Named the best radio station in America by Rolling Stone magazine four years running, WFMU is considered the alternative radio station. LCD (Lowest Common Denominator), the station's program guide—begun in 1986 as a visual counterpart to WFMU’s oddball programming—was a wicked cocktail of satire, cultural news, alternative history, and provocative artwork that has earned its own devoted cult followers. It ceased publication in 1998 and its back issues have become treasured—and valuable—collector’s items. Dave the Spazz has spent the past twenty years hosting a weekly radio show on WFMU, self-publishing, freelance writing, making artwork, singing in punk-rock bands, and holding down one crummy job after another.
An unprecedented look into the basic physics, chemistry, and technology behind the LCD Most notably used for computer screens, televisions, and mobile phones, LCDs (liquid crystal displays) are a pervasive and increasingly indispensable part of our lives. Providing both an historical and a business-minded context, this extensive resource describes the unique scientific and engineering techniques used to create these beautiful, clever, and eminently useful devices. In this book, the history of the science and technology behind the LCD is described in a prelude to the development of the device, presenting a rational development theme and pinpointing innovations. The book begins with Maxwell's theory of electromagnetism, and the ultimately profound realization that light is an electromagnetic wave and an electromagnetic wave is light. The power of mathematical physics thus was brought to bear upon the study of light, and particularly the polarization of light by material bodies, including liquid crystals. After a brief historical description of polarization, a physical interpretation provides substance to the mathematical concepts. Subsequent chapters cover: Thermodynamics for liquid crystals The Maier-Saupe mean field, phenomenological, static continuum, and dynamic continuum theories The transistor and integrated circuit Glass, panels, and modules The calculus of variations The active matrix Semiconductor fabrication The global LCD business Additionally, the book illustrates how mathematics, physics, and chemistry are put to practical use in the LCDs we use every day. By describing the science from an historical perspective and in practical terms in the context of a device very familiar to readers, the book presents an engaging and unique view of the technology for everyone from science students to engineers, product designers, and indeed anyone curious about LCDs. Series Editor: Anthony C. Lowe, The Lambent Consultancy, Braishfield, UK The Society for Information Display (SID) is an international society, which has the aim of encouraging the development of all aspects of the field of information display. Complementary to the aims of the society, the Wiley-SID series is intended to explain the latest developments in information display technology at a professional level. The broad scope of the series addresses all facets of information displays from technical aspects through systems and prototypes to standards and ergonomics.
For the past decade, downtown-New York indie dance music innovation could be summed up in three letters: LCD. The brainchild of frontman James Murphy, LCD Soundsystem grew from a solo project into one of the most highly regarded live bands in contemporary music. In 2011, at the height of their career, LCD Soundsystem decided to end the band. From 2004 to the day they quit, photographer Ruvan Wijesooriya navigated through both private and public moments with the influential, Grammy-nominated, NYC indie band. Ruvan was a fan, first and foremost, and quickly became a fly on the wall and instigator who brought new meaning to the term, "I'm with the band." His access and friendship with LCD is something rare in the commercialized and controlled music industry of today, and this close relationship can be seen in the rapport between photographer and subject. The locations include Hyde Park in London, various New York institutions, Coachella, Rick Rubin's recording mansion in the Hollywood Hills, Way Out West festival in Sweden, Miami Art Basel and more. In addition, the scope of the book goes beyond just photography and features various album art and original interviews with members of the band and showcases an exciting design by James Timmins, art director of Dossier magazine. A handful of these photographs were featured in the recent LCD film, Shut Up And Play The Hits, and others have appeared in Rolling Stone, Spin, The New York Times Magazine, and The New Yorker, but the vast majority have never been shown before, making this the ultimate must-have for every fan to remember the band. "All of Ruvan's pictures remind me of that feeling: that you're geographically fucked, and its all happening right now, somewhere else, without you. There's an enormous amount of intimacy in them, and promise, and intrusion..." -James Murphy, LCD bandleader
