posted January 1, 2017 #

Happy New Year everyone!!

posted January 1, 2017 #

Good read: "Take It From A German: Americans Are Too Timid In Confronting Hate" @thedailybeast https://t.co/yGVQRxdAR2

posted January 1, 2017 #

the fact that BRIGADOR has been listed with so many super talented OSTs for best OST is really pretty intense / hum… https://t.co/vgIiFRj1Jf

posted December 31, 2016 #

My new reggae band is called Matthew Scratch Perry.

posted December 31, 2016 #

The best tweet of 2016 https://t.co/Kp3yyD2yVb

posted December 31, 2016 #

Before 2016 ends, get this on everybody's timeline. https://t.co/KQTpnCnCF1

posted December 31, 2016 #

My 4-year-old didn't know what the meat thermometer was called so she said "time knife" which is now what I'll call it until the day I die

posted December 31, 2016 #

Here's an unreleased song to help you with your year end life-cleaning : https://t.co/ePUVaSqIFw

posted December 31, 2016 #

My favorite thing about 2016 is that it's almost OVER! *hydroplanes while tweeting*

posted December 31, 2016 #

Here she comes, The New Year. https://t.co/Ut3nF4lXwP

Why Can't You Listen to Aaliyah? Ask Her Uncle

posted December 31, 2016 #

Oddly compelling

The Despecialized Edition and Its Sources

posted December 30, 2016 #

i can't believe i watched the whole thing

posted December 30, 2016 #

#SubliminalInevitable A preview of the record labels that will be featured here next year. Featuring @GapDream +mor… https://t.co/P92KIsnaiR

A billion dollar gift for Twitter

posted December 30, 2016 #

I won't lie, I love reading advice to Twitter.

Surreal Snow Globes

posted December 29, 2016 #

Excellent piece from The Big Story on artists Walter Martin and Paloma Munoz. Specifically, their surrealist snow globes. They are enjoyable, sometimes absurd, miniature scenes encased in a sphere. What's not to like?

Dive into more of their work here.

posted December 28, 2016 #

Update: I have not tired of watching this: https://t.co/0TbztNZMsT

Carrie Fisher Hilariously Roasts George Lucas at the AFI

posted December 28, 2016 #

gold

The Protomen Light Up the Night

posted December 28, 2016 #

They've been working on it for years (literally) but the Protomen have finally released their first official music video. Light Up the Night is from the 2009 album Act II: Father of Death but hasn't lost a bit of luster since it's original release. Truth be told, the undertaking is more of a short film than a music video - clocking in at 16 minutes - but I'd expect nothing less from them; they always go big.

As it should be, the video is a gritty, 80's inspired, dystopian future akin to The Warriors (minus the cheese), Mad Max or Blade Runner. Those are lofty touch points but it's clear they've always been heavily inspired by those films, it's just easier to see now.

Major congratulations to the band and directors Matt Sundin and Caspar Newbolt.

The Uplifting Future

posted December 28, 2016 #

VOX recently published this excellent interview with cognitive scientist Steven Pinker. Despite all the bad things that happened in 2016, there is a statistically light behind it all - namely that we are getting less violent and more accepting in general (holistically mind you) - and Pinker has the data to back it up. It's hard to see the big picture when you're mired in the details but this was an excellent reminder that all the vitriol and nastiness we see is just the overtly vocal. Overall, we're moving in the right direction.

Please read through to the end where Pinker gets into the difference between complacent optimism and conditional optimism. It's good to remember to shift ourselves into the later category, as it incites the proper kind of action.

Misc Reads, Dec 2016

posted December 28, 2016 #

As the year winds down, I find myself with more free time to sit around and actually enjoy reading. It's not just for information consumption! So, here's some fascinating reads that deserve some of your brain cycles.

How 'Rogue One' Brought Back Familiar Faces - if you haven't seen the latest Star Wars, skip this, but otherwise, it's a fascinating read about the technology that was used for specific characters and the morality behind it. Particularly poignant this week.
Why Time Management is Ruining Our Lives - Inbox Zero is cited as the first culprit in this movement but there's plenty more guilty parties. I absolutely, 100%, fall for the horrible trick of working harder for no discernible reason. Please read this, even if it's just to mine for quotes like this: "Work expands to fill the time available for its completion" - C Northcote Parkinson.
2016: The Year the Internet Became Real - a thoughtful piece from Leigh Alexander about the scarier side of what's happening online. It's clear that there are dividing factions online - largely the cruel vs the upset - but there's got to be a way to leverage the Internet for peaceful contemplation. How else will we get here?
World War Three, By Mistake - slightly scary piece about the fallibility of nuclear arms. The upside, we're still here.