Display case project finalized

In front of them three creations appeared, man-made it seemed, not of natural origin, crafted out of the finest wood, ...

It took around two years for me and my father (picture) to finalize the project - however, actual number of days spent on it were just a few, say around six to eight.

Tokyo exposed

Found this stunning Tokyo sunset image on the net. It's apparently an HDR image, produced from a set of photos taken with a range of exposures.

I have got to study this technique. Somehow it seems to give an almost magical touch to the colors in the image. It's beautiful.

The Prestige by Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan has created an entertaining and unforeseeable story that's based on illusion, magic, science, plots, twists, love, and sacrifice.

The story in The Prestige is spun around two rivaling illusionists (or magicians - there's a subtle difference) in turn-of-the-century London. There's a battle going on between the artists for the audience and - perhaps even more important - there's a fierce fight over who's got the best trick, making each illusionist perform more and more complex and dangerous illusions. Or simply stealing and improving existing ones.

Definitely a story I want to experience again, preferably on a big screen.

Relocation of a Swedish city center

Kiruna, the northernmost city in Sweden, will have it's main area relocated due to mining activities.

Klart med Kirunas flytt

Kirunas centrum kommer att flyttas till berget Luossavaara vid sjön Luossajärvi, enligt det historiska beslut som kommunfullmäktige fattade på måndagen.

It seems surrealistic to me. Moving a city's core element. I don't have any strong feelings about the city as such, I have only passed through it once when I was on my way to Riksgränsen for some offpist snowboarding. But redefining a city's design and existing structure, it's huge.

More at wikipedia.org.

Stratosphere Girl by Matthias X. Oberg

Like Lost in Translation, the story in Stratosphere Girl is spun around a Westerner woman that goes to Tokyo. In the latter case, the story circulates around fifteen year old Angela's life.

Angela is passionately obsessed with Japanese culture, drawing comics and creating Manga stories. At the night of her graduation party she meets with a Japanese DJ that invites her to Japan. What follows after she decides to go is a mix of her reality and her comics, reality becoming comics and vice versa.

Even if the the story is thin (there's more to it than what I have revealed but I don't want to spoil it), it doesn't matter. Not to me. Why?! Because the visual photography is stunning. It's a beautifully photographed creation painted with the finest brush by Matthias X. Oberg.

It's innocent and pure art in its finest form.

There´s a Special Place... by Liza Marklund

What shapes a man and a woman into being what they are? What about expectations during childhood and later on in life?! Possibilities and promotions at work?! Etc.

This is an interesting and eye-opening book on how different men and women are being treated in life, at home and at work.

The book contains quite a few personal reflections on the authors' own experiences in the area. I have to admit that some of the short reflections made me smile, even though it wasn't a happy smile - I guess it's because Liza and Lotta manages to, in a very precise wording, pinpoint a problem that you have experienced or witnessed yourself. It's actually quite sad.

Title: There´s a Special Place in Hell For Women Who Don´t Help Each Other (Swe: Det finns en särskild plats i helvetet för kvinnor som inte hjälper varandra).
Author: Liza Marklund, Lotta Snickare.

More info at piratforlaget.se.

Down Colorful Hill by Red House Painters

Down Colorful Hill is Red House Painters debut album. It was released back in 1992, but first now, fifteen years later, did the music reach me. And I like what I hear.

The music is relaxing. I play it over and over again. It's the arrangements, the compositions, the simple yet distinctive sound. Pictures in black and white appear in my mind, unfocused, vague, not sure what the "photographer" had in mind.

It's always difficult to label music but I would say something with a touch of Air, Björk, and maybe some bits of Khoma in it.