:: GussetBLOG ::

:: Sunday, November 22, 2009 ::

Link Dump

The Atheist Billboard Campaign


E&T chronicles some truly ingenious escapes over, through, across and underneath the world’s most sinister engineering structure - the Berlin Wall.

E&T visits Estonia, a former province of the Soviet Empire, to find one of the most technologically advanced and IT-savviest nations in the world.

There's Only One Sun | Wong Kar-Wai

There's Only One Sun | Wong Kar-Wai
by YforYerom

[thanks Natali]

Solar panels shaped like clay roof tiles


The Bigshot, a DIY digital camera designed for kids to build and use


Muji + Lego x-mas collaboration


In praise of the sci-fi corridor [via grom]

Z-DAY from Peter Thomas on Vimeo.
"In late October 2009 a meteor crashed into St Werberghs, Bristol U.K. While the initial damage was contained efficiently and promptly by the authorities, Solanum-based particles from the meteor quickly spread on the wind, infecting many of the local population and causing a class-2 zombie infestation/outbreak. Within hours, the walking dead had descended on Broadmead Shopping Centre in search of meat and brains... Few survived and many souls were lost that day, however a blood-stained video tape from a local underground film-maker was recovered from the wreckage... Following a press black-out, this film documents the fateful event (dubbed "Z-Day" by locals), and provides a rare and privileged insight into a full-scale zombie attack on a densly populated urban area."

Flavorwire » Blog Archive » DJ /rupture’s Favorite Cities and Songs
"Bristol is amazing, and it’s especially amazing for all sorts of different types of bass music. For a track, it’s hard to say, because there’s so much dub, dubstep, UK garage, reggae, as well… all this stuff coming out of Bristol. But my favorite spot in Bristol, I think it’s a Sunday night party, is at this place called Cosies."

Labels: architecture, Art, Atheism, Bristol, Environment, Film, Humanism, Lego, Photography, Sci-Fi, Technology

:: Dan 22.11.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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In the latest in our occasional series on unusually specialist magazines found laying around in the office kitchen, we now present Building Sustainable Design.

Which this month includes a though provoking article on the current assumption that buildings can be built for a 25 year life span and how this can no longer stack up financially or environmentally, an interview with Lucy Pedler of Bristol based sustainable architecture practice Achipeleco on why she “had hoped that the recession would be more catastrophic,” and a brilliant article on “What termites can teach us about natural ventilation in small buildings.”



Following from this there is of course next weeks Pestival, which Stewart Lee fans will probably already be aware of from his 41st Greatest Stand-up routine. Comedy at the insect themed festival is provided by Robin Ince along with many other fasinating insect based art projects from the Termite Pavilion to broadcasts from Resonance FM and workshops from The Art of Being a Maggot to Praying Mantis Kung Fu. Sadly I can't make any of this, but I'm most upset missing out on Cross Pollination, where “Internationally acclaimed sound recordist for BBC’s Life in the Undergrowth and original member of Cabaret Voltaire, Chris Watson, curates an evening of experimental insect music.”

Due to a family wedding I was also unable to attend Chris Watson's workshop at UWE last weekend, and I forgot to blog about it in advance, but there are still some events to go on the STAGING SOUND 2.0 programme, including the Dorkbot Bristol Sound Hack followed by Guerilla Busking in Bath this Saturday.

Back on an environmental footing, various national media have picked up on the “living wall that died” in Islington. Most of the press have hung the story off of the waste-of-public-money angle rather than the technical issues with the failed watering system / learning experience / maybe the odd weather we've had? There most be an engineer somewhere mopping a sweaty brow as that one passes over. Either that or (s)he will be saying “I told you so.” A year or so ago I'd've worried that this would lead to a cut in spending on environmental projects but in the current financial and political climate I know it's going to get cut anyway regardless of previous successes or failures. Not good times.

Labels: architecture, Bending, Economy, Electronic Music, Environment, Insects, News, Politics, Sustainability

:: Dan 26.8.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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Things I didn't find time to write about this week:

Flow-based organizations can grow an archive with microblogging

Blasphemy laws in the 21st century

Plan to use jumping lice in battle against Japanese knotweed

The H-Word
Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Word "Hipster"
by Chas Bowie
[via null device]

Pigeons in aerial photography

Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore: The definitive view of British nightlife
"the best days of your lives will be wiped away by a change in fashion"

Fine Waters: Comprehensive Resource of Bottled Water of the World
Etiquette for Drinking Temperature:
"Serving all waters at the same temperature, let’s say 55 degrees Fahrenheit, will nicely show their differences. A slight increase in temperature will have a calming effect on waters with larger, louder bubbles. In general, the colder the water, the more focused it will be.Water can be served at almost any temperature, but knowing how to manipulate temperature will allow you to better pair the waters with food and establish a true epicurean dialogue."
Or you could serve it ice cold and some people like to serve it at 100 degrees C with an infusion of leaves.
[thanks Jules]

Labels: Ecology, Environment, Fashion, Music, Photography, Religion, Water, Wildlife

:: Dan 8.8.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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"These boots by Adbusters are made from hemp and used car tyres. They are supposed to resemble Converse All- Stars, yet are trade- mark free. Selling over twenty-five thousand pairs, the campaign strives to undermine the premise that global business' sometimes require the use of sweatshops through necessity."



Timberland - Earthkeepers Renovation - Dark Brown



Nigel's Eco Store Eco Friendly Shoes and Footwear



Simple Shoes



Zoe and Zac (although Summer Rayne Oakes seems slightly annoying)



Melissa Ultra Clear Eco-Chic Jellies New in the InhabitatShop



Melito Classic Heel from Green UK Fashion



Inhabitat sustainable style winter 08 round-up
Handy if you know any ninjas.

Labels: Environment, Fashion

:: Dan 25.7.09 [Arc] [1 comments] ::
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With appolgies to PhysicsWeb for quoting verbatum but I know some of their stories are locked to non-registers users:

Should we ‘split wood, not atoms’?

By Hamish Johnston

If you visit rural North America in the winter you might be surprised by how many homes are heated by burning wood in sophisticated “dual-fuel” central heating systems.

But is this good for the environment?

Yes — as long as the wood comes from sustainably managed woodlots, according to Paul Grogan at Queen’s University in Canada.

Writing in the Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education, Grogan and colleagues claim that a woodlot 3.5 hectares in size would provide an average household with carbon-neutral heating in perpetuity.

The reason, of course, it that carbon given off by woodburning is offset by new growth in the woodlot.

The usual objection to such biofuels is that they are derived from nasty monocultures that displace food crops. Not so in Grogan’s calculation, which is based on a woodlot of native species — so it’s good for the local ecosystem.

And in many parts of North America — particularly in the East — the amount of native woodland is actually increasing as unproductive farmland is taken out of production. So food crops are not being displaced…

…or are they?

I’m guessing that some of this farmland is going out of production because it is cheaper to grow food in say Mexico and then truck it across North America — than it is to grow the same crop 50 miles from New York City.

So, should we ‘split wood, not atoms’ as that old hippy bumper sticker says?

Labels: Environment, science

:: Dan 17.7.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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BLDG Blog posts about the Water Menu.



"The concept of terroir has its origins in French winemaking, as a means to describe the effect of geographic origin on taste. As a shorthand marker for both provenance and flavor, and as a sign of its burgeoning conceptual popularity, it has spread to encompass Kobe beef, San Marzano tomatoes, and even single-plantation chocolate. But can water have terroir? What about the influence of the earth on water?"

The hydrogeologist I sit next to in work got quiet excited by this link and started telling me about all of the different bottles there and where they're from. Apparently in taste tests most people prefer the most heavily filtered waters with the least mineral content. Which begs the question of how the "worlds most expensive bottled water", Bling h2o, is actually filtered.



I have some theories but I don't think they are hygienic. On that note...

Labels: Environment, Food, Water

:: Dan 22.6.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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I was looking for examples of the break taking underwater photography of "the photographer known simply as Candice" - don't try Google Imaging Searching that - of fresh2o. Her name is actually Candice Campbell.

This shot of Louise Watts is the one that intrigued me when I spotted it in the Times.



More here and here.

Keira Knightley:


"fresh2o is a dramatic initiative, designed to raise awareness of this incredible challenge to humanity. Innovative photographer Candice, a pioneer of the underwater portrait, has devised an incredibly impactful series of images using celebrity icons with a global presence. These extraordinary portraits are designed to connect, engage and motivate consumers worldwide, alerting the globe to the fresh water crisis."

See also the Clean the World Foundation.

"Each month, hotels and motels provide Clean the World Foundation with their discarded soap and shampoo products. These slightly-used products often end up in already overflowing landfills and can potentially contaminate fragile groundwater systems. Once collected, these products are repurposed using environmentally-friendly and hygienically-safe recycling efforts and distributed worlwide."

Labels: Environment, Photography, Water

:: Dan 27.5.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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Recycled cardboard speakers, a must have for the world wary self-conscious hipster.

It was also pointed out to me, after making my cardboard pinhole camera from Magma, that Urban Outfitters also sale them, although not the same model. They have a nice range of Lomos and related goodies too.

But somehow it rankles with me how stylishly it's all dressed up.

Labels: Acoustics, Environment, Fashion, Photography

:: Dan 27.5.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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Wind farm 'kills Taiwanese goats'

A large number of goats in Taiwan may have died of exhaustion because of noise from a wind farm.

How close were they? I've seen cows in the same field as turbines without issue. Maybe because they couldn't get away from it? Maybe goats are light sleepers?

I will be preparing a bid for a detailed study into this issue. It will involve me living in Asia for several months, maybe years, and access to as many goats as I could ask for. I may then move on to other animals. I expect the government grant any day now.

Labels: Environment, Humour, News, Noise

:: Dan 22.5.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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Stuff I've found recently but haven't found time to write about:

Roomba, Economics and Long-Exposure Photography

Edit: Thanks to Tania for sending this iRobot Create Roomba hack link.

Dream: The Big Art Project
Watch the C4 series on Sunday evenings

New Scientist: You are made of space-time

BCS vs Singh - Astonishingly Illiberal Ruling

Behind the label: Recycled Toilet Tissue

BBC5 TV
"We are NOT the BBC. In an era when the majority of media corporations are subservient to ruling elites, new forms of underground media have to emerge. BBC5.tv would not exist if journalists were always allowed to publish the truth. The fact is that many are silenced."

Newsnight – Immigration Song Contest

BLDG BLOG:
Man unexcited by his own possessions
How the other half writes - In defence of Twitter
The Hills Have Eyes



Bacon is a health food!

Richie Hawtin's 10 most ridiculous ideas

Labels: architecture, Art, Electronic Music, Environment, Food, Gadget, Humour, Law, Photography, Physics

:: Dan 16.5.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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Larger image

Last week someone stuck in front of me an article about a proposed eco-village in Hanham, on the outskirts of Bristol. Interesting as it was, all I could focus on was the graphic designer's hidden joke. Note the child on the tricycle approaching the cross roads from the right. Notice the slightly faster moving but further off runner heading towards the same junction. Then notice the clearly distracted cyclist, his head on sidewise, some distance away but bearing down at great speed from the left. This scene is about to get very messy.

This prompted me to look up what's currently going on with the Elizabeth Shaw Chocolate Factory redevelopment not so far away. (See some of Lisa Furness's photos of the closed down building here.) It seems the inspiration for the new development has been taken from a Brothers Grim story illustrated by MC Escher about a hunted shed. Not one I'm familiar with I'll admit.

Labels: architecture, Bristol, Comedy, Environment, graphics

:: Dan 30.4.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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Council leaders have compiled a banned list of the 200 worst uses of jargon. The Local Government Association says such words and phrases must be avoided for staff to "communicate effectively."

Here is the full list of 200 words which, the Local Government Association says should not be used by councils.

Can you imagine trying to write an Environmental Impact Assessment (part of my job) without referring to the Baseline conditions, Best Practice approach to construction, using Guidelines, making your assessment Robust, performing a Scoping exercise or considering Sustainability?

I can see that these GUIDELINES are suggesting that these words should be avoided unless necessary (it was the BBC who called it a ban) but many of them already are the best way of explaining something in plain English.

There's no excuse for Blue sky thinking though.

Labels: Environment, Gov, Language

:: Dan 19.3.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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"Xmas morning is the only time that London is (almost) empty of humans - so a morning spent cycling around town taking photos."

Motorway Map of the UK in the style of the London Underground Map

[^ both via lmg]

From BLDGBLOG:

In the winter of light
"There are architecture photographers [who] refuse to photograph anything from November up to February," Michiel van Raaij writes on his blog Eikongraphia. "In their view the long shadows and dimmed light intensity of the winter season compromises their work. The effect is that – in the architecture media – not only the sun always shines, but that it is also never winter."

Architects of the Near Future
Check the stills from the Dan Farmer film.

Warmed by Crematorium
I recently worked on the design of a retirement home next door to a crematorium. It seemed a bit presumptuous, if inevitable. This goes several steps further, but I like the green credentials.

Labels: architecture, Environment, Maps, Photography, Urban Exploring

:: Dan 5.1.09 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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Grow your own Oyster Mushrooms... in a book!



"Grow your own oyster mushrooms to eat for a truly unique eco gift.

Place the specially selected spores in an old paperback book, moisten and watch them grow in just five weeks.

This quirky gift is a fun and easy way to discover gourmet mushroom growing. No garden is required! Just add a paperback book to personalise this gift for the recipient or the mushrooms can be grown on the jute bag provided.

Contains a pack of starter spawn, a filter grow-bag and full instructions. The kit can be stored for up to 3 months by placing the starter spawn in a fridge. Each kit is supplied with a use-by-date."

Labels: Environment, Food, Garden

:: Dan 20.12.08 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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We're doomed! Alien-like Squid With "Elbows" Filmed at Drilling Site.



It seems the Kraken has finally awoken.


[About the lego Kraken]

Speaking of which, the Triffids are back too! I'm slightly concerned that 'it is billed as a "fast-paced, futuristic and electrifying take" on Wyndham's work' but I still can't wait to see it. Slow, impending dread is always better. As Simon Pegg explains.

Labels: Ecology, Environment, Lego, Literature, Sci-Fi, Zombie

:: Dan 28.11.08 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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How is the recent increase in piracy going to affect global temperature?


Piracy Map 1
Originally uploaded by bldgblog.


The link is proven by the Church of Flying Spaghetti Monster:



Are all these new pirates followers of His Noodly Appendage?

Labels: Atheism, Environment, Humour, Maps, News, Pirates, Religion

:: Dan 24.11.08 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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Windturbine 6
Originally uploaded by gusset.

From the Institute of Acoustics tour of the Bristol Ports windturbines, Avonmouth, Bristol.

Labels: Environment, Flickr

:: Dan 23.10.08 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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Betraying the fact that I bought a Sunday Observer a few weeks ago and circles half a dozen articles for blogging, then put it aside until now, here's a link dump I should have published a month ago.

Alex James on making cheese

Plea to save vanishing art of the pub sign
(I notice The Victoria in St Wurbergs replaced their Victoria Beckham pub sign with Vicky Pollard last month, perhaps a couple of years too late.)

Warning to advertisers on 2012 cash-in

Einstein fridge design can help global cooling
"Scientists relaunch a 1930 invention that uses no electricity and would reduce greenhouse gases"


Isle of plenty
"In the past 10 years, one Danish island has cut its carbon footprint by a staggering 140%. Now, with a simple grid of windfarms, solar panels and sheep, it's selling power to the mainland and taking calls from Shell. ... 'Shell heard about what we were doing and asked to be involved - but only on condition they ended up owning the turbines. We told them to go away. We are a nation of farmers. We believe in self-sufficiency.'"

Labels: Advertising, Art, Environment, Food, News, Physics

:: Dan 17.10.08 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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A previously unknown arsenic-loving bacteria may provide a way to keep one of Canada's most toxic sites from poisoning one of the country's largest lakes and river systems ... "We found bacteria that will grow below 10 degrees. You could theoretically use them to help remove arsenic completely from water."

Labels: Environment, science

:: Dan 15.9.08 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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Do government departments waste piles of our tax on slick marketing, carefully worded sound bytes and committee led graphic design? No, not all of them. There's the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC). Who produce documents like Habitat management for bats: A guide for land managers, land owners and their advisors [1.4MB PDF] the fill it with cartoon drawings that seem to confuse bats with some kind of flightless bouncing ground-borne mammal, like an excitable winged mole, and even provides a table to demonstrate how common or rare a given species is that includes a key with various stages of happy flappy bats.





Exactly what demographic was this aimed at?

Labels: Ecology, Environment, Gov

:: Dan 15.9.08 [Arc] [0 comments] ::
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