Saturday, November 1, 2014

Trailer for Daylight Saving -The Movie

Because twice a year, there comes a time when... time doesn't come:


via Ace

Friday, October 31, 2014

Friday links

Daylight Saving Time ends this weekend: some DST history (including Ben Franklin's proposal), stories and video, including my personal favorite time change story - the guy who got two DUI tickets, each at 1:08 AM, but an hour apart.

For $100,000, You Can Clone Your Dog.

2014 National Geographic Photo Contest Contenders, Part 1 and Part 2. If you want to participate, by the way, the deadline for submissions is today (October 31).



Know how many kids have been poisoned by Halloween candy? Zero. Ever.



ICYMI, Tuesday's links are here, and are entirely Halloween related: why witches fly broomsticks, costume ideas from the 1880's, scary makeup, pumpkin carving tricks, and the Sexy Ebola Containment Suit costume (plus resources for intelligent costumes). Also, Dave Barry's Halloween column from 1996: Night Of The Living Chocolate. 

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

This mashup of Star Trek with Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" is excellent

This is so 60's, I think I'm having a flashback - Star Trek footage set to Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit. Enjoy, and feed your head:



Here's Grace Slick singing the same song, but without the Star Trek footage. I have to tell you that while I love the mashup, she was such a pleasure to watch on her own, and wow - what a voice!



Here's a 2013 interview with her:



via @rdbrewer4

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Compound in cocoa found to reverse age-related memory loss

I'm apparently not eating enough chocolate, since I keep forgetting stuff - an oversight which I will correct immediately.
In case anyone needed another reason to love chocolate, a new study suggests that a natural compound found in cocoa, tea and some vegetables can reverse age-related memory loss.
The findings suggest that the compound increases connectivity and, subsequently, blood flow in a region of the brain critical to memory, the researchers said.
The study — published online Sunday in Nature Neuroscience and partly financed by a chocolate company — found that flavanols reverse mild memory loss in older adults. Using brain scans and memory tests, the latest study built on previous work showing that flavanols extracted from cocoa beans had improved neuronal connections in mice’s dentate gyrus, a part of the brain involved in memory formation.
But hold that chocolate bar. The researchers also warn that the compound found in cocoa exists only in minuscule amounts in the average chocolate bar compared with the amount used in the study, so gorging on chocolate in the name of health and improving one’s memory could backfire.
Well, shucks. Apparently that won't work, although there are flavonoid supplements. Read the whole thing.

Viral Halloween costume: Sexy Ebola Containment Suit


Item Details

As the deadly Ebola virus trickles its way through the United States, fighting its disease is no reason to compromise style. The short dress and chic gas mask will be the talk of Milan, London, Paris, and New York as the world's fashionistas seek global solutions to hazmat couture. Ending plague isn't the endeavor of a single woman, so be sure to check out our men's Ebola Containment Costume for a great couple's costume idea.

Features

Ebola White Costume Dress
Ebola Face Shield
Breathing Mask
Safety Eye Goggles
Blue Latex Gloves
Boots not included

If you're looking for couple's costumes, there's a men's version:

Item Details

The deadly Ebola virus has landed in the United States and the crisis has reached new levels of domestic escalation. You are sure to be prepared if any outbreak happens at your Halloween party. This will literally be the most "viral" costume of the year.

Features

Ebola White Costume Suit
Ebola Face Shield
Breathing Mask
Safety Eye Goggles
Blue Latex Gloves
Boots not included







It makes a lot more financial sense to just get a Sexy Nurse costume from Amazon:

and a gas mask/goggles to go with it:

Not my style in music, but OK Go certainly knows how to make a music video. Here's the new one.

Drone cameras to capture the kaleidoscopic choreography from above, robot unicycles and a lot of umbrellas: check out OK Go's latest release, I Won’t Let You Downfrom their most recent album, Hungry Ghosts.

Watch full screen.



You could easily watch any of their stuff muted and it would make little difference. I can't remember the names of any of the songs, but I remember the videos - here's Rube Goldberg one and the treadmill one:





The treadmill one was even parodied by The Simpsons:



Much more at their youtube channel. via The Verge.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

il Capo (The Chief), conducting an orchestra of heavy equipment to extract marble in Carrara

Nowness:
“Marble quarries are places so unbelievable and striking, they almost feel like they are big theaters or sets,” says Yuri Ancarani, the filmmaker behind today’s excerpt from the documentary, Il Capo (The Chief), which follows a quarry boss as he guides his men through the extraction process, using a silent language of gesture and sign.


via The Awesomer