You can’t buy this anywhere, but I just had to share. If this isn’t thoughtful, I don’t know what is.

I spotted this in traffic a few days ago. It is what appears to be a Honda del Sol (circa 1994) that has been completely outfitted to match Luke’s X-Wing from A New Hope. It’s got nearly everything I could expect from a mid-sized economy sports car turned intergalactic space fighter. From the accurately detailed R2 unit in the back (so much for that rearview mirror) to the side mounted guns with laser burns scorching the car near the tips, this is clearly the work of some mad genius. Rebel Alliance insignia decal and some other panelling details round out the realism, giving you the impression that it might just circumvent the traffic on the 405 and make the jump to hyperspace somewhere north of LAX and south of the Getty.

Mad Genius, I salute you. Click the pic to see all the details closer up. It also seems as if the driver is explaining something to his passenger, given his hand motions. My guess: his theory on how awesome he is.

If the maker/owner of this car reads this post, drop me a line; I’ve a got 2007 VW Rabbit that I think has TIE Interceptor potential.

Filed under: Art | Design, Cars | Transportation — Roy @ 12:44 pm

The Pen Show the other day reminded me that I had a few old favorites languishing in drawers back home. Digging through those drawers, I was rewarded with a prize: the Porsche Design P3140 Pocket Pen. I came across this gem in a store called Flax in Los Angeles and bought it right away. What makes this pen so cool is the way the ballpoint deploys - you just shake it and the tip pops out; shake it again to retract. As a result, the exterior of the pen is very minimalist, almost like a pencil. A slight bulge on the endcap keeps the pen from rolling around, and a rubberized shaft makes it comfortable to hold. The only drawback is the lack of a clip, but the addition of one would have ruined the clean lines of the pen. I can’t say I miss it that much. I’ve loved my P3140, or “shaker”; it’s a perfect pocket pen for any occasion.

Filed under: Art | Design — Max @ 9:50 pm

Your TV is no match for this remote. By harnessing it’s powers, you can become a TV controlling GOD! Such power over the universe, and yet it still fits in your pocket!

The Micro Spy Remote is a tiny litle keychain that will control most TVs out there. It measures a mere 2.3″ x 1.4″ x .25″. When you want to control a TV just hold down the mute button. The remote cycles through its various TV codes until the TV you’re trying to control goes mute. You then release the button, and you now have control over the TV. There’s really not much more to it. Something that is extra useful about this (other than wreaking havoc with public TVs), is that when you lose your TV remote to the hobgoblins in your house, you can still control your own TV provided you haven’t lost your keys. You can pick up one of these gems at ThinkGeek for a mere $9.

It’s simple, it’s small, it’s nerdy, it’s awesome.

ThinkGeek [thanks to Mike for showing me his awesome keychain]

Filed under: Gadgets | Technology, Televisions — Santi @ 9:57 pm

We’ve mentioned Working Class Heroes before, but I wanted to take a closer look at their Unfold laptop bag now that it’s officially out and we’re not limited to a meager preview. Their laptop sleeves are beautiful, and come with a host of different options to choose from, but the bag only comes in one versatile flavor.

 
 
 

Continue reading A Tale of Two Bags Unfolds (Bad Pun Dept.)

Filed under: Bags — Max @ 9:23 pm

To promote the upcoming miniseries, John Adams, HBO & the Post Office are trying to get people to write more cards…even if this means doing it online! I visited the Power of the Letter website to check out. Sure enough, you can write a complimentary (that means one free) card via the cardstore. This time of year does have some holidays (Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Leap Year Day) so I’ll definitely be using this complementary card…but now, on who?

Link: USPS Power of the Letter and AdAge’s WriteUp (Membership Required)

Filed under: Media | Entertainment — Pilar @ 10:12 am

I don’t have kids, but if I did, they’d be the perfect excuse for me to buy a toy like this for myself. Apparently, a Tampa area woman bought an ‘Elmo Knows Your Name‘ toy for her toddler son. The doll connects to a computer to learn the kid’s name and other phrases, for a more personalized experience in cute. What she did not realize, however, is that Elmo loves murder. After a battery change, the doll began saying “kill james”. James being the name of the kid. No one knows why or how this happened, though I suspect that James owes Elmo a lot of money. That’s exactly what this country needs, more violent two-strike convicted felon children’s toys. Perhaps a Strawberry Shortcake who says, ‘Death to America’?

 
Source Engadget via TBO
Image from TBO

Filed under: Toys | Games — Roy @ 1:21 pm

A buddy of mine told me I need to check out FreakAngels, a new webcomic by Warren Ellis (Writing, of Transmetropolitan Fame) and Paul Duffield (Illustration). It’s got a distinctly steampunk feel to it, but also shades of Mad Max and 28 Days Later - and it’s free! Needless to say, I was hooked instantly. Already I want them to release more than six pages a week!

Image from FreakAngels Issue One, Page One.

Filed under: Comics, Media | Entertainment — Max @ 6:09 pm

Been hurtin for a decent little PMP, but didn’t feel like coughing up the dough? Well Buy.com is now selling the refurbished Archos 404 portable media players for $110 with free shipping! That $110 gets you a 3.5″ (320×240) screen and 30GB of storage. You can even use it to record video, or playback video on a television. It displays and plays nearly every common format (even PDFs), although unfortunately I don’t think it supports any lossless audio formats. Still, pretty sweet deal if you ask me. I haven’t personally had a chance to play with this device, however it seems to get pretty decent reviews (cnet review).

[source Buy.com via Audiojunkies]

Filed under: Gadgets | Technology, Portable Audio — Santi @ 10:12 pm

Things have been tumultuous in Kenya recently. I’m glad to read this lighter story amid all the other issues going on there. And this story has to do with Honorary Beer.

Back in 2004, East African Breweries Limited introduced Senator Keg beer in honor of Sen. Barack Obama’s election to the U.S. Congress. It also appears that those who drink the brew call it the “Obama.”

So, when is this going to be offered in the US?

Link: BBC Story
Picture Source: BBC

Filed under: Other — Pilar @ 10:07 pm

I got a chance to check out an advance screening of the new Harold and Kumar movie at ArcLight yesterday. Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay follows the hilarious duo right where they left off in 2004; full from an obscenely large order of tiny burgers and fries and chasing Harold’s beautiful love interest Maria on her way to Amsterdam. I’ll say this now, I loved this movie.

I don’t want to give away any plot, so don’t be afraid to read on. I generally stay away from sequels like this. By “like this” I mean smash hits that are basically guaranteed sequels for financial reasons. (Example). I don’t want to see a sequel because an accountant said it made sense, I want a sequel because there is a story that isn’t finished being told.
 

Continue reading Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay

Filed under: Movies — Roy @ 11:06 pm