Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Cool Shit 12/31

Every time you feel as though life has dealt you something raw, take a moment to thank the cosmic forces that you weren't born as someone living here.

Santa isn't all sugar plums and presents. At least these 18 aren't.

So here's a surfing video to get you absolutely terrified of surfing...



There's a certain romantic notion about street chess.

Sit back, relax and enjoy some of these cooler videos from 2014.

Obviously, it's quite impossible to accurately predict an avalanche. But that doesn't mean there aren't people out there trying to do it. And their work is probably saving lives.

2014 was an odd year for music - in my opinion, there was no good narrative to define what music gave us. It was all over the board, with decent music released, but nothing earth shattering. There seemed to be a collective tiredness, with the inevitable realization that physical music is going to completely disappear in the next 5 years or so. But I'm probably wrong - and this trove of music-related articles from throughout the year probably disproves my point.

A timeline of banned books throughout history - one of the stupidest things a society can do. 

It's frightening to think what some people are capable of when given a little bit of power over other people. You can only hope government officials will seek the advice of experts when making policy; it seems from these stories from 2014 it doesn't happen as often as it should.

What it's like to work at Amazon during the holidays. I guess...wish there was a little more detail.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Cool Shit 12/30

Huge bunch of Cool Shit to get you through your day, starting NOW:

Country-inspired, psychedelic-jazz - a genre I've admittedly never heard of before. And apparently, this is an example of it, courtesy Shooter Jennings.



The classic (I guess it's classic in some corners) debate of which would win in a fight: the technology of Star Wars or the technology of Star Trek, was obviously written by a Trekkie with a bias.

This modern world has passed Burt Reynolds by, and it's a shame he didn't embrace his Boogie Nights role, because it could have given him a resurgence ala John Travolta. Now his resurgence consists of him selling off his possessions, as Loni Anderson coyly inflates prices, most likely in an attempt to get the money she is probably still owed from the Bandit.

Sitting at work, staring at the clock slowly ticking by, wondering how you're going to make it though the day? Enjoy these Reddit AMAs from the past year.

Some of these theories that explain the deficiencies of movies you've heard before; others might be new. I will say that I've always subscribed the the theory about Signs; maybe not so much the fact that it's demons, but more the religious angle. It's really unavoidable if you watch the movie again. I always thought that the little girl was an angel (or some similar holy being) and could "bless" the water, making it a weapon against the creatures. There's also a moment in the movie where they suggest the creatures are being repelled out of Jerusalem, which was another hint. Anyway, I'm a Signs apologist.

National Geographic 2014 photos are up. Always an enjoyable look.

You can learn a lot about economics by studying a buffet. You can also learn a lot if you watch me at a buffet. I consider myself somewhat of an expert.

Get ready for 2015 with this list of anticipated films.

Like the fact that people are thinking about ways to terraform Mars. Love the fact that it's a bunch of students.

When you get right down to it, aren't all paranormal events hoaxes? (Aside - there's a great Uri Geller movie waiting to be made, similar in vein to Confessions of a Dangerous Mind).

I'm not sure what happened after the 35th second, but I have to assume the firework gained sentience and destroyed those 7-8 people that lit it on fire...



Traveling? Get the most out of sleeping in an airport.

Get a new electronic device this holiday season? Here's a quick start to what you can start filling it up with.

Stream these 10 movies from 2014 that you may or may not have heard of, and add some culture to your life.

There's a college thesis waiting to be written about the correlation of our economy based on what we put up our butts in a given year. Here's the butt part - you take care of the economy part.


Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Cool Shit 12/23

While the FBI (and the rest of the US government I guess) have backed the theory that North Korea was behind the Sony hack, others aren't so sure. And their evidence is pretty convincing. When I think about it, I can't think of a motive for North Korea to attack the United States via hacking a privately owned entity. I'm just hoping the FBI did get this right. Because if not...

Get an early idea of what is cool technology is coming out in 2015. 

No matter what the conditions, you'll find humans living there.

You know what would make sipping coffee that much better? Sipping coffee while petting some rabbits. At least that's what the Japanese think...



Slingshotting your Christmas tree into oblivion. Well, to be fair you have to modify the tree a bit apparently, but you'll still see a giant slingshot.



Baldwin interviewing McEnroe? Someone does read my wishes!

Get on the Darknet save some money and make your friends feel really special this Christmas!

Monday, December 22, 2014

Cool Shit 12/22

Try to stop the Dark Internet, and it just gets darker.

Zappa is a tough nut to crack - easily appreciated, not so easily enjoyed occasionally. And these five albums are definitely not the place to start if you want to get into him. 

Quite possible a real life Thunderdome in the dunes of Australia.

Apparently, Richard Simmons is missing? Possibly of his own volition? Since last January? Why isn't this a larger story? I guess no crime has been committed, that we know of yet.

Cool concept for a restaurant that is less like a restaurant and more like a place that will just serve you an unbelievable dinner, if you can get a reservation.

Crazy to think, but there was a time where there was doubt whether the Beatles would succeed in America.

Ten mysterious aircraft disappearances.

It's a little bit sad that George Clooney has to be the one that rights the ship in the midst of this Sony hack event. Sadder that few people will stand up with him.

Elon Musk's Hyperloop - without his involvement - is still moving forward. Can you imagine if trains become significant again? Ayn Rand was right!


Friday, December 19, 2014

Cool Shit 12/19

So Serial ended yesterday. I hope it satisfied you and met whatever expectations you had for it.

String theory. It's a theory about the universe. Poppycock or Groundbreaking?

Global disaster: how are we all going to eat? Two guys put some thought behind it. Hint: it's probably bugs.

The cost of your email...to a hacker.

Hey, remember Elon Musk's Hyperloop? And he was all like, "I could totally do this, but I'm too busy." And everyone else was kinda like, "Hmmm, sounds cool? Is it like Super Train, the 1979 NBC series? Because if it isn't I'm out."



Well, where do you think it stands now? (Hint: unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be paralleling Super Train.)

Looking for vacation ideas? Why not head to a Soviet Union-era ghost town

Looking back down on us at night. While these images are cool, it does sadden me a little that with all this light pollution we're losing our sight what lies above us. And that is filled with wonder too.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Cool Shit 12/18

Rogue Pharmaceuticals. It's weird how something potentially so dangerous is so accessible to basically anyone with a computer.

It's a simple question: Lennon or McCartney?



The U.S. - Cuban relations are getting better, which means we're probably going to be able to get our hands on more Cuban cigars. But are they really better, or is the allure of doing something illegal what makes them so in demand?

The top Google searches for 2014. Of course I assume they've scrubbed the list clean of porn.

Another one from Adult Swim. Warning, you will most likely not laugh:



When Tron came out, Disney inadvertently commissioned one of the trippiest documentaries about computer graphics that you will ever see. Here's the story behind it. And here's the documentary...


Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Cool Shit 12/17

Bogus science is bogus; I'm hoping that the majority of the people that visit here read these claims and laugh at the absurdity rather than assume it's government propaganda and go back to revering Dr. Oz.

Tim Burton confirms Winona Ryder will be back for the Beetlejuice sequel. Wait - there's a Beetlejuice sequel? And no one thinks this is a bad idea because...?

Every time I listen to Black Messiah I like it more. Here's a breakdown of thoughts on each track on the D'Angelo album.

Living in Antarctica. I think the thing that saddens me the most are the misconceptions people have about Antarctica, such as the idea that there are polar bears there, or that there would be native Antarcticans.

There are some people out there that think the super nova of a distant star is going to bathe Earth in a ungodly amount of weird radiation, causing a catastrophe worse than a Nuclear War which will basically destroy our existence. And it could at any moment, even right...NOW! But that's completely insane. I assume the radiation will simply turn us all into Hulks.

Enough with the naysayers. The next ten years are going to be awesome!

Podcasts are huge right now, and it's almost as though people didn't realize they've been around for the last eight years or so. Anyway, here's a list Slate did for the best 25 podcast episodes. I'd just use it to find some cool podcasts to listen to. 


Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Cool Shit 12/16

Sure, the idea of antibiotic resistant viruses aren't that big of a deal yet, but when it's killing 10 million people a year, we might start to notice.

Been following Serial? Then you know the timeline of the murder is one thing that's never been accurately figured out. Until now?

More post-Serial fodder: Eight intriguing unsolved murder mysteries.

D'Angelo has a new album out after nearly 15 years of silence. Find out what that's a big deal.
If you like what you read and heard there, then you can deep dive on the past 15 years of D'Angelo, and try to wrap your head around everything.

New Terrence Malick film called Knight of Cups starring Christian Bale. It's certainly Malickian. But it also seems it may involve Antonio Banderas and Brian Dennehy so...



I love the Black List - NOT the NBC/James Spader show, but the list of popular, unproduced screenplays that comes out every year. Here's a breakdown of all the science fiction related scripts on the list this year.

You're obviously not making hot chocolate the way you should be making hot chocolate if you really want to enjoy the essence of hot chocolate. Hot chocolate!

The night Richard Pryor made Saturday Night Live what it is. 

Space missions you probably don't know about, but should, or at least will think are kind of cool.


Monday, December 15, 2014

Cool Shit 12/15

I think the moral of the story of this sliding board video is, if you see an awesome looking slide that is boarded up, get one of your friends to climb it and go down:



These 24 pictures do a pretty good job of summarizing 2014.

Undulating fog in the Grand Canyon...



Where has James Bond been and where might he go: an essay.

Want to put your true insignificance on display? Travel to these places and gaze upon the stars.

The mysteries of World War II. Where's Robert Stack?

The reason we're not back on the moon? Money.

Anyone else excited to see Inherent Vice? If so, here's a primer list of movies to get you into good shape for it.

Lesser Star Wars characters that were turned into action figures. You know for the sake of completeness and not a money grab at all.

It will be interesting to see how they deal with the whole "Deckard is a replicant" in the Bladerunner sequel that is apparently happening. I hope it's in a "he was never a replicant" way since I think there was a bit of revisionist history when Ridley Scott said he made the movie with that idea. Because if that were the case, the movie loses the whole "replicants have more humanity than humans angle" which really worked (in my opinion). Regardless, Harrison Ford likes the script!


Friday, December 12, 2014

Cool Shit 12/12

In case you want to keep an eye on the progress of artificial intelligence, this chart is a great place to start. Also, maybe practice unplugging stuff to get ready for the human/machines war.

Photography is hard, but once you get that shot you could sell it for millions.

The concept of the top 10 most secret US American military bases seems slightly oxymoronic.

With news of Serial wrapping up next week, there's going to be an outcry for more murder mysteries to follow. While I can't offer up any podcasts that are similar just yet, I can offer up some stories and bizarre mysteries that might sate your appetite. Start here with these 3 stories. Once you're finished with those, find out what it means to murder someone out in what's basically international waters (it happened). Once finished with those, head over to this Slate post that tackles the issue directly and crowdsourced some other mysteries you can dig into after next Thursday comes and goes.

Tomorrow is the last day for a sequential date this century; I guess we'll always have 12:34 to satiate our number OCDs. But what other dates should we be on the lookout for?

Any excitement for the Golden Globes other than the fact that Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are coming back to host?

Leo DiCaprio is living the life he should be. I have no problem with that.


Thursday, December 11, 2014

Cool Shit 12/11

New trailer for Mad Max. It's getting mixed buzz. Not from me. I'm all in:



Speaking of being all in, I'm also all in on Inherent Vice. And here's a new trailer for that:



Thinking about a burger for dinner tonight? Take a look at this handy illustrated guide of awesome burgers with their toppings for some cool ideas.

What? You're still in movie trailer land? The burger thing didn't do it for you? Fine - here's the latest from Pixar:



I know...that trailer was great, but your mind is still on that Inherent Vice trailer and all the trippy music that was going on it, like that previously unreleased Radiohead track...

Boat racing and the all too real danger behind them (i.e. you can sink).

An awful lot of examination into the best movie fighter in the last 35 years.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Cool Shit 12/10

Fans sometimes can come up with some awesome theories to original entertainment. Take Lost for example. Anything would have been better than the actual reason the island existed. (I really think the plan was for the island to be purgatory until everyone had that theory so early on that the creators changed their minds. Think about it. After the thousand denials about the island being purgatory, the end had some weird, spiritual concept that made no sense. Had they simply stuck with the purgatory concept, it would have pulled everything together. Well, most things together.)

"Line of the Year" as it pertains to skiing. Yeah, I'd say that's about right.



Haven't had time to dive into this yet, but I'm assuming it will be awesome. An oral history of the film, Boogie Nights.

I don't know how much this simplifies things for tasting your wine, but it certainly gives you an idea of what certain types should smell/taste like.

Stories of wilderness disappearances. Some seem pretty basic (people get lost and succumb to the elements) but others are genuinely creepy.)

I love the cold, but even these places might be a bit much.

Trailer for The Walk, a fictionalized account of the documentary movie Man on Wire, about the guy who tight-rope walked between the twin towers. Honestly I'm not sure how this movie is going to play, especially since the first shot of the trailer invoked a not-so-great feeling of despair about the twin towers. Also, the movie has kinda sorta been done, as in the documentary. ALSO, 3-D?




Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Cool Shit 12/9

Awesome time lapse of New York that pretty much gives you the flavor of the city in 4 minutes.



Heading down to Mexico to dig up and enjoy peyote.

Drone videos shot this past year to give us some interesting perspectives, both due to the technology and the subjects.

Super criminal organizations in movies never seem to be all that well organized.

I've never been to a Tim Horton's so I'm not sure if throwing a snake at one of its employees is a rational thing to do. I will point out that I enjoy the fact brought up that the snake was in one man's pocket, while another man actually pulled it out to instigate the attack.

The idea that there could be a second, mirrored universe to ours is mind bending enough; that it could also have time moving "backwards," (don't ask) is that much more mind bending.

Nicholas Cage has a new movie out; that's good or bad depending on what you think about him. Though it seems this time the director is the insane one.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Cool Shit 12/8

In Indonesia, there's a place called "Fuck Mountain," which is exactly what it sounds like.

20 controversial documentaries.

A deeper look at the show WKRP in Cincinnati and why radio stations and program directors are not like that anymore.

Here's a chipper thought right before the holidays - antibiotics are no longer working and we're probably all going to be wipes out by infection!

It's tough to disappear in this day and age, with the internet and all, but apparently it's not impossible. If you have the cash.

The guy that was going to get eaten by a snake didn't really get eaten by a snake. And when you think about it - how were we - as humans - going to force a snake to eat some guy in a weird suit?



An essay about a man and his bar. The man happens to be Roger Ebert, and the bar is O'Rourkes in Chicago. We miss you Mr. Ebert.

Friday, December 5, 2014

Cool Shit 12/5

Filed under "Another video showing how awesome the planet is if we look hard enough:"



Something we should get to the bottom of: Did Kevin from Home Alone grow up to be Jigsaw from the Saw movies?

Are you a Star Wars fan? Know a Star Wars fan? These offbeat gifts are sure to please them this holiday season!

A new Terminator movie. Here's the trailer. I honestly have no idea what's going on other than it appears they are playing fast and loose with the rules established in the Terminator universe. Looks deliciously bad.



Want Bruce Lee abs? Here you go!

Awesome history of S.P.E.C.T.R.E. and Blofeld form the Bond movies. And speculation about the newest Bond movie, simply called Spectre. This is the one that could take it to the next level. I also predict it's the last one with Daniel Craig.


Thursday, December 4, 2014

Cool Shit 12/4

If you missed it yesterday, we started a new series here at the Popcorn Trick called, Down the Rabbit Hole. Yesterday we covered some live music performances on Youtube. Check it out!
 
I know this is going to be hard to believe, but trust me - here's a cool story about cheating on the Pro Bass Fishing Circuit.

Trailer for Vice, a film that looks spectacularly awful...



So it seems Preacher is one step closer to becoming an actual show, as it has been ordered to pilot. While that doesn't guarantee it will become a series, it's getting closer. I still can't imagine it will deal with the same subject matter the comic did though.

It's Thursday so you know what that means...a new episode of Serial is out! It also means that we're one episode closer to Serial being over. Here are 10 other similar mysteries to obsess over as we wait for season 2.

Lineup for Sundance 2015 has been released.

Crazy golf courses for the rich. Chris Rock was right!

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Down the Rabbit Hole: Youtube Live Performances

Down the Rabbit Hole is (hopefully) a routine series about what happens when I lose myself in Youtube after trying to hunt something down. While surely not original in any respect at all (what is on the Internet?), I hope to bring you some stuff that is interesting.

On the Orneriness of Singers and Magical Performances...

You ever get into one of those texting conversations with a friend...it's late at night, possibly after you've been sipping a cocktail or four, and the topics and narratives flow with little direction or focus?

Or is that just me?

Anyway it happened last week to me, after I had stumbled upon Lake Street Dive - my new favorite band. Take a look...



It's like the cosmos took my subconscious awesome band recipe and put it all together:
  • Female lead with powerful chops and timbre
  • Stand up bass!
  • Beautiful choruses
  • Catchy, slightly offbeat songs
Thank you universe! Check out their latest, Lake Street Dive and their previous album, Bad Self Portraits if you like what you see.
But anyway, from there the conversation intertwined into more music, and more offbeat performances. I brought up Cat Power, one of my favorite female artists, and her transcendent performance of Willie, a top ten favorite song of mine. And yet, what she does with it here, in this live performance...



Which is amazing, since Cat Power is known for uh...let's go with sporadic behavior during live performances. As may be hinted to when she immediately walks off the stage after performing this song here. Of course, having live performance issues is not really an unusual thing. Take Van Morrison for instance here - whatever set him off, he took it into this performance of Into the Mystic, and I can't decide whether I like it more because of it, or hate him for seemingly not caring and yet still producing a beautiful rendition...



And while that may be a strong look into the orneriness of Mr. Morrison, it's not like he doesn't know how to let loose on a stage...



Where does the Last Waltz rank on your list of "Shows you would hit if you had a time machinc?" Top 5? Top 3? I mean...



The amount of cocaine at that show must have been through the roof... and what happened to Neil Diamond? Why does he get the bad, corny rap in music circles? Is it just because of Sweet Caroline and Boston? Is it his leaning into adult contemporary stylings? Whatever it is, I ignore it. The man has written some truly great songs and needs a resurgence - if he hasn't had one already. I realize he still tours and does well, but he needs his Johnny Cash moment. Because obviously Mr. Cash was a fan...



Of course, few people, outside of Neil Diamond fans know that he has tried to go the "late in career stripped down" album that Cash had so much success with. 12 Songs, produced by Rick Rubin saw an older, contemplative Neil Diamond. One of my top 10 albums from 2006, here's a taste of what you can expect...



From Lake Street Dive to Neil Diamond. Much like the text that started it all, we've meandered down the road and made little sense, other than there's a lot of great music out there. Until next time...






Cool Shit 12/03

I will never get tired of these videos of Muppets doing hip hop. NEVER!



I'm not sure which I'm more angry at - the people suggesting this footage is evidence of Bigfoot in England, or the website it's on for sorta kinda taking it seriously enough to make it a post...



A history of DIY space travel. Or, I guess more accurately, the history of people attempting DIY space travel.

Stephen Hawking warns us about artificial intelligence. But seriously, won't we just be able to pull the plug whenever we want?

Of course, it's now a race to see what is going to kill us off - AI or climate change.

Enjoy the latest Star Wars trailer? Here's a look at when you might see the next one.

How feminine beauty changed throughout the last 100 years. I'm going to be honest, I think 1910 was the best decade.




Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Cool Shit 12/02

Awesome interview with Chris Rock that spans a lot of topics and goes a lot of places.

The top two "Albums of the Year" from Rolling Stone's list pretty much exemplify exactly where that publication is coming from.

You may think you understand how people think and react in certain situations, but these psychology experiments suggest otherwise.

One chart: every vessel that has carried humans into space.

Speaking of space, maybe I've been out of the loop for awhile, but I wasn't aware of how close (relatively speaking) we were to attempting to colonize Mars. Well, I guess I should amend that: I didn't know how close one company has been suggesting how close we were to colonizing Mars. And here's an astronaut pretty much taking down their plan and explaining why it will never work. I'm guessing this is all an elaborate ruse anyway and just really good viral marketing for something.

What an unbelievably awesome picture:


Cool story about how advertising, engineering and paper airplanes all came together once in 1966.

Monday, December 1, 2014

Cool Shit 12/1

Are you ready to laugh? Check out these standup specials that you can watch on Netflix. Then go down to the comments to get recommendations about all the standup specials this list missed and watch those!

While I'm sure these live performances on Youtube are great, somehow they missed these two, possibly the greatest ever, for so many different reasons:

Bill Withers - Use Me Up



I mean, everytime I watch this, I attempt to pick the coolest guy in the band, and end up with a different answer.

And then there's Cat Power singing Willie:



Not only is the song completely broken down from the original, the reason this one is spectacular is because it's so rare you get a good live Cat Power performance.

It's not that I don't believe people aren't entitled to their opinion, it's that when it comes up in weird places and don't really make sense. Also, the story behind the Prestige really takes a left turn into crazyville (if you've seen it you know what I'm talking about) and so it's not like the author doesn't have to answer his own questions.

Brooklyn has a lot of music coming out of its borough - here's a list of bands you might want to check out before they get big and people hate them.

Who says the internet is making us dumber? Not these websites. Take advantage of them to get smarter.

I'd live to give a shout out to this tumblr: Conversations with Death. Not because I know the person behind it, because I believe it to be hilarious.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Cool Shit 11/26

Watching the clock? Counting the minutes until you get out for your Thanksgiving break? Let The Popcorn Trick's Cool Shit take you home...

Another one of those pictorials designed to show you just how vast space really is. Much bigger than we can even comprehend, since this scale only works within the confines of our universe, which if we are to believe is just one of an infinite amount.

Monday night Odell Beckham of the New York Giants had what may be the greatest catch in the history of the NFL. I know that sounds like hyperbole, but it's not...



Here's a look at some other amazing catches receivers have made, but they don't hold up to what Odell Beckham did.

Trailer for the new Jurassic World movie...



Quick thoughts about it: They definitely reached back to the original and pulled some themes and plot structure which is ok...but I see this movie going one of two ways. It can either harken back to the 70s disaster pictures and show dinosaurs just getting crazy with crowds of people which would be awesome, or it's a mission to rescue two kids from one mean dinosaur which would be boring repetitive and a missed opportunity. Watching the trailer it seems both those narratives are in play.
Regardless I'm obviously going to see it of course.

Most likely what the syllabus would be for a Hunter S. Thompson writing course.

Based on this article about tennis and betting, I would say, if you can get action on the Challenger tour, bet against favorited Russians.

I'm a sucker for a good mountain climbing story, and this one involves a missing climber, Noah's Ark and Turkey (the country)!

If you're into apocalyptic novels, here's a decent list of books to get you going, thought I did not enjoy Cronin's The Passage at all. It really skips around and his pedigree seemingly gives him the freedom to try something that fails in my opinion (specifically spending 200 pages on developing a main character and then tossing him aside and jumping 200 years or so into the future to start telling the story he wanted to tell).

In my head, I believe I can outrun a fire; while that may be a naive and uneducated thought, I do think having the belief that I can will help me that much more should I ever be in a situation where I have to outrun a fire.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Cool Shit 11/25

Nick Offerman. The Decemberists. A fake German public access show. Enjoy:



This may be the greatest Christmas gift you could ever give to someone. Someone like myself. After all, you should always protect your neck.

Cats spend every waking moment of their lives figuring out how they can steal your baby's breath; dogs travel 430+ miles with rescue adventure teams through the difficult jungle terrain. Point, dogs.

Space heist movie in the Star Wars universe? Involving bounty hunters? Yeah, I'd be into that.

Weirdest theories about the JFK assassination? Nope. You've heard most of these. Most.

Drone footage over Chernobyl...



A breakdown of Pearl Jam's album Vitalogy, honestly one of my favorites of theirs. Though I always thought Spin the Black Circle was an ode to heroin.


Monday, November 24, 2014

Cool Shit 11/24

I don't know...I guess some of these inventions are cool, but the best?

Darth Vader could have been completely different. (This article goes to show that a good movie is the sum of many different people's visions; and bad movies usually are created because one person has complete control and will listen to no criticism. Trying to figure out the analogy in the Star Wars universe...)

Proof of the afterlife coming at you through metaphysics. And it has to be true because it has the scientific word "physics" in it.

So this thing apparently lives in the ocean. Have fun swimming ever again.



Traveling through space is not feasible for us because of the enormity of it, and the fact that we don't have a feasible engine that can make us go fast enough to make the travel worth it. But that doesn't mean we're not working on the concept of an engine that will allow us to someday make it all feasible.

Homesteading out in the desert. Part of me is befuddled by this lifestyle; part of me is intrigued.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Cool Shit 11/21

Pitch Perfect 2 anyone?



More pics from the crazy snow in Buffalo.

The most recent rumor is that The Stand, Stephen King's epic novel that is coming to the big screen, will be turned into 4 movies. Not sure if it can sustain that much, but whatever.

Some quick grammar rules that will help you keep up with proper writing. Because there's really no excuse for bad grammar.

Awesome time lapse of the Earth from space:



Interview with Stephen Merchant.

If the term "zipline roller coaster" doesn't get you excited, then you're most likely dead inside.




Thursday, November 20, 2014

Cool Shit 11/20

Buffalo snow storm. This is insane. Remember: weather will always win. Have we learned nothing from the Avengers movie (the Fiennes/Thurman/Connery one)?

Get your Thanksgiving table ready - enjoy these 50 regional recipes from the 50 states of the US.

Football not your bag on Thanksgiving? Why not try a run of food-related documentaries with your turkey?

Paper airplanes...I love paper airplanes!



Yesterday we had to read about the stupid American Luther remake; today we at least get the good news that he'll be back in a miniseries for the British version.

Would you have liked The Shawshank Redemption had it ended like this?

A great primer for the movies you should see from 2014.

Horror stories about Uber. Two things I want to bring up before/after you read this. 1. I assume that while all of these incidents are reprehensible, traditional cabbies/companies have their share of horror stories that don't get the same reporting because they are not national companies; and 2. the person who put together this article seemingly  continues using the service, despite the stories she has collected about it.


Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Cool Shit 11/19

In today's news of the stupid, the British television show is getting an American remake. Here's an idea: just watch the British version. And FOX: why not just air the original series?

11 places you can't fly a plane over.

More stuff about the second season of True Detective. I think there's one thing we can all agree on - there's going to be a tremendous amount of backlash against this show when it comes out.

Things about Lorne Michaels you might not know. Though there isn't much here that really reveals the guy.

No movie should be considered "easy" to make, but these ten had a particularly hard time making it to the screen.

Michael Caine, as usual is awesome. Just for his real estate tip alone!

Thanksgiving is coming, and if you're like me you want to know what alcohol to pair with your food, because you're an alcoholic. Well this handy chart definitely helps.


Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Cool Shit 11/18

I mean, it's a pretty big boast to say a band is the best you've never heard of, but it is on the internet so I'll give it the credence it deserves.

I take no shame in the fact that I've repeatedly slept in my car. I only wish I had had this handy tutorial to point out some helpful tips.

Ok, so I know there's a body farm in Tennessee, now I find out there's one in Texas. Just how many body farms do we need? (also - be warned; some of the imagery is what you'd expect from doing a report at a body farm.)

Neil Peart (drummer of Rush), breaks down his drum kit. Spoiler alert: it's large.



I want to go to a monkey park! And not that silly excuse for a park at Six Flags Great Adventure that my dad wouldn't drive through because he had a soft top on his car. A real monkey park!

Monday, November 17, 2014

Cool Shit 11/15

A new version of Band Aid's "Do They Know it's Christmas Time?" With proceeds going to fight Ebola? With updated lyrics almost as absurd as the original? Yes please.



It's easy to simply rank special forces all willy nilly and say who is the best, but was there any sort of criteria or fight to the death to make these rankings legitimate?

Glen A. Larson probably had more to do with my upbringing than my parents. Rest in peace you magnificent bastard.

Ugh, it seems all my childhood idols are dying! Et Tu, R.A. Montgomery, creator of the Choose Your Own Adventure series?

Take a tour of antique roller coasters across America!

A story of hijackings, dirty bombs and Mexico.


Friday, November 14, 2014

Cool Shit 11/14

New York has some skyscraper projects on the docket - here's what the city could look like in 2018.

Note to self: never get into a prank war with Woody Harrelson or Sean Pean.

Classic outdoor adventures for the free spirit to put on his/her bucket list.

Huh. Well I guess the one good thing that can come out of a report stating our nuclear weapons program is in bad shape is that at least someone had the foresight to order a report like that to be done.

Have some cash lying around? A message you're dying to get out to the masses? Why not buy all the advertising of an average NFL game?

Ok, if the idea of buying advertising during an NFL game sounds kinda "whatever" to you, but you still have lots of cash lying around and have thought about moving to Sweden, I found the house for you.

Used to be a girl in my high school with the name Strip Club Cuisine. Also - if that's not the name of a band in the next six months, we're all doing something wrong.



Cool article that goes a little inside the Hollywood machine: 2014: It all goes back to Jack Reacher.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Cool Shit 11/13

Youtube begins its journey into the paid streaming music service world.

That big red spot on Jupiter: What is it? Well, while scientists can't be certain without traveling there, they do have some theories (also, not a storm).

I love Weird Al Yankovic's movie UHF. So this oral history of it is right up my alley.

You had me at "secret libraries of Paris."

I love the Pinball Count song (no idea what else to call it) from Sesame Street. So this too scratched me right where I itched.

It's not everyday you read a story about finding a dead, sex-crazed porpoise in a British city alleyway.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Cool Shit 11/12

Pumped for Black Friday, the one holiday that pretty much represents us all more than any other? Enjoy this site that aggregates all the deals it can find to give it to you in one neat little package.

Silk Road 2.0 seems to have been taken down by the FBI, and the guy who allegedly took up the reins after the downfall of Silk Road 1.0 is not the kind of guy you would expect to run a black market drug marketplace. Can't wait to see Silk Road 3.0 pop up.

Science things that you believe that you really shouldn't believe.

There are two types of people in this world...people who like Peter Gabriel era Genesis, and stupid people.



So it appears that science fiction is the next genre television is going to attempt after the success of fantasy. The Foundation series is being adapted for television.

Himalayan bus ride. I would do this in a heartbeat. Once.



Donald Sutherland is the man.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Cool Shit 11/11

David Bowie has a new song out...



This is a pretty deep dive into William Gibson, how he writes his books, and his new novel, The Peripheral.

I love Michael Mann's The Insider. And I think it's message is prescient now more than ever.

Maps that show where the popular fast food chains are in the United States.

Finally! We now have an architect's advice on how to make a good pillow fort.

If you enjoy watching the encroaching clouds of a storm wash over the landscape, this video was made for you.



I know we've been giving a lot of love to Serial here (the last episode, 7, was the shining ray in the grayness of the story up to that point), so if reading is more your thing, enjoy these three real life mysteries.

Monday, November 10, 2014

Cool Shit 11/10

Understanding the nuances of violence in prison. Prison sounds like so much fun!

Stories of extreme survival. Maybe after reading this one you won't complain about that extra long commute this morning?

I'm going to assume when you woke up today you didn't think you'd be watching a movie trailer with Hitler riding a dinosaur...



If you want to be a better "googler" take a look at these helpful tips.

The top 10 archaeological discoveries...and none of them were found by Indiana Jones.

Why was there no Led Zeppelin V? Jimmy Page kind of explains.

The Ol' Dirty Bastard you think you know is not the man you thought he was.

Friday, November 7, 2014

Cool Shit 11/7

Oh good, it seems you'll need a degree in astrophysics in order to fully enjoy Interstellar.

While science fiction is on everyone's minds, here's a list of sci fi movies you should check out (though I'm not sure why the list is labeled as something "guys" should watch).

Before the politics and the pontificating, there was Sports Night.

The cast for Quentin Tarantino's Hateful Eight is out.

This is deliciously weird...a send up of television show credits and yet that doesn't even come close to describing what you're about to watch. Adult Swim is the best network on television right now:



For the Phish fans out there. A look at what it took to put together their Halloween show.

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Cool Shit 11/6

Stephen King's top 10 favorite books.

So by now you're either a fan of the podcast Serial, or you're so sick of hearing about it that you are actively ignoring it (I don't blame you if you are, spite is a powerful drug and I succumb to it a lot; it's still a great podcast worth listening to). However, as we keep going with episodes, and wind down the curvy road of this murder, it's getting pretty obvious that the end will not satisfy the common listener like an episode of Law & Order will. Is this going to hurt the popularity of the podcast?

I haven't seen Birdman yet, but I would like to...it's shot to appear as though it's one take (though obviously it isn't one take) - and apparently, this is how they did that.

The 20 greatest opening scenes of movies. Not sure I understand why they excluded Raiders of the Lost Ark (something about it not being part of the story; but then why would Reservoir Dogs be included) but it's cool to see how an opening scene establishes the rest of a movie.

Huh. Good to hear that time travel is apparently possible.

When I first read the headline about the Discovery Channel's plans to show a man being eaten by an
anaconda, I thought they had procured some footage from someplace and were just going to air it, as basically a wildlife snuff film...something I really wasn't interested in. But then the headline kept popping up, so I dove into the article and got something much more glorious...a wildlife expert has some sort of snake-proof suit that will allow him to be eaten by an anaconda and presumably, survive the experience (though I assume he will kill the snake to get out? Details are scarce.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Cool Shit 11/5

New Wu-Tang album dropping soon means new Wu-Tang songs being released! Enjoy:







There has to be a better way to save ourselves (and everything else on Earth) than simply only living on one half of the planet, no?

With the elections being over, we are finally rid of the silly campaign ads. But here's a look back at some of the more unusual ones this campaign season. Of course none of them come close to the greatest campaign ad of all time:



Speaking of the elections, this article about how the Republicans "won" the night last night is basically everything wrong with the current state of American politics. It's a shame that we have lost the idea that a government should work together, instead of treating everything as a competition. It seems no one has figured out that even though they might hold a majority somewhere, without working together, we just fall into the same cycle of trying to break the other party's grip on something. I assume we are going to continue to be at a stalemate for the next two years. So hooray Republicans and Democrats! Thanks for continually shitting on us so you could just do it all over again next election cycle!

Space is big.

Listening to the Serial podcast? (If not, you should be!) I am, and though there are obviously a lot of resources out there on the internet to supplement your experience, I'm remaining pure and just sticking to the broadcast. But if you want to wade into some of the more out there theories about the case, it's worth skimming the surface (just for the Sarah Koenig conspiracy theory alone).


Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Cool Shit 11/4

Every so often an article about a numbers station will pop up, and in Pavlovian response I will link to it. I think I'm intrigued by the facts that A. it's so incredibly low tech in our high tech society, and B. we still are not 100% sure what they're broadcasting, and they've been broadcasting for a long time. A long time that people the people responsible still have to be maintaining some level of interest, which adds a level of relevance to their significance after all these years.

I like to think that people that needed numbers stations to communicate have turned to the internet, using old message board posts and whatnot to leave coded messages that the normal person would have no idea about.

Continuing on with the sad state of affairs that is Olive Garden.

Speaking of chains, it seems like Red Lobster is going to attempt to clean up its reputation too.

Need to know who makes the best pizza in your state? Check out this completely accurate list on the internet!

The people behind pop music from the last 50 years are probably not the people you think they are.

In defense of milk chocolate, against that awful, commie stinkin' dark chocolate.

To get through this article, you have to be able to comprehend that time is both an actual thing that is affected by the forces around us all (specifically gravity) and also simply a concept that we may have made up. Once you get past that paradox, it really is quite simple to comprehend that two different clocks held at different heights record time differently.


Monday, November 3, 2014

Cool Shit 11/3

Hot air balloons...



Most of these are obviously staged, though the Detroit one is legitimately creepy. Not sure I would classify it as a threat, but still...

Time to find out how they're going to skirt around Paul Walker's death in the new Furious movie!



I can't think of a better way to waste your day than by playing old arcade video games on the internet!

Go to Ikea, hack your floor plan with these nifty ideas.

Sexy PhD costume on Amazon gets reviewed by female PhDs.

The 20 best beers in the world? Not sure I agree (especially with Stanford computer scientists), but there are definitely some good ones on this list.v




Friday, October 31, 2014

Cool Shit 10/30

The question that has been on everyone's minds for so long: is it possible to ride the entire New York subway system in one day?

The sriracha factory tour!

Oh good! A cyberattack that will cause casualties and damage to a major city is knocking on our door! (Or maybe it isn't!)

The history of the Ouija Board.

Bear Fight!



The Apple Pay vs. CurrentC war is a lot like the one between BlueRay and well whatever it was up against.

Obviously it's too late for this year, but if you have a big enough space that's just sitting there and some ambition, why not put together a haunted house?

Halloween mysteries!

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Cool Shit 10/30

A new drink from Starbucks, but you have to be in the know to get it since it's not on the menu. I give you the Franken Frappucino.

Coming on the heels of recommending the podcast Serial (new episode out today!), here's a look at a few more interesting podcasts. 

The Olympics in Washington D.C.? Sounds completely doable and not insane at all.

I never knew the United States was such a haven for fantastical creatures. Enjoy this folklore from around the country.


The Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy is inconsistent across all three movies in my opinion, with the third one, Batman and the Catgirl (I think that's what it was called) being the spottiest of all. And now it seems there was a time when we wouldn't have had to deal with Catgirl or the Big Hulk guy at all, if some other things had fallen a little differently.

Cancer is in your home!

Ultimate frisbee fan? United States Open Championship Johnny Bravo vs. Ironside. Enjoy!




Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Cool Shit 10/29

If you aren't listening to the podcast Serial, I recommend you do so right now. To help get you started, read this interview.

Living on a deserted island for 60 days. 

The new television season is almost a month old, so I guess it's time to speculate about which shows will be renewed, and which shows will be cancelled.

I love salsa, but was unaware just how many different varieties there were. And I'm not talking about simply changing the peppers in your tomato-based sauce; I'm talking about completely different types of salsa.

Blogging the Halloween terror events in the Los Angeles area.This episode: Alone.

Eating roadkill: a perspective. (One mild complaint - the author is a vegetarian, which doesn't really leave a lot of space to compare the raccoon meat with other meat.)




Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Cool Shit 10/28

Your sexual desires - how you WANT to have sex - probably says a lot more about you than you thought.

So now that you know that, pair it with some of these Victorian sex tips and you'll be getting kinky in no time flat.

Halloween means a look at horror movies. Here's a great list about the best independent horror movies.

Like classic cars but don't have a classic car budget? Check out eBay for some sweet deals.

Deathbed confession of an Area 51 scientist suggests there are aliens at Area 51. So it's gotta be true, right? I mean who would lie on their death bed?

And then you couple that confession with these new Mars' photos of ancient hieroglyphics makes me a true believer.

New Ok Go video...




Monday, October 27, 2014

Cool Shit 10/27

Just because they're toys, doesn't mean they can't be offensive.

I'm not offended because someone is trying to sexualize Ebola for Halloween; I'm offended because the costume is hardly sexy at all.

It's always interesting to see how different a culture can be to your own. And this list of 50 facts about Japan does a pretty good job of doing that.

A handy guide to help you attempt to live longer.

Summoning the demon...Elon Musk style.

Wormholes are so in vogue right now...thanks Christopher Nolan!

A guide that can show you why you need to get enough sleep.


Thursday, October 23, 2014

Cool Shit 10/23

Sometimes, creating elaborate posts on the Internet can lead to success...while this show is far from making it on the air, The Second American Civil War, which started as a post on Quora, looks like it's going to be considered.

Interview with Christopher Nolan about his new movie Interstellar.

The trailer that will be everywhere (so why not here?): Avengers 2:



Clarifying the undergarments worn by Mormons.

In case you were really wondering about drinking your urine and whether it was a good idea or not, the internet can help you.


Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Cool Shit 10/22

The reason GI Joe had such a high success rate saving the world is apparently Cobra didn't have the brightest bulbs working for them.

Pretty cool that the Vatican is digitzing its ancient manuscripts and then putting them out on the Internet for people to explore them.

A comprehensive look at where members of bands stand on stage while performing.

If you're a fan of The Last Waltz, and more importantly The Band, you'll enjoy this ranking of every song during that concert.

I don't know...this John Wick movie looks fairly straightforward and uninteresting, but then you read a review like this and you start to wonder...could Hollywood have allowed someone to stretch outside the norm and create something that is awesome?



If you're interested, here's the Bill Murray interview from the Howard Stern show.

Quite possibly the best thing you will get from the internet this week...I don't know the story behind Sammy Davis Jr. adding lyrics to the Hawaii 5-0 theme song, but I'm not complaining. (via @ReelQuinn)



Of course, while great, that's not near the greatest "television theme song with made up lyrics" on the internet...




Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Cool Shit 10/21

This might be my favorite story of all time: Chili's fires shirtless cook after finding him attempting him to create a "Sexy Cooks of Chili's" calendar or something.

Hey guys - want to look sexier to women? Practice these dance moves...



More suggestion of a second, secret government that we can basically do nothing about.

More clowns at night. Spreading across the country. I'm still behind the viral marketing of some stupid movie or television show as being the culprit.

The story of how television networks are beginning to look at unbundling from the cable companies, and what that will do to the market. 

The sad, lonely world of 0-view youtube videos.


Monday, October 20, 2014

Cool Shit 10/20

Deadly destinations where you can challenge yourself, or simply watch others.

Sure, for $50 you're not going to get some awesome computer, but there are some cool pieces of technology you CAN get.

We have the Seven Wonders of the world down here. And apparently the moon has seven wonders of its own. Not sure who came up with them though, as I've been told throughout my life that the moon has no habitable climates!

Many of these cool landscapes have been seen before, but it's nice to get a nice reminder of how cool the Earth can be.

Pulp Fiction is 20 this year, so a lot of stories have come out about it recently. This list of 20 "secrets" was actually pretty informative. 

Here's one of those terror, "extreme" haunted houses. I really have no idea why anyone would sign up for something like this, especially after watching some of things that happen...



Cool Look into the dynamics of character development between Hannibal Lechter and Clarice Starling in Silence of the Lambs. There's a lot going on that you're probably not aware of while you're watching.




Friday, October 17, 2014

Cool Shit 10/17

Places that look cool to climb, but are impossible to do so, for one reason or another.

Toys that you probably don't want your kid playing with...I'm particularly fond of the CSI crime kit with asbestos...because it came from a simpler time when we had no idea about the dangers of asbestos, back in 2007. 

Live in or traveling to the southern hemisphere? Then you'll have a decent chance to see a comet buzz Mars!

Some of these "details" about Nolan's Interstellar seem a little forced to get the total up to 15 (I'm looking at you flask of Earl Grey tea), but others are helping to flesh out what this thing is going to be about. Can't wait to see the alien laser battles!

Oh sure, everyone loves seeing the list of best colleges, but what about a list of the worst colleges?

Dan Harmon is still out there, still creating and still taking risks (reading about the documentary almost feels frightening).

Smuggling Trader Joe's into Canada. And then selling it. For a profit. Canadian piracy at it's finest!