David Lynch fans, here you go. Below (and added to our YouTube playlist), we have Lynch’s anti-litÂterÂing pubÂlic serÂvice announceÂment that has a fairÂly high creepiÂness facÂtor. He’s actuÂalÂly not new to the world of comÂmerÂcials. This site colÂlects Lynch’s preÂviÂous comÂmerÂcial work, startÂing with his 1988 series of Calvin Klein ObsesÂsion ads that played on the work of F. Scott FitzgerÂald, Ernest HemÂingÂway, and D.H. Lawrence. And, while we’re at it, let’s not forÂget Lynch’s recent anti-iPhone spot, which is usuÂalÂly good for a laugh.
The Kindle: Amazon Has a Winner
When AmaÂzon’s KinÂdle hit the streets last NovemÂber, the critÂics gave the newÂfanÂgled ebook readÂer mixed reviews. The cusÂtomers, howÂevÂer, have been sayÂing someÂthing a litÂtle bit difÂferÂent. Sales have been brisk, a bit too brisk actuÂalÂly. WaitÂing up to six weeks to get the KinÂdle, cusÂtomers have been getÂting huffy, and last week AmaÂzon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos, had to post an apolÂoÂgy on AmaÂzon’s homeÂpage. If you’re wonÂderÂing what makes the $399 KinÂdle so sought after, LifeÂhackÂer’s review does a good job of sumÂming up its virtues. In the meanÂtime, if you want to get your hands on one, get in line.
Attack Ad Hall of Fame
Are politÂiÂcal attack ads such a bad thing? John G. Geer, author of In Defense of NegÂaÂtivÂiÂty: Attack Ads in PresÂiÂdenÂtial CamÂpaigns, doesn’t necÂesÂsarÂiÂly think so. He mainÂtains that they often enrich, rather than corÂrode, the politÂiÂcal process. And now his pubÂlishÂer has assemÂbled The Attack Ad Hall of Fame. IncludÂed on the list is the most famous/controversial one — the “Daisy ad” from the 1964 JohnÂson-GoldÂwaÂter camÂpaign. JohnÂson’s ad, which was only aired once, nevÂer menÂtioned GoldÂwaÂter by name, but it raised fears about whether GoldÂwaÂter might bring us to the nuclear brink. For more ads, see the MuseÂum of the MovÂing Image, and watch Geer himÂself get swift-boatÂed on YouTube.
The Future of Tibet: Does It Have One?
In response to ChiÂna’s vigÂorÂous crackÂdown on Tibet (see this phoÂtoÂjourÂnalÂism account), a group of experts were conÂvened to disÂcuss Tibet and its future. The panÂelists includÂed Robert ThurÂman (famed BudÂdhism scholÂar at ColumÂbia UniÂverÂsiÂty), John KenÂneth Knaus (HarÂvard UniÂverÂsiÂty), John Tkacik (Senior Research FelÂlow at The HerÂitage FounÂdaÂtion), and Amit A. Pandya (HenÂry L. StimÂson CenÂter). You can lisÂten in on the disÂcusÂsion here — MP3 — iTunes — Web Site.
On a relatÂed note, ChiÂna shut down YouTube durÂing its Tibetan crackÂdown, offerÂing proof of a simÂple point made in MIT’s TechÂnolÂoÂgy Review: “Web 2.0 tools can seem at times like vehiÂcles for the self-absorbed, but the fear that they inspire in oppresÂsive govÂernÂments is a powÂerÂful demonÂstraÂtion of how useÂful and vital they can be.”
Web 2.0 and Culture: A Debate
This week, UC BerkeÂley proÂfesÂsor Paul Duguid squared off in a debate with provoÂcaÂteur Andrew Keen (author of the flimÂsy bestÂseller, The Cult of AmaÂteur). At issue here is the quesÂtion: “Is the Web 2.0 a Threat to Our CulÂture?” How did the well-attendÂed debate go? Have a lisÂten here and see phoÂtos here.
The Pre-Fab Four
Below we have an outÂtake from one of the earÂliÂest rock mockÂuÂmenÂtaries, which paved the way for the venÂerÂaÂble This is Spinal Tap. Co-proÂduced by Eric Idle (MonÂty Python) and Lorne Michaels (SatÂurÂday Night Live), “All You Need is Cash” traced the career of “The RutÂles,” whose resemÂblance to The BeaÂtÂles was “pureÂly – and satirÂiÂcalÂly – intenÂtionÂal.” The show aired in 1978 and scored low ratÂings, though some fans still defend it.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
- The BeaÂtÂles: PodÂcasts From YesÂterÂday
- What New YorkÂers Heard on the Radio the Night John Lennon was Shot
- The Grey Video: MixÂing The BeaÂtÂles with Jay‑Z
- The ComÂplete BeaÂtÂles in One Hour (and The SopraÂnos in SevÂen MinÂutes)
Arthur C. Clarke Retrospective
Sir Arthur C. Clarke, the futurÂist and sciÂence ficÂtion writer most well known for his novÂel 2001: A Space Odyssey, has passed away. (You can read his obit here.) Below, we have postÂed a video recordÂed last DecemÂber for his 90th birthÂday. TouchÂing in many ways, the video offers a good reminder of how much our world changed durÂing his 90 years.
Demystifying the Credit Crisis & the Fed (Serious and Not So Serious)
This bit of audio (MP3 — Feed — Web Site) lucidÂly explains what hapÂpened at Bear Stearns, and why the Fed actÂed as it did. It’s worth a good lisÂten if you’ve been tryÂing to piece togethÂer the logÂic. The audio comes from the News Hour with Jim Lehrer.
[Update: I’d also recÂomÂmend this piece from the New York Times. It does a good job of explainÂing the bigÂger picÂture.]
On a less seriÂous note, we also have a video that explains the credÂit criÂsis with the help of a counÂtry music jinÂgle. More astute viewÂers will note the name of the singer, MerÂle HazÂard, is an alluÂsion to the conÂcept of “moral hazÂard” that’s menÂtioned in the audio above.
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