It's a Mad, Mad, Mad Greenscreen World
I don't think any of us realise how much of what we see on film and television isn't real until you look at Stargate Studios Virtual backlot reel.

Stargate Studios Virtual Backlot Reel

 

Kill The Hive Mind?
Jaron Lanier's fascinating work on the effects of our 'hive mind' continues.

The New York Times

 

Just Who is Blogging Anyway?
An interesting graph breaking down the blogosphere. Who is blogging--not enough women.

Breakdown of the Blogosphere

Keep This Link for Cheap Flights
The New York Times gives a good overview of where to search out cheap alternatives for flights on the Internet. Particularly helpful for long-haul.

The New York Times Flight Shopping Online

 

Gordon Brown Looks Fab in Animation
A big shout out to Taiwan's Apple Action News for so beautifully illustrating Gordon's charms. Really, no translation is required. [Click on grey link]

Gordon Brown, Taiwan's Action News

 

When your Computer Screen Turns into an Open Window for Psycho-Creeps
Fascinating look at ChatRoulette as profiled in New York Magazine. You click on the screen and find someone--anyone--sitting there via via webcam doing the same thing. You have a few seconds to either begin chatting or spin the wheel of chance again. The ratio of certifiable seedy types to normal people is enough to snuff out your faith in mankind.

ChatRoulette, New York Magazine

The Na'vi of Hometree, Wisconsin
You didn't know there were Avatars there, did you? Now you do. [Click on grey link].

Avatar Redux

 

Is the Robinhood Tax a Fairytale?
Let me get this straight; We tax financial institutions a half or a quarter percent and desperate social needs of the poor get answered by the billions. There's got to be a catch--- Oh, right, no one will agree to it.

Bill Nighy Commercial

 

Ricky Gervais in his Moment
Come on, admit it. Gervais is like a snifter of brandy you end up snorking up your nose. We love the little moments. Here's seven of them from awards shows. Click on grey link.

Ricky Gervais, The Daily Beast

 

My Annual Favourite--A Delight in Imagination and Innovation
I can't help it. It is such a beautiful thing every damned year--nine and counting. Here is The New York Times' Annual "The Year in Ideas". Take your time and enjoy.

Annual Year in Ideas, The New York Times

What 20,000 Oprah Fans Do in Their Spare Time
The Black Eyed Peas, Oprah, and the city of Chicago. Take a look at the biggest flash mob I've ever seen. See my "Visualise Whirled Peas" column in the Lightweight Section also. Click on grey link.

Oprah's 24th Season Opener Flash Mob Dance

 

When You Need a Soldier Most, Buy One
A charming little chart via The Atlantic's blog. Notice the size of two dots that tells the tale; the number of private security contractors, then scroll down to the size of the Taliban.

Andrew Sullivan's Chart of the Day

 

Wear a Hood and Torture? That's Fine.
Glen Greenwald in Salon writes compellingly about what US law now says is the legal way to get away with torture-- just make sure you wear a hood.

Glen Greenwald in Salon

 

When Detainees Return to being People
The thing that struck me about this ACLU video is finally getting to hear the words and see the a real person behind the annonymous hooded Guantanamo "detainee". This video shows us several former prisoners behind the headlines, now released back to the UK. [via The Daily Dish]

Guantanamo Reminder

Granted, maybe things have improved just a tetch for women since 1972
Watch this 1972 television clip of Gloria Steinem being interviewed by a Triffid, or something damned near close. [Click on grey link]

Gloria Steinem vs Man?

Sarah Silverman Solves World Hunger
A nice Jewish girl's answer to solving world hunger. Why didn't I think of it? [Click on grey link]

Sarah Silverman

Go Al Franken-- Starting Off Right
Jamie Leigh Jones, a KBR employee in Iraq, complained to authorities about being sexually harassed and was eventually gang raped by fellow contractors. When she reported the crime to her superiors, they locked her in a shipping container, under guard. She saved herself by begging to use a guard's cell phone to call her family. They got her released. Has she found justice? Hardly. KBR employees sign contracts agreeing to arbitration only. She can't even take KBR to court. Al Franken is trying to change that. Felonies cannot supercede contractual obligation. Welcome to the Senate, Al.

Jamie Leigh Jones Case

Last Words from Death Row Prisoners
The New York Times ran this exerpt from a book on the last utterances from prisoners before their death. It's difficult to take your eyes away from reading it through.

The New York Times Last Words

Weeping for a Fallen Friend
Soldier Barry Delaney kneels weeping at the funeral of a fellow soldier killed in Afghanistan. The two friends had wagered that they would wear this lime green dress to either's funeral. Photo by Jeff J. Mitchell, Getty via The Daily Dish.

 

Required Viewing For Classrooms Everywhere
Watch this video and send it to anyone under age 80. [Click on the grey link]

Failure

Dare I Say it? I Agree with George Will
Conversative US commentator George Will has actually written a column advocating withdrawing from Afghanistan. Go George.

George Will from the Washington Post

 

Bill Moyer, Someone Should Cannonise You
I love every utterance that comes out of Bill Moyer's mouth. Here he is on Bill Mahrer's show, mostly on healthcare reform.[Click on grey link].

Bill Moyer with Bill Mahrer

Media 7 on the Psycho US Healthcare debate
Russell Brown, John Dybvig and I talk about the lunacy of the current health care debate. We are the "Chapter 2" on the link. It's Episode 7, September 3rd. [Click on grey link]

Media 7 Show

The Sweet Voices of Middle School
Sing it to us, New York's PS22 School. [Click on grey link]

Pictures of You by The Cure

Barney Frank, Marry Me--or Just Let Me Buy You a Large Beverage
If you thought the crazed, maniacial US health care debate needs the right voice of reason, watch Barney Frank in a moment of God's gift to sanity. [Click on grey link]

Barney Frank's Town Hall exchange

Pirates, Princes and Blackwater
Investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill has done some excellent work following Blackwater. This is a four-minute excerpt from The Nation. Scahill's book is Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army[Click on grey link]

Leaving Iraq, Chasing Pirates

Failin' Palin Meets Captain Kirk-- and It's a Beautiful Thing
Sarah Palin's astoundingly, confoundingly beautiful resignation speech from her Alaskan governorship 15 months early is the world's oratorical gain. William Shatner brings it to us as Beat poetry. [Click on grey link]

Shatner Does Palin in Beat Speak

"Mow the Lawn"? Puhleeze--
This UK Schick shavor ad is enough to cause the fair sex to opt for a new gender. I can't decide what is more nauseating, the pink lawnmowers, the racial references, the topiary bushes or the pussy cat allusion. Just shoot me now. [Click on grey link].

Mow the Lawn Ad

Elie Wiesel; Why Losing Everything [Again] Doesn't Matter
In just four minutes, Nobel Prize Winner and Holocaust survivor, Elie Weisel, puts it all in short, sharp perspective after recently losing the entire value of his humanitarian foundation and his personal wealth to Bernie Madoff. Happy Passover.

Washington Post Interview Excerpt

Kiera Knightley does Domestic Violence-- Well
This domestic violence ad works--especially coming from such a glam source. A good example of how to use fame effectively. From The Guardian [Click on grey link].

Kiera Knightly PSA

CNN's Prisoner of War
"I am not the same fucking person. I don't know how to come home," CNN's Michael Ware told The Men's Journal. Ware has been a war correspondent for 7 years in Iraq. A must read.

Michael Ware

Sunday Show
A summary of the lighter side of the US elections from TVNZ's Sunday Magazine Programme from two American ex-pats' perspective. When you get onto the site, click on "full screen". [Sorry American readers, you have to jump through a few hoops to get access.]

Cutting Edge Humour

Celebrating Obama in Auckland
Just another quiet, understated crowd of American Obamaniacs on US election night in Auckland, New Zealand. [Click on grey link]

Campbell Live TV3

Rape Anyone?
These two excellent articles are the backstory to the confoundingly ugly statistic that almost one third of women in the US military will come home raped or sexually assaulted by their own. Both Helen Benedict and Ret. Colonel Ann Wright are doing excellent work on a horrible story.
See also my piece,The Wrong Enemy: Women Soldiers' Secret War

The Private War of Women Soldiers by Helen Benedict

Is There an Army Cover Up of Rape and Murder of Women Soldiers?
by Ret. Colonel Ann Wright