Drought-Stricken SoCal Battles Wasteful Habits With a Water-Themed Pandora Station

This is the soundtrack of our dry-weather lives in Southern California: TLC’s “Waterfalls,” Blind Melon’s “No Rain,” Bruce Springsteen’s “The River” and about 100 more H2O-themed ditties playing on an endless loop. That should remind us to take shorter showers and stop washing the cars at home. Or just make us very, very thirsty. 

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has launched a Pandora channel of carefully selected songs as part of an ongoing $5.5 million ad campaign to boost water conservation and recycling. The music is supposed to help keep conservation top of mind in the wake of mandated statewide water reductions. It can also be used as a 5-minute shower timer.

Cue the playlist and start scrubbing up to the Phil Collins tune, “I Wish It Would Rain Down”, for instance. By the time it’s finished, those of us living in Los Angeles and surrounding areas should already be toweling off.

The Water Lover’s Station, also available on the Pandora app, has curated everything from classics like Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” and, Albert Hammond’s “It Never Rains in Southern California,” to contemporary pop hit “Set Fire to the Rain” from Adele. 

Up next: another music-streaming playlist on Spanish-language service Uforia. Also, frequent bathroom breaks for listeners.

This Video About Dropping a Brick Is Worth a Few Laughs and 67 Million Gallons of Water

If you’re going to drop an upper-decker, you might as well help fight a drought in the process.

“Drop A Brick” is a nonprofit Indiegogo project created by a partnership of several California businesses, including San Francisco agency BarrettSF that encourages you to buy an eco-friendly rubber brick filled with hydro-gel that expands 200 times its size when water is added. Putting the brick in the top tank will displace half a gallon of water, saving about 50 gallons a week for a family of four.

If every Californian dropped a brick, the initiative says, it would save 67 million gallons of water a day.

The crowdfunding video is basically one big poop joke, but it’s surprisingly amusing and has been getting quite a bit of passaround. Still, organizers say they’d like to see more bricks being ordered to help alleviate California’s crippling drought as soon as possible.

So check out the video and explainer photos below, then go see about dropping a fat one in the tank. No need for a courtesy flush.’

Via Osocio.

CREDITS

Advertising Agency: BarrettSF, San Francisco, USA
Creative Directors: Jamie Barrett, Pete Harvey?
Art Directors: Martina D’Alessandro, Brad Kayal?
Producer: Nicole Van Dawark?
Account Manager: Brooks Dennard
Account Intern: Libbie Maine
Senior Proofreader: Elle Banyo
?Production Company: Pre-Future?
Director: Pete Harvey?
Director of Photography: Joel Jackson
First AD: Jamie Barrett
Grip/Electrical: Gus Hoffman
Sound: Paul Dorough
Line Producer: Nicole Van Dawark
Production Designer: Martina D’Alessandro
Locations Manager: Libbie Maine
Hair & Make-up: Brooks Dennard
Production Assistant: Stefanie Ku
Editorial Company: Pre Future
?Editor: Ian Montgomery?
Audio Record & Mix: Mark Pitchford / M Squared
Animator: Tom Yaniv?
Color Correction & Online: Mark Everson, Everson Digital?



Inmates’ Newspaper Covers a World Behind San Quentin’s Walls

A monthly produced by inmates, covering prison issues such as crowding and mental health care, is raising its profile.



California Analysis Pours Cold Water on Expanded TV and Film Subsidies

The state’s legislative analyst’s office urged caution in expanding tax credits in support of film and TV production to match other states’ offers.



Fall House by Fougeron Architecture

Les architectes de chez Fougeron Architecture ont construit cette magnifique maison sur la côte de Big Sur, face à l’Océan Pacifique. « Fall House » est une bâtisse élevée sur une montagne. Elle possède une terrasse et des baies vitrées pour admirer la vue qui s’offre à ses heureux locataires. Des clichés de Joe Fletcher.

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Hollywood Begs for a Tax Break in Some States, Including California

A battle for filmmaking tax credits has begun in several states — including in California, the home of Hollywood — and has led to cutbacks in others like Maryland.



A Makeover at Universal Studios Hollywood Aims at Disney

After years of semi-neglect by previous owners, the California theme park is getting a $1.6 billion overhaul as Comcast tries to broaden its appeal.



A Makeover of Universal Studios Hollywood Aims to Catch Up to Disney

After years of semi-neglect by previous owners, the California theme park is getting a $1.6 billion overhaul as Comcast tries to broaden its appeal.



California Squares by Tim Ronca

Basé en Californie, le photographe Tim Ronca a fait la série intitulée « California Squares » pour représenter l’état dans lequel il habite sous un format carré. Quelques cactus, des vieilles voitures et des stations d’essence abandonnées au beau milieu du désert : voici un échantillon de la Californie.

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Beautiful Symmetry of Empty Movie Theaters

Après le projet Swimming Pools, le photographe français Franck Bohbot basé à New York, revient avec sa série « Cinéma » à travers toute la Californie. Les moulures, les fresques, les motifs et les plafonds sont impressionnants. Des effets symétriques forts dans des cinémas vides et calmes à découvrir.

The Crest Westwood II in Los Angeles.

Brava Theatre in San Francisco.

Alameda Theatre I in California.

Alameda Theatre, Lobby.

Orinda Theatre II in California.

Orinda Theatre I.

Orinda Theatre Lobby.

Orinda Theatre, Untitled.

The Crest Westwood Theatre I in Los Angeles.

The Grand Lake Theatre I in Oakland, California.

The Grand Lake Theatre II in Oakland.

The Castro Theatre in San Francisco.

Egyptian Theatre in American Cinematheque in Los Angeles.

The Four Star Theatre II in San Francisco.

The Four Star Theatre I in San Francisco.

The Fox Theatre I in Oakland.

The Paramount in Lobby II in Oakland.

The Paramount Theatre I in Oakland.

The Paramount Theatre II in Oakland.

The Paramount Theatre Lobby I in Oakland.

The Paramount Theatre, Living Room.

The Green Room in Oakland.

Franck Bohbot’s portfolio.

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14 The Four Stars Theatre II
18 The Green Room in Oakland
16 Paramount, Living Room in California
7 Untitled Orinda
16 The Paramount Theatre Lobby I in Oakland in California
16 The Paramount Theatre II in Oakland in California
16 The Paramount Theatre I in Oakland, California
16 The Paramount in Lobby II in Oakland
15 The Fox Theater I in Oakland
14 The Four Star Theatre II in San Francisco
13 Egyptian Theater in American Cinematheque in Los Angeles
12 The Castro Theatre in San Francisco
11 The Grand Lake Theatre II in Oakland, California
10 The Grand Lake Theater I in Oakland
9 The Crest Westwood I in Los Angeles
8 Orinda Theatre Lobby
7 Orinda Theatre I in Orinda
6 Orinda II in California
5 Alameda Theater, Lobby
3 Brava Theatre in San Francisco
10 The Crest Westwood II in LA

Inside Evernote Office in California

Le Studio O+A à San Francisco, a fait le design des bureaux de la start-up « Evernote », située à Redwood City en Californie. La décoration est colorée et boisée avec le slogan inscrit sur un tableau noir à l’entrée et le logo en bois : un éléphant. Plus de photos du lieu et des bureaux dans le suite de l’article.

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Yarn Bombed Tree Squid

Jill et Lorna Watt ont décidé de recouvrir un magnolia situé dans le centre de San Mateo en Californie avec des fils, transformant ainsi avec talent et humour l’arbre en pieuvre bleue. Le projet intitulé « Yarn Bombed Tree Squid » est à découvrir en images et détails dans la suite de l’article.

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At NPR, a New Host and a Move Westward

NPR officials have billed a move west as a chance for a legacy radio program, previously based in Washington, to rethink what it is and what it does.

    



Sex Films Halted After a String of Positive H.I.V. Tests

A trade group for the pornography industry called for a moratorium on production after the third performer in less than a month tested positive for H.I.V.

    

Cal Worthington, Car Dealer With Manic Ads, Dies at 92

Mr. Worthington owned a string of car dealerships and ran dozens of outlandish commercials daily on California television for more than half a century.

    

HBO to Produce Documentary on Gay Marriage Legal Fight

HBO said the film’s two directors have had exclusive access to the legal team that successfully argued the case against California’s Proposition 8.

    

Powerhouse Fire in California

Le site In Focus a réuni plusieurs photographies prises lorsque l’incendie dévastateur Powerhouse Fire a envahi le sud de la Californie au début du mois de juin. Des images très impressionnantes, d’une beauté terrible dont une majorité est l’œuvre de David McNew. Plus de détails dans la suite.

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Beach House California

Située à Santa Barbara, cette superbe maison « Butterfly » a été pensée par Maienza-Wilson Architecture. En vente pour la somme de 9 millions de dollars, cette structure à 2 étages propose des panneaux solaires cachés ainsi que de l’installation d’herbe résistante à la sécheresse. A découvrir dans la suite.

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As Vandals Take to National Parks, Some Point to Social Media

Park personnel say there is reason to believe that a spike in vandalism and graffiti that has found its way into the wilderness coincides with the rise of social media.

    

Neon Waterfalls in Long Exposure

Une superbe série photographique « Neon Waterfalls » de la part de Sean Lenz et Kristoffer Abildgaard qui ont placé dans des cascades et chutes d’eaux en Californie des bâtons lumineux. Une utilisation brillante de la longue exposition, pour capturer l’univers et la lumière. Plus d’images de ce projet dans la suite de l’article.

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