Author: Joel

10 Seconds of Extreme Trading. Via Jody.

Gou Miyagi via Iain Tait.

The world is a much safer place now than in previous years. In the 1980s, the threat was total annihilation of the entire world, and today, it’s some terrorists blowing up a vehicle. Yet, politicians deceptively and dishonestly justify endemic mass surveillance by the world being “more dangerous”.

Rick Falkvinge on politicians.

Dangerous Minds on Francis Bacon and his struggles with chance.

Microsoft releases a common bridge for Kinect.

A new Laser truck, but as The Register says:

However, El Reg suggests the boffins in the military read Arthur C Clarke’s short story Superiority – which is on the reading list for industrial design students at MIT, and describes the dangers of such advanced weapons systems. A highly visible laser truck is going to be the first thing any enemy will want to take out.

The story of “The Fallen Astronaut” – the first (and only) art on the Moon.

Maurice Benayoun thinks that Parrhasius was the first Interactive Artist.

I’ve always been fascinated by JFK, Errol Morris and Tink Thompson are too. I remember doing a fifteen minute presentation on the assassination when I was at IBM before Imperial. I even had a pointer.

A stabilised shot.

John Naughton writes in the Guardian on “Aldous Huxley: the prophet of our brave new digital dystopia”. Which reminded me of Stuart McMillen’s comic adaptation of Neil Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death. You can find the original comic here.

I loved drawing maps as a boy, of treasure and dens and labyrinths. The Workers have just created a delicious website for the new book “Where You Are” by Visual Editions.

This is what immortality looks like. Is that what all actors desire? All of us? As Bill wrote – “All the world’s a stage”. Do we just want to be noticed? VHX distributing again – they keep picking up great films.

Jonathan Franzen wrote an essay on what is wrong with the modern world that stirred up several responses. Ironically, his original piece has been taken down as the Guardian’s copyright has expired.

This is why China is going to the moon.

Gay Talese remembers the late Peter O’Toole. I think the first time I saw him was Supergirl – the next moment I remember was that most famous of all cuts:

Dazed is going down to six print issues a year and scaling up its website.

2013 in review from Google Ventures. Always interesting when rivals pick up your investments.

Another comic about to be released as a film. Good storyboards are low hanging fruit. Thanks to Rosa for the tip.

Jonte is the man behind Beyonces moves.

Reunion Tower Digital Installations from Stimulant.

Creativity is just annoying.

Via Tak Fung. The Brck:

“It’s the easiest, most reliable way to connect to the Internet…We designed the BRCK for the changing way we connect to the web around the world, from cafes-hoppers in San Francisco to struggling coders in Nairobi.”

Julia Kagansky has left Vice/Virtue and started at the New Museum. More here. An interesting development – Museums as Incubators/Studios. Has this happened in artistic practise before? In institutions?

“NEW YORK, NY…Lisa Phillips, Toby Devan Lewis Director of the New Museum, announced today the appointment of Julia Kaganskiy as Director of the institution’s new incubator for art, technology, and design. Opening in summer 2014 in the Museum’s adjacent building at 231 Bowery, this not-for-profit initiative will create a hybrid educational and professional workspace—a dynamic 24/7 center where creative start-up entrepreneurs and artists will form a vibrant interdisciplinary community geared toward collaboration and innovation. The initiative is a first for the museum field.

As the director of the incubator, Kaganskiy will oversee a community of over sixty full-time and part-time members working in close proximity with anchor member Studio-X, part of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. She will be responsible for member recruitment, partnerships, and programs, and will report to the New Museum’s Director Lisa Phillips and Deputy Director Karen Wong, the incubator’s founders.”

The Void from TUNDRA – via Create Digital Motion. I remember when I was in Manchester with Kyle Mcdonald and Joanie Lemarcier and at ScreenLab – the effects of being in a CAVE are even greater than those depicted above.

The link between scale and perception is interesting – I remember when I was younger walking around fields in Wales with a camcorder to one eye almost exactly zoomed to my normal field of vision – alternating between nausea and euphoria. Playing with the Oculus Rift earlier in the year echoed that experience.

An interesting legal precedent for the UK and EU – reverse engineering is legal via manuals.