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

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TOM FORD F*CKING FABULOUS COLOGNE

Given its name, Tom Ford F*cking Fabulous Cologne has quite a lot to live up to. This unisex fragrance rises to the challenge with a base of oriental leather that's complemented by notes of bitter almond oil, tonka bean, clary sage oil, and cashmere. Arrives in a black 50 ml bottle with an overtly explicit label.

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The Three-Hour Extended Cut Of Superman: The Movie Is Finally Getting A Home Release

Years before extended cuts were a commonplace re-release for movies, the original Richard Donner Superman movie received a bumper cut — nearly 40 minutes longer — when it aired on TV. Now, decades after its premiere, that cut of the movie is finally being released on Blu-ray.

Back in February 1982, ABC America's two-night broadcast of Superman: The Movie was an unprecedented extension of the theatrical release of the film. The three-hour-long version of the movie featured footage never seen before, giving fans longer looks at Krypton before its destruction, more time in Smallville, even more of John Williams' iconic soundtrack, and more of Christopher Reeves in action as the Man of Steel.

Since ABC's broadcast, some of the footage included in the extended cut has made its way into previous releases of Superman: The Movie as deleted scenes, but the full, 188-minute version that aired over those two February nights has never been officially released, until now. Warner Bros.' Archive Collection has unveiled plans for a brand-new remaster of the extended cut as part of a two-film collection that will also include Donner's definitive director's cut of the film from 2000. On top of that, it will include new special features, including screen tests and documentaries looking at the creation of one of the most iconic superhero movies of all time.

No release date for the collection has been confirmed yet, other than it's coming this year in the US. But fans have been waiting 35 years to see this bumper-sized edition of the movie again — what's a few more months of waiting in comparison?

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Why Is Someone Clogging Swiss Toilets With Tens Of Thousands Of Euros In Cash?

Swiss authorities are trying to crack a strange case involving the disposal of €100,000 ($150,097) worth of €500 notes that were flushed down the toilets of public establishments in Geneva. The perfectly good cash caused thousands of dollars worth of plumbing damage and officials are stumped by the seemingly pointless destruction.

Swiss outlet Tribune de Genève first reported on the case late last week, and the story has since spread around the globe. According to Bloomberg, the first stash of €500 bills (each worth about $750) was found stuffed into a toilet located near a safe deposit box vault at a branch of Swiss bank UBS. The bills were reportedly cut up with scissors.

This obviously raised a lot questions at the time, but the strange incident may have been dismissed as a fluke if it weren't for further discoveries. Soon afterward, an employee at the nearby Pizzeria du Molard reportedly called police to complain that their toilet was clogged with cash. Ultimately, more bills were found in the toilets of three different restaurants close to the UBS branch, with a total of €100,000 ($150,097) in cash chopped up and flushed down the drain.

In Australia, it's illegal to destroy Australian money, but that isn't the case in Switzerland. Even if it were, the Swiss franc is the country's official currency, not the euro. Still, police are as curious as we are about what the hell is going on here and UBS has declined to comment publicly.

Henri Della Casa, a spokesman for the Geneva Prosecutor's Office, tells Bloomberg that "there must be something behind this story", and "that's why we started an investigation". Of course, there might be some sort of ordinance against going around damaging people's plumbing, but systematically ditching a hundred grand in cash is a lot more intriguing.

The case recently took an even more bizarre turn when a man claiming to be the attorney for two Spanish women arrived at a Geneva police station offering payment for the damages. The Tribune de Genève reports that investigators had identified the women as suspects after reviewing surveillance footage. If the lawyer explained to the police why the cash was flushed in the first place, the authorities aren't sharing that information with the press.

One possible clue is that the European Central Bank moved to ban the production of €500 notes last year due to its use in money laundering. According to The New York Times, "in some circles, criminals refer to the note as a 'Bin Laden,' after the former leader of Al Qaeda". But the bill is still a legal tender.

Were these two women confused about what the ban actually meant? Were they trying to destroy ill-gotten gains? If so, why not find a more efficient method to do it? And why were they so inept at this (incredibly inefficient) method? Are these two unnamed women even the ones who are responsible for this mysterious incident? Is a "fatberg"-sized wad of cash lurking in the Geneva sewers, just waiting for some lucky spelunker to happen upon it? Vincent Derouand from the Geneva prosecutor's office tells the BBC that all his office wants to know is "where the notes came from and whether a crime has been committed".

Personally, we're putting our money on it being Banksy trying to make a statement about capitalism and Brexit.

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The Walking Dead Season 8: New Key Art Unleashes Rick’s ‘All Out War’

From the looks of AMC‘s new key art for The Walking Dead Season 8, Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and the gang are done with sitting around, waiting and hoping for things to get better and are more than ready to take the war to Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and The Saviors. But should we read a little into what we’re seeing?

Our heroes seem to be facing off against dangers seemingly coming from a number of directions. Does that mean we should be expecting some unexpected dangers this season? Might we see some side-switching happening that even fans of the comics won’t see coming?

Here’s who we have on the official ‘All Out War’ key art: Katelyn Nacon (Enid), Ross Marquand (Aaron), Lennie James (Morgan), Chandler Riggs (Carl), Lauren Cohan (Maggie), Danai Gurira (Michonne), Norman Reedus (Daryl), Lincoln (Rick), Melissa McBride (Carol), Khary Payton (King Ezekiel), Shiva the tiger, Alanna Masterson (Tara), Tom Payne (Jesus), Christian Serratos (Rosita), and Seth Gilliam (Father Gabriel).

Here is AMC’s synopsis of The Walking Dead Season 8:

Quote

 

“Last year, Rick Grimes and his group of survivors were confronted with their deadliest challenge yet. With the comfort of Alexandria, they let their guard down, only to be reminded how brutal the world they live in can be. The introduction of Negan and the Saviors broke our group.

Feeling powerless under Negan’s rules and demands, Rick advocated the group play along. But seeing that Negan couldn’t be reasoned with, Rick began rallying together other communities affected by the Saviors. And with the support of the Hilltop and Kingdom, they finally have enough fire power to contest the Saviors.

This year, Rick brings “All Out War” to Negan and his forces. The Saviors are larger, better-equipped, and ruthless — but Rick and the unified communities are fighting for the promise of a brighter future. The battle lines are drawn as they launch into a kinetic, action-packed offensive.

Up until now, survival has been the focus of Rick and our group, but it’s not enough. They have to fight to take back their freedom so that they can live. So that they can rebuild. As with any battle, there will be losses. Casualties. But with Rick leading the Alexandrian forces, Maggie leading the Hilltop, and King Ezekiel leading the Kingdom — Negan and the Saviors’ grip on this world may finally be coming to an end.”

 

The Walking Dead Season 8 debuts Sunday, October 22nd at 9 p.m. EST with its 100th episode.

 

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6OZ PEWTER HAMMERED HIP FLASK

There are few pocketed items more important than a discrete hip flask. They make even the dreariest of weddings entertaining – not to mention christenings. When choosing a flask it’s important to get one that’s slim enough not to show in your breast pocket, and you typically want to avoid cheaper examples as they often exhibit suspect metallurgy.

This flask from Sir Jacks is made from highly polished (lead free) pewter with a hammered finish. It has a 6 ounce capacity, a captive screw top, and it comes with an english bridle leather sheath. Each is made by hand in Britain, and is shipped out with a black gift box.

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Russian Military Accidentally Fires At Civilians During War Games

At least two civilians have been injured in a bombing incident during Russia's war games earlier this week. Videos of the incident have been posted to YouTube and appear to show two helicopters firing at a civilian viewing area. Russian media report that the incident is being investigated by the military.

The war exercises, called "Zapad-2017" or "West 2017," are believed to be the largest show of military strength by Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union. And the war games come amid heightened tensions with the United States as the world is now operating much more like the Cold War, a period ostensibly ended in 1991.

The helicopter attack that left at least two hurt took place at a test site near Luga, the same one that Vladimir Putin himself was at just yesterday to observe the war games. Luga is roughly 113km from Russia's border with Estonia, a member of NATO.

In one video, a person casually walks through the frame while watching the helicopters fly overhead. One of the choppers fires just a few feet in front of the person, sending the person who's filming running.

The incident is so far being blamed on a "technical glitch," though the investigation is ongoing. The region saw poor weather yesterday, but that has not been raised as a possible trigger for the bombs being dropped.

"At least two cars burned down, two people were seriously injured, they are now hospitalized," an unnamed source told Russian media, according to an English translation by the Moscow Times.

"The victims were most likely journalists," the unnamed source said, though victims have yet to be identified by any news outlet.

While one video of the incident has already been pulled from YouTube, another video shows a closer perspective, as well as the aftermath of the bombing.

Roughly 12,700 Russian and Belarussian service members are said to be participating in the West-2017 exercises, though Western critics believe it to be more than that. The exact number is only important because once it's larger that 13,000 Russia is obligated under a 2011 treaty to allow western observers.

Russia said that it had test-fired a ballistic missile on Monday that's capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, something that the United States has done recently in its own show of strength against North Korea.

Kremlin-backed English-language media outlets like RT and Sputnik have yet to report on the incident. But I'm sure they will get around to it soon.

It could not be confirmed by press time whether we're supposed to call this the New Cold War, Cold War 2.0 or something else entirely. But whatever we decide to call it, the whole situation is obviously not great.

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DANGO P01 PIONEER WALLET & PEN

Dango, the geniuses behind the T01 Tactical and D01 Dapper, make some absurdly well-designed and -constructed minimalist wallets. Unfortunately, their offerings don’t quite traverse the entire span of the everyday carry spectrum. But, they’ve just gotten a lot closer with their new P01 Pioneer Bifold Wallet & Pen.

Using the same attention to detail and master craftsmanship as found in their other products, the USA-made P01 is built from a combination of aerospace-grade aluminum and fine Italian leather. And, within its construction, you’ll find room for 20+ cards, space for bills in the included silicone cash strap, and a slot for their MT02 multi-tool (which is sold separately). Best of all, however, each P01 comes with an integrated anodized aluminum pressurized pen – which is compatible with Fisher Space Pen refills – and a 24-page notebook. Truly, this RFID-blocking wallet is one of the most comprehensive EDC offerings we’ve ever seen. Available in your choice of black or tan, you can back their Kickstarter now starting at $49 a pop.

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Nike Is Releasing a New Air Force 1 Special Field Boot

When the first Air Force 1 sneaker (or “Air Force,” as it was known at the time) was released in 1982, few people could foresee the kind of dominance the model would have. Yet, here we are, 35 years later, and the Air Force 1 is as sought-after as ever. Nike is celebrating this run with a fresh take on the Special Forces Boot. The SF AF-1 High, which will see release on November 2, is a durable urban utility boot with a bit of flair. With ballistic-grade mesh, premium leather, and thick rope laces that wrap around the boot, these Nikes are ready for action, yet they blend that with street-ready style, as the Swoosh is known to do. Available in three different colors, the Nike SF AF-1 High is a fitting testament to the staying power of the Air Force 1. 

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FIREBIRD TT CONCEPT

The firebird of ancient myth could never die — rising from the ashes to be reborn in flaming splendor. The Pontiac Firebird is dead and won't be rising from anything anytime soon. But artist Kasim Tlibekov has given us a look at what the Firebird could be with this low-slung, Trans Am-style concept. A resto-mod, old-meets-new take makes it immediately recognizable as a Firebird, with concealed headlamps and slotted brake lights. The slotted rear window cover is pure Firebird, and a front splitter and massive rear wing would make it at home on a Trans Am race grid.

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Looks Like It's Time To Add Another Possible Game Of Thrones Prequel To The List

HBO already has four possible Game of Thrones prequels in development, why not add a fifth? Game of Thrones co-executive producer and writer Bryan Cogman looks to be working with George R.R. Martin himself on another possible prequel to the hit series.

Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Cogman is developing some sort of prequel concept for Game of Thrones, in addition to the four other ideas already being worked on. This follows something Martin said a few months ago, adding that he's directly involved with three of the five possible ideas.

There's no word how many of them, if any, HBO would end up picking up after Game of Thrones ends its eight-season run. But a Cogman and Martin team-up could equal success for the network, since Martin IS Game of Thrones and Cogman has been around since the beginning of the show. Plus, he's written some of its best episodes, such as season three's "Kissed by Fire".

So, what's this potential prequel going to be about? Who the hell knows. The only information we have to go on at this point is that the network plans on doing a prequel (as opposed to a sequel or spinoff), and that it won't be about Dunk & Egg or any GoT characters that we've already seen. This likely means no Robert's Rebellion, although the door is still open for Aegon Targaryen.

In any case, it could be years before we see any results from HBO's Pitch Fest. Production wouldn't start until after Game of Thrones ends, which evidence suggests won't happen until 2019.

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The Punisher's First Trailer Is Filled With Rage And Bullet Holes

We've known that Netflix was working on a Punisher solo series spun off from the character's appearance in the second season of Daredevil for some time now, but the streaming giant's been secretive about when we can actually expect to see the show.

After dropping a series of cryptic hints and messages tucked into short video snippets, we still don't exactly know when The Punisher will start streaming online. Today, though, Netflix suddenly dropped the series' first trailer and gave us a look at just what to expect from Frank Castle's first solo outing as a Marvel anti-hero. In short: There is going to be a lot of guns, blood and explosions.

What else did you expect?

To be fair, the trailer is trying very, very hard to emphasise how witnessing his family being murdered broke Frank Castle in a deep and profound way. He's a man who's lost his will or desire for much else other than revenge on those he believes have wronged him. It's an ugly, dark and somewhat understandable emotional mindset, and one that, from the looks of it, is going to define The Punisher when it makes its way to Netflix some time this year.

MIKA: This will be amazing. If anyone hasn't watched Daredevil season 2 yet on Netflix, you'll get to see Frank Castle/Punisher in that. Great casting for this one IMO. Soundtrack also is a no brainer, Metallica gets my approval.

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Celebrate The 50th Anniversary Of The Prisoner With This Cool Retro Poster

It's been 50 years since the classic British science fiction series The Prisoner debuted on television. Since then the show been remade, re-aired, copied and referenced, but never duplicated. Though it wasn't on the air for long, The Prisoner is a show worth celebrating, and these officially licensed posters do just that.

The posters are by artist Chris Weston, a lifelong Prisoner fan. They go on sale Friday, September 29 through Vice Press.

Each poster is 50cm by 70cm. The regular version, which is in colour, is an edition of 125 and costs £40 (or around $68). The black and white variant is an edition of 60 and costs £50 (around $84).

They go on sale at 3AM AEST on September 29 at Vice Press.

"I've made no secret about how The Prisoner is my favourite television show of all time," Weston said in a statement. "I first saw it when it was repeated on Channel 4 on Monday nights during 1983-4. All my friends watched it too, and we'd run to school on a Tuesday morning to meet up and discuss what we'd seen the night before. We'd excitedly offer our theories about what it all meant and where it was going."

"I have always wanted to create my own artistic tribute to The Prisoner," he continued. "Fortuitously, my friends at Vice Press offered me the chance to fulfil my lifelong ambition to create a loving artistic homage, timed to coincide with the show's 50th anniversary, and these new official silkscreen prints are the result. I could not have been more delighted and I poured heart and soul into the project. I wanted to create The Prisoner poster that my school-friends and I would have wanted for our bedroom walls, way back in the 1980s!"

We think he succeeded.

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Linda Hamilton And Arnold Schwarzenegger Are Returning For The New Terminator Film

Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger are both returning for the sixth Terminator film. James Cameron, who made the first two films, is producing, with Tim Miller (Deadpool) directing.

The Hollywood Reporter held an event in Los Angeles Tuesday night where the news was revealed.

Cameron helped craft the story with Miller and a writers room that included David Goyer (The Dark Knight), Charles Eglee (Dark Angel), and Josh Friedman (The Sarah Connor Chronicles). That story will not just bring back the original characters, it will use them as a vehicle to pass the torch to a new generation.

"We're starting a search for an 18-something woman to be the new centrepiece of the new story," Cameron said. "We still fold time. We will have characters from the future and the present. There will be mostly new characters but we'll have Arnold and Linda's characters to anchor it."

The new film, which does not yet have a release date, is being crafted as part of a trilogy "that can stand as single movies or form an overarching story." It's also being viewed as a direct sequel to Terminator 2: Judgement Day, ignoring the three sequels that followed.

They will be back.

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THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO PASS OUT DRUNK ON THE STREETS OF TOKYO

In his series 'The Drunk', photographer Lee Chapman captures moments of black-out drunkenness on the streets of Tokyo.

Public drunkenness is generally tolerated in Japan with drunks being left alone to sleep off their hazy state. As night fades into day, commuters simply step around the bodies leftover from the night before.

Drunken businessmen lie on subway benches, partiers are passed out on the bar floor, and (mostly) upstanding citizens lie sprawled in the street, cuddling trash for a pillow. The aftermath is brutal, yet common enough.

Tokyo moves on with its day, ignoring the unconscious drunks, allowing them to sober up in their own time.

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Here's the First Trailer for the Movie That Could Earn Adam Sandler His Oscar

Back in May, the upcoming new Adam Sandler movie, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), received a four-minute standing ovation at Cannes Film Festival. You read that right, an Adam Sandler movie—the same guy who made Jack and Jill and The Ridiculous 6—starred in one of the standout movies from the notoriously picky French film festival. Critics called it "the best role in 15 years for Adam Sandler" and some said it could even be an early Oscar contender. Yet, it's been months since that early buzz, and all audiences have gotten is a teaser trailer.

That changes today, as Netflix has finally shared the full trailer for The Meyerowitz Stories ahead of the movie's October 13 release. The film—which also stars Ben Stiller, Emma Thompson, and Dustin Hoffman—follows three large adult siblings as they try to win favor with their father (Hoffman). In this trailer, we finally get an extended look at some of these performances—specifically, Sandler as the failure son.

"I didn't make it a month at college because I liked drugs so much," Sandler says—a line that would be funny if it weren't for the regret in his eyes. Certainly we know he has this type of performance in him after Punch-Drunk Love. We also get to see some more of the quirky direction from Noah Baumbach, which includes an awkward foot chase and a low-speed car collision.

Maybe this trailer is enough to at least get you more comfortable with the idea of the phrase "Oscar-winner Adam Sandler."

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Klokers KLOK-08 Watch

Klokers, the French brand responsible for one of the few modern interpretations of the slide rule, is back with a new addition to their line of watches in the KLOK-08. The decidedly vintage-looking watch has a 39mm stainless case with triple injected glass to protect a rotating disc that tells the time. Rather than hands that rotate on a solid face, the discs that make up the face rotate to tell the time at the 12:00 position. The Klokers KLOK-08 still uses the modular “Klokers Key” system that allows the face to easily detach from the strap if you want to change it or use the KLOK-08 on your desk with the display stand or even as a pocket watch. The Klokers KLOK-08 will be launched by the brand on Kickstarter sometime in the near future in black, grey and rose gold colorways with an estimated price of $454.

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‘Tomb Raider’ Official Trailer

The trailer for Alicia Vikander’s upcoming Tomb Raider reboot is already better than every video game movie that’s come before it. It has great pacing, there’s wit, we see some big action set pieces and small character moments, and the influence of the recent video game reboot is heavily felt, but in a good way that doesn’t overshadow the trailer. Vikander is obviously the best choice for the iconic role, Nick Frost makes a great surprise appearance, and Lara solves archaeological puzzles in the first 25 seconds of the trailer. It’s everything we privately hoped for when we heard they were taking another swing at a Tomb Raider movie and the trailer gives us the confidence to tell you this will be a movie worth seeing in the theater.

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ROGUE ROLLING THUNDER IMPERIAL STOUT

In 2015 Rogue acquired vintage, WWII-era coopering equipment making them the only brewery-distillery-cooperage in the country. Rolling Barrel Thunder Works is the Rogue barrel making arm of the company, and Rolling Thunder Stout is the fruit of their labor. It's brewed using ingredients grown at Rogue Farms and ocean aged in Dead Guy Whiskey-soaked barrels made by hand using Oregon Oak coopered at Barrel Thunder Works. The beer itself is a big and bold 14% ABV stout available in 1-liter swing-top bottles.

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LAMBORGHINI HURACÁN SUPER TROFEO EVO

If the Lamborghini Huracán just isn't enough for you, you're in luck. The Italian supercar manufacturer has taken the wraps off the Super Trofeo EVO, an evolution of the spec-series Super Trofeo race car. The EVO retains the 612 hp, 5.2-liter V10 and 6-speed sequential gearbox, but gets an even more aggressive aero package that took 1.5 seconds off the lap time at Monza versus the previous Super Trofeo. The car will compete in Lamborghini's one-make racing series, and is eligible for global GT racing as well. Deliveries will start in 2018.

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Maria's Path Of Destruction Across Puerto Rico And The US Virgin Islands Is Heartbreaking

Hurricane Maria is currently churning off the northern coast of the Dominican Republic, leaving behind historic levels of destruction in Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and several Caribbean nations. Recovery and cleanup efforts have already begun, but as grim new photographs show, these tropical islands have their work cut out for them.

The eye of Hurricane Maria swept through Puerto Rico yesterday, lashing the US territory with Category 4 winds of 200km/h and knocking out power across the entire island.

"Months and months and months and months are going to pass before we can recover from this," Felix Delgado, mayor of the northern coastal city of Catano, told The Associated Press. He isn't exaggerating. Puerto Rico is a battered vestige of what it was just a few hours ago, with vegetation stripped from trees, hundreds of houses smashed to tinder sticks, and streets filled with the flotsam and jetsam left behind by catastrophic floods.

Earlier, the storm blasted through the US Virgin Islands, passing west of St Croix and delivering winds as high as 145km/h.

Puerto remains under a flash flood warning on Thursday as the tail-end of the storm threatens to deliver another 10 to 20cm of rain on top of the 89cm already delivered. At least one person is dead, and a woman and two children were rescued from a boat that went missing off Puerto Rico, according to the US Coast Guard. Maria is being blamed for at least 18 deaths so far: 15 in Dominica, two in Guadeloupe, and one in Puerto Rico.

Whole of #PuertoRico without power https://buff.ly/2hiSleS  #twitter

Found on fb how the phone tower in #GuayamaPR looks. This is one of the reasons why I'm anxious for news. #HurricaneMaria #PuertoRico

Dogs helping cows jn my beautiful island of enchantment 
 #ToqueDeQueda #maria #puertorico #prayforpuertorico #maria #HurricaneMaria

The hurricane couldn't have come at a worse time for the US territory, which is in the midst of a debilitating debt crisis. With an infrastructure in an already depleted state, there's no way of knowing how long it will take Puerto Rico to bounce back from Maria, or where it will get the resources to do it.

"Puerto Rico is in very, very tough shape. Their electrical grid is destroyed. It wasn't in good shape to start off with, but their electrical grid is totally destroyed," said President Donald Trump today before a UN meeting with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

Trump said he'll work with the island's governor, Ricardo Rosselló, and said he'll visit the "absolutely obliterated" island at some point in the future, though no date was specified.

The ravages of #HurricaneMaria in #StCroix #USVirginIslands

In the US Virgin Islands, home to about 110,000 people, the situation was just as desperate. The White House, as it did for Puerto Rico, has declared the islands a disaster area to make room for federal funding. The storm knocked out electricity and most mobile phone services across the US Virgin Islands. Most radio stations are down and many roads remain impassable, according to Reuters. Estimates suggest about 70 per cent of buildings were damaged in St Croix, a city with a population of 55,000.

The National Hurricane Center reports that Maria is currently 215km southeast of Grand Turk Island. It may strengthen in the coming days, but it's unlikely to hit the US mainland. Tropical storm winds could start hitting the central Bahamas beginning late Friday local time.

And there are still seven weeks left in this year's Atlantic hurricane season.

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The Producer Behind 'It' Is Bringing The Japanese Mecha Phenom 'Ma.K' to The Big Screen 

It producer Roy Lee's next project is a little bigger than creepy clowns hiding in sewers — literally bigger, because it's a plan to bring the far-future Japanese robo-epic Ma.K to live action for Warner Bros.

Also known as Maschinen Krieger and, in its earliest form, SF3D, Kow Yokoyama (who will produce the movie alongside Lee) and Hiroshi Ichimura's scifi mecha series ran in the pages of tabletop gaming magazine Hobby Japan in the mid-1980s, but Yokoyama's futuristic designs — blending traditional mecha styles with the aesthetic of real-world armour from the First and Second World Wars — are best known in Japan and the rest of the world through the myriad model kits that have been based on them since Ma.K came to a close.

The series, set thousands of years in the future after a fourth world war has wiped out most of humanity, leaving the survivors to flee their now-uninhabitable planet for a generation before coming back to slowly recolonize mankind's homeworld. And, you know, devolve into factions that occasionally fight each other with bipedal tanks and giant robots, as you rightly should. Yokohama's designs definitely make for the sort of mecha we don't really see on the big screen on a regular basis, so it will be interesting to see how they're brought to life here.

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You Don't Sit Inside McLaren's Wild Gran Turismo Concept

Cars: they're just video games you can actually die in. So when car designers get a chance to play around in the gaming world, it's a chance to be free of the rules that govern so much of what we drive. The latest Gran Turismo concept comes from McLaren, and it radically reimagines how a person would even operate a car.

This is the McLaren Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo. You can download it next month when the new Gran Turismo Sport drops for the PlayStation 4. In the game, it uses a hybrid twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 that puts out a totally reasonable 1,134 horsepower and 426kg-ft of torque. The idea is it's what a new Ultimate Series racing car could look like after 2030.

The really crazy thing here is the seating position — or laying position, I guess. The driver lays prone inside the car, on their stomachs, facing forward and with arms outstretched to grip a steering wheel. They call it a "motorcycle" driving position, but you'd lay even flatter than that.

Here's a video:

That sounds bizarre! And it would clearly be a lot to adjust to. Driving is a total body experience, and I'd wonder how this would feel, how different driving dynamics might be, if a driver was inserted into the car this way.

But hey, it's not real, nor will it likely ever be. But it does look awesome, and gives us a very different way to think about human-machine interactions in racing cars.

Gran Turismo Sport arrives October 17.

 

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‘Murder on the Orient Express’: New Trailer Has Hercule Poirot Trying to Find a Killer

20th Century Fox has released a new Murder on the Orient Express trailer. Based on the Agatha Christie mystery novel of the same name, the film follows famous detective Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) as he tries to solve the murder of one of the passengers aboard the Orient Express.

This continues to look like a fun and stylish murder mystery, and the work that Branagh does here as director with cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos really seems to elevate the material. Indeed, things could get claustrophobic quickly when you have a bunch of characters talking on a train, but it looks as though Branagh has found ways to keep the visual palate dynamic. Moreover, the cast is terrific and Daisy Ridley fans will no doubt be excited to see the actress in her first post-Star Wars: The Force Awakens role here.

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R7 MK3 HIGH FIDELITY RADIOGRAM

Having a high fidelity audio setup is great. Having a high fidelity audio setup that looks as good as it sounds? That’s the dream. A dream inhabited solely by the R7 MK3 High Fidelity Radiogram.

Coming in either a walnut wood or grey lacquer finish, this home audio unit boasts a classic mid-century design on the outside and a broad range of cutting-edge tech on the inside. The third generation of the R7 features a dedicated turntable input, a CD player, super high resolution aptX HD Bluetooth receiver, Spotify Connect integration, and switchable analogue and digital inputs. Whatever your preference in format, this unit can play it in high fidelity through its two 140mm dual concentric drive units and 200m integrated active subwoofer. As of right now, no price has been released. These are expected to end up at dealers starting in October.

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This Month In Dashcams: A Lesson In The Rules Of The Road

Put them in charge of a couple of tons of metal, plastic and petrol, and people do some stupid things. Dash Cam Owners Australia has put together another compilation of Australians being morons on our roads — and this month, it's a grab-bag of bad behaviour, from turning left in the right lane to pulling out in front of fast-moving traffic without indicating.