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Archive for April, 2011

Hors D’oeuvres: Beats Vol. 2.


Relatively Unknown Producer Kelly Portis, presents his debut beat tape “Hors D’oeuvres: Beats Vol. 2″ A menu of some of the illest hip hop instrumentals heard in too long of a time. Tracks like “Eva Mendes” and “Neo Soul” transport listeners back to hip hops golden era. Contemporary tracks like “The Ghetto”, “Cadillac Pimpin” and “Revolutionary” strive to keep a soulful sound relevant during a time in music dominated by auto tune, software synths, and bubble gum lyrics.”Serenity” and “Mary Wanna” complete the 21 instrumentals in strong fashion. Hors D’oeuvres: Beats Vol. 2 is a diamond in the rough. The 21 year old undoubtedly makes a statement with this collection of art. We will be seeing a lot more from this young upstart. Album Art by Zac Oransky

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2011
04/11
CATEGORY
Entertainment
Music
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The 15 Richest Fictional Characters.


Forbes magazine has released its annual Fictional 15, which ranks the richest characters from television, film, comics and books.  On top of the list is Scrooge McDuck, a billionaire bird known for storing a fortune in gold coins inside a massive Duckburg “money bin.”  With the price of gold up more than 30% year over year, the quacking Croesus’ net worth soared to $44.1 billion.  Joining the Scottish McDuck at the top of the cash heap are; immortal vampire Carlisle Cullen ($36.2 billion), Ireland’s master criminal and child genius, Artemis Fowl II ($13.5 billion) and business magnate Richie Rich ($9.7 billion).  The members of the 2011 list of wealthiest fictional characters have an average net worth of $9.86 billion, up 20% from last year.  In aggregate, the Fictional 15 are worth $131.55 billion –more than the gross domestic product of New Zealand.


2011 Forbes Fictional 15

1. Scrooge McDuck $44.1 B — Mining and treasure hunting
2. Carlisle Cullen $36.2 B — Compound interest and investments
3. Artemis Fowl II $13.5 B — Theft, forgery and Facebook
4. Richie Rich $9.7 B — Inheritance and conglomerates
5. Jed Clampett $9.5 — Oil and gas
6. Tony Stark $9.4 B — Defense
7. Smaug $8.6 B — Marauding
8. Bruce Wayne $7.0 B — Inheritance and defense
9. Mr. Monopoly $2.6 B — Real estate
10. Arthur Bach $1.8 B — Inheritance
11. Jo Bennett $1.2 B — Electronics and inheritance
12. C. Montgomery Burns $1.1 B — Energy
13. Chuck Bass $1.1 B — Real estate
14. Gordon Gekko $1.1 B — Investments
15. Jeffrey Lebowski $1.0 B — Inheritance

2011
04/09
CATEGORY
Entertainment
Movies
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J.Lo’s TOUS Jewlery Ad Campaign.


The star is on a roll: following gigs for Gucci’s kids range, Gillette, and L’Oréal, the entertainer and owner of her own fashion brand is starring in new TOUS Jewelry ads. Using chopsticks, umbrellas, and fans as props, Jennifer Lopez was shot by star photographer Ellen von Unwerth for the Spanish brand’s oriental-inspired campaign.  The visuals echo the spring/summer collection that consists of Indian rubies and mother-of-pearl arranged in lotus flower shapes.  Prices for this range start at around $230. Shop the pieces at http://tous-shop.com.

2011
04/08
CATEGORY
Entertainment
Fashion
Movies
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Jenna Shea.


Some of the models i post up, i learn about for the first time when I’m writing about them, but Jenna Shea is an exception. I’ve had my eye on her for a while.  Many of my close friends think they can tell people what my ideal crush looks like, and when they do Jenna Shea’s name always gets thrown around.  Since she stepped on the modeling scene, Jenna Shea has been all over the place. With a body the kind of defies physics (5’2″, 34DD-25-41) this California native hasn’t stopped making her way around the industry.  Two time Cover Girl for the esteemed SHOW magazine brand, Craze magazine cover girl, Straight Stuntin, Silk, and many more magazine features comprise just a portion of her resume, not to mention the numerous website and video features.

But Shea, (branded the “Urban Barbie”) has a bit more drama surrounding her than most of the other models I feature.  This particular beauty has a bit more to mention besides a basic bio.  Her past relationship with Young Berg ended somewhat explosively after a sex tape, Berg getting robbed, and her blasting off on him all over twitter about how Berg cried like a b*tch after he was robbed at gun point.  Shea has also had proximity to Kat Stacks, we all know how annoying Kat is, along with her trash talking rappers, and “telling” their personal business all over the internet.  But Shea put a stop to this by putting on twitter (I keep telling people twitter is deadly, but no one listens.) how Stacks lied about Bow Wow, Nelly, Fabolous, and a few other people.  But all the drama aside, at the end of the day Jenna Shea deserves a gentleman’s clap just for being that hot.

2011
04/08
CATEGORY
Women
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WTF Picture From The Distant Past. (Part 2)


With the globalization of the internet, there are trillions of images that float around, and an immeasurable number of pictures that make people say “WTF” on a daily basis.  I came across a series of these pictures that had a bit of a twist to them.  All of said photos are authentic, vintage, and dated between the 1920′s and 1940′s.  The number of pictures that caught my attention was so great that I had to split it up into two posts (the first post dropped yesterday and you can see it here) but the subject matter and content of all the photos are unique, but I guarentee you all that all of them will make you (in one way or another) think to yourself “WTF”.   Check part 2.

2011
04/08
CATEGORY
Photography
Uncategorized
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The ‘Fast Lane’ Experiment.


After having introduced The Fun Theory (with the brilliant piano stairs), Volkswagen now comes up with another interesting action which speeds up life a little: the fast lane in the supermarket. The idea is simple: some shopping carts are pimped with a skateboard, providing some extra shopping fun for those who can’t stand people who take shopping as an all-day event.  Besides the fact that this is a rather interesting marketing strategy by Volkswagen (campaign for the Polo GTI), it’s also interesting to see an upcoming stream of projects which intend to separate different spaces in our modern society.

2011
04/07
CATEGORY
Design
Entertainment
Tech
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WTF Pictures From The Distant Past. (Part 1)


With the globalization of the internet, there are trillions of images that float around, and an immeasurable number of pictures that make people say “WTF” on a daily basis.  I came across a series of these pictures that had a bit of a twist to them.  All of said photos are authentic, vintage, and dated between the 1920′s and 1940′s.  The number of pictures that caught my attention was so great that I had to split it up into two posts (the second would should be coming tomorrow) but the subject matter and content of all the photos are unique, but I guarantee you all that all of them will make you (in one way or another) think to yourself “WTF”.   Check part 1.

2011
04/07
CATEGORY
Photography
Uncategorized
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The Namaste Tower by W Hotel.


W Hotels has just announced plans for the Namaste Tower, a new W Hotel in Mumbai that is due to open July 2015.  To follow the long tradition of great Indian architecture, the striking 984-foot-tall building will house 62 floors combined into a hotel, office, and retail space.  The design of the tower is actually meant to reflect the namaste yoga gesture where two wings of the hotel are clasped together like hands greeting the city of Mumbai.  The summit of the building will have a quadruple height atrium space which will enclose the Sky Restaurant and Bar with a stunning view of the busy city.  Talk about a view.

2011
04/07
CATEGORY
Design
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The Celsius X VI II LeDix.


So, what does a $300,000 cell phone look like? Made from polished and brushed grade 5 titanium, the Celsius X VI II LeDix features a flying tourbillion equipped with exclusive shock-absorbers, and a modern transparent design. There are around 600 mechanical parts in the phone, including 330 that deal with the watch movement alone.  One of the main features of the phone is the Remontage Papillon. Housed inside a hinge, the Butterfly Winding is activated with each opening, thereby adding three hours of power reserve to the total 100 hours.  Suppose you’re mega-rich and can afford one of the 18 limited editions. Is the Celsius X VI II LeDix worth its hefty price tag? It caught my eye because of its pretty aesthetic, but without many spectacular features, it’s probably best to just hang on to your BlackBerry or iPhone.

2011
04/06
CATEGORY
Design
Tech
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Kelly Rowland ft. Lil Wayne – Motivation.


Among my close friends, I’m very well known for not necessarily being a fan of slower songs.  (NOTE: What I play in the clubs doesn’t reflect what I listen to in my spare time.  So even tho I say I’m not a fan of slower R&B tracks, doesn’t reflect what I play when I’m at work.)  But all that being said, when I heard “Motivation” for the first time, it reminded me of a specific person, and from then on was a positive association thing.  So when I saw how creative, simple, and effective the video for the Kelly Rowloand’s song featuring Lil Wayne, I was even more entranced.  Check the method below.

2011
04/06
CATEGORY
Entertainment
Music
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The Kanto x Apple Speakers.


The Kanto Morph speakers were originally designed by Alp Germaner for a competition but he missed the fine print about it being a “skin design” only and so it was relegated to languish in the dark corners of his hard drive – that is, until we got our hands on it. Look, for once it’s a design not about nostalgia. It’s not ostensibly minimalistic and it’s contemporary. Yes it’s an iPhone/iPod dock but who says all Apple peripherals have to look like Cupertino designed them? I applaud his aberrant design choices.

2011
04/06
CATEGORY
Design
Music
Tech
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Spectacular Spanish Architecture.


Some photographers love to take photos and then process them to generate HDR (high dynamic range) images.  Personally I love this photography method, and when I peeped some photos of Spanish architecture from ‘Marc Dmoz’ I was wowed.  Check the method.

2011
04/05
CATEGORY
Photography
Tech
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Showtime @ The Ritch.


Duckworth of Tokyo 24

330 Ritch has been host to many different talented acts from all around the world.  But on the 23rd of March 2011, The Above Ground entertainment company put together a perfect storm of music, musicians, and madness that made the night magic.  Yours truly, DJ Storm, Tokyo 24, C -Plus, DJ King Most, 87 Stickup Kids, Kreayshawn, Alexander Spits, and Theophilus London all played a part in tearing the house to the ground.  Check the Above Ground footage below.

2011
04/05
CATEGORY
DJ Storm
Entertainment
Music
Photography
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Eden is Beautiful.


The HTC New Eden 1 Concept is 1 of 2 designs to come out of the New Eden project, hosted by BriefMobile, that sets out to create the most appealing, feasible, hardware design for mobile devices. It aims to captivate with innovative and attractive hardware, as HTC did with the original Touch Diamond and other products that followed. The New Eden 1 is a device with a durable aluminum shell that combines traditional HTC design language with a fresher, more futuristic look.

I think it’s a good direction but something about the design, and to a larger extent all HTC phones, doesn’t feel effortless. Yes it’s clean and minimal but I think it’s time for designers to look elsewhere for inspiration. Apple has the whole slim aluminum and glass aesthetic down. It’s become a part of their DNA. Any manufacturer playing with those materials fall victim to the “it’s not an iPhone” category. There are other materials out there to play with – wonderful and tactile options that can enhance the mobile experience in a way Apple hasn’t thought of yet. Thinking caps ON.  But all that taken into consideration, I do very much like this phone, and I hope to see it, or something like it out on the market soon.

2011
04/05
CATEGORY
Design
Tech
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Asher Roth – Gotta Get Up.


I’ve been a big fan of Asher Roth since “I Love College” back in the day, and I’ve kept up with his career moves ever since.  The song “Gotta Get Up” was always one I thought would do well with a full video behind it, but I never expected anything as dope as this.  Asher teamed up with Luke Tedaldi to create the visually stunning “Gotta Get Up” video.  The video was shot HDR, and isn’t a digital video spliced together, instead it’s 55,000 still frames (pictures) one after another, brilliantly edited that gives “Gotta Get Up” its incredible visual edge.  Check the method.

2011
04/05
CATEGORY
Entertainment
Movies
Music
Photography
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Ewan Dobson: Trance DJ/Acoustic Guitarist.


There are always different skill levels in any art or craft.  Your essential 3 are, novice, intermediate, and master.  Every so often you cross the barrier from master to ‘show off’, (Much like the LA Lakers, to ‘The Harlem Globe Trotters’), and I think Ewan Dobson may have just done that.  Like the Globe Trotters, Dobson has demonstrated enough insane skill with an acoustic guitar to make anyone who has a respect for live music drop their jaws.  Check his playing a trance song on a guitar (which for anyone out there dumb enough not to know… is VERY very hard.)

2011
04/05
CATEGORY
Entertainment
Music
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Throwback Video: Busta Rhymes – Break Yo Neck.


Click the pic to watch the video.

 

When it comes to classic hip hop videos, Busta Rhyme’s “Break Yo Neck” stands out as one of my all time favorites. From the spontaneous dancing red men, Busta humping a steam-roller cruising down the street, to the uber-random headbutt-battle in the middle of the video, “Break Yo Neck” was one of the greatest of its time.  The video featuring appearances from Spliff Starr, Cee Lo Green, Diddy, Timbaland, Lil Jon, Ludacris, Dr. Dre and a small hand full of others, (unfortunately the d*cks over at SME won’t let me put the video on this page) so click the pic above to check out the 2001 video for “Break Yo Neck”.

2011
04/05
CATEGORY
Entertainment
Music
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A Real Life Photoshop Tool.


This is to all my graphic design, or photo students at art schools all around the world…. Don’t you wish sometimes you could use Photoshop tools in real life?  Magic erase your room mate, use the liquify effect to make girls tits bigger, or turn the Gaussian Blur down to 0.0 pixels when you have a hang over in the morning.  Well we’re a bit far off from things being that easy, but this new sensor pen is one of the closest things to the Color Sampler tool anyone’s come ever before.  Check the method below.

2011
04/05
CATEGORY
Photography
Tech
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The Number Of Letters. Simple Graphic Design.


Both my assistant and my best friend are typography experts, and that leads to certain things rubbing off on me.  The love of intricate simplicity in relation to type is one of those things.  The piece “Letters by the Number” effectively demonstrates how you can take a simple concept like the alphabet and turn it into a creative work on typography and graphic design.  Check the method below.

2011
04/05
CATEGORY
Art
Design
1 comment

The Future of Movies via 1987.


OMNI magazine interviewed Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert about the future of movies for their June, 1987 issue. Ebert makes some bold and accurate predictions about how a revolution in the delivery and distribution of movies will open up the “art film” market, allowing people greater access to movies that may not make financial sense to screen in the theaters of smaller cities. An excerpt from the interview appears below.

OMNI: How will the fierce competition between television and the movies work out in the future?

EBERT: We will have high-definition, wide-screen television sets and a push-button dialing system to order the movie you want at the time you want it. You’ll not go to a video store but instead order a movie on demand and then pay for it. Videocassette tapes as we know them now will be obsolete both for showing prerecorded movies and for recording movies. People will record films on 8mm and will play them back using laser-disk/CD technology.

I also am very, very excited by the fact that before long, alternative films will penetrate the entire country. Today seventy-five percent of the gross from a typical art film in America comes from as few as six –six– different theaters in six different cities. Ninety percent of the American motion-picture marketplace never shows art films. With this revolution in delivery and distribution, anyone, in any size town or hamlet, will see the movies he or she wants to see. It will be the same as it’s always been with books. You can be a hermit and still read any author you choose.

Later in the interview Ebert says that “by the year 2000 or so, a motion picture will cost as much money as it now costs to publish a book or make a phonograph album.” Ebert was right, but it wasn’t just film production and distribution costs that came down. With the rise of book self-publishing with sites like Lulu, the democratization of online music distribution with CD Baby, and the fact that I just can’t keep up with the staggering volume of “puppy tries to roll over but can’t OMG how adorable” videos, the internet really has fundamentally shaken up the media landscape.

2011
04/04
CATEGORY
Entertainment
Movies
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€2 Mil. Hubot Watch.


Swiss watchmaker Hublot has launched a new diamond-covered 18k white gold Big Bang tourbillon watch, which costs a face-rapingly expensive €2 million ($2.8 million).  The new Hublot Big Bang Watch set in 18 carat gold with a gold Big Bang tourbillion comes studded with as many as 142 carats worth of baguette diamonds, which covers the case, dial, and bracelet.  A total of 637 baguette diamonds along with one rose cut diamond on the crown dress up this masterpiece.  More than 13,000 hours were needed to cut the stones (with 45 gemcutters working non-stop for 1 month), which then took 2,000 hours to set.  The watch comes with a caliber HUB 6003 manually wound tourbillon movement with off-centered time display.

2011
04/04
CATEGORY
Tech
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Sara Underwood.


The ever so lovely Sara Underwood was born in Portland, Oregon. Her first job was assisting in sales of heavy construction equipment. She worked in the Beaverton, Oregon branch of the Hooters chain of restaurants.  When Underwood first appeared in Playboy magazine, in its The Girls of the Pac 10 pictorial in the October 2005 issue, she was also featured on the cover, holding a football and clad only in a body painted imitation of an Oregon State Beavers football jersey and matching bikini briefs. She next appeared in the magazine in July 2006, as the Playmate of the Month and won it again in 2007, (although she herself said, “I didn’t think I was pretty enough”). In March 2008, Playboy magazine ranked her at #25 on their “25 Hottest Playboy Celebrities” list.  Sara is credited with discovering Ida Ljungqvist while shopping on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California. Ljungqvist featured as Miss March 2008 and went on to become Playmate of the Year 2009.  She was also a childhood friend and schoolmate of American football player Derek Anderson, but since the first time I saw her on G4′s “Attack of the Show” I was hooked.

2011
04/03
CATEGORY
Women
1 comment

Mario Disected.


Artist Jason Freeny appears to have studied his plumber physiology well, and has cut open Mario for us to see all his bones and internal organs. I was assuming that we might see some 1-up mushrooms making their way through his lower intestine, but no such luck. He’s also not 100% anatomically-correct, if you know what I mean – unless Mario is a Eunuch.  You probably don’t want to show this one to your kids unless you want them to have nightmares for a really long time.

2011
04/03
CATEGORY
Art
Design
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Nicki Minaj – Tragedy. (Lil Kim Diss)


Click the pic to hear the track.

The beef between Nicki Minaj and Lil Kim is nothing new, and it’s toned down since the realization that Nicki never fired back at Lil Kim.  But Minaj recently dropped the 1 minute track titled “Tragedy” in what seems like a response to Kim’s multiple dis tracks.  Those are the facts, but in my personal opinion, Minaj’s 1 minute destroyed all of Kim’s previous attempts.  At one point, Minaj spits the lyrics “First name Ann, last name RAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaGEDY” and the delivery alone was enough to have my boys and I cracking up.  Click the pic to hear Nicki’s alleged response.

2011
04/03
CATEGORY
Entertainment
Music
1 comment

Christopher Nolan-ography.


Director Chris Nolan will probably go down in history for directing “Dark Knight”, but I found out recently that some people are still unfamiliar with his other work.  After digging for a few samples I came across a brilliantly edited video.  Check the method.

2011
04/03
CATEGORY
Entertainment
Movies
1 comment
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