The Modern Materialist

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• How Exxxxtreme Are You?

  The Five Most Extreme Things I've Ever Done: White water rafting (except that it wasn't white water season, and there was barely a ripple on the river, and all my screaming was precipitated by the misconception that the seaweed was "attacking" me) Parasailing (which is not incredibly extreme — more like sitting on air — except for the time we thought our boat driver was going to drop us on a house) Horseback riding (I became terrified when the horse sped up into a canter) Zip line (oh crap, that's right; I was the only one out of my entire group too afraid to do the zip line!!!) Riding on a jet ski in Mexico, which really was the biggest rush for me. In fact, it leads me to believe that I should get one of these babies for myself: Read More... Posted May 09 2008, 11:30 AM by Steph Auteri with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: vehicle

• Personal, Evil Sub/Car/Helicopter

  A 26-year old named Michael Cerva has invented a totally evil looking vehicle that can travel in land, sea, and air. The vehicle is essentially a modified Segway design, running on two wheels, and holding up to two people. The wheels snap off, and wings snap on to take this baby into the air, and with a nice tight seal, it can travel under water, as well. Granted, this is all just a concept right now… So you’ll just have to travel in three vehicles until further notice. Check out another pic, after the jump:  Read More... Posted May 07 2008, 11:00 AM by Alex Zalben with | with no comments Filed under: vehicle, concepts

• How An eBay Shopping Habit Can Escalate

  Online shopping used to frighten me, and nothing frightened me more than eBay, an obsessive-compulsive's trigger-finger bidding dream. But in my early 20s, I used the "buy it now" feature to purchase a dichroic glass pendant and, a few years later, I had my bf win me a 15g iPod. The online auction that's now catching my eye: Read More... Posted May 06 2008, 09:00 AM by Steph Auteri with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: vehicle

• Wherein Steph Accesses Her More Manly Side

  [$11,332, Dixie Chopper]  Word on the street is that we're not nearly manly enough here at Modern Materialist. Poor Alex. There's only so much he can do with me and Wendy going ga-ga over doilies and crap. In an attempt to even the scales, I dug down deep into the bottom of my soul so as to harness my Inner Man. And really, people. What would make your Inner Man happier than to own THE WORLD'S FASTEST LAWN MOWER!!!?  After the jump, the Dixie Chopper in action, in a video that actually does make me uncharacteristically happy. I suppose that means there's an Inner Man in all of us:   Read More... Posted Apr 21 2008, 03:00 PM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: vehicle, manly

• Drivers Wanted...

  I went through this phase in junior high where I wore really short short-shorts, belly tops, and my dad's old leather jacket, collected Harley Davidson paraphernalia, and longed for the powerful speed of my very own Harley or Kawasaki. Read More... Posted Apr 18 2008, 12:00 PM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: vehicle

• Speed Racer

  [Photo via]  As far as aesthetics go, I've always thought the Vespa was cute as a button. Plus, I love seeing businessmen in their neat, tailored suits chugging along down Broadway on their lime-green girly-scooters on the way to work. Made by Piaggio, the vehicles have always seemed, to me, an icon of European urbanity and springtime. Well, Piaggio's all grown up, and bad-ass as all get-out. Read More... Posted Mar 19 2008, 10:00 AM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: vehicle

• Really, Really Easy Rider

  Like many people, I don't love a Vespa. I associate Vespas with guys like this. But two-wheeled transportation in general is something I'm definitely a fan of. Consider if everyone in New York City rode one of these scooters instead of driving around solo in their Nissan Xterra.   Wouldn't the city be a groovier, greener, more practical place? It was designed by the brains at MIT for those of us who live in fifth-floor walkups in neighborhoods where you wouldn't necessarily want to chain such a beautiful machine to a lamppost. Just fold up and haul up, non-douchebag status intact. Thanks BoingBoing. Posted Feb 11 2008, 12:19 PM by Will Doig with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: transportation, vehicle, MIT, scooter, two-wheeled