I’m a huge fan of all things original. I tend to judge people based on how much they innovate, or just strive to stay true to themselves. Obviously, I also believe in studying other people and learning as much as you can, hence why we write on Pricklepear about the things we find cool. You shouldn’t have to re-invent the wheel just to stay current.

The point I’m getting at is that when an entire company and not just an individual takes the time to re-think the way they engage with the world, it tends to get noticed.

Swiss printing company Maxiprint did just this when they hired zurich-based ad agency Zurich to help them rebrand themselves as “the fastest printers in the world.” They studied news headlines and cultural events, and then produced, printed, and posted banners announcing the event so fast, they beat the morning news. They proceeded to do this for the entire first week of July. In fact, they were beating the news so many times that the actual news began writing about THEM.

Not only did they show that analog media doesn’t have to be slow, they also garnered a ton of exposure and free media. Check out the video (above) that they produced alongside the campaign. I would love to get involved with something that organic. Serious respect for everyone involved.

For more information, read the original articles at Creativity-Online. Video found at Swiss Miss.

So maybe Pichote beat me to the punch. Doesn’t mean that my links are totally better than his. Was it just me, or was his post completely skewed towards design and geeky stuff? So here are the real links, sorry you had to suffer through those other ones.

ModBlog is a body modification blog sponsored by BME. It is primarily a photoblog highlighting some of Shannon Larratt (who is the main writer for the blog) and Philip Barbosa’s favorite pictures from recent BME updates. In addition, it features occasional commentary and articles by a number of contributors. For those of you who are involved in body modification, or even for those who are simply curious, ModBlog is a fantastic place to stay on top of the new developments and techniques being used as well as a fantastic gallery of art. While a large part of the blog is dedicated to modification far beyond what the general public finds acceptable, it is sites like this (well, actually, probably just THIS site) that will slowly educate the public if not into understanding, then at least into accepting without understanding. Let thee be warned, I would advise against checking this blog while at work– you never know who’s looking over your shoulder.

This next site, however, is perfectly fine for cubicle reading. The Company Bitch may in fact even lighten your spirits so much that you smile and feel connected to this blogger, because she seems to feel about her job the same way you do about yours. Her about me is simple : ” I delete random posts in fits of paranoia. I like alcohol and bitchy people.” Her life and her blogging are far from simple, and include such colorful re-occuring cast as “re-boyfriend” and “S” (the best friend). I love this blog.

Trackstar is a bike shop in the Lower East Side of New York, owned and run by New York bike kids. On top of being nice people, their shop has tons of pretty shiny things (including all sorts of Nitto, Campy, DuraAce, etc for all you geeky bike fashonistas), lots of clothing, messenger bags, and accessories. Their blog is also a great place to keep up to date on upcoming bike events like alley cats and polo tournaments. Oh, and I want one of those new sweatshirts, they look pretty rad.

Speaking of bikes, my new favorite blog is Bike Snob NYC. Possibly only entertaining if you’re a bike enthusiast, this witty often dry humor site reviews finds from craigslist, fixedgeargallery, and velospace. If you ARE a bike enthusiast in any aspect, you will appreciate the authors chuckle inducing insight into all aspects of bicycle culture from spandex to ugly top tube pads on color co-ordinated track bikes.

In our efforts to keep this site filled with awesome and interesting new content, we are implementing a couple regular features. One will of course be site news, falling under the “Pricklepear News” category, and today we are introducing a new one: a collection of links that we found during this month that are noteworthy.

Because this is the first time we’ve posted it, this may include older links that you already know about. Consider this more of a foundation than a zeitgeist of the month (something that the coming posts should provide). Without any further ado, here are the links that you should bookmark/save/subscribe to from the month of August (and a little before):

Smashing Magazine delivers useful and innovative information for web-designers and web-developers. In their self-description, they say “Our aim is to inform our readers about the latest trends and techniques in web-development - clearly, precisely and regularly. We don’t try to convince you with the quantity, but with the quality of the information we present. That’s what makes us different. In fact, we smash you with the information which will make your life easier. Really.”

Whether or not they really “smash” you with the information, their posts tend to err on the long side of things, providing the top 80 links or designs where as other sites might post a top 10.

Look to them for hot new blog designs, resources on CSS and AJAX, or simply for an interesting read on a new topic while you are bored at work. Terrific sample posts include 50 beautiful web-designs, Guides to corporate branding/identity, and 20 fresh new icon sets.

Swiss Miss, the blog of swiss designer Tina Ross Eisenberg who recently moved to New York City, is her visual archive of things that ‘make her look’. While not blogging, she can also be found at the helm of her own design studio Projekt 2. This blog resides in my feed reader because the quick image heavy posts make for great mind fodder while delving through the text-heavy posts of news sites and chatty friends.

Look to Swiss Miss for design inspiration for furniture, unique household items, and just about anything that she deems “interesting.” Featured posts include typography from Paula Scher, interesting books to spice up your life, and funny/random videos on youtube.

NOTCOT.org is “a community of creatives, design lovers, and trendsetters.” It is essentially a hotlist or depository of cool stuff found across the interwebs. While quick and to the point, interested readers can find full editorial reviews of some if not all of the items showcased here on the parent site, NOTCOM.com

Another site worth of being added to your feedreader, NOTCOT will surprise you with a ton of new stuff almost every day. From cellphones, to perfume, to just straight-up cool artwork, visitors will not be disappointed.

Josh Spear is a young brand strategist who maintains a blog with his friends of their findings. “JoshSpear.com emerged in 2004 from the back of a Journalism 1001 class. Josh was disappointed with the way major academics ignored the blog-phenomena as a credible form of media. This blog began as a place to catalog those things he saw from a wide range of sectors both online as he surfed the web and offline as he travelled around the globe; he began writing daily about things he liked, reviewing products, ideas, people or places that inspired him. Today, the blog is a daily source of inspiration for marketers, brand managers, advertising executives, and a wide range of everyday people from around the world who love to stay ahead of the curve.”

Let Josh Spear keep you posted on fashion, hot new online magazines, and funky new technology.

While this site’s scope tends to rather broad, the content is always interesting and following links from posts will inevitably distract you from your boring life for at least an hour.

FAVEUP is one of the latest brainchildren from the serial entrepreneurs at Eden Creative Communities. Their properties include FreelanceSwitch, NorthxEast, and Flash Den.

FAVEUP is a design inspiration gallery that catalogues logos, business cards, and websites (CSS and flash).

Although one of the more recent up-starts in this list, they have since filled their archives with a ton of tantalizing designs to get you out of your creative block. It is also a great way to promote your own work and drive traffic to your latest project.

Behance claims to “work day and night to help creative professionals and organizations make ideas happen.” Their Team Philosophy page says “We are a bunch of designers, writers, developers, and entrepreneurs with a passion for what we call “productive creativity.” We believe that all creative realms, society, and life would be a lot more interesting and enjoyable if more creative ideas were pushed forward. Quite selfishly, we’d like to live in a world where productive creativity yields more inspirational media, progressive arts, groundbreaking discoveries, revolutionary businesses, and less of the same old, same old.”

I actually found the page by clicking on one of their advertisements on another site I read, and was immediately enticed by their carefully thought out product catalogue “Outfitter.”

While functioning as an online store and a job listing network, they also do interviews/spotlights highlighting other professionals in the field like Steve Bullock, Ryan Waller, and John Monteith.

The Serif (also known as Serif Publishing) is also a new-comer to the blog world, but have quickly established themselves as a force to be reckoned with, boasting over 10,000 readers per day (and counting) as well as introducing cool new features like Redesigner where visitors can submit the artwork they WOULD have made for existing work had they been commissioned. Publishing multiple times a day, this is another creative block breaker focusing primarily on print design and typography. This site will also introduce you to new artists and designers on a daily basis.

Don’t bother visiting the physical site, only add them to your feedreader. The site’s interactive features like comments and what not are almost completely dead. Consider this site a launching board for exposure, rather than a place to ask questions and read about the material being highlighted.

Worthy links include awesome print work, jawdropping clothing designs, and tips on cool new sites.

Ok, that wraps it up for this month’s link round-up. I’d add more but my fingers hurt, and I have a feeling I’ve already lost the majority of the readers to some of links listed above. Check back towards the end of every month for other group link collections worthy of your attention.

Oh the life of a celebrity…can’t even check out (and fail) and not get heckled for it. Poor Owen Wilson. At least now his terribly shaped nose is the least of his problems.

After reading that little tidbit, all I could imagine was this:

Yea yea, maybe a little tasteless, but you know you did as well. Those crazy Wilson brothers, can’t do anything right… kidding, I’m kidding! Feel better Owen, as much shit as people say, there would be less smiles in this world if it weren’t for you, and that’s never a good thing

It’s not very often that you encounter a product that completely changes the way you approach something as every-day as coffee. While the coffee purveyors of the world have been introducing model after model of shiny miniature espresso machines and single serving “coffee pods,” none have achieved the instant impact and popularity of the MyCuppa mug pictured on the right.

Catering to both coffee and tea drinkers, MyCuppa removes the ambiguity of personal taste as it relates to milk in your favorite beverage. By simply printing color guides along the inside rim of the mug, office interns, film production assistants and early rising spouses around the world can safely prepare a hot cup of joe without fearing that it will be dashed in their face for having too much/too little creamer.

Designed and sold by England based Suck UK, an excellent resource for thoughtfully designed gifts, the MyCuppa will set you back 7.50 pounds plus s/h (Online store link).

Just as an example of how cool this mug is, consider this: I don’t even like milk. I drink my coffee black. Still, I WANT THIS MUG. The only thing I can think of that might improve this product is if (and it may) it came with a sort of clip or marker where the drinker could set his or her preference before handing it over to the drink preparer. This would be great in a high traffic environment like a coffee or tea house. Off the top of my head, combining the clip with some sort of stirrer or straw (ideally recyclable, but disposable would work to) would make for a fool-proof drink, no matter who holds the carafe.

P.S. We know we were late to the draw on this post, but there are some announcements coming soon (i.e. September 1st) that will explain why this is an indicator of a lot of great new content.

So this isn’t a real post since I haven’t actually gotten to play with the Belkin N1 Vision myself, but fellow blogger Derek Punsalan has a published a great review (source of the photo after the jump).

While he gripes that the physical navigation buttons sometimes require a hard push, he assuages any fears that I had about the display being just another pointless gimmick in an already cluttered market. Being an Apple Airport (Extreme and Express) owner, I’m not shaken by high price tags, as long as the quality and reliability are accordingly high. He explains that the ability to see how much data is being pushed and who is pushing it makes this a router that even your techno-phobic parents could operate. Well, more than anything that came before it.

Ever since I joined the cult of mac, I’ve been a fan of quality packaging. I guess it’s one of those things you aren’t really aware of until you’ve come in direct contact with something done right. These days you can see clean, intelligent packaging from companies like Nintendo (in my case with the Wii), and now from Belkin. Even the device photography has a sense of style, playing with light and glossy surfaces to create the feel of sophistication. The one thing I will say is that I would like to see a picture of that thing with a power cord and 5 Ethernet cables running out of the back of it before I pass judgment on sitting it on the mantelpiece for display, instead of hiding it behind my computer desk like all the other network equipment I have.

On a side note, since we are talking about routers that anyone can set up, let’s talk about the stupid installation CD they come with. As a mac user, I am inclined to not even try loading a CD that comes from a mainstream provider like Belkin. Anyone who has set up a router in the past knows that you don’t REALLY need to install any software when all major setup configuration is done via the web administration panel, yet the manufacturer makes it all but impossible to find that IP address in the included paperwork. Even calls to tech support are reluctant to give it to you until you flash your Geek merit badge at them. Belkin apparently will hijack your DNS request if you are hardwired into the device, forwarding you to the admin panel after you type “routersetup,” but C’MON. It’s just numbers. Give them to me. Jeeeez. /end rant.

Maybe it’s because I love riding my bicycle (at least, that’s all I can figure) but for some reason, the ass of my jeans always fail on me. Seriously. One time, I threw my leg over my bike, only to hear a loud rip. I looked down, and sure enough, my jeans were split from crotch/ass to mid thigh. And those jeans were less than six months old.

Now don’t get the wrong idea; it’s not as if I put my jeans through any more stress than the average person. No trekking through rain-forests, no white water rafting adventures, no skateboarding or other injury intense sport. However, if I like a pair of jeans, I will wear them an average of two to three days a week, regardless of the season (rolled up in the summer, with underarmour under in the winter). The knees get abused a bunch from kneeling on the ground fiddling with equipment during film shoots, the ass region is in contact with a leather bike saddle for a minimum of 8 miles a day, they ride through rain/sleet/snow, and they get washed about once a week. Good denim that can last is an essential item to any person’s closet.

A little over a year ago, I bought a pair of Lucky Brand Jeans. The results are shocking, even to me.

Fully expecting these jeans (the Little Maggie), which I have worn consistently AT LEAST twice a week (often way more) for a full year to self destruct as all my previous pairs of jeans have, I am pleasantly surprised by their durability and fully anticipate purchasing another pair soon. These jeans have taken a beating, and don’t look any worse for the wear. While other jeans I’ve owned have shown pronounced wear in the ass/crotch area in as little as three months, the Luckys take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’. For over a full calendar year. I fully anticipate these jeans lasting at least another year before they begin to show the effects of aged denim.

Granted, at an average of $100+ per pair, one thing these jeans aren’t is cheap. However, the old adage rings true- “You get what you pay for.” And I am going to pay for a new pair of Lucky Brand Jeans this weekend to add to my new fall clothes. Sweet.

I am a creature of habit– should I enjoy something, I am 75% likely to repeat/repurchase/revisit. For the past two years, the first thing I do on lazy sunday mornings is snap up my apple lappie and visit postsecret.

Quickly (for those of you who live under a rock) postsecret is the brainchild of a man in suburban Maryland. It is a collection of people’s secrets mailed anonymously to this curator of hidden truths, who then selects a best of, if you will, of the weeks submissions then posts them every Sunday for the whole wide interweb to peruse.

Strangely, reading postsecret is the perfect start to the week because it creates within the reader empathy, sympathy, and a general sense of “damn at least I’M not harboring secrets like that!” Which is why I was really disappointed when I arrived at postsecret on Sunday morning not to be greeted with a blog chock full of people’s deep dark secrets for me to peruse as I pleased….but a video. And not a very engaging or well made one at that. Check below if you haven’t seen it yet.

Mr. Postsecret– if you’re reading this, I appreciate that you’re trying to stretch your artistic muscles here, but come on. Please stick to what you’re reliably good at- selecting the sometimes terrifying often funny occasionally shocking questionably honest postcards for Sunday from the hundreds of thousands that the general public has entrusted you with.

Seriously. Sundays ain’t the same without a lingering thoughtful visit to post secret.

My REload deluxe messenger bag is probably the most versatile thing that I own. While there are few things that this bag can’t swallow, it can also be compressed and simplified to hold the bare essentials. From a week’s worth of groceries to bike wheels, bike frames, small animals, several weeks of living necessities, it does it all with style and grace.

I’ve been using my bag for the last two years, more or less daily up until this summer. (While its size is one of its assets, my small stature also makes it slightly suffocating for me to use this bag in high heat– this summer I’ve only used it when I really need to lug stuff around. On the flip side, it’s my favorite blanket while out and about in the winter time, and is an added layer of protection between body and elements!) After two years of being my everyday bag- dragged across various classrooms, sandy beach locales, stuffed under airplane seats and bus cargo-holds, plopped into puddles, an impromptu pillow to rest your head and stare up at the stars — it still looks nearly brand new!

The standard features of REload’s messenger bags ensure that you begin the custom build process with a solid workhorse of a bag. Each bag is made of heavy duty cordura in a wide selection of colors, and is lined with your color choice of waterproof tarp. You choose the colors of the cordura, Velcro, thread, and piping. Two large pockets on the front of my bag allow me to keep little things (aka wallet, iPod, cell phone, notepads, etc) separated from the main compartment. Compression base straps allow me to keep the bag under control when there’s nothing in it, and the straps for the main flap and chest strap can tie just about anything your heart desires to the bag. The strap adjustment mechanism is easy to master using only one hand, which makes it a non-issue to do mid ride loosening/tightening. New optional add ons include pen slots on the inner pocket (which used to house my 12″ Powerbook perfectly) and an “FBI” pocket (flat back inside).

So, fantastically constructed durable bag aside, my favorite part about REload is the artists that work there. If you take a gander at their custom gallery, the bags they have on display are a testament to their ability to push the boundaries of what can be done with thread and needle. I paid about a hundred dollars extra to have a large panda eating bamboo dominate the flap of my bag, and I love it. If you’re ever in Philadelphia (Google Maps) or Seattle (Google Maps), you should meander in and check out their stock. Or, if you’re not anywhere nearby, go to www.reloadbags.com and poke around. Just keep in mind when ordering your custom bag, it’s gonna last nearly forever, so make it something original you can love- you’re likely to never stop using it once you start!

Co-owner Roland with his custom Bilenky

My first messenger bag ever back in 9th grade at Sherwood high school was a Crumpler “fux delux”, and despite it lacking some key features (see post REload Mess Bags for insight into nirvana in a cordura sack) it left me with many fond memories and a good taste in my mouth.

Earlier this year, we acquired a DVX100b and, largely living car free existences, required a camera bag that would be easily schlepped from home to shoots, all while sitting on our backs. Crumpler, with two locations in NYC (45 Spring Street in SoHo (Google Maps), 49 8th Ave (Google Maps)), offers a range of “camera bags” for everything from your tiny digital point and shoot to multi-lense/SLR body setups. They are all rather discreet looking, and in no way advertise what expensive delicate equipment lives inside, PERFECT for discreet travels. After seeing that my favorite photographer duo Jeremy and Claire Weiss of Day19 use “The Whickey and Cox” I was more than tickled and placed my order right away.

Shipping from NYC to Philadelphia was prompt, my order arriving about a week from having been placed. Upon first inspection, I’m surprised how structured the bag is, and wearing it I feel slightly like a turtle. The backpack/camera bag opens from the back, and the back panel has a sleeve for a laptop, plus pen slots and a small zippered compartment (perfect for the earplugs I always manage to forget to bring to shows!).

The guts of the bag are made up of velcro’d foam dividers, allowing each owner to customize compartments/layout to really suit their equipment. This is especially great if you travel with different pieces all the time, as it only takes minutes to reorganize and re-velcro the dividers to get a custom fit. Over all this is a zippered mesh shield, just to make sure nothing goes flopping around and getting broken.

Strap system on this bag is great, and includes both a hip strap and chest stabilizer strap. The main arm straps themselves are very well cushioned and aren’t likely to ever cut into you. A really nice touch is the inclusion of a tripod strap on the front of the backpack– fantastic to keep a small light tripod with you, and so out of the way you won’t ever notice, even while riding your bike!

All usability aside, one of the kickers for me is the look on people’s face when you bust out your (video)camera. I don’t think I have ever had somebody NOT say “Wow, that’s a camera bag?!?!” And that, my friends, is what makes this camera back pack so great– ease of use, superb protection, and discreetness. That, and even if it weren’t a camera bag, it’s a pretty sweet looking back pack!

Check out Crumpler (www.crumplerbags.com) for their full line of camera bags!