Friday Finds 10.8.2010

Jordan: Another Lunch

Long gone are my days of heading off to school with a lovingly packed brown bag from mom, but I do remember that a peanut butter and jelly sandwich—slightly smooshed by a green apple—accompanied by a Hostess cupcake (if I was lucky) was the norm (plus other tasty things which I can't quite recall but I'm sure were wonderful. I love you mama!). So I can't say I can quite relate to these just-so-themed bento boxes but I sure do think they're fun to look at, and even more fun to imagine eating as a little kid at lunchtime. (via Aesthetic Outburst)

Jaime: Abandoned Man-Made Creations

Artificial Owl, a blog of "abandoned man-made creations" is a roundup of derelict structures around the world, from a half-buried lighthouse in Denmark to a beautiful and haunted-looking resort in Cambodia that's falling apart. The images are really fascinating, in a creepy post-apocalyptic kind of way. I can't look away.

Amanda: Japanese Robot Teacher

This video, featuring Saya, a robotic teacher in Japan, frightens and fascinates me. She can register six emotions—surprise, fear, disgust, anger, happiness, sadness—and she's multilingual. The video is in Japanese, but that's not really a detriment when considering what this could mean—yes, robot overlords. Be afraid.

Sam: Ruradelia

This is the cure for spending too much time in front of your computer.

Miyoko: Scott Jarrett's Found Object Sculptures

There's something very captivating about photographer Scott Jarrett's images of found object sculptures, simple abandoned goods piled precariously on top of one another. The balancing acts remind me of balancing stone sculptures you sometimes find near the beach. (via Today and Tomorrow)

Aaron: John Cage's "Water Walk"

 "Modernism" as in that capital-lettered Modernism that swept across all the arts in the early part of the 20th century, was a transformative idea that manifested itself differently in each medium it touched. To fully understand what it means to architecture and design, it really does help to understand what it has also meant to painting, and music, and dance, and poetry. For a telling, if comic, look at one of music's great American modernists, check out composer John Cage playing his piece "Water Walk" on (and this bit is truly weird) the game show I've Got a Secret. Not only does it make you lonesome for the era of live TV, the clip is a fascinating look at how Cage was perceived, or how the show's producers perceived he'd be perceived, by mainstream America. He acquits himself with wit, charm, and a hell of a nice piece of music.