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

[MIKA27]

Schwarzenegger Hunts For Man Responsible For Family’s Death In ‘Aftermath’

Aftermath, originally titled 478 is a revenge film, based on the Überlingen mid-air collision that happened in June of 2002 and stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maggie Grace (Taken), Kevin Zegers (Notorious), Hannah Ware (Boss), and Scoot McNairy (Halt and Catch Fire).  The trailer is suitably tense, as McNairy plays an air traffic controller who is taking a coffee break and doesn’t notice two aircraft flying directly at each other. By the time he returns, the planes have collided with no survivors. Schwarzenegger’s wife and daughter were on one of the planes.

Finding that it was negligence that caused the accident, he sets off to find McNairy and get an apology, one way or the other. The 478 in the original version of the title is from the number of days between the accident and when the real-world husband, Vitaly Kaloyev caught up with air traffic controller Peter Nielsen at his home and stabbed him to death. Now to see what kind of a spin Hollywood will put on the original story or if they will let the original play out. Regardless, opening that door and finding a pissed Schwarzenegger standing there never bodes well for anyone.

 

[MIKA27]

Danny Rand Discovers He Can't Go Home Again In A Giant New Iron Fist Trailer

In this new, extended trailer for Netflix's upcoming Iron Fist TV series, Harold Meachum (David Wenham) asks, "Why did he wait this long to show up? Where the hell did he learn martial arts?" These are very valid questions.

Another good question comes from Claire (Rosario Dawson), when responding to Danny's declaration that "I am the Iron Fist" in the most appropriate way possible: "What the hell does that mean?"

I guess we'll get answers on March 17.

[MIKA27]

A Look At How Batman Has Totally Taken Over One Batfan's Life

Before you start to worry, the subject of the Being Batman short film clearly states he knows the difference between reality and fiction. Still, this ultra-dedicated Batfan says he's "out there every night" catching criminals.

For years, the identity of the mystery man driving a Batmobile down the streets of Brampton, Ontario, was a secret. The Canadian Dark Knight revealed his true identity recently but aims to preserve the mystique in the short film produced by Lossless Creative. This Batman operates on a mix of compulsion and obsession, which is a whole lot like the character he embodies.

 

[MIKA27]

Secret Room Linked to King James Assassination Plot Found

Despite what both the mainstream and conspiracy theory media would like you to believe, today’s secret plots and schemes are boring compared to those of the royal courts in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. Researchers using 3D laser scanners on the walls of an English Tudor tower found a secret double room that was believed to have been used for a royal assassination plot and later as a hiding place during murderous persecutions of Catholic clergy.

Coughton Court

Christopher King, assistant professor in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Nottingham, lead the new investigation inside the tower of a gatehouse at Coughton Court in Warwickshire. The Coughton estate has been in the Throckmorton family since 1409 and the gatehouse was built in 1530 and dedicated to King Henry VIII. That’s where the first major Coughton conspiracy begins. Sir George Throckmorton supported Henry’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon, which could have been fatal, especially since the Throckmorton family was Catholic.

The next conspiracy occurred in 1583 when Sir Francis Throckmorton led a plot by Catholics to murder Queen Elizabeth I and replace her with her second cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots. The Throckmorton Plot was discovered and Francis was executed instead.

That brings us to the secret room and the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Since the Throckmorton’s remained Catholic in Protestant England, they needed a place for their banned services to be performed. So-called “priest holes” were concealed in the walls, floors, ceilings and other nooks of castles to hide the priests. The priest hole in the Coughton Court tower was used to hide some of the priests who failed in their plan to blow up the House of Lords and kill King James I. the hidden room was not as famous as another participant in the Gunpowder Plot … Guy Fawkes.

Because this particular priest hole worked so well, Christopher King decided to discover its secret. Using 3D laser scans and computer models, he found that it was actually a double chamber that fooled searchers who gave up after finding the first hole.

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When they’re searching, they think they’ve found the priest hole but it’s empty, but actually the priest is hidden in the more concealed space beyond. And that’s what happens at Coughton: there’s one chamber under the floor in the turret of the tower, and then there is another trap door that goes through into a second space, which we assume is where the priest was actually hiding.

The priests needed to be pretty small since the chambers measured barely a meter wide. Yet, evidence shows they stayed in them for up to three days at a time. Of course, most people will put with a lot when the alternative is torture or death, which was the case for priests during the anti-Catholic persecutions in the 16th and 17th centuries.

This study of the priest hole at Coughton Court was funded by Britain’s National Lottery and, because the 3D scanning worked so well, King plans to use it to investigate some of the other 30 known but inaccessible hiding places in historic English houses.

That search will undoubtedly uncover more conspiracy plots. 

[MIKA27]

The Basslet Is a Subwoofer You Can Wear

Designed and built on the premise that bass should be felt and not just heard, the Basslet is a subwoofer you can wear on your wrist. Created by German-based Lofelt, the Basslet emulates the same physical bass experience you’ll get in larger clubs or concerts and puts it right on your wrist so you can enjoy that same experience on the go. The two-piece system consists of the wearable Basslet bracelet and a sender dongle that you connect to whatever device is playing the audio you want to feel. The LoSound engine that powers the Basslet recreates bass frequencies down to 10 Hz and up to 250 Hz, which makes it perfect for everything from music to gaming so you can feel free to use it wherever you are because it’s completely silent to the outside world. The Basslet charges in less than one hour, has six plus hours of playtime and doesn’t require software or configuration. If you want to improve your mobile listening experience, there’s nothing better than the Basslet.

[MIKA27]

Buckle Up, Australia: The Air Is Made Of Fire

The Australia Bureau of Meteorology's heatwave service is working overtime as the country braces for temperatures of up to 47 degrees Celsius over the weekend, thats 116.6 Fahrenheit to our American brothers and sisters. Preparation is key, so here's some practical tips on how to deal with the heat, from the experts.

Where are we getting this information from? 

The heatwave service shows a set of maps showing colour-coded heatwave severity for the previous two three-day periods, and the next five three-day periods. As part of the service, "assessment" maps show areas where heatwave conditions currently are, what they are expected to do in the near future, and if the intensity is severe or extreme status. This is the assessment as of today.

The heatwave forecast, on the other hand, gives us an indication of the next five three-day periods. It shows areas where heatwave conditions are forecast to occur and will also indicate whether their intensity is expected to reach severe or extreme status.

Three or more days of high maximum and minimum temperatures that are unusual for that location is considered a heatwave, and we know that one is on it's way when the forecast maximum and minimum temperatures over the next three days are compared to actual temperatures over the previous thirty days, then these same three days are compared to the 'normal' temperatures expected for that particular location.

The calculation takes into account people's ability to adapt to the heat. For example, the same high temperature will be felt differently by residents in Perth compared to those in Hobart, who are not used to the higher range of temperatures experienced in Perth. (Do we even consider Perth as Australian considering it takes a few hours by plane to get there?)

This means that in any one location, temperatures that meet the criteria for a heatwave at the end of summer will generally be hotter, than the temperatures that meet the criteria for a heatwave at the beginning of summer.

The bulk of heatwaves at each location are of low intensity, with most people expected to have adequate capacity to cope with this level of heat. Less frequent, higher intensity heatwaves are classified as severe and will be challenging for some more vulnerable people, such as those over 65, pregnant women, babies and young children, and those with a chronic illness.

Even rarer and exceptionally intense heatwaves are classed as extreme, and will impact normally reliable infrastructure - such as power and transport. Extreme heatwaves are a risk for anyone who does not take precautions to keep cool, even those who are healthy. 

What does this mean?

Heatwaves have a range of economic and planning impacts across a broad range of sectors, including health care, transport, emergency services, energy and agriculture. Impacts to these sectors may also have an effect on responding to people in need. Knowing a heatwave is coming will help these sectors better prepare for these conditions, and reduce the level of impact to people, businesses and industry.

Government, emergency services and communities need time to adjust and to adopt measures to reduce the impact of a heatwave. Blackouts are more prevalent in severe and extreme heatwaves. Personally, we need to be prepared with an alternative source of power for radios and torches, and keep mobile phones fully charged where possible.

In the last 200 years, severe and extreme heatwaves have taken more lives than any other natural hazard in Australia. For example, during the 2009 Victorian bushfires, 173 people perished as a direct result of the fires; however 374 people lost their lives in the heatwave that occurred before the bushfires.

Violent weather events, such as tornadoes, floods, cyclones or severe thunderstorms tend to create a lot of media attention, including reporting on how many people lost their life or were injured. Heatwaves are not associated with these violent events, so tend to not be reported in the media to the same extent.

But heatwaves can result in significant health stress on vulnerable people. This stress may result in death during the heat event but in many cases this can occur well after the heatwave has passed. Often the cause of death during a heatwave is difficult to determine, as many people who die during a heatwave have a pre-existing or contributing health condition.

Unfortunately, climate projections show that extreme heat events are expected to occur more often and with greater intensity in the future.

Heatwaves are more complex than just the daily maximum temperature. The minimum (or overnight) temperature is extremely important as well. If the minimum remains high then the subsequent maximum will occur earlier in the day and remain near that high temperature for a longer period. A higher minimum temperature also restricts the amount of recovery that can occur, due to less opportunity to discharge heat.

So what do we do?

Associate Professor Ian Stewart is an environmental occupational and exercise physiologist who studies heat strain for at-risk workers in physically demanding jobs. His expertise has informed various temperature-related work regulations, and he has previously studied children's physical activities in the heat.

Dr Stewart says anyone working outside is at risk, but the more active their job is, the more they are at risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

"Everyone generates extra heat internally which, under normal circumstances, dissipates into the cooler air outside the body, so that we maintain a core temperature of between 36c and 37c," Dr Stewart says. "But if the air outside is already 37c or higher, your body can no longer get rid of that excess heat – you've lost that natural mechanism for dispersing your internal heat. That's why heatwaves are a so dangerous."

And humidity brings added danger, he says. "It's double trouble when there is high humidity during a heatwave because your sweat is no longer doing its job. It pours off your skin before it has time to evaporate and cool you down."

"In a heat stroke situation, the body's cardiovascular system actually stops trying to send blood to the skin to disperse heat and starts concentrating solely on maintaining adequate blood pressure," Dr Stewart says.

"It's important to lie the person down, put ice packs under their knees and in their armpits and groin (where the main arteries are close to the surface) and give them small amounts of cool fluid (not ice-cold)."

Kelly Stewart, an accredited sports dietician, studies nutritional intake in athletes who are often working under extreme conditions. Ms Stewart says we also need to watch what we eat during a heatwave.

"Cold salads with lots of vegies and a protein-rich ingredient is a great choice in a heatwave," Ms Stewart say, "Try eating lots of cold fruits like watermelon or frozen grapes. Sandwiches with toppings that naturally contain a bit of salt will help you hang onto the water you drink."

Of course, we should also be drinking water - but not too much.

"Water, water and more water. A little bit of cordial is okay but not too much – we don't want to end the heatwave 5kg heavier," she says. "Active outside workers could benefit from a sports drink during the day to help them retain the fluid they're consuming but I'd advise a sports drink for children or the elderly only if they are dehydrated."

"Avoid hot meals altogether in a heatwave," Ms Stewart says. "Hot meals heat up your body as well as your house, neither of which you want to happen. Soft drinks or juice are generally unnecessary – a piece of fruit is a far better choice."

As for keeping your home cool, here's some of the main tips:

• Put a bowl of ice in front of your fan. If you're using a basic fan, this can greatly increase its effectiveness.
• Keep a spray bottle of water in the fridge. Spritzing yourself then provides a fast way to cool down. For maximum effectiveness, learn where your body's quick-cooling points are. For a portable variant, check out how to make a cooling scarf.
• Keep the curtains drawn. The effectiveness of this will vary depending on your kind of property, size of windows and orientation of the building. However, in many cases, keeping the sunlight out is more effective than opening the windows, especially on still days. You could also experiment with a green curtain of plants for even more cooling impact.
• Take advantage of public air conditioning. You don't have to stay at home: head to a shopping centre or a public library to take advantage of cooler temperatures.
• Don't obsessively keep track of the temperature. With everyone seemingly lugging smartphones, an update on the current temperature is only a glance away. However, knowing that it's 47 degrees won't help you, and could hinder you. Studies suggest that if we believe the temperature is lower than it actually is, we don't suffer from heat-related effects to the same extent.
• Make sure your computer isn't running hot. This won't massively change the temperature around the house (unless you have a very small office), but it's worth making sure your computer isn't running at excessive temperatures.

And of course, be sure to check on any elderly friends, family and neighbours - and don't leave pets outside or without a constant supply of water.

Stay safe, Australia.

 

[MIKA27]

Enormous Pleistocene Landslide Discovered Off The Coast Of Australia

Around 300,000 years ago, a ridge near Australia's Great Barrier Reef collapsed, unleashing a massive undersea avalanche. The ensuing landslide scattered debris for kilometres and triggered a sizeable tsunami, according to new research.

The remains of the ancient slip, known as the Gloria Knolls Slide, were discovered 75km off the north Queensland coast, and at the bottom of the Queensland Trough — a vast basin that runs adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef. A team led by geologist Robin Beaman from James Cook University made the discovery while conducting 3D mapping of ancient reefs in the giant gully.

The research, published in the journal Marine Geology, identifies a debris field of large blocks, known as knolls, and numerous other blocks scattered over 30km from the source of the collapse. When the cliff wall failed, it released a whopping 32 cubic km of rock, spilling to a depth of 1350m. That's about 30 times the volume of sediment contained in Australia's famed Uluru sandstone monolith.

After discovering the knolls, the researchers used 3D mapping to uncover the source of the landslide.

"We were amazed to discover this cluster of knolls while 3D multibeam mapping the deep GBR seafloor," said Beaman in a statement. "In an area of the Queensland Trough that was supposed to be relatively flat were eight knolls, appearing like hills with some over 100 meters high and 3 km long."

The sudden collapse of the wall contained enough potential energy to produce an 27m-high tsunami wave, but the giant wave, as it moved towards the ancient Australian coast, was likely dampened by the surrounding corals. "The Great Barrier Reef acts like a giant porous breakwater to reduce the energy [of ocean swell]," said Beaman in an interview with the BBC. "If it was in existence at the time of this landslide, it would have done a similar job." Looking ahead, the researchers would like to know if the tsunami risk posed by similar landslides threaten the Queensland coast.

As part of the study, the researchers took sediment samples from a knoll at a depth of 1170 meters. Analysis of the samples confirmed the presence of both living and fossilised coral species, gorgonian sea whips (a fan-shaped soft coral), bamboo corals, molluscs and stalked barnacles. The oldest fossilised coral was dated to 302,000 years ago, so the landslide couldn't have happened any earlier than that.

Prehistoric undersea landslides have been recorded before, including the Agulhas slide — an event that unleashed 20,000 cubic km of debris off South Africa about 2.6 million years ago. If that sounds like a lot, it is; that's about 625 times bigger than the Gloria Knolls Slide, and it released nearly enough mass to fill all of America's Great Lakes.

[MIKA27]

Iceland’s Four Biggest Volcanoes Getting Ready to Erupt

While most of the world is watching Washington DC for the next major earth-rattling eruption, someone needs to keep an eye on Iceland, where all four of its major volcanoes are exhibiting signs of potential real eruptions of the global winter kind.

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Seismic activity tells us we need to be more vigilant than usual but not much more than that now. She is trying to tell us something more than we may understand not completely.

Geophysicist Páll Einarsson tells Iceland’s Fréttablaðið newspaper (Google translated) that he’s most concerned about Katla, a large volcano in southern Iceland that has had multiple earthquakes in its caldera recently, with one measuring 4.3 magnitude. Katla has a long history of regular eruptions every 60 to 80 years. With its last major eruption in 1918, Katla is overdue.

Katla

That regularity is a trait of all of the major volcanoes in Iceland, which concerns Einarsson.

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They are created to behave fairly regularly over the last decade with eruptions in 1998 and 2004 and 2011. There is an increasing seismic activity there, slowly, and it plans to eruptions in the coming few years.

Hekla, also in southern Iceland, was on a 10-year schedule but its last blast was in 2000 so it’s overdue as well. Einarsson worries about Hekla because its eruptions have occurred without warning. However, current measurements show its magma chambers filling and that’s an ominous precursor.

Northeast of Hekla and Katla are Bárðarbunga and Grímsvötn. Bárðarbunga is the largest and most powerful volcano in Iceland and was responsible for the six-month-long 2014-15 Holuhraun eruption. Its magma chambers refilled quickly and earthquakes of magnitude 4.3 and 4.0 were felt there this week. The Grímsvötn volcano has a seven-year eruption average with the last occuring in 2011, but Einarsson says its magma chambers are also loaded and ready.

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Growing seismic activity points to an eruption in the next few years.

Grímsvötn

Iceland was formed by the Iceland Hotspot where the Eurasian and North American Plates are moving apart. The area around the island has a higher temperature than the rest of the mantle and its own mantle has a higher concentration of stream-producing water. These conditions combine to make Iceland one of the most active volcanic regions in the world, with major eruptions occurring somewhere on the island about every three years. While there are at least 30 volcanic system in Iceland, the most dangerous are the big four that Einarsson is currently worrying about.

Fortunately, he’s right on top of these volcanoes – seismically speaking – and can provide ample warnings to Icelanders … right?

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We can say little what happens next week but we can say what will happen in the next hour.

The next hour? Four of the world’s biggest volcanoes are getting ready to erupt and the best warning those nearby can get is an hour? 

[MIKA27]

An Innovative New Cancer Therapy Hijacks Bacteria To Fight Tumours

Researchers from South Korea have engineered a strain of bacteria that infiltrates tumours and fools the body's immune system into attacking cancer cells. In experiments, the modified bacteria worked to reduce cancer in mice, raising hope for human trials.

In a study published today in Science Translational Medicine, a research team led by biologists Joon Haeng Rhee and Jung-Joon Min from Chonnam National University in South Korea describe a new immunotherapy in which a bioengineered strain of Salmonella is converted into a biological version of the fabled Trojan Horse. Once inside an unsuspecting tumour, the modified bacteria transmits a signal that triggers nearby immune cells into launching an attack on the malignant cells.

In preliminary tests, the technique shrunk tumours in more than half of the mice who received injections of the commandeered bacteria. It's preliminary, but the researchers are hopeful that this form of immunotherapy will be both safe and effective in humans.

Bacterial cancer therapy dates back to 1893 when surgeon William B. Coley noticed that recurrent tumours of connective tissue, called sarcoma tumours, disappeared after patients became infected with Erysipelas bacterium. This led him to develop a therapy, now called "Coley's toxins", that utilises various bacterial strains to fight cancer. This line of cancer research went into hibernation, however, once surgical and chemical therapies emerged.

But since 2008, bacterial cancer therapy has been going through a bit of a renaissance. Some success in this area has been reported, particularly when scientists use modified Salmonella to deliver various therapeutic agents to the body, such as genes and anti-cancer medicines. Bacteria have a natural ability to home in on tumours, making them excellent cargo ships. Unfortunately, all pre-existing bacterial cancer therapies require multiple injections of the microbes, and relapses are common.

In an effort to develop a better method, Rhee and Min took a strain of Salmonella typhimurium and made it 10,000 times less toxic than normal, while retaining the bacterium's ability to stay alive and carry therapeutic cargo. And unlike previous efforts, the modified bacteria weren't designed to deliver medicines per se; instead, they were engineered to deliver an important message to nearby immune cells — a message that says, "Attack this tumour!"

Specifically, the Salmonella bacteria is genetically modified to secrete a foreign protein known as flagellin (FlaB). This protein, found in an aquatic microbe called Vibrio vulnificus, is the building block of flagellum — the lash-like appendage that allows microorganisms to swim around. Since vertebrate animals, including humans, don't have a flagellum, this protein is foreign to our cells. When voracious white blood cells known as macrophages detect the presence of these foreign proteins, they immediately sense danger and spring into action.

Macrophages are like microscopic Roombas, vacuuming anything that doesn't look like it's supposed to be there, including bits of cellular debris, unfamiliar substances, viruses, unwanted bacteria and, importantly, cancer cells. But macrophages don't always see tumours as a threat, owing to the presence of identifiable markers, such familiar proteins associated with healthy cells. The modified bacteria, parked inside a tumour with its alien cargo, basically tricks the immune cells into launching an attack (that is, triggering an immune response). The macrophages then happily go about devouring the malignant cells.

The researchers tested their Trojan Horse bacteria in mice with colon cancer. Three days after the injections, the bacteria inside the tumours were 10,000 times more abundant than those found in the mice's vital organs. The macrophages then quickly went to work, causing the tumours to shrink below detectable limits in more than half of the mice.

Microscopic images show the macrophage immune cells (the colourful splotches) proliferating and working in cancerous cells.

"We [documented the] total eradication of tumours in approximately 60 per cent of treated subjects," explained Rhee and Min in an interview with Gizmodo. "The remaining 20 per cent of the animals remained stable," meaning they didn't die, "though tumours were reduced in size."

Importantly, the modified FlaB-expressing bacteria was shown to be non-toxic, and it didn't invade non-cancerous tissues in the rodents. Instead, Salmonella, armed with FlaB, shrank the tumours, prolonged the survival of the mice, and prevented new growths from re-appearing in mouse models of human colon cancer.

"We did not use any extra medication or chemotherapy," said Rhee and Min, adding that their bacterial therapy could be combined with other anti-cancer techniques, such as radiation or chemotherapy.

Should this form of immunotherapy reach the clinical stage (and that's still a big if — mice studies can be notoriously unreliable), the researchers don't see regular injections as being appropriate.

"The bacteria could be injected repeatedly if required," noted the researchers. "But we do not encourage multiple repeated therapies since the human immune system will build up an antibacterial immune response after repeated administration of the same bacteria."An antibacterial response would prevent Salmonella from proliferating at the tumour site, meaning the tumour would no longer be marked for destruction.

To cope with this problem, the researchers are planning to use different strains with distinct biological markers should repeated injections be required in some instances.

It's too early to tell if this treatment will be effective and safe in humans, but these early results are encouraging. Rhee and Min say their technique should work for other cancers, including breast cancer, glioma, melanoma and lung cancer. "This is more like proof of concept study," said the researchers.

"We are planning comprehensive preclinical tests in nearest future. If we find right partners that grant reasonable funding, clinical trials could hopefully be started very soon."

[MIKA27]

WEECASA TINY HOTEL

Looking for a unique and quaint place to lay your head down at night in Lyons, Colorado? WeeCasa doesn’t offer rooms for the night. Instead, you can stay in one of the many tiny homes on site at their location. Each available home is both unique and different, catering to the multitude of expectations and lifestyles of their incoming guests.

Each tiny home varies in size and accommodations, sleeping up to five adults in some cases. They range from miniature cottages to decked-out mobile homes with more luxurious options. All include indoor plumbing, full kitchens and living rooms for lounging around – though if you’re visiting Colorado we suggest getting outdoors – and most include both air conditioning and heat. Also, the layout of the location actually creates a small village of these tiny homes, adding to the homestyle charm of the WeeCasa. Rates vary from season to season. They’re also available for extended stays as well, month to month in some cases. [Purchase]

 

[MIKA27]

CASA TINY CONCRETE SURF HOUSE IN MEXICO

Tucked away up in the hills from the busy surf town of Puerto Escondido is a minimalist and tiny home made entirely of concrete. Dubbed the Tiny Casa and designed by Aranza de Ariño, it’s a perfect option for traveling surfers or couples who want all perks of staying close to the big blue Pacific Ocean but with ample privacy to unwind on their own accord. And guess what, you can rent it.

Thanks to several sets of slatted wooden blinds that gracefully open up, this indoor/outdoor home will remain cool with the help of a gentle sea breeze rolling off the ocean below. There’s also a pool in the backyard, concrete patios surrounding the property and the kitchen counter actually extends outward onto one of the patios creating a quaint dining area for friends and family. It comfortably also sleeps up to two people in the Casa’s lofted sleeping area overlooking the hillside and is available on Airbnb for rent, where prices range depending on the time of year and availability.

[MIKA27]

NIWA Nixie Tube Watch

If you’re unfamiliar, the Nixie tube is a cold cathode display that is primarily used to present numbers. Modern technology has all but completely phased out their use, but that hasn’t stopped NIWA from cramming the cool, warm, glowing tubes into a great watch you can wear anywhere. The 55mm diameter round watch has a case machined from aircraft-grade aluminum that’s available in grey or black with 24mm silicone straps in a faux bracelet style. After almost two years in development, the team finally completed work on the finished prototype that easily and elegantly displays time on the Nixie tubes using a gyro sensor that shows you the time when you want to see it but doesn’t waste precious battery life. The NIWA Nixie Tube Watch also includes a dock station with stand, extra tubes, magnet for reed switches, USB cable, special wood box and, most importantly, a lifetime warranty for the Nixie tubes.

[MIKA27]

Legion Is the Greatest Superhero Origin Story Ever Told On TV

The mind is a powerful and terrifying place. It can trap you in deceptive, winding corridors and erase the exits, all while muddling your ability to decipher time, reality, and the truth. Imagine, for a moment, you start hearing voices. Then, inanimate objects begin moving on their own, and you suddenly have visions of people and places. This would be pretty terrifying, right? You and your family and friends would probably think you'd need treatment of some kind—pills and therapy, to make the voices and visions go away.

It's from this perspective that the viewer enters Legion, the new X-Men series on FX that's unlike any superhero story told on television. The hero, David Haller, is a mental patient who has been placed under the care of doctors to treat his schizophrenia. But, despite this setting, he might have the most logical response of any young superhero to his sudden mysterious powers. When he makes the objects of a room orbit around himself with his mind, the doctors tell him he had a psychotic episode—something any rational person would believe. Our mind is trained to protect itself, and being crazy is more logical than being magical. So David takes his pills, eats his hospital food, does the therapy, and tries to ignore the visions.

And to tell this story, Fargo showrunner Noah Hawley has created a surreal world that defies timelines and traditional linear structure, on in which its unreliable narrator can't tell the difference between reality, his powers, or his mind screwing with him. In a TV and film landscape oversaturated by superheroes, Legion is by far the most ambitious of them all. It's told between illogical jumps in setting and time with David Lynch-ian hallucinations and even a dance number more meme-able than Ex Machina's. David, normally strapped to a chair with probes on his head, is played by a twitchy and anxious Dan Stevens. He's been drugged into submission by therapists, with whom he's actually working to get better. The real villain here is his own mind.

You're meant to be as confused as the main character. You should be constantly questioning what and who you're seeing. Is his junkie, pessimist friend and fellow patient Lenny (Aubrey Plaza) actually there? How about his hospital-bound love interest Syd Barrett (Rachel Keller), who refuses to be touched and was named after Pink Floyd's original singer, who was briefly institutionalized? Do you know what year it is? The clothes, the technology, the sets—they are all from some ambiguous era that could be anytime between the near future and the late-'60s. We hardly even know how this fits into the X-Men canon. Is Legion the son of X-Men leader Professor X, as he is in the comics? That's another mystery to add to the list.

For all the rules that it transcends, Legion gets trapped when it reveals the truth of the story. It feels all too soon that at the conclusion of the first episode he breaks out of the institution to begin his hero training. That One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest setting is gone, replaced by your traditional Secret Superhero Compound, which seems boring by comparison. I get why: FX probably thought an entire season of this guy trapped in a hospital not knowing if he was insane or gifted wouldn't fly. And even though the next two episodes largely take place in David's mind, they feel so traditional after the groundbreaking debut episode.

Given the narrator's unstable condition, however, there's still much more opportunity for Legion to trick and deceive its audience. Even thematically, Legion has much more to explore. Like Jessica Jones used the superhero genre to explore feminism and abuse, Legion addresses mental health in an honest way. Even with the hospital far behind, there's a lot of potential in Legion's deceptive world. Let's just hope it stays weird.

MIKA: I find it funny that you see Dan Stevens playing a Marvel character from the X-Men universe and he's also in Night at the Museum 3  mocking Huge-Ackman.

 

[MIKA27]

LET IT BREATHE: 12 BEST WINE DECANTERS

Wine is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages ever created by man. In fact, it’s one of the oldest inventions period, with historical evidence dating back as far as 6,000 BC. That also means that wine experts have centuries upon centuries of practice drinking it and perfecting it. And there’s one thing that everyone seems to agree upon: wine bottles, while an excellent vessel for storage of the drink, are not the best serving option. And that’s for a specific reason. Wine, so it seems, needs to be able to breathe in order to meet its full potential.

It is for this reason that wine decanters exist. Transferring wine from the bottle into one of these receptacles can have a tremendous impact on the overall quality of it and – by proxy – your enjoyment. And, as it turns out, different shapes are beneficial for different wine varieties. While that is certainly something to consider, the truth of the matter is that any decanter is better than no decanter. With that in mind, the following 12 are your best options for wine decanters available today.

TWIST WINE DECANTER

If you’re a stickler for how well your wine gets aerated, then the Twist wine decanter is probably for you. The unique design not only looks good, but it’s an effective way to make sure your wine breathes plenty before it hits your lips. And that’s because the twisting design will aerate it twice – once when you pour in the bottle and as you pour it into your glass of choice. And the metal base will ensure that it stays stable when you’re not actively pouring a drink.

 

LE CHATEAU WINE DECANTER

Conforming to a more classic and time tested design, this beautiful decanter is an extremely effective and good-looking manner by which to let your wine breathe. It’s also 100% lead-free and blown entirely by hand, so you don’t have to worry about leeching impurities or poor quality of construction due to the use of machines in the process. And the size is ideal for aerating a standard 750ml bottle.

 

MENU WINEBREATHER CARAFE

If you’re the type whose eyes are bigger than your stomach or you have a fear of spilling even a drop of one of your favorite beverages, then you’ll likely appreciate the design of this clever decanter. The lid actually functions as a coupling mechanism, joining the decanter and your wine bottle of choice so that you can pour wine easily and without incident. Best of all, if you’re finished drinking and you still have wine left, you can pour it right back into the bottle for safekeeping elsewhere.

 

SEMPLI VASO-VINO WINE DECANTER

Looking a bit more like a hollowed-out spinning top than a wine decanter, there is actually a perfectly good reason for the unique format of this vessel. Namely – and unsurprisingly – it was made to spin. Using a gentle motion, spinning this decanter while it is full of wine allows for a more thorough aeration – especially with reds like pinot noir or malbec. And that makes for a more enjoyable drinking experience all around. Plus, we’re sure you’ll find spinning this decanter entertaining in itself.

 

RAVENSCROFT CRYSTAL PINNACLE WINE DECANTER

If sound design is of the utmost importance to you when selecting home goods, then this is the decanter for you. While it still functions as any wine aerating vessel should, the modern and almost architectural design of this decanter is a striking addition to the home of anyone with discerning taste. And the cherry on top of the proverbial cake is the beautiful spherical stopper that fits perfectly into this carafe’s spout.

 

STEMLESS FOUNTAIN AERATING WINE GLASS SET

If you want the benefits of aeration – like bringing out the flavors and aromas of your red wine – but you don’t want to transfer an entire bottle into a full-sized decanter, these are a solid alternative. The clever design allows you to aerate your wine one glass at a time – so you can enjoy that bottle at your own pace. And they take up a heck of a lot less space that a bulky full-sized decanter when you’re not using them.

 

ZALTO HAND-BLOWN WINE DECANTER

An interesting fact about this decanter: the precise angles of the glass were inspired by the tilt angles of the Earth itself. That incredibly cool design-oriented fact aside, this is a superb vessel for aerating full-bodied red wines. It can also hold up to 64 ounces of liquid – just like a full-sized beer growler – and the stout shape promises to keep it from tipping over for anything other than intentional pouring.

 

ZWIESEL 1872 BEAUNE WINE DECANTER

The helpful handle on this wine decanter is not the only thing that makes it worthwhile. It’s also crafted from Tritan crystal, which is a scratch and chip resistant material made from a combination of titanium and zirconium oxide. Did we mention that it’s also thermal shock resistant? Because it is. And it was handmade in Germany and is a superb addition to anyone’s abode.

 

RIEDEL DUCK WINE DECANTER

The unique bird shape of this wine decanter makes it ideal for red varietals. And that’s because it offers a tremendous amount of horizontal surface area and, therefore, allows the wine to have more contact with the atmosphere and helps it aerate better. The wide base also makes this decanter far less likely to tip over, if you happen to have a spell of clumsiness. And each of these decanters goes through Riedel’s rigorous testing process to make sure that every one is soundly constructed.

 

RIEDEL AMADEO WINE DECANTER

Featuring a unique ‘swan’ shape, this decanter actually features dual spouts. One is ideal for pouring the wine into the vessel, whereas the other much skinnier spout, is perfect for pouring wine out and into your glass. And the organic shape is as elegant as it comes, which is especially beneficial to anyone with cohesive home design in mind. Best of all: each of these decanters are handblown by accomplished glassblowers in Riedel’s Austria facility.

 

WATERFORD BLACK CUT WINE DECANTER

Strikingly different in appearance from the others on this list, this offering from Waterford is no less a completely capable wine decanting vessel. This ship-style decanter features high gloss black glass with a diamond cut crystal viewing window toward the base that goes beautifully with the deep red color of full-bodied wines, such as merlot or cabernet sauvignon.

 

ROKOS 13° 60° 104° WINE DECANTER

Inarguably the most unique wine decanter on this list, this award-winning vessel is also the cream of the crop. It features three surfaces upon which it can be rested at 13, 60, and 104 degrees – each chosen in accordance with how full this wine decanter is. This is to ensure that whether it is full, half empty, or nearly finished, your cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, merlot, malbec, or otherwise can get all the oxygen it needs to become perfectly balanced and delicious. It’s also offered in two sizes – one for standard 750ml bottles and the other for the much larger magnums.

 

 

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Hikers Can Sleep in These Restored Fire Lookouts

High above the forests across America there are special lookout towers that were constructed by the Civil Conservation Corps after the Great Fire of 1910 as an early warning system in an age before radios, aircraft and GPS. The lookouts are no longer used for their original purposes, but a few have been restored and maintained to serve as respites among the nature they were originally built to protect. Heather and Andrew Pogue were brave enough to venture up a trail in Washington on their way to the Park Butte Lookout, where they slept overnight and documented the entire journey. The views from the 360-degree tower (it was a “lookout,” after all) captured by the camera are breathtaking in every direction… especially when paired together with their editorial coverage. Maintained by the Skagit Alpine Club, the Park Butte Lookout is available on a first come, first service basis with a donation area to help support the cause.

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STAR WARS LAND

Star Wars has has a presence in Disney's parks since the opening of Star Tours at Disneyland in 1987, but nothing compares to what's coming. Simultaneously under construction at both Disneyland in Anaheim and Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida, Star Wars Land is an immersive experience that will take you on a journey to the galaxy far, far away. Highlights of the 14-acre area include an all-new ride that will let you pilot the Millennium Falcon, and a second attraction that puts you in the center of a battle between the First Order and the Resistance — with a recreation of the Cantina on-site for post-ride refreshments. While it's a little to early to make concrete travel plans, you can count on your journey embarking sometime in 2019.

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MODERN TIMES BLACK HOUSE NITRO STOUT

A oatmeal coffee stout brewed using Ethiopian Hambela and Sumatran coffee already sounds delicious, but Modern Times have taken that to the next level with the release of Modern Times Black House Nitro Stout. The special release is built off the back of their year-round Black House stout, adding coconut and cocoa nibs while adding nitrogen to the canning to give it a velvety mouthfeel. Available in these great looking 16 Oz cans, it's a rich, tasty combo of flavors that's sure to be a big hit while it lasts.

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Science Fiction Nightmares Abound in Anthology Film Galaxy of Horrors 

The genre fiends behind Toronto’s Little Terrors are at it again, adding another anthology film to a series that kicked off with the horror-centric Minutes Past Midnight. The new collection is called Galaxy of Horrors, and there’s a strong science fiction element in all of the shorts. Check out the trailer below.

The participating filmmakers are Todd Cobery, Javier Chillon, Richard Karpala, Andrew Desmond, Benni Diez, Marinko Spahic, Dennis Cabella, Marcello Ercole, Fabio Prati, and Antonio Padovan and Ethan Shaftel. After a limited theatrical release in early March, Galaxy of Horrors will hit VOD on March 7, then Blu-ray and DVD on May 2.

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The Halloween Remake Will Come From the Minds Behind Eastbound and Down

Michael Myers is coming back and he’ll do so with a little Eastbound and Down flair. Master of horror John Carpenter just revealed that Danny McBride and David Gordon Green will write the next Halloween remake, with Gordon Green directing.

The pair have worked together often, most notably on HBO’s Eastbound and Down, Vice Principals, and Pineapple Express just to name a few.

Carpenter, who wrote and directed the original, posted the news on his Facebook and added this:

Quote

 

I will continue in my executive producer role to consult and offer my advice and feedback as needed.

David and Danny both came to my office recently with Jason Blum and shared their vision for the new movie and…WOW. They get it. I think you’re gonna dig it. They blew me away.

I might even do the music. Maybe. It could be kind of cool.

And you’ll get to see it in theaters on October 19th, 2018.

 

It kind of goes without saying that this is a surprising choice. But Gordon Green and McBride have proved time and time again that they understand popular culture. They haven’t done an honest-to-goodness horror movie like this before, but both have exhibited huge range beside the films most of us know them for.

The most exciting thing about all of this, and the reason why Halloween fans have reason to get excited, is that John Carpenter will be involved. Hopefully, he’ll be there to guide McBride and Gordon Green as they make a film that understands what makes Michael Myers so amazingly scary—but also doesn’t just remake his original masterpiece.

The Rob Zombie films have their fans, but I never liked them because they humanized Michael too much. Explaining the horror takes away from the horror.

Plus, really, a Halloween movie isn’t a Halloween movie without this.

October 2018 feels a long way away, but hopefully it’s worth it.

 

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The Exoskeleton Helping This Canberra Man Walk Again

Canberra man Paul Jenkins is a paraplegic who wants to walk on stage at the University of Canberra this April and accept his two Bachelor degrees.

Thanks to newly approved technology, the 27-year-old is on track to do just that.
Mr Jenkins is trialling an exoskeleton device worth $80,000 in a bid to become the first Australian to have the equipment funded by the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

The device, aptly named the ReWalk, has a built-in motor that allows people with lower limb disabilities such as stroke and paralysis to walk using crutches.

A motorcycle accident left Mr Jenkins wheelchair-bound in 2006, but the Canberran believes the exoskeleton will revolutionise spinal injury recovery across Australia.

Mr Jenkins was the first Australian approved for NDIS training in the ReWalk and after his first experience in the device last year he knew it was a game changer.

"I'd never tried anything like it before and compared to the chair it's like chalk and cheese," Mr Jenkins said.

"The chair is so short it's degrading, in the exoskeleton people look at you differently straight away. One of the first things you notice is a lot more people smile at you.

"It's simple things like being at eye level with someone, that's massive, I'm 6'2" but in the chair I'm 4'.

"Some people completely ignore your existence when you're in a chair, I can understand why because it's not familiar but it gets under your skin and in the ReWalk I don't have to bear that anymore."

Mr Jenkins linked up with exercise physiologist Jim Barrett to trial the ReWalk on the Gold Coast in September and thanks to stem cell therapy and countless hours of physiotherapy, he immediately excelled.

"I've had the ReWalk for two years now and put over 50 people in the device, but Paul's progress is the best I've seen," Mr Barrett said.

"The best part for me as the trainer is the first time you stand them up and you look them in the eye and their whole face changes," Barrett said.

"Their loved ones become really emotional too. I remember Paul's mum said to him 'I didn't realise you were so tall', it's those kind of moments you can't replace.

Mr Barrett said the exoskeleton provides just as many psychological benefits as it does physical.

"There are a lots social and psycho-social benefits, generally people in a wheelchairs attract a lot more attention than those in a ReWalk. They just want to walk into a room, look people in the eye and be included in a social setting, and now they can," he said.

"Paul is a real pioneer in this and hopefully it will set a big precedent for Australians in wheelchairs."

Mr Jenkins said one of the most significant attributes of the Rewalk is it enables people to walk outside and up stairs.

"It's the optimal device because it allows me to walk outside and interact in the community which is a big point of difference," Mr Jenkins said.

"Nobody has ever walked on sand in an exoskeleton but on the Gold Coast I did and it was awesome, I could feel the surface on my feet.

"It's incredible what it can do, there is even a function where if I fall over I can get back up and now that they're invented, I think they're absolutely the future."

Mr Jenkins said while the future of the device was exciting, it must gain traction in Australia and other markets to continue to develop and that began with approval from insurance companies and the NDIS.

"With any new technology you need people passionate to get them off the ground, so we see the next generation exoskeleton become a reality," Mr Jenkins said.

Mr Barrett flew to Canberra in January to work through the intermediate training with Mr Jenkins and this month the duo will link again in Queensland to begin advanced training.

"The end goal is to keep improving every day for the rest of my life, just keep moving towards that direction getting out of the chair permanently," Mr Jenkins said.

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Director Says CGI Will Take A Back Seat To Practical Effects In Blade Runner 2049

Blade Runner is considered the pinnacle of sci-fi filmmaking, and one of the most visually influential movies of all time. But in the age of CGI, it's getting harder to find films that are willing to stick with the practical effects that helped make Blade Runner a cinematic legend. Luckily, the sequel's director has promised a return to Blade Runner's roots.
"I think I can count on one hand how many times I saw a green screen in all of those months of shooting," he said. "There will be CG enhancements, of course, but as much as possible it was in-camera."

Director Denis Villeneuve told Variety that Blade Runner 2049, the long-awaited sequel starring Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling, has prioritised practical camerawork and special effects during the filming process. He said he's very "old school" and prefers to work with sets and practical effects, rather than relying on green screens and CGI.

"I hate green screens. It sucks out all my energy. I get depressed," Villeneuve said. "For Blade Runner, we tried our best to do as much as possible in-camera, building everything."

Villeneuve added that one of his biggest regrets for Arrival was that they had to go with CGI aliens, saying he would have preferred a "gigantic aquarium with gigantic beasts that would be moved by puppeteers," but that they didn't have the budget for that. Well, considering that Blade Runner 2049 is being called one of the most expensive R-rated films ever made, it looks like they have the budget this time around.

It's clear that Villeneuve has a deep love and admiration for Blade Runner. In 2015, he said it was "almost a religion" to him. And given how many movies are using and abusing CGI in order to create their worlds, it's encouraging to see how dedicated he and his team are to honouring the legacy of Sir Ridley Scott's iconic film.

Blade Runner 2049 comes out October 6.

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Dodge Is Giving Its New Police Cruiser Some Very RoboCop Upgrades

The kinda dinky-looking 2017 Dodge Charger Pursuit is about to get a futuristic upgrade — if you think the dystopian vision of Detroit from 1986 cyberpunk thriller RoboCop is what our future will look like, that is.

Fiat Chrysler just announced a new feature for its police cruiser called the "Officer Protection Package". The free upgrade is "designed to prevent an officer from being ambushed from the rear while parked," Jeff Komer, the company's VP of sales in the United States, said in a press release. By taking advantage of the car's self-parking sensors, the Charger Pursuit will soon be able to detect if someone is approaching the police car from behind. When it does, the cruiser's doors will automatically lock, the siren will go bloop, the rear lights will flash and the rear camera will show the officer what's happening behind the car. It almost feels like police cars will soon be shouting, "your move, creep," like the eponymous robotic cop.

The new feature does come at a time when police ambushes in the US are happening at an alarming rate. The US National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund reported in November that ambush killings of officers is at a 10-year high. This grim news came not long after a San Antonio officer was shot and killed after a man pulled up behind the cruiser, approached the window and shot the officer while he was writing a traffic ticket. That same day in St Louis, another man pulled up next to a police sergeant and shot the unsuspecting officer in the face.

As odd as it sounds, it's clear that some simple tweaks to existing technology could save the lives of policemen and women. The new Fiat upgrade just plugs into the Charger Pursuit OBDII port and offers law enforcement a new line of defence against bad guys. And at the end of the day, cops need all the help they can get in the line of duty.

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Holy Crap, This Avengers: Infinity War Teaser Will Give You Goosebumps

In Avengers: Infinity War, the Avengers are going to meet the Guardians of the Galaxy. We all more or less knew that, but to hear Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige straight say it in this brand new teaser video will make the hairs on your arm stand up straight.

Today, from the Atlanta set of Avengers: Infinity War, Robert Downey Jr. took to Facebook to reveal a very early look at May 2018's Marvel highly anticipated crossover. In it, he, Tom Holland and Chris Pratt talk briefly about the film, while the writers and directors also tease the grand culmination of what will be 10 years of Marvel movies. Watch this video and be amazed.

Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, Avengers: Infinity War opens May 2018.

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TIMEX X TODD SNYDER MILITARY WATCH

What happens when a renowned American menswear designer partners up with an iconic American watch brand? You’re looking at it. Introducing the Timex x Todd Snyder Military Watch. It’s the latest collaboration between the two powerhouse brands taking its inspiration from vintage timepieces of the ’60s and ’70s.

Along with the vintage-style dial face adorned with some handsome artwork (like the arrow at the 6 o’clock position) the Military Watch is powered by a quartz movement held within the piece’s 40mm stainless steel case. The watch also features a mineral glass crystal protecting the dial face, an olive drab NATO strap, Timex’s famous Luminant hands, an Indiglo night light, and 50 meters of water resistance. The modern silhouette, paired with its allusion to America’s proud military history makes this timepiece an ideal addition to any men’s watch collection. And with a price tag hovering around $138, you won’t be breaking the bank in picking up one for yourself. Can’t go wrong here. [Purchase]

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8 New Beers You Should Try

With so many breweries releasing so many beers, a beer lover can feel overwhelmed. Paralysis by analysis is real, so it can never hurt for a thirsty traveler to know what to look for. After you’ve made headway on the classics, reach for something new, something like one of these 8 releases we’re excited about. Here’s our freshest batch of new beers to try.

Ommegang Bend the Knee

Brewery Ommegang continues its partnership with HBO’s powerhouse TV show, as Bend the Knee is the latest Game of Thrones-inspired brew to come out of their fermenters. The golden ale brewed with honey won’t hit shelves until May 30, to coincide (at least somewhat) with the return of the show, and will be sold with three different labels, one that pledges allegiance to the Lannisters, one promoting the Starks, and another for the Targaryen fans out there. The brew clocks in at 9% alcohol and will take on citrus notes from the hops and plenty of flavor from Brewery Ommegang’s house yeast. “Bend the knee,” it should be noted, is a phrase that relates to the submission of one to a king or lord. What that means for the show, we’ll have to wait and see. 

 

Oskar Blues Hotbox Coffee IPA

We’re on record as loving a well-done coffee IPA. That’s why we’re so excited to see the release of Hotbox Coffee IPA, a former draft-only brew from Colorado-based Oskar Blues. The second collab with Hotbox Roasters—the other was the previously released Hotbox Porter—packs the unique citrus and earthy aspects of the Simcoe hop and pairs that with some Ethiopian coffee goodness. Look for it any place that carries Oskar Blues some time next month or early April. 

 

Goose Island The Cooper Project - Release No. 1

Goose Island is set to launch a series in honor of the humble barrel this year, and anyone who knows anything about the Chicago brewery knows that they have some barrel experts on staff. We’re excited. The first in the series is a Barrel-Aged Scotch Ale. Clocking in at 8.7% ABV, the beer sat in bourbon barrels for four months to allow it to take on some of those vanilla and wood notes a bourbon barrel imparts. You can expect to see the Scotch Ale in select markets sometime in the middle of March. It will be the first of three beers in the Cooper Project series that will see release in 2017.

 

Trillium x Prairie Artisan Ales Trillbomb!

We try not to go over the top with beers that are going to be insanely difficult to get, but sometimes they are just too incredible not to include. Case in point, Trillbomb!, a collab between two killer breweries and the mash-up of two killer beers. Trillium used the grain bill of Night & Day, their highly regarded imperial stout, and worked with Prairie to blend in the sugar and spice Bomb! is known for. That means you’re looking at an imperial stout with coffee, cacao, vanilla, and chili peppers that’s as smooth as silk.  The bad news is, it went on sale last week at Trillium and is sure to be gone by now. What you need to do is make a new friend in Boston and hound them until they split one with you.

 

Guinness Milk Stout

Changes have been afoot at Guinness for some time, with the release of new beers and even new breweries. To toss in the pile of Nitro IPAs and Blonde American Lagers is Guinness Milk Stout, a new beer that’s part of the brewery’s Brewers Project. While we were highly skeptical of many of the recent Guinness moves, this one seems to make more sense, as the beer should boast a similar profile to classic Guinness stout with a bit of milk sugar sweetness thrown in the mix. That sounds a like a good thing. Look for it on shelves soon.

 

Firestone Walker Bravo

Bravo isn’t new. In fact, you’ve probably tasted it without realizing. Bravo is a main component of Firestone Walker’s prized anniversary beers, yet it’s never seen bottle release on its own. That’s changing this year, as Firestone Walker is releasing the imperial brown ale in 12 oz bottles. Aged in retired oak bourbon barrels, Bravo is a 13.2% beast that drinks far too easily. Expect a huge barrel influence on this one.

 

Ballast Point Nitro Red Velvet

Since being acquired by Constellation in 2015, San Diego’s Ballast Point has gone on a tear, creating new versions of classics and releasing funky brews left and right. The latest—which is too odd not to share—is Nitro Red Velvet. The first packaged nitro offering from the brewery is meant to mimic the cake of the same name, only the red hue doesn’t come from food coloring here; it comes from beets. Yeah. According to reviews, it’s a fun beer that still drinks like a beer. It’s worth a try for curiosity’s sake.

 

Second Self ATaLe

Atlantans could use a drink right about now. That whole Super Bowl thing was kinda rough. Luckily, Second Self Beer Company is happy to oblige. The Atlanta-based brewery is set to release ATaLe, a refreshing pale ale brewed in honor of the city. Dubbing it an “Atlanta Ale,” the crisp brew is said to be ideal with some smoked wings and street tacos, both of which are winners in our book. The beer is on draft now and will be available in cans in a couple of weeks. It will also be a year-round offering from the brewery, so if you’re a huge fan of the ATL, you can have your fridge stocked at all times.