Cool Shit 1/30

The Kanye West/Paul McCartney collaboration now has a video, obviously directed by Spike Jonze.

Enjoy these "fun" possible future scenarios of our society!

Some Friday morning Giger is probably the best way to snap you back into the cold harsh reality of this existence you call life.

Sundance film shot on iphones!

I want to see the Back to the Future sequel that has Marty McFly kill himself - the Mary McFly that was created in the alternate timeline. I mean, I guess that was the basic premise of the movie The One with Jet Li, but I feel Michael J. Fox looking to kill his double to keep the new timeline as pure and paradox-free as possible would make for a far more interesting movie. Also, I think I could write another 30,000 words on this topic.

I imagine body hacking is going to get a lot more popular in the near future, resulting in lord knows how many deaths, because I think it's fair to say, that collectively as a species, humans are stupid.

The scary part of this list of the top 10 most played songs on Pandora isn't that it's comprised of bands that cool people think suck (seriously no one's opinion holds much weight over another's); it's that data like this is being collected and will most likely influence what makes it to the airwaves for us to listen to.

For your next party, put some of these candles out, and imply to your guests that you might be a serial killer.

Cool Shit 1/29

Conversation with my head last night:

Me: "The USS Indianapolis story is going to be made into a movie!"
Head: "Yay!"
Me: "Yeah it's going to center around an 11 year old boy's school project."
Head: "Ya - wait, what?"

Here's a fun little game if you're bored...guess how many explosions there were in the first Transformers movie, and then watch them all to see if you were right!



True Detective world is merging with the Hannibal world!

Another list of television shows you should probably be watching.

While this article about mass produced food contamination is disturbing, it shouldn't necessarily be too surprising, especially if you've read Fast Food Nation, Food Omnivore and watched Food, Inc. Will changes ever be made? I'm not holding my breath.

Eight smaller science fiction movies from 2014 you might want to check out. If you're into science fiction.

It feels more and more like spies in the modern age is just a game countries play with one another. It's at such a level now that I can't be bothered with it. As in, we just possibly uncovered a Soviet spy ring in Manhattan. And this might be the only thing you read about it.

A list of the top 50 opening lines in literature and this one isn't included?

"It was the afternoon of my eighty-first birthday, and I was in bed with my catamite when Ali announced that the archbishop had come to see me."

Cool Shit 1/28

The next reality show should be a group of people searching the world over for the scariest amusement park rides. Of course, starting with these five, I don't know how there'd be a sixth show.

I'm not sure I understand this Chris Pratt as Indiana Jones thing. How will they make that work with Shia LeBouf?

And here's the all-lady cast for the Ghostbusters movie being made. Not sure I understand where that one is coming from either - whether it's a reboot, a remake, or a re-something else?

The musings of infinity and it's undefinable concept.

If you woke up today, wondering what happened to the key players involved in the OJ Simpson murder trial, have I got a link for you! (The case opened 20 years ago, so there IS some relevance.)

Did you like the movie Wet Hot American Summer? So much that you wish it were a series?



Here is what it is like to live the life of a human cannonball.

Cool Shit 1/27

Crazy documentary about finding the perfect height in the Ukraine. Hijinks ensue!



After taking a look at this list of preposterous items, I'm having an easier time figuring out how Skymall declared for bankruptcy.

For any other show, I'd be getting nervous with news like this coming out about it. Not about the
actual casting, but what the casting means. But I've got faith with Hannibal because it hasn't let me down so far. Still, it does seem they're biting off a lot with how much they're seemingly cramming in (though as I've said in the past, the canonical timeline from the books and movies has already been thrown out the window, so this mashup might truly work).

This story about the potential story lines of the possible upcoming X-Files misses what I think they should do with it...craft a great story around 12 episodes ala True Detective, how the FBI (or whatever form of government you want) comes to the two to come back as special consultants on a case that has something to do with their past. At least that's what I would do.

George Lucas is simply the creator of Star Wars. He was also involved in some really weird projects.

Of course, the one thing he wasn't involved with, this theory about why Obi Wan Kenobi lied to Luke so much (thereby giving the six movies a little more validity) he probably should have been. Or at least had hos own idea so some dude on the internet didn't have to recon his movies to make even a little bit of sense.

Rowlf from the Muppets does Biz Markie:



My new favorite drone video:

Cool Shit 1/26

I do enjoy the quietness a snowstorm brings. And now I know it isn't me just imagining things.

Not a deleted sketch, but one that actually aired that was deliciously weird from SNL the other night. The Wishing Boot:



ABC is starting to get its next television season together, by ordering a bunch of new shows.

So maybe you just watched Black Flag and you're all about wanting to become a hacker. Where do you start?

More Sundance stuff. This time, 10 trailers from movies up there.

Retreat into that good night, sweet Skymall, and fare thee well.

What would it look like if the moon were other planets?

What could possibly better than a panda bear fight? A baby panda bear fight!

Cool Shit 1/23

Ricky Jay, probably the last great con man out there.

Leatherman bracelet that is totally functional and awesome.

Japanese theme park about battling, human-devouring giants? Sounds about right.

I can definitely get behind this theory about Padme being killed by the emperor and not dying of a
broken heart, because, you know, even in galaxies far far away people die of broken hearts.

Trailer for the upcoming season of Hannibal - probably the best show on network television. Heading to Italy it seems, which I'm not sure how I feel about. Looks like they'll be treading into some of the content from the Hannibal novel...no idea about the plans for Dolarhyde - if this is going to happen or not. They've been playing fast and loose with the Hannibal timeline (the novels) so we can't assume anything at this point. Really hope Jack Crawford isn't dead though. Loved Lawrence Fishburne.

Oh good, we're three minutes to midnight on the Doomsday Clock (though the climate change reasoning is a little dubious in my eyes; not that it doesn't exist - I'm all in on that, I just don't think it should hold the same sway as Nuclear destruction, which could literally happen within 30 seconds of me posting this).

Rockford Files. Predictor of the future. The scary, data-collecting future.

That also gave me the reason to post this:



Traveling through some of the more morbid tourist attractions.

COOL SHIT 1/22

Some food trend predictions for 2015. I have no idea how you would even measure these, but hey if it sells magazines...

The scary world of e-readers and what the data companies are collecting about our reading habits tell publishers. Basically, that we're all stupid when it comes to reading.

So that's why I felt like having sex with that monster!

Dear George Lucas. I am sure it stings when someone who pays you four billion dollars for your ideas to make the next Star Wars. HOWEVER, given your track record, and those four billion dollars, I'm not really sure I can drum up that much sympathy for you.
universe decides not to use

Sundance is coming up. Here are ten movies that are generating some pre-festival buzz.

Some FOX network programming news, including picking up Luther - the remake, which might just be impossible to pull off.

Now you can invest in the hunt for Bigfoot with the guy who tried to pull off a stuffed gorilla costume as Sasquatch. Seems like an investment no better or worse than half the NYSE offerings.

I don't necessarily believe the story here is that we're increasing the Turing Test to more accurately whether machines can think, I think it's that machines are already gaming people by being young foreign boys. We're not going to be destroyed by AI...we're going to be arrested in pedophilia stings.

Sleep. Why is it I hate to go to bed sometimes but absolutely hate getting up?

Cool Shit 1/21

Hey! There was a State of the Union last night. Read the transcript here. 

I guess the moral of this story is not to buy foreign honey? Also, anyone know how I can get into honey laundering?

If you watch World War Z with no knowledge of (or possibly ignoring) the source material, it's a decent tense zombie movie. I still think the book could have been made into a movie, but others, with more money than I, disagreed. And now we're here at the crossroads of a sequel. I have no hope that it will be the book, in fact I almost hope it won't be...but it seems as though it's going to start with a "clean slate," whatever that means.

More stuff for fans of Serial: a new television show based on Vanity Fair crime writing, Vanity Fair Confidential. Hope you have the Investigation Discovery Channel!

I know this skiing video is long, but it's worth it just for him going through the tunnel and than launching himself off the ski lift platform.



Another cut Saturday Night Live sketch. I like to think it was cut for the last 30 seconds, and not the first 3 and a half minutes, because that's where all the comedy was, right groove cats?



Heartbroken Bjork? I want to listen because it's Bjork, but then I'm a little nervous since that's a concept that is extremely frightening.

Tremors is a great movie. It's still great. And here are some facts about it, with news that there will be yet another sequel, starring the precocious Michael Gross.

Are these photos proof that aliens exist and are visiting our planet? Define "proof" for me and I'll get back to you.

Cool Shit 1/20

Searchable, previously classified United States information on UFOs from over the years. If you're into that sort of thing. No wonder FOX wants to get X-Files back onto the air.

Just in case you had a human-sized microwave, a neighbor you didn't like and questionable morals, here's what would happen if you took said neighbor and put him/her in that said microwave.

If any of my rich readers want to get me a little gift, they can start with this. In return I will host a macabre dinner party with it.

Two things about this video of a truck sliding on the icy road:

1. There seems to be absolutely no reaction from within the car from where the video was being taken, even with almost certain death barreling down on them.

2. There seems to be little suggestion of stopping to see whether anyone was hurt or if they could do anything. Now I realize it's possible they did (they were on the shoulder) or maybe they thought getting out increased risk of them and others getting hurt which I understand. I just hope that as soon as the video was over, at the very least they used the phone to dial 911.



Even most experts can't tell the differences between wines.

For whatever reason, I feel like I need to know how to escape a moving car on the highway. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to teach my eight year old how to drive a car so I can practice.

A video timeline of all the X-Men ever. If you're into that sorta thing:

Cool Shit 1/19

Enjoy Neil Young? What about bands that enjoy Neil Young? Then enjoy these bands covering Neil Young.

Some people have an insane amount of time to invest in some crazy theories. Also, how can I get my crazy insane theories out there to a broader audience?

What a cool idea - setting up a virtual museum for all the stolen/lost art no one can actually see anymore.

It's hard to keep up with the new television shows, now that it seems new series can drop at any point during the year (and not just in that once-traditional end-of-September period of yesteryear). Here's a look at some of the stuff that is coming up, or recently began airing.

And here's a great list of some television mystery shows - and where you can find them - so you can binge watch at your leisure.

Excited for this new HBO documentary series created by the directors of Capturing the Friedmans call The Jinx. Apparently it's about Robert Durst, a man accused of three murders over the years. But I think there may be a bit more to the story. Let the influence of Serial commence!



Would an Apache helicopter be able to take down a dragon in a aerial dog fight? It would if the video was sponsored by the United States government! (Ok, so I'm not 100% certain the Smithsonian channel is sponsored by the US Government, but c'mon - either this is a not-so-subtle recruitment video for the US Airforce, or phase 1 of a plan to reveal to the public that dragons exist, but that the armed forces have a plan to handle the situation. Both scenarios are frightening).



The X-Files...coming back to FOX? I'm on board!

While I won't care about any of this if it happens to me, you know, since I'll be dead, it's kind of weird to read about the potential of it all happening to corpses right now.

Sometimes crashing your camera-equipped drone has its benefits...especially if you happen to crash it around a coral reef in Australia.

Cool Shit 1/16

"I went to an illegal pig-killing party." If you know me at all, you know I can't pass up a headline like that.

So the Oscar nominations were announced yesterday... over the years I have come to the realization list of 27 movies/performances that weren't nominated, but maybe had some merit.
that the Oscars really don't capture the best of the Hollywood process, so while I'll watch the broadcast, I won't put much stock into the choices. The system is broken, with the campaigning freezing out movies that should be nominated. Never mind the fact that there are stories that voters don't even watch the movies they have to decide on. Here's a

Listen fuck faces, what you do or don't do with your cups of weak-watered Swiss Miss hot chocolate on a daily basis is not my concern, but I WILL NOT be accused of not at least providing you with ways to make your hot chocolate the drink of kings.

The Daily Dot takes a look at the weird bias the Intercept has with Serial, and looks at what is being called "adversarial journalism" - something I'm sure we'll hear more about with the increased prevalence of the internet in our lives.

Oh, hey thanks Steven Soderbergh, for taking time out of your busy schedule and recutting that mediocre movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Mild spoiler for Hannibal, the best television show on television. Not sure how I feel about this news, but I am all in so whatever.

Let's not be too hard on these QVC hosts not really knowing what the moon is. Isn't it torture enough to be working at QVC?



Be part of the decision-making process as to what new show Amazon will order to series.

If you're an Avengers fan, and can't wait for the movie, this annotated trailer will help satiate your hunger:

Cool Shit 1/15

Inside a coffee laboratory. Well, this might be the only one. I have no idea. It seems pretty sophisticated.

Kurt Busch believes his ex-wife is an assassin. I can't post up a story with those words.

2nd part of the interview with the prosecutor from Serial. Seems like the website may have toned down the inflammatory rhetoric they used with the first part.

I have a hard time with this ranking of Thomas Pynchon novels, since it's impossible for anyone to actually complete a Thomas Pynchon novel. Though I guess that's why his shortest novel is number one.

Here's a look at the upcoming television season for Netflix.

It will be fun to look back on this letter in 50 years (if our robot overlords allow us to).

Cool Shit 1/14

Choose Your Own Adventure. On Twitter. Probably the best example of what Twitter can offer us.

Love the Dakar Rally. I feel like, while there's no way I would be able to compete against professional drivers, I would be within the top 2% of drivers racing the Dakar Rally for the first time. Maybe even 1%. Anyway, here are some pictures from this year's race.

I get that Serial was a huge phenomena and a lot of people got caught up in it. I even sorta understand the mild backlash post airing (thought the Intercept's coverage, including Jay's and the prosecutor's interviews was bizarre. I'm guessing it had little more to do with "let's attack something popular to build controversy and therefore more web hits). What I don't understand is the fact that all Serial was was basically an episode of Dateline or Unsolved Mysteries, stretched over ten hours or so. When you get right down to it, there are probably thousands of similar cases, and to think that this one is special enough to deep dive on the investigation. The attacks against Sarah Koenig, reporting the story really don't make any sense. Here's an interview Rabia Chaudry, Adnan's current champion, who had issues with Koenig's reporting, since, apparently it wasn't pro Adnan enough.

What it's like during a prison riot at Guantanamo Bay.

How teens use social media.

Genius: A new site that apparently wants to annotate the web. I'm sure I'm not thinking of all the implications, but it sounds like it has potential.

What it took to make the classic album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

A winter hike through California's Lost Coast.

Cool Shit 1/13

A great "Behind the Music" of Nickelodeon's green slime.

A long lost video of the Beastie Boys rapping with Nas? Sign me up!



When it comes to documentaries of late, Vice has been doing some excellent work. Here's ten of the more bizarre ones they've produced.

If you've seen/read Private Parts, there really isn't too much more to learn about Howard Stern's broadcast career, but this is a good, compact look at what he's done and how he's done it.

How do you think a wrongly convicted man would think about the Serial podcast? Find out here!

I like to have contacts for a range of things that might happen in my life. And now I have a "If I find buried treasure what do I do" guy. And you do too.

Cool Shit 1/12

I doubt I'll be around to enjoy the extension of my life span, so really what do I care if future generations live longer?

If you're into beer, this is an interesting article about how Sam Adams used to be a craft beer, and how current craft beers see it as big business. Honestly, I still think Sam Adams is one of the better beers and has maintained its quality as it has expanded. I wonder if the breweries that are against him will be able to say the same thing if/when they get to its size.

Sent by one of my friends, one of the best drone videos ever. You have to wait until the end though to appreciate it, but it's only 1:29:



With a bunch of people and looking for something to do? Check out this flowchart on how to pick the perfect board game to play.

The Fitz Traverse - a mind boggling challenge of climbing seven peaks in one trek down in Patagonia. Also, unrelated, Patagonia is on my bucket list.



A secret race tunnel in the wilds of Pennsylvania!

Neil DeGrasse Tyson explains how long you'd survive on the surface of each planet in our solar system:



Some unsolved mysteries from World War I.

New trailer for Better Call Saul. Now, I love Bob Odenkirk, but as I watch this trailer I'm getting a little nervous. He worked great as some comic relief in Breaking Bad, but can you create a show around comic relief? Here's to hoping he isn't playing to the balcony all the time, like he seems to be doing in this trailer:

Cool Shit 1/9

What's better than some awesome breakdancing? Awesome breakdancing with fireworks!



Ridiculous footage of NYC taken by drone...



Interview with RZA about all sorts of Wu-Tang related shit.

What's the worst board game ever? What does that even mean?

This is a cool animated infographic of all the missions we've sent to Mars - both failed and succeeded. What I want to see is next the Mars missions sent to Earth.

Trailer for The Voices - starring Ryan Reynolds. What I would deem a "black comedy."



This New Zealand ride looks completely insane and completely awesome. I assume there's some sort of brake mechanism on it for dealing with the turns and whatnot, but I still feel I would lose a tremendous amount of skin scraping against the ground on the way down:



A great look at what it means to be Kobe Bryant.

Cool Shit 1/8

A snowy Grand Canyon is an awesome Grand Canyon...

You realize when you go into a museum you're seeing a small fraction of what it actually holds, right? Museums are trying to change that...

I want to hang out with Captain Risky!



Interview with the prosecutor from the Adnan case from Serial. I'm not sure why the Intercept, the website conducting these interviews is creating a narrative against the podcast and Sara Koenig. It's seems a little strange to attack the medium.

Be careful who you sign up to room with. What happens if it's a prostitute?

 Trailer for The Lazarus Effect...

Cool Shit 1/7

I thought this list of "things you wouldn't believe exist" was mildly interesting, but not earth shattering. Until I got to the dog poop calendar. Then it goes to another level.

New Go! Team album! With a new song released!



What is the Cicada, and what's it doing in the deep web?

Serial made podcasts cool (even though they've been around forever), so take a look at these recommendations.

Amazon has a new slate of pilots for 2015. And honestly, none of them sound that great.

On paper, the idea of Bradley Cooper playing air guitar sounds stupid and something that should be mocked relentlessly. But then you watch it, and dang it if it doesn't work. It doesn't hurt that the solo is from Neil Young's Down By the River, which suggests Cooper is then a big fan...



Nothing to see here, just a Columbian fireworks factory exploding! (Also - if "Columbian fireworks factory" isn't already a sex term, it should be):



A "lost" David O. Russell screwball comedy starring Jessica Biel that hasn't seen the light of day, until possibly now. I see why it was buried...



Coachella 2015 was announced. Need some incentive to go? Here's a playlist of (just about) every band scheduled to perform:

Cool Shit 1/6

Stuff we're going to need to protect ourselves about in the coming year.

If you're afraid of heights, this video of a guy changing a lightbulb atop a 1,500 foot television tower probably is going to make you feel ill at ease.



Is this the best music from 2014? It's certainly a good sample of it.



2015 Predictions. Bold predictions!

I'm fascinated by physical alternate reality games. Not enough to try one, since I believe most of them have been conjured up by pyschopaths looking to kill me/a bunch of people. But fascinated enough to read about them.

A signal from the cosmic depths...

Cool Shit 1/5

Seems like the old west had its share of unsolved mysteries.

Seriously, we have government agencies keeping an eye on Elon Musk, right? I don't want another space shuttle space battle like we had in that Moonraker documentary.

Apparently Neil Blomkamp, the director of District 9, was working on "refreshing" the Alien series. Either on his own or with the blessing of the studio. No one is really sure. But he has some cool concept art to go along with it.

The most dangerous people/entities on/about the internet. Not sure if the list is the most interesting or if its the complete lack of respect for the list in the comments.

More cool weather photos.

Some of the cooler national parks in the United States (and its territories).

The cool slo-mo shots from Hollywood from the past year:



Becoming (and staying) anonymous online is becoming harder and harder. Here's a primer if you'd like to continue down that road.

Of course one of the better reasons to be anonymous is to scope out the dark web. 

Movies and TV shows to get excited about in 2015.