What is Project London?

What is Project London?

Project London: Unleashed! from Phil McCoy on Vimeo.

Or better yet:

Project London: Multiply Teaser from Phil McCoy on Vimeo.

Yoshida Kenko and A Movie Not Related to Him.

Here's a movie, not so long, that has an interesting story (some). I found it while trying to find some information - any information - about Yoshida Kenko (吉田兼好) who wrote Tsurezuregusa (Essays on Idleness) back in the 1300s Japan. This movie is vaguely related to him as his work is mentioned in the notes accompanying the video. From the notes:

• A short based on 'The Tsurezuregusa of Emma,' a collection of brief, haiku-like aphorisms by Emma Rohwer. Emma's Tsurezuregusa's (essays in idleness) are inspired by the original essays of the Japanese monk, Yoshida Kenko, written sometime in the early-mid fourteenth century.

Little Stories of Some Interest from Michael Gaston on Vimeo.

製然草 - Essays in Idleness - written by 吉田兼好 - Yoshida Kenko - in around 1330~1332 after the Kamakura Bakufu fought Godaigo. Big battle. Lots of fighting. Yoshida supported Godaigo as a guard, then retired when Godaigo's successor died.

My new blog: Idle Journal of a 30-year Japanese Resident has more about Yoshida and idleness.

Bassekou Kouyate - Ngoni Fola - Shanghai SIdeways

Cool music.


A quick flickr tour of Shanghai.


Next week: More books.

Japanese Females Death Metal

This video is for all you who think of Japanese (and/or Asian) women as petite, cutesy, high-pitched, and subservient. Check out the voice on the singer. This is a group from Osaka called Galmet (but the A is printed upside down.)

Not exactly your country-western diva, eh?

Chinese Women Rock

Women talking about women in rock music in China.

And making music in a music video.

There seems to be a great amount of rock in China, especially Beijing and Shanghai but there's also a lively music scene in Xian. From what I can gather from, YouTube videos, and searching for it.

Bookbinding: What I've Learned.

A little music to listen to while you wile away your time reading what I have to say about making books.

What I've Learned

What I've learned in the last 67 books I've bound can be summed up in two words: Listen to a teacher. (Okay, four.)

• I've learned that 2 mm book board is better than a grocery sack.
• I've learned that the space between the spine and the cover is about 3.5 times the thickness of the book board (If using a 2 mm book board that would be about 7 mm)
• I've learned that you need to press the book under considerable weight shortly after making the book and not let it sit on your tabletop overnight while you gloat about your great achievement because the covers will curl up like a butterfly about to take flight.
• I've finally learned that you need to cut the corners of the book cloth BEFORE you paste it up or try to press it to the book board.
• I've learned that glue in a glass container can still get dry and grungy and if you let it sit overnight while you gloat about your great bookbinding achievements then you might as well buy a new glass container and glue.
  

Ernie Kovacs and Eugene

I've been looking for this video clip for awhile. This came on after Jerry Lewis had a two-hour special. Lots of people were asked to follow, but no one wanted to because they knew Jerry would blow them out of the water. Ernie Kovacs basically volunteered and presented this dialog-less show. Innovative, creative, and memorable. Not many people remember any skits, songs, or jokes from Jerry's special but many remember Kovacs' Eugene. Enjoy.

Film Noir by Plaxin Productions

Film noir and old-time radio detectives (audio noir?) are great, I think. The visuals are dramatic - shadows and light playing the dramatic role, the stories are usually strong, and the dialog terse. Action movies - even in color - pale by comparison. Recently, if you surf YouTube and other sites, you can find a few good modern day film noir short films. Here's one by Plaxin Productions, which has other pretty good films, too.

This one has all the elements of film noir plus a word not usually spoken in mixed polite company so it might not be audibly safe for work.

Fujara rock!

This is a traditional Czech fujara. Sounds cool in the cavern. Originally designed to soothe sheep.


Another fujara ensemble

iPad

This seems to be a new design in holiday or homes from inhabitat. It's called the iPad with the little tm symbol following. The little trademark tm symbol, could it get Apple in trouble? I mean, I understand Apple has a product called the iPad, too, but theirs is considerably smaller and cheaper.

The inhabitat iPad starts at $125,000 New Zealand dollars and has 50 square feet of living space. Beat that, Apple. And just like Apple, the iPad comes with a video: iPad Video.

Here is the floor plan from inhabitat of the cheapest model. As you might barely be able to see, it has three large decks with large doors/windows to the interior that make the small abode seem larger. With exterior walls that provide a bit of privacy. From the looks of things, the most expensive model ($375,000) is three of these modules put artistically together in a horseshoe arrangement. Check it out at iPad.

I'd like one of these - maybe in a southern island or an Italian cliffside. Turn it into a small office/workspace. But, alas, I may have to settle for the other iPad, pictured below; smaller and cheaper.

Solstice Eve (Traditional)

Christmas eve and I just finished a book I'm giving as a solstice present. Is that cutting it close or is that cutting it close? It is also my first bound novel with imposed pages. No illustrations, though. I wrote the book in November during NaNoWriMo, imposed it in early December, printed out three copies, sewed up two, and finally finished putting the coverboards on one tonight. About 20 minutes ago. Recommendation: don't do this at home, boys and girls.

As it is Saturnalia Eve and you all are probably not reading this right now, I shall refrain from putting up photos of said book until a more auspicious occassion. Besides, I already wrapped it.

Bon appetit, ya'll - as they say down South.

Painting Inferno

Do NOT do this at home. No matter how much you like to paint.

Every year universities have school festivals and the students put on a dance exhibition. This year, one school's dancers were caught on video and uploaded to a host and now You! can view it. This is Part One.

Also, if you go to YouTube and search for:

Fire4EweToob

you will find another video. Odd, that, finding a video on TouYube. Anyway, this video has a troop of fire demons dancing with globs and poles of fire.

Meanwhile, Normal Dancers, Part One.

Magical Listening Experience

To celebrate my finishing my largest book (A4 when closed, about 200 pages, I think. I forget. I suppose I could go look it up, but... nyah.) Big Book. The cover is made of an old obi from an old kimono that I bought at an old flea market in an old temple. The obi, not the kimono. Anyway, to celebrate finishing it, I provide to you, the viewer/listener with a Magical Listening Experience:

Today's Playlist

Wagner - Ride Of The Valkyries
Neil Peart - Drum Solo R-30
Alice Cooper - Poison
Little Feat - Dixie Chicken
Little Feat - Skin It Back
Jesse Mccartney - Beautiful Soul
Mozart - Rondo Alla Turca

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

How Many Experiments Today, Dr. Watson?

I experimented with perfect binding - the binding cheap detective novels use to keep the pages between the covers of scantily-clad dames with cigarettes hanging from the mouths while they fondle the business end of some sap's revolver.

The result was a book with a lot of pages falling on the floor like so many corpses in a gangland shoot out. This was not the result I was hoping for so I ripped the book apart like a gold-digger rips through a fortune. I sewed the loose sheets of paper up, glued them very heavily and gave them an offer they couldn't refuse. It looks and feels better and its pages also staying in one place. This is usually considered to be a good thing.

Next, I will experiment with more glue, more thread, more pages... In fact, as we speak at this moment, two books are being pressed. Both perfect binding. Both about 100 pages. Papers of different sizes though. The covers are being designed tomorrow. Or someone's waking up with a horse head in their bed. If you know what I mean.

And now, even if you don't know what I mean, a jazzy piece of music from ez2google which can be found at GarageBand.com. Listen to it, if you know what's good for ya.