cultural observation

tags: iPad: The World's Most Expensive Cat Toy, iPad, Macintosh, Apple, laptops, technology, IT, cultural observation, social commentary, humor, funny, pets, cats, streaming video This cat is demonstrating the value of an iPad as a cat toy. Who cares if it's a bit on the expensive side, since the cat obviously enjoys playing with it? Sure, it's probably the most controversial gadget that Apple has ever come out with, but come on, your cat will love you for it. Don't be cheap when it comes to cat toys.
tags: The REAL Gay Agenda, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender, LGBT, politics, cultural observation, social commentary, humor, funny, satire, fucking hilarious, streaming video You hear a lot about the gay agenda in political talk. If you ever wondered what the hell they were talking about, well, watch this revealing video (apparently, it is based upon a real-life email string). This video (which forgot to mention cruising gay bars and watching porn) was created by Sean Chapin.
tags: PiXar, NeXt, Apple computers, technology, follow your passion, education, advice, Stanford University, Steve Jobs, streaming video Steve Jobs demonstrates tremendous tunnel vision as he talks about his life in his 2005 commencement speech at Stanford University. Unfortunately for the rest of the world, this white man with a loving family makes a huge and very basic error in logic: because he somehow managed to "make it" doesn't mean that everyone does -- or will. Most of us fail, and fail miserably, and fail publicly, and we fail repeatedly until the day we die as we strive to do what…
tags: global warming, climate change, comedy, humor, funny, satire, weird, fucking hilarious, Science Catfight, Climatologists versus Meteorologists, Stephen Colbert, Colbert Report, streaming video "In an alarming trend, temperatures this spring have risen. Consider this: on February 6, it was ten degrees. Today it hit almost 80. At this rate, by August, it will be 220 degrees!" declares Stephen Colbert. "So clearly folks, the climate debate rages on. Which is great because I like debate, and I love rage." www.colbertnation.com Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care…
tags: How to Combat Modern Slavery, philosophy, morality, ethics, behavior, poverty, culture, slavery, human rights, human values, Kevin Bales, TEDTalks, streaming video In this moving yet pragmatic talk, Kevin Bales explains the business of modern slavery, a multibillion-dollar economy that underpins some of the worst industries on earth. He shares stats and personal stories from his on-the-ground research -- and names the price of freeing every slave on earth right now. Kevin Bales is the co-founder of Free the Slaves, whose mission is to end all forms of human slavery within the next 25…
tags: satire, humor, funny, weird, behavior, stereotypes, women, men, Untucked Films, Harvard Sailing Team, streaming video This video is a satire of how women behave when they get together. However, this is highly stereotyped since I've never acted like this, not have any women whom I know. Who are these mythological women? Do you know them? Or are they sitcom women only? And of course, what's good for the goose is good for the gander (or is it the other way around?); Website: Harvard Sailing Team, Produced by Untucked Films, directed by Jonathan Emmerling, director of photography Pat…
tags: gorilla, death, mortality, science, humor, funny, satire, fucking hilarious, Onion News Network, ONN, streaming video Tulane University researchers have successfully taught a captive gorilla that he will die one day. The gorilla, named Quigley, is now able to experience the crippling fear of impending death previously only accessible to humans.
tags: Shroud of Turin, christianity,catholics, religion, cults, History Channel, streaming video This video is a clip from the History Channel, where they report on the face that is imprinted onto the Shroud of Turin (rumored to be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ). Ho-hum.
tags: Vatican Easter Speech 2009, Pope Ratzinger, catholicism, religion, cults, satire, parody, funny, humor, fucking hilarious, streaming video Just in time for Easter Sunday! Here is an except from the Vatican Easter speech (translated into English, of course). He does forget to mention the hundreds of thousands of children who were raped in His Holy Name (amen), but he does manage to talk about nearly everyone else in the world.
tags: cultural observation, expat life, Life in Germany, Brot, bread Brot-Shop. Nordwestzentrum, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Image: GrrlScientist, 20 March 2010 [larger view] One of the things that I cannot seem to ever get used to in Germany is the Brot (bread). Especially when compared to American-made bread, which is universally horrible and often disgusting, German Brot is simply amazing. I have spent these past few months trying to identify which type of Brot is my favorite, but they all are so wonderful that my favorite is usually the one I am eating at that very moment. All of the…
tags: NASA, space debris, Space Junk, space exploration, streaming video Humans and garbage .. after you watch these videos, you'll ask yourself if humans can do anything -- even go into space -- without creating a huge trail of garbage? This space garbage is extremely dangerous, too. For example, 10-gram piece of debris can generate a collision force in space equal to the crash of a car traveling at 100 km per hour. Because of our trashy ways, it won't be long until space vehicles cannot leave earth because of the thickening belt of garbage circling planet. The news story: Or maybe you…
tags: obama, racism, America, Why Obama Is So Scary, humor, funny, satire, fucking hilarious, social commentary, cultural observation, Edward Current, streaming video Another one of my boyfriends, Edward Current, uploaded this video today, even though he filmed it in August 2009. It's another rip-snorter, but the last few seconds is the real capper .. those last few seconds might be the reason he waited to share it with us until now ..
tags: freedom of speech, freedom of publishing, Philip Pullman, books, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ, streaming video Philip Pullman responds to the jackasses and crybabies of the world with regards to their whiny complaints about the title of his new book, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ. His answer succinctly addresses the larger issue of freedom of publishing/presses/speech. My response? AMEN! Philip Pullman, addressing an audience at the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford, on 28 March 2010, was asked about whether his latest book, The Good Man Jesus and the…
tags: Science CAN Answer Moral Questions, philosophy, morality, ethics, behavior, brain, neurobiology, religion, culture, well-being, human rights, human values, Sam Harris, TEDTalks, streaming video Questions of good and evil, right and wrong are commonly thought unanswerable by science. But Sam Harris argues that science can -- and should -- be an authority on moral issues, shaping human values and setting out what constitutes a good life. Adored by secularists, feared by the pious, Sam Harris' best-selling books argue that religion is ruinous and, worse, stupid -- and that questioning…
tags: Tommy Davis, scientology, religion, cults, mind control, Thetan, silly, offbeat, beliefs, Xenu, L Ron Hubbard, television, Life after Scientology, ABC1, streaming video ABC Australia's "Four Corners" investigate the realities and impact on members and ex members, of Scientology's overtly retributive doctrine. Includes rationale from Tommy Davis. As more ex members reveal the inside workings of a cult once banned [1960's] in three Australian states, authorities again prepare to re-examine Scientology's tax exempt religious status, granted in 1983. This is a fascinating investigative…
tags: online advertising, Samsung, digital camera, MySpace, Facebook, blogs, profile pictures, streaming video This video clip is a hilarious ad for a Samsung digital camera that is aimed specifically at all of us online personalities. We all know the infamous "MySpace angle" of profile pictures, and who can ignore the slew of pouty-mouthed snapshots on Facebook? Well, universally flattering angle, the gig is up. Heck, even Samsung knows the tricks of the profile pic trade and calls out the most common photo maneuvers in a new ad. Quite clever, Samsung.
tags: British humor, cricket, sports, The Full Monty, silly, satire, parody, funny, humor, fucking hilarious, cultural observation, streaming video I am not sure which form of torture would be most likely to make me crack first: being forced to watch paint dry, being forced to watch golf or being forced to watch a cricket match. This British film trailer parody is an amusing look at one of the world's most boring and inane sports. I had to share this here since the person whom I share a flat with happens to be obsessed with this lameass sport.
tags: photography, sports, futbol, professional soccer, cultural observation, acting lessons, humor, funny, television, streaming video I love futbol, but OMG, these boyz are such crybabies and drama queens! These soccer/futbol players demonstrate the reasons why I think they all are in desperate need of acting lessons: their ridiculous overblown theatrics.
tags: photography, NYCLife, NYC Life, cultural observation, Bruce Gilden, Street Shots, WNYC, streaming video Watching this video makes me feel like I am walking on "my" streets once more alongside this photographer. It reminds me of how much I miss my beautiful and vibrant home, NYC. Although I will admit that, as a former NYC "street photographer" myself, I find it amazing that he can photograph people without getting punched in the nose or having someone stomp on his camera. Even though I photographed flowers, more than once, I was told I was "not allowed" to photograph them .. um, why…
tags: fish farming, aquaculture, piscivory, bird sanctuary, foodie, ethical eating, permaculture, agriculture, poverty, hunger, Dan Barber, TEDTalks, streaming video Chef Dan Barber squares off with a dilemma facing many chefs today: how to keep fish on the menu. With impeccable research and deadpan humor, he chronicles his pursuit of a sustainable fish he could love, and the foodie's honeymoon he's enjoyed since discovering an outrageously delicious fish raised using a revolutionary farming method in Spain. My one complaint about this video is that the speaker never once identifies either of…