June 21, 2010

Chip Conley: Measuring What Makes Life Worthwhile

Headache Pill Reduces the Pain of Social Rejection


"Over-the-counter headache pill paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, reduces the pain of social rejection according to a new study just published in Psychological Science...

Not all painkillers work the same though: some work by numbing the local nerves - like benzocaine-based sort throat lozenges that make your mouth go numb, while others affect the brain systems that process pain no matter where it originates from in the body...

Paracetamol is largely of the second type meaning if social rejection and physical pain really do share some of the same brain circuits, the drug should dull the hurt from both...

It's an intriguing finding because it suggests that a common and cheap painkiller might be useful in reducing feelings of social rejection which can feature prominently in conditions like depression and borderline personality disorder...

But because paracetamol is so old it can't be patented and so there is virtually no profit to be made from it. Unfortunately, paracetemol can be toxic if taken too often, but it would be interesting to see if anyone does take up the baton to see if it might be a useful psychiatric treatment in appropriate doses."

Read the full article...

June 20, 2010

DIY BBQ: Homemade Hamburger Buns & Condiments


Fast food? Well, not so fast, eh? I don't think I would have enough strength to stick around making all the condiments without running to a Mcdonald or Burger King half way to it....well, unless I eat something beforehand. lol Now I want a burger and fries.

June 17, 2010

Now & Then


Ray Charles, photographed by Jim Marshall, San Francisco, CA, 1960...



..and Ray Charles, photographed by Timothy White, Culver City, CA, 1991.



Keith Richards, photographed by Jim Marshall, Los Angeles, CA, 1972



...and Keith Richards, photographed by Timothy White, New York, NY, 1988...


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June 16, 2010

Because Every Stylish Guy Needs An Easier Way To...


Dude, seriously? LOL via

Surface on Earth


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The Single-Serve Plastic Wine Glasses


An English entrepreneur has sold this invention of single-serve plastic wine glasses–stem and all!–to Marks & Spencer, which now “struggles to keep up with demand.” He is laughing all the way to the bank since a business reality show in the UK called “Dragons’ Den” panned the idea when he presented it on the show. Sold under the brand “Le Froglet,” the individual 187ml glasses cost £2.25 ($3.33) for a Shiraz, Rose and Chardonnay, which, apparently, come from the Languedoc. via

I'm excited about this invention. I remember I told my friend that I wanted to bring a bottle of wine and plastic glasses and have a picnic in a park. He condemned me for wanting to drink wine of the plastic glasses. Look, now! IN YOUR FACE! HA!

June 13, 2010

IKEA Designer Francis Cayouette's Home





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World Cup 2010 Ads



While Nike isn't a World Cup sponsor, the ad follows soccer stars like Italy's Cannavaro, England's Wayne Rooney, Brazil's Ronaldinho, and Portugal's Ronaldo fighting it out on the field as alternate versions of their futures flash before their eyes with every brilliant move and misplaced kick. The ambitious spot spans continents, sports and even cartoons, featuring cameos by Roger Federer, Kobe Bryant and, yes, Homer Simpson. While grand in scope, this spot shows just how influential a given player's on-field World Cup performance can mean to the rest of his life: Stellar play could mean celebrations with dancing girls, while poor choices with the ball might portend a barren existence in a trailer park. Perhaps a little overblown, but not by much.







Taking a very different approach is Carlsberg's "Team Talk." This spot drives home the incredible weight-of-expectations that each player on a major team faces when they play in the World Cup. For some teams, simply qualifying for the tournament is an accomplishment. For others, like England, anything short of outright victory may be deemed a national tragedy. So, should Britain's World Cup coach Fabio Capello ever need inspiration to fire up his players, Carlberg's Team Talk should be high on his cheat sheet. The campaign's official and most-watched creative implores the British side: "It's time to prove how good you are. Make no mistake. It's you. Eleven men. Eleven English men. Against the rest of the world. A world that can't wait to dump you out and rub your noses in it." Intense stuff, but authentic. Cleverly, the campaign also includes over 1,200 other clips of English fans giving the pep talk of their lives to their national team. The videos are integrated into game and locker room footage, so it looks as if the fan is England's manager at halftime. The winner of the best team talk will get to give it live to England's players and perhaps the chance to "join the immortals."








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June 10, 2010

Modify Your Storage


Another idea to maximize the use of space and storage by using MagnaPod plastic storage...or you can DIY something similar.

If you have a steel framed medicine cabinet the MagnaPod plastic storage containers magnetically attach to the inside of the door. For wood or plastic medicine cabinets a thin steel sheet can be purchased to adhere to the interior cabinet door.

Doesn't have to be a medicine cabinet. It could be a fridge or a shelf.

Via

June 9, 2010

(Difficult) Simplicity


In a standard interior, most objects only serve one function, but Neffa wondered why. Using this question as motivation, Neffa has created a new concept that marries lighting with plants called Ivy Xposed.

The lamp features cut-away artwork that was inspired by raindrops and that is perfect for training the ivy. By deciding for yourself how far you let the ivy grow out, you can emphasize either the lamp or the plant. The hood’s interior symbolizes the sun and provides an unexpectedly colorful highlight. The light shining through the ivy creates a fun pattern that is constantly changing. The flexible, flame-retardant material is easy on the plants and you can use a regular watering can for your plant. The lamp is LED, too so it’s low-energy and environmentally friendly.



Fragments of Nature



David Clarke's Metal Work

Shanghai: 1990 VS 2010




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June 7, 2010

Carl Sagan's The Pale Blue Dot



I blogged this the first time over a year ago...Somehow I thought of his speech again this morning. One of the best speeches of all time. A great reminder.