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

[MIKA27]

Super Bowl LI's Commercial Lineup #7

Skittles

Unlike last year's singing Steven Tyler portrait, this year's Skittles Super Bowl commercial comes sans superstar. Instead, the candy company has opted to tell a humble, romantic tale. The complete commercial, which will air during the first quarter, is already available.

Snickers

Fellow Mars brand, Snickers, did not follow Skittles' lead on star power. Instead, the candy bar company announced that this year's ad will feature Adam Driver. What's more, according to the teaser, it will also be the world's first live Super Bowl commercial. That should be interesting.

[MIKA27]

EPIC PROVISIONS SNACK STRIPS

If you’re big on exercise or you like to spend a lot of time in the great outdoors, you probably know the value of jerky. If not, let us tell you: dehydrated meats are en excellent source of protein – and by proxy energy – on the fly. And, when done right, they can be pretty damn delicious. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of brands that skimp on quality to make a buck. That is absolutely not the case with these snack strips from EPIC Provisions.

These delicious strips come in four different flavors: Turkey Cranberry Sage, Smoked Salmon Maple, Wagyu Beef, and (our personal favorite) Venison Sea Salt Pepper. Just thinking about them makes our mouths water. But they’re not just tasty snacks made from quality meat. They’re also clean – meaning they have no unnecessary processed additives. Just meat and seasoning and a simple dehydration process. The quality of these snacks speak for themselves, which is why EPIC doesn’t need some advertising gimmick to get us on board. You can get a sample pack with two of each flavor for $16, or you can double down on a whole case of an individual selection for $40. [Purchase]

[MIKA27]

BLACKPODS CUSTOM AIRPODS

The world was pretty stunned when Apple revealed their new AirPods. Sure, there’s been some panning about how easy it might be to lose them, but there’s no denying how cool they actually are. Even if you’re still upset about the lack of a headphone jack on your new phone, these are a clear solution that are not only functional in a way that only Apple manages to pull off, but they’re also stylish. There’s only one problem: they only come in white.

Well, not anymore. Now, BlackPods – an unaffiliated aftermarket brand – will take your AirPods and coat them in black. Or you can order a brand new pair (for a notably higher price). But it’s not just a color coating. Their proprietary three-stage approach results in scratch resistance, as well. Best of all, they’re all hand-finished by self-proclaimed artisans in Brooklyn, New York. The whole process takes about 3 days – plus shipping time – and will cost you $99 to send in your own pair or $249 for ones that are brand new. [Purchase]

[MIKA27]

Magic Bridge

Another great product from Twelve South, they always manage to surprise us. They have appropriately named it the "MagicBridge", it allows you to combine your Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Trackpad 2 into one clean, minimal, lap-friendly surface that lets you type and swipe more efficiently. Left or right-handed? No worries. MagicBridge can place your Trackpad on whichever side you prefer. It organizes your desk and creates a tidy two-in-one combo.

[MIKA27]

MERCEDES-AMG E63 S WAGON

It doesn't look particularly fast. In fact, the form of the Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon practically screams "parent". That's what makes it so fun. Unless they're looking at the badges, no one would guess that under the hood lies a hand-crafted AMG 4.0L V8 biturbo pumping out 603 hp to the 4MATIC+ all-wheel-drive system through a 9-speed Speedshift transmission. As a result, they won't expect you to go from 0-60 in just 3.4 seconds on your way to a top speed of 180 mph, all while leaving plenty of room in the back for your kids' soccer gear.

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1 hour ago, MIKA27 said:

Why Houston's Food Deserves the Hype

 In a word, Houston cuisine is hot. It was hot before the city secured Super Bowl LI. As The New York Times said in April last year, "I nonetheless come today to proclaim Houston one of the great eating capitals of America." And as tens of thousands descend upon Houston for Super Bowl LI, mixed in amongst Patriots fans, Falcons fans, vagabond thrill-seekers, and C-level execs will be deft travelers who already took a minute to sniff out the food and drink scene.

They scoured the James Beard Awards and discovered Bryan Caswell's Reef, considered the best seafood restaurant in America.

They googled Justin Yu, Best Chef: Southwest 2015, and booked all the tables at his Oxheart. They found Beard finalist Hugo Orteaga's trio of goodness–Hugo's (authentic Mexican), Caracol (coastal Mexican), and BackstreetCafe (al fresco American)–as well as nods to The Pass, Helen GreekFood , Anvil Bar & Refuge, State of Grace, True Food Kitchen, North Italia, and Kata Robata, where Chef Hori is the only fugu-certified chef in Houston. (If the puffer fish doesn't kill you, his Rising Sun Roll and Texas Hamachi might shoot you straight to heaven.) The second they secured tickets, they scrolled through Eater Houston's "Essential 38" and January 2017 "Heat Map." They are prepared.

But Houston cuisine will continue to be hot long after the Super Bowl ends, and without the impossible-to-snag reservations. Here's how to take advantage, whether during Super Bowl weekend or in trips after.

Houston's Culinary Background

Houston is like New York City with its density of mom and pop ethnic restaurants. It has huge areas of sprawl with malls and strip centers where no English is spoken and you can find kumquat trees, bootlegged electronics, and food carts selling fried chicken, crawfish, and noodles. It is home to the third largest African-American community in the U.S., and it's the largest non-zoned city in America. Its neighborhoods are motleys of offices, restaurants, and hidden gems.

And Houston cares a whole lot about football. As Caswell of Reef puts it: "Our team was plucked from us. Our beloved Houston Oilers! These Texans are a new team with no history, and yet we're the number one tailgating city in the U.S." But when you take into account Houston's diversity–in an oil state–along the Gulf of Mexico, tailgating looks and tastes a whole lot more interesting. "It's not a bunch of white dudes," says Caswell. "It's not Spanish dudes. It's all dudes."

Where to Eat

Houston is a dressed-down city, but for those looking to kick it up, Beard winner Yu recommends starting at Anvil for drinks, heading to Tony's for peerless fine dining, and then closing the night at Public Services, Yu's wine and whiskey bar, which features hard-to-find wines and straight spirits served beneath a painted ceiling in the historic Houston Cotton Exchange building. When you can't get a rezo at Oxheart, come here for the unpretentious table service and sup on Yu's bar snacks.

If you only equate Houston with brisket barbecue, wake up and smell the pho. "Drive to Chinatown in Bellaire," says Yu. "Go to Pho Binh for Vietnamese or Shanghai for serious Cantonese. Yes, the name is Shanghai, but it's Cantonese." Yu also recommends blowing your budget on prawns and fish at Sinh Sinh and eating Pakistani food at Himalaya.

Tex-Mex is indicative of the region with its heavy cheeses and sauces, but don't miss the rustic, less border-style Mexican cuisine and coastal flavors from Tampico, where the red snapper a la plancha is legendary.

Love Buzz cooks up the best down-and-dirty, late-night pizza in town. They have old school arcade games and Skeeball, plus salty bartenders and an unspoken No Hipsters rule. Ask for the owner's favorite pie: the Whizard Sleeve with sauce, thin-sliced ribeye, peppers, onions, smoked provolone, and dollops of cheese whiz.

The brand-new Riel may be the most buzzed-about opening in town. While it's near impossible to get a reservation, walk-ins at the bar and common table are first come, first served. Order the hanger steak and pierogis made by true Canadian ex-semi-pro hockey player Ryan Lachaine.

Finish any wild eve at a late-night taqueria like Chapultepec Lupita, where smothered enchiladas are topped with two fried eggs. Or hit them for breakfast and then pop over to D It looks like a ratty convenience store, but it has a small and super-curated collection of wines and the city's best craft beer selection. Speaking of vino, Texas is just behind Virginia in wine production, and grapes like Viognier and Tempranillo have found new fertile ground in Texas Hill Country. Keep eyes peeled for offerings from Brennan, Duchman, McPherson, and Pedernales.

Where to Drink

Old divey bar Rose Garden in the Heights only accepts cash. If you're lucky, Rose will cook up a pot of beanie wienies or no-beans chili to go along with cold Bud Lights. Tiki bar Lei Low also slides under the radar, buried in a shopping center and serving super-strong, super-delicious drinks. nutsuoH (pronounced NUT-so) is Houston spelled backward, and on a walk down Main Street, you may pop in for music, art, poetry, booze, or general weirdness. Seek out Poison Girl Cocktail Lounge for their sublime bourbon collection, and ask Jonas about the free birthday shots. Oh, and there's honest-to-god real retro pinball.

Capt. Foxheart's Bad News Bar overlooks the skyline with beautiful drinks, gorgeous views, $2 Happy Hour session beers, plenty of mezcal, and lots of vinyl. Some say it makes the best Old Fashioned in the world. Or order a Collins–both are off-menu. There's no sign, so it's hard to find, and owner Justin Burrows doesn't mess around with obnoxious twits. (Check his Yelp reviews where he answers each and every complaint.) There's only one bottle of vodka, and it's bad, so don't ask for a vodka-soda.

The Hay Merchant features 80 taps, five casks, and tacos made with half a pig's head that feed four to six people. The Ginger Man is one of the oldest, most important beer bars in America. Conservatory Underground Beer Garden offers everything from barbecue to noodles, espresso, and 60 brews on tap. There are nearly 20 breweries in metro-Houston, but the first is still the best: Saint Arnold Brewing Company. Or just grab a Löwenbräu at Natachee's Supper'n Punch, because when's the last time you had a Löwenbräu?

Specials for Super Bowl LI

Several restaurants are doing specials via UberEats for the Super Bowl. For example, Caswell's sliders, shakes, and fries joint, Little Bigs, is doing party-packs delivered anywhere Uber goes. Coltivare Pizza isn't doing rezos during Super Bowl week, but it does have a car taking wait-listed guests to Eight Row Flint, its whiskey/beer/tacos bar down the street. And La Table, with its French sommelier and second-floor views, has a special LI menu. If you land the miracle booking, ask for corner booth table #13–the best seat in the house–and pre-order the chicken; it's a call-ahead plate.

At the Stadium

For the actual Super Bowl game, Houston's NRG Stadium is spotlighting the teams by using signature ingredients from each hometown. The Beantown Griller is a slow-cooked tri-tip pot roast sammy with caramelized onions and cheddar served with a side of baked beans. The ATL Fried Chicken Stak features waffle fries topped with buttermilk fried chicken, peach marmalade BBQ sauce, sour cream, and green onions. And to honor Houston, there's the Bayou City Bánh Mì with grilled fajita steak, avocado spread, and pickled vegetables.

Exactly what tailgaters will be chowing on remains to be seen, but while the Vegas line puts New England at 3.5 point favorites, it's a sure bet that the parking lot will be filled with Texans fans, Ronnie Killen-inspired BBQ, enough fish and pork tacos to feed J.J. Watt, and enough 5 O'Clock Pils to forget Brock Osweiler's $72 million contract. For the record, I see a high-flying matchup with Matty Ice earning his first ring and Julio Jones hauling in the game-winner, and the Super Bowl LI MVP trophy. Falcons over Patriots, 37-33.

 

 

Lived here 42 years.....Hugo's is the only restaurant on that list that I have ever heard of...

[MIKA27]

The Art That Helped Make Big Trouble in Little China a Cult Classic Masterpiece

John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China has become a cult favorite for many reasons—its goofy mix of humor, action, and quotable lines; Kurt Russell’s Kurt Russell-ness—but the film’s visual style is also quite distinctive. The new book The Official Art of Big Trouble in Little China is devoted to collecting and celebrating it, and we’re thrilled to debut some pages here today.

The Boom Studios release, written by Tara Bennett and Paul Terry with an intro by Carpenter, is out February 1 in comic shops and February 7 in bookstores. It delves into Big Trouble’s costumes, set designs, storyboard art, and more, and contains interviews with everyone who helped make the film’s visual style so unique, including the film’s cinematographer, visual effects producer, makeup effects artist, and others.

Here’s a look at the gorgeous red gown costume designer April Ferry created for Lo Pan’s unwilling brides:

If you’re a fan of the movie, you’ll probably also want to check out Boom Studios’ The Official Making of Big Trouble in Little China (by the same authors), which came out earlier this month and contains a wealth of behind-the-scenes tidbits, photos, and interviews. The cover pays tribute to Struzan’s iconic movie poster, and in the afterword, Kurt Russell confesses that Big Trouble fans are his absolute favorite fans to meet—largely because of the great delight they take in sharing their favorite Jack Burton lines. May the wings of liberty never lose a feather!

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Brimstone Trailer: Dakota Fanning Stars in Western Thriller

Looking to get a Westworld fix featuring the cast of Game of Thrones? Look no further than western thriller Brimstone, which — in addition to Dakota Fanning, Guy Pearce, and Emilia Jones — has GoT alums Kit Harrington (Jon Snow) and Carice van Houten (Melisandre) in starring roles.

The western thriller is directed and written by Dutch filmmaker Martin Koolhoven, his first internationally-financed English-language production, and looks gorgeous, not to mention tense and disturbing. Reviews coming out of the film festivals where it has screened have been mostly positive, though some have criticized the level of violence in the film, which reportedly, by some accounts (like this Variety review), borders on the sadistic.

What Brimstone about exactly? Set in the 19th century, it stars Fanning as Liz, a frontier wife and mother who is hunted down by Pearce's vengeful Reverend. Throw in some cut-out tongues, incest as a major theme, and plenty of 19th-century grimness, and you've got Brimstone.

Oh yeah, and Jon Snow is a gunslinger. Or, as the official synopsis puts it:

Quote

Wrongly accused of a crime she didn’t commit, a frontier woman-turned-fugitive (Fanning) is hunted by a vengeful preacher (Pearce) in the menacing inferno of the old American West.

Brimstone premiered at the Venice International Film Festival last year and has already opened in the Netherlands. It will hit American theaters and VOD on March 10th.

And here's a poster for the flick...

[MIKA27]

This Audi R8 Onboard Shows How Insane Bathurst Is

Australia's Mount Panorama Circuit is one of the greatest tracks in the world. Watch this howling Audi R8 LMS take it on and you'll understand why.

The excellent Axis Of Oversteer found this video of Christopher Miles practicing before the Bathurst 12 Hours this weekend. The speeds these drivers are doing on what looks every bit like a small country two-lane and not a modern race track is unreal.

 

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Sci-Fi Flick Life Looks Like It Could Be A Modern-Day Alien

Humans floating hundreds of kilometres above Earth in a space station?

Experimenting on an alien organism?

Yeah, things go wrong.
Life has a lot of the hallmarks of the 1986 James Cameron classic — a clueless spaceship crew, a malevolent xenomorph, flamethrowers — but at the same time, it's very much made in 2017. There's even an Instagram reference.

Life will be out in Aussie cinemas on March 23.

 

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Nazi Sub Portrayed In Raiders Of The Lost Ark Discovered In The North Atlantic

German researchers have discovered the wreck of U-581, a Nazi sub that sunk near the Azores in February 1942. The 67m-long VIIC U-boat — the same type of sub featured in the classic films Das Boot and Raiders of the Lost Ark — was found broken in two, and at a depth of nearly 915m.

Researchers with the German Rebikoff-Niggeler Foundation found the wreck last September, but chose to withhold the finding until the precise identity of the sub could be confirmed, and because they wanted to make the announcement public on the 75th anniversary of the ship's sinking. Working aboard the dive boat LULA 1000, the researchers were able to take high-resolution pictures of the sunken submarine, revealing its condition and the many corals now clinging to its outer shell.

The German submarine U-581 was the sister ship to the famous U-96 sub, which was featured in the 1981 war film Das Boot. An exterior mock-up of this sub was also used in Raiders of the Lost Ark (Spielberg rented the replica used in Das Boot).

Over 560 VIIC-class U-boats were commissioned from 1940 to 1945, appearing in virtually all areas where German subs operated. Known as the "workhorse" of the German Kriegsmarine, these subs featured active sonar, and were powered by six-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engines. VIICs weighed 770t, had a range of 15,700km and could cruise above water at speeds reaching 39km/h.

During World War II, the Germans lost nearly 800 submarines of all types, and over 28,000 U-boat sailers. Around one or two subs are found by marine archaeologists each year, but an estimated 100 U-boats are still unaccounted for.

A replica of the VIIC-class U-boat was used in Das Boot and Raiders of the Lost Ark (pictured).

Over a tenure that lasted less than a year, the U-581 carried out two missions, and managed to sink one auxiliary warship (likely the armed British trawler HMS Rosemond). On the evening of February 1, 1942, U-581, working in tandem with another German sub, was tasked with sinking the British squad carrier Llangibby Castle. The Allied ship was scheduled to leave the port of Horta on the Azores island of Faial.

But before it could carry out its orders, the U-581 was spotted by the British destroyer Westcott and hit by a depth charge near the island of Pico. Defeated and unwilling to hand over the damaged sub to the British, the commander of the U-581 ordered the crew to skidaddle, and deliberately sank the sub.

Of the 46-man crew, four were killed when a water bomb was thrown at them while they were still in the water (apparently the result of a communication breakdown), 41 were taken prisoner, and one — quite incredibly — was able to escape. Officer Walter Sitek managed to swim 6km to land. The Spanish officials who found Sitek repatriated him to Germany, where he survived the war (as did the German POWs).

A portion of U-boat U-581.

Researchers with the Rebikoff-Niggeler Foundation, with the approval of Portuguese authorities (the Azores belongs to Portugal), began the hunt for U-581 in the spring of 2016. Using sonar, they created a high-resolution, 3D picture of the seafloor in the areas where the sub likely sank. The sub was found on September 13, 2016 by a crew working aboard the LULA 1000. Images of the sub — found broken into two pieces — were used to confirm its identity.

Work around the sub is still incomplete. The Rebikoff-Niggeler Foundation, in addition to studying the unique marine wildlife in the cold, deep waters, is hoping to create a documentary about the discovery.

 

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NASA's Asteroid-Hunting Spacecraft Just Got An Amazing Side-Quest

Right now, OSIRIS-REx is one of the busiest spacecrafts in the solar system. OSIRIS-REx, which blasted off in September 2016, has been getting ready to rendezvous with the object of its mission — an asteroid called Bennu — in order to bring back samples to Earth. But before the spacecraft links up with Bennu in 2018, it's been assigned a side project.

For 10 days this month, OSIRIS-REx will investigate whether or not Trojan asteroids exist at certain points in Earth's orbit called Lagrange points. Though Jupiter has Trojan asteroids, it's unclear whether or not Earth's Lagrange points host similar objects. After all, only one Earth Trojan has ever been found.

"The Earth orbits around the Sun, and the Earth has a gravitational field and the Sun has a gravitational field," explained Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS REx's principal investigator. "Because of that property, there are certain points in space where those two fields balance each other out, called Lagrange points."

OSIRIS-REx will be tuning its instruments to search for trojans at two Lagrange points called L4 and L5, which are stable enough that asteroids could feasibly exist there. These points are located 60 degrees ahead of and 60 degrees behind the Earth in its elliptical orbit around the Sun.

"There are regions of stability that persist back to the formation of the solar system," Lauretta said. "That's really exciting, because there's a chance material that built the Earth are remnants of that trapped in these Lagrange points."

A lot of research regarding Earth's origins focuses on meteorites. But most of the meteorites on Earth hail from the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter. Looking at the trojan asteroids our planet shepherds might provide a more accurate snapshot of the material our planet formed from.

"While [meteorites from the Asteroid Belt] tell you a lot about the early solar system and the geologic evolutions of our planets, they don't actually represent the material that went into creating the majority of the Earth," Lauretta said. "The idea that we could find primordial building blocks of our planet trapped at the Lagrange points...I thought that was super exciting."

Since it launched in September, OSIRIS-REx hasn't wasted a moment. It has performed a series of successful trajectory-altering maneuvers, in addition to accomplishing a deep space manoeuvre to prepare for an Earth flyby in September 2017, in order to increase its heliocentric speed and inclination. From there, it will be off to Bennu, which orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.6 and 0.8 astronomical units (1 AU is the distance between Earth and the Sun). OSIRIS-REx and Bennu will finally rendezvous in August 2018.

"Everything has gone nominal and according to schedule," Lauretta said. "We are now dead center on the Earth gravity assist [in September]."

We look forward to OSIRIS-REx's report back soon. Safe travels, little guy!

[MIKA27]

Doctors Pull Live Cockroach From Woman's Skull After Complaints Of 'Crawling Sensation'

On Tuesday, a 42-year-old Indian woman went to the hospital, complaining of an extremely painful "tingling, crawling sensation". After being transferred three times, doctors determined that there was a "foreign body that seemed to be mobile" in her head.

Yes, your worst nightmare is a reality. "It was a full grown cockroach", Dr. M.N. Shankar, the head of the ENT department at Stanley Medical College, told the The New Indian Express.

Don't worry, when doctors removed Earth's most vile creature from the woman's "skull base, between the two eyes, close to the brain," they got it on tape: Be Warned if you watch

The living, full-grown roach — which apparently crawled up the woman's nose — was stuck inside her head for 12 hours. "Whenever it moved, it gave me a burning sensation in my eyes," she told the Express.

Of the roach in question, Dr. Shankar said, "It was alive. And it didn't seem to want to come out". It took 45 minutes and "a combination of suction and forceps" to finally remove the living nightmare from her skull.

Dr. S. Muthuchitra, who was part of the "rescue team" that removed the bug, told the Times of India that while he's seen a lot of bizarre things go up nasal cavities, he's never seen anything like this. "Not a cockroach", said Muthuchitra, "especially not one this large".

But don't worry — while a giant cockroach up climbing into your body through your nose might be a rarity, they seem to crawl into ears frequently enough.

So what if it happens to you? You'll likely experience ear pain and hearing loss. The Mayo Clinic warns that you shouldn't try to get it out by probing it with a Q-tip, which puts you at risk of damaging your middle ear and pushing the bug in further.

The University of Rochester Medical Center recommends you try tilting your head, and flushing your ears with water or oil. If that doesn't work, go to the doctor. Good night and good luck.

 

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Radiation Levels Are Soaring Inside The Damaged Fukushima Nuclear Plant

Radiation levels inside a damaged reactor at Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant have hit a record high, and are the worst since the plant suffered a triple meltdown nearly six years ago. The latest readings now pose a serious challenge as officials prepare to dismantle the stricken facility.

Radiation levels inside the containment vessel of reactor No. 2 at Fukushima has reached 530 sieverts per hour — a figure described by experts as "unimaginable". The readings, taken by Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings Inc. (Tepco), were taken near the entrance of a space immediately below the pressure vessel, which contains the reactor core.

The radiation level inside the plant now far exceeds the previous high of 73 sieverts per hour, which was recorded soon after the triple meltdown in March 2011. Tepco made the readings by analysing electronic noise caused by the radiation in video images. The company says this technique has a margin of error of plus or minus 30 per cent (so even at the extreme low ball, the levels are no lower than 370 sieverts per minute — but possibly as high as 690!).

Needless to say, this plant is not fit for human life. Just one dose of a single sievert is enough to cause radiation sickness and nausea. Exposure to four to five sieverts would kill about half of those exposed to it within a month, while a single dose of 10 sieverts is enough to kill a person within weeks.

These surging radiation levels are complicating plans to dismantle the plant. According to the National Institute of Radiological Sciences, medical professionals aren't prepared to treat patients who have been exposed to the levels of radiation currently experienced at the facility. This is a big problem for Tepco, which plans to remove fuel debris as part of the decommissioning process. The dismantling of Fukushima is scheduled to start in 2021 and could take nearly a half-century.

Officials with Tepco aren't entirely sure why radiation levels are on such a dramatic upward trend. Either previous readings were insufficient or incorrect, or conditions inside the plant are changing. Problem is, the interior condition of the plant is still a big mystery. The high readings suggest that some of the melted fuel that escaped the pressure vessel is lingering nearby. Should this be confirmed, it would mark the first time that tainted debris has been found in any of the three reactors that suffered core meltdowns.

Tepco has been unable to confirm the condition of the melted fuel owing to the extreme and inhospitable conditions inside.

Tepco has discovered a 1.98m-wide hole in the metal grate under a pressure vessel in reactor No. 2's containment vessels at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

In other news, a remotely-operated vehicle discovered a horrific 6.5-feet (two-meter) hole in the metal grating under the pressure vessel in the reactor's primary containment vessel. The company suspects the gash was created by nuclear fuel that melted and then pierced through the vessel after the tsunami knocked out Fukushima Daiichi's back-up cooling system.

"It may have been caused by nuclear fuel that would have melted and made a hole in the vessel, but it is only a hypothesis at this stage," explained a Tepco spokesperson to AFP. "We believe the captured images offer very useful information, but we still need to investigate given that it is very difficult to assume the actual condition inside."

This investigation will prove easier said than done. Tepco was hoping to send a newly developed robot into reactor No. 2, but that doesn't seem possible now given the intense radiation inside. The remotely-operated machine was designed to withstand exposure of up to 1000 total sieverts.

At the previous peak of 73 sieverts per hour, it could run for about 10 hours. But at the newly recorded 530 sieverts per hour, it would last no more than two hours. Consequently, Tesco is planning to send the robot into reactor No. 1 in March, while its survey plan for reactor No. 2 is now on hold.

Scary stuff, to be sure. When nuclear goes wrong, it really, really goes wrong.

[MIKA27]

Casio WSD-F20 Smartwatch

Casio have recently announced their new smartwatch, a rugged timepiece for adventurers out there who need a smartwatch that is more robust than the mainstream offerings. The Casio WSD-F20 Smartwatch is packed with a range of functions that are intended to be used outdoors — all at the convenience of your wrist. It features a low-power onboard GPS with the ability to download maps that can be used without the need for cellular connectivity. Other specs include 50m water-resistance, Mil-spec durability, compass and pressure sensors, and a battery life will last about a day in normal usage, while the time-only mode can remain powered for a little more than a month. Bluetooth equipped and compatible with both Android and iOS devices, the watch magnetically charges in just 2 hours.

 

[MIKA27]

OLD FORESTER 1920 PROHIBITION STYLE BOURBON

The third release in the Whiskey Row series from Old Forester is the best of the bunch. Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon pays tribute to a period in American history where the only distilleries licensed to produce bourbon did it for medicinal purposes, and had to have a federal license. Brown-Forman, owner of the Old Forester brand, was one of the few making bourbon during Prohibition, and this release reflects the style that would have been distilled and bottled during the era. Bourbon distilled during Prohibition was required to be bottled at 100 proof, but 1920 arrives at 115 proof to account for the angel's share that an aged bourbon from the time period would represent.

[MIKA27]

Worst Bushfires In Chile's History Have Left Devastation In Their Wake

Over the weekend, the Chilean government ended a state of emergency enacted last month in response to the worst bushfire season in the nation's history. The fires, which now appear to be dying down, have torched more than 900,000 acres — roughly four times the area of New York City — since January 15.

Forest fires are a normal part of Chile's hot, dry summer, but this year, the blazes have been exceptionally fierce and destructive. Since January, more than 100 bushfires have burned forests, destroyed plantations and vineyards, razed entire towns and claimed at least 11 lives in central and southern Chile, according to government and news reports. "Chile is living the greatest forest disaster in our history," President Michelle Bachelet said, adding that the country has "practically exhausted its capacity to fight the blazes," the BBC reported on January 22.

A barren landscape razed by bushfires in Chile's Cauquenes community, on 2 February 2017.

A combination of a long-term drought and historically high temperatures set the stage for a very bad fire season this summer. But experts cite a multitude of other factors, too, including land use changes, inadequate firefighting resources, poor planning and bad actors. More than 40 people have reportedly been arrested and accused of arson in association with the fires.

Bushfires burn in Pumanque, Chile on 21 January 2017. 

Alex Fajardo, a forest ecologist at the University of Concepción in Chile's Bío Bío Region, told Gizmodo that the spread of large, monoculture plantations of highly-combustible eucalyptus and pine trees are enabling bushfires to become larger and more intense than they were historically. Fire brigades seem to agree.

"It's much easier to control a fire in a native forest — they're more humid and so a fire spreads more slowly," Gustavo de la Fuente Ortiz, the fire brigade chief in Chillan, told The Guardian. Other firefighters have expressed frustration in their inability to tame fast-spreading blazes in forest plantations, which are often located close to communities. Water-bombing aircraft from the United States and elsewhere were brought in to assist in the firefighting effort last month.

A man battles approaching bushfires in Hualqui, southwest of the Chilean capital, on 28 January 2017.

Thankfully, after multiplying for weeks, the fires appear to be simmering down with the arrival of cooler temperatures and much-needed rainfall in affected regions. On Saturday, Bachelet said that existing fires are now mostly under control, the Associated Press reports. "That doesn't mean, however, that we are letting down our guard," she added.

A plane drops flame retardant to extinguish a fire in Chile's Tambotinaja community, Thursday, 2 February 2017. 

With climate change expected to bring more hot, dry summer days to central and southern Chile, and land use shifts producing vast new swaths of combustible fuel each year, many feel the government should have taken steps to ensure fire brigades were better equipped. Of course, Chile isn't the only country that's been caught off-guard by a record fire season in recent years: Parts of the western and southern United States, Canada and Australia have also grappled with once-unimaginable pyrotechnic devastation.

Across the world, fire season is being transformed by humans. Clearly, it's time we humans start to adapt.

Wildfires threatened Chile's Dichato community on 30 January 2017, forcing the evacuation of over 800 families.

Residents watch as a wildfire sweeps through Portezuelo, Chile, on 29 January 2017.

Debris kicked up by a helicopter dumping water onto a wildfire in Portezuelo, Chile on 29 January 2017. 

Wreckage of homes destroyed by fire in Santa Olga, Chile, on 26 January 2017. While the entire town was consumed in the flames, the 6,000 residents reportedly escaped unharmed.

A woman tries to put out a fire on the remains of her burned land in Valparaiso, Chile, on 2 January 2017. 

Firefighters work to stamp out fires that swept through Valparaiso, Chile, on 2 January 2017. 

A group of people stand outside their homes in Valparaiso, Chile, Monday, 2 January 2017. 

Wildfires left a massive burn scar near Empedrado, Chile, which was captured on 24 January 2017 by NASA's Landsat 8 satellite.

 

[MIKA27]

STEP INSIDE AMERICA’S MOST EXPENSIVE HOME (IT CAN BE YOURS FOR $250M)

When most of us move, the checklist looks something like this: Does it have enough outlets? Is there ample closet space? Is there decent water pressure in the shower? Will my Ikea couch fit through the door?

But the man who moves into this sprawling pad won’t be “most of us,” and his checklist will involve a bowling alley, a helipad, a candy wall, and a squad of luxury cars.

Welcome to America’s most expensive home.

For US$250,000,000, this ultra-exclusive Bel Air abode could be yours. Those nine digits entitle you to 38,000 sq ft of mansion plus 17,000 sq ft of entertainment decks, spread out over four meticulously curated levels and boasting 270-degree views of the mountains, the ocean, and the Los Angeles skyline.

You may be wondering what could possibly fill so much square footage. The answer is two master suites, 10 oversized VIP guest suites, 21 bathrooms, three gourmet kitchens, two commercial elevators, two fully stocked champagne/wine cellars, and five bars. There’s also a state-of-the-art fitness centre, an 85-ft glass tile infinity pool, and a massage studio/wellness spa.

LA is the capital of the entertainment world, and in keeping with its A-list location, the mega-home leaves little opportunity for boredom. A 40-seat 4K Dolby theatre boasts a James Bond theme. A four-lane bowling alley/lounge connects to a room with custom glass foosball tables and a $200,000 candy wall that would make Willy Wonka jealous.

More than 100 art installations – including the actual helicopter from the ’80s TV show Airwolf – are placed throughout the space. With the flip of a switch by the pool, a massive outdoor hydraulic cinema-sized screen emerges. A pair of mini Sea-Doos and a small catamaran also come with the pad.

And then there’s the auto gallery. Below the infinity pool is a fleet of exotic cars and motorcycles worth more than $30 million, including a custom Rolls-Royce, a Bugatti, a vintage Allard, and a baby Formula 1 race car.

Read the listing here and prepare to gently weep.

[MIKA27]

2017 MV AGUSTA BRUTALE 800 RR

When MV Agusta asked themselves how they could improve upon their best-selling bike from last year, they had only one answer: strip it down and soup it up. And so they did – removing the prior model’s weighty rear tire and bumping up the horsepower, torque, and RPM ceiling. The result is the Brutale 800 RR.

In the brand’s own words, “the RR stands for maximum power.” And they’re not kidding. This motorcycle boasts a gut-wrenching 140 horsepower from launch. It also has an improved over-63 foot-pounds of torque thanks to MV Agusta’s inclusion of 2 injecters per cylinder. And it has a new sound-reducing cylinder head. So, whether you’re at the maximum velocity of over 153 MPH or going a much much more reasonable speed, the only sound you’ll hear is the sweet siren song of combustion. This updated model also features a reworked suspension, more lightweight wheels, a vibration-reducing harmonic dampener, an improved gearbox, and an up & down quickshifter. This vastly improved cycle starts at just $14,051. [Purchase]

[MIKA27]

A Japanese Effort To Remove Hazardous Space Junk Has Failed

An experimental Japanese mission to remove dangerous debris from orbit has ended in failure. It's a frustrating setback given the mounting risks posed by the nearly two million bits of junk currently swirling around our planet.

Scientists at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) were trying to test an experimental system in which a long cable would be deployed from the Kounotori 6 satellite and directed toward a piece of space debris. Once attached, the tether would slow down the object, forcing it to re-enter into Earth's atmosphere where it would burn up. The test of the new system got off to a rocky start when mission planners couldn't even deploy the cable.

The need for an effective space-based garbage removal system is starting to get pressing, so this failure is not just a setback for JAXA, it's a setback for the global community. There are about 20,000 pieces of tracked debris currently in orbit. But there are potentially millions (yes, millions) of bits of smaller items swirling around the Earth, too. These objects include everything from discarded tools to debris from solid rocket motors, paint flakes and even frozen coolant from nuclear-powered satellites. Whipping around the planet at high speeds, tiny bits of space junk pose a hazard to equipment and human life.

There's also the risk of a Kessler Syndrome — a runaway chain reaction of collisions. As portrayed in the movie Gravity, the ensuing cloud of debris can snowball relatively quickly, wiping out objects in its path. Frighteningly, a Kessler event has the potential to destroy a significant portion of the world's satellite fleet.

A number of ideas have been proposed to clean up the mess we've made up there, including balloons to slow down objects, kamikaze satellites, solar sails for pulling objects out of orbit and — as the latest JAXA test indicates — an electrodynamic tether to nudge objects into the upper atmosphere.

Under the proposed plan, the Kounotori 6 satellite was supposed to unfurl a 700m-long cable made from thin wires, stainless steel and aluminium. The tip of the tether, equipped with an end mass weighing 22kg, would attach itself to a piece of space debris, such as a dead satellite. The position of the tether relative to the craft could be changed by the use of force that's generated by an electric current and the Earth's magnetic field. Once the tether is attached to a chunk of space debris, the object is slowed down and guided into a destructive reentry. The Kounotori craft, which launched to the ISS in December with supplies, would be loaded with garbage from the ISS. Both the craft and the space debris would burn up on re-entry.

At least that's how it was supposed to go. After days of trying to get the cable to deploy, however, the mission planners had to give up. JAXA scientists had only a week to work in, and they ran out of time. Last night, Kounotori 6 re-entered Earth's atmosphere.

"We believe the tether did not get released," said lead researcher Koichi Inoue in a press conference. "It is certainly disappointing that we ended the mission without completing one of the main objectives."

Disappointing, sure, but certainly not the end of the world. The Japanese effort, though unsuccessful, is hopefully a sign of things to come. Given the risks involved — and the ever-increasing amounts of debris appearing in space — we have little choice but to come up with a viable solution.

[scap99]

On 2/2/2017 at 10:20 PM, MIKA27 said:

The Art That Helped Make Big Trouble in Little China a Cult Classic Masterpiece

John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China has become a cult favorite for many reasons—its goofy mix of humor, action, and quotable lines; Kurt Russell’s Kurt Russell-ness—but the film’s visual style is also quite distinctive. The new book The Official Art of Big Trouble in Little China is devoted to collecting and celebrating it, and we’re thrilled to debut some pages here today.

The Boom Studios release, written by Tara Bennett and Paul Terry with an intro by Carpenter, is out February 1 in comic shops and February 7 in bookstores. It delves into Big Trouble’s costumes, set designs, storyboard art, and more, and contains interviews with everyone who helped make the film’s visual style so unique, including the film’s cinematographer, visual effects producer, makeup effects artist, and others.

Here’s a look at the gorgeous red gown costume designer April Ferry created for Lo Pan’s unwilling brides:

If you’re a fan of the movie, you’ll probably also want to check out Boom Studios’ The Official Making of Big Trouble in Little China (by the same authors), which came out earlier this month and contains a wealth of behind-the-scenes tidbits, photos, and interviews. The cover pays tribute to Struzan’s iconic movie poster, and in the afterword, Kurt Russell confesses that Big Trouble fans are his absolute favorite fans to meet—largely because of the great delight they take in sharing their favorite Jack Burton lines. May the wings of liberty never lose a feather!

Was looking at Dwayne Johnson's IMDB entry today, because I couldn't remember the movie that I saw a trailer for last night.

 

Lo and behold, he's cast as Jack Burton in the remake of Big Trouble.

There's no way it will be any good.  He'd be better off doing an "Escape from" movie.  Maybe Escape from Chicago this time....

[MIKA27]

6 minutes ago, scap99 said:

Was looking at Dwayne Johnson's IMDB entry today, because I couldn't remember the movie that I saw a trailer for last night.

 

Lo and behold, he's cast as Jack Burton in the remake of Big Trouble.

There's no way it will be any good.  He'd be better off doing an "Escape from" movie.  Maybe Escape from Chicago this time....

Sometimes even if the movie does end up "Better" IMO they can never recast some actors that actually "Made" the movie.

It's one thing to have great effects etc but the actors play a big part of a shows appeal.

One movie comes to mind (And there are many) is Total Recall. For me, the original is the best, no one can replace Arnie. The remake had great effects etc but it was missing Arnold and for me, it couldnt matter who they had playing the lead role, it just wasn't the same and I agree, Dwayne Johnson on his own merit is great, I love some of the shows he is in, but to play the role of Jack Burton, no way will it be as great.

Lets also not forget that the original is a John Carpenter movie, that in itself is also a big deal and made the movie what it was.

[polarbear]

3 hours ago, MIKA27 said:

STEP INSIDE AMERICA’S MOST EXPENSIVE HOME (IT CAN BE YOURS FOR $250M)

When most of us move, the checklist looks something like this: Does it have enough outlets? Is there ample closet space? Is there decent water pressure in the shower? Will my Ikea couch fit through the door?

But the man who moves into this sprawling pad won’t be “most of us,” and his checklist will involve a bowling alley, a helipad, a candy wall, and a squad of luxury cars.

Welcome to America’s most expensive home.

For US$250,000,000, this ultra-exclusive Bel Air abode could be yours. Those nine digits entitle you to 38,000 sq ft of mansion plus 17,000 sq ft of entertainment decks, spread out over four meticulously curated levels and boasting 270-degree views of the mountains, the ocean, and the Los Angeles skyline.

You may be wondering what could possibly fill so much square footage. The answer is two master suites, 10 oversized VIP guest suites, 21 bathrooms, three gourmet kitchens, two commercial elevators, two fully stocked champagne/wine cellars, and five bars. There’s also a state-of-the-art fitness centre, an 85-ft glass tile infinity pool, and a massage studio/wellness spa.

LA is the capital of the entertainment world, and in keeping with its A-list location, the mega-home leaves little opportunity for boredom. A 40-seat 4K Dolby theatre boasts a James Bond theme. A four-lane bowling alley/lounge connects to a room with custom glass foosball tables and a $200,000 candy wall that would make Willy Wonka jealous.

More than 100 art installations – including the actual helicopter from the ’80s TV show Airwolf – are placed throughout the space. With the flip of a switch by the pool, a massive outdoor hydraulic cinema-sized screen emerges. A pair of mini Sea-Doos and a small catamaran also come with the pad.

And then there’s the auto gallery. Below the infinity pool is a fleet of exotic cars and motorcycles worth more than $30 million, including a custom Rolls-Royce, a Bugatti, a vintage Allard, and a baby Formula 1 race car.

Read the listing here and prepare to gently weep.

No Walk In Humidor?

Pass!

[MIKA27]

15 hours ago, polarbear said:

No Walk In Humidor?

Pass!

Mate for that much money, pass the walk-in humidor and have yourself a custom roller

[MIKA27]

Battlestar Galactica's Richard Hatch Has Died At 71

   

Golden Globe nominated actor Richard Hatch, whose career spanned nearly a half-century, today passed into eternity while surrounded by family and friends after an extended illness. Best known as Captain Apollo in the 1978 original Battlestar Galactica, and then as Tom Zarek in the 2003 re-imagined version, His career started with a stint on All My Children in 1971 as Philip Brent, and put in appearances on series ranging from Hawaii Five-O to The Streets of San Francisco to Baywatch. In more recent years Richard has been featured in a range of independent productions.

In the decades after the original Battlestar Galactica, he had gone on to write a number of novels in the same universe and developed a short film, Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming. Original BSG series actors John Colicos (Baltar), Terry Carter (Col. Tigh) and Jack Stauffer (Bojay) appeared in the trailer alongside Hatch. His various projects were an effort to keep the interest around the franchise alive and to try to convince Universal to revisit the series.

Richard hadn’t intended to wind up as an actor, he’d often said that it wasn’t something that had occurred to him because he was too shy and insecure. His dream before he discovered the stage was to become an Olympic pole vaulter. When an English class was overbooked in college, he wound up enrolling in an oral interpretation class instead. “It turned out to be my worst nightmare, because I had to get up in front of people and read.” he says, laughing. “I found myself flunking the course because I would choke up. I could hardly open my mouth.” Over time he managed to overcome his fears, and now helps new actors by offering acting workshops in the Los Angeles area as well as during his annual convention circuit. His classes were lauded for their ability to bring new actors out of their shells, and for helping tune skills of more experienced performers. One reviewer commented about Richard and his workshop:

Quote

Richard Hatch is a man of many gifts, not the least of which is uncanny insight into an actor’s true potential and how we get in our own way and block that potential. Richard is both very tough and very compassionate. In just six months of working together, Richard has coaxed performances out of me that I never would have dreamed possible.

Even though it’d now been nearly eight years since the ending of the re-imagined Galactica series, he had continued to host annual Battlestar Galactica panels at the San Diego Comic-Con and DragonCon, where fans would listen to his stories of the series, and of his continued enthusiasm and encouragement for its future.

Richard is survived by a son, Paul.

Vale, Captain Apollo. and so say we all.