The year was 1983. Al Pacino had moviegoers riveted as Tony Montana in "Scarface. And Michael Jackson had the music charts on lock down with "Billie Jean" and" Beat It." 

Meanwhile, out west,  a small technology company out of California by the name of Apple was developing "The Bashful," a tablet like computer to go along with its "Lisa" and "Apple III+" computer.

Now, why is this important you ask? Fast forward  27 years. In a few days, Apple with its $212 a share price will be announcing its 2010 version of the tablet computer that may or may not look something like this:

Now, this post is not about the 2010 version as much as it's about 1983 version. A) its way more interesting and B) It always fascinates us how far ahead of the curve Steve Jobs has always been. With monster hits like the iPod, iPhone, iTunes and Apps store, will this device prove to be another homerun for Apple and bring salvation to the print industry (newspapers and magazines) like iTunes and the iPod did for the music business? Or will it be yet another "Bashful?"

Only time will tell...in the meantime, here's the main reason for this post - 1983 flicks of "The Bashful" for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!!!

[via: www.designmind.frogdesign.com + www.macrumors.com ]

Here are a pair of República Eyewear's SOA sunglasses getting five minutes of fame on the debut episode of season seven on FX's Nip/Tuck. Thanks to Julian McMahon aka Dr. Christian Troy for wearing them so well!!!

Our SOA frames, a collaboration between The Peralta Project, the Sound Of Art and us were recently profiled in a five minute clip of Nip/Tuck's season seven debut on FX. Here's  a pic. Clip to follow in a separate post.

This is one of the illest, Underground Brand x Fortune 500 collabo's that we've seen in a long time. Its rare when a brand like Pepsi allows a small company to remix their logo in a completely different product category and vice-versa. Props to both for taking the creative leap... [ via: www.highsnobiety.com ]

So last Friday, we received the following mass communique from Vice-President Joe Biden entitled "We Want Our Money Back":

Yesterday, President Obama announced our proposed Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee on the country's largest banks:

"My commitment is to recover every single dime the American people are owed. And my determination to achieve this goal is only heightened when I see reports of massive profits and obscene bonuses at some of the very firms who owe their continued existence to the American people...We want our money back, and we're going to get it."

The fee would recover every penny loaned to Wall Street during the financial crisis and stop the reckless abuses and excesses that nearly caused the collapse of our financial system in the first place.

But the banking industry -- among the most powerful lobbies in Washington -- is already launching attacks to stop Congress from enacting the proposal.

Barack and I aren't backing down. But to win, we'll need the American people to add their voice right away.

And here's our response to it:

Dear Joe, Barack and the current administration should of thought about this before handing billions over to the banks with basically no strings attached. Now the banks have you and the country by the proverbial nuts.

We can't comprehend why if the Fed is lending what amounts to almost free money to the banks, we the consumer are getting paid on average 1% in interest for them to hold our money only to have them take that 1% back via ridiculous banking and ATM fees. The playing field between bank and consumer really needs to be leveled so that it is a win-win situation for both.

The nice-guy regime is over. You cannot please everyone. We really need to get our shit together as a country. There is too much intellectual capital on your All-Star team to not win the trophy for our country.

Get it together or in another three years, there will surely be trades made to assure our country a Championship for the people. Don't let Massachusetts be the beginning of the end for your team.

 

Marvelous Color is a unique art exhibit celebrating six of Marvel Comics' popular and iconic Super Heroes. The exhibit highlights African/African American characters Black Panther, Storm, Luke Cage, The Falcon, Blade and James Rhodes (Iron Man/War Machi along with a variety of special events including panels on the creation of the show's heroes, discussions on the techniques involved in the production of a comic book, and "meet the artist" events where renowned illustrators share their experiences and insights.
The show will also include original pieces from previously published works by Marvel Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada (Amazing Spider-Man), Billy Tan (Black Panther), Danny Miki (Black Panther), David Williams (Uncanny X-Men First Class),  Jae Lee (Blade), John Cassaday (Captain America), Sean Chen (Iron Man: Director of Shield), Sal Buscema (Captain America), John Romita, Jr. (Black Panther) and , the renowned John Byrne (Uncanny X-Men). Also featured will be the work the celebrated John Romita, Sr. (Captain America and the Falcon), as well as the late Billy Graham (Luke Cage: Hero for Hire) and the late Dave Cockrum (Uncanny X-Men). The show will feature a cover by Denys Cowan from "Black Panther/Captain America: Flags of our Fathers" written by Reginald Hudlin slated to be released to the general public in April 2010.

Presented by Somos Arte, the exhibit runs through February 26th at the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI) at 408 West 58th Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues.

For more info visit: www.marvelouscolor.com

Damn! Why couldn't we think of this ingenious idea! Solutions has just come out with a digital peep hole viewer that turns a usually distorted peep hole view into a big bright digital image of whomever or whatever is on the other side of the door. The unit runs on 2-AA batteries which should get you approximately 1700 peeps. $129.00, www.solutions.com.

[ via: H. via The Gadgeteer ]

Check out this preview we just came across in the current issue of Vanity Fair Italia for Dolce & Gabbana's Spring '10 campaign featuring Madonna. We love that photographer Steven Klein went retro by taking inspiration from the Italian Neorealism era of cinema. Here are some of the flicks:



And for the fanatico's, here are the coordinates to down-loadable wallpaper of the ad campaign for you screen: www.campaign.dolcegabbana.com

We're baaack! It’s been a hot minute since our last post hence we feel that this is a very apropos time for us to get back on the scene, like a microphone fiend - just in time to give away one of vetch’s hottest new products - their wi-fi based internet radio (a $149.00 value for a limited time only).

The innovative Wi-Fi IS918 Internet radio receiver offers the flexibility and freedom of listening to live radio stations from around the globe. By having just one wireless internet connection at home, you will have access to more than 11,000 free Internet radio stations worldwide, as well as audio files (MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV, Real) stored on a Wi-Fi Enabled PC, Mac or Laptop.  

In order to enter, go to www.facebook.com/rumba.vtech, become a fan and write on their wall, (under the "Just Fans" section) your favorite/most memorable Holiday moment of all time and don’t forget to mention the República Update in your post. These two components are necessary to win.    

The ninth person to post their moment on the wall and mention the República Update wins the radio.    

As there can only be one winner, boo-hoo, yeah-yeah, we know…here’s a little friends and family love that will save you 15% on the radio when you purchase it on the vetch site and it includes free shipping when you use the code: amigos2010 or…if your want to cop the sexy wireless phone below, the 10% off code for it is: rumba10.

For more information please visit: www.vtechphones.com/navidades

From your friends at the República Update family, we wish you and yours a warm and wonderful Holiday Season!

It amazes us that our politicians will go to any extent to "protect" its citizens from "external" threats via the waging of war. Yet when it comes to extending something as basic as the right to affordable health care to "protect" these same constituents, some individual political representatives fight it tooth and nail. Why? Check out Keith Olbermann's own personal experience with this very important subject.