From the Green Garbage Project
The thing is, the technology is already here and we know it’s better for the planet. Why can’t we move beyond the knowledge stage and get this implemented?
This led me to think about dish soap, of all things. Dish soap has long been a pet peeve of mine, and it’s a tiny example that encapsulates my entire frustration. Here’s the scenario: You go to the grocery store because you’re out of dish soap. You want a soap that costs a reasonable price, that smells good, and that cleans well. Why is it, that when a majority of people get to the dish soap aisle, they buy a brand-name soap when the green variety costs the same amount, cleans just as well and smells nice, too?
There is no reason not to make this switch – not cost, not effectiveness, not smell, not hand-softness, nothing. So why aren’t all the other brands out of business by now? Of course, it boils down to product loyalty and advertising budget, but that’s just plain stupid. It shouldn’t take an act of government to get chemicals out of our dish soap when we know they are bad for ourselves and the planet. We as consumers should be making this happen. The same argument can be made for solar panels and green roofs and geothermal water heaters and porous asphalt and a host of other proven and comparable green changes.
I fully agree.
FAWM 2009 Bio
One time while I was walking around the park an old man came up to me and asked if I liked grilled tuna sandwiches. I replied that I do indeed love grilled tuna sandwiches, but that I recently became a vegetarian. He smirked a little and pulled out a banana from his fanny pack. He handed it to me and told me to keep up the good work. Then he spread his wings and flew to the nearest tree branch.
“I’ll always love you.” he said as I put my shoes back on. That’s about the time I realized I was a song writer.
Great Concept & Execution
http://www.vimeo.com/5943130Missing :: 48 Hour Film Project
http://www.vimeo.com/5700859When Robert’s best friend goes missing, he tends to get passionate.
Written, shot, and edited in 48 hours during the Madison 48 Hour Film Project by Backflip Films.
backflipfilms.com
Written by Ryan Trattles
Directed by Ryan Freng
Cinematography by John Shoemaker
Produced by Peter Simon
Actors: Petey Boy, Ryan Trattles, Ryan Freng, Amanda Shoemaker, John Shoemaker, Clint Freund, Scott Rawson, Aiden Hackl, Grace Hackl, and Treadmark the Cat
Music written and performed by Paul Otteson
In conjunction with the 50/90 songwriters challenge
5090.fawm.org/fawmers/paulotteson/
View the movie in HD here: http://vimeo.com/5700859
My Biggest Project Yet: A House :: Tour
Street View
My wife and I bought a house. It is a fixer-upper. Who would have thought. I have big plans for the house… and I can already tell that most of them aren’t going to see the light of day. Being able to talk to a house and have it audibly respond is maybe a bit over-board anyway. Let’s take a walk-through:
First up is the porch:
Wide-Open Porch
Porch Ceiling: Ready for a Swing
Porch Floor: someone barfed stripes
The porch is enclosed and awesome. Notice the puke-toned carpet.
The door leads into the living room:
View from the living room
Living Room
From Living Room into Dining
The Dining Room is right off the main living area:
Ugly Dining Chandelier
Dining Room
Awesome/Ugly Dining Room Wallpaper
Dining Room to Kitchen
The Kitchen:
Kitchen
Check out that kitchen paneling
Let’s go upstairs to the hallway:
Beautiful Modern Rug
The Hallway
First stop on our right is the bathroom:
Blue Porcelain
Even the shower is blue
Now to the three bedrooms:
The Master bedroom
The Guest Room
Other Guest Room Complete with Creepy Water Bed
We (and when I say “we”, I really mean Abby) have started to do work on the kitchen. Check out this paint:
Blueish-Gray with White Pop
Rip those Cabinets off!
Birthday Girl Shoot :: Behind-the-Scenes
http://www.vimeo.com/5368711A short behind-the-scenes for a film called “Birthday Girl”. I was only on set for a morning… so I only shot this background footage for a few hours.
Birthday Girl:
Director – Troy Perkins
Producer – Francis Perkins
DP – Mike Hartzel
The team behind Northtown Productions: northtownproductions.com
Music by Kaki King
http://vimeo.com/5368711
Hey Rose :: 48 Hour Film Project
http://www.vimeo.com/5075221This past weekend, I produced a movie during the 48 hour film project in Milwaukee. This is what our team threw together. Go to Vimeo to see it in HD.
Starring:
Laura Klein as Rose Lanvin
Petey Boy as Roger Lanvin
Ryan Trattles as Jake
The concept for the story was brainstormed by the whole team.
Writer: Ryan Trattles
Director: Mark Röethke
Director of Photography: Michael G Buck
Assistant Director: Greg Ritter
Assistant Camera: Jess Ader
Whole Sound Deparment: Max Grill
2nd Camera, Location Manager, all-around best boy: Ryan Erdmann
Production Assistant: Kelsey Abernethy
Late Autumn Hoover :: Re-Painting
Autumn Hoover
This was one the paintings my wife got me for Christmas 08. I wasn’t exactly sure what to do with it. Part of re-painting for me is using the environment that is already established in the picture. I mean, that IS re-painting…. not just part. For me I want the new paint to interact with the old paint. I could add anything to any picture and that’d be well and good, but it is when the new meets the old that something magical tingles one’s innards.
Anyway, I was having trouble finding the magic, so I put the painting below my projector screen from January to March. That way, I was sure to look at it everyday.
Finally, I found it. I noticed that the trees were tilted kind of funny. They were pulled to one side as if an invisible force were acting upon it. After I saw that, it took little time to make the invisible visible. Originally, I thought of having a human hand to hold the hand-vacuum; giving it a celestial feel like giants or gods are cleaning. Ultimately, I decided to stay stay with the monster/robot/alien theme all my paintings have had.
Click on the image for a closer look.
If you like any of the art or designs you see on the site and would like more information, an original for yourself, or to commision a piece, please contact me and I’ll help make your dreams come true.
LadyAda and Ada Lovelace Day
Ada Lovelace
Today is Ada Lovelace Day; a celebration of women and technology. I have to say the first person I thought of when I heard about this day is LadyAda. Maybe it is because of the namesake, but probably because LadyAda is featured a bunch on my favorite blog, Make:
Lady Ada is a tinkerer, inventor, and all around creator. I discovered hear reading a post about a miniPOV kit that looked super cool (I even asked my mom to get me one for christmas that year [she said she could find them anywhere]). The idea is that you program a message into the Persistance of Vision toy and then when you wave it, it displays the message via LEDs. I went to her website and found a bunch of awesome gadgets and kits. Of particular interest to me back then were, the gamegrrl; a gameboy sized NES emulator and the Mini MintyMP3; an mp3 player that fit into a mint tin.
Since then, LadyAda has started a website to sell her and other kits (today they are giving 10% off in order celebrate). I don’t know for sure, but I think she may work for (at least contributes to) Make: magazine and blog. She is definitely an inspiration to me. I wish I could put the right parts together to make sweet gizmos.
Enjoy the day and checkout other Ada Lovelace Day blog posts and articles.