WELCOME TO MIA MORETTI'S AND MARKUS MOLINARI'S FUN HOUSE
If you didn't read your LA Times party guide section, or didn't receive one of the hundreds of invites that Mia and I sent out, then you may not have known about the party to be at for Halloween. Although you could have been stuck in a taxi for an hour and a half like fellow heroes Shannon and Andrew. Or maybe you just couldn't get to our party. Not to fret, we had an amazing time, and we had enough friends to pack the place and get freaky. SBar was a hit!
AIG, which received over $120 billion as bailout, was under fire for hosting a $400,000 retreat at the St. Regis in late September and has gone and shoved its ass right in our faces again. After saying how sorry they were for spending so much AND after consider using more of that bailout money to take out "ads" explaining their point of view, they are still hosting another event; an "educational" retreat for about 200 at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, CA. Taxpayers paid for that so I'm expecting my invite soon. Click on the title for more.
OUR man Robert Pattinson and his "Twilight" boys will be in a spread for VMAN's next issue, out October 21st. They can all bite my neck. At the same time. Hehe.
As we have brought up before friends, it is so important to vote and get your opinion heard. Time is running out to register and in some states the voter registration deadline could have already passed. Remember, you can't vote unless you've registered so check out the links below for info on how to do it.
For Californians, go here to download or print out the form to register: http://www.sos.ca.gov/nvrc/fedform/Default.aspx
For everyone else in the United States, go to this link, enter your address, and you will be provided links to your states registration website : http://maps.google.com/vote
And for our worldwide readers, please encourage anyone you know who can vote in the US to do so because it can affect all of us.
THE SARAH PALIN CHRONICLES: FUN TIMES WITH AN ALASKAN GOVERNOR, REPUBLICAN VP NOMINEE, AND MOTHER; BELIEFS, THOUGHTS, AND MUSINGS
by pierre baltadano
I knowwe've posted several of Sarah Palin's interviews and clips of Tina Fey as Sarah Palin, but she is just too good. Can't wait for the VP debate tonight on CNN. The following clips will be several, but they will offer insight into the deep, cavernous, and insightful mind of this woman. I give you, The Sarah Palin Chronicles: Fun Times With an Alaskan Governor, Republican Vice Presidential Nominee, and Mother; Beliefs, Thoughts, and Musings
On Babies, Baby Killers, and Baby Killings Prompted by Rape
On Shoring Up the Economy, This Globalization That We are a Part of In This World, and On Healthcare Reform and, Oh, On Job Creation and Shoring Up the Economy
On "The Maverick," Examples of His Legislation, and On The Diligent Research Skills She'll Use to Bring Katie Couric More Info
On Her Belief That Individual States Can Best Handle What the People Within the Different Constituancies Within the Fifty States Would Like to See Their Will Ushered In In an Issue Like That, Mmm, and On How She Could Go Through the History of America to Find a Supreme Court Ruling to Take Issue With
On Comments That, "I don't know, you know, reporters," Mocked, Russian Trade Missions Back and Forth, and On Making Sure That an Eye is Being Kept on Russia as Putin Rears His Head
Paul Newman, the Academy Award-winning actor and legend with those bright blue eyes, heart of gold, and foods that help others, has passed away after a battle with cancer at his home in Westport, Connecticut. Rest in peace Paul Newman.
This is me being reunited with Katy Perry's cat Kitty Purry. I mean "OUR" cat. When Katy or I leave town we have fellow Hero Pierre Baltadano take car of Kitty or Bella. Only thing is that as of late, Kitty seems to have a permanent residence with Pierre and only supervised visits with Katy. Sorry Katy.
As I was leaving for the Blender party, this "informative" commercial, paid for by those corn peeps, literally stopped me in my tracks. Those mother f'ers full on put out this crap. Lies as big as those obese children drinking all those cheap drinks. Yes, I'm pouring on the Hate-orade. And yes, Gatorade also has HFCS.
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE FOR, WELL, FOR JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE
I want my own label! Justin Timberlake was shot for his clothing label William Rast. It's a pretty smart move for his label cause 'lil child can just advance its image himself. For free too! Oh, and he's looking alright don't ya think?
Did anyone catch NBC's Bob Costas' interview with President Bush? During the Olympics?! I thought it was amazing and what was good is that I felt that it wasn't trying to push Bush into a corner or asking him questions to create headlines. I felt that Costas was just asking out of pure journalistic intrigue and pursuit for justification and clarification for the rhetoric created by the current Administration. Sorry if politics feels a little off but it was a gem for me to find this while leisurely watching the Beijing Games.
Now, the vids keep getting removed from YouTube so it's been tough getting one to stick, (hmm), but above is one that I've seen sticking the longest.
BREAKING NEWS: TILA HAS "TERRETS"... AND IN OTHER NEWS, SHE IS ALSO A JACKASS
by pierre baltadano
I think Tila was educated by Tyrone Biggums (see vid below) cause pour 'lil girl has gone and announced that her new album will be called I Have Terrets. She recently hit up her MySpace and announced that she would be releasing this gem of an album to help us "hot bitches get up...shake [our] asses and pop that booty!!!!," which I am all about. It helps the blood flow. Thanks Tila! Oh, and I think she MEANT to say Tourette's.
Ain't this some shit. So our good friend and awesome DJ Mia Morretti (aka DJ Group E) was minding her own damn business while walking down the streets of NY when out of nowhere, this brick/rock thing knocks her in the middle of her head mid-text. She's bleeding of course but manages to walk over to her friend's bar to get cleaned up. They called the paramedics but crazy-wonderful girl that Mia is, she refuses to go so she walks home after they clean it up! Well, while taking a second look in the mirror, she decides that the scarring would be pretty crazy so she ends up WALKING to the hospital to get it looked at. Well, THREE staples later and with no pain meds, the girl is iChating with me and telling me all about it. The whole thing is straight out of a movie. Hero that girl is. Hero.
That Christian Bale is a busy boy. First up is The Dark Night which hits theatres this week, which I will most definitely catch in IMAX style, followed by the Terminator Salvation in Summer 2009 and two other films by the end of 2009. Check out the teaser trailer for Terminator Salvation featuring Bale as John Connorhere.
Ever since I heard about this video I've been curious about how it would look. Radiohead, ever the innovators, chose to create this music camera-free "video" using lasers and manipulatable data. Yes, YOU can manipulate it! (I don't want to kill it but it's pretty simple). Check the vid below and manipulate here.
So I've been catching these video blogs called Pot Psychology put on by Tracie Egan, a.k.a. Slut Machine, at that great clap-havin' blog Jezebel. I started tuning in around the second or third episode in mid-December-ish and I have loved her and her friend Rich's great advice on viewer questions such as: "My Roomate is Bulimic. What Should I Do?" and, "Does the Horrific Taste of Vagina Become Less Vomitous as I Get Used to Oral?" and, "I Have 3 Tiny Bumps the Size of a Pinhead in a Row at the Base of My Dick. What Are These?: P.S. Is It Bad/Weird to Hookup With People You Meet on the Internet for Sex?" They are heroes.
Why did I feel like I just watched a Mariah Carey music video? Anyways, I've always wondered what it was like to swim like a dolphin, and now I can experience it. Yesss.
I'm in my home town of Santa Barbara for a bit and it's been a crazy homecoming. Santa Barbara, along with other counties in California, is fighting a major fire that is only minimally contained, 5% last I checked. Wednesday and Thursday nights were met with power outages in the northern regions, while at least 1,000 evacuations have taken place. I have had friends lose their homes in past fires and this one is just as unnerving. The Governor has issued a State of Emergency and the Gap Fire has become the priority fire danger in the state. Let's hope for the best resolution.
Kobe Bryant arrived at UNDFTD's Santa Monica location in a DeLorean for the release of Nike's Back to the Future inspired Hyperdunks. The first 10 people in line got to meet the Kobe and get an autograph. Some of those crazies actually waited more than 24 hours. It's a sweet shoe but I'd rather not wait in line and since some have already showed up on ebay for $2,000.00, I'm pretty much SOL (unless some angel out there wants to get me a pair in size 9.5). Here are more pics.
i previously posted a video of a presentation for yves saint laurent. here is a new video released that was presented for the YSL Spring/Summer 09 collection at Paris men's fashion and featuring actor jack huston. like the last YSL vid, this is a different approach to presenting a line. check it.
Where they ever gone? I remember these and those Reebok Pumps and the L.A. Gear shoes. Wow, that goes way back. And those commercials! BK the shoes that are hot the shoes that are wow.
Comcast has been busy putting all those cable company monopoly monies to amazing use. Check out their new beyond-HD that is made up of 10-million pixels and cost the $22 million to produce from design through installation. It was built by a company called Barco for Comcast's new Philadelphia headquarters. I would love to play some video games on that bad boy (minus the ridiculous gaps created by the doorways) and it would make an insane computer monitor. So who will be the next contender in this piss contest?
So I write about Katy Perry and well it has been a Katy P packed week. It started off with stylist Johnny Wujek and I teaming up again to style Katy Perry's record release party. That meant styling Katy, Perez Hilton, four band members, two models, Katy's super assistant and friend Susanna Sansone, Pierre Baltadano, and Andrew Garfield. So you can say we had our hands full. For Katy we had three changes: Arrival, Performance, and after party. Her arrival we did a Mermaid-esque gypsy look with a pink, sequined costume top and a tight green high wasted skirt by Elsie Katz paired with green, sequined shoes by Mui Mui. For Perez Hilton, we did a Harold Zedler ring master inspration. We filmed Perez's fitting for Myspace Fashion's The Fit so look out for that. Katy 2nd look was an ice cream dress by Jeremy Scott. Pink shoes by converse.
Katy's 3rd and final look was a yellow music note dress by Jeremy Scott and black and white bleeding shoes by Sergio Rossi
I was a Giant tomato, was meant to be a cherry, looked more like an apple. Shoes by Supra... You're welcome!
GINA is a concept vehicle from BMW that is so peculiar to me and amazing because it takes a different look at adaptability and modularity through the use of shape-shifting fabric. Instead of using traditional materials like steel, aluminium, or the rarer materials of carbon fiber, BMW created GINA, an acronym for Geometry and functions In 'N' Adaptions (the N standing for infinite) with a lycra fabric skin coated with polyurethane. This skin is supported by a moveable metal frame that gives the driver power to change their cars shape based on driving needs. For instance, if you want more high-speed stability the car could widen and grow a larger spoiler. Even the interior can move to allow for the occupants to get in and out easily. Of course, this car is almost impossible to build for today's world but I like where BMW is going with this concept. Whatever people may say about their new design languages (I really like them), BMW always seems to be innovating and thinking unconventionally. With GINA, BMW has taken something as wild as a concept and taken it further and I love it. But the name...could they have picked a name that doesn't sound like vaGINA? Cause that is what some kids call that body part?
Also slated to come out in July will be the Blackberry 9000, or the Bold. The Blackberry Bold will be sold exclusively by AT&T for a few months and will most prominently feature 3G and a new User Interface (UI). As I blogged about in March, this Blackberry is the first phone that's made me wanna ditch my iPhone because the exterior is pretty slick and the UI looks fresh.
BLACKBERRY THUNDER 9500
For the Verizon kids, Blackberry maker RIM, should be announcing the yet to be named Blackberry 9500, though the name Thunder is going around. This device is slated to be released in the 3 Quarter of the year and will feature a touchscreen. I know touchscreens look slick but I heard that Blackberry wasn't into making them because physical keys made better sense to them, so it's an interesting about face.
I NEVER EVEN NEW MOST OF THESE PEOPLE WERE VEGS...
by Pierre Baltadano
PETA is holding their "Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity of the Year" contest and the list includes many celebrities that I, for some reason, never imagined were vegetarians (the RZA and the GZA?!)...but wow that Natalie Portman is a beautiful one isn't she?
I don't know how I missed this Maxim cover of Elisha Cuthbert for the May 2008 issue . Ok, I admit I'm not a huge Maxim fan, but after Pierre and I went to the Maxim Hot 100 party in Los Angeles at Paramount Studios, I noticed this cover on a table. I was blown away. I couldn't stop looking at it. I was giving you full on perv right in the middle of a fake New York street. She looks amazing. Super sexy without the super trashy. Maxim you have made Markus Is The Drug a Fan. You're Welcome.
I've always loved the original French version of this song called Ne Me Quitte Pas, by Jacques Brel, but I had never listened to Shirley Bassey sing it in English. She gets into it.
...you'll never find me there! Engadget.com reports that some fellow Apple fanboys have already started lining up for the new iPhone. This phone hasn't even been announced! Some people apparently don't even know what they are camping out for! Ima just gonna pre-order my as soon as it's announced. C'est simple!
SNL ran a digital short this weekend that takes us into the origins of The Office. I laughed quite a bit, but one thing, was it, as Ricky Gervais said, slightly racist? Oh, and I don't know Japanese so that title up there could totally be off.
A NERD IS GONNA KILL A BITCH ANT IF THIS DON'T STOP
by Pierre Baltadano
So over in Texas they are apparently having a problem with crazy raspberry ants (pretty scientific name right?). These species of ants are thought to have come through the port from the Southeast or the Caribbean, cause that's where their cousins, the crazy ants, come from. They apparently spread like crazy, move around in chaos, and are attracted to electronics. The guys have even taken down some sewage pumping stations, computers, gas meters, and caused fire alarm malfunctions. They have even been spotted near NASA's Johnson Space Center. These guys are trying to invade space! Space! For more click on the link below.
The international star has created a series with Sundance, which can be seen on Funny or Die, called Green Porno w/ Isabella Rossellini. She plays an earthworm, dragonfly, bee, and other insects. I loved her as Jack Donaghy's wife/ex Bianca on NBC's 30 Rock, but this is genius. Check 'em out...it's absolutely some crazy, funny, elementary school instructional vids on crack. Is bug sex NSFW?
I was checking one of my favorite gadget blogs today when I ran across this post titled, "The Most Horrifying Playstation 3 Ad Ever Makes Me Loyal to the X Box 360 for Life (NSFW)." It's a big red "Do Not Push" button right? So here is the ad...(click on it for larger pic)
...oh and I guess it's not safe for work (NSFW), even though it is only all implied.
So I've hear of this disorder called Vagina Dentata but I don't know if it is just an urban legend. A friend sent me this clip and I am still not sure if it is real. What do you guys think? Oh and watch for a classic line starting around the 4:39 mark. Dentist?! Really?!
ESPN has this report of a real fight club that supposedly existed a little before the movie came out. You see, the weird thing is that it is in based in some IT guy's garage. It's nerds meeting once a month. Using vacuums, keyboards, handbags, and Martha Stewart Living. Hwha! I wasn't sure if it was a real report. Is it?
Current TV's Producer/ Host Max & Jason have posted a new blog that I found after stalking my friends myspace pages. This isn't just any old blog having to do with the daily struggles of dealing with your period or a blog about what Shana Moakler thinks of Perez Hilton. No No this is actually something that matters to all of us.
Pangea Day Blog
In a world where people are often divided by borders, difference, and conflict, it's easy to lose sight of what we all have in common. Pangea Day seeks to overcome that – to help people see themselves in others – through the power of film.
Starting at 18:00 GMT on Saturday, May 10, 2008, locations in Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro will be linked for a live program of powerful films, live music, and visionary speakers. The entire program will be broadcast – in seven languages – to millions of people worldwide through the internet, television, and mobile phones.
Max Lugavere and Jason Silva are hosting Pangea Day LIVE from Los Angeles, to be broadcast throughout the world. In the United States, you can tune in to watch via Current TV.
Current TV is available on:
DirecTV - 366
Dish - 196
Time Warner LA - 142
Time Warner NY - 103
Comcast - 107
For channel numbers on cable and satellite systems throughout the world, including all of Africa, Asia, South America, Australia, and Europe, check the official Pangea Day website.
WATCH THE TRAILER:
and below is another video, which debuted at this years annual TED Talks conference:
BABY TIGERS RICH...BABY TIGERS AND LIFETIME BIG GULPS RICH
by Pierre Baltadano
So check this out...over on Forbes.com there's a story from April 30, 2008 about the fifth richest man in the world, India-born Mukesh Ambani, building a $2 BILLION home. HWHAT! This home will be a 27-story skyscraper in downtown Mumbai and it will be called Antilla. It all started in 2005 when Ambani's wife Nita was visiting the spa at the Mandarin Oriental in New York and she was stricken by the Asian-inspired interiors. She tracked down the designers,Perkings +Will and Hirsch Bedner Associates, and went to the bank, her husband of course, to have it done. Unlike a hotel or other high rise, this one will differ from floor to floor and that is why it will end up costing so much. There are more details in the story but let's just say that when I was building my billion dollar home, I made sure that I had a whole floor for baby tigers, another for a 7-11, and I was convinced by K-Fed to build a nightclub for pit-bulls on a seperate floor. Oh wait, that was Britney Spears.
This one totally flew under my nose. The Today Show's Ann Curry aired a clip about an online game that's all the rage in Europe. It's called Miss Bimbo and it is a Barbie Doll meets paper doll meets Tamogachi thing where people can raise a Paris Hilton of their own. Little eight year-old children are apparently getting in on it too. All I know is that after watching this alarming report, I want to make my own Miss Bimbo. I have hopes that when I do, she will be loved, taken care of, and sent to university just like all good little bimbos should.
The tackiest Hollywood night club/restaurant Basque was set, I mean caught, on fire. Firefighters were called to Hollywood and Vine at about 5:30AM. The black cloud of smoke could be seen for miles, and in Hollywood that required eight helicopters to capture what, Pierre thinks, was just the city sanitizing the club from all the slutty vaginer lice and the dirty old man pube mice. Just kidding I went there every Tuesday day, just kidding it was everyday, just kidding they wouldn't let me in, just kidding they said I could come whenever I wanted. Just kidding .
GQ ASKED THE BIG QUESTION... WHY ARE WE AFARID OF A NAKED MAN
GQ Style Magazine has put out The Naked issue and right in time for summer. Just kidding. But seriously, this does get me inspired to hit the gym a little harder... hehe I said harder. No this really is a great article. Addressing why men have such a huge problem with other naked men? Why can women complement each other's bodies all day long? They can say things like, "You have such nice breasts," "She has a great ass. I love her body," and nobody bats and eye or passes judgment. Why cant men admire other men's physiques with out it being sexual? Why is acknowledging another man's body so gay? It's a great issue for both men and women. I really recommend taking a look. Don't worry, your not "GAY" if you do.
What is in the air? Today my roommate got her purse jacked downtown. I know when I was held at gun point your mind suddenly gets very clear. Then my instinct kicked in and said folks are desperate and jacking shit all over town. So I suggest keeping a shiv (aka knife) very close to you, maybe tucked in a sock, or stashed in the yard, or, even better, you can go to the military and have them turn you into a bionic defense system.
I'm sure I am a bit late on this but in looking through the intaweb I came across a video runway show created by Yves Saint Laurent Creative Director Stefano Pilati featuring actor Simon Woods. I quite like this. Yeah it's not a live runway show but I like how you can see moving details of the clothing. Thoughts?
JULIAN MOORE AND MICHAEL PHELPS JUST WANNA BE WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE...
by Pierre Baltadano
Actress Julianne Moore and swimmer Michael Phelps took part in the latest photo campaign for Disneyland's "Year of a Million Dreams." For this new phase of the "Disney Dream Portrait Series," Annie Liebovitz shot Julianne Moore as The Little Mermaid's Ariel and Michael Phelps portraying one of her merman slaves or something. The rest of the merpeople (is that a word?) were portrayed by other stars of the swimming world. I'll tell you, it is bizzare seeing humans as merpeeps with scales and tails. Check out the press release with video at the link below.
"AND WHEN A HERO COMES ALONG, WITH THE STRENGTH TO CARRY ON"...
This kid is truly a hero...Maybe Mariah Carey's but mine, not so much. I take it back. If my child got inside this claw-toy-killer thing I'd enroll him in training at the Magic Castle or something.
We should always practice safe sex but for most guys, including myself, HPV was something that we thought wouldn't really affect us. Well according to new research, HPV-related oral cancers are on the rise amongst men under 40. Oral cancers are more common in older men who have had a long history of smoking or drinking so this is pretty crazy. I've heard that about 50% of sexually active men and women contract HPV at some point of their lives, 10% get more permanent strains of the disease, so those are some crazy odds. So be careful. (I'm such a Debbie downer).
I normally don't post on shit like this but I just had to. Heidi Montag apparently had a "fashion show" for her new lineHeidiwood for Anchor Blue (has a ring to it don't you think?). Heidi displayed great vintage 1990's midwest Junior High wear that speaks to the double-wide fashionista in everybody. I remember reading an article where Heidi says Lauren Conrad's line was too expensive and that she had more cred than Lauren. "When we were in school, I was the designer, and she was in, like, product development," said the budding fashion designer Ms. Montag. I've seen Lauren Conrad's line and I'll say that although it's uninspired, it's okay and very wearable. Now, if my sister wore this Heidicouldnot for Anchor Blue stuff, I'd ask her how much Oscar the Grouch pays out his girls for pulling tricks on trailer park lane. I'd say Montag's half a term studying Fashion Design is totally reflecting.
Above is what some saw....but here is what I saw...
KATY PERRY BACKSTAGE ON LAST CALL WITH CARSON DALY
by Pierre Baltadano
Sadly, I missed the taping of my homegirl Katy Perry singing "UR So Gay" on Last Call with Carson Daly (I caught it on the TiVo though!) but here she is in a backstage interview.
Been catching up on The Riches over the weekend and enjoying it a bunch. Here is a clip of the wonderful Shannon Woodward singing to the bitches. Catch more of The RichesTuesdays at 10 on FX or catch up on hulu.com
Bush's War is a two-part series is probably gonna get PBS's funding cut some more but they have done something remarkable by not only putting together a documentary on the beginnings of the Iraq war and in posting it online, they have also given access to excerpts that were cut for time by including. That's around 400 hrs of free footage that the people have access to. Doing this is also so much more engaging for those that want to go more in-depth into a documentary that already promises to give unprecedented inquiry and coverage to such a sensitive subject. Thanks PBS and Frontline. That's that for the politics. Oh, and here's hoping I don't get followed for life for posting this.
Oh shit it's on! Rapper 'Lil Jon has come out with his own wine label. "It kind of came out of nowhere," Lil Jon told The Associated Press of his new venture, Little Jonathan Winery. "We were just going to do some private label stuff (for parties) and we did it, and people was like, `Hey, it's pretty nice.'" Then I were like, "Hey, this is some funny shit." He continues, "My full name is Jonathan. The wine is more nature: I wanted to not just have a direct connection, but make it just a little bit more upscale than regular 'Lil Jon.' ... This is not no ghetto Boone's Farm; this is some real wine." This ain't no lie people and I isn't lying, 'Lil Jon has come up with some wine. Think I can get some of this at Costco?
THE LA GALAXY TAKES OUT THE SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES...
by Pierre Baltadano
After a humiliating start to their season losing 4 nil to Colorado (thanks new keeper Cronin for saving none of those), the Galaxy came back in their home opener by beating the San Jose Earthquakes, which had Galaxy goalkeeper Joe Cannon and coach Frank Yallop. The 2-0 victory was also great because we saw David Beckham and Landon Donovan starting to play off of each other in a significant way, each having an assist on each other's goals. I am glad that this is the first game that I attended because it would have killed to have seen the last one in person. Oh and I don't know if I, like most sites, would consider this David Beckham's first MLS goal. You see, during Beckham's second game back in August, I saw him score a goal for the Galaxy in the Superliga but I think it's not being counted because it wasn't a REGULAR season game. Whatevs. Also in attendance was Beckhams lady friend Victoria and the LA Laker's Kobe Bryant (MVP!).
Here's the vid of David Beckham's FIRST goal playing for the Galaxy.
MADONNA IS SAVING THE WORLD...ONE KID AT A TIME...
According to Reuters, Madonna has received the blessing of the Malawian government for the complete and legal adoption of David Banda with the courts now left to give the final go ahead. She is on her way to saving the world one child at a time...now she has less than 4 Minutes to save the world. What will she do-oo? Lemme get JT on the phone to see what the plan is.
Sherri Shepherd, The View co-host and Mrs. Tracy Jordan on NBC's 30 Rock, on the Tonight Show With Jay Leno discusses her "Lose 30 lbs. or Lose a Leg Diet," comes onto Becks, dishes on her relationship with Barack Obama, and on being confused for a hooker. Check it out y'all.
I was cruising some stuff on NPR.org today and came across this story. A guy gets mugged, then gives his coat to the mugger, then asks him to dinner. He says, "I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world." Hmm. When Markus and I were involved in the mugging, I don't think a thought like this would have crossed my mind.
Below are some vids of a concept for luxury electronics company Bang & Olufsen. It's a remote control that was designed by student Joris Van Gelder and it was centered around the idea of creating a remote for use in kitchens, where minimal touching is ideal to prevent the spread of bacteria. As you'll see in the vids, the remote responds to finger gestures as well as the rising and falling of the balanced remote to control features such as channel changes and volume control. The great thing about this concept is that the student pushed it further by actually creating a working mockup/prototype, making the possibility of owning one that much closer. Yess. Now can someone spot me a couple k's so I can buy this once it comes out? Thanks.
WHERE'S WHITNEY? I GOTS SOME CRACK FOR THE GURL...
by Pierre Baltadano
Ah-BobbyBrown-a! Engadget Mobile has some shots of the new BlackBerry device which is being referred to as the BlackBerry 9000 (pictured far right). AT&T is rumored to have the launch exclusivity in the US and Vodafone should have it in major European Markets. It won't have any groundbreaking tech in it but it will introduce a newer, sleeker, and sexy (?) interface and look. I'm diggin it, especially the new UI, and I think it is the only BlackBerry to plant any form of gadget lust. Hmm, I need to meet somebody. Check out the link below for more shots.
Hwhaat! This is some crazy stuff...and one of the reasons why I love architecture and design. Paris-based Serero Architects have won the open competition to redesign any of the Eiffel Tower's public areas. Serero's project plans on extending the top floor plate of the tower by raising a carbon Kevlar structure on it. The structure won't permanently modify the famous structure in expanding the usable floor area from around 900 SF to around 1,900 SF. I am intrigued by this but we'll see if I can walk on this
Besides her singing a minor tweak of Corey Heart's Sunglasses at Night that kills my soul, Hannah Montana, AKA Mylie Cyrus, has been trying to poison our children! Check it...
Child - "Mom, is that really Reginald's heart?" Mother - "Yes sweetie it is, but he would have been so happy about getting to entertain us."
That's cool that they killed the servant and all to display his gushing heart to their guests, but I once attended a party where the hosts brought in starving prisoners to have them fight in a cage until one would kill the other and finally take care of his hunger. Hmm...you're welcome? (I don't think many can pull off "You're welcome" as well as our dear Markus).
Really though, it's a piece by Billy Chasen of a beating heart [belonging to one of the men who attacked us] shown at the American Heart Association's 2008 Heart of New York Gala at the Waldorf Astoria. And I don't think it's real. Is it?
Whatever that means? I am trying to get things back to the way they were, but I don't think that's possible so we do our best to move on and keep on keeping on. To answer a few questions that I got from the car jacking blog: NO they haven't found my car yet. They did catch one of the three guys and since car jacking is a felony, Pierre and I will have to testify against him. Eek! I'm so freaked out about that. So any who thank you everyone who reached out to me and showed me so much love. It means so much to me. Love you all, muah.
THEY CAN HAVE MY CAR...BUT THEY CAN'T HAVE MY HAIR EXTENSIONS!
So it started off a pretty normal night. 1st party then 2ND party then home. 1st party was a birthday dinner for T.V's April Matson at Cafe des Artistes in Hollywood. After an amazing four hour dinner of basking in April's birthday radiance, Matt Dallas and I went to meet our friends Jonathan and Brett at the Flaunt Magazine party downtown. This is 2ND party. 2ND party was a lot of fun. Dancing, running into friends of yesteryear. After all the jubilation it was time for bed.
I made it into my garage and realized that Bella, my dog/daughter, was at my friend Pierre's house. I knew she hadn't eaten and I would have to bring her food in the morning, and mornings can be cruel so I decided to text Pierre "are you awake?" I knew he was because Pierre is a diligent student and always working on models. He's going to a famous architect. Anywho y'all, I went up, grabbed Bella's food, my bag with my laptop and drove over to his apartment in a nice area of Los Feliz. I've done this a dozen times. I found parking close to his place. Pierre came down the stairs to let me in, and as he walked towards me I realized he was looking past me so I turned my head and saw two thug looking guys walking up behind me. One guy walked past me and up to Pierre. Pierre's first instinct was to put up his hands and say "I don't have anything on me" and the thug said "You better get the fuck out of here." Pierre turned around and walked briskly past his own apartment so not to lead them there. They were both now focused on me. One of them had a gun and shoved it in my side and said "Give me all your shit, bag, car keys". Then one noticed my necklace and riped it off of my neck. Y'all it was my treasured signature vintage Italian horn. Then they took my bracelet but it was still not enough and they asked for my wallet. At that point I said "everything is in my bag" they both went for the bag, that's when I walked away. I quickly walked past Pierre's because his younger sister was in the apartment and we wanted to avoid having them find the house. I turned into an apartment parking lot and walked to the last car in the carport and hid behind it. I truly believe they didn't plan on letting me go and my instinct told me its not over yet. I was right. One of them followed me into the carport. I was shocked that managed to hold on to my phone. I dialed 911 and just like in the movies my phone didn't get reception. It had one bar but wouldn't let me dial out. At this point I had no idea where Pierre had gone. I started to text. "Just got robbed call 911 Avocado and Hillhurst, hiding" I copied and pasted because I could here one of them near so I was scared to push the phone buttons and I did set the phone on silent. I got no response. Then I got a phone call. It was my friend Char and she said, "Are you OK?" I whispered "No, can't talk, the killer is here," hung up and texted, "Call 911," not knowing if, what I now started to refer to as the "killer," was still around. Then I texted Pierre "where are you?" No response. Pierre didn't get my text but his sister did. She was confused that I texted "Where are you?" So she texted, "Is Pierre with you?" and I texted back "Call 911" She responded "What why?" I responded, "Just got robbed." She responded with, "Are you playing?" Me, "No!!! Lock the door!" Her, "It is locked. I'm going to start crying! What's going on! Me, "Did you call 911!" Her, "the cops are outside." At this point my leg started to fall asleep and I wasn't exactly sure if they were outside. Although I had heard siren's far away, they were turned off so I had thought that it was for a different distress call. I slowly got up and scooted along the wall and walked around the apartment building and slowly crept up to the front and was relived to see a female officer standing in front of Pierre's apartment. I shouted "Hey!" she turned and flashed me and said, "You the one who called the police?" I said, "yes".
I won't bore you with all the questions that came next but I did tell them my friend is still out there hiding so the the male officer went to look. I was going over what happened with his partner after about five minutes she heard her partner walking back so she flashed her light. They do that a lot. The flashing thing. I took a closer look and realized it wasn't Pierre that was walking with him. It was the "killer". I was shocked! The cop brought him up to me and asked if it was the guy. I was still shocked that he caught him. I hesitated and then responded "yes". "This is the guy?" the police officer yelled. I looked into his eyes and, in the way the "killer" in movies do, he slowly shook his head in that silent and threatening way as if to warn me more bad things could happen. I didn't care . I said again, "Yes that's him". The cop told the "killer", "You really fucked up." The "killer" said, "I was just going to a friend's house down the street." Right. I asked the officer where he found him . He said, "Just about four apartments down, with his shirt off." I'm sure he was trying to change his look. I went back upstairs to talk to his partner and finish my report. Pierre was still MIA. Then his phone went off. A women calling for Liz, Pierre's sister. I said she's on the phone with her parents. She asked who I was. I said Markus. She asked, "Are the police there?" I said yes. Then I heard her say to Pierre, "The police are there its probably safe to go home." He came running down the street barefoot. Loosing his sandals during the get away. He had yard hopped, scaled walls, knocked on doors trying to get people to call the police. The whole bit.
After hours of investigation the police assured us they would follow up, that we should too, and that we are very lucky that things turned out they way they did. We think so too. We both believe we weren't meant to be let go but by some Divine intervention we made it out without a scratch. Well I did . Pierre was a little beat up from the Spiderman wall scaling. Very hero-esque! So we are ok. Just a little shaken up and hoping the gangsters don't come looking for us. So the blogging will live on! You're welcome.
Well there is Jack Black in the back and Ben Stiller in the front but the man in the middle, well it's an African-American actor, it's Robert Downey Jr.
This picture is a still from the Ben Stiller movie called Tropic Thunder which aims to poke fun at the egotistical Hollywood actor. Downey is one of a team of very diva-esque actors filming a modern day Apocalypse Now. The problem with Downey Jr.'s character is that the role was never adjusted for a white actor and he instead chooses to dye himself a darker shade to better fill the role. Ben Stiller plays and action hero while Jack Black portrays a comedian. The plot turns when the crew is ditched in a jungle (unbeknownst to them) by their frustrated director and writer.
I have a feeling that this role of R.D.Jr. could be perceived as some sort of blackface role but i for one think that if it is done right, could turn out to be funny. Also, this film is expected to host several cameos, one of which will be Tom Cruise in a fatsuit.
The trailer for the film should be released soon and the film is expected to be released August 15.
Sorry for the Debbie Downer coming up but just check this out. I know it's a departure from what most would want to see or expect to see here but just click on. Won't say anything more...just something to think about.
Viewer discretion and NSFW content...
Wired.com "How Good People Turn Evil, From Stanford to Abu Ghraib" Pictures Story
EXCLUSIVE! SO I HEARD THE STORK IS COMIN TO AN "ANGEL"...
So I've heard rumblings that one of Charlie's Angels has been knocked up with a little Apple-seed of her own...WHO might that be? Well it'll be hitting the interwebs soon but you'll hear it here first! You see, it has come to my attention that it is non other than Hollywood royalty Drew Barrymore, who's been recently linked to Justin Long, that is being added to Hollywood's growing list of expecting mothers. If that isn't some shit y'all then I don't know what is. Stay tuned, as this could be an interesting addition to the Barrymore Dynasty, dontcha think?
We woke up early today and waited in great anticipation for Ferras' performance on The Today Show with Matt Lauer and Meredith Viera. He gave an inspired and chilling performance of Hollywood Is Not America that will no doubt launch this amazingly talented singer/songwriter into the hearts of the universe. "The name is Ferras. If you don't know it, you will."
Browsing the website of one of my favorite artists, James Jean, I stumbled upon work he did for a new PRADA film called Trembled Blossoms that echoes the PRADA Spring/Summer 2008 collection and recently premiered at PRADA's New York epicenter store, . Check out the vid at PRADA.com and visit the site of James Jean to check out more of his vibrant and vivid work.
AMY WINEHOUSE GETS DENIED A VISA...THEN GETS ONE...OH THE DRAMZ...
So miz Amy Winehouse got denied a Visa to perform at the Grammy's, in which she has several noms, including Album of the Year and Best New Artist. She has six nominations for this year's Grammy's and will be ready to accept any wins via telecast. Then she was granted a visa after talks between the US and British government. Due to timing logistics, she still won't be coming to this Sunday's Grammy's but is expected and ready to perform live via satellite.
In other news, The Sun reports that if Amy stays clean until April she could be getting the chance to write and sing the theme for the new Bond film, Quantum of Solace. The insider said of DANIEL CRAIG’s new 007 film Quantum Of Solace: “It will have a dark and moody feel so Amy would be absolutely perfect.
“It’s another fantastic carrot being dangled to encourage her to give up drugs.”
Hopefully Amy can just get clean and pursue all the great opportunities.
via The Times Russia’s military forces just received a technological upgrade - not through weapons or armory but through the use of fashion (fabrics can be technology right?). Acollection of new military uniforms was shown to President Putin by Valentin Yudashkin, a famous clothing Russian designer, at a fashion parade at the Defense Ministry headquarters.
Wearing fur collars, peaked caps and gold embroidered tunics, the servicemen and women stood at attention as the Commander-in-Chief, Vladimir Putin examined the new looks yesterday and, was later said to have approved them for implementation.
The uniforms will get their first public unveiling in Red Square on May 9 in a parade marking the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in the WWII. In addition, President Putin will also reviving the Soviet-era practice of parading tanks and nuclear missiles as the parade moves past Lenin’s tomb. The uniform designs have been said to be an amalgam of past and present Soviet society, so the environment of their unveiling fits in perfectly with this.
The defense ministry spent around $2.9 million to commission the designs of new uniforms for their armed forces. Full-scale production is expected to begin later for an estimated $443 million.
I think that the updated looks are a good attempt at infusing fashion into the utilitarian usage of a military uniform but could the money be used for the better or is portraying the image of power and wealth worth it?
Over in CNN.com's Technology section, there's a story about a US Marine, Lance Cpl. Joshua Bleill, who lost both his legs from a little above the knees when his Humvee drove over an exploding bomb on October 15, 2006. In most cases, a patient will be fitted with prosthetic limbs coming from any of the several state of the art models out on the market. Bleill, though, is one of two US Iraq war veterans that are using Bluetooth equipped prosthetics.
Bleill's artificial legs are computer and Bluetooth powered to allow each limb to coordinate with the other to properly activate the motors and "joints" to move and propel in a way that attempts to mimic more natural leg movement.
Bleill's set of prosthetics have Bluetooth receivers strapped to the ankle area. The Bluetooth device on each leg tells the other leg what it's doing, how it's moving, whether walking, standing or climbing steps, for example.
"They mimic each other, so for stride length, for amount of force coming up, going uphill, downhill and such, they can vary speed and then to stop them again," Bleill told CNN from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where he's undergoing rehab.
"I will put resistance with my own thigh muscles to slow them down, so I can stop walking, which is always nice."
This is what I love about technology and design. The idea of expanding technology and its applications to work in everyday life rather than using it for the sake of using it...brilliant.
For more about Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua Bleill and a little video demonstration click here to go to the article on CNN.com.
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