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Last Chess Shop In New York City
Imad Khachan, owner of Chess Forum in New York City, didn't intend to run a chess shop — the last one in New York. He intended to get a Ph.D. in American literature and teach or write, but what we set out to do and what actually happens are rarely the same. A Lebanese refugee, Imad recalls coming to America, what it means to him, and what his store means to the community he calls home.
Florence + the Machine Tiny Desk Concert
The dog days are over. Florence + the Machine have finally performed their first tiny desk concert. Backed by a pedal harp, an acoustic guitar, and the vocals of Hazel Mill, Florence Welch performs an ethereal mix of songs from their new album "High as Hope" as well as their 2015 release "Ship to Wreck."
Nick Offerman's United Center Statue
There are few higher honors in the Windy City of Chicago, Illinois than having a bronze likeness installed in the United Center. Michael Jordan, Scotty Pippen, Steve Kerr, and other Chicago greats are all there, and now a new figure has taken their place among the greats — Nick Offerman. Only this statue has a twist — its Nick Offerman himself.
John Carpenter Plays the Halloween Theme
John Carpenter isn't just a horror movie master — he's also a musician and composer. His theme from Halloween is a classic, and the film wouldn't be the same without that creepy music. IGN brought Carpenter into the studio to play the Halloween theme on a Nintendo Labo, and let's just say it isn't his favorite instrument.
Watership Down
"All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed." So begins the classic children's tale Watership Down. Based on a novel of the same name, Watership Down became an animated classic in 1978, and 40 years later, the BBC is bringing it to a new audience in computer-animated form.
Palace Tokyo
London-based skatewear label Palace is opening a new store in Tokyo and created a very disturbing advertisement to celebrate the occasion. A man in a Shining-esque hallway, an oni, and Jonah Hill's head with a classic Japanese final shot mark Palace's arrival in the land of the rising sun.
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Skechers Boots & Trail Shoes
Skechers is known for their comfortable, casual shoes, but they also make shoes suitable for the great outdoors. Their lineup of boots and trail shoes are crafted with water-resistant materials and rugged outsoles, with designs that range from slip-resistant, toe-protecting work boots to traction-focused sneakers. No matter the style, they all feature the brand's signature Air-Cooled Memory Foam insole for all-day comfort.
Presented by Skechers.
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OOFOS OOcoozie Thermo Mule
Treat your tired feet to the ultimate aprés recovery this winter with the OOcoozie Thermo Mule from OOFOS. The patented impact-absorbing OOfoam™ footbed goes beyond comfort to reduce stress on the body. Paired with a quilted, Primaloft upper for insulated warmth this modern mule is deal for sliding on when lounging around the house, warming up after a cold-weather run, or just running errands.
Presented by OOFOS.
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The History of Cemeteries
Cemeteries weren't always drab places that were scary at night. For most of human history, the dead weren't necessarily buried, and the places where they were laid to rest were often sites of celebration. TED looks at the history of getting rid of all the bodies, and how it's changed over the millennia.
1980s Oculus Rift
VR has been around since the 1980s, but the tech required for legitimate mainstream use hasn't. Oculus brought the dream of VR to the masses with their 2012 Kickstarter campaign, followed by two development headsets before the official release of the Rift in 2016. But what if the Rift had been developed using 80s tech? Squirrel Monkey looks at what 80s VR might have been like with a vintage installation video from the 8-bit age — and all the batteries, PC peripherals, and vector graphics you could dream of.
Nike Diamond Dunk
Originally designed for Girl Skateboards, the Nike Diamond Dunk became a sensation before it released in 2005 — thanks to some unintended marketing that was a harbinger of today's use of social media. Founder of Diamond Supply Co. Nick Tershay talks about how he ended up with the shoe and the 20th anniversary edition Diamond and Nike are about to drop.
Said The Whale / UnAmerican
Sometimes, music alone won't draw people in but an eye-catching video can do just the trick. Canadian band Said The Whale took that theory into consideration and 2,250 photos later they caught our attention. The whole video was created using stop-motion and zero special effects.
The Art of Overanalyzing Movies
Part of being human is giving meaning to things that might not mean anything. This over-analyzation is especially prevalent in film — sometimes there isn't anything special about a scene, but we're almost desperate to find meaning anywhere we can. Now You See It looks at the art of trying to pack as much meaning into a film as we can, even where it means nothing.
Travelling Through Brush and Ink
A young boy falls into a painting — and discovers a fantastic world that he becomes a literal part of. Travelling Through Brush and Ink is a journey through four important landscape paintings that represent shifts in not just in style, but in politics and culture. Director Annlin Chao and her team created everything by hand, which can be seen in the making of video.
Binging with Babish's Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
Not only was he Charlie Brown's best friend, but Snoopy was also an explorer, ace fighter pilot, and cook, as evidenced in his magnificent Thanksgiving feast in the holiday special A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Babish recreates the iconic meal and also takes the mystery out of cooking the perfect turkey, along with a generous portion of jellybeans.
Share Your Gifts
The latest feel-good holiday ad comes courtesy of Apple. Featuring the song "Come Out and Play" by Billie Eilish, their animated spot follows a creative spirit who hides away her talents because she's too afraid to share them. Things get warm and fuzzy when her creations make it outside of her apartment to a city of soon-to-be fans.
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Moral Code
Designed in-house and crafted in their family-owned and -operated leather tannery and factories, Moral Code's selection of handcrafted footwear, bags, and accessories is built to last. They're also built ethically as certified by Social Accountability International (SAI) for production and employment practices. During their Cyber Monday, select timeless styles are up to 50% off, making them easy on your conscious and your wallet.
Presented by Moral Code.
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Duer Loden Green Live Free Adventure Pant
Built to withstand whatever life throws its way, Duer's Live Free Adventure pant is made to navigate city streets or nature trails in this Peat colorway. Crafted from a hybrid twill fabric, they're stretchy, antibacterial, moisture-wicking, and given a DWR treatment for water-repellency. These modern cargo-style pants are relaxed through the thigh with a straight leg. Featuring gusseted upper inner thighs, triple-stitched seams, and a reinforced seat. The hems are adjustable for versatility and have both a key ring and zippered cargo pockets for safe storage of essentials.
Presented by Duer.
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Creating the Spectacle
For those confined to a wheelchair, swimming in the ocean might be a far-fetched dream. British artist Sue Austin is defying that presumption with her specially-designed underwater wheelchair that allows her to swim as well as those without a disability. Austin first unveiled the chair as a part of the 2012 London Olympic ceremonies with the goal of inspiring others to follow their dreams.
The End of Space
Trash isn't just a problem on the surface of Earth — it also poses a danger for the communications and scientific infrastructure that we rely on in space. 60 years of launching things into orbit have created a huge amount of space junk that can destroy satellites, even at sizes as small as a pea. With the problem of space junk growing exponentially, some novel solutions have been proposed, from nets and harpoons to repelling magnets and lasers.
Creating the Nissan GT-R50 by Italdesign
Nissan celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Skyline GT-R with a one-off, heavily customized creation by Italdesign. In a turn from today's mass-produced cars, Italdesign designed and built the extensive body and interior modifications completely by hand. Watch the process as it goes from clay mockup to finished product by the hands of these Italian craftsmen.
NASA InSight Mars Landing
NASA's InSight touched down on the Red Planet on November 26 with a plethora of instruments that will exponentially increase our understanding of Mars. InSight is the first lander that takes its instruments from itself and places them on the surface — described as the most high-tech version of the arcade claw game you could imagine. NASA streamed the whole event live, along with the first communications from InSight.
World's Fastest Wheel-Driven Car
Every year at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, teams from around the world come to break land speed records on the dry lake bed. The Vesco Turbinator II set a new land speed record for a wheel-driven car at 503 MPH. After the run, the team thought the Turbinator II had more left, and think a 600 mPH run might be possible.
The First Manned Launch of an Apollo Mission
15 months before the launch of Apollo 11 that landed the first humans on the Moon, Apollo 7 was the first Apollo mission that carried humans into orbit. NASA celebrates the first manned launch of the Apollo program with this retrospective featuring archival footage and interviews with Walter M. Schirra, Donn F. Eisele, and R. Walter Cunningham, the three astronauts on the historic mission.
