more of what i like

a collection of things that caught my eye/ear/brain
February 8
LOVE BEGINS A PICTURE: An Anthology of Google Voice Transcriptions Formatted and Annotated As Poetry

“Since the transcript/poem often bears little resemblance to the actual words spoken, who are the real authors - the Voice, the callers, or some synergistic combination of forces beyond our limited understanding?” (via).

WHATEVER THIS IS (Caller: My friend Christina)

Hey mister
it’s Christina
just left you a message and then
I got your message and realized
you’re stuck out

but I’ll try you.

But yeah, just trying to be tomorrow
(if you get the chance)
And if you’re a few Karen in China the next day
Council lot more
eating minnows on the step
and give me a little

I’ll be hanging around then and I am
well,
whatever this is.
See also the found poetry of Shatner/Palin, Rumsfeld, and Clinton/Lewinsky.
February 6
Every Day the Same Dream. This is a wonderful video game. Or philosophy game, or something. Via Boing Boing’s Games to Get.

Every Day the Same Dream. This is a wonderful video game. Or philosophy game, or something. Via Boing Boing’s Games to Get.

February 5
Ben Casnocha: The Blog: The Paradox of Attitudinal Self-Help Books

“So who is buying these books? Thesis: Already-motivated people who think just a tiny bit more motivation and inspiration will make the difference. But I’m not so sure it will.”
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In which I realize I'm sort of a believer in the Olympic spirit, actually

agrammar:

Isn’t this whole Olympic narrative sort of a dream we’ve made up to make ourselves feel better? Well yeah: of course it is. That’s sort of the point. That’s how ideals work, isn’t it? They’re a way of practicing for things we can’t actually do yet.
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“ A couple of other things that you might not have heard yet, because they’re not available: There’s a fantastic compilation of music that was recorded and released originally on 78s, and it’s called Black Mirror: Reflections In Global Musics. I would recommend it to anybody. But anyway, on that album there’s a song, and when I first heard that song, it just completely blew me away, because all the sudden I had heard the greatest note that I’d ever heard anybody make up to that point. The song is called “Smyrneiko Minore,” and it was sung by Marika Papagika, a young woman who emigrated from Greece to the United States, and she recorded it in 1919 in New York. When you listen to that song, you’re totally unprepared. At least I was. I was totally unprepared for her entrance. When she comes in, that first note, it’s unbelievable, the sense of human sorrow and the feeling of that note. Kronos Quartet’s David Harrington | The A.V. Club Chicago. The song in question.
February 4
Subtlety, thy name is Metro PCS. Medical Arts Building billboard rears ugly head — again. “Building advertisements can be no larger than 200 square feet… And yes, it appears it’s just a tad bit larger than 200 square feet.”

Subtlety, thy name is Metro PCS. Medical Arts Building billboard rears ugly head — again. “Building advertisements can be no larger than 200 square feet… And yes, it appears it’s just a tad bit larger than 200 square feet.”

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“ The best way to describe it is I’m like this energy-gathering dynamo. I suck in the energy from the crowd and right at the point they’re drained, ready to slump over and fall over and pass out, I bring it to a crescendo and [expletive] shoot it all back at ‘em. And then I’m [expletive] slumped over and ready to pass out and they’re energized and ready for the next artist or end of the party or whatever. Interview with Coolio, describing what it’s like to perform.
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“ Most intellectual failures, people who are smart but still don’t succeed, tend to be underspecialized. That’s Andy McKenzie summarizing 11 main points from Colin Marshall’s interview with Robin Hanson. This point from their talk struck home for me. No, I don’t consider myself a Failure, but I know very well how endless curiosity doesn’t necessarily make you productive. Constraint is liberating, etc.
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Consider David Foster Wallace. Book due summer 2010, a collection based on critical essays from last summer’s conference. (via)

Consider David Foster Wallace. Book due summer 2010, a collection based on critical essays from last summer’s conference. (via)

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rcoleman:

Nuit Blanche - wow - visually, a very interesting short film… worth a watch

February 3

Joanna Newsom - Good Intentions Paving Company. This is a great new single.

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Double Page Spread of Electrical Towers, 2002 by Seth for Aimee Mann’s “Lost in Space”. Part of the exhibition for George Sprott 1894-1975. The man has a way with gouache. (via)

Double Page Spread of Electrical Towers, 2002 by Seth for Aimee Mann’s “Lost in Space”. Part of the exhibition for George Sprott 1894-1975. The man has a way with gouache. (via)

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Wehr in the World: Haiti Paparazzi
February 2
The Royal Tenenbaums. Film #3 in my Wes Anderson self-education program. I’d rank this one below The Darjeeling Limited, above Rushmore. Anderson can start a movie with the best of them, but I’m not sure he’s a good finisher. But I can appreciate how he rides the edge between comedy and tragedy. I’m not sure I understand the soundtracks, though. I don’t think it’s simply a bald move for hip points — “Hey, listen to how cool my music collection is. Pretty good taste, eh?” — but I can’t help but find it somewhat annoying.

The Royal Tenenbaums. Film #3 in my Wes Anderson self-education program. I’d rank this one below The Darjeeling Limited, above Rushmore. Anderson can start a movie with the best of them, but I’m not sure he’s a good finisher. But I can appreciate how he rides the edge between comedy and tragedy. I’m not sure I understand the soundtracks, though. I don’t think it’s simply a bald move for hip points — “Hey, listen to how cool my music collection is. Pretty good taste, eh?” — but I can’t help but find it somewhat annoying.

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Charlie Brooker - How To Report The News (via)