Mer-chan: technocuddly, cute, arty, geeky stuff from Asia and beyond

Spock of Tea, Old Chap?

merchan — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:32:03 +0000

Check out Rabbittooth.com’s Steampunk Star Trek wallpaper.

Scientist Spock is just one example. How come taking Star Trek back in time and making it Victorian steampunk modernizes it? It’s a riddle wrapped in a question.

Nice and Neat

Katy Chang — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:20:43 +0000

Hello! We’re smoothing out any wrinkles and making hospital corners on the new design, so if you’re having trouble with orders, comments or the site in general, feel free to email me at katy chang@me r-chan.co m. And if ou miss the old design, watch this — it’ll make you feel lots better!

Did You See the Frown?

merchan — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:50:23 +0000

A sad night sky
Yesterday, Jupiter, Venus and the moon aligned in the sky as an upside down frowny face. :-( Or, if you wish to be more scientific like National Geographic, the occurrence resembled a brief “unhappy face.” Either way, it is nice to see the night sky finally catching the emoticon wave. We can’t wait until the Milky Way winks at us. ;-)

Get RAM or Die Terabytin’

merchan — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:33:19 +0000

Nerdcore combines the east coast-west coast rivalry with macs versus PCs. So we love it! Check out Mac-loving “Computer Friends (Stack the Memory)” by Sniper Twins; it was supposedly “composed and performed on company time.” Which is the nerd equivalent to being shot nine times. So hard!

Fold ‘n’ Gobble

merchan — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:36:10 +0000

We’re off for Thanksgiving weekend, nursing Campari and sodas for our minds and bellies. Check out Make’s paper turkey, which vegetarians and omnivores can both agree is better than leather turkey.

We love the way it takes off on the facets trend in fashion and home decor. And like all good things, you can hack it and make it a turkalope or give it extra legs so everyone can get a drumstick.

The Sweet Short Later

Katy Chang — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 09:29:37 +0000

I’m super impatient so I really appreciate short laters. But I still like The Clock of the Long Now. The 10,000-year mechanical clock is part of the Long Now Foundation’s slow-tech movement. They also have The Long Server project that works on file conversion and digital continuity. You can buy a replica on sale for $200 (marked down from $500); one satisfied reviewer gives it a 5 out of 5 and says, “I use it to hold open the bathroom door.”

Bye-babooshka

merchan — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:15:07 +0000

Artist Souther Salazar’s painting Babooshka hung over the entryway and protected the Mer-chan studio for almost 3 years now. She’s come down and will be relocating with the rest of the studio to Dubai. She’s saying, “Good things are happening, the vibrations tell me so.” You can also see 2/8ths of Octavius’ stripey octopus legs dangling from the loft. He’s swimming all the way there!

Raindrops from Your Eyes

Katy Chang — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:23:29 +0000

Felling down? I don’t blame you. The economy is in a nosedive. Seems like some teen killed himself on streaming video while people watched but didn’t try to help, our KittyGenovese.tv. Even the astronauts have dropped the bag. Free to Be…You and Me is a comforting book/movie/soundtrack in these uncomfortable times, and I am happy to introduce Rosey Grier singing, It’s Alright to Cry:

Bots as Life Lines

merchan — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:13:07 +0000

In a weird twist, robots may the ones pulling the plug on you. Someday soon robots will be the caregivers to millions of aging baby boomers. The uBOT-5 can carry out simple tasks and can spot trouble and call 911 if necessary. These robots will put LifeCall even more out of biz than they already are. Remember the “I’ve fallen… and I can’t get up!” lady? Ooooh, someone should remix it with the uBot-5. For your inspiration:

Design Porn

Katy Chang — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:02:41 +0000

This spoof (emphasize the poof) on the Pixar lamp is great. Who hasn’t lusted after lighting? Achille Castiglioni’s Arco lamp does it for me every time.