thoughts

Uniqlo Mixplay!

Posted by _tango! on June 24, 2007
Posted in: brand, design, entertainment, experience, fun, information, materials, style, tech, thoughts. 4 comments

uniqlo japan mixplay

WOW! Uniqlo Japan has a stunning video for their lineup of color parkas and a pretty sweet mixplay website to to browse through.

Watch their awesome mixplay video (have sound on)(gets really nice after 2:00) of 4 dancers bustin out some sweet robotica moves, mixed along with matrix-like slow motion moves, mashed up with great beats, locks, and freezes. Some may think the films been edited, but my guess is it’s real time and purely mad skillz! They held a live version during the holidays in one of their stores in Japan and someone made a remix of their original with a more upbeat tempo here.

I’ll post all 3 videos after the jump. (Have your sound on)

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Worldwide Gasoline prices

Posted by _tango! on June 23, 2007
Posted in: information, me, thoughts. 11 comments

worldwide gasoline prices

If you’ve been yelling at your local gas pump prices, give a glimpse to this visual map of worldwide prices, though I’m not sure how up to date it is since it marks NY at $2.76. (last I checked it was around $4 near the city at least) I’m in Boston and prices are a bit under $3. Luckily I’m not suffering the crazy prices in London ($6.65) or Hong Kong ($6.30). Perhaps I’ll await my Prius, or hopes for a hybrid Nissan Cube 😉 (the Cube finally comes out to the US in 2008)

via jeans blog.
Click on Image to zoom in.

What you don’t know about sushi!

Posted by _tango! on June 22, 2007
Posted in: experience, food, ideas, information, me, thoughts. 4 comments
sushi sashimi facts

I’d consider myself a knowledgeable sushi addict-fanatic, but I was caught by surprise to learn– “good sushi are made from fish which is at least a few days old.” Woa, really? I’m one to rarely eat at sushi buffets or $1 sushi places open on Mondays, but I guess it’s a bit like a good aged steak, a bottle of aired wine, or the secret to really good Asian fried rice (it’s gotta be a day old).

If your a sushi fan curious to learn more about the wonderful world of sushi, give this article a glance or listen to a great interview(54 mins) with author (The Zen of Fish: The Story of Sushi, from Samurai to Supermarket) and foodie Trevor Corson.

Article after the jump.
Audio Interview here.
WiseBread Article via spluch
Picture above: sushi I ate in Portland ME.

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Microsoft Multi-Touch Laptop

Posted by _tango! on June 21, 2007
Posted in: art, brand, design, entertainment, experience, fun, ideas, information, inspiration, materials, me, style, tech, thoughts, wacky. Leave a Comment

First came Jef Hans Multi-Touch screen a few years back, then came the over-marketed super hyped iPhone, followed by Jef’s bigger brother wall, then Microsoft launches a huge table sized Surface Computing idea, followed along with a hilarious parody of their surface table, and now this early developmental video of a multi-touch laptop which also has the same IR sensor as the super fun Nintendo Wii, that you can make at home. I wonder whats next.

I’m not a huge fan of touch sensors/screens when it comes to function…for the cool factor, yes I like it, and for the community multi-user reasons I love it, but when it comes down to one person using a touchscreen via a capacitor (the electronic component that detects touch) I’ve never fell in love with it. First off, if you have ever used a touch screen before on a remote or even on a laptop to turn up/down the volume, you’ll know instantly that there is no user feedback which us humans need. We can live without it, but it just isn’t as good, though there are some developments into piezo-electronic screens that vibrate once your finger does something.(The Wii vibrates when you hover over objects which is nice in the remote) Then there’s GelForce,a must watch (video demo) which is pretty fascinating technology because of the simple implementation and the scalability.(It’s incredible to play with)

I’ll post all the videos of each technology after the jump.
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Kiva.org

Posted by _tango! on June 21, 2007
Posted in: brand, ideas, information, inspiration, tech, thoughts. 2 comments
kiva kiva.org

“Kiva lets you connect with and loan money to unique small businesses in the developing world. By choosing a business on Kiva.org, you can “sponsor a business” and help the world’s working poor make great strides towards economic independence. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates from the business you’ve sponsored. As loans are repaid, you get your loan money back.”

I’m not one to usually seek into these money gathering foundations but I have a few friends who can’t stop talking about how successful, exciting, professional, and rewarding Kiva is. Having the friends approval, a great NewYorkTimes video review, many other press reviews, and over 70,000 people loaning over 7 million dollars so far, I think I’m sparked to make some needed loans.(as little as $25) The money may not be an investment for more money, but the reward is more than money could buy.

Learn more about Kiva.org, browse through their business listings, check out their blog, and join the club.

Sao Paulo: City Without Ads

Posted by _tango! on June 19, 2007
Posted in: art, brand, design, experience, ideas, information, inspiration, style, tech, thoughts. 16 comments
sao paulo brazil adfree city

What happens when a mayor decides to ban advertisements in a vibrant city of 11 million people with more than 8,000 billboards? Impossible, insane, absurd, or just plain genius? Well this is what happened this past January when mayor Gilberto Kassabs “Clean City” law was introduced in Sao Paulo Brazil banning any form of advertising throughout the city to rid of “visual clutter”. (reminds me of the “advertising is graffiti” stunt, or my dislike for posters in Milan)

I’ve always wondered what an ad-free environment would be like, how a persons behavior would change, or what a city’s culture and personality would become. I’m not sure how long this law will last, but for a huge city, its a definite moment to figure out the overall affects of ads in our spaces for the good or worse. The results have been surprisingly uplifting, peaceful, educational, and positive. As much as I hate and love the art of advertising, I must admit I can’t live without it, but then again, I’ve never lived in such an environment.

Read two articles by BusinessWeek and NPR(with a MP3 interview) then skip on over to photographer Tony de Marcos Flickr set of the changing cityscape, with insightful comments here.

I’ll post the articles with the MP3 interview and some pictures after the jump.

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Michael Moore: Sicko Documentry

Posted by _tango! on June 18, 2007
Posted in: entertainment, experience, information, inspiration, me, thoughts. 2 comments
Sicko documentry michael moore

“SiCKO is a documentary film by Michael Moore, scheduled for release on June 29, 2007. It investigates the American health care system with a focus on the behavior of large health insurance companies and contrasts the U.S. system with those of other countries with universal health care coverage.”
via wikipedia

I’m not one to promote nor be against films by Michael Moore, but I do admire his messages though many individuals may find his messages factually lopsided. Even though this film is scheduled for release later this month, you can view it online though the links keep jumping around and closing. I watched it on Google video here, but now it’s here (watch it today or it’ll jump). Outer-Court seems to keep the listing up to date.(it keeps jumping)(new links below)It’s also up for downloading on various p2p sites. If you can’t track the film online, give a look at the previews.

Quick thoughts: It’s very good, compelling, moving, and provoking along with the witty comments which Moore is known for. Much like the Climate Crisis in Inconvenient Truth, it makes you wonder, mad, angry, and question. I’ve somewhat known about this unfair health care system in the states, but I’ve never thought about it much until watching this film. It makes me want to move out of this country, move to Canada, or just sit here and complain about this issue as much as the Climate Crisis has made me change for the good. Give it a watch online if you can, otherwise, there are plenty of reviews and user reactions online if you dig around.

update: try these:
part 1 http://www.veoh.com/static/flash/player … ;version=4
part 2 http://www.veoh.com/static/flash/player … ;version=4
part 3 http://www.veoh.com/static/flash/player … ;version=4
part 4 http://www.veoh.com/static/flash/player … ;version=4

update: Michael Moore himself has posted a video on YouTube asking for users to post their own stories about health care issues, problems, stories here…Read the responses and watch the video responses.

Drivers of Change cards

Posted by _tango! on June 13, 2007
Posted in: brand, design, experience, fun, ideas, information, inspiration, materials, me, tech, thoughts. 3 comments
drivers of change book cards

“What will our world be like in 2050? This set of cards identifies some of the leading drivers of change that affect our future.

Each card depicts a single driver. A factoid and rhetorical question are on one face, backed up by a brief indication of the breadth and depth of the content on the other face. The set was devised by the Foresight & Innovation team at Arup, a group tasked with exploring emerging trends and how they impact upon business of Arup and its clients. The publication serves not only as a vibrant visual record of research, but also as a tool for discussion groups, personal prompts, for workshop events or as a ‘thought for the week’.”

I’ve had these cards for a few months (thanks TED) and they rock! Very inspirational, educational, great coffee table item, easy to read, and an amazing conversation starter for big topics in technology, our environment, economics, political culture, and social awareness in a globally changing sustainable future.

Drivers of Change website.
Drivers of Change Blog
Buy Cards here.

Replate.org: Recycle your food

Posted by _tango! on June 11, 2007
Posted in: brand, food, green, ideas, information, inspiration, materials, thoughts. 6 comments
replate.org

Are you the type that never finishes a meal on the go ends up trashing it? Are you also the type that sees people in need of food on the streets asking for pocket change or food? We’ll Replate.org’s hope is to fix both these problems by bringing awareness of wasting less and helping more. If you have unwanted leftovers on the go, leave it on top of a nearby trashcan rather than in one so it doesn’t go to waste. I know this might seem odd at first, but I’ve countlessly seen people dig through trashcans seeking good edible food. It’s somewhat disheartening, but treat it like recycling… It’s still usable so help someone out by letting them know. Reduce, reuse, recycle.

I’ve always wondered about grocery stores, fast food joints, restaurants, etc throwing away perfectly good food(I see it alllll the time at grocery stores). I forget where, but I once read/heard that all the food thrown away in the states would be enough food for the 3rd world countries in need. For a brief video on this topic have a look at Current.tv‘s video on Freeganism. Here are a few other organizations surrounding this topic: Freegan.info and FoodNotBombs.net.
(thanks axel)

Tunnel House

Posted by _tango! on June 11, 2007
Posted in: art, ideas, inspiration, materials, style, thoughts, wacky. 151 comments
tunnel inversion house

Isn’t it great how creativity kicks in when times running out. Take for example this incredible and beautiful installation by artists Dan Havel and Dean Ruck a few months before this house was to be demolished…. I’m guessing they saw any opportunity to do something freaking crazy cool to a space that was going to be destroyed and turned this old house into a trippy wooden warp zone! More pics after the jump.(including whats at the end of the tunnel)
via hemmy
A few pics via Kevin Omara
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Creative Workspaces

Posted by _tango! on June 10, 2007
Posted in: art, brand, design, experience, fun, ideas, inspiration, me, style, thoughts. 5 comments

my.studio.space
NowNow.com.au has a great post “desktop-desktop” documenting an ongoing series of desktops both physical and digital of creatives around the world. The collection includes French Designer Jean Sebastian from the playful design team Atypyk, guru graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister, and several others. After scanning through this series I felt inclined to snap a shot of my current studio space pictured above, though it changes constantly.(after the jump: close-up of my toys and desktop screen)

Otherwise, I’ve always questioned the impact of creative workspaces; minimal, cluttered, comfy, colorful, industrial, modern, goofy, cubicles, etc. I have my own preferences, but for a diverse visual list check out “10 seeeeeriously cool workplaces” from the Chief of Happiness. Also take a look at Guy Kawasakis recent trip photos to Threadless.com and their kick-butt space! If you have a nifty workspace ya’ll want to share, take a picture, send it my way, and if I get enough, I’ll post them here.
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