Thom Yorke Hopeful, Pissed Off After Ambushing Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen
Although Copenhagen’s ongoing Climate Change Conference has prompted prominent world leaders to speak out against global warming, the fighting words of Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke stood out the most in yesterday’s conference news coverage. He had walked into the city’s Bella Center feeling slightly optimistic, though now, thanks to recent developments, the man is straight pissed.... read more
Found in: Music, NewsWriter Ian Martin Exposes Hate Speech on Twitter
British writer Ian Martin is engaging in a month-long social-networking experiment that will likely make your blood boil. He has replaced his usual followers on Twitter with hate-filled users (neo-Nazi’s to sexists to racists to homophobes) from all over the social networking site.... read more
Found in: Culture, NewsShepard Fairey Admits Wrongdoing in AP Photo Use for Obama Campaign Posters
As it captures an unwavering stare in patriotic hues, Shepard Fairey’s poster supporting Barack Obama, the inspiration behind Obamicon.me, is now considered an iconic emblem. But while the vision may live on, its visionary is now compromised in a year-old battle of rights, after he admitted to lying about its original source.... read more
Found in: Culture, NewsWatch the New "Auto-Tune the News," Plus a Few of Our Favorites
Let’s not kid ourselves: politics can be pretty boring sometimes. Sure, it’s all well and good to watch that three-hour marathon session of the Ways and Means Committee when you’ve got nothing to do but sit around in your underwear all day and refresh Drudge every 30 seconds. But really, how likely are you to bring up CSPAN2’s rerun of Marcy Kaptur’s kickin’ speech on the floor of the House in mixed company? Worry no more, political junkie, because the medicine for your troubles has arrived: Auto-Tune the News.... read more
Found in: Culture, NewsListen to Ben Folds and Nick Hornby's "Levi Johnston's Blues"
As we learned a year ago, piano-pop maven Ben Folds and author Nick Hornby are collaborating on a soon-to-be-released but as-yet-untitled album. The duo’s wry self-awareness of music and literature seem like a natural fit, but it’s still hard to predict what fruit this pairing will bear.... read more
Found in: Music, NewsColumnist Casts Judd Apatow as Conservative Icon
The New York Times’ nominal conservative columnist, Ross Douthat, also happens to be a film critic for the National Review, and he recently married his jobs with a column about Judd Apatow that sent the (admittedly left-leaning) community of film bloggers into a fit. ... read more
Found in: Movies, NewsFinally, Barack Obama Immortalized as Chia Pet
Shepard Fairey isn't the only artist to make an icon of our 44th president. The folks at Chia, of 1980s mossy chachka eminence (ch-ch-ch-chia!), recently introduced the ultimate in Barack Obama memorabilia: the Limited Edition Chia Obama. Now we can have in our homes a clay figurehead of the commander-in-chief whose full fern-fro will grow in 1-2 weeks. And fortunately, we need not be limited to one presidential countenance; the keepsake comes in both "Happy Chia Obama" and "Determined Chia Obama" (pictured above). What better way to usher in ch-ch-ch-change? ... read more
Found in: Culture, NewsThe Lights Go Up on BBC Documentarian Adam Curtis' It Felt Like A Kiss
Adam Curtis is one of a dying breed of television journalists: those who believe it's their profession's calling to expose the hidden side of corporate and political power. His award-winning BBC documentaries stand as brilliant deconstructions of those institutions, but have never been shown on U.S. cable or broadcast channels.... read more
Found in: Concerts, NewsSeinfeld Star Seeks Peace Between Israel and Palestine
Laughter is the best medicine, they say. And according to Seinfeld's Jason Alexander, it may also be the best tool for building peace. Alexander created a project with OneVoice, a non-profit organization which aims to increase the voices of moderates in Israel and Palestine, called "Imagine: 2018." For the project, he asked high school students in the two nations to imagine what the world would like in 10 years if there was an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement signed in 2008.... read more
Found in: Culture, NewsIs Mike Judge's The Goode Family Proof that Liberal America Can't Laugh at Itself?
It's no secret: Mike Judge's latest television project The Goode Family may not survive its first season. After lackluster ratings for the debut and second episode, ABC moved the show to Friday, entombing it deep in the summer lineup and making the odds of renewal slim at best.... read more
Found in: Culture, News
