sundance

Vimeo of the Week: The United Kingdom explained

The United Kingdom Explained from C. G. P. Grey on Vimeo.

I never quite know what to say to people from the UK. I get confused. Unsure of myself. I stumble.

But after seeing THE KING’S SPEECH I have become more interested in the UK and happened upon this fantastic video explaining what exactly makes up the UK. It’s hilarious and enlightening. Though I am still very much confused.

CREATIVE COMPUTING – looking back at Jonathan Harris

The emotional dot matrix of “We Feel Fine” Five years ago Jonathan Harris released an Internet-based storytelling project called “We Feel Fine.” It’s essentially a computer program that identifies and collects moments of online self-expression and draws conclusions about that data based on age, gender and location. Every two minutes “We Feel Fine” scans every [...]

From science fiction to New York Times limericist

One of my favorite small little surprises in life (yes, it doesn’t take much…) is when I’m reading the New York Times online and I come across one of Larry Eisenberg’s limericks left in the comments box of an article. Today 91 years old, Mr. Eisenberg is a published science fiction writer who gained some fame in the 1970s for his stories. A few years ago readers of the Times started noticing humorous and witty limericks left by a “Larry Eisenberg” that started gaining a cult following from people like myself. It turns out this Larry and the science fiction writer are the same. Today I was reading this Times piece on dogs in schools and enjoyed a little spark of joy at seeing a new limerick from Mr. Eisenberg:

As a long time Dog lover, I say,
Dogs better us, ev’ry which way,
In love, loyalty,
Between you and me,
On Campus Dogs should win the day!

The SF Signal interviewed him a couple years ago:

An art installation using America’s online dating trends

If you’ve ever used online personals, you’ll love this: Through February 19th, Bit Gallery in New York City is showing R. Luke DuBois’s latest project, “A More Perfect Union,” which looks at American self-identity through the medium of online dating services: “Culling data from over twenty online dating sites, the work is organized according to the same heuristics as the U.S. Census, sorting dating profiles by Congressional District and subjecting the imagery and text to statistical analysis.” There are three elements to the work:

1. City’s dating identities: “Revealing a ‘dating lexicon’ of each state, DuBois built maps using the words provided by 16.7 million people describing themselves and those they desire. Comprised as a romantic atlas of the United States, each regional geography uses keywords from dating profiles in lieu of the city and town names.”

Elmo makes a pregnant woman’s day at Sundance Film Festival

This adorable video of Elmo (and Kevin Clash, the man behind the lovable puppet) greeting a delighted pregnant audience member at the Sundance Film Festival premiere of BEING ELMO: A PUPPETEERS JOURNEY has been going viral. This is unsurprising because the Internet loves Elmo…and I strongly suspect Elmo loves it back. Gah, I can’t wait [...]

Green tech finds (2/3/11)

warning signs from Susan Ngo on Vimeo.

T-shirts that detect pollution, wind power from transit tunnels, and solar power in coal’s heartland… your green tech finds for the week.

• The pollution-detecting t-shirt: NYU grad students Nien Lam and Sue Ngo’s Warning Signs t-shirts display either a heart or a pair of lungs that change color according to the levels of carbon monoxide in the air. Watch it work above… (via Green Energy News and @greeneconpost)
  
  
• All renewables by 2050? A brand new report from WWF claims we can get there, “…with only isolated residual uses of fossil and nuclear fuels.” (via Mail & Guardian Online)
  
  

History of hip hop in four minute beat box

This impressive four minute video of French beat boxer EKLIPS covering the “history” of hip hop’s classic hits in a single take is blazing through the web. Relatedly, check out this cute 19 year old Canadian Chinese girl Sophia KiddBeatz who posts beat box tutorial videos on YouTube which are pretty popular. [Hat tip: Pooja!]

Alan Rickman talks about DIE HARD

It’s hard to imagine that an actor who garners as much respect as Alan Rickman got his start on the big screen beside Bruce Willis as the blonde-haired, German super-villain Hans Gruber in DIE HARD (1988). Though he had previously worked in television and, more notably, in theatre as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, it’s an action flick that marks Rickman’s film debut at age 42. This decision surprised a lot of people, but when DIE HARD’s director and producer saw him on Broadway in Liaisons and approached him about the film, Rickman was enthusiastic. “Doing DIE HARD was a big holiday for me because I didn’t have to go onstage every night. It was also something I’d never done before, and I like that in life.”

Not exactly breaking news: Sexy news anchors distract male viewers

In a new study that will surprise, well, no one we can think of, two researchers at Indiana University have found that attractive, dolled up lady newscasters make it harder for male viewers to retain the information of the broadcast. Heh, we said broadcast. We’re sure that this research will usher in a new wave of mousy, seriously dressed female news anchors — because the producers of these news shows really care how much information their viewers retain. Right?

LEGO Victorian houses in decay

Mike Doyle is constructing Victorian style houses in decay out of LEGO bricks. The result as seen above is pretty impressive. He also shares the behind the scenes work that goes into each house on his blog. [Via]

Happy time with Antonio Ladrillo

Recently I’ve been gushing over the smile-inducing illustrations of Antonio Ladrillo. The Spanish-based artist is the ‘guest poster’ this week at art blog It’s Nice That, where he discusses his upcoming projects as well as his poor spelling, his disappointment in art school and how a fried egg changed his life.

His illustrations show a clear affinity for bright colors, big, playful shapes and a childlike enthusiasm and simplicity that translates into his t-shirts, album covers and plain old works on paper like posters, flyers and his limited edition Robin Hood pamphlet. Check out his work and be prepared to smile.

New York to designate organic yard care providers

While the term “organic” must meet strict guidelines for use with food, other products and services can pretty much use the term indiscriminately. So, if you’re thinking about hiring “green” yard care services this year, you still have to ask a lot of questions and otherwise do your homework.

That’s changing in New York, however: this year, the state is rolling out its Be Green Organic Yards NY program. When fully up and running, the program will provide New Yorkers with a list of businesses that have been approved to display a service mark demonstrating their knowledge of organic practices. To receive the designation, businesses must not only agree to avoid synthetic chemicals, but also take a training course that educates employees in a full range of organic considerations: from chemical-free pest control and fertilization to soil health and structure, proper plant and lawn maintenance, and environmentally-sensitive plant selection. The program also requires continuing education by service providers.

Creation of a New Yorker cover

Familiar readers of SUNfiltered might have noticed my obsession with all things The New Yorker covers related. This is a bit older, but I just came across it and apropos to the recent State of the Union address by President Obama, watch how Bob Staake created the cover of the October 13, 2008 issue. It’s [...]

John Barry dies at 77

Nice photo from Vanity Fair: A May 1967 shot of Nancy Sinatra and John Barry, who died yesterday, in the studio to record the Bond theme for “You Only Live Twice.” John Barry composed scores for 11 James Bond movies, as well as other classic films like DANCES WITH WOLVES, BODY HEAT, and OUT OF [...]

Getting laid, 19th-century style

An ad from “The Gentleman’s Directory” for French Imported Male Safes, aka condoms.

Measuring under 5″ tall – small enough for a man to slip discreetly into his breast pocket – “The Gentleman’s Directory” was an invaluable resource for a man looking for a certain kind of evening entertainment in 1870. The 55-page guide book reviewed 150 New York City brothels and was sold at newsstands amongst the newspapers and magazines of the day. How did the authors get away with this, especially since prostitution was just as illegal then as it is now? This side note on page three may have been what relinquished the book’s publisher from any wrongdoing:

“But we point out the location of these places in order that the reader may know how to avoid them, and that he may not select one of them for his boarding house when he comes to the city. Our book will, therefore, be like a warning voice to the unwary – like a buoy attached to a sunken rock, which warns the inexperienced mariner to sheer off, lest he should be wrested on a dangerous and unknown coast.”

Working Naked Day: How green is working from home?

Turns out there’s something to celebrate in February before Groundhog’s Day… today is Working Naked Day. No, that doesn’t mean it’s appropriate to strip down at the office; rather, February 1st has been designated as a day of recognizing the benefits of working from home.

Naked News: Gagging over Lady Gaga’s new fragrance

• Ted Haggard reveals to GQ that he would identify as bisexual if it weren’t for, you know, God. But wait, didn’t God make him bisexual to begin with? Religion is confusing.
• Ubiquitous James Franco to play porn star Linda Lovelace’s former husband.
• New research suggests are no differences between heterosexuals and homosexuals or between women and men in terms of the brain systems regulating romantic love.

Improv Everywhere: Worst ice skater ever?

Improv Everywhere’s (previously) latest mission entertained and warmed the hearts of unaware tourists and locals around the ice rink at New York’s Bryant Park by “an ice skater stranded alone on the rink transformed from a novice into an expert.” The skating “agent” is played by a former professional figure skater Kenny Moir, now the [...]