| Vitruvian Mind |
| The Man will burn! |
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Posted on April 30th, 2007 by Myk.
Categories: Consumer Products, Humor & Pop Culture.
Probably the most important article of the month, we believe that everyone should have the means to bling anything and everything we own. Bling my Thing, a German company, will stick Swarovski crystals to cell phones, iPods, sneakers, and red bull cans…the VIP service is touted as a work of art and guaranteed for 1 year, so you won’t have to worry about your accessory looking ghetto as crystals fall off. This luxury will run you just $50 for a nano to just a couple of grand for something a little more special. Go get your bling on!
Posted on April 30th, 2007 by Phil.
Categories: Travel & Leisure, History & Politics.
A recent U.S. delegation to Africa found it necessary to calm a whole list of fears when it explained its plan for establishing a new military command there. Locals are afraid that the United States new military command center means that Africa will become one of America’s new “war games” zones, much like the middle east has been recently, and Latin America and Asia have been before. After all, while there may not be vast underground lakes of oil in Africa, there are still loads of natural resources to be exploited.
The DOD says that “the reasons that AFRICOM is being stood up is Africa … is emerging on the world scene as a strategic player and we need to deal with it as a continent.” Many academics have considered Africa to be a continent for some time now, but the recent acknowledgement by the U.S.’s top military minds is a great endorsement of their theory.
The DOD further clarified that “(they0 hopefully cleared up the misunderstanding that AFRICOM was not being stood up in response to Chinese presence on the continent, it was not being stood up solely for the effort of enhanced counterterrorism and it was not being stood up in order to secure resources — a particular sensitivity to the oil resources”. Of course not. I mean why would our military have anything to do with acting as a counterweight to other sovereign threats to our power, hunting anti-American terrorist groups, or securing U.S. access to foreign natural resources? They simply don’t do those kinds of things.
But the upside is that just having something so solidly American on the “continent” will no doubt improve the quality of life by orders of magnitude, and in no time flat. As the DOD spokespeople put it “This administration has made significant investment into the improvement of the quality of life on the African continent, increasing it over threefold”. You got it, life in Africa is now not one, not two, but three whole times better than it was before. America… Fuck Yeah.
Quotes and other information courtesy of Pauline Jelink - Associated Press
Posted on April 29th, 2007 by Phil.
Categories: Science & Technology, Humor & Pop Culture.
Ever have a young guy attempt to be subtle yet blatantly sexual at the same time mention his “third leg”? Ever been that guy? Yeah, me too I’m afraid. Well modern science is now one huge step closer to giving men that third leg (and a fourth), all thanks to Stumpy the Duck. Stumpy, ever the ladies duck, was born with count ‘em, four legs. Two normal ones, and two that can be used for all kinds of good adult fun! His unique genetic code is now being used to bring those extra appendages to your corner market. The adult film industry is funding the first thrust of the new research effort, in close parntership with the aptly chosen, Johnson & Johnson.
Stumpy hails from Warrawee Duck Farm near Southampton in southern England. So much for the long-standing rumor that English ducks aren’t very well hung. Soon, however, poor Stumpy will be down to three legs. He is having one amputated after he caught it in a fence. The leg will be auctioned on eBay.
Posted on April 28th, 2007 by Raj.
Categories: Arts & Literature.
Living in Philly the last two years, the two things I’ve been most pleasantly surprised by are the restaurant scene and the art galleries. Good food and good art are things I thought i’d be leaving behind when I left LA but that hasn’t been the case (except for Mexican food. Can’t get a decent burrito in the city). Today, for example I checked out the TODT Collective’s exhibit After Next at the Fleisher/Ollman Gallery in Center City.
TODT first appeared on the scene in New York in the 80’s and took the art world by storm with its experimental and intense works of art. The mystique around TODT (which translates to “I love David Hasselhoff” in German….just kidding it’s an old German and Dutch word for death), stems from the four member collectives anonymity and disdain for attention and commercial success. The collective’s members are still largely a mystery and they pretty much dissapeared from the art scene in the 90’s….until now. The current exhibit has many works from TODT’s early days, some new ones as well and is a good representation of TODT at its most brilliant and bizarre.
Laps is a toilet with brown fluid and a pair of Speedo goggles that flushes every five minutes, Phalanx is an installation of Weed Wackers hung on the wall ready to be plugged in. Photos fusing sexual acts with dental procedures, paintings of animals hooked up to draconian looking mechanical devices and a 3D image of a fetus spinning around in a kaledioscope type device are other examples of TODT’s mad scientist type work. The point? The common theme through all of TODT’s work is the depiction of a world controlled by science and government as well as a dry commentary on our consumer culture.
The exhibit also includes Double Fuck Susie which gained notriety in the 90’s when it was censored at the Indianapolis Museum of Art and a ballistic weapons installation that apparently stopped onlookers on the streets of Philadelphia when it was being brought into the museum. Definitely check out TODT if they ever come to your town. And if you find out who they are definitely let me know.
Posted on April 28th, 2007 by Myk.
Categories: Food & Wine.
Came across this article from one of my favorite new magazines Portfolio about steak. As a proud carnivore, thought to give the 411 on what’s really important about the characteristics. Even meat-eaters are sometimes confused–I remember being in Vegas and we couldn’t agree on the differences between Wagyu and Kobe, are they different, the same? Well, the answer lies in this post: Wagyu is a type of Japanese cattle and Kobe is that cattle raised in Kobe. But maybe the most relevant point is that it was gooooodddd…
Posted on April 27th, 2007 by Myk.
Categories: History & Politics, Science & Technology.
Straight from K9 Magazine, we have a HUGE story about a Labrador named Pyeonghwa (translated to ’Peace’ in English). Korean Electronics company Samsung has trained Pyeonghwa to be the first animal in history that can identify suicide bombers. Not only can she sniff out bombs, but she’s allegedly able to:
spot the combination of human body language and explosives that located on that person’s body. She is trained to pick up facial signals and body language and then covertly investigates that person, giving a passive signal to her handler, who then tackles the potential bomber.
Holy Crap she’s like a ninja! Although, I’m confused as to the utility of training her to recognize shady behavior. As if recognizing bomb making materials isn’t enough. Can you imagine a conversation between her handlers? “Dude, did you see that? He’s definitely got a bomb!” [one soldier] “Ya, but Pyeonghwa doesn’t think he’s SHADY so it’s probably ok. What’s for lunch?” [second soldier]
Posted on April 26th, 2007 by Myk.
Categories: Travel & Leisure, Science & Technology.
Here’s yet another example of Russian extravagence. Boeing commissioned BMW’s design group to to create a conceptual 787 aircraft interior for a “fictitious, affluent, Russian client in his mid-thirties.” Yep, that’s right, apparently rich Ruskies are the barometer of what’s over-the-top. Who would’ve thought?? I know I know that we focus a bit too much on this Russian thing–but I spent 3 years there, Phil has some obsession with it, and for some reason there’s pretty entertaining stuff going on there.
But it’s a beautiful design. Curved glass handrails, lofted spaces. A bar. A glass floor panel where you can see a 7-series just waiting for arrival. Serious, what’s not to love? Check out the article about the plane and see more pics here.
Posted on April 26th, 2007 by Phil.
Categories: Food & Wine.
Herein lays the good stuff. You’ve heard the History & Health, you’re set on the Shopping & Storage, now it’s time to get your grub on…
When it comes to consuming your olive oil, the simple ways are often still the best. Different olive oils in a series of small dipping bowls, sea salt, fresh ground pepper, aged balsamic vinegar, and fresh bread - that’s all you need. Add in some fresh cheeses if you like, perhaps some cured meats, and you’ve got a full meal.
The best recipes for evaluating, exploring, and enjoying extra virgin olive oil are generally going to be the more simple ones. Here are two personal favorites:
Warm Fresh Bread
Heirloom Tomatoes
Prosciutto
Burrata Cheese
Fresh Basil Leaves
Fresh Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Large Crystal Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
Slice the bread and stack the ingredients in the order above, ending with the fresh olive oil drizzled generously on top. Add a little fresh ground black pepper, and a few large crystals of sea salt, and prepare your sense of taste for an amazing experience. (This is often a great recipe for using citrus flavored olive oils)
Freshly Made Pasta
Blend of Grated Hard Cheeses (Parmesan, Reggiano, Peccorino)
Fresh Extra Virgin Olive Oil
I’m a purist when it comes to pasta. If all of the ingredients are top quality and very fresh, then no sauce is needed. Just drop the pasta into boiling water for a few minutes, toss it with a healthy dose of olive oil, and smother it with as much cheese as you like. It’s that simple. If anything, sauce can take away from savoring the perfect harmony of flavors that exist between fresh pastas, good sharp Italian cheeses, and top quality olive oil.
Now if you’re looking to cook with your olive oil as well, be aware of two simple guidelines. 1) Don’t cook at high heats. Extra Virgin Olive Oil degrades in quality with any heat, but above 300 degrees F, it really goes to hell. 2) Don’t use sparingly, lay it on baby.
So there you have it. Feel free to shoot me any questions you might have.
Posted on April 25th, 2007 by Phil.
Categories: Media & Entertainment, Consumer Products.
For the music and video enthusiast who has everything, including a taste for both electronic music and the old school, the Baby Grand Master is going to make you itch. We’ve seen overkill in just about every venue imaginable, but just in case owning a pearly white Baby Grand wasn’t superfluous enough, Gardner Post has made sure that its rendition is undoubtedly over the top. This beauty forgoes the typical keys for a swank AV system, as users will be graced with dual Pioneer DVJ-X1 DVD Players (for mixing live music and video simultaneously), a trio of Marshal LCD monitors, and an Edirol V-4 video mixer — and that’s just the video front. As far as audio is concerning, you’ll find an Allen and Heath Xone 92 audio mixer, dual 15-inch subwoofers, an 18-incher to handle the low-lows, a 12-inch subwoofer strictly for bragging rights, three Bullet tweeters, and an AB 1,100-watt amplifier to provide the juice. Sounds a bit over the top, but the company claims “there’s not an ounce of excess.”
The Baby Grand Masters are for sale, but the amount is disclosed by inquiry only. In other words, if you have to ask, it might just make you ‘baroque’. Furthermore, these bad boys can be customized to the hilt for those willing to pay the price, as deep-pocketed customers can add hydraulic legs and lid, neon accents, personalized paint jobs, and fog / laser adornments. The Concert Grand Master is also available, for the ultimate deep-pocketed connoisseur.
Posted on April 25th, 2007 by Sprad.
Categories: Travel & Leisure.
The Site Who Nu Too Much
As the snow melts and winter hibernations come to an end, it’s only natural for primal man to start foraging, mating, and visiting Philadelphia. For a proper Brotherly excursion, use www.uwishunu.com.
While some may be content to spend the day soaking up the awesomeness of the tallest masonry load-bearing structure in the world (City Hall), uwishunu can turn your long Philly weekend into a carnival of food, drink, sport, and strangely edifying bizarreness. Some of the glory they’ve uncovered:
-A legendary boxing venue, where pugilism garners the respect that contenders’ faces don’t
-A restaurant that serves eggs benedict with fried chicken, ending the years of frustration you’ve suffered vainly explaining the combo to a drive-thru squawk-box
-A brewery so steeped in history, you’ll actually learn as much from beer as beer has made you forget
-A medical oddities museum that displays actual brain from the man who shot James A. Garfield, and America’s tallest preserved skeleton (not James A. Garfield’s)
Uwishunu is constantly updated, and if by some miracle you find something they haven’t, you should feel free to tip them off. They’ll be interested to learn of your Philly findings, though chances are slim that they’ll care to watch you forage and mate.
-stolen from Thrill-List
