Logo design

• You’ve heard of the uncanny valley. How about the completely useless valley? Realism in UI Design takes us there. More like Useless Interface, am I right?
• A lesson in late-night TV walk-on music, music publishing, and markets by Questlove of The Roots, known by many as the greatest-ever hip-hop band and by others as Jimmy Fallon’s house musicians. If you know them by the latter, then… well, then you and I are probably not friends already, but we can get past this! (The big question: How much would it cost to use “Walk On” as walk-on music?)
• To help Haiti’s earthquake victims, change U.S. immigration laws. Also: the photo of the year?

Because we love you

When it comes to Lost, I’m like a doorbuster sale… I have ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO INTEREST!!! But this seems like a thing that took work to make and that you’d like.

• We saw Avatar in 3D, sitting in the front row. There’s a lot to like, mainly the sensory overload. Two things really bugged me: first, there’s no way a female scientist in the year 2150 uses man to refer to humanity. Second, it’s a movie about a white guy who (SPOILER, I GUESS) ¹ enters a new culture group, ² endures a montage, and ³ quickly becomes better at all the group’s activities than any of the group’s lifelong members. Just as in The Last Samurai, Dances With Wolves, Last of the Mohicans, 8 Mile (peace to Brittany Murphy), Batman Begins, and many many more. This convention goes beyond lazy writing, and in fact presents real sociological puzzles — there’s a strange assumption of supreme white competence, for one. When Will White People Stop Making Movies Like “Avatar”? goes in on the newest version, in which the white guy not only masters the tribe, but becomes its Messiah too. Which is, like, even worse. (NOT REALLY THAT MUCH OF A SPOILER, BUT IT’S OVER)
• “The boss says, ‘Get there on time;’ the leader gets there ahead of time. The Builder makes sure ‘getting there’ matters.” More: The Builders’ Manifesto.
• A thorough, detailed case study by the company responsible for NBC’s current comprehensive branding campaign, focusing on the campaign’s dynamic use of bold colors. You should click this, but I’m really not gonna be able to talk you into it. That’s fine.

But Wait There’s More

If Earth had rings like Saturn, what would our sky look like?

Something Completely Drupal

Monty Python is now using Drupal.

Here’s Mario Lopez (yes, A.C. Slater himself) of Extra on 24/Savvy’s launch.

Our latest project, 24savvy.com, is powered by a fully customized Drupal build coated in original web design and branding. It features a social network designed to reward users for contributing, product reviews and contests, a video section, and much more. Take a look here!

24/Savvy (www.24savvy.com) is a multi-media digital community dedicated to providing members with tools for savvier living. With editorial content, style news and reviews, gift giveaways and a webisode series produced by award-winning production company Mountain Lion Entertainment, 24/Savvy is the ultimate destination for living a smarter, more creative life, one savvy step at a time. 24/Savvy, It’s About Your Lifestyle. Not Your Bank Balance.

We had a lot of confused trick-or-treaters this year.