Rob Lowe becomes a series regular on Parks and Rec!

News, Television, , , ,

Chris Traeger, the world’s most fit, energetic, and positive-thinking auditor, will be sticking around Pawnee, Indiana for the foreseeable future.  NBC has named Rob Lowe a series regular on their rising Thursday night comedy Parks and Recreation.  With Party Down (unfortunately) out of the picture, let’s hope Adam Scott can prove he’s a valuable assest to the show, too.  This ensemble cast just keeps getting better and better.  It’s a damn shame we have to wait until mid-season for new episodes!

[Via EW-HollywoodInsider]

Music video: Linkin Park – “The Catalyst”

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After a three year absence Linkin Park is back.  Their fourth studio album A Thousand Suns drops on September 14.  The first single off the album is called “The Catalyst”.  The band decided to take a non-traditional route in promoting the track in collaboration with the upcoming video game Medal of Honor.  The video, directed by Linkin Park’s Joe Hahn, mashes together live and gameplay combat footage; the result is pretty stellar.

[Via EW-MusicMix]

Kanye West tweets find a natural home in New Yorker cartoons

Hilarity, Music, News, , , , , , ,

From all the hubbub surrounding @KanyeWest and his tweets you’d never believe that he’s only been using the social networking service for less than a week.  Just hours after he jumped on the bandwagon and started sharing thoughts only Kanye could come up with, comedian and real-life pal Aziz Ansari started an ongoing conversation using the hashtag #PredictingKanyeTweets.  Early ones included: “Just saw a girl with huge titties at Del Taco.”  “Hans Zimmer needs to write a score for whenever I eat a cookie. when I eat cookies shit is mad suspenseful.”  The hashtag made it to Trending Topics for a few hours that first day.

Following #PredictingKanyeTweets is #KanyeNewYorkerTweets.  That’s right, Twitter users are tagging Kanye’s tweets to actual New Yorker cartoons.  Surprisingly they make for near perfect captions.  I’ve posted one above, and there’s a bunch more in the gallery below.  Like Ansari’s hashtag, this new conversation has just begun so make sure to search the hashtag often for a light chuckle throughout the day.  Kanye must be loving this.

[Via HuffingtonPost]

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A sneak peek into how the sound for Inception was conceptualized

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Check out this “Inception” Sound for Film Profile and learn how all the intricate sounds were created and matched to the mind-bending action that takes place on the screen.  Sound designer Richard King, re-recording mixer Lora Hirschberg, and re-recording mixer Gary Rizzo try their best to explain things as rudamentary as possible.  It’s an interesting watch.  (…But I still want to know where the “burrr” comes from.  Maybe it’s here.)

Flower Warfare

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From the dude who brought us “Light Warfare” using the awesome technique of light painting comes “Flower Warfare.”  Creator Freddie Wong has put together another masterpiece with weapons at the forefront; only this time they don’t shoot light, they spray their enemies with–you guessed it–flower power!  The nod to the Internet’s latest meme in the final frame is perfect!

Kid Cudi performs at BAPE, drops new single, delays album to October?

Audio, Music, News, Video, , , , , , , ,

Kid Cudi recently performed his first single “REVOFEV” off his upcoming sophomore album Man on the Moon: The Legend of Mr. Rager at the BAPE clothing store in NYC.  He teamed up with YouTube to have a VEVO crew follow his journey to the store.  The best part of the collaboration is that the video is in HD and the audio is perfectly audible.  Don’t have much time?  Scrub to timestamp 1:37, that’s when the song actually starts.  Remember you can download the track here.

Moving on to some important news regarding the release of MOTM II… According to Rap-Up, Cudder’s new album has been delayed twice in the same week.  Last Thursday it broke that the album would not drop on September 14 (aka G.O.O.D. Music Day) but instead be pushed back two weeks to September 28, the same date T.I. and Young Jeezy are expected to drop King Uncaged and TM 103, respectively.  Then two days ago it was reported that his label Universal Motown decided to delay the record by nearly another month.  Though this is all up for speculation, sources say that MOTM II is now expected to drop October 26.  Bum-mer.

In the meantime, you have “REVOFEV”, “Erase Me”, and now “Mojo So Dope” to enjoy.  “Mojo” found its way onto the ‘Net a few weeks ago in snippet form, but early this morning the full, tagless version was let loose into the wild and it’s hella good.  Its got this hazy, retro, dream-like vibe to it–Cudi’s signature stamp if you ask me.  Take a listen below and click the download link for keeps.  The wait is worth it, the wait is worth it.  You gotta keep saying that to yourself..

Download: Kid Cudi – “Mojo So Dope”

[audio: Kid Cudi – Mojo So Dope.mp3]

[Via KWBlog]

Kanye West braces for new album by previewing new songs at Facebook, joining Twitter [Update: Rolling Stone visit]

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After spending some time out of the limelight, Kanye West has returned to entertain us with his slick, emotionally-driven raps and different side of his thumping ego.  On Wednesday Kanye visited Facebook HQ in Palo Alto, California to preview four tracks from his upcoming album.  He donned a fresh suit and rapped a capella atop a table inside a fluorescently lit conference room in front of Facebook employees.  He starts with a “fun rap”, that’s the one embedded above.  It rocks.  “Kill the hypocrisy/This is an aristocracy..I’m Socrates/But my skin more chocolatey.”  The next rap is rather short; it may just be a freestyle, but it’s got a sick line in it: “Lost in this plastic life/Let’s break out of this fake-ass party, turn this into a classic night.”  The next song likely titled “Chain Heavy” is dipped in politics and contains this humorous line: “They try to tell me that aliens built the pyramids/I swear life’s on bitch on a period”; it concludes with my favorite line I’ve heard this far: “This is the making of a masterpiece/So we broke out the chains and told our master, ‘Peace’.”  The fourth song is called “Mama’s Boyfriend” and it’s an extremely emotional track about Kanye’s late mother Donde West.  In it he journeys back to the days when his divorced mother started dating other men.  “I’m my mama’s boyfriend/I’m her little husband…Keep your hands off my mama” he screams.  Apprently this track took him 33 years to write and it clearly means a lot to him.  ‘Ye drops so many uses of the n-word in this track, but he says, “I’m allowed to use it.”

Later that day he posted this message targeted to the Facebook employees:  “Many times in life I’ve had to deal with moments of doubt. And as it’s been a minute since I’ve performed any fresh material in front of an audience, this could’ve been one of those moments… but it wasn’t. Your energy was a gift so electric, so genuine, that it really helped me give my best. The energy was so inspiring I had to keep going!  I just hope you got as much from me as I got from you…which was everything!”  Be sure to look after the break to listen to all the tracks.

From one popular social network to another, Kanye finally caved in and joined the Twitterverse.  And you know what?  He actually comes across a non-egotistical funnyman.  Peep his first tweet: “Up early in the morning taking meetings in Silicone Valley.”  This was followed almost immediately by: “Lol I spelled Silicon wrong ( I guess I was still thinking about the other type of silicone ITS A PROCESS!! : )”  Then came some important news regarding his upcoming album: “The album is no longer called “Good Ass Job” I’m bouncing a couple of titles around now.”  Just confirming our suspicions, Kanye.  After giving a handful of shoutouts to various blogs for reporting his Facebook HQ visit, he started to notice how quickly he was garnering a following.  In less than two days he managed to gain a following of nearly 300,000 (he’s currently at 293,687 followers).  With tweets like these: “My thoughts on Twitter so far… at the end of the day, God damnit I’m killing this shit!!!” and “I think Twitter was designed specifically with me in mind just my humble opinion hahhhahaaaahaaa humble hahahahhahaahaaaa” you might think ‘Ye is stroking his ego again, but I think he’s actually starting to satirize himself.  He’s finally realized that he “has the power to let power go” and he’s learning from his past mistakes.  Hilarious comic (and one of Kanye’s friends) Aziz Ansari started trending the hashtag #PredictingKanyeTweets, and Kanye simply retweeted jokes that were on him.  “Damn I wish Hermes made edible snacks, Cheezits just ain’t dope enough for my mouth”, tweeted Ansari.  The fact that he’s not retaliating but instead having fun with his new lease on life through Twitter makes me believe that he’s turning a corner for the better.  But don’t take my word for it.  Follow @kanyewest and form your own opinions.

At the end of the day, it appears as if Kanye wants to begin a new chapter in his career.  After coming out of hiding he decided to tease some tracks and open up his fanbase using the power of social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter.  It’s an interesting and unconventional route to take but it’s one I can commend.  Welcome back Mr. West.  September 14 come now please.

Update: Later in the week Kanye visited a bunch of magazine headquarters including XXL and Rolling Stone.  A video surfaced on YouTube from his meeting with the latter outlet.  Look for it after the break.

[Via KWBlog; KWTwitter] Continue reading Kanye West braces for new album by previewing new songs at Facebook, joining Twitter [Update: Rolling Stone visit] →

Apple refreshes iMac, Mac Pro, Cinema Display; intros Magic Trackpad and Battery Charger

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On Tuesday Apple refreshed their iMac and Mac Pro computers, pushed out a larger Cinema Display, and introduced a new input device for the iMac called Magic Trackpad.  Roundup time!

The new iMac family now features Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 processors and upgraded graphics cards from ATI.  The displays feature IPS technology (for better viewing angles) and the SD card slot now supports the SDXC format.  The two 27-inchers can be customized with an HDD and SSD (either can function as primary or secondary drive).  Available today.  Check out the lineup:

*$1,199 :: 21.5-inch 1920 x 1080 LED-backlit display; 3.06 GHz Intel Core i3 processor with 4MB shared L3 cache; 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 16GB; ATI Radeon HD 4670 discrete graphics with 256MB GDDR3 SDRAM; 500GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm.

*$1,499 :: 21.5-inch 1920 x 1080 LED-backlit display; 3.20 GHz Intel Core i3 processor with 4MB shared L3 cache; 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 16GB; ATI Radeon HD 5670 discrete graphics with 512MB GDDR3; 1TB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm.

*1,699 :: 27-inch 2560 x 1440 LED-backlit display; 3.20 GHz Intel Core i3 processor with 4MB shared L3 cache; 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 16GB; ATI Radeon HD 5670 discrete graphics with 512MB GDDR3; 1TB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm.  Configure-to-order options include a 3.6 GHz Core i5 processor, 2TB hard drive, 256GB solid state drive (SSD) and up to 16GB of RAM.

*1,999 :: 27-inch 2560 x 1440 LED-backlit display; 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 processor with 8MB shared L3 cache; 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 16GB; ATI Radeon HD 5750 discrete graphics with 1GB GDDR5; 1TB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm.  Configure-to-order options include a 2.93 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 processor, a 2TB hard drive, 256GB solid state drive (SSD) and up to 16GB of RAM.

All iMacs come included with :: slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW); Mini DisplayPort for audio and video output (adapters sold separately); AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR; iSight video camera; Gigabit Ethernet; four USB 2.0 ports; one SDXC SD card slot; one FireWire 800 port; built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and Wireless Apple Keyboard, Magic Mouse.

Look after the break for a breakdown of the Mac Pro and LED Cinema Display refreshes and to learn all about the new Magic Trackpad and Apple Battery Charger.  Plus, there’s a plethora pictures ranging across all the different products. Continue reading Apple refreshes iMac, Mac Pro, Cinema Display; intros Magic Trackpad and Battery Charger →

Eligible for a free iPhone 4 case? Here’s how you get it.

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With the fiasco dubbed Antennagate behind us now, it’s time to embrace iPhone 4 with all its advantages and disadvantages and move on.  At the impromptu press conference two weeks ago, Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced that all iPhone 4 owners (who purchase their phones before September 30) are eligible to get a free Apple Bumper or third-party case.  The free case is the solution for your antenna woes; it will cover the vulnerable spot at the lower left corner.  Here’s how you go about applying for a case:

1. Download the iPhone 4 Case Program app from the App Store.
2. Launch the app on your iPhone 4 and sign in using your iTunes Store account or Apple ID.
3. Select your Bumper or case.

For iPhone 4 purchases made before July 23, 2010, you must apply no later than August 22, 2010; otherwise, you must apply within 30 days of your iPhone 4 purchase. To qualify for this program, you must purchase your iPhone 4 by September 30, 2010.

It’s that simple, really.  All cases come in black only and they include Apple Bumper, Incase Snap Case, Belkin Shield Micra, Griffin Motif, Griffin Reveal, Speck Fitted, and Speck PixelSkin HD.  There’s a 3-5 week wait for delivery, so sit tight!

If you purchased an Apple Bumper when you picked up your iPhone 4 at an Apple Store with a credit card, you will receive an automatic refund on your card if you haven’t already (you are notified by email).  If you paid with cash you must bring the receipt to the Apple Store to get a refund by 9/30.  If you bought one at an AT&T store you can receive a refund if you fill out and send this rebate coupon by 9/30.

[Via Apple; Engadget]

Extended Thor trailer leaks online

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Earlier today the extended trailer for Thor that was shown to thousands of fans at the Marvel panel at this year’s Comic Con leaked onto the ‘Net.  Quickly “Thor” became a trending topic on Twitter and people could not stop talking about how great it looked!  It definitely feels very Lord of the Rings, but the superhero spin works mighty well.  Director Kenneth Branagh, who has a background in Shakespearean tales, has created a believable and extraordinary world in Asgard, and the costume design for Chris Hemsworth’s Thor and Anthony Hopkins’ Odin (ruler of Asgard) are top notch.  The Mjolnir, Thor’s powerful hammer teased during the credits of Iron Man 2, makes a notable appearence, as does IM2‘s Agent Coulsen.  Thor (May 20, 2011) and the utlimate followup The Avengers cannot hit theaters soon enough.

Oh, what’s that?  You want to watch the 5+ minute trailer?  Hours after its leak the studio has been making its rounds to disable the streaming of it on all popular web sites, including YouTube and TrailerAddict.  I was able to find a clean stream at Moviefone, but who knows how long it’ll stay up there.  If/when Marvel decides to officially release the trailer I will certainly embed it here for you.

Trailer: Sucker Punch

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From the mind of Zack Snyder (Watchmen, 300) comes Sucker Punch, an action-fantasy flick that features an ensemble female cast.  They include Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Jena Malone, and Carla Gugino.  To say this movie is going to be hot, steamy, and sexy is an understatement.  Now before you watch the epic trailer might want to find out what exactly this movie that Snyder calls “Alice in Wonderland with machine guns” is all about:

“Set in the 1950s, it tells the story of Baby Doll (Browning), who is trying to hide from the pain caused by her evil stepfather and lobotomy. She ends up in mental institution in Brattleboro, Vermont and while there she starts to imagine an alternate reality. She plans to escape from that imaginary world but to do that she needs to steal five objects before she is captured by an unknown adversary. She has 5 days to escape before being lobotomized. In order to cope with the situation, she enters the hyper-real world of her imagination, and the lines between reality and dream begin to blur. She is joined with friends who are inmates from the institution. Lessons learned in the said fantasy world could help the girls escape their real-world fate.”

DRAGONS!  Did you see the dragons?!  Can’t wait for this one.  It releases in regular and IMAX theatres March 25, 2011.  Look in the gallery below for an awesome banner plus posters of all the leading ladies.

[Via SuckerPunch; Wiki]