Back in NovemÂber 2008, just days after the hisÂtoric elecÂtion of Barack ObaÂma, Chris “ShockÂwave” SulÂliÂvan took to the streets of New York City and invitÂed unsusÂpectÂing pedesÂtriÂans to rap with him. The video went online in 2009, but it’s only going viral today. FunÂny how the web works. H/T KotÂtke
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Hey New York, What Song Are You LisÂtenÂing To?
What New YorkÂers Heard on the Radio the Night John Lennon was Shot
In 1965, the ediÂtor of The Nation asked Hunter S. ThompÂson to write a stoÂry about the HelÂl’s Angels MotorÂcyÂcle Club, as they’re offiÂcialÂly known. The artiÂcle quickÂly led to a book deal, and, the next year, the Gonzo jourÂnalÂist pubÂlished HelÂl’s Angels: The Strange and TerÂriÂble Saga of the OutÂlaw MotorÂcyÂcle Gangs. ReviewÂing the book for The New York Times, Leo LitÂwak wrote:
Hunter ThompÂson entered this terÂra incogÂniÂta [the world of the HelÂl’s Angels] to become its carÂtogÂraÂphÂer. For almost a year, he accomÂpaÂnied the HelÂl’s Angels on their ralÂlies. He drank at their bars, exchanged home visÂits, recordÂed their bruÂtalÂiÂties, viewed their sexÂuÂal caprices, became conÂvertÂed to their motorÂcyÂcle mysÂtique, and was so intrigued, as he puts it, that “I was no longer sure whether I was doing research on the HelÂl’s Angels or being slowÂly absorbed by them.” At the conÂcluÂsion of his year’s tenure the ambiÂguÂiÂty of his posiÂtion was endÂed when a group of Angels knocked him to the ground and stomped him…
Hunter ThompÂson has preÂsentÂed us with a close view of a world most of us would nevÂer dare encounter, yet one with which we should be familÂiar. He has brought on stage men who have lost all options and are not recÂonÂciled to the loss. They have great resources for vioÂlence which doesÂn’t as yet have any effecÂtive focus. ThompÂson sugÂgests that these few Angels are but the vanÂguard of a growÂing army of disÂapÂproÂpriÂatÂed, disÂafÂfilÂiÂatÂed and desÂperÂate men. There’s always the risk that someÂhow they may force the wrong options into being.
This clip, which aired on CanaÂdiÂan teleÂviÂsion in 1967, describes the cirÂcumÂstances that led up to the Angels givÂing HST a beat down. The misogÂyÂny that’s on disÂplay will make you shudÂder.
RelatÂed ConÂtent
Hunter S. ThompÂson InterÂviews KeiÂth Richards
JohnÂny Depp Reads LetÂters from Hunter S. ThompÂson
Lucian Freud, disÂtinÂguished artist and grandÂson of SigÂmund Freud, died yesÂterÂday at the age of 88. The painter was best known for his conÂtriÂbuÂtions to figÂuÂraÂtive art and his uncomÂproÂmisÂing porÂtraits, which The New York Times has colÂlectÂed in an impresÂsive online gallery.
Freud was also known for his rigÂorÂous (some would say cruÂel) demands on his subÂjects. From his New York Times obitÂuÂary:
To the artist and Freud biogÂraÂphÂer Lawrence GowÂing [Lucian Freud] said, “For me the paint is the perÂson.” Mr. Freud’s dingy stuÂdio became his artisÂtic uniÂverse, a grim theÂater in which his conÂtortÂed subÂjects, stripped bare and thereÂfore unidenÂtiÂfiÂable by class, subÂmitÂted to the artist’s unblinkÂing, merÂciÂless inspecÂtion.
You can learn more about Lucian Freud’s work and legaÂcy through a disÂcusÂsion of his paintÂing StandÂing by the Rags at SmART HisÂtoÂry (video postÂed above or click here).
SheerÂly Avni is a San FranÂcisÂco-based arts and culÂture writer. Her work has appeared in Salon, LA WeekÂly, MothÂer Jones, and many othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow her on twitÂter at @sheerly.
Jeff Smith, an indeÂpenÂdent filmÂmakÂer from IndiÂanapoÂlis, must have spent quite a bit of time going through hunÂdreds of movies to come up with his final monÂtage of 120 movies conÂtainÂing the line “You just don’t get it, do you?”. If you want to invest some time as well, try to guess the movies first and then comÂpare your results with the list of actuÂal movies here.
If you enjoy guessÂing movies, you can take a look at JefÂf’s blog post “Name That Film,” in which he shows you tricky movie stills (don’t worÂry, he also proÂvides the soluÂtions).
By proÂfesÂsion, Matthias RaschÂer teachÂes EngÂlish and HisÂtoÂry at a High School in northÂern Bavaria, GerÂmany. In his free time he scours the web for good links and posts the best finds on TwitÂter.
As if your TwitÂter, Google +, and RSS feeds weren’t overÂwhelmÂing enough, you can now watch a time lapse video of a year’s worth of The New York Times — in 12,000 screenÂshots. Enjoy, and try not get dizzy.
via GizÂmoÂdo
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Gay Talese: DrinkÂing at New York Times Put Mad Men to Shame
Hard Words in The New York Times
SheerÂly Avni is a San FranÂcisÂco-based arts and culÂture writer. Her work has appeared in Salon, LA WeekÂly, MothÂer Jones, and many othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow her on twitÂter at @sheerly.
DurÂing the final days of World War II, the UnitÂed States dropped devÂasÂtatÂing atomÂic bombs on HiroshiÂma and NagasaÂki. More than 65 years latÂer, HideÂnori Watanave, an assoÂciate proÂfesÂsor of Tokyo MetÂroÂpolÂiÂtan UniÂverÂsiÂty, has creÂatÂed a digÂiÂtal archive to preÂserve the memÂoÂry of the HiroshiÂma bombÂing. A comÂpleÂment to the NagasaÂki archive launched in 2010, the HiroshiÂma Archive layÂers hisÂtorÂiÂcal resources into Google Earth, givÂing users the chance to explore a panoramÂic view of HiroshiÂma, surÂvivor accounts, aerÂiÂal phoÂtos, 3D topoÂgraphÂiÂcal data, and buildÂing modÂels.
The docÂuÂments are all writÂten in JapanÂese, which creÂates someÂthing of a lanÂguage barÂriÂer for many readÂers. But a tour through the archive will tell you someÂthing imporÂtant — someÂthing imporÂtant about the HiroshiÂma bombÂing and how we’re memoÂriÂalÂizÂing the past in our new digÂiÂtal age.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Ancient Rome in 3D on Google Earth
VisÂit the PraÂdo Art ColÂlecÂtion with Google Earth
Being John Malkovich direcÂtor and longÂtime BeastÂie Boys colÂlabÂoÂraÂtor Spike Jonze has directÂed yet anothÂer music video for the band: A high-conÂcept sci-fi extravÂaÂganÂza that feaÂtures zomÂbies, GI Joe action figÂures, and, as usuÂal, a soundÂtrack with a pretÂty decent hook.
The song is called “Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win,” and the verÂsion we’ve postÂed above is the 11-minute direcÂtor’s cut. You can watch a shortÂer verÂsion here, but why would you ever want to?
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
ColÂlabÂoÂraÂtions: Spike Jonze, Yo-Yo Ma, and Lil Buck
FulÂly Flared, the 2007 skateÂboardÂing film directÂed by Spike Jonze
SheerÂly Avni is a San FranÂcisÂco-based arts and culÂture writer. Her work has appeared in Salon, LA WeekÂly, MothÂer Jones, and many othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow her on twitÂter at @sheerly.
Actor Jim MeskiÂmen has appeared in his fair share of films — There Will Be Blood, Frost/Nixon and MagÂnoÂlia, to name a few. But he’s perÂhaps best known for his work as an impresÂsionÂist comeÂdiÂan. He does the voice of George W. Bush, and MorÂgan FreeÂman too. But that’s just the tip of the iceÂberg. In his latÂest video, MeskiÂmen imperÂsonÂates 25 famous figÂures — from Woody Allen to Jack NicholÂson to Droopy Dog — and quite natÂuÂralÂly he has them recitÂing Clarence’s monoÂlogue from Richard III. Enjoy.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Nine ImperÂsonÂations by Kevin Spacey in Six MinÂutes
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