SUNfiltered

Deadly font

Matthew Rodriguez — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:37:28 +0000

Designer Jelte van Abbema was a winner at the Dutch Design Awards and the accompanying €10,000 Rado Prize in part due to his piece “Symbiosis,” a font created with e.coli bacteria. One could say this could be a nasty computer virus!

Van Abbema created the font by stamping bacteria into paper, and then placing the paper in a jury-rigged incubator, which provided the right humdity and warmth for the organisms. As they multiplied and died, the resulting fonts changed color and shape. As van Abbema says, bacteria “transforms the image to something new,” creating something that is literally alive, changing every minute without ever being tended.

[Via]

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FULL FRONTAL FASHION highlights

Sundance Channel — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:08:17 +0000

Think of this as your FULL FRONTAL FASHION cliff notes.

Image from Cattelan’s collaboration with Pierpaolo Ferrari for W’s Art Issue

We hit the streets and snapped some photos of New York’s most fashionably forward.

Fabien Constant learned the Japanese word for “fox” — Kitsuné. Read about this Parisian boutique.

Indochine celebrated its 25th anniversary and book launch party.

We met Maurizio Cattelan - or was it Massimiliano Gioni? It’s hard to tell when you have a body double.

Cator went south of the border for DFashion, Mexico City’s fashion week.

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Christopher Walken performs Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face”

Matthew Rodriguez — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:38:52 +0000

I looked up “deadpan” in the dictionary recently found this video of Christopher Walken reciting the lyrics of Lady Gaga’s hit anthem “Poker Face” in the manner that only he (and countless imitators) can. Even Kanye wouldn’t dispute the man’s genius.

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Tweeting twat

Bradford Shellhammer — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:37:40 +0000

William Shatner is once again poking fun at another fame-seeking Alaskan. If you remember, several months back, the veteran actor and musician lampooned Sarah Palin by reading her tweets to a beat poetry rhythm. He’s turned his attention towards Levi Johnston, onetime Palin family member. Something tells me this is the least of Levi’s worries. Reports have leaked that his upcoming possibly full-frontal photo shoot for Playgirl has hit a little bump: he’s worried about his penis size. If you cannot stomach the pictures fear not: since I am a card carrying homosexual dedicated to journalistic integrity I will take one for the SUNfiltered team and report back my findings. Until then, enjoy Mr. Shatner above.

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Halloween 2009 costume round up

Matthew Rodriguez — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:54:01 +0000

As the post-Halloween haze lifts, lets take a moment to reflect back on some of the more imaginative, creative, and/or topical costumes from around the country that reverberated around the Internet and blogosphere this week. My favorite this year fell on the surreal artsy side of things. Artist Eric Testroete built a “papercraft self-portrait,” which reminds me of those easter egg modes in video games that turns all the characters heads into “big heads.” More after the jump.

Geeks around the world on the other hand fell in love with this girl’s “pixelated, low resolution” costume.

The same geeks also went bananas for these two guys’ risqué spin on the Google search homepage.

While Mario costumes are a dime a dozen every year (although it never gets old for me…), this guy created an amazing version of Mario with working sounds from the game:

Generational iPods.

“Yo generational iPod costumes I’m really happy for you and Imma let you trick or treat, but these working iPods are the greatest costumes of all time!”

Some runners got started early by dressing up for the New York City marathon (which incidentally passes right by the front door of my apartment!)

Best Week Ever liked this baby’s Michael Jackson tribute.

Baby Michael is cute, but once again Asian babies are the cutest as evidenced by this baby in Bruce Lee’s iconic yellow jump suit.

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Mutant documentary: Intervention

Annie and Lisa — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:43:22 +0000

The other night, not unlike Monday nights a-many in the past, I found myself glued to the television, sucked in by a vortex commonly known as Intervention, the television series. Have you watched it? It’s a show about addiction. Beware, you’re liable to become addicted. (And I don’t feel very good about my problem, either, and I think I need help. Where’s my TV show for that?) Watching, I couldn’t help but think about a few colleagues I know in the NY documentary community who’ve begun to direct Intervention. Is this, could this be, is it anything near … documentary?

Well, documentary is a slippery term, as you know, already. Many filmmakers prefer “non fiction film.” Or just plain and simple, “movies.” The Intervention folk wouldn’t dare – they call their thing … a television series. A reality television series. But they tell participants — the ones stumbling around on camera, high out of their minds on coke, meth, booze, herion, you name it – that they are “participating in a documentary about addiction.” (It’s not the only trick card these folks are played – instead of their final interview, they’re inevitably driven to a hotel room where the family and interventionist await to cart them off to rehab. How any reasonable drug addict in America is dumb enough to participate in “a documentary about addiction” without knowing what’s on the other side is a true mystery.)

Indeed, access is often unbelievable on this show, the same secret ingredient often at the crux of a good doc. Consider the episode on Monday night – two brothers, close in age, affluent, good looking, high as hell on herion. And … living in their parents’ house (!!!) … dealing in the thousands of dollars daily … and Dad is in some sort of Shakespearian state of lunacy, claiming that allowing his sons to wallow in their addiction under the safety of his roof is true love. Meanwhile, the boys are half-lidding it around the house, slurring their speech and drooling into piles of dirty laundry. It’s sickeningly fascinating to watch – and makes one feel as great as when you linger too long at a bloody car crash.

I started scrolling back on my education in documentary. Was it so different? The first time I saw Frederick Wiseman’s TITTICUT FOLLIES, wherein a group of mentally handicapped patients put on a talent show and then someone gets his stomach pumped, I felt … dirty. Watching the Loud family (AN AMERICAN FAMILY) go through a divorce? Dirty. Edie Beale and Little Edie (GREY GARDENS) eating cat food for dinner? You got it. Filthy.

But I suppose that’s part of the bargain. Being given the privilege of observing another life, including its horrific problems, is what allows us the empathy that allows us to expand one’s mind beyond stereotype. Which is what documentary, er, I mean, non-fiction film, does best.

Is Intervention documentary? I don’t think so. Maybe a sort of mutant documentary, one that gives viewers a half-doc experience and that gives filmmakers a decent paycheck. But given its structure (the same every week – horrific problem, flashback to innocent child, problem escalates, intervention, fly to rehab, end credits on what the hell happened after that), theme music, and absolute reliance on the rubber-necking element, it’s still a television series.

You can view the entire episode on the brothers, if you can stand it, here:

http://www.aetv.com/intervention/video/index.jsp?bcpid=1452232410&bclid=34277389001&bctid=34223498001<

–AH

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Truth or Dare for grownups… really lazy grownups

Em and Lo — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:28 +0000

There’s a reason why Truth or Dare is mostly played by high school kids — because they’re the only ones who are willing to spend hours coming up with creative truths or dares to get their peers more naked, either figuratively or literally. After a hard day at work — or, worse, after a hard day of trolling the help wanted ads in the middle of a recession — who can be bothered to be that creative? Especially when the sex is a sure thing.

Which is where “Truth or Dare: A Game of Passion” comes in. The truths and dares are already written for you (so you don’t have to worry about your partner making fun of your idea of a saucy dare) — all you have to do is roll the die. The packaging is retro-cool and the rules are simple: If the die shows either Truth or Dare, pick a card from the appropriate stack, and if the die lands on Wild, take your pick and then either perform the command yourself or make your partner do it (the official rules add that you can pass if you like, but we think that’s lame so we’re going to ignore it).

Don’t worry, no one’s going to ask you if you’ve ever shagged a sheep in this game. The Truth cards mostly just encourage fantasy sharing, and the questions about the past are pretty mild on the jealousy factor (e.g. If you could watch an intimate moment from your partner’s life before you, what would it be?). And the Dares are mostly good dirty fun — acting or sounding out a porn clip, giving lap-dances, role-playing, getting D.I.Y. with kitchen tools, improvising with items from the fridge, calling a tech support line for a software company and telling them you need software for brothel management (okay, so maybe this last one could actually have been written by a 14-year-old boy — but, hey, nothing wrong with feeling like a teenager again). However, we do give you permission to take a pass on the Dare that asks you to call a relative and fit the words “whip,” “suckle,” and “climax” into a five-minute conversation, no matter what the die says. A relative? That’s just plain wrong.

The game is probably best played with a long-term partner — if you’re still in the honeymoon stage, it’s more fun to accidentally stumble on this stuff. And besides, you want to save a little something for later. Either way, we recommend a drink or two while you play — ask any high schooler, the Truth, not to mention the Dare, is more fun with a little Dutch courage.

“Truth or Dare” is available from GoodVibes.com

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James Hopkins

Matthew Rodriguez — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:03:03 +0000

There is not a single piece in UK artist James Hopkins’ portfolio of often amusing sculptures that I did not like. It was really tough to highlight a single one because they all seemed so blogworthy, but the Internet, especially the design community seems to love anything skull related, so check out this piece titled “Shelf Life.”

[Via]

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The Queen of prison

Bradford Shellhammer — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:06:05 +0000

Those same talented dancers/inmates at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Philippines are at it again. This time, however, the tribute is not for Michael Jackson. Another effeminate and over-the-top singer gets their start treatment. Mr. Freddie Mercury would no doubt be proud that these prisoners, who learn to dance during their rehabilitation process, chose a Queen medley to perform. Filmed last week on Halloween, it will rock you.

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Green tech finds (11/5/09)

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:51:34 +0000

Bricks, robot fish, and eco-warriors… this week’s green tech finds!

Find a green business… and a coupon: GenGreen Digital Media has just added a new feature to its Find Green iPhone app: coupons. Find a business that has what you want (and shares your values), and save some money in the process.
Online carbon reduction for builders: the Rocky Mountain Institute has just released Green Footstep, an online tool that allows builders to assess (and reduce) that carbon emissions of building and retrofitting projects.
Low-carbon bricks: CalStar Products, Inc., will open a new factor next month to make bricks from fly ash. According to the company, the process to make these bricks will use “roughly 85% less energy than traditional clay brick manufacturing, with an equivalent reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions.”
Wind turbine 15.0: OK, I made that number up, but turbines have gone through tons of iterations. Dragonfly claims to have designed the next generation of wind turbine: one that speeds up the air as it moves through, thus creating more energy. (via Green Living Ideas)
The solar-powered monorail: a green tech twofer — public transportation that runs on renewable energy. That’s the idea behind the Energy Belt, a concept designed by Iosa Ghini Associati for Bologna, Italy. (via Inhabitat and Eco Tech Daily)
LA going LED: The City of Los Angeles has decided to undertake the Herculean task of replacing 209,000 street lights and bus stop lighting with light emitting diodes (LED). The bus stop lighting will also be solar-powered. (via CNET Green Tech)
Robotic fish: Michigan State engineering professor Xiaobo Tan believes fish are “very efficient,” so he’s following nature’s lead and researching how to create robotic fish that could monitor water quality. (via Cleantechnica)
Are you an eco-warrior? You may be able to find out in the near future: energy management technology firm Tendril Networks has paired up with “a major computer game manufacturer” (not named) to create a game focused on reducing home energy use.

You probably haven’t seen anything nearly as cool as “eco-warriors” or robotic fish this week, but if you’ve found anything remotely close, share it with us below…

Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikejsolutions/ / CC BY 2.0

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