The First 100% FSC-Certified Wood Bicycle in the U.S. From Renovo & Collins

above: the Renovo R4 Pursuit model made with FSC-certified CollinsWood.

The Collins Companies has just announced that it has commissioned the first 100% FSC-certified bicycle in the nation. In case you were wondering, FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council.

The bike, manufactured by Renovo Hardwood Bicycles, is an “R4 Pursuit” model that features a stiff, powerful and lightweight frame. All of Renovo’s bikes are custom-made – adjusting the stiffness and ride quality to the customer’s individual riding style and weight.

Renovo is one of the few companies in the world that manufactures wood bicycles (but not the only one, be sure to see Woody Bicycles ) and the only one making them with hollow frames.

Here's a few of Renovo's beautiful wood bikes and frames made with Black Cherry, Hard Maple, Birch, Hickory, Padauk, Sapele, Laminated Bamboo and exotic woods like Purple Heart, Bubinga and Wenge:








“I am proud to have used 100% FSC-certified wood on this particular bike,” stated Ken Wheeler, owner, Renovo Hardwood Bicycles. “We utilized a species combination of CollinsWood® from the Collins Pennsylvania Forest including; Black Cherry, Hard Maple, and Birch.”






Collins had this bike commissioned for one of their employees, to demonstrate their continued commitment to this mission. “Although wood bicycles are still in their infancy, we are constantly exploring new ways to have CollinsWood incorporated into everyday products and we want our customers to explore new uses,” said Cameron Waner, marketing coordinator for The Collins Companies. Waner continues, “Specifying FSC-certified wood in their projects is one of the most powerful things our customers can do to change the way wood products are harvested and sold around the world.”

The bike made its worldwide debut at the Greenbuild International Conference in Chicago, on November 17-19, 2010.

Renovo Bikes

Inked Magazine Profiles Kat Von D with Stunning Photos by James Dimmock.

Tatted siren Katherine Von Drachenberg, aka Kat Von D, graced the cover of Inked Magazine accompanied by an interview and these stunning photos by celebrity photographer James Dimmock.





Read the article, I Am Not Kat Von D, written by Rebecca Swanner for Inked Magazine.

Smell Like A Parody. The Best Of The Old Spice Man Spoofs.

By now everyone knows that hunky Isaiah Mustafa's portrayal of the towel clad Old Spice Man has long gone viral. And, as to be expected, there are numerous spoofs and parodies of the entertaining advertisement. Here's a few of the best.

"The Woman You'd Love Your Woman To be Like"



The Sun Newspaper spoofed the ad to celebrate 40 years of page 3. The parody was accompanied by an in-paper offer of a free pack of Page 3 playing cards on Wednesday 17th of November.



Read all about this video at http://www.thesun.co.uk/page3is40 "Smell Like A Monster"




Sesame Street parodied the spot with Grover to teach us the word "On":

 

"Study Like A Scholar"

 
A fun and smart parody to encourage students to study brought to you from the Harold B. Lee Library:

 

"The Man Who Lost His Girlfriend To The Man Your Man Could Smell Like"

 
Los Angeles comedian and YouTube star Toby Turner (aka Tobuscus) plays a guy whose girlfriend has left him to take a sunset cruise of the Galapagos Islands with the real Old Spice man.

 

"The Sausage Your Sausage Could Taste Like"

 
Bizarre and phony product, Mr. Happy's Spicy Dijon, personifies a sausage as the Old Spice Man:



This animated spoof uses Mel Gibson's phone rant as a call to the Old Spice Man by Smallpoppy productions:

 
and lastly, an entertaining Old Spice Remix by youtuber Mike Relm:

I Have PSD. Clever Short Film Shows How To Photoshop Your Life.

If you use Photoshop as frequently as I do, you find yourself wishing you could use the same set of software tools to edit, undo or re-do many aspects of your own life. Undoing a crazy night, editing blemishes on your skin, altering the color of your wardrobe, even lightening your over-toasted bread.





Julia Vakser Zeltser and the folks over at Hyperakt did just that with their fun "I have PSD" short film, which shows what it would be like to apply Photoshop tools to your real life.





Photoshop dexterity (PSD) is a skillset acquired by proficient users of Adobe Photoshop, the world's most ubiquitous digital tool for creating visual ideas. Qualities of PSD include supernatural powers of imagination and an overwhelming desire to constantly make the world more beautiful. PSD affects people from different walks of life. In fact, there is a high probability that you have PSD.

CREDITS
Hyperakt
Julia Vakser Zeltser, screen writer, director, producer
Deroy Peraza, co-director
Jason Lynch, senior designer
Catherine Catanzaro, interactive designer
Eric Fensterheim, junior designer

Friends:
Justin Weinstein, film advisor
BJ Formento, photographer, Formento + Formento, fandf.org
Richeille Formento, stylist, Formento + Formento, fandf.org
David Dimeola, animation, The Brigade, brigade.tv
Joe Beshenkovsky, editor
Shawn James Seymour and Yoshimi Tomida, music, Lullatone, lullatone.com
Joshua Formento, gaffer
Craig Keirce, gaffer
Tyrone Rhabb, grip
Jeremiah Boncha, junior designer

Actors:
Johan Matton, lead actor
Nikki le Villain, Egyptian
Ezili, boa constrictor
Lily la Vamp, pin up girl
Chris, gangsta
Kate Hasting, makeup, French maid

Special Thanks:
Whitney McCleary & Adobe Systems
Lenny Zeltser
Jenna Shapiro

Follow PSD:
twitter.com/​hyperakt
ihavepsd.com
facebook.com/​Photoshop

Holy Modern Home! Renovated Church Townhouse In Utrecht Is For Sale.

In 2009, the Saint Jakobus Church, located in Utrecht, on Bemuurde Weerd Oostzijde 56, was converted under architectural supervision of Zecc Architecture, into a beautiful modern town house called "The Residential Church XL."

Originally built in 1870, the Utrecht Old Catholic Parish had ordered the construction of a church and vicarage. Architect Gerard Gerritsen 'finished the job' in a little more than seven months, for the sum of 25,481 florins.



The church tower at the front was unfortunately too heavy for the foundation and had to be demolished in 1889. The Saint Jakobus was a soberly decorated church, being the only church built in Utrecht in the so-called 'plasterers' gothic style.




Inside, the stained glass windows date back to 1911:




The original nave (14 meters high) is impressive, but the balanced design of the inner space ensures that a human dimension is not ignored.



The atmosphere, created by both the furniture and styling, is the work of Thomas Haukes from (springers) wonen. The result complements the strong design of the architecture, creating an extremely original, modern and streamlined living space.




The clear plainness that the Saint Jakobus exuded at the time of architect Gerard Gerritsen still gives power today to this monumental building.




The current owners were very careful in the renovation and refurbishment. The renowned Utrecht-based firm of ZECC Architects undertook the transformation from church to home with a great attention to light, space and functionality.

Unfurnished upper level:


The former Saint Jakobus Church is of historic and architectural significance due to its location and relationship with the surroundings. The church is also registered as municipal monument.

Good restaurants, cafes and terraces full of atmosphere but the city will not disappoint you in its cultural side: it offers various museums, theaters and concert halls.

Most attractions and nightlife spots are within walking distance.



Some specs and details of the home for you:

Dimensions (approximately)
• Parcel (own ground) 670 m2
• Living area 475 m2
• Front garden 90 m2
• Back garden 150 m2

HOUSE - GENERAL
• Living kitchen
• Elevated living room floor
• Hobby room/study
• Study
• Sleeping room/bathroom (incl. toilet)
• Guestroom/ bathroom (incl. toilet)
• Guest toilet

KITCHEN
• BULTHAUP cooking island (3.60 m x 1.20 m)
• Refrigerator
• Dishwasher
• 5-burner induction cooker
• Combi-oven
• Quooker
• 2 pantries
• Remotely-controlled sophisticated lighting program.

MISC.
• The Church is registered as municipal monument
• (newly implemented) architectural elements built under warranty
• Isolated crawlspace
• No previously existing cemetery
• Full exterior painting done
• Owners are members of Monumentenwacht
• Municipal subsidy confirmed for long-term external maintenance

EXTRA OPTIONS
• Internal elevator
• Bar
• Electronically operated railing in front garden
• Alarm installation
• Additional sleeping room(s)


FOR SALE: BEMUURDE WEERD OOSTZIJDE 56 UTRECHT

The renovated church is for sale right now, if you are interested, please contact THOMAS HAUKES +31 (0)6 53 67 19 14 | info@wonkerk xl.com

Oh Tannenboing! A Modern Sleek Aluminum Sustainable Christmas Tree

Designed to appeal to your modern sensibility and your green lifestyle, tannenboing is a hip, environmentally friendly and reusable modern Christmas tree made of recycled aluminum. Produced in the USA, it easily springs into a modern Christmas tree each season and can then be flat-packed away for easy storage until the next year.







The tannenboing is a blank slate that can serve as a display for cards, ornaments, or jewelry. The smaller version makes a great point-of-purchase display to hold gift certificates, cards and other small items. The clean design doesn’t take away from the articles or ornaments being displayed and it can be used as a display tree, design element, or modern sculpture all year round.


Tannenboing is environmentally friendly, and can be made from aluminum, wood and even recycled paper. The display piece is flat-packed and easy to assemble. At the end of the season, the tree can be taken down and put away for next year, or it can be recycled.

One tannenboing – the aluminum, spiral Christmas tree comes with an installation kit containing a gated hook, a gated wood screw and two cables (for ceiling heights of 8 and 9 feet). For ceiling heights higher than 9 feet, be sure to purchase the appropriate size cable.

The tannenboing has over 200 small holes around the inside and outside edges to use for hanging ornaments or display items. The holes are 1/8 of an inch and work best with metal hooks.

Only 100 first edition trees have been created and are available now for just $395 plus shipping. Order now, while supplies last.