My friend Madeleine has a poster on her wall that is often the focus of conversation and debate. It’s the alphabet of architecture by British designer, Steven Wildish and it’s just one of many such alphabet posters he’s designed. So, just for fun, I thought you might like and see how many movies you can guess in these two alphabet posters.

I didn’t do that well with this one, scoring just 10 on my first attempt. How many can you guess? I’ll give you a small clue, there are a few James Bond films in there and that proved difficult for me. I was never really a fan of 007. His cars are cool, and the ladies in his life are fine, but there’s only so many times I can forgive a character for completely changing.

If action movies aren’t your thing then maybe you’ll do better guessing the alphabet of romantic comedies?

I’m not a huge fan of ‘rom-coms’ and as a result I was only able to identify 3! I tend to avoid films in this genre, or any movies that star Jennifer Anniston or Drew Barrymore (same same, right?).

Wildish has done other movie alphabets with his lists including sci-fi movies, war movies, horror films, comedies, and superheroes.

If you want to see the answers, why not test your knowledge first, then check in the comments for the answers and see how many you got right. Can you beat 10? Surely you can beat 10!

I might be a coffee snob. Not in the snooty ‘I only drink single origin beans’ way, but more like I always order a cappuccino and I know just how I like it. There was a time I wasn’t very particular and any old sugary nonsense would do, but living in Melbourne changed that.

Back when I was new to Melbourne I innocently (or naively) wandered into a random cafe. It was an independent cafe strewn with hipsters, typical in many respects to the kind of cafe one might expect in this, the ‘world’s most livable city.’ I asked the tattooed and bearded barista for a “mocha I suppose,” then enquired as to what kind of syrups he had. Hazelnut? Cinnamon perhaps? “I like something cinnamony,” I said.

He looked at me in the same way that independent record store clerks used to look at customers who asked for something mainstream. His smile was drenched in disdain and disgust giving a hint to the mockery I was about to be subjected to. In silence he made a theatrical look around the counter, the coffee machine, and out past me into the cafe, then as he wiped his hands on a cloth he said, “Sorry mate, I didn’t realize we’d turned into a fucking Starbucks.”

It was obvious he was having some fun at my expense. He then turned to the menu on the board behind him and he leant across the counter and asked me if I had ever tasted coffee before, or just “something cinnamony.”

“Let’s try this,” he said continuing his theatrical manner and sweeping his extended arm toward the drinks menu on the board. “How about you choose an actual coffee. My advice would be to pick a drink then make that your order so that you can develop a taste for coffee rather than ‘something cinnamony.’ You could have a flat white, latte, cappuccino, or even a mocha, if you really must.”

I’ll confess, I hadn’t taken much notice of the coffee I drank before, as long as it was ‘something cinnamony.’ So I looked at the board then said more in a questioning tone rather than that of an order, “I’ll have a cappuccino?”

“Good choice, a solid choice,” he said as he flung the cloth over his shoulder and sprang from his slouched position. With his back to me he began making my drink and continued talking to me. “I’m sorry for being a dick mate, but come on, you’re not a giggly teenage girl anymore, right.” And right he was, my giggly teenage girl years were behind me! Right then and there in that Melbourne cafe I had thrown them off and become a cappuccino drinking man of the world, even if I had no real idea what a cappuccino actually was.

So I’m not sure that my choice of coffee drink says anything deeply scientific about me, but Seattle-based coffee-lover and coffee-related infographicist (is that even a thing or did I just make that up?), Ryoko Iwata, suggests that it might. Her infographic pegs me as an obsessive, controlling, and creative type of person who gets bored with unimaginative people. According to her, those traits are perhaps redeemed by the fact that, as a cappuccino drinker, I am also honest and someone who chooses excellent friends.

Curiously Iwata makes no mention of the obsessive controlling aspects of the typical cappuccino drinker in a later infographic on her website entitled ‘What your date’s coffee order reveals.’ In that graphic I’m seen as a loving and caring person who puts a lot of work into my relationship.

I’ll plead the fifth on this subject for fear of incriminating myself or inviting the protests of disgruntled ex-girlfriends who might turn the comments into an embarrassing show down. But I’m curious, what does your coffee order reveal about you?

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Ryoko Iwata’s I love coffee infographics
What your date’s coffee order reveals
What your coffee order says about you
What does your cup of tea say about you?

There was a time, way back in the old days, when mobile phones were just phones that could sometimes make phone calls if you were standing in the right place at the right time and in the right position. These days though, the humble mobile phone is now the master of many things, as is proved by this amazing and quite beautiful short film that was shot entirely on a smartphone.

The film is called ‘Splitscreen : A love story.’ It was made by British director JW Griffiths and director of photography Christopher Moon, in response to a competition by Nokia to make a short film using their N8 smartphone.

The film tells the story of two people, one in New York, the other in Paris. It cleverly splits the screen to show similarities in their days then their journey to London where they meet. That’s an awful description of the film, but if you can spare just over two minutes to watch the film you’ll get the idea.

You can watch the making of Splitscreen on Vimeo where you can also see other entrants for the competition.

I just wanted to share with you a very skillfull musical (and video) mashup by a ‘Norwegian Recycling.’ The video is feel good track called ‘Miracles’ which features Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, and Taylor Swift as well as 12 other artists.

Norwegian Recycling is actually a 26 year old guy from Norway called Peter Bull who describes himself as a Mashup-artist, remixer, video-editor and electronic music-producer. If you liked ‘Miracles‘ then you should also check out ‘Singularity,’ another catchy number that puts together Travis, Kelly Clarkson, Oasis, Lyaz, and Christina Aguilera.

I’m quite amazed at this work. I think it’s just about the most creative remixing and repurposing I’ve ever heard.

Check out his other work on YouTube and Vimeo.

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Download ‘Miracles’ (MP3)
Download ‘Singularity’ (MP3)

Anyone who regularly uses the London Underground probably has a story or two they could tell you about something or someone they’ve seen. It’s impossible to ride ‘the tube’ and not eventually encounter a strange or odd looking person… Better yet, maybe you have been that person?

The abundance of wonderful weirdos and interesting anthropological opportunities on London’s busy underground network has provoked one anonymous commuter to start a blog called ‘People I see on the tube.’

The title explains it all but in the first post made on March 26th this year the ‘secret photographer’ writes. “I’ve started to take snaps of people that I see on the London Underground. I am constantly shocked/amused/creeped out by some of the bizarre people that I see.”

Using an Apple iPhone the secret photographer snaps her subjects who, for the most part, seem to be oblivious to her photographic attention.

While the photographer has chosen not to reveal her own identity, she can be seen in reflections on a number of the pictures posted on the blog.

Wary of the possible objections that some of her subjects might have about their photographs being posted online, the photographer has provided details of how to request the removal of any pictures. However, it’s worth noting that anyone who uses ‘the tube’ is monitored by a complex network of some 12,000 cameras recording their every move.

The last time I was on ‘the tube’ a highly intoxicated man who had a distinctive aroma began engaging me in loud an absolutely incoherent conversation. He then started pointing at people, apparently choosing them slurring “You can stay” then pointing at others and grunting “Not you.” – I’m glad to say I made the cut.

I’ve often considered starting a blog of a similar nature, but I don’t commute to work. Besides which you need to live in a city the size of London to be able to gather new and interesting content on a regular basis.

The next time I find myself riding the tube I’ll be on the look out for the anonymous photographer, though hopefully I’m not creepy or shocking enough to get her attention. You can see the secret photoblog at peopleiseeonthetube.com.

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Unfortunately, ‘the secret photographer’ closed the website shortly after this blog post following contact from Transport For London who own and run the tube. According to ‘the secret photographer’ someone complained to TFU about the site.

I have no further information at this stage though it’s difficult to see how TFU could exert any authority over the website or the photographer as she was not doing anything illegal.

‘The secret photographer’ has now changed the focus of the site which is now called ‘People I see on the street‘ which I have to be honest and say I don’t find nearly as engaging as the original.

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People I see on the street
People I see on the tube – No longer working.
Careful Santa
London Underground song
Official London Underground website
British Transport Police CCTV BS

At a card table set up at the county fair in Pamona, California, NPR’s Alex Chadwick conducts a short video interview in his “Interviews 50c” series.

Brooke is a high school sophomore who think her second period math teacher, Mr Belmont, is pretty “Kinda cute,” you know, for an older guy. She estimates his age at 26 and tells an amusing, if somewhat confusing story about how her and her best friend, Jackie… well you know what, I actually didn’t really get what she was talking about. But the interview is funny, in part because she was hoping nobody would find out she though Mr Belmont was cute. Evidently she overlooked this concern when she sat down in front of a microphone, cameras, and a national public radio presenter.

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Pinball wizard
Walking the walk
Well dressed wisdom
Crazy in love
Married five times
(Older) Interviews 50c
Slate V