–TTE–

To That Effect | the web

sdhanna — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 04:09:56 +0000

01. Single Molecule Photographed (above)

“It may look like a piece of honeycomb, but this lattice-shaped image is the first ever close-up view of a single molecule.

Scientists from IBM used an atomic force microscope (AFM) to reveal the chemical bonds within a molecule.” (dailymail)

02. The W* House
“From cutlery to cupboards, pots to plumbing, The W* House features our favourite pieces of design from around the globe, room by room. We’ll update them every time we find something new we like, building the collection into an archive for as long as the pieces are for sale” (wallpaper*)

03. Desktop Wallpaper Project

The Desktop Wallpaper Project is a project based off the of the Radiohead Countdown Wallpapers I created in 2007 in honor of In Rainbows coming out. But this time around, I decided to write all of my favorite artists and designers, many of which you’ve seen featured on this blog, and see if they’d contribute a wallpaper. As it turns out, my favorite artists and designers happen to be some of the nicest people out there, and so many of them were more than happy to help and be a part of this project.” (+KN)

04. Star Restaurant

“Sometimes planning gives way to passion. When you put your heart into something so much that it doesn’t matter how long it takes to see it to completion you know you have truly done something important. I think that this is the case at the Star Café and Grill in Maple Creek. I hate it when people are so surprised that such a great restaurant exists in a small town on the prairies, as if passion can only come from someone living in a city. ” (chiqgastrique)

Destino, Dali and Disney

sdhanna — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 00:05:09 +0000

In the mid-1940′s Salvador Dali and Walt Disney collaborated to make a short animated film. The film was never completed (budgetary restrictions) and sat in a vault for nearly 50 years. In 1998 Disney hired French animator Dominque Monfrey to direct the project to its completion. The short film, “Destino,” was released to the public in 2003.

This film is by no means a Dali (or Disney) masterpiece. “Destino” feels, at times, almost parodic, capturing the idea of Dali rather than Dali’s ideas. The Dali (let’s-say-esque) landscapes, for example, function only overtly to reference the late surrealists work without innovation. That said, there are interesting moments to watch for; the use of negative space and references to baseball are particularly exciting points. And finally, Armando Dominguez’s score, from which the film gets its title, must be mentioned as it tells the story of love (what else, this is Disney after all) with just enough Spanish whimsey to make you feel like destiny and love are real, or something to that effect.

“Destino” Salvador Dali, 2003/1946, 6 min 46 Sec

more about “Destino“, posted with vodpod

tothateffect | Films Worth Watching (For)

sdhanna — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:08:27 +0000

Montreal buttered, Saskatchewan bred production trio Arid Sea Films (Lea Nakonechny, Adam Budd, Simon Nakonechny) are soon to release their latest flick “Edge of the Desert.” This latest film by Lea Nakonechny (Two Museums) has an art-house feel that follows in the great traditions of Canadian filmmakers.

Why should you watch: Arid Sea Films, while based in Quebec, are at the vanguard of Saskatchewan’s bourgeoning cinematic identity. While those unfamiliar with Canada’s central all-too orthogonal prairie province might find this fact risible, Arid Sea Films reminds us that our roots, no matter how humble, hold currency and, moreover, fill a much needed gap in Canada’s overall cinematic idiom. You can check out the teaser for “Edge of the Desert” via imdb. “Edge of the Desert” premiers at the Toronto International Film Festival. (ASF)

tothateffect | Shorts Worth Watching

sdhanna — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 04:12:08 +0000

Apples and Indians 2006, 05 min 06 s

I was introduced to this film at the 11th Annual Calgary International Queer Film Festival (FairyTales) this Past May/June. While not dealing specifically with LGTB content this film is a frequently hilarious and (dare I say) poignant take on identity in Canada’s First Nation’s community. Directed by Manitoba’s own Lorne Olson, Apples and Indians won the Golden Sheaf Award at Yorkton’s Short Film and Video Festival in 2006. Worth a watch. Will post a link to the film when one exists. Until then, read the NFB description post-jump.

As a young boy, filmmaker Lorne Olson was told Indians were like apples – red on the outside, white on the inside. Ironically, it was that notion that set him off on a long journey to find out who he was. Throughout his life, he has identified himself as Métis, half-breed, Oji-Cree, Indian, Native, Aboriginal, and so on. He never felt entirely comfortable with any of these names – each one a reflection of the changing dialogue of the times. Apples and Indians is a whimsical and profound 5-minute ride that sees Lorne speeding through decades in search of his true identity.

Shorts Bay

sdhanna — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:47:48 +0000

Foutaises (above) 1989, starring Dominique Pinon.

Those of you who know me know how excited I get over short films (as evidenced by my near shorts-induced-stroke over Canada’s NFB opening their vaults to the digital public). Shorts Bay is a blog-based archive (read: link collection)). A great site to watch award winning shorts or submit your own (hopefully) award winning short or films to that effect.

More good shorts, less bad youtubes. (shortsbay)

Weekly TeeShirt

sdhanna — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:27:47 +0000

I’m enjoying the gritty aesthetic of cubist literature’s Craig Hunter. This Self-taught Brooklyn artist’s work can be picked up on etsy.com or via ihis site for a modest price. Including this kick-ass scrap fabric scarf above. (cubistliterature)

Ink Clock

sdhanna — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 09:45:15 +0000

Capillary in action. This clock designed by Oscar Diaz (somehow) sucks up the ink colouring each day per day. (boingboing)

William Shatner Beats Sarah Palin

sdhanna — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:17:22 +0000

Part of my thinks that America’s Republicans need better speech writers. But then I see this and think they need worse speech writers. Bill Shatner On the Late Show with Conan O’Brian. (huffingtonpost)

King Eddy’s Lift

sdhanna — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 08:44:58 +0000

My aunt used to speak kind of the King Eddy. A blue-collared, whiskey-soaked, blues club where you could sleep for cheap and drink for cheaper. “And if you have good sense,” she would add “you’ll stay away from blue-collared, whiskey-soaked, sleep-for-cheap blues clubs. And hussies.” I followed her advice, but not out of good sense.

The Eddy was condemned in 2004, having too few toilets and too much mould. My only experience was passing it by accident on foot. Pretty innocuous, I thought, but it had that ‘something’ that only a century of use (read: dilapidation) could bring: an authenticity. BB played here, or so I’m told. I’m somewhat suspicious of this. It was a hotel for most of its life, though the tail-end was blues. Sam Lay, Pinetop Perkins, Johnny Copeland, Otis Rush, A.C. Reed definitely played here. So did Jeff Healy, after butchering that Cohen song everyone seems to love.

I’m surprised it hadn’t been torn down. Calgary likes it architecture like America likes its celebrities: New, Shiny, and, for the most part, without mould. Calgary mostly has viewed historical buildings as being worth less than the land they’re on. Eddy probably would have went the way of the General too had a community group called “Friends of the Eddy” not campaigned for its designation as a historical landmark. Someone once described the movement as the call to “tear down the Taj Mahal then campaign to save the toilets.”

Heck, I think any of King Ralph’s old watering holes should be declared historical landmarks, including King Eddy. What a tidy metaphor for life: spend your twilight years soaked in whiskey and blues and never have enough toilets. Or, something to that effect.

King Ralph

Lucky for Eddy and his Friends the cite is now due for a “facelift” (aging celebrities, I tell ya). The new Cantos National Music Centre/King Eddy redevelopment, a $100 Million project, has whittled down proposals to five finalists. As FFWD’s Drew Anderson writes:

All five deserve credit for innovative designs that promise to break us out of our architectural no-man’s land. They are all unique proposals to spur the long-awaited East Village concept. (ffwd)

Below are mock-ups from the five design groups, some of them even good.

Allied Works, Portland Oregon

Take Allied Works design, for example. This building not only hopes to house the new National Music Centre, but also is wired to play. As in: The building is wired to be a musical instrument. The unimaginative +15link leaves me cold, though.

Saucier + Perrotte’s design strikes me of OMA’s library projects. Not that this is a bad thing. It ambitiously frames light and incorporates a design conscious solution to the +15 link to the Eddy.

Ateliers Jean Nouvel

If I’m reading this right, Ateliers Jean Nouvel proposes soaring architecture, outdoor performance space and a projection screen all projecting out of the intact King Eddy down below (think: Banker’s Hall meet drive-in Cinema).

Diller Scofidio + Renfro

I’m with Drew Anderson on this one: “Um, I though the already completed the Royal Onterio Museum additions [....] We need innovation not re-creation.” That said, the interior feels like walking inside a finely cut gemstone

via Archinect

See what I mean?

SPF:a

This one is a winner, for Calgary at least. SPF:a’s design echoes city hall’s modernism and preserves King Eddy in a glass box as if some sort of museum quality piece ready for show. Not the best of the lot, but won’t upset the locals either.

To That Effect | the web

sdhanna — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 05:57:21 +0000

01. Times Retracts Stance on Moon Landing

“Further investigation and experimentation have confirmed the findings of Isaac Newton in the 17th Century and it is not definitely established that a rocket can function in a vacuum as well as in an atmosphere. The Times regrets the error.” (regrettheerror)

02. Eleven Famous People who Were in Completely the Wrong Career at Age 30 (because top ten lists are for cowards)

“I put together this list of people who were still clearly on their way up at age 30. Some had found their path but hadn’t attained any success… some were in a completely different career… some were on the verge of giving up or had given up. But they all peaked after turning 30, found their true calling and hit their prime.” (11points)

03. Have Coat, Will Travel. (above)

“The concept was fairly simple: I buy t-shirts online and they always come wrinkled and I always run out of coat-hangers. So I designed a sustainable, reusable way to send and keep your t-shirts.” (stevehaslip)

04. One Man’s Trash (below)

“But is it art? Tim Nobel and Sue Webster take piles of trash and make art into them…but sometimes the art isn’t apparent until you see it in a different light.” (slightlywarped)