We’ve written — animatedly — about Chicago’s new Threadless store, and about the gallery that the store contains. We’ve also written quite enthusiastically about Chuck Anderson’s, aka Nopattern’s, luscious designs and illustrations. Though it’s hard (especially at this point in our lives) to admit to peeing our pants, we will say that animated enthusiasm is a bit of an understatement when it comes to our excitement over the following tidbit of information: Chuck Anderson will be featured at the Threadless Gallery’s first show, opening this Friday, November 9th, from 7-9 pm. That sentence should be said in outside voices for a few reasons, but especially because Mr. Anderson will be showing a collection of brand new work at the gallery, and because this opening will mark his very first solo show. Congratulations to both Threadless for their new gallery and Chuck for filling it — we wish we could be there!

One thing is for sure, I’ve been spending way too much time in Airplanes, but, alas, I’m back in London for a couple of weeks again on a bit of a speaking and consulting power-run.

First thing tomorrow, I am the keynote speaker at the 2007 IAB Engage conference (I’ve got big shoes to fill, last year’s keynote was Terry Semel; the year before, Bill Gates). I’m humbled to be kicking off such an incredible day alongside some amazing folks from Google, MySpace, Yahoo!, Digitas, Facebook and many other hugely influential companies (check out the program). If you’re not going to be in the crowd tomorrow making funny faces at me, feel free to tune in online for a live feed of the full day event tomorrow. I’m doing a bit of an interactive experiment, so even people not attending in person will be able to take part. My presentation is called “Born Digital: They’re not listening”, and it’s basically a blown out, more powerful version of my Google Zeitgeist presentation. Wish me luck!

I have some first pressings of David Bowie albums on vinyl, graciously bequeathed to me from my uncle, but my annoying OCD and penchant for worrying have kept me from playing them, because I’m afraid of the scratches that might attack. Instead I’ll listen to burned CD versions, grumbling like an old lady about how much better sounding the LP version I have in the closet is. No surprise — it’s a complaint shared among stalwart vinyl lovers. But hooray, hooray, the LP-to-iPod Converter is finally going to change the vinyl versus digital debate. It’s designed as a turntable-slash-iPod dock that makes it easy turning your vinyl into digital files, all the while keeping the original quality of the record intact. You could also hook it up instead to your computer directly and use the included software to remove imperfections, but I can’t guess why you’d want to do that. Put in your orders now; the converter ships on December 20th for $260, maybe just in time for Christmas for a vinyl-loving boy/girlfriend who will love you forever as a result when they unwrap this.

Just when you thought reality TV had gotten about as real as real was worth, in step the guys at Mod My LIfe. Co-founders Andrew Keidel and Martin Codyre have created the newest - and realest - in real TV. Mod My Life is a web-based reality TV show where viewers get to control the action by submitting and voting on actions or “mods.”

The star of each show, the “modstar” will be fed the winning actions through a hidden earpiece and it’ll all be caught on a camera either worn by the participant (sometimes hidden) or by a third-party cameraman. So let’s summarize: hidden camera, user-submitted actions, unknowing third-party participants. Yeah, that sounds like a recipe for entertainment no matter how you slice it. And I’m sure your minds are already rolling through a hundred different submission ideas, so head to Mod My Life at 12:30 EST today to check it out.

Scott Rench (a.k.a. Yosoh), is so multi-talented we can’t seem to say enough about his artistic gifts; the ceramist and freelance art director/graphic designer has been written up 14 times on this here site. Well, make that 15 as Mr. Rench continues to amaze us with astonishing visual images. The latest in his canon of eye catching creations comes to us in the form of his new Threadless Select shirt, featuring the design entitled “Me vs. Me“. This wearable masterpiece contains 10 colors — two of which glow in the dark — featuring black felt lined fists taking up arms against a snarling inner visage. We suggest you head on over to Threadless and pick one up immediately, but if you can’t do it immediately and have to wait an hour, don’t beat yourself up over it.

If you liked the deconstructed book sculptures by Brian Dettmer we featured a few months ago, check out Georgia Russell’s work; like Dettmer, the Scottish artist also uses a scalpel to carve into old books, maps, photographs and newspapers, giving them new life, but her special handiwork instead leaves behind a beautiful, distinct fray of wisps and textures. It’s a little bit like Edward Scissorhands meets the output from a paper shredder. She mounts her works inside acrylic boxes so they’re protected, and in the cases of books that have more elaborate cutting, the pieces are inventively preserved inside a bell jar, perhaps as a reference to their organic beginnings. Russell’s art is currently on display at London gallery England & Co, so make an effort to catch it if you’re in town.

When they’re not busy attempting a coup d’etat on Denmark’s Constitutional Monarchy, the ArtRebels spend their time banding together for the causes of creativity. Originally, founded by Carla Cammilla Hjort as a record label boasting 100% artistic freedom, combined with an on-line music, art, and film shop whose sales would go towards supporting causes working to make the world a better place, ArtRebels has become much more.

As Hjort’s ambition to make “the coolest site online” grew, she began to amass a talented team to turn her dream a reality. The current ArtRebels Crew consists dj’s, musicians, film makers, graphical designers, promoters and selfmade rebels alike. All the members operate in the interest of attaining their own measure of success while assisting others in their artistic endeavors forming a global artist support system. The ArtRebels website features the work of all of its constituents ranging across the wide spectrum of artistry…from music, to fashion to the realm of visual arts, It is truly an amalgamation of talent and ideas for the benefit of creative folks everywhere. If you fancy yourself a rebellious artist perhaps you should join the revolution.