A rather sad comÂmenÂtary on the integriÂty, depth and sinÂcerÂiÂty of the AmerÂiÂcan polÂiÂtics. But, it’s funÂny and it’s FriÂday, so here it goes. Take it away John StewÂart (and thanks for the tip LarÂry):
PS Check out this WSJ artiÂcle, The BiolÂoÂgy of IdeÂolÂoÂgy, which sugÂgests that our politÂiÂcal choicÂes may be shaped by genetÂics.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Jon Stewart’s “DaiÂly Show” Now Online: 1999 — Present
Though not a mass media film, DarÂius Goes West won 28 film fesÂtiÂval awards durÂing 2007. The movie tracks DarÂius Weems, who has Duchenne MusÂcuÂlar DysÂtroÂphy, as he travÂels across the US to get his wheelÂchair worked over by MTV’s “Pimp My Ride.” And now it has been released on DVD. The filmÂmakÂers are lookÂing to sell one milÂlion DVDs and raise $17 milÂlion for Duchenne musÂcuÂlar dysÂtroÂphy, all in order to find a treatÂment or cure. You can learn more about the film and buy a DVD here. Also watch a video clip about the movie and the fund raisÂing driÂve below. The cause is good. Have a look. Thanks Collin for the heads up on this…
“ColÂor film was non-exisÂtent in 1909 RusÂsia, yet in that year a phoÂtogÂraÂphÂer named Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii embarked on a phoÂtoÂgraphÂic surÂvey of his homeÂland and capÂtured hunÂdreds of phoÂtos in full, vivid colÂor. His phoÂtoÂgraphÂic plates were black and white, but he had develÂoped an ingeÂnious phoÂtoÂgraphÂic techÂnique which allowed him to use them to proÂduce accuÂrate colÂor images.”
To view the phoÂtos click here, and learn how he accomÂplished this, click here.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Learn the Art of PhoÂtogÂraÂphy: The Nikon Way
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Below, some vinÂtage MonÂty Python footage… (And see our relatÂed piece: 150 MonÂty Python SketchÂes.
The DisÂcovÂery ChanÂnel has proÂduced a rather impresÂsive (though cerÂtainÂly bleak) simÂuÂlaÂtion of what would hapÂpen:
A quick fyi: StanÂford ConÂtinÂuÂing StudÂies opened up regÂisÂtraÂtion for its fall lineÂup of online writÂing coursÂes. Offered in partÂnerÂship with the StanÂford CreÂative WritÂing ProÂgram (one of the most disÂtinÂguished writÂing proÂgrams in the counÂtry), these online coursÂes give beginÂning and advanced writÂers, no matÂter where they live, the chance to refine their craft with giftÂed writÂing instrucÂtors.
ClassÂes will start durÂing the latÂer this month. UnforÂtuÂnateÂly some of the classÂes are full. And a few only have a few spots left. For more inforÂmaÂtion, click here, or sepÂaÂrateÂly check out the FAQ.
Caveat empÂtor: These classÂes are not free, and I helped set them up. So while I wholeÂheartÂedÂly believe in these coursÂes, you can take my views with a grain of salt.
Here’s a heads up from Altaf, one of our readÂers…
The tech world is buzzing today about Google Chrome, the new web browsÂer comÂing out of MounÂtain View. If you’re wonÂderÂing what it’s all about, you can read a comÂic book (proÂduced by Google) that introÂduces the new iniÂtiaÂtive. (WinÂdows users can downÂload the browsÂer here; Mac users, includÂing yours truÂly, seem to be out of luck for now.) The experts, who have looked under the hood, are enthuÂsiÂasÂtic so far. Walt MossÂberg, the tech reviewÂer for the Wall Street JourÂnal, renÂders his verÂdict: “Chrome is a smart, innoÂvÂaÂtive browsÂer that, in many comÂmon sceÂnarÂios, will make using the Web faster, easÂiÂer and less frusÂtratÂing. But this first version—which is just a beta, or test, release—is rough around the edges and lacks some comÂmon browsÂer feaÂtures Google plans to add latÂer. These omisÂsions include a way to manÂage bookÂmarks, a comÂmand for emailÂing links and pages directÂly from the browsÂer, and even a progress bar to show how much of a Web page has loaded.” You can read the full review here. Now, let the browsÂer wars begin again.
One of our British readÂers turned us on to this post by the Guardian, notÂing that they took a page from our genÂerÂal playÂbook. The post feaÂtures 50 of the best YouTube clips from across the arts, some of which we’ve feaÂtured here in the past. Among the videos, you’ll find vinÂtage perÂforÂmances by John Coltrane and BilÂlie HolÂiÂday, readÂings by Jack KerÂouac, an interÂview with Eugène Ionesco, clips of NirÂvana rehearsÂing in a garage, Vladimir Nabokov talkÂing about LoliÂta, JackÂson PolÂlock dripÂping paint outÂside his home, and MarÂlon BranÂdo doing a screen test for Rebel WithÂout a Cause. We have postÂed the BranÂdo clip below. There are some defÂiÂnite gems here. Now dive in. And don’t forÂget to work through our YouTube playlist and our piece 70 Signs of IntelÂliÂgent Life at YouTube, where you’ll find enrichÂing video colÂlecÂtions.
Thanks Stephen for the tip. And readÂers, keep the good recÂomÂmenÂdaÂtions comÂing!
There’s a curiÂous litÂtle piece over at TUAW.com. ApparÂentÂly AmerÂiÂcan solÂdiers in Iraq and Afghanistan are being supÂplied (on a limÂitÂed basis) with iPods equipped with speÂcial softÂware that will help them comÂmuÂniÂcate in Iraqi AraÂbic, KurÂdish, Dari and PushÂto. The softÂware will handÂiÂly “disÂplay a phoÂnetÂic transÂlaÂtion, speak a phrase through an attached speakÂer, disÂplay the phrase in local writÂing, or demonÂstrate hand gesÂtures that are comÂmon in AraÂbic.” SureÂly this is a canÂdiÂdate for our once popÂuÂlar piece: 10 UnexÂpectÂed Uses of the iPhone.
If you want to learn a good 40 lanÂguages with your iPod, see our ForÂeign LanÂguage LesÂson PodÂcast ColÂlecÂtion.
In anticÂiÂpaÂtion of GusÂtav.… Here’s what HurÂriÂcane Dean looked like for the crew flyÂing in a NASA space shutÂtle last August. You can check out more NASA videos on YouTube here. It’s also added to our YouTube playlist. Thanks to Bill for pointÂing this out. (ReadÂers: If you see good pieces of culÂturÂal media, feel free to send them our way.)
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
What Genius Looks Like at Zero GravÂiÂty
EndÂing the week on a lighter note …
A backer of indie film fesÂtiÂvals, VolkÂswaÂgen presents “See Film DifÂferÂentÂly” — a series of videos that feaÂture amusÂing re-interÂpreÂtaÂtions of clasÂsic movies. Here, you’ll find new takes on Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Die Hard, and Mary PopÂpins. Below, we’ve feaÂtured anothÂer (someÂwhat racy) bit and added it to our YouTube Playlist.
via SlashÂfilm
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