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Watch This Fascinating “60 Minutes” Report On How The World’s Largest Cocaine Ring Was Shut Down

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Brent Lambert

60 Minutes recently rebroadcast a fascinating report which originally aired last fall, which chronicles how U.S. and Columbian officials successfully managed to dismantle the most sophisticated cocaine smuggling operation in the world. This was a Columbian cocaine empire with a reach so vast and profits so great, it became known as the Super Cartel. 60 Minutes was sworn to secrecy for three years, and given unprecedented access to the investigation as it was unfolding from 2009 to 2012. Columbian national police worked alongside agents from ICE, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, whose job, among other things, is to prevent contraband from moving across U.S. borders. The amount of cocaine and money the Super Cartel controlled was incomprehensible, and it took authorities by surprise when they first caught a glimpse of it in 2009 at the sprawling, Pacific coast port of Buenaventura, Colombia.

Source: 60 Minutes

Posted in Government & Politics, Random News | Tagged 60 minutes, Cocaine, Columbia, Drug Trafficking, The Columbian Super Cartel | Leave a comment

Jamie Isaac Is “Softly Draining Seas” While John Mayer Prancercises With His Beautiful “Paper Doll”

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Brent Lambert

London-based newcomer Jamie Isaac is set to release his debut EP I Will Be Cold Soon on June 24th via his label House Anxiety, and yesterday we got our very first look at the mini album’s lead single. Entitled “Softly Draining Seas”, the video tracks Isaac as he strolls through the concrete streets of his native South London. A terrific debut, and you can keep on top of all things Jamie Isaac by following him on Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud, and Tumblr.

As Jamie Isaac takes us on a tour of South London, John Mayer has hired Prancercise™ founder and viral video maven Joanna Rohrback (almost 7 million views of her YouTube video so far) to star in “Paper Doll”, the first single from his upcoming album Paradise Valley. I am unabashedly free of cynicism when it comes to the music of John Mayer, and will defend the merits and value of his style from anyone who dares to insult him. John is a master singer/songwriter, and for what it’s worth, I wouldn’t mind “prancercisising” with him in bed if the occasion should ever happen to arise. John, if you’re truly in search of Paradise Valley, I can definitely show it to you under the sheets some time, if yer catchin’ my drift.

For all things John Mayer you can visit JohnMayer.com, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter. For a full list of tour dates for John’s Born & Raised 2013 World Tour you can CLICK HERE.

Posted in Music, Video | Tagged Jamie Isaac, Jamie Isaac's "I Will Be Cold Soon", Jamie Isaac's "Softly Draining Seas", John Mayer, John Mayer's "Paper Doll" | Leave a comment

How THE HILLS’ Lauren Conrad Became The World’s Most Powerful & Successful Reality TV Alumna

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Brent Lambert

I am not a huge fan of serial television, which is why I have little interest in the latest TV fad, whether it be MAD MEN or Game Of Thrones or Homeland. Having said that, there was a point in my life in 2007 and 2008 when I was beyond obsessed with the kids of MTV’s THE HILLS and their sunny, salacious SoCal adventures. The show’s cast members have each since faded into their own individual realities, learning that life in the reality TV spotlight doesn’t last much more than 15 minutes. But there’s one huge exception to this rule, and her name is Lauren Conrad.

It’s been four years since Conrad appeared on a reality television series, yet in a remarkable feat of business acumen, talent, and hard work, Lauren Conrad has become an icon, having built herself an empire. When it comes to the incredibly complex art and business of self-branding, Conrad could teach a master class at Harvard. In a recent feature profile for The Daily Beast, Misty White Sidell takes a look at Conrad’s remarkable success. The following is a brief excerpt:

“Last week also marked the release of Conrad’s eighth book, ‘Infamous’. And that’s not to mention the sustainable e-commerce site on its way, which will add to her already-successful fashion and beauty lines. All this makes Conrad something of a reality-star anomaly … ‘Lauren Conrad markets herself almost as a Martha Stewart,’ Katherine Riley, a Los Angeles-based Lauren Conrad fan, told The Daily Beast. With her arsenal of online media channels that span the mediums of beauty, crafts, fashion, and more, the flouncy, dress-loving Conrad has become an all-service lifestyle provider to what Riley calls ‘an amazing audience of teenagers to women in their late 30s’ — better known as a demographic with a wad of disposable income. And who better to trust than a girl they have grown up with on television—a person whose career, relationships, and perhaps most important, sense of style, has evolved along with their own? Conrad’s idyllic how-to’s have caught fire—women are really listening. With a 3 million-strong Twitter following, 2 million Instagram fans, approximately 480,000 Pinterest followers, seven New York Times bestselling books, GLAMOUR magazine’s No. 1 selling issue in 2012, a beauty brand, and two clothing lines, you can’t exactly say that Conrad is skimming the surface of reality-TV fame. On the contrary, she’s using her on-screen persona, (one that women tend to identify as a cute and kind soul) as a means to become a generational stalwart to an audience that averaged around 3 million in each of her shows’ heydays. But Conrad’s real key to success is her approachability. “

You can read the entire profile of Lauren Conrad by visiting TheDailyBeast.com. To enter the mother ship be sure to visit LaurenConrad.com, and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Source: The Daily Beast

Posted in Advertising, Books, Business, Design, Fashion, Style, Television | Tagged Branding, Lauren Conrad, Martha Stewart, MTV's "THE HILLS", The Success of Lauren Conrad | Leave a comment

A Breakdown Of The 6 DC Comics Superhero Teases, Clues & Subliminal Codes Embedded In “Man Of Steel”

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Brent Lambert

MAJOR SPOILER ALERT: Early Saturday afternoon I thought I was ahead of the game by buying my tickets to Zack Snyder’s Man Of Steel online seven hours ahead. To my surprise, 95% of the theatre was sold out, leaving me with two seats off to the side. In the end, it wasn’t the seating that got on my nerves — it was the useless 3D stereoscopic conversion the producers slapped on the film after it was shot. I don’t mind paying more money to see a film in 3D, but it damn well better be worth it and serve a purpose.

From my experience working as a set designer on IMMORTALS, it is very expensive to shoot a film in 3D. For IMMORTALS, there was only enough cash left to shoot a handful of scenes using the ridiculously expensive 3D camera equipment — just enough to make a kick-ass 3D trailer. For the rest of IMMORTALS — and way too many films like it — the remaining regular footage is later converted to 3D in post production. In the case of Man Of Steel, not only is the 3D effect completely useless, the film’s color palette and lighting are so dim that the 3D glasses make it incredibly frustrating to watch. Keep your glasses on, and the film is too dark to see. Take your glasses off, and your eyes go buggy from the 3D effect. So if you haven’t yet seen Man Of Steel, do yourself a favor and see it in 2D.

Regardless of the technical mistakes described above, Man Of Steel is nowhere near as mediocre as I had read in some reviews. It was an enjoyable thrill ride all around, and a worthy reboot to one of the most beloved legacy franchises in comic book history. Superman is the cornerstone of the DC Comics empire, and embedded throughout Man Of Steel are no less than six explicit or subliminal references to other iconic DC characters. The following is the full list:

1. Bruce Wayne, Batman, and Wayne Enterprises: Late in the film, Superman has an “encounter” with an orbiting satellite charged with a Wayne Enterprises logo.

2. Lex Luthor and LEXCORP: During the film’s explosive finale, Manhattan gets the shit kicked out of it in every possible way. One of the buildings in the background carries the vertical signage of Lex Luthor’s LEXCORP company.

3. The character of Cyborg: Emil Hamilton, the scientist right-hand man to the military in Man Of Steel, is primarily associated with S.T.A.R. Labs. This is the same laboratory that turned Victor Stone into the half-human, half-machine hero Cyborg.

4. Blaze Comics and Booster Gold: At one point we see a very subtle logo on a Manhattan skyscraper for Blaze Comics. Blaze Comics is the fictitious publishing company which publishes comics featuring the character Booster Gold from the 25th century.

5. Supergirl and the mysterious mummy: The centuries-old Kryptonian exploration vessel that Superman discovers (which becomes his Fortress of Solitude) carries an open and empty pod chamber. A prequel comic book to Man Of Steel also tracks Supergirl as she arrives on Earth in this very same vessel. Also contained inside the vessel are the mummified remains of a Kryptonian corpse.

6. Carrie Farris: In one of the film’s final scenes, Superman is having a conversation with a military official. Accompanying this official is a lower-ranking woman, Major Carrie Farris, played by Christina Wren. There is speculation that this is a reboot of the Carol Ferris character from the disastrous Green Lantern film of 2011, originally portrayed by Blake Lively.

Sources: Slashfilm via The Playlist

Posted in Film, Hollywoodland | Tagged "MAN OF STEEL", DC Comics, Henry Cavill, superman, The DC Characters Embedded In "Man Of Steel" | Leave a comment

Check Out The Stunning “LM Guest House” In Upstate New York Designed By Desai/Chia Architects

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Brent Lambert

It took me five years to get my degree in Architecture, and over the course of that half-decade, and the 13 years of my design career that have since followed, my passion and love for pavilion-style residential design keeps growing stronger and stronger. Few homes are more beautiful than a glass pavilion design nestled in a natural setting, surrounded by water, trees, and the open sky above. My newest favorite of which was designed by Desai/Chia Architecture. The following is a description of the home from the architects themselves:

“Located on a rolling farm property in upstate New York, the LM Guest House celebrates the beauty of the surrounding landscape — sweeping views through an all-glass facade magnify the spacious, open feel of the living areas. The home employs several sustainable design strategies including geothermal heating and cooling, radiant floors, motorized solar shading, photovoltaic panels, and rainwater harvesting. The open living and sleeping areas flow around a compact slatted wood core that disguises the mechanical, storage, and bathing spaces. Two sleeping couchettes with built-in bunk beds provide efficient accommodations for additional weekend guests. Natural white oak wood detailing provides warmth and texture throughout the home. The high-performance glass facade was pre-fabricated off site, shipped in one container, and erected in two days. An innovative steel frame structure allows the roof to cantilever dramatically over the open living areas and bedroom.”

To see more examples of my favorite dream homes you can CLICK HERE, and for all things Architecture be sure to visit Architecture on FEELguide. If you love glass pavilion homes as much as I do you might enjoy the terrific documentary on the legacy, significance, and rescuing of Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House below. The home was designed and constructed by van der Rohe himself between 1945 and 1951, and remains one of the most important residential designs of the past 100 years.

Source: Contemporist

Posted in Architecture, Design, Me | Tagged Desai/Chia Architecture, dream home, Glass Pavilion Homes, Mies van der Rohe, Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House | Leave a comment

LINKguide (June 17, 2013)

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Brent Lambert

☛ Models Mario Loncarski & Sebastian Pils go “Way Back In The Sixties” (OHLALAmag)
☛ Watch rare 1968 short “Mickey Mouse In Vietnam” that Disney tried to destroy (The Playlist)
☛ Top 18 reasons why Henry Cavill is the sexiest Superman yet (Towleroad )
☛ Similar celebrities of different eras fused into one person (PSFK)
☛ Antje Traue on being General Zod’s evil sidekick in the new Superman movie (VANITY FAIR)
☛ The stunning photography of Michael Karcz (Fubiz)
☛ Saitowitzian modernism on the BUILD Blog (Materialicious)
☛ All you need to know about THE NUMBER LINE’s “No One Two Three” (Silent Shout)

Posted in LINKguide | Tagged Antje Traue, Henry Cavill, Michael Karcz, superman, THE NUMBER LINE's "No ONe Two Three" | Leave a comment

Watch This Fascinating “CBS Sunday Morning” Profile Of The Astronaut Wives Of The 1960s

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Brent Lambert

It took an untold amount of hard work, dedication, and sacrifice for man to step foot on the Moon, and not all of that sacrifice was taking place at the facilities of NASA proper. In a terrific feature which aired yesterday on CBS Sunday Morning, correspondent Lee Cowan examines what was going on inside the homes of NASA’s Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts — namely, the huge burdens and sacrifices that the wives of these men were making each and everyday their husbands were spending countless hours in training.

Many of these women are still alive today, and as you will see, together they share a bond that will forever connect them to each other. ”I think we girls all shared something that no other group of women shared in history,” said Marilyn Lovell, wife of Jim Lovell, whose story was told in director Ron Howard’s 1995 film Apollo 13. If it sounds like the astronaut version of MAD MEN, it was, says author Lily Koppel: “They weren’t being flung into space, but they were dealing with the stress of having their husbands ride up on this giant rocket where no man had ever gone before, and also the sort of projecting the perfect American family image to the rest of the world.” She’s compiled many of those very real wives’ tales in a book called The Astronaut Wives Club. “I mean, these were the most exhilarating of times, and they were also the most terrifying,” said Koppel. “And each women I think, dealt with the mission of having a husband in space on her own terms.”

Also worth noting is how yesterday the team at CBS Sunday Morning took home their very first Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Morning Program. It was the show’s very first nomination, beating out powerhouse competitors Good Morning America and the TODAY Show. Host Charles Osgood said, “We snuck in while nobody was looking.” A huge congratulations to everyone at CBS Sunday Morning, which is a national treasure of masterful storytelling as far as I’m concerned.

Source: CBS Sunday Morning

Posted in History, Random News | Tagged Lily Koppel's "The Astronaut Wives Club", nasa, The Apollo Program, The Wives of NASA Astronauts | Leave a comment

FEELguide Classic: Watch Andrew Solomon’s Profound TED Talk™ Entitled “Love, No Matter What”

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Brent Lambert

Andrew Solomon’s newest book, Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity, tells the stories of parents who not only learn to deal with their exceptional children, but also find profound meaning in doing so. Solomon’s startling proposition is that diversity is what unites us. He writes about families coping with deafness, dwarfism, Down syndrome, autism, schizophrenia, multiple severe disabilities, with children who are prodigies, who are conceived in rape, who become criminals, who are transgender. While each of these characteristics is potentially isolating, the experience of difference within families is universal, as are the struggles toward compassion and the triumphs of love Solomon documents in every chapter. Woven into these courageous and affirming stories is Solomon’s journey to accepting his own identity, which culminated in his midlife decision, influenced by this research, to become a parent. Solomon’s last book, The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression, won the 2001 National Book Award for Nonfiction, was a finalist for the 2002 Pulitzer Prize, and won fourteen other national awards.