iDale

Don't touch me on my Carina Nebula

What you see above is Hubble’s 20th anniversary image showing a mountain of dust and gas rising in the Carina Nebula. The top of a three-light-year tall pillar of cool hydrogen is being worn away by the radiation of nearby stars, while stars within the pillar unleash jets of gas that stream from the peaks.

Write that down, then see the high res version here.

I’m not sure what to make of it when automotive companies start delving into other markets. Sure, there is merchandise, but blatantly moving into a completely different space for the fun of it sometimes doesn’t make complete sense to me.

We’ve all seen the toasters and kettles that Porsche Design did in partnership with Siemens – they got water from 0-100 degrees in just a few seconds. But tell me, what’s the deal with this plastic bobsleigh – that even won a “red dot” award for high design quality?

porsche now designing bobsleighs

Apparently the inspiration for this first (you mean there will be more?) Porsche bobsleigh was drawn from the racing bobsleigh. Thus, they claim, its runners are based on the engineering of these professional sports devices and are almost as effective (almost). Both have a so-called ‘spring’ in the runners, that give the bobsleigh its excellent steer-ability.

Whoopteedoo Basil!

It goes for about R2000 here, but I rate you rather hook yourself up with a Porsche Rucksack

Checkers is for tramps. True story.

During the Age of Enlightenment, chess was viewed as a means of self-improvement. Even ol’ Ben Franklin wrote an article in 1750 called “The Morals of Chess” in which he said:

“The Game of Chess is not merely an idle amusement; several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life, are to be acquired and strengthened by it, so as to become habits ready on all occasions; for life is a kind of Chess, in which we have often points to gain, and competitors or adversaries to contend with, and in which there is a vast variety of good and ill events, that are, in some degree, the effect of prudence, or the want of it. By playing at Chess then, we may learn foresight, circumspection and caution.”

Paul Smith on the other hand has simply improved the quality of the game by releasing his limited edition hand made chess set including a board storage case and pieces box. It’s got a multi stripe leather trim around the base, the top of the board has a leather black and white check with red outline and white contrast stitching, the top is embossed with the Paul Smith signature, and the bottom is covered in purple suede.

Paul Smith says purple's the new white

As for the wooden pieces  - they’re all handmade and lacquered in both black and purple, with felted bottoms. This Chess set is another piece, which captures the character of Paul Smith’s humorous approach to the design of everyday objects, with the bold use of colour and quality in detail. Get one here for £575 (only about R6000).

I struggle to pay more than R400 for a good book. But it seems there are people out there who don’t mind parting with the likes of seventy two bar. This is the bound beauty in question…

Birds of America by John James Audubon

A copy of “Birds of America” by John James Audubon was sold Tuesday at auction in London for more than $10 million, making it the world’s most expensive printed book. The book, one of the best preserved editions of Audubon’s 19th-century masterpiece features 435 hand-colored illustrations.

Two of Johns feathered friends

It went to an anonymous collector bidding by telephone and came from the estate of the second Baron Hesketh, a collector who died in 1955. Though the sale set the record for a printed book, Bill Gates paid $31 million in 1994 for a 72-page notebook of Leonardo da Vinci’s, known as the Leicester Codex.

Word!

Some bloke, Yelken Octuri, who designs interiors for Airbus just just blown me away with his Honeymoon space shuttle design for a bit of weightless you-know-what in space.

1. Launch into space

Space tourism is getting closer than most married couples do, so the Honeymoon space shuttle concept aims to offer a unique zero gravity experience for couples to reconnect or set the bar with.

2. Your love-pod is released into the galaxy

The Shuttle contains five capsules, each hosting a couple for a 48-hour flight – there’s also a specific mechanism that will keep you and your partner together to enjoy the pleasures of microgravity lovemaking.

3. Your capsule opens and gets into position with a view

4. Let the games begin

The capsules are dropped at an altitude of 200 km and once the flight is finished, each capsule follows an automatic and autonomous return flight…

5. A gentle landing before lighting up a smoke

Weightless Sex Warning

Like any form of aviation, the weightless bump and grind must respect a few rules. You’re not totally free in space and must know that any action triggers a reaction. So make sure you aren’t sent flying across the capsule and smashing into the wall (unless that’s your thing). Soft and gentle does it!

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been running a Meerlust Wine and Wonderbra competition (over here). The prizes, valued at over R6000, were great – so it’s no wonder the entries have been flooding in via email and twitter every single day.

In the studio: Sasha, Kim & Lauren

I sought out the help of Sasha Martinengo & Kim Schultze from 5fm to help me do the draw – think of him as a crazy Italian auditor armed with a microphone and a blonde sidekick. And a Wonderbra…

Testing out the goods

Although Sasha seems to fit well into a C-cup and knows his way around a bra strap, I’ve gotta say he’s gonna have to earn back some of my respect for hating on my love for Apple products – the guy uses some girlie red craptop for goodness sake – come on Sasha!

After all the banter, we got down to business and filled his wife’s new bra with the entries…

Serious business

And first place goes to…

Adrian Frost – a guy. Yes, a guy.

Adrian takes home a R1200 Wonderbra voucher along with 3 bottles of Meerlust Chardonnay, 3 bottles of Meerlust Merlot and a Square Forest. That ought to set the mood for one very lucky lady out there. Well done!

As for the rest…

I think it would be best if you visit the competition page and see ALL the winners for yourself in one place. Click here to see the winners.

I must admit that in the end I gave in – I let Sasha have a photo with Lauren and I. He twisted my arm! What was I supposed to do?

Sasha, Lauren & yours truly in the 5fm studio

And that’s a wrap!

Movember - dedicated to the cause of fine moustachery

1. He’s a natural born leader. He steps up, shines and leads with confidence and style.
2. He is selfless and believes looking out for your fellow gentleman is something you do, not something you must do. He is only content when all are content.
3. He appreciates quality and surrounds himself with the finest of everything. He knows that one of the best quality is far better than a dozen mediocre ones.
4. He is dedicated and true to the cause of the fine moustachery. Aware of his responsibility to honor the moustache.
5. He leads a valiant life. Whether it be a solo adventure into unknown territories or a simple BBQ with friends, he extracts and revels in all that life has to offer.
6. A man who grows a Mo knows how to rock… And when that time comes he likes his good times great and his volume turned to eleven.

There are only three things you need to do to participate this Movember…

1. Learn the rules…

The rules of the game. Read em. Learn em!

2. Pick a style…

Styles for first time moustache growers

3. Grow a Mo!

Visit Movember.com to register and be sure to send us your pics!

Luggage is so boring! But with these great stickers, you can liven up your old bag and get some raised eyebrows from the airport officials (even if they are for the wrong reasons)…

If you’re not that risky and naughty, you could try the cash route…

Else, get your Pablo on…

If all else fails, smuggle an air hostess…

If you’re into covering things up with stickers, check out the range of Garage Doors to Die For.

Need I say more..?

I’m wondering who would win in a card-contest?

Would it be…

• The Business Card for Tool-Using Guys?
• The Brilliant Therapist Business Card?
• The Stretchy Business Card?
• or, The Personal Trainers Card?

Words can not describe how funky this is… just look!

I rate this is better than the elephant that opens beer bottles!