Japanese Matchbox Designs

I just love the 30s look of them! Check out this Flikr pool of designs of Japanese Matchboxes from the 1920 - 1940 era. These are beautiful designs!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/maraid/sets/72157604922299315/

from http://www.metafilter.com/

art japanese vintage art matchbox

Modern Movies as Russian Folk Art

I just had to post these. Modern Movies depicted as Russian Folk Art. The first one references Star Wars...

Then we have the Harry Potter one...

Here is the original reference

http://ziza.ru/2006/06/16/rastamanskie-narodnye-skazki.html

No, and I don't know russian ...

From the always incredible

http://bibliodyssey.blogspot.com/

Check out their page, it has beautiful images from old illustrated books.

bibliodyssey harry potter star wars ilustraciones arte ruso

Ponyo by the Cliff en Puerto Rico

Primer Post en Español (detesto escribir con los ALT pues me obliga a usar el teclado externo de la máquina). Ayer estrenó Ponyo by the Cliff en Puerto Rico. Sin embargo solo en inglés sin subtítulos y solo en una sala (Plaza Las Américas).

http://www.caribbeancinemas.com/Default.aspx?SecId=59&id_movie=68

Baby steps … baby steps …

Esta película es la más reciente producción de Studio Ghibili dirigida por el director Hayao Miyazaki. Sus películas, independientes de su excelente libreto son visualmente impresionantes como queda demostrado en películas como Spirited Away y Princess Mononoke.

Además sus historias tienen como elemento común la defensa del ambiente y la madurez de sus protagonistas (usualmente niñas de 8 a 10 años). Esta historia en particular es una versión libre de La Sirenita de Hans Christian Andersen.

Esta oportunidad es única para traer un cine inteligente a la isla que no dependa de chistes de caca, de monólogos graciosos y pensamientos a voz alta o de exceso de CGI que rechinan la vista.

Para el que no conozca les incluyo algunas referencias de la WEB.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponyo

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ponyo/

http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/ponyo

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/02/03/east-asia-various-readings-on-ponyo-on-the-cliff-by-the-sea/

caribbean cinemas ponyo puerto rico

Music has to Change to Remain Alive

This post was inspired by the following image I stumbled upon the other day

The image is from an old Merrie melody cartoon that they used to play all the time on TV. The song was I Like to Singa and it was a very catchy jazz song. The lesson to be learned was that you cannot choose the path for your kids. In their case if you are a singer, you don't have to follow the same path as your parents.

This principle applies to music. Music cannot remain static, there is always a different way to approach it. You may (or may not) like it but the evolution will happen anyway. Therefore I decided to link some jazzy videos that include tropical and old salsa videos from the master himself, Maelo.

Right now the fever is reggaeton (which I hate in its original form) but at least the latest singers are entering into a more mellow stage with more flow to the music. Who knows?, I am even beginning to like some of the new stuff.

Anyway enjoy the links below:

Lucas - Lucas with the Lid Off

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5HOsnq_2j4

US3 - Cantaloop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9HnoRgRIwg

Herbie Hancock - Watermelon Man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZvKXpoFcJs

Ismael Rivera - Las Caras Lindas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_4djGjZZ1U

Ismael Rivera - El Nazareno

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMZj4mfxqbg

and finally I just had to include the link to the cartoon...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYnJno_IUhY

High Resolution Dore's Bible Prints

Dore was a master illustrator that was commisioned many projects in his lifetime, including the illustrations of the Old and New Testament (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustave_Dor%C3%A9). High resolution version of his prints have been stored by http://catholic-resources.org/.

Here is a direct link to the directories for the old and new testament illustrations.

http://catholic-resources.org/Art/Dore-NT.htm

http://catholic-resources.org/Art/Dore-OT.htm

His illustrations have always been awe inspiring.

Fantastadon / Crystal Fighters Remixes

Being listening to some new electronica these days. I stumbled upon these two groups fantastadon and crystal fighters. Love the bass of their mixes. So I decided to include their links here.

http://discodust.blogspot.com/2008/06/fantastadon-hot-pink-delorean.html

Loved their two songs referenced from the disco dust blog link above. Here is another song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZXXNCHepHU

Thir myspace
http://www.myspace.com/fantastadonn

Could not find a decent video for Microwave. Will leave you with some Crystal Fighters instead. Love the Japanese background music samples on this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmvOQNBkCxA

Advertising Creates Better Placebos

This is an interesting read. Why are placebos getting better? Is there something else at stake or publicity is to blame? I guess too much Restless Legs Syndrome or any new cure all from Big Pharma may be causing this. However, it is mere speculation on my part since I have no data to prove it. Anyway here are the original articles.

http://www.wired.com/medtech/drugs/magazine/17-09/ff_placebo_effect?currentPage=all

From
http://kottke.org/09/09/the-mighty-placebo-effect

The Watermill at Dorado

I was thinking about the hotels in Dorado the other day. After all I worked there for around 4 years. One of my jobs was to supervise the pool system. Currently the Dorado Beach hotels are a sham of their former selves, although the remodelling of Dorado Beach continues while Cerromar is a ghost hotel that only has activities on Hacienda del Mar and the River Pool.

Then I was reminded of the construction of the Cerromar Clubhouse and the new pool. A few months ago I stumbled upon the following image:

This pool is actually a larger, more modern design than that of Cerromar. However it is prohibitely expensive as seen on the Dorado Beach website.

http://www.doradobeachclubs.com/sites/courses/dorado.asp?id=488&page=38739

Will the same thing happen at the Riviera. Where are the inexpensive pools and hangouts for kids now?

Sometimes it makes me wonder... How are Puerto Rico controlled sites like Roosevelt Roads maintained? I found the answer today while I was at a client's office in Isla Grande. Abandoned buildings and deteriorated infrastructure denotes NOT MUCH.

However we must still think positive and hope that some day the goverment (whatever the color) will stop their petty differences and start thinking about the future of our people.

SOLO = Alone

People have been complaining about the recent trend of changing signage to English in several municipalities. Classic examples are Guaynabo or Guayama (Scratchmore). The photo was made in Photoshop but circulated everywhere as true.

http://www.elnuevodia.com/guaynabocitypatinaconeldificil-616415.html

This trend is pointless. Signs need to be clear to everyone driving. If something standard is desired it should follow at least the US Federal Standards:

http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/ser-shs_millennium_eng.htm

or at least the European standards

http://www.travel-island.com/road.traffic.signs/informative.road.signs.html

Both options reduce the verbosity of the signs and create a consistent model for the roads. At one point Fas Alzamora proposed installing three language signs all over the airport. However a road sign is not to be read, it is to be recognized.

Reading a sign is worse than driving while texting on a cell phone!

Point is, take out the politics out of road signs and have a consistent policy so we are not changing road signs whenever a new administration comes in.

On the issue of verbosity I include an excellent note on the use of typography for reports and presentations. Hope you find it useful!

http://www.thedesigncubicle.com/2008/12/10-common-typography-mistakes/

Why Tongui Tongui?

Last night we were at the Mahi Mahi shopping center in Dorado. We just couldn't begin to grasp the many levels of wrongness of this kids clothing store. Beginning with the stupid name tongui tongui (I guess they were going for topi topi but it was already taken) and concluding with the horrendous mannequins that look straight out of a Trent Reznor video.

Although chibi sucki and tragaaldabas jim are original they are very creepy for any 8 year old. For chrissakes for anyone! I guess it is a publicity stunt to get La Comay to cover them for free.

R Crumb and the Book of Genesis

The controversial book by R Crumb, a prolific comix writer has just been published. Boing Boing showed a peek image of chapter 19.
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/09/18/exclusive-sneak-peek.html

For those French speakers out there telerama published a few chapters. Get those translators ready! Here is the linkage before its gone.
http://www.telerama.fr/livre/crumb-portfolio,44258.php

It should be a very good read since R Crumb is of jewish descent and has dealt with a lot of esoterism in his time.

genesis r.crumb religion

Beginnings

I decided to begin this blog because I don't like the other communication tools (i.e facebook or twitter) to publish comments with several links or images. I have been following them for years, mostly for the music or for the curious links.

Japanese consider cranes to be bearers of good fortune, thus I include a paper crane wind 'guindalejo' (cannot call it windchime because it doesn't chime) I made while working my shift on a pilot plant of a known pharmaceutical water system.

Practicing my skills for the Roosevelt Roads, I mean Portal del Futuro, I mean Riviera del Caribe post I may need to mount if I want to sell them to the tourists. Do these count as artesania boricua? we will soon find out!