The Mac ads quickly started making me clench my teeth, but John Hodgman is brilliant. The Areas of My Expertise is one of the funniest books I’ve ever read and I have high hopes for More Information Than You Require. This video from TED captures him in full-on storytelling mode, the way I first [...]

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A single that might be on Ben Folds’ new album, due out at the end of the month: “You Don’t Know Me At All”

While not necessarily a track I’d recommend as representative to someone who’s never heard Ben Folds before (he is one of the few artists who can, in the space of a [...]

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This brief documentary on the rise of Neo-Nazis and other hate groups in Russia is powerful and disturbing… and perfect for the web where it isn’t censored as it would undoubtedly be on television.

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The teachings of Phistophicles, lesser known ancient Greek philosopher, are now available for all to learn from…

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I discover music at my own pace, relying mostly on the serendipity of social connections and recommendations… which means I’m usually late, but not as often disappointed.
So, I was surprised to learn that Panic! at the Disco is now just Panic at the Disco and, after enjoying their “new” album Pretty. Odd., I was also [...]

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I don’t know why I didn’t think of “The Waking”– one of my favorite Roethke poems– when I was thinking so much about villanelles last weekend. However, in one of those serendipitous exchanges that make participating in these social networks so worthwhile, David Weinstock (while you’re there, check out “I am the Eggman”) turned me [...]

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Rarely, lyrics are interesting enough that they can stand on their own… but with the Internet Tubes they don’t have to. I’m quite taken by these:

Deep in the belly of a whale I found her
Down with a deep blue jail around her
Running her hands through the ribs of the dark
Florence and Calamity and Joan of [...]

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Talk of the Coen brothers films last week reminded me of the Gipsy Kings version of "Hotel California" (featured in The Big Lebowski) and, as usual, YouTube provides. Bear in mind that I consider "Hotel California" — despite being played to death– one of the greatest rock songs of the era and the lyrical solo [...]

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OK, so this is just awesome– William Shatner, Ben Folds and Joe Jackson perform “Common People” live…

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From the Pop!Tech conference archive of audio and video Pop!Casts comes this amazing performance by Zoë Keating. Their description is as good as any:
Canadian-born cellist Zoë Keating layers the sounds of her cello with live electronic sampling, as if she were an entire string ensemble condensed into one woman. Watch and listen to her [...]

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Lili McElory is a photographer and video/performance artist who puts herself into the picture in fascinating ways. In one series, she takes photographs of herself literally throwing herself at men:

In another she curls up and lays down in public places:

Her site also features a number of video pieces that are fascinating to watch…

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I couldn’t watch the whole thing:

I’m not surprised at reports of viewers fainting when this first came out… [via a DoshDosh tweet]

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Boy, Tom Cruise has become one creepy character, as exemplified in this video. I think he peaked with Risky Business or maybe All the Right Moves.

[Linktribution: a D'Arcy Tweet]

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I remember seeing this little diddy all the time:

while watching, of course, Schoolhouse Rock. My favorite was Conjunction Junction:

Although this classic is a close second:

And while I don’t remember that many of the shows, I was amazed at how many of these little production tags/promos/logos I absorbed when I was younger:

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One of my favorite songs with one of my favorite guitar solos… too bad these guys didn’t do the whole song!

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Let the commoners tell you, while I shall eat cake…

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Have to admit I really enjoy this cover by Matt Weddle, even if the video is just annoying:

The full band version (Weddle is the singer/guitarist for Obadiah Parker) can be heard on their MySpace page.

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Sorry, but it was barely clever the first time around, all those years ago… there is nothing profound about it today. It’s essentially the stuff of the philosophy or literature graduate student who has nothing to say, but they of course say it at length anyway.

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Ever wonder what happened to that one kid who thought making the bunny ears on the screen before the movie started was so hilarious he had to do it every single time the teacher showed a film in class? Apparently he went on to become this guy
…

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Uncle Fester providing piano accompaniment for a prepster would-be-beat poet… you have to love it.

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