z2k9...zune new years eve 2009

news is spreading across the web that zunes are dying in correlation with new years eve of 2009. as of 8:56 AM Pacific standadr time, there are 566 results in google, check back this aftenoon tho see what the number climbs up to...

566 results at 8:56 AM Pacific Standard time
1680 results at 2:48 PM Pacific standard time
5570 results at 5:35 PM Pacific Standard time


google z2k9

UPDATE: Zune fix procedure is here. Wait until after noon GMT, let the battery die, then everything is cool.

National Lampoon's Conspiracy and Securities Fraud

No, it's not the next film in the National Lampoon franchise. Allegedly the publicly traded stock was artificially inflated to increase it from $2 per share to $5 per share. How long can you coast on the success of "Animal House" ?

Oversized Eyeball Camera EyeClops Bionic Eye

A great housing design of a low end camera for kids to plug directly into the TV and explore.
This would make a great basis for circuit bent camera for live visuals.

Amazon

"how to get your Idea on TV" Tutorial

great comedic look at getting your precious idea onto the TV. and the ridiculousness of video production.

How To Get Your Idea Onto TV - Charlie Brooker Screewipe - For more amazing video clips, click here

Flight of the Conchords Season 2

After one season in 2006 , Flight of the Conchords Show returns.  Catch a premiere for season 2 online Monday, December 22. 

If you haven't seen this show, check out some clips on youtube, it's hilarious.

HBO

Lead Reindeer wears Toupee

"Shaggy" the reindeer is wearing a toupee, just don't tell the children. Made of rabbit fur and his old horns he shed last year, they are strapped on and no one is the wiser. Makes for a funny image if it was traded with a human hairpiece, for the reindeer and the person. Cue the Benny Hill theme.

Telegraph UK

What is the Lap Band?

widespread advertising for "Lap-Band" Billboards, radio commercials, benches. it seems to have exploded out of nowhere, but is apparently the best thing. pitching PPO insurance covered, it is almost magic.

an inflatable noose around your feeding tube, just above your stomach, cuts off the "supersized fry intake. 

Yikes.

Stinkers Truck Stop: LA Hipster Haven

the LAist calls for "the end of irony" while the LA Times says "it might not be so bad"

Metromix gives it "5 stars"

It's up to you to decide whether trucker hats and skunk butts that spray cO2 on demand is ironic or not. 

Stinkers

2939 W. Sunset Blvd.

Los Angeles.

(323) 661-6007

New Nerd Droid Videos on Youtube

Be sure to sail over to youtube to view the latest Jam from Nerd Droid, your favorite LA based Circuit Bent Glitch Duo. 

Chocolate Bacon Bar

Chocolate Bacon Candy might not be your idea of a good time, but in the UK, it's sold out. revel in it's slaty-sweet meat flavor.

chocolate-Bacon

Heart Attack Grill- Killer Burgers and Lard Fries

The Heart Attack grill recently was featured in a dateline bit. They got a news flash because they were the subject of a complaint that the waitresses were "impersonating Nurses" and "demeaning the nursing profession". The HAG offers sexy nurses as waitstaff, and the single, double or triple bypass burgers with fries deep fried in PURE LARD! Now that's cause for news.

Gasp!

Dateline- flatline get it?

Heart Attack Grill, Tempe, AZ

Corporate Logo DataBase

An Interesting website that provides free Download from a huge database of Corporate Logos; or Upload your own ironic personal logo. or Pimp it out and make a 3-D rotating version.

Hipsters, get your Hi-Res PBR Logo Here!

Brands of the World

Offworld: Boing Boing getting bloated?

Boing Boing is adding another subtopic to it's amazingly addictive blog. Called offworld, for gamers. As "progress happens" and a site gets bigger it needs to divide itself up to keep everyone happy. RE: Microsoft bloat, tries to be everything to everyone with every possible notion of what they might try to do with a PC. It is pretty clear from the term itself "PC Bloat"

I enjoy BoingBoing's main blog and the Gadgets too, though I sometimes wish I could get a digest with it all in one place. Boing Boing TV I find less captivating, perhaps because I can't set the pace, you become a passive observer, ala TV. 

 I'm not a gamer, or I might be ecstatic about a gamer subsection just for Video games.

Adding subsections with overlapping content IS an excellent way to serve more ads, because , Hey, we all gotta eat.

Offworld

Sock Monkeys and Monsters Workshop in Ft. Lauderdale

Now you can do something with all your socks with no match, besides letting them collect lint.

From Bear and Bird Gallery

Sock Monkeys and Monsters

Socks aren't just for feet anymore!! Once you attend this workshop, you'll be able to turn all kinds of socks into all kinds of amazing creatures! It's fun and easy when you know how!
The sock monsters in the photo are for example only, your Sock Monkey or Monster will be unique to your tastes!

When: Sunday, November 23rd from 1:30-5:00pm
Where: In the Bear and Bird Gallery, Upstairs at TATE'S / 4566 N. University Drive, Lauderhill, FL 33351 / 954-748-0181
How: Pre-register online or in-store.

$30 Workshop Fee, includes all materials and light refreshments.
Space is limited to a 20-person group, so pre-register now!

All classes are intended for ages 12 and up.

Los Angeles Art Show Weekend extravaganza!

So many events this weekend. Here's a few to tantalize you to get off your tuffet this weekend...

Billy Shire Fine Arts in Culver City featuring Gail Potocki, recently interviewed by Hi-Fructose.

Saturday 7-10pm

M Modern gallery in Palm Springs featuring Chris Reccardi, a veteran of the ren &  Stimpy Show

Saturday 7-10pm

Corey Helford Gallery in Culver City  Clowns! group show, including Shag & Gary Baseman

Saturday 7-10pm (or 11pm)

LACMA in Los Angeles Machine Project Installation, workshops, music, performance art

Saturday 12pm-10pm (paid admission)

Miracle Mile Art Walk in Los Angeles features 40 galleries on Wilshire, LaBrea, & Beverly Blvd

Saturday 1-6pm (after party at the Little Bar 6:30-8:30)

Designer Series CCTV Cameras

Tired of the same beige "eye in the sky" cameras watching you day in and day out?

Now you can spice things up with the Designer Cameras from Dallmeier.

Available from Swanky (burled walnet) to garish (colored snakeskin) you can be watched in style.

Wouldn't you feel more secure knowing your every move is being recorded by a lens swathed in Colored animal hide print?

Designer CCTV

Radioactive Consumer goods

The LA Times reports that Radioactive waste is being recycled into all kinds of consumer products we use. Elevator buttons in France (how many times have you touched an elevator button without thinking about what is made from), Cutlery (!), sinks, & handtools, for starters. Why does the News keep getting Stranger and more Surreal?

Yikes!


LA Times

About those Signs you see on the Utility Poles...

HerbalLife

Single?

Fight Back!

Check out these articlews about a few super-smart guys that investigated the trial that led from a sign tacked all lover their town to the Belly of the Beast itself.... and what active citizens are doing about it.

I think they could be great materials for an art project!

Obama Wins 2008 Election by a Landslide

The Election is over. The votes are in.

Barrack Obama is President.

What a strange Campaign Season it has been. Hillary Clinton Who? Joe the Plumber? Nailin' Palin? Presidential Nominees on SNL? W.? Graffitti Artists endorsing a presidential candidate?

Was Bush a Lameduck President? I bet he is relieved to pass his problems off onto someone else.
Now we can wash our hands and make some change, we need it!

CNN

McCain Concedes

Is this an Electric Vehicle 300zx in SoCal?

I snapped a cell phone pic of this car in a parking garage in the South Bay with what appears to be an EV symbol on the gas cover lid. Is it a one off Electric / hybrid conversion or just a hoax? no other info was on the car, and a google search bore no fruit.

If you know anything about this car, please share.

Outer Killer Klowns From Outer Space Halloween party 2008

You missed it.
The halloween party of the year ( besides the one at the Mansion) took place in Palos Verde in Southern California , the last place you would expect a giant klown tent with space Klowns and cotton candy horrorshows. NOT a place for children, this was a decadent adult party.
This was NOT an official Klown party, as the Chiodo Brothers did not provide the costumes and props.

youtube

contortionist

youtube

Chiodo Brothers

3D photos on Mars

Don your blue & Red 3d glasses & check these links below for a nice archive of photos available in 3-d from NASA's website.

3-D 1

3-D 2

3-D 3

3-D 4 High Quality!

Shephard Fairey Discusses Urban Art Collecting This Wednesday in Los Angeles

This should be an interesting talk with the marketing maven himself.

COLLECTING CONTEMPORARY: URBAN ART

Bonhams & Butterfields invites you for a cocktail reception and panel discussion featuring:

Charming Baker, Artist
Cindy Cronk, Specialist/Cataloguer, Bonhams
Shepard Fairey, Artist
Shana Nys Dambrot, Art Critic and Flavorpill Managing Editor
Jon Reiss, Filmmaker “Bomb It”

Moderated by Seth Carmichael, Carmichael Gallery

Wednesday November 5th, 2008

6:30PM Reception
7:30PM Panel Start Time

7601 Sunset Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90046

RSVP Required

Obey

Switched on: Art Show held in Power Plant

Echoing Santa Monica's Bergamot station, a former train station that now is home to CoproNason and many other fine galleries; the Power Plant in Redondo Beach, California is hosted an art show titled "Switched On",Running from Friday Through Sunday.
This Show attracted over 3500 visitors for a 3 day event. With over 200 artists, bands, films, food wine, and theater; there was something for everyone.

I have pedaled my Beach cruiser past here many times and have always admired the Industrial design aesthetic of this structure.

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About the Strangepork Blog..

Leave your worries about credit cards, auto insurance, refinance, credit report, life insurance, & debt consolidation behind...


By satisfying your need for information grazing.

Get you filling of artwork , robots, Computers, Gadgets and Current news here.

There is so much information on line today,we can snack politely on a news page like a biscuit, or gorge ourselves on RSS feeds, twitter updates, myspace facebook, CNN, and on and on, eating abucket of bacon wrapped hot daogs slathered in butter.

Strangepork intends to bring you a digested version of all this, if this is what your into.

"the Internet"

Viva la Propaganda: Political Art opening Saturday Oct 18

Over 6o artists will show their true colors this Saturday at the Bear and Bird Gallery in Lauderhill,FL inside TATE'S Comics at the Viva la Propaganda: Political Art opening. From Jelly beans to GI Joe, all media and views will be on display.
Laugh, cry, get angry; just don't miss it!

Saturday, October 18, 2008
7-10pm

Bear & Bird Gallery
4566 N. University Drive
Lauderhill, FL

Amazing! Banksy NYC Animatronic Storefront Installation

Incredible animatronic pet store with rabbits putting on makeup, squirming tubesteaks and more.

No graffiti or stencil art here, just an uneasy vibe for the halloween season.

viewable 24 hours from the street, or you can get inside from 10am-midnight daily.

no. 89 7th ave S, Greewich Village, NYC

Link

Fake Movie products become real

Brawndo. Sex Panther. made up products from the movies are coming to real life. brought to you by OCP, the (formerly ) fictional corporation that buys the Detroit Police in the Deliciously 80s sci-fi flick Robocop.

No word on what Brawando really tastes like or if Sex Panther works as advertised.


LINK

Brawndo

Dorkbot Socal @ Machine project show review

An excellent gathering of Nerds, Dorks, & dweebs on a fine Saturday afternoon at the Machine Project in Echo Park, hosted by DorkBot SoCal. The 3D digital art by Kevin Mack has been featured on BoingBoing.net
Techdweeb demonstrated his magical gadgets from the pinhead tle-tubby to the modified cellular automata video generator.NerddroiD rocked the house with audio-visual mayhem, driving the crowd WILD!

LINK
LINK

DorkBot Event Saturday Sept 27, 2008 in Los Angeles

get your Nerd on this Saturday starting at 1pm at 1200 D North Alvarado Street Los Angeles, CA 90026. a monthly gathering in LA celebrating art, DIY/ Make culture, and all electrical things amusing and entertaining.

Nerd droiD- VJ/ DJ glitched Audio visual performance
Tech Dweeb- crazy musical gadgets
Kevin Mack- abstract 3D Mathematical art.

BigDog-Eerily Lifelike Robot quadraped

THis 4 legged real world demo shows the pack mule in action climbing inclines covered with debris, travesring ice and getting kicked like a dog. the movement is creepy and compelling in it's apparent intelligent movement. Boston Dynamics group is responsible for this robo-beast



also check ou the spoof that lightens the somberness of the original...

Speak and Spell Glitched and online!

you've seen the flash player based speak and spell, now test the patience of those around you with the speak and roil, flip the switches for the glitches garbley goodness!

link

Upcoming Art show in Jersey City: Prime Surreal Estate

This Sept 27 be sure to attend the opening for Prime Surreal Estate. I met with Skot Olsen; a superb artist in S. Florida spinning his tales on canvas for you, the viewer to appreciate. As a side note, for those who think being a painter is easy, you have deadlines, schedules, and everything else.

There and back again...

This past month we saw the activation of the Hadron Collider due for it's first scheduled collision around halloween 2008; dodged hurricanes Gustav, Hanna, and Ike in South Florida, flew across the US on Sept 11 uneventfully (thank you), attended an Art Show opening at the Bear & Bird Gallery in Lauderhill and enjoyed airborne maple flavored cotton candy; and finally found out what the train engineers are up to in LA- texting on their cell phones!!??

Original Nerd Droid Scratch with Track Bad TV Cable as an aesthetic. Show some love for the Digital buffer overflow, from a trickle to a geyser.

Link

Circuit Bent Video Mixer

Digital video mixer with extra knobs and switches. Circuit Bending is not yet mainstream, Keep an eye out for performers using that sweet lo-fi analog sound and visuals.

Citroën 2CV Steampunk Concept Car

Is this what Jules Verne would drive?

Steampunk-style Citroen Car design induces Nerdgasm for Steampunk aficionados.
I would love to see the windshield retract so you can use your leather and brass goggles you need a reason to don.

It's Just a rendering, keep it in your pants.

Link

Virtual Speak and Spell

Online Speak and Spell Virtualizer is a nice flashback to the past to get that delicoius lo-fi sound.

Link

Montauk Monster Cryptid News

Haunting picture of a fantastic creature? More clever marketing? Both? either way, it is a compelling image, in all it's bloated, waterlogged, sunburnt glory. If you want a lifetime supply of an energy drink that call itself "Venom" then catch one alive for yourself.



Link

Link

Link

Link

Rick O'Brien Counter Weight Art Show @ Nucleus

You missed it. The weekend only Art Show with Rick O'Brien Himself signing his new book " counterweight" with Original artwork on display, including the impressive Airship sculpture.
The film short featuring the Airship is a masterpiece, invoking steampunk images. I hope to see it online soon so everyone can catch a glimpse.


Gallery Nucleus

Rick O'Brien

More Pictures

Hi-Fructose Art Show Review

The Hi-Fructose Art Show at the Copro-Nason Gallery Opened Last Saturday night in Santa Monica, CA.
Beautifully eerie Cabaret sounds from the "Cabinet of Curiosities" Duo punctuated the art decorating the walls. While some may say that the "low-Brow" art style is getting a little homogenated, The visual impact of seeing these paintings in person has a mauch larger impact in real life, and you can feel the energy that was put in to these works that is lost when converted to small images in a magazine.

The show runs through August 2, so get some culture and check it out.

Amy Sol * Anthony Ausgang * Attaboy * Brian McCarty * Boomer * Brian Viveros * Chris Peters * Boomer * Brian Viveros * Brian Despain * Chet Zar * Chris Peters * Christopher Ryniak* Christian van Minnen * Dan Quintana * Daniel Lim * Dan May * Dave Cooper * David Stoupakis * Erik Alos * Esao Andrews * Germs * Gris Grimly * Jeff Gillette * Jeff McMillan * Jeff Soto * Jim Woodring * Josh Keyes * Keith Weesner * KMNDZ * Kukula* Lola * Luke Chueh * Makiko Sugawa * Mark Covell * Matt Dangler * Martin Witfooth * Michael Page * Michelle Mia Araujo * Naoto Hattori * Nathan Spoor Laurie Lipton * Noferin * Oksana Badrak * Ray Caesar * Shag * Scott Belcastro * Tin * Stella Im Hultberg * Travis Louie * Winston Smith * Xiaoqing Ding * Yoskay Yamamoto & many more!

Link to more pictures
Link to CoproNason

Nerd Droid VJ / DJ Duo Performance

Is it a funny name? does it bring any images to mind? If not will it will; once you feast your eyes on a Live Digital/ Analog Video Visual performance & Audio assault with Circuit bent toys and Latest and retro greatest records.


Link

Mr. Brainwash "Life is Beautiful" Show review

How much is an endorsement by Sheppard Fairey, the genius behind the "Obey Giant" Phenom? a line of people 3 blocks long to get into your art show. You can't argue with a line that is three blocks long. It was a wall of people waiting to get in for 3 hours. the DJ set by Mr Fairey left something to be desired, but it was abou the art, right? The only theme tying the work was that it was by the same artist. Pop culture mashups, stencils, graffiti, installation, a little of everything. An impressive body of work to put out all at once for the public eye to scrutinize in a setting made to analyze the work outside of "street art". the building it seld was very interesting, one of the messages left on the wall was by a former employee that their desk was in that very spot for 5 years.

only open for a few days, I recommend it for novelties sake.

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Mr. Brainwash "Life is Beautiful" Art show June 18 2008

Tomorrow night, the Mr. Brainwash art show opens with the genius of street art marketing; Sheppard Fairey as DJ; a full building installation in several rooms with original artwork and even a live Jazz band. This should be a great show don't miss it if you are in LA. check back in a few days to see how the show went.

Opens Wednesday June 18th 7pm

6121 W Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90036
(Former CBS Studios 6121 W Sunset Blvd @ El Centro)

link

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Miniature Pinscher Powered Scooter

The Honda Ruckus. 5 mpp ( min pin Power) between your knees gets 100 mpg. with a stripped down mad-max look; it makes the vespas and Metroplitan look like panty waists.  for $2000 they look to be a lot of fun for around town cruising. Bad-ass looks with the attitude of a min pin. when gas hits $6 a gallon, these will be even more appealing.

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For your Narcissistic pleasure...

Customize your food with your name or company logo. Everything from Cereal to Steak can now sport your message. encourage your customers to ingest your company name, becoming closer to you as a brand. I would love to personalize all my food, so if someone grabs my lunch by mistake, every M&M has my name on it!

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iPhone 3G is here!

Big news, though unsurprising to any Mac lover. the price seems rock bottom for a little Mac you keep in your pocket. 32Gb coming soon...

Extra cool features I've seen available:
Watch security cameras live
Quartz Composer controller
Home Automation controller

What I haven't seen...
Bluetooth keyboard
dock for keyboard, mouse, and monitor

Link

Lego repair Patchwork

Submitted by Jerrold R.

Great work by an Italian Artist Jan Voormann. not much info on the site, it appears to be a public artwork installation repairing old stone buildings with a pachwork of legos. Great contrast of materials.

link

Better than an Electric car!

Saturday I picked up a new ride, a single speed beach cruiser, flat black all around, rat-rod style. no gas or electric required (until I add a headlight)
Chubby's in LA was Jam packed, a long queue of customers, and a stack of bikes waiting to be put together.
My bike was assembled on the spot, which I promptly threw on the bike rack and headed down for a cruise on the Strand, In Hermosa beach.
In my opinion, it is one of the greatest joys, rediscovered when I moved to the South Bay.

Harry & The Best Thing

Submitted By Kathy M.

"I Had Harry over the weekend while Tate & Amanda went to the Bahamas for her birthday celebration.
Harry decided this water bowl was the greatest thing! He carried
it all over the yard and patio endlessly."











Harry & Bowl.







He'd act all coy and pretend disinterest and ignore Bowl... then POUNCE on it and parade it around again. Silly dog
with a sense of humor!









Truly the Best Thing EVER!
Dolly hunting lizards in the background as per usual.


More about Harry near bottom of page LINK

L.A. Tagger "Buket" busted with Youtube

Interesting read, very "web 2.0" being busted for posting videos of yourself tagging buses & freeway signs. He's also a Professional Graphic designer, maybe he should have used it as a marketing campaign, a la "ATHF Boston Frightfest"

Quanity, NOT quality, just like big time marketing campaigns.

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Klowns to disturb you

If you haven't seen Killer Klowns from Outer Space, then you are probably at ease around Bobo and the other clowns lingering around every child oriented event. Watch this and you will realize what they are really all about. This great film was super low budget, hence the creativeness behind the effects in the seminal horror film from the 80's. Rumors abound about the sequel, it's enough to confiscate your child jack in the box. I can't wait for an official greenlight. 

If you have the time (and if your reading this you do) check out the Chiodo's early work on youtube

get the DVD from amazon, but first, stop by thge Chiodo's site

Link

Super Narrow Commuter cars

These cars seem amusing at first glance. It looks as though some wiseguy put a Smart car in the vise and squished it to half it's width.

 Check out the specs though, and it seems much more intelligent. Tandem seats? check. Electric Power? check. Handling? check. (see here for pics from the little thing at an autocross.) Pricing is a little steep, but most of these boutique electric car startups are. 

I couldn't image white-lining one of these things on the 405 in LA, like the crazy motorcyclists do.

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