Interesting piece.
"Brain-imaging studies of people evaluating anomalies, or working out unsettling dilemmas, show that activity in an area called the anterior cingulate cortex spikes significantly. The more activation is recorded, the greater the motivation or ability to seek and correct errors in the real world, a recent study suggests. “The idea that we may be able to increase that motivation,” said Dr. Inzlicht, a co-author, “is very much worth investigating.”
Researchers familiar with the new work say it would be premature to incorporate film shorts by David Lynch, say, or compositions by John Cage into school curriculums. For one thing, no one knows whether exposure to the absurd can help people with explicit learning, like memorizing French. For another, studies have found that people in the grip of the uncanny tend to see patterns where none exist — becoming more prone to conspiracy theories, for example. The urge for order satisfies itself, it seems, regardless of the quality of the evidence."
More here.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Bravo, Westerwelle, Bravo: When in Germany.....
I had a hard time masking initial shock upon seeing this. For those of you who don't speak German, the BBC British reporter asked newly appointed German Foreign Affairs Minister Westerwelle whether he could answer his English asked-question in English. Westerwelle answered and I translate:
"As it is the case that one speaks English in Great Britain, it is also the case that one speaks German in Germany."
Westerwelle further adds jokingly that he would love to meet after the press conference for some tea where they could speak in English. But, he interjects, in the end: 'Es ist Deutschland hier.' This is, after all, Germany.
Indeed!!
Seriously BBC guy, you must have been joking! One cannot be shocked that one chooses to speak German in one's own country.
Was ist denn das?!
View the exchange here:
"As it is the case that one speaks English in Great Britain, it is also the case that one speaks German in Germany."
Westerwelle further adds jokingly that he would love to meet after the press conference for some tea where they could speak in English. But, he interjects, in the end: 'Es ist Deutschland hier.' This is, after all, Germany.
Indeed!!
Seriously BBC guy, you must have been joking! One cannot be shocked that one chooses to speak German in one's own country.
Was ist denn das?!
View the exchange here:
Friday, October 2, 2009
A Commercial I Like
Brilliant commercial, full of relevant social references. Another reason why Starbucks is a successful company.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Capehart, Bagels, Dylan Ratigan, and Capehart's Mother
Those of you who are interested in news commentary are going to appreciate this bit. Here's the context.
MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan aired some footage on his show "Morning Meeting" of contributor Jonathan Capehart eating rather enthusiastically a bagel during a commercial break. The plot thickens when Jonathan's mother called into the show to complain to Dylan about his using of the footage to poke fun at her son. Now, both Dylan and Jonathan got a kick out of the gale episode. Jonathan's mother however not so much. She who called into the show and gave Ratigan a scolding. She said:
The whole thing was offensive because, you know what, I thought it was mean, disrespectful, an invasion of his privacy and personal space. And my question to you is do you have cameras in the bathroom, or in the dressing room? Who you gonna put on national TV next? Because if you wanted to make a fool out of someone... you could use yourself because it really pissed me off.
All Dylan could say at the end was how sorry he was and that it would not happen again. Jonathan, on the other hand, could hardly stop laughing.
courtesy of huffpo
MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan aired some footage on his show "Morning Meeting" of contributor Jonathan Capehart eating rather enthusiastically a bagel during a commercial break. The plot thickens when Jonathan's mother called into the show to complain to Dylan about his using of the footage to poke fun at her son. Now, both Dylan and Jonathan got a kick out of the gale episode. Jonathan's mother however not so much. She who called into the show and gave Ratigan a scolding. She said:
The whole thing was offensive because, you know what, I thought it was mean, disrespectful, an invasion of his privacy and personal space. And my question to you is do you have cameras in the bathroom, or in the dressing room? Who you gonna put on national TV next? Because if you wanted to make a fool out of someone... you could use yourself because it really pissed me off.
All Dylan could say at the end was how sorry he was and that it would not happen again. Jonathan, on the other hand, could hardly stop laughing.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Subscribe to Gendering the Media Podcast
courtesy of huffpo
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
When Wolverine's on Stage, Put the Phone on Vibrate, Folks
The scene: Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig acting on Broadway.
The fiasco: a spectator's phone goes off.
The punch line: Jackman goes Wolverine on the spectator.
Seriously, folks, pick at least the vibrate option. The ring-ring does vex. See the footage here:
The fiasco: a spectator's phone goes off.
The punch line: Jackman goes Wolverine on the spectator.
Seriously, folks, pick at least the vibrate option. The ring-ring does vex. See the footage here:
Monday, September 28, 2009
New Muse Video
It's full of apocalyptic themes, 50's Americana, and teddy bears?
Naturally, I approve.
Naturally, I approve.
Jason Schwartzman's Bored to Death
Another reason to continue to like Jason Schwartzman is his new show on HBO called Bored to Death.
You will especially react to the show if you're in the creative business. And you'll definitely appreciate the humor if you've ever been in the pangs of writer's/artist's block.
Also, if you already like author Jonathan Ames, you will definitely like this as, well,it is created by him and Schwartzman's character is called Jonathan Ames.
You will especially react to the show if you're in the creative business. And you'll definitely appreciate the humor if you've ever been in the pangs of writer's/artist's block.
Also, if you already like author Jonathan Ames, you will definitely like this as, well,it is created by him and Schwartzman's character is called Jonathan Ames.
German Elections and Cable Talk
A favorite thing of mine is news commentary and cable talk. The thing becomes even more enjoyable to me when I follow German commentary. The coverage of the last election which resulted yesterday in Merkel winning was quite gripping.
Those of you who do German will undoubtedly get a kick out of the 'bias' in this Merkel v Westerwelle commentary. By way of context, Merkel is a conservative and Westerwelle is a liberal. The openly gay leader of the FDP allied with Angela Merkel who will continue to be chancellor. Westerwelle will most likely be vice chancellor and Foreign Minister.
Quite a marriage, indeed!
Ah, also the caption of the video on Spiegel TV says: "Hochzeitsnacht: Westerwelle kuschelt, Merkel mahnt." Translated, "Wedding night: Westerwelle's cuddling whereas Merkel is exhorting."
Hmm. Tough to pick up on bias there.
Watch this. I found it oddly entertaining.
Rightwinger, German Style
In light of the elections in Germany, I've been reading a number of various German politics- and culture-related news.
This one, via Matt Yglesias, takes the cake.
He writes:
"Germany’s Free Democrats have a lot of pro-business tax cutting views, much like our Republicans. But they’re also liberal on cultural questions. Thus things like these t-shirts people were wearing at their election party last night:
The t-shirts say roughly: “make love, not tax forms.”
More here.
Tip of the hat to Yglesias.
This one, via Matt Yglesias, takes the cake.
He writes:
"Germany’s Free Democrats have a lot of pro-business tax cutting views, much like our Republicans. But they’re also liberal on cultural questions. Thus things like these t-shirts people were wearing at their election party last night:
The t-shirts say roughly: “make love, not tax forms.”
More here.
Tip of the hat to Yglesias.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Bill Maher's New Rules
I make it a point to follow Bill Maher's HBO program called Real Time with Bill Maher as I find his particular kind of humor and eye for social contextuality quite unique. This season however hasn't quite qualitatively matched his work in previous season. Till last episode that it.
Maher seemed to be his good old self in the last episode and that might largely be due to the fact that he had Paul Krugman, Eliot Spitzer, and John Waters in the September 25th episode. Here's to hoping that he keeps the momentum going. In the meantime, tip of the hat to his last show. Maher was quick, funny, and likably vulnerable seeing that he was discussing economics with a Nobel laureate in economics.
Here's his New Rules from his last show:
Maher seemed to be his good old self in the last episode and that might largely be due to the fact that he had Paul Krugman, Eliot Spitzer, and John Waters in the September 25th episode. Here's to hoping that he keeps the momentum going. In the meantime, tip of the hat to his last show. Maher was quick, funny, and likably vulnerable seeing that he was discussing economics with a Nobel laureate in economics.
Here's his New Rules from his last show:
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