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Say what you will about the president, but he totally “gets” the internet generation. Take a look at this site: Get the facts about the stability and security you get from health insurance reform | Health Insurance Reform Reality Check

Well designed, connected (you can share info on Facebook and via email) but each testimonial is low-fi youtube clips. Just gorgeous. A real coup for getting the facts amid the shouting crowds and protests.

Perhaps I was just really tired when I read this this morning, but I read it as “Lawmakers trip, hit tourist hotspots.” — which of course, has a decidedly different meaning. Though bizarre, the connotation fills me with joy.

K. I know I’m a big nerd already but I think these pillows are just the bees knees! So cool looking plus inexpensive! Do want!

(via TrendHunter)

Check out this interesting article about writing. Excerpt:

“If you think of Groundhog Day — the only whys that are ever explored is the whys behind the individual choices Bill Murray makes during his endlessly repeating day. What you are NOT ever given the why answer to is:

Why did this start? Is it God? Why did he pick Bill Murray? Why this particular Groundhog Day? In other words, Danny Rubin & Harold Ramis do not bog you down in any of the metaphysical questions of how this world came to be or why this is happening to Bill Murray because they know it doesnt matter; what people want to see — what they will enjoy, is seeing what happens next: why Bill Murray makes the choices he does, and eventually, how he comes to see the world differently.”

Couldn’t really agree more. It’s all about the drive in the story-telling, sometimes the details can get distracting. I remember having a conversation with a friend about this and the movie Moon — where basically the philosophy behind the making of that movie was not to alienate the audience by making the sci-fi too obscure or detail oriented.

(via Dead Things ON Sticks)

Just saw Moon with Sam Rockwell. Just as awesome as I had hoped. I was very much anticipating the movie already — almost simply because everything Sam Rockwell does is gold. Then I found out that the movie’s director is non other than the son of David Bowie! This, of course, made it a must see.

Check out the video below, an interview with Rockwell and the film’s director Duncan Jones:

(via scifiscoop)

FOUND Magazine’s Denim and Diamonds Tour 2009! last night at ICE in lower Manhattan, was quite enjoyable. Though I had heard of the concept of Found and seen an issue here and there, I did not know quite what to expect. If you’re unfamiliar, Found is a yearly published magazine whose content is derived solely from material that is discovered almost exclusively by accident. That crumpled piece of paper blowing down the street, the receipt someone carelessly discarded, perhaps a fax sent to the wrong number. Maybe it’s a love letter, maybe it’s someone begging for forgiveness, maybe it’s a ransom note.

While the prospect of riffling through the detritus of someone’s personal life seems appealing in isolation, turning pages in a magazine, what could possibly happen in a live show? It turns out a lot. Davy Rothbart one of the geniuses behind the magazine, also has This American Life credentials and an excellent stage presence. His knack for recreating a sense of discovery while reciting, on stage, found items, really exemplifies the joy that is embodied in the magazine and is bottom-line entertaining.

To wonder about the origins and stories behind some of the lost love letters & to-do lists is part of the wonder of reading them and Davy extols that virtue. But the point isn’t only to wonder, but also create. Davy said, “I love to get the first reactions people have to found items.” Some might be one liners but Peter Rothbart writes songs. Peter is Davy’s brother and for part of the show performs some songs, on guitar, based upon found items. For the third act, The Story Pirates actually acted out — in full costume — two sketches based upon found notes.

I talked with Davy after the show and what we seemed to connect to was this idea that there is a real joy to be open to the idea of discovery, but an even greater one to create new work out of it. Though this article I’m writing is a kind of work unto itself, I think I’ll consider it more of just a gut reaction.

If you get a chance to see FOUND Magazine’s Denim and Diamonds Tour 2009! absolutely take advantage!

Living in New York, one’s mind might be lent to wonder about the legality of street advertisement. They are literally everywhere. I’m not just talking about billboards (though their omnipresence is also very hard to dismiss), but on every barricade, construction site (New York has many) and even just on empty walls.

According to this article on Rocketboom, most street ads are totally illegal. A group called Public Ad Campaign decided to do something about it. They reclaimed visual space with white paint and put wonderful street art in place of the ads.

Video Below:

What the hell is going on here? Hrrrthrrr posts a Tumblr linking back to what is seemingly a one off from davidhorvitz. A simple query to google turns up this article which just brings me further down the rabbit hole.

Watch this TED talk video:

That lady is crazy. Also. Not only is this thing actually happening on Flickr but it seems to pop up all over the internet. Now I’m not only part of the meme but I feel as though I’ve uncovered some sort of secret society like the mob or the illuminati.

My head is cold, now, though.

Jason Santa Maria lays out some very interesting queries here, but seems to lack answers. Here he speaks to why visual appeal is very much alive in print media, but lacking in online layouts. He argues some pretty compelling points about things that work for and against both mediums but seems at a loss to explain why more attention isn’t paid to design online.

Interesting discussion if you design for the web.

(via konigi)

I’m amazed that it’s possible to be more meta than a Quentin Tarantino film. If for some reason you thought that Tarantino’s movies dragged or could have used faster cutting, this mash-up is for you. Simply a must-see.

It’s from Eclectic Method who has also fashioned a remix for 30 Rock, a Fraggle Rock remix, and a remix of the Colbert Report.

(via Popped Culture)