Friday 5 October 2012

goldfinger

The latest installment of the quintessentially British institution, the James Bond films, is set for release on the fiftieth anniversary of the debut of Sean Connery as Agent 007 in the adaptation of Ian Fleming’s espionage novel Dr. No.

The franchise, played by a Scotsman, Australians, an American and now a Briton, is unsinkably English but the line has endured because of the cosmopolitan sophistication that can ingratiate itself internationally. Much ceremony and patent looks go into the formula, and the breach or the relaxing of traditions has made for some forgettable incarnations—but the tribute and rites, true to the original, have had just the opposite outcomes. I think we all hope that the world’s balance of power is really maintained by a dapper and charming spy, rather than the autocracies of government and business. Another necessary element is of course the soundtrack, and some spectacularly memorable numbers have been recorded both by established artists and newcomers that cemented their careers by this association and honour: Die Another Day, Nobody Does it Better, A View to a Kill, The Living Daylights, London Calling and many big and brassy derivative works. The band The Scissor Sisters composed a lilting ballad, complimented by a very swank video in the style of the opening credits of a Bond film called The Land of 1000 Words, which I think, though not in the main arch of the stories—it is hard to say, however, what exactly is canonical about 007 who’s sort of like Dr. Who for continuity—makes for another powerful homage.

Thursday 4 October 2012

twenty mule team borax

Speaking of stained teeth, no where do I feel more self-conscious of my smile than when I see the contrast between something control-white, like when shaving or I suppose wearing a Santa Claus beard. All things considered, I like to think that my smile is fairly decent, and I don’t think teeth are meant to be gleaming whiter-than-white billboards, given modern and Western habits—but maybe that’s just sour-grapes.

Wednesday 3 October 2012

ohaguro or iron smile

Until the breakup of the Shogun-system in the 1860s, it was a fashionable practice for aristocratic married women, mostly—and some men, to stain their teeth to a gunpowder grey to black. Not only were dark things, like ebony and finely-worked lacquer, considered more aesthetically balanced, the dyeing process also acted like a dental sealant to help stop tooth decay, and even the latest modern techniques (also coming from Japan) that promise to eliminate cavities. The practice was called ohaguro in Japan, meaning something like iron-drink, and involved daily applications of iron-filings dissolved in a solution of vinegar and tea. There were comparable methods of achieving the same effect throughout Asia in the past, including using the dye of aubergine skin in China. In vintage Japanese prints and in traditional theatre performances, one sometimes sees a very darkly rendered mouth, but that apparently was not just goth lip-stick but also a way to evoke an ancient practice once outlawed and unfashionable, sort of like Western cosmetic discoveries of belladonna or permanent make-up, but now being revisited.

Monday 1 October 2012

lobbyland or don't mess with the cheeses

European Corporate Observatory, which reports on fraud, abuse and the revolving door arrangement between government and business in the EU parliament, is trying to continue to raise awareness on this sometimes situation rank with hypocrisy and lobbyism that’s reached a dangerous point concerning food and the agricultural industry.
The EU Food Safety Authority (EFSA), a supranational organ that can dictate, among other thing, whether France gets to extend its moratoria on GM crops or Germany can continue to label its food as organic (Bio) or otherwise or if certain additives can enter into the food- chain, has a full complement of agribusiness advocates on its staff and threatens to relax restrictions and safeguards further. The EFSA will hold its annual conference and draft new rules at its base of operations the city of Parma, purveyors of fine hams and cheese, who has seen its domestic industry shocked by not just the peddled austerity in response to economic crises but also by a strong earthquake not so long ago. I am sure the venue appreciates the ceremony on some level, but this just further illustrates how austerity and tough-times are just code for opportunities for business to acquire something that’s usually not for sale on the cheap. Appointed representatives are not like our bodies, which generally demonstrate more intelligence than each of us and can adapt and even thrive despite our worst efforts, and ignoring what the politicians settle on is definite to our peril.

pauschal

Running up against an end of closets and filing cabinets to clear out, I get a little sad at the thought of history that gets inevitably tossed, especially in the rush of something like a base closure.
I found editions spanning the years from 1984 to 1992 editions of old community morale support activity calendars, typed and mimeographed with hand drawn illustrations up until those last years—the 1990s with colour printing, finished type-setting and glossy paper (full of advertisements too) like a high school year book from that era have a very different character. I’ll hold on to these—maybe some future anthropologist will find the contents of cultural interest. Looking back, similar organized tours are still chartered for service members and their families stationed in Germany, though such offers are made less intensely it seems and though many of the destinations have not changed, some are no longer there altogether and not only American military installations. Since 1989, also when the publications got glitzy but maybe lost some their charms, there were no more of these Hof (DE) border tours: “See one of the most graphic reasons why you’re in Germany.
This is a stimulating and thought-provoking tour of the wall that divides the free world from the Communist world. Children over ten years of age are encouraged to accompany their parents on this tour, as the comprehension of the ‘wall’ in its harsh reality can further their understanding of just why their sponsor is here. There are opportunities along the wall as the tour makes numerous stops to get a close-up view and give you further explanations. Also included is a visit to the Hof border museum. Military personnel must be in uniform. Itinerary is subject to change.” With the anniversary of the reunification approaching, such time capsules take on more significance. The concert line-ups on offer, KISS, Chris DeBurgh, Iron Maiden, DIO and the Scorpions, was also pretty boss, though Wรผrzburg and Nรผrnberg are still stops on every European tour.

colophon

Mostly I tend to think that one should not mess too much with an established look, no matter how basic it is since it’s a part of one’s identity and recognition—although polishing and experimentation within limits, I think is perfectly acceptable.
We’re presented with pretty good and serviceable templates for use, and I suppose too that there comes a point of departure, best taken in small steps mostly, when one becomes a bit more sophisticated and curious with web-design to take strokes at something more than the standard quiver. 
Even if that’s just a bit of kerning and alignment that’s otherwise too subtle to notice. I wouldn’t want PfRC to become too busy and crowded and would like for the page to look sleek and composed. I am getting a little better—or perhaps just more conscientious, about placement and position and hopefully too making positive progress on having the patience and taking the time to fully unwind a thought, which still some times comes across probably as obtuse and obscure.
Content and scope aside, I did want to develop a nice new masthead that worked with the background as it is, nothing very ornate and overpowering but something a little more personal and unique. Matching the weight and character of a typeface to the idea (or lack thereof) that one has in one’s head can grow challenging enough on its own, and I respect those type-setters and artists who can turn out something very professional and know what tools to use with instinctual prowess, but try to add a cohesive image to that and I can certainly see why marketers, free-lance and consortiums, are vying for bids and commissions.
I am also learning why they say imitation is the purest form of flattery, though being derivative is usually asymmetrical. Though after some searching for inspiration and trying on own to conjure up something original and associative, I eventually settled on incorporating a logo from the Independent Wine-Makers of France (Vignerons indรฉpendants de France), since wine and cheese go together, although there are plenty of other good pairings too.
In the process, however, I stumbled across plenty of motivating artwork and posters of a certain vintage and style, like the series on California cultivars (which incidentally replenished a significant portion of French stocks when the parent vines were killed by a blight in the 19th century; these vineyards then took decades to recover from the wanton neglect of the Prohibition Era themselves).
There were also several classic travel posters and campaigns that incorporated local, regional cuisine with allure, providing some good ideas and nostalgic impetus that will be certainly worth revisiting later as well.





diy or artisan class

In the month of October a century ago, the term, though not the concept, of Do-It-Yourself first entered our vocabulary. A magazine called Suburban Life introduced the words that have become short-hand for so many ideas in 1912, encouraging people to undertake their own projects, especially in carpentry and clothes making, sort of in counter-revolt to the spread of manufactured goods but also for reasons of economy.
The movement, really taking off in the 1950s through today, has continued to compliment and build upon as well as offer an alternative to the prefabricated, one-size-fits-all market. A price can’t be put on creativity and ingenuity, but moreover, there’s the sharing, show-and-tell aspect that has no comparison to commercial crazes that’s become a force all its own: found in home-improvement television, as well as the stores that keep crafters and makers well supplied, entrepreneurial websites like etsy and of course the subsets of cooking, independent film and music, blogging, mending, darning and repurposing and all the stories that go with them. In honour of this most auspicious and enduring culture, I plan to learn a new skill and create something this month. What crafty abilities of your own would you like to strengthen?