Don Hertzfeldt

Hertzfeldt's films often feature hand-drawn stick figures acting out dadaist combinations of slapstick, absurd, and black humor along with heavier existential themes. I like to think of him as Kubrick incarnate with some seriously simple pen skills. He uses 16mm or 35mm film cameras to create his animations without the aid of computers and often employs old-timey special effect techniques such as multiple exposures, in-camera mattes, and experimental photography (seen to large effect in The Meaning of Life, and "Everything Will Be OK"). This lends a more organic feel to his works, most evident in occasional stop-motion animation sequences (as in the Intermission in the Third Dimension trilogy), as well as in the use of the celluloid and drawing mediums themselves as part of the visuals (as in Rejected and Genre).

Hertzfeldt has photographed all his films to date on an antique 35mm Richardson animation camera stand, believed to be the same camera that photographed many of the early Peanuts cartoons in the 1960's and 70's. It is reportedly one of the last remaining functioning cameras of its kind left in America (if not the world), but Hertzfeldt finds it to be a crucial element in the creation of his films and their unique effects. *
Rejected

Rejected was nominated for a 2001 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. It received 27 awards from film festivals around the world and in 2004 was ranked by the Internet Movie Database as the 3rd best short film of all time.

Although the film is fictional and Hertzfeldt never did any commercial work, he received many offers to do television commercials after his short Billy's Balloon garnered international attention and acclaim. In public appearances, he often tells the story that he always wished he could just make a cheap, nonsensical commercial to give to the company intending to hire him, make off with their money, and see if the terrible cartoons would actually make it to air. Eventually this became the germ for Rejected's theme of a collection of cartoons so bad they were rejected by advertising agencies, leading to their creator's breakdown and, presumably, his demise.

An Aqua Teen Hunger Force Rejected homage: "Broodwich"
(watch ATHF: Episode 34 in entirety.


* via

Blog Bounce

Sometimes I stumble upon blogs that make me sit here for a minute. I visited Nah Right tonight, and after watching their video embed, the heads in The Real gave me pause and left me smiling.

Hip Hop is the Single Most Destructive Force in Society

Site contributor Jeff Rosenthal has made his way onto Funny or Die's "Choices" series hosted by Jessica St. Clair and posted by This Just In. "Real Jobs" be damned.

Choices: Bullies Vs. Sissies
Choices: Technology Vs. Communication
Which lead me back to a recent conversation about a particular Boondocks intro and argument(right before I was scolded via my mobile telephone unit by a former stranger for sitting under a bridge). I thought it somehow fitting for this soliloquy.

The Boondocks: Rummy explains technology

Gregorius: NMKY

Gregorius: NMKY (Finnish YMCA cover). They tried, but they're still no more gay than the Village People.

Google Sky

The heavens are only a few mouse clicks away with Google Inc.'s latest free tool. A new feature in Google Earth, the company's satellite imagery-based mapping software, allows users to view the sky from their computers.

The tool provides information about various celestial bodies, from stars to planets, and includes imagery from the Hubble Space Telescope and other sources. It also allows users to take virtual tours through galaxies, including the Milky Way, from any point on Earth they choose.

"By working with some of the industry's leading experts, we've been able to transform Google Earth into a virtual telescope," Lior Ron, a Google product manager, said in a statement.

The new software also promises users the ability to see planets in motion and witness a supernova.

Via AP Writer Dan Nephin

Hip Hop Via Rapidshare

Jeru The Damaja - The Sun Rises in The East 1994


Da Bush Babees - Ambushed 1994


Deda - The Original Baby Pa [Produced by Pete Rock] 1995


The Roots - Game Theory 2006


Jedi Mind Tricks - Servants In Heaven, Kings In Hell 2006


Vakill - Worst Fears Confirmed 2006


Kidz In The Hall - School Was My Hustle 2006


Polyrythym Addicts - Break Glass 2007


Consequence - Dont Quit Your Day Job 2007


X-Clan - Return From Mecca 2007


Busdriver - Roadkill Overcoat 2007

Hip Hop Via Sendspace

AFRIKA BAMBAATA & JAMES BROWN - UNITY 1984


KWAME FEATURING A NEW BEGINNING - THE BOY GENIUS 1989


LOW PROFILE - WE'RE IN THIS THING TOGETHER 1990


POOR RIGHTEOUS TEACHERS - PURE POVERTY 1991


BLACK SHEEP - A WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING 1991


DRES - PARDON ME WHILE I COME BACK (single) 1999


FU SCHNICKENS - F.U. DON'T TAKE IT PERSONAL 1992


DEL THE FUNKY HOMOSAPIEN - NO NEED FOR ALARM 1993


KEITH MURRAY - THE MOST BEAUTIFULLEST THING IN THIS WORLD 1994


DE LA SOUL - STAKES IS HIGH 1996


DIGITAL UNDERGROUND - FUTURE RHYTHM 1996


XZIBIT - AT THE SPEED OF LIFE 1996


DEEP CONCENTRATION: THE FUTURE OF EXPERIMENTAL HIP HOP 1997


NOREAGA - MELVIN FLYNT DA HUSTLER 1999


WILL.I.AM - MUST B 21 2003

Ron Mueck

Born in Australia in 1958, Ron Mueck began his career making puppets for children's television, including a stint with Jim Henson and Sesame Street and more notably the film Labyrinth; for which he also contributed the voice of Ludo. Since 1996, he has devoted himself full time to his art, and is known for his extraordinarily lifelike, empathetic renderings of his subjects.

Through his detailed works, which are always either smaller than life-size or monumental, Mueck explores the ambiguous relationship of reality to artifice. His earlier pieces were sculpted with fiberglass, but recently he has begun to work with silicone, which is more flexible and allows greater ease in shaping body parts and implanting hair.

Rice Crops = Art

Located in southern Japan, around 8,000 Inakadate residents work together to create giant figurative pictures by carefully planting little purple and yellow-leafed kodaimai rice along with their local green-leafed tsugaru-roman variety, sometimes stretching across multiple farming fields.

Since 1993 the residents have taken it upon themselves to select different themes each year. This year the farmers are using the green phase of the rice cultivation to depict motifs of Hokusai's 36 views of Mount Fuji.



Unlike crop circles, Inakadate Rice Art needs to be well-planned from the beginning instead of an afterthought. These works of art are only visible from aerial vantage points until September when the rice will be harvested.

Haute Shrunken Heads

The Shrunken Head collection by Tobias Wistisen have stolen my breath, but would probably protect me against curses. You can buy these ghoulish beauties at Behavior NY. The single strand is dramatic and frighteningly elegant, but I think that I would have to opt for the multiple heads. Go big or go home when it comes to voodoo. There are earrings available as well for those of you showing off pierced ears.

Voltron Kicks

Court Victory (Black Lion) Pump Omni Lite (Yellow Lion) Ventilator ( Blue Lion) ERS Racer (Green Lion) and the Insta Pump Fury ( Red Lion.) Complex mag is spreading a rumor that each shoe will come with the corresponding mecha lion.


Voltron Kicks? The better to serve you with!
c/o Robot Chicken and Adult Swim by way of Youtube.

Ghetto Fresh iPod Dock

Time to break out the tracksuit, the biggest gold chain you can find, and a pair of laceless Adidas Superstars because Lasonic is bringing back the Ghetto Blaster with their 15 lb retro i931 with integrated iPod dock.

Features:
Headphone jack output
Radio function (AM/ FM)
Large text display on LCD
Full function remote controls
Separate bass and treble controls
Many adjustable features in menu
Accurately real time clock display
Volume level indication (LED)
Powerful Audio Output
USB slot compatible
Support USB flash drive and SD/MMC card to playback MP3 files
iPod control available for playback, charging and interaction
Mic Mix with /ECHO VOL
Max power 15W x 2
Dimension (mm):650 x 166 x 365



It’s yet to be released and there is currently no final word on pricing (although first specs send this out at $250), so keep an eye on the Lasonic website for more information.

Anna G Corkscrew

No it's not a retro fembot sent to guard your kitchen, she's Anna G and she opens more bottles than Diddy on his birthday. She stands about 9.5" tall and was designed by Alessandro Mendini.

Buy her entire family of products here

LED Throwies

LED Throwies c/o Graffiti Research Lab

LED Throwies are an inexpensive way to add color to any ferromagnetic surface in your neighborhood. A Throwie consists of a lithium battery, a 10mm diffused LED and a rare-earth magnet taped together. Throw it up high and in quantity to impress your friends and city officials.

Make your own with these Step by Step instructions.