whales and ballet tails

copilot...hahaha

I mean, this is not a popular thing to see amidst the numerous bikers over here, and while I have seen it before in the states, I'm not sure whether this is a sound decision in a very dense, narrow-street and high-traffic metropolis. Hahah and the mother is without a helmet.

"Art by Offenders"

A gallery of works created by young offenders in the UK, or what we'd refer to as juvenile prisoners. most of the works were created while in prison, this fact exemplified in some works that take on resourcefulness with normal, everyday materials like soda pop caps or condiment packages, or even bars of soap.

Mumford & Sons - Free Gig

These guys have a really original, eclectic sound - If you got some kids who grew up in Ireland listening and learning traditional Irish songs and hymns, maybe even were in a choir - Then gave them some vinyls of classic jazz and blues, and got a guy who really stayed hardcore to traditional American Folk with the Banjo, the drum patterns and the piano playing - thats what you'd have. It sounds complicated, but they really tie it all together like butter. And, there's no drummer, so most of the time the lead singer will play guitar, sing, and do the kickdrum, and the Bassist will also get some tom-toms for certain tracks.
not my video

'Disposable People' - Exibition at SouthBank Centre

They had cool archive of Andy Warhol's films at the Southbank Centre....for the low fare of 10 pounds, but I had the visual pleasure of checking out some very interesting and provocative photo exhibitions in the main hall.

Each wall showcased a particular village or area of the world where indentured servitude still runs rampant, despite its supposed extinction. Photojournalists immerse themselves into these little-known, and little-cared for areas where a group of people are held captive not by force, but by an economic struggle.

The first black&white portion is taken from a small fishing village in Africa, where children and families are stuck on an island due to outstanding debts or the infertility of their native lands, forced into their shackles of 14-16 hour days of physical labor: From drying fish, processing livestock, or to using the tiny hands of children to roll cigarettes.

Another island is actually known for kidnapping children and bringing them to a remote island that serves as a processing point for commercial fishers; they are fooled onto ferrys and boats with the promise of a salary, but end up without pay and without hope of escape or freedom.





I thought the photo of the young male in the "50 Cent" tee shirt was very appropriate, and a nice jab to US media. although also very reflective of just how much power it has on impressionable youngsters in developing nations. Young kids in africa will aspire to "get rich or die trying," and "never hesitate to pull the trigger,"just as much as italian kids might look up to classic mob films, playing out and idealising Scarface's lines to the Gorgio Moroder soundtrack.



There were a lot of portraits as well, including an entire wall of aging "soldier girls" from South East Asia who were kidnapped and forced into prositution to service soldiers, the majority of whom were American. However, the last one above really conveys a powerful feeling of struggle to my eyes; a boy who is trapped in accelerated maturation; who never had a chance to be a child but also will very unlikely have a chance to grow more; given his very strict, limited and routine lifestyle that he was born into. He's only 13 but his tired expression and body language says that he's endured more labor than an average 25 year old American.

dont know what to call it, but its cool

Royal Courts of Justice

Canary Wharf - Docklands Light Rail Station

Light at the end...

after over a month, got my first callback. I guess I shouldn't feel so bad given the headlines, and some research I did online:

Beating the odds: in progress.

Southbank by Night

its not even that loud

The National Theatre

Sunday Sundown by the River Thames

Want to relax, take a breather? Notice anything wrong with this photo?

So I asked the touristy question...

And the girl couldnt even get Samantha in the shot.
So please, no more requests for photos of me in them. Cheers.

odd vehicles off brick lane

Its not the apocalypse, its just a promotional tank for the EuorGames convention that was going on last Wednesday, and D*Face's famous installation of a grenade on a civic atop a container near the restaurant area on Brick Lane.

Drury Gallery

Just wanted to check out an interesting exhibit promoting a new UK photo website and Flickr, and stumbled into a lot of free beer, drinks, food and some nice music.

The third and fourth photos are particularly interesting. The old man drinking tea, "Jacob Drinking," shows an elderly gentleman enjoying his cup while the younger woman and man neighboring him are both armed and immersed in their laptops, the young man drinking a beer. I just loved the setup and colors, but most of all the symbolism of how it seems that traditional places, such as coffee/tea shops, which used to be primarily for a place of enjoying your brew and socializing; now its the place to be to get whatever digital tasks you need to work on while being under the pretext of a social situation and being quasi-indulgent. On the flip side, it shows how ancient it seems to have elderly people in the idea of a modern coffee shop, and how the zen philosophy of "living and enjoying the moment and action at hand" is ignored just like the aging figure.

Some Graffiti on Brick Lane

Very colorful, weird and abstract stuff on these walls. Even the last pic right above is basically an entire shack that apparently sells asian food. Unfortunately, asian food isn't all that great here (despite the diversity) and is also more expensive than I'm willing to pay for. Maybe Pops can give us the verdict on its authenticity.