Now With 50% More Months

If you're going to stare at a calendar on your desk for the next year and a half, we think it should be this one.

I brake for quasi-religious symbols

Vehicle Identification System Update

We have word that recently two readers in New York, who followed our guidelines for updating their vehicle identification systems, pulled up alongside each other at a traffic light and celebrated their common bond by honking and pointing. Excellent. Our plot is beginning to take hold. Write for yours free today, but hurry, we only have tens of thousands left.

A New Photo Contest

Hey Kids, Who Wants To Be an Abstract Expressionist?

Bryan made an accidental photo and it gave him an idea for a contest. Take a minute to check it out and participate for your chance to win cool prizes and become an Abstract Expressionist! Rothkography: A Photo Contest.

Grey Skies Are Gonna Clear Up

Tips For Tough Times

As a public service, Steve and our pals from Schadenfreude present a new series of handy tips for Surviving The New Depression. Get happy.

It All Started In the Washroom

The Smiths Family Robinson

A while ago we hosted a quick contest called Booking Bands in which we asked people to combine the name of a book with the name of a band. We received thousands of entries, posted a ton of them and then randomly selected three and sent those people the book and a CD from the band that they mashed together. The process of coming up with funny or unexpected associations in this contest became a central part of JC's recent presentation at SXSW, A General Theory of Creative Relativity.

The Field-Tested Books Book

I Read That Somewhere

Announcing our biggest, best edition of Field-Tested Books yet. We looked over the shoulders of lots of smart people while they read lots of interesting books in lots of familiar and unfamiliar places and now you can too. All the Field Tests from this new collection and previous years are online. Plus, we've created a sweet, new, limited-edition poster with Spike Press and we're totally excited to say that the first-edition of The Field-Tested Books Book, a paperback containing 143 selected reviews, is also available for purchase. We'll be making a donation to First Book for every one we sell, so order a book for yourself and help us buy a truckload of new books for underprivileged kids. Buy one today, we'll ship it today.

Note: Our Field-Tested Books project is featured in a piece by Alison Cuddy on Chicago Public Radio's "Eight Forty-Eight" this morning.

How Do You Spell Courage?

Inaction Heroes

For the proper effect, check the trailer first and then please take a few minutes (eleven actually) to watch our short feature film about words, pictures and bravery, Copy Goes Here. In case you missed it, here's what our home page looked like when we debuted the movie.

A CP Film In Five Parts

Laboratory Conditions

While we were in Los Alamos, New Mexico, looking for locations for one film project, we discovered a lot more about the town and its people than we bargained for. So we made a different film and called it Laboratory Conditions. It's being shown here in five pieces and is also available on DVD.

No Game No Plot

The Breeders’
“Walk it Off”

After stumbling into a lifetime-dream-fulfilling chance to direct a music video for indie-rock legends The Breeders, SD and BB came up with a concept for the song "Walk It Off" from the band's fantastic new album Mountain Battles. But wanting to make things extra-complicated, they decided to turn a fairly simple plot into an interactive, multiple-perspective, experimental experience.

Collected Collections

The MoOM

Tons of new listings and exhibits have been posted for the summer at our Museum of Online Museums. The MoOM was featured on All Things Considered and in the NY Times. It was also selected as one of Time Magazine's 50 Coolest Websites and was discussed on a recent episode of NPR's Hello Beautiful! Consider joining our Museum Board, a subscription comes with a coffee mug but none of the snootiness so often associated with the patronage of cultural institutions.

Layer Tennis The Final Fiasco

Forth and Back

It was a long, amazing Layer Tennis Season, relive it here while we start planning the next one. The matches were presented by Adobe® Creative Suite® 3 , the weapon of choice for creative people and Layer Tennis players everywhere. The project has just been shortlisted for Cannes Lions in two categories, "Best Use of Internet/New Media" and "Business Products & Services." Winners are announced Wednesday.

Other recent features are listed on Page Two.

Fresh Signals

Brush Knuckles, a collection of things inspired by the brass variety. sd-today

"But who is 'Steve' and why is he angry? And why does the mere mention of his name stop Charlie cold?" Charlie Rose by Samuel Beckett. sd-today

This apparently could only be played at night but what a blast it would be to wait at a stop light. Ampel-Pong. Via The Design Blog. ms-today

"Each time a new table is produced, one pixel is removed from the design. Following these rules of self-destruction, the shape becomes more intricate as it diminishes." This Table Will Self-Destruct from Chicago based Studio 1a.m. Via bblinks. sd-today

Posted without comment: Juicy Jay's Sizzling Bacon, bacon flavored rolling papers. sd-today

Open N.Y.'s terrific The Measure of a President infographic for the NY Times. sd-today

Music vid of the moment: Tahiti 80's All Around. sd-today

Japanese Matchbox Gallery. jc-today

This American Life had a fantastic show this weekend explaining in detail how we got to where we are with the financial crisis. You can listen to the show here. ms-today

Thunderdog's voter registration Obama campaign posters. sd-today

A Ha's Take On Me, the Literal Video Version. Brilliant. sd-today

Trailer for the film Sunshine Cleaning. ms-today

Nakheel aims for the sky, announcing a new Dubai building over 1km tall. Yowza. jc-today

Our plan to save the economy. jc-today

...and just in case it doesn't work. jc-today

Steven Heller and Lita Talarico's The Design Entrepreneur: Turning Graphic Design Into Goods That Sell, is a new book from SVA which includes a profile of CP. Thanks for that. Cha-ching. jc-today

For the past several months Eric Baker has been emailing one image to friends every day. Splendid. jc-today

Etienne Meneau hearts wine. jc-today

A documentary hosted by United Reggae, The Story of Randy's, the legendary Kingston record shop and studio. Via gmt+9(-15). jc-today

"It's still possible to travel around the world without airborne transportation, of course. And here also the travel times have greatly diminished since Phileas Fogg's era." Around the world in 42 days. jc-today

Will Hudson found the actual in the virtual by organizing a big show of work that has been featured on It's Nice That and displaying it at The Plymouth College of Art in Devon UK. Here's some photos of the exhibition. We're happy to have had our Field Notes included. jc-today

"During recent years, with the growing sophistication and consumerism of the modern Chinese, public parks have evolved in a strange, limpid, direction towards what I would describe as 'pseudo-theme parks', where 'fairground' style mechanical games or attractions are built." Photographer Dustin Shun's series It Isnae Disney. ms-today

So you know, Empire Magazine's 500 Greatest Movies of all time. ms-today

Brilliant, we need one of these for the studio refrigerator . ms-today

So you know, the Best Science images of 2008. ms-10.04

Trailer for the film The Pleasure of Being Robbed. ms-10.04

Winners of the 2008 Worldwide Logo Design Annual Awards. Via LogoDesignLove. sd-10.03

Guinness' Spoken Word spot. sd-10.03

On keeping clients happy even after the job is done: Making a Good Last Impression, now at the Jewelboxing blog. sd-10.03

Song and video of the moment, Fleet Foxes' White Winter Hymnal. ms-10.03

The list of subjects covered in a new set of "Manners" posters for the Tokyo subway was practically asking to be expanded, and Hitotoki answered the call. jc-10.03

Some interesting bus stop ads. dw-10.03

A quick offer for the weekend. Buy the Field Tested Books Book and awesome limited-edition Spike Press screened poster Combo Deal before Monday and save ten more dollars. Use the coupon code WHAT2READ jc-10.03

Open source software that helps you track down your stolen computer. Via MeFi. ms-10.03

Trailer for the horror film Shiver. ms-10.03

Page Two contains the previous 35 Fresh Signals, recent features, a key to the icons and the categorical archives.

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15 Minutes

Dude, it's a watermelon [?]

The Producers

Claire Zulkey
Howard Mann
Carlos Parrilla
Damien Newman
Drew Myler
Grant Hutchinson
Skipintro
R.BIRD
Karen Labenz
Andrew Figgins
Mark Powell
Mike Keen
Chet Yeary II
Greg Storey
Matt Lee
Jeremy Quinn
Grant Unrau
Debbie Millman
David Demaree
Charles Adler
Paul Joyce
S.J. Barlament
Stephen Vance
Sam Potts
John Tolva
Cameron Moll
J. Thomas Lowell
Hillman Curtis
Gridiron Software
Loyd Boldman
Heidi J Nyburg
William N. Kilarjian
Mario Van der Meulen
Simon Angling
Colin Scroggins
Inline Studio
Witold Riedel
Alan Hawkins
Marko Dugonjic
Chris Bernard
Matt Mullenweg
Alexander Muse
Dan Rubin
Thomas Mackechney
Dan Cederholm
Eric Mersmann
Ben Edwards
Brian Seethaler
Lightburn
Matt Haughey
Bill Keaggy
Pierre Mai
Kevin Hamm
Andre Torrez
Greg Hoy
Issa Breibish
Drew Stauffer
Abby Urban
Christopher Ebmeyer
Jeffrey Rutzky
Robert D. Whitson

Your Name Here

the pitch

You can be an Executive Producer of our new short feature film, 72°. If you've always wanted to be a hotshot Hollywood player, or you just want to lend a hand to the project here's your chance.

A Thing We Made:
Jewelboxing

We hated the options available for custom packaging DVDs and CDs so we created a brand that gives creative professionals and hobbyists the tools to make great stuff. Here's a bit from the latest Jewelboxing weblog entry:

"Why not make an effort to keep those clients you've enjoyed working with coming back and possibly sticking solely with you for the long haul?" Read the entire post.

Some Other Things We Made:

Field Notes Brand "I'm not writing it down to remember it later. I'm writing it down to remember it now." A CP/DDC joint.

Pinsetter: Spell with buttons.

Limited-edition, professionally mixed and mastered, custom-designed live performances on CD. That's The Show. With partners like The Pixies and Dead Can Dance. More news soon.

Lowercase Tee: For politically and otherwise active kids.

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stuff beside
updating this site.

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infrequent mail

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