Last month we showed you footage of the worst beer dispenser invented which, from the branding, appeared to be the twisted idea of Japanese brewers Asahi.
Well you’ll be glad to hear that they have well and truly redeemed themselves with this awesome beer vending machine, as discovered at Narita Airport.
There’s no spillage, you aren’t prompted at every turn by a twee, recorded Japanese voice, and it’s about 3 whole minutes quicker.
Knowing what airports are like, though, this beer probably cost more than what you’d spend on the robot.
This pocket watch alarm clock is based around the premise that antique pocket watches, despite their classic looks and (often still functioning) precision mechanics, don’t really have a place in the modern world.
It’s a depressing point, but true (unless you’re a nurse) – as went waistcoats, so went fob watches.
So where better to keep your collectible pocket watch than in this alarm clock case? The subtle, hidden LED display (it only appears when you pick the unit up) is a great idea that has a future beyond this clock, and it’s great to have the classic look of the fob watch face to look at the rest of the time.
But there’s just one slight problem that we can spot in this picture. We’ll leave it up to you to discover it for yourself.
Couches made out of old cars were always the ultimate bachelor pad accessory (at least in movies) in the 80s. The ultimate sign that you were willing to plunge offensive amounts of money into a bulky and uncomfortable piece of furniture because, let’s admit, it looked pretty cool.
And this Porsche 917-inspired couch is exactly that. Really damn cool. Rather than echo a classic 50s convertible or 60s muscle car, this is a flashback to the Le Mans 24-hour winners of 1970 and 1971.
It fulfills our other criteria, too. At $75,000, it’s about 1.5 million dollars less than you’d pay for an actual 917, but a kajillion times more than what any sane man would spend on a one-seater couch. And, with what appears to be some thin leather cushions on a fiberglass base, it’s definitely the seat you’ll offer to guests as you sit in something far more comfortable.
But if you had the spare money and space, you’d be a fool to pass it up. You get the choice between the Gulf and Martini liveries, and only 17 of each will be made.
And now we lay down the challenge – could you sit in it for 24 hours?
In what we hope will become a trend for manufacturers (of anything) the world over, three guys from the finance division at Thompson Cigar have reviewed the Socorro Torpedo. Their verdict? It’s “cool”.
(And, before you get all uppity with us, we’re aware that the Socorro pictured isn’t, in fact, the torpedo. The guys seemed to have been so keen to consume this stogie that they forgot to take a picture.)
We won’t spoil the rest of the details for you as the review barely cracks 100 words (short lunch breaks at Thompson HQ?), but it’ll answer any burning questions you have about the stick and surprise you with its honesty.
The only note-worthy thing they failed to mention in their lightening-fast audit is the cool green and yellow band the Socorro bears. No coat-of-arms, no moustachioed 18th century man, no ridiculously small writing – what a cigar band rarity!
We’re not sure that this in an officially recognized award, as there’s no mention of the contest, nor its winner, on the website of the International Federation of Competitive Eating, but kudos go to the man, all the same.
(nb - So taken are we by the idea of competitive eating, we’ve decided it’s a sport TSL should be covering. So watch this space.)
Meanwhile, although we like to think of ourselves as men of the world, we can’t recall ever tasting, well, raw pig fat. Can any of you out there enlighten us on the taste of this Ukrainian staple?
The idea of a Britain as a nation of bowler-hatted men, smacking the top of boiled eggs with upside-down teaspoons each morning, has amused us for years.
But now, in what has to be the most exciting boiled egg news since recent innuendo about the Prince of Wales, egg-cracking has gadgetrized its way into the 21st century with the Clack.
We’re sketchy on the engineering, but the essence of the device is the metal ball that falls from a considerable height (considerable to an egg, at least), cracking the egg perfectly and, somehow, slicing the top of the egg off with similar precision.
Basically, if you can think of an object with anything closely resembling a solid, straight edge (you know, a table, some bread, your own teeth…), they’ve tried, and succeeded.
To test this, we reached for the first object we could find, and then grabbed our German-English dictionary for the translation so we could look it up on the list. Then we realized we could just use the dictionary itself…
Our only complaint is that the 1000 different methods aren’t given any kind of score. So if we find ourselves in a room, Macgyver-style, with an unopened bottle of beer and a golf tee, a potato press and a sword, then which do we choose? Guess we’ll just have to get two more beers…
Esprit, the San Francisco-founded label which has found much love in Germany over the past two decades, seems to have accidentally crossed the one line (or pair of crooked lines) the Germans do not forgive – don’t mention the war.
Buttons used in Esprit’s autumn collection, as photographed in 200,000 (now pulped) catalogues, bore a striking resemblance to the Nazi swastika insignia, which has been banned in Germany since 1945.
Adding to the embarrassment caused by the buttons, the label may also be facing criminal charges – any representation of the war time motif in Germany is strictly verboten.
We’ve been arguing for years that Esprit’s designs were in bad taste, we just never expected (fashion-challenged) Germany to agree…
Just when we thought he couldn’t stoop any lower than the BMWs he was contractually obliged to drive during the Pierce Brosnan era, we were as shocked as everyone else to hear that James Bond will get behind the wheel (if only briefly) of a Ford Mondeo in the upcoming Casino Royale.
And now, to twist the knife, Ford has interwoven footage from the film (rather awkwardly) with European promotions for the Focus. This is a trade-off, apparently, for Bond being able to return to the classic (and now Ford-owned) Aston Martin marque in the film.
This raises a crucial question – are fictional characters capable of selling-out?
Regardless of people’s views (or ‘folks’, as they’re known) on the rather politically-incorrect world of, well, shooting things, we all must concede that a sport called ‘Cowboy Action Shooting’ at least has a snappy name.
And for those action shooting cowboys out there, here’s the way to make sure you’re an accurate shot with a pistol at any distance – the Henry Lee Measures way.
Watch the target and ignore the gun. Push the gun away and as soon as the arms clear the ribs, shoot, and watch the bullet make a hole. If you leave your mind and eyes alone, you can put a bullet through the hole you just made…with very few shots.
It all sounds very, well, loud and destructive. But if you’re wearing a ten-gallon hat and spurs, and each pull of the trigger brings up another puff of smoke from the pistol, reminiscent of the best spaghetti westerns, then it’s gotta be at least a little fun. You know, it’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt…
(Apologies to our better-dressed brethren who Googled the phrase ‘cowboy action’ and landed here. We don’t think this is what you’re after. But we’ve just published a piece on Thom Browne, so check that out instead.)
In what we hope will become a trend for manufacturers (of anything) the world over, three guys from the finance division at Thompson Cigar have 
Those still mourning the retirement of Michael Schumacher last weekend, never fear – the world’s next sporting hero has arrived.
The idea of a Britain as a nation of bowler-hatted men, smacking the top of boiled eggs with upside-down teaspoons each morning, has amused us for years.
Esprit, the San Francisco-founded label which has found much love in Germany over the past two decades, seems to have accidentally crossed the one line (or pair of crooked lines) the Germans do not forgive – don’t mention the war.
