Mail Back E-Waste

The post office has started a pilot program to help people mail back small electronics for recycling. The program is funded by Clover Technologies, a company that "recycles, remanufactures and remarkets inkjet cartridges, laser cartridges and small electronics." It is nice to see that recycling stuff like this is becoming easier. It would be nicer if our stuff just lasted longer. Via: Ready Made. Image from Chris Jordan.

Camera Shopping

I've been shopping around for a digital camera for a few years now. I want something better than my point & shoot, but I don't like any of the DSLRs on the market right now. They are either too big, or lack certain capabilities that I feel are important. The Nikon D40 doesn't have an ASA lower than 200, the Canon XTi It a bit expensive for a pretty basic camera, and the Canon G9 doesn't have interchangeable lenses or a bulb function for long exposures. The more I think about it the more I am leaning toward the G9 because it is the cheapest, and can be hacked to give em the bulb function along with some other cool features.

Another thing I hate about the current DSLRs is how all the controls are in menus instead of on the camera like in old school film cameras. Film cameras just make more sense to me. I guess most people just out everything on automatic and hope for the best.

Don Hertzfeldt is Cool

Years ago in the magical world of Los Angeles Kellie and I went to the Animation Show and discovered the work of Don Hertzfeldt. He really hates it when people put his stuff online, but at this point I'm sure he's just given up on keeping that from happening which is probably a good thing considering his animation is perfect for the internet and totally awesome. Just search his name in YouTube and you'll come up with some pretty amazing stuff. Favorites include Rejected, Billy's Balloon, and his pieces from The Animation Show One Two Three.

Logo Evolution

Ever since I started doing my other blog, MostlySkateboarding, I've been trying to get a good logo for the banner. Here is the evolution so far.
This is the first logo I made which worked fine for a while, but I felt like it was just kind of sloppy looking.This is the current logo which looks OK, but this same font was used in the latest Dominion video, so I feel like it isn't very original.

This is my latest idea and likely the one I'll use. I was pretty stoked on my idea of making the O into a deck just by adding the 8 holes. I think the deck idea also leaves a lot of room for change int eh future by adding graphics or old school deck shapes or trucks and wheels.
Same idea as the one above. This was actually designed before the one above.
This is basically a blatant rip off of The Skateboard Mag's logo, so I doubt I'll use it but I still think it looks nice. It's probably the best of the bunch now that I look at them all together.

Stuff From My Office #2

My department used to be called Creative Services and we used to take photos, video, and create posters and other creative type stuff. All but the video stuff got outsourced and some of the equipment for those other businesses where sold, but some of the ephemera remains, and I find the old school graphic design stuff pretty interesting. I have no idea what I would make with this stuff, but we have lots of special tape and Pantone paper as well as rub on letters. Whenever this stuff does get cleaned out, I'll be taking it home with me.

HD is Stupid.

A High Definition picture is nice, but all this extra stuff we are required to get in order to get that nice picture is driving me crazy. I'm not expert on how all this works, but I don't understand how HD comes through a standard cable line but needs a special cable (HDMI) to get the HD from the standard cable to my TV. I built an HD antenna out of coat hangers and wood which used a standard cable hook-up and the picture is beautiful. Each day I get more and more skeptical of industry and all this extra stuff they require us to buy.

This American Life on the Big Screen

Anyone who has known me for even a short amount of time knows I am a huge This American Life fan. I just found out that there will be a live broadcast of a live show on May first. I'll be watching at The MacArthur Center. It seems like it is playing at a lot of other theaters, so find one near you and get stoked.