The Brilliance!

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We’re really internet and we’re really back. A website about things Benjamin , Chuck , Virgil , and various friends & guests think are interesting. Little-to-no specific focus, a bit odd, speling errors, and incredibly culturally relevant.

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The Deep Impact Mission!

I don’t know how much we will actually end up benefiting from this expensive-ass mission, but I can say that this video from NASA is pretty incredible. It’s mind boggling to think they can perfectly ‘aim’ something with all the variables involved. I mean, this video almost looks fake. Either way, big shout out to the rocket-nerds @ NASA for straight holding it down in the comet knocking department, you certainly peeled it’s wig back…that was wild corny. Whatever, we can post anything we want on this site. Check the video. I wonder if there are groupie girls for these NASA guys…

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Aldi’s Marketing & Execution!

Aldi on this site?! Yes. I’ll be honest, the Aldi’s where I grew up were not places you wanted to visit…there was nothing brilliant about them except the cheap prices for ‘sour balls.’ This has changed a bit. While I haven’t actually been in one of there stores in well of 10 years, they seem to be doing some very interesting things. I’m not sure if it was just a local offer but they had an insert in my Sunday paper for an $89.99 iPod shuffle. Wow. The only place I have ever heard of to offer the product for that cheap. Rumor is, from people on the inside, is that Aldi is doing all sorts of stuff like this in the near future to help change their image and increase market share…what is interesting is there execution of deals/promotions like this. They are very tight-lipped about anything until the actual ad runs in the Sunday paper so big players (in this case) like Target, Wal-mart, and Best Buy can’t get the jump and lower their pricing to match or beat Aldi. Maybe I am the only one who finds this interesting… I just love when the underdog gets clever. That is the new way.

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Semi-Permanent 2005 & Chuck Anderson!

We’re like Damon Dash and Cam’ron on Bill O’Reilly with the self-promotion. Semi-Permanent @ the Lincoln Center in NYC on the 9th and 10th of September…a decent line-up of speakers featuring my main, main man, Chuck Anderson…so check it! I don’t even know what Chuck is speaking about, and I don’t know if he even knows what he’s speaking about yet, but it should be good. I’m assuming it will be a step-by-step instructional speech on how he does ‘those glow things’ along with a lengthy explanation of exactly what programs he uses, how big his monitors are, how fast his computer is, and of course a step-by-step motivational speech on how he got ‘those big clients.’ Wow, just playing…for real, it should be a great conference event. Chuck and I will both be in attendance, I won’t be speaking or anything, but I will have a ton of snaps to deliver if you’re wearing dirty shoes. Check the other speakers too including Threadless and Visonaire. Good stuff.

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Glow-in-the-dark Kaws Companion?!

Basically all we can say is get ready. Kaws is hitting the art world off with another brilliant companion figure, but this time I believe it is the glow-in-the-dark one that was released in real limited numbers to the Japanese market a while back. My personal favorite of all his ‘characters’ with that ominous/creepy/fun type look that you just can’t put your finger on, except this one glows…guaranteed to weird-out people that visit Chuck’s place that don’t ‘get’ the whole Kaws thing. So yeah, stay steady checking the site towards the end of July… I’m thinking it’ll hit for like $200-250, but that’s just a guess. As always, huge shout out to Kaws.

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Supreme & Terry Richardson!

I personally try not to ‘jock’ these brands too much…you know? But I really like what I see with this. It’s for the June issue of a Japanese fashion magazine called ‘Cool Trans’ with Nigo on the cover I believe…they had Terry Richardson do the photo-shoot for the new Supreme line in his highly distinguishable style, perfect. I love that paisley crew sweatshirt. Check the Superfuture thread from the link below for more pictures. Thanks to slamxhype for the information.

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Futura & DPMHI Event Pictures!

His latest work is so fresh. Perfect. I love how these show him actually creating those ‘cap spray’ pieces…that’s what I call them, you know? Those pieces are so…new. All these pictures are from Fatsarazzi and they seem to have captured the night quite well. Makes me wish I attended more events like this. Too many vacations lately though. Yeah, check the pictures, check Futura’s fresh cardigan…making all these kids wish they could rock cardigans and still be cool. Anyway, check the event, check the scene, and check the ART! That’s what’s up and that’s what’s really good.

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Google Earth!...and just Google in general!

These guys… Who knew they would change the way we viewed the internet (literally) and would have a stock price over $300?! Ridiculous, congrats to these guys…they represent the new economy and the new way business will run. Any damn way, Google Earth is incredible. When I was first reading about it I didn’t fully grasp what it could do…but after reading Wired Magazine’s write up on it I have officially changed my mind. It will truly be the conduit between the internet world and the physical world. Now that is some corny sci-fi type stuff, but for real. Basically it’s Google Maps in an international format spread across a true-to-size 3d globe. But this time you can import Excel documents with addresses and various other custom bits of information that can be both displayed and shared with other users in real-time. Crazy stuff like real time charts of where buses are, where flights are, etc. Too wild. So yeah, that’s the nerd post for the day. Or the week.

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Deep Thoughts, again.

I will be leaving town for a few days, taking a vacation of sorts with some friends until Monday. While I am on my trip and unable to post new, exciting tidbits of life here on THE BRILLIANCE, you will be blessed with the exclusive posts that Ben makes. Anyways, a few deep thoughts before I go…

·I got my pass for Lollapalooza in Chicago this year. Unfortunately, there are really no bands I’m interested in seeing besides M83 and maybe The Pixies. Other than that, I’m bored to death.
·Since we started THE BRILLIANCE, we have gotten hooked up with a lot of good people who have sent us a lot of cool stuff, mostly t-shirts, and I love it. So, thanks.
·You must own at least one pair of Vans slip-ons no matter who you are
·Phil Frost has an exhibition from July 16th - August 27 at the Blk/Mrkt Gallery.
·We got a ton of emails in response to the post I made about Kimou of Grotesk. Seriously, we did. He has a ton of friends
·Ben told me he might start wearing Vandals instead of Stan Smiths. This is big…Post this on your blog and tell a friend.
·My cable bill is $44.35 a month

That is all I can think of for now. Happy early 4th of July.

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Tom Cruise… ...?

I mean, congratulations on bagging Katie Holmes, I can’t front on that. But honestly, I give this dude 10 years…max. He will be a complete nut case. While I don’t read tabloids or anything, I do read Page Six, check Getty, and try to follow pop-culture to a certain extent…and if you are the same, you would most likely agree with me, Tom Cruise is slowly slipping off the edge of reality. I’m sorry to knock Scientology, but yo, a dude who writes science fiction books started the religion…! Am I the only one who see’s this?! That’s like the plot to some funny-ass movie right there. But yeah, you got Tom Cruise talking about aliens and that ‘we are not alone’ in interviews (CNN) right after he stars in War of the Worlds. He’s taking his work home with him for sure. Jumping on sofas on Oprah…I don’t care how famous he is, let him put those size 5 ½ cowboy boots on my sofa, I’d rock his legs like Charlie Murphy did to Rick. Making his girlfriend switch over to his religion and constantly making out in public?! The list goes on… He was always a little creepy in interviews, but for real, he is going crazy. You read it here on THE BRILLIANCE! first. Top Gun was dope though.

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New VISIONAIRE Toys!

Alright, first off, I don’t like the whole toy thing. Chuck and I ‘argue’ about this often, its pretty funny actually. I mean, I like Kaws stuff, but all that other stuff wierds me out a bit. But Visionaire’s new toys are pretty sick. This is round two for them. The first ones featuring Marc Jacobs and some other sold out crazy quick, I can only imagine these will do the same. The basic idea… a blank template is given to select designers and they can do whatever they see fit. Check the Helmut Lang one…the taxi cab, wild! So fresh, and the Emilio Pucci and Gucci ones are pretty incredible as well. Limited to 2500 for each set and you can buy them directly off the site. Check it!