WTSS RadioMux #3

Normally I release a new WTSS RadioMux at the beginning of the month but due to some issues on the Muxtape site I did it early for the month of June.

http://wtss.muxtape.com

WTSS RadioMux #3 (Set List)

1. Parkas - "Lenin And McCarthy"
2. The Sea And Cake - "Coconut"
3. The Kills - "Sour Cherry"
4. One Self - "Paranoid"
5. Goose - "Audience"
6. They Might Be Giants - "I'm Impressed"
7. Arctic Monkeys - "Temptation Greets You"
8. The Roots - "Seed 2.0"
9. LCD Soundsystem - "No Love Lost"
10. El Ten Eleven - "Lorge"
11. Dog Day - "Lydia"
12. Wax Taylor - "Que Sera"

ENJOY.

• Muxtape experienced an error.

Would You Drive With This On Your Car?

Last night I came up with a few potential ideas for bumper stickers and or warning labels for traditional gas powered cars. It made me think, what would it be like if every new vehicle came with a warning much like on a pack of cigarettes, stuck somewhere on the side that could never be removed?

WARNING: THIS VEHICLE PRODUCES TOXIC SUBSTANCES THAT MAY LEAD TO PREMATURE DEATH DUE TO ASTHMA, BRONCHITIS, RESPIRATORY DISEASE AND EVEN CANCER.

DON'T BLAME ME: THE TOXINS THIS VEHICLE PRODUCES HAS BEEN KNOWN TO IMPAIR MENTAL FUNCTIONING, CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH LEARNING AND MEMORY.

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK: LONG TERM EXPOSURE TO THIS VEHICLE HAS CAUSED TUMORS IN LABORATORY ANIMALS.

FACT: THIS VEHICLE PRODUCES TWICE ITS WEIGHT IN CO2 EACH YEAR AND IS A CONTRIBUTOR TO GLOBAL WARMING.

CAUTION: THE SIDE EFFECTS OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE MAY INCLUDE EYE IRRITATION, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, WHEEZING, FATIGUE, HEADACHES, COUGHING AND NAUSEA.

• Exhaust Emissions
• Health And Car Emissions

Dramatic Light

Last night I attended a photographic workshop hosted by the amazing photographer, Michael Grecco. Grecco's early career started as a freelance photojournalist for the Associated Press. While shooting for the AP he was also getting his images into such magazines as Newsweek and Time, but his early career will be most remembered for his work at the Boston Herald.

As a staff photographer at the Boston Herald, Grecco won numerous awards for his images, with the highlight coming in 1985 when he documented the devastation of Hurricane Gloria. As Grecco explained last night, he felt this type of news photojournalism was not his calling and became dissatisfied, so he changed paths.

From that time, Grecco has been working on his own terms, a decision he felt he needed to make as artistic photographer and documentarian. He is now known for his dramatic lighting style that is created using light sources that are very close to the subject, often within two or three feet.

Grecco gave a quick rundown on what goes into his photo shoots. First it involves researching his subject and scouting the shooting location. After that he then comes up with a creative plan often using his style of sly humor and irony to tell a story or emphasize an idea. Then once on the set, Grecco adds one light at a time, examining each shot and light on his calibrated computer screen. This is where his creative process begins to take life as he adds additional sources of light in areas he sees fit. When doing this he creates little pools of light on the subject and this is what gives his images its dramatic feel and style. (amazing stuff)

Books By Michael Grecco:

• Naked Ambition (Latest Book)
• The Art of Portrait Photography And Lighting

Some Of His Clients:

• Esquire
• Wired
• HBO

Some Celebrities He Has Photographed:

• Joaquin Phoenix
• Penelope Cruz
• Steve Martin

That Crazy Full Moon

“Wolves have howled at the moon for centuries, yet it is still there”

Make sure to take an after dinner walk tonight because (at least here in Portland) the sky should be void of clouds, the breeze will be warm and the moon will be full. The photo above is a snap I took last summer up in Government Camp, OR. on a full moon night. Although I did not see any vampires or werewolves that night I did see an Owl, which is none-the-less very cool.

• Full Moon Dates

May 18, 1980

As a young child of ten years at the time I can still recall this day like it was yesterday. For those of you who were not around at the time or did not grow up in The Great Pacific Northwest, this was the day of Mount St. Helens big eruption.

Prior to this day their had been months of buildup because the mountain had become very active with thousands of little earthquakes and some minor relief of ash and steam. Luck for me this volcano was some distance from my home (53 miles north of Portland, OR) but just close enough were I could get a good look at its activity from my backyard.

The interesting thing about this eruption was that it did not involve lava spilling over its top like you see in PBS documentaries, instead it was all ash. The eruption of Mount St. Helens was one huge explosion as it went from an elevation of 9,677 feet prior to the eruption down to 8,365 feet after it was all said and done.

The ash that was released by St. Helens darkened sky's all over the Northwest and I remember seeing on the news that the city of Yakima, Wa had a giant ash storm and blackout in the middle of the day . Portland also had an ash storm and it did turn on the street lamps but it was not quite as bad as the one in Yakima.

• Mt. St. Helens Eruption Photos

Fresh Eats

Today is a very exciting day. The sun is out, the air is quite warm and fresh vegetables are to be had at the local farmers market. So I rode my bike down the street to the weekly (every Wed. year round 2-7pm) farmers market at People's Food Co-op. This market is quite small in size compared to the other markets around town but it's always good for a crisp apple or a snappy carrot to snack on between meals.

Now that spring has sprung here in the City of Roses most of the farmers markets around town are officially open for business. Here is a rundown of a few that I enjoy.

• Interstate Farmers Market
• PSU Portland Farmers Market
• Hollywood Farmers Market

Freedom To Be Happy

"The outward freedom that we shall attain will only be in exact proportion to the inward freedom to which we may have grown at a given moment. And if this is a correct view of freedom, our chief energy must be concentrated on achieving reform from within."

-Gandhi

I have been reading Matthieu Ricard's book "Happiness" and this quote was found in the book and struck me, so I thought I should pass it on. Ricard is a Buddhist monk in Nepal and is the son of renowned French philosopher Jean-Francois Revel. Some have called Ricard the happiest person alive.

WTSS RadioMux #2 (May 2008)

The new "Walking The Side Streets" muxtape is up now. This month my music selections are quite straight forward. Any questions, suggestions or comments would be more than welcome.

http://wtss.muxtape.com

WTSS RadioMux #2 (Set List)

1. Charli2na - "Reckonerz"
   
2. Richard Youngs - "Low Bay Of Sky"
3. NoFx - "The Longest Line"
4. The Decemberists - "Yankee Bayonet"
5. The Shortwave Set - "No Social"
6. Richmond Fontaine - "Novocaine"
7. The New Pornographers - "Streets Of Fire"
8. Fugazi - "Waiting Room"
9. Neil Young - "Too Far Gone"
10. The Hives - "Hate To Say I Told You So"
11. Thao - "Beat (Health, Life & Fire)"
12. Sonic Youth - "The Empty Page"

ENJOY.