J.J. Abram’s Awesome, Unfocused 2007 TED Talk
Of course J.J. Abrams has a mystery box that he’s never opened. The writer/director did this TED Talk in 2007, and it’s an interesting peak into how he functions as a storyteller, director, and writer. Worth a watch, especially if you’re a fan or writer. Tangentially Related Posts:What’s It Take To Be Number Four?OMG! The [...]
STARCHILD SERIAL: Emergency Town Hall Meeting
I am here today to propose to you all something different. I am proposing to you a history- one of the histories- of Humber County, one which is radically different than what most of you know to be true. I’ll try to be brief- but only as brief as I can be while remaining faithful to the story at hand.
Now let me first say something rather important: I love Humber County. I love it with all of my heart. And I love Angel City. I was born here, my father was born here, and his father before him. As some of you may know, my Great-Grandfather was one of the first people to sign up for the Humber County Militia, and while it’s doubtful that him or any of those other brave men saw any action, there’s no denying their love for this county. Nor is there any denying my own love for this place, this place where I was born, where I grew up, and where I will someday die.
That being said- Humber County is far from perfect. In fact, some of the things that the local government does in our name are, well, they’re downright counter-intuitive.
Take this for example: the only book that’s been banned in Humber County in the last fifty years was not a pornographic work of filth, not a raunchy manuscript filled with sin and Satan. No, believe me, the Humber County Library is filled with that stuff. Really, it is. Go take a look for yourself.
Instead, the book in question, the only work banned here in the last half-century, was written by Elliot Norton, the newly elected President of the Humber County Historical Society.
It’s called, The History of Humber County
The Age of Aquarius is Nothing Nefarious
Dear Shae,
I’ve heard remarks about how household endeavors (caretaking, gardening, landscaping etc) can put you in touch with the efforts of your past selves. I’m fond of this idea, and see in both myself and in my friends an affinity for activities that could easily have ancient roots. How can I apply this sensitivity to my more modern technological endeavors? Certainly, a 12th century incarnation had no interest in Facebook, or the iPhone/Android dilemma, but there must be a common thread. Connections, calculation, memory tools, and the pursuit of better tools are endeavors as old as human history. How can I search for a technological connection with my distant past?
Where We’ve Been, Where We’re Going
My God it’s been a quiet couple weeks here at the Forest. A nocturnal lull that has been sweeping through the trees. Things seem to happen in cycles. Creativity, sexual urges, politics and news… If you look closely you can see it. A pattern that seems random, but upon closer inspection, reveals a grand design [...]
Drudge Reigns Supreme
Matt Drudge, founder of the Drudge Report, purportedly dislikes the classification of his site as “a blog,” but the Drudge Report and some of today’s blogs have more than a little in common. Sure, there’s a big difference between Perez Hilton and Matt Drudge, but they both serve similar functions. While they may have “tipsters” calling in “scoops” from time to time, neither Perez Hilton or The Drudge Report are usually reporting the news. Instead, they’re reporting on the news. Perez Hilton dishes gossip and takes pictures of celebrities to town with Windows Paint. Matt Drudge finds interesting news stories from around the web and links to them with eye-catching headlines. The Drudge Report came up when “weblogging” was in its infancy, and if not a blog by strict definition, it is still of the same family.
So is there money to be made in simply linking to the news? Well it’s certainly making Drudge a pretty penny, and it has also given him remarkable power in the world of internet news traffic.
NEWS: Baby Named After Facebook Button
“I’m not worried about other children teasing Like. Dvash and Pie don’t seem to mind their special names and nobody teases them.” Reuters is reporting that a couple in central Israel have named their new daughter “Like,” inspired by the Facebook button. “It’s short and sweet,” Like’s mother Vardit Adler explained. She already has two [...]
STARCHILD SERIAL: 2.4 Obituary
Angel City Starchild Table of Contents < Previous 2.4 “Obituary” From The Humber County Gazette. May 19th, 2008. Early Edition. Preston, Cornelius G. 1948-2008 Cornelius G. Preston, a Humber County native and tradesman, was killed in a hit-and-run accident on Main Street in Downtown Angel City last night. Mr. Preston was leaving City Hall after giving [...]
Even Automatons Get the Blues
This is a response to the novel The Absent City by Ricardo Piglia. Often described as a political thriller, the book is a journey through Argentina’s oppressive past. It features Junior as the novel’s protagonist and Elena, a machine that was created originally to translate stories but ends up twisting tales and memories that concern Argentina’s authorities.
The novel is a quest to unwind truth from fiction; in fact, it is an exploration into what truth actually is in terms of national identity, stories, narrative, and language. It is a dense read but highly engrossing…well…for those of you that love melancholy and semiotics, that is.
Making of The Pirates of the Caribbean (The Ride)
In case you didn’t find our Disneyland home video informative enough, here’s a video about the making of the original Pirates of the Caribbean ride in the late 60′s, early 70′s.
It’s weird to think that a ride that seemed so revolutionary at the time is still somewhat awe-inspiring with only minor upgrades and changes.
What sort of changes have been made? Well I’m glad you asked…