The Good Werd

The Umbrella Project by Bryan Kowalsky

2011-05-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

A very talented friend of mine has finally finished his latest short film, and it's incredible!

The Umbrella Project from Bryan Kowalsky on Vimeo.

Follow my summer travels in Italy and Beyond

2011-05-04T05:53:00.000-07:00

Hello! I suppose I should let you know that I'm in Italy for the summer. I am interning at a fabulous site-specific art collection in Tuscany for May, June and July. I will try to fit in some other traveling during this time, and then at the beginning of August I will head to either Croatia or Spain for a few days before returning to Italy to meet up with my good friend who I am taking to Rome, Florence, and Milan. For my internship placement (which I got through my university) I am required to keep a blog about my experience, so if you're interested in following along, you can find it here.

Ciao!

Daily Video: Daegan McNeaney - Damien

2011-04-30T09:45:00.000-07:00

This short scary film for kids was made by the very talented Daegan McNeaney.

Damien from Daegan McNeaney on Vimeo.

My new boytoy - Cornelius!

2011-04-23T22:31:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are some pictures of my AWESOME new puppy Cornelius (although he's rapidly growing out of the puppy phase). Cornelius was born November 24, 2010. His mother was a Puggle (Pug x Beagle) and his father was a Shar Pei x Bullmastiff, so he's quite a unique mix, and, as a result, quite a unique character. Cornelius has many nicknames including: Corny, Corn Dawg, Horny Corny, Benjamin Button, Grandpa the Flatulent, and Little Richard Alpert. I have never had such a smart, good, HILARIOUS dog. Enjoy the pics :)

Cornelius (11wks old here) & I after a very wet, slushy day at the dog park

A good friend photoshopped this image of Cornelius a few days after I got him :)

Cornelius at 8 weeks - the day we got him!

Cornelius (8 weeks old) exploring the kitchen

Cornelius (8 weeks) working on a yummy bone

Cornelius (9 weeks) - the king of adorable sleep positions

Cornelius (9 weeks) - the king of adorable sleep positions (or yoga?)

Cornelius (9 weeks) - I call this pose the "oh p'shaw"

Cornelius at 10 weeks old, in yet another uncomfy positiong

Cornelius at 10 weeks

Cornelius at 10 weeks, very comfortable with his manhood

Cornelius at 11 weeks - getting too big for his bed!

Cornelius (11 weeks) bored with his toys

Corny (11 weeks) going for a playdate with his friend Peanut

Cornelius at 13 weeks being attacked by his latest nemesis: shark puppet!

Cornelius at 15 weeks

Corny being silly at 15 weeks old

Cornelius (just under 5 months old) refusing to budge

Cornelius in the cone of shame. Bye-bye nads!

Now on GoodReads

2011-04-23T20:58:00.000-07:00

I've finally joined GoodReads so I can share my favourite books with you! Although I've been unable to get in much fiction reading since starting university, I am trying to update my page with all the books I've loved from the past, and I'm aiming to get some good reads in this summer. If you use GoodReads, I'd love for you to add me so I can see what you read too! And check out my GoodReads Widget in the sidebar ----->

Daily Video: BaaaStuds - LED Sheep Herding

2011-04-13T13:32:00.000-07:00

Iceland Wants to Be Your Friend

2011-04-12T12:31:00.000-07:00

My favourite place ever, Iceland, has started using the internet and wants some new friends! Find out more about Iceland and become friends here. (If you enter your email, you will get the cutest email ever from Iceland)

Artist Spotlight: Tim Flach

2011-04-11T21:37:00.000-07:00

Like I said in my last post, I'm on a real dog kick lately ever since I got my amazing puppy Cornelius a few months ago. Tim Flach does these AMAZING, intimate, expressive photographs of dogs that read like people portraits. Tim Flach's photos are also available in his book.

Daily LOL - Dogs

2011-04-11T21:32:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the overabundance of dog-ownership-related-posts. I am now the proud owner of the most kickass puppy in the world. Pictures to come :)

Daily Video: Modestep - Feel Good

2011-04-11T21:31:00.000-07:00

Beyond the Rack & Ideeli Invites

2011-04-11T13:43:00.000-07:00

If you want an invite link to Beyond the Rack and/or Ideeli (both are invite-only deal sites that feature tons of daily AWESOME deals on fashion, accessories, housewares, gifts, and more), feel free to use the invite links found below. Beyond the Rack ships to lots of countries, including the USA and Canada. Ideeli only ships inside the USA.

Beyond the Rack Invite Link
Ideeli Invite Link

Daily LOL - Dogs vs. Cats

2011-04-11T13:40:00.001-07:00

Daily Video: Pocket Cinema - Blue, Karma, Tiger

2011-04-11T13:31:00.000-07:00

Here's a really cool short Swedish animated documentary about female graffiti artists Blue, Karma, and Tiger.

Blip.fm

2011-04-11T13:26:00.000-07:00

Do you like The Good Werd? Do you like the music I post? Follow me on blip.fm/unichron to get more timely updates of what music I'm digging :)

Daily Video: Mark Ronson & The Business Int'l - Bang Bang Bang

2010-09-20T11:20:00.000-07:00

Daily Video: Miru Kim's Underground Art on TED Talks

2010-09-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

FB Comics

2010-07-28T17:15:00.000-07:00

Here are a few good comics about the Book of Faces. Enjoy!

8 New Music Vids

2010-07-25T13:46:00.001-07:00

While I was in iceland I watched a lot of MTV UK in my hotel room, and therefore have a new selection of great music videos. Here they are for your enjoyment :)

Skepta - Rescue Me

Cee Lo Green - No One

Alexandra Burke Feat Pitbull - All Night Long

Magnetic Man - I Need Air

Dan Balan - Chica Bomb

Cheryl Cole - Parachute

INNA - Amazing

Keri Hilson - I Like

Iceland... the land of ice.

2010-07-25T12:53:00.000-07:00

So I've been home for a little while now, collecting my thoughts about Iceland, and now it's time to post.

The verdict: I need to go back! Iceland is seriously the best place I've ever been, and I very strongly plan on moving there. Also, 24hour sunlight is awesome!

On my first day i went whalewatching, which you can read about here.

Whale watching

On my second day I explored Reykjavik and bought WAAAAAY too much stuff. Everything in iceland is SO expensive. For instance, a beer costs about $14. A bottle of vodka costs double what it would here in Canada. The one cocktail I remember buying myself was about $20. Dinner for myself would range from $60-$100. Lunch would be between $30-$50 (I actually had a $30 hamburger). Reykjavik's most famous restaurant is actually a hotdog stand, and it's just a couple dollars for the BEST hotdog ever.

Baejarins Beztu Pylsur... Best Hotdogs!

On my third day I went horseback riding in the morning, and then to the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, which was very very touristy (so many kids!) but still very cool. I got a 2-hour in-water body wrap and massage, so I actually just floated around the water being massaged and stuff. The only downside is that the water was very salty and destroyed my hair! The water was so cool though... it was almost milky white!

Water at the Blue Lagoon

On Saturday and Sunday I hung out in Reykjavik and went to some galleries and museums. The National Art Gallery had 2 very cool exhibitions on... Edvard Munch and Cindy Sherman's Film Stills.

On my second last day I went on the Golden Circle Tour, where you drive around to some of Iceland's main natural sites including Geysir, Gulfoss (a beautiful waterfall), and a place where you can clearly see the separation between the North American Techtonic plate and the Eurasian one.

Standing between the Eurasian techtonic plate (right) and the North American one (left)

The big wall with the waterfall is the North American techtonic plate

Gulfoss

Geysir (you can see a man in the bottom right corner... that should give you an idea of the scale)

The earth here is red from iron

At nighttime the Icelanders don't really go out until midnight, so I'd nap until about 11 and then head out. Most nights I hung out with my fabulous icelandic buddy Toti. Toti is also the reason I stood 1 foot away from Bjork! On my second day, in the afternoon, I was about to take a nap when Toti texted me about an art show down by the harbour. I said I was pretty tired so no thanks... then I woke up an hour later with a text on my phone that said "but Bjork's here", so I got down there in about 5 minutes flat! She was there with her kid, and as much as I desperately wanted to approach her, I was advised not to :( There were also 2 members of Múm there, and I even drove past Jonsi's house later that night!

Performance piece at the art show

Proof!

Me + Toti

Toti sitting under my new favourite photo

Some fun Iceland facts I learned:

-They don't have a word for "please". Instead, they have 3 words that mean "do it".

-Until recently, it was legal in Iceland to kill Turks.

-Beer was illegal in Iceland until a couple years ago. Not all liquor, just beer...

-The largest group of immigrants in Iceland is Polish people.

More photos:

Weird Statue at the Keflavik Airport

Flying over Greenland

The Reykjavik Pond at about midnight

Some dude bleeding in the street at 1am.

This is about 11:15 PM

Me on top of my new favourite statue

My new favourite statue

View of Reykjavik from the top of the church

First Impressions of Reykjavik

2010-07-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

So I'm here and I've already decided I'm not coming home!

My flight was pretty good, although I didn't sleep. i was in a middle seat, but luckily i was between 2 very nice guys about my age. the one on the right was stopping over in iceland on his way to london where he's moving in with his boyfriend. he was super nice. the one on my left was kinda chubby, maybe a couple years younger than me, and had a fleece army print sweater on with dragons in the design too. the chubby one was icelandic and was born there but moved to canada very young. SO right at the beginnning of the flight i was talking to the gay kid about stuff. all of a sudden chubby kid chimes in... "have you tried whale meat?" so i pause... and turn... and say "no actually. i haven't. have you?" and he says "ya a couple times" i said "...is it good?" he thinks, then says "with the right sauce." and then he turned on his headphones. it was sooo random.

and no i will not try whale while im here.

I DID go whalewatching when I got here though. First I had just enought time to grab a sandwich. I humiliated myself because i ate it, paid the waitress, and left, and back at the hotel discovered I had a massive chunk of spinach in my teeth.

On the way to whalewatching, this weird chick from iowa who teaches special ed decided i would be her whale watching buddy.

Whale watching is overrated... we saw some Minky whales, but really all you see is their fin from a distance for a brief second. On a related note: puffins are ADORABLE!

I'm staying at Hotel Fron which is in an AWESOME location right on the main street. It's super loud though, so I might ask for a room further away from the elevators and higher up. The room is tiny but very cute. I have a massive balcony, and I get MTV and the discovery channel. The water reek of sulphur (which I expected, but it's still gross). Free internet in the hotel though! And I have a mini fridge, which is perfect for the vodka and wine I bought at duty free on my way here :)

Other fleeting thoughts about iceland:

-its so weird to take a nap and wake up at 10 pm and have it be completely daylight. Talk about screwing with your inner clock!

-the air smells like fish

-5 minutes of walking through reykjavik indicates that it's SO FREAKING COOL. It's hard to explain... its just so trendy and cool! I hate the word "trendy, but I don't really know what else to say... creative? artsy? unique?

-they have tons of chocolate bars that involve licorice and chocolate... f*ing weird!

-icelandic is such a weird language! i love hearing, but i cant understand a word of it! At lunch, my waitress had a tattoo, so I asked if she had gotten it in reykjavik. She said yes so I asked if it was a good tattoo place. she was like "ya its the best! its just over on gfbjdbkebglfbgvfjbvjfsv street. the artists name was gfbjdbkebglfbgvfjbvjfsv..., he's very famous." i seriously could not make out a single syllable!

anyways. it's prettymuch midnight and I stil want to try to hit up a bar so I can spend a small fortune trying icelandic booze. Sorry about the poor typing, this keyboard is stiff.

ciao!

Status Update: Packing for Iceland

2010-07-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

Still haven't left. Trying to pack. I've got my camera bag and 3 lenses. I've got a rain jacket. I've got jewellery. I've got clothes for going out. I've got my $35,000 of icelandic monopoly money (35,000 Icelandic Kronur = about $400 Canadian). And I've got 7 pairs of shoes for my 6 day trip...

Breakdown of the shoes I'm bringing:

-1 pair of Reebok Easytone Running shoes... I want to wear these when I'm on tours or doing lots of walking so I can see if they really tone my butt while walking.

-1 pair of hightop Pumas... for when I need something super comfortable and fairly warm, but more stylish than the Reeboks

-1 pair of gold flats... cuz they're new and cute

-1 pair of gold-ish snakeskin strappy sandals... for if it gets hot. And also because they're new

-1 pair of black ballerina flats with chains around the ankles... for when the other flats don't match what I'm wearing

-1 pair of killer high black strappy heels with little studs... cuz they're freaking hot!

-1 pair of lower, plainer black heels, in case my feet get too massacred by the other heels

...see my dilemma???

Vacation Time!

2010-07-13T07:25:00.000-07:00

Alright! So I'm off to Iceland for a week... I'll have tons of pics to post when I get back, but for the time being I'll leave you with a comic from PhD Comics about vacation:

Ass Hats

2010-07-08T16:09:00.001-07:00

So earlier today I was called a "gay ass hat" by someone on reddit (my bad for not posting an NSFW tag on some that was very NSFW... i guess the words "nudity", "pride", and "pics" in the title didn't tip him off...).

Naturally, I wondered "wtf is an ass hat".

Ironically, I encountered the term again just moments ago while perusing The System comics...

Still not entirely certain of the meaning though.....

You Know You're Canadian When

2010-07-07T20:39:00.000-07:00

You know you're Canadian when someone walking down the street accidentally punches you really hard in the arm, and YOU apologize to THEM.

What Grading Is Like (PhD Comics)

2010-07-07T18:15:00.000-07:00

PhD Comics perfectly illustrates what grading is like!

Daily LOL - SMBC Educated Man

2010-07-06T19:05:00.001-07:00

Link

The one on the right is my dream guy!

NUDITY OVERLOAD

2010-07-05T20:09:00.000-07:00

So after some recent facebook controversy concerning the above photo which i posted in a Toronto Pride Parade 2010 album, I've decided it's time to rant about NUDITY.

First of all, I don't see why anyone, especially my friends (who i thought were cool), should find fault with nude pictures online that were taken at an event where nudity was permitted. This naked dude marched down the street, uncensored, in front of thousands of people... so why can't a snapshot of that event be posted on facebook?

FB sent me the following warning email to notify me that my photo was being removed:

Seriously? Since when am I supposed to watch out for other peoples' children? Facebook is just like any other site on the internet... it's the parents' job to monitor what their children see online. Furthermore, I don't have any children on my facebook, so if any children do manage to see my photo, it would most likely be because facebook changed their privacy settings causing my profile to become public... not my fault. I completely admit that a fairly decent case COULD be argued for WHY facebook doesn't allow nude pictures to be posted, however the reason the gave me was bull....

But let's get to the real issue here. How can there actually still be people who are offended by naked people in events like Pride, or the WNBR (World Naked Bike Ride)? I'm not saying it's ok for people to strip/streak in EVERY situation, but in a world where celeb va-jay-jays are hidden by a couple pieces of string, and where obscenity of every sort is impossible to escape, why is it that people like this guy at pride are given so much flack. Come on society. Really.

So instead of attempting to articulate the rest of my feelings on the matter, I'm just going to add a bunch of pictures of nudity. I hope you enjoy, and I would very much like to hear comments on this matter. A final thought: What makes nudity obscene? What makes it tasteful? What makes it artistic? Who decides?

*If you liked this article, please upvote it here and digg it here ...thanks!*

PHOTOS FROM THE WNBR TORONTO 2010:

(courtesy of here and here)

PHOTOS FROM TORONTO PRIDE 2010:

(taken by myself and found on PrideToronto's Flickr)

NAKED PEEPS WE SEE EVERY DAY:

NAKED CELEBS:

"ARTISTIC NUDES":

(all are from the "artistic nude photography" section of DeviantArt)

link

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link

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Toronto Pride 2010 - Highlights

2010-07-05T15:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Toronto's 30th annual Pride Parade, and it was a scorcher! Below I've posted some of the photos I took. I managed to get a few good ones, despite having a bad view thanks to some lady who yelled at me for being in her "personal space"... clearly no one ever told her that "personal space" doesn't apply to parade situations...

Daily LOL - The Purest Art Form

2010-07-05T15:24:00.000-07:00

I'm back and things are changing!

2010-07-05T15:13:00.000-07:00

So after yet another lengthy hiatus, I have decided that my life has become far too exciting to not be blogged about. I've also been inspired by my good friend and travelmate who has just started his own blog about an impending USA road trip which I will be taking part in this august (see his blog here).

Some things to expect from here on out:

-continued postage of awesome images, comics, art, videos, etc. from around the web.
-a higher level of personal work, thoughts, and entries.

To recap what I've been up to since last posting:

-I've gone from blonde to brunette
-I've graduated from my undergrad at the University of Toronto
-I've been accepted to a Masters program in Communication & Culture at York University in conjunction with Ryerson University.
-I've moved to an awesome apartment in downtown Toronto
-I met the Hamburglar
-I've started a sweet summer gig working for TradeBank as a graphic designer.

This summer I'll be taking a week long trip to Reykjavik Iceland (next week!) as well as a 4 day trip to Las Vegas, so stay tuned for more about that!

Thanks to everyone who continues to read this blog, and sorry about the wait!

<3 Ally

Daily Video: Tachaaan

2010-03-29T13:55:00.000-07:00

TACHAAAN! from Rafikisland on Vimeo.

This short animated film Tachaaan was directed by Rafael Cano, Carlos del Olmo, and Miguel A. Bellot.

Daily LOL - Nothing Rhymes with Orange

2010-03-26T09:44:00.000-07:00

Daily LOL - Tik Tok Star Wars Parody

2010-03-25T22:09:00.000-07:00

Wabash Documentary

2010-03-25T16:49:00.001-07:00

Wabash Doc from Ally Duncan on Vimeo.

This short documentary about an abandoned, graffiti-filled factory in Toronto was created by myself, Jon Rickett, and Andrew Nguyen.

Snowmance - A Short Claymation Film

2010-03-25T06:24:00.000-07:00

Here is a short claymation film titled Snowmance by myself, Gary Li, and Patrick Naval.

Daily LOL - LOST Comic

2010-03-23T20:35:00.000-07:00

Daily Video: Timbaland and Katy Perry - If We Ever Meet Again

2010-03-22T19:39:00.000-07:00

Daily LOL - Chat Roulette Ninjas

2010-03-22T07:42:00.001-07:00

Isn't it awesome when people use chatrooms for something other than sex?

Daily Video: Kuky se Vraci Trailer

2010-03-20T08:31:00.000-07:00

Kuky Se Vraci, a feature film by Czech director Jan Svěrák, tells the story of a 6-year old boy, Ondra, who suffers from asthma, and so for "health reasons" all his favorite plush toys must be disposed of, including a pink bear by the name of Kuky. When the mother throws the toy in the trash, Kuky goes on an epic adventure to find his way home. The film is scheduled for release on May 20, 2010 in Czech cinemas.

Artist Spotlight: Dave Devries

2010-03-20T08:19:00.000-07:00

In his book The Monster Engine, artist Dave Davries takes children's drawings and turns them into realistic illustrations.

Tattoo Documentary

2010-02-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

This short documentary about one man's tattoo was created by myself and Jon Rickett. Special thanks to Too Fast To Live Tattoos at Dixie and Dundas in Mississauga, and X-Tremities Tattoos at Hurontario and Dundas in Mississauga.

Chinatown Documentary

2010-02-09T10:19:00.000-08:00

This short documentary about Toronto's downtown Chinatown was created by myself and Jon Rickett.

Daily Video: Dr. Seuss - Gerald McBoing-Boing

2010-01-14T18:00:00.000-08:00

Artist Spotlight: Sozyone

2010-01-13T09:43:00.001-08:00

Born in Brussels, influenced by his neighborhood, its stories and legends, Pablo (Sozyone) Gonzalez works his Art around the world of Villains. His first drawings decorate his pairs cells, and wins his first star in the field during winter '82 recopying an old belgian 100 franks banknote. Two days of work that will serve his brother, testing the forge by buying a pak of Luckies at the tobacco cornershop. Becomig forger was what he thought he could do, and decided, helped by his brother to study Art.

In '88 he studies at Saint-Lucas Art School and meets Smimooz Exel (with whom he creates De Puta Madre) both expelled, they'll attend the Brussels Academy of Fine Arts from '90 to '96. During that period, Pablo Gonzalez will have a great interest in Metropolitan Graffitis aesthetic vandalism, and becomes officially Sozyone, with his crew R.A.B, forgetting forgery and use of forgery. 7 albums, hundreds of graffitis, stages and jams mark the Time when Hip Hop was 'Fresh' and Untouchable.

In 1996 he creates with Gold Jaba, Prince Pro, Turs, Byz and Kool Recto, The UltraBoys International, asserting a new form of Graffiti. An aesthetic impregnated with Marvels, abstract futuristic mathematics, alphabetical contructivism, and facial Picassonic cubism, brutally refined. A sort of Pure Graffiti Vanguard, ignoring any other vision of graffiti, supposed useless.

Since 2004 Sozyone exposes his work, sought by certain purist and becomes Sozyone Gonzalez for his new public, which ables him to make Authenticity certificats for each one of his pieces, sculpted, engraved, painted or drawn, reminding him without a doubt his attraction for paper to handle delicately, gloves chalked.

Artist Spotlight: Ginou Choueiri

2010-01-12T08:27:00.000-08:00

New York resident Ginou Choueiri has created an installation of hundreds of potato heads that grow, decay, and die. Ginou chose potatoes because of their porous skin, varying shapes and sizes, and their flesh-like colour. The portraits are of friends, family, acquiantances, politicians, and pop stars.

Daily LOL - I Loaf You (Cyanide & Happiness)

2010-01-12T08:17:00.000-08:00

Artist Spotlight: Dave Barnes

2010-01-11T12:46:00.001-08:00

Canadian Dave Barnes' artistic approach involves the practice of transforming modern concept to reveal nostalgic mood, sometimes refered to as “Oldification”. Recycled elements (such as vintage newspapers and comics), faded colours, layered/collaged backgrounds, and sand~papered imagery all play a part in this process, along with the use of bold observational line and memory dissolved Rockwellian imagery. Often disregarding conventional rectangular canvases for manipulated wooden shapes to help emphasize theme and subject, he tries to use art as a translation of experience and observation that derives inspiration from environment and memory.

Daily Video: Run Wrake - Rabbit

2009-12-31T09:25:00.000-08:00

An awesome short film by Run Wrake.

Daily LOL - Spelling (The Oatmeal)

2009-12-29T13:04:00.001-08:00

An important lesson in spelling from The Oatmeal:

Daily Video: Skhizein

2009-12-29T12:56:00.000-08:00

Skhizein (Jérémy Clapin,2008) from Bertie on Vimeo.

In this animated short by Jérémy Clapin, Henry has been struck by a 150-ton meteorite, and has to adapt to living precisely ninety-one centimeters from himself.

Artist Spotlight: Thomas Shahan

2009-12-27T22:05:00.000-08:00

The multitalented Thomas Shahan does AMAZING macrophotography of insects. Check out all of his artistic works at his flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/people/opoterser.

Daily LOL - The Muppets Carol of the Bells

2009-12-15T07:40:00.000-08:00

Daily Video: Heartsrevolution - The Rose and Her Prince

2009-12-11T11:06:00.000-08:00

Daily LOL - FB PETA Convo

2009-12-11T10:31:00.001-08:00

The Best Food and Fitness Tips from Every Magazine

2009-12-08T20:31:00.000-08:00

Magazines are expensive! That's why I've pulled some nutrition, fitness, and wellness articles from a variety of magazine websites and compiled a list here. Enjoy!

Food/Nutrition

10 Best Weight Loss Tips (Cosmopolitan US)

7 Food That Increase Metabolism (Cosmopolitan US)

Drop 5 Pounds In A Week (Cosmopolitan US)

Healthy Holiday Cocktails (Marie Claire US)

5 Foods That Fight Fat (Glow)

5 Foods For A Flatter Belly (LouLou)

Beat Afternoon Cravings With Healthy Snacks

How To Add Healthy Fats To Your Diet (Canadian Living)

8 Healthy Comfort Foods (Canadian Living)

Are You Being Fooled By Food Labels? (Canadian Living)

Fitness

How To Build More Muscle (Marie Claire US)

Sexy Strong Abs The Easy Way (Marie Claire US)

Fitness Tips, Holiday Style (Marie Claire US)

Calorie Burning Winter Activities (Chatelaine)

Wellness

Tips To Fall Asleep When You're Wired (Cosmopolitan US)

Increase Your Metabolism (Marie Claire US)

45 Best Body Secrets (Marie Claire US)

14 Simple Ways To Beat Food Cravings (Canadian Living)

Daily Video: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll

2009-12-06T14:38:00.001-08:00

YEAH YEAH YEAHS - Heads Will Roll from Framestore design on Vimeo.

Graffiti: Roots, Writing, Rebellion, and Relationships

2009-12-03T12:33:00.000-08:00

Here is one of my very first essays exploring graffiti. Please click on each image to see the full page.

Daily LOL - Bachelor Frog

2009-12-02T18:24:00.001-08:00

Daily LOL - Menstrual Anime

2009-12-01T10:26:00.000-08:00

Daily LOL - Menstruation Animation

2009-11-30T20:13:00.001-08:00

14 Artistic Nudes

2009-11-29T23:00:00.000-08:00

By Daniel Ilinca

By Sutemmy Djunaedi

By Gabriele Chiapparini

By Pavel Kiselev

By Daniel Ilinca

By Akif Celebi

By Akif Celebi

By Akif Celebi

By Pavel Kiselev

By Daniel Ilinca

By Vladimir Borowicz

By Pavel Kiselev

By Chris Soo

By Walter Barthélemi

19 Great Circus-Inspired Images

2009-11-29T21:01:00.000-08:00

By DeviantArtist Heurchon

By Wilmer Murillo

By Stijn Felix

By Colletivo Design Studio

By Adam Urban

By Alexandru Nimurad

By Nicola Di Marco

By Shannon Doran

By Phil Euristis

By Martcellia Liunic

By David

By Bree

By Alice LeFay

By Alexandra Duncan

By Alexandra Duncan

By Emily Lynch

By Andrea Vekony

By Marek Dusil Jr.

By Joshua Duchesne

Daily LOL - Bible In a Minute

2009-11-29T11:51:00.000-08:00

4 Awesome Works of Conceptual Architecture

2009-11-29T11:39:00.000-08:00

All four of these works were found via FreshBump.com

1) The Plantagon Greenhouse

The Plantagon Greenhouse is an enormous urban greenhouse with spiraling agricultural land that is designed to sit right in the middle of a city, cutting costs and environmental damage by eliminating transportation and deliver directly to consumers.

2) The Harvest Green Tower

The Harvest Green Tower is a winning design by Romses Architects for Vancouver's 2030 Challenge, which would allow for the farming of vegetables, fruit, and livestock in an urban environment. A vertical farm such as the Harvest Green Tower would also have other benefits beyond greening a skyline. Power generated from methane emissions, collected rainwater and wind turbines could also be given back to the grid if it produces more than it uses. Harvest could also provide space for agriculture students and scientists to study animals and seeds.

3) The Bering Strait Project

The Bering Strait Project asked participants to create a massive spanning element connecting Russia to America. Paris-based OFF Architecture’s team of Manal Rachdi, Tanguy Vermet, Mathieu Michel, Takanao Todo, and Lily Nourmansouri was awarded second place in the professional category of the competition. Their project “does not simply concern itself with the construction of a commercial or railway link, nor a bridge connecting one continent to another. The amplitude, siting, geopolitical context as well as the global ecological conscience entails a proposal far more audacious, an active project sensitive to the conditions of the site.” Working in compression, the structure’s 10 meter wide parallel walls are held with bracing, which at times is habitable. The enclosed space “becomes an interface for human passage and exchange, providing visitors and inhabitants the opportunity to traverse the Strait by foot, as was originally intended by primary civilizations.” As the Strait’s relatively shallow water levels allow the proposed structure to descend to the bottom of the ocean, users can experience constant views of the entire marine landscape. Perforations in the main structure allow the marine animals to move through the spaces while adjacent laboratories provide an excellent research space for scientists. Other perforations in the structure act as marine current turbines, accelerating water movement and currents. Because the water level in the Strait is relatively shallow, flows tend to be faster, generating more energy. The project includes large turbines to provide energy for the residential areas and laboratories; yet the turbines move at such a slow pace that no animals would be harmed. Residences, theaters and cultural centers are dispersed among the 400 meter high island. Such hermitic structures create a new mode of living. Due to the innate thermal mass of the subterranean rock, the diverse program is attributed natural heating and cooling qualities.

4) Window of Dubai

ICE (Ideas for Contemporary Environments) shared their proposal for the ThyssenKrupp Elevator Architecture Award in Dubai. The ‘Window of Dubai’ WOD captures an ever changing picture of the city’s development. The project lies in the vision corridor between airport and new city and the desert and the old city of Dubai. The spatial experience of WOD covers all the extreme viewing conditions of the city throughout the process of travel. Compared to a linear lift, the cyclic elevator reduces waiting time through the chained cubicles and the potential to enter at any time into the lift. It forms a much more continuous connection between two points, which makes it ideal for public vertical circulation. The change from the vertical travel to the horizontal slows down the speed of the lifts, to make the entrance more comfortable. It accelerates again, once the lift has left the platform.

Daily LOL - Man Vs. Toddler

2009-11-27T09:40:00.000-08:00

Midas - A Short Film

2009-11-26T12:45:00.000-08:00

Midas from Alex H on Vimeo.

Directed by Alexandra Duncan. Director of Photography Alexander Hofmann. Starring Joshua Duchesne, Nora Williams, Clare Blackwood, Thomas Gough.

Daily LOL - How to Aggravate Your Techie Boyfriend

2009-11-26T09:20:00.000-08:00

Consuming Rebellion: Graffiti's Place in the World of Sub-Cultural Production

2009-11-25T10:12:00.001-08:00

Here is another recent essay of mine, this time focusing more on the commercialization of graffiti. Click on each image to view full page.

Daily LOL - Twilight Sucks (C&H)

2009-11-25T10:10:00.000-08:00

The Struggle Between Tibet and China as shown through Graffiti

2009-11-24T07:56:00.000-08:00

Here is a recent magazine project I created that explores issues surrounding the use of graffiti to address the political struggle between Tibet-China. Click on images to view full page spreads.

FWDs from my Mom: Pics to make you smile

2009-11-24T07:34:00.001-08:00

Another quirky forward from my mom.

Daily LOL - Cat Translator (SMBC)

2009-11-22T14:45:00.001-08:00

FWDs from my Mom: Have you ever been THIS tired?

2009-11-22T14:33:00.001-08:00

Next in the line of cute animal email forwards from my mom is the "Have you ever been THIS tired" email. Enjoy.

Daily LOL - Shiny Suds

2009-11-19T19:47:00.001-08:00

Daily LOL - Piece of Ass

2009-11-18T08:19:00.000-08:00

From Cyanide & Happiness

Daily Video: Elephant Buddies

2009-11-18T08:17:00.000-08:00

This is epically cute!

Daily LOL - People Of Public Transit

2009-11-08T22:34:00.000-08:00

A little while ago I posted up a link to PeopleOfWalmart.com. Here is their sister site PeopleOfPublicTransit.com

5 Sexy Pieces of Lingerie

2009-11-05T21:33:00.001-08:00

Tunic From Victoria's Secret

Demi Bra From Victoria's Secret

Fringed Bra From La Senza

Demi Bra From Victoria's Secret

Chemise From La Vie En Rose

Daily Video: 3OH!3 and Katy Perry - Starstrukk

2009-11-05T20:27:00.000-08:00

Daily LOL - ExplosionsAndBoobs.com

2009-11-03T11:27:00.001-08:00

explosionsandboobs.com

Daily Video: The Fun Theory

2009-11-03T10:53:00.000-08:00

A viral marketing campaign by Volkswagon.

15 Best TV Shows Ever

2009-10-27T22:40:00.000-07:00

1) Lost

2) FlashForward

3) The 4400

4) The Office

5) House

6) Glee

Glee - Don't Stop Believe
Uploaded by Bugabookas. - Classic TV and last night's shows, online.

7) 30 Rock

8) Family Guy

9) Dexter

10) Saturday Night Live

11) Fringe

12) So You Think You Can Dance

13) Big Bang Theory

14) The Simpsons

15) Friends

13 Super Sexy Music Videos

2009-10-27T15:21:00.000-07:00

Benny Benassi - Who's Your Daddy?

DJ Peran - We Want To Be Free

Benny Benassi - Satisfaction

Eric Prydz - Call on Me

Corenell - Keep On Jumpin'

Fedde Le Grand - Put Your Hands Up For Detroit

Supafly - Moving Too Fast

Paffendorf - Crazy, Sexy, Marvellous

Cabin Crew - Star To Fall

NERD - Lapdance

Carma - Unforgivable Sinner

Albi Vs. Rockefeller - Sexual Healing

Michael Gray - The Weekend

Daily LOL - Little Girl Hates Her School

2009-10-27T11:56:00.000-07:00

Daily Video: SYTYCD Canada Top 10 Dance Choreographed By Mia Michaels

2009-10-26T08:49:00.000-07:00

Daily Video: Adam Green - Baby's Gonna Die Tonight

2009-10-21T11:26:00.000-07:00

Here's Adam Green (the king of Anti-Folk) with Baby's Gonna Die Tonight.

Artist Spotlight: Iain MacArthur

2009-10-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

Iain MacArthur of Swindon, UK does some awesome surrealist illustrations using mostly pencil, watercolours and pigment pens. In 2008 he graduated from swindon college in HND illustration.

Daily LOL - College Humor Pixar Spoof

2009-10-20T07:41:00.000-07:00

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Daily Video: Moby & Gwen Stefani - South Side

2009-10-19T16:34:00.000-07:00

Dont you love it when your two favourite artists team up? Here's South SIde by Moby and Gwen Stefani.

Daily LOL - Get On My Horse

2009-10-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

Get On My Horse

Daily Video: Aphex Twin - Flex

2009-10-13T07:56:00.000-07:00

Here is the awesome video for Aphex Twin's Flex, directed by Chris Cunningham, who also did Bjork's All Is Full Of Love video.

Daily Video: The Stranglers - Golden Brown

2009-10-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

Daily LOL - Louis CK on his Kids

2009-10-09T11:37:00.001-07:00

Daily Video: Sigur Ros - Hoppipolla

2009-10-07T20:52:00.000-07:00

Sigur Rós - Hoppípolla from Sigur Rós on Vimeo.