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The Daniel Dennett interview with Bill Moyers [GoogleVid now with free viewing]. Dennett's talks at TED. Dennett with Robert Wright [GVid]. And additional AV at Daniel Dennett Multimedia -- his presentation at the Center for Naturalism (on "Breaking the Spell") is excellent. [Previously 1, 2, 3, 4]
posted by McLir at 11:15 PM PST - 21 comments

Not to be outdone by the appearance of the Octosquid (previously), other cephalopods have undearthed 900-year-old hidden treasures from the Koryo Dynasty and are taking up residence in the Monterey Bay (Bugmenot works for this last link). Squirrels are also getting in on the action.
posted by christopherious at 8:32 PM PST - 11 comments

The author of the excellent (and previously mentioned) 60s/70s soul music blog Funky 16 Corners has put together an awesome compilation album available for free download, called Rubber Souled, featuring soul covers of Beatles classics; the results are intriguing, from Stevie Wonder's funked out version of We Can Work It Out to a nightmare inducing Bill Cosby cover of Sgt Peppers.
posted by jonson at 8:21 PM PST - 32 comments

It puts the lotion in the basket. [nsfw] You know how in that movie, The Silence of the Lambs, the serial killer they're trying to catch is skinning women because he wants to make a suit out of real girls? If this product was around, perhaps we could have saved the lives of a lot of fictional victims.
posted by Sully at 8:09 PM PST - 81 comments

Sports Illustrated's website is running a feature where all of their regular columnists, for all the sports the site covers, writes an essay on "The Best Game I've Ever Seen." Some fine examples of modern sports writing.
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:00 PM PST - 6 comments

American Sign Language Flash Video Dictionary is a high quality, free dictionary with a huge number of signs. It includes specialized dictionaries of religious signs, conversational phrases, and ASL for babies. Unfortunately it's not possible to link to specific signs, but if you look inside you'll find words from "Abbreviate" to "Zoom" and phrases such as "I cannot fasten my belt," "has he been neutered?" "I already took a bath," "are you married?" and "I need a better firewall."
posted by alms at 7:11 PM PST - 17 comments

Ward Churchill fired. The Colorado Board of Regents made a point to say that he was not fired for the infamous essay in which he called financial workers killed in the World Trade Center attack to "little Eichmanns" for their role in facilitating US corporate financial interests. They insist that he was fired for "serious, repeated and deliberate research misconduct that falls below the minimum standard of professional integrity, including fabrication, falsification, improper citation and plagiarism," allegations made against Churchill even before his controversial post-9/11 remarks. While others warned that the firing signaled a breach of academic freedom and assault on the idea of tenure itself, Churchill announced he is suing the university. (previously)
posted by inoculatedcities at 5:45 PM PST - 163 comments

OH! DANGO! JAM Incredible little Japanese game, Tamagotchi + Pokemon + awesome music = great happy fun time. Z is attack, X is magic, C is defend, and spacebar is special move. Don't forget to save often using end -> data regist. [via]
posted by knowles at 5:36 PM PST - 13 comments

"Japanese Relocation" - A short propaganda film created by the US government & the "Office of War Information - Bureau of Motion Pictures." The subject has been much discussed previously on MetaFilter. Here and here, among other threads.
posted by The Deej at 4:19 PM PST - 21 comments

A year after a reprimand from the government cost him a weekly writing gig at a local newspaper, popular Singaporean blogger mr brown continues to write and produce humorous podcasts that cover a wide range of topics, including government denials of homelessness, a controversy over selling condoms at a local university bookshop, and a crackdown by neighbouring Malaysia on blogger freedom of speech.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 3:50 PM PST - 14 comments

Real Life Super Heroes! Perhaps you've heard of Angle Grinder Man, Superbarrio and Terrifica. How about The Eye, Tothian or Mr. Silent? There is, of course, the Wikipedia page for Real Life Super Heroes. A Myspace group chock full of spandex and gadgets. The member list is a great place to start browsing.
posted by loquacious at 3:37 PM PST - 29 comments

As Image Comics prepares to resurrect Golden Age comics under the rubric of public domain, it may be worth revisiting heroes of yore, like Stardust (by Hank Fletcher), Fantomah and Titan. Even more can be found through the Pure Excitement reprint webzine, (unfortunately burdened with clumsy navigation— modify the final segment for all 36 issues).

Of course, a fair number of them do show up on the Stupid Comics page, like Fantomah versus the Weird Gorillas, alongside more modern mockeries of books like Man or Astroman and Superman meets the Quik Bunny.
posted by klangklangston at 3:33 PM PST - 17 comments

"Each day brings new, stressful situations we must deal with in our business lives and our personal lives [sic]" - and let us not forget the bullying. That said, you may either breathe diaphragmatically, enter a deathmatch with your monitor (only applicable for "Computer Rage"), fantasize about starting the countdown on the the edifice/entity of your choice, or simply do yourself in (but for heavens sake, do the job correctly).
posted by ikebowen at 2:59 PM PST - 6 comments

Oscar the cat. Harbinger of death. (more info available behind registration at the NEJM)
posted by revmitcz at 2:55 PM PST - 98 comments

Picnicmob would like to invite you to a picnic and seat you precisely with those most like you.
posted by sudama at 1:37 PM PST - 46 comments

A bunch of natural gas canisters blew up near downtown Dallas today. Eyewitness video!
posted by punkfloyd at 12:53 PM PST - 94 comments

Korla Pandit is considered by many to be the godfather of exotica music. His live show "Adventures in Music" on KTLA in Hollywood was the first all music television show ever broadcast and featured Korla wordlessly sitting behind his Hammond organ, playing and staring wistfully into the camera. His trademark turban and gemstone complimented his exotic image and even up until his death, he maintained that he was raised in New Delhi by his Indian father and French mother. Korla Pandit was actually born John Roland Redd in St. Louis, MO, to Ernest Redd, pastor of the Second Baptist Church, the largest black church in Columbia, MO, and Doshia O'Nina Redd, who was of Creole lineage. You can read all about the transformation of John Redd into Korla Pandit at the great Korla Pandit web site.
posted by Otis at 12:42 PM PST - 9 comments

Something heavy weighing on your heart? Confess. Mom Confessions. Dad Confessions. Office Confessions. Bride Confessions.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:22 PM PST - 38 comments

Robert Fisk on post war Lebanon explains the reality on the ground and critiques US media coverage of the Middle East. via juan cole & icga contains YouTube
posted by adamvasco at 11:59 AM PST - 7 comments

Busting the Merchant of War. "The Bush administration finally nails a notorious supplier to terrorists—after he spent 30 years hiding in plain sight." [Via Disinformation.]
posted by homunculus at 11:58 AM PST - 15 comments

Bored on your summer vacation? Well, the US government has lots of fun stuff for kids to do on line. Learn fascinating facts about cows (and agricultural marketing!) from the Department of Agriculture. Take a ride to Money Central Station with the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. If you live in a federally-funded housing project, HUD wants you to learn more about being a good citizen. Want something more action-packed? Help FBI Special Agent Bobby Bureau go undercover, or become one of America's Crypto-Kids at the NSA. Play thrilling puzzle games or visit the world's most secret museum at the CIA. Play more games or become a Disaster Action Kid at FEMA! And no list of government kids' pages would be complete without revisiting the children's art contest from the ATF, which I've linked to before...
posted by dersins at 11:48 AM PST - 5 comments

"A Girl Like Me." 1947. Dr. Kenneth Clark conducts his "Doll Test." Dolls identical except for color were shown to black children at Scott's Branch Elementary School. His findings were published in 1950. According to his testimony during Brown v. Board of Education (1954), "Eleven of these sixteen children chose the brown doll as the doll which looked 'bad.'" 2007. 18-year old Kiri Davis wins CosmoGIRL's Take Action Hollywood film contest with her documentary short from 2006, "A Girl Like Me." (YouTube) In the film (produced with help from Reel Work Teen Filmmaking), she recreates Clark's "Doll Test" and finds: "Fifteen of the twenty-one children preferred the white doll." Sixty years on, and we've still so far to go. (via MyUrbanReport and Drifting Through The Grift)
posted by grabbingsand at 11:14 AM PST - 25 comments

Joey Lawrence. No, not that one.
posted by FunkyHelix at 11:04 AM PST - 27 comments

Hailing from wholesome Riverdale, USA, The Archies were a fresh-faced gang of teens who rocketed to the top of the pops. Listen to their first album on ArchieComics.com now! [Via Comics Should Be Good!]
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:11 AM PST - 28 comments

50 best movie robots of all time including D.A.R.Y.L, Eve VII, the Cylons, Daft Punk, Max, Box, but not Daleks, obviously.
posted by tombola at 9:03 AM PST - 82 comments

When you reach for a light switch in North America, what you encounter is probably pretty boring. No doubt you know you could spice it up a little. Maybe you don't know just how many choices you have. The range of styles available is huge. There are some that may not have much of a market. There are others you probably wouldn't put up in the office.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 8:44 AM PST - 36 comments

It's Wednesday--take a chill pill.
posted by mattbucher at 8:19 AM PST - 26 comments

Because of booming economies in China, India and elsewhere the price of metals, such as copper and aluminum, have reached all time highs. Empty beer kegs for example can be sold for up to $27. Washington DC is experiencing a crime wave of metal thieves who are stripping everything from lamp posts, gutters, catalytic converters and bleacher seats.
posted by stbalbach at 7:58 AM PST - 51 comments

Lindsay Lohan, America's Dream Girl*, has been a potent pop culture event ever since her rise to fame in Disney's 1998 remake of Parent Trap. As the first red haired child ever hired by Ford Modeling Agency at the age of 3, Lohan clearly had her young eye aimed at Hollywood. Her breakout role came with the 2004 release of Mean Girls. Skyrocketed into the public consciousness, Lohan quickly released two pop albums and pumped out classic films such as Herbie: Fully Loaded and Georgia Rule. With Britney Spears's descent into oblivion and Paris Hilton's problems with the law, Lohan appeared ready to supplant Britney as The It Girl. But with her rocky personal life and her love of night clubs, the party scene, strawberry quick, and after problems with her studio, and running low on cash, people wondered, could Lohan turn her life around? Sadly, that appears to be a no. After being charged with a DUI on Thursday for an accident in May, Lohan was charged with another DUI (and cocaine possession) Monday morning after chasing another car. A story is quickly unfolding involving a fired assistant, bad damage control, a bar at a rehab center, prison chic, more bad parenting and a request for privacy / denial of drug possession. Mugshots were also released. Is she the next Pete Doherty?
posted by Stynxno at 7:42 AM PST - 187 comments

Don't speed in Virginia. Want to speed in Virginia? Go ahead if you don't live here. If you're a resident, make sure you know about the new monster fine and additional responsible driver taxes. So, pay attention to the speed limit and know where to look for speed traps. Don't like it? Speak up. Tell Governor Kaine. He defends the fees. Be sure to vote too.
posted by onhazier at 7:01 AM PST - 80 comments

Steadicam operators! Are you tired of simply walking with your camera rig to achieve that special wobble-free shot? Or maybe you're making a movie on the cheap and can't afford all that heavy equipment? Behold! The future of filmmaking has arrived! Presenting: Steadicam on a Segway! (Warning: Obnoxious, awful Flash interface on second link)
posted by 40 Watt at 6:46 AM PST - 28 comments

Don't speed.
posted by dangerousdan at 4:08 AM PST - 59 comments

Universe is the newest project from Jonathan Harris, who was also behind the amazing WeFeelFine, and the Yahoo Time Capsule. Here's a talk he gave about his projects at TED 2007.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:23 AM PST - 20 comments