Sunday, July 31, 2016

Here's how that deluxe Snake-Eyes figure looks unmasked



I posted the figure last week. There are a few available at ebay.

Special edition of Eric So's Mazinger Z



$388:
Unbox are proud to offer a very small allocation of the amazing Kingdome Come 'DEVILMAN' edition of Eric So's Mazinger Z.
This edition was offered exclusively in Thailand as a ComiCon exclusive and sold out overnight.

KC kindly allowed us a few for our overseas fans so grab him while you can!

Standing approximately 36cm in height this brawny interpretation has two points of articulation at the shoulder.
The head UFO & winged jet pack are also removable.

Friday, July 29, 2016

"Israel Proves the Desalination Era is Here"

SA:
What excites Bar-Zeev the most is the opportunity for water diplomacy. Israel supplies the West Bank with water, as required by the 1995 Oslo II Accords, but the Palestinians still receive far less than they need. Water has been entangled with other negotiations in the ill-fated peace process, but now that more is at hand, many observers see the opportunity to depoliticize it. Bar-Zeev has ambitious plans for a Water Knows No Boundaries conference in 2018, which will bring together water scientists from Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza for a meeting of the minds.
Even more ambitious is the US$900 million Red Sea–Dead Sea Canal, a joint venture between Israel and Jordan to build a large desalination plant on the Red Sea, where they share a border, and divide the water among Israelis, Jordanians and the Palestinians.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Game of Thrones busts

Russel Wilson "Armed & Dangeruss" poster



$20 including shipping and proceeds got to charity:
Russell Wilson’s "Armed & Dangeruss" is the first poster produced by Seattle natives Tock and John Costacos in 20 years. From 1986 to 1996, over 30 million copies of Costacos Brothers posters, which include over 100 Hall of Famers, adorned the walls of sports fans of all ages. This year the brothers have come out of retirement to create this one-of-a-kind poster of Russell.

"Armed & Dangeruss" is a 24” x 36” lithograph print on high quality 78# gloss cover paper, which is over twice the thickness and far more robust than standard poster paper. It was printed using fade-resistant inks and is finished with a gloss aqueous coating. We chose the paper and inks to give you a keepsake-quality product. We chose the size because 24” x 36” is a standard frame size with many reasonably priced options if you want to frame yours without the higher cost of a custom-made frame.

This poster is just $20! (including shipping). Proceeds from the sale of this poster will benefit Russell’s Why Not You Foundation.

"Central Park Shadowing from Manhattan's Supertall Skyscrapers"

"the shadows that will be cast onto Central Park from the supertall skyscrapers under construction and planned for midtown and especially along 57th Street . . . we've created a visualization of this shadowing phenomenon from eight of the largest buildings recently constructed and planned for midtown."

"the hedge fund was like a 'cauldron of fear and intimidation'"

NYT:
The employee’s complaint with the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, which has not been previously reported, describes an atmosphere of constant surveillance by video and recordings of all meetings — and the presence of patrolling security guards — that silence employees who do not fit the Bridgewater mold.

...

It is routine for recordings of contentious meetings to be archived and later shown to employees as part of the company’s policy of learning from mistakes. Several former employees recalled one video that Bridgewater showed to new employees that was of a confrontation several years ago between top executives including Mr. Dalio and a woman who was a manager at the time, who breaks down crying. The video was intended to give new employees a taste of Bridgewater’s culture of openly challenging employees and putting them on the spot.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Monday, July 25, 2016

October's Marvel Comics


Marvel Tsum Tsum #3 cover by Chris Samnee





Incanny Inhumans #15 cover by Karl Kerschl

Via.

"Suspected Russian hack of DNC widens — includes personal email of staffer researching Manafort"

Yahoo:
Just weeks after she started preparing opposition research files on Donald Trump’s campaign chairman Paul Manafort last spring, Democratic National Committee consultant Alexandra Chalupa got an alarming message when she logged into her personal Yahoo email account.

“Important action required,” read a pop-up box from a Yahoo security team that is informally known as “the Paranoids.” “We strongly suspect that your account has been the target of state-sponsored actors.”

Colorful geometric tattoo



Sunday, July 24, 2016

When nightmare fuel is defeated

Some good news in California.

"Experience a personalized [yoga] session on the world’s largest observation wheel starting on June 21st."

"Allow your body and mind to soar 550 feet in the sky above the Las Vegas Strip in this unique and personalized yoga experience with a professional instructor. For amateurs and enthusiasts alike, this one hour session provides a soothing yet energizing course while taking in sweeping views of the Las Vegas valley."

"McDonald’s Stops Selling Big Mac in Venezuela Due to Bread Shortage"

"Shortages of everything from rice to toilet paper have worsened over the past several months in Venezuela, with reports of looting and protests on the rise. Venezuela’s economy will contract 10 percent in 2016, according to the International Monetary Fund, with inflation accelerating to around 700 percent."

"Oscar-winning screenwriter asks court to keep Bergdahl interviews from military prosecutors"

LAT:
In May 2015, Boal teamed up with reporters at the Serial podcast to co-produce a 10-hour podcast exploring the case. The podcast included excerpts of his interviews with Bergdahl.

When Boal interviewed Bergdahl he made promises of confidentiality in connection with portions of the interviews, according to court documents.

Super Powers by Tom Scioli



Via.

Big game hunter by Slinkachu

Figma action figure based on Munch's The Scream



Via.

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Files to 3D print the ships from Alien and No Man's Sky



The same designer is working on the U-Wing from Rogue One:

Twilight Zone Tower of Terror really is being remade as a Guardians of the Galaxy attraction



Opening summer 2017:
This exciting new presence will transform the structure currently housing The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ (scheduled to close in early 2017) into an epic new adventure, enhancing the breathtaking free fall sensation with all-new visual and audio effects to create a variety of ride experiences. Guests will experience multiple random, unique ride profiles in which the rise and fall of the gantry lift will rock to the beat of music inspired by the film’s popular soundtrack.

Wonder Woman



TOA Heavy Industries Snake Eyes deluxe figure



By 1000Toys, available at ebay.

"Soylent CEO Could Face Criminal Charges for LA Hilltop 'Experiment'"

LAC:
The Soylent CEO did not want to comment on the possibility that he might face criminal charges, but says he's frustrated by the city’s permitting system. "In the city of Los Angeles one may not install a garbage disposal without seeking a permit," he says. "I feel like I'm living in the movie Brazil."

Friday, July 22, 2016

Hope Solo relates the story of the ghastly injury she suffered early in her national career



Something to keep in mind when she complains about current field conditions.

"The village of Kidlington has been swamped with [Chinese] tourists and no one knows why"

BBC:
Why are coachloads of tourists visiting a village in Oxfordshire?

Group after group of foreign sightseers have been seen posing for photos in the front gardens of the village of Kidlington.

It began as a minor mystery baffling the people living in the obscure Oxfordshire village, but now it's something puzzling the entire nation.

For the World at One, reporter Phil Mercer went to investigate.

Thursday, July 21, 2016

"Thounaojam Herojit became one of India’s most deadly policemen – killing more than a hundred people"

TG:
In Manipur, high in the welter of green hills that blur the border with Myanmar, nearly any young man could be a suspect, and there was no time to take them all to court.

...

This was just how it went, in provinces all along India’s borders, where armed separatist movements unleashed conflicts that have cost tens of thousands of lives. Kashmir – which has erupted again this summer – is the most well-known, but the earliest insurgencies in India persist in the far reaches of the north-east, in the small and mountainous states on the other side of Bangladesh, where the authority of the Indian state had always been suspect. Militant groups launched attacks on the army and government – and the state fought back with indiscriminate reprisals, which at times meant declaring an open season on young local men.

"How To Summon The Bird That Guides You To Honey"

TA:
The honeyguide is a small African bird, whose scientific name—Indicator indicator—hints at its extraordinary behavior. It eats beeswax, and although it excels at finding bees’ nests, it can’t sneak past the stinging insects alone. Instead, it recruits humans. It approaches them, makes a loud “tirr-tirr-tirr-tirr” call, and flies in the direction of a nest. Throughout Africa, people have learned to follow it. They subdue the bees with fire and tools, and steal the delicious honey. To pay their avian guide, many of them leave pieces of wax behind. This is arguably the greatest partnership between humans and any wild animal.

New Megatron



And other Transformers.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Mezco's upcoming One:12 figures include Darkseid and Diabolik



And many more.

Upcoming DC figures include The Reaper



More figures based on Frank Miller's version of the Justice League, too.

"Indiana Jones and the Iron Phoenix: The Lost Sequel to Fate of Atlantis"

MM:
Any graphic adventure project must begin with the story, and the yarn Pinney and Barwood devised took place in 1947, depicting an older, post-war Indy, a Soviet presence, and a finale set in South America. ... As its eventual co-project leader Aric Wilmunder points out, 1947 was a remarkable time in history no matter how you slice it:

The Nazi’s were defeated. The US had the bomb, and thought the science behind it was somehow a secret, but stockpiling of the weapons didn’t really get going until the 1950’s In a few short years since the war, US and Soviet forces that were allied against Germany were now entering the first part of what would become the cold war.

The Nuremberg trials had ended, with Goering committing suicide, but many Nazi’s went underground while others escaped to South America. Many German scientists along with their technologies had been rushed out of the country including von Braun who would had designed and built the V2 rockets that were fired on London and went on to build the Saturn V and put men on the moon.

There is a brief time where if the Nazi’s had the Philosopher’s Stone, could use it to bring back Hitler, and also refine a uranium rich ore like pitchblende into explosive grade atomics, they could have stuck DC, London, Moscow, and begun their 1000-year reich. 

"The Murder of Trinidad's Notorious ‘Robocop’ Leaves the Country Worried About What’s Next"

"Say the word 'Robocop' in Trinidad and Tobago and the first thing that comes to mind is not the 1987 American action film, but Selwyn 'Robocop' Alexis, a businessman and allegedly a major crime lord."

"Is Reddit's Creepy '_9MOTHER9HORSE9EYES9' a Netflix Marketing Stunt?"

An assertion that "nearly 7,000 users now frequent a subreddit called 'The Interface Series' to share theories, artwork, related texts, and their own fanfiction."

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Amazon's new phone is a mess

This is titled as a positive review for Amazon's new $50 phone (for Prime users), but:
"the R1 doesn’t feel or look like a premium phone"

"It couldn’t handle PokĂ©mon Go’s augmented reality"

"Even my 10-year-old Canon takes better pictures."

"The R1’s front-facing 5-megapixel camera is worse."

"the speaker is so low-volume, it sounds like it was made for a tiny mouse that lives inside it."

"You can’t use this with Verizon or Sprint service."

"Then there are those ads on the lock screen."

This is a good podcast

NSFW.  (I started with the Elijah Wood episode.)

"McDonald's Japan Lost a Whopping $300 Million Last Year"

(Article from February.)

ThreeA's Spider-Man and remote-controlled Spider-Bot



$350 for each set.

21B by Mike Mitchell



One of Mondo's SDCC exclusives.

Monday, July 18, 2016

Whammy paper toy



Download it here.

Vintage commercial for The Shining board game





"Meet Shams Charania, the College Senior Breaking NBA News in Class"

C:
Charania has never worked or interned for a newspaper. He doesn’t have a fancy degree. He didn’t start with any industry connections. So how did this happen?

How did he go from one of a million NBA-obsessed teenagers to 22-year-old media phenom?

...

he won't reveal much about how he has built his rolodex

...

He started small, breaking international, D-League, and 10-day contract news.

"Judge throws out ex-L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca's plea deal, saying 6 months in prison not enough"

LAT:
U.S. District Court Judge Percy Anderson said the deal “would trivialize the seriousness of the offenses … the need for a just punishment, the need to deter others.”

Anderson said he would allow Baca to withdraw his guilty plea and set a new hearing date for Aug. 1.

"The Deliciously Dark Comedy Of Inside"

RPS:
in fact, it’s closer to Dragon’s Lair. Though playing that ancient, beautiful, awful FMV game is a painful experience, what it did right was to reward failure with lurid scenes of death and defeat.

...

Rarely did I find that I died more than once or twice on any fatal puzzle, because Inside has its fun with the first death then leaves you equipped with the information required to avoid it next time. It flows, and in the latter half of the game I began to look forwards to whatever crazy horror it was about to inflict on me, rather than to fear it.

Pumas uniforms



Nike:
The Pumas Club and the Central Library are essential elements of the culture at the Universidad Nacional AutĂłnoma de MĂ©xico. Known by the student community as “South Wall,” the library features circles that reference the heliocentric view of Copernicus (everything revolves around the sun) and geocentric theory of Ptolemaic (everything revolves around the earth), surrounded by the zodiac signs and constellations.

For the new Pumas UNAM home and away kits, Nike drew upon the library design to reinforce the longstanding connection between the Club and its community.

...

Featuring the Pumas’ signature gold color, the home kit represents the east side of the Central Library. The home jersey places the iconic Pumas image in the place of the sun, surrounded by figures that symbolize the Copernican theory and other representative elements of MĂ©xico, including the Tenochtitlan city map drawn in 1525. The imagery covers the front of the shirt with darker shades of gold on the shoulders.

...

Inspired by the library’s west side, the away kit integrates the team’s classic blue on the jersey and shorts with graphics related to the Ptolemaic theory and historical representations of the falling eagle image, referring to CuauhtĂ©moc, the last Aztec emperor.

Spider-Gwen as Venom cosplay

"Stranger Things is like Epcot Center. It takes something people are interested in and creates a world for them to visit."

TR:
This world has the hallmarks of a place you know — maybe it’s something you remember, or a place you’ve imagined. Only, there have been improvements. It is a near-perfect version of that place, and when everything is clicking, it can feel like a better alternative to the one you are in.

For Epcot, the idea was the future, the world it created was an amusement park, and the improvements went toward a quasi-utopian crowd experience — lines that were always moving, an uncanny cleanliness, and the subtle loop of music playing as you visit.

For Stranger Things, the idea is the wonder of ’80s kid-sci-fi 

Sunday, July 17, 2016

"The Suit That Couldn't Be Copied"

NY:
About two years ago, I became interested in the garments of Davide Taub, the head cutter for Gieves & Hawkes, a house in London

...

I had the sense that if I wore a garment by Taub, I would become a different person. It was this desire—combined with the fact that one of his overcoats starts at around six thousand dollars, and one of his suits at eight thousand—that made me wonder if I could get a tailor in some less expensive part of the world to copy one of his garments.

...

I was concerned, though, about copying Taub’s designs—in effect stealing his intellectual property. To me, this seemed cretinous; I’m bothered, after all, that people have posted PDFs of my novels on the Web, so why should I do the same to someone else? With the hope of getting Taub’s blessing, I e-mailed him and asked if he would be willing to comment on and perhaps advise a tailor who was trying to copy what he had done.

...

Not only did Taub say yes; he also offered to give me a garment, so that it could be taken apart and so that the tailor who was trying to reproduce it would have the best possible information.

The Seinfeld dating strategy

A NYT love story on relentless pursuit of a coworker:
When Kristen Bartoloni came on board as a researcher on the White House communications team in 2011, there was one rule she was intent on following: Don’t mix dating and work.

...

But she hadn’t anticipated meeting the very persistent Cody Keenan, a speechwriter whom President Obama nicknamed “Hemingway.” Still, she adhered to her self-set rule through three attempts by Mr. Keenan to get her to go out with him.

...

“We met literally on her first day of work,” said Mr. Keenan, 35. “I have it in my calendar: June 27, 2011. It was midday or late morning. We worked in offices next door to each other. And her boss brought her around, and there was a knock on my door, and I noticed how pretty she was. I remember saying, ‘Wow.’”

...

In early October 2011 Mr. Keenan challenged Ms. Bartoloni to a bet. She had questioned a sports reference in one of his speeches. If he was correct, he explained, she would go out for drinks with him; if he was wrong, he would go out for drinks with her.

Starman



By Box Brown, who posted it and lots more art for sale.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

"Zhao’s husband has attempted to visit her at her family home in Henan, and that 'he found the two-storey building deserted.'"

Propaganda in China.

"Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed a law this year that mandated funerals for fetuses"

V:
It’s no secret that Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Donald Trump’s reported pick for the Republican vice presidential nomination, opposes abortion rights. But this year he signed an anti-abortion bill that even some pro-life Republicans thought was too extreme, and which was blocked from going into effect late last month by a federal judge because it violated women’s right to choose.

The law did something truly bizarre. It would have basically forced women to seek funerary services for a fetus — whether she’d had an abortion or a miscarriage, and no matter how far along the pregnancy was. The law Pence backed would have required all fetal tissue to be cremated or buried, an unprecedented measure in state law. The law also banned abortion if the fetus had a "disability" like Down syndrome, which would have also denied women the right to end a pregnancy in the event of more serious fetal anomalies.

Friday, July 15, 2016

Sansa print



By Kris Anaka.

"Prosecutors seek $25 million from Saudi businessman over 2013 wildfire in Riverside County"

LAT:
The federal government sued a Riverside County homeowner, alleging that his negligent maintenance led to a 27,500-acre wildfire in 2013 that destroyed more than 20 buildings and forced thousands of residents to evacuate.

In a lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court, prosecutors from the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles contend that an electrical box on Tarek M. Al-Shawaf’s 20-acre property shot sparks, igniting what was dubbed the Mountain fire.

"Dead whale gets a tow back out to sea -- for the sixth time"

OCR:
San Clemente State Beach lifeguards tied a boat to the whale carcass on Thursday to tow Wally, a dead humpback that first washed ashore before the Fourth of July holiday weekend at Dockweiler State Beach, away from the coastline.

That makes it six times the massive 45-foot whale has needed to be tugged further out to the ocean by authorities to keep it from coming back on the beach. The size of the rotting mammal makes it a difficult trek, and the task can take hours on the water just to pull it a few miles out.

Rogue One beach wallpaper



Available in various formats.

From April: "Germany will allow the potential prosecution of a top comedian after the Turkish president filed a complaint"

BBC:
Jan Boehmermann had recited a satirical poem on television which made sexual references to Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Under German law, Chancellor Angela Merkel's government had to approve a criminal inquiry.

Mrs Merkel stressed that the courts would have the final word, and it was now up to prosecutors to decide whether to press charges.

"Herbalife agrees to pay $200-million settlement and change its business practices"

"The company’s stock was up about 16% in early trading Friday as investors responded positively to the end of the investigations and the FTC’s decision not to formally label Herbalife’s business model an illegal pyramid scheme"

Gotham: Court of Owls poster

Rogue One