In a quick 59 secÂonds, David Lynch tells you the films and filmÂmakÂers that he likes best (see below). In equalÂly sucÂcinct videos, though with a bit more salty lanÂguage (read: lanÂguage that’s not ideÂal for work), Lynch also gives you his thoughts on prodÂuct placeÂment and the whole conÂcept of watchÂing a movie on an iPhone.
A couÂple of big blogs recentÂly highÂlightÂed a clip of the MupÂpets doing Ode to Joy from Beethoven’s Ninth. It’s cute, and I was hardÂly surÂprised that the video logged 3.6 milÂlion views on YouTube.
Not far behind, at 3.2 milÂlion views, is a long video showÂing HerÂbert Von KaraÂjan leadÂing a live perÂforÂmance of Beethoven’s Ninth. The fact that KaraÂjan, one of the world’s best-known conÂducÂtors, lags behind a bunch of pupÂpets is unforÂtuÂnate, no doubt. But it’s also heartÂenÂing in some ways. It tells me that high culÂture is still comÂpetÂing for an audiÂence. So here it goes. KaraÂjan in action:
(You can get Part 2 here, and we’ve added both clips to our YouTube Favorites. Also you can find more vinÂtage Beethoven/Karajan footage in this guy’s video colÂlecÂtion.)
About the ChristÂmas clasÂsic, “It’s a WonÂderÂful Life,” a New York Times op-ed had this to say today:
It “is anyÂthing but a cheery holÂiÂday tale.” It “is a terÂriÂfyÂing, asphyxÂiÂatÂing stoÂry about growÂing up and relinÂquishÂing your dreams, of seeÂing your father driÂven to the grave before his time, of livÂing among bitÂter, small-mindÂed peoÂple. It is a stoÂry of being trapped, of comÂproÂmisÂing, of watchÂing othÂers move ahead and away, of becomÂing so filled with rage that you verÂbalÂly abuse your chilÂdren, their teacher and your oppresÂsiveÂly perÂfect wife. It is also a nightÂmare account of an endÂless home renÂoÂvaÂtion.”
And, with that, we present the 1947 film directÂed by Frank Capra and starÂring James StewÂart:
Let me indulge in a brief bit of nosÂtalÂgia for a sec. SomeÂhow my once wayÂward friends and I scored tickÂets to Live Aid back in 1985, which meant that we got to spend a scorchÂing day at Philly’s JFK StaÂdiÂum, watchÂing live acts that includÂed Led ZepÂpelin, Eric ClapÂton, CrosÂby, Stills, Nash & Young (leavÂing aside a campy Bowie and JagÂger video). But someÂhow what still stands out for me are two acts piped in from LonÂdon’s WemÂbÂley StaÂdiÂum — U2’s 12 minute verÂsion of “Bad” (below), which launched the band into interÂnaÂtionÂal starÂdom, and, yes, Queens’ set: BohemiÂan RhapÂsody & Radio Gaga, HamÂmer To Fall & Crazy LitÂtle Thing Called Love (also below), and We Will Rock You/We Are the ChamÂpiÂons.
Aired first in SepÂtemÂber, this BBC proÂducÂtion asks famous sciÂenÂtists to offer imporÂtant words of advice to the next AmerÂiÂcan presÂiÂdent. What does ObaÂma need to know to make smart deciÂsions about key issues rangÂing from nuclear proÂlifÂerÂaÂtion to cliÂmate change?
Hat tip to Bob for tipÂping us off to this colÂlecÂtion put togethÂer by The MirÂror in the UK. They take Leonard Cohen’s clasÂsic “HalÂleluÂjah” (lisÂten below) and then bring you the ten best covÂer verÂsions. On the list, you’ll find verÂsions by Bob Dylan, John Cale (founder of The VelÂvet UnderÂground), Rufus WainÂwright, Jeff BuckÂley, among othÂers.
A LifeÂhackÂer post remindÂed me to spread the word about the newish mobile verÂsion of Wikipedia. SimÂply bookÂmark this page (mobile.wikipedia.org) on your wireÂless device, and you can then research all of your quesÂtions on the fly. When did the French finalÂly get rid of RobeÂspierre? What’s the gist of EinÂstein’s speÂcial theÂoÂry of relÂaÂtivÂiÂty? Where is Bhutan? You can figÂure it all out wherÂevÂer you are.
I’m not sure how this mobile page looks on varÂiÂous mobile devices. But I can report that it looks a‑ok on the iPhone. iPhone users can also use the new Wikipedia Mobile app that’s now availÂable in the iTunes store.
Ayn Rand’s clasÂsic gets dustÂed off and humorÂousÂly brought into 2008 over at McSweeney’s. Worth a read.
As a side note, you may want to revisÂit the New York Times 2007 piece, Ayn Rand’s LitÂerÂaÂture of CapÂiÂtalÂism, which talks about the influÂence that Atlas Shrugged (and its free marÂket phiÂlosÂoÂphy) has had on ForÂtune 500 CEOs and parÂticÂuÂlarÂly Alan Greenspan, the forÂmer head of the FedÂerÂal Reserve, who helped archiÂtect the deregÂuÂlatÂed bankÂing sysÂtem that’s now unwindÂing around us. BelatÂedÂly, Greenspan would acknowlÂedge a “flaw in the modÂel” that he “perÂceived is the critÂiÂcal funcÂtionÂing strucÂture that defines how the world works” — which is a fanÂcy way of sayÂing “on secÂond thought, maybe the free marÂkets don’t always regÂuÂlate themÂselves.” And there we have it, anothÂer utopiÂan ideÂolÂoÂgy colÂlides with realÂiÂty. Not the first, and it won’t be the last.
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