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Digital Masterworks Art-TV could switch between TV and art display

Oh sure, GalleryPlayer enables your HDTV to instantly turn into an art display, but it doesn’t even pretend to be anything classier than a multifaceted television. Samsung, however, is looking to change the game by partnering with Thomas Kinkade on a new 46-inch prototype Digital Masterworks Art-TV. The unit was recently showcased to news media, and it’s said to be ‘housed n a Thomas Kinkade frame designed to accentuate the fine art theme.’ From what we can gather, it’s being aimed at folks who’d love a nice piece of art sitting above their mantel, but when the time comes, they can switch off the paintings and throw on a day’s worth of NFL in HD. The wild thing here is how important the actual art aspect is to the display, with hidden touch controls planned to enable viewers to flip through artworks and zoom in / out as they please. Heck, there’s even integrated WiFi, a 40GB hard drive, 3,000:1 contrast ratio, 8ms response time and 500 nits of brightness. The set is due out exclusively through Thomas Kinkade’s Signature Gallery later this year, with iffy plans to release it to other retailers in 2H 2009.

(Via Engadget.)

WTF is THAT? EAST Dakota??

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Son Of Macenstein » Blog Archive » PIC: WTF is THAT? EAST Dakota??: “I have a somewhat sick fascination with Pizza box art errors, and this one in particular keeps cropping up around here (the Northern NJ area). In an iconic example of irony, it reads ‘God Bless America’, and features a picture of the American flag… with 51 Stars.”

(Via .)

Currently playing in iTunes: Danzonete Hebreo by Roberto Rodriguez

New book about Wacky Packages

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New book about Wacky Packages: “dwiff says: ‘design:related covers a coffee table book devoted to Wacky Packages, with a forward by Art Spiegelman.’
‘Wacky Packages — a series of collectible stickers featuring parodies of consumer products and well-known brands and packaging—were first produced by the Topps company in 1967, then revived in 1973 for a highly successful run. In fact, for the first two years they were published, Wacky Packages were the only Topps product to achieve higher sales than their flagship line of baseball cards. The series has been relaunched several times over the years, most recently to great success in 2007.
Know affectionately among collectors as ‘Wacky Packs,’ with artist Art Spiegelman, as a key creative force, the stickers were illustrated by such notable comics artists as Kim Deitch, Bill Griffith, Jay Lynch, and Norm Saunders.

This first-ever collection of Series One through Series Seven celebrates the 35th anniversary of Wacky Packages and is sure to amuse collectors and fans young and old. ‘Includes interview with Art Spiegelman and bonus pack of four rare and never-before-printed Wacky Packages stickers.’ — from publisher Abrams”

(Via Boing Boing.)

Currently playing in iTunes: 01. Stephen Emmer – You see you by VA_-_Radionome_LP

Man loves sex with cars

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Man loves sex with cars: “Edward Smith, 57, of Washington, is a mechaphiliac. He likes ‘having sex’ with cars. In fact, his last relationship with a human was 12 years ago and he never had sex with her. His current love is Vanilla, a white VW Beetle. The Telegraph profiles Smith and he’s featured in an upcoming documentary titled ‘My Car Is My Lover.’ From The Telegraph:
‘I appreciate beauty and I go a little bit beyond appreciating the beauty of a car only to the point of what I feel is an expression of love,’ (Smith) said.

‘Maybe I’m a little bit off the wall but when I see movies like Herbie and Knight Rider, where cars become loveable, huggable characters it’s just wonderful.

‘I’m a romantic. I write poetry about cars, I sing to them and talk to them just like a girlfriend. I know what’s in my heart and I have no desire to change.’

He added: ‘I’m not sick and I don’t want to hurt anyone, cars are just my preference.’
Link to Telegraph article, Link to YouTube video of Smith

Previously on BB:
• Man pretends sex with car, busted Link
“

(Via Boing Boing.)

Currently playing in iTunes: Sombre Reptiles by Brian Eno

UK planning to monitor and record every phone call, web page, and email sent by citizens

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UK planning to monitor and record every phone call, web page, and email sent by citizens: “We’re not sure if these plans will ever make it to reality, but the Telegraph is reporting that Britain’s Home Office is working on database designed to store the details of every phone call, email, and web page accessed by British citizens in the previous year. The idea is to have various telecom providers hand over their records, which will all go into the database and then be accessible by police upon receipt of a court order. Of course, there’s no reason why police couldn’t simply ask the ISPs for the appropriate data when they get that court order, since records are already required to be kept for a year, but sometimes it’s important for a government to build a massive scary database of personal information with endless potential for abuse by embittered low-level bureaucrats, you know? The plan is still in draft stages, so hopefully it dies on the table — and if not, well, the NSA welcomes you with open arms, British expats.”

(Via Engadget.)

Currently playing in iTunes: Atlantis by Tuxedomoon