Hello

Not to put too fine a point on it, this is bonkers. Apparently, the 'Washlet' will make you feel fresher and happier than you've ever felt before.

It's a toilet seat. Sold with a Scientologists zeal.

The company name is Toto, a reference to The Wizard of Oz, extending the sense of wonder and magic this toilet seat is designed to offer. The many aspects of the seat are sold by a multicultural group of impassioned and enlightened individuals who are initially introduced with their clean, refreshed and toned buttocks pointed directly at the viewer. Unashamed and unafraid. You know why? Because their asses have never been cleaner. This is self-realisation, through the introspection, vulnerability and, ultimately, cleansing of one's bowels. I wish I'd thought of it. As some kind of perverted campaign to highlight the absolute bankruptcy of our civilisation.

Clean is happy

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Caught this via Newstoday. I like intricate, posed photography - there's something really cinematic about it. These have a whiff of suburban anonymity about them, but with the twisted, post-atomic Americana of the attack of the 50 ft woman and the awkwardness of adolesence added to the mix. Beautifully lit to boot, isn't it. She's originally from Germany, but now in the U.K.

www.juliafullerton-batten.com

Posted by audiobuffer at 09:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Andrew Keen has written a book called The Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet Is Killing Our Culture. I can't comment on it in any detail, because I haven't read it. Nor am I likely to, because I find that the most outspoken cultural analysis is often deeply conservative in nature. This book appears to be no different, in that the author apparently laments the loss of professionalism in favour of an emerging culture of 'the amateur'. This sounds ominously familiar. It sounds like the voice of a cultural elite fearing the erosion of their influence due to the democratisation of the arts. I, for one, am happy that we have a culture of amateurs. I am happy that dissident voices can broadcast from war-torn or oppressed countries, that - with very little training - minority or disenfranchised communities can begin to tell it like it is in their own voice. I'm happy that the power of the Daily Mail is being diminished by the progressive and liberal voice of the digital community. That teenagers in their suburban garage can make truly revolutionary ideas real. Get over it, Mr. Keen - wake up and smell the daisies.

Internet Smackdown: The Amateur vs. the Professional

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Almost a century ago and without the aid of any pixel-generating computer software, the itinerant photographer Arthur Mole (1889-1983) used his 11 x 14-inch view camera to stage a series of extraordinary mass photographic spectacles that choreographed living bodies into symbolic formations of religious and national community.

Cabinet Magazine Online - Dead Troops Salute

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"Have you ever wanted the forum to discuss any topic you wanted? Can’t find anything worth listening to on the radio? ubroadcast’s Station Manager Software lets you broadcast LIVE and uncensored content quickly and easily with no broadcasting or technical experience."

ubroadcast™

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Using photos of oft-snapped subjects (like Notre Dame) scraped from around the Web, Photosynth creates breathtaking multidimensional spaces with zoom and navigation features that outstrip all expectation. Its architect, Blaise Aguera y Arcas, shows it off in this standing-ovation demo. Curious about that speck in corner? Dive into a freefall and watch as the speck becomes a gargoyle. With an unpleasant grimace. And an ant-sized chip in its lower left molar. "Perhaps the most amazing demo I've seen this year," wrote Ethan Zuckerman, after TED2007. Indeed, Photosynth might utterly transform the way we manipulate and experience digital images.

TED | Talks | Blaise Aguera y Arcas: Photosynth demo

Posted by audiobuffer at 11:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Very nice, tongue-in-cheek stationery. (You don't get to say or write that very often). First seen on the quite sensational design blog The Big Noob. Boy, what a thing of sheer typographical wonder and grid-like perfection that is.

Knock Knock

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These shots of storm clouds are extraordinary.

Extreme instability

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"...song.context.result began as a small feature that personally felt important to share. starting with the small question of “tell me about a moment, a song and what it meant to you” seemed in taste to know how music can bring anyone privately back to a special memory..."

I like this idea. Its very simple, very democratic and very human. Even if the first tune cited happens to be Enya; it's not what separates us thats important - it's what brings us closer.

Music is Art

Posted by audiobuffer at 11:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I always had this notion of creating an e-commerce site where every product was placed in some kind of context. Could be someone's life, some kind of abstract dreamscape, something poetic or political. Come to think of it, maybe the notion is nothing more than a rather high-brow version of an infomercial. Anyway, this site uses short video clips to bring the tees alive. Much better than squinting at a thumbnail.

Cicatriz Clothing - Summer 2007 Collection

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