The world is a dangerous place. You can walk around, playing on your cell phone quite innocently, and suddenly find yourself in road traffic, falling into a fountain, or meeting a wild bear. Our ancient ancestors long struggled with the task of walking while texting, hoping for a solution.
Now, thanks to modern technology, we have one. Industrial designer Minwook Paeng invented the Third Eye. This is a gyroscopically controlled ultrasonic sensor that activates when you tilt your head down. It buzzes you when you are about to encounter an obstacle.
Jennifer McDermed, a television meteorologist in Minneapolis, ended up in a surprise remake of the Michael Keaton comedy film Multiplicity. An unknown technical glitch caused her to multiply as she walked across the screen. Like in Multiplicity, her copies deteriorate with every iteration.
Core77 introduces us to the mushroom knife, which is a tool designed for the needs of people who search for mushrooms.
The blade is curved for cutting through the stem. The brush allows the user to clear away debris that may obscure the mushroom. A scale printed on the side can be used to measure the mushroom. This particular model by toolmaker Garrett Wade also has a compass just in case you're too focused on searching for mushrooms and get lost.
InnoMake is a shoe designed by the Austrian startup company Tec-Innovation. Each shoe comes equipped with front-mount light sensor. When it detects an upcoming obstacle, it warns the user with a vibration and a cellphone notification delivered through a Bluetooth connection. The product website explains how it works:
The vibration feedback is provided directly in the shoe, which allows you to feel if there is an obstacle in front of you. The acoustic feedback is provided via a smartphone and if required via e.g. bone conduction headphones so as not to drown out environmental noises.
The visual impulses can be transmitted via the LED on the shoe and they can provide you with additional support in the dark. You can also use InnoMake without primary tools in familiar, safe environments, e.g. at home or at work, so that both hands are free.
Colossal introduces us to Kazuaki Harada, a Japanese artist who delights with the world with whimsical automata. His world is filled with animals exercising, marionettes dancing, and, above all, expressions of romance. You can view more on his Instagram page or his YouTube channel.
Bird is neglecting to mention that he also smokes when he feels empty. But he's probably just trying to get Mouse to shut up. Emptiness needs not adverbs. Emptiness simply is.
Tyler recently bought a house in New York. One particular drawer in his kitchen would not open, but only because he had not solved a puzzle first. He had unknowingly purchased a carefully crafted lockbox with a hidden treasure inside.
This magnificent piece of stained glass by Courtney Dickerson, suitable for any parlor, shows the villainous Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. We see carefully chosen colors of glass instead of tanned human skin. It has, sadly, already been sold to a buyer of refined taste.
Mozart's 1787 piece "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" is only more enchanting when performed on a banjo. That's what master guitarist (and apparently banjoist) Luca Stricagnoli does here. He's perfectly dressed for the occasion, complete with a toothpick in his mouth.
I don't recognize the bowing implement he seems to use. What is it?
Recently, I shined my dress shoes for the first time in a year. Since I wasn't wearing them daily to the office, there seemed like little reason to keep them shiny. Other people are making similar fashion changes as the pandemic recedes. This is having an impact on the fashion industry. The Wall Street Journal (sorry, but it's a paywalled article) reports:
In the past few weeks, pants with buttons and zippers have begun outselling those with drawstrings or elastic waistbands at L.L. Bean Inc. At Saks Fifth Avenue, sales of dresses, blouses and sandals are exceeding levels not seen since spring 2019. And employees at Haggar Clothing Co.'s distribution center are working overtime to replenish trousers and blazers at department stores and other retailers that sell its clothes.
"The fact that sales came back so strongly, so quickly before offices reopened speaks to the need for people to dress up as they get out there and socialize," said Michael Stitt, Haggar's chief executive officer.
Industry analysts are developing a consumer behavior model called "2-mile fashion". People can be very casual about what they wear within two miles of their home. Beyond that limit, they tend to dress up:
It found that when people stay within 2 miles of their home, they tend to wear sweatpants and carry just a few credit cards. If they travel farther than 2 miles, they put on pants and grab a wallet. The radius varies depending on whether people are in the suburbs or cities, but the habits stay the same.
"We embraced the idea of 2-mile fashion," said Brad Seabaugh, a Randa senior vice president, meaning that people wear different things whether they are close to home or farther away.
Some of these changes may be permanent as people try to carry comfortable, at-home fashion into the outer world:
That led Randa to bet big on several types of products, including slippers with soles that can be worn outdoors, large wallets and cargo pants. Randa executives figured that with men no longer carrying messenger bags or backpacks, they would shove everything in their wallets or pockets. A cargo pant with seven pockets is currently one of Haggar's bestsellers.
I found this image on Totally Gourmet, but the origins of the photo remain mysterious. It looks straightforward enough: dump at least a dozen eggs into a bundt pan and bake them into a gelatinous ring of eggs. Although it's too late to do this for Easter, there are later opportunities to surprise guests with this innovate recipe that seems to frighten faint-hearted people of the Internet.
Like a dark cloud of tangible suffering, prom season has descended upon high schoolers the United States. Prepare yourself accordingly by making a corsage with the help of Red Lobster. That restaurant chain is famous for its signature Cheddar Bay Biscuits, which can become corsages and boutonniere in a pinch.
This video shows you how. Consider yourself warned.
Veermaster Berlin's Instagram page is worth a long scroll through. His cocktails are visually stunning masterpieces. Each one is a carefully presented work of art.
I'm especially taken with this cocktail made with Highclere Castle Gin. Highclere Castle is the magnificent home where the exterior scenes for Downton Abbey were shot. Here's the recipe:
Highclere Castle Gin
Homemade Red Chili infused Yuzu Marmalade and Kafir Lime Leaves Syrup
Elderflower Vanilla Cordial
Dry Vermouth
Sakura Bitter
Egg White
The garnish consists of herbs, forget-me-not flowers, chili powder, and a sheet of gold.
Coincidentally, as I wrote this post, my 12-year old daughter passed by and asked me to define a variety of terms on it, including hysteria, lobotomies, and aspic. It was a difficult conversation, but I'm glad that Correll gave me the opportunity to talk about the dangers of jello salads. That era, thankfully, has passed from our time.
