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

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TURING HUBBLEPHONE

It looks like something from the future, which makes sense since it's not hitting the market until 2020. The Turing HubblePhone is a nearly all-screen device that aims to usher mobile computing into the next decade. Its clamshell-style body has a "main deck" with an 11.81-inch screen that extends over the top and down the back side of the phone, curving outward around the 60-megapixel, 15x optical zoom camera. The "upper deck" has two screens of its own, each measuring over five inches, and also holds three 12-megapixel cameras. Both the upper and main decks have their own dedicated processors and GPUs, with connectivity provided by next-gen Wifi and a 5G cellular connection — fitting specs for phone no one will get their hands on for another two years, if ever.

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The Record-Breaking Flight of the Low-Cost, High-Altitude Forever Drone

The solar-powered Zephyr, which just flew for 25 days straight, flies so high for so long that in many ways it’s more like an orbital spacecraft—but it costs just $6 million.

A new, high-flying kind of drone recently flew for 25 days straight over Arizona starting July 11, setting a world record for aircraft endurance while soaring as high as 70,000 feet over the desert.

But the solar-powered Zephyr, under development by European plane-maker Airbus, isn’t really an aircraft in the conventional sense.

Instead, the flimsy-looking vehicle with the 82-foot wingspan and two tiny propellers is what the aerospace industry calls a “high-altitude pseudo-satellite”—a plane that flies so high for so long that in many ways it’s more like an orbital spacecraft.

The European Space Agency called drones such as Zephyr “a missing link between drones and satellites.”

Zephyr and similar vehicles also in development could do satellite jobs at drone prices. And that’s a really big deal. Inexpensive drones flying nonstop for weeks, months, or even years at a time could transform science, communications, and military surveillance.

But Zephyr and its aerial kin face stiff competition from tiny “microsatellites” that are getting cheaper and easier to deploy. A three-pound “cubesat” satellite costs a few hundred thousand dollars to build and launch—and can last a year or longer in low orbit a few hundred miles above Earth.

Clutches of cubesats, deployed by the dozen by a single rocket, can complement or even replace traditional large satellites that can cost millions or even billions of dollars to build and launch.

By contrast, building a single Zephyr costs roughly $6 million, but the drone can fly back-to-back missions for many years at a very low day-to-day cost.

“The future of [high-altitude pseudo-satellites] will be driven mainly by the evolution of technologies of potential competitors, such as microsatellites constellations,” Flavio Araripe d’Oliveira, Francisco Cristovão Lourenço de Melo, and Tessaleno Campos Devezas wrote in a 2016 study.

Researchers had been talking about pseudo-satellites since the 1970s, but it wasn’t until the 1990s that the technology—smaller electronics, lighter airframes, and more reliable control systems—caught up with the concept.

Zephyr began as a British government research project back in 2001. Soon thereafter, the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq opened a floodgate of interest in, and funding for, high-flying drones that could surveil for insurgents for longer than the roughly 24-hour endurance of a comparatively low-flying Predator drone.

Pseudo-satellite prototypes cropped up all over the world in the form of winged drones and enormous airships. Several crashed, including Google’s Solara, NASA’s Helios, and a U.S. Army spy blimp. With the partial withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, funding dried up and many of the pseudo-satellite programs ended.

But Zephyr endured and, in 2010, set a endurance record of 14 days during testing over Arizona.

In 2013, Airbus bought the Zephyr design from the British government. The government returned the favor three years later, purchasing three copies of the high-flying drone for trials.  “Zephyr is a cutting-edge, record-breaking piece of kit that will be capable of gathering constant, reliable information over vast geographical areas at a much greater level of detail than ever before,” then-U.K. Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said.

Airbus continued refining the drone, pushing its altitude and endurance higher and higher. The 25-day flight in Arizona was a triumph for Airbus’ engineers, who had spent years balancing Zephyr’s payload and power-consumption to boost its efficiency in the air. “You have to find the right equation between flying altitude plus battery life, maintaining this or that power,” Alain Dupiech, an Airbus spokesperson, told The Daily Beast.

Hand-launched by a team of three during daytime when its solar panels are most effective, the 165-pound Zephyr soars to a maximum altitude of around 70,000 feet, where wind resistance is low and conditions are perfect for a pseudo-satellite’s leisurely flight profile and 20-miles-per-hour top speed.

During the day, Zephyr flies high, drawing power from the sun and charging its lithium-ion batteries. After dusk, the Zephyr begins draining its batteries to keep its propellers spinning and slowly loses altitude.

In its record-setting July-to-August flight, Zephyr bounced from 70,000 feet during daytime down to 50,000 feet at night and then back up. Eventually its battery wore out, much like an iPhone battery ultimately dies after being recharged too many times.

It’s Zephyr’s battle with the sun that really defines its development. A pseudo-satellite tasked with gathering weather data, relaying communications signals, or spying on enemy forces needs to fly high to be effective. “The real question is not endurance in terms of days, it’s endurance in terms of altitude,” Dupiech explained.

Zephyr’s record-setting, 25-day flight makes for good headlines, but endurance records aren’t important to Airbus, Dupiech said. “This is not interesting.”

“We’re trying to provide the world with something it doesn’t have: pertinent persistence,” Dupiech added. In other words, a drone that can fly high for as long as the user needs it to do in order to perform a particular mission, and at reasonable cost. Say, monitoring an unfolding natural disaster, temporarily filling in gaps in communications coverage, or keeping watch over a battlefield.

That could mean weeks or months of nonstop flying. “At this stage, most of those missions are not calling for a year and half up there,” Dupiech said. That means Zephyr might not need to directly compete with a cubesat constellation that lasts a year or longer.

At present the British military is Zephyr’s only paying customer. But with every successful test flight, the drone’s capabilities expand and its prospects likely improve. One prominent potential buyer is Facebook. The social-media company wants to use high-altitude pseudo-satellites to extend internet coverage to regions of the world that currently have poor connectivity.

But Facebook’s own Aquila communications drone performed poorly in tests. In June the company shut down the Aquila program, creating an opening for Zephyr to take its place. “Going forward, we’ll continue to work with partners like Airbus,” wrote Yael Maguire, Facebook’s director of engineering.

Zephyr’s next test flight is scheduled for October over western Australia.

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Scientists Are Trying to Make Beer from the Oldest Beer Evidence Ever Discovered

Archaeologists have found traces of beer in Iraq that are super old, dating back 2,500 years to ancient Mesopotamia and the Babylonian Empire. While texts from those forgotten days speak of fermented drinks, this is the "oldest direct evidence" of beer discovered, Smithsonian reports. And now the archaeologists who discovered the traces are trying to replicate the recipe for us to enjoy in the modern era. Eons pass and civilizations fall, but beer is always good.

Elsa Perruchini, the lead author on the study announcing the discovery, used a process called gas chromatography, which has never before been used to identify beer residue in ancient remains. It allowed her to see past contamination like sunscreen from archaeologists working the dig to identify different compounds in the remains. Lo and behold, barley residue from beer was discovered in clay pots, as well as signs of fermentation. 

Past research has uncovered hints that beer existed, like signs of a Mesopotamian brewery dating back 4,000 years, but it was never as conclusive as Perruchini's discovery of fermented barley compounds. Beer was important back then because fermentation kept barley good for longer, and made it more nutritional. There is also the obvious reason: It was fun to drink. Some things never change.

Now, Perruchini and study coauthor Claudia Glatz are trying to brew a beer that matches the residue. So far, they haven't discovered the right recipe, nor have they tried to drink any of their concoctions.

"It smells so terrible,” Perruchini told Smithsonian. 

But if they're successful, there's a chance modern-day beer and history lovers would pay good money for a taste. After all, more than 17,000 people wanted to drink the gunk water from an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus, and that was more likely to kill you than get you buzzed. Cheers!

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SYLVESTER STALLONE’S RM 25-01 TOURBILLON ADVENTURE WATCH

While many of his movie characters are known for their sheer physical prowess and power of will, Sylvester Stallone is actually quite a bit more refined. In fact, he’s a card-carrying member of Mensa, the high IQ society. And now, he’s put those smarts to good use by helping create the RM 25-01 Tourbillon Adventure Watch with his friend and watchmaker, Richard Mille.

For those unfamiliar, a tourbillon is a watch feature that helps counter the effects of gravity on a wristwatch. It’s also one of the most complex mechanical complications ever envisioned and is widely regarded as being an impressive if unnecessary addition. While this watch has one tucked within its gears, its only one part of the many that make this watch an altogether insane feat of watchmaking. The RM 25-01 also features magnetic shielding, a titanium-carbon TPT case, a detachable compass, a level, and even an emergency compartment that houses a water-purification tablet. That, plus a dozen or so more features, give this watch a price of $983,000. Oh yeah, and only 20 will ever be made.

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SHAKEN: DRINKING WITH JAMES BOND & IAN FLEMING

Cocktails are at the heart of every James Bond adventure, and Shaken: Drinking with James Bond and Ian Fleming is the official cocktail book of 007. The book features 10 classic cocktails from Bond novels from The Vesper to the classic vodka martini which spawned the instructive "shaken, not stirred" catchphrase. 40 new recipes are also included that were created by the mixologists at London's award-winning bar Swift, and each one sits alongside related excerpts from Bond author Ian Fleming. $20

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'Dormant' California Supervolcano Packed With 1000 Cubic Kilometres Of Magma

It’s been around 100,000 years since California’s Long Valley supervolcano experienced a major eruption, but this supposedly dormant caldera has been acting a bit strangely over the past four decades. New research suggests 1000km3 of magma still exists within this supervolcano, but thankfully, a major eruption remains unlikely.

The Long Valley Caldera, located near Mammoth Mountain in eastern California, has been quiet for millennia, but its history is one of tremendous violence.

Around 760,000 years ago, this supervolcano experienced a colossal six-day eruption that sent lava flows 50km away and falling ash as far as Nebraska. The collapse of this volcano’s magma chamber resulted in the formation of the Long Valley Caldera, which experienced many subsequent eruptions during the following years, but nothing major for the past 100,000 years; a volcano forms a depression, called a caldera, after ejecting the majority of its magmatic material.

Map of the the Long Valley Caldera.

Today, this dormant volcano features a bowl-shaped caldera about 32km long and 1km deep, but it isn’t as quiet as it appears. Since 1978, the dome of this caldera has been growing steadily higher — an observation which suggests new magma is leaking into the reservoir, or that it’s entering into its final stages, with the recent uplift related to the expulsion of its last remaining stores of liquid magma.

But these are theories. Prior to the new study, scientists weren’t entirely sure about the caldera’s exact physical characteristics, despite extensive investigations over the past 40 years; previous research revealed small geologic features at very shallow depths, and very large features at deeper depths, creating a blindspot in the mid-crustal regions.

The updated model of the Long Valley magmatic system.

A new study led by Ashton F. Flinders from the US Geological Survey’s California Volcano Observatory in Menlo Park, California, is now offering the most detailed description of the Long Valley Caldera to date.

The new research, published in the science journal Geology, suggests the reservoir contains over 1000km3 of semi-molten magma. Of this total, approximately 27 per cent is in a liquid state — and thank goodness for that. At least 50 per cent of the magma within a caldera needs to be in a liquid state to facilitate a large-scale super-eruption, according to the researchers.

“We estimate the reservoir currently contains enough melt to support another supereruption comparable in size to the caldera-forming eruption [767,000 years ago],” write the authors in the study. “However, this volume and a relatively high melt fraction in no way ensures that the magma is eruptible.”

Phew. Despite these words of assurance, the researchers don’t know how the melted magma is distributed within the reservoir, which could mean that “normal” eruptions, that is, non-super-eruptions, remain a distinct possibility. As this latest research suggests, this volcano may not be as dormant as we’ve been led to believe.

“While supervolcanoes like Long Valley are rare, understanding the volume and concentration of melt in their magma reservoirs is critical for determining their potential hazard,” the researchers write.

Cross section of the caldera.

Flinders and his colleagues performed this work by analysing seismic data collected for the past 26 years at locations within 150km of the caldera.

They calculated the shear-wave velocity of the caldera’s internal structure using the historical earthquake tomography data (a technique in which X-rays are used to display a cross-section through a solid body, such as the Earth’s crust), where high shear-wave velocity indicated low amplification of seismic waves and low shear-wave velocity represented areas experiencing intense amplification. The lower the shear-wave velocity, the more fluid the material.

Armed with this data, the researchers created a 3D image of the caldera’s interior, which they used to estimate the amount of molten and semi-molten magma within the chamber, including the 240 cubic miles of magma detected within a zone at the crust’s middle regions.

As for the gradually rising dome, the researchers say it’s likely the supervolcano going through its death throes, as its magma stores slowly transform into solid rock and squeegee out the remain lava. The Long Valley Caldera may still be capable of unleashing ordinary-sized eruptions, but nothing on the scale of what happened hundreds of thousands of years ago.

Sadly, the same cannot be said for another California caldera — the Yellowstone supervolcano, which is packed with about 10,000km3 of magma. It could be decades or even centuries before, or even if, this supervolcano erupts, so Californians can chill for now.

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THE CARLSBERG CABIN IN CORNWALL, ENGLAND

Carlsberg makes a delicious lager. Now, you can enjoy a pint in the middle of nowhere – and sleep it off, too, at the Carlsberg Cabin in the U.K., brought to you by Carlsberg Brewing Company and the miracle of hydroelectricity. It’s a lovely lager-cabin.

The Carlsberg Cabin and Bar offers you the ability to live off the grid, about a mile inland from the Trebarwith Strand, a beautiful beach in Northern Cornwall, England. The Carlsberg cabin in the Cornish forest – also known as Kudhva, the Cornish word for “hideaway” – is a glampsite located in a beautiful nook in the Cornish forest. Surrounded by willow groves, gorse bushes and wildflowers, towering slate mountain stacks and a stone-walled swimming hole nearby, the cabin’s surroundings are fairy tale-esque. Beyond the resplendent environment and natural amenities of the Cornish forest, the Cabin itself is a marvel; the first carbon-neutral bar powered by a waterfall in the world, with trees growing through the deck. Truly one of the most unique places to camp on Earth, the cabin comes with another benefit: you’ll never run out of beer. It comes pre-stocked with more lager than you can hope to drink, courtesy of Carlsberg.

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SAMSONITE SXK KEVLAR BULLETPROOF BAGS

Samsonite has been around the block, but they still find ways to reinforce their reputation for making long-lasting, quality travel bags. For the first time in well over a century, Samsonite has released a collection of travel and everyday bags reinforced with DuPont Kevlar.

All five pieces in the SXK collection are constructed with durable nylon that’s reinforced with DuPont Kevlar, which is the exact same material that’s used for bulletproof vests. Although the entire collection is noteworthy, our favorite is the Amped Duffel bag with its convenient organizational pockets and its removable storage bag that’s perfect for hiking boots, a change of clothes, or extra gear. It also has ‘Fidlock’ magnetic release sliders on both sides of the bag for quick and secure one-handed closures. Additionally, it has a ‘Smartsleeve’ feature that fits over most upright handles on roller suitcases, making it a breeze to carry on long trips through the airport. Every bag in the collection has a beautiful black and silver exterior and glass-filled nylon zipper pulls for extra durability. If you’ve been looking for a travel bag upgrade, take your pick.

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Danny Boyle Is No Longer Directing Bond 25

If you were thinking things were a little too quiet on the James Bond front the last few months, now we know why.

The official James Bond Twitter account posted this morning that Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle will no longer direct the 25th Bond film, which is expected to be Daniel Craig’s last time portraying the iconic character.

Boyle, who directed Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, and won the Best Director Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire, had been circling the project since February. Then, in May, he officially got the job. Rumour had it casting was ongoing for the film, which was aiming at a December 2018 production start date.

But, with Boyle now out, that seems like an ambitious date to hit, as any new director who steps in would certainly want to put their stamp on the project.

Ultimately, the question becomes: Will this impact the long-in-place November 2019 release date of the film? One would assume that’s the case but nothing has been announced yet. However, it’s now officially OK to start mourning the fact we aren’t going to get a James Bond film through Boyle’s unique vision.

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Your First Look At The Mysterious, Excellent Sci-Fi Film Freaks

A father keeps his daughter locked in their house, terrified of what might happen if she interacts with the outside world. Why? That’s just the first of many mysteries in the upcoming sci-fi film Freaks.

Freaks will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival next month, but a short teaser just came online, and it has some very, very intriguing visuals.

What’s up with those bleeding eyes? That floating blood? The slow-motion fire? It seems as though there’s a lot going on in Freaks this quick teaser isn’t saying.

In fact, there is. I saw Freaks recently ahead of its premiere in Toronto and enjoyed the hell out of it. It’s a great piece of world-building, filled with suspense and surprises, leading to some awesome, genre-bending set pieces. I won’t say more than that until our full review in the coming weeks, but get this one on your radar.

That shouldn’t be difficult considering the cast. As you can see, Emile Hirsch plays the father, along with the legendary Bruce Dern, Silicon Valley’s Amanda Crew and Battlestar Galactica’s Grace Park.

It’s written and directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein, who got their big breaks on the long-gone Fox TV show On The Lot, which was produced by Steven Spielberg, and have since been working on all manner of TV movies and shows, including the upcoming Kim Possible film. This, however, really feels like their biggest thing yet, and they crushed it.

For more on Freaks, visit its official website, and check back after its TIFF premiere for a review.

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REC P-51 RTR CARBON FIBER MUSTANG WATCH

Rec started making innovative watches a couple of years ago when they smashed their Kickstarter funding goal with timepieces made from recycled automobile parts. Now, they’ve got a new watch on deck and it features parts of Formula Drift Champion Vaughn Gittin Jr’s RTR Mustang.

With different carbon fiber parts taken from Vaughn Gittin Jr’s ludicrous drift demon, each of the 350 pieces will be unique. Made with a forged carbon and aluminum bezel, green and dark orange hands spinning on the raw carbon dial, and triangular-shaped green buttons that mirror the Mustang’s LED vent lights, this 44mm timepiece is the optimal tribute to the champion’s 900hp whip. Boasting a power reserve of over 48 hours, a casebook glass mineral crystal, a gunmetal and stainless steel case, as well as a calf leather strap with a quick-release system, this timepiece is as functional as it is fashionable. If you want a timepiece with the DNA of Vaughn’s Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-D Formula Drift ride, now is your chance. Only 66 pieces will be available online. $1,895.00

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TERRADYNE GURKHA MPV ARMORED VEHICLE

There’s no such thing as overkill for Terradyne, and we’re not complaining because they build some of the most monstrous tactical vehicles on the planet. Their warzone-ready Gurkha Multi-purpose Armored Vehicle is no exception.

Packing a 6.7-liter V8 turbo diesel engine with 330hp and 750 lb-ft of torque, this mini tank has tons of power to tear up the road and execute any mission. It’s also impervious to 7mm armor-piercing rounds thanks to its B7-level armoring, which even The Dark Knight would appreciate. Compared to all the other rugged Gurkha variants, this 6-door vehicle has the largest interior space, as it’s capable of seating up to 12 of your closest friends for a zombie apocalypse. This 19,500-pound beast is commonly used by law enforcement for troop transport, prisoner transport, and S.W.A.T. missions. Contact Terradyne now for any inquiries.

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‘Hold the Dark’ Official Trailer

The psychological thriller stars Jeffrey Wright (Westworld), Riley Keough (Mad Max: Fury Road), and Alexander Skarsgård (Big Little Lies, True Blood), and is set in the Alaskan wild. Wright plays Russell Core, a naturalist called upon to help track wolves who captured a villager’s young boy. It evolves into something far crazier than that. Watch the trailer and then mark your calendars for September 28.

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‘Outlaw King’ Official Trailer

Hardcore Game of Thrones fans have twiddled their thumbs for too long. The wait for a new season of HBO’s hit show is no-doubt taking its toll. Luckily, there’s somewhat of a respite on the horizon in the form of a new Netflix Original.

Outlaw King is a film about Robert The Bruce, the Scottish king thrust into battle with the English, accompanied only by a ragtag group of soldiers brave enough to do battle with the world’s most powerful army. The film stars Chris Pine as the Scottish ‘Outlaw King’ in this David vs Goliath tale. 

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Eastern brown snake finally caught by Queensland snake catcher after five-hour standoff

Patience and persistence has paid off for a Queensland snake catcher who had a five-hour Mexican standoff with a mammoth Eastern brown.

Andrew Smedley, who owns Andrew’s SNAKE Removal, spent a large chunk of Tuesday in wait for an Eastern Brown that had made a habit of sunbaking on a rock wall at a residence in Marburg, 60km west of Brisbane.

The snake had a habit of making daily appearances about 9am, and sure enough, as if it was keeping an appointment, the Eastern brown slithered out for its cameo - but not long enough for Mr Smedley to nab it.

It swiftly retreated into the rock wall and that’s when the fun and games began for the Ipswich-based catcher who first tried to flush it out using a garden hose.

“He poked his head out and then went straight back in and in situations like that I try and flush them out with a hose,” Mr Smedley told The Courier-Mail.

“I then dug around and removed a couple of rocks and then there was still no sign of it and I had all but given up…when I saw movement in the puddle and thought it was a toad but when I got close up it was the snake.

“I waited an hour for the puddle to go down a bit and saw more of his body I grabbed him. It took five hours.”

He said the snake was about 1.8 metres long and was the longest he had caught in his five years as a professional snake catcher.

The extremely fit and healthy reptile was around seven to 10 years old and was relocated within a kilometer of the residence.

“You have to relocate them close because they know where to hunt…and taking them too far away is of no benefit to the snake because they have to start hunting from scratch and there are likely other snakes, so they can die,” he said.

Mr Smedley said they preyed on rodents and helped control the population of rats and mice.

He said the charge to remove snake starts between $50 and $100 although some people even baulk at that.

“You have to keep your prices reasonable because not everyone wants to pay…seventy per cent of people who call want a free service and some them don’t want to pay, they’d say they’d rather kill it.”

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Brazil Releases Drone Footage Of Amazon Tribe Previously Unseen By Outsiders

A Brazilian government agency has captured the first footage of an extremely isolated tribe in the country’s rainforests by using a drone. The tribe is believed to be one of at least 11 in the region that haven’t made any contact with the outside world.

Still photos were published on the organisation’s website and drone footage was posted to YouTube earlier this week. The photos were captured by workers associated with the National Indian Foundation, otherwise known as Funai, who drove about 160km and hiked roughly 120km more through dense rainforest to find the tribe near Brazil’s border with Peru.

As The New York Times notes, the tribes are threatened by outsider farmers and hunters who move into the land and deplete the indigenous group’s resources. The agency travelled with police and found two illegal hunting teams in the area.

Funai monitors Brazilian tribes in an effort to protect them from the outside world. One man, referred to as “the Hole Indian” by Brazilian media and believed to be the last survivor of his tribe, has been monitored by Funai since 1996. The man’s family was killed by six local farmers in 1995, and Funai released footage filmed in 2011 this winter to help prove he was still alive.

“[Funai] is the only government department in the world which is dedicated to the protection of indigenous peoples who have little or no contact with national society and other tribes,” the group Survival International claims on its website.

The groups advocates for indigenous rights around the world and believes that there are at least 100 tribes globally that have never been contacted by outsiders.

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The Mountain from Game of Thrones Is KFC’s Newest Colonel Sanders

At this point, who hasn’t been Colonel Sanders in a KFC ad? It started with Darrell Hammond, and has gotten weirder from there, with Reba McEntire, George Hamilton, and Rob Lowe all getting their shot. Jason Alexander most recently played the Colonel in a bizarre sitcom parody. Now, the latest person to wear the white suit is Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, better known as both Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane on Game of Thrones and the World’s Strongest Man.

In a video released Tuesday, Björnsson sets a (dubious) world record for pulling the most chicken sandwiches at one time in an over-arm pull—while playing the “Double Colonel,” white suit, wig, and all. According to a KFC press release, he pulled a 700-pound sled of sandwiches, which is impressive. But it’s no big deal for Björnsson, who frequently does this sort of thing with multi-ton trucks.

His ad is part of KFC’s promotion of the Double Crispy Colonel Sandwich, which has two fried chicken fillets with mayo and pickles. It’s also available in three flavors: Smoky Mountain BBQ, Nashville Hot, and Georgia Gold honey mustard. Sadly, though, it doesn’t come in 700-pound carts.

Björnsson could probably get through that cart of chicken sandwiches without much of a problem: He sticks to a 10,000-calorie daily diet when he’s trying to bulk up, Men’s Health reported last year. But when he's in training mode, he sticks to steak and white rice. That's okay—more sandwiches for the rest of us.

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NEW RIFF BOTTLED-IN-BOND BOURBON

Independent and family-owned, Kentucky's newest distillery is aiming to create a "New Riff on an old tradition." The distillery is based in Newport, Kentucky just south of Cincinnati and released their first bourbon this summer. The inaugural release is a high-rye recipe that is aged four years in 53-gallon toasted and charred new oak barrels and bottled-in-bond without chill-filtration at 100 proof.

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NORLAN RAUK HEAVY TUMBLER

Developed for whisky drinkers that prefer a chilled dram, Norlan's Rauk tumbler takes its name from the old Scottish word for rock. The glass is made of crystal and precision modeled to touch down on four crystal points, making surface contact but providing the appearance that it's hovering. The Rauk also has extruded v-shaped markings inside that offer friction points for gripping slippery peels in cocktails before you muddle them back to life.

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Thanks to Hyperinflation In Venezuela, You Need a Wheelbarrow of Cash to Buy Bread

Millions of Venezuelans sought emergency assistance and attempted to flee the country after inflation hit 82,700 percent in July.

Millions of Venezuelans sought emergency assistance and attempted to flee the country after inflation hit 82,700 percent in July. Venezuelans who are without a bank account are forced to carry stacks of cash. Many rushed to supermarkets to stock up on as many resources as possible to prepare themselves for another currency decrease in value. Resources in Venezuela are scarce and a majority of families are left hungry with no solution from the government. Basic necessity items such as a roll of toilet paper or a block of cheese now require an abundant amount of cash that is challenging to acquire.

A kilogram of carrots is pictured next to 3,000,000 bolivars, its price and the equivalent of 0.46 USD, at a mini-market in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2018. It was the going price at an informal market in the low-income neighborhood of Catia.

A package of 1kg of pasta is pictured next to 2,500,000 bolivars, its price and the equivalent of 0.38 USD, at a mini-market in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2018. It was the going price at an informal market in the low-income neighborhood of Catia.

A bar of soap is pictured next to 3,500,000 bolivars, its price and the equivalent of 0.53 USD, at a mini-market in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2018. It was the going price at an informal market in the low-income neighborhood of Catia.

A kilogram of cheese is pictured next to 7,500,000 bolivars, its price and the equivalent of 1.14 USD, at a mini-market in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2018. It was the going price at an informal market in the low-income neighborhood of Catia.

A package of 1kg of rice is pictured next to 2,500,000 bolivars, its price and the equivalent of 0.38 USD, at a mini-market in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2018. It was the going price at an informal market in the low-income neighborhood of Catia.

A 2.4 kg chicken is pictured next to 14,600,000 bolivars, its price and the equivalent of 2.22 USD, at a mini-market in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2018. It was the going price at an informal market in the low-income neighborhood of Catia.

A package of 1kg of corn flour is pictured next to 2,500,000 bolivars, its price and the equivalent of 0.38 USD, at a mini-market in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2018. It was the going price at an informal market in the low-income neighborhood of Catia.

A package of diapers is pictured next to 8,000,000 bolivars, its price and the equivalent of 1.22 USD, at a mini-market in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2018. It was the going price at an informal market in the low-income neighborhood of Catia.

A kilogram of meat is pictured next to 9,500,000 bolivars, its price and the equivalent of 1.45 USD, at a mini-market in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2018. It was the going price at an informal market in the low-income neighborhood of Catia.

A container of 500gr of margarine is pictured next to 3,000,000 bolivars, its price and the equivalent of 0.46 USD, at a mini-market in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2018. It was the going price at an informal market in the low-income neighborhood of Catia.

A toilet paper roll is pictured next to 2,600,000 bolivars, its price and the equivalent of 0.40 USD, at a mini-market in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2018. It was the going price at an informal market in the low-income neighborhood of Catia.

A kilogram of tomatoes is pictured next to 5,000,000 bolivars, its price and the equivalent of 0.76 USD, at a mini-market in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2018. It was the going price at an informal market in the low-income neighborhood of Catia.

[MIKA27]

‘Guardians of the Galaxy 3’ on Hold as Marvel Regroups

It appears that Marvel Studios isn’t keen on turning Guardians of the Galaxy 3 into another Ant-Man-like race to the finish line. A month after writer/director James Gunn was fired off the film following the unearthing of some of Gunn’s very old, very stupid tweets by an alt-right conspiracy theorist, THR reports that Marvel Studios has put Guardians of the Galaxy 3 on hold, telling the small group of crew members who were prepping for pre-production that they are now released from their contracts and free to look for work elsewhere.

Marvel is by no means scrapping Guardians 3 altogether, but this signals that the studio will be taking its time in finding the right way forward for the project. Pre-production was set to begin this fall ahead of filming beginning in either January or February, but those plans have now been scuttled. So, too, has Marvel’s targeted release date for the film, and while the studio had yet to officially set a Guardians of the Galaxy 3 release date, most assumed the film would be dropping in the May 2020 slot that Marvel has staked out for an untitled film.

While a large number of fans and, more importantly, the film’s cast had been pushing Disney to re-hire Gunn, that prospect is now firmly off the table after a meeting Gunn had with Disney president Alan Horn last month, where the Disney exec reiterated his position. There were even rumblings that even Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige was lobbying Horn to re-hire Gunn, but it’s now become clear that Guardians of the Galaxy 3 will be moving forward without the franchise’s creator at the helm.

So who will take Gunn’s place? THR notes that Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi recently had a meeting with Marvel, but it’s unknown what was discussed. It’s possible Waititi was there to talk about another Thor movie, a different Marvel movie, or simply just to discuss openly potential future projects. Right now, no one is reporting that Waititi is in line to take the helm of Guardians of the Galaxy 3, but if you absolutely have to make the best of a bad situation, Waititi would be a swell choice to step in.

Of course the other issue is which filmmakers will feel comfortable taking over the project. When Edgar Wright left Ant-Man over creative differences, it left Marvel scrambling to find a new director with a cast, filming dates, and a release date already set. Some filmmakers felt it would be unfair to Wright to take over a project he himself had created. Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is a bit of a different situation, but it’s still going to be hard for Gunn to watch someone else close out the trilogy of what was a deeply personal franchise for the filmmaker.

Earlier reports said Marvel still intends on using Gunn’s screenplay for Guardians of the Galaxy 3, but basically everything’s up in the air now that Marvel has decided to put the film on hold. It’s possible they start from scratch with a new screenwriter, it’s possible they bring someone on to polish Gunn’s script to make it more in line with the vision of the new filmmaker, or (and this is highly unlikely) it’s possible Marvel just never moves forward with Guardians 3 at all. The franchise is incredibly valuable and lucrative for Disney so that doesn’t seem like a real possibility, but speaking as a fan I’d rather see this franchise just end with Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 than see it brought to a close without Gunn.

THR says one person characterized the production halt as “temporary” and more of a “regrouping” so this thing could potentially kick back up in the next few months. Marvel is being incredibly tight-lipped about what’s next after Avengers 4 so as to maintain the integrity of Infinity War’s death-filled ending, but we know Spider-Man: Far From Home is filming right now and the Black Widow spinoff has a director, so there are a few hints here and there as to what’s next.

As for Guardians of the Galaxy 3, we know one thing for sure: The sequel isn’t being rushed to hit a targeted production start-date. Marvel and Disney are taking their time, which is probably a smart move.

[MIKA27]

New ‘The Old Man & the Gun’ Trailer Teases Robert Redford’s Final Performance

Fox Searchlight has released a new trailer for the upcoming drama The Old Man & the Gun. Based on the true story of Forrest Tucker, the film stars Robert Redford as a lifelong criminal who’s made a career out of eluding authorities and pulling off bank heists, all the while earning a reputation as a perfect gentleman. A Ghost Story and Ain’t Them Bodies Saints filmmaker David Lowery writes and directs the film, which also stars Casey Affleck as the detective determined to finally catch Forrest once and for all.

This movie looks absolutely gorgeous, and this trailer really digs into the stunning 16mm cinematography by Joe Anderson (Don’t Think Twice). There’s a delightful throwback vibe to the whole proceeding, but it doesn’t feel false or just for show—it’s part of the DNA of the entire film. Redford has said that he’s retiring after this movie, so The Old Man & the Gun will mark the iconic actor’s final onscreen performance. Based on what we’ve seen in the first two trailers, the guy is going out with a bang.

The Old Man & the Gun opens in theaters on September 28th.

MIKA: I love Robert Redford movies. 

[MIKA27]

Bison-Taunting Hooligan Sentenced To Jail

Remember this guy?

In late July, news outlets picked up a video of Raymond Reinke harassing a bison in Yellowstone National Park.

Playing with bison at Yellowstone is idiotic. These majestic beasts are a lot faster than they look, and their hump is a mound of muscle that enables them to plow through the snow—or idiot humans.

After the video of Reinke doing the very dumb thing went viral, law enforcement rangers arrested him at Glacier National Park on August 2. While Reinke was at Glacier, rangers were reportedly called on a separate occasion to help with a disturbance involving Reinke at a hotel inside the park. As it turns out, Reinke had also been arrested just five days earlier at Grand Teton National Park for drunk and disorderly conduct.

ABC Fox Montana reports that Reinke has been sentenced to 130 days in jail—ten days for disorderly conduct, 60 days for interfering with law enforcement, and 60 days for harassing wildlife.

Reinke was also ordered to abstain from alcohol during a five-year probation period and to attend addiction treatment, which Reinke reportedly said he was already planning on doing. During the probation period, Reinke is banned from Glacier, Grand Teton, and Yellowstone.

He reportedly first pleaded not guilty and then changed his plea, leading the judge to drop one of his five charges.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Carman reportedly clarified that the video did not influence his sentencing decision. According to ABC Fox Montana, Carman told Reinke: “You chased and hounded the bison. You’re lucky the bison didn’t take care of it, and you’re standing in front of me.”

Reinke apologised to the animal that gracefully did not rip out his intestines with one of its mighty keratin spikes. “I’m sorry to the buffalo,” Reinke said, according to ABC Fox Montana. “He didn’t deserve what I did to him. I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to hurt that buffalo.”

[MIKA27]

Watch 48 Minutes Of Cyberpunk 2077 Gameplay Footage 

Two months after showing a behind-the-scenes demo of Cyberpunk 2077 to attendees at E3, developer CD Projekt Red has finally made that footage public.
You can watch the video, which shows 48 minutes of the upcoming role-playing game, right here (note that some parts may be NSFW):

[MIKA27]

Dwayne Johnson’s ‘Big Trouble in Little China’ Will Be a Continuation, Not a Remake

When it was first announced back in 2015 that Dwayne Johnson was coming on to produce and star in a remake of Big Trouble in Little China, fans were understandably a bit nervous. Director John Carpenter’s 1986 original is iconic, and Kurt Russell is pretty much the one and only Jack Burton. Carpenter’s film is a tonal tight-rope walk, introducing Jack as the hero in a story filled with action and mysticsm, but really allowing Russell and the character to fumble about as the story gets weirder and weirder. Jack can handle himself, but he always seems to be one or two steps behind—which makes the story all the more entertaining to watch.

It’s been a spell since we’ve heard anything about the Big Trouble in Little China remake, which is understandable when you’re dealing with someone as busy as Dwayne Johnson. So when I recently spoke with Hiram Garcia, president of production at Seven Bucks Productions (which was founded by co-CEOs Johnson and Dany Garcia) and one of the producers on Big Trouble in Little China, I was curious to know the status of the project and how this remake would differ from Carpenter’s original.

As it turns out, Garcia revealed that the plan now is not to remake Carpenter’s film, but to create a continuation of that story:

Quote

“There’s a lot of things going on with [Big Trouble in Little China]. We are in the process of developing that, and let me tell you, the idea is not to actually remake Big Trouble in Little China. You can’t remake a classic like that, so what we’re planning to do is we’re going to continue the story. We’re going to continue the universe of Big Trouble in Little China. Everything that happened in the original exists and is standalone and I think there’s only one person that could ever play Jack Burton, so Dwayne would never try and play that character. So we are just having a lot of fun. We’re actually in a really great space with the story that we’ve cracked. But yeah, no remake. It is a continuation, and we are deep into development on that as well, and I think you’ll start hearing some things about that probably soon.”

This is a fascinating development, and probably a smart move—as Garcia says, there’s no replacing Kurt Russell’s Jack Burton. The question then becomes how closely connected will this new film be to the original, and would Kurt Russell then potentially be open to reprising his role as Jack Burton? And who would Johnson be playing, if not Jack? There are a lot of questions and obviously this film is still in development so plenty could change, but this is an encouraging update on an intriguing project.