A little more to the east

I'm seeing a theme

Is there anything Hitler can't do? Oh Hitler.

By the way, this is the one true Kitler.

He must be a busy man

Just one thing today:


Is this real? If it is, awesome, and if it's shopped, still awesome. That Hitler fellow looks like a dapper young chap...I'd let him take my daugh^H^H^H^HBelgium any day of the year.

Age is a terrible thing

And always behind you

Before I nap:

Cool. Oddly enough, this has a last.fm entry as well.

Err. W. T. F. Something for the whole family!

Cute. Recognise any? Favourites? Why does it seem like the Mitsubishi one seems to be covered in flecks of blood...

And because Halloween is around the corner, halfway around the world:

Ding Ding Ding

According to the meter, this is my 500th post! So sayeth Blogger. And what better way to mark this momentous occasion, then to engage in that practice I do so well, 'originality'.

Wait. Is that how you spell plagiarism?

Speaking of spelling, here are an excellent selection of videos doing something that I have an inordinate love affair with: Kinetic Typography.

It (re)started with this:


Obama '08 - Vote For Hope from MC Yogi on Vimeo.

Though strictly not kinetic typography, it employs a lot of elements from the medium (genre?) and has that lovely poppy stencil/graffiti typeface that I like so much. Plus, you know, it's about Osama Obama, The One (who you should all vote for).

It actually all started from this, which I've shown to many of you:



I still think this is the best typography video i've seen. Maybe i'm being unduly influenced by the sheer awesomeness of Samuel L. Jackson's voice, maybe it's the association with a damn fine movie, but this rulez. If I had to pin down any one factor that makes this awesome(r), it's the way the gunshot (and resulting blood spatter) was represented.

To continue with our silly narrative, it turns out that there were many more of these kinetic typography things. Many, many more. Not particularly wanting to go through so many (potentially mediocre) videos, I did what any sane person would so: use the wikipedia links, thus stumbling onto this page. Here are some of the better ones from that list:

Qurantino's films lend themselves very well to this moving text business:



Duck and Cover!



A little something different; a music video, with some really slick effects:



If you enjoy reading really fast, and wondering Who's on first:



Another music video of sorts, featuring Nostrand, from Ratatat (!). Done by Frenchies. Environmental Frenchies.



And finally, what typography is all about:



There's many, many more if you care to rummage around in the great pile of visual wonderfulness that is Youtube.

The Original Maverick™

Now with more zany!

Being the zany guy that I am (and reading about McCains's ads on 538), i've decided to go watch all the political ads that both the parties have thrown out on Youtube, starting with McCrazy. I understand that a) i'm way too much a political junkie at this point, b) I have way too much free time and c) I'm engaging in a activity that many people in the United States actively seek to avoid.

I like the scolding, questioning woman voice (I assume she would be fantastic in the boudoir) McCain-Palin use, like in this ad:




And the ad with the Original Maverick™



Back to me watching! (I'm about halfway through McCains at this point. Hold your adulations please.)

EDIT: I spoke prematurely! I found the real The Original Maverick™ ad. I have replaced it duly. If you wanted to see the old one, too bad. Though who is up at 7.22am reading my blog is a good question indeed, especially in regards to my safety...

It is a little weird, I agree

but i'm willing to let reciprocity work

Just for the record, my internet has spontaneously fix itself, and hopefully will stay fixed and continue giving me great download speeds (seriously, why can't more technology do this???). In celebration, i've decided to download the first season of Mad Men. Anyone wanty?? Say, in exchange of THE WIRE, or Studio 60...or anything else great.

Putting this in a separate post, as previous one was already too long. SO THERE

Hint: THE WIRE. Am I being too subtle here?

And coming to you not-so-live

CUT TO VTR

In honour of my really not doing my assignment(s), I present to you a video special!

Because Sesame Street set to hip-hop really is sublime (and quite amusing). Via this.





Donna Brazile isn't moving to the back of the bus. Full video is the bottom one, which is also something I haven't seen, but you can just watch the top one for all its racially goodness.

For something a little more weighty (read: LONG), this. Princeton bitches, so you know, not too shabby.



Princeton economists review recent events on Wall Street and assess the implications for the economy and public policy.

Panelists: Hyun Shin, Professor of Economics and associate chair of the Department of Economics; Markus Brunnermeier, Professor of Economics;
Harrison Hong, Professor in Finance;
Paul Krugman, professor of economics and international affairs; Alan Blinder, Professor of Economics and Public Affairs and co‐director of the Center for Economic Policy Studies.

For the record, haven't actually seen it yet. Have downloaded it though, so will get there to seeing.

And finally, 14 ways to piss off those goddamn vegetarians/passive-aggressivists (kind of a long-winded way of saying lesbians, methinks):

7. Have you ever noticed how sun-dried tomatoes and top-grade peyote look exactly the same? Not a suggestion, really. Just saying.

14. Hepatitis! (Note: This is not technically an appetizer.)

Yes, I understand the somewhat heavy-handed and ham-fisted promotion of the New Yorker here. But what can I say, they publish some good shit.

Back to non-essaying! (Also far too early in the morning.)

It may just be me

I don't want it to ever change

SO, while I sit here, still with an uncompleted essay on hand, due in a few hours, I get distracted. So I decided to download Big Rigs. I'm not actually sure what particular course of events/hyperlinks lead me to that particular wiki page, but it's by far one of the most entertaining and funny wiki pages ever written. Though this could be crazy fucked up sleep talking, the entire game itself seems completely surreal. To quote the first paragraph of the wiki:

The box of Big Rigs states that the player may "race trucks across the country, with cops chasing [them]." GameSpot's Alex Navarro wrote that this description of the game is nothing more than "horrible, horrible lies", since there are no police in the game. Additionally, they pointed out, the computer-controlled opponent vehicles have no AI and never move from the starting position, making even the description of the gameplay as a "race" questionable.

I mean, who actually goes to the trouble of coding all that, and releasing and distribution? Is it even a game as such? I mean, a game involves challenges and obstacles and some process of achievement, and it's arguable that this game achieves even the bare minimum of that. It seems more like some self-reflexive, postmodern exercise in minimalism/lying. The Gamefaqs review page and board on the game is also highly amusing as well.

After a little research, i've learnt that the game that was in fact shipped out was a pre-alpha release, so it's understandable that it lacks, you know, features. But still. You're Winner indeed.

Disturbing parallels

it may just be me (you)

In these Annals of Culture, Gladwell points out economists are clever. However, if you're into lyric poetry, you'd better hurry the fuck up and publish something good. In poetry terms, late twenties means you're waaaayyy over the hill*.

Do you who else thinks that? NAMBLA, that's right. Think about it.

Poetry = paedophilia

More economist lovin': Article on Nathan Silver, the awesome awesome guy who runs 538. Back to not doing essay!

*NOT TRUE. READ THE ARTICLE. I was just using it as a set up for NAMBLA.

You talk too much

is that even possible?

While being generally frustrated by various (technological-related) imbroglios' (getting my damn wireless working, annoyed by the lack of unified feeds for both the New Yorker and NY Mag, and being unable to decide to whether I should just subscribe to all the feeds they have; but that seems like a grave and grievous decision, with much rash consequences), I came across this interesting article in the New Yorker. While the article itself is of some interest and import, it's raised an issue that i've thought about before, an issue that's always vexed and perplexed me.

This issue is the issue of the working poor. The first time I heard this phrase, I was confused. I thought to myself, 'How can that be? How can you work and yet be poor?' And yet, here we are. Stories of people working 60 hour weeks in Walmart, and yet have to live in a car; people who work two, three jobs, twelve, fifteen hour days, six, seven days a week just to make ends meet (whatever that means; I think that nebulous and loaded phrase further illustrates the difficulty of talking about this). It doesn't make sense: isn't the precise point of work to reduce your poverty? I admit, it's possible, and most likely probable, that some of these stories have been exaggerated, for political or social posturing. It's also possible that some of these people brought it on to themselves, being lured into a mirage of luxury through usurious financiers and a lack of self-control. (I'll do my best to tread lightly; I'm trying not to be callous, even if it seems like I am).

But is it true? Is it true that there are people who suffer such hardships, even in the pursuit of modest goals? It saddens and distresses me that the economic and social fabric of human society can be stitched together in such a manner as to allow something like this.

I don't really know. It doesn't seem right, however. We didn't become civilised for this, not to become slaves to new masters. The project of civilisation has always struck me as something that strives towards the abolition of subsistence; and yet, here we are. What to do, what to do...

Heads up

Or should that be brains up...

The World Mind Sports Games (unwieldy much) is up and running for the first year. So, finally, all that time playing draughts plays off into fame and recognition. Rejoice.

It's been obvious for a while

But i'm more or less completely (yes! split those infinitives!) out of original ideas. And so I present:

Interview with a Search Engine: If you enjoy strange, surrealist, stream-of-consciousness sagas, much in the style of that fantastic skit that the (s)Arts revue did this year.

Que Será, Cera? An Open Letter to Michael Cera: The folks over at CMG are, as always, kicking butt. And for the record, I would totally go on many, MANY fact-finding 'missions' on my favouritest Bluth (though that Maeby gives him a good run for the moneyz) to find out if indeed, his man-parts tasted like watermelon (or strawberries).

OiNY: Bash, but in RL. And located within a much narrower geographical area. The contents about the same though. Good ones this week:

(a soprano is singing an opera aria in her apartment on the 4th floor)
Random man on street (screaming up to the window): Girl, you're not even gonna sing the high note?! Pussy!
Soprano (screaming out the window): Everyone's a fucking critic!

Middle aged white woman on cell: Okay, mom. Go back to watching Snoop. Yeah, I know you love him. Okay, have fun watching the D-0-double g! Bye.
Random passerby: Best. Conversation. Ever.

Oh Mister Galbraith, you may be right about about the alcohol, but you were wrong about the coffee. But you might be wrong about the alcohol as well. But don't hold or quote me on that, you giant scary man you.

Well you can see what my substitutive effects are

How embarrassing.




The cochon one scares me especially. And just one more propaganda item, for good luck:



Because even Duck Tales understands the velocity theory of money.

When this is all over

Bipolar disorder never looked so good. Strangely, being bipolar also means you enjoy wearing lipstick when ANGRY.

Because Commericalism =! Sellout.

Many many things (including bad music)

I'm in this interweb cafe in the city, owing to my shitty shitty interblag connection currently at home. It's nifty, in that it's self-pay, you create an account (that's disposable if you wish) that you can effectively carry around with you with like-branded internet cafes. Also has reasonable rates: two dollars an hour, which drops to one-fiddy, if you bulk buy. And as the credit carries, it gives a good incentive to bulk buy. Intriguing.

One peeve: I can't play Dota, because of CD-Key conflicts. They need to better manage their permissions. This may be a good thing.

This (distressingly) is a surprisingly accurate account of the economy, and my freakouts over it. And this for an explanation, if a little long. And it's these guys that are entirely responsible for it:



GEDDIT!!? GEDDIT!? HEDGE-FUND?! HA HA HA HA HA. Great.

We (you) are just too good

This is what happens when evolution isn't smart, which is always. Unlike the hand of the one true Lord, FSM. 

I'm more or less convinced that whatever is recorded in human history is more or less long strings of paredolia and apophenia, with some postdiction thrown in there for 'good' measure. Which brings me to my main point:

Michael Drosnin is a douchebag. 

I've just bumped up the pagerank (albeit infinitesimally) for his wiki article for the keyword 'douchebag', though they are many a candidate competing for that position. 

Hmmmm

Cool name. Nice comic.

Free lunch! Wheee!

Don't read too much into this; I may do an expanded post more fully exploring the implications of this. But this is food for thought, so to speak:

If I could loan out my physical books without giving up possession of them, I would. The fact that I can do so with digital files is not a bug, it's a feature, and a damned fine one. It's embarrassing to see all these writers and musicians and artists bemoaning the fact that art just got this wicked new feature: the ability to be shared without losing access to it in the first place. It's like watching restaurant owners crying down their shirts about the new free lunch machine that's feeding the world's starving people because it'll force them to reconsider their business-models. Yes, that's gonna be tricky, but let's not lose sight of the main attraction: free lunches!

Universal access to human knowledge is in our grasp, for the first time in the history of the world. This is not a bad thing.

I have learned To spell hors d'oeuvres Which still grates on Some people's n'oeuvres

AN INTERESTING HYPOTHESIS ABOUT A WOMAN, THE PRESIDENCY AND LAME DUCKS

There's been a lot of brouhaha about the choice of Palin as VP nominee on the Republican ticket, and atleast some of this comes from concerns surrouding McCains' health. In addition to his somewhat 'statured' age (72), his tortuous and brutal treatment at the Hanoi Hilton (he can't lift his arms above his head; all those victory-cheer shots of him lifting his hands above head are done by his wife holding his hand and raising them for him) McCain has had a history of melanomal skin cancer, and in 2000 underwent an operation for that condition that left a noticeable mark on his face. 

All of this plays into the secret hope that McCain could shuffle off his mortal coil sometime during the next four years; or at the very least, have a recurrence of cancer or something serious enough to warrant the 'abdication' of his presidency. Schadenfreude has broken out.

However, even if mooseburger lady were to come into the top job at the Oval Office, she would have a tough time at the post. Simply put, she'd be a lame duck. She would have absolutely no credibility, and possibly even less power. The Dems will most likely control atleast one, if not both houses of Congress, and won't listen to her; and the Republicans (at the best of times) haven't been a women-friendly party. 

Unless we have some kind of October surprise where Palin bares her teeth and proves that she could use bully pulpit (emphasis 'bully') of the presidency, it's probably safe to say her (theoretical) presidency would likely be a deadlocked one.

Things are heatin' up

McCain picks his VP. Incredibly good political move.

Plus, she's a VPILF to boot.

Also, i'm writing this down and checkin' it twice, as to make a record; if McCain does infact win the election, you have to join Facebook. You know who.