Packaging

Really nice package design for the Japanese INQ mobile phone.

I'd have a hard time tossing this in the recycling box.

Big Reveal

I watched the trailer for the new film, "Big Fan" - with the sound off - and the entire plot of the movie was still obvious.

This happens far too often with movie trailers. Don't tell me the story, just make me curious enough to want the story.

Widescreen

If you're not a fan of watching letterbox formatted movies, please watch this video. Various directors explaining why fullscreen is WRONG.

via Kottke

End of Summer

Four good things related to the approaching autumn.

1. Planned screening of "Mad Men" Season 2
2. Planned screening of "The Rockford Files" Season 1
3. New David Sylvian album Sept. 14th
4. Sitting on the Port Dalhousie pier on a warm October day (hoping).

Burning Man

The lineup of funded art installations at this year's Burning Man.

I'd absolutely love to attend Burning Man someday, but I'm not sure it's the place for an introvert like me.

Teenage Head

Oh, the good old days. Here's a really well recorded live clip of Teenage Head perfoming "Infected" and "Teenage Beer Drinking Party". Man, this brings back memories.

Where was this shot?

Warning: Gathering Juggalos

What a fascinating sub-culture - white trash meets goth meets hip hop meets mall rat meets...whatever. Ladies and gents, The Juggalos.

It's like a Jerry Springer alumni reunion.

Frank, Got the New Wiseblood ep?

I'll be damned. The long departed, best record store ever (which I've mentioned here before), Poptones - has a new official website. You can even buy merch.

Personal Effects

"Personal Effects" is an interesting new novel by J.C. Hutchins that comes with additional material belonging to the characters (business cards, photos and other documents) in a pouch attached to the book's cover. There are also accompanying phone numbers and websites that provide more detail for the story.

Explains Hutchins, "The intent of this is to make the reader more than just a passive ingester of the entertainment, but to become an active participant in the story." Read more at npr.org.

Is it just me or does the photo of Martin Grace on his NY State ID card look amazingly like Rahm Emanuel?

New Zealand

Gorgeous landscape video montage of New Zealand. Seriously, it's awesome.

Mill Down

A story that kinda resonates with me - the slow death of a small town paper mill. I spent 14 years working in paper mills (9 of them in a place very similar to this one) and I can understand the sad hope of this mill's manager.

The accompanying photos look all too familiar to me.

Woodstock

NY Times readers' photos from Woodstock.

I thought this one was interesting - a message board (an actual board) where people posted messages for friends. No cell phones back then, just peace and love. And mud.

Grocery Store Signage

This made me realize how dull, generic and uninspiring the Zehrs shopping experience is.

Lionfish in the Bahamas

An interesting story from NPR - In 1992, Hurricane Andrew smashed an aquarium tank in Florida. About a half-dozen spiny, venomous lionfish washed into the Atlantic Ocean, spawning an invasion that could kill off local industry along with the native fish. Full report here.

Seinfeld

The ultimate infographic for Seinfeld geeks (I'm one) - a flowchart mapping every secondary character and their connections to Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer.

Wow

If you click here - you'll see something truly beautiful.