Tag Archives: minimalism

Hotel Bayerischer Hof: Iconic Bavarian Gem Has Historic & Legendary Design Collaboration 

While choosing popular cities to travel, the obvious choices are always Rome, Berlin, Barcelona and London, but how about those ‘alternative’ cities you may have never thought of or come across? That is where Munich, Germany comes in. 

Nestled in the heart of Munich, Hotel Bayerischer Hof is one of Germany’s most historically important hotels, renowned for its timeless elegance and world-renowned design partnerships.

The aura of royalty is imminent as soon as one steps foot into the hotel. The property’s renowned collaboration with Belgian designer Axel Vervoordt, a global tastemaker, is designed with full picturesque and captivating minimalist interiors.

The unveiling of the art dealer, curator, designer, and antiquary Vervoordt’s latest revamp has transformed a section of the hotel into an artistic wonder– harmoniously mixing old and new, creating a design aesthetic that is hugely influential in Germany. He counts royalty within his clientele, with a nod to celebrities like Kanye West, Robert De Niro, and Calvin Klein.

Vervoordt’s collaboration with Hotel Bayerischer Hof is nothing short of incredible.

The Penthouse Garden Suite, Atelier, Garden restaurant, Cinema Lounge, and Palaishalle all bear the designer’s characteristic artistic touch. The new wing embodies a captivating minimalist design that is both modern and timeless in the same beat. Vervoordt’s talent helps the property keep in step with the ever-changing expectations of the hotel industry and attracts discerning guests who appreciate design that cleverly combines the present and the past.

Founded by female entrepreneur and owner Innegrit Volkhardt, who is dubbed “one of the most renowned hoteliers in the world,” her family has owned the Hotel Bayerischer Hof for over four generations, so the blood runs deep. The hotel recently celebrated 125 years of ownership. Volkhardt, a true Bavarian local, has immaculately maintained the hotel’s legacy while successfully integrating new design collaborations like that of Vervoordt.

Tucked away within the elegant shopping district, the hotel is near the city’s must-see attractions, including the Marienplatz, Viktualienmarkt, and the Hofbrauhaus, a fun and traditional beer house with live music (apparently it’s where the Nazis used to meet).

One can even say that you don’t need to leave the hotel, with a full service spa, a tiki bar underground, a glorious dome-shaped bar and networking area, a ballroom, and best of all, dinner at The Garden. The restaurant offers fan favorites like a goat cheese, fig and cottage cheese salad, as well as filet mignon with a side of spinach and potatoes. A sweet finish with a trio of sorbets to cleanse the palate and keep it light.

Hotel Bayerischer Hof boasts over 300 luxurious rooms and suites that capture its deep history, blending luxury with design.

The collaborative designs of Axel Vervoordt have played an immensely significant role in helping the hotel innovate and evolve without losing the essence that has made it a Bavarian favorite for 125 years. If you’re looking to indulge in an unforgettable experience, Hotel Bayerischer Hof is undoubtedly one of the best options in Munich. For The Silo, Ellie Ross.

Raketa Watches Russia Launch Model Dedicated to Love

RAKETA BIG LOVE
Everything starts with love!

To mark the International Women’s Day on 8th March, Raketa releases a watch for ladies dedicated to the most beautiful feeling: Love.

Raketa “Big Love” offers a new interpretation of femininity. A watch as a mood, as a feeling, as love.

This model symbolizes the essence of Raketa’s “Big Zero” model: everything starts from 0. The hands of Raketa “Big Love” turn in a circle designating the word “LOVE” and each time the hour hand passes by the big “0” (or in this case the big letter “O”) everything restarts with LOVE!

The dial of Raketa “Big Love” embodies a minimalist design which is nevertheless full of feelings: a black and white dial with big letters L, O, V, E, crowned with the letter “O” (or with a zero – as you prefer).

With its classic black and white dial design and its four different color leather straps, Raketa “Big Love”  will match any style and mood. The white, bright reddish-orange as well as pastel shades of pink and blue straps will emphasize your personality in both casual and classic styles. The quick-change strap system allows you to easily change the straps depending on your current outfit or mood.

Through the case-back of the watch, you can see the beautifully decorated Raketa automatic movement, fully manufactured in Saint-Petersburg by the Raketa Watch Factory.

Raketa “Big Love” is produced this year in a limited quantity of 200 models. 

The price

The cost of the watch is 1333 EUR (without VAT) $1,413 USD / $1,906 CAD. For the comfort of customers, Raketa watches are delivered worldwide free of charge by DHL directly up to the front door.

Specifications

Factory:Raketa Watch Factory (Saint-Petersburg)
Movement:
Calibre:2615
Functions:Automatic
Number of jewels:24
Testing positions:4
Average rate (s/d):-10+20
Average running time (h):40
Frequency/hour:18.000 / 2.5Hz
Bi-directional automatic windingYes
Stopper of self-winding unit activated during manual winding:Yes 
Decoration:Laser engraving
Neva wavesRed rotor
Case:
Material:Stainless steel
Size:40 mm
Front glass:Sapphire 
Back glass:Mineral 
Crown:Ruby stone ​​inside the crown
Water resistance:10 АТМ
Strap/bracelet:
Material:Genuine leather
Width:20 mm
Sex:Unisex
Version Française

RAKETA BIG LOVE


Tout commence par l’amour !

En l’honneur de la Journée internationale des femmes, le 8 mars, la Manufacture horlogère Raketa propose le modèle Raketa “Big Love”, une montre pour dames dédiée au plus beau sentiment qui soit : l’amour.

Raketa “Big Love” est une nouvelle interprétation de la féminité. Une montre comme un état d’esprit, comme un sentiment, comme l’amour.

Ce modèle reprend le concept de Raketa “Big Zero” : tout part de zéro. Les aiguilles tournent autour du cadran en indiquant le mot “LOVE” et à chaque fois que l’aiguille des heures passe par le grand « 0 » (ou dans ce cas la grande lettre « O ») tout recommence par l’amour – par LOVE !

Le cadran de Raketa “Big Love” est inspiré de l’esthétique classique du minimalisme, tout en étant imprégné de sentiment : noir et blanc, avec les grandes lettres L, O, V, E, et  couronné d’un zéro (ou de la lettre “O” – à vous de choisir). 

La montre Raketa “Big Love” s’acorde avec tous les styles et toutes les humeurs grâce à son cadran classique noir et blanc et à ses quatre bracelets de couleurs différentes. Leurs tons – blanc, rouge-orange vif et pastel rose et bleu -, mettront en valeur votre personnalité, que vous adoptiez un style décontracté ou plus classique. Tous les bracelets sont munis d’un système “quick change” qui vous permet de facilement les changer en fonction de votre tenue ou de votre humeur du moment.

Le fond de la montre laisse voir le mouvement automatique Raketa minutieusement décoré et entièrement fabriqué à la Manufacture horlogère Raketa à Saint-Pétersbourg.

La montre Raketa “Big Love” est produite cette année en quantité limitée à 200 modèles. 

Prix

Le prix est de 1333 Euros (hors TVA). Pour le confort de nos clients, les montres sont livrées gratuitement jusqu’à leur porte par DHL.

Spécifications

Manufacture :Manufacture de montres Raketa (Saint-Pétersbourg)
Mouvement :
Calibre:2615
Fonctions :Automatique
Nombre de rubis :24
Positions de reglages :4
Marche moyenne (s/j) :-10+20
Réserve de marche moyenne (h) :40
Fréquence/heure :18.000 / 2.5Hz
Remontage automatique bidirectionnel :Oui 
Système de débrayage du module automatique lors du remontage manuel:Oui
Décoration :Gravage laserCôtes de NevaMasse oscillante rouge
Boitier :
Matériau :Acier inoxydable 
Diamètre :40 mm
Glace côté cadran :Sapphire 
Glace arrière :Minéral 
Couronne :Rubis à l’intérieur de la couronne
Etanchéité :10 АТМ
Bracelet :
Matériau :Cuir véritable
Largeur :20 mm
Sexe :Unisexe 

Clairtone Canada Stereo Equipment Was Art-like

The Art of Clairtone: The Making of a Design Icon, 1958-1971 is a fully illustrated stylish look back at the stereo story behind a Canadian design icon. This handsome hardcover is by Nina Munk and Rachel Gotlieb and is available on Amazon.

At its peak in the 1960s, Clairtone Sound Corporation was one of the most admired companies in the field of electronics. Founded by Peter Munk and David Gilmour in Toronto, Canada, Clairtone made the wildly modern Project G hi-fi system and, later, the G-TV. The commercial, shot in July 1967 by famous Canadian cinematographer Frank Spiess, was produced by Young & Rubicam. It features Munk and Gilmour, then in their 30s, at a studio in Toronto and includes footage from Clairtone’s infamous factory in Stellarton, Nova Scotia.” east19thstreet via YouTube

For a decade, in the 1960s, Clairtone Sound Corporation captured the spirit of the times: sophisticated, cosmopolitan, liberated. From its modern oiled-walnut and teak stereos to its minimalist logos and promotional materials, Clairtone produced a powerful and enduring body of design work. Founded in 1958 by two young Canadians, Peter Munk and David Gilmour, Clairtone quickly became known for its iconic designs and masterful advertising campaigns.

Its acclaimed Project G stereo, with its space-age styling, epitomized the Swinging Sixties. Famously, Hugh Hefner owned a Project G. So did Frank Sinatra.

Oscar Peterson affirmed that his music sounded as good on a G as it did live.In 1967, suggesting how deeply Clairtone’s G series had come to be identified with popular culture, the G2 appeared in The Graduate with Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft.

With 250 illustrations, including previously unpublished drawings, rare film stills, confidential memorandums, and original photography, The Art of Clairtone is a candid and in-depth look at the company’s skyrocketing success — and sensational collapse. Through the recollections of those who knew Clairtone best, from its founders to its designers, engineers, and salesmen, and with comments from Karim Rashid, Douglas Coupland, Tyler Brûlé, and Bruce Mau, among others, this elegant book, published on the 50th anniversary of Clairtone’s launch, celebrates an iconoclastic company that once seemed to represent the promise of Canada.

A peak inside this gorgeous book- CP
A peak inside this gorgeous book- CP

  • Hardcover: 176 pages
  • Publisher: McClelland & Stewart
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0771065078
  • ISBN-13: 978-0771065071

Featured Image-  vornadoblog.blogspot.com

Supplemental- Caring for Oiled Walnut Wood (Table)  http://www.doityourself.com/forum/furniture-wood-cabinetry-finishing/371338-best-oil-care-oiled-walnut-slab-table.html

Groove Life Silicon Rings Are For Modern Living

Traditional metal rings are uncomfortable, costly to replace or repair and can lead to serious injury of caught on rocks, wires or other objects – turning a fun day into a medical emergency in minutes.

Instead of worrying about losing or damaging expensive, meaningful jewelry, let Groove Life provide a peace of mind with the Groove Ring. The Groove Ring features a comfort fit band made from low profile, flexible silicone that’s been imprinted with their patent-pending inner grooves. These grooves allow proper airflow, keeping moisture out and comfort front and center.

The Groove Ring is a revolutionary new accessory for the active user who wants to do it all without worrying about losing a finger or prized possessions.

Backed with a lifetime warranty, the Groove Ring provides breathe-ability, flexibility, safety, security and style.


Offered in a variety of colors, sizes and styles the Groove Ring is the perfect accessory for all. Leave your worries behind while planning your next great adventure with the Groove Ring. For the Silo, Katie Lapinski.

Human Face Carved On Pebble 15000 Years Ago

There is a paucity of Palaeolithic art in the southern Levant prior to 15000 years ago. The Natufian culture (15000–11500 BP; Grosman 2013) marks a threshold in the magnitude and diversity of artistic manifestations (Bar-Yosef 1997). Nevertheless, depictions of the human form remain rare—only a few representations of the human face have been reported to date. This PDF article presents a 12000-year-old example unearthed at the Late Natufian site of Nahal Ein Gev II (NEGII), just east of the Sea of Galilee, Israel (see Figure 1 PDF link below). The object provides a glimpse into Natufian conventions of human representation, and opens a rare opportunity for deeper understanding of the Natufian symbolic system.
The NEGII face is carved from a limestone pebble measuring 90×60mm.

Minimalistic manipulation of the pebble’s surface creates a simple but realistic human expression. The artist used the natural form of the pebble to represent the outline of a human head, and slightly modified the stone’s perimeter with a flat band to shape the contours of the face(see Figure 2a PDF link below). The main modification engraved on the front of the pebble consists of a T-shaped linear relief that emphasizes an eyebrow ridge and nose; two low arcs that meet at the centre of the pebble form the eyebrow ridge and then turn downward to depict a straight, elongated nose.

By skillful play with line depth and curvature,the artist has achieved a soft depiction of the cheeks and deep, shaded eye sockets (see Figure 3 PDF link below). The artistic qualities of the representation are schematic, but they present a realistic and uniquely expressive human face.

Leore Grosman

The back of the pebble is not carved but is lightly modified at the edges. Microscopic analysis shows a few small, smooth and shiny areas that may have been created by gentle polishing of the surface with a soft material such as skin or fabric, or by…… continue reading this article by clicking here.  For the Silo by Leore Grosman, with Natalie Munro and Hadas Goldgeier/ academia.eu. Feature image photo by Dana Shaham.

A Cooking Journal With A Unique Interface- Not Connected to Smartphone

Here’s a cooking journal with a unique platform that helps you create signature recipes and becomes your personal cookbook. It’s a perfect booklet for all people who enjoy cooking and experimenting in the kitchen. The project first launched a couple of years ago on Kickstarter under the name Project Cookbook.

Project Cookbook 1If you want to get more creative with your cooking, but still make sure your ideas don’t melt away as fast as the food from your plates, Cookbook is the perfect fit for your kitchen.  Old SkoolThis cooking journal with a unique interface helps you develop signature recipes and create a culinary heritage. And what’s the best part? It’s not connected to your smartphone. It is a physical booklet that will become your trusted cooking companion and is destined to become your personal cookbook.

If other similar booklets are meant to simply copy and gather recipes of others, Cookbook’s idea and purpose is much different: after you equip the Cookbook with recipes of your choice, they simply serve as a starting point of your future cooking experiments. It features a development platform for every recipe where you can keep track of all the changes to the original recipe – whether it’s tinkering with your cooking process or changing the ingredients.

Project Cookbook Inside

After each try you can use the scoreboard to evaluate your dish, write down important notes for next time and keep a tab on who loves it the most.

The aim is to remind people that cooking is more than just following recipes. As the team puts it: ‘’We are hoping Cookbook will motivate people to develop their own recipes and create a culinary heritage, which they will be able to share with their friends, family and future generations.

Something like the notebooks our grandmothers used to have, but with a modern twist.

Cookbook also holds an encyclopedia which helps you with everyday pickles like finding the appropriate wine pairing or quickly converting cups into grams. A minimalist design of the book gives you a sense of coziness and at the same time allows you to personalize the final outlook of your Cookbook. For the Silo, Hana Gaber.

Small House Living Is Bliss

From our Facebook page:

Hi ‘Silo’,

Here are some quick shots I did of our place. For us, the challenge is to use every possible space and yet achieve a feeling of spaciousness. I just did a count of all the space saving/creating measures we have made over the years – about 25 – not counting replacing, enlarging and adding windows and doors – from simple shelves to complex projects involving cutting into walls and making a new room.
It has taken us more than 20 years to do this. We purchased the place and a barren 3/4 acres in 1986 for $20,000. And, it has turned out even better than we dreamed possible.
Even in this tiny space, we can lose each other. David Wells, my partner in all this, has a blog in which he talks about our life here. You may be interested:
http://DavesBackPorch.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html

OUR SMALL HOUSE

EXTERIOR FRONT

INTERIOR – FRONT

INTERIOR FRONT

‘HALL’ FROM FRONT DOOR TO KITCHEN

MIRROR IN ‘HALL’ TO REFLECT MORE LIGHT

OFFICE/COMPUTER (to the immediate right of above ‘hall’)

KITCHEN STORAGE AND TABLE  (other side of office above)

KITCHEN – small but functional. As a former professional
cook, I have found ways to scale equipment way down,
and use my creativity to produce nutritious, interesting meals.

NEW KITCHEN DOOR ENTRY – STAIRS TO JEWELLERY STUDIO AT RIGHT

JEWELLERY STUDIO – PREVIOUS ENTRY

NEW BACK ENTRY

BEDROOM (7′ X 11′)

CLOSET – DVD STORAGE – behind door

BATHROOM w CLAWFOOT TUB – AND WINDOW LOOKING
OUT TO ‘WOODLET’ (A Spa at Home)

BATHROOM VANITY WITH BEACH GLASS MOSAIC INTERIOR WINDOW
TO LET LIGHT INTO CENTRE OF HOUSE

BEACH GLASS MOSAIC WINDOW

DAVE’S MUSIC STUDIO

DAVE’S BACK PORCH – entry to his music studio

It’s A New Era Of Smaller House Living

With an increasing demand for housing in the UK and strict planning restrictions, developers are attempting to fit as much “house real estate” as possible within smaller and smaller areas.

This means that most new builds are half the size of the homes being constructed at the start of the 20th century.

Despite this eye-opening reality, there are plenty of people who are happy to sacrifice space for location – especially moving closer to the capital.

We’ve looked at this trend, determined the main pros and cons of smaller house living and even looked around the world for extreme examples of homes which push the limits of square footage. Want to weigh up the pros and cons of small house living? This graphic from our friends at storageworld.co.uk provides a great start point for your research.

Read on to find out whether you’re cut out to thrive in this new era of space-efficient living. For the Silo, Georgia Davies.

Supplemental- The Story Behind Toronto’s Little House

Top Ways Folks Go Broke

Being broke sucks and you don’t have to come from a wealthy family, have the next  billion-dollar idea or work 18-hour days to become rich, says self-made millionaire Mike Finley. In fact, you don’t have to be extraordinary in any of the headline-grabbing ways. What you need is the self-awareness to avoid wasting Financial Happiness.

“Money used wisely can give you financial security ”

Finley lists 10 of the most common money traps that lead to consumers going broke:

1- Making the appearance of wealth one of your top priorities by acquiring more stuff. The material trappings of a faux lifestyle, as seen in magazines and advertisements, are not good term happiness.

2- Working a job you hate, and spending your free time buying happiness. Instead, find fulfilling work Monday through Friday so you are not compensating for your misery with expensive habits during the weekend.

Even worse than living paycheck to paycheck- advance loan on your paycheck.
Even worse than living paycheck to paycheck- advance loan on your paycheck.

3-  Living paycheck to paycheck and not worrying about saving money. Don’t live for today, as if that’s all that matters. Have you already achieved all of your dreams by this moment? If not, embrace hope and plan for tomorrow. (Appreciating your life today doesn’t require unnecessary expenditures.)

4-  Stopping your education when someone hands you a diploma; never reading a book on personal finance. Just about any expert will tell you that the most reliable way out of poverty is education. Diplomas shouldn’t be the end of learning; they should be a milestone in a lifetime of acquiring wisdom.

5-  Playing the lottery as often as possible. While you’re at it, hitting the casino! Magical thinking, especially when it comes to money, is a dangerous way to seek  financial security.

6-  Running up your credit cards and making the minimum payments whenever possible. Paying interest on stuff you really don’t need is a tragic waste of money.

7-  When you come into some free money, spending it. Feeling like you deserve it. By that logic, you’re saying that a future version of you doesn’t deserve the money, which can be multiplied with wise investments.

8-  Buying the biggest wedding and the biggest ring so everyone can see just how fabulous you really are. Nothing says “Let’s start our future together” like blowing your entire savings on one evening.

9-  Treating those “amazing” celebrities and “successful” athletes as role models. Trying to be just like them whenever possible. As far as we know, there’s only one you the universe has ever known. Don’t dilute your unique individuality by chasing an image.

10-  Blaming others for your problems in life. Repeat after me: I am not a victim. The victim mentality is an attempt to rationalize poor habits and bad decision-making.

“If you’re feeling uncomfortable with your financial situation, don’t just sit there in a malaise of ‘If only I had more money,’ ” Finley says. “Instead, use it as motivation for a better life; that’s why the discomfort is there.”

Like most North Americans, Mike Finley was raised with no education in personal finances. Joining the Army out of high school, he realized he didn’t understand money management and began the task of educating himself. After 26 years in the service, during which he practiced the principles he learned, he retired a millionaire. Finley is the author of “Financial Happine$$,” and teaches a popular financial literacy class at the University of Northern Iowa.  For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

Terrific Tech Gifts You Can Give to a New Homeowner

When your best friend moves into their new luxury residence say like these ones in Montreal, you may want to consider giving a high tech device for your housewarming gift. These new-fangled gizmos can really spice up any home, but they’re especially suitable for high end houses and condo units. Take a look at our suggestions for the new homeowner:

  1. Smart Smoke Alarm and Detector. Surely your buddy has fire insurance, but a smoke detector is still a sensible precaution. What sets this apart is that it’s rather more advanced than other models. You need a model to detect carbon monoxide and also send alerts to your Wi-Fi devices.

  2. Smart Home Security Camera and Alarm System. This is another smart device, which for luxury homes isn’t really foolish at all. Get them a wide angle camera with infrared, and it should be tied in to an alarm system that sends warnings and video straight to your smartphone. So you can make sure that you’re alerted when someone approaches your home, and you can get video evidence too.

  3. Programmable Coffee Machine. This is great for mornings when your buddy wants to have a cup of java right after they wake up. If it’s a smart coffee machine, then your buddy can have it start making coffee right before the alarm goes off so there’s no waiting for the caffeine.

4. Automatic Pet Feeder. Again this is another smart option, and this time you have a feeder that sets up automatic feedings. If you want, you can also set it up and have it feed your pooch or kitty while you’re at work.

5. Smart Weighing Scale. Everything’s smart these days, and that even includes a weighing scale. Ordinarily, it may not be polite to give a weighing scale even to a friend, since it may seem like you’re saying that they’re getting fat. But they may not think that weigh when you get them this version.

You can find one with a minimalist design and it can come with smart features too. This can track weight, calculate body fat, and perhaps even measure the pulse wave velocity. It should be compatible with a smartphone since it’s normally controlled through an app.

  1. Shower Speaker. Some people turn on their smartphones in the shower to get some music, but a waterproof shower speaker works better. The sound isn’t just nicer, but the waterproofing should help it last long. A device like this usually connects to a smartphone through Bluetooth. If you like listening to baseball radio broadcasts, you may want to get a speaker with FM radio.

  2. Wi-Fi Range Extender. Many luxury homes have huge floor spaces, and the Wi-Fi may not be strong enough if your buddies like to hang out in the garage or backyard. Thick walls can also block Wi-Fi signals. But with this device, everyone at home can go online wirelessly.

  3. 3D Nightlights. This may be marketed towards kids, but plenty of adults are intrigued by them too. These are disks that emit lights that look like 3D images, though they’re actually 2D. This can show designs like Ironman’s mask, Star Wars vehicles, or even Sanrio characters.

  4. Smart Thermostat. Try the one from Nest that was designed by the same person who created the shape of the iPod. It doesn’t just look cool, but it learns to automatically schedule and control your temperature. It turns itself off when no one’s home, and it starts heating or cooling your house when you’re on your way home.

10. Digital Art Frame. You know how your monitor can display cool wallpapers? You can have a frame that can do that too. It can display fine art or supermodels, depending on what images are saved in your smartphone.

Lots of these items are smart devices, and they’re all high tech. Get them for your buddy as the best housewarming gifts for luxury homes. For the Silo, Dimitry Karloff. 

Featured image- The $6 million Penthouse on the 12th and 14th floors of the Residences Ritz-Carlton Montreal. 

LEGO Books From Worlds Leading Builder Yoshihito Isogawa

Yoshihito Isogawa believes his books should be like the LEGO brick—minimalist, colorful, and full of possibility.

In his nearly-wordless releases from No Starch Press, such as The LEGO Power Functions Idea Books (No Starch Press, $24.95 USD each, 324 pp./328pp., October 2015), Isogawa shares hundreds of creative ways to build mechanisms with Power Functions, a wildly popular LEGO TECHNIC system of electronic components. In these books, Power Functions gears, lights, motors, and control units are used to make sliding doors, walking robots, steerable tanks, and more, with each project encouraging readers to become inventive LEGO builders.

Isogawa’s previous books have been praised as “invaluable” (BrickJournal), “fantastic” (Boing Boing), “minimalistic but highly informative” (Booklist), and “indispensable” (The NXT STEP Blog), and this two-volume set is a treasure trove of tiny but surprisingly elegant creations that millions of LEGO Power Functions owners will use for design inspiration.

The LEGO Power Functions Idea Books showcase small projects to build with LEGO TECHNIC gears, motors, and other moving elements that are depicted in vibrant, detailed photographs. Each model includes a list of required parts that guides readers through the build while exploring the principles of simple machines, gear systems, and power translation.

In Volume 1: Machines and Mechanisms, readers will build-

Sliding doors

Grasping claws

Rack-and-pinion mechanisms

Ball-shooting devices

In Volume 2: Cars and Contraptions, readers will build

Four-wheel drive cars

Adorable walking bots

Steerable tanks

Robotic inchworms

Cars that can drive on the edge of a table

New LEGO Book Machines & Mechanisms

Each of these volumes continues No Starch Press’s tradition of publishing high-quality books that inspire readers of all ages to stretch the limits of their imagination and build creatively with LEGO. The LEGO Power Functions Idea Books are available now in fine bookstores everywhere.

Four Solutions To Free Up Space In Cluttered Homes

Nobody likes to live in a home that is cluttered, messy and full of stuff – but as you and your family accumulate more belongings, it can become easy to end up in this situation and then difficult to get back out of it. However, one of the simplest tricks to living without clutter is to make sure that it’s super easy for you and your family to clean up in the house quickly. We’ve put together a list of great tips that you can follow to ensure that your home can go from chaotic and cluttered to calm and clean in no time at all.

Closed Storage

Having closed storage is a great way to minimize clutter and also ensure that your home is tidy with minimal effort. Everybody likes the look of open shelving when everything on there is lined up perfectly, however the sad truth is that it’s not always very practical or possible to keep everything perfectly tidy and in order. Closed storage, when well thought out, can look just as good if not even better. If you’ve got a lot of stuff, stay away from open shelving wherever possible and use drawers and doors to conceal everything.

Under Bed Storage

Bedrooms, especially kid’s rooms, can quickly become cluttered if they have a lot of things and need constant reminding to tidy up after themselves. However, using beds with built-in drawers underneath makes a great storage space for bedroom clutter, and are easy and accessible enough for kids to clean up after themselves without even putting in that much effort. In an adult bedroom, under the bed storage makes an excellent space for storing shoes or other items of clothing that aren’t worn frequently.

Storage Containers

If you have boxes and boxes full of things that you don’t want to get rid of but barely use, they can take up a lot of room in your home and cause it to be quite cluttered. Investing in a storage container could be a great idea, especially if you don’t have free room at home such as in your shed or garage to store any extra stuff that’s just sitting around taking up room. Solutions for public storage Montreal offer a range of different sized storage containers which you could rent to put your stuff for the amount of time that you need.

Have a Clear Out

Although this might take a day or two to complete, having a full clear out of your home will really pay off. If, like most families, you have a lot of things lying around, sorting through the things and deciding what you do and don’t need is likely to free up a lot more room in your home. Clothing items could be sold on to make more money or given to charity, and any electrical things you don’t need can be listed for sale online, meaning that your clear out could result in a cleaner home and more money in the bank. For the Silo, Dimitry Karloff.

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Album By Yellow Salamand’r 4 Is More Than Soundscape

Spotted Salamander Album Review Banner2

I really like this album, there’s some great soundscapes but also a sparseness and edge of tension at times. The production is excellent allowing sounds to evolve and grow.  Fact: you will find a variety of recorded sounds that combine with layers of  noise and drone elements and this results in the expected elements of experimental but yet retains a solid coherence.

Ohms Per Swamp Cubed

This song uses field recordings and subtle noise / drone elements, it has a stripped back feel but this is done very effectively.

Melancholic Transistor

This also sounds like another field recording and has excellently layered noise / drone sounds and a subtle emerging lead which adds a great tension.
My Role…

A great spoken recording, although I’m not sure where it was taken from. There’s effective layering of sounds again, and there are looping elements and bass and percussion sounds. Take note of the processing of the vocals towards the end because this is excellent too.


Laminated Numbers
The processed vocals have an ethereal, spooky feel. Again- more layering of sounds, butfor this time there’s an Eastern feel to the background sounds and the song captures the mood of a “half-heard” conversation. All of these different elements are combined really well.
We Interrupt This Broadcast

The striking percussive sounds heard here are layered logically against a recording of a public news report that warns of an impending nuclear strike. There’s a effective tension to this song.
Drone #4
Opens with a string type sound layered over a field recording and a warble like sound that serves to remind the listener of hand-tuning an old radio while searching for a clear station or trying to remove static caused by radio wave interference. Overall, a nice bit of tension to this song.
Lo Fi Left Over Laminated Loops
This song has a big atmospheric opening, slowly evolving sounds and dense layering.
Sophisticated Babble
A slowly revealed opening and then sounds panned really well create a broad stereo spectrum. This track has a sparse feel and yet the recorded vocals are richly layered. There is a sense and feel of being a removed outsider listening in from afar.
Radio Waving

Strong combinations of radio recordings and noise, the layered percussive rhythm works especially well and provides a contrast to the harsher radio sounds.

There’s lots to consider here. For the Silo, Mike Fuchs. Yellow Salamand’r 4 on facebook