oh adidas

Ignore the obligatory/stupid graff cameo in the beginning [believe me, if I could edit this to start at 11 secs I would]... but the rest of the commercial is spot-on perfect. It's a moment in time, coolness so concentrated it's down to a syrup.

store-brand packaging steps it up!

I have been a long standing fan of Publix packaging. It's modern, playful, and most importantly uncluttered. I think they have an advantage here; marketing typically just can't help themselves. They need to throw in everything but the kitchen sink to "grab your attention" or what i like to call: an assault on the eyes. While looking for images of said packaging (sadly, I no longer live near a Publix)... I discovered there's a fan site for Publix packaging! Who knew?

Anyway, I think Whole Foods is a follower rather than a leader in this case... but still, I'm digging the 365 bread. That wheat is purdy, no?

kitty kitty

Some things just tickle my funny bone. Yes, I am the person who perpetually watches cat videos... but I give myself points for quality curating. At exactly 8 seconds into this clip, you will have a peek into what makes my soul smile.

hip-hop :: wine

To the untrained ear/pallette, they all sound/taste the same.

... But do the similarities go deeper than that? Characteristics that are specific to each go widely unnoticed, aging is a particularly tricky but vital part of the process, heavy emphasis on the area where it is from... I'd say they're more similar than we might think. I have an uncanny ability to drill things into the ground, so let's see how deep this comparison goes- shall we?

Three 6 Mafia // Cabernet Sauvignon
Enjoyed by experts and novices alike, manages to hold its own regardless of context, sloppiness that you wouldn't accept in other varietals evades your judgment here; with this one it just makes sense.

Common // Sauvignon Blanc
Light in color and content, pleasant for its subtle nods to herbaceous/jazzy flavors, recipient of a lot of praise most of which is undeserved, can be a little boring.

Aesop Rock // Pinot Noir
Complex, delicate and difficult to grow but well worth the effort, a tad pretentious- but no fault of its own, white people love it.

LL Cool J // Rosé
Cheesy but has it's place (if you're into that sort of thing...), beloved by people who are either too young or too old, "romantic".

Jay Z // California Chardonnay
Flying off the shelves at all times, you might find some good stuff if you look hard enough but must be very careful, good for parties with people you don't know very well.

Outkast // French Chardonnay
Accessible and adored by many for good reason, unfairly classified as inferior for association with questionable contemporaries- but flawless aging process has saved it from buttery hell.

Mystikal // Grappa
Almost too strong to drink, subtleties lurk but take patience to find (mainly because your taste buds were burned off), will fuck you up.

2Pac // Pinot Grigio
Many who enjoy this claim to be connoisseurs when in fact they drink nothing else and they can't get past it, neither too complicated nor too straightforward, an acceptable crowd pleaser.

Lil Wayne // Anything Black Box
The box would make you think what's inside completely sucks but its surprisingly amazing, it never seems to run out of new material, available everywhere but you still feel clever for buying in, the air miraculously doesn't get to it.

Biz Markee // Champagne
A moment of joy follows its suggestion every time, you might forget it exists but you'd never turn it down, brings out the silliness in almost everyone, seems special.

Missy Elliot // Anything Yellowtail
Popular, feminine, surprisingly delicious, quirky visual representation yet solid output.

M.I.A. // Sangria
Delightful but not purely wine (there's other stuff in there), ideal for small gatherings of like-minded folks, exotic.

Ludacris // Half-bottle of Champagne
A pleasant surprise, best enjoyed by yourself but you still like to share, festive, little.

Biggie // Merlot
Strong but smooth, nearly impossible to find a situation where it wouldn't fit nicely, a nice default especially if you're feeling indecisive.

Salt-n-Peppa // Port
Strong yet sweet, best enjoyed in small amounts, ideal for nights with staying power.


Busta Rhymes// Chanti
You'll always drink it if it's there, packs a punch, unassuming and slightly silly, goes quickly, an everyday indulgence, not a big fan of "the gays".

Andre 3000 // Syrah
Eccentric, new school with strong roots in all the right places, provocative yet goes down easy, independent in spirit but still very well known.

Kanye West // Krystal
Plastic wrapped, over-consumed, high cost with disproportionately low return, but for all its flaws it still tastes amazing

The Roots // Malbec
Authoritative, can be on the dark/deep side, consistant quality and longevity although still considered obscure by many

Will Smith // German Riesling
Too sugary sweet to actually take seriously, good international appeal, theoretically delightful but thoroughly disappointing execution.

Matisyahu // Kosher Wine
Everyone knows about it but no one really partakes, uhhhh... and Jewish.

and then there was fried chicken

It was a southern food extravaganza: fried chicken, collards with chow chow, baked mac'n'cheese, corn bread, AND lemon meringue pie. Much thanks to Kathi for providing the photo... I was up to my elbows in peanut oil at the time. :)

strange footprints left by north american white girl

Today at the gas station, I discovered that I am literally stamping the earth with the words "Kenneth Cole Reaction" (or at least a highly styled assembly of those letters) everytime I wear these shoes.

rachel ray makes delish dogfood

Okay, not that I actually believe this stuff is in fact delish (could it be both delish AND nutrish??)... but I couldn't help to use the vernacular: Rachel-speak. Yes, Rachel Ray has released a line of pet food. It is almost as if her marketing team is playing a prank on her, "You're the the next hot thing in dog food, Rachel". How does she go about concocting said dog food? Does she eat it herself? I would be willing to bet she does, but I know that statement is biased and a little uncharitable.

Was it not enough that she had her own magazine, talk show, cookware, and olive oil (appropriately named E.V.O.O., even more Rachel-speak)... she is invading American homes by any means necessary, and frankly, I don't like it.

and then the wind came

I cross this bridge everyday on my way to work; this is what it looked like today. Looks like we traded snow for wind...

treats from korea

One of my coworkers brought these goodies into the office today. They are so beautiful that it's quite obvious that they weren't made here in the states; we just aren't that exacting. Sorry to be down on my own kind, but it's true. Another particularly unAmerican detail about these is in that box there was a seafood flavored candy in the mix.(it's the one with the walnut, btw. bottom right)

dear 1958, you are very pretty

All gorgeous appliances in the world can't take the strangeness out of keeping your child in a playpen... still, those are some mighty fine digs.

See more oldies but goodies at the Prelinger Archives.

mistakes. (the kind you can fix)

Let's pretend that you're at the Waffle House... and say, for a moment, that you forgot that your hash browns and your waffle are in different places. Forgetting this, the waffle received the same condiment treatment as your hash browns might have gotten.

But it's never to late to rectify what might have been a very unfortunate flavor combination. All is well.

new scientific discovery

Breaking news! Evidence shows that ducks do not in fact hatch their young from eggs... rather, they poop them out (with great force, I might add). I discovered this today while driving to the hardware store. Very informative.

I am particularly concerned for the duckling that was thrust into the world so quickly that he had to take flight right at the moment of birth. It's a shame, little guy, but you would have learned independence eventually... and I guess now is as good a time as any.

real life photoshop

Isn't it amazing how much prettier things are when they're REAL? I guess this is the part when I get depressed about designing software for a living...

The larger images does it better justice. Go here.

life isn't fair

Hey, remember this commercial?

Apparently, someone actually acquired 7,000,000 Pepsi Points hoping to get a $33.8M aircraft for a steal. Pepsi, accordingly, laughed off the request stating the jet had been put in the ad for humor and was not a legitimate offer. Still the case went to court, and the judge sided with Pepsi. Poor guy... his hopes and dreams were shattered that sad day in 1996.

abstract poloriods

Love. It. See more of this man's fine work via Flickr here.

diagramming sarah

My fellow grammar geek said it best. Hit it, Kitty!

There are plenty of people out there—not only English teachers but also amateur language buffs like me—who believe that diagramming a sentence provides insight into the mind of its perpetrator. The more the diagram is forced to wander around the page, loop back on itself, and generally stretch its capabilities, the more it reveals that the mind that created the sentence is either a richly educated one—with a Proustian grasp of language that pushes the limits of expression—or such an impoverished one that it can produce only hot air, baloney, and twaddle.I found myself considering this paradox once again when confronted with the sentences of Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee. No one but a Republican denial specialist could argue with the fact that Sarah Palin's recent TV appearances have scaled the heights of inanity. The sentences she uttered in interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and Katie Couric seem to twitter all over the place like mourning doves frightened at the feeder. Which left me wondering: What can we learn from diagramming them?

Let's look at some examples, shall we?

"It's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where—where do they go?"


"I know that John McCain will do that and I, as his vice president, families we are blessed with that vote of the American people and are elected to serve and are sworn in on January 20, that will be our top priority is to defend the American people."


Yikes, that is bad.

A quick recap can only do so much. The original article is sublime, and you outta read it. For real.

exactitudes

Its stunning to see how closely personal identities are aligned with visual presentation. As you can see here, so many people don't seem very unique when they are held up next to their peers. In this photographic study it seems as though certain social groups have a dress code... or even a uniform!

To see far more "Exactitudes" check out the official site.

these are a few of my favorite things

We've all seen many edits similar to this, but this one is special. You can't help but notice the pitch perfect synchronicity. Also, the fact that who ever made this chose to have Bert be the more angry sounding one... let's just say he knew them well. I've watched it about 100 times, and I hope to pass on the joy bloggerifically.

fleshmap

So class, today we learned: hip-hop is all about the booty, and gospel is all about the clapping. Mmmkay?

Artist statement from the creators of Fleshmap:
"How do we talk about the body? To find out how physicality permeates cultural discourse, we compiled a set of songs, poems and religious texts that reference the body. Using images of the body as pictograms, Listen offers a fresh look at vocabulary use, ranging from the popular to the erudite. Based on a compilation of more than 10,000 songs, the piece visualizes the use of words representing body parts in popular culture. Each musical genre exhibits its own characteristic set of words, with more frequently used terms showing up as bigger images.

toilet paper etiquette (and logic)

If I had a nickel for every time Derek told me I loaded the toilet paper the wrong way, I could buy a ton of... toilet paper. In order to send a clear message, by beloved sent me these diagrams.

Line of sight is an important aspect of toilet paper grasping. As you can see here, the over-hung method is far more conducive to proper grasping; this leads to tearing, which will be explored in the next image.

In order to avoid detrimental momentum created by the one hand tear, "over" and opposed to "under" is essential if you don't want to waste precious TP.

For a full explanation, and the site of the original genius, go here.