The Giant Radio Lobes of Fornax A

 
 
 
 



A 1911 documentary travelogue of New York City by a Swedish film crew. From the MoMA collection (viewable online through July 11).

Things to note:

• Spectacular views of bridges, skylines, landmarks, steamship ferries, trolleys, El trains, pedestrian and vehicle traffic, and fashion.

• Most people ignoring (or not noticing) the camera

• At least two instances of one-legged men (war veterans?) (@ ~3:00 and 4:47, and possibly a third @ 6:16)

• Same-sex couple holding hands as they cross Brooklyn Bridge (@ 3:42)

• Almost everybody wearing hats, except for a trio of men with hats in hand crossing the street in front of the Flatiron Building, one of whom puts his back on when he seems to spot the camera (@ 6:30)

UPDATE: Now viewable on YouTube.

New York, October 2012

Many gems can be found in the Audible audio version of David Sedaris' Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk, not the least of which is hearing octogenarian diva Elaine Stritch read "The Cat and the Baboon", delivering lines such as "It’s good to have a clean anus. Why, I lick mine at least five times a day," and "I don’t care how much money you have, I’m not making conversation with anyone who licks his own ass", which I think is my new ringtone.

 
 
 





Earlier this year, kids from Dorothy and Mark’s class at Durham’s Central Park School — who were in rehearsals for a school production of The Wizard of Oz — got a guided tour of Manbites Dog Theater. Later, they sent cards of thanks, telling us what they learned.

Find more in the series over at The Upstager.

Looking Down Yosemite Valley (1865) Albert Bierstadt

Jeff and I take a quick trip out west this week to attend my niece's wedding in Yosemite (she and her husband-to-be both have worked there a number of years). It's my first visit to the park -- I wish we could stay more than a couple of days.

NASA has posted a bunch of nifty pictures via Flickr's Commons.

Above, JFK and Werner von Braun at Cape Canaveral.