Sharing some of the best animations, art, games, various news, and other tidbits that I've read/reviewed over the past month. The title of the post is from a video performed by Borat. Borat is a persona of British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, also well known as Ali G, who is Jewish and made it as a statement to demonstrate both ignorance and obedience somewhat akin to Milgram's experiment. Best wishes for a wonderful year to all.
Animation:
After some restraint, I am only posting a few animations (10 on-site downloads and over 160 off-site links) and audio files. These are in a variety of formats and sizes, and represent both old and new works. I have attempted to sort them in broad categories that may help some in deciding which to download or view first.
Although you can view these on-line, depending on your connection speed, you may prefer to download them instead. Simply choose "File" then "Save Page As/Save As" while viewing or right click on a link and choose "Save Link As/Save Target As." Do enjoy and be sure to visit the creators' sites for more information and animations.
- Title: Cane Toad (off-site download)
- Subject: An Australian cane toad surmises as to the whereabouts of his friend.
- Category: Humor.
- Comment: Very well done. An award winning short animation.
- Encodings/Sizes: DivX (720 x 576; 31.7 MB) and QuickTime (400 x 200; 25.7 MB).
- Title: Borat's throw the Jew down the well (on-site download)
- Subject: Sacha Baron Cohen plays Borat, his reporter personality who is the scourge of Kazakhstan. In the video, Borat starts off a bit slow and hesitant but soon leads a redneck crowd into a rousing and foot-stomping rendition of "In my country there is problem."
- Category: Humor.
- Comment: A small music video that makes a deeper statement than humor. May not be everyone's cup of tea, especially those with thin skins, the jovially challenged, children, senators, religious leaders and/or other easily damaged psyches, those seeking to enhance or establish political careers and/or possessed by delusions of grandeur.
- Encodings/Sizes: Windows Media Video (320 x 240; 2.8 MB).
- Title: Ali G's porn interview (on-site download)
- Subject: Ali G (Sacha Baron Cohen) has a bit of fun at the Canne Porn Festival.
- Category: Humor.
- Comment: A bonus video for those who enjoy Mr. Cohen's personalities, particularly that of Ali G. Nudity and adult themes.
- Encodings/Sizes: Windows Media Video (320 x 240; 11.2 MB).
- Title: Amazing life (on-site download)
- Subject: The life review of a woman and her subsequent "total recall".
- Category: Humor.
- Comment: Nicely done short animation. If only we could do that in real life.
- Encodings/Sizes: Flash (3.4 MB).
- Title: Everyone else has had more sex than me (on-site download)
- Subject: A lonely rabbit reflects on his sex life.
- Category: Humor.
- Comment: Ain't that the truth. But, as Richard Pryor said "Only the first and last counts… the rest is just filler." A very good animation. It may seem simple but look at the details in and around the eyes and mouth.
- Encodings/Sizes: Flash (1.8 MB).
- Title: Donghua #1 (on-site download)
- Subject: A non-verbal Chinese Flash series about a love sick loser who, despite his many attempts, just can't get the girl he desires. The series currently has six episodes with empty slots for at least two more. The link in the animation is incorrect. To see the entire series and other goodies like wallpaper click here.
- Category: Humor.
- Comment: Excellent animation.
- Encodings/Sizes: Flash (3.4 MB).
- Title: Mr. Coo (on-site download)
- Subject: The ever morphing and versatile Mr. Coo amazes with his bag of tricks.
- Category: Humor.
- Comment: A short fun animation that sure to delight audiences of all ages.
- Encodings/Sizes: Flash (2.5 MB).
- Title: Top Gum (off-site download)
- Subject: A dragon finds himself in a bit of a sticky situation. An older animation that shows well made art lasts forever.
- Category: Humor.
- Comment: Well done award winning animation.
- Encodings/Sizes: DivX (480 x 260; 14.6 MB).
- Title: The Bath (off-site download)
- Subject: Giving a dog a bath usually takes a bit of persuasion, deception or force. Success should be measured by who is the wetter at the end of the process.
- Category: Humor.
- Comment: A nice little animation.
- Encodings/Sizes: DivX (560 x 368; 14.4 MB).
- Title: Reve de Canne (Dream of Canne) (on-site download)
- Subject: A non-verbal animation accompanied by a lovely French song. The animation is about a lonely middle-age man on a business trip. He meets a young girl whom he mistakes for a woman and falls in love for an instant. Much better than my feeble explanation.
- Category: French.
- Comment: A little entertaining animation. Nice sound track.
- Encodings/Sizes: Flash (13.3 MB).
- Title: Spanish set (off-site download)
- Subject: Nine animations from professional animator Freddy Cordoba.
- Category: Spanish.
- Comment: The animations are either in Spanish or are non-verbal and, unfortunately, the link to his main demo reel is broken.
- Encodings/Sizes: Motion Picture Graphics (MPG) in various sizes. The second and third animations are 10.5 MB and 11.5 MB respectively.
- Title: "Ah Pook Is Here," "Hound of Flesh," and "The Hell's Kitchen." (off-site download)
- Subject: The link features several animations including three that I recommend. The first is "Ah Pook Is Here" from which I culled a favorite quote "When I become death, death is the seed from which I grow…" The second is "Hound of Flesh" a non-verbal animation with a mean streak. The third is "The Hell's Kitchen" another non-verbal animation (well, except for screams) that brings home the point of being careful where you step.
- Category: A bit odd.
- Comment: A trio of very entertaining animations. Ah Pook Is Here is still enthralling audiences almost 12 years after its release. However, the link above will give you an abbreviated version of the original film. For the full text, and a complete (60 MB), DivX version click here.
- Encodings/Sizes: Ah Pook is Here (QuickTime 480 x 270; 15.2 MB), Hound of Flesh (QuickTime 480 x 270; 15.1 MB), The Hell's Kitchen (QuickTime 338 x 270; 5.6 MB).
- Title: "Basin Street Blues" and "Fender Bender" (off-site download)
- Subject: The link above features a lot of music animations by Ninja Tune, Ntone and Big Dada. I recommend, as a starting point, Kid Koala's cover of Louis Armstrong's "Basin Street Blues and his cover of (I think Albert Collins's but my knowledge of Jazz/Blues is limited) "Fender Bender".
- Category: A bit odd.
- Comment: A pair of very entertaining animations. Although the action in Basin Street Blues may seem more interesting watch how well the animation becomes an expression of the music in Fender Bender.
- Encodings/Sizes: Basin Street Blues (QuickTime 384 x 288; 11.0 MB), Fender Bender (QuickTime 192 x 144; 3.8 MB).
- Title: Suicid (off-site download)
- Subject: A non-verbal animation about the unintended consequences of a suicide. The director is French-Asian, hence the spelling of the title.
- Category: A bit odd.
- Comment: Dark humor. A simple but captivative award winning animation. Apparently, this may become a series with four additional episodes.
- Encodings/Sizes: Flash (1.1 MB).
- Title: Candy Venery (off-site download)
- Subject: This link contains 56 complete and very good animations. Among others, which I have listed in this post, I recommend Candy Venery which is essentially a non-verbal animation about covetousness and ultimately venery (the art, act, or practice of hunting).
- Category: A bit odd.
- Comment: This well made Russian animation was a finalist at several Flash Festivals in 2005. The ending reminds me of a scene in "The Last Emperor." As a bonus here is a link to the creator's older works.
- Encodings/Sizes: Flash (1.8 MB).
- Title: Eat Dog Cat Mouse (off-site download)
- Subject: "Eat Dog Cat Mouse is Kwok Fung Lam's first short animated film. Commissioned by Channel 4 for this year's MESH scheme, the three-minute film is a twisted story in the style of a folk tale about revenge and relentless eating."
- Category: A bit odd.
- Comment: A folk style animation that is entertaining and a stand-out on the animation circuit.
- Encodings/Sizes: QuickTime (320 x 180; 10.3 MB).
- Title: All is one (off-site download)
- Title: End of the world (on-site download)
- Title: Alice (on-site download)
- Title: Alien Song (off-site download)
- Subject: This set is the last from the "A bit odd" category. For the sake of some brevity I've placed these four into one group. "All is one" is a very small message about global cooperation, "End of the world" makes light of a some serious issues (look for the obscene gesture made by the ozone layer), "Alice" is an ultra condensed interactive version of Alice in Wonderland, and "Alien Song" has an powerful ending.
- Category: A bit odd.
- Comment: A quartet of interesting animations.
- Encodings/Sizes: All is one (Flash; 1.5 MB), End of the world (Flash; 3.6 MB), Alice (Flash; 0.9 MB), Alien Song (QuickTime 320 x 240; 5.2 MB).
- Title: Vuccumpra (Street Vendors) (off-site download)
- Subject: A little something for everyone. The most original selection in town is out on the streets.
- Category: Other.
- Comment: A nice little entertaining animation. Good sound track.
- Encodings/Sizes: Flash (1.6 MB).
- Title: The 2nd Annual TGSNT Shortlist (off-site download)
- Subject: The link above features 20 top notch animations that's sure to contain several you'll really enjoy.
- Category: Other.
- Comment: Start with the competition's four winners and then have a look at the others especially Gaigin (#06), Nulbur (#10), and Plantage (#11).
- Encodings/Sizes: Flash (various sizes).
- Title: An Extraordinary Moment (off-site download)
- Subject: An Extraordinary Moment traces our human story from the big bang to our present day. It reminds us all that we are part of a very long, rich history and that each one of us contributes a unique gift to that history.
- Category: Other.
- Comment: Entertaining and educational; every animation buff should keep at least a few somber animations, and this is a one of those.
- Encodings/Sizes: Flash (6.3 MB).
- Title: A Curious bit of Scrap (off-site download)
- Subject: The introduction says it best.
- Category: Other.
- Comment: I downloaded the largest version of part one in August 2005. Although the clouds were not to my liking, the quality of the animation was instantly evident. Real top notch stuff. I've been patiently waiting for part two because the creator, Chris Neuhahn, will certainly up the ante with even more stunning detail.
- Encodings/Sizes: MPEG (35 MB), DivX (29 MB), WMV (64 MB and 105 MB).
- Title: 3 Guys (on-site download)
- Subject: An animation exercise (the sequence is complete but the details are still a work in progress) in staging and gesturing. Quite Good.
- Category: Other.
- Comment: I converted this from a 13.9 MB DivX to a 8.7 MB WMV without losing any noticeable quality. Acquired from Mike Mellor's site. Mr. Mellor is a professional animator.
- Encodings/Sizes: WMV (8.7 MB).
Art:
The Academy of Arts, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Showcases creative works by artists-graduates, lecturers and students of I. E. Repin Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (Saint-Petersburg). The Academy (formerly The Russian Imperial Academy of Arts) was founded in the middle of the 18th century and is guided by the traditions inherited from famous European artists of the 16th through 17th centuries and from eminent Russian artists of the 18th through 20th centuries.
The Art of Jean-Claude Claeys
A professional's site in France that explains art and illustration techniques.
Political Art censorship in England
A group of local artists in Oxford, England, were invited to paint a series of murals on a wall owned by a local estate agent. They decided to illustrate a poem about third world debt written by a local poet named Nyarai Humba. To their surprise they discovered that it was painted over by censors the day after it had been finished.
Computer/Internet News:
Predictions for 2006
6 irreverent predictions for 2006.
A trio of interesting articles from ARStechnica.
Intel launches marketing makeover
Intel, the world's biggest chipmaker, will launch a new corporate slogan next week as part of a major rebranding. The "Intel Inside" phrase is out, and the company will now encourage consumers to "Leap Ahead". The phrase reminds me of China's "Great Leap Forward" in the 1950s that was really a giant step backwards. Let's see if Intel leaps ahead or continues to slowly lose ground to AMD.
Galileo satellite phones home
British space engineers have received signals from the pioneer spacecraft for Europe's satellite-navigation system. While public signals from GPS are already widely used by the likes of sailors, mountaineers and motorists, the US military reserves the right to limit its use or switch it off for security reasons.
Scriptaculous
Scriptaculous provides you with easy-to-use, compatible and cool JavaScript libraries to make your web sites and web applications fly, Web 2.0 style.
Microsoft sues MAPS partners, systems builders
The lawsuit is based on the illegal use and conveyance of Microsoft's Action Pack. The Action Pack is a bundled suite of Microsoft's entire software portfolio (not including Mac, Development, and Game software) for an annual subscription cost of US$300. The subscription permits you to use all of the software for internal company use only. You may not sell or sublet it. I fully agree with Microsoft actions (and that's not often) and hope they crucify the defendants.
"Analog hole" legislation introduced
The bill requires all consumer electronics video devices manufactured more than 12 months after the DTCSA is passed to be able to detect and obey a "rights signaling system" that would be used to limit how content is viewed and used. That rights signaling system would consist of two DRM technologies, Video Encoded Invisible Light (VEIL) and Content Generation Management System — Analog (CGMS-A), which would be embedded in broadcasts and other analog video content.
Under the legislation, all devices sold in the US would fall under the auspices of the DTCSA: it would be illegal to "manufacture, import, offer to the public, provide or otherwise traffic" in such products. It's a dream-come-true for Hollywood, and in combination with a new broadcast flag legislation (not yet introduced) would strike a near-fatal blow to the long-established right of Fair Use.
Games:
RSVP
Simple and fun game that challenges your power of observation. Hint: When you think you're stuck - you may not be - consider re-arranging your board.
Gaming News:
Six 3D action games that are expected to be released by March 2006.
General News:
My Lai massacre hero dies at 62
Hugh Thompson Jr., a former US military helicopter pilot who helped stop one of the most infamous massacres of the Vietnam War has died, aged 62.
- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has had several surgeries since suffering a massive stroke. The one man with the balls and the will to lessen the Israeli-Palestinian conflict may never recover more than basic motor functions. I cannot image a more inopportune time (prior to the March elections) for Mr. Sharon to literally be at death's door. The peace process seems doomed to further delays and irresolution.
Last 'Gang of Four' member dies
"The last remaining member of the so-called Gang of Four that led China's Cultural Revolution has died, the government said on Friday". For those who have never heard of or don't understand the disaster that was the Chinese "Cultural Revolution" I recommend seeing Farewell My Concubine to gain a small but entertaining understanding of the insanity and power of propaganda.
Death prompts manhole cover theft outcry
For years, people in Colombia's capital stood by as thieves stole thousands of manhole covers, swerving their cars around the gaping holes and even joking about the missing cast-iron saucers. But Bogota's apathy changed on Christmas Day, when six-year-old Jordan Paez fell into a manhole whose cover had been stolen near where he was playing. He slammed his head on the iron rim as he fell and drowned in the sewage… In a more desperate move, the city has welded some of the 200,000-plus tops shut. But workers need to crawl in and out of manholes frequently, making it too costly to have welders running around town to open and reseal covers.
Bush Does What Bin Laden Couldn't
The link above is a comment to a column in the Miami Herald. It in turn spawned many comments. The specific topic is not the reason why I include it in my post. The reason I include it, is that, whether you think George W. Bush is the second coming of Jesus Christ or the Anti-Christ, one thing is certain. He has polarized the USA more than any other US President and given rise to tremendous discourse in politics among ordinary citizens. This discourse is one of the best things that has happened in the Bush Administration to date. Part of the rise in discourse is the phenomenon of Blogs but it is the "cult of personality" that is George W. Bush which fuels the fire. President Clinton invoked great hatred and affection from parts of America, Bush does it on a level that should make Texas (where everything is bigger) proud.
NSA eavesdropping wider than W.House admitted
"The volume of information gathered from telephone and Internet communications by the National Security Agency without court-approved warrants was much larger than the White House has acknowledged, The New York Times reported on Saturday…"
"…Many calls going from one foreign country to another are routed through U.S. switches and a communications expert who once worked at the NSA said in recent years government officials have been encouraging the telecommunications industry to bring more international traffic through U.S.-based switches…"
- Australia's wealthiest man, Kerry Packer, has died at the age of 68. I mention him in this post because in 1977 Mr. Packer made the most significant non-player contribution in the history of cricket. He thumbed his nose as the "fuddy duddies" in the Australian and England cricket boards and revolutionized the game with his world series of one day and test matches, night games using a white ball, brightly colored clothes, and a cast of all-star cricketers who earned substantially more money. He also changed the way the game was televised; providing complete game coverage and the use of multiple cameras (something we take for granted now). At the time, I was a young boy and Mr. Packer made an indelible impression on me by garnering over 50 of the world's best crickets including Vivian Richards, Andy Roberts, Imran Khan, and Majid Khan.
Scholar: There is no clash of civilizations
A short interesting article that touches on faith, compassion, and past and evolving religious and political trends.
Agents' visit chills UMass Dartmouth senior
A senior at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth was visited by federal agents two months ago, after he requested a copy of Mao Tse-Tung's tome on Communism called "The Little Red Book." The book, a collection of quotations and speech excerpts, was intended as source material for a research paper on fascism and totalitarianism. What makes this newsworthy is not that the US Government monitors library books (this has been known for decades) but that this particular book would evoke such a response. With agencies like the Department of Homeland Security wasting time and tax payers monies on minutiae (the book contains 55 year old ideology; nothing more) it's no wonder Al-Queda succeeded, and will likely succeed again.
Twisting Vonnegut's views on terrorism
A short article by Kurt Vonnegut's son in defense of his dad.
Latvia cements gay marriage ban
MPs in the Baltic state of Latvia have passed a constitutional amendment ensuring that gay couples cannot marry. I couldn't agree more. It's not like Latvia requires homosexuals to wear special insignia's or is arresting/intimidating them. It is a political decision and politicians are elected officials. If a majority of Latvians strongly disapprove I'm sure a change will come.
I'm forever tired of countries (whether Muslim or western) that believe they have a right to impose their dysfunctional ideologies on the rest of the world. If the US and Western Europe want to accommodate and encourage homosexuality then that's their business but let the rest of the world exercise their sovereignty (sovereignty - there's a word that increasingly gets sidelined for political, militaristic, and social expediency). Hell, I'm not even remotely religious and it strikes me that homosexuality in general is alien and contrary to life. Even heterosexual anal intercourse is deviant behavior, whether you want to acknowledge it or not.
Except for a minute subset - hermaphrodites, chimeras, etc. - homosexuals choose the lifestyle of their own volition. And, that is clearly an aberration worsened when it is flaunted as a value worth aspiring towards. The issue of gay rights and privileges are something that I could accept without comment but the constant blatant barrage of their lifestyle on all public mediums is more than a slap-in-the-face to any heterosexual.
Those who want and embrace homosexuality can have it and the rights and the privileges that are traditionally part of the heterosexual existence. But, keep your filth behind closed doors, keep your perversion off public visual mediums, and shut the fuck up already.
Canada-US war of words escalates
Canada's Prime Minister, Paul Martin, has warned the US that he will "not be dictated to", saying Canadians expected him to stand up for their country.
My comment is not so much about this article - who cares what some errand boy has to say about Canadian Politicians in their own country. Instead, my criticism is of the BBC. I love the BBC's (web/radio/TV) international news coverage which completely contrasts that of the US Media's myopic inbred eyes. But, I've noticed for some time now that the BBC is sliding towards sensationalist journalism rather than simply telling the news as impartially as possible. In the article they introduce the US Ambassador's comment and let it sizzle between opening and ending comments about the Canadian Prime Minister's loss of a no-confidence vote. One would assume from reading the article that the PM made his climate comments only to whip up Nationalist fervor out of political desperation. There may be an element of truth in that but it is also true that the US and Canada generally differ on environmental issues, and that Mr. Martin is very likely to be re-capture his Prime Ministership (climate comments or not) owing to the fragmentation of Canadian Politics.
Ethiopia threatened with aid cuts
Western donors are considering withholding millions of dollars of aid to Ethiopia, after a recent crackdown on the opposition and the press. Forget a "review". Freeze all the aid. Yes, people will be greatly affected but they are being greatly affected despite the aid anyway. The only palpable means of coercion (for a common good) is by money or war, and the latter is not an option unless you have a Bush type mentality.
Questions For Those Still Approving of Bush
A blog post that asks the question "…[Do] Bush backers understand reality and knowledgeably support him or …has [the President] just been phenomenally successful at superimposing his face over the American flag. Note: The linked blog is adamantly Democratic and anti-George W. Bush, but some of the questions (meant to be answered by normal folks) are fair and stated simply.
Cuba offers to play baseball for Katrina victims
Cuba said on Thursday it would donate its revenues from a world baseball tournament to Hurricane Katrina victims if the Bush administration reverses a controversial decision to bar Cuba's participation. The United States denied Major League Baseball a license that would allow Cuba to play in the inaugural World Baseball Classic in March on the grounds Cuba would reap the 1 percent of tournament revenues due each participant and 5 percent if it won. The decision also brought protests from the U.S. Olympic Committee, Major League Baseball, numerous politicians and others. Puerto Rico's baseball federation announced on Thursday it would not host games if the Cubans were not allowed to participate.
The World Baseball Classic is an 18-day, 16-team World Cup-style tournament scheduled to begin on March 3 that will bring together some of the world's best baseball players on teams representing their home countries.
"Should the US not reverse its action, and I would tell Mr. Castro not to hold his breath, I'm not sure what the State Department (or other government entity) hope to accomplish or prove other that making the US looks petulant and mean. These actions simply elicit empathy from many countries and bring Cubans (even those who are tired of the one-party system and economic conditions) together against a common bully." — Killer.
Update (20 January 2006): Holy Crap! Pigs must have learned to fly and Hell must have frozen over because the US has allowed Cuba to play there.
Health:
How malaria dupes immune system
Scientists have discovered the genetic secret behind the ability of the malaria parasite to evade attack by the human immune system.
Science/Technology:
Gel battery boost for radio tags
Japanese company NEC has developed a lightweight, flexible battery that is less than a millimeter thick and can be recharged in half a minute.
Disrupting HIV infection using zinc fingers
Sangamo BioSciences announced that they had demonstrated that cells could be made resistant to HIV infection by modifying them with zinc finger DNA-binding protein nucleases (ZFNs) which disrupt the gene encoding the CCR5 receptor. The CCR5 receptor is one of a family of chemokine receptors that are involved in regulating the function of leukocytes. CCR5 is important in HIV as a target for the virus to enter cells.
CCR5 has long been of interest to HIV researchers because many people that are resistant to HIV infection have a mutation in their CCR5 gene - the delta32 mutation. This mutation results in a smaller protein that isn't on the outside of the cell, and most forms of HIV cannot infect the cells. By blocking the expression of the CCR5 gene, researchers at Sangamo were unable to infect the cells with HIV. When CCR5 expression was artificially restored, infection took place as expected.
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