Last minute holiday gift idea.

Ebay is a great place to find all sorts of odd and wonderful things, and is a perfect place to get that present for the person who has everything. Some guy is a selling a label-less N64 game cartridge. The game already has a bid of $86 dollars and has over 50 bids. I would love to win it just to see what it is. Here would be the best possibilities of what it could be.

1) Golden Eye
2) The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time
3) Super Smash Brothers
4) Perfect Dark
5) Banjo-Kazooie

The worst possibilities:

1) Superman 64
2) Pokemon Snap
3) Blues Brothers 2000
3) any games based on a Disney animated movies.
4) Cruis'n USA
5) its just a blank cartridge with no game on it at all.

I really hope the buyer will share what the game ended up being.

You bred....Raptors?

We were making Christmas cookies the other night and I could not help myself. I think Velociraptors should always be a part of the holiday season.

Foods to die from.

We all know that processed food is not good for you by any means and it would be naive to assume that meat from a can contains any part of the animal you would typically want, but here is an article with 6 processed foods that may make you think twice before chowing down on some convenient noms.

The Great Outdoors!

You may recall a previous post with total bozos trying to demonstrate self-defense right? Well here some more bozos frakking up in the outdoors.

The Environmental Society

The future, a place of unlimited possibilities. Typically in film and television the future is portrayed as one of either two things, a technological behemoth, or an apocalyptic wasteland, there really is nothing else, but what's to say that there was a third alternative? The environmental alternative?

What if in the future, mankind manages to use the sophisticated technology of the future to manipulate the elements. No more fossil fuels, no more crude technology that damages the environment, but rather a society that lives in harmony with nature.

This society's energy will draw from many areas. Abundant wind turbines on the coasts and in the valleys of the world, countless solar panels in the deserts and other hotspots, ensuring energy to those in that area. None of this is new, but in this future it will be far more plentiful than it is now. But perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this future, is where do people live?

In this future, in order to save the trees of the environment, we no longer build our homes out of wood. Then what do we live in? It all starts with lightning.

In this future lightning will be harvested. There will be farmers whose sole job will be to harvest lightning from thunder storms, capture it into big power rods and course it through generators to manipulate it however is seen fit. Needless to say, lightning farming is a dangerous profession.

The harvested lightning will then be coursed through pools of water, dug in the ground. The electric currents will be so great that it will cause the water to take a solid shape, hence houses. The water will be laced with a non-toxic chemical cocktail made in the future that will allow it to maintain this solid shape without dripping and absorb any of the electric currents that could reach the humans inside.

People will live in these water cocoons. The water will be a pure, renewable way to live. New water will be coursed through continuously, and the polluted water in which they had been living in will be drained and repurified for future use. Of course, if our structures are made of water, what do we do for electricity?

In this future, everything is battery-powered. Solar batteries with tiny solar panels will be all the rage. Rechargeable batteries that will never run out. And forget about television sets, in the future everything will be hologram based. No need to plug a set into the wall, simply let the solar-powered hologram machine a float in mid-air and watch your favorite programming.

This is a future unlike any other, one that will be peaceful, full of passion and love. Whether or not a place like this will ever exist, I don't know, but one can dream.

Eating in RAW?

Every now and then you run into someone with an exceptionally different diet from yourself. I always have apprehension when I know I will be accommodating say a vegan. Mainly I worry they will have miserable time staying at my house and have a difficult time enjoy the same local cuisine I enjoy. I have however failed to meet someone who eats exclusively raw food. I first heard of the raw food diet around two years ago on WebMD. I find the concept terribly interesting and potentially beneficial. However, I find it completely impossible. I love cooked food and I like cooking food. Sucks for me right? I will not be receiving the health benefits from raw food, or are there more benefits to cooked food? Did cooking give humans an evolutionary edge over our fellow primate brethren? That is exactly the question posed by Dr. Richard Wrangham during an interview on NPR's Science Friday. During the interview, the Primatologist, discusses primates general preference to cooked food, the ability to extract more protein form cooked food, and our ability to digest it better. In the end this may have given our species the right ingredients to evolve into what we are to day. The interview in no way discourages the raw food diet, but does mention that it may not be for everybody. You can listen to the interview here, or catch the highlights at thesaladgirl.com.

I can't believe it's butter!

I am not one to criticize when it comes to keeping food well past the expiration date. In fact, I probably have some left overs from at least two or three months ago, just waiting to be stirred and release their putrid smell. While I have kept things for a long time, nothing compares to what a group of Archeologist found in an Ireland bog. Archeologist, John Fitzharris and Martin Lane, were pleasantly surprised to find a barrel of butter over 3,000 years old. Now that is one for the record books. You can read the ful article at dicoveryon.info. I wander if you can still spread it on a roll?

The Unicellular Review!

The unicellular blog has decided to extend its reach with the creation of the unicellular review, a blog devoted entirely to the worlds of film and television. Here many of our same contributors will be giving their thoughts on the latest bits of news from the film and television industries, while also giving us their thoughts on the latest film releases or episodes of our favorite television series. So be sure to check it out, you might even find a few surprises in store.

theunicellularreview.blogspot.com

Hacking your brain with the Pentatonic Scale

I'm sure everyone's already seen this, but here it is anyways. "Hacking" the audiences brains using the pentatonic scale.

just try and guess where this is

the mother country

It's time to talk about your social networking...

Yeah, so, I use facebook to keep tabs with production people that I come in contact with on different jobs.  Not really fan of keep up with people from high school, but I gotta say it's great for job stuff.  Especially when your job requires lots of communication skills and people finding.  

I feel like gloating now because I took a shot on facebook to contact someone I know in LA to help this production I'm working for find a unit production manager.  A day or two later she texted me back telling me she was unavailable but knew some people who were and would recommend them.  As it turns out, one of the people she recommended got the job and is now my boss!  I'm really pumped now and will use facebook a lot more for actual "social networking" and not just the, "hey... um... do you remember me from high school?"  Technology is awesome.  From now on I'll keep most of my social networking site bashing to myspace and leave facebook alone.  Perhaps JS you should reactivate your account now...

its time

to cut it like dough

Web Design of the week:Kimiko Yoshida

Last week we posted a link to Josh Langley's photography site for its web design and photos, and this week we will provide you with another fantastic link to another fantastically designed website that also comes from a photographer. Kimiko Yoshida has a beautiful site, that provides the feeling of being in a Parisian art gallery. Her self portraits are gorgeous and bizarre. Check out her site here.

original post found over at Tokyo Mango.

Lets celebrate the b'day of Mr. Tesla

So you may have heard there was a car named after him. Maybe you know about him because you paid attention in science class. No matter how you heard about the man, Nicola Tesla is one of the most important names in modern technology. This man helped introduce practically everything, Tesla would have been a jolting 153 today. Let us all wish him an electrifying good time. Learn more about one of the greatest men in technology here. you can also learn more from the video you see below.

My roommate and I Rasterbating.

Sometimes, I find myself wanting to have a poster of something that is very specific. Sadly, most places that sell posters don't have a 5x8 poster of Uncle Jesse and the Rippers. Luckily, if I have a solid high res picture, I can create the poster of my dreams. Say hello to Rasterbating. The Rasterbator is a site that allows you to upload your own picture and have it sectionalized. When you print you get numerous pages that will make the larger picture, like a puzzle. I have to say, it is harder than it looks. Paul (shollpoly) and myself worked on the lovely piece you see below (I have 99 problems but a bitch ain't one). We plan on doing more and you should start as well. Visit the site here, and Rasterbate to your hearts content.

joshualangley.com

I saw a tweet from one of my work mates that his new website was up that he designed. I followed the link and was highly impressed with what I saw. For starters, Josh Langley is a fantastic photographer, so the pure artistry is enough to visit. However, don't let the pretty images distract you from what is a sleek and eloquent web design. The surprising thing to find out is that no flash was involved. This a beautiful site with some great content.

www.joshualangley.com

Big Brother

Have you ever driven though the great state of Ole’ Virginia and noticed that no one is speeding? Then suddenly, you see it: a great black sign looms along the side of the road. "Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft" and you do a double take. Is an F-16 going to follow me down the road and drop a smart bomb on me if I go over the speed limit? How does this "enforcement" thing work?

I worry that an Apache attack helicopter is going to sweep out from behind a bank of trees, red and blue lights will start flashing and then it lands right in front of me on the interstate.

And then it hit me. What a great psychological “no speeding” campaign this is. You can’t refute the fact, Apache helicopters or not, in your head you know there’s some orbiting police plane sitting somewhere up in the sky behind a cloud so you can’t see it, and he’s got your number and is radioing some police squad car down on the ground to move in and intercept your ass. It scares the bah-jesus out of me.

Apparently it scares a lot of other Virginia drivers too because not once did I see someone go over 80 miles and hour and I hardly saw people go over 75 miles an hour. Being a driver from Birmingham, you put your life on the line everyday because if you don’t go at least a bare minimum of 75 on the interstates around here you’re going to get run the fuck over. It’s Nascar country.

So I wonder, could the “Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft” signs work here in Alabama? Probably not. I think part of what makes those signs so scary up in Virginia is the fact that you have the CIA based over in Langley. Who knows what the hell really goes on over there with Big Brother and all; but, maybe it will scare some folk into staying within the speed limit even though I seriously doubt it. Last time I looked the literacy rates were higher in Virginia than Alabama. Go figure.

reading white text on a black background

sometimes it is hard to read white text on a black background at length

No he is not dead... He is Mr. G!

I subscribe to several blogs, podcasts, and YouTube channels. Most of the ones I subscribe to are very nice, but rarely cause excitement. Then there are those that when they do update it is freaking awesome! The other day I experienced one of those updates on YouTube. Enter Mr. G, the host of Do Try This at Home. This YouTube series consists of Mr. G demonstrating fun and easy science projects that anyone can do from home. I have to say I always learn something that I did not know before. While updates where irregular for awhile(wild rumors on the internet said he was dead which he addresses after a long absence), it would seem that Mr. G is back with a second season and is making the attempt to bring us all episodes on a weekly basis. If you are not watching this web show, then start. Also, he has probably the best theme song I have ever heard on internet, plus new 30 second spots that will fit between episodes (with a new cool theme as well). Be sure to watch the bloopers at the end, they are always a good time. Here is one of our favorite episodes at The Unicellular Blog.

Why will the future be so shiny?

The future of our world is always unclear, especially in terms of how technologically advanced we will be. According to Back to the Future II, we should have self drying clothes, flying cars, and watching everything in 3D (well maybe we are part of the way there). Anyways, filmmakers have been known to have very rich thoughts on what our future world looks like in terms of technology, aesthetics, and culture. Generally, in the future we all wear slick one piece jump suites as seen in the new Mac ads (to which Jerry Seinfeld has a good reason for this fashion choice in this video around the 1 minute mark), and all of our cars take on the look of that space ship from Flight of the Navigator. One of the things I have noticed in film is that in these advanced societies, everything is shiny and void of fingerprints, corruption, or dust. Why is that? Apple has been known for their more futuristic design and glossy screens that look like they could fit in a world of flying cars, but all the ones I see are simply filthy. Are people just cleaner in the future? No, we just wised up, and here are the two reason why the future is going to be shinier based on technologies that exist now.

1) In the future, the things we will actually have to touch will be protected by a special polymer that will fend of our greasy paws. Sound like science fiction? Think again, and you don't have to look further than Apple's new iPhone 3G S. When I got my first iPhone, I was driven mad by the amount of fingerprints I had on my favorite new toy. No matter what I tried I could not stop it from getting smeared with natural oils and grease from hands and face. Enter the oleophobic screen of the new iPhone 3G S. Basically this polymer applied to the phone minimizes those nasty little oils and even helps in evaporating the little that get through. Outside of the phones impressive speed, this is no doubt my favorite feature. So how is this going to keep the future so clean? Imagine it on the side of every building, on every window, and all of machines. There is a more in depth discussion of oleophobic polymer over at Gizmodo with Bill Nye the Science Guy.

2) Minority Report is not my favorite movie, but the technology in the movie really gets ones mind going. Most of the technology is based around holographic images, with no hardware needing to be touched at all. Surely we are years away from such advanced technology. Well, don't tell that to the guys at Microsoft's Xbox team. Project Natal is a new revolutionary way of gaming that will require no chords or controllers, just motion control. The system will respond to human movement in respect to what is going on the screen. Imagine this technology applied to say a computer. No more keyboard and mouse. The future will be pretty clean if we aren't touching anything. Check out the video below.

I don't know about you, but I am pretty excited about a shiny clean future.

The Apocalypse Blog

You would probably be a liar if you said you have never really thought about the apocalypse in any sort of capacity: whether it be the apocalypse of the religious variety, zombie attack, alien enslavement, or nuclear winter; you know that some book, film, or video game put your mind to work imagining how you would react and continue to survive. I for one have had my zombie escape plan and alien uprising rebel battalion in place for years. I just wish there was somebody around who could organize, talk about, and critique our perceptions of impending doom. Lucky for me there is such person willing to spend hours of deep thought and mediation analyzing history and the human psyche to help us better understand what the hell is going on in the world of the post-world. Enter Mark Hutson: my friend, film companion, and Apocalypse obsessed blogger. His new blog ,The Apocalypse Blog, will be the place to discuss our misconceptions, delusions, ideas, and expectations of a potential end of human civilization as we know it. Please subscribe and enjoy what this blog has to offer.

Darling don't you go and cut your hair.

So I got a haircut yesterday. I went through a delusional period thinking that it would be cool to grow my hair long, but it dawned on me that I live in Alabama and it a million degrees right now (an obvious exaggeration). So, on a whim, I got my haircut. Typically I like my hair immediately, but when I get home I have regrets. It always seems puffy and unflattering at home. Generally it takes about a two months for me to really start liking my hair and then I need another cut, thus the cycle starts over. It is a bitch. Anyways, here are some haircut links.

One of the most catchy indie tunes of all time has to be Pavement's Cut Your Hair. From the ohh ohh's to the playful lyrics about bands, scenes, and style; this track is sure to make you tap your toes.

Now I love viral videos and I don't really care what that says about me, but My New Haircut is really funny. Let us hear it for this parody of the Jersey Douche Guy that is so quotable.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

While this is not necessarily haircut related, it is important to note anyways; watch the Vlogbrothers channel on YouTube. These brothers started by communicating for a solid year strictly the Vlogs, and the whole things has grown into this whole Nerdfighter revolution. The reason I mention it under this post is for brother John Green (writer of the brilliant Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, and Paper Towns) speaks of his hair poof often which is many times the issue I have with my hair ( I couldn't find a specific video where he talks about his hair, but this is about his beard.)

Finally I leave you with a barber shop quartet. Did I mention these guys have a STar Trek them?

Vaykay in Charleston

It's 10a.m. Alabama time and I'm in Charleston drinking Trois Pistoles from a growler with my uncle. For those of you who don't know, a growler is a 1/2 gallon glass jug you fill with draft beer for consumption at your own leisure. They are legal in South Carolina, but not so much in Alabama. There is one place that sells them though, Dee's package store on Greensprings Highway. Read about it down below

Link:

http://www.freethehops.org/blog/2009/06/good-people-beer-at-home/

Get a growler, get some beer, and watch this youtube video of A Goofy Movie done David Lynche style.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7baCckh-XE

Birthday Wishes

Birthdays are lame. At least they have been since I stopped having cartoon themed parties where people brought me gifts in shiny wrapping paper and I got to beat the daylights out of a polychromatic paper donkey filled with candy. Oh yes, those were the days. However, I would like to point out some exceptionally awesome birthdays you may want to celebrate on this day, June 5th.

First is everyones favorite cubical slave Ron Livingston. You may remember him as Peter Gibbons from the now cult classic Office Space, or maybe you remember him as Carrie Bradshaw's writer boyfriend in Sex and the city. Maybe you are more of a history buff and recall his performance in the HBO mini-series Band of Brothers. Either way you remember him, wish him a happy 42nd Birthday.

While thinking about celebrities, nothing makes a better celebrity than someone who is multitalented. You know, the type that can act and rap. Well today you better set aside some time and try to send Marky Mark Wahlberg some birthday greetings. He is 38 today.

For all of those who absolutely hate jazz music, you may want to dust off your old copy of G Force and give it a listen. That's right, pseudo jazz man Kenny G is 53.

If you are a fan of contemporary art and music, then you may want to bust out a MIDI keyboard and play some Happy Birthday for experimental performance artist Laurie Anderson. Mostly known for her UK hit O' Superman (Which Imogen Heap probably heard right before she wrote Hide and Seek), she is know this day for turning 62. Happy Birthday Laurie.

There are a lot of rebels in the music scene today, from bad boy 50 Cent to train wreck Amy Winehouse, but very few of these artists have caused a complete riot at the ballet. Igor Stravinsky, Russian composer, caused a riot in the streets of Paris when he debuted his now iconic Rite of Spring. The crowd in Paris at the May 1913 debut reacted with jeers and and a general uproar. The well heeled Parisian crowd were shocked by the Russian Pagan imagery accompanied by the liberal use of dissonance and misuse of string instruments as percussion. Despite the negative reaction, Rite of Spring has become one of the most important compositions in 20th century music. Stravinsky would have been 127 today.

Finally lets give it up for Edmund of Langley, the first Duke of York. Ed was born June 5th 1341. While his main claim to fame was being the first Duke of York, his other accomplishment was being the first of five brothers to live to adulthood. Way to go Ed, have a happy 668th birthday.

There are loads more great June 5th Birthdays, so for the rest of you I leave you with Bert and Ernie and the letter U.

If Disney World and the Bunny Ranch had a child....

So apparently the same country where pornography is illegal, has also had a sex theme park in the works. Love Land was due to open in Chongqing, China in October of 2009, but the entire project has been recently demolished . This would not be the first park of its kind however. There is already a Love Land on Jeju Island in South Korea. The park Features 140 artistic sculptures of men and women in various sexual positions, as well as sex education films and hands on exhibits (not so sure about this). Their website describes it as, "A place where the imagination can run wild." All in all, the park is viewed as fun and humorous, and it is in no way as smutty as it probably sounds. The island was once a popular honeymoon destination in an age of arranged marriages, so the island has always been a place of sexual education. The park was created by graduates of Hongik University in Seoul. So if you find yourself in South Korea and are the type of person who hates lines and doesn't like kids at theme parks, then this may be the place for you.

The hops are finally free!

The rest of the world may find it hard to believe, but Alabamians have been prohibited, buy law, from serving and selling beer with a higher alcohol content above 6%. Also, beer cannot be served in anything larger than a pint, ruling out delicious beers that are served in 22 oz bottles and larger. This may not sound like the worse thing in the world, but if you actually enjoy gourmet beer then you may find yourself in what some would describe as "beer drinkers hell." Beer Advocate is a website dedicated to gourmet beer and features a top 100 list of the world's best beers according to it's reader. On this list, only a handful (less than 5) can be served in Alabama. With the state of gourmet beer in peril, an amazing group of organized individuals got organized and decided to do something about this crisis.

Free the Hops, a non-profit grassroots organization started in 2006 by former Samford graduate Danner Kline, was formed in an effort to change the oppressive beers laws of the state. The group quickly gained momentum and hired a lobbyist to help in getting a bill proposed in the House of Representatives. In 2007, the bill, to raise alchohol content in beer to 13.9%, failed to make it out of the house. The bill was actually given the "Shroud Award," a phony award given for being the deadest bill of that session. Despite this failure, Free the Hops made headlines around the country in print media and the news. In late 2007, Danner Kline resigned as President of Free the hops and was succeed by Stuart Carter. 2008 saw the bill in the House floor again, but this time it was far from being a competitor for the Shroud Award. The bill passed with 48 yeas, 42 nays, and 2 abstains. This was a major victory that would be short lived. Due to the inactivity of the Senate, the bill never made it to the floor for them to vote on. In most states this would have meant that the bill would have started in the Senate the next year, but Alabama is different. The bill must start the procedure all over again. With that heavy hit, Free the Hops had to persevere. In 2009, the Gourmet Beer bill was back on the House floor where it passed. Now it was time to play the waiting game. The same one that ended in dismay the previous year, but on May 14th the Senate approved the bill and it was now up to the Governor Bob Riley to sign it into law. The governor has 6 days to sign a bill after it passes, excluding Sunday. Free the Hops along with its supporters started calling, emailing, and faxing the Governors office asking him to sign the bill. With the ball in Riley's court, it was now a waiting game, and after 3 years of trying to allow great beer into Alabama, Governor Riley signed the bill the morning of May 22nd 2009. So the hops have been freed, but it is still not over. While this is in fact a great victory, there are still other laws to change, including the one outlawing home brewing and the container size, but at least for now we can rejoice in emancipation of the hops.

Last year, Paul Sholly and myself directed a short documentary about the 2008 Free the Hops legislative session. This is where Free the Hops was one year ago and today they have accomplished a huge task. Please enjoy our film below, and have a beer today in honor of this day.

The humor and high blood pressure?

High blood pressure is nothing to laugh about. The only reason I could find it it funny would be if, well, take a look for yourself.

Reddit Round up

-Do you have the time? Oh you better believe these guys have the time.

- Super Mario theme? Played by an industrial laser? Why not?

- Open source free Mac Apps.

- Robot Fight!

- The space fountain. An alternate to the space elevator?

Song of the Week. ケータイ狂想曲 烏田晴奈 (Cellphone Caprice)

This is a cool music video/animation/composition by Haruna Karasuda.

My Top 5 Favorite Lost Theories.

I have been watching Lost since the 4th episode of Season 1. I am one of those guys who re-watches every episode numerous time in-search for any little clue that may lead to the ultimate theory explaining everything from the smoke monster to the statue. I have several theories concerning Lost, but I decided to post some of my favorite theories form my favorite Lost blog, Dark UFO. So please enjoy, and hopefully these will lead you to new ideas and conclusions about the show.

1. Jack was born on the island

2. Jacob is a time traveler

3. Faraday's attempt to trump fate.

4. Triple Threat: Ben, Ellie, and Charles.

5. Egyptians originated on the island.

Also, as an honorable mention, I must post one of the most discussed theories in existence. While I think most of this can be debunked based on recent events, this is one of the most detailed and thorough theories for its time (it was written around the time of season two). It come form the popular forum 4815162342. This may take awhile to read, so grab a Dharma beer and relax.

Slug Sex

Nature is an amazing, odd, an often time erotic thing. In the case of slugs, if you had come upon these two, would you have ever assumed they were having sex?

Book Club-Physics of the Impossible

I just finished reading Physics of the Impossible by Michio Kaku. Kaku, who is a theoretical physicist, writes with an exceptionally clear and straightforward style that makes even the most daunting concepts in physics graspable by the layman. I, having no background in physics and being rubbish at mathematics, was able to comprehend most every topic covered. Granted some theories are just beyond most laymen's reach, that is no reason to be scared away from Physics of the Impossible. Kaku's book primarily focuses on technologies that, to us, are nothing more than science fiction; he explains each technology using current studies in physics and places them in three categories: Class I Impossibilities (within our reach in the next century) , Class II Impossibilities (within our reach in the next several centuries), and Class III Impossibilities (either these being impossible or the entire book on physics would have to be rewritten to make these a possibility). Interestingly enough, everything from invisibility cloaks, starship exploration, and robots are within our reach based on the current laws of the universe. With such rich science fiction fodder, you would except Kaku to at least mention some of the most beloved science fiction stories, and he does. In fact, Star Trek may as well be one of his primary resources. The beging of every section starts with some example of how we have seen these technologies used in film, comics, literature, and television. Aside from excellent geek references, he also includes brief history lessons and biographies of some of the most well known men and women in physics. For instance, I never knew Stephen Hawking was such a ladies man or that Apple may have gotten their famous logo as an homage to Alan Turing. Physics of the Impossible is addictive, entertaining, thought provoking, and scratches that itchy part of the brain that ponders the nature of the universe.



Also, in my last post I mentioned that that was a robotic dinosaur, but it is obviously someone in a costume. Some of the facial expressions maybe robotic, but it is still cool.

Robotic Dinosaur

I cannot think of two things that I like more than robots and dinosaurs. So it should be no surprise that this caught my eye. This guy was made by Erth Visual and Physical Inc. This video was shot at the Natural History Museum in L.A.

The Mothman

"On a chilly, fall night in November 1966, two young couples drove into the TNT area north of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, when they realized they were not alone."

This is on a plaque in Point Pleasant West Virginia, at the Mothman Statue. According to local legend, a mysterious creature appeared in Point Pleasant and Charleston was seen several time between 1966 and 1967. The creature was described as being between 6 and 7 feet, with an enormous wing span, and glowing red eyes. The movie the Mothman Prophecies starring Richard Gere is roughly based on the Mothman legend. Fox Mulder refers to the Mothman as well in an episode of the X-Files. While no explanation has been agreed upon, many have made attempts to explain the Mothman. Aside from the supernatural explanation, some have gone as far to say the Mothman is an unidentified bird. Regardless, this is a nice juicy bit of local folklore. Every year the residents of Pleasant point celebrate The Mothman Festival, which takes place the third weekend of September. For a complete history, including all the documented sightings, go here.

Dave Brubeck+Radiohead=5 Step

Mash-ups are funny thing. Sometime they make sense and some times the just suck. This one is definitely pretty cool. Enjoy Radiohead's 15 Step mashed-up with Dave Brubeck's Take 5.

Guilty Pleasure Song of the Week: All-American Rejects

Okay, I know this is totally lame, but I can't help but enjoy these guys whenever they have a new single out. The song is just so damn catchy.

Oldest British Surveillance Footage

This is the oldest footage of surveillance video taken by the British police in 1935.  Check out the website where the video comes from, surveillance and society.

 

Tokyo

So sorry for not posting during my trip to Tokyo.  I have two good reasons.  The first being that getting a decent wifi connection was nearly impossible.  In Japan, they are totally over wifi and consider it to be archaic.   They are totally in to 3G.   The other reason is because I was just to busy having fun to blog.  Anyways, now that I am home and have had time to let it all sync in, I made a video of the some of what I saw.  

Also, here are some of my favorite pictures.

The maid cafe that me and some guys went to .

I also made some friends and attended a one year old birthday party.

I saw nice lights in Roppongi.

I saw this great sign.

I also saw and did a lot more than that, but it would be futile to explain it all in one post.  Tokyo was great and I definitely want to go back.  I will try to post all my pictures to my mobile me gallery eventually.

Greetings from Denver

I just arrived at The Denver International Airport en route to Tokyo.  This will definitely be the most difficult journey since I must endure an exceptionally long lay over.  It is currently 9 degrees here.  The airport is not conveniently located near downtown, so I am kicking it in the airport, reading good books and surfing the the web via the free wifi.  I was lucky enough to get away from the chain fast food restaurants and enjoy a fantastic veggie burger from the Boulder Beer Tap House.  Their Mojo IPA is most excellent.  After this I have a 13 hour ride to Tokyo and then the real fun begins.

Dance moves of the impossible.

How did they do it without Red Bull?

Self Defense

Here is a really helpful and awesome video on self defense from some guys who may not be the most qualified people to do so.  The best quote from this video is the mustache guy when he says, "Uggghhhagghhhhh!"

Squirrels go nuts, and attack people.

My apartment complex is no stranger to wildlife.  In fact, when you walk out side it is not odd to see at least five squirrels, numerous birds of varying species (I once saw a Great Blue Herring), a couple of pets, and possibly chipmunk.  I swear that it sometimes feels like you are in a Disney musical and all the little guys are going to start singing you off to work.  I am not much for animals, but these little guys don't bother me.  Seriously, why should you be afraid of a squirrel?  Well, folks in Durham, England had better watch out.  It seems that some nurses have reported that they were attacked by the rodents.  Now the staff are taking precautionary measures that include traveling in pairs and wielding umbrellas.    The cause behind the aggression is unknown, but does not appear to rabies related.  One nurse wrote that this was a moderate problem on a a scale from insignificant to catastrophic on her accident report, which would probably vary from person to person ( I myself would lean closer to the catastrophic).  I must say that I will carry on with greater caution anytime I leave my apartment.

Daily Digg and Reddit links (Vermeer Simpsons style)

• For all you Left 4 Dead fans.
• Major eyebrow grooming in India for charity.
• Plumber finds a mammoth tusk in his backyard.
• one boys struggle to spare birds the embarrassing pain of flying into windows.
• Cool modern Japanese home.
• 25th anniversary of the Apple 1984 Super Bowl Ad.

Not even a face a mother could love.

In the U.K. people seem to admit to extraordinary claims and taboo things publicly more than most Americans.   Maybe Americans feel a need to keep secrets, but Brits are fairly open about their dirty little secrets.  For instance, a girl called into a radio show and told the DJ that she had eaten human meat her father had fed to her.  Of course she was eating it unknowingly, since her father had apparently kidnapped young African girls and fed them to his family back home.  Sounds like a really disturbing film or an episode of Always Sunny in Philadelphia.  You can listen to the story here.  While that is shocking, so is the fact that a mother of two has flat out told the Daily Mail that she feels absolutely no love towards her oldest daughter.  I find it odd that she went as far as going public to the press, but even more odd that she felt compelled to announce it period.  While in shows like Arrested Development it is funny when Lucile shows no love to Gob, but this is real life.  Therapy will be expensive in this family.

Without You by Mark Gormley

Ever seen a band and just wandered to yourself what the hell were they thinking?  Well this is one of those music videos that may leave you feeling that way.  I don't know if the VJ guy is serious, if Mark Gormley is serious, or the people who made the video are serious.  All I know, is that Mark Gormley knows how to rock and he doesn't even need to untuck his polo shirt to do it.  Check out the music video for Mark Gormley's "Without You."

My top 5 favorite Lost episodes

With all the buzz and excitement surrounding the quickly approaching season of Lost, I  can't help but reminisce over my favorite episodes.  Now this will vary from person to person, but here are the 5 that really worked for me.  Hopefully there will be more episodes this coming season to add to this list.

1) Walkabout- Season 1

This was the very first episode of Lost I ever saw and it hooked me.  In this first Locke-centric episode we discover that the knife wielding hunter was actually in a wheelchair upon his arrival to the island.  Especially touching is the scene when the losties burn the fuselage and Locke watches his old wheelchair burn while he flashbacks to when he is denied his chance to go on the walkabout in Australia. 

2) The Brig- Season 3

While many people would agree that season 3 was not the best season, there were still moments that stood out.  I particularly liked this episode for the encounter between Sawyer and Locke's father which was very intense.

3)The Constant- Season 4

Probably my favorite story-line in the show is the one surrounding Desmond and his one true love Penny.  When Desmond talks to Penny on the phone in this episode, it is actually more emotional than when he actually finds her at the end of the season.

4) There's No Place Like Home Part 1 &2- Season 4

As far as season finales go, this one has it all: several plot lines intertwining and merging together, romance, insane amounts of action, a dramatic and emotional rescue, explosions, death of major characters, moving islands, and not a slow moment within the two hours.  If the writers of this show know anything, it is how to make a dramatic and pleasing season finale.  

5) The Pilot- Season 1

I have known so many people who have gotten hopelessly addicted to this show, and all it took was the very first episode.  The start, the beginning seems more like a Hollywood movie rather than a T.V. show.  Mystery is introduced immediately with the appearance of the monster.  If you are not even a little curious and slightly hooked after watching this then you may have something wrong with you.

Daily Digg and Reddit posts(and a funny pic)

8 racist words you use every day and their meanings. 

Astronomy mystery solved.

Google Satellite will view the inauguration from space.

Learn to break dance with Carlton from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

Zoidberg Wiki article.

The science to brewing the perfect cup of coffee.

Microsoft Songsmith

As a lifelong Apple user, I am not in anyway swayed or manipulated by the "It's cool to own Mac" ads that have been around the last several years. I was using a Mac before the appearence of Justin Long; when the only games for Mac were point and click adventure games and there was no itunes or ipods to speak of. To me Apple will always be a solid operating system with exceptionally stable hardware that suites my needs as a creative professional. With that said, I will mention that it is important for a computer company to know what the majority of people want and not just need. While I am not swayed by the hip Mac guy, dressed in an American Apperal hoodie and blue jeans who plays devils advocate to the stiff and rigid PC guy, I do see the need for a company to reach a broader audience if it wishes to succeed. I feel that Apple has done a good job of this, despite the fact that their ads are obnoxious and pretensious at times. On the flip side, Microsoft has done a poor job at managing to stay connected to what the public wants and needs. While windows XP was a pleasant computing experiance for most, Vista brought nothing but trouble for a bulk of its users. In an attempt to neutralize the bad press that Vista had caused, they launched an advertising campaign starring Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld, that showed how out of touch the company really was in terms of their "hip" factor. Luckily these ads were replaced by the "I'm a PC" ads, that in my opinion, are the best ads Microsoft has ever made. However, right when it would appear that they were heading in the right direction with better advertising and the new Windows 7 that should work all the problems out that they had with Vista, Microsoft releases what I can only assume is supposed to be a mock up of Apple's Garageband. Microsoft Songsmith is a new, user friendly recording software that can be easily used by the masses. Now I have not tried Songsmith first hand, but this advertisment really show that Microsoft is still far from understanding the public. Check out the ad.

*warning*

ONCE THE SONG GOES IN, IT CAN NEVER COME OUT!

Song of the week.

My good friend Michael Frederick played this for me and now I can't stop singing it.  

"Never Go to Work" by They Might Be Giants

30 Ways to Die by Electrocution

I found this on Digg. It is pretty dark, but slightly amusing. It reminds me of A David Sedaris story where he talks about a book that he bought that would show what you would look like in different death instances. In the words of Louie the Lightning Bug, you got to play it safe around electricity.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bre/sets/72157611077138836/show/

The VSL theory

Here is an interesting article about João Magueijo, a Cambridge University physicist, theory on Varying Speed of Light (VSL). More or less, his theory states that Light moved faster in the early ages of our Universe. Like most radical physic theories, this could dethrone Einstein and bring radical change to Cosmology, bringing a unfied theory of physics. Here is the article.

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2009/01/faster-than-the.html

Popcorn Fiction

I work at a library and see thousands of books on a daily basis. Personally I am a lover of good literature, and while taste is an issue of sole opinion, I think that I like books of a decent intellectual caliber. Now, I have been told my entire life, through the advice of my parents and other sources of morality, that you cannot judge a book by its cover. While this definitely holds up as an excellent metaphorical reminder for giving every person you meet a fair shake, I am pretty sure that you can actually judge literal books by their covers and determine whether or not your are diving head first into some popcorn drivel. These warning signs should save you from such a mistake.

1)To begin, if the authors name is larger than the title of the book, then you can assume that you dealing with a definite popcorn piece. More than likely it will fall under such a genre as Mystery, Romance, or inspirational. Most of the time they are most readily available in paperback.
2) If it happens that the book is in hard back, then you can except a full sized portrait of the author on the back of the book. You should be extra concerned if the author's name is embossed as well.
3) If you see a series of the authors work and all their title are similar, as in the share the same word in the title, then definitely be wary going into this.
4) Also, blurbs are a good way to know if the content of the book you are about to read is worth the time. Generally, if the best a critic or fellow writer can do is describe the book in a series of adjectives like sexy, passionate, and raw then you may want to try something different. an honest blurb can tell you a lot about the content of a books. For instance, one of my favorite blurbs comes from David Sedaris's Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. The blurb said, "If wit were measured in people, then David Sedaris would be Chine. His Talent is that huge." Now that is a blurb by a critic who was really blown away ( I mainly added this because I really like that blurb).
5) As a final precaution, and that is all this is, know that being on the New York Time's Best Seller List is not a a guarantee that the book is any good. Now several best sellers have been, but don't be fooled by this accomplishment waved so proudly above the title. This is like eating Mcdonald's, just because the sign says that over a billion have been sold. Is it good for you to eat at Mcdonald's? That is for you to decided, but the taste of the food is not determined by the amount of hamburgers sold. Books should be no different.

Now, this post is meant for humor's sake only and please don't feel insulted if you are a lover of any of these type of books :)

Geometry Wars

Do you need some trivial and fun thing in your life that will encompass way too much time and leave you hopelessly addicted? Then Geometry Wars is the game for you. My roommate downloaded it on his Xbox and now my life has new meaning. Essentially it is a series of arcade styled mini-games that favor Galaga with a touch of Tron. The gameplay is exceptionally easy and hopelessly addicting. You can watch the beautiful colors exploded all aver the screen while simultaneously watching the hours slip away.

Here is a brief history of the game taken from wikipedia:

Geometry Wars is a minigame created by Bizarre Creations as part of Project Gotham Racing 2 for the Xbox, accessible through the in-game garage. An updated version of the game, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved, is available for download on the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade. It can also be played in demo form in Project Gotham Racing 3. It previously held the record for most-downloaded Xbox Live Arcade game. A new version, Geometry Wars: Evolved, has been produced for mobile phones and a version has also been released for Windows Vista, as well as a reduced-price Windows XP release on the Steam content delivery network. Another version named Geometry Wars: Waves is available to play in Project Gotham Racing 4. Geometry Wars: Galaxies was released for the Nintendo DS and Wii in November 2007. A sequel, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 was released to Xbox Live Arcade on July 30, 2008.

Check out the official website.

ASIMO in the Rose Bowl Parade

Here he is in all of his glory.

The Male Motor

I was recently at my parents house and noticed an old tattered book on the kitchen counter that my father picked up at a yard sale. He mentioned that it was one of his favorite books, based on the gross inaccuracies in it. The Male Motor by M. Sayle Taylor SC.D, Ph.D was first published in November of 1927. The primary concern of the book are the issues middle aged men face in regards to their prostate. Taylor fears that everyman is at risk of losing his sex energy in old age from being oversexed. I highly recommend that you read this on your own, but here is one of my favorite parts of the book in the chapter on masturbation.

“There are comparatively few men, whose memory serves them correctly, who can look back on a boyhood absolutely devoid of any phase of this practice. And in many cases the habit was begun long before the age of puberty had been reached. Usually, when begun in early boyhood, it is a social rather than a solitary game. Older boys, older or more precocious, ofttimes with nothing other than the exuberant spirit of play in their minds, initiate the boys into a gang or neighborhood clique, using exposure and some sort of competitive “game” as part of the initiation.
Fortunately most boys go through this stage just as they do the stage of petty-thievery, when cookies, pies, and jams are swiped- without becoming an addict. But when the habit carries over or is begun after the age of puberty has been reached, it then takes on a grim aspect. The sex anatomy, just budding into adult form, is taxed far beyond its capacity. When the practice is carried on over a period of years excessively (beyond natures recuperative ability), the harmful effect becomes so self-evident that is does not take the eye of a physician to discover what is wrong. The victim becomes sallow and anemic. The face loses its expressiveness, the eye becomes shifty, and the whole body takes on a languid air. Cowardliness, listlessness, slovenliness, and absent-mindedness are some of the characteristics of the victim of excessive self pollution.”
makes

As I understand it, this book is kind of hard to find and is something of a collectors item. Here is a link(sadly Amazon is out) if you are interested in buying this incredible book. They only have one copy though. It is perfect rainy day quick read that makes for interesting dinner conversation.