February 4, 2010

38 years of Super Bowl Commercials.

38 years of Super Bowl Commercials. We now have 38 out of the 44 super bowl years, making this the worlds largest collection of super bowl ads. You're welcome!
posted by dead cousin ted at 11:58 PM PST - 24 comments

He has a wife, you know

Life imitates Python: The Life of Brian's unfortunately-named Roman has a real-life counterpart, and he's been denied ambassadorship to Saudi Arabia due to the fact that his name means "biggest dick" in Arabic.
posted by Jon_Evil at 11:55 PM PST - 91 comments

The Dynamite Prize in Economics

As a reaction towards the financial crisis the Real-World Economics Review will award the Dynamite Prize in Economics to the three economists who contributed most to blowing up the global economy. The Real-World Economic Review is the central organ of the movement for Post-Autistic Economics which is critical about the current mainstream in economics — in particular microeconomics and neoclassical theorists. [more inside]
posted by jfricke at 10:09 PM PST - 52 comments

Another look at international development from someone who's been there

Blood and Milk is the blog of international development worker and writer Alanna Shaikh, who consults on global health development and writes for publications such as the UN Dispatch. Her views, based both on her work in the field and her study & understanding of sociology, international relations, and other such subjects, tend to be contrary to most other opinions on international development: voluntourism isn't helpful, development work is mired in a culture of nice, don't bother starting an NGO (or, if you will anyway, here's how to succeed), global health doesn't need innovation, and microfinance is a disappointment. Also, here's how to tell if your health project is doomed, and Haiti doesn't need your shoes (some people vehemently disagree). Educated well-researched iconoclast, or pessimistic Mary Contrary?
posted by divabat at 9:47 PM PST - 20 comments

Well, they're just a bunch of old books

King's College London is planning to eliminate 22 positions in Arts and Humanities, including the elimination of the entire Palaeography department. [more inside]
posted by hiteleven at 8:36 PM PST - 82 comments

The Staff Room

"The Staff Room" is a series of short satiric youtube videos that give a glimpse of what really goes on in high school staff rooms everywhere. [more inside]
posted by mock at 8:25 PM PST - 18 comments

Go Superego

Go Superego is pretty funny. [Warning: bad words and adult concepts. Warning: no guarantee is made that you will personally find this funny. Warning: it's a podcast.] [more inside]
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:42 PM PST - 19 comments

History of Science Fiction Fandom

The Fan History Project documents the history of science fiction fandom. The site covers it all: local histories, professional art, fan art, fanzines, and photos. Yes, the photos. Lots more inside. [more inside]
posted by marxchivist at 4:19 PM PST - 20 comments

At least it wasn't ritual disemvoweling

"Financial crisis
Stalled too many customers
CEO no more."


Sun Microsystems chief executive Jonathan Schwartz resigns via twitter haiku.
posted by Artw at 3:33 PM PST - 62 comments

Out of the box

Elevator: Season Three: MLYT [more inside]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 3:29 PM PST - 5 comments

"'Repent, Harlequin,' Said the Ticktockman"

"'Repent, Harlequin,' Said the Ticktockman." An illustrated version of Harlan Ellison's short story of the same name. [more inside]
posted by John of Michigan at 2:55 PM PST - 31 comments

How could I keep my composure-when all sorts of thoughts fought for exposure?

EEG brainwave signals are used as biofeedback controllers for a video mixer built in Max/MSP/Jitter software. When the participant’s brain waves change, the video changes in realtime, creating a biofeedback loop. This is Carrie Gates' Psychic Armchair TV. [more inside]
posted by cashman at 2:42 PM PST - 11 comments

Tea Party, Anyone?

The first natonal Tea Party convention began today, although main events start tomorrow, amid some controversy over the price of admission. Sarah Palin is the keynote speaker, reportedly at a price of $100,000. Her speech and other events are to be televised. Two prominent Republican representatives, one of whom is Michele Bachman, have dropped out over their reported concerns about how receipts from the convention will be used. The convention appears to be aimed at establishing a direction for the group. Six hundred "delegates" are attending.
posted by bearwife at 2:06 PM PST - 230 comments

Buckfast Tonic Wine

One person’s helpful mood improver, though, is another’s worryingly effective stimulant. "The drink is 15 percent alcohol by volume, a bit stronger than most wines. Also, each 750 milliliter bottle contains as much caffeine as eight cans of Coke." Scottish authorities are trying to reduce alcoholism in the country, but consumers still love their Buckfast, which has been linked to violent behavior by some, and dismissed as merely a scapegoat by others. [more inside]
posted by snottydick at 1:18 PM PST - 97 comments

Selah

West of Austin, in the Texas Hill Country, a vacuum salesman turned fried chicken magnate turned rancher has spent the last 40 years turning the worst land he could find into a model of habitat restoration. [more inside]
posted by kmz at 12:39 PM PST - 27 comments

The Sloths of Panama

They sleep in fits and starts throughout the day, but are not so somnolent as previously thought. They can be vicious. Each one has its own personality. They are anything but slow when they need to be. [more inside]
posted by Hardcore Poser at 12:02 PM PST - 56 comments

Where we remain, a game!

Where We Remain is a procedurally generated exploration game set on a deserted island. It's better to discover what's going on for yourself, but if you need it the developer offers some hints. [more inside]
posted by The Devil Tesla at 12:01 PM PST - 16 comments

Bottle Band Battle

Nine bands enter, only one emerges sober • Timelapsed, three college-age kids play the Theme to Tetris around a table on beer bottles • The Magic Blow_ob Ensemble plays Shostakovich's "Jazz Suite #2" on beer bottles • Two Polish Buskers play Greig's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" on beer bottles • The Bottle Band (also from Poland) performs "The Entertainer" on beer bottles • The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra plays the Victoria Bitter beer jingle on Victoria Bitter beer bottles • St. Luke's Bottle Band plays Tchaikovsky's "Dance of the Reed Flutes" on beer and other bottles • The Bowen Beer Bottle Band [previously] performs "Do You Hear What I Hear?" on beer bottles • An ensemble wearing matching clothing plays "Mamma Mia" by ABBA on beer bottles • The J2O Bottle Blowing Choir performs "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" (they are too young for beer) • [more inside]
posted by not_on_display at 11:42 AM PST - 10 comments

Helping? Or hindering? The Western World and International Adoption

Does international adoption benefit adopted children? Serve to satisfy prospective parents? Is it a helpful situation for everyone involved? The current situation of ten American Baptists charged with child trafficking in Haiti is again opening up the conversation about the complexities, benefits and drawbacks of international adoptions arranged between Western and third-world countries. [more inside]
posted by jeanmari at 10:14 AM PST - 78 comments

Charles Vance Millar and The Great Stork Derby

Charles Vance Millar was a Canadian lawyer and financier with a love of pranks and practical jokes. His greatest and final prank was his last will and testament. [more inside]
posted by signalnine at 10:14 AM PST - 24 comments

Sonic Joins the New Class of Old School

Retro gamers are rejoicing today as Sega revealed that its flagship character Sonic will finally be returning to his 2-D roots after languishing for years in GameStop cheapo bins everywhere. Following the releases of such new old-school titles as New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Mega Man 9, A Boy and His Blob and Adventure Island, Sonic 4 will be a downloadable title for PS3/Wii/X-Box 360 this summer.
posted by Otis at 9:25 AM PST - 68 comments

Microsoft's Creative Destruction

Microsoft's Creative Destruction is an Op Ed in the New York Times by former Microsoft VP, Dick Brass. [more inside]
posted by shmegegge at 9:22 AM PST - 104 comments

In Our Time - 440 archived programmes

You guys know about BBC Radio 4's In Our Time, right? Each week, the broadcaster Melvyn Bragg hosts a 45-minute discussion on some aspect of culture, history, philosophy, religion or science. His guests are always three academics with expert knowledge of the chosen subject, and the tone is serious and detailed but never inaccessible. By respecting his audience's intelligence, Bragg delivers a programme of unrivaled interest, depth and educational value. The topics covered this year alone include The Frankfurt School, The Glencoe Massacre, Silas Marner and Ibn Khaldun. Eclectic, yes, but never less than fascinating. The good news is that the programme has just redesigned its website, making all 440 episodes to date available for your listening pleasure in its eminently browsable archive. In the dumbed-down 21st Century, it's a miracle that a programme like this still exists, so let's all make the most of it while we can.
posted by Paul Slade at 9:19 AM PST - 59 comments

Discover scenic Kcymaerxthaere!

"Kcymaerxthaere is the name of a parallel universe that shares, to some degree, our physical planet." Its historical markers can be found on the sea floor off Scotland, in Berlin, or all over America; historical sites include Embassy Row in Paris, Illinois, Krblin Jihn Kabin at Joshua Tree in California, and the Rock Wall of Stoan Orange Glef in Spain. A blog chronicles new installations. (via "The Believer") [more inside]
posted by Zed at 9:13 AM PST - 22 comments

In and Out of History: Tintin and Hergé

"To really write for children, you have to think like a child. And to read a children’s book, you probably have to let go of grown-up reasoning. These thoughts occurred to me as I read two newly-translated books about Tintin and his creator, Georges Remi, better known to the world as Hergé. (The pen name is composed of Remi’s initials backwards, pronounced as in French.) There is much to be learned from these studies and others by “Tintinologists”—about Hergé, about the “world” of Tintin, even about twentieth-century politics. But as I read Pierre Assouline’s well-written biography of Hergé and Jean-Marie Apostolidès’s erudite study of the Tintin books, a version of the question we Jews love to ask kept coming to mind: Are they good for Tintin?" A review of The Metamorphoses of Tintin or Tintin for Adults by Jean-Marie Apostolides and Herge: The Man Who Created Tintin by Pierre Assouline at The New Republic.
posted by ocherdraco at 8:45 AM PST - 17 comments

FedEx Panda

As mentioned previously, two pandas are flying from the US back to China. Or rather, are being shipped by FedEx. Which explains why FedEx has its own Panda shipping website, complete with Panda tracker. And a link to other unusual FedEx shipments.
posted by jermsplan at 8:06 AM PST - 37 comments

What Sort of Woman Reads Playboy

By day Peggy Wilkins runs Unix servers at the U. of C. By night she tends her apartment-size collection of Playboys (mildly NSFW), moderates the Playboy Mailing List, builds Playmate databases, and even sends free advice to Hef (via)
posted by Joe Beese at 8:05 AM PST - 35 comments

The art of Akira

Announcing: The Art of Akira Exhibit Its stunningly fluid and detailed animation often required as many as nine separate cel layers. The 125 minute feature was comprised of over 160,000 cels and almost as many backgrounds, each one completely hand–drawn and hand-painted. Purists recognize Akira as the last completely hand-created animated feature.

Joe the Peacock, in collaboration with Toonseum, presents a project to 'expose as many people as possible to the brilliance' of Akira.

Akira previously: 1 2 3
posted by shakespeherian at 6:15 AM PST - 76 comments

Not THAT Kind of Black List

Patrick Sauriol's Corona Coming Attractions, the comprehensive insider film news site of the late-'90s (resurrected in December 2008), presents the top unproduced screenplays for 2009 as selected by film professionals (Part 1 | Part 2). "Over 300 film professionals were asked to submit the titles of up to ten of their favorite screenplays. The only condition for the picks were that the projects would not be released in theaters this year." Some sound fascinating, others cringe-inducingly tired.
posted by AugieAugustus at 5:32 AM PST - 21 comments

Lord Haw Haw returns to the British Airwaves

"Then the prisoner came into the dock. A little man. Pale now, and looking insignficant as he stood there with four warders grouped around him. It seemed hard at that moment to associate with that figure the sardonic venom that once sneered from stations Hamburg and Bremen." [more inside]
posted by tiny crocodile at 4:00 AM PST - 28 comments

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