STUFF: News, Technology, the cool and the plain weird

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The Studio Behind Adventure Time Could Finally Be Making An Animated Castlevania Series

Frederator Studios, the animation house responsible for Fairly Odd Parents and Adventure Time, has been trying to get an adaptation of the beloved Dracula-whipping action game franchise Castlevania off the ground for ages. According to the studio's founder, it sounds like the series could now be on track.

Frederator have owned the rights to an adaptation of Konami's long running supernatural fantasy franchise — which follows different generations of the Belmont Family as they discover their penchant for whipping the hell out of monsters, eating chickens hidden in castle walls and that they're part of a multi-generational quest to destroy Dracula once and for all (until the next one) — for over a decade. But so far, any attempts to capitalise on them has repeatedly stuttered.

However, fresh rumours about a Castlevania series from the studio produced by Dredd's Adi Shankar have been swirling since winter 2015, and it seems like there's a good chance that series is actually happening and is on the way. Fred Seibert, the founder of Frederator, recently spoke to the Nick Animation podcast about his career, and in discussing future projects for the studio beyond Adventure Time (which is set to end in 2018), Seibert subtly hinted that Castlevania is happening after all these years:

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We have a project now that we're doing that needs to go unnamed, based one of the most world-famous video games of the last 30 years, that we've had in our shop for 12 years without being able to get it started. But there were great characters, and a great story, and we eventually got it going.

While he didn't mention it by name, the note that it's a project they have been trying to get off the ground for ages, and the fact that it's a "world-famous video game of the last 30 years" — the Castlevania franchise turned 30 this past September — seem to be heavy hints that Seibert is indeed talking about Castlevania.

Whether or not it's the Shankar-produced pitch — which promised a gory, "superviolent" take on the series that would "flip the vampire sub-genre on its head" — remains to be seen. But it looks like the animated Belmonts could be heading to Dracula's castle once more in the near future.

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Robert Kirkman Very Optimistically Thinks The Walking Dead Could Have More Than Five Seasons Left

Robert Kirkman is apparently discounting the possibility that ratings fall and AMC cancels The Walking Dead. Or, the expense eventually makes the show not worth it, and AMC cancels it. Or, and I think we all agree this is the most likely option, the world ends in an apocalypse that makes The Walking Dead both redundant and hard to produce.

Here's the deal: the comic book the show is based on is about 50 issues ahead of where the show is. Assuming that the show and the comic book continue their pace, it could take years for the show to get to where the comics currently are. And the comics aren't stopping.

In the most recent issue of the comic, Kirkman explained (via ComicBook.com), "It took us six seasons to get to 100. It won't take us six years to get to 200 and that will take us to season… TWELVE. And we'll still be ahead of the show at that point."

Yes, if the show continues on its current adaptation pace (and the comic doesn't end) there's still years and years of story left for The Walking Dead. AMC isn't going to keep the show around indefinitely. What's more likely to happen is that the show will a) condense things from the comics and get through more just go off on its own direction completely or c) get cancelled with no solid ending.

I'm hoping for something between the first two, since the show's highs and lows have been very distinct. It would be better for everyone if they mapped out a plan, stuck to it and worked toward a satisfactory ending for everyone.

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7 Great Drawing And Sketching Apps That Turn Anyone Into An Artist

Music production isn't the only area in which smartphones and tablets can help those with no experience (or talent) push out something slick and professional. Here are the best apps for creating eye-catching works of art, whether or not you've ever put digital pen (or paintbrush) to virtual paper before.

SketchBook

Autodesk's SketchBook is undoubtedly a professional-level product, but at the same time it's accessible enough for anyone to dive in and play around with. The basics are available for free and then you can opt to "go pro" with a monthly subscription if you want to.

With a natural-feeling brush set, an interface that turns up at the right place at the right time, support for multiple layers and a host of useful functions (including enhanced selection tools), SketchBook can help turn anyone into an artist in not much time at all.

Free for Android and iOS

ArtFlow

ArtFlow is simpler and more straightforward than the likes of SketchBook but it's still capable of producing some impressive works of art, if you're prepared to put in the time to learn how it works. Some of the more advanced tools are locked behind in-app purchases.

You get dozens of brushes and tools to play around with, and there's support for styluses (including the Samsung S Pen). Most importantly, for our list at least, it's an app that you can just dive into whether you're a veteran illustrator or a schoolkid with big ideas.

Free for Android

Tayasui Sketches

It may lack some of the advanced features of the top-end drawing apps but Tayasui Sketches is perfect for the keen beginner, with just enough in the way of brushes and variety to get you going, and more advanced tools available to purchase if needed.

The emphasis is on drawing and painting tools that look natural on the screen, and it's particularly suitable for those looking to mimic real paper drawings on a digital device. Mastering the app takes some practice but it's definitely worth the time investment.

Free for Android and iOS

Procreate

Procreate is another heavyweight illustration app with a price tag to match, but its interface is transparent enough for everyone to have a go at sketching and drawing, provided you're willing to stump up the cash — and of course you then get all the "pro" tools straight away.

This is an iPad-only app designed for use with the Apple Pencil, and the Cupertino company has highlighted it in its app picks in the past. You get 128 brushes packed with options, plus the ability to create your own, as well as an advanced layering system.

$9.99 for iOS

Adobe Photoshop Sketch

For some simple and free sketching fun, look no further than Adobe Photoshop Sketch for Android or iOS, which you can use without paying for the heavyweight Adobe apps (though you do need to sign up for an Adobe ID). It's fun, it's powerful and it's easy to use.

The app gives you access to 11 different tools that can all be tweaked to suit your creative vision, plus support for layered drawings, colour mixing and export options in a variety of formats. Even if you've never used Photoshop, this is a straightforward app to start with.

Free for Android and iOS

ArtRage

The up-front cost may put some of you off, but it beats the frustration of having the best drawing tools locked away behind in-app purchases — and if you want to create the most natural and realistic-looking sketches on your device, ArtRage is worth the admission fee.

What impresses about ArtRage is that it's an app that manages to grow with you as you get more confident with designing. Straight away you can start putting splodges and splashes on the canvas, but more subtle effects and advanced tools are there as you need them.

$7.99 for Android and iOS

Paint Joy

Most drawing and sketching apps cater for the high end of the market but if you want something that's fun and accessible, without being basic, then Paint Joy fits the bill. It's perfect for jumping in and messing around with no matter what your level of talent.

There are 20 brushes to experiment with, but (this being Android) there are banner ads, which you can remove forever with a $US0.99 ($1.38) in-app purchase. For an app that's similarly straightforward and beginner-friendly on iOS, I'd recommend something like Paper.

Free for Android

 

 

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Shyamalan's Tales From The Crypt Reboot In Peril Over Rights Issues

M. Night Shyamalan's new Tales From The Crypt series might already be floating to the top of the tank, as TNT has confirmed it's having trouble securing rights for the original comic, which means the series could get delayed or scrapped.

We haven't heard much about the Tales From The Crypt reboot ever since it was announced back in April. At the time, it was set to be the cornerstone of TNT's new Horror Block, along with seasonal anthology Time of Death and brand-new series Creatures. However, Bloody Disgusting revealed this week that TNT's Tales From The Crypt is in trouble because of "budget issues" with the project. While that rumour still hasn't been confirmed, a TNT representative did say they're having trouble getting rights to the original 1950s series from EC Comics:

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"The underlying rights to this classic, vintage property are complicated. TNT and others have been pursuing a solution for more than a year, with significant progress being made. We look forward to the potential for further active development of this valuable franchise once the clearance process is fully resolved."

The series was set to come out late 2017 with a 10-episode season, featuring a "newly reinvented Crypt Keeper" based on the original comic book character. The TNT rep said "progress" has been made on securing rights for the show, but it doesn't look like the problem's been resolved yet. While the series hasn't been cancelled outright, the rights issues could mean a delay for the debut at the very least. That means TNT's Horror Block might get pushed to 2018... if it happens at all.

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Carrie Fisher Had Already Completed Her Work On Star Wars: Episode VIII

The sad reality of any celebrity passing is that we have to ask how their death will impact any ongoing work in the future. In the case of Carrie Fisher, that means the continuing Star Wars saga, Episodes VIII and IX.

Multiple sources are confirming that Fisher's work on Star Wars: Episode VIII, scheduled for release in December 2017, was complete. However, how her death will affect the subsequent films is still up in the air. Rumour has it, she was scheduled to appear in 2019's Episode IX, but that's difficult to verify until the eighth film is released.

Fisher reprised the role that made her a global superstar for last year's Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The film revealed that after Return of the Jedi, Leia continued to fight against the Empire, which was then replaced by a smaller, even more sinister group called the First Order. Now a General, Leia led a small Resistance against the First Order, contrary to the advice of the Senate. As the film ended, she lost Han Solo, the father of her son, but had renewed hope in the future as the young hero Rey went off to find Leia's brother, Luke Skywalker.

In Episode VIII, directed by Rian Johnson, we'll see how Leia's journey continues. There's no doubt she's going to be an important part of the film — but how Fisher's death will ultimately impact the saga remains a sad, inevitable mystery.

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The Most Deadly And Dangerous Places To Swim Around The World

It’s all fun and water games until you’re dragged out by a riptide, bitten by a shark, or contaminated by radioactive waste.

The world’s oceans, seas, rivers, and lakes are begging to be explored, but some of the most spectacular are also the most deadly. Don’t be fooled by pretty scenery or intriguing wildlife – even the most inviting hot spring or serene mountain lake could be hiding a hazardous secret.

Below you’ll find 8 of the most dangerous places to swim around the world.

Boiling Lake, Dominica

The dangers of this unusual locale are clear as soon as you hear the name. Boiling Lake in Dominica’s Morne Trois Pitons National Park is a hot spring you definitely don’t want to bathe in. The water temperature ranges from 82–92 °C (180–197 °F) along the edges, and the centre is so hot that no one can get close enough to measure it. The depth of the lake is also unknown. True to its name, the grey-blue water is literally boiling, covering the surrounding area in a perpetual cloak of steam and threatening to scald anyone who would dare attempt a soak.

Hanakapiai Beach, Kauai, Hawaii, USA

Kauai’s fabled Nā Pali Coast is not just one of the island’s most beautiful destinations, it’s one of the most beautiful in all of Hawaii. It’s also one of the deadliest, thanks to the hazards of Hanakapiai Beach. High surf, strong rip currents, and treacherous shore breaks have claimed the lives of dozens of visitors to this seemingly-idyllic spot. A wooden sign now welcomes wannabe swimmers with a warning to stay out of the water, and tally marks for each life Hanakapiai has taken. The stunning scenery is worth a visit, but stick to sunbathing.

Lake Karachay, Russia

Lake Karachay has been called the most polluted place on earth. During the 1950s, the lake was used as a dumping site for radioactive materials from a nearby nuclear waste storage and reprocessing facility. A string of accidents and disasters contaminated the surrounding area even further, causing 65% of local residents to fall ill with radiation sickness. Some parts of the lake are so dangerous that they could deliver a lethal dose of radiation in an hour. Lake Karachay is slowly being filled with concrete and soil in an effort to seal the radiation, but it’s not a holiday destination we’re eager to visit.

Horseshoe Lake, California, USA

The beauty of Lassen Volcanic National Park masks a deadly secret. Horseshoe Lake appears to be a picture-perfect mix of picnic tables, sandy beaches, and hiking trails – that is, until you see the 40 hectares (100 acres) of dead trees. The latter feature is the result of a series of earthquakes in 1989 and 1990, which opened pathways for carbon dioxide to escape the earth’s surface. Though the area is mostly safe, the gas levels can fluctuate unpredictably and asphyxiation fatalities have occurred as a result.

Shark Alley, Gansbaai, South Africa

Once again, the name more than hints at the dangers that lurk in this perilous swimming spot. Shark Alley, a sea channel off the coast of South Africa near Gansbaai, is a hunting ground for sharks. In fact, it’s home to one of the largest populations of great whites in the world. That’s good news if you’re hoping for an intimate shark experience from the safety of a steel cage, but not such good news if you’re hoping to free-swim. Cage diving is the area’s biggest tourist draw, though the whale watching in Gansbaai is also excellent.

Amazon Basin, South America

The Amazon basin stretches across South America, covering nearly 40 percent of the continent in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. A mind-boggling array of flora and fauna call the basin and the Amazon Rainforest home. A mind-boggling number of them also want to kill you. Dare to dive in the water here and you could meet your end courtesy of eels, piranhas, alligators, anacondas, or the candiru, a parasitic freshwater catfish that reportedly has a nasty habit of invading openings in the human body.

Queensland, Australia

There’s a lot to love about Queensland. The beaches are world class, the marine life is abundant, the Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsundays are two of Mother Nature’s most impressive marvels. However, in keeping with Australia’s legendarily lethal reputation, plenty of danger lies in wait in Queensland’s waters. Beware the sharks, saltwater crocodiles, stonefish, blue-ringed octopus, and box jellyfish. A sting from the latter can cause cardiac arrest and death within minutes.

Lake Victoria, Africa

Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest lake by area, the world’s largest tropical lake, and the world’s second largest freshwater lake by surface area. Its expansive shores touch three countries – Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya – and for centuries, it has been a vital resource for the millions who live nearby. But it’s not without its perils. According to local officials, erratic weather conditions and other unfortunate circumstances cause 5,000 deaths each year on the lake, making it one of – if not the – most dangerous places to swim on the planet.

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In The First Alien: Covenant Trailer, Everything Possible Has Gone Wrong

The very first trailer for Alien: Covenant is here! Sit back and be filled with best feelings of the season: fear.

Also, sex in the shower looks terrifying.

Here's the official synopsis from Fox:

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Ridley Scott returns to the universe he created, with ALIEN: COVENANT, a new chapter in his groundbreaking ALIEN franchise. The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world. When they uncover a threat beyond their imagination, they must attempt a harrowing escape.

Alien: Covenant comes out May 19, 2017.

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An Iron Hell River Is Flowing Beneath The Earth

Beneath eighteen hundred miles of crust and mantle flows a molten iron hell river whose satanic secrets the European Space Agency has unleashed. Cool!

The ESA's Swarm satellites orbit the Earth and measure its complex magnetic field, which is produced by layers of hot, moving metal. The satellites can pick apart contributions to the Earth's magnetic field from each layer, including the core, mantle and crust. Their magnetic measurements show a 260 mile (420 kilometer)-wide (nice) piece of liquid core flowing beneath Siberia and Canada and pushing westward at 25 miles (40 km) per year, three times faster than the normal outer-core speeds. It's also speeding up, because 2016 seems like the perfect year to discover that a molten hell-river is speeding up.

Researchers already knew that the core moved around, said lead study author Phil Livermore from the University of Leeds. However, the satellite results allowed them to look at this specific "jet stream" and how it changes over time through changes in the Earth's magnetic field. They published their results in Nature Geoscience yesterday.

And what could cause a circle of fire akin to something Dante might write about in The Inferno? Andy Coghlan from New Scientist explains:

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Next to the inner core, there are parallel cylinders of swirling molten iron in the outer core running from north to south. Where these swirling cylinders meet the solid core, and squash against it, they act like a pair of rollers, squeezing out additional molten iron sideways to create the jet stream.

No one is quite sure why the stream is speeding up, though if I were a betting man, I would probably throw my chips on "the coming of the dark lord." But who knows.

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PS4 Sizzle Reel Highlights Console Exclusives Coming In 2017

This latest trailer shows off a number of games planned for release on the PS4 sometime in 2017, including Detroit: Become Human and Horizon: Zero Dawn, as well as some smaller ones you might not have heard much about like Drawn to Death. 

2017 is feeling like a better year already.

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So Levitating Speakers Are A Thing Now

Late last year, we had a fantastic time playing around with Plox's floating Death Star speaker. At the time, we were intrigued by its levitating electromagnets, but now it has company: LG has a levitating speaker that'll play music for 10 hours, then descend slowly to its base station to charge and float back up again.
LG's PJ9 Levitating Portable Speaker (honestly, guys, I would have called it the Leviosa) relies on the same concept of electromagnetism to hold its turbine-shaped, 360-degree-audio speaker unit in mid-air, where it'll sit for (up to) 10 hours of playback. When its internal battery runs low on juice, LG says it'll "automatically descend" — hopefully not with an unceremonious thunk — to the base, where it'll charge wirelessly.

That base station also includes a small subwoofer, which should contribute to the range of sound pumped out by what is otherwise a tiny upward-firing speaker. Everything happens over Bluetooth, of course, and you're able to connect two devices simultaneously — although each one will kick the other off as it starts playing music.

LG is showing off the PJ9 at CES 2017 in Las Vegas, so stay tuned to see what we think of it in the coming days.

If you're keen on that levitating Death Star speaker by Plox, by the way — and let's be honest, that's the only kind of speaker that should levitate — then you'll find it for $249 at JB. 

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SpaceX Plans To Return To Flight Next Week

New years bring new beginnings, and for SpaceX, that means a return to flight after a five-month dry spell. Having officially determined the cause of the infamous Falcon 9 "anomaly" at Cape Canaveral on September 1, the rocket company is eyeing January 8 for its first launch of 2017.

SpaceX has been grounded ever since a Falcon 9 rocket loaded with a $US95 million ($131.8 million) internet satellite exploded in an epic fireball last spring, taking with it a chunk of Cape Canaveral's Space Launch Complex 40. The company has spent months investigating the anomaly under the oversight of the US Federal Aviation Administration. Today, SpaceX released the final nitty gritty details on what went wrong — and with that, it hopes to put the incident in the past.

As previously posted, September's Falcon 9 failure was traced to a helium tank in the rocket's liquid oxygen second stage. Specifically, one of the second stage's "composite overwrapped pressure vehicles" (COPVs), which are used to maintain tank pressure, seems to have failed after oxygen accumulated between an inner aluminium liner and a carbon overwrap. "When pressurised, oxygen pooled in this buckle can become trapped; in turn, breaking fibres or friction can ignite the oxygen in the overwrap, causing the COPV to fail," SpaceX wrote on its website.

The company reports that it is taking corrective actions to address "all credible causes [of failure] and focus on changes which avoid the conditions that led to these credible causes".

Having concluded the investigation into what Elon Musk described as SpaceX's "most difficult and complex failure" yet, the company is targeting next week for a return to flight. Its next launch payload, a fleet of Iridium NEXT communications satellites, is scheduled to blast off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on January 8.

Soon after, SpaceX is expected to begin flying from Kennedy Space Center's historic Launch Complex 39A, the site of myriad Apollo and Space Shuttle-era launches. The launchpad, which NASA leased to SpaceX in 2014, was originally slated for crewed Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy flights. But over the past year, SpaceX has been dropping hints that 39A may be used in the nearer term for un-crewed launches, as well. By the end of 2017, SpaceX may very well have four launch options — Kennedy, Cape Canaveral, Vandenberg and a new site in South Texas.

Exciting times ahead.

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This Is How Artists Around The World Are Paying Tribute To Carrie Fisher

In honor of the late Carrie Fisher, artists from around the world are commemorating the actress with their art. They're showing love and support for her friends, family, and fans in quietly creative ways.

In this collection, you'll find everything from illustrations to digital paintings, and cartoon comics. Fisher's most famous role as Princess Leia in the original Star Wars will forever continue to inspire girls to be brave and adventurous. Her spirit will live on. And as many have already said, she is now "one with the force".

Rest in peace Carrie. We will miss you greatly.

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Tom Hardy, Brad Pitt, and Iron Man All Want to Kill Bruce Willis In This Mashup Action Film

Everybody wants to kill Bruce Willis. Brad Pitt wants to kill Bruce Willis. Iron Man wants to kill Bruce Willis. Tom Hardy wants to kill Bruce Willis. Thankfully, Bruce Willis—being Bruce Willis—escapes every single time. And while this might sound like the greatest action film of all time, it's actually a movie that doesn't exist at all.

Rather, it's a short film created by filmmaker Pierre-Alexandre Chauvat, who spliced together 53 movies to create one brand new one starring our most indestructible action hero, Bruce Willis. It includes scenes from Pulp Fiction, Burn After Reading, and The Fifth Element, plus plenty of movies he wasn't even in, like The Avengers, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Hot Fuzz (because why not?). It makes about as much sense as any other big Hollywood action blockbuster, but it's a lot shorter and a hell of a lot of fun.

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TOM HARDY IS OUT FOR REVENGE IN SAVAGE NEW ‘TABOO’ TRAILER

2015 was a huge year for Tom Hardy. He played twin gangsters in Legend, he left Leo for dead in The Revenant, and he battled Immortan Joe alongside Imperator Furiosa as the titular character in Mad Max: Fury Road.

Hardy was sadly absent from screens in 2016, save for the third season of BBC series Peaky Blinders, but things look a little better in 2017. We’ll see him in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk and rumour has it he’ll make an appearance in Star Wars: Episode VIII. We’ll also see him in Taboo, a dark new co-production from BBC One and FX.

“Dear God, there walks a dead man,” a voiceover says as a top-hatted Hardy bursts through church doors in the new trailer for the highly anticipated series. The actor stars as James Keziah Delaney, an adventurer who returns to London from Africa in 1814 to avenge his father’s death and is encircled by conspiracy, murder, and betrayal.

Oona Chaplin, David Hayman, Michael Kelly, and Jonathan Pryce round out the main cast of Taboo, and another serious dose of gravitas comes from its behind-the-scenes team. The miniseries was created by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, Tom Hardy, and his father Chips Hardy. Renowned Hollywood director Ridley Scott serves as executive producer. There’s no formula for success in the film and TV biz, but this is pretty damn close.

Taboo debuts on BBC One on January 7 in the UK and on FX in the US on January 10.

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TAG HEUER JOINS THE DARK SIDE FOR THE LATEST CARRERA HEUER-01

TAG Heuer are joining the dark side with a gorgeous new version of their Carrera Heuer-01.

The popular model was first introduced early last year and has today been reimagined as TAG Heuer’s Carrera Heuer-01 Full Black Matte Ceramic which features the unmistakable feel of ceramic construction paired with titanium carbide accents.

The 45mm case holds TAG’s in-house Caliber 01 movement which affords a 50-hour power reserve. On the dial is are three small seconds sub-dials which complement the skeletonised mechanics within – also in black, of course.

The watch is water resistant up to 100 metres and comes with a matching ceramic bracelet and rubber strap.

The watch is now available at a price point of US$6,300

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Whiskey and Brandy Barrel Aged Teas

Started in Portland in 2009 by Steven Smith, a co-founder of Stash and tea shaman of Tazo renowned for his deep understanding of tea, Steven Smith Teamaker has always produced interesting flavors you’re not going to find anywhere else. Case in point: their limited edition teas that include a variant aged in brandy barrels and one in a whiskey barrel. Varietal No. 302 is Yaupon Brandy, a yaupon tea aged in a Stone Barn Brandyworks apple brandy barrel. Varietal No. 628 is Wuyi Whiskey, a black tea aged in a Westward Whiskey barrel to impart oak, caramelized sugar and whiskey notes. Head teamaker Tony Tellin describes it as “a tea for Ron Burgundy. Pairs well with mahogany furniture, leather bound books, etc.” This is a tea we can all drink to.

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Jose Cuervo Reveals Their 2016 Reserva De La Familia Box

Jose Cuervo isn’t exactly a tequila you think of as refined and elegant. It’s more in tune with regrettable nights spent praying to the porcelain god in your friend’s upstairs bathroom, or likened more to cheap margaritas served at your favorite “Tex-Mex” restaurant chain. While we won’t say those predispositions are necessarily wrong, we will say the brand carries a distinct array of history, culture, and yes, quality tequila, that people don’t generally get to savor. Upon the family’s 200th year in the tequila business back in 1995, they chose to celebrate by opening their personal cellars—filled with their private stock of select barrels—to the public.

Every year, the Cuervo family releases Reserva De La Familia, a small batch (and by “small” we mean something like 17,000 bottles) of extra añejo tequila that comprises a careful mix of the select tequila from the family cellar, all of it aged at least 30 years, and tequila from hand-selected agave from their fields.

Most notable about the annual release, however, is the design. The family takes a lot of pride and care in the designing of the box. Every year since the first release in 1995, the Cuervo family has commissioned a well-known Mexican artist to create a special edition box design. Over the last 20 years, the boxes have become highly collectible by tequila snobs, and have featured art by people like Joel Rendon, Mercedes Gertz, Sergio Hernandez, and Marco Arce.

This year, Cuervo teamed up with Mexican-born, Cartier Award-winning artist Mario Garcia Torres to come up with a box design that speaks on Mexico’s history of agriculture, and the importance of the local climate in the tequila-making process.

Torres, 41, lives in Mexico City and was born in Monclova, a city in the northern state of Coahuila, about 11 hours north of Tequila. The significance of this particular project is, to him, immense, because in his mind, Tequila (both the city and the liquor) is reminiscent of a different time and a different Mexico—a Mexico where love, friendship, and truthfulness were the crux of a community, which seem almost entirely absent from the Mexico the world now knows. This project allowed Torres to bring people back to an important era in Mexico’s long history (or introduce them to it for the first time).

As far as the physical artistic process, according to Torres, to create the image on the box, he collected all the plants that grow beside the blue agave. From there, he laid them on canvas, and then sprayed metal dust onto them, leaving an imprint. He then oxidized the metal dust, and the results were the designs that went onto the boxes. Torres says he made several works using the same process, and then two were selected for placement on the box.

Last year’s box, on shelves now, was carefully designed by renowned Mexican artist Jorge Mendez Blake, whose work often explores Mexico’s vibrant history and culture, as well as its physical geography. His box design is a perfect example, as it beautifully represents Mexico’s landscape, mainly the Ceboruco Volcano, an iconic piece of landscape in the Tequila region, and something that’s absolutely critical to the local culture and economy.

The box’s physical design features a black and white painting of the landscape overlaid on the display box. Mendez Blake chose to focus less on the traditional flat agave fields that everyone typically associates with tequila, and more on the plush, rockier geography of the region. The goal was to show people a side of the country’s beautiful Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt that’s tragically under-referenced in the conversation about tequila.

The work was meant to be displayed as a three-dimensional object, so that it doesn’t lose meaning or structure when printed on the box. Ultimately, Mendez Blake aimed to highlight the relationship between the culture and landscape of the country with tequila, but also focus on the relationship between the booze and Mexican literature. Included inside each box is a small red pamphlet with a traditional Mexican poem imprinted upon its pages. The tequila is good, but the display is truly thoughtful and breathtaking.

For more info on Reserva De La Familia and what makes it so special, check out the website.

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George Lucas: A Life

George Lucas: A Life is a 550+ page hardcover compendium that covers everything from the movie originally called The Star Wars to Lucas’ transforming of the world of special effects. Penned by author Brian Jay Jones—who also wrote the bestselling biography about Jim Henson—this book tells an intriguing story about a man that dared to dream and changed the world around him in the process. Lucas’ influence on the world is undeniable, and Jones’ book tells his story in a way that’s great for die-hard fans and casual observers alike.

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Fizzics Waytap Beer Dispenser

The Fizzics Waytap Beer Dispenser was designed for every cold beer lover that loves a quality draft beer, but hates the complexity and hassle of most systems out there on the market. This one is simple to setup and start pouring in just a couple of minutes, you just need to adjust it over a regular can or bottle and get it going, no need for special kegs or gas cannisters, instead Waytap uses sound waves as a pressure means and will get you that special creamy foam at the end of the draft every time, and with all types of beers. Just get 4 common AA batteries and you’re good to go. With an elegant pro look and easiness of use, it is the perfect device to get that special foam head and the exquisite taste of tap beer.

 

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ASPEN GROVE RANCH

Situated on 350 acres just a couple hours outside Denver, the Aspen Grove Ranch is a truly palatial residence. Spread across its 24,400 square feet of interior space are 10 bedrooms and 15 full bathrooms, with two half baths thrown in for good measure. The master suite and guest house each get their own wing, connected to the main house by separate bridges that cross over waterfalls and streams while providing views of the surrounding mountains. The guest area also gets its own kitchen, giving the home a total of two, to go along with the home theater, elevator, multiple fireplaces, steam room, stables, wine cellar, billiards room, spa, fitness center, and bowling alley.

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BARRELL BOURBON NEW YEAR

We can't think of a better way to kick 2016 out the door than by sipping on some cask strength bourbon. And New Year from Barrell Bourbon might be the most appropriate spirit to have on hand to help usher in 2017. 5, 7, 8, 9, and 13-year old Straight Bourbons from Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee were blended to make this limited edition release that clocks in at 117 proof. Of course, all of the releases in the Barrell line are bottled at cask strength, but this special blend provides loads of flavor and a long finish to enjoy.

[MIKA27]

A Popular Lava Viewing Area Just Collapsed Into The Ocean

"Lava viewing area" sounds like a feature of your favourite Super Mario game, but it's also a real thing in Hawaii, where you can watch the Kilauea shield volcano spew its fiery guts right into the ocean from a cliff. Or at least, you were able to do that, until the cliff in question crumbled into the ocean on New Years' Eve.

Over the weekend, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park was forced to close its popular Kamokuna ocean entry, after a 22-acre chunk of this lava delta collapsed into the sea, stirring up waves that eroded a cliffside viewing area. A new lava viewing area was roped off on Monday, and authorities hope to have it open for more (and safer!) lava watching by midday today.

Lava deltas are dangerous volcanic features that form where lava enters the ocean and cools, building up new land. Not only are lava deltas prone to collapse, they emit noxious plumes of hydrochloric acid and particles that can irritate the lungs, skin and eyes. They sound like a lot of fun, really!

As of yesterday, the Kamokuna ocean entry remained closed. Rangers on duty New Years' Day reported that the former viewing area is entirely gone. Loud, ominous cracking noises continue to be heard throughout the region.

But intrepid lava spectators are still finding ways to witness the action taking place at the ocean entry, which Epic Lava Tour company owner John Tarson describes as "absolutely stunning" right now. A video released by Epic Lava Tours yesterday certainly supports that view:

Watching lava from the safe distance of a boat one thing — but to anybody hoping to get a closer look, a Park Service press release offers this cautionary tale:

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Although park rangers temporarily closed the Kamokuna lava viewing area last night, five visitors ducked beneath the white rope closure line and made a beeline for the coastal cliffs around 7 p.m. on New Year's Eve. Eruption Crew Ranger Travis Delimont and a co-worker had to chase after them before they turned around. Within 15 minutes, the section of cliff where the visitors were standing crashed into the ocean.

"It was a really close brush with death for them," Ranger Delimont said. "Luckily, they finally listened to us and turned around in time."

 

 

[MIKA27]

Free-Diving In A Frozen Lake Looks Terrifying And Surreal

In apparent preparation for moving to an Atlantean utopia after nuclear fallout, Matthew Villegas recently went free diving underneath the frozen lake of Morrison Quarry in Quebec and captured the scary adventure on camera. The results are a terrifyingly surreal blue-green adventure.

Here he is floating on an underwater ice bed while the silhouette of a fellow diver breezes above him:

In a moment that definitely doesn't look post-apocalyptic, Villegas explores the husk of a downed plane, swimming through the open window shield and out the side door:

He doesn't appear to have come in contact with any hideous mutated fish-monsters, though, being Canadian, maybe they were too polite to come out?

Here's the full video:

 

[MIKA27]

28 VINTAGE ADS THAT WOULD BE TOTALLY ILLEGAL NOW

There's no denying it. This collection of vintage ads is absolutely inappropriate. There's no way they would see the light of day nowadays.

If nothing else, these slightly shocking ads reveal just how sexist, racist, or generally inappropriate the world of advertising used to be. You know Mad Men, right? Well, there you go.

The world of advertising used to be a great career to be in if you were a straight, white man.

Keep scrolling to understand just how inappropriate these vintage advertisements really were and I do hope some of these do not offend our members. Remember, this is a glimpse into the past and are not in any way my own opinion(s).

 

 

[MIKA27]

THE HOMEMADE GIN KIT

The Homemade Gin Kit allows those of us who’ve always wanted to be moonshiners the chance to make our own personal firewater, and then offer it to unsuspecting guests as a refreshment.

Each Homemade Gin Kit contains two 375ml glass bottles, a fine stainless steel strainer, a stainless steel funnel, a tin of Juniper berries, a tin secret Botanical Blend, and it makes 750ml of gin. All you need to provide is a bottle of vodka (triple distilled would be a good minimum), and a little patience.