Lykke Li - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?

New from the wonderful Lykke Li
Download this free mp3 here from lykkeli.com

Lego's tribute to the Matrix

After around 440 hours of work, and just in time for the 10th anniversary of the original movie release, Trevor Boyd and Steve Ilett present the Lego version of the famous Bullet Time dodge scene from The Matrix.

Julien Pacaud

Check out Juilien Pacaud, a French illustrator, amazing portfolio.

"Perpendicular Dreams"

http://www.julienpacaud.com/

(via Design Crisis)

The Passenger

A classic... and thanks to the Up in the Air trailer I get to hear this Iggy Pop song quite frequently.

World Aids Day 2009

World Aids Day 2009 Official Website

Google.org - World AIDS Day 2009 to find ways to learn, act and give

World Aids Day - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Toxic Travel

Been catching up on my DVR since returning from Chicago.... wish I would have seen the Dr. Oz episode on toxic travel before I left for the break. Guarantee next time I stay in a hotel I'll be wrapping my remote in a ziploc baggie. Here's the article summary of last week's episode. Read more here at the Dr. Oz website

We travel to work, to play, to visit the people we love, and, when we do, the last thing we want is to get sick. But, unfortunately, crowded airplanes, hotel rooms – even your Aunt Sally’s guest room – are teeming with millions of bacteria and viruses just itching to hitch a ride with you. And at busy times such as Thanksgiving (when some 8 million people board trains, planes, and buses), your risk rises.

Here’s what you need to know to stay healthy and happy for that long-awaited vacation, critical business meeting, or weekend with your long lost cousins.

The Scare in the Air

You don’t need anyone to tell you how crammed jet planes are these days. As airlines try to stay competitive, they jam more and more of us closer together leaving our health at the mercy of our fellow passengers. In fact, one recent study found that when 1,000 people traveled between San Francisco and Denver, 20% of them came down with a respiratory illness within the first 2 weeks after flying. In a famous example from 2003, one coughing passenger on a flight from Hong Kong to Beijing infected 22 other people on board with the deadly SARS virus. Five of them died.

One of the reasons planes are such good incubators for illness is that their ventilation systems recirculate air from side to side. That means when the man in the window seat across the aisle from you coughs, his germs fly right onto you. So you don’t have to be sitting next to a sick person to be exposed. To make you more vulnerable, the cabin pressure inside airplanes dries out mucous membranes leaving them more susceptible to germs.

Air Quality Control

Luckily, there are a few simple steps you can take to reduce your exposure and minimize your chance of being sick on your trip.

• Practice good hand hygiene Pack an alcohol-based hand sanitizer in your carry-on and use it early and often (after getting seated, before and after eating and drinking, and when you return from the rest room.) This step alone will reduce your chance of getting sick by 50%.
• Wipe your worries away Bring along sanitizing wipes and clean your tray (which can harbor the dangerousMRSA bacteria and handrails.
• Be wary of the bathroom Airplane bathrooms are some of the germiest places around. Wash your hands afterwards, use a paper towel to open the door when you leave, and then slap on hand sanitizer when you’re back in your seat.
• Arm your immune system North American ginseng is a promising botanical product used to ward off flu. Populations that take it appear to have a lower incidence of viral spread. Try to be well rested and have any chronic conditions well under control before you travel.
• Aim the air Make a fist with your hand and place it directly over your chest, then aim the air vent to blow onto it. That will give you the best airflow to protect you from being exposed to an infection.
• Stay hydrated Drinking lots of water will not only help your membranes to stay moisturized, but it will help keep you from developing potentially fatal blood clots in your legs, which crop up because staying immobile in a tiny space slows circulation. Also get up and walk the aisle once an hour.

Hotel Hot Spots to Check Out When You Check In

• The bedspread You may be tempted to flop down first thing but don’t do it until you remove the bedspread, which is rarely, if ever, cleaned. Fold it up and stash it well away from your belongings. Then check to the sheets. Look for hairs, any other evidence they were used, and traces of bed bugs. If the sheets aren’t clean, ask for a new room (if the sheets are dirty the rest of the room probably is.) If you find evidence of bed bugs, get a refund on your reservation and find a new hotel. If one room has bed bugs, others will too.
• The phone and remote control Two of the most handled places in hotel rooms are almost never cleaned and harbor all manner of bacteria and viruses. Experts recommend using a Ziploc bag as a makeshift glove when handling the remote or using a chlorine antibacterial wipe and wiping down every button, crack, and crevice, spending extra time on the power button, which is touched the most.
• The bathroom The worst offender is probably one you won’t suspect. Those cute courtesy glasses by the sink almost never get a proper dishwashing and are more likely wiped down with a towel from the room, leaving them loaded with bacteria. Skip them unless you’re supplied with plastic glasses sealed in plastic. Experts recommend travelling with your own collapsible cup.
• The carpet A quick vacuum does nothing but pick up dust and move bugs and fungus around. So, bring slippers or flip-flops to protect your feet.
  

Home Sweet Harm: Hidden Dangers in the Guest Room

Staying at a friend or family’s house means more quality time with the people you love, but it also means more one-on-one time with the germs they harbor. If you’re preparing for guests, don’t just vacuum, use a germicidal cleaner on all carpets and use a chlorine-based cleaning product in the guest bathroom applying it with a lot of love and elbow grease.

Days With My Father

We first mentioned this incredible photo essay from Phillip Toldedano back in April and if you haven't checked it out yet, it's a must. A few weeks ago, it was announced that the Days with My Father book will be published in May! Along with the email announcement, Mr. Toldedano allowed subscribers to choose a cover for the upcoming book. The two options are below. I chose the first one but they're equally heartwarming.

Days With My Father

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving holiday!

We thoroughly enjoyed the holiday break... meaning we completely overindulged in turkey and pumpkin pie. Spending the afternoon trying to get my life organized and get back to posting!

Cheers,

M&B

(image via martha stewart)

Working For A Nuclear Free City

Kingdom - Working For A Nuclea...

Clients From Hell

blog: clients from hell
about: a collection of anonymously contributed client horror stories from designers

excerpt:

I've been thinking about that logo you sent over

…. Do you think it would be possible to see what it looks like with a duck on the left hand side. Have been thinking about ducks and what they represent, think it would look pretty cool you know?

(10 minutes later, another email)

… Scrap the duck idea, I don’t know what I was thinking. Perhaps we could try swapping the duck illustration and try using a chair instead. Chairs are good. I have sent an image of a chair for reference.

The 90-Day Contract

The dude behind the new book, "The 90 Day Contract," Damon Alton, puts it this way: “Dating is stupid; I suggest you don't do it.” Nearly every aspect of our lives, everything from cell phone plans, to gym membership, is governed through a contract, “but dating is vague and ambiguous.” That ambiguity often leads to mind games, hurt feelings, drunk dialing, etc..

Don't commit to dating - try someone out with a 90-day contract!

(pause)
For reals?

New York Public Library

I've been spending a lot of my time in libraries these days.
There is something so serene about being surrounded by books.

The New York Public Library looks magical.
(image via here)

Blackbird

Blackbird Goodies

I just came across this amazing shop. It's filled with a wonderful selection of gift ideas for all the men in your life. With the holiday seasons approaching quite quickly, better get a jump start on your holiday shopping!

Holiday Gift Guides

With the last few holiday themed posts you could probably guess I'm starting to get into the festive mood. It is my goal to not only cut back on the gift giving this year but get it all done early. Been perusing these gift guides....

TreeHugger's Gift Guide

MAKE magazine's Holiday Gift Guide

Real Simple's 2009 Holiday Gift Guide

Martha Stewart's Homemade Gifts

Check out Real Simple's Holiday Gift Guide iPhone application...

the app includes other gift guides... ie. Cosmopolitan, Nordstrom, Sunset

and if you're still feeling Scrooge-ish - read this TIME article by Andrea Sachs "Why We Shouldn't Give Christmas Gifts"

(photos via Martha Stewart)

Have a great weekend!

Cheers!

M&B

Genetically Engineered Bacteria Reveal Landmines

This is incredible... AND it's a student-led project.

From BBC News -

Bacteria which glow green in the presence of explosives could provide a cheap and safe way to find hidden landmines, Edinburgh scientists claim.

The bugs can be mixed into a colourless solution, which forms green patches when sprayed onto ground where mines are buried.
Edinburgh University said the microbes could be dropped by air onto danger areas.
Within a few hours, they would indicate where the explosives can be found.
The scientists produced the bacteria using a new technique called BioBricking, which manipulates packages of DNA.
Alistair Elfick, from the university's school of engineering, who supervised the student-led project, said: 'This anti-mine sensor is a great example of how innovation in science can be of benefit to wider society.' "

Read the rest of the BBC article here

Stitchy Ornaments

from anthropologie

Bonnaroo 2010

Bonnaroo 2010
June 10 - 13 , 2010
Manchester, Tennessee


General admission tickets go on sale on Friday, November 27 for $209.50. After December 31, prices go up. If you've ever even entertained the idea of going, GO! Brooke and I had THE most amazing experience of our lives. Sure it's dirty and a bit overwhelming, but the music and people watching are incredible. We were b.roo novices the first time around. The next time we go, we will be pros. Guaranteed.

check out the site here for more info

Holiday Gift Checklists

Definitely going to use these checklists from Lifehacker. Even though I'm scaling back on the gift giving this year, I can still appreciate the help in simplifying.
Download them here.