New Scooters by Segway

Ladies and Gentlemen,

General Motors and Segway have created the contraption above, a two-wheeled urban scooter/segway that runs on batteries! It is called the Personal Urban Mobility and Accessability (PUMA) and is aimed to be released in 2012. Nevertheless, it only reaches 35 mph and is sort of a follow up from the failed BMW C1. To me, the PUMA kind of looks like a westernized fuel-efficient rickshaw, and I just hope they bring this to Asia's most polluted cities. This new innovation begs the question: is this the real solution to the problems surrounding urban transportation?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123906731177395605.html

The Latest Fashion in Protesting

Ladies & Gentlemen,

Nothing says political outrage like a storm trooper in a pink suit, now thats style.

April Fool Camera by Kodak

Ladies & Gentlemen,

On April 1, Kodak made the biggest April Fool practical joke, by pretending they made an amazing breakthrough in camera technology. Its called the eyeCamera 4.1, and basically it lets you take a photo of exactly what you see, they even included an image stabilizer if you just had a couple of drinks! The steps to take a photo with the eyeCamera are just look, focus, zoom and snap. On Kodak.com they even said "In partnership with the Superman Corporation located in the Fortress of Solitude, we co-developed this amazing feature at a bargain price. But remember, even though you will be able to see through walls and closed doors you will not be able to walk through them."

Cycling with style

Ladies & Gentlemen,

What I bring to this blog today is the solution to messing your fine threads while cycling. London based company, Rapha has created a new lifestyle brand around the urban cycling culture by combining tasteful clothing and accessories with optimum performance.

Created by Simon Mottram and Luke Scheybeler in 2004, Rapha launched its niche market, chic cycling clothing that doesn't look out of place in town. Unlike pro cyclers using bright coloured unitards , you won't stick out like a sore thumb at the local café.

However not only do they design casual clothing, they've even got into specifically tailored suits to bikes for the working cycler. In the urban riding community, Rapha has drawn a large following despite their pricey products.

www.rapha.cc

Also be sure to check out my twitter page at www.twitter/ambassadorok

Tibits, making veggie kool

Ladies & Gentlemen,

Londoners have probably heard the buzz around this chic new restaurant and bar. The idea of Tibits was created when the three Frei brothers participated in a business plan competition and pitched their idea to start a high-class vegetarian restaurant concept by partnering with the age-old restaurant, Hiltl of Zurich. Since the first restaurant opened in 2000 in Zurich, they expanded to three other locations across Switzerland and recently two in London. Both Hiltl and Tibits have been a personal favourites of mine since I first visited Zurich as a kid, now whenever I pass by I always stop at one of their branches for a quick bite or drink, and I suggest you do the same!

www.tibits.co.uk - Heddon Street and Westfield, London

- Seefeldstrasse & Sihlstrasse, Zurich

www.hiltl.ch - Sihlstrasse, Zurich

From real to subconscious to dreams to hallucinations

Ladies & Gentlemen,

On a serious note, isn't there a time or place in your life that you don't have a photograph of that you would like to remember? The link between photography and memory is superficial, and snapshots have always had a liberal connection with reality. Ari Folman's film Waltz with Bashir premiered at Cannes and has since picked up all sorts of awards. The animated feature is a stylized form of depicting a soldier's memory of the horrors of the Lebanese War in 1982. It emphasizes on the subjectiveness of memory as the Israeli director interviews people on the atrocities of war, while moving through the past and present. The whole picture comes together before a denouement that left me completely speechless (don't worry I won't reveal any spoilers!), instantly making it one of my favourite movies of all time. This movie is a powerful statement towards war and displays some terrific artwork to uncover the horrifying truth of the human condition.

Waltz with Bashir was released on dvd on Friday, and I can't wait to get my hands on it!

Murakami @ the Guggenheim

Ladies & Gentlemen,

Displaying his latest exhibition, Takashi Murakami, one of Japan's most distinguished artists is on view at the Guggenhiem Museum in Bilbao, Spain. You may recognize his style from the artwork on Kanye West's album, Graduation which launched his art into fashion as well. Most of his work has been inspired by contemporary Japanese pop culture, such as anime and manga, while also incorporating traditional Japanese art from Buddhist scriptures.

I've got to say, many contemporary artists pass their work off as art even though its just a blob on a canvas. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, "True art takes note not merely of form but also of what lies behind". Murakami uses his art as a statement whether it is on the human condition or society. People have compared him to Andy Warhol in terms of his 'low' art (meaning cheap to make) being sold to the highest bidder to reflect on modern day consumerism.

Murakami's exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is on display until May 31, 2009

www.takashimurakami.com