The Seed Vault, buried deep in the permafrost of Norway, is an undertaking by the world to store the seeds of all the world as a kind of back up drive for the biodiversity of the world; something we are rapidly losing as technology overruns the natural beauty of the planet. Seed vaults are nothing new, countries have been storing the templates for their basic agricultural foundations for decades, but this marks the first time the world has come together to create a single, high tech repository for seeds in a place that couldn’t suffer from power failure induced thaws by dint of its location.
Now that this process of recording our flora and fauna has begun, scientists will be able to study the genetic templates of seeds and potentially create genetic hybrids to thrive in areas less than conducive to supporting plant life. It’s not the scientific savior of our world, but a step in the right direction none the less. With a little luck it’s only a matter of time now until we get the gene bank and instant bio-engineered upgrades we’ve always dreamed of.
If you are in San Fransisco tonight I would recommend going to Gallery 1988 for the opening of Bittersweet, an exhibition of work by Kathie Olivas which includes a stunning array of custom vinyl toys, along with equally amazing paintings and prints. The show runs through March 22nd.
Not only can Jonny McGovern, known in his musical endeavors (though I’m sure it’s not limited to that field) as The Gay Pimp, write one hell of a catchy, hilarious pop tune but his videos are a gas. Even now, being long familiar with Jonny McGovern’s comedic and musical stylings, I can’t help tittering girlishly every time I hear “Soccer Practice”.
Part of me feels that the title should read S. Petersen’s Field Guide to Cthulhu Monsters!!! as the exuberant enthusiasm that the phrase “Cthulhu Monsters” evokes is deserving of the additional punctuation.
The dwindling bee population is an issue that concerns us greatly. Not only do we enjoy the sweet fruits of bee labor, but the glorious gardens through which we wheel Ross on his day trips from “the home” would cease to exist were it not for the hard work of our striped mascot’s forebears.
Adam Makarenko is a photographer that grieves the tragic loss of the bee with us, producing stunning photographs of the world of Langstroth Range, a bee paradise in which they drift lazily among fields populated with only the most rare, delectable plants and take on a monstrous size more in keeping with the pants-shitting terror they inspire in the uninformed.
There remains no explanation for the mysterious disappearance of the bees, but if there is indeed a just and loving Creator in this universe it has transported them to this wonderland free from cell phone death rays and douchebag frat boys with a freezer and some string. Now if only I could find a saddle and a way in.
I’ll be honest, I’m not sure what I think about the veracity of this story but the above photo, while slightly disturbing, sent me into an uncontrollable laughing seizure. It seems that someone in the Japanese Department of Education came up with an idea to combat their country’s declining birth rate by instituting “position training” in Physical Education classes starting in second grade. The time used for this training will be diverted from “ceremony and bowing practice” lessons.
If this is indeed true the Japanese must be applauded for, at the very least, giving an honest and accurate portrayal of the sexual act. They pull no punches, as can clearly be seen in the photo; the young boy, eager and enthusiastic, his partner limply feigning enthusiasm and enjoyment in return while trying not to laugh in his face.
In your daily meanderings through the hallowed halls of Ectomo you may at some point have taken note of my odd name. I can assure you it isn’t the result of air-headed, hippie parents and in spite of my questionable ancestry and modern American nature I still have quite a bit of reverence for parts of my dubious heritage.
As such, I can’t help but love this outfit recently featured by fashion aficionado The Sartorialist. This woman is the spitting image of the pack of post-apocalyptic Neo-Bedouins that stalk across the vast expanses of my imagination. I adore the combination of flowing, layered fabrics employed as shawl and head dress, and the tight, boot strapped pants easing mobility, all of which unites to form the image of an ancient wanderer fit for a modern age.
As Eliza mentioned, it has been a Very Bad Week here at Ectomo. Why, just yesterday I was sitting in the break room at the office, having a cup of coffee and reading the New York Times of which, as a Jew, I partly control, when Brownlee walked in looking slightly upset. So, in my usual fashion, I ignored him.
At some point after 1988 someone, somewhere was playing Super Mario Bros. 2 and thought “One day I’m gonna fuck Birdo.” Well it seems that that day came to pass.
From the Place That Shall Not Be Named.
If you were planning on having intimate relations with a crustacean in the near future Ectomo would like to offer up this tale of warning. This is an anomuran crab. Quite a looker to be sure. Any marine fetishist would love to put this notch in their bedpost, but look closer. Attached to this exquisite beauty is a parasite known as a rhizocephalan. This particular rhizocephalan is named Briarosaccus callosus and it is nature’s cock-block.
Eliza and I need some help: what we’re looking for is an online whiteboard so we can brainstorm, sketch and doodle some ideas together collaboratively. Unfortunately, the ones we’ve tried have been shit, especially with a tablet. Does anyone have any recommendations?
Categories: Help Posted at 8:15 am on February 26, 2008 13 Comments -
Everything is broken. Everyone is sad. Every writer is burnt out. Our old layout is fucked, and our new layout is not even a twinkle in the eye.
This is Ectomo’s Very Bad Week.
The only thing that could possibly make me feel better today is Mssr. Andrew W.K. Play it loud, for me.
So let’s get a party going (let’s get a party going)
Now it’s time to party and we’ll party hard (party hard)
Let’s get a party going (let’s get a party going)
When it’s time to party we will always party hard
Party hard (party hard, party hard, party hard party hard, party hard, party hard party hard, party hard, party hard…)
(thanks to ALT-C for introducing me to this fine performer)
In sheer defiance of the World Wide Web Consortium's will, Ectomo was designed using a non-web-standard font. Luckily, it is included in the excellent font pack released by the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society, which can be freely downloaded in Mac and PC formats here. Ectomo should still look fine without it, though.
