Saving Iceland

Posted on April 9, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

At the heart of Iceland is Europe’s last great wilderness area. The Central Highlands, which comprise nearly 40% of the nation’s landmass, contains some of Iceland’s most precious natural treasures. The unique ecosystem of spectacular glaciers, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, lava fields, hot springs, volcanoes, and rare vegetation is unlike any in the world.

Unfortunately, this pristine wilderness is under constant threat from international energy companies and developers that want to build dams, power stations, and high-voltage lines. None of these projects will benefit the people of Iceland, with the exception of a few kleptocrats. These multinational projects will destroy the country’s wilderness to provide cheap energy to polluters.

Even if you have never visited Iceland, you can encourage the government to protect this irreplaceable resource. Please visit the Halendid  (highlands) website and sign the petition to turn this precious wilderness into a national park. With tourism rapidly becoming Iceland’s biggest source of revenue, we have a unique opportunity to influence the protection of a global treasure.

h/t to Alda Sigmundsdóttir

 

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What Booksellers Do

Posted on April 8, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

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5 Years Later

Posted on April 7, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

h/t Tom Gauld

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Do Not Obey In Advance

Posted on April 6, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

It may be just a marketing ploy by Penguin Random House, but the publisher has printed the text of Timothy Synders’ chilling book On Tyranny onto a series of large posters and put them up  in east London. The powerful posters, which were created in collaboration with a team of university graphic design students, depict the Yale historian’s “Twenty Lessons From The Twentieth Century”. Mirroring 1930s and 40s propaganda graphics, the posters are a brilliant tool to both promote the book and educate the public on coping with tyrannical regimes.

Based on a strict black, white and red color format, the bold, type-rich designs offer engaging messages directly from Snyder’s bestselling book. Each of the book’s chapters was interpreted by a different designer, so that none of the twenty-eight images is the same.

I’m hoping that the publisher will be bring this clever version of the manifesto for resistance to the U.S. and/or offering downloadable versions of the graphics.

 

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You Too Can Be An Intellectual

Posted on April 5, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

I have been reading the Paris Review for as long as I can remember. Although it hasn’t cemented my credentials as an intellectual, I can honestly say that the publication has helped me to become more widely read. Every issue is a treasure map to aid in the discovery of artists, poets, novelists, and journalists that demand attention. Now the august journal has revamped its online presence with a new website and an archive of sixty-three years of amazing issues. Best of all, it’s possible to read every article and story for free. Check it out right here.

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Thinking of Saint Petersburg

Posted on April 4, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Since yesterday’s terrorist bombing,  I have been thinking about Saint Petersburg and all of the amazing people that I met there on my visit six months ago. With the heightened tensions between the United States and Russia, I had anticipated some aloofness at the very least from local residents, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Everyone that I met was friendly, helpful, and went above and beyond to be welcoming.

Russia’s second city and former capital is a sprawling metropolis of contrasts and surprises. After a stay of just a week, I can’t say that I more than scratched the surface of this extraordinary place. Given the opportunity, I’d gladly return, but only after I learned more Russian. Thank goodness for translation apps, since I barely mastered the alphabet and a handful of phrase prior to my trip.

What I did learn though was the quirky, off-kilter vibe of the city. It’s the kind of place that demands local interpretation all of the time. And I recently discovered the work of a native Saint Petersburg photographer who manages to capture the humor, history, and pathos of the city, while avoiding the usual touristy photo cliches.

Aleksandr Petrosyan is a photojournalist who has spent his free time wandering the streets of his home town for more than a decade grabbing images of the city and its people that allude outsiders. His photos have an offbeat humor, but are also tinged by the rawness just below the surface of Saint Petersburg. You can see more of his work on his website.

 

all images © Aleksandr Petrosyan except the top one

 

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Every Journey Matters

Posted on April 3, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

If you have traveled the London Underground during the past year, it’s likely that you have caught a glimpse of illustrator Rob Bailey’s vivid posters created for Transport for London. Aimed at tourists and commuters alike, the “Every Journey Matters” series comprises forty consise, informative, and eye-catching posters.

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Revolutionary Philadelphia

Posted on April 2, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Set to open on April 19, 2017, the new Museum of the American Revolution promises to be a welcome addition to Philadelphia’s collection of exceptional museums and historical attraction.

Covering 118,000 square feet, the museum will offer an impressive collection of art, manuscripts and printed works from the country’s Revolutionary Period. It will also display a range of objects pertaining to the Revolutionary War, including General Washington’s Headquarters Tent at the center of the museum, British, French and American weapons used in battle and personal journals written in military camps. Approximately 3,000 historical objects in total will be on display.

A number of hands-on opportunities will give visitors the chance to join the Sons of Liberty under a life-sized Liberty Tree, board the deck of a privateer ship, experience the sensation of being on the front line of battle and more.

A large-scale tableaux and state-of-the-art theater will facilitate an interactive experience that takes visitors on a chronological journey starting in the 1760s when conflict began through to the creation of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and concluding with the victory over the British. The exhibition will also delve into the challenges of creating a new nation and the Revolutions’ enduring impact in the world.

Advance tickets to the museum can now be purchased online.

Tickets for the Museum of the American Revolution are $19 for adults, $17 for students, active or retired military, and AAA and AARP members with ID, and $12 for children ages 6 and up. Children ages 5 and under are free.

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Free Vintage Posters (no April Fools)

Posted on April 1, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

The website Free Vintage Posters offers free downloadable posters in many genres including travel, advertising, films, propaganda, food, liquor, events, and much more. There’s no catch; the images are free to use.

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Train Car Nuisance

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

“Don’t Rush Onto Trains”

Japan’s Seibu Railway, which operates trains in Tokyo, has created a new poster campaign aimed at educating both regular riders and tourists alike on courteous travel behaviors. Capitalizing on the universal appeal of the traditional ukiyo-e style woodblock prints, the railway has issued the first three posters in the series called denshanai meiwaku zue or “picture of train car nuisance”. I can’t wait to see the rest of the series.

“turn down your volume”

“Let others sit in comfort”

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