STRANDED KOSMONAUT

Meteorite Wine

2012-01-19T08:46:00.000-08:00

The meteorite in question, Hutchinson claims, is roughly three inches in diameter, 4.5 billion years old, and likely hails from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It crashed in Chile’s Atacama Desert some 6,000 year ago. Technically the meteorite belongs to “an American collector,” who didn’t seem to mind having his priceless piece of space rock marinate in a wooden barrel of red wine for 12 months.

That’s how long it took to complete something called “malolactic fermentation”: it’s a process that takes place after the primary fermentation. The first stage of the wine-making process — after harvesting the grapes, that is, which in this case come from Hutchinson’s Tremonte Vineyard southwest of Santiago — converts grape sugar into alcohol via yeast. This takes around 25 days.

The next stage, malolactic fermentation, is achieved by lactic acid bacteria, notably Oenococcus oeni. There are others, of course, but the Aroma Dictionary informs me that this bacteria in particular “typically processes substances that have pleasant and wine sympathetic aromas and flavors.” And those flavors are imparted to the wine as it ages in a wooden barrel.

Vintage Punk Flyers Redesigned With Swiss Typography

2012-01-11T08:51:00.000-08:00

swissted is an ongoing project by graphic designer mike joyce, owner of stereotype design in new york city. drawing from his love of punk rock and swiss modernism, two movements that have absolutely nothing to do with one another, mike has redesigned vintage punk, hardcore, and indie rock show flyers into international typographic style posters. each poster is sized to the standard swiss kiosk dimensions of 35.5 inches wide by 50 inches high and set in berthold akzidenz grotesk medium, all lowercase. every single one of these shows actually happened.

See more here.

Occupy Wall Street Lego Sets

2011-12-30T08:04:00.001-08:00

"ultra Justice!"

Know Your Shapes

2011-12-28T08:48:00.001-08:00

Woody Guthrie's New Years Rulin's

2011-12-20T08:51:00.000-08:00

Steve Powers The Church Of The Open Tab

2011-12-19T09:55:00.000-08:00

Han Solo In Carbonite (Chocolate)

2011-12-19T09:41:00.000-08:00

Buy it here.

Radioactive Fish Flyer

2011-12-19T09:24:00.000-08:00

They’ve come up with a really great idea on how to publicize the results of some of their radiation tests of fish from Japanese supermarket shelves. A fake advertisement flier, listing the amounts of cesium instead of prices.

And the message it sends is very clear: Greenpeace could not find any fish that contained radiation exceeding legal safety limits. The legal limit for Japan is 500 becquerels per kilogram. The highest amount of radiation they found in one fish was 47.3 Bq/kg, or less than one tenth the limit.

The Police Brutality Coloring Book

2011-12-16T08:25:00.000-08:00

Forty-six artists, including Shepard Fairey, have contributed black-and-white artwork to the Police Brutality Coloring Book, a 48-page DIY publication inspired by incidents of violent police action against Occupy Wall Street activists.

“I wasn’t directly involved with the movement, but I had been down there a few times and was sympathetic to the cause,” said Police Brutality Coloring Book creator Joe “Heaps” Nelson in an interview with Wired.com. Then it turned out that Chelsea Elliott, one of four women pepper-sprayed during a Sep. 24 protest march in Manhattan, was a friend of a friend of the New York artist.

The incident, and others like it, spurred Nelson into action. “I am outraged at how the police are treating people,” he said, “and moral outrage is not my default setting. And then when I saw that guy at Cal Davis [University of California at Davis campus police Lt. John Pike] calmly spray those kids in the face, I knew I had to do something.” […] The result is a photocopied, saddle-stitched book, with artwork ranging from crude sketches to fine illustrative art — most of which is conducive to coloring, some of which isn’t. Nelson describes it as “basically a punk-rock ‘zine, like what I used to do in the ’80s.”

See more here.

The Protester Is Time Magazines Person Of The Year

2011-12-15T08:36:00.000-08:00

The Protester, Fairey says his cover image is based on a composite of 26 different photographs of real protests from around the world. “These organic protest movements have arisen around the globe and a lot of it was fueled by social media, but it was a pervasive phenomenon,” he said. “It wasn’t one specific movement but general unrest. I wanted to look for ideas to represent that.”

Skateboard Built Out Of Skate-Stoppers

2011-12-15T08:33:00.000-08:00

See more here.

Photo Of The Day

2011-12-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

By Tyler Shields.

James Bond Penguin Cover Prints

2011-12-14T10:46:00.000-08:00

Damn I love these really stylish Bond Girl prints based on the original Ian Flemming novels. Buy them here.

Favorite Albums Of 2011

2011-12-14T10:41:00.000-08:00

20. Anna Calvi - Anna Calvi

19. I Break Horses - Hearts

18. Kate Bush - 50 Words For Snow

17. John Muas - We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves

16. The Roots - Undun

15. Cold Cave - Cherish The Light

14. Tinariwen - Tassili

13. Bon Iver - Bon Iver

12. Destroyer - Kaputt

11. The Black Keys - El Camino

10. Ema - Past Life Martyred Saints

9. Tom Waits - Bad As Me

8. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy

7. Ice Age - New Brigade

6. Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die Buy You Will

5. Yuck - Yuck

4. The Horrors - Skying

3. Wild Flag - Wild Flag

2. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

1. Fucked Up - David Comes To Life

The Sarah Palin Documentary (Trailer)

2011-09-22T10:03:00.000-07:00

Nick Broomfield’s quest for the real Sarah Palin.

This involves battling the icy snows of Alaska in mid winter, the school friends, family, and Republican colleagues that in previous days gave their heart, soul and belief, to the charismatic, charming, intoxicating ex hockey mum.

But it’s not all plain sailing. People are frightened to talk, Wasilla makes Twin Peaks look like a walk in the park. It’s a devout evangelical community – 76 churches with a population of only 6 thousand, and the Crystal meth capitol of Alaska.

Who are the flying monkeys, the enemies, the friends, and most importantly – are you with her or against her? Join the quest and for Christ’s sake buy some thermals!

Retro Posters For Dr. Teeth And The Electric Mayhem

2011-09-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

Bob Burnquist's Christ Air Backflip

2011-08-04T09:28:00.001-07:00

The Stoned Ape Theory Gets Animated

2011-08-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

In his book Food of the Gods, McKenna proposed that the transformation from our early ancestors Homo erectus to the species Homo sapiens mainly had to do with the addition of the mushroom Psilocybe cubensis in out diet – an event which according to his theory took place in about 100,000 BC (this is when he believed that our species diverged from the Homo genus). He based his theory on the main effects, or alleged effects, produced by the mushroom. One of the effects that comes about from the ingestion of low doses, which agrees with one of scientist Roland Fischer’s findings from the late 60s-early 70s, is it significantly improves the visual acuity of humans – so theoretically, of other human-like mammals too. According to McKenna, this effect would have definitely prove to be of evolutionary advantage to our omnivorous hunter-gatherer ancestors that would have stumbled upon it “accidentally”; as it would make it easier for them to hunt.

In higher doses, McKenna claims, the mushroom acts as a sexual stimulator, which would make it even more beneficial evolutionary, as it would result in more offspring. At even higher doses, the mushroom would have acted to “dissolve boundaries”, which would have promoted community-bonding and group sexual activities-that would result in a mixing of genes and therefore greater genetic diversity.

"Summer/Selections" Works by Margaret Kilgallen

2011-08-03T10:12:00.001-07:00

Second Nature: A Long Board Film

2011-07-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

Second Nature (Sector 9) Full Film from Colin Blackshear on Vimeo.

Surfrider Oil Spill Calander

2011-07-27T10:32:00.000-07:00

It's a real shame I didn't discover this until the year was already half over.

Skate Like Bart Simpson

2011-07-25T15:28:00.000-07:00

Bart Simpson has been ripping shit for well over two decades now. Terrorizing the streets of Springfield and landing tricks that would leave Danny Way scratching his head. To honor this old school ripper Santa Cruz in releasing this custom setup call the "Bart Mobile". It even comes with a set of stickers to customize your board. See the rest of Santa Cruz's Simpson boards here.

New Shepard Fairey Print "Imperial Glory"

2011-07-15T08:51:00.000-07:00

The Skateboard House

2011-07-14T09:16:00.001-07:00

Etnies House - Ein Surf-Wohnzimmer from Sergej Barnowicz on Vimeo.

Skateboarding in India

2011-07-09T08:47:00.001-07:00

India : Oxelo Skateboards from GuilhemMACHENAUD.com on Vimeo.

Greenpeace Takes On VW With A Little Help From The Star Wars Universe

2011-06-28T11:05:00.000-07:00

Shepard Fairey's Revolution Box Set

2011-06-26T09:35:00.000-07:00

Long before I knew about art galleries or even street art, I was excited about album cover art, if only because it was the visual counterpart to the music on the records I loved. Album covers conjured a euphoric association with the listening experience. Most of my earliest home-made tee shirts were stencils based on punk album covers… No matter how much I love art, or try to convince myself of its relevance in society, the fact remains that music is a lot cooler and way more able to reach people’s hearts and minds… but I’m a populist and I look at it this way: I may not play an instrument, but I’m gonna rock it hard as nails anyway. With my art I try to capture the same energy and spirit that makes music so powerful and democratic. REVOLUTIONS is a celebration of all the great music and accompanying art that has inspired me over the years.

The Fishbone Documentary

2011-06-24T08:36:00.001-07:00

"Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone" - documentary trailer from Tilapia Film on Vimeo.

The World Of Jim Henson

2011-06-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

An excellent biography of the Muppet master, this 85-minute film from the PBS show Great Performances mixes the history of Henson’s projects with plenty of sketches that any fan age 6 and older should enjoy. The film shows the incredible range of Henson’s creations, starting in 1955 with “Sam and Friends” then moving on to Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, and beyond. It illustrates the breadth of his genius, from creating entirely new worlds in film (The Dark Crystal) to pithy ’60s TV commercials that achieved branding and a laugh in less than six seconds. There’s footage that most fans haven’t seen in years, or at all: a regular bit from The Jimmy Dean Show; tantalizing bits of his 1965 Oscar-nominated short, Time Piece; appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show; his explanation of Wall Street on Nightline; and Miss Piggy’s hilarious deconstruction of Morley Safer on 60 Minutes.

Anonymous Sends A Letter To NATO

2011-06-10T09:15:00.000-07:00

Greetings, members of NATO. We are Anonymous.

In a recent publication, you have singled out Anonymous as a threat to “government and the people”. You have also alleged that secrecy is a ‘necessary evil’ and that transparency is not always the right way forward.

Anonymous would like to remind you that the government and the people are, contrary to the supposed foundations of “democracy”, distinct entities with often conflicting goals and desires. It is Anonymous’ position that when there is a conflict of interest between the government and the people, it is the people’s will which must take priority. The only threat transparency poses to government is to threaten government’s ability to act in a manner which the people would disagree with, without having to face democratic consequences and accountability for such behaviour. Your own report cites a perfect example of this, the Anonymous attack on HBGary. Whether HBGary were acting in the cause of security or military gain is irrelevant – their actions were illegal and morally reprehensible. Anonymous does not accept that the government and/or the military has the right to be above the law and to use the phoney cliche of “national security” to justify illegal and deceptive activities. If the government must break the rules, they must also be willing to accept the democratic consequences of this at the ballot box.We do not accept the current status quo whereby a government can tell one story to the people and another in private. Dishonesty and secrecy totally undermine the concept of self rule. How can the people judge for whom to vote unless they are fully aware of what policies said politicians are actually pursuing?

When a government is elected, it is said to “represent” the nation it governs. This essentially means that the actions of a government are not the actions of the people in government, but are actions taken on behalf of every citizen in that country. It is unacceptable to have a situation in which the people are, in many cases, totally and utterly unaware of what is being said and done on their behalf – behind closed doors.

Anonymous and WikiLeaks are distinct entities. The actions of Anonymous were not aided or even requested by WikiLeaks. However, Anonymous and WikiLeaks do share one common attribute: They are no threat to any organization – unless that organization is doing something wrong and attempting to get away with it.

We do not wish to threaten anybody’s way of life. We do not wish to dictate anything to anybody. We do not wish to terrorize any nation.

We merely wish to remove power from vested interests and return it to the people – who, in a democracy, it should never have been taken from in the first place.

The government makes the law. This does not give them the right to break it. If the government was doing nothing underhand or illegal, there would be nothing “embarassing” about Wikileaks revelations, nor would there have been any scandal emanating from HBGary. The resulting scandals were not a result of Anonymous’ or Wikileaks’ revelations, they were the result of the CONTENT of those revelations. And responsibility for that content can be laid solely at the doorstep of policymakers who, like any corrupt entity, naively believed that they were above the law and that they would not be caught.

A lot of government and corporate comment has been dedicated to “how we can avoid a similar leak in the future”. Such advice ranges from better security, to lower levels of clearance, from harsher penalties for whistleblowers, to censorship of the press.

Our message is simple: Do not lie to the people and you won’t have to worry about your lies being exposed. Do not make corrupt deals and you won’t have to worry about your corruption being laid bare. Do not break the rules and you won’t have to worry about getting in trouble for it.

Do not attempt to repair your two faces by concealing one of them. Instead, try having only one face – an honest, open and democratic one.

You know you do not fear us because we are a threat to society. You fear us because we are a threat to the established hierarchy. Anonymous has proven over the last several years that a hierarchy is not necessary in order to achieve great progress – perhaps what you truly fear in us, is the realization of your own irrelevance in an age which has outgrown its reliance on you. Your true terror is not in a collective of activists, but in the fact that you and everything you stand for have, by the changing tides and the advancement of technology, are now surplus to requirements.

Finally, do not make the mistake of challenging Anonymous. Do not make the mistake of believing you can behead a headless snake. If you slice off one head of Hydra, ten more heads will grow in its place. If you cut down one Anon, ten more will join us purely out of anger at your trampling of dissent.

Your only chance of defeating the movement which binds all of us is to accept it. This is no longer your world. It is our world – the people’s world.

We are Anonymous.

We are legion.

We do not forgive.

We do not forget.

Expect us…

Shepard Fariey "They Live" Poster

2011-06-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

Fairey credits They Live as a “major source of inspiraton” for his own subversive brand of street art. “They Live was … the basis for my use of the word ‘obey,’” Fairey said in a statement. “The movie has a very strong message about the power of commercialism and the way that people are manipulated by advertising.”

Describing his 2003 exhibition, This Is Your God, Fairey noted: “One of my main concepts with the show, and the [Obey] campaign as a whole, was that obedience is the most valuable currency. People rarely consider how much power they sacrifice by blindly following a self-serving corporation’s marketing agenda, and how their spending habits reflect the direction in which they choose to transfer power.” They Live addresses those same issues, Fairey said.

Pan Am Ad From 2001: A Space Odyssey

2011-06-08T10:18:00.000-07:00

The 3D Printed Bikini

2011-06-08T10:11:00.001-07:00

N12.bikini - Intro Video from Continuum Fashion on Vimeo.

The N12 bikini is the world’s first ready-to-wear, completely 3D-printed article of clothing. All of the pieces, closures included, are made directly by 3D printing and snap together without any sewing. N12 represents the beginning of what is possible for the near future.

N12 is named for the material it’s made out of: Nylon 12. This solid nylon is created by the SLS 3D printing process. Shapeways calls this material “white, strong, and flexible”, because its strength allows it to bend without breaking when printed very thin. With a minimum wall thickness of .7 mm, it is possible to make working springs and almost thread-like connections. For a bikini, the nylon is beautifully functional because it is waterproof and remarkably comfortable when wet.

Rammellzee's Battlestation

2011-06-08T10:02:00.000-07:00

The RAMM:ELL:ZEE from MOCA on Vimeo.

One of hip-hop’s most enigmatic figures, RAMMELLZEE was a graffiti writer, rapper, and sculptor. Born in Far Rockaway. Queens, RAMMELLZEE began a brief graffiti career on the A train in the mid-1970s. By the early 1980s, he was creating paintings and three-dimensional sculptures of letters, many of which were shown in galleries and museums. RAMMELLZEE viewed lettering as a form of weaponry and believed graffiti could liberate the mystical power of the alphabet, as a theory put forth in the manifestos “Ikonoklast Panzerism” and “Gothic Futurism”. A reclusive artist, RAMMELLZEE all but stopped exhibiting his work in public and spent much of the last two decade of his life in his TriBeCa loft he called the Battle Station, where he was rarely photographed without wearing one of his handmade, science fiction-style masks. He died in 2010 at the age of 49.

Skatepark Pinball

2011-06-08T09:59:00.000-07:00

MOUNTAIN DEW SKATE PINBALL from Jae Morrison on Vimeo.

Sure it's a Mountain Dew ad but it's a cool Mountain Dew ad.

Narco Tanks!

2011-06-07T09:50:00.001-07:00

The Mexican Drug Cartels are no joke!

Is The Tribe Called Quest Documentary Finally Coming Out?

2011-06-07T09:33:00.000-07:00

BEATS, RHYMES & LIFE: THE TRAVELS OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST is a documentary film directed by Michael Rapaport about one of the most influential and groundbreaking musical groups in hip-hop history. Having released five gold and platinum selling albums within eight years, A Tribe Called Quest has been one of the most commercially successful and artistically significant musical groups in recent history, and regarded as iconic pioneers of hip hop. The band’s sudden break-up in 1998 shocked the industry and saddened the scores of fans, whose appetite for the group’s innovative musical stylings never seems to
diminish.

A hard-core fan himself, Rapaport sets out on tour with A Tribe Called Quest in 2008, when they reunited to perform sold-out concerts across the country, almost ten years after the release of their last album, The Love Movement. As he travels with the band members (Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Jarobi White), Rapaport captures the story of how tenuous their relationship has become; how their personal differences and unresolved conflicts continue to be a threat to their creative cohesion. When mounting tensions erupt backstage during a show in San Francisco, we get a behind-the-scenes look at their journey and contributions as a band and what currently is at stake for these long-time friends and collaborators.

Rarely heard stories from New York’s legendary DJ Red Alert, Native Tongues members like Monie Love, the Jungle Brothers, Busta Rhymes, and De La Soul bring an intimacy to the days when young artists discovered the freedom of artistic expression, while rejecting the confines of gangster rap and negative stereotypes. Chronicles of songs like “Scenario” and “Check the Rhime” paint a vivid picture of growing up in Queens, and how the band’s unique approach to hip hop helped transform and influence the genre for years to come.

A New York native, Rapaport’s lifelong love for hip hop helps achieve intimate, all-access interviews and cinéma vérité-style filmmaking, fostering a conversation for A Tribe Called Quest to determine if there is a possibility to mend the wounds from over the years. In addition to chronicling the past, present and uncertain future of the band, the film includes interviews from the Beastie Boys, Kanye West, Pharrell, Mos Def, Santigold, Monie Love, Pete Rock, Large Professor, De La Soul, The Jungle Brothers and Common, all of whom attribute some combination of love, respect, and inspiration drawn from the legacy of A Tribe Called Quest.

Daily Dose of Sasha Grey

2011-06-05T10:40:00.000-07:00

SASHA GREY from V Magazine on Vimeo.

Music Video: Three Trapped Tigers "Noise Trade"

2011-06-03T08:46:00.001-07:00

Three Trapped Tigers: Noise Trade from garth+ginny on Vimeo.

If only all music videos could be this good.

Stunning Images of Saturn Sent Back From Cassini

2011-06-03T08:36:00.000-07:00

CASSINI MISSION from cabbas on Vimeo.

I can watch this all day.

Winnipeg, Welcome Back To The NHL!

2011-05-31T09:40:00.000-07:00

Because seriously, why does Atlanta need a hockey team?

R.I.P. Gil Scott-Heron

2011-05-28T08:22:00.000-07:00

Behind The Scenes Pics From The Star Wars Porn Parody

2011-05-27T09:30:00.000-07:00

This looks kind of amazing.

Battle Of The Bonds

2011-05-25T08:54:00.001-07:00

Out Of Our Tree

2011-05-23T15:48:00.001-07:00

OUT OF OUR TREE from Suge White on Vimeo.

Battles Perform At Paris' City Hall

2011-05-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

Battles | Wall Street | A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

The art rockers perform in as lush lounge in Paris' City Hall in this latest episode from La Blogotheque.

The Neon Boneyard

2011-05-23T07:57:00.000-07:00

The Neon Boneyard originated from storage lots owned by major sign manufacturers like YESCO. These ‘boneyards’ would house discarded signage to be used for their source parts or “bones” in the creation of newer, updated signage. As projects grew in scale, the sign makers could no longer house the volume of leftover signs and they began shipping used marquees straight to the dump. An outraged public, the Nevada Arts Council and YESCO stepped in to preserve the neon markers of Vegas past.

The boneyard resides in a large industrial backlot that holds a meandering path through over 150 signs from the 1930s to present day.

This winding, dirt path reveals a visual history of Las Vegas and early America. What becomes evident on exploring these typographic sculptures is that they are so much more than just leftover facades. The boneyard is a tangible history of technology, industry, style, entertainment, pop culture, and most of all: design. See more here.

Jellyfish Lake

2011-05-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

JELLYFISH LAKE, PALAU from Sarosh Jacob on Vimeo.

Jellyfish Lake is located on Eli Malk Island in The Republic of Palau. Twelve thousand years ago these jellyfish became trapped in a natural basin on the island when the ocean receded. With no predators amongst them for thousands of years, they evolved into a new species that lost most of their stinging ability as they no longer had to protect themselves. They are pretty much harmless to humans although some people with very sensitive skin may get a minor irritation from them.

These fascinating creatures survive by sharing a symbiotic relationship with algae that live inside of them. At night, the jellyfish go down to the depths of the lake where the algae feed on nutrients. During the day, the jellyfish come back to the surface and follow the sun across the lake in a massive migration. The algae convert the energy of the sun via photosynthesis into a sugar that feeds the jellyfish.

It is not possible to scuba dive in this lake because the nutrient rich layer at around 50 feet and below contains hydrogen sulphide which is highly toxic to humans. If a scuba diver was to swim in that layer, the toxins would enter the body through the skin and that exposure could be fatal. Snorkeling however, is perfectly safe and if you ever find yourself in Palau one day, you should make your way to this special place. The experience of swimming through millions of jellyfish is quite surreal and Palau is the only place in the world where you can do just that!

The Art Of Dan Dos Santos

2011-05-21T09:49:00.000-07:00

See More Here.

And A Happy End Of The World To You All

2011-05-21T09:20:00.001-07:00

Auction For Skateistan

2011-05-20T09:08:00.000-07:00

Skateistan is a school in Kabul where about 400 kids, boys and girls, “rich” and poor – skate on a daily basis and learn things like photography, carpentry, drama, English and much much more.
The school was established in 2008 and built a professional indoor skateboard park in 2009 – with the help of the fundraisers in Denmark.
Now in 2011 we are collecting money so that Skateistan can expand and build an outdoor facility for the kids so they can skate even when the school is not open.
ALL income from this auction goes directly to Skateistan in Kabul – all fees and commissions also (Donated by the auction house Lauritz.com) Skateistan Denmark is run 100% volunter, we have no paid staff, skateboards and shipping is sponsored by BLIND skateboards and Blue Water Shipping – so if you spend 1000 Dollars on one of theese works of art – 1000 Dollars will go to Skateistan.

Movies Referenced In Kill Bill

2011-05-19T07:58:00.000-07:00

Everything Is A Remix: KILL BILL from robgwilson.com on Vimeo.

Fully Flared, Fully Girl

2011-05-18T09:22:00.000-07:00

Spike Jonze making big moves over at Girl/Lakai.

Mike Giant: The Mission Map Project

2011-05-17T09:12:00.001-07:00

The Mission Map Project from Agency Charlie on Vimeo.

The Bicycle By Jacque Magazine

2011-05-17T09:10:00.000-07:00

The Bicycle from Jacques Magazine on Vimeo.

Altered Focus: Burma

2011-05-17T09:06:00.000-07:00

Altered Focus: Burma from Hot Knees Media on Vimeo.

This is a nice look at three filmmakers and skateboarders as they make their way through Burma. As they travel from town to town they make friends with the locals and spread the gospel of skateboarding.

Death Cab For Cutie + Shepard Fairey

2011-05-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

From the Obey Clothing Blog:

I have been a fan of Death Cab for years so I was excited to hear from bassist Nick Harmer about his idea to collaborate on a video piece for their song Home Is A Fire. I love the democracy of music and I’m always excited to bundle visual art with great music. Nick sent me the lyrics to Home Is A Fire and they evoked the duality of “home” both as a place you inhabit, and also as a place that inhabits or traps you. One’s relationship with home might be complicated, but ultimately it can be a two-way dialogue, of which we can at least affect one-way. The city can be an impersonal place, imposing, simultaneously anonymous and claustrophobic. However, there are opportunities for us to affect the city(and life) experience rather than accepting things as passive voyeurs. We all have fears and insecurities about ourselves and our circumstances, but if we have the courage to take risks and participate we can adapt and embrace the flux, rather than fear it. This video is about illustrating these ideas and the multiple dimensions of the city experience by taking the viewer on a journey to encounter the Home Is A Fire lyrics as street art. Street art appeals because it makes the landscape a little less dreary for the viewer, and it is a bureaucracy free creative outlet for the participants. I would say that a street art call to action is “if you don’t like your home… reshape it”. The power of street art is in its intrigue and authenticity , so it was crucial to actually put all the lyrics and images up on the streets. We wanted the viewer to experience the urban environment in a very real and intimate way that celebrates that one person’s wart is another’s beauty mark. Some of the art was put up prior to the video shoot in places that seemed appropriate to the lyrical themes, while other pieces were put up during the shoot. We filmed the preparation of materials as well to demonstrate the energy and process involved in becoming pro-active. Some of the street art was cleaned within a day. Street art, like everything, is ephemeral but I hope that in watching this video and listening to the song, people see a little magic and potential in the unappreciated details of the landscape of their lives, no matter how fleeting they may be.

Thank you to all the people who helped make this video happen.
-Shepard Fairey

NASH (The Documentary)

2011-05-16T09:07:00.000-07:00

There are not a lot of athletes out there that I would be interested to see a documentary about. Steve Nash seems different than your average jock. The guy spends his off season living in Manhattan, has a love of skateboarding and soccer and seems to be a grounded guy.

Body Painted Super Heroes by JKBFletcher

2011-05-14T09:05:00.000-07:00

see more here.

The Rise And Fall of The Smiths

2011-05-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

Nice BBC2 piece about The Smiths.

The Cube - Eco Home

2011-05-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

A tour of the Cube from Mike Page on Vimeo.

With overpopulation and energy concerns could the Eco Cube be the future?

Hong Kong Airlines Flight Attendants Are Trained In Wing Chun

2011-05-11T08:23:00.000-07:00

There is no way that terrorists are taking over a plane full of badass Kung Fu babes.

Obi-Wan Kenobi Is Dead

2011-05-11T08:14:00.000-07:00

CORUSCANT — Obi-Wan Kenobi, the mastermind of some of the most devastating attacks on the Galactic Empire and the most hunted man in the galaxy, was killed in a firefight with Imperial forces near Alderaan, Darth Vader announced on Sunday.

In a late-night appearance in the East Room of the Imperial Palace, Lord Vader declared that “justice has been done” as he disclosed that agents of the Imperial Army and stormtroopers of the 501st Legion had finally cornered Kenobi, one of the leaders of the Jedi rebellion, who had eluded the Empire for nearly two decades. Imperial officials said Kenobi resisted and was cut down by Lord Vader’s own lightsaber. He was later dumped out of an airlock

Read more over at The Galactic Empire Times.

High Tech Soul: The Creation Of Techno Music

2011-05-10T08:43:00.000-07:00

High tech soul : the creation of techno music from SocialClub on Vimeo.

HIGH TECH SOUL is the first documentary to tackle the deep roots of techno music alongside the cultural history of Detroit, its birthplace. From the race riots of 1967 to the underground party scene of the late 1980s, Detroit’s economic downturn didn’t stop the invention of a new kind of music that brought international attention to its producers and their hometown.

Featuring in-depth interviews with many of the world’s best exponents of the artform, High Tech Soul focuses on the creators of the genre — Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson — and looks at the relationships and personal struggles behind the music. Artists like Richie Hawtin, Jeff Mills, Carl Craig, Eddie Fowlkes and a host of others explain why techno, with its abrasive tones and resonating basslines, could not have come from anywhere but Detroit.

The San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives

2011-05-10T08:39:00.000-07:00

See more here.

ROA In San Francisco

2011-05-09T16:25:00.001-07:00

ROA part II from Spencer Keeton Cunningham on Vimeo.

LUDO. GreenBerry.

2011-05-08T10:03:00.000-07:00

Vai. Unurth

Lindsay Lohan For Blank Magazine

2011-05-08T09:53:00.000-07:00

The Most Expensive Piece Of Comic Art In The World

2011-05-07T19:26:00.000-07:00

Sure those Golden Age issues of comics with the first appearance of a soon to be icon sell for tons of money but that is to be expected. However, the most expensive piece of actual comic art ever sold is this piece by Frank Miller that went for $448,125. It is a image of Batman and Robin (actually the first female Robin) from a series Miller did in the 1980's.

Femen: Ukraine's New Generation Of Feminist Protesters

2011-05-07T19:17:00.000-07:00

Inna Shevchenko, 20, a student from Kiev, is a “Topless Fighter,” as activists with the women’s rights group Femen call themselves. For two years, the organization has been fighting against sex tourism and prostitution in Ukraine, a country that even Google automatically associates with “dating agencies” and “women.” The advertisements to the right of a Google search for “Ukraine” are for “Single Ukrainian Ladies,” “Women From Ukraine,” or “Partner Search Ukraine.” Although the group has only a few dozen activists like Inna and around 300 supporters, the topless protests have established a global reputation for Femen. Read more here.

The Design For China's Comic And Animation Museum

2011-05-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

How awesome would it be if this design by the Dutch firm MVRDV got built.

Osama Bin Laden Circa 1971

2011-05-06T09:14:00.000-07:00

It's hard to wrap your head around this dorky kid (second from right) becoming the worlds most wanted terrorist.

On The Way To Woodstock (The ipad App)

2011-05-05T09:48:00.000-07:00

On The Way To Woodstock is an immersive, interactive timeline that explores the phenomenon of how a generation evolved from sock hops to Woodstock. Enjoy over 100 hours of narrative, photography, videos and music from the 1950′s, the 1960′s and each of the artists that performed at the 1969 Woodstock Art & Music Fair.

Your iPad comes alive with over 100 rare color photos of Woodstock from award-winning photographer, Barry Levine. You will find little-known facts about the performers and the events of the festival as you browse this stunning gallery.

In this app you will:
- Effortlessly experience the essence of life in the 50′s and 60′s featuring family life, social changes, politics, music and culture.
- Dive deep into the topics and personalities of the time with videos and thoughtful narratives.
- Immerse yourself in artists from Buddy Holly to Jimi Hendrix, each featured in individual sections filled photos, videos, even essential songs and albums.
- Enjoy over 100 rare photos from one of the only Woodstock photographers who managed to have color film at the festival
- Explore the characters and artists that chose not to play the festival
- AirPlay support for videos so you can stream audio directly to your Hi-Fi speakers or audio/video to your Apple TV
- Over 45 hours of video content diligently categorized and organized for your viewing pleasure
- The ScreenSaver that allows your app to behave like the perfect coffee table book

The Boom Box Project

2011-05-04T09:30:00.001-07:00

On the heels of the graffiti renaissance comes a vibrant look at an old-school icon that figured prominently in the hip-hop, rock & roll, and punk movements of the 1970s and 80s. The Boombox Project features contemporary fine art portraits of an array of vintage boomboxes, as well as scores of documentary photographs of the people who brought the boombox movement to life back in the day.

The book is more than just a collection of images, though; it’s also an oral history of the early days of hip-hop, featuring memories from Fab 5 Freddy, Bob Gruen, Rosie Perez, Kool Moe Dee, LL Cool J, Lisa Lisa, DJ Spooky, and Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys, among others, on the role this once ubiquitous machine played.

Part pop cultural history and part “gadget porn,” this lively and highly stylish volume is one of the cool books of the season.

Casualties Of War

2011-05-04T09:23:00.000-07:00

Remember those little green army men you played with when you were a kid? Well things didn't turn out well for them once the war was over. Stricken with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder they have turned to alcohol, drugs, domestic abuse and eventually suicide. See more here.

Lindzine (The Lindsay Lohan Zine)

2011-05-03T10:46:00.000-07:00

56 pages, lazer printed, stapled edition of 100. Get it here.

Tim O'Brien's Time Magazine Cover

2011-05-03T10:04:00.000-07:00

How Osama's Killing Went Down

2011-05-02T10:09:00.000-07:00

Obama Destroys Trump At Press Dinner

2011-05-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

Mr. President,

I have my issues with you and your policies but it's hard not to like you when you put these idiots in their place like this.

Sincerely,

KL

The Art Of Rap (Movie Trailer)

2011-04-30T08:39:00.001-07:00

Looking forward to this!

Titus Andronicus Show Jersey Pride In New Video

2011-04-29T09:17:00.000-07:00

The Economics Of Destroying Alderaan

2011-04-29T09:01:00.000-07:00

Via. Freakonomics:

The whole point of empires, according to the classic Leninist line, is that they sustain an unrealistically high standard of living for the bourgeoisie and the plutocrats back home by exploiting the cheap labor and undeveloped natural resources of the conquered territories. Empires need two things to sustain themselves: new markets for manufactured goods, and new exploitable sources for raw materials. A third element, not mentioned by Lenin AFAIK but presumably necessary, is a well developed military industrial complex back home to help turn those gas reserves/indigo plants/poppies into kerosene/fabric dye/opium in such a way as to profit the elites. Blowing up Alderaan is not much of a loss by this way of reckoning. It’s part of the galactic first world: there’s no new market, no new stock of raw material to be found there. And from what little we see of the planet, it’s not a *crucial* part of the Empire’s infrastructure. (one doesn’t imagine that the emperor – a sane one, anyway – would offer the same treatment to Geonosis). By reducing the number of citizens, the Empire can increase the per capita benefit to its remaining citizens.

Furthermore, let’s remember that Alderaan isn’t GONE. It’s just blown up. Suddenly all the metallic elements that were languishing away in the planetary core are floating around in the void, ripe for the plucking. And anyone who can plausibly claim to have owned them is dead. You can build a lot of Death Stars with that much tungsten. Well, not even a lot — but maybe one. Like any military industrial complex, it’s a self perpetuating cycle: if you’re going to build battle stations the size of planets, you’re going to need to harvest planets’ worth of resources to build them.

Real Life Heroes Protect NYC's Sex Workers

2011-04-29T08:52:00.000-07:00

With the investigation apparently stalled and the police fighting amongst themselves, who’s left to protect the women this killer preys on? It would appear that job has fallen to–or rather been seized by–a vigilante group calling itself the New York Initiative. Posing on their Facebook page dressed in retro-futuristic body armor and steampunk goggles, and calling themselves superheroes without irony, the group posted an ad on Craigslist last week offering its advice and services to sex workers:

„If you absolutely don’t have a friend to help you [track your movements while on a date], you may use the services of the New York Initiative as your personal log book, as well as your rescue team in the event of an emergency. If you choose to do this, we will provide you with a number to call and a few one-number or one word codes you can say or text to us so that we can contact someone to assist you with a possibly violent date. Another idea is keeping us on speed dial, and if things get weird just call us and let the line open. We’ll know what’s going on immediately.

Morgan Spurlock's TED Speech

2011-04-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

Drawing The Line: A Portrait Of Keith Haring

2011-04-28T09:06:00.000-07:00

Radiohead Acid Tabs?

2011-04-28T09:02:00.000-07:00

Some of the artwork from the deluxe edition of King Of Limbs. Art by Stanley Donwood.

Devil's Toy (A 60's French Canadian Film About Skateboarding)

2011-04-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Superman Is No Longer American

2011-04-27T22:09:00.000-07:00

In an America where we witness Gitmo, Abu Ghraib, the sanctioning of torture and lies that lead us into wars it is no surprise that "truth, justice and the American way aren't cutting for anyone anymore, not even Superman. From Comics Alliance:

The key scene takes place in "The Incident," a short story in Action Comics #900 written by David S. Goyer with art by Miguel Sepulveda. In it, Superman consults with the President's national security advisor, who is incensed that Superman appeared in Tehran to non-violently support the protesters demonstrating against the Iranian regime, no doubt an analogue for the recent real-life protests in the Middle East. However, since Superman is viewed as an American icon in the DC Universe as well as our own, the Iranian government has construed his actions as the will of the American President, and indeed, an act of war.

Activist Group Femen Protest At Chernobyl

2011-04-27T10:32:00.000-07:00

A somewhat awkward explanation translated by Google.

Activists held a rally FEMEN in the 30-kilometer zone of Chernobyl "Murdered peaceful atom." The women's movement FEMEN expresses solidarity with all victims of the peaceful atom, and deep admiration for the heroic actions of the liquidators of the Chernobyl disaster and Fukusimskoy.

FEMEN urges world community to draw the necessary conclusions and to adopt measures to peaceful atom never killed.

Women's movement in protest against speculation on the Chernobyl issue. National tragedy should not be a reason for Congress tyrants in Ukraine and for the mourning of the Soviet Union under the nasal Cyrillic mourning. On the memory of the Chernobyl tragedy, this trio is preparing for the future of Ukraine political and humanitarian disaster.

"Miserable condition of Chernobyl and overcrowded youth cancer hospitals in Ukraine - that's a dosimeter to measure cynicism and vulgarity of today's Ukrainian authorities!" - Said the movement's leader, Anna Gutsol.

Mark Of Cain (A Russian Crime Tattoo's Documentary)

2011-04-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

Lambert traveled on a shoestring budget to document the complex social hierarchy of Russia’s prison system, where inmates use highly symbolic tattoo art as a mark of rank. Since its earliest documented cases in the 1920s, this practice has remained largely a taboo and is actually illegal in Russian prisons, yet some estimates suggest that in the last generation alone, more than 30 million of Russia’s inmates have been inked. The unique visual language of the tattoos encrypts everything you need to know about an inmate without ever asking, from the number of convictions an inmate has to his rank in the crime world.

Keith Dishes On His New Show (Countdown With Keith Olbermann)

2011-04-26T08:59:00.001-07:00

The Twins

2011-04-26T08:51:00.001-07:00

The Twins from skatefairy on Vimeo.

How rad would it be to have your own identical twin who loved to go skate?

New Banksy

2011-04-26T08:41:00.001-07:00

Botswanan's Cowboy Metal Heads

2011-04-26T08:34:00.000-07:00

Vice has an interesting look at the African Heavy Metal band as they tour their nations capitol.

Elizabeth Taylor by Robert Mars

2011-04-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

Interesting Bit of Street Art Found at Jo's Coffee Shop

2011-04-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

Dads Are The Original Hipsters

2011-04-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the era of the cool Dads. See more here.

Burn Baby Burn

2011-04-24T17:16:00.001-07:00

Last weekend my neighborhood caught on fire after a homeless man left a camp fire unattended. Over a hundred acres were burned a long with six house burned to the ground and another twenty more damaged. These are some pictures a took on my phone while it happened.

Obey Mural In Austin, Texas

2011-04-24T17:04:00.000-07:00

Sex Pistols Original Pressing of "God Save The Queen" is the Worlds Most Valuable Record

2011-04-24T16:52:00.000-07:00

The original single for God Save the Queen, the irreverent and angrily sung tribute to the monarchy during Silver Jubilee Year, was published by A&M Records, but soon after the company dropped the band and destroyed most of the copies, making any existing versions worth £8,000 today. The band was soon picked up by a young Richard Branson and his Virgin label, which re-released the single.