What would you need to create a raft to escape from Alcatraz? Find out tonight (March 29) on SECRETS OF THE DEAD, “The Alcatraz Escape” starting at 9/8c on PBS.
29th March 2016
Reblogged From pbstv
Notes: 20
Photo of the Day: Frozen in Thought
Long exposure shows movement in the Golden Temple, a central place of worship for Sikhs around the world, as well as the stillness of those deep in thought.
Photo by Nick DeBarmore (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA); Harmandir Sahib (“Golden Temple”), Amritsar, Punjab, India
Late last night (really this early this morning) I finished Bob Mankoff’s memoir as the cartoon editor of The New Yorker How About Never, Is Never Good For You?. I found this book at a bargain price at my local Barnes and Noble for ten dollars, and the title along with the cartoons that caught my eye while skimming through the pages had me sold. And I am glad it did.
Having never possessing a great interest in cartooning, magazine art, or even The New Yorker in general, I am greatly surprised at how quickly a curiosity for all three has developed. I devoured this book in a little under a week, and would read it again at twice the length.
Mr. Minkoff employes his quick wit to tell his story as life as a cartoonist through rapid-fire jokes, witty observations and - of course - cartoons. From his earliest cartoons to a medley of selections from current cartoonists, even avid readers of The New Yorker will find some new amusement.
I found this book to be both inspiring and thought-provoking and wrapped with a fresh amount of humor - ideal nightstand material before going to sleep, although the size is a bit large for comfortable reading. This book really shines light on the creative process, and when the creative process is for a product that demands about ten witty observations on life a week, the idea of the absurdity of the mundane seems to show up. I already find myself thinking of a cartoon to go with something I overhear out of context or a weird pun that pops into my head. In all honesty, it made today a little more entertaining.
If this book is still on bargain, I definitely recommend grabbing a copy if you are interested in catching the cartooning bug, having a unique view into part of the magazine publishing world via one of the world’s most respected magazine or looking for a nice belated Christmas present for the jokester in your life.
At the very least, it is one hell of an advertisement for The New Yorker; I picked up the latest copy today.
Another Mighty Mike Stromashup - this one will get you jumpin!
On Black Friday, I got a Toshiba Chromebook and - using a small script named Croot - I have dual-booted Kubuntu (a flavor of the popular GNU/Linux distribution Ubuntu) on it and am ready to hit up any WiFi zone for research and writing. For anyone looking to do something similar, it takes under an hour (most of it is waiting for the computer to do its thing) and an easy-to-follow tutorial can be found here.
With a new year about to start, I hope to write more about what I am doing, big or small, and possibly to include the pictures I take that just rest on my hard drive on my desk.
As it is Christmas eve, I thought I would get something written just for the hell of it… thinking about doing a blog for book reviews, but will see if I end up actually doing that.
As a quick recommendation for movies to watch this Christmas (don’t give in to the temptation to watch The Interview - not worth it) the movie Joyeux Noel, about the Christmas Truce in 1914 is an excellent movie to watch for this time, especially with that taking place exactly 100 years ago.
Happy Christmas, and happy blogging - here’s to many more.
Jeeves
The host of CNN’s Parts Unknown (starting again on Sunday) wants to make a great show—and challenge some cultural assumptions.
The point is to resist the predictable, especially when it comes to TV’s ingrained conventions. “The only thing that makes me upset and, really, a dick is if something is fucking plodding and reasonable,” he says, spitting out that last word with palpable revulsion. “It starts with an establishing shot, I go someplace, I meet somebody, I sit down, I eat, and I come to a conclusion: That kind of conventional thinking really upsets me. I would much rather see some incomprehensible, over-the-top, fucked-up thing, because at least you’re trying to do something awesome.”
Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck
Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck
Fuck fuck fuck fuck this.
(Source: technoprayer)