The best of this past week…

Hmm, this is kinda interesting to note that the WTC movie trailer has a part where it shows a Zoolander billboard advertisement. And from reading the comments on that entry, it seems as if the placement of that ad is quite accurate. I had no idea (or, I don’t recall) Zoolander being one of the first major films after 9/11. But then again, back on that day, I think movies (especially ones like Zoolander) were the last thing on my mind.

Lucky Bamboo, the blog about the life of a plant under my care.

The Alta Bike, a clean, simple, and one-geared machine that’s light-weight and stylish is such a cool bike. From what I gather on the website, the bikes are designed by a team of graphic designers, furniture designers, product designers, and an advertising agency. Which makes sense because the bike is gorgeous and the ads for it are pretty funny (you can see the ads on their website).
And speaking of cool looking bikes, check out this Cannondale Jackknife from FietsRai 2006.

In the last month or so, Google has released two very good web applications for everyone to use. They are Google Calendar & Google Notebook. I didn’t want to immediately write a “review” of either when they first came out because I wanted to use them for a bit before making any conclusions. Well, sufficient time has passed and I can say that these two services are the best thing to come to the web in a long time (ok, maybe since the arrival of Gmail).
Google Calendar is so fast, so easy to update, so easy to edit, and just a great tool to keep track of things with. And because it’s not located locally on my computer, all the information I need can be accessed from anywhere and anytime with ease.
Google Notebook is just awesome. I browse so many websites daily that it’s hard for me to keep track of things I want to post later on. That’s where Notebook comes in. And because I’m using Firefox, the Google Notebook extension is like eating cake! It makes taking notes so much easier. I totally recommend installing the extension.

Here’s an interesting search engine I came across. The results really aren’t any good, but the way they show the results is what’s unique. They give you a panel of the site’s screenshot and you can just go up and down to browse the screenshots. Go play with Snap and see for yourself.

Atlas, by Fresh Logic Studios, functions like the best of any mapping service, but unfortunately, it’s imaging and mapping technology resembles that of Windows Live Local, so that really just brings everything down. But the way everything works and flows is quite nice. Now, if only this functionality was paired with Google Maps, that’d be pure hotness.

Take a look at these neat seamless paintings. Kind of reminds me of the M.C. Escher stuff. Speaking of M.C. Escher, look what I found (in relation to this).

In a fantastic feat of public relations marketing and imaging and assistance, Bono (of U2 fame) and Bobby Shriver of DATA (Debt AIDS Trade Africa) have joined together (not physically) to promote AIDS awareness and action through the private sector. They have convinced companies like The Gap, Motorola, American Express, Emporio Armani, and Converse (Nike) to make red-color products, of which a percentage of the sale will go to The Global Fund to help HIV/AIDS victims in Africa.
See (Product) RED website for more information and to see the products available.

Here are some words to use if you want to speak dumber than everyone around you. I’m not endorsing it at all, I’m just giving it out as an information source. I think this list could potentially be never-ending, but for the sake of being even the least bit interesting, it has to end somewhere.This video of the 10,000th shoplifter at a Dutch store getting a celebration parade is so insane and outrageous that it’s bound to make you laugh. What a brilliant idea! I think they should do this for EVERY shoplifter!

World Vision is sponsoring an event at Grand Central Station from June 20-24. It’s a unique look into the lives of 4 children who have been affected by or diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. The exhibit is going to be interactive and visual, so it should be a great thing to go and see. If you want more information, you can find it at the World Vision AIDS Experience NYC website.

Come walk in the shoes of a child living in an AIDS-affected community in Africa. The stirring audio tour combined with captivating photography and visuals will transport you to the heart of Africa — where you’ll discover that HIV and AIDS is stalking you at every turn. Will you survive?

The end! Enjoy this nice recap of the week’s links.