Thursday, April 30, 2015

Should the Houston Astros activate the Death Star they've been building?

Grantland:
Every action movie involving a huge, sinister piece of machinery has an activation scene. It usually takes several minutes and includes orders being repeated in triplicate and about a dozen levers and switches being pulled by different men in different rooms, all while stirring music — courtesy of Hans Zimmer or John Williams — thunders in the background. Huge, mechanical arms click into place, gears turn, and computer screens blink ominously....

Since Jeff Luhnow took over the Astros in December 2011, he’s been building the kind of machine I just described. After surveying the terrain in Houston, Luhnow & Co. decided there was nothing of value to build upon and started from scratch. The construction process has been much discussed and debated, and it hasn’t been without the kind of setbacks that play into Luhnow’s supervillain reputation. Most notably, there was an embarrassing theft of Death Star plans and the equally embarrassing Brady Aiken affair. A young hero losing the use of his arm after refusing to join a supervillain’s cause does, after all, fit a certain theme.

But the building stage is almost over....

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Does Not Commute is a fun iOS game



Does Not Commute by Mediocre:
A strategic driving game from the award-winning maker’s of Smash Hit. Does not Commute is a temporal paradox in which you have no one to blame but yourself. What starts out as a relaxing commute in a small town of the 1970's quickly devolves into traffic chaos with hot dog trucks, sports cars, school buses and dozens of other vehicles. You drive them all. Plan ahead. Don't be late.

In this small town, discover the characters and their secrets – what world-changing experiment is inventive dentist Dr Charles Schneider hiding? Will Mr Baker quit his job in advertising? What is that strange mask on Mrs Griffin's face? Will Mr Mayfield’s peculiar obsession with Yorkshire Terriers take over his life?

Does Not Commute is playable at no cost and free from ads. An optional premium upgrade is available through a one-time in-app purchase that will enable the ability to continue from checkpoints.

Play Infinite Crisis as Lex Luthor in a deep sea exploration suit



Trench Diver Lex Luthor.

*Buy Infinite Crisis toys at Amazon.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

The Ikea furniture item known as "The Divorcemaker"



LAI:
As part of the therapy process, Durvasula sometimes asks that her couples assemble a big piece of furniture at their home, then come back and tell her how it went. She notes that while some items are relatively easy, something like the Liatorp—with its many drawers and glass panels—she calls "The Divorcemaker."

"[Jeb] Bush is raising money prodigiously, telling donors at a private gathering in Miami last weekend that his political organization was set to break political fund-raising records"

NYT.

Anheuser-Busch regrets Bud Light label that said it was the “perfect beer for removing ‘no’ from your vocabulary for the night.”

"this message missed the mark."

Relatedly, Houston Rockets regret tweet that said, "Shhhhh. Just close your eyes. It will all be over soon."

Monday, April 27, 2015

Killer whale catches a bird

Frightening.

"Doritos is bringing its limited-edition 'Roulette' bags to the U.S."

AA:
The packages include what appear to be regular nacho cheese flavored chips. But roughly one out of every six chips is super spicy, even though it looks like every other chip.

...

On social media, the brand will drive fans to a microsite where they can win prizes, roulette-style. The catch is that users must tag three friends on social media and enter as a team. At the end of the week, Doritos will pick the winning teams and announce it in a Vine video. For the winning team, three of the members will get good prizes -- like an X-Box One -- but one person will be stuck with a "mystery burn" prize: a dud prize like a piece of cardboard with an "X" on it.

Doritos will also host two live game show-style giveaways using Twitter's new Periscope streaming live-video app.

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Friday, April 24, 2015

"Varys Is a Sea Creature"

"6 Insane (but Convincing) 'Game of Thrones' Fan Theories"

Trailer for The Visit

Proposed Los Angeles Stadium Would Feature An Al Davis Eternal Flame

DS:
During Raiders games, the tower would be topped by a cauldron with a flame burning to the memory of late owner Al Davis.

Ah, but what happens when the co-tenant Chargers are playing? They’ll just turn off Davis’s flame and convert the tower into some sort of giant Van de Graaff generator that shoots lightning bolts when the Chargers score.

Wetsuit Suits






Introducing the TRUE WETSUITS.
High spec waterproof, the True Wetsuits can be worn from home to the beach,
and from beach to the office with no need to change at all.
TRUE WETSUITS comes in three handsome styles; Office Smart, Casual Friday and Party Tuxedo to suit for every occasion.
Via.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

"Cash Flowed to Clinton Foundation Amid Russian Uranium Deal"

NY Times:
As the Russians gradually assumed control of Uranium One in three separate transactions from 2009 to 2013, Canadian records show, a flow of cash made its way to the Clinton Foundation. Uranium One’s chairman used his family foundation to make four donations totaling $2.35 million. Those contributions were not publicly disclosed by the Clintons, despite an agreement Mrs. Clinton had struck with the Obama White House to publicly identify all donors. Other people with ties to the company made donations as well.

And shortly after the Russians announced their intention to acquire a majority stake in Uranium One, Mr. Clinton received $500,000 for a Moscow speech from a Russian investment bank with links to the Kremlin that was promoting Uranium One stock.

Mr. Baseball's Twitter feed

"China Says Please Stop Hiring Funeral Strippers"

WSJ:
The point of inviting strippers...was to attract large crowds to the deceased’s funeral – seen as a harbinger of good fortune in the afterlife.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

The X-Files Annual 2015 variant cover

“[T]hree photojournalists I’d worked with for years … told me about a pact they’d made not to release any photographs of my injury — out of respect for me.”

Politico on Dana Perino's new book about her White House years:
5. Photographers’ pact on facial injury she suffered during Baghdad shoe-throwing incident

“[T]hree photojournalists I’d worked with for years … told me about a pact they’d made not to release any photographs of my injury — out of respect for me.”

"Somebody gets their arm cut off in every Phase Two [Marvel] movie"

It's an Empire Strikes Back tribute.

White and neon uniforms by Nike for the USA women's national soccer team



Nike:
Also new for this tournament, the replica of the women’s specific uniform will be available in men’s sizes, allowing all Americans to proudly display their support for the women’s team.

Avengers-themed Adidas sneakers



Adidas:
May's kids collection will be complemented by adult running shoes in four matching designs. The adult line includes a silver-green adidas adizero Prime BOOST™ that will be featured in the film with an exciting new Avengers character. For the biggest fans and a united look this colour-way will be a key feature within the kids' collections!

Culinary-themed murder mysteries coming to the Hallmark channel

Eater:
the Hallmark Channel will soon premiere a film called Gourmet Detective starring actor Dylan Neal as a "famed culinary consultant" named Henry Ross who is a "charming food industry insider in San Francisco."

When there is a "shocking murder" as his pal's five-star restaurant, Ross must work with a strong-willed police detective named Maggie Price (played by Brooke Burns) to investigate the city's top chefs and solve the crime. It's apparently the first installment of the channel's "Gourmet Detective Mystery Movie Series,"

Crimson Lord Nightmare Batman



Infinite Crisis:
The dark vampire is back and has swapped out his feral outfits for something with an aristocratic flare. Be prepared to catch your enemies off guard when you step into the Lost Sectors wearing this attire fit for a lord, the ‘Crimson Lord’ to be exact!

Featuring deep colors and rich accents, this costume is the perfect choice for Protectors that want to command more than just a swarm of bats on the battlefield. The crimson hue of his skin and bat wings is evidence of this Bruiser’s never ending thirst for blood. It’s time to rule in the arena! Vanquish your enemies, or make them quiver with fright, when they come across this sinister vampire of the night.

Best Marvel comics covers for July 2015


S.H.I.E.L.D. #8 cover by Julian Totino Tedesco.



Weirdworld #3 cover by Mike Del Muno.



Star-Lord and Kitty Pryde #2 cover by Yasmine Putri.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

"Google Inc. is set to unveil its new U.S. wireless service as early as Wednesday"

WSJ.

Chris Kyle Memorial Benefit PVC Morale Patch



ITS:
we couldn't think of a artist more fitting to partner up with than our friend Mitch Gerads, artist of Marvel’s The Punisher Comic Book, to design the Chris Kyle Memorial Benefit patch!

All net proceeds from the sale of these patches will be donated directly to the Chris Kyle Memorial Benefit, which will in turn benefit Guardian for Heroes Foundation, the recipient organization of the benefit and auction this year.

"Jay-Z’s Tidal music service is already a spectacular flop"

BGR:
Two weeks after Tidal briefly cracked the U.S. iPhone top 20 download chart, the app has crashed out of the top 700.

"the average cost of counting each household [the census] has risen, in constant 2010 dollars, from $16 in 1970 to $94 in 2010"

Reason:
The 2010 census was "the most costly in history, totaling approximately $13 billion," and the 2020 edition "could cost approximately $25 billion (in constant 2010 dollars)" says the GAO.

"This Devious Fish Basically Reenacts The Thing To Catch Its Prey"

io9:
This is an adorable fish and a horror movie, all rolled into one. When it sees a school of other fish, it checks ‘em out, works for weeks to blend in with them, and then it systematically murders their young. When caught, it starts all over again.

"We generally don’t explain obsessions when we start them, and we certainly don’t explain when we end them."

Blogging advice from the founder of Eater.com

Monday, April 20, 2015

The House of Black and White

"The problem: Twinkies...had a shelf life of only about 25 days."

Forbes on bringing Twinkies back to market:
The magic bullet turned out to be chemistry. Metropoulos spent millions on R&D, working with food lab Corbion to tweak the formula of starches, oils and gums in Twinkies, finally arriving at an acidity level that would prevent staleness and discoloration. The singular goal: Make the Twinkie warehouse-friendly. And while none of this will make Alice Waters’ heart flutter, the team succeeded in making the indestructible snack even more so–it’s shelf life was more than doubled, to 65 days.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Instructions for making your own rolling BB-8




Make:
With BB-8, I pushed myself to make it in a day. As a result, the surfacing and paint is less than perfect, which I’m serendipitously calling “weathered”. But I was able to stick to my goal, and was able to make the whole thing in a matter of hours. I wanted to capture the character and personality of the real robot as simply as possible, and I’m really happy with how it turned out.

The star of Journey will be a playable character in Super Time Force





Saturday, April 18, 2015

"This story’s about a mansion that strippers have taken over to use as a stripper-training site owned by an evil Canadian millionaire"

"Working all weekend, so catching up on my FOX Tampa Bay news, America’s #1-most-beloved news source for news about Tampa Bay and the Tampa Bay surrounding areas."

Edmonton won the NHL draft lottery...again

"The Oilers have now had four first overall picks in six seasons."

"Once-Prized Tibetan Mastiffs Are Discarded as Fad Ends in China"

NYT.

"Ben Affleck Had Slaveowner Ancestor Scrubbed In PBS Documentary"

LAist:
"[F]or the first time, one of our guests has asked us to edit out something about one of his ancestors--the fact that he owned slaves," Gates wrote. "We've never had anyone ever try to censor or edit what we found. He's a megastar. What do we do?"

"I would take it out if no one knows," replied Lynton. "But if it gets out that you are editing the material based on this kind of sensitivity then it gets tricky."

Vader and the new villains in Star Wars Rebels 2 (bearded Rex, too)





Friday, April 17, 2015

Mark Cuban: "So here’s how [Tim] Donaghy impacted my world"

Grantland:
“So here’s how [Tim] Donaghy impacted my world. It’s the 2006-07 season, and the Warriors are playing the Bulls. It is February. It’s a tie game — 10, 15 seconds left. Whatever. Ben Gordon of the Bulls is dribbling the ball for the last shot. Andris Biedrins is just sitting in the paint, just standing still for the Warriors. But he’s in the paint! Four seconds, five seconds, six seconds, seven seconds. Tim Donaghy, instead of calling defensive three seconds, literally steps onto the court and pushes him out of the paint.”

“When it happened, I was watching the game, and I sent an email to the NBA saying, ‘Did you see this shit?’ Now, I had no idea at the time about the big [Donaghy] issue, although I had hints of it.

Watch Conan O'Brien & Jordan Schlansky escape a puzzle room



X-Files revival promotional posters



Fanmade by Pierre-Luc Boucher.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Shutter Island poster



By Laurent Durieux, going on sale next week.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

The latest Avengers Under Armour gear lets you cosplay discreetly



$75-$90.

New logos for the Milwaukee Bucks



D&C:
As part of their overall quest to return the team to greatness, the new owners wanted to make a clean break with the team's more recent logo marks and red-and-green color scheme.

Working closely with the Buck's front office, Doubleday & Cartwright took inspiration from the organization's rich history and the enduring character of its hometown. We introduced an updated color palette—deep forest green to represent Wisconsin’s woodlands, a contrasting cream in tribute to the iconic bricks that define the "Cream City's" architecture, as well as a new accent of bright blue for its abundance of fresh water. Unifying all the elements is a custom typeface, MKE Block Varsity, inspired both by traditional varsity lettering and Milwaukee's industrial heritage.

For the primary mark, we redrew the buck motif to better embody the competitive spirit of a team that is fearless (and fearsome), proud, and determined, with its antlers forming the outlines of a basketball. The secondary mark centers on a graphic reduction of a basketball and a bold letter M for Milwaukee. A tertiary mark puts the Bucks at the heart of the state of Wisconsin, literally and symbolically.

Archie vs. Predator cover



By Joe Quinones.

The Thor Power Hammer game challenges your strength (by encouraging you to hit things)



$20 at Amazon:
Power Hammer game challenges your strength
Comes with target
Hammer makes thunder sounds
Get the high score for the win
Includes Power Hammer

Monday, April 13, 2015

Army's new uniforms by Nike


Nike:
In order to create consistency throughout the entire Army West Point Athletics program, Nike designed a crest featuring shield, helmet, sword and star. The helmet and shield of mythological Greek goddess Athena symbolize wisdom, while the sword represents the warrior ready for battle. The elements come together to represent Army West Point Athletics with power and authenticity.

The primary color palette contains black, gold, gray, and white. It will serve as the primary palette, used on most brand applications. This is a color palette that is authentic to military history, finishes and materials, such as the components of gunpowder, the current Army Combat Uniform (ACU) and the Long Gray Line.