Archive for May 2007

Cognitive dissonance in ‘Esquire’    (2007.05.20)

Who’s right: The beef industry of Bob Barker? Ask a flamingo

‘Power centres,’ big-box stores, and the Foundry District    (2007.05.18)

Notes from a public meeting on the Foundy District redevelopment (now all big-box all the time), 2007.05.17

When Japanese kids sing ’90s karaoke    (2007.05.17)

Bonus: ’80s karaoke

Trans-vitrine    (2007.05.15)

At the new coffee joint – now the third in Leslieville to dispute my order in one way or another. First Mercury. Next the climate-uncontrolled Dark Horse, where the strapping barista marvelled to guys at the bar that I want an espresso long. (“Yes, he does want it long,” I said sternly. The customer is always right.) Here, I was told that crema on an espresso is actually an “impurity.” Well, so is gravy, but that doesn’t stop carnivores, does it?

Their coffee doesn’t yield crema. Something else it doesn’t yield is a customer.

You realize that not only am I not mocked at the Lesliebucks, the manageress sits down and has a chat with me most times?

Camps and copyright    (2007.05.15)

Toronto Transit Camp attempted to extort participants’ copyrights. Let’s not try that again

Scenes from the class struggle    (2007.05.14)

Rolls Phantom outside Irish pub from a kit, rue Bathurst St., Seaton Village:

Bentley Mulsanne outside Soviet-prison-like social-housing complex (with underground entrance), ave. Eastern Ave., Leslieville:

Antipoynorism    (2007.05.14)

Why are we letting Rick Poynor set the terms of the debate? Why are we even having a debate about Poynor-style unreadable, unillustrated, turgid, overintellectualized design writing on the one hand and design blogs on the other?

OCAD grad show 2007    (2007.05.13)

Notes from the exhibit of graduates’ work at the Ontario College of Art & Design