Joe Mills

Fist-A-Cuffs

Image courtesy of Fist-A-Cuffs

Just a goofy blog called Fist-A-Cuffs where people get to vote for which”Fighter” they think will win the match. I just like the idea of goofy superheros or “fighters” with strange super powers or weapons like the guy above with the dragon arms. The possibilities are endless…

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

The Roots

A few days ago, I talked about bands that I have followed at different times over the years. The Roots are the exception. The clip above is probably one of the best singles they have ever put out, but not their best song. Anyway, I have been a fan of The Roots since they came out with the single for Distortion to Static in 2004. They always get a lot of play in the alt press because they are a “live” hip-hop band. Since it is still a novelty even to this day, they are almost pigeon-holed as an alt hip-hop group. True, they do things differently than most hip hop groups, but that doesn’t change the fact that they have consistently put out good music over the course of almost 15 years. And, it is good because it is good hip hop. I could go on forever about favorite songs, favorite albums, favorite lyrics, favorite remixes, favorite b-sides, and favorite live performances, but I wouldn’t be getting my point across…listen…buy…done…

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Bnice2mice

Image courtesy of Bnice2mice

Not sure where the name comes from, but these knit sculptures by Bnice2mice are perfectly executed. They are crafted well, they are simple, and they are also photographed beautifully. I’ve been thinking about getting into sewing or needlepoint for a project, but I can never seem to think of a great idea. I think the execution of the idea is the most important, and you will not find many as well done as these sculptures. Enjoy…

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Martin Klimas

Image courtesy of Martin Kilmas

I just wish I had a studio and a great camera and the right equipment to take the kind of photos that Martin Klimas does. Extremely amazing and brilliantly done…I have nothing more to add…

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Explore Design

All I have to ask is when will this be coming to the United States? From their site, here is a synopsis of Explore Design:

Explore Design is a structured 2-day event where students will be provided with the information required to pursue an education, and ultimately a career in the world of design.Within an urban, contemporary and experiential environment, a consortium of educational institutions, associations and professional groups will be assembled to provide students interested in design with the knowledge required to make an educated decision about college and university design programs.

A complete interactive experience will be provided to students through seminar programs offered by select design professionals, leading educators and champions of design from the business community. Demonstrations and hands-on workshops will provide students with insight into different design careers. To complete the design experience Explore Design will present internationally recognized design professionals and design celebrities who will provide inspirational presentations and talks.

This is just excellent. I have always hated how fine arts are seen as a “special”. Something extra that you do when you are not reading, writing, and solving equations. I have felt that the designer is going to be an increasingly important profession as we continue through this millennium. It incorporates multiple disciplines and requires smart, ingenious, and creative professionals…not just a bunch of people that can draw well. I think this is a step in the right direction because it validates what designers and artists do everyday in the eyes of teachers, parents, and students. I hope it is success…and I hope it comes to Chicago.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Big Yellow Tide

I’m not exactly sure how I came across this, but I was looking at a site for this company called Blink and saw this commercial they had made for a storage company called Big Yellow Storage. Just watch it…trust me…

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

M.I.A.

Music is always changing, and I always have a band or artist of the moment that I’m following. Over the years, this has included The Pharcyde, Souls of Mischief, Freestyle Fellowship, D’Angelo, Outkast, Kanye West, Lauryn Hill, and Coldplay. While many of these groups are still around and I still follow them, some have fallen out of favor with me or they have disappeared all together.

Anyway, my new “favorite” artist is M.I.A. I started listening to her when I saw all of the strong reviews of her album Arular. I’m usually skeptical when it comes to female rappers, but she does not really fit into that genre. She doesn’t really git into any genre. In some ways, the only way to describe her music is with one word…good. It is not glossed over with that pop feel, but the beats are extremely catchy and well-crafted, and her lyrics and word play are amazing. I’m looking forward to seeing her at Lollapalooza in August here in Chicago, and purchasing her new album, Kala. The video above is from her new album.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Steampunk

Image courtesy of Wired

I just heard about the art of Steampunk recently, and I’m not surprised it has a rich history that someone has wrote about on Wikipedia. Here is the breakdown:

Steampunk is a subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction which came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date.

Anyway, I heard about Steampunk through Wired, and I just thought the images on their page were excellent. I like the mixture of old and new. I do not normally like “old” looking art, but this just works for me. It twists the products in just the right way to incorporate the old without it looking like some strange hobby. I could do without the gold, but the attention detail and science fiction elements help me to overlook it.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Cell Phone Confiscation

This article is a bit old, but it revolves around an incident that happened in a New York City school where 400 cell phones, 70 iPods, and various other electronic gadgets were taken from students in what can only be described as an unannounced “sweep”. The article even refers to it as “contraband”. Huh? Let me get this straight…students are not allowed to have these types of devices in schools so we need to have police officers with metal detectors conduct these sweeps. For what? To prove they can enforce the rules? To prove that they can do whatever they want, whenever they want? To prove that students do not need cell phones in school? As a teacher, I think there is a place and time to use these devices, but to simply take them away as soon as they walk into school is ridiculous. Will Richardson makes a great point about this when he says:

So let’s review. What does this teach those kids? First, it teaches them that they don’t deserve to be empowered with technology the same way adults are. Second, that the tools that adults use all the time in their everyday lives to communicate are not relevant to their own communication needs. Third, that they can’t be trusted (or taught, for that matter) to use phones appropriately in school.

I think that pretty much sums it up. It is amazing how administrators and teachers are so scared of technology and these devices. They would rather put ridiculous restrictions on them instead of figuring out a way to make it work for everyone…appropriately.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

The Ronin

Image courtesy of The Ronin

It is almost like I disappeared…well, not exactly, but after a month of straight posting, it feels like I haven’t been here in awhile. That is what the end of the school year will do to you! Anyway, I’m going to try and get a couple posts out here before the end of the month. I’m going to first highlight The Ronin. I’ve been getting into video lately…simple video, but video none the less. A lot of it is dependent on how much I ended up learning on Adobe Premiere. Anyway, I loved this video by The Ronin. I’m even trying to get my students into video. When you enter the site, click on Motion and then Reel 06 to get to the video I will be talking about. It is kinetic, disturbing, and mesmerizing. I don’t know what it is all about, but I loved the mix of images and words and illustration. Check it out…

Bookmark It

Hide Sites