After years of having to live with the very monochromatic website that I created for a class project The Bride’s Store finally got a bit of a refresh over the weekend. While this isn’t the complete overhaul that I have been working on (off and on) for over a year, it does encompass two very important features for the store. First is the Events list—this is what was the driving motivation behind the hasty update—the store hosts various events, sales, and promotions throughout the year and their original site didn’t have a good way to display this information. So, when considering a new design, I decided to bring this information front and center. Secondly is the obligatory Hours & Location section, with this came the addition of the Google Map. The map is vital simply because the store gets customers from all over the state, and sadly not everyone is familiar with the Columbus area.

Check out the winners of the 2008 International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge. There’s some freaky cool stuff up there. Definitely good for a little inspiration.
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It’s about that time of year again when ghosts and ghouls break free from their fetid slumber to haunt the dark misty streets. It’s also the time of year I dig out my “Halloween” music, you know the usual: The Misfits, White Zombie/Rob Zombie, some Cradle of Filth just for starters. It’s also the time of year I start looking for some new monster-rock to add to my collection. Last year for instance I found Lordi, and before that Stolen Babies both excellent band in their own right.

It looks as if this year’s search will be no less fruitful. I’ve already discovered one such new(ish) band, Creature Feature. While their latest album The Greatest Show Unearthed was released last year on October 30, it’s still new to me. Creature Feature is a horror-rock duo consisting of vocalist Curtis RX and organist Erik X. They have a classic spook-rock sound, that’s heavy on maniacal funhouse organ grinding and distorted guitars. The most immediate comparison that I can draw is that they are a bit like a mash-up of Idiot Flesh and Tim Burton’s A Nightmare Before Christmas with quirky uptempo songs with fiendish subject matter. My affinity for zombies has naturally drawn me to Aim For The Head, the second track on their album. Anyone who’s seen a George Romero film knows exactly what their talking about here.

Indigo Bridge Books and Cafe has finally opened their doors in the Creamery Building at 700 P street, across the hall from Ivanna Cone. I know, Lincoln needs another coffee shop like a hole in the head, but Indigo Bridge is a special place. Aside from being an independent book seller, this is also where you can get some fresh brewed Cultiva Coffee, since they switched to purely roasting at their 15th and South location.

Ivy and I stopped in there last Friday, and I have to say that it is a nice little place. They have a very good selection of books on a broad range of topics including plenty current art/design and social science books. Since the rest of the Creamery’s businesses tend to cater to kids—Ivanna Cone, Paint Yourself Silly—Indigo Bridge has also made a point to carry plenty of children’s and young adult books. I can’t speak to that selection because I don’t have children and would thus feel like a creeper if I hung out reading Hop on Pop, but a nice feature of the children’s section is a big tree made out of what looks like coils of old fabric, so you kiddies can chill under the tree and read a book.

I really didn’t think that I would be all that impressed with the newest version of Photoshop. Alas I was wrong, the enhanced image correction tools in CS4 look super-sweet.

Check out some more of Adobe CS4’s new features at Adobe TV.

What’s the best part of a renaissance fair? Why it’s midgets in jester hats and men in tights. Happy Friday!

Maybe I’m just in a particular mood today, but this post from the Fail Blog cracked my shit up.

For a daily dose of comedic failures check out Fail Blog and their sister site ROFL Razzi.

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Some quick news to ponder on the ride home:

• It’s about damn time. A spokesperson for the Anglican Church admits that the Church of England owes renown scientist Charles Darwin an apology for trashing his theory of evolution. After 200 years of encouraging naïvety you have to wonder if the admission is even worth the trouble? Charles Darwin’s great-great grandson, Andrew Darwin doesn’t, it sounds like he thinks the apology is a load of bull-dung. via
• Researcher James Barrett theorizes that Viking rage wasn’t caused by want of glory or blood lust, but was most likely due to a ferocious need to get laid. According to Barrett’s theory the practice of female infanticide had dwindled the female population so much that lusty young men sought to conquer ladies from far off lands. via
• My passion for video games feels a little bit vindicated by a recent report that video games might not be all that bad for kids, since it is a good way to encourage social interaction amongst their peers. via