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Damn Fine "Twin Peaks" Coffee Ads from Japan

I'm a Twin Peaks fan, and like to think I know a little trivia about the show. But it was news to me that in 1993 David Lynch directed a series of Twin Peaks-themed TV ads for the Japanese canned coffee-flavored drink called Georgia, made by Coca-Cola. According to LynchNet: These commercials were done for the Japanese canned coffee, Georgia. The series was set in Twin Peaks and featured many of the cast from the series. In the ads, a Japanese man searches for his missing wife. Each commercial added... READ ON

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Vintage NASA Footage: An Underwater Space Odyssey

As astronauts train for space voyages, they use the Neutral Buoyancy Space Simulator, which is effectively a very large, very fancy swimming pool with a bunch of equipment in it. The water simulates the effect of weightlessness in space, allowing astronauts to rehearse tasks that they'll have to do while in space. In this NPR video, we see an early look at the NBSS, set to ambient music. As Atlantis astronauts start their final spacewalk this morning, sit back and witness some soothing,... READ ON

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Isaac Asimov Interviewed by Bill Moyers

In 1988, Bill Moyers interviewed Isaac Asimov, when Asimov's Prelude to Foundation was released. The three-part interview is fascinating, partly because of when it was recorded; Asimov's insights are partly timeless (for example, his thoughts about death) and partly extremely timely (his predictions about the near future, like global networks). Discussed: education, the future, science, astronomy, chemistry, technology, religion, population growth, employment, curiosity, and more. Sample quote:... READ ON

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Symphony of Science: "Children of Africa"

In the most recent installment of the Symphony of Science series, composer John Boswell uses clips from various BBC shows, Quest for Fire (!), and the words of: Jacob Bronowski, Alice Roberts, Carolyn Porco, Jane Goodall, Robert Sapolsky, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and David Attenborough. The song is about human origins in Africa, and draws a line from the first humans to modern humans who now go to space. It's worth a look if you've followed the series; the auto-tuning is relatively tasteful, though there is... READ ON

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The Late Movies: Free, Full-Length Classic Movies on YouTube

As part of YouTube's entry into the online movie-streaming business, it has created something called OpenFlix -- a collection currently boasting 670 free, full-length movies. As far as I can tell, they're all public domain films -- but some are classics, and worth a look. They all have ads at the beginning and periodically throughout the feature. Many of these are also available (commercial-free, but not in the convenient YouTube format) at Archive.org's Moving Image Archive. Night Of The Living Dead... READ ON

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Time Management for Teachers

I'm not a teacher, but I came across this excellent video by teacher C.G.P. Grey explaining his system for organizing and managing his teaching life. While it is in part an ad for his time-management coaching services, it actually seems useful on its own -- and he's giving away what appears to be the good stuff, rather than holding it all back for paid customers. So what do you think, teachers? Is this good stuff? What tips would you add? Also check out the YouTube comments for some helpful tips... READ ON

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Video: Coffee is Pure Awesome

So you like coffee? Watch this video. Don't read the stuff below, just watch it. In this short, fun documentary by C.G.P. Grey, you'll learn some fun facts about coffee. There's also some interesting speculation (backed up by information from author Steven Johnson) that coffee sparked The Enlightenment. Wonder why caffeine is in coffee beans to begin with? Watch the video. (Tip: it involves death.) Read some more details at Grey's blog. Just ignore the typos. (Via Daring Fireball, via... READ ON

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Everything is a Remix Part 3: Innovation and Creation

Today I'm pleased to point you to the third part of the Everything is a Remix series. This one is my favorite so far, as it demystifies a series of inventions and creative works, explaining how creators are performing a copy-transform-combine cycle, using existing ideas to build upon them and make something new. Perhaps the best example of this phenomenon in pop culture (briefly discussed in the documentary) is Bob Dylan. See the film Bob Dylan: No Direction Home for more on that. But today, enjoy... READ ON

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The Late Movies: The "Unsolved Mysteries" Theme Song

Rob Lammle wrote a terrific piece in January called Unsolved Mysteries: More Than Just a Creepy Theme Song. But I wondered: can that theme song get any creepier? Guess what -- it can. Listen if you dare. (On one of the videos below, YouTube user TiffanyMarie105 wrote: "The song alone (let alone the actual show) has probably given millions of people nightmares. I could probably listen to it on repeat for hours and not get bored of it." Yes. She'd listen to it on repeat until the nightmares began.)... READ ON

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Las Vegas to Salt Lake City in 3 Minutes

Director Chase Heavener drove from Las Vegas, Nevada to Salt Lake City, Utah, recording time-lapse video along the way. This is the fastest drive you'll ever take; stick around for at least the 1:30 mark, when stuff gets crazy-zippy. My favorite section is around the two-minute mark when we see the road zipping by and the clouds gently floating overhead. Descriptors: beautiful, mesmerizing, colorful. Enjoy. VGS to SLC from Northern Lights on... READ ON