Some Current Favorites

the United against minorities States of America

Just thinking out loud: From the beginning of the United States of America, there has always been some type of bigotry upon which the majority use to proclaim their beliefs. Will this ever end? Who's next?

OWL: Hitachino Nest Beer

Booka Shade @ Beta

Booka Shade @ Beta
Originally uploaded by praank

Ms. Nina Flowers

Ms. Nina Flowers
Originally uploaded by praank

OWL: Twitter's Suspended Page

I stumbled across a cute little owl today over on Twitter's Suspended Account Page.

Procreation vs. Abomination

As I was reading this article (and it's derailed discussion on procreation vs. 'abomination') I got to thinking: If those crazy gung-ho religious types are only having sex to procreate, then that might explain the root of some of their nastiness. The rest of us are 'doing it' for other reasons (fun, pleasure, a deeper connection, whatever) seem to be able to have a debate without getting overly emotional, or worked up. The crazy gay-hating evangelicals just need to get laid.*

Another argument brought up in the comments was about procreation and marriage. A lot of the religious types making a case that a family consists of a man, a woman, and their kids. So by their logic, marriage can only be between a man and a woman for the sole purpose of having kids. But what happens if a couple gets married and is unable to have kids due to, say, infertility? Will their marriage be revoked?

I guess I just don't see any merit in the procreation argument. In an already over populated world, struggling to support all of the people we've already got, how necessary is procreation? To religion, it is very necessary. Any organization's number one goal is to continue on-- to survive. The act of being born in, and raised under a religion (brainwashing, in my opinion) is a very effective way of keeping their beliefs alive, for some people will never know anything different. After thousands and thousands of years of these "my beliefs are better than yours" rationales are distilled down further and further, conflicts like gay marriage (among other things) seem almost inevitable.

It really amuses/disturbs me that the article was merely about a proposed bill giving the same-sex partners of state employees health benefits, and the discussion boils down to (as it inevitably does) God's so-called opinion on the gays. It seems people in organized religion** have a knack for pushing their beliefs on others. In a country where church and state should be separate, I'm having troubles understanding how they always end up in the same sentence.

*OK, I know this argument is ridiculous and impossible, because we all know that even bible-thumpers have sex more than to procreate, but I feel that this fact alone refutes the whole procreation argument altogether.

**Organized Religion is a whole separate post, for another day.

Stylizing Government

If you are following Obama, and his Economic Stimulus Package, then you might have noticed a new emblem on Recovery.gov. I am really loving how he is incorporating technology and design into our government, and I hope that after his term, some of these innovations stick.

If you know me, you know that I am a huge design buff, and also quite the nerd, too (although I prefer the term Stealth Geek, but that is another story), because I feel like both technology and design will change the world. So now you know how excited I am to see these tools used together in a context to, well, change the way we view government.

If you haven't already checked out Recovery.gov, do it now. This is our government's attempt to be honest, and a way for us to hold our leaders accountable. Compare this to the (lack of) information we received from the Bush administration over the last eight years, and you will see the incredible differences. And what better way to make this information available than through the internet? Unfiltered by the media, straight from the source.

Technology makes this information accessible, but design makes all of this information, which would otherwise be dry and boring, inviting and easier to interpret. I especially like the nice infographics on Recovery.gov that do a great job at illustrating these gigantic numbers and amounts of money that, to me, are very difficult to comprehend.

I am loving the design of this new emblem representing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which will ultimately help people identify the projects where billions and billions of our tax dollars are being spent. Of course it includes the symbolic colors red, white, and blue. But the emblem also includes another important color to the agenda: green, addressing the administration's commitment to the environment. Maybe I am reading too much into this, but I like how the blue field unites the bottom two quadrants together as a type of umbrella, which to me, means we're all going to have to work together to fix this problem. I also just love the simplicity of the cross symbol, which is universally known for first aid.

I also just wanted to quickly mention the other logo that was announced today, TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery), not just because it's a cute acronym, but it's an even cuter logo. It manages to remind me of a tiger, as well as a construction zone sign. Nice. (I tried looking for a better version of this logo, and just couldn't find one, sorry!)

And just as a side note, just imagine how scary/fun it would be to design something so historic, symbolic, and in the public eye!

Theremin Lust

I am in love with the sound of this instrument, especially when there is just a little vibrato added.  I really want to try and learn how to play one of these!  To play, there are two antennas, the vertical controls the pitch, and the horizontal changes the volume.  You don't touch the instrument at all.  It is the same principle as getting better TV reception when you stand close to the antenna.  This is Clara Rockmore, she was one of the first to use the theremin for music, and not just eerie sound effects.  She's got plenty of videos posted on Youtube if you want to further check her out!

And now, just to show you the versatility of this instrument, a song that's a little more familiar.  This guy uses a theremin along with Ableton Live, a drum kit, and a piano:

weeo weeeeeeoooooooooo

Ron English "Abrahama" Interview

Has anyone seen the large mural with Abraham Lincoln's head with Barack Obama's face on it, over behind the dog park near Boren & Pine?  Here is a short interview with the artist who created it:

it's actually called Re-bar

it's actually called Re-bar
Originally uploaded by praank

barbar or rebar? redundant

barbar or rebar? redundant
Originally uploaded by praank

sexy Grandma

sexy Grandma
Originally uploaded by praank

Cornify

I wasn't having a very good day today, chalk it up to clients that don't have a single clue of what they are doing. Two things salvaged my otherwise shitty day:

1. Layer Tennis had it's opening day today. I remember back in the day (circa 2003) I was all about Photoshop Tennis, playing against other designers across the world. We all met up in a graphic design forum that I used to frequent quite regularly. The idea is one person makes a composition, saves it, and sends the file to his opponent. The opponent then can use anything in the file, or add to it, to create a 'volley' and it goes back and forth.

2. (just click it, and understand my joy)

A few side notes, not necessarily worthy of separate posts: it is official that I am moving to Colorado at the end of the month... I am very excited to be moving, even though I do love Seattle. Between a gut instinct I have, and a tarot reading, I think this big change is going to be exactly what I need to get started on my career. The cherry on top is that Booka Shade is going to be performing in Denver in March. For those that don't know, Booka Shade is my all time favorite electronica group, and I've been patiently waiting to see them live for quite some time! Can't wait! They are performing at the Beta Lounge which, I believe is owned and operated by the same people as Beatport. Looking at their lineup, they pull pretty significant headliners every Thursday, Friday & Saturday, and I've also heard that the sound quality of their system is top notch. I have a feeling I am going to be spending a lot of time there.

Also: HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYAN!

[you need to post on your blog more!!!!!! ;)]

DUH... Cash4Gold is a scam

Maybe Cash4Gold's much talked about Superbowl Ad wasn't such a great idea... The internet is now swarming with stories about how people are getting ripped off, and paid only a third of what their gold was really worth. Two things strike me as peculiarly strange about all of this, and they both include a lack of common sense: 1)Why would anyone trust this company to appraise your valuables without a second opinion? 2)Who at Cash4Gold thought that a Superbowl ad, increasing visibility of this scam, would benefit the company? The more people get ripped off, the more word spreads. You think this can't get any better? A former employee of Cash4Gold has written a fairly detailed rundown of the scam, which has been reposted on a popular consumer-watch website, Consumerist... this is getting too good. And this is why I love infomercials!

via Good, and the rest of the internet.

PLUS more from silly TV scams, does anyone remember those Extenze commercials? Total scam. I'm not sure which is funnier, the fact that it obviously looks like a scam and people still buy the product, or the fact that people are willing to admit they needed a product like this.

via JoeMyGod.

Perez Hiltion has "The Clap"

This is borderline ridiculous, but I LOLed a couple of times! This video is from Another Gay Movie: Gays Gone Wild! I'm going to have to check it out, looks hillarious! Who can forget the original, Another Gay Movie from 2006!?

Superbowl Logos: Past, Present & Future

The Superbowl isn't just about football. It also marks a very important day in Advertising & Marketing strategies. I always get excited about sporting event logos and advertisements because it offers a great snapshot into current design trends. These logos and advertisements are targeted at a huge demographic--the majority of the US population that is watching this game. The New York times ran a great article about the history of the Superbowl logos. I just wanted to show the progression of the logo over the last 43 years (go here for a nice collection of all Superbowl logos of years past):

This year's logo (XLIII) has gotten some harsh criticism, but I don't think it is that bad. I personally enjoy some of the simplicity in this year's logo, even though I do agree with some remarks that the logo looks to be inspired by the Bank of America logo. The last exciting part about the Superbowl (logo wise) is that they announce the next logo, a year in advance:

I'm really digging this new design for the 2010 Superbowl in Miami. It sure beats the "shield" design motif that has been (over)used for the past 25 years. I also think the perspective lines make this logo pop more than in the past. What are your thoughts?

Hmmmm... now I want some chips, guacamole, and a beer!

A Chart about Charts!!!

Can my obsession with charts, maps, diagrams, etc. get any better than this??  Check this out, it's a periodic table of visualization methods; basically, shows all of the different ways data can be visually represented.  Some of my favorite formats would be: Da - Data Map, Tp - Treemap, Sa - Sankey Diagram, Sn - Synergy Map, Pr - Parameter Ruler, Mm - Metro Map, and nothing beats a classic Pi - Pie Chart!

thanks: Coudal

HISTORY

HISTORY
Originally uploaded by praank

Shepard Fairey on His Iconic Obama Illustration

You might know Shepard Fairey through his OBEY campaign, and aside from being an incredible graphic designer & artist, he is a DJ too. And no doubt by now you have definitely seen his iconic Obama illustration (above). I just love how a very influential designer helped spread Obama's campaign across the world to a very specific audience. Fairey's illustration of Obama will be hanging in the U.S. National Portrait Gallery tomorrow as Obama gets sworn in tomorrow.

In this clip, the LA Times interviews Shepard Fairey, and he discusses this project, and his role as an artist in this election.


thanks: Wooster

OMG WAOOOOOOW!

OMG WAOOOOOOW!
Originally uploaded by praank

Ritz "Open For Fun"

Ritz crackers just recently received a face-lift, and I think it's too pretty to pass up! I love it when an advertisement catches my eye, I mean, we are subjected to advertisements all day, so it feels nice to enjoy them every once in a while! This campaign, called "Open For Fun," stresses fun over function. A cracker being especially fun is kind of a long-shot if you ask me (although my inner fat girl, Jimica begs to differ), I still love the Ritz cracker shape as a graphic element, and the isometric box. Here is my favorite tv ad out of the campaign so far:



I made a playlist of the other spots on youtube. There are also some clever ads all over the net; from the ads I've seen, they are stylish, funny, and simple. Since this campaign is brand new, Jan. 1st 2009, there is going to be a lot more from the campaign over the next year or so! If you still want to know more, I found this New York Times article. I tried finding the campaign on Euro RSCG, the designer's, portfolio but no luck.

stuck in my head: Rods and Cones

Blue Man Group - Rods and Cones

It's funny that Pandora played this for me the other day, because I remember how much I loved it back in 1999 when Blue Man Group released their first album, Audio.  I had nearly forgotten (nearly, but I really liked 'I Feel Love' in 2004) about BMG, but thanks to Pandora, this song has been stuck in my head.  I know I have their CD stashed away somewhere back home, I'll have to pull it out and dust it off.

This clip is from a live show, so the song is a little different than what is on the album, but you still get the picture (and some knowledge of how the eye works!) plus, it shows you how cool their live shows are!

The Happy Little Handsaw

I just love vintage children's books.  The illustrations seem to be so stylized and fun, and the stories reflect their time.  Here is one of my favorites, about a unHappy Little Handsaw, who just can't quite fit in...  These spreads are just some of my favorite illustrations from the book, read the whole story here.

The Happy Little Handsaw

illustrated by Milli Eaton

written by Robert E. Mahaffay

copyright 1955

I especially like the woodgrain, all of the lumberjack's shirts, the happy little creatures, and all of the different types of saws.

read the whole story here

found via Golden Gems