Exactly what the world needs…

And yet another Teletubbie is subjected to the horrors of circuit bending. This poor fellow has been gutted and halved, and his skull has been de-fluffed so that his electronic guts could be relocated behind his face (a major improvement, I dare say). He is now rebuilt and can happily jabber on, speaking the eloquent language of circuit bent toys, like a power tool being tossed about in a blender that is tumbling down several flights of metal stairs. Poetry. Enjoy!

(via Mister Honk)

MC Gunsmoke
 
When done right, the underground music genre primer can be the most dynamic type of documentary. We’ve seen it time and again, whether it’s punk, hip-hop, or in this case the hugely energetic scene surrounding the dance music subgenre known as jungle in early-‘90s London. In 1994, the All Black show on BBC 2 presented this community-conscious look at a genre that would eventually morph into a largely over-the-top mish-mash of sci-fi imagery and unsubtle software flogging.

At the time of the doc, jungle is definitely posited as young, multicultural black music, and treated in classically analytical BBC style. DJs, producers, MCs, label people, academics—everybody seems to chime in on issues of roots, authenticity and commercialism. Not only do you get an intro to the basic ingredients of the music—the samples! the reggae! the soul! the basslines! the breakbeats! the speed!—but the producers even weave in some drama surrounding a club gig starring the legendary Shy FX and his crew.

Of course, this program fails to feature some of the genre’s giants, like Goldie, Roni Size or Dillinja. But the American Moonshine Music label sent journalists a VHS copy of this doc along with their compilation Law of the Jungle for good reason—it’s a quality document of a time now long gone. Check it!
 

 
Via Manooshi, memes, memories… Timestamp

 
Who Are You, Polly Maggoo? is expat American in Paris, William Klein’s satirical look at the mid-60s world of fashion. In my opinion, it’s one of the best shot movies of all time. Notice in these clips from the film, just how much Klein is cramming into each meticulously arranged wide-angle shot. His composition is nothing short of breath-taking, up there with the very best cinematographers of world cinema. Who Are You Polly Magoo” will be dissected frame by frame by film aficionados (and music video directors), probably forever. This film was incredibly difficult to see until Criterion put if out as part of the excellent DVD box The Delirious Fictions of William Klein in 2008.

Original movie posters for WIlliam Klein’s films are scarce and can cost a pretty penny (say $1000). I searched for a reasonably priced 60s vintage Polly Maggoo poster for some time before opting for a Japanese reissue poster with the top image here printed on mirror-like mylar. It looks amazing and only cost $20!
 

 
C’est magnifique!

 
Nice! Multi-talented Noel Fielding of the Mighty Boosh has an upcoming show of Bryan Ferry-themed paintings at London patisserie Maison Bertaux and a new non-narrative (that could mean a lot of things!) program coming up on the E4 network. From the Guardian:

Noel had his first show there in late 2007 and he’s looking forward to the launch of this one. “I was thinking of getting everyone to wear Bryan Ferry masks and then I’ll dress up as the Jelly Fox and challenge them to a mass game of badminton. Or something.”

This makes more sense when you know that the show is to be called Bryan Ferry vs The Jelly Fox. It will feature a shrine to Ferry, including a large portrait of the Roxy Music singer, as well as a picture of a tree, with Ferry masks hanging off, and another with a headless man on a hill, a Bryan Ferry kite flying high above his neck. The Jelly Fox is part of another convoluted fantasy, a little like The Wizard of Oz, in which three characters go in search of the Jelly Fox: “This one doesn’t speak, this one says ‘Am I nothing?’ and this one, Little Chrissie, is the main narrator.” . All may end up as part of a new series Fielding is making for E4.

What will it be like? Well, there are random stories in it, though Fielding says he got a little bored of narrative after the third series of the Boosh on BBC3. But he doesn’t want to make a traditional sketch show, either. Not that his explanation of some of the concept (he’s living in a jungle and becomes the local newsreader) sounds traditional, though he insists he’s partly inspired by the Kenny Everett show.

Noel Fielding’s Life of Bryan (The Guardian)

Childmen in New York (with recent Boosh Q&A at the 92nd St Y) (The Velvet Onion)

Thank you Paul Gallagher!

 
Dr. Michio Kaku tells what he would do about the BP oil spill if he were President. If only he were charge! (And if only 1/10th of the lip flapping punditry were as well-informed as he is… *sigh*)

 
Whatever drugs he’s on, I want a barrel of ‘em!

Via WFT Japan Seriously

 
For most of us, our jobs are shitty only in the figurative, but not literal sense. That’s not true for Julio Cou Cámara, who literally spends his workday swimming in excrement, urine and other waste products in the sewers of Mexico City. Because of a odd way the city’s sewage system was constructed, if a blockage occurs, it can cause flooding immediately—or worse—so the government employs two full time divers who jump into the stinky muck and then grope—blindly, of course—to find the obstuctions and remove them before any damage is done. Yucky, yes, but fascinating!

From a long and interesting article on Edible Geography:

People often ask me what I see down there. Do I find money or jewellery?  No, you can’t really see any of those things. Montezuma’s treasure may be down there, but I will most likely never find it, because you can’t see anything—all you can do is feel blockages.

In terms of things we come across: we find lots of cigarette butts. I’ve had blockages caused by pieces of carpets, pieces of cars, or even body parts. Removing these kinds of things from the sewage is part of our work. People who work nearby or are walking past think, “Look at that crazy guy, he’s getting into the sewage.” But yeah, of course—that’s just what we do.

A normal day for me… well, what can I tell you? I go into the office, and if there are no emergencies then we work on maintaining the equipment. This equipment has to be in one hundred percent perfect condition—it mustn’t fail. My other colleague and I have our gear ready at all times. We work during the night as well as during the day. It’s not as though day or night makes a difference for us, because we can’t see anything down there anyway.

Julio the Sewer Diver (Edible Geography)

Deep-Slime Divers Keep Vast and Smelly Sewers Flowing (Washington Post)

Thank you Paul Gallagher!

 
Dangerous Minds pal Mike Backes writes:

“From Hardened Structures, a survivalist construction company, comes their line of 2012 Shelters…  Here’s their threat assessment (emphasis mine)... Which engineers and scientists might those be?”

Threat Assessment: While the shelter will be designed and constructed to mitigate the anticipated effects of 12/21/2012, no one knows for certain what, if anything will actually occur on this date. However, most engineers and scientists agree that for a fully protected 2012 shelter the following threats must be mitigated;

3-Bars Blast Overpressure of 45 psi
Force 10 Earthquake in successions
450 MPH winds
Extreme Gamma & Neutron attenuation from a 100 megaton air burst detonated 20 miles away
Solar Flares with 1,000,000 volt EMP
Flooding (complete submersion for 100 hours)
Extreme External Fires at 1250 F for 10 days
Magnetic Pole Shift
Radiological, Chemical and Biological Weapons
Forced Entry and Armed Assaults
12’ of snow and 10’ of rain
500 lb Hail Stones or flying debris at a speed of 100 mph

Their website has some 3-D fly throughs. I like the one that shows the underground bunker and breaks through the earth’s crust to show you the fortified shelter below. These guys are hardcore! Hardcore “what” I leave to you…

 
This is wrong on so many levels.
 
Previously on Dangerous Minds:
Tobacco: Little Pink Riding Hood
Tobacco: Hawker Boat (Trippy Beta Carnage)
 
(via Nerdcore )