Monday, December 31, 2012

Yay!

Let's have a fantastic, fun, awesome, happy, love-y dove-y, wonderful, blissful, super duper amazing and stellar 2013! We deserve it!

Happy Last Moments of 2012!!!!!!!

You did it!!!!!!!!!

Incredible HP7 Poster

Really wraps up the whole thing... and for only $20!























[via /Film]

Oh, AND Moonrise Kingdom!

Finally saw that over my break and it's very sweet and sad, like pretty much all Wes Anderson movies (which my fiance can't stand because of how artsy and meticulous they are, but that's the reason why I love them!)

Oh! And Go See Zero Dark Thirty and Promised Land!

They're also really good and thought-provoking!

Anyone Know Why Owls Were So In This Year?

Seriously, they're all over the place! Right now I'm watching Madonna wearing an owl crown at the Super Bowl, and I had thought that the owl craze hadn't started until winter... Maybe a delayed reaction to the end of Harry Potter?

Any idea what the animal trend of 2013 will be? I hope it's poodles!!!!

PS. Go See The Hobbit!

It's great! That is all.

(don't judge, I'm writing 25 of these today and it's almost midnight and I have a terrible cold!)

Aww, Bearve

Very sweet watercolor by Julian Birchman of Pixar's Brave

[via /Film]

Go, DreamWorks!

Keep it going, DreamWorks, hiring and promoting excellent women to chief roles! Lead the pack (and keep making great movies like How to Train Your Dragon and everyone will want to copy your success)!

PS. (That's a hint, Pixar!)

[via /Film]

Mr. Burns Explains the Fiscal Cliff

... which it seems we're getting closer and closer to going over tonight:



[via /Film]

Geena Davis Institute Gets Major Money!

Google Grants awarded the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media $1.2 million to study the roles of women in film and television with the aim to improve them, specifically:

for the development of technology to help analyze female portrayals in children’s media, an area where an earlier report by the Institute had indicated significant gender inequality [.pdf].
Best of luck, Geena and pals! I hope your work makes a real impact for the better on women in TV and film!

[via ThinkProgress]

Game of Moans (not porn parody)

CW parody, courtesy of EW:



Enjoy!

[via Videogum]

Corgi Broom!

I love when he looks up at the camera as if to say, "Hey, I can do this all day!" I bet you can, little buddy! Frankly, if I was a fluffball like that, I'd love being dragged along a smooth hardwood floor, too.



[via Neatorama]

Bathtime Benny!

Sunny loves baths, but Benny the Pomeranian goes crazy for them! I love his crazy-happy eyes and curly tongue!



[via Neatorama]

Extraneous Lyrics: 2012

If only all pop songs used these kinds of words, we'd all be a lot smarter (more intelligent, apt, astute!):



Or at least it's really funny!

[via Gawker]

Twas the Night Before Tracy!

Jimmy Fallon tries to tell the story of Twas the Night Before Christmas, but Tracy Morgan keeps interrupting to make it better!

Simon's Cat: Icecapade

At least Simon's Cat wasn't burned quite as bad at this guy...



Poor fish! He thought he was safe!!!!

[via Neatorama]

Chrismutts!

If your New Year's Resolution involves checking out a few more holiday-related cute animal photos than the bunch of puppy videos I've posted here, then take a look here. Too cute!

[via Neatorama]

Migaloo, Archaeology Dog Extraordinaire!

My friend does a lot of archaeology work, so I'm sure she'd love to have a fossil-hunting pooch do the work for her! Migaloo, a rescue dog being trained to find ancient human bones, hopes to accomplish just that. If she's successful in her training, maybe other dogs can be trained to focus on different animal's ancient bones. After all, dogs love digging (although it might be a little mean that she doesn't get to chew up the bones she finds!)

[via Neatorama]

Where Does Your Food Come From?

This New York World produce map is so cool! Type in any fruit or veg to see where your food comes from depending on the season. It can show you just how local or far-flung your produce is, and how that changes radically depending on the time of year. Neat!

[via Serious Eats]

Movie Lady Pilots Making It On Their Own!

So apparently there has been more than just one aviatrix in cinema history, they were just cut or dubbed incorrectly... In Return of the Jedi there were four female pilots total. Three were cut from the final film, and one was dubbed with a man's voice for some reason. In the new Blu-ray, another pilot's moment of glory is restored and the man-lady's voice is undubbed. Maybe not a reason to get yet another version of Star Wars, but at least an interesting fact!

[via Neatorama]

Golden Retriever Puppies in the Snow!!!

TOO CUTE!!



[via Neatorama]

Christmas Trees by the Ages

Totally accurate, though I always try to make our tree look like "Kid" as often as possible:

GITS More Movies Like This, Please

Another great post over at GITS for the end of the year, this time on the movies he thought were extra special this year, ones that he wants to see "more like this" - some I agree with, some I don't, but I definitely agree with his list of the types of movies he wants to see more of (for more of this list, hit the link):
* More movies that take risks.

* More movies that approach narrative in different ways.

* More cinematic movies.

* More quirky, whimsical, oddball movies reflecting a distinctive take on the world.

* More movies where the focus is on characters, not special effects.

* More movies that have no reason to exist other than the fact they have a great story to tell.
I hope I can write a few that live up to those expectations next year - or at least one!

TCM Remembers: 2012

Really moving tribute from TCM on many of the people who worked in film and passed away this year. Don't miss Andrew Sarris and Nora Ephron, two of my favorites:



[via GITS]

GITS Wishes for 2013

Great post from Scott over at Go Into the Story on his wishes for all our writing next year. Big fan of this section:

"May you claim your right to be a writer.
May you find the persistence to exercise that right every day.
May your daily diligence translate into plenty of FADE OUTs."

I hope they all come true - I sure need the help!

Sunday, December 30, 2012

First Concept Art for "Frozen"!



Looking pretty Scandinavian up in this house, but I'll take it! Love how the snow looks (though the snowflake signature is a little corny, but maybe it'll be subtler in the film) and the grumpy sidekick - Really looking forward to this movie (and Kristen Bell in it)!

[via Big Screen Animation]

Corgi Go Down the Stairs!

Too cute.



[via A Place to Love Dogs]

HapEnds' Woplayplay!

Frankly, I don't understand what the big deal is... Don't all of your convos sound like this supercut of Happy Ending's lingo?


Game of Four More Minutes!!

Game of Thrones' Season 3 episodes will be four minutes longer - leaving plenty of time to kill off at least one more major character per ep. I'll take it!

Amazon Producing Six Pilots

This is pretty weird, but the comedy loglines look alright and they all seem to have solid bonafides (Reno 911, Daily Show, The Onion etc).

Double Eps of Happy Endings: A January Miracle!

Everyone knows that January is the worst month because it's cold and there are no more holidays to excuse your (my) terrible, terrible dessert addiction, but now there's finally a reason to like it - Happy Endings will be airing on Tuesday AND Sunday for three weeks in January! Totes ahmahz.

HIMYM Likely to Return for 9th... wait for it... Season

I disapprove. At least, unless they introduce us to the mother at the end of Season 8 and then we get to watch her and Ted's relationship evolve over the course of the 9th Season...

HuffPo TV's Funniest Late Night Moments 2012

HuffPo TV listed their favorite late night show moments of 2012, and lots of them are very funny!

My favorite is #27 right around the 6th minute...

Pin-A-Swag

Rent-A-Swag is on Pinterest! Love the classy Mens' Wearhouse style logo, really goes well with the sparkly jacket.


And of course Tom would think this is an appropriate model pose...



When does Parks and Rec come back from hiatus again? Why isn't the answer "right this minnie"?

[via HuffPo TV]

Sex And The Shitty Segues

Much as I love SATC (and I do), there must have been some sort of contest in the writer's room to see who could come up with the absolute worst segue.



My friend Alex says it's "Back the the Hotel Vasectomy, I spoke with the man sitting next to me" for the absurd attempt at rhyming and, of course, the use of vasectomy, but I suggest it's "While downtown, a dearly departed spirit, suddenly reappeared" for it's sheer WTF factor and also the fact that "dearly departed" is not generally used with "spirit" and if she suddenly "reappeared," why not just say disappeared, or if she's some sort of shaman or seer or something, go with that instead of calling her a spirit? Come on!

[via HuffPo TV]

New OUAT Next Week!

Here's a preview for the rest of the season, starting up again next Sunday:



I agree with Grumpy on this one - forget breaking the part of the curse that keeps them in Storybrooke and exploring boring old our time, go back to the Enchanted Forest! The Fairybacks are always more interesting than the main story, so maybe if the main story goes back there, their storyline will be interesting (ala the giant episode, that was pretty cool, right?).

[via HuffPo TV]

As Goes 30 Rock, So Goes Somewhere Else, Probably

As 30 Rock ends wraps up its final season, Alex Baldwin posted a montage of his favorite scenes from the show's history:



Classic Jack Donaghy.

[via HuffPo TV]

HuffPo's Best Memes of 2012

Some are funny, some are annoying, and best of all, some I missed entirely. Thank you, internets!

Who's on First, Dammit!

Still works!



[via Videogum]

Ghostbusters Trivia!

Did you know that Bill Murray improvised most of his lines from Ghostbusters, like "I feel so funky" after getting slimed? I didn't - until I read /Film's article about all the things they learned from Jason Reitman's recent staged reading of Ghostbusters.

Ugh, those staged readings are the only reason to move to LA, besides the whole "it isn't horribly cold half the year" thing, of course.

HuffPo TV's Best Kisses of 2012

Another end-of-year supercut, courtesy of HuffPo TV and filled with smooches!






What a treat!

Downton Gingey

Fresh Air has a great video of a gingerbread Downton Abbey being built! It's so beautiful!



[via Videogum]

Amy Poehler, How You Be So Smart?

This is a great Ask Amy on jealousy.



Amy, I'm so jealous of how wonderful you are at giving advice on jealousy! But now that I've admitted it, I'm also proud of you for having such a great perspective. Aha, I'm cured! You've done it again!

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Lincoln Blogs

I loved Lincoln and it seems this New Yorker writer did, as well.

My favorite parts were Lincoln's anecdotes - what were yours?

[via Videogum]

NDT: Buffest Astrophysicist Ever?

My theory, based on this photographic evidence, is 97% affirmative that Neil deGrasse Tyson is science's greatest badass:



[via Videogum]

Videogum's Best Viral Videos of 2012

This reminds me both why I love and hate the internet...




Pixar in Space!

To infinity... and costumes!



Someone over at NASA clearly just watched the Toy Story series...

[via VideoGum]

A National Film Registry of Their Own

A League of Their Own is one of twenty-five films to make it into the National Film Registry this year. Hockaday would be proud!

[via VideoGum]

Dammit, Patrice!

Oh, Robin. Screaming is her way of displaying affection... deep, deep underneath a shell of rage.


Patrice: one of the few bright spots in the latest HIMYM seasons - if only she could have been around since the beginning (though, they'd have to sprinkle the screaming out more sporadically or it would drive people insane)!

[via VideoGum]


Scrubs Lives On...

... In the love that J.D. and Turk (Ok, Zach Braff and Donald Faison) still have for each other, enough to post a duet of "Somewhere Out There" from An American Tail.



Lovely.

[via Pajiba]

Um, Dream Dessert Table?

If only I could have a dessert table this epic at my wedding...

Photo: Marcus Nilsson























Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds' wedding is the star of this month's Martha Stewart Weddings, and it's no surprise - look at that dessert table!! They even had fancy s'mores bars like at Park Avenue Autumn! Come on!

No worries, though... Our dessert table may not be as elegant, but it will be just as epic, that's for sure!

[via VideoGum]

Home Alone: A Perfect Christmas Movie?

College Humor would agree to disagree on that point, in this super funny and GIF-filled article, "10 Parts in Home Alone that Still Bother Me."

Also, of course the most perfect Christmas movie is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer followed closely by The Small One (embedded below because I can't imagine many of you have seen this one, but you should!).



[via VideoGum]

Baked in a Buttery Crispy Flake!

Eating at the same diner every day for fifty-seven years yields two things: 1) The chance to be in a commercial for said diner 2) The viral video of a lifetime...



I love that the wife mouths the words as the husband speaks... also, of course, her takes. There is no doubt in my mind that this couple has been together for fifty-seven years, and I hope for fifty-seven more!

[via VideoGum]

Another Holiday Dog Video: Jingle Barks!

There may be more of these to come... I've just returned from vacation and the first section of my Google Reader is "Animals" and I have over a hundred to go through. Don't worry, I'll only post the best!



While I'm not endorsing Pedigree, I do endorse adorable dogs in cute videos. A bold move, I know, but I'm willing to put my foot down on it!

[via A Place to Love Dogs]

Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone's holiday season has been restful, playful, and magical! I know mine's been, and I'm so lucky to have such wonderful friends and family who made it so!



This is the class presentation from a dog school for the holidays - those pooches sure must have studied hard to create such a wonderful Christmas tableau!

[via A Place to Love Dogs]

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Friday, November 30, 2012

Cat and Dog Are Friends

Various cats and dogs are friends, and they're doing exactly what I like to do after a hard week's work: lounge and snugs.



[via A Place to Love Dogs]

Corgi, Pounce! Corgi, Play With Your Food!

Check out those ears and paws!!!



Some puppies just take a little longer to understand English... also, to realize they don't have to kill their food. I do love watching him try, though.

[via A Place to Love Dogs, also my friend Liz who g-chatted it to me]

'The Giver' Starring Jeff Bridges?

Yeah, I'd watch that.

ICYMI: Luther Translates Obama's Victory Speech

'Key and Peele' is an awesome sketch show (I especially loved the racist zombies sketch over Halloween), but my (and clearly America's) favorite recurring sketch has got to be Luther, Obama's Anger Translator. Here he is translating Obama's victory address to the nation:



Mmm mmm... doesn't that feel good to watch?

Climate Change: Still a BFD!

Let's hope that after the "fiscal cliff" negotiations, Obama can finally focus on tackling climate change (and let's also hope they use ThinkProgress' tips to get started). New York City cannot handle a hurricane or superstorm every year (Seriously, it's awful out there).

It's a Nice Day for a Winged Wedding


Now that is one classy snitch cake! They really did a fantastic job. I still want to eat the cake, but I can appreciate the artistry (unlike the dragon cake where I just want that dragon to come alive and by my buddy!).

Definitely the most elegant Harry Potter-themed wedding cake I've seen!

[via Neatorama]

Deer and Dog are Friends

Or: Let Those Animals Feel Their Feelings!

PBS has a new documentary called, "Animal Odd Couples" which uses the instances of cross-species friendships (i.e. ____ and Dog are Friends) to explore the complex, emotional connections animals can make. The clip below is about a dog and deer, Kate and Pip:



You can watch the full episode here.

[via HuffPo TV]

Cereal Landscapes? Now I've Eaten Everything!



They'll make gorgeous landscapes I'll stare at for minutes out of anything nowadays! Not that I'm complaining, but it seems like I should really get into this racket. Admittedly, I don't know if it's lucrative, but it sure is popular! You can see more at artist Ernie Buttons' website.

[via Neatorama]


Bo Approves of the Christmas Decorations...

... Except that giant dog one - too real!




Looks like someone got his Christmas grooming early this year! Tres fluffy!

Oh Yeah, Obama Re-Elected!!

Not Sasha Obama, although cross your fingers for 2044! Barack Obama was re-elected on Nov 6th! Woo hoo! Change is continuing to come to America!

Also, no second puppy this time...

But that's ok, because insurance companies will now definitely be required by law to insure me (and anyone else with a pre-existing condition like a kidney transplant or a baby) starting in 2014, and that's puppy enough for me (for now).


Remember When Fox News Imploded? Here's a Reminder

Just in case you forgot that other thing that happened on election night:



What a delight. What a DELIGHT!

[for more context]

Mmm... Art...

As you all know, I'm a sucker for gorgeous landscapes, desserts, and Kubrick visual references. So it must come as no surprise that I'm eating up Carl Werner's foodscapes featured over at Neatorama. Check out all of them here on his website.

Ladies Don't Be Princess'ing

In addition to Sonia Sotomayor's definition of a career, I think it should also include "must be a word that has both a noun and verb form, i.e. judge, writer, worker." Of course, in addition to "princess" this would knock "lawyer" (law'ing? I don't think so) out of the running, but would that be such a bad thing?



Also, a counterpoint:



Wow, that writing was extremely acute. I bet the writer who wrote it is also totally a cute!

[via HuffPo TV]

Bill Nye the Meme'd Guy

This fun meme has been circling the web as some sage words of wisdom from Bill Nye the... what's it? Chemistry Man? Biology Being? Oh right! Science Dude!

Anyway, I'm thinking these less words of wisdom and more terrifying threat! What do these people know that they aren't telling me?

Wait a minute... I LIVE with someone I've met! That means the secrets are coming from INSIDE the house!!!

[via Neatorama]

More Good Animation/Lady News!

Women directors are having a great couple of days!

In addition to the eight female filmmakers lighting up Sundance, a great writer, Jennifer Lee, was named director (really co-director) of the new Disney movie, Frozen. In what almost feels like a reversal of what happened on Brave, Frozen has had a male director for at least a year now, Chris Buck. Unlike Brave, Jennifer is joining Chris, not replacing him (thus the co-director).

While I'd be even more delighted if Jennifer was directing on her own, I'm happy to see Disney giving her this chance. Considering her excellent work on the hit Wreck-It Ralph, it's unsurprising that they're giving her more to do, and the timing might even have something to do with that movie's recent success.

However it went down, congratulations to Jennifer! Animation needs more women, especially in the director's chair. Way to go!

[via Big Screen Animation]

New Pixar Movie!!!!!

There's movies a'brewin' on the Pixar front!

Writer Derek Connelly (Safety Not Guaranteed) spilled the beans that he's working with director Teddy Newton (Day and Night, which is the rare Pixar short I was not really a fan of - just didn't get the hype. People were super obsessing over it and I thought it was... fine?) on a new Pixar feature. Of course, we probably won't see the film before 2017 or even get a glimmer of news as to what it's about before 2014, but it's always good to know they have new, interesting writers working on their team.

In other news, he's also working on a remake of 1986's Flight of the Navigator, which I recently discovered my fiance hasn't seen before! Got it on the Netflix yesterday - totally watching it tonight or tomorrow. I hope it holds up. It was one of my brother's favorite movies when we were little. I loved the weird little animals - duh.

Best of luck, Derek! 99% of screenwriters (yours truly included!) are incredibly jealous of you. Don't screw it up!

[via /Film]

Julian McCullough on 'Love You, Mean It' on E!

My friend Julian McCullough is in a new show on E! called "Love You, Mean It!" It's a talk show hosted by Whitney Cummings, and Julian is the super funny sidekick! This show has been in development for a crazy-long time, so I am SO happy that it's finally airing. Your hard work is paying off, Julian! Way to go!

The clip below is from the first episode, (where her guest was the incredibly awesome/funny Mindy Kaling!) where Julian is talking to strangers!

 

An App of Ice and Fire

'Game of Thrones' just got a reboot. No, there's not a movie or a network sitcom based on it (but seriously, what property doesn't have a network script in development right now, am I right? Hamlet? Two Wuthering Heights'? Come on!) - There's a new iOS app called "George R.R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones Guide" that's got fun pictures and descriptions of all the characters in the books, plus interactive maps and location profiles. Another cool feature? You can buy the app individually per book so as not to spoil information you haven't read yet!

I still haven't decided to read the books yet (I'm a big fan of the series and I'm a little worried that the books will make me like it less... I almost want to wait until the series is over, then read the books, if that makes sense?) but this seems like a really stellar companion piece. Way to go, Random House and its team of nerds for creating it!

[via ThinkProgress]

Sundance with a little Half and Half

Half men and half women directors, that is! Eight of next year's sixteen dramas were directed by women, a new record and a huge jump from this year's three. Woo hoo! Ladies making it on their own - literally!

While Sundance wasn't specifically looking to have an equal representation of male and female directors, this is a fantastic step forward. Of course, now we have to hope for two more things:

1) These women find distributors for their films while in Utah (and, of course, that they perform well in theaters)
2) Sundance continues to pick a similar degree of female directors from now on.

We can dream!

[via ThinkProgress]

US Researching Cheaper Batteries for Electric Vehicles

Batteries are expensive, but apparently it's even more expensive to find cheaper ways to produce and maintain them. Of course, that doesn't mean it's not a worthy endeavor, so I'm glad to see that the government is still investing in it. Best of luck! And don't forget about wind and solar!

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Mmmm... Dragon Cake...

I want the dragon on this cake to be my pet/best friend. We'd do everything together, and it would scare off all the people are mean to me, and let my friends and fiance nibble on its tail scales (also, it would regenerate new tail scales, possibly by me making them out of sugar and flour).

Also, in general, the intricacy of the wings and the realism of the dragon as a whole are inspiring. No one should eat this cake! Well, not the dragon part. They can have the rest of the cake with the blue smoke rings.

Seriously, how classy are those blue smoke rings and that clean, modern white icing covering the rest of it? If I was going to have a super weird theme-y cake, this would definitely be it (or that really classy snitch wedding cake I saw a few weeks ago. That was lovely, too).

[via Neatorama]

I Wish I Was a Puppy Again (Ok, in the first place)


Ugh. I hear ya, pup! This is how I've felt most of my life, which is ironic considering how tiny I am. But you know, it was "emotional" growing up or whatever. Boo.

[via Neatorama]

Tesla S: Car of the Future, Also, the Year 2013

And 2013 is almost here, so the future is now!

Congratulations to Tesla on winning the Motor Trend Car of the Year 2013 for their Model S all-electric sedan! They've worked long and hard for a success like this, and I hope that this win will bolster its sales now and for the foreseeable future, since they've still got quite a row to hoe.

Also, it seats seven!? That's crazy and also awesome. If only we had this car growing up, I wouldn't have had to spend so many trips nestled underneath the front passenger seat like a cat so that the cops wouldn't pull us over for having six people in a five-person car.

[via Scientific American]

ICYMI: Colbert on Colbert

Longie by a goodie.

Did You Win $550 Million!?

That's great if you did!!! Please, tell me how you chose 5, 16, 22, 23 29 and Powerball 6 as your numbers? Isn't it creepy that 22 and 23 are in numerical order (not just in this winning lottery ticket, but also in life? Ok, I guess it's not creepy in life)?

Also, remember that you can donate a couple hundred million to charity without missing a beat. Just saying! You don't know of any charities? Not even NKF, Puppies Behind Bars, or Corporate Accountability International? Oh! Well, I guess now you do. That makes the decision easier!

Up, Up, and Upway!

...Yeah, that looks like fun. I know, I know, what's the difference between it and a hot air balloon, really? Not much, except that it looks the one in the beloved movie!

Also, that's some beautiful imagery right there.

Professional cluster balloonist (i.e. many smaller balloons instead of one giant one) Jonathan Trappe flew his makeshift Ellie House from North Carolina to Leon, Mexico. It may not be South America, but it's still amazing. You can read more about Jonathan at his website.

[via /Film]

A Walking Weenie!

Weenie dog, that is! Just look at Jasper go!



I understand what the scientist is saying in regards to this not being super helpful for all paralyzed patients, but a) at least it's good for dogs and b) I'm sure it will help humans in some way - we're pretty good and bending new discoveries to our will.

[via Scientific American]

Thank You, Dr. Murray

Dr. Joseph E. Murray passed away yesterday at the age of 93. He was a leader in the field of transplantation (especially kidney transplants), and his breakthroughs earned him a Nobel Prize in 1990 (in addition to the never-ending thanks from transplant patients everywhere!).

He performed the first successful kidney transplant in 1954 on a set of identical twins. From there, they worked hard to produce new ways to suppress the immune system so that anyone with compatible blood types could donate to one another.

Without him and his work, I wouldn't be around today.

Thank you, Dr. Murray. As you said, your work "is a prayer." Thank you.

You can read his full obituary (it's fascinating) over at the Guardian.

Matthew Albanese: Faux-Landscape Master

Nope, you're not staring at a gorgeous sunset on the desert plains. You're looking at faux-fur, cotton balls, sifted tile grout, and a trick of the white balance. All thanks to artist Matthew Albanese. As someone who loves both tiny things and things that look like other things, this is a delight. There are tons more at his website.

Enjoy!

[via Mental Floss]

Can We Make Green Buildings Safe Buildings, Too, Please?

So apparently, some super efficient spray-foam and foam board insulations contain super harmful flame retardant chemicals. The good news is that the parts that makes them efficient doesn't make them harmful, and the extra fire protection is overkill. The bad news is that currently there's no incentive for these companies to stop putting the harmful chemicals in the foam or board, because the US doesn't have any regulations against them in consumer products (even though there have been studies showing they cause harm in animals). Here's hoping that by getting the word out that these chemicals are harmful and unnecessary, maybe these companies will get their act together and take them out of their otherwise legitimately helpful, efficient products.


Tuesday, November 6, 2012

I Voted!!

And it feels SO GOOD! I hope you all voted, too!! (and if you're on the west coast - GO VOTE NOW! You still have time!!!)

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween!

From Henri Le Chat Noir...



[via Mental Floss]

President Obama Loves "Parks and Rec"!

I think we already knew that, but it's still newsworthy!

Do you think he cried when Ben proposed? What about Michelle?

[via HuffPo TV]

Disney Buys LucasFilm!

Yesterday brought the announcement that Disney bought LucasFilm for $4.05 billion. Disney seems to be moving from a company that mainly makes movies (and sells tons and tons of merch from them) to one that buys companies that make movies (and sells tons and tons of merch from them). Big Screen Animation pointed out that Disney bought Pixar in 2006, Marvel in 2009, and LucasFilm in 2012 - Who do you think they'll buy in 2015? (They also bought the Muppets back in 2004, but that didn't fit the neat and orderly every-three-years structure)

/Film (and every other film/pop blog!) speculates about what direction Disney will take LucasFilm and what that means for Star Wars and other LucasFilm properties.

What do you think about the acquisition? Pixar and Marvel have both made some fun (and super successful) movies since their merger into the Disney-verse. But, also, Pixar has been focusing a lot on sequels (or prequels) was a thing (though after Monsters Inc 2 it seems like they'll be back on originals for a while, thank goodness!). And no one's calling Thor some sort of instant classic, but it was fun and not terrible, and that is more than you can say for the Star Wars prequels.

I'm certainly interested to see what will happen!

Have a Hobbit Flight!

What I like about this flying safety video: it's funny and LOTR-y!



What I don't like: it's four minutes long! Does it really need to be that long? I think not.

[via /Film]

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Vote Early. Vote Hammy.

Jon Hamm, that is! Here he is telling you (in a particularly gruff voice, might I add) how to vote early in the election. You can do it!! (I already did, woo hoo!)



[via Videogum]

Colin Healy's Awesome New Song!!!!!

Something Different - Colin Healy

Buy it! Enjoy it! It's stellar. Also he's my friend's brother, which only makes him more awesome.

Axe Cop Hits Primetime! Sort Of!

Axe Cop, that comic that was written by a five year old and illustrated by his 30-year-old brother, is now an animated series on Adult Swim:



Pretty weird/cool, right? Good for them!

[via Mental Floss]

Shel Silverstein Quiz!

Mental Floss' lunchtime quiz today is all about Shel Silverstein! So if you're cooped up at home and need something to do, this will occupy you for a whole five minutes!

Unfortunately, it's not a quiz based on his poetry (which I would be amazing at), but based on his real life, so it's actually really hard. Good luck!

Zombie Pumpkin Attack!

The fiance and I went up to the Bronx Botanical Gardens on Saturday (pre-hurricane) and saw this AWESOME/TERRIFYING zombie pumpkin display!

I think it's carved out of the largest pumpkin of the season (approx 1800 lbs!) and it's super awesome. I hope it didn't get blown away in the storm!

The other cool news about it is that once it starts to go bad (and believe you me, it was already getting a little moldy on the inside of the giant pumpkin), they'll use the remains as compost! Hooray!


Most Fun Jack-o-Lantern Ever!

I say this literally, because while there may be cooler looking or scarier Jack-O-Lanterns, there sure aren't any that you can physically play!



How neat is that!?

[via Neatorama]

This Is Personal

Awesome, funny video about how super not funny the GOP's war on women has been:



[via ThinkProgress]

Wonder if Anyone Will Mention Climate Change?

Hurricane Sandy broke a lot of records this year. Also, this is the second year in a row a hurricane has hit NYC. This is not some freak accident or fluke - this is clearly the effect of global warming (more extreme weather events, more destruction, enormous costs, more lives lost...), but I have a sneaking suspicion neither of our presidential candidates will mention it, and that the media will largely ignore it (except for ThinkProgress, of course!).

Eerily Dark Downtown

Check out how spooky and dark downtown looked last night over at TPM. It's really weird seeing the city in total darkness. The sound of the wind through the World Trade Center's new tower was especially creepy.

Jimmy Fallon Also Taped Last Night!

Good for him! It's really funny watching these guys perform with no audience. He's doing a great job!



(Or too bad for him/his staff that his network forced him to tape in a hurricane!)

[via The Comic's Comic]

"Up All Night" Switching to Multicam Format

First they cancel the work aspect of the show, and now they're switching "Up All Night" to multicam. Do you think it's because with the cancellation of "Guys with Kids" NBC doesn't have any multicam sitcoms? Or is it because switching to multicam is a cheaper than canceling the show and airing a new show and/or keeping the show on as it is?

I'll be interested to see the results!

Donut Shot Glasses

Now if only I had a couple of these this morning, I'd have been set. (Though of course I'd fill them with chocolate milk instead of Kahlua).



[via Neatorama]

Letterman - Still Kickin' It!

Even during hurricane Sandy, Letterman taped!



Thankfully, I got to spend yesterday snuggled up in blankets with candles, and the fiance had plenty of "Modern Family" and "California's Gold" on his iPad to keep up occupied.

Baby Red Panda Chases Butterfly!

Sorry I was offline yesterday - I was LITERALLY off line! Hahaha - Yeah, we lost power in Hurricane Sandy. It was a little nuts (and a lot dark), but we're happy and safe now. Phew!

So back to our exciting coverage of all things adorable...



Too cute, right? Too cute.

[via Videogum]

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Was 'Parks and Rec' the Best Part of Your Week, Too?

If not, then you probably missed (spoiler, duh) THE BEST TV PROPOSAL EVER!!!!!!!!!! It made me so happy. I love Leslie & Ben!!!! Go Benslie!! Do you think he'll take her last name?



Awwwwwwwww!!!

Are You Ready for the Zomney Apocaplypse?

Joss Whedon is, and he's excited about it!



Zomnies for brains!

[via TPM]

Science is So Cool (Ice Cold!)

Here is how a drop of water freezes, up close and personal:


How awesome is that? Not awesome enough for you? Check this out:


It grows tiny ice trees!!! It's like a whole other world.

[via Neatorama]

This is Why I'm SO Productive

Yes, staring at adorable puppies HELPS me work! That's why I'm such an awesome worker who's always working hard and getting work done and... other work-related things...

But seriously... Puppies!



[Puppy via The Daily Puppy, Article via Neatorama]



Go, Pup Racer, Go!

Is it weird that my favorite part of this video is that someone owns four dogs (and has time to train at least two of them)?



Who has four dogs? I'm so jealous. Also, the racing part is pretty funny/neat, too.

[via Neatorama]

Escape Fire: Healthcare Reform Goes WAY Past the ACA

Alyssa Rosenberg over at ThinkProgress has an interesting interview with the director of the new film Escape Fire, which sounds like a fascinating look into the world of healthcare post-Obamacare and what battles are still left to fight (many that we haven't even thought about yet). Not sure when it premieres in wide-release (or even indie release), but here's hoping it gets distribution!

Artificial Kidney Program as UCSF Receives $3 Million in New Funding

Yay! Soon we'll all be robots, for once that will be a good thing.

(But seriously, they'll still need more funding to start clinical trials, but this is a solid start. Hooray!)

Mouse and Bear Are Friends

Ok, back to happy animals.



This seems like such lovely animated film, doesn't it? I can't wait until it opens here the US!

[via /Film]

It's That Time of Year: Dogs in Costumes!!

Southern Living has 95 pets in costume.



YOU'RE WELCOME.

(Also, Happy Almost-Halloween!)

Dog and Fish are NOT Friends

You've been warned...



It's so funny how it swims right by and you think he's not going to catch it, but then he does! They better have eaten that fish - it was hard won.

[via Gawker]

Corgi Pup "Springs" to Life!



Get it? Because when the doorframe springs, he goes crazy!

[via Neatorama]

Sunday, October 14, 2012

A Kitten's 'Jarring' Experience

Get it!? Because he's getting stuck and unstuck from a jar. The party really gets started about halfway through the video.



[via Neatorama]

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Ladybug Day!

No, today is not the day to celebrate ladybugs (that's everyday!)... Do you remember the old Sesame Street song about the ladybug picnic? No, then I conveniently have it here for you:



See how they sing "10, 11, 12"? Well that's today's date! October (10) 11th, '12! Isn't that funny? I don't know why someone decided to associate it with the old Sesame Street song, but it is a pretty fun day if you're into numbers in numerical order!

[via Neatorama]

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Fish and Dog are Friends!

This is the biggest gap in genetic relationship we've had so far on "___ and Dog are Friends" but, hey, friends are friends! Sasha the dog and Fishy the fish (name approximation) are breaking all kinds of boundaries over here. I recommend watching without the sound on, because the guys in the background are kind of annoying.



Cutest fish I've ever seen!

[via Neatorama]

Raising Lambs at Kinderhook Farms

From Serious Eats, a more in-depth look at raising lambs at Kinderhook Farm, the place the fiance and I went to for our farmstay earlier this month:



It's lovely to see a more in-depth look at the farm and who works there. I didn't get a chance to meet the super cute sheepdogs, but that's just because they were on duty, and it was pouring outside. Clearly, they were more dedicated to their work than I was to meeting them, which is as it should be.

Ice Cracking on a Lake

Isn't this one of the weirdest noises you've ever heard? It sounds nothing like what ice cracking sounds like in my mind (based on how it sounds when you dump ice into water).



The clip is set in a hilariously named place called Sardine Lake in Sierra, CA. I don't know why that's particularly funny, except that sardines in general are funny.

[via VideoGum]

Happy 25th, The Princess Bride!

So many wonderful things were born in 1987. Me, The Princess Bride, The Simpsons (debuted on the Ed Sullivan Show), lots of my friends, and also me again...



So happy 25th birthday, The Princess Bride! One of my favorite movies ever since I was five months old. To celebrate, here's a great article from The Playlist called "5 Things You Might Not Know about The Princess Bride on its 25th Anniversary." They're all great, but I LOVE that Mandy Patinkin bruised a rib trying to stop himself from laughing during the Miracle Max scene. Also, the mirrored sets note is incredible (what a challenge!) and that they weren't even completely necessary because both actors got so badass at swordplay before they shot it. It must have been a blast to work on that set.

[Playlist article via /Film]


Cookie Monster & Grover Parody Movies and TV... in SONG!

EW recently hosted Cookie Monster and Grover to promote the 43rd season of Sesame Street. Also, presumably, just for fun.

At the link, there's a great video of CM&G singing song parodies of Hunger Games, The Avengers, and even Newsroom! It's a delight, even if I can't figure out how to embed it!

Lamb and Dog are Friends!

Part A Million of my ongoing series about dogs being friends with other species...



Too cute!!

[via A Place to Love Dogs]

I Love Coyotes Because Coyotes Only Love Their Mates

Based on evidence from a new study, scientists have found that urban coyotes are 100% (seriously!) monogamous. Awwww, isn't that sweet? When they're rooting through your trash, they're rooting to find a delicious treat for their honey bunny! There's nothing more adorable than an urban coyote with a rotting banana in its jowls.

[via Neatorama]

The Butterfly Effect

Not the Ashton Kutcher movie, the news-paper-in-the-face-obsessed animated short! Check it out:



Seriously, where are all these newspapers coming from? Also, lots of unnecessary explosions. Also, also, I really thought that the giant parade balloons were going to play a much larger role considering all the setup they received (all the posters advertising them, etc). Oh, well. That being said, it is beautifully animated (did you see the protag's face? It's amazing). Bravo!

[via Neatorama]

Goaties!!!

These kids are only a DAY old! Can you believe it? I'd love to give them a big old squeeze!



[via Neatorama]

Favorite GIF Ever

He's so fancy!


[via A Place to Love Dogs]

Monday, September 24, 2012

Otters are Super Geniuses

As if you didn't know...



[via Neatorama]

The Artful Stew Family Grows by One!

My sister got married this weekend - Woo hoo! It was a wonderful wedding, and the Artful Stew family is very excited about adding our new brother-in-law. We did it!

On the plus side, it was a beautiful and heartfelt ceremony followed by a raucous party that lasted well into the night. The ribs and cinnamon rolls at the post-wedding brunch the next morning were an awesome surprise, as well.

On the downside, I stepped into a fire-ant pile during the after-ceremony photos and now am covered in (not an exaggeration, I counted) seven to eight ant bites per foot. I have deduced that they are fire-ants because it's three nights later and they still throb AND itch, plus some are now topped with a pimple-looking orb of pus (which I haven't scratched off or popped because I hear that can lead to an infection). A winsome combination.

On the other plus side, I seem to have been the only participant to have stepped in the ant pile, so at least no one else suffered my same fate!

I read that they go away within about a week. In the meantime, I'm taking Benadryl to sleep at night and keeping my feet iced during the day to numb the pain. The things I do for sisterly love and also free cake (jk! It was totally worth it to help my super stellar sister get hitched to an equally amazing dude!)

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Remake All of Me?!

Apparently, Hollywood has decided that they need to remake your Artful Stew's family's favorite movie, All of Me. Why? I have no idea. How could anyone ever on this planet be as good as Steve Martin in that movie? They couldn't, and I feel sorry for whoever will have to try to be (Jason Segel? Adam Sandler? Liam Hemsworth!? Unthinkable!).

Don't get me wrong. I can understand why someone would want to remake a hit '80s comedy about a dead rich lady's soul getting stuck inside a sad-sack man's body and the hilarity that ensues - Who wouldn't? It writes itself. The problem is that the original is such a delight and such a product of the '80s that I just don't understand how they can do it today.

But... As Principal Skinner would say, "Prove me wrong, [Hollywood]! Prove me wrong."

Monday, September 17, 2012

Kevin Bacon, Sergei Eisenstein: 5

Now that Google has its new Bacon number generator, can any of you beat a 5? I got one with Sergei Eisenstein, father of montage and director of Battleship Potemkin (1925).

According to this chart (and who knows if you can trust it but I guess why not?), there are only 1337 actors with that number (compared to 56k who have a 2 and 82k who have a 3). They found two with Bacon numbers of 8 (also obscure Russians), but I'd love to know if anyone found a six or seven!

Knope We Can!

Parks and Rec's fifth season begins Thurs, Sept 20th! In the meantime, enjoy NBC's Knope campaign recap:



DC! Councilwoman Knope! Andy training to be a cop! I can't wait!!

[via HuffPo TV]

You Can't Touch This, 2012!

Another amusing video from the same guy who did "Will the Real Mitt Romney Please Stand Up?"



Particularly love the Colbert bump line. What what!

[via Gawker]

Ben Folds Five, "Do It Anyway" Video

Ben Folds Five (more like Ben Folds FINALLY! It's been about 13 years since their last album). Fraggles. Rob Corddry. Anna Kendrick for some reason. Are you in?



You're totally in.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

September 11, 2012

Vice President Joe Biden's speech today really summed it up, eleven years later. I've linked to it here from TPM, as David Kurtz explains Biden's relationship to tragedy and loss. It's a very moving speech.

Kinderhook Farm

The fiance and I spent a lovely weekend at Kinderhook Farm. It's about two and a half hours away from New York, and you can rent out their retro-fitted barn for the weekend. During your stay, you can help out with chores or just wander around the grounds. We did both (mainly wander and relax, though). It was an absolutely wonderful weekend getaway that I highly recommend to anyone searching for the perfect way to leave the city without having to go too far.



The nearby towns of Ghent, Chatham, and Philmont were small, friendly, and their restaurants sourced food from the nearby farms.

Overall, a relaxing, educational, and enjoyable weekend!

Monday, September 10, 2012

Mindy Kaling: Warrior Goddess of Sitcoms

That title is a title I think Mindy would like, which is why I am giving it to her. I have no knowledge of if she ever has been or will be a warrior and/or a goddess, but I know if she wanted to, she totally could.

I just finished reading this excellent profile on Mindy Kaling in Vulture. It's awesome and you should read it (or at least TFL). Also, you should watch the pilot of her show, The Mindy Project on Hulu, and then watch the premiere on September 25th.

I recently finished Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) and it really is an excellent collection of memoir-essays. There were so many times when I laughed out loud and/or thought, "Yes! That is EXACTLY what high school/college/post-college/writing/friends/etc is like!" Reading this article so shortly after finishing the book, I'm shocked and saddened about Ms. Kaling's mom passing away at the same time her book, which portrays her relationship with her parents and particularly her mom so lovingly, was released and her pilot, which bestows upon Mindy her mother's profession, was ordered. I certainly can't picture life without my mom, whom I love so much, and I can't imagine how devastated Mindy was and probably still is. I admire her for being honest about not dwelling on or sugarcoating the tragedy, instead simply stating that, "It just seems so fucking unfair." It is. No wonder she sings "Country Road" at karaoke (and it's an incredible song, of course).

I also appreciate that she wanted more non-white babies on her computer screen. Don't we all.

Writers & Animators: Persist!

In case you need a dose of inspiration tonight, here's a great letter from Pixar animator Austin Madison:

This really applies to all creative activity. It is so true and yet so hard to execute. But we have to keep trying to PERSIST!

[via /Film via The Animator Letters Project]

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Facundo the Great

A short and funny story from Story Corps! I'd give you the description, but then I'd give the whole story away. Enjoy!



[via Neatorama]

I've Seen Romney, I've Seen Bain

James Taylor + Jimmy Fallon song impression + Obama endorsement? Yes, we can!



[via HuffPo TV]

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Gabby Giffords Leads the Pledge of Allegiance


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    src="http://anomaly.realgravity.com/flash/player.swf">




[via TPM]


[via TPM]

Also, Animated GIFs with Sound!

We really are progressing. To prove it, here are some animated GIF's with sound:




The future is now.

Ok, but seriously I promise millenials are worth more than just creating silly internet memes. We are also good at voting and probably other things, too, right, guys and ladies? Vote!

[via Gawker]