Graniph’s Penguin t-shirt is described as depicting a ‘masked penguin terrorist’ but to me he looks more like a cross between a luchadore, a bandito and an A-Team extra. And a penguin of course. I bought myself a couple of shirts from one of Graniph’s many Tokyo stores when I was there last year; it’sContinue reading “Masked Penguin T-Shirt”
Author Archives: Alex
Two new books added to the wishlist
From the Onion’s very sober round-up of 2008’s best books. Carl Wilson, Celine Dion “Let’s Talk About Love”: “Carl Wilson’s startlingly good entry in the 33 1/3 music-book series surveys the work of Celine Dion and functions as an uncommonly honest, unerringly rigorous inquisition into the vagaries of “taste,” and how they manifest in waysContinue reading “Two new books added to the wishlist”
How to create on-the-go playlists on the iPhone
Creating on-the-go playlists on my old 4G iPod was easy – just hold down the central button on song – and as with deleting podcasts, it took me a while to figure it out on the iPhone. As you’d expect, it’s actually pretty straightforward, and more powerful than before, as you can add and deleteContinue reading “How to create on-the-go playlists on the iPhone”
On visiting countries that have been the subject of airstrikes by allies of your home country
The first in a doubtless intermittent series of posts about travelling. Late afternoon, and the sunlight is drawing triangles of light and shade on the courtyard with such precision it would make a maths teacher proud. From the corner of my eye I can see thick, unruly green leaves and white curls of jasmine fallingContinue reading “On visiting countries that have been the subject of airstrikes by allies of your home country”
Books of the Year 2008
Previously: 2006 – 25 books, 28% non-fiction, and my book of the year was Jonathan Safran Foer’s Everything is Illuminated. 2007 – 24 books, 33% non-fiction, far fewer contemporary novels1, and my pick of the year was Crime and Punishment. So how did 2008 go? I read even fewer books than in 2007, which isContinue reading “Books of the Year 2008”
1,000 Novels Everyone Must Read
The Guardian gave away a supplement called “1,000 Novels Everyone Must Read” today; I missed it, but they’re releasing it online. It appears to be separated out into broad subjects, and so far they’ve got ‘Love’ on the site. From 2006 – 2008 I read on average 24 novels a year; at that rate, itContinue reading “1,000 Novels Everyone Must Read”
The end of the 60s is now
Brian Eno, giving his prediction for 2009/the future in general, focusses not on a scientific, technological, political or economic breakthrough, but essentially, the end of optimism as being the default of the west. Unlike Bono’s blethering mass of words in the New York Times, it’s eloquently put, if briskly bleak: “Human development thus far hasContinue reading “The end of the 60s is now”
A music post: What if Beyonce was your Gran? What if she could predict economic turmoil?
Yes, what if? Well, wonder no more – this very odd picture (which may or may not be photoshopped) was used by the Guardian to illustrate a story about how there’s apparently an inverse correlation between the stability of the stock markets and the regularity of beats in pop songs: “Beyoncé’s worldwide hit, Single LadiesContinue reading “A music post: What if Beyonce was your Gran? What if she could predict economic turmoil?”
Deciding what to read, start of 2009 edition
Normally, I’ve got zero interest in what the press write in previews for books of the year – the combination of the fact few papers have book journalists and the need to add some celebrity spice to any and every piece means they normally turn over the preview to vaguely well known writers and politicians,Continue reading “Deciding what to read, start of 2009 edition”
Books I’ve Read, 2009
In keeping with pretty much the only tradition I keep , there will now follow a list of the books I’ve read this year, with short reviews, and even shorter star ratings. This year I’m going to photograph all the books I read in a suitable location/situation as well: 2009 cover project. Previously: Books from 2005Continue reading “Books I’ve Read, 2009”
The Wired Jester 