sundance

FapMapper: Your guide to the action in your neighborhood.

Do you ever find yourself wondering what parts of your neighborhood are seeing the most action? The answer may soon be just an iPhone web app away. Pink Visual has just launched a beta version of their FapMapper, a Google map that allows you to map your, er, faps (and browse those of other FapMapper [...]

“Dress Codes” at ICP

Opening October 2nd, “Dress Codes” features the photography and video of over 100 artists from around the world whose work explores “the uses of style, image and personal presentation.” In a word, fashion. This exhibition also marks the close of ICP’s “2009 Year of Fashion,” an impressive show that included contemporary commercial photography (spread after [...]

The Solar Decathlon is coming to DC

With all of the talk of green jobs as a source of recovery from the economic doldrums, and climate change as a top priority for legislative action, the timing couldn’t be better for the next edition of the Solar Decathlon. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, this event brings twenty teams of college students from around the world together every two years to compete not in running, jumping, and throwing, but designing, building, and displaying a home that runs completely on solar energy.

The Red Rock Wilderness Act: Our Chance to Be Present at the Creation

This week marks an historic turning point for people who love the wild canyon country and sweeping mesas of Southern Utah. For the first time, the U.S. House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forest and Public Lands will consider a bill designed to protect millions of acres of spectacular Utah lands as wilderness.

All of these lands—some of the last great places on earth—are owned by the public, but most of them remain vulnerable to industrial development. America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act would protect them from oil and gas development, uranium mining, and off-road vehicle use. Meanwhile, hunters, anglers, hikers, and families could continue to enjoy them, including the renowned Cedar Mesa, San Rafael Swell, and the Book Cliffs.

This is our chance to be present at the creation. If we pass the Red Rock Wilderness Act, we can tell our grandchildren we helped birth the latest Yellowstone. We can say we preserved treasures equal to Zion, Arches, and Canyonlands National Parks. We can add to the wilderness inheritance of future generations, and they will thank us for it.

Counting Sheep: SWEETGRASS and the NYFF

I’ve been thinking about sheep. Ever since I saw the documentary SWEETGRASS over the weekend, I’ve been replaying the images in my mind. Newborn lambs thrown on top of each other, their bodies bouncing like rubber with no obvious damage done. A sheep chews cud and then pauses to give the camera a penetrating stare. A sheep herder’s frustrated and extended cussing diatribe at the herd he’s trying to control as the camera pulls back further and further to show the majestic expanse of wilderness that surrounds him. The sheep, their bodies flowing like water through the streets of a small town. SWEETGRASS (directed by Ilisa Barbash and Lucien Castaing-Taylor) is a documentary about the last sheep drive up the Beartooth Mountains in Montana, a kind of elegy to the west and a meditation on existence dictated by nature and man’s limited control. A film so out of place and yet exactly the kind of unusual film you expect to see as part of the New York Film Festival.

Colorful music video for Ólafur Arnalds

Argentine Esteban Diåcono created this beautiful video of weaving ephemeral bursts of colors resembling paint brush strokes for Ólafur Arnalds’ song “Ljósið.”Arnalds saw this and liked it so much that he adopted it as the official music video. Watch it as your moment of zen today. Ólafur Arnalds – Ljósið (Official Music Video) from Erased [...]

Vote for climate justice: download a song

Ever signed an online petition? Made a short video as part of a campaign directed an issue that’s meaningful to you? These have been ways activist organizations have tried to demonstrate numbers and unity. This week, Kofi Anan’s Time for Climate Justice campaign (aka TckTckTck) will add a new tool to the activism arsenal: a song download.

Vanity Smurf and other queer cartoons

As a child of the 80s I was obsessed with three things: Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, and Vanity Smurf. Um, yeah. You do the math.

Out Magazine has listed the The Gayest Cartoon Characters of all time. And, yes, Vanity Smurf is represented on the list.

Short animated film: INSERT COIN

I love the surreal animation style and slightly twisted humor in INSERT COIN by Vurup, an “animation collective…which comprises students from Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia.” The ending was also a complete surprise, so stick around for that because it helps illuminate the title of the film. Insert Coin from vurup on Vimeo.

Books: So Sue Me, Jackass!

You know all those questions that you really want to ask when you meet a lawyer at a cocktail party? But you restrain yourself because you figure it’s not polite to ask a complete stranger whether you could get sued if you broke someone’s penis during sex. Well, our friend Robin Epstein and her sister Amy Epstein Feldman have written a book to save you the embarrassment: So Sue Me, Jackass! Avoiding Legal Pitfalls That Can Come Back to Bite You at Work, at Home, and at Play. “At Play” being our favorite topic, of course — like, who gets to keep the ring in a broken engagement? Are you really “common law married” if you live together for seven years? Can you claim temporary insanity and get out of your marriage if you were drunk when you said “I do”? And why the hell do mattresses have tags that say “Do not remove under penalty of law”? Anyway, about that broken penis…

Nominees for the 1st Annual Art Awards at the Guggenheim Museum

On October 29, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum inaugurates its first ever Annual Art Awards, which will be presented by artist Rob Pruitt. The Art Awards celebrates select individuals, exhibitions, and projects that have made a significant impact on the field of contemporary art during the past year. Pruitt, whose conceptual practice is rooted in [...]

Coastal treasures: 5 marine national parks

Last week, King Carl-Gustav of Sweden presided over the ceremonial opening of the country’s first marine national park, Kosterhavet. If you’re like me, you tend to associate the phrase “national park” with mountains, forests, canyons, and even geysers… but countries around the world recognize the value of the coastal and marine ecosystems, and are designating similar protected areas. A quick search yielded these treasures:

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Since its release last month, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind has been regarded by pretty much everyone as one of the most inspirational stories in recent history. It was Amazon.com’s Best Book of the Month in September, and I haven’t been able to find a single bad review about it. If you don’t know about William Kamkwamba, now a TED Fellow and world famous inventor, you’re truly missing out.

Naked News (09-28-09)

photo by Johnny_Jupiter

• A recent survey found that only 41 percent of U.S. truck drivers think that sex is more important than their truck. Although anyone who’s seen the excellent documentary Hands on a Hard Body could have told you that years ago.
  
  
• Speaking of research that depresses the hell out of us while not being the least bit surprising, another study found that millions of women prefer to be drunk during sex because it helps them overcome anxieties about their bodies.
  
  

The Coen Brothers’ A SERIOUS MAN

Though the rest of A SERIOUS MAN is set in late 60s suburbia, the Coen brothers take us first to a snowy night in Yiddish-speaking old country for a little morality tale. The tale, however, is less morality and more of a warning that no matter what, no matter how ludicrous and illogical she may be, the wife is always right. Flash forward to the Minnesota suburbs in 1967 where Larry Gopnik (in an incredible performance by Michael Stuhlbarg) is a middle-aged math teacher with two bratty kids and a math whiz brother (Richard Kind) who sleeps on the couch and spends most of the day draining a cyst on his neck. It’s not exactly ideal and Judith (Sari Lennick), his wife, wants a divorce. So begins the downward spiral that will consume Larry’s life.

Little Criminals music video

I really dig the styling in this music video directed by Anthony Gaddis for John Hardy and the Public’s cover of Randy Newman’s original “Little Criminals.” I like the beginning strobe of white dots and the reverse time-lapse effect. LITTLE CRIMINALS by Jon Hardy & the Public from theFOUNTAINstudio on Vimeo.

Science Report: Climate Change Speeding Toward Irreversible Tipping Points

The speed and scope of global warming is now overtaking even the most sobering predictions of the last report of the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change, finds a new report issued by the United Nations Environment Programme, entitled “Climate Change Science Compendium 2009.”

Absolutly no label

Absolut has never been a stranger to courting gay dollars. The Swedish vodka maker featured Keith Haring in ads in 1981 long before marketing teams saw dollar signs at Gay Pride rallies. I don’t care for the stuff (strictly a Ketle One drinker here), but I have always admired their ad campaigns and attitude. Very, [...]

Win a signed copy of Isabella Rossellini’s GREEN PORNO book

GREEN PORNO, Isabella Rossellini’s quirky short film series about the reproductive habits of animals, has been a web sensation. To celebrate the launch of the latest season and the release of the GREEN PORNO book, we’ll be holding a GREEN PORNO trivia contest this week on Twitter. All week long we’ll post GREEN PORNO trivia [...]

G-20 Countries Will Phase Out Fossil Fuel Subsidies

G-20 government leaders today concluded the Pittsburgh Summit with a commitment to phase out fossil fuel subsidies over the medium term while providing targeted support for the poorest households. The leaders said that this unprecedented move is expected to encourage energy conservation, improve energy security, and kick-start their commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Guerilla video artist plans exhibit at Best Buy

Untitled Video Painting 02 from borna on Vimeo. If you are in New York City on October 8, stop by the Best Buy in Soho to witness Borna Sammak’s takeover of the electronic store’s display televisions to showcase his video installation. Barring the heavy hand of The Man or in this case, yellow shirted store [...]

Air Permit for Coal Power Plant on Navajo Land Sent Back to EPA

The contested air permit for the Sithe Global Desert Rock coal-fired power plant on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico today was sent back to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for additional analysis.

I can’t “lego” of “Total Eclipse of the Heart”

This music video remake of Bonnie Tyler’s hit song popular in karaokes all over the world, “Total Eclipse of the Heart” provides today’s moment of levity. I mean, who doesn’t appreciate a dramatic full choir and moody LEGO characters?!

Junk mail art

One person’s junk is another person’s treasure or in Amanda Nelsen’s case, raw material for art. The artist built this 10 by 6 foot wall installation titled “Kinkade Recycled (Mountain Retreat)” created entirely from approximately 40,000 pieces of junk mail neatly bundled. Click for more photos.

ASIA EXTREME: Roots of the Extreme

Though the ‘Asia Extreme’ moniker has only been around since 2005, Asian cinema, particularly from Hong Kong and Japan, has a long and illustrious history with cutting edge genre fare, and has been producing and distributing envelope-pushing films for nearly fifty years. While these films rarely found a home outside of their native countries, their taboo-busting efforts were not unnoticed at home where they had loyal and dedicated followers.