I think this is one of the songs I found via the seminal comedy Ideal (originally named "I deal").
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
Thursday, February 09, 2012
Manic Pixie Dream Girls (updated)
Russ mentions Manic Pixie Dream Girls. I love them! I even know some in real life. (Hi Sally, hi Bettina.)
Unlike what they say at the link, I do think they exist in real life. It's a mis-definition to say they are "always happy". Look at Natalie Portman's character in Garden State, she is far from happy all the time.
But it may seem that way, and I think that's the reason they are rare in real life: one of the qualities of MPDGs is that they seem to float a little bit above life, it does seem to affect them as seriously as it does most people. Which is another reason we love them. We all wish we could be like that. At least unless we are *really* beaten down, to the point were unseriousness seems threatening, heretical.
Unlike what they say at the link, I do think they exist in real life. It's a mis-definition to say they are "always happy". Look at Natalie Portman's character in Garden State, she is far from happy all the time.
But it may seem that way, and I think that's the reason they are rare in real life: one of the qualities of MPDGs is that they seem to float a little bit above life, it does seem to affect them as seriously as it does most people. Which is another reason we love them. We all wish we could be like that. At least unless we are *really* beaten down, to the point were unseriousness seems threatening, heretical.
"The New Girl"
I'm trying to watch a new sitcom, The New Girl, with Zooey Deschanel. It's rather odd, though. I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be a comedy, but it's very unclear in what direction the comedy is supposed to be going. The Zooey character breaks a televesion with a basketball. Is that funny? Don't look at me, I dunno.
In the intro, the men carry a frame and background forth to frame Zooey as the New Girl. And then the men walk away sort of aimlessly, while Zooey looks at them confusedly. How is this funny exactly?
And they have four young, highly attractive, single persons, one of them female, in one apartment, and apparently there's so far not a hint of romantic attraction taking place. Very realistic, what's next, one of them is an alien and one is a ghost?
The upside is that Zooey is just so deadly cute that she can almost carry it all by herself. (See pixie girls.)
I'll give it a chance or two more.
In the intro, the men carry a frame and background forth to frame Zooey as the New Girl. And then the men walk away sort of aimlessly, while Zooey looks at them confusedly. How is this funny exactly?
And they have four young, highly attractive, single persons, one of them female, in one apartment, and apparently there's so far not a hint of romantic attraction taking place. Very realistic, what's next, one of them is an alien and one is a ghost?
The upside is that Zooey is just so deadly cute that she can almost carry it all by herself. (See pixie girls.)
I'll give it a chance or two more.
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
iPhone "rangefinder"
Totally useless, but too cute. Phone case disguised as a rangefinder camera.
Update: not totally useless... it actually gives a better grip on the phone when photographing, and it provides a slightly better shutter button.
One of the promotional photos show the guy covering the lens totally with his fingers while shooting!
Update: not totally useless... it actually gives a better grip on the phone when photographing, and it provides a slightly better shutter button.
One of the promotional photos show the guy covering the lens totally with his fingers while shooting!
CCTV police officer 'chased himself'
[Thanks to Bert]
CCTV police officer 'chased himself' after being mistaken for burglar, article.
Olympus OM-D
It's not every day we see a new camera line announced, but Olympus is coming out with the "OM-D" line, a line which I suspect will replace the original Four-Thirds format DSLR cameras from Olympus. I really can't see them coming out with another mirror-camera now.
This new line seems quite promising, there should hardly be any limits for making professional cameras of this type, and the linked article says: "Naturally we had to take a look at image quality, and that was looking pretty good too, a step up from the Pens for sure." Very interesting, since the Pen doesn't suck, and it's the same sensor format.
Sensitivity goes up to a dizzying ISO 25,600, and while I really doubt the two top settings are very good, if even 6,400 is very good, then that is a break-through for the M4/3 format. (But then auto-ISO is limited to 1600 by default, so let's wait and see.)
Here it is next to the OM-1 of the original OM line which the new cameras are clearly meant to capture some glow from. If they live up to that, could be very good, for those were durn good cameras, especially considering their path-blazing compactness.
This new line seems quite promising, there should hardly be any limits for making professional cameras of this type, and the linked article says: "Naturally we had to take a look at image quality, and that was looking pretty good too, a step up from the Pens for sure." Very interesting, since the Pen doesn't suck, and it's the same sensor format.
Sensitivity goes up to a dizzying ISO 25,600, and while I really doubt the two top settings are very good, if even 6,400 is very good, then that is a break-through for the M4/3 format. (But then auto-ISO is limited to 1600 by default, so let's wait and see.)
Here it is next to the OM-1 of the original OM line which the new cameras are clearly meant to capture some glow from. If they live up to that, could be very good, for those were durn good cameras, especially considering their path-blazing compactness.
Catherine Tate - Nan - Tommy Upson
"Nan" is played by a much younger woman, Catherine Tate. She plays many very different characters in her show, of both sexes, a regular chameleon.
Here is guest star Peter Kay, also aged beyond recognition. (He's from around here by the way.)
I don't know, maybe it's an acquired taste, especially since it sort of builds on earlier sketches with the same characters.
Here is guest star Peter Kay, also aged beyond recognition. (He's from around here by the way.)
I don't know, maybe it's an acquired taste, especially since it sort of builds on earlier sketches with the same characters.
NAZI'S on the MOON Movie (2012)
TTL found this trailer of the now-finished Iron Sky movie. Looks promising. Good ol' visual SF.
What I'm waiting for is full CGI movies, like Pixars, but made for adult audiences instead of family audiences. Don't get me wrong, I love the best of the family movies, not the least Pixar's, but it's still an artificial restriction.
Perhaps it's the issue of realistic humans which is the problem. It's hard to make realistic humans, and human characters which look like animé characters is hard to take seriously if it's not a comedy or a family movie.
I guess they could make it a comedy and yet *not* a family movie. There has already been lots of animated films/TV like that. It seems nobody is banning South Park, despite being graphically vulgar and a cartoon, so why not CGI movies? (Not that they have to be vulgar, there are many different ways of making movies which are aimed at adults.) It would just be great to see outstanding SF movies like that, for example. (Of course they could mix it, which is already happening to a huge degree.)
What I'm waiting for is full CGI movies, like Pixars, but made for adult audiences instead of family audiences. Don't get me wrong, I love the best of the family movies, not the least Pixar's, but it's still an artificial restriction.
Perhaps it's the issue of realistic humans which is the problem. It's hard to make realistic humans, and human characters which look like animé characters is hard to take seriously if it's not a comedy or a family movie.
I guess they could make it a comedy and yet *not* a family movie. There has already been lots of animated films/TV like that. It seems nobody is banning South Park, despite being graphically vulgar and a cartoon, so why not CGI movies? (Not that they have to be vulgar, there are many different ways of making movies which are aimed at adults.) It would just be great to see outstanding SF movies like that, for example. (Of course they could mix it, which is already happening to a huge degree.)
Book Autopsies (updated)
Brian Dettmer: Book Autopsies, photo essay.
Bert found this page of pictures of sculptures, made by cutting out parts of books, one of the ingredients is revealing art on some of the interior pages.
Update: Dave said:
Bit gimmicky, though, don't you think?
Eolake said...
Yeah, I guess it does lean a bit in that direction. I've posted other things, like for example the guy who makes small sculptures carved from the lead in a pencil. (I've called it "art or sport?")
The funny thing is, if one looks at the most fancy art galleries, a lot of modern art also depends on gimmickery. Like a sculpture I saw, where the materials were listed as "wood, foam rubber, and urine".
Also, I think for many people, a big part of what's needed for them to appreciate "art" is "something I can't do". Which really, to me, is pretty incidental to the central artistic value.
For me, additionally, something like these books has an aesthetic quality which comes, not exactly from the gimmick, but from enjoyment of detailed craft. Similar to a model ship. Not exactly art, not exactly useful either.
Bert found this page of pictures of sculptures, made by cutting out parts of books, one of the ingredients is revealing art on some of the interior pages.
Update: Dave said:
Bit gimmicky, though, don't you think?
Eolake said...
Yeah, I guess it does lean a bit in that direction. I've posted other things, like for example the guy who makes small sculptures carved from the lead in a pencil. (I've called it "art or sport?")
The funny thing is, if one looks at the most fancy art galleries, a lot of modern art also depends on gimmickery. Like a sculpture I saw, where the materials were listed as "wood, foam rubber, and urine".
Also, I think for many people, a big part of what's needed for them to appreciate "art" is "something I can't do". Which really, to me, is pretty incidental to the central artistic value.
For me, additionally, something like these books has an aesthetic quality which comes, not exactly from the gimmick, but from enjoyment of detailed craft. Similar to a model ship. Not exactly art, not exactly useful either.
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Winter dusk
All except the second one have been darkened in mid-tones to more approximate how the eye saw it rather than how the camera interprets it. Maybe I could have gotten similar results by a stop of under-exposure, but I'd have had less control and might have lost shadow details.
Nikon D800
In other words, über-super-pro in all aspects, with what follows in weight and price.
Monday, February 06, 2012
GoFlex Satellite
GoFlex Satellite™ Mobile Wireless Storage.Pretty interesting: a portable half-TB hard drive with with wifi, can deliver media to three simultaneous mobile devices (laptops, phones, tablets).
Sounds like a decent solution to the still limited storage of portable devices with solid stage memory instead of hard disks. Even though I have the largest iPad, I keep having to shuffle and delete video content on it, since 64GB just isn't very much when it comes to video (and half is already used for apps and audiobooks).
I wonder what kinds of video formats the iPad can run from this? It's only a few of the myriad formats of video I have acquired which the iPad will run. An app like Airvideo will solve this, but that needs a computer to run off to do the conversion, not just a hard disk.
Lana Del Rey - Born To Die
... Continuing the unusual theme of death-preparedness, this one is promoted big on iTunes, and she is good.
Might seem a bit morbid. But heck, some great thinkers say you can't be too prepared too early.
Anyway, I find her looks (timeless) and her voice refreshingly original in the sea of otherwise samey pop music.
Very powerful song, bet that'll stick around.
And clearly it's huge now, when I typed "born" into google, "born to die lyrics" was only the third suggestion!
It can't be an easy life to have a talent of this exceptional caliber, once it's unleashed your life is no longer your own, your fame and talent owns you.
Might seem a bit morbid. But heck, some great thinkers say you can't be too prepared too early.
Anyway, I find her looks (timeless) and her voice refreshingly original in the sea of otherwise samey pop music.
Very powerful song, bet that'll stick around.
And clearly it's huge now, when I typed "born" into google, "born to die lyrics" was only the third suggestion!
It can't be an easy life to have a talent of this exceptional caliber, once it's unleashed your life is no longer your own, your fame and talent owns you.
Sunday, February 05, 2012
You'll Have Time (William Shatner)
You gotta say about Shatner, he has heart and he carries on like a trouper, and with great humor and self-irony.
The fact alone that he has gone on and produced several music albums, despite that he has to be aware that it would be an uphill battle to get anybody to take it seriously.
The fact alone that he has gone on and produced several music albums, despite that he has to be aware that it would be an uphill battle to get anybody to take it seriously.