Movement, Contingency and the Imagination of Change
pdf at ephemeraweb via kiasma
Posted: April 4th, 2007
at 12:38am by Koookiecrumbles
Categories: art,politricks
Comments: No comments
The S-curve and Z-zigzag
To the Three Forces, we need to add one other essential element that enlivens both Japanese gardens and natural landscape with its well-proportioned twists and turnsa€"the S-curve. A softening of the Z-zigzag, the S-curve is evident in the flow of rivers and highways, as well as in the lines that define the edge between land and sea, foothills and prairie, or hills and valley. While the sharp-cornered Z-zigzag may be used to evoke rocky mountain landscapes, the S-curve is found in more gentle terrain, where the topography has eroded over the ages.
The S-curve is also one of a number of techniques used to enhance the sense of mystery and depth in Japanese gardens. An S-curve path, for example, invites further exploration and is universally preferred over a straight path, which reveals all at a glance. The sense of mystery can be deepened with techniques of "hide-and-reveal" (mie-gakure) by obscuring the path here and there with plantings, rock outcroppings, or hillocks in a natural way.
The partially concealed S-curve works its magic in the vertical plane as well as the horizontal ground plane. In nature, and in Japanese gardens, we find it in the sculptural trunk and branching of evergreens like pines and junipers, with their green-tufted foliage floating in cloudlike layers. The Chinese and Japanese for centuries have used pruning techniques that simulate the effects of wind and age: an umbrella-shaped crown, an S-curved trunk, and a zigzag branching structure revealed in the spaces between masses of foliage at the branch tips. A visceral sense of rootedness, of connection to the earth, is evoked by the thick, gnarled trunk and outstretching branches of the tree’s lower portion, while an ethereal sense, the visual equivalent of the sound of wind soughing through pines, is evoked by the airy filigree of upper branches silhouetted against the sky.
We need not be limited to pines or even conifers to achieve such effects. We can choose other trees that appeal to us from our own environment and experience. A similar gnarled branching pattern and proportionate decreasing of branch spacing is characteristic of such North American natives as sassafras and persimmon, for instance. It is very much in the spirit of Japanese design to look to locally available materials, rather than exotics, to satisfy our design needs.
Monzy
Well, I almost busted a gut watching this… but I think a lot of that has to do with being a closet nerd.
Anyway, enter Monzy.AA This dude is a revolution in nerdcore rap (which no one here listens to).AA He’s kinda ill though.AA Only the true nerds and c0derz will fully appreciate this.AA This dude spits straight unix scripts, son.
…talking about mount dash prompting your girl and what not.
Here’s the wikipedia article on nerdcore rap just in case you have a life.
This is where the picture came from. [Note:AA i think that dude in the pic is actually MC Chris, not Monzy]
Posted: April 2nd, 2007
at 9:43pm by black octagons
Categories: hood status,music
Comments: No comments
Mickey Avalon
Allow me to start any serious conversation about Mickey Avalon by saying I have no idea and no clue whatsoever why or what for he would ever appear on myninjaplease.com without a big fat MY NINJA PLEASE in the title of this post.AA Let me also say that what you are about to see is not suitable for children.
This dude is kinda like a cross between Jim Morrison and 50 cent (minus the requisite boyish good looks).AA I checked out his myspace page and it seems that he’s been on the stage with Mos Def, which would seemingly boost his resume, except no.
MNP, as an organization is not known to "hate" per se on an artist as a rule.AA So I’ll just say, love him or hate him, he’s Mickey Avalon.
Take into account that one of his hits is the controversial but fun "My D!ck."AA Here’s an excerpt:
I apologize in advance for anyone who is offended.
My dick cost a late night fee
Your dick got the HIV
My dick plays on the double feature screen
Your dick went straight to DVD
My dick bigger than a bridge
Your dick look like a little kids
My dick large like the chargers (the whole team)
Your shit look like you fourteen
My dick locked in a cage (right)
Your dick suffer from stage fright
My dick so hot its stolen
Your dick look like Gary Coleman
Seems that’s all there is to say.AA Either this dude is the illest cat out there right now or hip hop is really dead. You decide.
Posted: April 2nd, 2007
at 9:24pm by black octagons
Categories: myninjaplease,music,too good to be true
Comments: No comments