War on Stupid at DMA

 Earlier this week I was up in Boston co-presenting "The War on Stupid" with Andrew Davies, a designer extraordinnaire with Paragon Design. As part of the Geekend Roadshow we presented at the Direct Marketers Association conference. It went well, and the crowd seemed to enjoy it. If you read/speak Danish, let me know if this article about the talk is good or bad.

The basic idea is that people need access to important information about the world around them, but most people either don't like to read, or never find time to keep up with more news than what is available via cable news channels. They are left under-served in the realm of informational nourishment. We propose to combat that through the collaboration of creatives (designers, illustrators, filmmakers, sound designers, etc) with 'sense-makers' (journalists, research scientists, etc) to turn complex ideas and data heavy material into short videos.

We created a demo of our idea. Drew took a 3-part investigative piece that I did about a nuclear reactor project outside of Augusta and turned it into a minute-and-a-half long motion graphic video. Check that out here.

You can follow the War on Stupid blog, which highlights other folks working in the realm of information translation.

Yancy

Yancy came down and did a set yesterday during the Savannah Urban Arts Festival and it was dope. He's got of Jay-Z type style but without the pomposity or the dope game. Let this joint ride past the intro and get blessed with a real smooth piano line and some suave mic control.

SUAF 2011

The Savannah Urban Arts Festival kicks off April 17, and it's gonna be a dope year. Swing by Indigo Sky on 4/17 from 4-6pm for the opening reception of Fresh Produce, featuring a bunch of amazing Georgia artists curated by Sean Fahie and I, along with a live beat set from last year's beat battle champ Unda. There's film screenings, loads of music, a graf workshop, artist development workshops, dance, poetry and more...Peep the full schedule on the website.

South Andros

Just returning from a few days of serious R&R in the Bahamas - Driggs Hill, South Andros to be exact - no phone, no computer, no watch - just a perfect blend of adventure and poolside chilling, stirred briskly with some great food and fine island beverages. Shout out to bonefish, blue holes, the ladies who run the liquor store in CongoTown (Magnum with Vigorton and Ginger wine are tops) and family; as well as special thanks to Jerry and Diane Blotcher, and Nancy from the Hungry Trout, who are exceptional hosts. 

Goombay punch - the official pineapple-flavored bubbly drink of the Bahamas - celebrates tasteful minimalism and fun with its packaging design.

If you need a tour guide on South Andros, you've got to call Barbara. This is her leading Carrie and I into a cave full of bats (note the one flying behind her head - and all the block dots on the back wall - those are all bats too), right before we go to the best swimming hole I've ever had the privilege to enjoy. A 15 ft jump off a natural limestone bridge formation landed you in the middle of this glorious "blue hole" as they are known locally, brackish water that comes from a mix of fresh water spring and ocean tides. 

Barbara at the southwest end of the best swimming hole ever.

A detail of the bar counter in front of Ezrena's restaurant, where we had the most amazing Bahamian feast ever, cooked by Ezrena, and topped off by some homemade papaya and habanero-based hot sauce.

The aforementioned feast included cracked conch (fried in a light, crispy batter), lobster tails, grouper, steamed veggies, coleslaw and rice with pigeon peas. The feast opened with the finest bowl of conch chowder ever (it would be among the best chowders I've ever eaten as well), and closed with some locally made coconut ice-cream.

These became fresh conch salad right before our eyes at a roadside conch stall/sports bar.

Getting a quick demo from the owner Roddie (sp?)

St. Paddy's Day in Savannah

Say what you will about the hundreds of thousands of people who crowd the streets - a lot of them are apocalyptic-drunk, ill-mannered and/or en route to try out as extras for Jersey Shore - there is also an amazing sense of tradition, community and fun. A few shots from this year's parade that I shot for Connect, which although no final tally is complete, is most likely one of the largest ever.

You need some balloons? I got some balloons.

Best jacket in the city.

Shot off the hip while walking by. He was in the middle of counting a nice stack.

I was in disbelief when I saw the Charlie Sheen "St. Patty's in SAV" pin - #winning

They had a keg in the shopping cart, rolling it down the middle of Drayton St.

Stopover Sessions #1.5

Another segment of the video from the inaugural Savannah Stopover Sessions at Meddin Studios. Shot and edited by the infamous Bob Jones, who is equal parts man and machine and starring Cusses. I make a very brief cameo, including a comment at the end of the video.

Primary's 15th Anniversary