MIT pranksters headed over to the neighboring campus of Harvard University and decorated Harvard Yard’s legendary statue of founder John Harvard to look like a Spartan warrior.

A caption in the MIT student newspaper, The Tech, explained the full prank: “The back of the helmet, which is worn by the protagonist of the [Halo] game, Master Chief, was labeled with ‘Master Chief in Training.’ The statue was decorated with an assault rifle (bullet count of 2E), as well as a Beaver emblem on the right shoulder.” (In case you didn’t know, MIT’s mascot is the beaver.)

What happened to the days of stealing the school mascot and spray painting it orange?

(Via The Social.)

It’s been quite some time since we wandered through a local photographer’s site, having difficulty choosing just two shots to show you because there were so many gorgeous choices. Follow this link to the visual celebration that is Allen Birnbach’s commercial photography site and you’ll exactly what we mean.

The text you’ll find there describes his work better than we ever could. They’re stop and stare moments of discovery that have been recognized by CA, The New York Art Director’s Club One Show, The ARC Annual Report competitions, Print Magazine and DoubleTake Magazine. His skill has also been acknowledged by premier brands across the world.

As a separate but equal enticing treat, journey through his collection of fine art imagery. Denver, please welcome photographer Allen Birnbach to our list of Recommended Talent. He’s here to make you look good.

(Thanks to our friends at Pure for lighting the pathway to Allen.)

We always love when Sally Hogshead updates her blog with a new entry. If you haven’t read her book, Radical Careering, march your ass to The Tattered Cover now. Here’s her latest thinking.

The world headquarters of TBWA Advertising was located at 292 Madison Avenue, back when a Madison Avenue address was still de rigueur for an agency’s letterhead. It was the summer of 1991, and TBWA was in full swing with the iconic Absolut campaign, now polishing its fame to blinding perfection. The agency exuded the untouchable cool of an international catwalk model: aloof, poreless, slightly bored, altogether intimidating. If advertising had paparazzi, they would’ve camped outside the door. Entering the lobby made one feel suddenly self-conscious, acutely aware of some otherwise irrelevant detail, such as the fact that the dry cleaner’s seamstress had recently re-sewn a button in a slightly off-color thread. Yet on the first day of my unpaid summer internship at TBWA, walking into that lobby, I felt no intimidation whatsoever. Not because I possessed that same unattainable cool, but quite the opposite. I was too clueless even to have a clue of how clueless I was. Just two weeks earlier I’d graduated from college wearing my new $29.95 Thom McCann white pumps that coordinated with my Laura Ashley hair bow.

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