Blog.2modern.com

We Like What They Do: Brothers and Sons

by greg@2modern.com (2Modern)

We really like when we can see the character and past of a piece of furniture. It’s one reason why we flock to vintage and antique pieces so much–sensing a piece’s story is almost as rewarding as enjoying its aesthetic value. That’s one of the unfortunate things missing to many modern furniture designs–the piece is so new you must adopt it in order to give it a story (which can be kind of fun, too). Brothers and Sons has combined the past and the future with their Squash Court Tables, made from–you guessed it–reclaimed squash court floor.


The piece it its current iteration might be new, but that squash court wood, well that’s just full of stories. Business partners hashing out a corporate deal while sweating. Two almost-lovers getting to know each other some physical exercise. A solo single stressed out woman wondering where her life is going while slamming a squash ball over and over again across that wood. Magical. See more squash tables and their other designshere.

Wired - Top Stories

Nintendo 3DS Teardown Pegs Gaming Machine's Cost at $103

by Chris Kohler

Ripping into Nintendo's new handheld, iSuppli itemizes the components. The most expensive part? That flashy glasses-free 3-D display, with an estimated price tag of $33.

Discovery News - Top Stories

Antimatter Gets Heavy

by Jennifer Ouellette

It seems antimatter might have a bit of a weight problem these days. A U.S. particle accelerator has produced antimatter helium-4, an extremely rare -- and heavy -- particle.

Hollywood.com

The things they say

 

"The 50-calibre one (rifle) that I was shooting at the dragon was amazing... We did it on a soundstage and I actually had to keep my mouth open... If you close your mouth you can blow out your eardrums." Vanessa Hudgens on learning how to shoot guns for new movie Sucker Punch.

TIME: Top Videos

Verizon vs. AT&T iPhone Service Plans

The Verizon iPhone will be here before you know it and though the hardware behind the AT&T iPhone and the Verizon iPhone is nearly identical, the service plans offered by AT&T and Verizon differ enough to warrant a closer look

Msnbc.com: Technology & Science

Man caught selling U.S. military spy plane on eBay

 

A man was recently arrested after selling a U.S. military spy plane on eBay. Apparently the Homeland Security Department was not amused by his attempt to make a buck.

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Crazy collection of concepts from Bertone to be auctioned by RM at Villa d'Este

by Noah Joseph

Filed under: Concept Cars, Auctions, Chevrolet, Lamborghini, Misc. Auto Shows, Lancia

1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero from the Bertone Museum - Click above for high-res image gallery

You can't make an omelet, or so the saying goes, without breaking some eggs. So while it's unfortunate that the restructuring at Bertone means the dissolution of its museum collection, it also means that its contents are going up for auction. And they'll be crossing the block at no less fitting a location than Villa d'Este.

Those in the know will recognize Villa d'Este for the Concorso d'Eleganza held there every year, where the most gorgeous and rare of classic cars mingle with the finest concept cars unveiled throughout the year. This year's concours will mark the first time that RM Auctions will be holding an event at the open-air show on picturesque Lake Como, and in addition to the myriad unspeakably beautiful classics on the docket, RM has just announced the consignment of six concept cars from the Bertone Museum, each one-of-a-kind in its own right and available to collectors for the first time.

The consignment includes the 1967 Lamborghini Marzal, 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero, 1963 Chevrolet Testudo, 1974 Lamborghini Bravo, 1980 Lamborghini Athon and 1978 Lancia Sibilo. Each was a seminal design for Bertone, and each is expected to fetch well into the six and even seven figures. The Marzal, particularly, which was driven by Prince Ranier and Princess Grace at the start of 1967 Monaco Grand Prix, and the Stratos, the first prototype for the iconic supercar rally machine of the same name, are expected to sell for between €1,000,000 and €1,800,000... that's as much as $2.5 million apiece in equivalent American funds.

Have a look at the collection (sans the Lancia Siblio, images for which are en route) in the high-resolution image gallery below, and follow the jump for the full details in the press release. Hat tip to Sea Urchin!

Gallery: Bertone concepts at RM Auctions Villa d'Este

[Source: RM Auctions | Images: Tom Wood/RM]Continue reading Crazy collection of concepts from Bertone to be auctioned by RM at Villa d'Este

Wired - Top Stories

BlackBerry Tablet to Ship Without Mail, Messaging or Contacts

by Charlie Sorrel

According to a leaked internal document, the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet will ship without native support for e-mail, contacts or messaging. To use any of these services, you'll have to either hook up a BlackBerry handset, or access them through the web browser.

Discovery News - Top Stories

Warm Air Over Eastern Shores Draw In the Cold

by John D. Cox

Atmospheric waves generated from ocean heat may provide a new explanation for why western cities are usually warmer than eastern cities despite similar latitudes.

Hollywood.com

The things they say

 

"I chop a lot of people up in this movie. It's great. I cut people's tongues out and I chop a guy up at the end of the movie." Mild-mannered movie star Paul Giamatti relished playing King John in bloody new medieval epic Ironclad.

TIME: Top Videos

The Top 10 Must-Try Gmail Extras

Some of Gmail's experimental lab features can and do make your e-mail awesome at all times. Here's a look at the 10 best extras.

Msnbc.com: Technology & Science

Old Web safety video shows more innocent time

 

'Internet and Street Smarts' is a dated artifact of a more innocent time, but it does give us something we can use today ... a hilarious animated gif.

Blog.2modern.com

Big Brother inspires knowledge via Art!

by greg@2modern.com (2Modern)

Enter Malte Spitz, a German Green Party politician and privacy advocate with a cell phone.

Malte Spitz

Spitz knows, as most cell phone users do, that our GPS is on all the time and that his cell phone carrier basically knew where we was 24 hours a day.
From German Newspaper, Zeit Online:
This profile reveals when Spitz walked down the street, when he took a train, when he was in an airplane. It shows where he was in the cities he visited. It shows when he worked and when he slept, when he could be reached by phone and when was unavailable. It shows when he preferred to talk on his phone and when he preferred to send a text message. It shows which beer gardens he liked to visit in his free time. All in all, it reveals an entire life.”
So Spitz used German privacy law to make all of his information available to him from his carrier Deutsche Telekom and then he made it public.
Turns out DT had recorded and saved his lat/long coordinates more than 35,000 times in six months! But that’s not the scary part – the information that Spitz got was based on how often he checked his email. (So by that rationale, I think we should all turn our phones to “push” mode so that our email is downloaded to our phones in a lump, when we want to see our email. As a bonus, you’ll enjoy longer battery life and maybe a little less Big Brother interaction.)
Zeit Online made an interactive map here, showing where Spitz went and what he did for between Aug 31, 2009 and Feb. 28, 2010. Spitz says that the results are accurate and that his driving purpose behind putting his personal life online is to educate the public that this is what’s at stake in the world of cell phone privacy. The only embarrassing thing he copped to was taking flights instead of more fuel efficient trains as a Green Party politician.

Monday August 31, 2009 - Malte Spitz's life via cellphone

What does that mean for Americans like me? We don’t know. The New York Times covered the story in this past Saturday’s paper but “major American cellphone providers declined to explain what exactly they collect and what they use it for.” We know that the FBI and the DEA have used cell records to find and identify suspects.

Wired - Top Stories

Mercury Images Show Shadowed Craters, New Terrain

by Lisa Grossman

Hundreds of spectacular new images of Mercury are pouring in from the first spacecraft ever to orbit the smallest planet. See some of the best in this gallery.

Discovery News - Top Stories

Fukushima: Sea Contamination Likely to be Local

 

Radioactive contamination of the sea from Fukushima is likely to be only a local problem, but may necessitate an exclusion zone.

Hollywood.com

The Things They Say

"When I'm at premieres, however, I can't wait to get home and put on my baggy pants. The glamour of Hollywood is such a myth. I can't help worrying that I'll trip on my heels, or that my make-up is smudging all over my face." Alice in Wonderland star Mia Wasikowska can't enjoy herself at film premieres.

TIME: Top Videos

Oscar Prediction: Best Actor

TIME movie critic Richard Corliss predicts the Oscar winner for Best Actor

Msnbc.com: Technology & Science

Bronx Zoo's Cobra gains fans, spooks Banff Squirrel

 

A mere two days with a (still) unverified Twitter account, the notorious @BronxZoosCobra has amassed more than 140,000 followers on her virtual travelogue of New York City.

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Video: How to build your very own meat car

by Aaron Richardson

Filed under: Etc., Humor

Epic Meal Time Meat Cars - Click above to view video after the jump

Working cars into your daily diet used to be a bit of a challenge, unless you regularly consume race car birthday cakes or something. That is, until now. The Canadian YouTube sensations at Epic Meal Time have solved your car guy culinary crisis with their latest creation: meat cars.

The body of the meat car is something like a highly modified sherpherd's pie, but instead of corn, they used macaroni and cheese. Bacon permeates everything the team does, from the ground beef and bacon skin of the shepherd's pie, to the beer and bacon grease batter, to the bacon grease buttery mashed potatoes.

Keeping things rolling along is a set of four salami wheels wrapped in onion tires and garnished with a healthy dose of chrome. These may be cars made of meat, but they do actually roll. Top that off with a candy (yes, actual candy) paint job, and you have a stylin', 23,266 calorie meat ride. Mildly NSFW language in the video after the jump.

[Source: YouTube]
Continue reading Video: How to build your very own meat car

Wired - Top Stories

Secret Space Plane Can't Hide From Amateur Sleuths

by Noah Shachtman

Amateur sleuths track down the Air Force's secret space plane on its second classified mission. And the information the skywatchers are finding says quite a bit about the clandestine operations of this mysterious spacecraft.

Discovery News - Top Stories

2011 Arctic Sea Ice Maximum Joint Lowest On Record

by Kieran Mulvaney

The start of Arctic spring/summer sea ice melt has begun; tying this year's furthest winter extent south with 2006 as the lowest on record.

Hollywood.com

The Things They Say

 

"I don't have to be close to the people I work with. Bankers don't want to go home and balance their checkbooks." Sex & the City actress Kim Cattrall doesn't like hanging out with actors and actresses.

TIME: Top Videos

Tahrir Square: The Epicenter of Cairo's Protests

At Cairo's Liberation Square, Abigail Hauslohner finds Egyptians exhilarated by protests, fearful of police and the thugs who threaten their homes at night, and welcoming the arrival of the army

Msnbc.com: Technology & Science

'Royal Wedding' app gives you front-row seat

 

Counting down the days till Will and Kate's Big Day? You can do it with a rich archive of current and past photos and videos using a new, free iPad app,"The Royal Wedding by NBC News."

Blog.2modern.com

And Why Knot?

by greg@2modern.com (2Modern)

We have talked about wooden rings with a twist…why not furniture in a knot?  Canadian furniture artist, Kino Guérin, shows off his talents bending wood into knots on a larger scale.  He makes it seem effortless, though highly doubtful that it is.



Visit Kino Guérin’s website. Photography by Elyse Belanger
Have an infinitely modern day!

Wired - Top Stories

Google Looks to One-Up Facebook's 'Like' With '+1' Button

With a baby step called +1, Google takes on Facebook and its popular Like button.

Discovery News - Top Stories

Beams of Electricity Zap Fires

 

But don't trade in the firefighting hose for a electrical wand just yet.

Hollywood.com

How Much Is 'The Borgias' Like 'The Godfather?'

Duh, they're the ORIGINAL crime family.

TIME: Top Videos

March's Top Five Viral Videos

The best web video for March 2011 brings us the ‘bi-winning’ Charlie Sheen, a heroic dog, a bad song, a love song and a baby's take on a blowing nose

Msnbc.com: Technology & Science

Robot overlords win with Kinect-controlled 'copter 

 

Looks like researchers at MIT and the University of Washington are busy signing over humanity's future to our robot overlords ... with a little help from Kinect.

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Video: 30 minutes of raw 2012 BMW M5 footage

2012 BMW M5 - Click above to watch the video after the jump

As of now, we've seen plenty of photos and footage of the upcoming 2012 BMW M5, and now the grandaddy of videos has just been released. This time, BMW has leaked nearly 30 minutes of the M5 undergoing cold weather testing in the Alps. There's plenty of everything here, from nice stills to rolling footage of the upcoming M car bounding through the snow.

The F10 M5 is rapidly approaching its debut, first at a private BMW press conference at the end of this week, then at the Shanghai Motor Show in mid-April. We already know that the car will have a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 replacing the outgoing car's V10, and Americans will still be able to get a traditional stick shift. We're ready, BMW. Hop the jump for the video.

Gallery: 2012 BMW M5 Spy Shots

[Source: YouTube via World Car Fans]Continue reading Video: 30 minutes of raw 2012 BMW M5 footage

Discovery News - Top Stories

First Practical Artificial Leaf Makes Debut

In a milestone toward sustainable energy, scientists devise a way to mimic the way leaves convert sunlight into fuel.

Hollywood.com

The things they say

"I can't really comment on it... (but) I would embrace it. It would be a fun transformation, but I don't really know what's... Nothing's official." Movie star James Marsden on reports he is in talks to play Larry in the stalled Three Stooges film.

Wired - Top Stories

Messenger Sends First Image of Mercury From Orbit

NASA's Messenger spacecraft on early Tuesday sent the first image of Mercury ever taken from orbit around the planet.

TIME: Top Videos

Why Not To Switch To The Verizon iPhone

 

While there are several reasons the Verizon iPhone may be a better choice than the AT&T iPhone, here are a few potential reasons to stick it out.

Msnbc.com: Technology & Science

Someday, your pulse could power your iPod

Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: Researchers develop a nanotech-based electric generator that could make it possible for your pulse to power your iPod Nano.

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Toyota Avensis touring car debuts ahead of BTCC season opener

Toyota Avensis BTCC - Click above for high-res image gallery

Touring car racing is enjoying somewhat of a renaissance as of late. DTM is growing from a German national series to a proper international championship, while the World Touring Car Championship is living up to its name by expanding outside Europe. V8 Supercars are as popular as ever Down Under, just as Super GT is in Japan. But arguably the most resurgent is the British Touring Car Championship.

Title-sponsored by Dunlop, this year's BTCC will feature no fewer than 27 competitors - and all-time high for the series - fielding 13 different models from 10 manufacturers, representing Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda,Proton, Seat, Toyota, Vauxhall and Volkswagen. That could very well be higher and more varied participation than any other major racing series in the world.

When the BTCC launched its Next Generation Touring Car formula, it was Toyota's British subsidiary that kicked it off with the new Avensis racer, which has finally made its public debut at Silverstone - a little behind schedule, but still a week before the series gets under way at Brands Hatch. The car will be campaigned by Dynojet Racing and Speedworks, with Frank Wrathall, Jr. and Tony Hughes behind the wheel of each, respectively. The cars are built atop frames rolling right off the assembly line at Toyota's Burnaston plant, and powered by a turbochagred 2.0-liter four with over 300 horsepower. Check out the full press blast after the jump for more.

Gallery: Toyota Avensis BTCC

[Source: Toyota]Continue reading Toyota Avensis touring car debuts ahead of BTCC season opener

Discovery News - Top Stories

Space Will Make You Cranky and Euphoric

Think you have what it takes to endure a five-month stay in orbit? Be prepared to go through some psychological changes.

Hollywood.com

Fascinating fact

Fans of TV drama Mad Men will have to wait for the new series of the hit show - due to contract negotiations between series creator Matt Weiner and executives at TV network AMC, the programme will not return until early 2012. There will be no new episodes in 2011.

Wired - Top Stories

Cheat with Science: Navigate the Great Indoors

It's easy to get lost in large structures like convention centers, so cognitive scientist Laura Carlson walks us through how to stay un-lost.

TIME: Top Videos

The Challenger Tragedy and the Mourner in Chief

When the space shuttle Challenger was lost on January 28, 1986, President Ronald Reagan offered poignant words that urged a nation to keep exploring