Presidential Commercials

From 1952-2008... holy crap, this rocks.
and not just the winners either, the losers are there, too.
Freakin' a!
Thanks to Emily from A Softer World, who will never know that I thanked her... or that I love her.

Christmas Aimee

So Aimee Mann apparently hooked up with Tim (from Tim and Eric) and made this little 4-parter.
Merry Freakin' Christmas.

We Are All In Some Way Going To Reseda

Everything Is Terrible brings you some brilliant music from an 80's recycling demonstration at Reseda High...

Another Well Done Music Video

It's official: every music video should have a guy standing in a field playing a uke while another guy ribbon dances flamboyantly around him. This should be the makings of every music video.
Think a little bit. Can you find one music video which wouldn't be infinitely improved by this addition?

Who the heck is Vincent?

This guy... What?
A Documentary?
(sorry, i really love this blog...)

Hawk Jones

Has changed my life forever.
The Shootout.
The Interrogation.

Blindsight

Sounds like an awful band from the late 90s, but it's actually a fascinating way that the body subverts nonfunctioning visual cortex(es) to provide reflex information to otherwise blind people. That is, sometimes the blind can see, but they don't know it.

Seasick Steve Wins

I just wanna listen to this guy all day long.
I just wanna listen.

Well Done Music Video

Vampire Weekend's Oxford Comma is a rather cool Wes Anderson-type pan and I basically think it's a really great video.
Directed by Richard Ayoade... oh, do you not know who that is?

Awesome aerial photo gallery

Awesome. Thanks to MisterCox.

New Favorite Blog

Our blog takes a backseat to any blog prominently featuring a sweet track about how only girls go to church tonight!
PARTY!!!! GIRL'S NITE OUT!!!
Go through some of that blog and you'll see what i mean about new favorite.
edit: jesus.

Obama's Cabinet

Chiggity-Check out this handy little javascript from the Journal. It's like a high school who's-who of Obama's cabinet. Beautiful.

This one is for you Brent!

Behold the majesty, the adventure, the experience!

Shine by Chris Dane Owens

Tune Of The Day #43

Brahms' Piano Quartet No. 3 in C minor, Op. 60, Movement I. Allegro non troppo (Arthur Rubenstein and some other people)

I wrote a five page paper about this today.

Flight of the Conchords Series 2 Premiere!

It's about time! Watch it online!

Tune of the Day #42

The Microphones - I Felt Your Shape


This is basically a pretty sweet acoustic track from the absurdly lo-fi Microphones album The Glow Pt. 2, which incidentally is chalk full of some of the most discordant and rough-sounding tunes I've been privy to in my short life. What I'm trying to say is, boy do I like the Microphones.

Another good photoshop contest

Make movies more cartoonish?

Some good results:

Tune Of The Day #41

Stereophonics - Help Me

Another great driving song, this one from Stereophonics' 2003 album You Gotta Go There to Come Back.

List of Out of Place Artifacts

I love Wikipedia.

Renaissance superheros

Photoshop contest. Some impressive entries.

Tune Of The Day #40

Sarah Walker sings Henri Duparc's Extase, Roger Vignoles on keys

One of the most beautiful and challenging 3ish lines of French poetry ever put to music.

Tune Of The Day #39

Spoon - Don't You Evah


This has been one of my favorite driving songs this year along with "Don't Make Me A Target", also from their Summer 2007 album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. It's a cover of a song by The Natural History that wouldn't find its way onto a one of their own albums until a few months later, in November 2007.

40 Inspirational Speeches in 2 Minutes

Accurate title.

More classics from The Asylum

That is, the people behind Sunday School Musical (through their proxy Faith Films).

18 Year Old Virgin (NSFW)
MONSTER (Cloverfield, set in Japan)
Da Vinci Treasure
Snakes on a Train
Allan Quatermain and the Temple of Skulls
Pirates of Treasure Island
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Death Racers (Actually looks a lot better than the original, which took itself way too seriously)
The Day The Earth Stopped
30,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Transmorphers
The 9/11 Commission Report Uhh....?

Alright, that's about all I can handle for now.

GUITAR PRAISE!

Just...just look at this.

Yes, it is an exact Christian clone of Guitar Hero.

Greatest movie of 2008

"The Language Lesson".

Holy crap.

The male lead of this film played the overacting effeminate dick in "Sunday School Musical", another great film of 2008 I had the pleasure of seeing last night. It appears he is trying to toughen up his image by starring in a romantic comedy that consists entirely of Japanese dick jokes.

Also, I don't know if you caught this, but there is really a film called "Sunday School Musical". Just watch the trailer. Holy crap, that is amazing. Can't wait for the Rifftrax.

Edit: Upcoming in 2009 from the same director and same company (but not the same studio): "The 18 Year Old Virgin". I'm pretty sure there are already about 80 porn titles with this same name?

Tune of the Day #38

William Shatner - That's Me Trying


Yeah, you're probably going to see that name and wonder what I'm on, but I'm telling you guys: Shatner's Has Been is a great album and totally deserves the attention of everyone in the world.
Seriously. So Good.

Tune of the Day #37

Blind Pilot - The Story I Heard


Caught this sweet little bit of music the other day on npr's top debut albums of 2008. From their album 3 Rounds and a Sound. Pretty smooth, indeed.

Tune Of The Day #36

Ben Gibbard - I was a Kaleidoscope

Solo and acoustic on Live at KEXP. The song with the rest of Death Cab for Cutie is found on The Photo Album.

Tune Of The Day #35

Richard Swift - The Novelist


There's only one way to properly punish Patterson for preempting my TOTD post yesterday - I have not choice but to choose a Richard Swift song for today's TOTD. This is the title track of his 2005 album.

The First Family

Blagojevich's news is basically making my life happen. 23/6 has the goods on why in this series of quotes: Blago Quote of the Hour
12
1
2
3
4
5
And if Blago's taint isn't enough awesome for you, check out his wife's taint!
Thank you so much, Blago. Thank you.

Not Exceedingly Funny, but...

I do like the clever idea of making Alien and Predator a finicky jewish couple from brooklyn.

Cool Video

2 things about this video make it worth my time:
1. Good music.
2. Awesome idea for a video, and well executed at that.

From this dude at Savage Chickens.

Tom Waits, Again...

This is old, but... it's also the best thing ever.

Tune Of The Day #34

Cool Kids - A Little Bit Cooler


I had to beat Simon to this. This is a hip track from the Cool Kids EP, Bake Sale.
They bill themselves as "the new black Beastie Boys," and if that doesn't sell you on these guys, then I guess your gonna have to get sold like I did: by listening to the above track and crapping your pants from how freakin' awesome it is. Enjoy.

Simon can have the totd tomorrow... screw that guy for now.

Tune of the Day #33

The Old Soul - Vege-tables


This awesome Beach Boys cover is found on their eponymous debut album.

George Herter = Greatest Man to Live. Ever.

Curious as to who that dude is and why he's awesome?
Here's an enlightening essay from this weeks Times Book Review.

Where is Your Messiah Now, Handel?

Simon Estes showed this to me the other day, but has, to date, not posted it to our wonderful blog:
The Original "Every Valley..."
The New "Every Valley..."
God bless generation... x? y? whatever they are, God bless 'em.

Where is Your God Now, Ford?

Is it just me, or is that a... brand new car up there on the altar?
or 2?
or 3?

Tune of the Day #32

"Warm as the autumn light", from The Ballad of Baby Doe (Douglas Moore / John Latouche)

This is from the premiere recording with Beverly Sills as the title character, and Walter Cassel and Frances Bible as Horace and Augusta Tabor. Heretically, I don't think this is the best recording ever, but it's hard to argue with the emotion the singers put behind it (even if their tuning isn't always spot on). Also, this entire opera was recorded in one take. Which is insane.

I picked this song because A) it is gorgeous, and B) it is a good example of the unparalleled quality of poetry this opera offers (perhaps even better is Baby Doe's closing aria, "Always through the changing"). It definitely is not a perfect show, but in terms of character development in American opera...it's pretty hard to beat. And, again, this music is fantastic.

And Here's What Getting Served by Jesus Would Look Like

I think I've said enough.

Too Awesome for Description!

!!!!!!!!

Tune of the Day #31

Pierre Bernac sings Ravel's Chanson romanesque, from Don Quichotte à Dulcinée

I think this was originally written for a movie adaptation of Don Quixote, but then the director decided he could do better than Ravel in the film score dept, so Ravel cut his losses and turned it into a song cycle. Pierre Bernac, although with Gerard Souzay, is one of the premiere interpreters of French song, but if you don't already know what it's "supposed" to sound like, this probably won't convince you. Still, a pretty rad tune with the perfect amount of old record vibe.

Well, it is effective....

Enjoy this awesome commercial. Not sure if it is real or not.... but still entertaining!

Tune of the Day #30

The Long Winters - Pet Name


This is a great band performing a great cover of a great song by another great band (They Might Be Giants). Definitely TOTD material.

Devin Flynn's sound houndz

An honest educational video by the creator of Y'all So Stupid and Dance Floor Dale.

Teach both theories

Let the kids decide.

China Mandates Internet Cafes Use Linux

Red Flag Linux, that is. This is partly in response to complaints about widespread piracy - logically, now that the piracy (which was costing MS $bns a year) has stopped, Microsoft's profits should skyrocket, right? Right?

Tune of the Day #29

Electric Six - Gay Bar


Wait, it's Thursday already? (Image courtesy Married to the Sea)

And while we're on the PORN theme...

Let's remember the life of John Holmes:

(from wikipedia)

....
John Curtis Holmes (August 8, 1944 – March 13, 1988) better known as John C. Holmes or Johnny Wadd (after the lead character in a series of related films), was one of the most famous male adult film stars of all time, appearing in about 2,500 adult loops, stag films, and porno feature movies in the 1970s and 1980s, including at least one gay feature film and a handful of gay loops. He was best known for his exceptionally large penis, which was heavily promoted as being the longest in the porn industry; however, its exact dimensions are unknown. Holmes also attracted notoriety for his involvement in the brutal Wonderland murders in 1981, and for his death from AIDS.

Porn = Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Cracked provides us with some amazingly bad (non-sex) porn scenes....

Tune of the Day #28

Pedro the Lion - Second Best


So here's the history of the song cycle, according to me: Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Wolf, Faure, Respighi, Vaughan Williams, Finzi, Bernstein, David Bazan of Pedro the Lion.

This particular song is from the album (cycle) "Control", which tells the story of a failing marriage that leads to spousal murder. It is...a little intense. But so is the Schwanengesang.

Alchemist - Lose Your Life

Perennial favorite Devin Flynn directs the best hip hop video I have ever seen.

Supreme Court Rules on Drugs & Federalism

Well, sorta. They refused to hear a case that ruled state law enforcement have to obey state laws regarding medical marijuana, not federal laws. So basically, only federal agents can seize drugs not outlawed by states. Pretty cool.

Tune of the Day #27

King Missile - Eating People


A ridiculously sticky and smooth tune by my favorite spoken word comedy group.

Urologist Of The Day

here.

Tune of the Day #26

Yo soy Maria from María de Buenos Aires by Ástor Piazzolla

Julia Zenko sings the title role in this "tango operita". It's really more like a tango ballet. Violinist Gidon Kremer leads the ensemble. You really have to listen to this.

Switzerland Legalizes Heroin

While also - in the same vote - choosing to uphold laws against marijuana.

Tunes of the Days 24 & 25

No internet the past 36 hours means today's a double feature.

Zero 7 - The Pageant of the Bizarre

Fun track from Zero 7's third album, "The Garden".


Aesop Rock - Pigs


The hidden track from "None Shall Pass", also the coolest song on the album.

Tune of the Day #23

Jeff Buckley - Moodswing Whiskey

From Mystery White Boy Live.

Macy's Parade Gets Rick Roll'd

Exactly how it sounds.

Tune of the Day #22

Björk, Mark Bell, Sjón & Lars von Trier - New World


From Selmasongs, a collection of re-produced songs from the movie Dancer in the Dark. Even if you don't like Björk, it's hard not to like this expansive, definitively European orchestral trip hop tune. Freaking awesome finale.

Note: the posted track has all kinds of errors in it, both tagging and encoding. For better quality, try this ogg file instead (you'll need a plugin to play this in most commercial audio programs, like iTunes or Windows Media Player).

Tune of the Day #21

Wynton Marsalis Septet - Local Announcements


From Live at the Village Vanguard. (The single disc, not the 7-disc set. Although presumably it's on both.)

Because We Can Never Get Enough...

....we are reading about the life story of...
COBRA COMMANDER

A Nice Trip Down Memory Lane...

....for those of us who were kids in the 80s and early 90s. Classic GI Joe vehicles, and why they're stupid.

Tune of the Day #20

Wilco - Hell is Chrome

From A Ghost is Born.

Thank you... Sarah Palin.

These ads, they're crazy. The PAC says their only spending millions upon millions of dollars putting them out to raise more money to put more ads out.
Note: "You've gotta raise money. Ask Barack Obama: he raised a billion dollars to BUY the presidency."

Best staircase ever

I want to go to Columbia just for this.

Big walrus

I don't know what to say to this.

Edit: Also, this.

Tune of the Day #19

Richard Cheese - Down with the Sickness


This Disturbed cover is probably the best thing Lounge Against the Machine ever put on tape. (Yes, this is the track from Dawn of the Dead).

Tune of the Day #18

Ralph Vaughan Williams' Youth and Love (from the Songs of Travel)

Bryn Terfel sings, Malcolm Martineau plays. This has been my song of the month. Absolutely stunning.

Tune of the Day #17

Smashing Pumpkins - The Beginning is the End is the Beginning


This is the song that totally made the first trailer for Watchmen. It's an alternate B-side version of that song from the Batman & Robin soundtrack, The End is the Beginning is the End.

Stop or I will shoot

Here's a helpful language guide: "Somali-useful phrases". They might come in handy if you end up sailing the Gulf of Aden.

Tune of the Day #16

The Postal Service - Be Still My Heart


A Postal Service B side. Also possibly the best song they ever recorded. You can find it on the "We Will Become Silhouettes" single. But don't take my word for it: Pitchfork gushes, "[Be Still My Heart] sounds more or less like a Death Cab demo with a few anxious clicking noises added to it." What are you waiting for?

Tune of the Day #15

Soul Coughing - Screenwriter's Blues


Just a great song.

Tune of the Day #14

Calexico - Black Heart


Awesome song from "Feast of Wire". I am still upset about missing this band a few weeks ago.

Lullaby of Cain

Don't mean to step on the Tune of the Day posts, but I just freakin' love this this song. So haunting, so beautiful. Wish I had written it...

Tune of the Day #13

People Under the Stairs - Acid Raindrops


My new favorite, PUTS is an awesome retro sounding hip hop group from LA. They just released a new album called Fun DMC that you can buy for $6.99 on Amazon.com (MP3). This song is from an earlier album, Original Sound Track (O.S.T.)

Tune of the Day #12

Lulu-vise by Knutsen & Ludvigsen

Performed by Erik Halvorsen with Sondre Lerche and his band, "The Lulu Song" is a fun little Norwegian kid's song that I like. It's the hidden track on the album "Duper Sessions". Translation here.

Tune of the Day #11

Brahm's Ein deutches Requiem, I. Selig sind, die da Leid tragen


Simon Rattle conducts the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in this fantastic recording of the German Requiem. I had a hard time deciding which movement to post, because they are all so incredible. I was leaning toward IV for its unparalleled choral fugue, or II for its sheer drama, but the first movement ("Blessed are those who mourn") won out for its simple beauty and excellent introduction of the dramatic musical language used throughout the work.

Tune of the Day #10

Of Montreal - Montreal


I saw this band in Dallas last night, and it was a blast. Two and a half hours of completely over-the-top super-surreal, ambiguously sexual psychedelic performance art with a bizarre disco funk sound track. So today I've decided to post their namesake track from their debut album Cherry Peel, recorded more than a decade ago when they were just another part of the Elephant 6 collective trying to sound like the Beatles.

Tune of the Day #9

Rozhdestvensky/Tariverdiev - Gde-to daleko


My choice today is a Russian pop song from World War 2, performed by Dmitri Hvorostovsky on his live DVD "Songs from the Russian War Years" as well as the album "Where are you, my brothers?", which you can buy on Amie St for like a buck. The title translates roughly to "Somewhere far away", but I don't speak Russian and can't find a full translation anywhere else, so you'll have to take my word for it that every song on that album is really, really depressing (there are translations provided in the amazing concert DVD, all of you should watch it immediately).

Runner up: "The last battle", from the same album.

Tune of the Day #8

Tom Waits - The Hokey Pokey


This NSFW live recording will forever change the way you think about the Hokey Pokey. If you're curious, most of the words to this unique interpretation come from another Tom Waits song, "Pasties and a G String".

Tune of the Day #7

Massive Attack - Silent Spring


Today's TOTD is a trip hop B-side. I like it.

Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

I'm finally coming to terms with how awesome this webcomic is.

Tune of the Day #6

Arnold Schoenberg, Op. 1, No. 1: "Dank"


Tove Loenskov accompanies baritone Lars Thodberg Bertelsen in Schoenberg's first published piece, a Brahmsian epic lied that just kinda rocks. If you like it, check out No. 2, "Abschied".

Get Your War On - New World Order

This is the first episode of GYWO that I've actually laughed at.

Tune of the Day #5

Wir sind Helden - Gekommen um zu bleiben

I haven't really heard anything else by this band (German for "We are heroes") that didn't suck, but this tune ("Came to stay"), which hit #24 on the German charts in 2004, is pretty fun.

Key quote: "Ist dieser Fleck erst in der Hose, ist er nicht mehr rauszureiben."

Song of the Day #4

E lucevan le stelle


This is Franco Corelli singing under Franco Ferraris with the Philharmonia Orchestra the aria that begins the final act of Puccini's masterpiece Tosca. In this aria we hear the condemned painter Cavaradossi writing one final letter to singer Floria Tosca, his love, basically saying "I don't want to die". The important thing to note is that Franco Corelli can do things with his voice we mortals can hardly comprehend.

Song of the Day #3

The Mountain Goats - No Children


John Darnielle ends every show with this tune from the album Tallahassee.

Dumb joke

Sorry.

Shiba Inu Puppy Cam

Here you go. (Thanks to HighFB)

Film School

The next time you watch a film, notice if there are lobsters in it.

COMPRESSED SONG COMICS "WOULDN'T IT BE NICE" BY THE BEACH BOYS

The Beach Boys... well, it seems the Beach Boys wish they were older, living together, and sleeping with each other.
They describe such a scenario as "nice"!
Other scenarios they describe as "nice" include all five Beach Boys waking up together, spending the day together, and then holding each other close. They also wish their kisses were neverending, as that would be nice, and they wish they were all married, because if they were married, they'd be happy. "Wouldn't [that] be nice?", they ask each other in the chorus, largely rhetorically.
(more)

New Favorite Pasttime

Google Trends. this morning, the number one search was definitely "what weapon is synonymous with samurai warriors"
CRAZY!!!

Facebook status update

A friend of mine who formerly attended UGA compiled the following list of remarkable Facebook statuses from her deep south friends on hearing Obama won:

1) "i need to lock the door so that the terrorists don't get me"

2) thinks the world has never seen a blind following like Obama has since the likes of Hitler. be afraid america cuz here comes the USSA.

3) Palin is still hott...

4) is not proud of america right now but is damn proud to be from Georgia! At least we didnt help put that idiot in office!

5) will be glad to stop hearing uneducated political comments and urges anyone who has nothing but negative things to say to feel free to leave the US.

6) is no worries Texas will succeed from the nation.

7) is really?! ok buckle up, America.

8) is its ok im from Texas were going to secede from the Nation then take over America to expand the Republican Empire of Texas 08.

9) is remembering that at the end of the day, it is still God's plan.

10) wishes people knew what they really just elected... Romney 2012.

11) yknow what the awesome thing about this is? Another four more years of people shitting their pants cause they didn't get their way.

12) is PALIN 12!!

13) is in Arkansas with a black man just elected. oh i hope i don't get lynched!


14)This is ridiculous. Packing my bags for the DR.

15) thinks Jesus is coming back soon since Obama won the election

16) IS moving to mexico and is going to build a tree house like in the swiss family robinson. Whos with me?

17) Learn about real socialism.

18) is praying for our country...

19) is DEAL WITH IT AND SUCK MY DICK.

20) don't worry about the terrorists...just shine that big ol' rock on your finger...it'll blind them! well, maybe not, they may try to figure out a way to redistribute it to the poor.........

(Thanks to Ro)

A few results from last nite...

to offset your overwhelming joy:
al franken lost minnesota, while ted stevens (convicted felon) held his seat.
california, in a vibrant display of contradiction, voted for an amendment banning same sex marriage and against a law saying that minors should have to notify their parents before getting an abortion. effectively pissing off everyone.
way to go california. what the crap?

Help me Wolf Blitzer, You're my Only Hope...

Wolf Blitzer took CNN to it's nerdcore max: interview via hologram.
not even joking.
And that's not the only techno-show off of the night: Ann Curry reads exit polls in a VR room.
thank God they finish this video by dispelling the illusion and showing that she's just standing in a green room... that green screening was so good, it was like she was a real person in a real room... almost.

Did anyone else catch McCain's concession speech?

If so, do you know what his exit music was? Because it was fantastic.

Update: It was the theme from Crimson Tide, a Hans Zimmer tune called ... "Mutiny". Listen away.

I'm a...

Uh... ...PC?

Song of Tuesday

They Might Be Giants - I'm All You Can Think About

Local Hero Of The Day

Here

Song of Thursday

You're welcome.

Benjamin Franklin Quote of The Day

"Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."

Swimming with tigers!

I'm jealous.

Last Clear Chance

MST3K clip of the day.

Worst best man ever

Wow.... this is awesome/terrible.

750,000 Jobs? Music and Piracy.

Just came across this this morning. I'm in the music business, and I'm constantly irritated by the endless crap debates about piracy, and the toll it brings on "the industry." Truth be told, it DOES take a toll, and there ARE real issues presented by the fact that many people now expect to get music for free or next to free. But what really grates my cheese is the constant focus by industry execs on how to get people to stop consuming music in the way that they (the people) want to do it, and consume in the limited ways the industry execs would like them too. Lessig's famous view is that what people are going to do (at least in regards to technology) is mostly dependent on what the technology permits them to do, not what the laws are. Sadly, I doubt most music industry execs have ever cracked a Lessig book...

The bottom line is that a lot of people bitch about piracy and decling revenue trends instead of getting off their fat butts and coming up with new business ideas. (I'm proud that my own indie music company is always focused first and foremost on new and proactive approaches to music monetization). I have a lot more radical copyright ideas that probably don't jive with the majority of the music business...and I'm not going to get into that here....on to the point of the post!

In the "war on piracy" a central weapon is sympathy the entertainment industry can drum up not only for the poor starving artists and songwriters but also for the workers who in the entertainment industry who are being hurt financially as music industry revenues decline. In lobbying efforts, two numbers are frequently tossed around: that music piracy cost the US some 750,000 jobs and took some $200-250 billion out of the US economy. Those are not small numbers at all.

Ars Technica investigated, trying to trace the sources of both of those numbers. As one might expect (yes, I'm going to spoil a bit of the article) neither of them have solid basis. In particular, the 750,000 number, as best anyone can tell, seems to have come from a 1986 statement by the then Commerce Secretary. It has since persisted, zombie-like, to this day, with politicians, pundits, and industry types all using each other as sources in a ridiculous circular argument on how internet downloading of music is destroying the American way of life.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending piracy, but we all need to address that and other issues with clear headed, rational arguments, open minds, and creativity, NOT with Eisenhower-era relics frantically clutching on to cushy jobs, inflated egos, and absolute control over the music enviornment....all of which are slipping away, although the latter may be one of the most under-explored elements in the entire anti-major label arguments.

Ok, that's enough from me...

Here's the Ars Technica article. Enjoy!

It's A Hard Working Life

Just slaving away on a Thursday afternoon...

John Cleese on Sarah Palin

It isn't funny, but it is John Cleese.

Mature political discourse!

Yay!

Christopher Buckley Resigns from the National Review

Apparently that's what you have to do when you endorse a Democrat. Here's his editorial on the shenanigans.

May I Share This Singular Comedian?

Bo Burnham promoting his debut album. Apparently, the dude fell like mana from heaven?
New Math
and Bo Yo
Dude's got mad skills.

H. Jon Benjamin is amazing

Howto: Palin-ing!

Interview Palin!

Handy website.

Great PAC

O's for Obama!

Lessig in WSJ

Lessig in the Wall Street Journal. Adapted from his new book Remix. The article title was not his idea apparently. Good reading though.

good quotes:

"In 1906, for example, perhaps America's then most famous musician, John Phillip Sousa, warned Congress about the inevitable loss that the spread of these "infernal machines" -- the record player -- would cause. As he described it:

"When I was a boy...in front of every house in the summer evenings you would find young people together singing the songs of the day or the old songs. Today you hear these infernal machines going night and day. We will not have a vocal chord left. The vocal chords will be eliminated by a process of evolution, as was the tail of man when he came from the ape."

A professional fearful that new technology would destroy the amateur. "The tide of amateurism cannot but recede," he predicted. A recession that he believed would only weaken culture."

"We need to restore a copyright law that leaves "amateur creativity" free from regulation. Before the 20th century, this culture flourished. The 21st century could see its return. Digital technologies have democratized the ability to create and re-create the culture around us. Where the creativity is an amateur remix, the law should leave it alone. It should deregulate amateur remix."

xkcd Inspires Real Feature

Google just implemented one of Randall Munroe's jokes in real life.

The Legend of Zelda

Yeah!

That's Some Good Eatin'

King Richard II's Recipe Book

Need A New Car?

I've wanted this for years.....

Gmail "Mail Goggles" Prevent Drunk Email

I love Google Labs.

New Andrew Bird Track

"Oh No". (Thanks to MisterCox)

Vonnegut quote of the day

"This, too, was the title of a book by Trout, The Gutless Wonder. It was about a robot who had bad breath, who became popular after his halitosis was cured. But what made the story remarkable, since it was written in 1932, was that it predicted the widespread use of burning jellied gasoline on human beings. It was dropped on them from airplanes. Robots did the dropping. They had no conscience, and no circuits which would allow them to imagine what happens to people on the ground. Trout's leading robot looked like a human being, and could talk and dance and so on, and go out with girls. And nobody held it against him that he dropped jellied gasoline on people. But they found his halitosis unforgivable. But then he cleared that up, and he was welcomed to the human race."
(Slaughterhouse Five)

Dunning-Kruger effect

"The Dunning-Kruger effect is an example of cognitive bias in which people who are worst at a task show the most illusory superiority, rating their own ability as above average."

Tina Fey as Sarah Palin

For the VP debate parody.
Key quote: "I believe marriage is meant to be a sacred institution between two unwilling teenagers."

New Preview Album Up!

New preview album up here It'll go on the SLM page when I get a chance. It's not strictly a preview of the upcoming new studio tracks - different songs for one thing - but it's the first new set of songness that has come out of my corner of the internet in several months. Start the ticker tape parade!

And Arrested Development Quote of The Day

From Lucille regarding to her Mexican housekeeper:

"Oh, please, they didn't sneak into this country to be your friends!!"

New Tracks On The Way

Soon soon soon...studio has been consuming us...but soon!

Craigslist needs a new job listing category

"Criminal accomplices"

Amazing photo search tool

This site instantly displays an assortment of pictures based on color input from you. Just try it out.

Ron English

Old billboard art. That is, guerrilla billboard art.

Windows 98

Don't you miss its great features, like user friendly password circumvention?

The neuropsychology of politics

Key quote:
"When someone in the audience pointed out that the researchers themselves appeared to be highly partisan observers, Amodio barked, "Big deal!" He explained that scientists do tend to be liberal, but that's on account of their predilection for the truth and tolerance for uncertainty. (They're also more creative than most other people, he added, which reinforces their bias to the left.)"

Christian Nymphos

The only site I have come across that lists "Biblical Studies" immediately below "Anal Sex". "WARNING: Some of the sexual acts we mention on our blog could cause physical damage to you or your spouse."

Porn for the Aleister Crowley set

If you know what I mean, you'll know not to watch it. Also, it's a music video for a song by Flying Lotus directed by Eric Wareheim with animation by Devin Flynn (whose usual work makes this look pretty normal).

Eugene Mirman Blogs the Conventions

This is pretty old now, but still hilarious.

MST3K Quote of the Day

"....and his coffin will be made entirely of coconuts..."

Superpoop

Not as good as Married to the Sea (The Champagne of Webcomics), but this one was great if only for being the first good Obama joke I've heard.

MST3K Quote of the Day

I'm going to try to post a new MST3K quote every day. A $50 gift certificate to "Stanley's Sprockets" to anyone who can identify it.

"Santa's laughter mocks the poor."

We'll see how long I keep this up.

BONUS QUOTE: Since the above was tweeted yestereve...here's another:

"Oh man, I know he's French, but HER???"

Very informative article

Way, way, way more than you ever wanted to know about laser guns. That is, the sci-fi type and their real-world practicality.

Slashdot post of the day

Highlights from all of the people who accuse them of working for various corporations and political parties. OK, if you find this funny, you've probably already read it on their site.

But.


Still.

I just like thinking what pushed them over the edge and made them post this today.

Current's animation is great

Today I bring you "Internet porn and you", but if you missed "Uncle Sam & 9/11", you should see it, too.

Advertisement of the year

1947

Jesus is My Friend

by Sonseed. Thanks to Semaj.

Awesome webcam

Watch it for Science.

I admit, every now and then fail is amazing

Like this.
And this.
Edit: And this.
Edit: Eschewing taste, this, too.

For fans of The Protector

This girl. Wow.

Sorry to get a little political

But this is too perfect.

The Rainbow Connection

An undeniable conspiracy. Thanks to Semaj Nosnibor.

do a j

watch this thing.

movie blog

found this great movie blog this morn that spends most of its time on bad horror... which i am TOTALLY all about.
the clever anecdotes strewn throughout the reviews almost make up for using phrases like, "LOL!" and "I felt like Cathy from the sunday comics."
the truth is, damage like that can be irrevocable. but it's a damn good anecdote.
here's her movie poster collection.
here's the aforementioned anecdote reviewing Food of the Gods.

At least God's in control

1.87 people die every second. Wrap your mind around that.

(redirected from comments on the Wired.com article for the LHC here)

Saving the Cougar Ace

Possibly the coolest job ever.

The makings of the best true crime story ever.

When the most mundane part was when the dog ate the weapon, you're looking at real entertainment value.

This is for you, Viper

There seems to be a bit of a cooking theme on this blog lately.

I have very strict requirements for my running mate, Mr Rove

I got all the qualifications you need right here.

Edit: Fixed broken link.

Socotra Island

Want to buy me a ticket?

FactCheck.org

Shouldn't this be illegal? Maybe I should just stop paying attention.

Reuters knows how to sell a story

Title only.

Socialism!

I guess we already knew this, but it's interesting to have it broken down: state political orientation vs. net gain or loss of federal funds.

My painting technique

As demonstrated by Adam and Jamie of Mythbusters.

Holy crap

This is one amazing explosion.

How to Fight Twenty Children

A simple guide.

Breadmaking 101

A helpful dance-structional video.

Trippy

Find the blind spots your brain doesn't want you to know you have.

Early Bill Watterson Work

Here you go.

Some choice comics:

Political

College

Too close to home

Add One Washing Machine and One Toilet

and you get the most practical appliance of all time

Want a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence?

Have you got $250?

The Most Important Article on the 2008 Summer Olympics You Will Ever Read

And I'm not exaggerating.

OK, and this one's pretty crazy too.

Interesting Lawsuit of the day

United States of America v. $124,700 in U.S. Currency

Australia

Land of beauty and class

So, I'm never trusting video ever again

Thanks, SIGGRAPH!

Casaubon, take note

The greatest wedding cake ever.

Tairy Greene's Acting Seminar for Children

This is awesome!

What better way to make the 1,000th post than with THIS!

Barack singing! Well sorta.

Stella On Politics

Just like it sounds: Michael, Michael, David waxing political.

Chris Onstad

His Comic: Achewood
His Influence: The Stanford Chaparral

Number One Summer JAM!

Wondering what this summer's number one jam song is? Well, here it is! Nice Peace!

Rock on.

City List

I often find myself wondering this. I know it's pretty easily findable via simple google but it's interesting to peruse nonetheless. Check out NYC! Beating Tokyo. That's what I like to see...USA! USA! USA!

Why must you tease

2 Skinnee J's is getting back together, and playing in New York three days after I leave.

Porn Parody Titles

Comprehensive list of porn parody titles including such greats as:
Beaverjuice
Captain Hooker and Peter Porn
A Clockwork Orgy
The Deer Humper
Dick, Tracy?
Frosty the Blowman
Snatch Adams
Willy Wonka and the Hershey Highway
and
Erectnophobia

No clue how many of these are real... but I pray that at least the last two are...
edit:
Erectnophobia is real...

Retirement in Japan....

....it's slightly different than elsewhere...

Yes, that's a 73 year old porn star. A dude no less.

Golden Throats

It's celebrity sing-off time here on SLM. Enjoy!
Patrick Swayze - She's Like the Wind
William Shatner - Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds
Eddie Murphy - Party All the Time
and of course...
Leonard Nimoy - The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins
Sorry I couldn't find any Sebastian Cabot... but if I could, the sing-off wouldn't even remotely be fair. Cabot. Hands down. Every time.

Smoking Ads

What do more doctors smoke?
Or the Flinstones... what do they smoke?
But it's healthier to smoke Chesterfields...

New Yorker

Yeah, I know we all know about it already and it's old news, but seriously... next time I give someone a "Hezbollah-style fist jab," I'm gonna tell everyone exactly what it means. Did these people not have childhoods at all?

Dr. Horrible

This is a pretty great idea, a mad scientist's blog... also musical. I enjoy it, anyway.

The Physics of Baseball

Really cool article....even for those of us who aren't sports crazy.

One Haded Typing Glove

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Ideal Resumes

New trend that's catching on: video resumes!
Here's trendsetter Aleksey Vayner
and trendfollower Michael Cera

Apricots in Mashed Potatoes

Word of advice: Don't. Do it.

Flying Saucer Power Source

Really.

Woo Hoo Muxtape!

It is our opinion that everyone should post SLuM songs...hehe...

Today is Al Green Day

Classic video from the 70s

Octopus Story of The Day

Octopui and Rubik's Cubes

Guy Love

This scene from Scrubs was totally worth my time.

Ninja attacks school.

Well....sorta.

12 To The Moon

Everybody should watch this MST3K. Go ahead...I'll wait....

Stump Hugelarge at the controls.

For All You Unfortunate Souls Outside Of The Greater NYC Area

You've been yearning for the power, the glory, and the raw exuberance that is Sublunar Minds live. Well now thanks to the miracle of digital cameras that record low quality video, your wish has been granted. Behold: SLUM at the Trash Bar:

Sealand Is Fun

We all know about it, but I thought we'd just like to gaze at a picture of it again. Just for fun.

SLM Site Updates

Complete with better players and a nifty random shuffle among all 17,000 songs. Well, at least it feels like that many. Sublunar Minds Music

Walkable Urbanism

Is important. Muy.

"There's No Land On The Water"

What to do with populations displaced by rising ocean levels? The Ocean Walker.

Music video

Viper's Frontier Psychiatrist video reminded me a bit of this old gem from Of Montreal. It was directed by The Brothers Chaps (creators of homestarrunner.com).

Alice in Wonderlands....on drugs

Very cool music video with an original remix of mostly samples assets from the film. Trippy and groovy.

Two Related Articles

1) How YouPorn is Ruining Porn DVD Sales

2) Bees Learn New Languages Easily!

Yes, the world is a strange place.

Love Me Some EFF

Well, not always. Sometimes they're a little...well...too much.

But their press releases are always entertaining at least. Now one word:

Princeohead

Congratulations!

Our sincerest apologies.

Dean Kamen is back!

And his new project looks pretty rad to say the least.

Very interesting music video

I've been a fan of The Avalanches since I first heard their CD back in 2002. One my favorite tracks was Frontier Psychiatrist. I've never seen the music video until tonight- and it has changed my life forever. Curious? You bet your bottom you are!

By the way, the rest of the album is very good as well.

Enjoy!

Name of the Day

See for yourself!

Florida Teacher Suspended

On suspicion of Wizardry. Not a joke.

Disturbing Disney

Ad for kid's underwear (it's exactly what you think it is...)
I actually got this from Glenn Beck... weird, huh?

Scott Clark Woolley:

1) Full time, famous cake designer

2) Wanna be lyricist

3) Closet film composer

Tip: His crappy Broadway wanna-be song starts at 3:00.

I think my favorite part of this video (it is really hard to choose just one) is the random musical cue for the Robin. Did the video REALLY need that?

Hahahahaha!

Pac-Man

I finally understand!

Werner Herzog

What a bad ass.
"It doesn't suprise me to get shot at..."

Guns on Campus

Rats, we just missed the Empty Holster Protest, where students wear empty holsters to school to protest the fact that they can't carry guns! There's a bit of a legislative effort to fix that in many states, including my own:

"Oklahoma's bill passed the House but was shelved by the Senate in the face of massive opposition by university administrators, faculty and students. Every president of the state's 25 public colleges signed onto a resolution opposing the bill."

From another article:

"Oklahoma State University President Burns Hargis said Monday the bill would have allowed Timothy McVeigh, executed after being found guilty of the Oklahoma City bombing, to carry a concealed weapon on campus because he was a military veteran.University of Oklahoma President David Boren thumped a podium Monday, as he intoned, “Please, please, please,” defeat House Bill 2513.Boren said he would get down on his knees and beg the Legislature, if need be."

Just In Time For The Holidays...

Star Wars Holiday Special

Depression

This isn't the best introduction to Achewood, but it's still excellent.

Psychoactive Berry Makes Sour Things Sweet

Crazy.

Yay!

IMSLP is coming back online June 1! For those of you unfamiliar with this amazing resource, it's basically WikiSources for sheet music. It is a very, very good thing.

Original composer

His music is very out there. The first track is called Dancing Speakers and it makes me wonder: what are these speakers dancing to?

Probably one of the worst productions I've ever heard...

... so of course I'm sharing it with all of you!

Sonar 7 Geoff Jaymes "It's Okay" To quote my friend: ""it's Okay" isn't okay"

Readers of This Blog....

...and I conservatively estimate there are 13,000 of you daily....should be aware:

there is one new analect released (crowd cheers wildly; balloons and streamers appear).

thank you.

we now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

Never use this.

Ever. I might even take it off this blog.

Molecular Gastronomy

Sounds hella interesting. Thanks to Achewood.

Listening To Your Heart

This guy is listening to your heart.

Name of the Day

I wish this was my name.

Oliver Stone and GW Bush

Wow. Okay so it's only a potential movie now...but wow. W. The biopic of our 43rd president. Yes. Oliver Stone. I can only imagine.

Classic Pubs In Oxford

...it's all so cool...history right here...

Good Ol' Dave Barry

Yeah this column is definitely for an older demo...colonoscopy...but it's still funny...

The best part about being a stenographer?

You're legally obligated to tell everyone in complete and accurate detail what a badass you are.

Interesting video

I can't quit explain it, but this video (and the music) is very sad, beautiful and intriging.

I hope you enjoy it. I know I did.

Michael Chertoff

Above the Law
I wonder if he wakes up in the morning thinking, "I wonder which constitutional amendment I'm going to void today."

Slate Reviews Oliver Stone's Upcoming "W."

An early draft script named "Bush", anyway.

How to Protest the Olympic Torch Relay

So you think China is evil, and want to protest the Olympics. But you don't want to leave home. Well, that isn't too much of a problem if the torch relay is going through your city, just grab that mother and put it out. failing that, attack it with a freaking fire extinguisher. Or just wait for the French, they'll put it out three times before the authorities just let it stay out and put it back on the bus.

France in Negotion with Pirates

Maritime piracy rose 10% last year. Is that why this year is cooler than normal?

Stuff White People Like

A very informative blog.

Dick Cheney Wins

Asshole of the decade award.
"2/3 of Americans say (the Iraq War) is not worth fighting..."
"So?"
That smug little look on his face right after he says that... that's when I'd punch him.

Fox News

Is freaking... awesome...
I especially love their black guests who were possibly educated by blind KKK members.

Coolest Videos on Youtube

LaBlogotheque basically does these things called "Un Concert A Emporter" (Take Away Concert) where they film big artists performing in the streets of Montmarte.
Andrew Bird
(Part 2)
Of Montreal/Axeriver Boy
Sufjan Stevens
The Shins
and many many more...

New Favorite Blog

3 words which normally shouldn't go together... especially in a blog headline.
The Dilbert Blog by Scott Adams

MS Blews

MS Research uses the blogosphere to detect political bias in news stories.

Youtube, how could you?

Did anyone else notice that every featured video description Rick Rolls you today?

Two somewhat disturbing French PSAs

AIDS awareness for the fellow and the lady.

Rick Astley would never....

Rick Astley would never...

Rebel Clowning

Join the Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army. "CIRCA aims to make clowning dangerous again, to bring it back to the street." I...I think they're being serious.

It's Not Easy Bein' Green

So yeah, of course Kermit the Frog was emo, but... I didn't know he was quite this emo.

Progress on The Pill for Men

Now, if they can just make a Plan B for men...

Bizarre HP Comparison

Two 500gb home servers from the same vendor: $300 for Linux, $600 for Windows Home Server. And the Linux version is smaller, quieter, and more capable.

A Fit Of Vanity

I don't know how old this is, but it needs to be shared... hard.
Brenda Dickson (the queen from Neverending Story 2, The Young and the Restless) telling the world about fashion... and dieting.
The most hilarious parody I've ever seen. Part 1 and part 2!
Part 2 is painfully hilarious... just so everyone knows.

A very accurate watch

It probably tells time alright, too.

In Rainbows Competition

Make an animated music video for new Radiohead songs... judged by the band... freakin' awesome.

Feel like getting a million bucks from NASA?

You bet you do!
NASA is currently pressuring the private sector with open challenges to whomever. I think it's pretty cool, at least.

How to Knit Edible Panties out of Twizzlers

If you were wondering.

Some people claim dolphinariums are inhumane

I say, keeping things like this from the world is inhumane. Thanks to Rolyn.

Oh, The Terrifying Laboratory Equipment Advertisements of Yesteryear

Here's another one!

Trying to Decide on a College?

Use this impartial resource. The Top 50 Universities ranked by the attractiveness of their women. And in case the link is down, here's the whole list:

50. Illinois
Missouri
Pacific
Maryland
Oregon State
Virginia Tech
Louisville
Indiana
TCU
Washington State
Stanford
Iowa
Purdue
Penn State
Oklahoma
Nebraska
Colorado
North Carolina State
Michigan
Vanderbilt
Duke
Utah
North Carolina
Michigan State
UNLV
Tennessee
Ohio State
Kentucky
Wisconsin
Arizona
South Florida
Washington
Alabama
University of Miami (FL)
Kansas
Clemson
Cal
Arkansas
Texas
Oregon
Louisiana State University
University of Georgia
Auburn University
UCLA
South Carolina
Ole Miss
Univeristy of Florida
Florida State University
University of Southern California
1. Arizona State University

Holy freaking crap

A video collection of some of the most insanely lucky people on earth.

When is Easter?

Just follow this simple formula:

((19*t+u-w-(u-(u+8)\25)+1)\3)+15)mod30)+(32+2*x+2*y-(19*t+u-w- (u-(u+8)\25)+1)\3)+15)mod30)-z)mod7)-7*(t+11*(19*t+u-w(u- (u+8)\25)+1)\3)+15)mod30)+22*(32+2*x+2*y-(19*t+u-w-(u- (u+8)\25)+1)\3)+15)mod30)-g)mod7)+114)\31

Don't worry, it's a cyclical function that repeats itself once every 5,700,000 years, so it shouldn't be too hard to just remember the pattern.

Crayon Physics

Possibly the coolest game, ever.

Only The Russians Could Do It

The best version of Sweet Home Alabama ever. Yes, that's the Russian Army Choir and band in the background.

OH FOUR TUNA

Carl Orff and Catullus are probably spinning in their graves. Don't ask questions, don't resist. Simply give in and watch.

-VIPER

Text-only Magic Eye!

Wheeeeeeeee!!

Most depressing fashion show

Ever.

Chris Ware

This is a quick cool animation from Chris Ware, he's done some really cool comic work including Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid on Earth, and numerous Penguin Graphic Classics Covers (if you haven't seen them, here's some) like Candide, not to mention some McSweeney's pubs (Quarterly #13, especially).

I want this now!

Holy SH&T this looks amazing.

Montgomery Police Refuse to Pay Speed Camera Fines

In recent weeks, officers have twice been photographed speeding past a camera and extending a middle finger, an act that police supervisors interpreted as a gesture of defiance. "There is no excuse for that kind of behavior," said Andrews, who was briefed on the incidents.

Goodbye, Lenin

Cool picture.

Nathaniel Buckner

1700's comedey...

The largest drain hole in the world

Swimming prohibited.

Hard-Hitting News!

Breaking News!
Gary Gygax, co-creator of D&D, dead.
RIP... you level 20 Paladin...
...
I wonder how long it will be before it's ok to say that he'd be "rolling in his grave if he saw what you just did" in the game... probably have to at least wait till he's buried, right?

Barack Obama in ChristianityToday

A pretty important interview.

Simplified Map of the Eisenhower Interstate HIghway System

Pretty cool.

More About Scientology

I thought half that stuff had to be made up... but I was dead wrong.

And here's a great quote:

In L. Ron Hubbard's Scientology: A History of Man, he says that the book provides, "a coldblooded and factual account of your last sixty trillion years."

This book was apparently written (according to Hubbard's doctor) while under the influence of amphetamines (see).

Also by Hubbard:

Mission Earth 6: Death Quest

How To Use A Dictionary: A Picture Book For Children

Battlefield Earth

and

Mission Earth 6: The Enemy Within

I love this book... so much...