I recently finished reading Scott McCloud’s minor classic, Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art, and highly recommend it to anyone interested in discussions of art, comics (Euro-american and/or Japanese), and media in general. Itself is written as a comic as it defines and analyzes how comics—an often underrated art—work. In the process, McCloud brings in a [...]

Okinawa just had its Memorial Day today, marking the 69th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa. I’ve been to at least three June 23rd events in Okinawa, June being the time I have usually gone to the island. In addition to the formal prefectural ceremonies at Mabuni: and the march of the [...]

While there is the “Film Is Not Dead!!” Flickr group, one hallmark film type has its days numbered. Kodak announced today that it is ending its production of Kodachrome film. Demand has shrunk to practically nothing and apparently only one lab in the world still processes Kodachrome, Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas. Kodak lost $4.58 [...]

Vienna is known for its music, but you don’t have to go to the symphony or opera to hear it. As we wandered back from dinner one night, we encountered this young Czech man playing wine glasses on Graben (a main shopping drag and pedestrian street):

Cafes in Vienna are legendary; ones with free internet are even better. Yes, Café Prückel has a bin full of international magazines and newspapers, but I have the world at my fingertips with my MacBookMini. Sara and I just had espressos and pastries (she cherry, me apple) and just had to try out sending iPhone [...]

So says Friedensreich Hundertwasser. And on that principle this Austrian architect has designed buildings and dwellings that eschew level surfaces and straight lines. Perhaps his biggest achievement in this direction is the waste incinerator “Fernwarme” in Vienna. His typical whimsy with curves and spires and colors abound in this most atypical incinerator: It’s a fantastical [...]

For those of you who do not follow my facebook page or on twiiter, our flight from Nashville to Vienna via DC and Munich went from a total of 14 hours to 20+ hours because of weather delays in DC. We actually sat in the plane on the tarmac for 6 full hours before finally [...]

Sara and I are leaving for Vienna today. She for a conference and me to eat. And drink. And walk around and take photos. I also hear that they have some pretty neat cultural stuff there too which I might check out if I have the time. We’re there for a week, but have no [...]