Beauty Within.

27 kilometers in circumference,
50 to 175 meters underground,
Over 1600 superconductor magnets,
96 tonnes of liquid helium,
80 scientists from all over the world,
Bundles of protons crashing into each other.

The Large Hadron Collider is the biggest science project to date. At over $8 billion, particle physicists will ram bundles of protons together in hopes of answering the deeper laws of physics. Yet for all its technological wonder, the Collider carries an inherent beauty that's very much between-the-lines. At a cross-sectional view, it's akin to a large scale kaleidoscope with a balanced collision of metal, wires, and magnets. only to have protons running through it. Amusing how something so scientifically controlled and engineered could end up so unintentionally pleasing to the eye.

Photo credit: Guido Mocafico

Orange Crush

If you check out bands especially of the Stoner Rock strain, you might have noticed a conspicuously orange colored guitar amp sitting proudly in the back. The famous Orange branded tube amps horsepower that crunchy, distorted, hard rock sound of the 70s. Think Led Zepplin, 70s ACDC, and of course Black Sabbath. Started in 1968, Cliff Cooper gave birth to the Orange branded guitar amps that helped power the sound of the 70s. Still popular today, they are a common fixture in the Stoner Rock scene with bands like the The Sword, Dead Meadow, and Boris. And of course, they're still popular with the guy who helped start it all.

Psych 101

Perhaps a good shrink session might be necessary, once you lose yourself only to find a great psychedelic band from Long Beach, CA. Crystal Antlers has been on heavy rotation for me. They posses a sound that's rooted in the 60s psych scene yet not sounding like they ripped off their heroes. They do what great artists do- extracting the essence of their inspiration and making it their own. Push play and immerse yourself into a sonic onslaught of brutality, aggression, angst yet counterbalanced with serenely lush moments. See you on the other side.

Riding on the Seat of your Pants

Love how necessity and hardship brings about freshness. Ezra Caldwell from Fastboy Cycles custom created a seatless bike to accommodate his battle with prostate cancer. His doctors advised him not to ride bicycles because sitting while riding would only worsen his condition. So in response, the original Fastboy created this original beauty. Oh yeah, Ezra is alive and well having successfully defeated cancer. Can't help but think his love of cycling had something to do with it. I think the picture says it all.




Wonder what a customize bike for Lance Armstrong would look like when he was battling testicular cancer.....hmmm.