Confabulator

Oct 17

The Guardian has a nice gallery of “commended images” of wildlife from 2012.

The Guardian has a nice gallery of “commended images” of wildlife from 2012.

Oct 16

A 4-m.p. bike.

A 4-m.p. bike.

Apr 04

The list of more than 40 firms Arthur Rock asked to invest in the Traitorous 8 — a group that included the founders of Intel and other tech innovators. He was asking for $1.5 million and a share in the business for each of the founders. “None of the companies would do it,” Rock says. My faves: McGraw Electric (Toastmaster), Western Union and National Cash Register. From NPR.

The list of more than 40 firms Arthur Rock asked to invest in the Traitorous 8 — a group that included the founders of Intel and other tech innovators. He was asking for $1.5 million and a share in the business for each of the founders. “None of the companies would do it,” Rock says.

My faves: McGraw Electric (Toastmaster), Western Union and National Cash Register. From NPR.

Apr 03

Makoon, who is about eight weeks old, has become a bit of a celebrity and had hundreds of visitors since Rene Dubois found him starving in a ditch along the highway near St. Malo. Conservation officers have seized the black bear cub, which was rescued and taken home last month by a man in southern Manitoba.

Makoon, who is about eight weeks old, has become a bit of a celebrity and had hundreds of visitors since Rene Dubois found him starving in a ditch along the highway near St. Malo.

Conservation officers have seized the black bear cub, which was rescued and taken home last month by a man in southern Manitoba.

Mar 07

Stanley Kubrick’s photos of Chicago, shot in 1949 for Look magazine. 

Stanley Kubrick’s photos of Chicago, shot in 1949 for Look magazine. 

Feb 22

Weather Channel put this image up of a plankton bloom, swirling around in the ocean south of South Africa. The eddy creates a force that drives nutrients up from the deep — the plankton love it.

Weather Channel put this image up of a plankton bloom, swirling around in the ocean south of South Africa. The eddy creates a force that drives nutrients up from the deep — the plankton love it.

Feb 08

‘Follow Me Up’ Becomes ‘Open Shadow’

This “sampling” of a classic 1978 song brings to mind The Verve’s Bittersweet Symphony. Like that piece, this one lays new vocals over an iconoclastic bit of 60s-70s genius. And in both cases, I admit to loving the old and new versions.

The Beautiful Swimmers: “Open Shadow” from 2011:

… which makes good use of Phil Keaggy’s “Follow Me Up” from 1978:

The Beautiful Swimmers are two creative guys from Maryland. Paul Keaggy is a renowned master of the guitar, who still records and tours.

Feb 06

The Ice Hole. Fishing and drinking are not strangers. Out on Minnesota’s Lake Lida, some guys have created an ice-fishing hut/bar. The liquor license came from a nearby bar (on land) called Hillbillies Vittles. Minn. Public Radio has photos. Five types of beer, some hard liquor, and two ice holes for jiggin’.

The Ice Hole.

Fishing and drinking are not strangers. Out on Minnesota’s Lake Lida, some guys have created an ice-fishing hut/bar. The liquor license came from a nearby bar (on land) called Hillbillies Vittles. Minn. Public Radio has photos. Five types of beer, some hard liquor, and two ice holes for jiggin’.

Jan 31

The New Cobweb Summer

The weather’s too warm for winter, they say. So, here’s to the new cobweb summer.

Here’s Kurt Wagner doing this live version of that great Lambchop song, in 2007:

And here’s the audio of the original, that someone decided to lay over a bunch of movie trailers — and tack a crescendo from a separate live version onto the end:

Jan 11

[video]