Hello there,

 I am inquiring into your copy of The Origin of the Species. I regret that I was unable to find a university nearby where the copies were being distributed. I notice that you have a very detailed download section on your website and am wondering if you might make a digital copy of the book available to the internet community.

Thank you for your time and what I assume will be a swift inclusion of the file’s availability,

Sincerely yours,
Mick Axelrod
http://www.worldsasmyth.wordpress.com

A rash of the Muppets performing their rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody has infested the internets today, appealing to people nostalgic for The Muppet Show and Queen. I’m glad to report that this is not just a passing fad, the Bohemian Rhapsody video being but a string in the strong presence that the Muppets are carving for themselves in the digital realm. We’ll report more on this development after the jump, but first, the aforementioned cover:

Jim Henson created more than a trademark, developing puppetry into a national hallmark from the dregs that it had found itself, creating family-friendly television that appealed both to children and their handlers. Thankfully, despite his untimely passing, the bar he raised remains high and apparently in good hands, with this coming computer-addicted generation-to-be still capable of getting their hands on good, educational programming.

The Muppets have always married entertainment to education, and continue in this excellence by creating digital shorts that showcase classical works to a new audience in a timely, humorous fashion. Take for instance Beaker’s rendition of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Fourth Movement, commonly known as
Ode to Joy :

That video was in fact a response to this video:

which demonstrates that the marketing department for the Henson Company are on their A-game. They’re keeping on top of trends and topics and are adapting their campaign to match not just what people are watching, but what they’re doing too.

Following that same theme, they came out with this video, introducing to many net surfers I am certain, Johann Strauss’ An der schönen blauen, known to the English-speaking world as Blue Danube, via Gonzo and his “Pitch Perfect Poultry”:

Furthermore, the Henson Company is foraying into public consciousness and seemingly attempting to fix other companies’ screw-ups with human culture. Remember MTV’s Carmen: A Hip Hopera? (The audio synch on this video is screwy, but this is probably the best part of the whole debacle, and that’s only because of Mos Def.)

Well, The Swedish Chef, Beaker, and Animal take a shot at making you forget it all about it (sorry to have brought it up again) by taking on Georges Bizet’s most famous aria, Habanera from the opera Carmen:

Now, in closing, I would like to point out the Muppet’s social commentary, which there is a strong history of as well. This is made even more prevalent at the tail-end of those videos, where Waldorf & Statler (the grumpy old men in the box) comment on the videos they have just “watched” via the internet. If you haven’t watched these videos through to the end, go back and finish the Muppet ones, I’ll wait.

Waldorf and Statler continue with their acerbic remarks, but now through the safety of their office chairs, as here:

So not only is the Henson Company utilizing the magnificent tool that is the internet, but they’re also mocking it, gratuitously and defiantly? These guys are the epitome of digital productivity, deserving kudos, accolades, and commendations all around. Not only do they see the future, they’re actively working to make it a brighter place.

It’s now a known fact that teenage girls drooling over vampire hunks have the ability to smash box office records.  Disturbing?  Yes.  Surprising?  Not so much.  More after the jump.

$142,839,137 later, the second chapter in the much hyped Twilight series managed to blow previous opening weekend box office records made by juggernauts such as Spider-Man and the ever lackluster Pirates Of The Caribbean:  At World’s End out of the water, both of which managed to pull in $400,000,000+ by the end of their theatrical run.    Axed Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke’s head must be rolling right about now seeing as how the first Twilight only managed to pull in about $70,000,000 it’s opening weekend last November.

It just goes to show that the combination of Robert Pattinson’s good looks, Kristin Stewart’s horrendous acting and Dakota Fanning dressed up like a teenage girl at an Evanescence show circa 2003 is truly box office gold.

After watching a snippet of Sissi in class, I went home to see the rest of the film on YouTube. It is the first of a classic trilogy of romantic films about the iconic Empress Elisabeth of Austria, also known as Sissi.

To my horror, the videos stop at 6/10! Grahhhh…

Nobody else has uploaded the original German version, so I had to make do with the version that’s dubbed in French (although I hate watching dubbed movies). Interestingly, while both versions do not come with subtitles, I could understand the German version better. Or maybe my brain just refused to process French dialogues delivered by a German-speaking cast?

In any case, the 1955 film is such a gem. The stunning Austrian landscape and Romy Schneider’s classical beauty blew me away. The film also brought back fond memories of Schloss Schönbrunn, the Habsburg’s summer residence in Vienna.

Time to hunt for the other 2 parts of the trilogy!

Moving pictures can be beautiful… but let’s face it, telling a good story is almost impossible without some good sounds as well. My college video teacher (yeah, I did a little schooling for this gig of mine) once gave a great dissertation on the difference between sound and noise… and while I’m sure he added all kinds of useless but impressive-sounding words to convey his thoughts (he did have the better part of a 2 hour class and a subsequent lab to kill), the bottom line is this: Sound is what you want, noise is what you don’t want. Simple enough. What you will find as you do more video productions is that you are rarely able to control as much of either piece as you would like:

• SOUND: Your mics will die (well, the batteries will anyway), people will hit the mic while talking and will talk too loud or soft for you to be able to adjust for it on the fly.
• NOISE: Regardless of how inadequate you may think your mics are, you’ll be continuously amazed at how long you can hear a passing plane overhead. The wind will only gust when you hit ‘record’ and no matter how far away from civilization you think you are, there is always some one using a leaf-blower close by.

While we may never be able to control everything we would like to in the way of audio, there are a few things we can do to minimize the potential mishaps.

-Buy some good mics: I know that most churches/ministries operate on tight budgets, but this is an area where you get what you pay for. Make sure you get something that suits your needs for a while. If you’re looking at getting a wireless mic, make sure the receiver is something that will integrate easily with your camera.

-Windscreens: Wind is inevitable, even indoors (air conditioning for one, and try as you might to stop it, people will continue to breathe through the entire shoot!). Side note: Don’t lose your windscreens… the companies that make them are counting you doing this and are ready to charge you handsomely to replace them.

-Fresh batteries: Seems like a simple thing, but having to stop an emotional interview to change batteries can be a real buzz-kill. Start with fresh batteries and have fresh ones standing by in case of emergency.

-Headphones: Just because your camera may have a cool display that shows that you’re getting audio, constant monitoring is the only way to truly know what that sound is.

-Know your camera: This may sound odd since we’re talking about sound, but it’s vital to have a good understanding about how your camera processes sound. You need to know if your meters are telling you the truth about your sound levels so you can adjust accordingly. One thing I love about the Panasonic HVX200 is that I can set both audio channels to mic input 2; this allows me to set one high and one low to help in post production with low and loud sound.

-See what you hear: This might be the most important element of control. Since some noises are inevitable, do what you can to incorporate the origin of that sound into the piece. For instance, traffic noise is acceptable when you have some one telling a story near a busy intersection, and wind isn’t necessarily a bad thing as long as you can see something blowing in the wind.

-Be patient: Sometimes waiting just a few minutes can be the difference between bad noise and good sound… that leaf blower can’t go on forever! (or can it?)

No ano em que eu nasci, esta banda canadiense faz história na música moderna ao lançar um álbum absolutamente extraordinário. Eu divido a música moderna em dois grandes grupos, a música intemporal e aquela que no momento em que a escutamos, a primeira coisa que vem à cabeça é a roupa que se vestia na altura ou qualquer outra coisa relacionada com a moda. A música intemporal chega ao coração sem dar tempo de pensarmos em qualquer coisa. É o caso deste álbum dos Rush.

Para mim um grande álbum, aqueles imortais, aqueles que já andaram no carro tanto tempo e foram emprestados tantas vezes, que o booklet está completamente rasgado e o cd está de tal forma riscado que é impossível ouvi-lo, aquele faz parte da banda sonora da vida de muitas gerações, um álbum desses tem de ser ouvido do principio ao fim, sempre com o mesmo entusiasmo. Todas as músicas desse álbum são um potencial single.

Este é um dos seus grandes clássicos, Tom Sawyer. Uma versão vivo, como não podia deixar de ser, pois é no palco que se devem julgar as bandas, no caso dos Rush, só ao vivo é que se consegue perceber a dimensão da banda.

Esta é uma instrumental, se não me engano consta da lista de músicas do Guitar Hero. A “YYZ”. Mais uma versão ao vivo, desta vez no Rock in Rio.

É de realçar que os Rush são um trio, Alex Lifeson, Neil Peart e Geddy Lee. Guitarrista, baterista e baixista-vocalista-teclista. Mas compõe e tocam com uma solidez que preenchem qualquer vácuo que se possa imaginar num grupo musical tão reduzido.

Um dos riffs de guitarra daqueles que vem nos livros ouve-se no inicio da “Limelight”.

E reservo para o fim um dos grandes clássicos do Prog-Rock, “The Camera Eye”. Esta música tem tudo o que é o prog, os sons de teclado, a introdução longa com uma tensão crescente, riffs de guitarra excelentes, muito instrumental e uma interpretação tecnicamente perfeita.

“A modern day warrior
Mean mean stride,
Today’s Tom Sawyer
Mean mean pride.

Though his mind is not for rent
Don’t put him down as arrogant
His reserve, a quiet defense
Riding out the day’s events
The river”

This dang ol’ blog has never had any real focus. It has opened many doors (and a few windows?) so I’ll keep on doing it and let it change and morph and be whatever it wants to be.

So what’s next?

For starters, there’s a lot of info I get on new music and whatnot that I can’t really cover with EU (yet) and there’s the little vinyl gems I find every now and again. So we’ll start with that and maybe get back to checking out some comics and stuff.

First up, here’s some new videos I’ve found that are pretty ridiculously awesome:

The Flaming Lips – “Watching the Planets” video (NSFW)

Naked cyclists! What’s the deal with the XXX music videos lately? Not complaining although I do prefer this one to that Girls’ “Lust For Life” video. I still haven’t seen Embryonic released on vinyl yet. Thoughts on the album?

The Decemberists – “Here Come the Waves” (Hazards of Love visualized) trailer

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, this shit looks crazy-dope! The animation alone looks to make this project something spectacular. A lot of people have hated on this album and while I don’t know that I’d say it’s their best work, I still like it. I appreciate how they are taking things to the next level.

Passion Pit – “Little Secrets” video

Normally I would hate music like this, but Passion Pit does it right. So right. I hate this video though. If I’d seen this before I’d seen live footage of the band, I’d probably hate them.

Enjoy. I figured out a way to embed mp3s on this sumbitch and I gets lots of those, so stay tuned music-lovers (and haters).

Oh, it’s just a little animation I made yesterday featuring BattyBoo flying over the trees. MORE TO COME!

This article is unlike the other articles in obvious regards and perhaps needs some preface. It is a response to the recent development out of the University of Pennsylvania, wherein scientists have been able to create a silicon-silk based device that could be affixed with LEDs, effectively turning the skin into a screen. A tattoo capable of being changed or turned off, capable of functionally displaying information from medical monitors or connectivity devices: it holds some amazing implications for the coming generation. The position of this article, due to my upbringing, takes the Judaic perspective, which has traditionally forbidden tattooing. Due to the nature of this article, which is somewhat academic in a very niche sort of way (though attempted to be accessible and meant for lay-theologian-types), I include this preface and suggest perhaps a different article if biblical exegesis isn’t your thing.

After the jump, for your consideration, is the piece in its entirety.

“Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.” – Leviticus 19:28

The Judaic Law against tattooing was formulated by this source sentiment, written at a time when the act was exclusively a cultist rite of passage that indelibly associated itself with a particular clan/deity; the statement affirming the first Commandment given to the Hebrews (completely ignoring for the moment the utilization of ritual scarification via the Commandment of circumcision). Makkot 20a[1] discusses the semantics of this statement: the sages of the Mishna differentiate between scarification and the application of ink into wounds, claiming that if one is done but not the other, then the person with the markings is not culpable for punishment. Rabbi Simeon son of Judah proclaimed in the name of a former rabbi, Simeon, that the only culpable act for tattooing is printing the name of God.[2] There continue discussions as to whether that includes the true names of God or if the names of idols would also cull punishment[3], which seems somewhat circular when the passage is pretty clear in referencing the 10 Commandments (e.g. “You shall have no other gods before Me”) and putting another god’s name on you would seem sort of…well, heretical.

What might amy of this this have to do with the technology tag? Well, it has everything to do with technology. As Phillips will soon introduce to the world, tattooing will take on an entirely different dimension when LEDs are placed sub-dermally, allowing one to toggle one’s tattoo into different designs or entirely off at a whim. Sure, applying this device purely for cosmetic purposes would undoubtedly deal some halakhic questions, but then there are other applications for this technology, beyond being the coolest tattoo ever.

These devices are silicon and silk implants, physical objects surgically inserted into the body, initially being used for medical applications. And the text of Leviticus reads “You shall not make any cuttings for the dead,” but one can do anything to save a life[5] and how many lives would be saved by a digital registry implanted in the skin of one’s medical records, of a built-in glucose meter, a display for respiration, of temperature, of blood pressure. The ramifications for good are too great to be denied, these will be a great boon to health maintenance (for everyone who can afford one).

But what about the commercial applications? Is it okay for the Orthodox and Conservative Jewish communities to use such devices? Once implanted for the medical application – it could surely could be utilized for the latter purpose too; is this a violation of the ancient code that speaks of printing and markings for the dead? Would even the Name of God be considered “in print,” when it can be argued that a digital representation of anything is not considered “written?”[4]

To imprecisely transcribe Maimonides in Misneh Torah, The Laws of Idolatry, 12:11, regardless of the intent (speaking of the former practice exclusively for idolatry, and even if it is fashionable {or life-saving?}), it is forbidden for a Torah Observant Jew to have markings on the skin. Would not the trivialities that could be produced from this subcutaneous transplant be accountable to this position? Just because it is possible, does that mean that it should be done? The Orthodox Union released this announcement in 2002 in regards to cloning, which could definitively be applied to stem cells, and presumably this issue:

The Torah commands us to treat and cure the ill and to defeat disease wherever possible; to do this is to be the Creator’s partner in safeguarding the created. The traditional Jewish perspective thus emphasizes that maximizing the potential to save and heal human lives is an integral part of valuing human life.[...] [I]f cloning technology research advances our ability to heal humans with greater success, it ought to be pursued [...][6]

I suppose the real questions I’m really trying to ask is whether or not I could show it to my mother (may she rest in peace) or would it have killed her? Would she have ever known? Could this device have saved her life if she had it measuring her blood’s potassium level?

Undoubtedly there is much to be considered here from the the Torah Observant Jew’s perspective, and there are sure to be opinions on both side of the spectrum. Personally, I am of the opinion that the subcutaneous Electronic Tattoo will be a major benefit to health care, both personally and to practitioners, and when they become available, I intend to get one.

[1]Babylonian Talmud, trans. MICHAEL L. RODKINSON; Chapter III, Pg. 47
[2](sic)
[3]Torah Academy of Bergen County, Student Publication
[4]Rabbi Reuven Ibragimov, discussion 2005.
[5]Leviticus 19:16, King James Version
[6]CLONING RESEARCH, JEWISH TRADITION & PUBLIC POLICY; A JOINT STATEMENT by the UNION of ORTHODOX JEWISH CONGREGATIONS of AMERICA and the RABBINICAL COUNCIL of AMERICA, OU.org

It happens every time. Conflicts, anger, harsh words, frustration, and then the eventual “let’s break up”. Except this time, after thinking over and over again, I feel it is for real. And perhaps all the better for both of us. I am surprisingly calm now. I’ve got myself the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind DVD for the evening.

Contact Music reported here that Seth Green is upset at the “toxic and poisonous” remarks of bloggers who targeted his stature and acting ability when commenting on this Butterfingers ad:

Somehow this whole debacle slipped under my radar, and frankly, it’s too bad for Mr. Green and his Butterfingers that I didn’t come on this sooner. With the knowledge of the Butterfinger missing, I set my amazing investigative powers (which I picked up from reading one too many issues of Batman) and utilized the mighty power of my Compucat to scour the internet for some evidence of where his missing vintage Butterfingers have gone – and the results are shocking, revealed after the jump.

I have startling evidence here, that the whole thing is a set-up, with the aim of getting us off the trail of the true perpetrator. I am saddened to announce to the world, that it was an inside job. Yes, the true culprit is Seth Green…or maybe this guy’s buttocks.

The Proof He Doesn't Want You to See or The Brazilian Job 2: Heist on the Hersey Highway.

Surgery to separate the conjoined heads of Bangladeshi twins Krishna and Trishna at the Melbourne Royal Children’s Hospital has been announced as initially successful.

Video, galleries and news at Fairfax or News.com.au

Scientology Australia have probably just added a new SP to their dossiers after Nick Xenophon’s scathing attack on the organisation early this morning (or late last night) - check out a video report over here.

Senator Xenophon said their correspondence [fro former church memebers] implicated the organisation in a range of crimes, including forced imprisonment, coerced abortions, embezzlement of church funds, physical violence, intimidation and blackmail.

In an effort to charm every divorcee in the country, Scientology released a statement that comments from ex-members are as reliable as that of an ex-spouse about a former partner. You see they mean all the emotional abuse and denial of care with love obviously.

Another charming response on this effort was on Ten’s 7pm Project which brought in theologian Rev Dr David Milligan who was supposed to illuminate the issue, but basically said Scientology can’t be that bad because Christianity (his religion) believes in some crazy stuff you find in a book too.

So close, yet so far… video embedded below, but you’ll have to skip to about 8:35 to get to the Scientology segment (the first story about a guy who goes 600km off course after a wrong turn is a bit amusing though).

more about “7PM Project Wed 18 Nov 2009″, posted with vodpod

“The story of Christ’s birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love.

So, what happened? What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a savior has somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists.

And when it’s all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will take months to pay off, and this empty feeling of missed purpose. Is this what we really want out of Christmas?

What if Christmas became a world-changing event again?

Welcome to Advent Conspiracy.”

This movement really strikes a chord with me as I have long been frustrated with the materialism of Christmas, the stress of the holiday and the feeling Christ has been taken out of Christmas.  I want for myself and my family for Christmas to be different, for it to be Christ centered as it used to be.  I am excited that this year my church is taking part in this movement.  We hope to:

We hope to bring Christmas back to the way it used to be.

Visit Rethinking Christmas for gift giving ideas that support Advent conspiracy.  Click on the pictures through out this post to see video, get resources and enter the story!

There has to be some sort of catch … surely …

apparently his friend (who shall remain nameless) sent this to him and he kindly bestowed it upon me. we aint talkin about snap music here either.. *DEAD* and while on the same youtube page i found this:

o_O … -_- …. O_o

It’s already half way through November and I’m only just getting around to writing about October’s books – let’s hope I can spin a full post from my half-arsed notes.  As always, all my books are kept in chronological order, I then alternately read the book I’ve had longest (marked B.H.L.), followed by a free choice (F.C.).  For a full description of my insane book selection rules, please click here.

Books Read

I started the month by reading Street Magic (B.H.L.) by Paul Zenon.  I bought it a few years ago, probably from Borders, because I suddenly got it in to my head that it would be a good thing to be able to do a few magic tricks.  Please don’t ask me where this spurious thought came from as I don’t have a clue.  Anyway, I did read some of it at the time but it all seemed a bit like hard work, and, not being afraid to give up when something proves tricky, it found its way to my To Be Read pile.

As I started my second reading of the book I soon remembered my original sticking point: palming.   Not wanting to divulge too many magician’s secrets, this is the skill of concealing a coin in your hand.  And I just couldn’t do it.  I did practice, but, although I could have practised more,  I didn’t feel myself getting any better at it, and so I wondered if I was missing something fundamental.  Anyway, this time I decided just to read it through and see what happened.

There is actually a variety of impressive tricks within the book and it soon became apparent to me that it’s not enough to know the secrets of a magic trick; in order to pull it off you need equal measures of expertise and performance.  Far from spoiling my enjoyment of the art of illusion, reading this book actually increased my respect for its practitioners.

Next up came Archangel (F.C.) by Robert Harris.  This was a random purchase from the British Heart Foundation shop because I’d read, and enjoyed, Fatherland, Harris’ first novel.  This book has the distinction of being the first ever F.C. that has also been the B.H.L., for whatever that’s worth.  It’s an end-of-the-cold-war thriller that charts an academic’s quest to locate an old notebook of Stalin’s.  It’s one of those strange stories in which nothing really seems to happen and yet it is still somehow quite gripping.  It was a fun read but I don’t really have much more to say on it.

It’s another random British Heart Foundation buy next with The Man in the High Castle (B.H.L.) by Philp K. Dick, which I bought because I was interested to read a Philip K. Dick novel.  It was a great choice and I was hooked from the minute I started readig; it was the kind of book that makes you remember why you love reading so much.

It’s an alternate history novel set in an America following a Second World War which was won by Germany and Japan.  The Axis powers have carved the globe up between them, and this includes North America – the east coast belongs to Japan and the west to Germany.  This kind of premise could have carried out very heavy handedly, but Dick shows an incredibly subtle touch.  We see this unfamiliar world through the eyes of ordinary people and so the horrors perpetrated by the Nazis are only ever discussed third hand.  This makes them seem only more sinister.

In addition to this is a whole subtext about the nature of reality.  Many of the characters are reading a novel-within-a-novel called The Grasshopper Lies Heavy, which is in itself an alternative history in which the Allies won the war – which is a reality subtly but significantly different to our own.  There are moments in the story when one reality appears to blend in to another, but it is done in a way that you are unsure as to whether it happened or not.  What is true and what is false? There are no answers here but the questions are certainly interesting.

I first heard of The End of Faith (F.C.) by Sam Harris a few years ago, primarily because he is a pal of Richard Dawkins, and that is always a good recommendation.  It’s a devastating attack not only on religion but on the nature of faith itself.  To be fair, and pardon the pun, he is already preaching to the converted, so luckily there was even more food for thought.  For example, he poses the question as to whether torture be ethical, and asks if pacifism is immoral.  It’s a very well written, intelligent book, but towards the end he lost me a bit with his thoughts on spirituality as they, superficially at least, seem to conflict with his otherwise rational arguments.  It’s pretty brave of him to go down that road though.  A further, petty criticism is the amount of end notes – I didn’t know whether to skip them or not.

My final book of the month was the rather unusual choice of Buying and Running a Florist Shop (B.H.L.) by Alan Peck.  You’d be forgiven for thinking that it was a wacky women’s novel, but it is actually a manual on buying and running a florists shop.  In case you’re wondering, I didn’t buy the book and I won’t bore you with the details on how I came to own such a book.  Strangely, I actually found it to be an enjoyable read. It’s a slim, straightforward volume that gives an insight in to what it must be like to run a small business.  The main thing I took from it is that when you consider the low pay, long hours and undue pressure, being a florist is a thankless task.  I suggest you go out and buy a florist some flowers today.

Books Acquired

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark – Bookmooch – This had been on my ‘wish list’ for years.  I think I remember seeing a programme about it as part of the BBC’s Big Read, but I cannot remember anything about why this made me want to read it.

Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett – Salvation Army shop – I decided a while ago to start reading the Discworld novels and then, fortuitously, someone at work gave me a load of them.  Sadly, there were omissions and so any books that are not contiguous in the serial are not on my official TBR pile.  This was one of the missing and so I was very glad to see it.  It was 50p.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad – Salvation Army shop - It was slim, I’d heard of it and it was 50p.  Why wouldn’t I buy it?

Books Given Away on Bookmooch

How the Mind Works by Steven Pinker – I bought this from the British Heart Foundation even though I knew that there was a good chance that I already had it.  It’s the kind of book that you don’t see all that often in a charity shop, so I bought it anyway.  Of course, I already had it at home sat in my TBR pile.  It’s a weird feeling to give away a book that I haven’t read yet.

Result

Books Read 5 – Books Acquired 3, result – A WIN!!!!!

I never thought I’d see the day that I’d record a win in Reading Habits, so it’s champagne all around (if you happen to be in my house as I type this).  Everything is looking rosy – except that we’re already half-way through the current month and I know it’s going to take a miracle for it not to be a big loss.  Fingers crossed.

man ive got some pretty awesome friends. check out my homie James Blagden’s animated short about Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Doc Ellis throwing a no hitter while on LSD.

With all due respect to Lady Gaga, modern technology continues on the quick-step it treads, and apparently I’m still in the stone age, because Youtube recommended this to me when I logged in today and I was astounded. I’ve never been a big advocate of the Sims, seeing friends play bored me to tears, but apparently they have greatly upgraded what they are capable of – when nerd/club-folk can manipulate characters and the in-game camera in such a way as to produce such a high caliber animation/video. I remember a time when Virtua Fighter was cutting edge in the arcade, and like the idiot I was in ‘93 I thought it’d never get any better.

The polygons in Virtua Fighter are the Andy Rooneys of the polygon world.

People’s capabilities and their drive and determination to idolize the celebrities they choose to follow gets demonstrated in astounding ways. If this level of attention were given to scientific research, we would have cured 90% of cancers by now, said the man who writes about Elves and dragons for a living. Apologies to Andy Rooney.

Moving Pictures
A Symposium on Illustration and Motion
presented by the Illustration Program at Parsons The New School for Design

NOVEMBER 11, 2009, 7:00–10:00 P.M.
Free and Open to the Public

2 WEST 13TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10011
The New School Jazz Performance Space
Arnhold Hall, 55 West 13th Street, 5th floor, New York, NY

LAUREN REDNISS reveals a history of blind spots.
JODY ROSEN unveils The Knowledge of London taxi drivers.
JOEL SMITH maps the mind of Saul Steinberg.
RICHARD MCGUIRE screens Fears of the Dark and more.

Moderated by Lauren Redniss, assistant professor, Illustration Program, Parsons The New School for Design

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RICHARD McGUIRE is an artist whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, the New York Times, McSweeney’s, Le Monde, and other publications. He is the founder and bass player of the punk-funk band Liquid Liquid. Currently a fellow at the New York Public Library’s Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers, McGuire is working on an illustrated book entitled HERE. His most recent animated film, Peurs du Noir, will be released on DVD this fall.
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LAUREN REDNISS is an artist and writer who recently joined the full-time faculty at Parsons The New School for Design. She is the author of Century Girl: 100 Years in the Life of Doris Eaton Travis, Last Living Star of the Ziegfeld Follies. Redniss was a 2008–2009 fellow at the New York Public Library’s Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers. Her new book, Radioactive: Marie and Pierre Curie & Other Stories of Love and Fallout will be published in fall 2010.
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JODY ROSEN is the music critic for Slate and a frequent contributor to the New York Times, The Nation, and other publications. He is the author of White Christmas: The Story of an American Song and the compiler of Jewface, an acclaimed anthology of early-20th-century Jewish vaudeville recordings. Rosen is working on a new book, The Knowledge, about London, cartography, and taxi drivers.
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JOEL SMITH is the author of Steinberg at The New Yorker (2005) and Saul Steinberg: Illuminations, the catalog of a traveling retrospective of the artist that opened at the Morgan Library & Museum in 2006. Smith is the curator of photography at the Princeton University Art Museum, where he is working on exhibitions about architecture and memory, pictures of pictures, and the history of photographs of nothing.

This symposium is presented with support from…

Cand in ultimii ani ai vietzii, John Huston si-a scris autobiografia, lasand pe dinafara elementele picante si scandaloase, prietenii faceau misto de el aruncandu-i replica: “Good book, John – who’s it about?”. Omul a fost unul din marii rebeli ai Hollywoodului, avand la activ nenumarate infractziuni, betzii, neveste si alte excentricitati. Dar si peste 50 de ani de activitate in cinematografie, atat ca regizor cat si ca actor, vreo cateva Oscaruri plus filme esentziale pe tot parcursul celor 50 de ani de regie. Ceea ce, la capitolul prolificitate/calitate il pune pe aceeasi treapta cu Hitchcok, Bergman sau Kurosawa. Printre altele, John Huston se intampla sa fie fiul marelui actor Walter Huston (care a si luat Oscar pentru rol secundar intr-unul din filmele fiului – The Treasure of Sierra Madre) si tatal uneia dintre cele mai urate femei pe care le-a vazut pelicula – Angelica Huston (care a luat si ea Oscar intr-unul din filmele tatalui – Prizzi’s Honor). Ca o idee generala despre intinderea carierei sale, a se inchipui ca Huston si-a inceput cariera inventand filmul noir alaturi de Humphrey Bogart la inceputul anilor ‘40 si si-a incheiat-o la sfarsitul anilor ‘80 in filme cu Jack Nicholson sau cu fiica-sa, Angelica Huston.

Nu intamplator l-am plasat imediat dupa Orson Welles – cei doi au avut o traiectorie oarecum asemanatoare. In ‘41, cand Welles debuta cu Citizen Kane, Huston filma de zor la propriul sau debut, The Maltese Falcon, in celalalt capat al Hollywoodului. Ambii au fost la fel de prolifici si in regie si in actorie. Ca actor, Huston a fost, printre altele, vocea lui Gandalf in primele ecranizari animate dupa Tolkien. Si pe ambii o sa ii gasiti de regula in toate topurile marilor regizori, undeva pe primele 5 locuri.

Filmografie obligatorie:

The Maltese Falcon (1941) – mama si tata filmelor noir, primul din avalansa care avea sa defineasca anii ‘40 in materie de film. Falconul Maltez e, evident, ecranizare dupa cartea lui Dashiell Hammett, pionierul romanului politzist noir si creatorul legendarului Sam Spade. De fapt asta e a treia ecranizare dupa cartea lui Hammett, insa singura care conteaza, datorita in special regiei lui Huston si a interpretarii lui Humphrey Bogart, pe care rolul lui Sam Spade l-a pus pe harta.

Bogey in rolul lui Sam Spade e prototipul detectivului hard boiled: energic, cinic pana la os si de o moralitate ambigua, avand propriul cod etic. Filmul se intampla din punctul lui de vedere (cica Huston a si filmat vreo cateva cadre peste umarul lui Bogart, ca sa accentueze senzatia asta) – exista doar vreo doua shoturi in care el nu apare. Plotul e de fapt scheletul filmului noir ca gen: detectivul vizitat de femeia fatala care il atrage in mijlocul unor evenimente care il depasesc, o serie de personaje cu diverse interese care intra in scena din senin si dispar la fel de inexplicabil, toata lumea incearca sa tzepuiasca si sa manipuleze pe toata lumea. Plus elementele obligatorii de decor – palarii, parpalace, camere inotand in fum de tzigara, noptzi ploioase, umbre pe alei inguste si pistoale mici si cochete. Iar Bogey se invarte si e invartit prin tot decorul asta cu tzigara, zambetul, vocea croncanita cu care da replici scurte si taioase si o atitudine ironica delicioasa. E geniala secventa cand ii da replica parashutei de Mary Astor, inainte sa o denuntze: “I hope they don’t hang you, precious, by that sweet neck. Yes, angel, I’m gonna send you over. The chances are you’ll get off with life. That means if you’re a good girl, you’ll be out in 20 years. I’ll be waiting for you. If they hang you, I’ll always remember you.” Zau, omul asta ar trebui clonat.

Soimul maltez si filmele noir ale anilor ‘40 sunt un fenomen interesant, legat de vesnica problema “cartea sau filmul”, cliseul in materie al semidoctzilor fiind “cartea e intotdeauna mai buna decat filmul”.  Am impresia ca Dashiell Hammett sau Raymond Chandler, dincolo de faptul ca patentasera un nou gen de roman politzist, nu erau ei scriitori prea grozavi. Insa ecranizarile dupa cartile lor de capatai – The Maltese Falcon, respectiv The Big Sleep – sunt printre cele mai bune filme ever. Nu-i vorba aici de o comparatie carte-film, care ar fi, desigur, absurda si chiar imposibila. Comparatia consta in a analiza valoarea pe care o are cartea in context literar si cea a filmului in context cinematografic si a confrunta rezultatele.

The Treasure of Sierra Madre (1948) - primul rol (oarecum) negativ al lui Bogart intr-un film care se straduieste sa ne invetze ca banul dezumanizeaza si ca prietenia dureaza pana apare lacomia. Cum intre timp au trecut 50 de ani de inflorire a capitalismului, filmul s-a cam datat din punctul asta de vedere si te uiti la el  cu indulgenta pentru naivitatea cu care incearca sa te invete lectzii de viatza devenite intre timp principii de viatza cotidiana. Odata ce treci peste asta, filmul e bun de tot. Un Bogart decadent si fara bani dintr-un orasel mexican se intalneste cu Tim Holt si impreuna il conving pe experimentatul intr-ale mineritului Walter Huston sa ii duca la cautat aur. Si evident, cand ajung in Sierra Madre si dau de aur, increderea reciproca se destrama, stau totzi calare pe pungile lor cu aur care se maresc in fiecare zi iar pe Bogart il ia paranoia si o ia razna. Un film foarte virtuos ca realizare (cei doi Huston, fiul-regizor si tatal-actor au luat ambii Oscar pentru filmul asta) si naiv ca subiect. Insa e great fun iar prin partile finale devine socant de serios si dramatic.

Key Largo (1948) e o ecranizare a unei piese de teatru, de unde si cadrul restrans al actiunii – un hotel si imprejurimile. Tot cu Bogart – Domnul sa-l odihneasca, stiinta sa-l resusciteze! – in rol de veteran de razboi care nimereste la hotel, ca sa o consoleze pe nevasta unui fost camarad de razboi, la momentul nepotrivit. Caci Edward G. Robinson si trupa lui de gangsteri pregateau o tranzactie si pana la urma treaba se complica si sunt nevoiti sa ii faca prizonieri pe ocupantii hotelului, in asteptarea partenerilor de afaceri. Apoi vine furtuna si cam tot filmul se intampla intr-o singura camera, unde sunt adunati prizonierii si mafiotii, in timpul furtunii. Astfel ca accentul cade pe tensiunea psihologica, personaje si replici. Si pe Lauren Bacall, desigur. E destul de lipsit de posibilitati expresive rolul ei, insa e probabil actrita cu figura cea mai sobra care sa fie in acelasi timp si incredibil de frumoasa. Nu degeaba a luat-o Bogart de nevasta. De regula filmele de tip piesa de teatru filmata sunt hit or miss, nu e usor sa tii publicul interesat o ora-doua cu o mana de actori intr-o camera. Key Largo e unul dintre succesele categorice in domeniu.

The African Queen (1951) undeva prin Africa, dupa ce incepe razboiul mondial cu numarul 1, Katherine Hepburn si Humphrey Bogart se intalnesc, fiind prinsi la mijloc de inceperea razboiului, fara posilibilitatea de a parasi continentul. Ea e profesoara misionara si aristocrata, el proprietar de barca cu care face comisioane in zona. Ca sa nu stea degeaba pana se termina razboiul, se gandesc sa dea o mana de ajutor si sa scufunde un vapor de lupta nemtzesc in numele patriei. Desigur, intre timp se cupleaza si ne ofera cea mai atipica comedie romantica. The African Queen e al doilea in topul personal al filmelor lui Huston, dupa Maltese Falcon. Bogart arata in filmul asta in asemenea hal incat nici nu stiu cum sa-l descriu fara sa fac apel la regnul animal. Practic arata ca o incrucisare intre sobolan si castor in mizerie. E murdar, nebarbierit, necioplit si chicoteste tot timpul la propriile-i glume. Asta e rolul care i-a adus singurul Oscar din cariera. Iar contrastul cu Hepburn, care citeste toata ziua psalmi in barca si il manipuleaza sa-si riste viatza pentru patrie, e sublim.

Picanteriile din spatele filmului sunt cel putin la fel de misto ca filmul in sine. Huston si-a dus toata echipa in inima Africii sa filmeze la fatza locului. Odata ajunsi acolo, in timp ce echipa de productie era asaltata de tzantzari, boli si animale salbatice, Huston se distra de mama focului mergand la vanatoare si tragand betzii monumentale cu Bogey, amandoi fiind alcoolici la vremea aia. In semn de protest, Katherine Hepburn a refuzat sa bea altceva decat apa. Si astfel s-a trezit subit cu dizenterie. La fel si ceilaltzi membri ai echipei, care au luat tot felul de boli exotice. Cu exceptia lui Huston si Bogart, care marturisea la ceva vreme dupa: “All I ate was baked beans, canned asparagus, and Scotch whiskey. Whenever a fly bit Huston or me, it dropped dead.” Pe langa asta, nativii africani angajati sa ajute echipa nu se prezentau, fiind convinsi ca americanii sunt canibali. Hepburn a ajuns sa scrie ulterior o cronica a aventurii, sugestiv intitulata “The Making of ‘The African Queen,’ or How I Went to Africa with Bogie, Bacall and Huston and Almost Lost My Mind”. Iar scenaristul Peter Viertel a scris un roman, “White Hunter, Black Heart”, despre un regizor care merge in Africa cu echipa dar devine obsedat de un elefant si isi abandoneaza filmul ca sa mearga la vanatoare. Cartea a fost ecranizata de Clint Eastwood in 1990 si, surprinzator, nu e comedie. Tre’ sa-l vad.

Moby Dick (1956) – ecranizarea lui Huston e excelenta vizual, colorata in nuante sepia tomnatice si deprimante. Singurul neajuns al filmului e rolul lui Ahab, jucat de Gregory Peck. Ahab e descris in carte ca un batran putred si obsedat. Peck avea la vremea aia in jur de 40 de ani si o infatzisare de aristocrat spalatzel si intelectual, indiferent ce cosmetizari i s-ar fi aplicat. Numai a Ahab n-arata, lucru de care si-a dat seama si el, dupa cum reiese dintr-un interviu ulterior.

The Misfits (1961) pare si mai melancolic decat era intentionat, acum cand stim ca a fost ultimul film al lui Clark Gable (decedat cu un an inainte ca filmul sa fie lansat) si Marilyn Monroe (care a murit un an mai tarziu). Monroe parca-i de pe alta lume in rol de pitzipoanca sufletista si autosuficienta, in jurul careia roiesc barbatzii, fatza de care ea s-a desensibilizat si ii tolereaza, vazandu-si de placerile ei. Dupa un divortz merge sa locuiasca intr-o casa in pustiu. Clark Gable e un cowboy dintr-o bucata, ultimul de felul sau, batran si singur. Incearca sa o agatze pe Monroe oferindu-se sa o ajute la treburile casei, ca oricum n-are altceva mai bun de facut, cowboii fiind o specie pe cale de disparitie. Apoi apare in peisaj tanarul Montgomery Clift, concurentza lui Gable si impreuna merg in muntzi sa captureze cai salbatici pentru bani. Pe care, dupa ce ii fugaresc un sfert de film, ii elibereaza sa-i faca pe plac lui Monroe pe care o luase tristetzea de cand aflase ca respectivii cai sunt destinati sa ajunga salam de Sibiu. Filmul asta are ceea ce se cheama dreamlike quality, atmosfera onirica, cum vreti sa-i ziceti, dincolo de melancolia si necazurile personajelor si inca n-am reusit sa ma prind de la ce i se trage.

The Night of the Iguana (1964) e alta ecranizare a unei piese de teatru, de data asta dupa Tenessee Williams. Richard Burton e un popa cu tolerantza scazuta la tentatii, astfel ca e alungat din biserica dupa ce se destrabaleaza cu o enoriasa si ajunge ghid turistic pe un autocar . Dar si asa o comite, cedand unei tinere parashute labila emotional si atragandu-si dispretzul doamnelor de o inalta tzinuta morala din autocar, care il vor concediat. Ca sa isi salveze pielea, fura cablul de transmisie de la autocar si isi sechestreaza turistii la hotelul unei prietene,  undeva prin Mexic, cu gandul de a se reabilita in ochii lor in cele cateva zile de odihna fortzata si a-si pastra slujba si reputatzia. Pana la urma domnitza care a declansat necazul se cupleaza cu soferul, ii fura inapoi cablul de transmisie si turistele moraliste se cara cu reputatzia si slujba lui cu tot. Dar filmul abia acum incepe, ca intre timp aparuse la hotel Deborah Kerr, pictoritza itineranta, impreuna cu bunicul ei de 100+ ani, pe care il cara dupa ea si il pune sa recite poezii pe bani. Dupa ce incearca sa se sinucida, Ava Gardner, proprietareasa, il leaga pe Burton intr-un hamac si apoi stau ei o noapte si discuta – pictoritza, proprietareasa si popa – despre libertate si implinire. Asta mi s-a parut un film excelent, Burton e tot timpul transpirat, disperat, frustrat, gata sa izbucneasca – mare rol.  Iar conversatiile sunt inteligente si profunde, se vede ca replicile alea au fost gandite de un scriitor adevarat.

The Man Who Would Be King (1975) e filmul cel mai epic al lui Huston, dupa o nuvela de Rudyard Kipling (care apare ca personaj in film, jucat de Christopher Plummer). Sean Connery si Michael Caine, ofiteri in armata engleza din India, se duc sa cucereasca prin viclenie ceva tzara primitiva din zona. E un film de aventuri widescreen, amuzant, frumos colorat si exotic, de amploarea unui Lawrence of Arabia sau Ben Hur. Ceva mai scurt totusi. Si mai ciudat, in sensul ca nu prea stii daca si cand sa iei in serios ce se intampla pe acolo. Cateodata o da in comedie cinstita – lantzuri de coincidentze cu rezultate amuzante, personaje caricaturale – alteori devine de-a dreptul tragic, dead serious, cum ar veni. Si nu in sensul bun, de film tragicomic cu de toate. Ci in sensul ca filmul pare alcatuit din episoade serioase de tip Lawrence of Arabia intercalate cu personaje, intamplari si coincidente scoase parca din filmele lui Mel Brooks. Am gasit destul de confuzanta lipsa unei voci narative ferme. Dincolo de asta, filmul e great fun iar Caine si Connery, la apogeu de cariera, fac o echipa grozava.

Homegrown Skateboards hosted a Hallowe’en party in their beautiful space above the LaHave Bakery on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. Here is a video I put together this afternoon of some of the moments we caught on camera. I’m definitely not satisfied with it, but I’m laughing in the face of my perfectionist tendencies these days and vowing to finish what I start.

Don’t get stuck in a rut.

I remember the first time I heard about a church using a clip from a movie as a sermon illustration… I thought it was a brilliant idea! There are a lot of very good moments in countless movies that will preach, so why not? In the years since then, I’ve seen movie clips used very well… and I’ve also seen them miss the mark horribly. I worked at one church where, as we would look at the week’s sermon topic, inevitably the pastor’s assistant would turn to me and ask, “What movie clip do you think we should use?”

Umm… didn’t we just use a clip last week… and the week before that too??? (I didn’t work there long)

There’s a problem; when something is perceived as “cool in church”, it can just as quickly become an over-done pattern of irrelevance. I’m not saying that churches should stop using movie clips, I understand that in some places that those clips might be all the media that is available. In those instances, pick and choose your clips wisely… just don’t default to it because you’ve done it in the past.

Using movie clips is a great way to get started at thinking “visually” …now how can you start to do your own illustrations, sermon bumpers, and stories?

So today I opened my GoogleReader to find a blog post that featured a film from a group called  “The Moving Pictures”.  Apparently they are a group of people who strive to make” positive media content” and I find that pretty cool.

From their website: