Trailer Roundup: August 26, 2010

Studio Synopsis:

127 Hours is the new film from Danny Boyle, the Academy Award winning director of  Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting and 28 Days Later. 127 Hours is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston’s (James Franco) remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah. Over the next five days Ralston examines his life and survives the elements to finally discover he has the courage and the wherewithal to extricate himself by any means necessary, scale a 65 foot wall and hike over eight miles before he is finally rescued. Throughout his journey, Ralston recalls friends, lovers (Clemence Poesy), family, and the two hikers (Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara) he met before his accident. Will they be the last two people he ever had the chance to meet? A visceral thrilling story that will take an audience on a never before experienced journey and prove what we can do when we choose life.

In theaters 11/05/10

Studio Synopsis:

From Academy Award nominated filmmaker, Charles Ferguson (No End In Sight), comes Inside Job, the first film to expose the shocking truth behind the economic crisis of 2008. The global financial meltdown, at a cost of over $20 trillion, resulted in millions of people losing their homes and jobs. Through extensive research and interviews with major financial insiders, politicians and journalists, Inside Job traces the rise of a rogue industry and unveils the corrosive relationships which have corrupted politics, regulation and academia. Narrated by Academy Award winner Matt Damon, Inside Job was made on location in the United States, Iceland, England, France, Singapore, and China.

In theaters 10/08/10

Updated Bonus: In this new documentary learn about The Extraordinary Ordinary Life Of Jose Gonzalez, the critically acclaimed Swedish singer/songwriter.

Bonus: The trailer for Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics is now online. It will be released only on DVD November 9, 2010.

Bonus: Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, co-creators of The Office, are sending close-minded simpleton Karl Pilkington around the world in their new show An Idiot Abroad. Not sure when this show hits stateside.

Bonus: The official four-and-a-half-minute trailer for Frank Darabont’s live-action adaptation of Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead, which was screened at Comic Con, is now online. The 90-minute series premiere will air October 31 on AMC as part of the network’s annual horror film marathon Fearfest.

Re-GIF: Chunk vs. Captain Picard

From: A History Of The Greatest 50 Animated .GIFs Of All Time

WTF News Roundup: August 25, 2010

MAN SHOT IN HEAD DOESN’T NOTICE UNTIL 5 YEARS LATER

A Polish man living in Germany went about his business for about five years without noticing he had been shot in the head because he was drunk when it happened. Police in the western city of Bochum said on Tuesday doctors found a .22 caliber bullet in the back of his head after the 35-year-old went to have what he thought was a cyst removed.

Presented with the 5.6mm projectile, the man recalled he had received a blow to the head around midnight at a New Year’s party “in 2004 or 2005,” but had forgotten about it because he had been “very drunk,” a police spokesman said…

Police said they were not treating the incident as suspicious as the bullet might have got lodged in the man’s head when a reveler fired a gun in celebration.

Read the full article via Reuters (published August 24, 2010)

Our two cents: The gauntlet for drunkenness has been laid down with vigor.

-

BABIES WITH BREASTS SHOCK CHINA

Once again, China’s most vulnerable citizens – its babies – are the central figures in a food-safety scandal. Two years ago, milk powder tainted with the industrial chemical melamine killed six infants and left 300,000 more suffering from kidney stones. Now, some Chinese babies are growing breasts, and their parents are blaming the Nasdaq-listed company that produces the baby  formula they were drinking.

But tests conducted by the besieged Ministry of Health have exonerated Synutra International, based in the northern coastal city of Qingdao. No abnormalities were found in samples of Synutra’s milk powder or any other formula that was tested, the ministry announced on Sunday. Laboratory tests of 42 Synutra samples found no trace of added hormones that could have led to the premature development of four infant girls. But this may in fact increase the parents’ anxiety: if this was not caused by tainted milk then by what?

Read the full article via The Asia Times (published August 17, 2010)

Our two cents: Please, don’t try to visualize a baby with breasts, it’ll just make ya feel weird.

-

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SEEKS EBONICS EXPERTS – DEA TO HIRE NINE “BLACK ENGLISH” LINGUISTS

The Department of Justice is seeking to hire linguists fluent in Ebonics to help monitor, translate, and transcribe the secretly recorded conversations of subjects of narcotics investigations, according to federal records.

A maximum of nine Ebonics experts will work with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Atlanta field division, where the linguists, after obtaining a “DEA Sensitive” security clearance, will help investigators decipher the results of “telephonic monitoring of court ordered nonconsensual intercepts, consensual listening devices, and other media”…

In contract documents, which are excerpted here, Ebonics is listed among 114 languages for which prospective contractors must be able to provide linguists. The 114 languages are divided between “common languages” and “exotic languages.” Ebonics is listed as a “common language” spoken solely in the United States.

Read the full article via The Smoking Gun (published August 23, 2010)

Our two cents: I had no idea Ebonics or “Black English” were terms (white) people still used.

-

13 YEAR OLD BOY HIT BY LIGHTNING AT 13:13 ON FRIDAY THE 13th

A 13-year-old boy was struck by lightning — at 13:13 hours on Friday the 13th, according to reports.

The teen was watching an air show at Lowestoft, England, when he was struck and was later treated for burns to his shoulder, the U.K.’s Mirror newspaper said. He is expected to fully recover.

Rex Clarke, leader of the St. John Ambulance team that treated the child, described what happened.

“Suddenly there was this huge crack of lightning really close to the seafront and really loud thunder,” he told the Mirror. “Seconds later we got a call someone had been hit. The boy was breathing and was conscious.”

“He had a minor burn to his shoulder and was taken to hospital as a precaution. It could have been a lot worse,” he said, adding: “It’s all a bit strange that he was 13, and it happened at 13:13 on Friday the 13th.

Read the full article via MSNBC (published August 15, 2010)

Our two cents: If you’re gonna get hit by lightning, might as well do it with style.

-

THE PACIFIC GARBAGE ISLAND HAS A NORTH ATLANTIC COUNTERPART AND NOW IT’S BEEN MAPPED

Millions of pieces of plastic — most smaller than half an inch — float throughout the oceans. They are invisible to satellites, and except on very calm days you won’t even see them from the deck of a sailboat. The only way to know how much junk is out there is to tow a fine net through the water.

Scientists have gathered data from 22 years of surface net tows to map the North Atlantic garbage patch and its change over time, creating the most accurate picture yet of any pelagic plastic patch on earth.

The data were gathered by thousands of undergraduates aboard the Sea Education Association (SEA) sailing semester, who hand-picked, counted and measured more than 64,000 pieces of plastic from 6,000 net tows between 1986 to 2008.

“The highest concentrations that we observe in the North Atlantic garbage patch  are comparable to that of the North Pacific, but we don’t have enough data about the size of the North Pacific one to say whether they are comparable in size,” said oceanographer Kara Law of SEA, lead author of the study published August 19 in Science…

The highest concentrations of plastic were found roughly from the latitude of Virginia to the latitude of Cuba. While they were able to clearly define the north and south boundaries of the patch, the cruise tracks didn’t venture far enough east to find the eastern boundary. They estimate the average concentration of plastic in this area is about 4,000 pieces per square mile, though it is as high as 250,000 pieces per square mile in some places.

Read the full article with photos and graphs via Wired (published August 19th, 2010)

Our two cents: U.S.A. U.S.A. U.S.A. …

-

3 COLOMBIAN TEENS ON FACEBOOK HIT LIST KILLED IN PAST 10 DAYS

Three teens who were on a 69-name hit list posted on Facebook have been killed in the past 10 days in a southwestern Colombian town, officials say.

Police say they do not know who posted the list or why the names are on it.

“It is still not clear,” Colombian national police spokesman Wilson Baquero told CNN. “This is part of the investigation.”

But officials note that a criminal gang known as Los Rastrojos and a Marxist guerrilla group called the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia operate in the area.

The hit list on Facebook, which was posted August 17, gave the people named three days to leave the town of Puerto Asis or be executed, said Volmar Perez Ortiz, a federal official whose title is defender of the public.

Police at first thought the posting was a joke, Perez said in a statement issued Saturday. But the publication of a second list with 31 additional names led authorities to convene a special security meeting Friday, Perez said.

Read the full article via CNN (published August 24, 2010)

Our two cents: I thought Facebook tattled on people all the time for much lesser crimes, so what gives?

-

Bonus: TWILIGHT WEREWOLF TAYLOR LAUNTER EMOTIONALLY DISTRESSED OVER RV TRAILER

Bonus: BEDBUG INFESTATIONS ON THE RISE IN THE U.S. NEW YORK TOPS THE LIST

Bonus: TRAFFIC JAM IN CHINA REACHES 11 DAYS AS OF AUGUST 25, 2010

Art Roundup: Final Fridays August 27, 2010

Weekly roundup of the best art shows and art related events in and around the Lawrence/Kansas City area. This Friday, August 27 is the very first Final Fridays in Downtown Lawrence, KS.

FRIDAY AUGUST 27

• Final Fridays in Downtown Lawrence, Kansas
Downtown Lawrence (Massachusetts Street in Lawrence, KS)
Friday, August 27, 5-8pm

Lawrence’s first Final Fridays, a monthly celebration of the arts. Final Fridays will be presented by the Downtown Lawrence Arts District.

The gallery walk will include 15 commercial galleries as well as a number of local merchants who will take part in Final Fridays by hosting live music or displaying art. A few empty retail spaces will become “flash galleries” filled with temporary exhibits by local artists. Look for the bright yellow flags that signify a venue’s participation.

-

Art event locations and participants for this month include:

739 Massachusetts Street
Flash Space, formerly Maurices
Group show presented by B.A.L.M (ongoing through September 17 by appointment)
From the organizers:
Opening reception for b.a.l.m. TRANS•parent TRANS•lucent. This is a group show exploring the idea of translucency and transparency curated by Darin M. White. Featuring works by Leah Busch, Jon Cowan, Christina Dostaier, TR Ericsson, Matthew Farley, Tyson Gough, Rex Hausmann, Vincent Leandro, Keith Lemley, David Parker, Andy Norquist, Debra Seeger, Linnea Spransy Shannon White, and Marc Wiegand.

1109 Gallery (Lawrence Art Guild)
1109 Massachusetts
According to the 1109 Gallery Facebook page, they will have “wine and cheese, great art and fun” as well as a “use your mom’s grocery bag for a book” art making activity from 5-8pm, $3 including all materials. Not sure what this all entails, but we do like, wine, cheese, art, and fun! Lawrence Art Guild’s Member Show of over 40 members work is currently on display through August 29.

Aimee’s Café & Coffeehouse
1025 Massachusetts
Paintings by Steve Swaggert, reception presented by South Massachusetts Art Guild

photo by Jeffrey Stephens

Bourgeois Pig
6 E 9th Street
Baby Heads 02 by Wayne Propst
From the organizers:
FREE HOT DOGS!

Twisty Bracelet by Makenna Bartel

Diane’s Artisan Gallery
4 E 7th Street
From the organizers:
Trunk show of jewelry by Makenna Bartel

Eccentricities
716 Massachusetts
Paintings by David Gross, Barbara Cleary, Hooshang Khorasani, and Shelly Bedsaul.

The Eldridge Hotel
701 Massachusetts
Artists displaying in the Crystal Ballroom include Stan Herd, Clare Doveton, Zac Barnes, John Stephen Howard, Louis Copt and Donna Dennis. A trio from The Lawrence Chamber Orchestra to perform in the lobby along with specials in the Jayhawker and TEN Restaurant.

The Etc. Shop
928 Massachusetts
Frank Lloyd Wright Collection items on display and for sale

Global Cafe
820 Massachusetts
Paintings by stained-glass artist Vivian Faulkner

Hobbs Taylor Lofts
730 New Hampshire
Installation by Zaguar (Zach Hangauer), owner of Rangelife Records

Invisible Hand Gallery
801 1/2 Massachusetts
Closing reception of Mask-Portraits by Jeromy Morris

It’s About Time
816 Massachusetts
Going out of business sale, 40% off metal works for your yard and home

by Jennifer Jarnot

Lawrence Arts Center
840 New Hampshire
Stan Herd and Simon Cardova photographs (ongoing through September 26)
From the organizers:
Stan Herd will exhibit photos and materials connected with the creation of the earthwork piece, “Countryside” while Simon Cardova will show photographs of the making of the film Earthwork.
Jennifer Jarnot, Reconstructing the Paint-by-Number
From the organizers: My recent paintings take their cue from my fascination for the nostalgia of popular culture, particularly those items that were influential, i.e., the stuff of one’s childhood, toys, books, and games.

Lawrence Percolator
Alley behind LAC at 840 New Hampshire
You Can’t Scare Me, I’m a Teacher! opening reception. Featuring artwork by art teachers from USD 497.

Lawrence Public Library
707 Vermont
Paintings by Dian Hauser in the main gallery
Insect Art by Katie Van Blaricum in the entrances
Jewelery by Rachael Sudlow in the library cases
Pencil, charcoal and pastel sketches by Stephanie Barrows in the lower level
All shows are ongoing through August 30

Love Garden Sounds
822 Massachusetts
I’m OK, Art Quilts by Hannah T Johnson (ongoing through September 2)

Mirth Cafe
745 New Hampshire
Photography by Matt Needham

Pachamamas Restaurant
800 New Hampshire
Acrylic paintings by Liberty Hollis

People’s Optical
737 Massachusetts
Paintings by Marilyn Horsch

Phoenix Gallery
919 Massachusetts
Highlighting local artists represented by the gallery

Signs of Life Gallery
722 Massachusetts
Through the Artists’ Eyes: Landscape Interpreted, paintings by Rodney Troth, Elizabeth Rowley and Deb Schroer

Through A Glass Productions
1009 New Hampshire, Suite A
Screening of Cigar By Car by local filmmaker Marlo Angell.
From the organizers: The sleepy day of a cigar attendant is disrupted when he follows a young shoplifter through a mystical cow pasture.  When the cows break free of the fence that binds them, Genius Grass finds the spirit to reclaim his youth and wake up to life.

Van Go Mobile Arts
Flash Space, formerly Arensburgs Shoe Store at 825 Massachusetts
Live mural painting from 5-8pm by students and teachers from Van Go

WheatFields Bakery and Café
904 Vermont
Paintings by Barbara Reid

White Chocolate Skateboards & More
933 Massachusetts
Photography by J. C. Cirese (ongoing through August 30)

by Sighn

Wonder Fair Art Gallery
803 1/2 Massachusetts
No One Knows How Deep This Goes, featuring the work of Sighn (Matthew Hoffman), text-based object installation

Update: New Art Space Opens Its Doors
Quintessential Gallery
512 East 9th Street, Lawrence, Kansas
“Quintessential Gallery” opens its doors for the first time to help ring in the inaugural Final Friday event in Lawrence, Kansas.  Founded August 1, 2010, Quintessential Gallery will be showcasing work by the gallery’s founding artists and Fresh Produce Art Collective members. Traditional and new, the works included are an eclectic mix of mediums from fabric, paint, photography and more.

Exhibiting Artists:
Brent Teufel – Bobbie Powell – Erok Johanssen – Leo Hayden – Rachel Herring –
Fresh Produce Art Collective
Exhibition curator(s):   Leo Hayden, Erok Johanssen and Bobbi Powell

Quintessential Gallery is comprised of five local artists who believe in sharing art with the community.  Located in a shared space with Anam Cara – A Healing Resource Center, Quintessential Gallery is devoted to the continuing creation and exhibition of new work.

Designer Style: HELM

Thanks to Refinery 29 for introducing me to Austin, TX based footwear label HELM. Boots to die for that are also hand-crafted old-world style in responsible working conditions, what more can we ask for?

The HELM Story

HELM is a reinvention of iconic footwear design establishing a new foundation for the classic male boot – the shoe for the new male footwear connoisseur who will not sacrifice comfort. The vision behind HELM is founder Joshua Bingaman’s lifelong passion for men’s shoes and boots, refined during his years owning and managing the Subterranean Shoe Room in San Francisco, a highly influential and progressive shoe store in the Mission district.

Through familial connections, Bingaman was introduced to the sophisticated old-world charm of Istanbul and its renown leather expertise. After extensive investigative research and sourcing, HELM was formalized on a foundation of responsibility, integrity, passion, and trust.

HELM products are handmade by one of the best untapped handmade shoe companies in the world and are the elegant result of design touches from around the globe – designed in Austin, handmade in Istanbul, with leather from Holland and Australia, and soles from Italy and France. Bingaman: “We love these boots. We want you to feel like you’re walking around in art.”

The HELM Process

Founded by Austin-based entrepreneur Joshua Bingaman, HELM’S origins are purely passionate. From the historic design inspirations, through the expert leather craftsmanship, down to the sweet familial call names – HELM is about stylishly unpretentious integrity. Designed in Austin, handmade in Istanbul, with leather from Holland and Australia, and soles from Italy and France – HELM is the elegant result of design touches from around the globe.

The meticulous lineage of each boot starts when Bingaman’s design is rendered by an artist. The drawings are then scanned and sent to the artisan shoe makers, who craft the signature molds per each design. Hand-fabrication of one pair of HELM boots takes five days. The leather is cut by hand according to the exclusive molds of each design. The leather pieces are then hand-stitched to together and nailed to the mold. The hand-nailing process takes 48 to 72 hours and allows time for the leather to shape to the mold. Then, while still on the mold, the nails are removed and the sole is stitched to the rest of the boot – and continues to shape for another 24 hours. Lastly, the boot is removed from the mold, brushed, cleaned and polished. When you wear HELM Handmade Boots you’re walking around in art.