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Kirsten Dunst’s von Trier-related discomfort becomes internet art
May 25th
Lars von Trier‘s “Nazi” scandal gets even dumber.
Moronic Hitler comments get the Danish director banned from Cannes – and now everyone looks bad. Despite this, Kirsten Dunst, who fell off the radar a bit after the Spider-Man movies, now seems poised for a comeback; critics are praising her performance in Lars von Trier’s Melancholia, for which she just won Best Actress at Cannes.
Perhaps you’ve heard some other news recently related to Lars von Trier, Melancholia, and Cannes, but what? Oh, yes, right, von Trier said he was a Nazi.
For Rich Juzwiak (blogger at fourfour and senior editor at VH1.com), Dunst’s response to those remarks constituted an even better performance than she gave in the movie. To commemorate same, Juzwiak assembled this wall of animated GIFs, which finds Dunst’s body language screaming discomfort and a weird kind of grace. It’s pretty mesmerizing.
A still image is above, but be sure to check out the link for the full animated effect.
Bohumil Hrabal’s “I Served the King of England”
May 25th
What is funny and forlorn, where is the comic pathos, in the following sentence? ‘A fortune-teller once read my cards and said that if it wasn’t for a tiny black cloud hanging over me I could do great things and not only for my country but for all mankind.’
Instantly, a person opens before us like a quick wound: probably a man (that slight vibration of a swagger), grandiose in aspiration but glued to a petty destiny, eccentric and possibly mad, a talker, rowdy with anecdote. There is a comedy, and a sadness, in the prospect of an ambition so large (‘for all mankind’) that it must always be frustrated, and comedy, too, in the rather easy and even proud way that this character accepts his frustration: is he not a little pleased with the ‘tiny black cloud’ that impedes his destiny? – at least it is the mark of something. So this character may be grandiose in his ambition, but also in his fatalism.
Such are the goods packed in a typical comic sentence by the great Czech novelist Bohumil Hrabal, who died in 1997. The character relieving himself of this little confession is a garrulous cobbler, who admits to being ‘an admirer of the European Renaissance’, and is the narrator of Dancing Lessons for the Advanced in Age.
And there is Ditie, the picaresque hero of I Served the King of England, a waiter in a Prague hotel, who once served the Emperor of Ethiopia, and worked with a head waiter who once served the King of England. Ditie is usually wrong about everything – he marries a German athlete just as the Nazis are invading Czechoslovakia – but sometimes he says something wise or prescient, and whenever he is complimented for this, he replies, ‘modestly’: ‘I served the Emperor of Ethiopia.’
Hrabal wrote in an expressive, highly visual style. He affected the use of long sentences; in fact his work, Dancing Lessons for the Advanced in Age (Taneční hodiny pro starší a pokročilé) (1964) consists of a single sentence! Political quandaries and their concomitant moral ambiguities are a recurrent theme. Many of Hrabal’s characters are portrayed as “wise fools” – simpletons with occasional inadvertently profound thoughts – who are also given to coarse humour, lewdness, and a determination to survive and enjoy oneself despite harsh circumstances.
Much of the impact of Hrabal’s writing derives from his juxtaposition of the beauty and cruelty found in everyday life.
The 2006 Czech film, I Served the King of England, directed by Jiří Menzel and based on the novel by Bohumil Hrabal. This film is Menzel’s sixth adaptation of the works of Hrabal for film. The film was released in the UK and in the US in 2008.
A must-see. Here’s the trailer and the review on rottentomatoes.com.
Flight of the Bumblebee
May 25th
“Flight of the Bumblebee” is an orchestral interlude written by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov for his opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan, composed in 1899–1900. The piece closes Act III, Tableau 1, during which the magic Swan-Bird changes Prince Gvidon Saltanovich (the Tsar’s son) into an insect so that he can fly away to visit his father (who does not know that he is alive). Although in the opera the Swan-Bird sings during the first part of the “Flight”, her vocal line is melodically uninvolved and easily omitted; this feature, combined with the fact that the number decisively closes the scene, made easy extraction as an orchestral concert piece possible.
Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov was a Russian composer, and a member of the group of composers known as The Five. He was a master of orchestration. His best-known orchestral compositions—Capriccio Espagnol, the Russian Easter Festival Overture, and the symphonic suite Scheherazade—are considered staples of the classical music repertoire, along with suites and excerpts from some of his 15 operas. Scheherazade is an example of his frequent use of fairy tale and folk subjects.
Rimsky-Korsakov believed in developing a nationalistic style of classical music. This style employed Russian folk song and lore along with exotic harmonic, melodic and rhythmic elements in a practice known as musical orientalism, and eschewed traditional Western compositional methods. However, Rimsky-Korsakov appreciated Western musical techniques after he became a professor of musical composition, harmony and orchestration at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory in 1871. He undertook a rigorous three-year program of self-education and became a master of Western methods, incorporating them alongside the influences of Mikhail Glinka and fellow members of The Five. His techniques of composition and orchestration were further enriched by his exposure to the works of Richard Wagner. More >
10 Great Horror Films You’ve Probably Never Seen
Feb 24th
Being a fan of horror, I thought it is high-time I showed some love for the genre on this site. Horror films are great because they appeal to our most base natures, but also because they are allowed to be as loopy and imaginative as they want… well, at lest they used to be. These days, imagination has been replaced by lots of gore and cheap ‘jump-out-of-your-seat’ shocks. Horror films no longer follow you home and haunt your dreams in the stillness of the night. So, here are ten great horror films that you’ve probably haven’t seen. They will provide you with a much needed antidote to the remake-hell that we are stuck in today. More importantly, each one of these films is very imaginative and will provide you with the nightmares you’ve been “lacking”.
10. I, Madman
This twisted gem from the eighties owes a lot to Freddy Krueger, but is also original and creepy in its own way. Jenny Wright (Near Dark) stars as a mousy book worm who discovers a very strange novel in the back of the used book store where she works. The dimestore paperback is called “I, Madman” and tells the story of a lunatic scientist who falls in love with a beautiful woman. The woman tells him she can’t stand the sight of his face, so he begins to slice it off piece by piece and replace it with the skin of his many victims. As Wright continues to read, events from the novel begin to happen in her real life and she starts seeing a strange man, dressed all in black and carrying a scalpel, everywhere she goes. The movie is creepy, but also great campy fun. It knows how silly it is and flaunts it. It also has much more fun with the premise of books coming to life than the much later, bigger budgeted In the Mouth of Madness from John Carpenter. The finale of the film is as wicked as it is hilarious and makes great use of classic stop-motion animation. From Hungarian director Tibor Takács.
9. Sauna
This Finnish horror film moves at a deliberately slow pace, but is unsettling as all hell. It takes place in the 1400′s and tells the story of two Finnish brothers who have just finished fighting a twenty-five year war with Russia. With the war over, they are tasked with meeting up with some Russian allies and mapping out the new border between the two countries. However, before they begin this task, the brothers commit an atrocious crime that I cannot reveal here. Once they begin mapping out the border, they come upon a remote village that has a sauna right in the middle of the woods. The villagers tell them that the sauna can wash away their sins ‘without the presence of god’. Naturally, the two brothers step inside and begin to be haunted by ghosts and demonic images that may or may not be in their own heads. More >
Understanding Evil
Feb 24th
I’ve found an interesting article the other day and thought that I should share, because as always, ‘sharing is caring’ people. 
Dr. Evil
It is a much mentioned, but little understood concept. Any individual in the world is likely to have strong conceptions of “evil,” but very few could define it, or ascribe a cause to it. Dictionary.com defines “evil” as “morally bad or wrong,” and also “causing ruin, injury or pain.” While the word “immoral” is more commonly used to connote the first definition (“morally bad or wrong”), colloquially, the word “evil” is most often used to convey the sense of the second definition (“causing ruin, injury or pain”). Realizing that the phrase “evil” is subjective and has many implications, in this essay I will use the word “evil” to convey the sense of the second definition.
From time immemorial, some humans have been perceived to have the tendency to cause harm to others for no apparent or rational reason. These humans, we assume, like to take pleasure in the pain of others. Thus, what appears to be an alien sensibility to us, one which is characterized by an inexplicable perniciousness, is termed as evil. Why “evil” humans are different from the rest of us is not understood by most people. Evil, they assume, is just an inborn quality. And because it is inherent to the individuals who possess it, people believe that the only way to stop them is to their exterminate them, or at the very least incarcerate them, so that they remain away from a society that they could destroy if given free rein. More >
Awesome discovery of the week: Glass melts when it gets too cold
Feb 23rd
Anyone who’s seen enough old Sesame Street episodes or been to enough Renaissance Fairs knows that when glass gets hot enough, it turns to liquid. Applied heat pumps energy into the solid pieces of glass, getting their molecules jiggling. As the heat dissipates, the glass becomes cool and solidifies again.p
Glass melts when it gets too cold
Most of the time, not many interesting things happen once a substance gets below the temperature required for solidification. Its atoms are bound to one another, and without the introduction of some kind of energy, they’ll stay that way. Glass, it turns out, is the exception. Once it gets close to absolute zero, it melts again.
But what could make that happen? The atoms in glass chilled to near-absolute zero have almost no energy, so they can’t be jiggling fast enough to tear apart from each other. And yet, on paper and in computer simulations, glass returned to a liquid form when brought close enough to absolute zero.
The wild card turned out to be quantum mechanics. Once the atoms of glass became still enough, they stopped acting like particles and instead acted like waves. The wave-like atoms now were able to flow, moving through spaces too small for particles to get through. This motion, and this ability to fit through small spaces, causes ultra-cold glass to melt into a liquid. No word yet if this works on the T-1000.
How to Have a Lucid Dream – Wake up in a Dream – Part I
Feb 20th
Lucid dreaming need not be elusive. Some simple techniques can make it possible for almost anyone.
Lucid dreaming
Lucid dreaming can be a very powerful experience for the dreamer. “You can be the absolute master of your dream world,” says MortalMist.com, a website and forum dedicated to lucid dreaming. “The very laws of nature can be bent and broken. No experience is beyond your reach, no feat too difficult or risky. If you can imagine it, you can make it happen.”
Many people report wonderful experiences in the dream worlds they’ve created. For some, though, lucid dreaming remains elusive. But there is good news; becoming skilled at “waking up” in a dream may be easier than it seems. There are several techniques that can be used to enter the world of lucid dreaming.
Lucid dreaming requires three things:
- the ability to recall dreams,
- a technique, known as a reality check, to become aware of dreaming, and
- strategies to remain in the dream.
Tips for Recalling Dreams More >
NASA: Alertă de furtună geo-magnetică
Feb 18th
NASA a emis o alertă de furtună geo-magnetică provocată de o masă uriaşă de particule solare degajate de două explozii recente.
Potrivit datelor de pe satelitul STEREO, plasma ejectată se deplasează cu o viteză de 410 kilometri pe secundă
Una dintre explozii, cea mai mare, s-a produs luni 14 februarie şi a trimis spre Pământ o masă însemnată de particule şi radiaţii. Imensa furtună solară declanşată poate afecta câmpul magnetic al Terrei.
Norul imens de particule încărcate electric se deplasează cu viteză spre planeta noastră, timpul parcurgerii distanţei fiind de aproximativ 24 de ore.
Explozia solară, cea mai puternică înregistrată în ultimii patru ani, a fost catalogată de astronomi ca aparţinând clasei X – cel mai puternic tip de pe scara de măsură. Ea este prima de acest fel din noul ciclu de activitate solară, început în 2011 şi cu un maxim estimat a se produce în 2013.
Profesorul doctor George Iana, şeful secţiei Radiologie şi imagistică medicală în cadrul Spitalului Universitar de Urgenţă Bucureşti, spune că, pentru a vorbi despre consecinţele acestui fenomen trebuie să ştim spectrul electromagnetic al benzii de radiaţii.
Dacă sunt semnalaţi fotoni – ceea ce pot preciza fizicenii, atunci există un potenţial iradiant.
Consecinţele sunt indirecte. More >
Experiment creat de cercetătorii români, transportat pe Staţia Spaţială Internaţională
Feb 18th
Un experiment realizat de cercetătorii români va fi transportat pe Staţia Spaţială Internaţională (ISS) la ultimul zbor al navetei spaţiale Discovery, programat pentru 24 februarie, a declarat directorul general al Agenţiei Spaţiale Române (ROSA), Marius-Ioan Piso, citat de Mediafax.
Experiment creat de cercetătorii români, transportat pe Staţia Spaţială Internaţională
Experimentul românesc a fost realizat de Institutul de Ştiinţe Spaţiale din Bucureşti.
“Creşterea şi Supravieţuirea Fungilor Coloraţi în Spaţiu” (CFA-A) este un experiment ce are ca scop determinarea efectelor pe care le are microgravitaţia şi radiaţiile cosmice asupra creşterii şi supravieţuirii speciilor de fungi, potrivit site-ului rosa.ro.
Potrivit lui Piso, experimentul a fost coordonat de Dumitru Haşegan, de la Institutul de Ştiinţe Spaţiale din Bucureşti (ESA). El a plecat deja la centrul spaţial Kennedy de la Cape Canaveral (Florida, SUA), pentru a pregăti experimentul.
La începutul lui ianuarie, NASA a anunţat că a reuşit să remedieze problema fisurilor din rezervorul extern al navetei Discovery şi că intenţionează să o lanseze spre Staţia Spaţială Internaţională (ISS) pe 24 februarie. John Shannon, responsabilul programului de lansare a navetei Discovery (misiunea NASA STS-133), dădea atunci asigurări că a fost rezolvată problema fisurilor din rezervorul extern al Discovery, More >
Morgellons Disease
Jan 23rd
Morgellons disease is a mysterious skin disorder characterized by disfiguring sores and crawling sensations on and under the skin. Although Morgellons disease isn’t widely recognized as a medical diagnosis, experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating reports of the condition, which they refer to as unexplained dermopathy.
Morgellons Disease
If you suspect that you have Morgellons disease, you may have many questions about the condition. Here’s what you need to know about Morgellons disease, including practical tips for managing your signs and symptoms.
What are the signs and symptoms of Morgellons disease?
People who have Morgellons disease report the following signs and symptoms:
- Skin rashes or sores that can cause intense itching
- Crawling sensations on and under the skin, often compared to insects moving, stinging or biting
- Fibers, threads or black stringy material in and on the skin
- Severe fatigue
- Inability to concentrate and short-term memory loss
- Behavioral changes
- Joint pain
- Vision changes
Morgellons disease shares characteristics with various recognized conditions, including Lyme disease, liver or kidney disease, schizophrenia, drug or alcohol abuse, and a mental illness involving false beliefs about infestation by parasites (delusional parasitosis).
How widespread is Morgellons disease? More >
