Courtney Love resurrects Hole w/ 'Nobody's Daughter' | NEW MUSIC

(Photograph by Clay Patrick McBride via Rolling Stone)

After years of anticipation, it looks like the new Hole album, 'Nobody's Daughter' is finally closing in on a drop date....well, so we're told. According to Rolling Stone, the album is slated for January release. But after a series of release rumors with nothing to show for it, for years, we're not counting our chickens until they undisputedly hatch.

Originally slated as a sophomore solo album (following 2004's America's Sweetheart), Courtney Love has rebranded the album under her famed '90s band name, Hole. While it looks like Ms. Love is going to be the only returning member, the Hole name is sure to excite 'alternateens' of '90s past and grunge rock enthusiasts alike, and is likely to garner more sales than did the commercially underperfomed America's Sweetheart, despite the album's massive critical success (personally, I had America's Sweetheart on repeat for months...and still pull it out quite frequently when i'm aching for some solid Love).

“It’s more important than any record I’ve ever made, by far,” Courtney Love tells Rolling Stone of Nobody’s Daughter...Love began writing songs for Nobody’s Daughter in 2005 during a court-mandated rehab, then spent “66 and a half days” recording with producers Billy Corgan and Linda Perry. After road-testing the material in 2007, however, Love decided to rerecord the album with a different producer and a new band...

The album — a collection of dark, ragged rock songs — is slated for a January release and includes the ballad “Honey” and the blues-and-punk cocktail “Skinny Little Bitch.” For the full story on Love and her upcoming album, check out the new issue of Rolling Stone, on stands now.
[Rolling Stone: Courtney Love Explores Greed, Vengeance, and Feminism on “Nobody’s Daughter”]

We caught Courtney Love a few years back at the Hiro Ballroom at the Maritime Hotel for what Rolling Stone referred to as a 'Road Test' for the 2007 incarnation of 'Nobody's Daughter', and couldn't believe how incredibly spectacular it was. Read all about our experience: Courtney Love at Hiro Ballroom. We're looking forward to the next round of shows, and definitely on the edge of our seats in anticipation of the new album.

In related news, Love deleted her infamous Twitter account last month:

No word on why she left the service, although her nasty tweets about a fashion designer she used to work with led to the first-ever Twitter libel suit earler this year. Frances Bean Cobain, Love’s daughter with rock legend Kurt Cobain, also exited Twitter last week after lashing out at, of all people, Lindsay Lohan’s little sister Ali for a perceived sense of entitelment: “You lack the talent, social understanding and credibility to be anything other then infamous.”
[NJ.com]

-jmd

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The Selby | ART & DESIGN

The Selby
Creator Todd Selby combines paintings, video and (mostly) photographs he's taken of the world's most fascinating and visionary people in their living/creative spaces. It's like your own little peek into their medicine cabinets, only better. Updated frequently, beautifully photographed and well designed (plus there's a SELBY STORE!)...The Selby will most likely end up on your daily visit route, in your bookmarks toolbar or BOTH.

Below are a couple of my favorite Selby moments (click the links to see the whole collection):


Bill Gentle and Fanny Bostrom in their backyard, Brooklyn


Aaron Rose in his home, Los Angeles


-nb

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Guerrilla Gardening | CULTURE / TRENDS

We've been closely following the explosion of Urban Farming and Gardening in our Trend Tracking Report and now we're hearing about a new incarnation: Guerrilla Gardening. This new gardening movement also involves street art, another trend we've been tracking.

Street artist Posterchild has made it his mission to turn all the empty flyer boxes littering the city streets of Toronto into planters.

Posterchild explains:

"I’ve always been amazed by the state of most flyerboxes. More often that not, they are empty. Some haven’t been filled in years. Yet, there they are: everywhere in the city- at every intersection. Taking up valuable sidewalk space. Some are supposed to offer free news and culture print publications that make revenue from ads, some are supposed to offer free junk-mail type publications, with the expectation that someone will stop and take one completely beyond me. A rare few are supposed to offer a free publication of a certain political or religious leaning- probably bankrolled by whatever church or group can finance the publication of that message. For whatever reason, a great many of them offer nothing but an empty box.

But that offers a great opportunity for some people!

Graffiti artists love them as a platform for their stickers and tags. People with trash but nowhere to put it love them as a makeshift receptacle for garbage.

I tried to think of better ways than “Garbage Can” to re-imagine the interior spaces of these flyerboxes- better ways to make use of the whole box- not just the exterior walls.

This is what I came up with. I think it’s pretty great, if I do say so myself. The boxes makes a perfect platform for planters- and with them you can guerrilla garden almost anywhere in the inhospitable concrete city! Best of all, it leaves the sides open for writers and artists.

…and with this “impending collapse of print media”? You may just see these appearing in old, abandoned Newspaper boxes."

Also check out a similar project: Poster Pocket Plants where advertising posters are converted into planters.


Urban Prankster: Turning Flyer Boxes into Planters
Guerrilla Gardening: Off the Wall Gardening

-dh

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Jon Stewart calls out Hannity on Fox News footage flub | POLITICS / HUMOR

MAKING WAVES:

Sean Hannity publicly apologized last night in response to Jon Stewart's accusations on the The Daily Show that his Fox News show pasted in old footage (from a Glenn Beck protest in Washington in September) while discussing a Republican health care rally last week, in effect falsely inflating the size of last week's turnout...citing 20-40 thousand attendees when in actuality there were only an estimated 10K.

Above, the clip of Jon Stewart's initial Daily Show exposé and Gawker is hosting Hannity's response (complete, of course, with snarky commentary).

While it's certainly no surprise that The Daily would take a jab or two at the news channel, it's certainly a rarity that Stewart's comments yield an apologetic response.

Also check out Gawker: Sean Hannity Promises to Resopnd to Comedy Show that Fact Checked Him
-jmd

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Workoutfits | FASHION

Zandland friend and neighbor Jessica Ralli, Soft Clothing founder/ director, has started a style blog with very own Paige Newman! We're very excited that Jessica and Paige's fab daily style will now be available for all of you to view via Workoutfits. You might even catch some other Zandlanders on their Guest Workoutfit Wednesdays... if we brave the camera.

Workoutfits

-ca

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Blockbuster introduces SD card download kiosks | TECH / ENTERTAINMENT

Blockbuster is desperately trying to keep the video store model alive...with some tweaks. Their latest trial brings SD card movie download kiosks to a handful of stores.

Blockbuster's been trying all sorts of, um, innovative things to get more foot traffic in its stores, but thanks to a dastardly invention known only as "Netflix," that very task has proven exceptionally difficult. Now, it seems the flagging movie rental company is giving one more far-flung idea a whirl: movies on SD cards. Around six Blockbuster and Hollywood Video stores will soon begin offering titles on SD cards, though the included DRM only allows customers 30 days from the purchase date to view it, and once it's fired up, you've just 48 hours before it vanishes completely. Each rental will cost $1.99, and while we definitely see the benefit of renting something that you don't have to return, we're still skeptical that folks will be more willing to make even one trek for a card when Netflix brings it all to one's mailbox (and PC, etc.) for just $8.99 per month.
[Engadget]

While we're still convinced that streaming will continue to rein as king of the next wave in viewable media, not physical media (especially as at-home internet speeds increase and HD content is more readily available), the higher quality prospects of video files via SD definitely has some short-term appeal...and if they play their cards right, they can evolve the technology in years to come. With the right tweaks along the way, Blockbuster may find an unexpected new home in the ever changing new media landscape...be it SD cards, or more likely wirelessly beaming ultra-high quality files to your phone and other mobile devices, etc...or something entirely unfathomable to us today.

Whatever the case, Blockbuster still faces an uphill battle in their fight to keep the video store from being a thing of the past...And long-term prospects of a 'big win' in that war are grim at best.

Also check out Fast Company

-jmd

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'The Cloud' - Futuristic architecture to prospectively sit atop London skyline | TECH / ARCHITECTURE

Totally wowed by the prospect of London's The Cloud, an addition to the city's skyline to be used as a centerpiece for the 2010 Summer Olympics. The 400 ft towers would be connected by gigantic plastic bubbles..

The Cloud has been shortlisted in the competition set-up by London's Mayor, and has been called "a sculptural spectacle, and a celebration of technology" by the senior curator of
architecture and design at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

The designers intend to build The Cloud using micro-donations from millions of people. One of the architects, who's from MIT, told the BBC: "We can build our Cloud with £5m or £50m. The flexibility of the structural system will allow us to tune the size of the Cloud to the level of funding that is reached."
[via Gizmodo]

Check out the image gallery at Gizmodo.
Also: BBC NEWS: Digital cloud plan for city skys
-jmd

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Lady Gaga "Bad Romance" Fashion Inspiration | FASHION

Ok, time to talk about Lady Gaga's Bad Romance video, which is blowing my freaking mind right now. Jamie already blogged it, but I need to throw in my two cents on why this video offers style inspiration that is next level to the point of being in another stratosphere.... you know Madonna is jealz:

- RAZOR BLADE SUNGLASSES, WHHHHHATTTT


- The Alexander McQueen shoes





- The white latex and monster dancing



- The weird chin strap/ facial jewelry on her leading man (please tell me guys are going to start wearing decorative headgear)


- The nail art


- Lady Gaga's peach colored Marilyn-Monroe-post-apocalyptic hair


Earlier:
Lady Gaga in 'Bad Romance' | MUSIC VIDEO

Lady Gaga, Mega-Muse | Fashion

Lady Gaga Obviously Is Looking to be Cloned | POP CULTURE

-ca

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Lady Gaga in 'Bad Romance' | MUSIC VIDEO

Continuing on her unique, undefinable performance-art blitz, looks like Lady Gaga has left her hair bow behind in exchange for an updated Matthew Barney-esque futuristic glittery steampunk glamor. (Say that one 5 times fast.)

On her new video:
"There's this one shot in the video where I get kidnapped by supermodels. I'm washing away my sins and they shove vodka down my throat to drug me up before they sell me off to the Russian mafia."
MTV News

Point is, Ms. Gaga's new video, 'Bad Romance,' (directed by 'I Am Legend' director Francis Lawrence) the first single off of her new release, 'The Fame Monster' is beyond weird. And we're loving it.

-jmd

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DateCheck performs background checks on potential dates | APP OF THE WEEK

Thrillist alerted us today to an excellent new mobile app, 'DateCheck' by Intellus. Basically, the app does a background check on potential dates, looking up a variety of criminal offenses and convictions. The app also checks for property ownership (and value) AND even pulls up any potential astrological deal breakers. The app continues its research with a social networking check and scans for any roommates or family members at the same residence.

Today's dating scene is tough to navigate, which is why Intelius developed DateCheck, a free mobile app that deciphers fact from fiction in the palm of your hand. Simply enter a name, phone number or email address and instantly get accurate and comprehensive results. With features like Sleaze Detector, Compatibility, Net Worth, Interests and Living Situation you can be in the know on the go. "Look up before you hook up."
DateCheck

We tested out the iPhone app (also available for Blackberry, Palm, Android, etc.), and while it creepily scanned social networking sites, NYC property listings, and found some specific personal info, we were pleased to see it wasn't able to retrieve too much...Oh, and in case you're all wondering, I totally passed the 'Sleaze Detector'...

Check out the (way lo-budget) YouTube webisode:


Zandland verdict: DateCheck is a nice FREE supplement to the regular pre-first date online scan, but for the most part, it isn't going to yield much additional information than you'll already be able to scrounge up yourself with the help of Facebook and Google.

-jmd

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Dreamie is the new Snuggie | AS SEEN ON TV

The Original Dreamie is totally the new Snuggie. Some thoughts from the Zandland crew:
Deborah: It's a new trend where adults want to be swaddled like bebes!
Anna: It's a sleeping bag.

I personally love the idea the folks at Dreamie suggest in their commercial - put it inside your sleeping bag to make it a silky, smooth bed! (it's not a sleeping bag if you put it inside a sleeping bag......? I guarantee this went through at least one Dreamie employee's mind) Bring it when you travel so you always have luxurious sheets wherever you go!

Check out the commercial. This woman has some serious issues with sheets:


**full disclosure: I'm actually wearing my leopard print Snuggie (a gift from Paige!) as I type up this post.

Dreamie official site

Earlier: FASHION (sorta) - Wearable towels: Possibly the Summertime Snuggie??

-ca

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'Rent The Runway' offers haute couture with a recession-friendly twist | FASHION

According to the New York Times, over 20,000 women have already signed up for 'Rent the Runway,' an invitation-only high-fashion-for-less service that allows for users to rent runway styles at a fraction of the cost. Rentals run anywhere from $50 to $200, and much like Netflix, are returned via self-addressed stamped envelope.

"Rent the Runway is a recession-era twist on the Internet rent-by-mail model, which has been used for things like textbooks and video games in addition to movies. Unlike those utilitarian items, however, the dresses offer a touch of Cinderella — on a budget."
NY Times: A Netflix Model for Haute Couture

We're interested to see where this goes...but as frugality continues to gain cool points, it certainly wouldn't come as a surprise should this business model carry over into multiple luxury product categories.

-jmd (thanks, alicia for the tip)

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