Update: this feels all the more pressing now, since this US election. If you want to hear Chomsky’s post-election comments on white male entitlement and rage, it’s here.
The Hitler Youth haircut: what it’s actually expressing
May 26, 2014
Uncategorised
Navajo chief’s blanket ends up on Antiques Road Show (2004)
May 23, 2014
This is for those who haven’t seen this decade-old segment which for some reason has been making the social media rounds again.
It is so nice to see a truly beautiful textile get this sort of attention (and from men too, which speaking as a textiles person rarely happens in North America, in contrast with other parts of the world).
Easybreath mask and snorkel innovation
May 21, 2014
After many years of few changes in the old mask and snorkel setup, this is an interesting innovation. It just won the 2014 Oxylane Innovation Award (I have no idea what that is, but I suspect it’s just the first of many awards for this contraption).
Mick Jagger in Peru
May 16, 2014
I was talking to the very knowledgeable owner of a shop of antique weaving in Cuzco, Peru, and after a while he mentioned that Mick Jagger had been in the shop two years before.
When you have oil pipeline companies, who needs satire?
April 29, 2014
Giant U.S. oil/energy mega-corp Kinder Morgan has applied to triple the size of a pipeline across British Columbia, bringing dirty bitumen-laced oil from the Alberta Tar Sands. “Public” hearings to assess the application have been notoriously non-public.
Jón Gnarr, Mayor of Reykjavik, on his dream for Iceland
April 14, 2014
Photo of Reykjavik by Gunnar Steinn / Made by Iceland
Jón Gnarr, mayor of Reykjavik and member of The Sugarcubes, shared Made by Iceland‘s photo on Facebook and wrote this:
My dream
(It’s pretty naive but I just have to get it off my chest)
I think Iceland offers a unique opportunity for the world.
Arhuaca mochila bags of Colombia
April 13, 2014
I first noticed these cylindrical handwoven bags on a couple of delegates at the UN World Urban Forum in Medellín, Colombia. They looked unusually sturdy, very finely handwoven in wool, and all had unique and beautiful geometric patterns.
Sophisticated sundial clock in Medellín, Colombia
April 12, 2014
A little hard to tell from these photos how beautiful this clock is. Depending on which side of noon you are, you view either one side or another. I believe noon hits (more or less) the circle in center.
Ed Snowden’s surprise from-remote appearance at TED 2014 in Vancouver today
March 18, 2014
Edward Snowden made a surprise appearance at the TED 2014 main conference in Vancouver today. TED is calling it “Here’s how we take back the Internet.”
From a remote location in Russia he could remotely control a wheeled bot that allowed “him” to turn around and look at the audience.
Downtown Eastside Local Area Plan or DTES LAP
March 12, 2014
The Downtown Eastside Local Area Plan or DTES LAP is a comprehensive plan for a significant area of downtown/East Vancouver. It goes before City Council this week, where Council seems likely to pass it despite significant opposition.
