march 5, 2010

Mark your calendars. Spectacular art direction (Stefan Dechant--the creative genius behind Where the Wild Things Are), costume and set design, the mad hatter, the cheshire cat, tweedledee and tweedledum..it's all expected. Tim Burton's really done it this time, or so we can only hope. I'm sure many of you have already come across these images.. a little sneak peak into the upcoming film Alice in Wonderland.

silhouette masterpiece theatre

Oh these get me every time!

http://silhouettemasterpiecetheatre.com/

POV | Documentaries

I just stumbled across this website and I've decided to spend my afternoon previewing a few of these films. During the summer and fall seasons, PBS airs POV independent documentaries. This website offers a slew of information..from the bios of the filmmakers to even a few full length films. You can search for documentaries based on their topics and then check the broadcasting schedule to find out the next screening.

long live the book

The Amazon Kindle. So, I know I'm two years behind here, but I thought I would shed some insight into my feelings on the subject. A six inch display screen that can hold around 200 pieces of literature for $299. Well, they've since trumped that with the Kindle 2 (1500 titles) and the Kindle DX (nine inch display screen, 3000 titles). I'm a bit hesitant at the idea of an e-book. Sure, they make reading while travelling more convenient. Is this just a direct audience target to the most tech savvy of customers--im sure it sits quite nicely next to your iphone, ipod, mini notebook, cellphone, pager, garage door opener, etc. But, doesn't this seem to rob us of that tactile pleasure of reading? The touch of the hardcover binding, the smell of the pages, the aesthetic appeal of the typography and page layout. Their is something romantic, something nostalgic about curling up to a good book. You are both mentally and physically wrapped up in the material between the covers ..and how different it must feel to replace that with a piece of plastic. The Kindle stands for something so much greater than a technological "marvel", it further isolates the readers.

Uber-Geeks

Need to improve your typing skills? Have an extra $130 sitting around?
Introducing the..
"Best keyboard on the plant. Period."



Das Keyboard
With no inscriptions on the keys, this keyboard will improve your typing skills while adding "productivity and comfort" to your work days.
Reviews:
I view the Das Keyboard Professional like a pair of expensive jeans that look like any other pair of jeans, but you wear them everyday because they fit you perfectly.
-Sean Fallon, Gizmodo
By far the best keyboard I have used since I built my own 20 years ago.
- Bill Jensen, Professional

Well, doesn't this just sound too good to be true.

Google

I found the first half of this video quite relevant to Chapter 10 of our text. It delves into the history and power of Google. However, halfway through, the clip jumps into a conspiracy theory--one that I'm still unconvinced about. Sure, Google has a significant amount of control. I'm sure they collect user-data in a number of ways, but to say that this was their "master plan" and their intent all along is a bit far fetched. The internet is certainly not the most private place.