December 17, 2011
Most people think of eco-compatibility in terms of recycling. But even with recycling, the earth’s resources aren’t nearly sufficient to allow the bulk of the planet’s population to consume at the levels we do in the developed world.
December 3, 2011
McCabe & Mrs. Miller, released in 1971, was one of Robert Altman’s earliest feature films (after M*A*S*H*, That Cold Day in the Park, and Brewster McCloud).
November 30, 2011
A mystery sculptor (all that’s known is that she is female) has been leaving these sculptures made from book pages in libraries and museums across Edinburgh. When the sculptures numbered ten she stopped, leaving this inscription in a guestbook: “In support of Libraries, Books, Words and Ideas… a tiny gesture in support of the special places.” As a mysterious public art piece it has fascinated many in Edinburgh.
November 26, 2011
The composer Laurie Spiegel in her studio. An amateur musician from childhood, Spiegel detoured through the social sciences at university and then returned to music, later founding NYU’s Computer Music Studio.
November 22, 2011
Megaphone speaker by the Italian company Enandis. Why do I like this? I shouldn’t like it, but I do. It’s so wrong for things to pretend to be other things, like early cars resembling horse carriages, or high-heeled runners.
November 19, 2011
Luxury brands like Louis Vuitton did record business this year, as did luxury car sales. This is the bottom line of our current economic system. Draw your own conclusions. But think twice before suggesting Occupiers don’t have clear demands or don’t know what they’re talking about.
November 15, 2011
Beautiful simple cabin by my architect friend Mark Osburn and his firm Osburn Clarke. Via Adventure Journal.
I heard another architect say lately that the cabin form is the vernacular architecture of British Columbia, and that is probably true.
October 31, 2011
My friend Sandy Garossino, running for a spot on Vancouver City Council
Early readers of this blog are probably wondering what happened to it. Yes, it’s more political now and ostensibly less focused on pure design, but I’m not sure I believe in the existence of “pure design” anyway.
October 15, 2011
The sign above bears a quote from philosopher Bertrand Russell: “Advocates of capitalism are very apt to appeal to the sacred principle of liberty, which can be embodied in one maxim, “the fortunate must not be restrained in their tyranny over the unfortunate”.”
Occupy Vancouver had a promising start on a warm, beautiful fall day.
September 28, 2011
Hiyao Miyazaki, one of my favourite filmmakers, is the Japanese director of the animated movies Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and Totoro. Of all his films these three are favourite, probably because they are the most Japanese in their aesthetic.
