Harvesting the Ephemeral
Thursday March 30, 2006
Sand Animation Art ... in Artistry
"Ilana draws on sand, using only her fingers. As she weaves together sand, lighting and music, Ilana creates incredible three dimensional vistas they play out in perfect time with the musical accompaniment, Indeed, it is difficult to decide if the music accompanies the work of art, or vice versa Ilana's fingers dance in the sand on the glass to the music, the resulting aesthetic dynamic is powerful and moving."
It is truly fascinating to watch. It's amazing that she can manipulate sand so well. (via Drawn!)
Lord of the Rings: Funny Teasers ... in Distractions
TBS has created a series of funny teasers for their showings of the first two Lord of the Ring movies. My favorite is the one for Frodo - "He was pushed down a mountain ... He was stabbed, twice! ... It sucks to be Frodo!"
Monday March 27, 2006
Sun Fire T2000 Performance Contest ... in Work
For those of you trying to win a Sun Fire T2000, there's now a page with judging criteria and contest rules.
» Tags: SUN,
CoolThreads,
T2000,
Servers,
Datacenter
Song of the Day ... in Music
Another Monday, morning of sunshine, a promise of a warm day, calls for a beautiful song ...
I discovered Adelmo Fornaciari, better know as Zucchero, by accident. And a fortunate one it was. The gods of music were smiling down on my that day. A local dj snuck on "I Lay Down" one afternoon, a beautiful ballad and duet. I immediately recognized the gravelly voice of the mighty John Lee Hooker, but I had no idea who the other person singing was. At the end the dj announced it was Zucchero, an Italian singer. I was blown away!
This song makes me think of salvation from a broken heart. I like the Italian version best - "Ali d 'Oro (Wings of Gold)."
"I lay down
With an angel
I lay down
With an angel
‘cause she treat me kind sometimes
Come in me (Vieni in me)
Take me home (Portami via)
Wings of gold (Ali d’oro)
Come in me (Vieni in me)
Make me fly (Fammi volare)
Heaven below (Mio cielo)
Thieves in the night
Gettin’ so high
Sweet soul of mine, oh mine.
I lay down
With an angel
I lay down
With an angel
I lay down
I lay down thinking
More than I could
Really say.
Stay in me (Stai in me)
Keep me flyin’ (Continua a volare)
Wings of gold (Ali d’oro)
Thieves in the night (Siamo l’inganno)
Gettin’ so high (Baciami il cuore)
Makin’ out so good, so good (Anima mia, oh mia)
I see the sun rise up in your eyes (Vedo nel sole dei tuoi occhi)
Another sun starts to fall (Un altro sole cadere)
We’re at good-bye but not the end no (Siamo l’addio e non la fine)
Have no fear. (Senza ricordi ne’ paure)
Ooh, babe keep takin’ me high (Uh baby, portami via)
Wings of gold (Ali d’oro)
I lay down with an angel ..."
Additional info:
» Tags:
Song of the day,
Music,
iTunes
Friday March 24, 2006
More Sun Fire T2000 Try and Buyers ... in Work
I've discovered additional bloggers documenting their Try and Buy experience. Here's the list:
Useful links:
Additional info:
» Tags: SUN,
CoolThreads,
T2000,
Servers,
Datacenter
Thursday March 23, 2006
School of Rock ... in Music
Greg Kihn from KFOX, a Bay Area classic rock station, held a contest for local school bands. All they needed to do was send in their cover of any classic rock song, and the listeners would pick the winners. The cool part was winners got to perform live during his morning show. On the way into work this morning I listened to Valley Christian High School cover "Funky Town", and I was impressed. Map props to Greg Kihn for doing this and promoting music in schools.
I remember my first performance - I was taking classical snare. Another girl and I were to perform in front off all the parents one night. I practiced like crazy - on my snare, on my drum seat, on my pillow ... anywhere. The big night came and I was terrified. It was just the two of us on stage. We started the song, but she faltered and completely stopped a few seconds into it. I saw her freeze out of the corner of my eye, but went back to reading the notes. I managed to make it all the way through with no mistakes. At the end I simply picked up my snare and walked off the stage, relieved. I never heard the audience since I was so focused. Later on my friends told my they were amazed I was able to keep going, and that was the best praise I could ever want.
Niagara vs ftp.heanet.ie Showdown ... in Work
Colm MacCárthaigh has a great write up on his detailed benchmarks of a T2000 vs. a dual Itanium with 32Gb of memory
"Bottom line, the T2000 was able to handle over 3 times the number of transactions per-second and about 60% more concurrent downloads than the current ftp.heanet.ie machine can (a dual Itanium with 32Gb of memory) running identical software."
Additional info:
» Tags: SUN,
CoolThreads,
T2000,
Servers,
Datacenter
Sun Fire T2000 Try and Buyers ... in Work
Several people are blogging about their Try and Buy experience. Here's a list of some of them:
Reading through the blogs and the forums, the biggest problem so far is having the right cables. Grkvlt points out in this thread:
You will need a serial null modem cable which connects to the RJ45 port (the port marked SER MGMT) on the sun, not the DB9 console port. The cable you need is a Cisco rollover console cable, and can be obtained from Ebay pretty cheaply, or you can make your own. if you make one, the pin-outs are available here http://hardwarebook.net/cable/serial/ciscoconsole9.html"
Newegg.com has a USB to Serial cable for $9.
Useful links:
Additional info:
» Tags: SUN,
CoolThreads,
T2000,
Servers,
Datacenter
Wednesday March 22, 2006
Song of the Day ... in Music
After the demise of Jane's Addiction, Perry Farrell and drummer Stephen Perkins formed Porno for Pyros.
Today's pick is from their self-titled debut, and a perfect song for these crazy times, "Pets."
"Children are innocent
A teenager's f***ed up in the head
Adults are even more f***ed up
and elderlies are like children
Will there be another race
to come along and take over for us?
Maybe martians could do
better than we've done
We'll make great pets!
My friend says we're like the dinosaurs
only we are doing ourselves in
much faster than they
ever did
We'll make great pets! ..."
Additional info:
» Tags:
Song of the day,
Music,
iTunes
Tuesday March 21, 2006
Demonstration for Cutaway Technical Illustrations ... in Artistry
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Interested in technical illustration? And do you have about 720 hours to spare? Then check out Kelvin Hulsey's demonstration on how he created an amazing cruise ship illustration from paper blueprints. Brilliant! (via Drawn!)
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Song of the Day ... in Music
Jane's Addiction managed to pull themselves together again for a time and put out Strays in 2003. Their music always painted an image of L.A street fight in progress in my mind. The song "Just Because" is no different. The song ripples with energy, and Dave Navarro's guitar gets the pulse racing. You can check out the video over at IFILM.
Perry Farrell's explanation of the song (via a VH1 interview):
The song is about doing things "just because." You’ll notice that you’ll get a card around Christmas, but never any other time of the year "just because." We wanted to plant the seed of doing little random acts of love "just because."
"If I were you
I'd better watch out
When was the last time
You did anything
Not for me
Or anyone else
Just because
Just because
Yeah
Oh, you really should have known
hey you
You really should have known
Just because
Just because
You've got the most
Ahh, but nobody loves you
Nobody has to
When we first met
And we passed around gifts
That was a long time, ago
And you're feeling fit ..."
Additional info:
» Tags:
Song of the day,
Music,
iTunes
Friday March 17, 2006
Song of the Day ... in Music
One final connection with The Clash ...
The Pogue's had released their Hell's Ditch album and were touring. We had tickets to their show at the Warfield and we were really looking forward to it. Then Shane MacGowan pretty much drank himself to the oblivion, and was dropped from the band. We were dismayed. But then Joe Strummer stepped in, and we were elated! The show was a rockin' affair and we were all Irish for a night.
So what better way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day then to pick "Streams of Whiskey" for the Song of the Day?
"Last night as I slept
I dreamt I met with Behan
I shook him by the hand and we passed the time of day
When questioned on his views
On the crux of life's philosophies
He had but these few clear and simple words to say
I am going, I am going
Any which way the wind may be blowing
I am going, I am going
Where streams of whiskey are flowing
I have cursed, bled and sworn
Jumped bail and landed up in jail
Life has often tried to stretch me
But the rope always was slack
And now that I've a pile
I'll go down to the Chelsea
I'll walk in on my feet
But I'll leave there on my back
Because I am going, I am going
Any which way the wind may be blowing
I am going, I am going
Where streams of whiskey are flowing
Oh the words that he spoke
Seemed the wisest of philosophies
There's nothing ever gained
By a wet thing called a tear
When the world is too dark
And I need the light inside of me
I'll walk into a bar
And drink fifteen pints of beer
I am going, I am going
Any which way the wind may be blowing
I am going, I am going
Where streams of whiskey are flowing"
Additional info:
» Tags:
Song of the day,
Music,
Ireland,
St. Patrick's Day,
iTunes
Thursday March 16, 2006
Amazing Sidewalk Art ... in Artistry
Julian Beever and Kurt Wenner are artists who create 3D chalk drawings on pavement using a technique called anamorphism (a distorted projection or perspective; especially an image distorted in such a way that it becomes visible only when viewed in a special manner) that creates the illusion, or Trompe-l'oeil.
» Tags:
Anamorphism,
Trompe-l'oeil,
Sidewalk art
Song of the Day ... in Music
Well, since I mentioned Mick Jones last time, I might as well talk about The Clash. Right. And I might as well pick "London Calling" for the Song of the Day. Rolling Stone rated the song as #15 in its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. So not much to add then, is there? Turn it on, turn it up. Pick up that old beat up guitar that has been collecting dust over there in the corner. Pretend you've got that mohawk, take a breath, and let it rip.
I do have a question though, what the heck was Robert De Niro talking to Joe Strummer about?
"London calling to the faraway towns
Now that war is declared and battle come down
London calling to the underworld
Come out of the cupboard, all you boys and girls
London calling, now don't look at us
Phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust
London calling, see we ain't got no swing
'Cept for the ring of that truncheon thing
The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in
Meltdown expected the wheat is growing thin
Engines stop running but I have no fear
Cos London is drowning and I live by the river
London calling to the imitation zone
Forget it brother, you can go it alone
London calling to the zombies of death
Quit holding out and draw another breath
London calling and I don't wanna shout
But while we were talking I saw you nodding out
London calling, see we ain't got no highs
Except for that one with the yellowy eyes
The ice age is coming the sun is zooming in
Engines stop running the wheat is growing thin
A nuclear error but I have no fear
Cos London is drowning and I live by the river
Now get this
London calling, yes I was there too
An' you know what they said - Well, some of it was true!
London calling at the top of the dial
an' after all this, won't you give me a smile?
London calling ...
I never felt so much a' like..."
Additional info:
» Tags:
Song of the day,
Music,
Punk,
iTunes
Monday March 13, 2006
Ask A Ninja: What Is Podcasting? ... in Distractions
The Ninja explains podcasting to people over the age of 12. He really needs to hookup with Ninjaburger. Talk about the perfect sponsorship opportunity.
» Tags:
Ninja,
Humor,
Podcasting
