John HodgÂman, your favorite quirky, musÂtaÂchioed humorist, made an appearÂance at the MakÂer Faire fesÂtiÂval in NYC earÂliÂer this month. And, in the DIY spirÂit of the event, he gave a 30+ minute comÂic riff on mateÂrÂiÂal appearÂing in his upcomÂing book That is All — a comÂpendiÂum of “comÂplete world knowlÂedge” that can help you surÂvive an apocÂaÂlypse. The betÂter part of the talk focusÂes, quite natÂuÂralÂly, on the magÂic of magÂic tricks — someÂthing we all need to know more about…
Miss USA 2011: Should Schools Teach Evolution? … or Math?
“Should evoÂluÂtion be taught in schools?” That was the quesÂtion actuÂalÂly put to parÂticÂiÂpants in the Miss USA pageant held this past June.
In response, MacKenÂzie Fegan and her friends had some fun with the whole line of thinkÂing, shootÂing their own mock video in reply. Enjoy, and do know that we heart Miss VerÂmont…
via BoingÂBoÂing
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
50 Famous AcaÂdÂeÂmics & SciÂenÂtists Talk About God
50 Famous SciÂenÂtists & AcaÂdÂeÂmics Speak About God: Part II
Do PhysiÂcists Believe in God
Richard Dawkins & John Lennox Debate SciÂence & AtheÂism
“You Just Don’t Get It, Do You?” — A Montage of Cinema’s Worst Cliché
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.
The Year According to The New York Times, in 12,000 Screenshots
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.
The Perils of the Bike Lane: Pratfalls with a Purpose
ComÂpleteÂly ranÂdom. Can’t believe this guy (who hapÂpens to be an HBO filmÂmakÂer) didÂn’t wear a helÂmet. The best scene is saved for last.
via New York Times
8,000 Chinese Lanterns over Poland
Last TuesÂday, the resÂiÂdents of PozÂnan, Poland set a world record when they released 8,000 ChiÂnese lanterns into the sky to mark the shortÂest night of the year — or what’s othÂerÂwise called MidÂsumÂmer Night. The video above lets you see the lanterns in full flight. The image below offers a close-up view of a lantern before headÂing into the night sky…
via @pourmecoffee
The Long Lost Video Game of Paris Review Editor George Plimpton?
At first we thought it was either an Onion stoÂry or a joke: MulÂti-talÂentÂed author, actor, sports enthuÂsiÂast and Paris Review ediÂtor George PlimpÂton (1927–2003) also achieved conÂsidÂerÂable sucÂcess in anothÂer mediÂum: video games.
The MilÂlions points us to George PlimpÂton’s video “FalÂconÂry,” the game PlimpÂton helped develÂop for ColeÂcoÂVÂiÂsion in the earÂly 80’s. You can play it here, but first be sure to catch up on the backÂstoÂry (click “BackÂstoÂry” butÂton below the “Play” butÂton), which may or may not involve high stakes douÂble-crossÂes, hardÂcore sleuthings, and the childÂhood obsesÂsions of freÂquent DaiÂly Show guest John HodgÂman. MaxÂiÂmum Fun has also postÂed an old comÂmerÂcial for the game, which we’ve repostÂed above. (Our apoloÂgies for the poor qualÂiÂty. It was apparÂentÂly ripped from an old VHS tape).
If it turns out that we’ve been punked, it was worth it, if only for the joys of typÂing the words “PlimpÂton,” “FalÂconÂry” and “ColeÂcoÂVÂiÂsion” all in one senÂtence. The game isn’t bad either.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Paris Review InterÂviews Now Online
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.
Orson Welles Performs a Magic Trick
We can’t say enough good things about BibÂliokÂlept, and not only because they find so many litÂerÂaÂture-relatÂed gems. (A few recent examÂples: RayÂmond Carver’s corÂreÂsponÂdence with ediÂtor GorÂdon Lish, Melville’s PassÂport AppliÂcaÂtion, A Post-RapÂture ReadÂing List). They also find great mateÂrÂiÂal from othÂer art forms — for examÂple this clip of Orson Welles doing a magÂic trick, takÂen from the 1995 docÂuÂmenÂtary Orson Welles: The One Man Band.
Watch to the end. As you might expect, the masÂter upstages his co-star, flapÂping wings and all.
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If you would like to supÂport the misÂsion of Open CulÂture, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your conÂtriÂbuÂtions will help us conÂtinÂue proÂvidÂing the best free culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals to learnÂers everyÂwhere. You can conÂtribute through PayÂPal, PatreÂon, and VenÂmo (@openculture). Thanks!
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Orson Welles’ The Stranger: The Full Movie
FreeÂdom RivÂer: A ParaÂble Told by Orson Welles
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