Pet Shop Boys Integral Video

The Pet Shop Boys worked with creative group The Rumpus Room to create the latest version of their Integral video.  The song was written as a type of protest against ID cards in the UK.  There are two really interesting things about this video.  The first is that they are using 2D barcodes (or QR codes) to provide additional information.  The barcodes can be read by enabled cellphones.  Each QR code in the video contains a URL linking to relevant information.  To download a QR code reader for your phone or to create one for your own URL, visit Kaywa.

The second really interesting thing about this video is that the Pet Shop Boys are encouraging people to make their own version of the Integral video.  They have provided all the stop frames in a 1451 page downloadable pdf, as well as created a group on Youtube to post your video edit to.

Rives - If I ran the Internet

I've recently fallen head over heels for the work of performance poet Rives.  His spoken word poetry is incredibly clever and inspiring.  Some of my favorites include 'If I rand the Internet' (above), 'Mockingbird' and 'Sign Language'.  For more video of Rives' poetry visit his website, shopliftchimes.com

Delicious DNA

Juliana Yamashita, of the Yahoo Design and Innovation Team, has a special interest in alternative ways of displaying data.  One of her recent projects, called Delicious DNA, caught my attention.  It graphically illustrates common tags of Del.icio.us users who are interested in Design. Patterns in the tags start to emerge highlighting trends and buzz words within the design community.

Worried about Alien Abduction?

Do you lie in bed at night fretting about how you will get back to Earth after your next alien abduction?  Well fret no more.  A solution is finally here.  For a mere $12.99 you can purchase these Location Earth Dog Tags engraved with instructions on where to find Earth within the galaxy.  The graphics are based on NASA's Pioneer 10 plaque which was intended to inform extraterrestrials about the spacecraft's origin.  The language-free graphics feature the mathematical location of Earth in relation to several important pulsars (represented by the radial diagram) and Earth's location withing the solar system.  The tags come with a complete money back guarantee should you ever be abducted and not safely returned to this, your home planet.

Bryan Christie Design

Bryan Christie Design specializes in scientific and architectural illustrations and diagrams.  Their portfolio is very inspiring, especially the medical illustrations.  You may recognize some of their work from recent covers of Wired or Business Week.

Das Keyboard

Think you're geeky?  Prove it.

RugBag

RugBag is a lovely modern take on a picnic basket.  There are no individualized compartments for all of your pieces of china, but it does do something much more useful... it folds out into a blanket.  This great idea was created by designer Demelza Hill.  (Found through The Style Files).

Starbury Shoes

Most brand name shoes endorsed by professional athletes cost $100-200, sometimes even more.  NBA All Star Stephon Marbury has taken a different approach.  All the shoes in his Starbury lines cost only $14.98.  His marketing tactics have cleverly been based around the fact that some families can't afford to spend the equivalent of a weeks worth of groceries on shoes.  I have my doubts that $14.98 shoes will ever be a status symbol to kids the way other basketball shoes are, but they must be doing something right because over 2.2 million pairs of Starburys have been sold in the past year.

Stephon Marbury insists that Starbury shoes are the same quality as other brands.  To prove this, the Knicks Point Guard has worn Starbury shoes for the entire 06-07 basketball season.  I guess that goes to show the power of a professional athlete's endorsement.  Way to put yourself out there Marbury! (Thanks Brett).

Emergency Money

This Emergency Money Box, designed by Becky Miller, made me laugh because it so perfectly reflects how people treat their piggy banks.  It's funny because it's true.  Available through Suck UK.

Adobe Labs Knowhow

I was teaching a Photoshop course last week and one of the students asked me if Adobe products have a roll-over help feature.  I said no, but I'm glad to find out that I was (mostly) wrong.  Adobe Labs is working on a feature called Knowhow.  It is currently only available in the English version of Illustrator CS3.  What it does is provide single-click contextual help.  Basically you just click on any tool you would like to know more about and it gives you access to not only Adobe help but also community based resources collected through del.icio.us.  I think this is a hugely significant step for help menus.  Embracing the help and tutorials created by independent users will give people a reason to use the help menu in a program, instead of just going straight to Google.  (Found through urlgreyhot)

Spark Talking Bug Identifier

See kids, science IS fun. The Spark Taking Bug Identifier helps kids identify different kinds of bugs. When I first saw this, I assumed it would just magically spit out the species name, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it demands a bit more interaction and learning than that.  The budding scientist has to look at the bug through the magnifying glass and answer a series of yes or no questions to help analytically determine the species.  An alarm sounds if the bug identified is potentially dangerous... otherwise I guess you you are free to capture/eat/torture it (this part isn't clearly defined in the product description).  (Found through Babygadget)

Look-a-Like Kitties

How super cute is this.  I'm not normally SUCH a sucker for cuteness, but this is cute combined with brilliance.  If you send Electric Luna of Ploesie Poesies a picture of your cat she will make a plush cat replica for you.  This isn't just a cheesy stuffed toy, it's a stylin' kitty work of art.  All the cats get a special numbered label.  Check out the archive of all the 151 look-a-likes that have been created so far. Some of them are really amazing.  (Found through The Style Files)

Ribcap

I like how Ribcap has decided to show off their hats on the web.  They have overlaid them on top of sketches, instead of the traditional photographs.  It adds a level of interest to the images and allows the hats to be focal point.

GOOD's Weights and Measures

I've recently become addicted to GOOD Magazine.  One of the articles in their most recent issue looks at weights and measures.  It features this astounding graphic depicting countries that have not adopted the metric system.

Martin Klimas' Temporary Sculpture

Martin Klimas' photography is meant to capture an image of an object in a state that it only exists temporarily.  By photographing objects at their breaking point or at a point in motion, he is able to show them with new character and meaning.  My favorite is this series of breaking porcelain statues.  Captured just as they hit the ground, the formally still statues take on a sense of action.

Humunga Tongue

So, we all know that dogs like to play fetch, but what is in it for their owners?  If you are playing with this Humunga Tongue then the answer is pretty clear - pure amusement.  This dog toy is shaped like a big panting tongue.  It comes in 3 sizes for small, medium and large dogs. Haha!

US Election Candidates on the Issues

When it comes to voting for one political party or another, one candidate or another, my opinion is this:  Choose one or two issues that are important to you personally, and vote for the candidate/party who best represents your views on these issues.  If you are a US citizen, 2decide.com has helped make your research quick and easy.  They've created a chart showing each presidential candidate's view on the top issues.  Check out the full chart here.

New Balance Snip Hem

I'm not exactly what you would call a domestic goddess, which is probably why I see the genius in these New Balance workout pants.  The pants have 3 built in hems.  To shorten the legs, all you have to do is choose a length and cut.  Wow, these pants are the total archetype of a modern woman.  No time to sew... I'm late for my spinning class.

The Complete Manual

The folks at Knock Knock never cease to amaze me with their witty stationary products.  One of their latest products cracked me up.  It is the Complete Manual of Things that Might Kill You: A Guide to Self-Diagnosis for Hypochondriacs. Haha!

Google Earth Sky View

The latest version of Google Earth (4.2) includes a feature that they they have been promising for a while, called Sky View.  It is an awesome astronomy resource which allows you to navigate the universe, as well as the Earth.  It is still Google Earth as you know it, but with a little button that allows you to switch from a view of the Earth to a view of the sky.  The Sky View feature includes constellation labels, images and information from the Hubble Telescope, star names, and animated planetary orbits.  Watch a video demonstration here.  Or better yet, to experience it yourself, download it here.