test drive before you buy...

Before you invest in a rooftop solar array... check this new tool from google that helps you figure out if your investment is justified.

IKEA branches into affordable alternative energy?

I came across this entry on GIZMODO that talks about IKEA's investment in sustainability and their inevitable entry into affordable consumer solutions.

The secret to making money on the web

Here's an awesome video about how to make money on the web. It's aimed at dotcom startups, but I think there are interesting and valid points on how to do all kinds of business online. I enjoy it.

Here's the big version. (In an interesting player nonetheless)

Or you can watch it small here.

making the web work the way you want it to

Ubiquity for Firefox from Aza Raskin on Vimeo.

I promised some pics...

So here they are! From our show on 8/16:

Awesome stats

Not sure if this has been on the blog, but it's cool, so watch it.

why shit matters to design

psfk sfo

The other event I recently attended.

i may start skateboarding again

functionality aside, its design is beautiful

created by Kendall College of Art and Design student Mitch Mulder who aimed to create a more natural, surf-like riding experience. often, the ideas that move an industry are not so "new" or "big"... just different enough that they move the needle.

SoulArc Boards

my best friend...

taking about how to give inspired presentations.



James is one of the smartest people I know... Arguably one of the smartest people in this space. A person you do not want to pitch against, for sure.

As slow as lightning

http://gizmodo.com/5034458/slow-motion-lightning-video-is-mindblowing-will-sell-a-thousand-slo+mo-cameras

i couldn't have said it better

A MUST READ

Call me Bananigans

Which character are you?

Rainbow Chaser - a brown horse with purple hooves
Bananigans - a monkey with a Rainbow Banana
Hollywood Bear - a bear in a tuxedo and a top hat
Panda Painter - a panda in overalls with a large paintbrush
Ballerina Bunnies - three rabbits who dance ballet
Max Splash - an orca whale
Markie - a unicorn with rainbow mane and tail
Roary - a polar bear
Hunter - a young leopard
Spotty and Dotty Paws - two dalmatians with rainbow-colored spots
Peekaboo - a turtle with hippie-style flowers on its shell
Skye - a Pegasus-like flying horse
Ruckus, Raider, and Risky - three St. Bernard puppies
Casey - a golden retriever puppy
Lisa, Cassie, Mara, Candy - four girls who are best friends
Angel - an angel with rainbow wings
Angel Kitty - a cat with rainbow wings and stripes
Echo - a dolphin

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Saturday night at the Grand Hyatt

Most of you know that my dance company put on a big show Saturday night for a wedding at the Grand Hyatt in Seattle. Our 9 dancers have been training intensively for 4 months to put together this program and it was a HUGE success, if I do say so myself. It's always been my dream to put together a production like this with professional dancers and Saturday night, that dream was fulfilled.

The wedding was beautiful, very swank, from the ice sculptures of the Taj Mahal to the manicured red and white roses on every table to the guests all dressed in tuxedos and brilliantly colored sparkling saris. Our show was one hour long starting at 9:30, the first part was 3 Indian Bollywood numbers, the second part 4 bellydance numbers and a finale. It was classy and beautiful and I was absolutely thrilled although I wanted to throttle the wedding planner who was a total jerk. And half-way through the show, we started a contest backstage to see if anyone could make the bride crack a smile. Sadly, it was the only failure of the show. But by the sound of the cheers, singing along, and clapping, the rest of the party loved it, so I was satisfied!

We got several invitations after the show to dance in various places like Vancouver, B.C. and Portland. The mother and father of the bride were so happy about the show, they were almost in tears when they thanked us for all our hard work.

Pictures coming soon!

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flowers

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Steez at the Movies.

Watching a couple make out at the coffee shop. Now that’s a way to spend a Saturday night. Oh, cute! They just took a sip out of the other’s coffee! Oh, wait… she doesn’t like his as much as her. Budding love.

It’s been quite some time since the last installment of Steez at the Movies and per usual, you can thank my lacking commitment to write anything. I haven’t had a drought of movie viewing experiences. In fact, this might be one of my more active movie watching stretches of the year. In the time since I last wrote a review, I’ve witnessed: My favorite movie of the year (In Bruges), Aliens (helping me further understand and admire the ascent of James Cameron, the quality action based blockbuster pioneer he was/is), The Dark Knight (I think I’m still processing my thoughts on this one. Just too damn much to the about), the most failed attempt to tell a story in an odd, compelling way (I’m Not There, which boasted a brilliant OST. Of course, duh.), a “think it’s going to be decent because of its cast but turns out being atrocious” movie (The United States of Leland,) and most recently Pineapple Express.

God, I love back-story, recaps and lead-in.

Pineapple Express is latest brutally funny, accurate presentation of a movie to a smart (yet, crude, yet, sophomoric as shit), easily disinterested and/or bored audience churned out by the Apatow Machine (is it just me, or is Apatow’s and his gang’s brand of humor is the closest marriage of Family Guy and South Park humor that’s present in the current landscape of comedy. THAT, is a blog post. But first, must finish this). It is also the first stoner movie to be certified and endorsed by yours truly, since Half Baked (Half Baked was in 1997. Think about it. Fuck you, Harold and Kumar).

I believe I would’ve enjoyed this movie even if I’d bought into the hype, the viral campaigns, the stoned James Franco interviews. It’s that of that quality, I assure you.

It’s not the better than anticipated box office receipts its going to register, the next progression of a red-hot team, the sure-to-be-great DVD extras or source of the latest craze of movie line spewing that sticks in my mind about this flick.

What makes me ultimately enjoy and respect this movie is that it’s the culmination (to this point) of a shitload of hard work, failed projects and growing prowess for a group of actors who have been in this game since their early childhood. A dream mixture of the cheesy action-plots from the 80’s, an accurate depiction of stoners and a budget (for some pretty cool fx, all things considered). Whereas I did not laugh as heartily as the masses at some points and think that there were some definite “trying too fucking hard to make someone, anyone laugh” moments… there were a few moments (none of which I can remember right now. Go figure.) where I chuckled to a quiet theater.

Also, I find it is important to inform you that perhaps the best element of this movie is the casting/acting/costumes of the secondary characters (the bad guys, namely the henchmen). Danny McBride, Craig Robinson (who, I guarantee you will either squander his upcoming fame-burst or ride it to embarrassment ala Ice Cube) and the ALWAYS amazing Kevin Corrigan.

I’ve yet to establish and don’t plan to stick to any sort of scoring system but I award this movie a B+. Oh and yeah, I’d like to meet that Seth Rogen. There, I said it.