A/V Club love for the Coens

I love The Onion. They get sarcastic much better than anyone in America should. Their writings show an amazing amount of relation to true-to-life experiences (right now I have Grad Student Deconstructs Takeout Menu on my office door...and what could be more fitting for a culture studies guy?) or an ability to do tasteless without being too cheap (witness the brilliance of Anna Nicole Smith Finally Reaches Target Weight, put out shortly after her death).

For my money, though, their non-fiction offshoot The Onion A.V. Club is often better. Today, for instance, they had proof of their brilliance with this wonderful Primer to The Coen Brothers. I must find some way to see their new film immediately...I am now jonesing.

karate movies in real life

Ever wondered if life in a secret Asian monastery comes close to any of those weird martial arts films? Well, wonder no more! Enjoy these photos from an actual Chinese Shaolin temple.

designing Mario

Here's a cool interview with veteran Nintendo game developer Yoshiaki Koizumi on the perils of designing three dimensional video games. I find it all very fascinating...but then again, my last video game system was an Atari 2600, so I'm very out of date.

this is adult?

Nerve, of all people, has an article on the Land's End catalog. Their take is 100% Nerve. A quote: " The Lands' End fall catalog is porn for the heartsick man." Sure it is...

Sorry for the infrequent updates. I'm back, baby!

another reason Hitler was evil

Here's a nice article about Adolph Hitler's uncontrollable farting. The teaser line that will make anyone want to read this: "Hitler wanted to control the world. But he couldn't even control his flatulence."

I fear plants

India apparently has trees that eat animals. Life is officially a horror film.

the Christians strike again

In Springfield MO, a church is having a Christian Halloween celebration. The quote of the article? "“Eternal Nightmare” will feature walk-through scenes that depict “the horrors of drugs, alcohol, abortion, self-mutilation” and more, said the Rev. Jim Cookson, pastor of the church."

Readers of my theology in video games post should be wondering if anyone will be playing Halo.

the strangest championship bout you'll see today

Did you know there's a Cardboard Tube Fighting Championship? Would it surprise you to find out that it's in San Francisco? Oh, you wacky left coasters...

brains...

My friend mp will love this one: daily dose of imagery has photos of the 2007 Toronto Zombie Walk. I love the zombie mom pushing her kids in a stroller, but why aren't the kids also zombies?.

Soviet space dreams

Baikonur was the Soviet Union's version of Cape Kennedy...only theirs was shrouded in secrecy and did not officially exist. How's it doing nowadays? Check out PhysOrg's story on Baikonur to find out.

the domino theory goes global

The Chinese Communist Party is considering opening up an outer space branch. Are they going to try to actively overthrow the governments of Alpha Centari 6 or Betelguise?

new consumer product for nutsos

Could this idea be any worse?

theology in video games

Some churches are using Halo 3 in church youth groups. Killing for Christ! This has never happened before...

craving

Scientists discover that food cravings might be the result of bacteria living in your digestive tract, and I find this to be wonderful news. I have struggled with weight and eating for a while, and I get extremely annoyed at stick people who talk about me and my type as if we're just weak individuals.

Quote of the article? "the study was delayed because it took a year for the researchers to find 11 men who don't eat chocolate."

Onion headline of the day

The Onion never fails to make me giggle and feel good, and this headline is no exception: New Heart Device Allows Cheney to Experience Love...now if only it were true.

one in the spirit of my spousal unit's favorite time of the year

Let me present Zombie Pumpkins, which has, amongst its other joys, pumpkin carving patterns in the shape of your favorite rock star.

interviews

The Guardian has an archive of Great Interviews of the 20th Century.

voyeurism as fine art

A cool New York Times piece about a Japanese photographer who photographed people having sex in local parks and the peeping toms who watched them. While this might sound very much like a Jerry Springer headline, it's actually a very nice article...look at the slideshow.

be afraid...be very afraid

Apparently, sending germs into space makes them deadlier. This type of research has to eventually lead to zombies.

Armageddon? not quite...

A meteor crashed in Peru and Bruce Willis was nowhere to be found. Why, Bruce, why?

Bourdain is supreme!

You need proof of Tony Bourdain being a supreme being? Read his article entitled Anthony Bourdain's Overrated Menu. Quote of the article: "When the water sommelier comes over, I reach for my gun."

tanking it

Go check out End of the Line, an amazing photographic essay of a supertanker graveyard in Bangladesh.

fast talkers

How about this for hypnotic? MP3's of the (I'm not kidding) World Livestock Auctioneer Champions! I'm not sure if this is funny or zen-like...

leaving on a jet...train?

Those wacky Soviets apparently tried to put jet engines on trains.

best art ever

Who says sci-fi can't be historical? Check out Klingons Crossing the Delaware.