Alright, a more media heavy update today, but some cool stuff to pass along.
First up, this video was filmed backwards. You’ll understand when you see it, and it’s pretty cool:
Faith finally finished her article about Women in Scouting, specifically at Scout camp. Check it out here.
It looks as though Slate’s year end Gaming Club has finished up, although I kind of remember them coming to the same conclusion last year. Still a great series, even if they don’t talk about some of the games I think they should have.
Even more than the previous link, this makes me so incredibly happy. The rest of the world must really think the U.S. is bat-shit crazy. Honestly, if I was not living here, I would just be laughing at how stupid this congressman is. Not only for doing what he did, but also for having the balls to go the conference, try to pull together a press conference even when our government is in the building behind him trying to work with other counties from around the world. Good frickin’ grief.
If you need something to make you smile, check out the trailer for Mega Man 10:
Did you know you can check your weather and put it in Star Wars terms? Currently, we’re at Hoth.
The Stranger has run this “new” column a couple times, and honestly, it makes me laugh each time, especially the second letter:
And to end (much shorter post than I thought), here is just a creepy, creepy PSA from CBS. Good sentiment, but still strange:
So apparently Youtube may or may not be considering charging for content, like Hulu is going to do next year. Not good. Where will I get my doses of keyboard cat, rickrolls and classic ads?
First of all, I love CMU. Not only because of things like this, but this helps a lot. Also, I really would love a giant coffee table that was really a Microsoft Surface:
Speaking of healthcare, Andrew Sullivan (away this week) covers Joe Lieberman excellently in his blog here. As awesome as it is to have Independents in congress, they really are not making me happy. They should listen to their citizens (either way), not the lobbies.
I don’t typically watch Keith Olberman, I think he’s a little too angry, and sometimes too one-sided. And to be fair, I still don’t see the connection between Beck and the Pittsburgh LA Fitness shootings (but then again, everyone here in Pittsburgh comes from a little different perspective about that I think), but it is always nice to see him take on FOX news:
And lastly, this billboard was put in Australia (I think) in order to spark discussion about the perceived gender of God. I’m really not sure how that connection is supposed to be made, but even so, I like the billboard (yes, I know, I’m going to hell):
Alright, that’s it for now, have a great one everybody!
And I’m back (well that was quick wasn’t it.) Anyway, here are six new videos from The Guild, just in time for Christmas. Also, Ando, from Heroes make an appearance!
Alright, here we go again, except now instead of Uganda, it’s also Rwanda.
My mind exploded a little bit when I saw this:
As always, xkcd is awesome, and now I’m going to have to go bang my head against a wall.
Um, this is awesome:
I always forget that the cookie table is a Pittsburgh thing. The NY Times covered it, check out the article here.
Also, I first heard that they were making a Robin Hood movie a few days ago. And here’s the trailer, I feel as though more things should be turned around that quickly (at least in my head):
First things first, Bowtie Tuesdays was a success! We’ll be back on January 5. Be ready!
Patrick has a cool article up about ad placement online, check it out here.
Slate’s gaming club takes a look at the games of 2009. For whatever reason, I only remember seeing this column at the end of each year. As always, I tend to disagree with most critics (Bioshock is not nearly the best example of tough moral questions in a game), but they did at least have a large conversation about this year’s games, as well as touch on quite a few.
Slate also sent a reporter to the convention of the Modern Whigs, apparently vying to be a third party. I wish we had more parties, although not quite as many as the Netherlands, but I’ll happily remain an independent.
I probably should have been watching this, but D.C. has weird political rules for their city so I forgot, their city council voted the second time to legalize marriage equality. Now, after the mayor signs it, as long as congress does not block it, it will be law in 30 days. Strange proceedings, but a wonderful outcome (thus far). Patrick, anything you care to shed some light on, or am I generally correct in how it works down there?
Storming the stage in protest at a nationally televised awards show is practically an annual event for Kanye West, but his “performance” at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards was particularly ill-advised…According to Linda Holmes of NPR’s Monkey See blog, “when you’re a big-mouth and you get in a tangle with another big-mouth, nobody necessarily thinks the less of either one of you. You get in trouble, however, when you’re picking on people who aren’t even old enough to drink – unlike you.” Later in an interview with Jay Leno, Kanye apologized and ashamedly acknowledged that his mother would have been disappointed.
That’s it for now, I’m trying to post more often to keep my inbox from getting too full, hopefully I can keep up with it. Have a great one!
Update to yesterday’s massive post, it appears that the Archbishop of Canterbury has finally released a statement about the Uganda bill. The Vatican also released a statement, but it does not specifically mention Uganda. It is something I suppose, better late than never. And apparantly, the death penalty and life in jail sentences are still in the bill after all.
In not horrific news, check out Atlas Obscura, something fun to look through, although it didn’t hold my interest for very long, but some neat stuff in there.
And today in cool ads:
Some people are freaking out because it reads “Be Born Again” and then is an ad for a plastic surgeon. I still think it’s clever.
Alright, I’m finally starting to go through everything from last month, let’s see how much I can cram into this one post before it gets too unwieldy or I get lost and confused. I’ll try to break up the links with images and videos, so read and click away!
I’ve followed the story here and abroad for a while because I’ve found it extremely interesting, but it seems that now gay men can donate bone marrow in Canada. Another step in the right direction for Canada, we’ll see how long it takes the U.S. to follow. Sweden also recently ended their ban on gay blood donation.
I kind of like Lady Gaga’s music, and even though she sometimes comes off as bat-shit crazy, she really is a good person. Seen here, she meets Queen Elizabeth II, obviously knowing when to pick her publicity/battles. I wonder what she would be called if she was ever given the title “lady”?
This is kind of crazy, but strands of tiger DNA has been found in the AIDS virus. From what I’ve read, it is thought that HIV/AIDS came from monkeys (I think), so I’m not sure how this fits in with research and whatnot. But in a giant breakthrough, researchers have found that stem cells can kill HIV, or at least, have the proof of concept.
Have you seen the Wii’s holiday ad, I really like it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGRaTaNCPMc
The Episcopal Church elected its first openly lesbian bishop. Canterbury isn’t too happy, I can’t even imagine (or care for that matter) what ex-bishop Duncan is saying.
When you click through to see Yale students protesting some evangelical preacher on their campus, make sure to see how many categories on his sandwich board you fall into. Obama voters, Dirty Dancers (really?), Hindus, Feminists…you’re all on there. And going to hell, apparently. Like I always say, it will be a party, and we’re all apparently invited!
This link from Gizmodo, is an awesome cheat sheet for buying a new TV, check it out if you’re in the market.
I think the evangelical preacher at Yale would like this link. It ends up making me angry if I read too much, but if you want to see the hilarious things that people worry about, namely, people working retail during December that would dare to with you “happy holidays” instead of “merry Christmas.” Stupid people aren’t allowed to believe things that I don’t. Currently the most offensive, GAP, mostly due to their awesome commercials. Here’s an example:
I am absolutely sickened by the new Gap commercial comparing Christmas to Solstice and “do what you like”. I will NOT shop at the Gap, Old Navy, or their sister stores any more nor will my teenagers. …
And here’s the commerical
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVMPWlWDvsI
I’m liking the campaign mostly because it’s pissing off the right so much. And from what I can gather, a direct response to the right after they pulled shenanigans back in the fall.
The Catholic diocese of St. Louis sent $10,000 to Maine to help overturn their marriage equality law. I have a big post coming up for that, with all kinds of links and updates, really everything that has happened since NaNoWriMo, and the election at the beginning of November. People are now protesting the diocese of St. Louis, but truth be told, $10,000 was just a drop in the bucket. It will make your skin crawl, stay tuned.
Dollhouse may be cancelled, but their marketing is just really starting up (thanks a lot, Fox), here is Rossum’s November ad:
I don’t understand this at all, how it works, or even that it could be done. Scientists have trapped a rainbow, and my mind just exploded a little bit.
I found this song on a mix CD that I’ve had for a while, and I’m really liking it, although the music video leaves a lot to be desired:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF-3TUcva9M
If I was in Seattle, I would go here, and blow up golf balls and use cannons for mini-golf! I would go there a lot.
This has been making its rounds, and it rocks:
And since it is the end of the decade, we’ll be getting lot of these vidoes. Although I think this left out a lot of stuff, it’s a good start.
Ok, one more video then I’ll break it up a little bit. This video made me like Martha Stewart a lot. It’s a good thing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ow_nZO8vfQ
If you liked Harry Potter, or even if you didn’t, you should really read The Magicians, I read it, and could not put it down, and was really hoping there would be more than one, but as of now, it’s a one off book. However, you should pick it up, it examines what a magical world would be like if it was college, instead of a prep school, and the hazards and problems young adults have to face instead of teenagers. Check out this article from io9 about it if you’re interested, and you should be.
Ok, I think that’s it for now, sorry for the length, although there is still a lot more for me to go through and post for you. I’ll be back with more soon, enjoy the day!
The title of today’s post is not about any of my characters, but did come from a write in. More coming soon, I have a month’s work of links and news to pass on, comment on and rant about. But in the meantime, I’m going to bask in the glow from this image for a while longer:
I’m still working on my NaNoWriMo book (3,000 words today, hoping to do another 2,000 before the end of the day, and I’ll hopefully finish up tomorrow), but I wanted to post two quick videos for everyone’s enjoyment.
First, I haven’t seen it yet on TV, but it’s still one of my favorites, and I’m sure I’m not alone in that regard:
And secondly, what better way to celebrate the holidays than with a hair band from the early 00’s? Thanks to my friends over at The Blog Impolitic I was introduced to this during college, and it is their annual tradition as well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-eslNwGXrI
Hopefully I’ll be back blogging real soon, I have a ton of stuff to put up, but until then, have a great one!
