving us not knowing which end is up. Most of us don't fight fairly. We yell... we may name call... we curse... we talk over one another... we exhibit little self-control as constructive communication goes out the window. Or... we shutdown and retreat within ourselves erecting the formidable brick wall that cannot be breached... burying our most tender of feelings deep and out of harms way. Even if we keep our heads about us, we usually hear what we want to hear which is often not what was intended... We often hear only criticism and blame.
It's human nature to not let blame ride upon our shoulders. We go to great lengths to shrug off blame, to excuse it away and to deny it. To ease our own burden, we will go so far as to blame each other and to blame circumstance for our shortcomings and wrong doings. It takes maturity and a higher-order of thinking to see with clarity where we go wrong; to admit failings and apologize for them. It takes great strength of character to rectify wrongs and prevent them from reoccurring. Saying we're sorry and meaning it, matters. A neglected, heartfelt apology for a wound inflicted is sure to leave a scar.
Some of us will do anything to avoid the reality of our own misconduct. Sometimes we do so out of pure stubbornness. When faced with the possibility of being wrong, it's difficult to give-in and put our own needs aside for the sake of another. It's human to fight against the threat of being taken for a doormat. We will battle to defend ourselves because not to means risking real vulnerability and appearing like a weakling. It takes a lot to acknowledge and live with the things we do wrong, and the hurts we inflict. It can be almost impossible to regain peace within ourselves after realizing our greatest faults and flaws... and so, we rebel to avoid coming to terms with ourselves.
It's a wonder any of us ever get along and retain relationships for as long as we do. It takes more than compromise. Successful relationships require selflessness, patience, tolerance and an abundance of unconditional love. I think a sure sign of true love is being able to faithfully put our partner first; to nurture them and protect them, and to possess unlimited understanding and care... to demonstrate through our actions and words that we are their biggest fans, even if at times it comes at a cost to ourselves. Sounds like I'm depicting a Saint... I wonder how many of us can actually be this gracious and urbane. I wonder how many of us won't give unless given to. I suppose the answer is reflected in the divorce rate.
Truth be told, in order to balance the relationship scale, there must be a good measure of reciprocation in all things. To survive as a couple there needs to be some sense of equality... some sense of equal footing. The foundation of a good relationship shouldn't be built upon what our partner can do for us. It's selfish to base our feelings upon what we stand to gain from our partner. We cannot succeed in a lasting, loving relationship unless we truly like one another and believe in each other minus the trappings. A love like this is born of "mutual" respect and admiration at all times, regardless of being in agreement or not. There must be a genuine desire to be part of our partner's life based upon a sincere; no strings attached interest in them as a human being.
Most importantly, a relationship cannot survive and flourish without mutual trust ... trust that we can go to our loved one with anything and they will listen and be receptive without judgment because they want to, not because they are expected to... trust that they will not put their agenda first every time when faced with our time of need... trust that their preconceived notions will not deafen them... trust that our feelings will be taken care of... trust that they will be true... trust that they will not abandon us when times are hard... trust that they have our best interests at heart and that their actions will reflect that they genuinely do whether they are by our side or not.
Perhaps what I describe is a fairy tale...
Albert Einstein said, "If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales."
... All I know is "happily ever after" isn't easy to come by.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Nolan's Cheddar
Check out Nolan's Cheddar ...a short animatronic film with a twist, two months in the making, by John Nolan.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
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