Scattered Brains

Things unfinished. So much more info about this untitled endeavor over at this UNDISCLOSED LOCATION. Can anything be infinitely randomized? Probably not, but there's no harm in trying.

Rush Hour vs. Rush Hour

Funny how one city's rush hour can seem charming and refreshing when compared with our own.

Los Angeles, west-bound (notice the bumper to bumper headed east) and the Netherlands (where a third of people commute on bike).

Trade School, Too Cool

Kinds Words for Trade School from OurGoods on Vimeo.

We love our California base, but often times there are people or things that make us wish we could teleport back to the eastern seaboard- or at least find it's West Coast counterpart. Trade School, based in Manhattan's Lower East Side, is a perfect example. The idea is simple: students barter with teachers for class time. The result of their first 35 day stretch was nothing short of impressive; over 800 people exchanged anything from food to letters in order to take classes on a very wide range of subjects- scrabble strategy, grant writing, felt making, how to make irrational decisions- the list goes on.

Trade School is currently in hibernation, collecting money and resources to re-open it's doors for another round of classes. Visit their Kickstarter page to track their progress and donate! Let's hope we can catch a class the next time we're stomping around New York.

Are we just part of the swarm?

Do you ever wonder if our behavior can be linked toward a bigger, uncontrollable collective function? Are we as seemingly will-less as a flock of birds, a school of fish or a - frighteningly better - swarm of locusts?

Iain Couzin, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University has made some interesting discoveries about these very questions. Although we may be existentially hyperbolizing the actual science behind what Professor Couzin is truly studying, the core research on group behavior remains fascinating. We first dove into this world via a segment part of Radiolab's ongoing "Awe-Mageddon" live question and answer series. (Check it out if you haven't already, it's essentially Ted Talks meets Radiolab's conversational charm.) And you can check out specifically Iain Couzin's flooring segment HERE. You can also check out a great interview with him over at Big Think.


Professor Couzin has discovered and created actual formulas that can very accurately predict individual's behavior as part of a larger collective. For instance, schools of fish and flocks of bird are eerily easy to predict. Are humans just as simple? Above you can see the beginnings of software Couzin is creating that could help determine and understand individual behavior and decision-making. Infinitely interesting. If you dig it, read more at Professor Couzin's "Couzin Lab" over at Princeton's site.

Good luck swarming.

Damn Right!

We were thisclose to publishing a little post on the phenomenon of Death Fog- not kidding- (in honor of a very misty day here in Los Angeles), when our good friend Linnea sent this our way. If it were possible to climb up on our sinks with such nimbleness we'd be there right now.

T.G.I.F - am I right?

Here is a fun little short film that might get you chuckling - depends on your sense of humor though. I find that it suits the end-of-the-work-week delirium that we all probably feel. Enjoy.



Rob Todd is a filmmaker, artist and professor at Emerson College. More of his work can be found here.

Creative resources await

If you ever ever ever have considered yourself to have a creative itching in your soul, you need to check out this amazing site and resource center called Accidental Creative.

http://www.accidentalcreative.com/

Resources, musings, and podcasts are all born from the mind of founder Todd Henry who likes to refer to himself as the "arms dealer for the creative revolution." Ha, perfect.

But really though. Infinitely inspiring things here that remind us of the fragile balance between productivity, creativity and heck, even happiness. Enjoy, and stay creative!

Aching for a Diorama

Finding endless little projects to preoccupy our minds (on top of the important stuff) is one of our specialties. Up now: this fun glass cabinet table that is just aching for a diorama. Forget wine glass storage; we're having visions of layered scenes and stories in this little cube. But what direction to go in? Impressive landscapes and wildlife Natural History Museum style, charming paper cut outs, or the detailed fantasy of The Efteling dioramas? Tell us your thoughts and stay tuned for the ultimate results.