I've been on the verge of writing an "I'm bored with the internet" post for a while now. Sometimes blogging is fun. Sometimes it's like a millstone round your neck. Feeling obliged to come up with something new when it feels like the same old stuff swillling around the interweb. But I never write the grumpy post because I know it always passes and it did today when the internet came alive again. It was all "wow" and no "meh".

• Craig of Flip Flop Flying who is swanning about South America in a rather louche way, went to Brazil's Museum of Naive Art which looks amazing. Before that he went to the Oscar Neimeyer designed Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói which is beautiful beyond words.
• Peter Ashley of Unmitigated England who is interesting at all times peaked with a visit to the sound mirrors in Kent. These are fascinating things - precursors to radar as I learnt in The Radar Museum. Firmly in the beautifully ugly category.
• Wil of Ghost School got to see Johnny Ball speaking at his work. How cool is that? Being Wil he drew it rather than describing it in words and it looks brilliant.
• Helen of Comfortable Disorientation, who had stopped blogging for a wee while is back. She's had a baby, and is writing about motherhood in a way that doesn't make you want to shoot yourself. I so recognise this and this and can't wait to see what she says next.

So all in all, I feel a bit bad for badmouthing the internet. It's come up trumps today.

Posted on May 14, 2008 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (3)

• notcoming.com: Saul Bass title sequences
  Great selection of Saul Bass film titles.
• It is just you, everything's not shit
  Anti-Is it just me or is everything shit blog. Now available as a book.
• We Live Here have two new Sheffield prints on offer
  View of Castle Market and Parkhill: 'The Scottish Queen' now for sale.
• John Hinde celebrity postcards auction on ebay
  Some very cool people have sent in postcards. Proceeds go to Carers UK.

Posted on December 05, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (2)

• Flickr: Friends of The Twentieth Century Society
  For er, friends and supporters of the Twentieth Century Society.
• BBC NEWS | Stage set after 50-year absence
  Plans to regenerate the Dunfermline Alhambra. Looks impressive.

Posted on November 30, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (0)

• simply breakfast
  One woman's breakfasts. They look delicious (thanks Jane).
• Twentieth Century Society - K8 Telephone Boxes
  With K8 map and commemorative tea towels.
• BBC News | Left-handers 'think' more quickly
  "Experts said left-handers tended to use both sides of the brain more easily." - Hooray. 'Mon the lefties.
• Guardian Unlimited: The architecture of car parks
  10 beautiful photos from Simon Henley's The Architecture of Parking.

Posted on November 05, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (3)

• Volunteers required on 31 October to revive an original Cumbernauld mural
  See comments here for the revival of a Brian Miller mural in Kildrum.
• Motorola Razr2 :: Gondry's Dream
  60-second phone ad by Michel Gondry - sweet.
• What your breakfast says about you
  Beautiful photos of people and their breakfast by Jon Huck.

Posted on October 30, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (3)

• russell davies: the mole and the internet
  Zdenek Miler's wonderful Mole and why we should all be grateful for the internet.
• Withnail and I reunited
  Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann star in short film Always Crashing in the Same Car.
• BBC News | Balkan heartbreak a hit in Berlin
  The Museum of Broken Relationships collects and displays relics of break-ups. A bittersweet idea.
• Cabinet Magazine: A history of giant spheres
  From the world's first planetarium to the biggest ball of twine.
• Ace Jet 170: Sex orgy scandal
  Richard's love for illustrator Ronald Searle.
• dustysevens: girls kissing
  Get your Vic Godard mp3s while stocks last.

Posted on October 25, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink

• Andrew Moore | Photography | Robert Moses 2005-2006
• HBO: Mel's blog
  Flight of the Conchords no. 1 fan has a blog.
• Flight of the Conchords (TV series) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Posted on October 18, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink

• The New York Sun - Wide Open Spaces
  The history of New York's bandshells (looking this up after last night's Flight of the Conchords).

Anyone know where the bandshell in the show was? Found it: Corlears Hook Park. The walking tour sounded good... I wish I could go back to New York. Here's the clip of them singing If You're Into It at The Unisphere.

Posted on October 17, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (1)

• YouTube - OMD - Electricity
  When this came out OMD seemed so cool. Now they look like two dorks from the chess club.
• YouTube - The Human League - Love Action (I Believe In Love)
  I've been listening to this a lot. No idea what's going on in this video.

Posted on October 11, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (1)

• davidthedesigner: guest post #2 : ace jet 170 freaks out on fonts
  What does your font say about you?
• New Piccadilly, RIP on Flickr
  Wow, it really is gone (via diamond geezer).
• Urban Dictionary: Paddywhackery
  The Irish equivalent of tartanry, as mentioned yesterday. Trust the Irish to have a better word for it (thanks Miriam).
• Wes Anderson's new style
  Marc Jacobs brings in suits that fit for his new film The Darjeeling Limited (via The Morning News).

Posted on October 08, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (2)

• Blogger Relations - Digital Agencies Suck at it Too
  Sound advice for anyone who wants to get a blogger to mention their stuff.
• I'm a designer. Use me better.
  Interesting talk from Ben @ Noisy Decent Graphics.
• Flickr: lonesome spring rocker animals
  "They cannot move, but they rock like hell."
• BBC NEWS | Porridge contest 'stirring stuff'
  Maria Soep from Kilchrenan wins the Golden Spurtle for the world's best porridge.
• Wikipedia: Spurtle
  And for all Sassenachs here's more about spurtles (special porridge spoons).
• Wikipedia: Tartanry
  This is a handy word, for the Brigadoon-style hyper-Scottishness that exists in many American views of the country, also perpetuated by the Scottish tourist industry,
• Flickr: The Net Curtains Pool
  For anyone (like me) who just can't help taking pictures of net curtains.

Posted on October 07, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (4)

• The 5th Dimension: audio and video clips from The World of Kane
  Great harmonies, soaring tunes and wild outfits. What more could you want?
• Plastic Fantastic
  Lovely photo blog.

Posted on October 06, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (1)

• BBC NEWS | Glasgow claims McDuck as its own
  Scrooge McDuck, Donald's tight-fisted uncle is feted as a famous Glaswegian on Glasgow City Council's website.
• Jury still out on Groundskeeper Willie's home town
  Claims of Glasgow, Loch Ness and "North Kiltown" but he supports Aberdeen FC.
• Portuguese tiles - a photoset on Flickr
  Maraid's collection of azulejos from the Algarve. Great patterns.
• Faces in places
  Pareidoliacs of the world unite (via 30gms).

Posted on October 01, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (0)

• Record envelope: the little library of factory sleeves
  Fab blog devoted to vintage paper record sleeves. Lovely ephemera ahoy.
• The Guardian: Where Lorenzo Marioni would rather be
  Interview with New Piccadilly founder who will be taking a break in Scotland when the New Pic closes its doors for the final time next weekend. Perhaps he could bring me the horseshoe menu while he's at it.
• The Observer: interview with Martin Parr
  On his travel photography as Small World is reissued.
• Observer write-up of the Bathing Beauties beach hut design competition in Mablethorpe
  Beach huts go 21st Century although I couldn't see much up with the old ones.
• BBC News: Corrugated iron house for sale in Scottish Highlands
  These used to be quite common but are now very rare. They reckon it was built from a kit at the turn of the last century.
• BBC News: Piers of the future
  Pictures from the 21st Century Piers competition. Again, I'm not convinced.

Posted on September 12, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (3)

• Got any TV tower souvenirs?
  "In October 2008, the German Architecture Museum (DAM) in Frankfurt will show an exhibition titled 7189Meter Politics and Architecture on the political meaning of TV-Towers" - they want your trinkets (via Sit Down Man, You're a Bloody Tragedy).
• Bob Truby's Brand Name Pencils
  Serious pencil action. Somehow turns out lovely (via Ace Jet 170).
• Flickr: The The End Pool
  The very living end (via Noisy Decent Graphics).
• Glamour Photography - Summer 1957: The Great Girl Hunt
  Leggy lovelies that are still safe for work (via Coudal).
• Stuart from Belle & Sebastian is looking for girls
  God Help The Girl is a musical project he's developing - cute singers apply online.

Posted on September 06, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink

• A place where we can go, where we are not known
  Sit down man, you're a bloody tragedy on disused railway lines.
• Disused Stations In The UK
  The trainspotter's guide
• BBC NEWS | Supergrass star in freak accident
  Drummer Mick Quinn breaks back sleepwalking out of hotel window. He's expected to make a full recovery.
• Big Things, Community Monuments in Canada
  Are there big things in Britain? I can't think of any (via Coudal).

Posted on August 31, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (1)

• Wikipedia: X-Ray Specs
  Explanation of how X-Ray Specs work. Neil has never used them and thought I was yanking his chain when I said you can totally see the bones in your hand. Sorta.
• 37signals: The 5, 10, 20 year plan
  Don't sweat the planning. Reassuring to know. I can't think more than 2 years ahead and even that doesn't often go to plan. Small steps in the right direction is the best way forward.
• BBC News | Edwyn Collins back after brain surgery
  Good to hear he's made a full recovery. New single out on 10 September.
• David Airey :: Graphic Designer » Top 7 blog mistakes to avoid
  I agree with all of them (via davidthedesigner).

Posted on August 01, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (1)

• The Go-Betweens - Here Comes The City
• The Go-Betweens - Right Here
• The Go-Betweens - Spring Rain
• The Go-Betweens - Cattle and Cane
• The Go-Betweens - Bye Bye Pride
• The Go-Betweens - Was There Anything I Could Do?

Posted on July 22, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (3)

• Where the Crafts Babes and D.I.Y. Dudes Are - New York Times
  Report on the Renegade Craft Fair, the Biennale of crafting. "Birds have got to go. Forest animals have had their day".
• Keep Calm and Carry On - T-Shirts & Clothing
  You've bought the poster and the tea towel, now get the t-shirt.
• All Things Considered
  Very stylish mid-century modern blog from the people at St Jude's Modern British in Aylsham.
• QYPE: Share your views on the most interesting places in your area
  In Beta, sounds like a useful idea.
• Wikipedia: Tattie scone
  The breakfasts sign in the Val D'Oro has provoked some questions about potato scones. There's a picture here. Spud, I'm not sure if it's the same as a potato cake. What's a potato cake?
• Traditional Scottish Recipes - Potato Scones
  And here's a recipe. Pretty unhealthy like most Scottish food but great all the same.

Posted on July 16, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (1)

• Groceteria
  A site about the history of the American supermarket. What is it about photos of shelves that's so appealing (via Scrubbles).
• Flickr: The Moviscrolliosis/ Images that appear to change as you scroll them Pool
• Beautiful 1950s Catholic colouring books reprinted
  Published by The Neumann Press "your soon-to-be-favourite Catholic on-line bookstore".
• Vintage charts and diagrams from Graphis
  Beautiful information design (via Noisy Decent Graphics). I've got this book. It is cracking.

Posted on June 25, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (2)

• Dreaming in Code
  Profile of We Feel Fine designer Jonathan Harris. “We realized there was all this amazing humanity hiding on the Web, but most people considered it to be a cold, inhuman space,” (via Coudal).
• The MangoFalls Digital Photo Project
  Over 600 vintage slides from the 1950's-1960's. Gerrin there!
• Dalston Oxfam Shop
  "Once a week high quality digital recordings of cassette tapes purchased at the Dalston Oxfam Shop in East London." (via things).
• Free Peter Saville fonts
  Get 'em while they're hot (via Kottke).
• BBC NEWS | Hotel offers 'East German chic'
  Berlin "Ostel" has "ostalgie" stylings in memory of the old eastern bloc. It looks great.
• Britannia Hospital is on at the GFT this Sunday
  Third part of Lindsay Anderson's Mick Travis trilogy in rare cinema appearance. Why not spend your Sunday in the dark with Leonard Rossiter?

Posted on June 22, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink

• How to hire the best people you've ever worked with
  I have to do a fair bit of interviewing at work. This is very, very good advice (via Kottke).
• BBC - How We Built Britain - Britain in Pictures
  Photos to accompany the TV series.
• BBC NEWS | Watching Britain from afar
  Article on the 70th birthday of the Mass Observation Archive
• reactable
  Weird musical table thing, as used by Bjork's band on Jools Holland last night.
• Flickr: The BBC Britain in Pictures Pool
  Accompanies the David Dimbleby series. Over 3,000 photos already.

Posted on June 09, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink

• PF Flyers & Johnny Marr
  Limited edition natty shoes for a good cause (via diskant weblog).
• The Morning News - 2007 Editors’ Awards for Online Excellence
• The Guardian: At home with Moore
  Henry Moore's home now open to the public.
• Wallpaper*: Magnum's 60th birthday
  60 years in 60 great photographs (via Coudal).
• Tin Can Tourists
  "An organization committed to the celebration of classic trailers and motor coaches" (via things).

Posted on May 31, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink

• Spoilt Victorian Child: Hot Buttered Popcorn
  Three (count 'em!) tasty versions of the classic electronic tune. Hearing this always makes things better.
• WELL I NEVER...: K-I-N-G-C-R-E-O-S-O-T-E rules OK with me
  3-part King Creosote documentary filmed around Scotland.
• Help save the K8 phone box
  The Twentieth Century Society want to know if there's one near you.

Posted on May 23, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (2)

• Flickr: Camera Toss
  Group devoted to photos taken by throwing your camera into the air.
• Andrew Collins: Our media
  Thoughtful article on the current media frenzy surrounding Madeleine McCann. It's a desperate situation but he's got a point about the way it's being reported.
• Well I never...
  There's a bit of everything in this blog by Jude Rogers, with added Mike Sammes Singers.
• The Mike Sammes Singers: Music for Biscuits
  Best name for an album ever?
• Trunk Records online - music, sex and nostalgia
  Jonny Truck is an expert in incredibly strange music, appearing regularly on Stuart Maconie's Freak Zone. Great site here, full of interesting artists and exciting links.
• BBC News | Graffiti art encouraged at castle
  Brazilian artists Os Gemeos are painting street art onto one side of Kelburn Castle in Ayrshire. Track progress at The Graffiti Project.

Posted on May 16, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (2)

• Twitter / stevenwright
  Dry surrealism and one-liners - a perfect combination (via Coudal).
• City of Sound: A free radical - Len Lye
  Bio and clips of the great avant-garde filmmaker.
• imomus: Scottish independence and Norman McLaren
  Another great filmmaker with added cultural commentary on Scottishness from Momus.

Posted on May 14, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (1)

• Reference Library
  A cornucopia of interesting things.
• Eurovision 2007: 'The worst show in living memory'
  I watched this last night for the first time in years. Can't believe that Serbian drivel won. Poor old Scooch.
• We Made This
  Added to the blogroll - great design blog
• Modern Guide to Health
  1947 public information film by Halas & Batchelor with advice on standing up straight, well-fitting socks and getting some fresh air.
• Your pet and nuclear and chemical attack
  Bizarre advice on how to put your pet to sleep in event of a nuclear attack.
• Flickr: Faded Grandeur
  New Flickr group.

Posted on May 13, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (4)

• Nothing To See Here: Cumberland Pencil Museum, Keswick
  From another NTSH contributor Kate, who also enjoyed the delights of this recently.
• Jonathan Meades - Abroad Again
  New series on BBC as of tonight. A wonderful Meadesian journey through his childhood, celebrating the ugly and the dreary.
• Lost America
  Night photography of the abandoned west.
• Kurokawa’s Capsule Tower To Be Razed
  End of the road for Ginza landmark (via things).
• BBC NEWS | Magazine | Helvetica at 50
• History of the Mao Suit
  "The four pockets were said to represent the Four Cardinal Principles cited in the classic Book of changes and understood by the Chinese as fundamental principles of conduct: propriety, justice, honesty, a sense of shame." Superb (via Sit down man, you're a bloody tragedy).

Posted on May 09, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (2)

• russell davies: interesting speakers
  I'm proud (and terrified) to be one of the speakers at interesting2007. Sold out unfortunately.
• Kurt Vonnegut: Where do you get your ideas from?
  Brilliant (via Coudal).
• Flickr: The Control Panel Group
  Following yesterday's post, Ace Jet 170 points out this great group devoted to "dedicated to the joy of vintage buttons, knobs, dials, switches, toggles, gauges, readouts, and blinky-blinks".
• YouTube - Feist - My Moon My Man
  Lovely song, nice travelator action in the video.

Posted on May 01, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (6)

• No more blank tapes: Vids featuring slipping between the covers (by which I mean books, squire)
  Music videos of a bookish persuasion.
• Raymond Scott (1908-1994)
  The World of Kane makes a welcome return with some musical interludes.
• Louis (1920-1989)and Bebe Barron (b.1927).
  Another WoK article about the musique concrete pioneers responsible for the frankly out there soundtrack to Forbidden Planet.

Posted on April 25, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (5)

• Guardian: The hidden art of Lee Miller

Posted on April 23, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink

• Urban 75: A trip inside the Camberwell Submarine
  An intriguing structure in London SW9 (via things).
• City of Sound: Best-laid plans for Australian garden cities and reflections on the Southern Cross
  Notes on Australian town planning. I used to pass Colonel Light Gardens every day on the way to work. It's a shame Australia is so bloody far away.
• AceJet170 is on a Penguin tip
  Handsome Pelican covers and Penguins galore. I can second the recommendation for Penguin by Designers, new from the Penguin Collectors' Society.

Posted on April 22, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (1)

Following yesterday's interesting debate in the comments here's some background reading on mealtime variations:

• History Magazine: What time is dinner?
  "The modern confusion arose from changing social customs and classes, political and economic developments, and even from technological innovations" - useful summary of what's changed and why.
• English mealtimes explained
  Summary for foreign businesspeople which illustrates some of the issues but clouds them rather than making them any clearer.
• Wikipedia: Tea
  Fascinating explanation of teatime variations. Meat tea anyone? See also Carry On favourite Tiffin.
• Teas and Other Afternoon Parties
  1922 etiquette guide from Emily Post. Starts out fluffy, ends up serious.
• The motley cuisine of the United Kingdom
  "Greasy and unhealthy food is very easily obtained". Yeah, baby. We're no. 1!

Posted on April 19, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (3)

• BBC NEWS | Great expectations?
  Dickens theme park to open in Chatham, Kent.
• Google Sightseeing
• tiny gigantic

Posted on April 17, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink

• Payphone Project: Telephone Booths & Payphones from around the world
  (via Cabinet Magazine).
• House of Marbles
  Includes Museum of Marbles, in Devon. Go see.
• Medium Cool
  Story of the 80s record label that was home to quality indie bands like The Waltones and The Raw Herbs.
• Flickr: The Red Menace - Echoes of Communism & Cold War Fears
  Vintage photos of Communism, Socialism, USSR/Russian, Communist China and Cold War fears in print propaganda and popular culture.
• Soviet matchboxes - a photoset on Flickr
  1950s Russian matchboxes showing the Soviet space program.
• Polar Inertia: Handryers world tour
  "This is a study in the banal. The boring. The completely uninteresting. The things we see everyday. The utilitarian objects that become invisible. Its fascinating that the absolute banality of the objects is what makes them all so unique and interesting." Too true. These are lovely photos.

Posted on April 15, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (2)

• Spoilt Victorian Child: I'd bite you if I had the teeth
  SVC with a much-needed Brilliant Corners extravaganza.

Posted on April 12, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (2)

• My Own Private Book Club: Kurt Vonnegut - 8 Rules For Writing Fiction
  7. Write to please one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia (via Coudal).
• Noisy Decent Graphics: Why I don't like Monocle
  Interesting. I'm not sure about it either partly because like Ben says it's not the magazine I wanted. But also because it's very exclusive, and I get the general feeling that I'm not the sort of reader it wants.
• Flip Flop Flyin' - Personal pies
  A life in pie charts. This is so fab.
• Swiss Graphic Design History - a photoset on Flickr
  (via City of Sound).

Posted on April 02, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (2)

• Song, by Toad
  Another great mp3 blog (via The Vinyl Villain).
• BBC NEWS | Your 20 hidden tourist gems
  Lesser-known tourist attractions in the UK.
• Kellogg's Lego Fruit Flavored Snacks
  Is this for real? Edible Lego!.
• Playmobil wheelchair and patient
  Right on, right on.
• rethinkfx: Crufts 2007 photo gallery
  I heart Crufts. See who was best in show this year.

Posted on March 24, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (3)

• The gentle art of selling yourself | Review | The Observer
  Really interesting article from the author of Life's a Pitch (via Russell Davies).
• Life's a Pitch

Posted on March 23, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (4)

• Picture of an upside-down rainbow
  (via Dan Germain).
• The Video Villain
  Sister site to The Vinyl Villain. Top quality vids this time.
• Neatorama » 10 Most Magnificent Trees in the World.
  They really are outstanding (via Kottke).

Posted on March 22, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (1)

• sit down man, you're a bloody tragedy: End Notes
  On the travesty that is the new £20 notes. "Only a country that produced Barratt Homes could have produced these banknotes".
• Cake tourism
  "We are intrepid cake tourists, travelling the globe in search of amazing cake. Aghast at the lack of cake information in tour guides we will tell you the reader where to go for the best cake, wherever you are in the world."
• Ace Jet 170: Uncommon Knowledge
  An excellent series of insider tips for designers.
• Cosy Cafés
  More food tourism. Comfy coffee houses in the North of England. Top class.

Posted on March 21, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (4)

• The Observer | Blonde ambition
  Interview with lovely Lauren Laverne.
• My dad's architecture photos
  Another great Flickr set from Maraid, full of 20th Century favourites.

Posted on March 18, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (1)

• Martin Klasch
• New York Architecture Images- a Woody Allen walking tour of New York City
  (via Design Observer).

Posted on March 17, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink

• The Vinyl Villain
  Top quality mp3 site.
• The Roaring Machine
  Another great mp3 blog from soon-to-be Mrs Spoilt Victorian Child.

Posted on March 15, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (3)

• Davidthedesigner: When enough is enough
  Interesting post on graphic design in museums picking up on my earlier post. The examples show just how tricky it is to get right.
• davidthedesigner: how long is a blog life?
  Another interesting post from David asking why bloggers give up. I confess I've been close to it this week. Althought it's fun I often think I could be doing something a bit more useful with my time.
• Sacrum
  Has a funny, interesting blog with brilliant cartoons. He is warm (via Russell Davies).
• The Airchive: The Webseum of Commercial Aviation
  Extensive collection of airline bits and pieces (via City of Sound).
• Airworld exhibition in Glasgow
  Hooray. An exhibition about consumer air travel is coming to the Tramway on 14 April (thanks Lucy).

Posted on March 14, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink

• Crying All The Way To The Chip Shop: Five miles out of London on the Western Avenue
  An ode to the lovely art deco Hoover Factory at Perivale with an Elvis Costello soundtrack.
• Songs For The Young At Heart
  Album of children's songs compiled by Stuart Staples and David Boulter of The Tindersticks. Features Jarvis, Stuart from B&S and many good tunes. Plus a v. cute Action Man Retirement Home.
• Security Patterns - a photoset on Flickr
  On-going project to collect and organize envelope security patterns from around the world. Curiously calming (via Ace Jet 170).
• BBC NEWS | Gormley's statues stay out to sea
  Another Place iron men to stay permanently on Crosby beach.
• BBC NEWS | Tide turns for old outdoor pool
  Beautiful art deco pool in Tarlair, Aberdeenshire given A-listed status. Impressive aerial view on lidos.org.uk.

Posted on March 08, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink

• Why I decided to pull the plug on email
  By Tom Hodgkinson of The Idler. I know how he feels. Sorry if you've emailed me lately and haven't had a reply.
• The World Of Kane.
  Is back and better than ever. Now with added stewardesses.
• Plastics Historical Society
  Extensive site devoted to the joy of plastic (thanks Trevira). The museum is worth a look.
• The Bakelite Museum
  A real live museum in Williton, Somerset.
• The Geek Hierarchy
  Know your place (via Kottke).
• No more blank tapes
  Collects music videos on a certain theme, e.g.vids featuring coloured lights reminiscent of the game SIMON. Wow, this could keep me going for months (via tmn).

Posted on March 07, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (6)

• Execupundit.com: Note From Boss To Employees
  (via Russell Davies).
• Flip Flop Flying
  Lovely wee Dunny toy.
• twee fashion
  "pictures and comments about cute girls and clothes and maybe some nostalgic twee songs and stuff like that" (via things).

Posted on March 03, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (0)

• Awwwww.
• George Orwell: 12 Writing Tips
  Very sensible they are too (via Coudal).
• YouTube - Cold War Kids - Hang Me Up To Dry
  Cool track du jour no.1.
• YouTube - LCD Soundsystem - North American Scum (Promo Video)
  And stormer number 2. I did think they were English but now stand corrected.
• YouTube - The Little Ones - "Oh MJ!"
  Catchy little ditty.
• YouTube - David Bowie - Chubby Little Loser
  And for dessert, David Bowie's song about Ricky Gervais from Extras.

Posted on February 23, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (1)

• Mrs Belmot, the renowned advertising guru, gives her advice and predictions in a blog
  I've got no idea what's going on here but it's very funny (via Russell Davies).
• Charles W. Cushman Photograph Collection
  Swinging 60s London photos inc. Piccadilly Circus (via things).
• Metro: Best of Brit Blog Awards 2007
  Nominate your favourites.
• Atlas, Schmatlas: a superior atlas of the world
  New book by Craig at Flip Flop Flyin'.
• A recipe for homemade play-dough
  (With thanks to the Berry-Joneses).
• Maurice Broomfield
  Spectacular industrial photography from the 1950s onwards by Nick Broomfield's dad. There is an excellent slideshow on the website and an exhibition at the Science Museum in London (via David the Designer).

Posted on February 22, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (3)

• Walter Martin & Paloma Muñoz
  Snowdome landscapes (via Coudal).

Posted on February 21, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink

• Ken Rockwell: Your Camera Does Not Matter
  Heartening advice. It's what you photograph that makes a difference (via Coudal).
• The 2007 Photobloggies
• The Official Pocoyo Blog
  Pocoyo, the adorable cartoon toddler has a blog, or rather his creators do. Fantastic (via things).
• YouTube - Boards of Canada - roygbiv
  An old BoC favourite - sounds like the music from Look Around You. Nice fan video too.
• YouTube - Black Affair - Subfuge
  Steve Mason's new project.
• BBC - Alan Partridge - The Day Today
  Classic clips of Alan Partridge. The Day Today is back on BBC Four.

Posted on February 20, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink

• Wikipedia: Bangkok
  The full Thai name for Bangkok translates as "The city of angels, the great city, the eternal jewel city, the impregnable city of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukam" - the world's longest place name.
• Driving Orientation: A World Map
  Shows which side of the road countries drive on, plus some theories on why it's this way. Timely, as seems peculiar that Thais drive on the left when Thailand was never a British colony (via TMN).
• Feed me Good Tunes
  Lots and lots of quality mp3s.
• Mee goreng recipe
  Tasty SE Asian stir fry.
• Judge a book.....
  ... by its cover. There are plenty of great ones here (via Ace Jet 170).
• 163 Beach Huts - a photoset on Flickr
  Lovely (via things).

Posted on February 17, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink

• The Design Disease Pool
  A Flickr pool for the afflicted.
• Jules Vernacular
  Wonderful collection of French signs (via Ace Jet 170).
• Vote for Sir Ringo
  Sign a petition on the Number 10 website to make Ringo Starr a Knight of the Realm. A worthy cause (via David the Designer).
• mensvogue: an appreciation of the Trabant
  (via Design Observer).
• The Morning News: The Observer series of little books
  We had a few of these when I was growing up and they were fascinating.
• I did not know that yesterday!
  via everywhere.

Posted on February 04, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink

Many, many thanks for the magazine suggestions. If you've just arrived feel free to chip in. Thanks also to those of you who have jumped the gun and started on books and music. That's fine, we'll be coming to them another day. I'll summarise the comments at the end of the week but until then it's topic 2: blogs. I am in *such* a rut with my blog reading. Please help me. If it's not on the blogroll (bottom right) I probably don't read it. What's good to go?

Posted on January 30, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (21)

• BBC NEWS | Weird, or just in search of meaning?
  Louis Theroux on how weird people aren't really that weird.
• Sixties City - Dance crazes of the 60s
  With pictures (via Coudal).
• History of the Button: Jetways
  Funny, I was looking at these longingly earlier in the week. Big enigmatic buttons and lots of 'em.
• New York City Transit Authority Graphics Standards Manual (1970)
  A fantastic Flickr set.
• School Years Journal - Books for Mini
  Lovely keepsake book for growing-up memories. Beautifully illustrated by S. Britt (via mod*mom).
• Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion house
  (via things).
• Neatorama » The 5 Smallest Countries in the World.
  Vital pub quiz knowledge (via Plep).
• Tomski: The BBC's Fifteen Web Principles
  Seems sensible (via plasticbag).

Posted on January 26, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (2)

• Pee-wee may be heading back to his Playhouse. But for now, he's happy to be Paul Reubens.
  (via TMN)

Posted on January 25, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink

• The optimism of modernity: recovering modern reasoning in typography
  Not really sure what that means but it sounds interesting (via Ace Jet 170).
• Ricky Gervais | The A.V. Club

Posted on January 24, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (1)

• BBC NEWS | Denny Doherty of Mamas and Papas dies
  Another sad loss.
• Ace Jet 170: Penguin Poets: A E Housman
  Run-down of some of the treats in the latest Penguin Collectors' Society magazine. I've been a member of this for a few years. It's well worth the membership fee.
• Signspotting
  For all your signage needs.
• Spoilt Victorian Child
  It's back! Hooray!

Posted on January 20, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (5)

• The Morning News - Love Hotels by Misty Keasler

Posted on January 17, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink

• Flickr set: patterns taken from public transport vehicles
  (via the all new Quipsologies).
• BBC NEWS | Redeveloping Essex's fallen utopia
  A visit to Harlow, 60 years old this year.

Posted on January 16, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink

• Clip/Stamp/Fold: The Radical Architecture of Little Magazines 196X-197X
  Wonderful gallery of magazine design (via Ghost School).
• Flickr: The First-Name Basis Signage Project Pool
• Sealand, the World's smallest country is for sale
  Official site (via Coudal).
• A list of every book Art Garfunkel has read for the past 30 years
  (via The Gaol House Blog, thanks Lisa).
• Noisy Decent Graphics: What I see when I listen
  I was going to write something similar at some point but wasn't sure how to put it. Does everyone get these associations between certain songs and certain places?

Posted on January 15, 2007 | Filed under: Links | Permalink | Comments (1)

• Soviet roadside bus-stops