“No abuse and no traumas. I was surrounded by a large and loving family who taught me the importance of hard work and a meaningful education.” — RONNIE JAMES DIO

Ronald James Padavona

(July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010)

I’m late to the sad news of Ronnie James Dio’s passing. While not a fanatical fan of all of Dio’s massive catalogue (half-a-fucking-century), I truly respected the man. His music was a huge part of my childhood. The smell of knotted up basement carpeting and the epic sounds of “Stargazer” are still carved into my brain. He was insanely gifted and a raconteur extraordinaire. He will be missed.

Our kickstarter project has been launched!

The back story: I’ve always loved the cut and paste montages of Hannah Höch, John Heartfield, Winston Smith as well as the elegant black and white work of 18th and 19th century nature engravers. So when creating the company identity/brand a few years ago it was like peanut butter and chocolate… Voilà, birth of the New Animals. AND, despite (or maybe because of) the seeming disparity between the heavy subject matter of our productions and the lighthearted creatures, people seemed to really respond to them.

The project: We are looking to create a series of animated shorts featuring the New Animals. And since they don’t grow on trees that will involve hiring animators. Although we have concepts about these shorts we also look forward to collaboration and hearing other people ideas.

Here’s a diorama made after a John Boorman bender…

“It wasn’t a great environment for, like, breathing. It was very Hitleresque — the last days of Berlin sort of thing.” — KEITH RICHARDS

Description here.

“The 47-year-old eye surgeon preaches a curious mixture of libertarianism (he favours legalizing medical marijuana and slashing government to its elemental functions) and moral righteousness (he advocates a constitutional amendment banning abortion outright). He also has the GOP establishment scared stiff.

Dr. Paul, the son of Texas congressman and 2008 GOP presidential contender Ron Paul, has exploited name recognition, Tea Party anger and wall-to-wall exposure on Fox News to emerge as the most radical face yet of the new Republicanism…”

REST OF ARTICLE (KENTUCKY FUN)

IMAGE:SVT (SWEDISH TEST PATTERN)

From the spectacular squareamerica:

“It’s the day after Thanksgiving 1960 and the well-heeled of Manhattan have descended upon the Essex House Hotel to rub shoulders with an Arbusian assortment of denizens of New York’s more colorful demimondes at the Bal du Grand Cirque… Dick Van Dyke was honorary king of the ball but upstaged by his queen… “