March 8, 2008
Stanley Kubrick Revealed
The Hidden Stanley Kubrick. In the nine years following Stanley Kubrick's death on March 7, 1999, several of his collaborators have written and spoken about their experiences working with this notoriously reclusive filmmaker. Their reminiscences shed light on aspects of Kubrick’s family life, private thoughts and work habits, and make for fascinating reading and viewing. Those who've shared their reflections include Michael Herr (co-screenwriter, "Full Metal Jacket"); Leon Vitali (actor, "Barry Lyndon" and Kubrick's personal assistant for nearly 25 years);
Ian Watson (credited with the "screen story" for "A.I.: Artificial Intelligence"); and
Brian Aldiss (who helped to develop the story for "A.I."). Peter Bogdanovich gathered together the impressions of others who worked with Kubrick on various projects over the legendary director's career. [more inside]
Warning: this FPP may cause seizures.
The new video, "Run", from R&B group Gnarls Barkley (best known for their ultra-popular and painfully ubitquitous 2006 hit song "Crazy") has been banned from MTV for failing the Harding Test, a set of criteria determining the likelihood of video material triggering seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy (PSE), approximately 1 in 6000 people*. The video is now circulating online. [Watch at your own risk. May cause seizures.] [more inside]
Can scientists dance?
Can scientists dance? "No one quite knew what to expect as the lights came up on a pair of astrophysicists dressed as binary galaxies. The rowdy audience of scientists exploded with applause. The world's first Dance Your Ph.D. Contest was off to a good start."
It's me, Dave... open up, man, I got the stuff!
[Rated NSFW, depending on where you work] | I got a Basketball Jones. (original animation) | D-A-V-E!! Open up! | Earache? Earache, my eye! | class...? Class...? | HardHAT! This is Codename Hardhat! | Ralph and Herbie | Where there's smoke, there's Cheech and Chong! [more inside]
"I'm so grateful for getting shot out of the sky"
Stranded on the island of New Britain during WWII, Fred Hargesheimer was rescued by native islanders, who hid him for 8 months from occupying Japanese forces. Fred never forgot the kindness he received, and in 1960, he used his family's vacation money to return to the island to personally thank the people who saved him. Thus began a 48 year relationship between Hargesheimer and the people of New Britain. [more inside]
Interactive 3D concept mapping...does your brain work like this?
Family Tree of the Greek Gods is a site using a visual organizer (now in beta) called Spicy Nodes. They call it a "natural and inviting" way to present information in "nuggets" that move in virtual space as you view them one by one. Another example: Daylight Savings Time.
Watch Lists
ACLU Watch List Counter: U.S. Terror List Now Exceeds 900,000 Names. That's an awful lot of terrorists. More Privacy and Surveillance Filter: Bruce Schneier on The Myth of the 'Transparent Society', Glenn Greenwald on The Banality of the Surveillance State, and Stephen Colbert on AT & Treason. [more inside]
& Teller
Horselover Fat and the Big Pink Light
The Religious Experience oof Philip K. Dick, as drawn by R. Crumb for Wierdo #17.
The Muslim Jesus
The Muslim Jesus, an ITV documentary on google video. 45 minute run time.
For The Bible Tells Me So
The Embarrassment's celebrity art party
"Here's Where The Magic Happens"
"And by magic, I mean me drinking a lot of coffee and not bathing for days while sitting in my PJ's and drawing comics until the wee hours of the morning."
Gasp at comics creator Mike Allred's lovely home! Admire artist Stuart Immonen's tastfully furnished work area! And marvel at writer Mark Waid's piles and piles of comic crap! Click the [more inside] for more studio tours guided by your favorite funnybook creators! And Mark Millar, too! [more inside]
I fell in love with an assassin
They met on a train and fell in love. Then Jason P Howe discovered that his girlfriend Marylin was leading a secret double life – as an assassin for right-wing death squads in Colombia's brutal civil war.
Ouch
I honestly do not remember a time in my life when I didn't have headaches Wilco's Jeff Tweedy discusses his lifelong battle with migraines, panic attacks, depression, drug addiction, and the influences of all on his music.
Uncle Dirty (NSFW)
Uncle Dirty is a fascinating photo essay about a photographer's strange uncle who has lived 86 years obsessed with bodybuilding, penises, and thongs. Not safe for work, but not too crazy, the photos really humanize someone you'd probably cross the street to avoid in real life. (via mjj/blort)
It's not funny!!
Carbohydrate Loading
A Summit of 57 State Leaders doesn't happen every day.
Leaders and Representatives of 57 Islamic countries (one exception is Mr. M. of Pakistan) and other dignitaries (including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon are meeting in Dakar, Senegal from March 8th-14th (link to flash video)
for the 11th summit of the organization of the Islamic
Conference. The OIC "combine their efforts and
speak with one voice to safeguard the interests and secure the progress and well-being of their
peoples and of all Muslims in the world." Topics to be discussed at the summit
also include
brokering a peace deal between Chad and Sudan .
Some of Dakar's residents1 (2, both in French) are not happy about the summit. [more inside]
Gonzo Game Journalism
Gaming journalism at its silliest. What do you get when you have the designer of Grim Fandango and Psychonauts Tim Schaefer play a game that you make up on the spot? Text based adventure hilarity. More of the same feature here.
I know a bot
But what about the micronauts?
Ancient Astronauts. Pretty much says it all.
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