Yoshiro Nakamatsu is a pretty unusual cat. Known to the world as Dr. NakaMats, the 81-year old Japanese inventor holds the world record, with over 3000 inventions. Included on his long list are the floppy disk, CD technology, the digital watch and the karaoke machine, some of which is confirmed by his longstanding relationship as a consultant to IBM. Of course, more than a few of his claims are hard to prove, but at the least, NakaMats knows how to entertain. Some of this shit you just have to see to believe.
I still have yet to step through the doors of Opening Ceremony but when I do it’ll be a joyous occassion. Morgan’s in there now, so now ceremony is about to commence. In this short, Spike Jonze sits down with the creators of Opening Ceremony, Carol Lim and Humberto Leon to chat about the inspiration for the space, the importance of limitless branding, and their aspirations to promote culture and creativity. A well done piece, the video shows what the power of passion can lead to. Be sure to say hi to Morgan when you hit up the store. Hit the MORE for part II.
Ladies and gentleman, I’ve come to a stark realization at 3:26PM. Today, I’ve realized that text messages are played out. They’re boring. They’re impersonal. They’re generic. Anyone can push some buttons with their thumbs. But who can show you the world through their eyes? It’s a little more work, but if you mean it then it’s worth it. It’s as simple as that. We all send and receive boring ass text messages everyday, me included. The “What you doing tonight,” the “What’s Good,” and the infamous two letter, “OK” response. This technology is great and all but let’s not forget that we’re humans. We’ve got emotions to share and love to give. So let me raise the bar one time. Get with the picture message. It’s ten times flyer, and the girls will like it more.
Recently I had the opportunity to chat with Mykola Dosenko, also known as Myk Dawg. Born and raised in Kiev, Ukraine, Mykola’s inspirations paint an interesting portrait of popular culture in the late 80’s and early 90’s. A self proclaimed graphic designer, celebrity chef, comedian and stunt driver, it was not difficult to strike up a conversation about Myk’s interests and inspirations. With his graphic design work popping up on popular websites across the net, Mykola’s aesthetic is becoming recognized for it’s vibrant colors and retro influences. Touching on everything from Lebron James to zombie snails, our conversation was peculiar to say the very least.
I’ll be honest. I don’t even fuck with Ok Go like that. At all. I saw them live once, and they were somewhere between mediocre and alright. However, this video is hands down one of the best music videos I’ve ever seen. Creativity knows no boundaries, and it’s unleashed the moment you start. Ok. Go.
“Love is patient, Love is kind, Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude…”
I’m sure at one point in our lives, most of us have heard the infamous I Corinthians 13:4-7. This is a pretty uplifting definition of love isn’t it? But what happens when what we perceive to be love isn’t anything near patience or kindness? When it strays from positive elements into negative ones such as jealousy, envy, or resentment – would you still call it love?
Let’s not toot our own horn too loud, but I found this quite relevant and informative. I recommend everyone start a blog. Mom, you too. The power of this medium is unparalleled, and it’s reach is unmatched. It’s all about taking that leap, and choosing to do what you love rather than what you think is right. But we’ve digressed. In this short, Suzy Menkes of the International Herald Tribune shares her thoughts on the importance of fashion blogs, while providing insight on how blogging and the internet at large are reshaping the concept of fashion. The game is changing right before our eyes and things will never be the same.
Something about massive urban centers at night is just so damn beautiful. Tokyo, in particular is one of those places you never get tired of looking at. Tokyo/Glow is the collaborative work of director Jonathan Bensimon and footwear brand The Generic Man, showing the journey of an illuminated man through the city streets of Tokyo. For those thinking this is digital manipulation at work, the creators of Tokyo/Glow insist that the light-up man is in fact a dude in a suit, constructed from hundreds of feet of high-voltage LED rope lights, and a translucent outer shell. All technical talk aside though, this is just a dope piece of art. Take a look for yourself.
Until I came across Jenkins Jellies, the only jellies I was aware of were the ones associated with peanut butter. Little did I know how much more there was. While strolling through the L.A. Street Food Fest two weeks ago, I happened upon a tray of crackers and jelly. “Go ahead, try one,” I was coaxed, from jelly creator Hilary Danner. I obliged, and was sold after the first bite. Quickly gathering Hilary’s contact information, I became intent on learning more about these wonderful jellies.
This is the inaugural so let’s start from the beginning. The brainchild of Joshua Kissi and Travis Gumbs, Street Etiquette is the creative effort of the duos interests, passions, and personal style. Combining a weekly selection of looks and outfits, Street Etiquette has managed to develop a keen fashion sense that’s suited for the urban environment of New York City. Travis and Joshua’s most recent project Sewn From The Soul is a celebration of iconic African Americans who have inspired thoughtfulness and creativity through their work. The Renaissance is here, and these cats are at the forefront. It’s getting worse and worse everyday. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
A conversation on Twitter got me thinking (thanks to Luis). It started with me making the statement that musicians shouldn’t be making millions of dollars a year. Teachers and social workers struggle to pay bills, yet some of the richest people in our country make millions by recording music. It ended with me being called a communist.
The idea of capitalism rests upon the assumption that the market is dependent on the consumer. If customers have options and information, the value of products will be adjusted to fit the consumers’ demand. When an industry is dominated by a few very influential players in a market with high barriers to entry, this concept goes to shit. Right now, you’ve got four major labels (Sony BMG, Universal, EMI, & Warner) deciding your options for you. Instead of having thousands of artists to choose from, the majority of the population is force fed 50-100 options in each segment. This means most artists never make it. Very few make it big. Some artists seen as marketable get huge pushes and end up making millions. Most end up broke.
It’s always interesting to see how advertisers attempt to link their products with particular aspects of culture. It appears as though Sprite has been marketed as the “soft drink for urban youth” since the 80’s. Even though, in reality, it’s just some chemicals mixed together that you can drink with your meal. Think about it. There’s nothing inherently cool, creative or unique about Sprite except for what they associate with it. I suppose this is just marketing 101, but they’ve been doing it for 20 years plus. Hit the MORE to see what I’m talking about. Good afternoon.
Projects like this one never cease to amaze me. Good thing I have folks like Samra to put me up on game. Tucked off on the northeastern shore of Utah’s Great Salt Lake is sculptor Robert Smithson’s best-known work, The Spiral Jetty. Made completely from earth, salt crystals, and basalt rocks, the 15-foot wide Jetty stretches just over 1500 feet (more than a quarter-mile). Taking a grand total of six days, Smithson built the piece in 1970, during a drought that brought water levels to a particularly low level. Because of the special conditions under which it was built, the Spiral Jetty was submerged for more than thirty years after construction, only to re-emerge in 2004. At the moment, Smithson’s work is visible, though still partially submerged. I need to get out there and see for myself someday.
