R.I.P.

Rebirth

2010-11-18T20:26:00.009-05:00

We've started something new. Please go to http://familyfamilytree.net.

2010-11-18T03:07:00.002-05:00

2010-04-02T02:22:00.007-04:00

2010-02-19T21:36:00.009-05:00

DEATH/REBIRTH

2009-12-26T20:31:00.016-05:00

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Just letting everyone know that I consider Family Family Tree a mostly dead project. It is no fault of your own. I am open to suggestions. Leave them in the comments I guess.

Happy Holidays.

MOVING OUT/MOVING IN

2009-12-19T15:36:00.003-05:00

Video Journal from Fall 2009 Moving Out/Moving In class with Mirta Tocci at Emerson College. Every Thursday students from IN405 travel to Boston's South End village of Villa Victoria. Once there, the students work and play with young people staying after school at the Cacique Youth Learning Center. The assignment: make a children's book.

It's a little long. Have fun.

Zachary Baker-Salmon

2009-12-14T02:27:00.002-05:00

In tribute to the indomitable continuation of perfume week, I thought I'd share this enlightening video about the benefits of anaerobic manure digestion.

I don't get it, but it makes a lot of sense. Ask this guy:

WRITING PERFUME

2009-12-10T12:26:00.012-05:00

In honor of Perfume Perfume week I'd like to pay tribute to one of my favorite works of fiction, Jitterbug Perfume, by Tom Robbins. Incidentally, Opus Oils in Hollywood has recently done the same, opening a perfume parlour last year named after the book. I think this is great, of course, and wish I could go to California to dream of speak easies and lie on one of the velvet chaises, a parfume attendant dragging viles of the Absinthe scent line under my nose and all of it taking on a dramatically burlesque quality. Revivalists are neat. They also offer classes for "The Art of making Natural Perfumes."

I imagine one of these natural perfumes is the parlour's signature scent--Jitterbug--which has a base note of jasmine. It's a decadent oil, from what's sometimes called the night-flowering tree, which Krishna planted for his wives in Hindu mythology. It's about as mystical as a plant gets, which is probably why Robbins used it in his 'epic' (or at least sprawling) mythology story as the potion at the bottom of a three-hundred-year-old blue glass bottle, as a scent that trails a New Orleans vagabond with a crown of swarming bees, as the cloud that engulfs Pan in the 8th century, and, most relevant to the plot and to Opus Oils, as the base note of fictional perfumer Madame Devalier's fragrance.

Robbins got giddy with alchemy and created a fake scent for the book, which just happens to be the basic formula for Opus Oils' Jitterbug Perfume. They also just happen to not mention that the signature scent was created by an author, not their team of expert parfumers. In fact, the website only offhandly mentions Robbins' novel amongst a string of other inspirations for the shop. I'm not hating on Opus Oils, but come on. They seem to be lacking a little imagination for their own products.

Robbins, on the other hand, is probably brilliant, and a prolific writer in every sense of the word. Though most of his novels were written between the seventies and nineties, they read timelessly (despite the sporadic Nader reference). He has an affinity for the obscure, and his work is the best social satire I've read to date. I'm probably soliciting that you read the book.

I don't think about perfume.

2009-12-08T09:58:00.002-05:00

MAGIC SMELLS

2009-12-04T15:09:00.003-05:00

Via Claire Fauché

'the scented flip book

Seven colours for the rainbow, seven scented flip books.
The flip book which spreads the perfume, can be for perfume agencies and also for curious and
delicate people.
‘Olfaloscope’ proposes a fusion of several senses in an single object. We play with it, the animation follows, and the scent spreads in the air.'

BROS

2009-12-04T02:36:00.005-05:00

OLD NEWS

2009-12-03T14:24:00.005-05:00

I think most are familiar with Demeter, but when I dwell on cologne (which happens surprisingly often), I always have a chuckle at this very literal company that makes the occasional art history joke. Don't you want to smell like a swimming pool?

I LOVE PERFUME

2009-12-03T01:06:00.008-05:00

I, too, have been thinking about perfumes a lot lately. People have been telling me how great I smell lately. I don't use perfume.
Case in point: In handing over my one year old nephew to my sister in law, she commented that he smelled of my aftershave. I don't use aftershave.

From my time home during Thanksgiving, I learned two things about myself. Apparently, I smell like the woods. Also, I look either professorial or like a lumberjack (depending on who you ask, or who inquires to tell).

The Hill-Side, a company best known for producing some pretty classy WWII garb (mostly ties and scarves), has decided to open an online old-timey department store. They seemingly did this while no one was looking. A virtual ode to Macy's heyday.
My favorite things include their vintage boots and their toiletries sections. And God, the toiletry section. Portland General Store supplies their "Tweed" Lotion Stick, "Wood" Body Cream, "Whiskey" Wet Shave Balm.

A quick look at the packaging:

And taking a look at Portland General Store's Etsy, the selection gets just a bit odder. How does "Tobacco" Bath Scrub sound? How about "Moss no. 017" Cologne?
As described by the alchemist herself:

Portland General Store is the brainchild of Lisa Brodar. The inspiration for Portland General comes from a love of Maine and all things artisinal, and the idea that peak oil and cheap transportation of imported goods is coming to an end and being replaced by a more local means of trade. Portland General Store products are made using the most natural and highest quality ingredients available.

Sounds good to me.

I officially dub this week Perfume Week on Family Family Tree.
Stay tuned for another entry relating A.P.C.'s new line of cologne to Glen Baxter's remarkable wit. I told you a Glen Baxter entry was in the works. If you have any information regarding interesting perfumes, who's making them, or anything else neat, you know where to get at me. No Patrick Süskind allowed.

I HATE PERFUME

2009-12-02T21:34:00.012-05:00

Christopher Brosius is a perfumer in Brooklyn who hates the smell of perfume. Instead of, you know, Vanilla Sex, he creates unorthodox scents. His first breakthrough was Dirt. Now he has this sprawling custom scent company with a manifesto that says "people who smell like everyone else disgust me."

I smelled "In The Library" this morning, which is supposed to smell like old books. I think it succeeds, but is it gross to smell like mold? I think instead I'd like him to blend a custom vile of my fifth birthday party or something.

Learn and buy at cbihateperfume.com

ALMOST HOME

2009-11-30T19:45:00.002-05:00

DANIEL HIGGS OF LUNGFISH

2009-11-30T01:29:00.003-05:00

FALL IN LOVE WITH ASTRONAUT SUSAN J. HELMS

2009-11-28T18:30:00.004-05:00

This weekend I was in Washington D.C. visiting family for Thanksgiving. I saw Space Station 3D in IMAX at the Smithsonian and let me tell you this, I've fallen in love with Astronaut Susan J. Helms. Check out the trailer.

SOCIAL €XPANSION

2009-11-25T23:43:00.019-05:00

C:

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IT IS A WAY OF TRYING

2009-11-25T09:28:00.008-05:00

"Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.), meanwhile, testified before the committee, blasting what she characterized as an “extortion” effort by Chevron Oil Co. to attempt to convince Congress and USTR to deny Ecuador ATPA benefits because of an oil contamination lawsuit filed by Ecuadorians against Chevron. Chevron is facing the possibility of a $27 billion pollution judgment against it in an Ecuadorian court." ~ "Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) testified against Chevron's efforts to have ATPDEA benefits for Ecuador limited at the hearing yesterday. She pointed out that Chevron's complaints stem from a private lawsuit between thousands of Ecuadorians against Chevron alleging that it is liable for the damage caused by billions of gallons of toxic oil waste dumped into rivers and streams." ~ "Chevron is calling on Congress to curtail the country's trade benefits,which Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., labeled "little more than extortion." ~ "'Instead of settling with the plaintiffs, embarking on clean-up efforts, or even seeking mediation, Chevron has engaged in a lobbying effort that looks like little more than extortion,” Sanchez said in her prepared testimony. “Apparently, if it can't get the outcome it wants from the Ecuadorian court system, Chevron will use the U.S. government to deny trade benefits until Ecuador cries uncle.'" ~ "Last week, U.S. Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (D-CA) excoriated Chevron's tactics in testimony before the House Ways & Means Trade Subcommittee. She testified that the company is engaging in "a lobbying effort that looks like little more than extortion." ~ “Their lobbying and PR efforts are really clumsy and very heavy handed, and I think that that’s why they’re experiencing a degree of backlash,” said Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.), who is circulating the first of what she promises will be three letters to colleagues blasting what she calls the company’s “misguided approach” to dealing with the case." ~ "In an interview, Sanchez, who will testify Tuesday at a hearing her House Ways and Means subcommittee is scheduled to hold on free trade agreements, said Chevron is “trying to leverage our trade policy in order to get a lawsuit dismissed that is currently pending before the Ecuadorean court. It is a way of trying to undermine the rule of law, and I just find that completely abhorrent. It’s shocking.” ~ "U.S. Congresswoman Linda Sanchez of California today urged Congress to reject Chevron’s attempts to co-opt US foreign trade policy and programs so that the company could gain an advantage in private litigation and to focus on the merits of renewing trade preferences in testimony before the House Ways & Means Trade Subcommittee...“Instead of settling with the plaintiffs, embarking on clean-up efforts, or even seeking mediation, Chevron has engaged in a lobbying effort that looks like little more than extortion,” Sanchez said in her testimony. “Apparently, if it can’t get the outcome it wants from the Ecuadorian court system, Chevron will use the US government to deny trade benefits until Ecuador cries uncle.”"

ROADTRIP HOLGAS

2009-11-23T12:31:00.006-05:00

My 1st experience with a plastic HOLGA camera my friend Alex gave me. Color splash !
CLICK for BIGGIE

PARTY IN THE USA

2009-11-15T21:18:00.001-05:00

Text Comments (223,001) Options

aznelmonerd (20 seconds ago)

you hooka

TheSlothStyle (45 seconds ago)

AdriannairdAIF... *sigh* not jealous and Im not looking at this video because it fails at everything real music stands for.

AdriannairdAIF (59 seconds ago)

your dumb

Comment(s) marked as spam Show

jgcampbell66 (1 minute ago)

fuck you sloth style im just speakin the truth

MrNawlidg (1 minute ago)

disney should cancel hannah montana. my 5 yr old loves that show. watching this... mileys acting like a little whore. fuckin disgusting! fuckin billy control your daughter!

l3oink (2 minutes ago)

shes a FUCKEN country girl why she gotta act like shes an AMERICAN girl...damn!!!!

JoshIzSik (2 minutes ago)

Shes so hot id fuck her so hard. First in her tight little clit then id cum all over her face and cute lil tities

AdriannairdAIF (2 minutes ago)

why does everyone hate miley, she hasn't done anything to anyone.
You guys are just jealous, and plus if you don't like her, than why are looking at this video

thereasonistreason (2 minutes ago)

Ooh the big debate continues! Take your thoughts some place else.

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- Randi

ASIAN BOWL LADY

2009-11-15T20:42:00.003-05:00

make it big !

VONNEGUT PUBLISHED OVERSEAS

2009-11-08T12:11:00.003-05:00

I'd never seen these covers before I accidentally came across (what I believe to be) a German Vonnegut fan site. I really like the design of these book jackets and would love to get my hands on some real copies of them if I could.

RRSOSRMIX

2009-11-06T15:36:00.002-05:00

FINAL FIESTA VIDEO

2009-11-05T02:17:00.001-05:00

END OF FALL HARVEST

2009-11-02T23:22:00.010-05:00

Haven't posted in awhile because I've been busy with babiez like THIS ONE:

"Me 'N My County-Fair-Prize-Sized Carrot"
(more at Cook Student Organic Farm)

FFT GOES HALLLOWEEN

2009-11-01T16:15:00.006-05:00

THE NEXT BEST THING

2009-10-23T22:40:00.003-04:00

Jackson showed this to me. It is awesome.

NEW TO YORK

2009-10-22T18:42:00.005-04:00

I thought I'd share a very cool blog by Tyler Thompson, the Creative Director at Squarespace. A lot of nice photos and collages and designs to feast on. Poke around.

I HUNG MYSELF WITH MY SOMETHING BLUE

2009-10-18T17:41:00.004-04:00

In all honesty, all I really want is to be friends with Tim Rutilli, but all his friends are funeral singers.

On this note, pysch-folk giants Califone are at it again. Their new album just came out, and now they are touring on it. BUT there's more. Mastermind Rutilli wrote and directed a film that was conceived concordantly with the album. Both titled, "All My Friends Are Funeral Singers," they are companion pieces to each other.

So, Califone are going to be at the Brattle this Thursday playing a set of old material before immediately seguing into a screening of the film, with the band playing the new album in it's entirety as a live score. And then I shit my pants. He is and has been doing everything that I aspire to.

From what I gather, the film seems about as surreal as his lyrics, and contains as much carnival fun as their music. My guess is that the band are spirits inside this house, that only the psychic main character can see, and they seem to be doing a lot of crazy and silly things.

Trailer:

Tickets.

FFT COAT OF ARMS?

2009-10-15T15:52:00.001-04:00

THRILLER SANS ZOMBIES

2009-10-14T13:26:00.006-04:00

******************************************************************************

Michael Jackson’s iconic music video for Thriller stripped entirely of its dancers and music, instead the artist presents an emptied set, accompanied by an ambient soundtrack. By Josh Azarella

GEORGE WATSKY - WHO'S BEEN LOVING YOU?

2009-10-09T07:23:00.003-04:00

Our music video for George Watsky has been on YouTube for just over a week and has gotten some good reviews. I thought it was time to share it with the Tree. Congrats to George and hooray for everyone that worked on it.
Executive Producer - Jenna Lyng
Directors - Jackson Adams & Brooks Morrison
Cinematography - Sean Hanley
Editors - Jackson Adams & Sean Hanley
Production Design - Carrie Rudzinski

VACATION TO ALASKA

2009-10-08T11:49:00.002-04:00

A photo of my mother and a shotgun.

DO THAT NICE DANCE AGAIN FOR ME, SEAN

2009-10-06T15:01:00.001-04:00

"It'5" - Architecture In Helsinki from Jackson Adams on Vimeo.

BUTTER & SUGAR

2009-10-04T18:16:00.005-04:00

And so, he decreed, that man may survive fruitfully if he ate the correct ratio of merely butter and sugar. And so he did, and lived for many years with rotting teeth, butter, sugar, and drugs. Then he died.

We got on the subject of a one Harry Smith in class the other day, who I had never heard of before.

His claim to 'fame' was as an experimental filmmaker throughout the central part of the 20th century, painting each frame by hand between fistfuls of butter, sugar and probably acid. He also carried a tape recorder. Anthologies of American Folk Music is a massive collection of 78 recordings of oft-forgotten music he collected from the 20s and 30s. Various recordings he did of Allen Ginsberg et al reading in his apartment, and peyote ritual songs from his time living with the Kiowa Indians have also been released in some form.

The third film in this clip, is a 'note for note' painted transcription of Dizzy Gillepsie's 'Manteca.' It took smith 2 years to paint the 3 minute piece. I unfortunately couldn't find a clip with good audio. There's some cool recordings of him ranting about stuff on the website.

Then Harry began painting directly on the film strip, thus avoiding the cost of extra negatives and prints, except, of course that Hy Hirsh had to help with optical printing to ensure that the delicate painted film-strip was not scraped or scratched during the lab's printing process. On May 12, 1950, Art in Cinema screened the premiere of four painted films by Harry Smith. They were titled Strange Dream, Message from the Sun, Interwoven and Circular Tensions and the program notes [stated] that each one of the hundreds of painted film frames is a work of art. The films were accompanied by a live jazz band...Harry told me that he was jazz-crazy at that time, particularly for Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonius Monk, and insisted that he had synchronized the first three painted films to jazz performances by Dizzy Gillespie: Guarachi Guaro, Algo Bueno and Manteca. - Dr. William Moritz, "Harry Smith, Mythologist,"

NEW WEBSITE

2009-09-27T18:06:00.009-04:00

I have a new portfolio website! For now it is hosted on school servers unfortunately, but please go check it out.
DAAPSPACE.DAAP.UC.EDU/~THOMPC6

WERNER HERZOG'S "ROGUE FILM SCHOOL"

2009-09-25T11:02:00.007-04:00

You may or may not have heard that Werner Herzog is going to have a film school. More accurately, it's a weekend seminar about, among other things, 'the art of lockpicking.'

Also, it requires an application from which Herzog himself will select the participants. The seminar is around $1500 and probably out of range for most college students, but it almost seems worth the $25 fee to see if he likes you.

Not to mention that he has a reading list that is worth self-imposing regardless of participation in the seminar. More info here.

"BATHTUB DREAM" BY ETHAN FELDBAU

2009-09-24T22:38:00.003-04:00

A man falls asleep in a bathtub and dreams of a king's coronation.

The incredibly talented and outrageously friendly Ethan Feldbau made this little short as part of TIWWI's 4th Weekend of Wonderment. Ethan continues to amaze me with his unique style and knack for old school mattes and superimpositions. It's only a matter of time before a producer sees his work and picks him up to direct some crazy film.

CRITERION'S ERIC SKILLMAN

2009-09-22T01:20:00.006-04:00

The looming digital age has come to threaten all things classic and impermanent, and I am terrified for the future of books. What will we put on our shelves? They smell terrific, and they are so damn nice to look at.

I am always reassured by the Criterion Collection of DVDs not (only) because of their taste in films, but because of the way they present them. This is the way that films ought to be presented more often. If we are entering the digital age without looking back, we ought to do it gracefully and tastefully, giving future generations something they can put on their shelves and hold as "classics".

So I thought I would share the blog of one of Criterion's graphic designers, Eric Skillman, who keeps an ongoing discussion of his work and processes online. Notice the above compilation of his various approaches to the cover art for "Pigs, Pimps, and Prostitutes!", a film I had not heard of until tonight, but am intrigued by based on the cover design/artwork alone. Very interesting to read about in his own words. And inspiring for the age of the digital bookshelf too.

HINDSIGHT - SUMMER TRAILER HAS ARRIVED

2009-09-18T09:10:00.004-04:00

This is a trailer for my B.F.A thesis film at Emerson College. Over the last 7 months, I've shot almost 6,000 feet of 16mm film of people and places in Marlborough, Connecticut - my hometown. For more information on the film, and on how to support the production, please visit the Hindsight website.

Inspired by the films of Godfrey Reggio, I decided to cut this trailer to showcase some of the locations that I covered. The music is "Foe" by Philip Glass, off of Glassworks. Enjoy!

POLYSOMNOGRAPHY 1

2009-09-17T12:19:00.012-04:00

Upon recent and historical investigation of my dreams, I hypothesize that I am either (a) a lucid dreamer or (b) frequently visited by dream spirits that deposit relevant data into my mind. The first case of my sleep study is an incident that occurred Monday night.

FOOTNOTE: A Radiolab episode on stochasticity explains the method in which we tell stories to portray them as more coincidental than what they really are.

While sleeping, it's possible that I will put bread in the toaster, roam the balcony longingly or take a full shower. Almost always, I'm totally conscious that my body is performing the actions, but I can't separate the dream world from reality. Four o'clock in the morning means nothing. Time and context are irrelevant. But I remember having done the things, and not because I smell like Bronner's or there is toast on the counter. I remember standing with the pen in my hand on Monday night, having written the area code and first three digits of a phone number down, waiting for the last four digits. Waiting. I remember feeling expectant of something in the room to give me the last four digits, and when that something did, I wrote them down.

Now this number is written on a paper on my desk. I go back to bed. Or continue sleeping, or whatever.

Tuesday morning while doing the usual yoga I consider how much pain is in my neck. Arthritis? Stress? Tiny elves with knives? Whatever it is has been bothering me for the last couple of weeks and I can't find a solution. During yoga and the consideration of this terrible pain, I stand up and see the paper with the phone number. Oh yeah. I was a crazy person with a pen last night.

Curiosity strikes and I google the number.
234-6791 is the number to a Boston accupuncturist, Thai Massage and Accupuncture.

I vote to not chalk this case as a coincidental, random organization of numbers, but to either a communication with the universe--or my own dream capability to navigate reality more thoughtfully. We'll see.

LEO'S SONG BY IMPACTIST

2009-09-15T23:56:00.003-04:00

"When a geometric visitor from another planet becomes your new roommate and shares with you the tragic state of its home world, you drop your guitar and see what you can do. We created this piece in response to the accompanying music track we created in honor of a visiting cat named Leo. Process: hand drawn animation. All content and audio created by Kelly Meador & Daniel Elwing."

I can't remember if I already posted this or not, but I recently watched it again and wanted to share!

START MOTION

2009-09-15T17:53:00.001-04:00

Grizzly Bear - While You Wait for the Others from Grandchildren on Vimeo.

Grizzly Bear wins again.

COMPOSED BY BIRDS

2009-09-13T21:39:00.004-04:00

I love Jarbas Agnelli, Brazilian-based director and musician. His work is so thoughtful and his commercials are innovative, but most importantly, he's playful. My favorite is based on a photograph he found in a newspaper. He was curious to hear what melody the birds were making. Music made with Logic.

GIVE ME SOMETHING TO FIGHT FOR

2009-09-09T22:24:00.002-04:00

WINGSUIT BASE JUMPING OH MY GOD

2009-09-09T20:44:00.001-04:00

Saw this a long time ago on Vimeo and only decided to post it now. This is something I could watch all day.

AN ACCURATE PORTRAIT OF AN EIGHTEEN YEAR OLD SEAN

2009-09-07T01:22:00.009-04:00

(click to enlarge)

This is a screenshot of my former home computer. Within this frame shows an accurate portrait of myself from winter break of my freshmen year. You will notice I was simultaneously playing Call of Duty while chatting on AOL Instant Messenger. On this particular day, I was playing with my friends Spencer and Keith. We called ourselves The HOEBAGS, for one reason or another, and we tended to dominate Search & Destroy and Team Deathmatch servers across the world. You may also notice that I was first on the map, my alias being I am the Walrus, which I took from the popular Beatles tune. In fact, I was so good at Call of Duty, that I made sure to save my screen shots and write on them with MS Paint.

If you look to the left, you'll see what my buddy list looked like back in the day. I'll let you know that soon after this picture was taken, I probably deleted most of the buddies on this list realizing that I hadn't talked to them since high school. It's interesting to see the old screen names. I still use the same one. Greg's old screen name was workinbrazil and Zac was nobofchocolate. Clever lads.

On the far right, behind the Call of Duty window, you'll see that I was working on a screenplay called "The Island" which was based on the young adult book by Gary Paulsen. That same script has been revised many times and almost became my BFA thesis film. Maybe I'll make it sometime in the future.

Well there you have it - an accurate portrait of my eighteen year old self. I don't play Call of Duty anymore, and I don't use AIM (I use Pidgin instead, come on!). Anyway, I think you can tell a lot about yourself from old screenshots of your computer. Does anyone else have a screenshot to share?

LABOR PAINS

2009-09-06T14:29:00.010-04:00

This week I drove from my house in Northwest Connecticut to Boston and back. The trip is just over two hours and the Volvo station wagon I drive doesn't offer any luxury but radio.

This was my brain when I stepped out of the car.

FIESTA PAINTBALL

2009-09-05T23:22:00.003-04:00

Here's the best of the best of a couple of friends just hanging out and having a good time on Ford Motor Company's dime.

2009-09-05T15:57:00.001-04:00

Hamburger Eyes from Nick Fogarty on Vimeo.

A really nice short doc on Hamburger Eyes photographers and gallery opening.

SWOOPO

2009-09-02T16:26:00.007-04:00

Yet again, Germany.

When eBay first launched in 1995, my father started collecting things he never knew he needed until that time. Five bass guitars, four accordions, countless Afghan rugs, a Thomas Edison era phonograph cylinder (which I broke), my mom's car and many other knick-knacks were purchased through the popular online-auction website.

So of course I got into the game as well, I sold my brother's Descent III computer game for much too little, bought Magic: The Gathering cards and my most recent purchase was a vintage 1940's Ronson Co. combination lighter and cigarette case. Even though I might go a span of years between purchases, eBay is there, familiar, simple and thanks to the integrity of it's creators, virtually scam-free if you've got deductive powers of reasoning. It has to be the most popular website to date whose name is derived from the Ebola virus.

Since 2008 there's a new kid in town. Entertainment Shopping AG (Munich, Germany) has introduced their new face of online auctions to the United States. Formerly known as Telebid, this new site has garnered attention as of late, advertising miraculous, real-to-life deals such as a new Macbook Pro sold at $60.42. The site is called Swoopo. And yes, you can buy a Macbook for $60.42, or $59.46, or $88.22, or whatever, because the actual price you pay does not matter to these krauts a whole heck of a lot (kind of).
In short, they charge each bidder $00.60 per bid. Doesn't seem that bad, actually, in eBay terms. But there's more. One thing Swoopo has going for it is it's attention to history. This form of online auction is remarkably similar to a real one. For instance, when did we all start believing that bidders have the right to name their own price? In an auction, an auctioneer yells out the price and bidders choose to whether to bid or not. Also, who says an auction has to end exactly when the specified time runs out, no if ands or buts? Do you recall the phrase, "going once, going twice..."? Swoopo adds increments of 15 seconds onto every auction time with each new bid. The auctions are set up in increments of 2 cents, 4 cents, 6 cents, 12 cents and 24 cents. So, each bid is that, and only that increment.

These bastards are making money on this. That computer that sold for $60.42, it was a 2 cent auction. That means there were 3021 bids on it, and at $.60 a pop they made $1812.60 on a computer that retails for $1749 but realistically was gotten for much less by the site.

I wish I was like those kids in that movie where they take las vegas, only this time with this website and Kevin Spacey is my dad.

**An addendum to the post. There are already copycat sites popping up. One of my new favorites is bidsnbobs.com, where as you bid, the price goes down instead of up! Those sneaky brits!

I GUESS THIS DOESN'T REALLY CHANGE MUCH

2009-09-02T01:29:00.004-04:00

I thought I googled this. Hmm.

JEFF SCHER - L'EAU LIFE

2009-09-01T22:39:00.003-04:00

I came across the films of Jeff Scher while looking at the New York Times today. He's been writing a blog for them that includes short animated pieces. The blog is thus called, The Animated Life. I enjoyed a lot of the shorts on this blog, but could only find this film, L'eau Life on YouTube. Here is what Scher wrote of this film when it was first posted online.

"L’eau Life began as an experiment in animating water in motion with water color. I wanted to get the feel of water and the emotion of being in it, while capturing the water action moments that are the most fun to draw: jumping, swimming, falling in and climbing out. Because I stuck to these highlights and cut quickly, the film developed a momentum that began to feel almost hypnotic, but happily so. As it evolved it became a celebration of water and summer."

This could have been a great way to end the Swim posts, but I'm a few days too late.

TEASER 017 - FOR THOUSANDS OF MILES DOCUMENTARY

2009-08-31T09:17:00.002-04:00

Teaser 017 from mike ambs ☂ on Vimeo. For more information on Mike's documentary, you can follow him on Twitter, @FToM

SUNDAY SWIM - THE END OF THE SWIM POSTS

2009-08-30T00:13:00.005-04:00

I did it! A full week of swim posts! And yeah, today felt like November. The power of blogging.
(From welcome, ghosts on Flickr)

FIRST POST

2009-08-29T13:58:00.005-04:00

It's not my first post, but it's been so long it might as well be. It is, however, my very first 5x5.

.....

1. Press (via Crosh Snelbwaks)
2. Through The Night Til Morning Light (via Crosh Snelbwaks)
3. EEEE
4. Choices
5. 5.25

THE SCARY SOUND OF IRELAND

2009-08-29T13:47:00.002-04:00

IRISH GANGSTER TALK from Jackson Adams on Vimeo.

SATURDAY'S SWIM!

2009-08-29T12:04:00.002-04:00

I have to admit that I'm about to run out of Swim content. Thank god it's nearing the end of the week. Video from Brown.

SWIM SWIM SWIM SWIM SWIM SWIM SWIM

2009-08-28T22:50:00.005-04:00

BEING THAT SEAN'S "SWIM" POSTS HAVE ACTUALLY COOLED DOWN BOSTON AND MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE CAUSED TONIGHT'S RAIN STORM, I FIGURED I WOULD TRY MY HAND AT THIS THING. HOPE I DON'T JINX IT.

HINDSIGHT - TEASER OF EASTER FOOTAGE

2009-08-28T21:05:00.003-04:00

Quick teaser trailer of footage that I shot over Easter weekend of this year in Marlborough, Connecticut. Music: Saltwater by Beach House. For more trailers and production videos, check out the Hindsight Vimeo channel.

FRIDAY'S LAZY SWIM

2009-08-28T09:28:00.005-04:00

Stop the presses! Is it becoming cool in Boston? A friend of mine was wearing a sweater and scarf last night. Do I dare say that these posts have had an effect on New England's weather? Maybe. Today's morning swim comes from Nicolai_G on Flickr. Two more days to go!

MONHEGAN ISLAND OFF SEASON

2009-08-27T20:26:00.002-04:00

THURSDAY'S SWIM

2009-08-27T08:53:00.004-04:00

Good morning! It feels like a nice day today! Last night I had trouble sleeping because it was so hot, but now there's a pleasant breeze coming in my window. Here is another video that might help cool you down. As you can see many times, this was shot by Jordan Manley in Howe Sound, British Columbia. I bet that water is cold!

WEDNESDAY'S SWIMMING

2009-08-26T23:19:00.003-04:00

Sorry for posting this one late in the day. But take the time to look at this Polaroid. It's blue and bubbly, like water right? Feeling cooler already? Feel like you're swimming? Let's hope. (Photo by KIM)

TUESDAY'S SWIMMING

2009-08-25T22:38:00.005-04:00

I want this damn city to cool down so much! The best remedy for a hot day is to get in some cold water. I had a pool as a kid so swimming is a favorite summer pasttime of mine. Therefore, to help everyone cool down, I'm gonna post something about swimming everyday this week. Woo! Today we have a clip from Brown.

SCOTT PRIOR, THE SWIMMER

2009-08-24T21:42:00.004-04:00

I thought this would be appropiate for these dog days of summer we are currently in.

JAMIE WYETH

2009-08-23T19:55:00.003-04:00

I recently took a trip out to Monhegan Island, off the coast of Maine. I went there with the intention of hiking and looking at Wyeth books that I borrowed from my grandfather. This is one of my favorites, "Newfoundland," an oil of Wyeth's dog Boom Boom, though I believe this picture is actually backwards.

RHYOLITE, NEVADA

2009-08-22T21:16:00.004-04:00

When the sun sets the music stops.

FELIX IS THE SUN, FELIX IS THE EGG, FELIX IS THE POLICE OF POLICE

2009-08-19T12:58:00.015-04:00

If you've talked to me in the past few months, you've probably heard about my epic, sprawling Dada comic book that I plan on creating. Also, If you know me well enough, you know that most of my projects end up being trashed, or reintegrated into new projects. This is usually because I spend 90% of my time educating myself on the subject matter at hand (in this case, surrealist/dadaist animations/comics), and sometimes less than 10% of the time actually creating. In the meantime, I've found some pretty cool stuff, using that as an excuse to avoid starting the comic.

Last night, I think I may have reached the end of the preparation stage when I found this cartoon. Felix the Cat "Skulls and Sculls" is one of Pat Sullivan's last Felix cartoons, which aired sometime around 1930. "Skulls" has been pretty heavily critically panned for its mediocre animation, bumbling plot-line, and general incoherence.

I guess that makes sense as when most people analyze the original Felix cartoons and comics, they expect something politically savvy, or biting. This assumption concerning the cartoons derives mostly from the fact that Felix was a highly socialist cartoon during the 1920's, a concept that definitely became less taboo as America moved into the Great Depression. As a result, Sullivan allowed the surrealism in Felix cartoons to flourish, cutting back on anything that may generate a negative morale at the time. However, if you're really looking for a plot in this thing, maybe we can break it down.

It's been suggested that this is a cartoon about college hazing, which may be apt due to a possible Skull and Bones reference in the title. In this case, Felix is being terrorized by his fraternity brothers, they realize the error of their ways, and the rest of the cartoon is a party. Pretty simple. The only problem I have with this is that the head "fraternity brother" much more resembles the Grand Wizard of the KKK. In which case, Felix would be the African American (ie. the first Felix comic strip... "I don't want any cats hanging around here!"). Under this assumption, the use of the pendulum makes sense as an allegory for the Spanish Inquisition (via. Edgar Allen Poe), and minority oppression/discrimination as a whole. And the cartoon is an example of what would happen if whites would have stopped being so god-damn oppressive (see: a party). Also, zoo implications (I know why the caged Felix sings), Skull and Bones society being metonymous for privileged white boys (AKA white brotherhood), so on and so forth.

In short, this is my favorite Felix cartoon. Totally surrealistic experience that allows the viewer to go however deeply that they want to go (which in this case was probably voiding the actual artistic intention). Am I defeating the purpose of Dada?

Other Cool Dada Comics:

David Lynch's The Angriest Dog in the World

Glen Baxter (more on him later)

MIRANDA JULY: THE HALLWAY

2009-08-19T01:27:00.005-04:00

My video response to Sean's recent posting of a Radiolab video response. I feel it evokes some similar sort of feeling of some similar sort. An Installation by Miranda July of Miranda July fame.

The Hallway from The Hallway on Vimeo.

WYNC'S RADIOLAB PRESENTS: MOMENTS

2009-08-18T00:45:00.006-04:00

A visual response to their recent Afterlife episode, created by Will Hoffman, who I think is a recent Emerson College graduate. Some of the cuts really knock my socks off.

POP & POVERTY IV

2009-08-17T14:30:00.004-04:00

Beck and Tom Waits have a chat

2009-08-16T21:35:00.005-04:00

About a month ago Beck Hansen chatted with Tom Waits on his blog about the layers of LA, Japanese peculiarities, and what else... the beauty of oil stains. God I love Waits.

snozzcumbers and frobscottle

2009-08-12T12:06:00.003-04:00

i am dying. literally making the 6 ft. journey underground because of the quinten blake exhibit going on at the MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD in england. Have already looked at plane tickets in a fervor of blind excitement.

Still clutching the letter I received after sending Q. Blake a fan letter (and my 9 year old portfolio) in 1996.

Also i suspect the BFG (as pictured above) is wearing Cheap Mondays (w. 28 l. 78).

SUMMER 5x5

2009-08-09T18:10:00.000-04:00

SUMMER 5x5 from Jackson Adams on Vimeo.

This is on twitter too, but that's okay.

11:35PM FLICKR FIND I WANTED TO SHARE

2009-08-08T23:35:00.003-04:00

VINTAGE ZE FRANK

2009-08-08T22:41:00.005-04:00

Ze Frank performs a Nigerian spam e-mail in 2003. This brings back good memories of watching The Show in high school during 3rd wave lunch spent in the video production room.

MORE WACIPI

2009-08-07T17:53:00.010-04:00

So, in advance, I promise that there is a lot more to reservation life than wacipis/pow wows. But I was lucky enough to be here on Pine Ridge last weekend for the largest one in the nation, including 350 dancers from all corners of the country, and I happen to be obsessed with the event. There were so many fancy dancers, chicken dancers, jingle dancers and traditional dancers, that the grand entry took half an hour just to get them into the grounds. Shoot. It was the cover story in Rapid City's Native Sun News:

Majority of what I'm doing is construction and community work, which in time I'll post about. For now, the drum groups are still echoing. These are from my Standing in Light Series. It's too bad I only have a mediocre digital out here.

I caught her face from our float in the pre-pow wow parade. We built the skeleton of an outhouse onto a truck bed, since makeshift plumbing is our popular product. Pretty much everyone showed up on the main drag.

SELF-ESTEEM ENGINE

2009-08-05T18:59:00.008-04:00

Pictures For Sad Children.

LIVING ROOFTOP

2009-08-05T00:44:00.004-04:00

This was a Vimeo Staff Pick today and I'd thought I'd share it. Seems like a pretty good idea to me, but I bet they had to sort through a lot of bureaucracy to get it approved. The description below is pulled in from their Vimeo page.

The roof of the Vancouver BC Convention Centre is covered with over 2.5 hectares (6 acres) of native grassland. Usually closed to the public, we were able to get a tour and interview with the landscape architect of the project, Bruce Hemstock.

This is part 1 of the "Growing Cities" documentary series shot while traveling in the USA and Canada - June 2009.

SOME ANALOG LINES - AN ESSAY FILM BY DAVID LOWERY

2009-08-03T22:20:00.003-04:00

I heard about this short film when David Lowery was making the festival rounds with his feature debut St. Nick last year. All of the reviews coming out of SXSW referred to Lowery's previous entry, Some Analog Lines, as a fantastic one-man short. Lowery recently put it on vimeo so now it's here to share. You can check out other work by Mr. Lowery at his website.

DANCERS

2009-08-01T17:57:00.007-04:00

The 24th annual Oglala Lakota Nation pow wow last night:

Pine Ridge, SD

We Have Some Printers in the Basement You Can Use

2009-07-30T18:59:00.007-04:00

So, I've been a fan of John Campbell's Pictures for Sad Children for awhile, and was intrigued by an update on his blog:

The shirt was in reference to a really strange trailer to a really strange movie. Upon some research and crimefighting, I discovered a conspiracy involving the trailer/movie being a publicity stunt/joke tracing back to mastermind Spike Jonze and the release of his soon to be epic, 'Where the Wild Things Are.'

Then the movie turned out to be real.

It was released in only a handful of theaters last month garnering responses ranging from hilarious to disturbing. This should pique the interest of any fans of the 'The Room.'

An Interview with the director makes even less sense.

CHUGG WEDDING, VT, 71109

2009-07-28T19:46:00.004-04:00

Three photos from the 300+ I took @ the ceremony. It was the most stressful I've ever been while shooting, not to mention the most pictures I've taken in one place. It provided an interesting editing process, however, as I was reminded of how fast it all happened in retrospect. Love to the Chuggs

THE FIRST DAYS OF SPRING TRAILER

2009-07-28T01:11:00.007-04:00

I'm about to leave for San Franciso to finish shooting a music video for Mr. George Watsky, but I wanted to quickly share a trailer that I'm obsessing over recently. I just found out about the UK band Noah and the Whale, and they are releasing their next album along with a film. The combination of the song plus the cinematography has got me all hot and bothered in the right ways. It's playing in a few British festivals, but you can purchase the album and the DVD on August 31st. Please check it out.

SUSAN TUTTLE ON FLICKR

2009-07-27T15:07:00.006-04:00

Samples from Susan Tuttle's work. She teaches a Visual Poetry workshop on easy photo manipulation, and blogs through the wish studio blogspot.

ROAD TRIP PHONE TRIP

2009-07-26T11:31:00.007-04:00

NEW MOON PHOTOS (NO, NOT THAT NEW MOON)

2009-07-26T11:08:00.003-04:00

The George Eastman House Flickr page released some photographs from the Apollo missions that I hadn't seen before. I really can't imagine what it was like to be living in a time when people were going friggin Moon and didn't even have the Internet yet. Freaks me out.

ALICE IN CHAINS

2009-07-26T10:35:00.003-04:00

I always thought if I wasn't so drawn to working in theater, I would find myself involved in prison reform. The New York Times posted photographs from an adaptation of Alice in Wonderland staged at an Italian prison. Half of Italy's prisons have theater programs. There's my calling.

ONLY

2009-07-25T21:36:00.008-04:00

Favoritest movies ever usually revolve around children. I mean, duh, 400 Blows, but also most of Magnolia, Let the Right One In, George Washington, Kids (to an extent), Where the Wild Things Are (even though that's not out yet), all the movies from the '90s, but if you catch my drift, you should probably give this a look-see. Probably most of you have seen this already, and/or don't care, but I thought it'd be nice to put up anyway. I seem to put up a lot of trailers apparently. Let me know if that is not okay, but feel free to add more to the list.

For higher quality, check the Apple site.

PRADA WEARS JOHN WESLEY

2009-07-23T09:42:00.004-04:00

the prada foundation in venice has put together the largest exhibit of the illlustrator's work. the wes-man tends to "hide" social and cultural commentary behind comic book style images. he has a wicked book out that is aptly named "the bumsteads". props to prada for recognizing this dude. plus the italians celebrating a non-italian artist? coolies.

OLD SUMMER'S NEW

2009-07-20T14:42:00.003-04:00

YOU GOTTA MOVE THAT BURGER TO THE MOOOON

2009-07-20T12:12:00.002-04:00

KITTY ADDICT

2009-07-20T12:05:00.003-04:00

JUNKANOO

2009-07-20T12:04:00.005-04:00

DOES THIS MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE?

2009-07-20T00:50:00.006-04:00

Now we swear so much just repeat the word before it.

EDIT: We're just weak. The body is beautiful.

SKATOPIA

2009-07-16T00:09:00.004-04:00

This is all I'm going to say: Ohio 'keeps it real.' Watch this.

More info: http://skatopiathemovie.com/

It just premiered in NY, hopefully there will be more showings.

FAMILY FAMILY TREE (ONE YEAR AGO)

2009-07-14T23:12:00.010-04:00

took me awhile to get through this roll...

COLLABORATIVE FINNEGAN'S WAKE

2009-07-13T22:42:00.003-04:00

Writer/Director Rian Johnson (Brick, Brothers Bloom) has created a visual representation of a page of Finnegan's Wake, which he announced on his twitter account last week. Here is the final product.

A visual adaptation of page 439 of Joyce's Finnegans Wake. Created in one week, as challenged, with the collaboration of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ronen V.