A little refresher for those among us not already familiar with The Commons on Flickr: In partnership with The Library of Congress, ”the key goals of The Commons on Flickr are to firstly show you hidden treasures in the world’s public photography archives, and secondly to show how your input and knowledge can help make these collections even richer.” Everybody is welcome to contribute and join the familiar company of:  NASA, The Smithsonian, The New York Library and The Imperial War Museum Collections.

Above, a photograph from NASA’s collection – On Feb. 20, 1962 at 9:47 am EST, John Glenn launched from Cape Canaveral’s Launch Complex 14 to become the first American to orbit the Earth. In this image, Glenn enters his Friendship 7 capsule with assistance from technicians to begin his historic flight.

To celebrate the ongoing sponsorship and relationship between Paul Smith and the Rapha Condor Sharp cycling team, Paul Smith created this film – London – featuring the team training at the Manchester Velodrome.

David Choe, Mister Cartoon, and SA Studios have recently joined forces to create promotional artwork for Robert Rodriguez’ Machete, starring Danny Trejo. The art really grasps the intensity that is felt throughout the movie, and it’s easy to see that David Choe was a great choice for the job . A behind the scenes video was also released and it dives into the inspiration behind the project. You can check the video out here.

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A favorite stop of ours while in town, A Continuous Lean has created a neat look at the new J.Crew Upper East Side Men’s Shop located on Madison Avenue at 79th street.

A few months ago we shared Flying Lotus’ Cosmogramma Fieldlines, a downloadable augmented reality application meant to enhance the experience of his latest album, Cosmogramma. Creatively, it marked a shift away from the traditional music video. A few weeks ago Broken Bells upped the ante with an online video whose trippy, 3D narrative broke the fourth wall and gave new meaning to the interactive experience between the viewer and the music. But it’s the Arcade Fire’s latest video for ‘We Used to Wait’ that takes the cake. It’s not so much a video as it is “an interactive film” in collaboration with director Chris Milk and Google. Titled ‘The Wilderness Downtown’, the film combines stunning imagery of the suburbs with actual footage of the viewer’s own childhood neighbourhood as generated by Google Street View. It’s dynamic, it’s interactive and it captures the nostalgia and melancholy of the song in the most unique and personal way possible. You can view it here; there’s also an interesting making-of piece here, via Chrome Experiments.

Director Chris Milk is no stranger to pushing the envelope. His videos are often emotionally charged and sometimes quite visceral, like Kayne West’s ‘Jesus Walks’ or the infamous Gnarls Barkley video for ‘Who’s Gonna Save My Soul?’, perhaps one of the most original music videos of the last decade. An equally accomplished photographer, Milk’s portfolio is both impressive and star-studded, having worked with everyone from Courtney Love to President Obama. While ‘The Wilderness Downtown’ will undoubtedly be his legacy, setting a benchmark in music-internet relations, we can expect Chris Milk to continue thinking outside the box, or in this case the browser window.

The absolute best thing about the bags coming from Ally Capellino is that they’re built for life. Using materials that are meant to be worn, used and loved, all pieces feature very  little to no exterior branding. Capellino explains, “People should add something of themselves, so that the bags become theirs not mine” – words to live by. Straight from Shoreditch, East London, where her studio and boutique are both based comes a the Fjell Rucksack made especially for Scandinavian brand and shop Norse Projects. The bag is a classic hunting style, and is made from high quality British waxed cotton with bridle leather detailing. And though a little out of character for Capellino, the collaborative label is displayed prominently  on the front. Available here.

A few years ago, Stones Throw was known mostly for housing two of hip hop’s greatest producers, Madlib and the late J Dilla. Recently however, with the emergence of Motown revivalist Mayer Hawthorne, the California-based label is turning more heads. Soul music has been making a bit of a comeback, with the likes of Aloe Blacc (also on Stones Throw), Sharon Jones and Hawthorne getting serious mainstream spins. Outside of Blacc’s hugely successful ‘I Need a Dollar’ single, Hawthorne has been making the biggest splash; 2009′s A Strange Arrangement earned him accolades from fellow blue-eyed vocalist Justin Timberlake and, perhaps best of all, Ghostface Killah.

Hawthorne’s interpretation of vintage soul is both authentic and disarming; the production isn’t what one would expect from, say, a Timbaland or a Danger Mouse. This is roots music, and for the handful of music videos he’s put out director Henry DeMaio provides the perfect compliment. DeMaio appears to have locked himself in as Stone Throw’s in-house videographer, having worked with Aloe Blacc, Dam Funk, Strong Arm Steady and Madlib. Videos for Hawthorne, including ‘Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin” (above), capture the stripped-down spirit of his record. The shaky hand-held camera and absence of any major post-production combined with the poolside setting and cheeky choreography embody that fancy-free spirit of 60s soul. On the flip side, DeMaio’s video for Hawthorne’s bittersweet ‘I Wish it Would Rain’ is a slightly crisper production, albeit still stripped of all the bells and whistles that are commonplace today. The focus is on the music, as it should be.

Originally leaked last week, the new Mercedes-Benz CLS is now being officially revealed, almost a month before the planned announcement during the 2010 Paris Motor Show. This new 4-door coupe is instantly one of the best looking in its class, mainly due to some mean design on the front full-LED headlights. Overall the CLS is exactly what you would expect out of an important Mercedes-Benz release; striking lines, brilliantly designed interior, stock full of technological innovations. Cars like this show you why Mercedes is light years ahead of the competition, as this CLS is in a class of its own.

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On paper, Visvim has done everything right as usual: 14 oz. dual ring-spun denim, 4 different slub lengths blended for varying texture, pure indigo dye from Japan’s finest denim mill in Okayama, custom Visvim buttons and rivets, elk leather patch on back and a hidden zip pouch in back pocket. On body, is a different story. Thinking that these would fit like all Japanese denim brands, that is to say, smaller, was a major oversight. And moving up a size didn’t help either. The cut is far from perfect for some, though it’s not far off to assume the fit is perfect for others. Issues with a ballooning thigh and wide leg opening leave this loyalist far from satisfied, though, if you’re more of the bottom heavy variety, you can count me jealous. Available here.

Considered the fastest watch in the world, last week Parmigiani released the new Bugatti Super Sport to coincide with the release of its namesake supercar. Making sure they spared no expense in making it as exotic and extreme, the watch contains the 372 movement – a successor to the 370 which worked using a transversal movement – the new watch features another extrodinary movement which transfers power to the watch face at a 90 degree angle. This first edition will be limited to 30 pieces, with white 18ct gold and carbon face, but varying models will be produced in the future, to a total of 200 pieces. At $259,000, it seems like a drop in the bucket after you’ve just spent as much as you have on your new Veyron.

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After and incredible first day in Pebble Beach and after acclimatizing to the somewhat rarified air of the events, we were taken to Laguna Seca for the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. We checked out the cars being showcased and prepared in the pits while some of the worlds greatest and most storied cars held no caution as they flew around the track as they had during their glory days. The highlight of the day was the seeing the new Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport lead out no fewer than 30 Type 35c, which proceeded to battle it out at full speed on the course. Day 3 we started bright and early at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, while checking out even more exotic cars on the 18th hole of the golf course we were invited to drive the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG… Followed by a ride in the Bugatti Veyron, both incredible, both brutally fast, but so different as well.

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A look at the neat head office and showroom for Cheap Monday by design and architecture firm Uglycute based in Stockholm, Sweden. Have a look here. Photographs by Mikael Olsson.