Cool Sh!t Los Angeles

Skinny Jeans May Be Bad for Your Health

Wed, 23 May 2012 16:12:00 -0400

It’s been a pretty bad news week for hipsters and scene kids. First the news dropped that hairstyles that cover one eye might probably make that eye lazy over time. Now a slightly predictable knowledge bomb has finally dropped, and it affects, well, just about every fashion sub-culture. The big newsflash? Skinny jeans may not be great for circulation and may cause painful leg problems.

In a recent interview with ABC News, Dr. Karen Boyle revealed the not uncommon problems wearers of skinny jeans were encountering. Numbness and pain were high among them. She broke down the problem fairly simply:

“This disorder is called meralgia paresthetica and it's a disorder that occurs when one of the nerves that runs in the outer part of a thigh gets compressed. The pressure on it causes symptoms of tingling, numbness and pain in the outer part of the thigh...When you wear high heels the axis of your pelvis changes and what happens is your pelvis tilts and your buttocks kind of kick out a little bit and your legs are longer looking. This is why women like to wear stilettos. But because the pelvis tilts some, it further accentuates the pressure that's caused on those nerves. It can make the symptoms worse.”

Women aren’t alone in paying the price for their skinny jeans, either. Along with similar leg pain symptoms, males may also experience a decrease in sperm count thanks to their close-fitting skinny jeans.

No need to fret, though, skinny jean lovers. What medical science is saying right now should be pretty obvious: Tight and constricting clothing can be bad for you. It’s not just skinny jeans that can be bad for you, and it’s not like we’ve never seen anyone wear another type of clothing that’s just way too tight. The issue with skinny jeans is that it’s so much easier to stumble on a pair that are just a little too constricting. Even a pair that fits perfectly can have a seam that leaves a mark on the wearer’s skin once removed. Let common sense be your guide and take off any pants that make you lose feeling in your legs! Because men’s sizes come in measurements, it might be easier for them to find something that fits well on their waist, hips, and legs. Women might have a harder time, since sizing can be a lot more vague and a more generous waist to hip ratio means jeans that might be tighter on the thighs. Still, it's nothing a little careful shopping, trying on, and setting aside some pride and sizing up. It's for your health!

[Via Gizmodo]

Prominent DC Comics Character to Come Out of the Closet

Mon, 21 May 2012 16:01:00 -0400

It’s clear from all the buzz The Avengers and The Dark Knight have generated that comic book characters are still a pretty huge aspect of our culture, and for good reason! We’ve always needed heroes and there may not be a time that we won’t. The comic book universe has given us something we can’t find anywhere else. Its long history has given us heroes with every power we can imagine and just about any story we could want. It’s a strange and great combination of writing and illustration that’s an art all while largely not being considered one. Comics are still, by and large, considered for kids, despite years and years of movie success and a demographic switch aimed at adult white males. People of every age and gender walked out of The Avenger with a favorite hero, and that was only a team of 5.

Given how huge the Marvel and DC universes are, you’d think we’d already have a bevvy of heroes readers from all walks of life could love. After all, they’ve had the better part of a century to create characters and galaxies better traveled than our own. Any comic or movie lover should know: anything can happen. Aliens, clones, sentient objects, and mutants are all just an ordinary part of the comic book world, yet the heroes and citizens that inhabit these worlds still remain primarily white, straight, and gender binary no matter where they’re from. Websites like BleedingCool and Tumblr have let loose speculation on characters that would break these norms since before the birth of the DCnU--the reboot that retooled DC comics entirely last year. Some of it happened. A lot of it didn’t. Last week, however, BleedingCool dropped some real news passed down by DC’s Vice President and Executive Editor, Dan DiDio. One established DC character will be revealed as gay in an upcoming issue.

Now, DC already has several gay characters. Batwoman, a major player in Gotham, was established as a lesbian some years ago and shared a brief relationship with Renee Montoya, the former Question. While there aren’t many gay characters, the last few years of comics have at least been kind to a few. The buzz around this news is that Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and members of the Justice League are all possibilities. These are characters that are over 60 years old, and ones that writers seemed adamant about keeping straight. DC’s relaunch made major changes to their characters backstories, de-aged major heroes, and gave one the ability to walk again. The relaunch gave writers the ability to literally change just about anything, yet there were somehow fewer minorities or gay characters at the forefront of their comics.

That is, until now. Making an established character gay not only bring a lot of hope to the audience but could mean a well-written coming out story and finally opening up the DC universe to bigger changes. Not to be outdone, but right on the heels of this announcement, it seems Marvel has finally announced the engagement wedding of Northstar, the first openly gay hero in their universe, to his boyfriend Kyle. Looks like times are finally changing a little for the big two, and it’s about time. Their movies have proven that letting their classic characters age and inhabit a modern world could work for them--now it’s time to drag the rest of the industry out of the 50s.

Check out more at BleedingCool!

Futur Couture: Amazing Mixed Media Portraits

Fri, 18 May 2012 16:57:00 -0400

Fashion photography has already brought us some some out of this world creations, and we’re not just talking about the clothes they’re supposed to be displaying. While the majority of what we see in catalogues and magazines are static photos, fashion photography has always been an art. Some photo spreads tell impossible stories. Models can be skydiving, underwater, on the moon, or lost in nature. You name it and it’s been done. That’s why we were pleasantly surprised to see some fashion photos that still surprised us and made us want to see more. Matt Wisniewski brings a little of the absurd back to fashion photography in his series Futur Couture.

The photos he creates uses very simple black and white fashion photographs as a base of sorts. From there, he adds bursts of color in just about any form he wants. The visual artist and designer is known for creating wonders with just the help of Photoshop. He approaches his work the way anyone would approach a collage. He carefully selects pieces of just about anything--writing, nature, digital media, food--and works them in to stunning portraits. He works in different colors, patterns, and textures to make a plain black and white photo suddenly seem otherworldly.

The models suddenly seem to be a part of a bigger landscape. Colors turn their clothing into more than just that. Suddenly, they are wearing bits of nature, a city, or a painting. Their blank canvas becomes home to Wisniewski’a vision. It’s dreamy and haunting and creates stories and characters we want to get to know. Check out more below and at Wisniewski's portfolio page!

Mayor Bloomberg Unveils 'Made in NY' Digital Jobs Map at IWNY

Thu, 17 May 2012 11:43:00 -0400

For anyone not in the know, this week is a big one for the digital world. New Yorkers are taking part in the annual Internet Week New York City. It’s a week for unveiling new tech, for awesome new internet businesses to get some exposure, and to explore what just might be in the internet’s future. Since the internet is an entire world of possibility, the event is a great mix of just about everything. From memes, to fashion, to food, the week is like a convention for just about every interest, focused, of course, on the internet.

A major unveil that took place yesterday, however, was not about fun and games. It was the unveiling of a seriously useful and downright necessary tool. Mayor Bloomberg, Chief Digital Officer Rachel Sterne and Internet Week New York Chairman David-Michel Davies joined many to announce the creation of Made in NY, a digital map that already charts hundreds of the city’s internet companies and the jobs they are currently offering. The site itself states:

“The Made in NY Digital Map is a visual testament to the vibrant state of New York’s digital industry – showing a powerful constellation of over 500 homegrown startups, investors and coworking spaces across the five boroughs. Browse by neighborhood, review job postings, or add your own startup to the digital landscape – the Made in NY Map is a living resource that reflects New York City’s dynamic innovation ecosystem.”

It’s an extremely valuable tool for the many currently seeking a job. The map also shows which areas of the city are major hubs for digital companies. The site is also very smooth and user-friendly. It’s extremely easy to find investors, places that are hiring, or simply digital companies that may interest the user.

Some criticize the unveiling as a bandaid on the job problem facing New York City, since job losses are still on the rise. It is definitely a push to establish New York as a major tech hub, and with good reason. Technology, the internet, and digital businesses aer a major part of our present and will become even bigger in our future. Still, the unveil does not create new jobs at this stage. It only displays ones that were already available. The focus of the push also seems to be attracting workers from outside of the city--a move that would make New York itself more money, but doesn’t do much for the many already living there who are desperate for work except another advanced form of Classifieds. Still, there’s a lot of potential in this new site. Companies will not just be looking for designers or I.T. specialists and hopefully, many people will find the site to be a very valuable tool!

Check out Made in NY here!

[VIDEO] Inside the Webby Sessions with Mashable's Pete Cashmore

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:00:00 -0400

Pete Cashmore is one of the most interesting and inspiring success stories of the blogosphere. At just 26 years old he has accomplished more than people twice his age, and continues to innovate not only within the tech world but in the media business as a whole. He stands as a figure of originality and what can be accomplished when you strive for your goals. His journey from teenager to media mogul started back in Aberdeen, Scotland when he was just 13 years old and suffered complications after having his appendix removed. His condition left him bedridden and his only escape and connection to the outside world was through the internet. By the time he was nineteen he had launched Mashable.com. His little personal blog (he described as "not very good") went on to become one of the biggest most influential blogs in the world. We were lucky enough to get in on his Webby Session at Internet Week yesterday to hear his story and insights live. (And for those of you wondering, yes, he is just as tall and dreamy in person!)

Check it out:

A Mural Tribute to Maurice Sendak

Mon, 14 May 2012 16:51:00 -0400

For those unaware, Maurice Sendak passed away last week at the age of 83. The legendary author and illustrator is the creator of Where the Wild Things Are, which touched the lives of generations and generations of children world-wide. If Where the Wild Things Are wasn’t a part of your childhood experience, though, you can bet that Sendak influenced it in other ways. Maurice Sendak was a major player in creating children’s programming on T.V. Before the birth of PBS there was no real children’s programming, much less educational children’s programming. Sendak was a member of National Board of Advisors of the Children’s Television Workshop in its early days and helped the development of what we know as Sesame Street.

Sendak was a brilliant and sentimental writer whose talent remains unmatched to this day. He not only comforted and sparked the imaginations of thousands, but influenced some of the greatest artists and writers of today. He created worlds that could be terrifying and haunting all while being comfortable and full of adventure. He opened up the world of children’s literature to possibility and did so much more. But if those facts alone aren’t enough to understand his influence, perhaps one of his most famous quotes can:

“Once a little boy sent me a charming card with a little drawing on it. I loved it. I answer all my children’s letters — sometimes very hastily — but this one I lingered over. I sent him a card and I drew a picture of a Wild Thing on it. I wrote, “Dear Jim: I loved your card.” Then I got a letter back from his mother and she said, “Jim loved your card so much he ate it.” That to me was one of the highest compliments I’ve ever received. He didn’t care that it was an original Maurice Sendak drawing or anything. He saw it, he loved it, he ate it.”

Sendak has forever changed the hearts of many and the news of his death created waves of sentiment. Hundreds of artists have created tributes to Sendak over the last few weeks, some of which belong to agency Wieden and Kennedy in Portland.

Since the news of his death, they’ve worked hard to create a fitting tribute to one of their heroes. They created a mural tribute truly fit for any Wild Thing. Using their own space, they created the mural in Sendak’s illustration style, depicting the world of Where the Wild Things Are. Perhaps the most famous quote from the book is given a slight tweak, becoming: “Oh, please don’t go-we’ll eat you up, we love you so!”, expressing how much the world will miss this beloved creator.

To see more, check out Wieden and Kennedy’s Tumblr here!

The Rainbow Forest

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:48:00 -0400

Some of our favorite art experiences are ones that surround us. An experience that becomes more than walking around a gallery and stopping at paintings, photos, and installations is a breath of fresh air. It’s transformative and creates wonder wherever you walk. When the space you’re walking becomes something new it keeps you on your toes--experiencing art becomes about more than just your sense of sight. The Grand Palais in Paris has been home to some of the strangest, most colorful, and awe-inspiring installations in the world. Starting this week the Grand Palais will experience another transformation--one that creates a bright, candy-coated environment.

Thanks to French conceptual artist Daniel Buren, the Grand Palais has become a forest of color and light. Suspended on stalks as tall as trees are huge rainbow disks filtering in the light from the Grand Palais ceiling. These eight foot high disks bathe the ceiling and floor in a colorful light. Each disk is one of the three primary colors--red, green, or blue. These colors dance and combine in different ways on the ground, creating a really unique experience to those walking through.

Buren has called this installation Excentrique(s) and it is an answer to the challenge of Monumenta, an art project that dares artists to transform some major French monuments. Though the challenge has been going on for five years, each installation has inspired wonder and created environments we’ve never seen before. This year’s installation is no different, and those lucky enough to be in Paris can experience it first hand from now until June 21, 2012!

[Via My Modern Met ]

Happy Friday: That Doesn't Make You a Model

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:03:00 -0400

We're not sure where this gem of a video has been hiding, but we just discovered it last night, and have collectively watched it and laughed for at least 12 hours straight. Yes, we're clearly behind on the times on this one, but we're sure we can't be the only ones. So here it is. Happy Friday!

The Homemade Transformer

Wed, 09 May 2012 16:54:55 -0400

Whether as a kid or full grown adult watching the Michael Bay movies, a lot of us have wanted a Transformer of our very own. It’s no wonder. The Transformers are huge, both literally and figuratively. They’ve survived over twenty years. A lot of our attics are full of old Transformer toys, comics, and tapes of the TV show. Anyone who didn’t want to be a Ninja Turtle, Jem, She-Ra, or Spider-Man either wanted a Transformer as a best friend or wanted to be a Transformer (kids have some strange priorities). Well, we’re all grown up now and the future isn’t quite as advanced as we wanted. We don’t have working rocket boots and none of us did become superheroes, but one man really has put together a Transformer of his own!

Japanese designer Kenji Ishida has created a small remote-controlled car that can transform into a pretty Transformer-like humanoid form and back all on its own. It is the 8th in a series of design experiments, and he has dubbed it “Brave Robot”. The Brave Robot is just one creation he’s invented with the help of JS Robotics. Its smooth transition is possible because there are 22 servo motors packed in this tiny robot man. Try not to laugh at his jittery little walk. Brave Robot not only goes from car to robot in a really cool way, he apparently also packs a mean punch. Its fists are just as controllable as its wheels and it looks like Brave Robot can throw down about as well as anyone in Real Steel.

Brave Robot is a far cry from our Transformer toys that had a tendency to lose limbs and mostly transformed with the power of our imaginations. It’s not quite time yet to settle into grandfatherly envy over what the next generation is getting, though. Pack away your cane and your “in my day"s. There’s no sign that Brave Robot will be commercially available in the next few years. Even if it was possible, odds are good that a little robot like this one would come at a pretty penny. Still, the possibilities are really great to think about!

Check out Brave Robot in action below!

[Via Geekologie]

The Sinking Supermoon

Mon, 07 May 2012 17:08:00 -0400

Cinco de Mayo wasn’t just about drinks and dancing. If the sky was clear, you could get a glimpse at a bigger and brighter moon. It’s called the Supermoon, and it is the closest our moon gets to the Earth during the year. Not only is it the closest approach the Moon makes to the Earth on its elliptical orbit, but it’s bathed in a glow that makes it all the brighter. Gazing at the Supermoon was a great way to end a great night, but not everyone got to see it. A lot of the east coast was covered in clouds and rainy. A lot of the east coast was also drunk.

Luckily, we’ve put together some of the best images of that night! Thanks to NASA, we’ve even got one of the strangest shots of the Supermoon yet. Astronaut André Kuipers snapped a photo of the Supermoon from the International Space Station. Thanks to the Earth’s tendency to bend light from the Moon, however, the image sort of pancaked into a Moon that was slowly deflating or sinking into a sea of sky. It’s not quite as majestic as the rest of the pictures snapped from that night, but it’s the most surreal and colorful.

However, the Moon hung crisp and bright all over the world. Its glow was one of the few things we shared with every other country on the planet. Photographers from all over couldn't help but step outside and capture this special event. Like Christmas, the visit from the Supermoon only happens about once a year. Thanks to My Modern Met, we've also found some of the best photos of the Supermoon we may ever see! Check them out in the gallery below!