00s
Okay, so you know how Time magazine's walking around calling the 00s the Worst Decade Ever? By naming the Top 10 Decades of Last Century, Cracked.com has the final word.
Sing
You know all those "Best Of The Decade" lists that've been going around? Well, here's some tonic for those of us with ice running in our veins: The Village Voice has named the Top 50 Worst Songs of the Decade. And boy, do they have some doozies.
The point isn't their selection of songs, however: it's the merciless manner in which they destroy – destroy! – each one of that Top (or indeed Bottom) 50. My favourite entries include Toby Keith and John Mayer... and, of course, the Number One Song.
The point isn't their selection of songs, however: it's the merciless manner in which they destroy – destroy! – each one of that Top (or indeed Bottom) 50. My favourite entries include Toby Keith and John Mayer... and, of course, the Number One Song.
TV
The Daily Beast has a great gallery of great US TV talk show moments from 2009. (They give it the marginally less clunky title "The Year In Talk: 2009's 19 Most Pivotal Moments".) It's worth a watch.
Here's my favourite:
Late-Night Hosts Say Goodbye, Hello
It was a year of change on late-night television, too, as comedians played musical chairs: Conan O’Brien said goodbye to Late Night, as Jimmy Fallon stepped in to fill his shoes. Jay Leno bid adieu to The Tonight Show—for his new, beleaguered 10 p.m. show—as Conan stepped in to fill his shoes. Follow that? Here’s the most compelling of these transitions.
Here's my favourite:
Late-Night Hosts Say Goodbye, Hello
It was a year of change on late-night television, too, as comedians played musical chairs: Conan O’Brien said goodbye to Late Night, as Jimmy Fallon stepped in to fill his shoes. Jay Leno bid adieu to The Tonight Show—for his new, beleaguered 10 p.m. show—as Conan stepped in to fill his shoes. Follow that? Here’s the most compelling of these transitions.
Seven Minutes
Missed any good movies this year? Never fear: an incredibly smart chap named Kees van Dijkhuizen has put together a YouTube clip of all the best flicks of 2009... crammed into seven beautiful minutes. His list of movies is up here. His video (best viewed while chowing a seven-minute box of popcorn) is down there.
Let It Snow
While I stare out of my window at the summery skies and screensaver-worthy view of the Southern Hemisphere, there's a small part of me that wishes we got snow at Christmas. The Big Picture, as always, feels my pain.
Moon
I am, for shame, loving the New Moon soundtrack. Yeah, yeah, I hear you: the movie's made for teenage girls, and the writing is ropey at best. But take a look at the list of bands and artists on the OST: Thom Yorke, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Bon Iver, Editors, Muse, The Killers, Deathcab For Cutie (that's them up there)... Not since The Crow has such a great line-up mooched away in a dark corner of my hi-fi.
Hot Air
Washington Post columnist George Will has a chillingly practical take on global warming... and on the crazy attempts to slow it down. Here's a quote from his recent column:
"Barack Obama, understanding the histrionics required in climate-change debates, promises that U.S. emissions in 2050 will be 83 percent below 2005 levels. If so, 2050 emissions will equal those in 1910, when there were 92 million Americans. But there will be 420 million Americans in 2050, so Obama's promise means that per capita emissions then will be about what they were in 1875. That. Will. Not. Happen."
For those of you who're paying attention, the Ford Model T was only invented in 1908. So for those targets to be met, we'd have to all emit less carbon than our great-great-grandparents, who didn't drive cars.
"Barack Obama, understanding the histrionics required in climate-change debates, promises that U.S. emissions in 2050 will be 83 percent below 2005 levels. If so, 2050 emissions will equal those in 1910, when there were 92 million Americans. But there will be 420 million Americans in 2050, so Obama's promise means that per capita emissions then will be about what they were in 1875. That. Will. Not. Happen."
For those of you who're paying attention, the Ford Model T was only invented in 1908. So for those targets to be met, we'd have to all emit less carbon than our great-great-grandparents, who didn't drive cars.
Edit
I've just submitted my 10-song shortlist for this year's Triple J Hottest 100... and you gotta know that this song was on it.
6 April
There's an interesting story up at Biblical Archaeology Review on the origins of Christmas. Ever wondered why we celebrate Christmas on 25 December? If you've read The Da Vinci Code, you'll probably think it's because Christianity co-opted the Pagan calendar. This piece, though, suggests an entirely different theory.
Workspace
As I sit here in my messy office, I'm loving Lifehacker's gallery of their Most Popular Workspaces of the year.
Man, I wish I had this guy's office...
Goals
Soccernet has a great little list up of The Greatest Goals of the Decade. Only problem is, they don't have videos. But I (whose attitude to copyright is dubious at best) do.
So here they are.
Paolo Di Canio
West Ham v Wimbledon, 2000
I once got Youri Djorkaeff to do this in FIFA99 on my computer. I didn't think it was possible in real life.
Rivaldo
Barcelona v Valencia, 2001
Gianfranco Zola
Chelsea v Norwich, 2002
Dennis Bergkamp
Arsenal v Newcastle, 2002
And before you ask, his goal against Argentina happened in the 1990s.
Zinedine Zidane
Real Madrid v Bayer Leverkusen, 2002
Read the Soccernet write-up about this for a full appreciation.
Jared Borgetti
Mexico v Italy, 2002
I remember watching this and thinking, "So what?". Then I saw the replay.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Ajax v NAC Breda, 2004
Estebian Cambiasso
Argentina v Serbia, 2006
Lionel Messi
Barcelona v Getafe, 2007
The Soccernet piece talks about the similarities with Maradona's goal in 1986. This video clip explores that further. Scary.
Grafite
Wolfsburg v Bayern Munich, 2009
It's not as great as Sebastian Langkamp's classic, but it's pretty darn impressive nonetheless.
So here they are.
Paolo Di Canio
West Ham v Wimbledon, 2000
I once got Youri Djorkaeff to do this in FIFA99 on my computer. I didn't think it was possible in real life.
Rivaldo
Barcelona v Valencia, 2001
Gianfranco Zola
Chelsea v Norwich, 2002
Dennis Bergkamp
Arsenal v Newcastle, 2002
And before you ask, his goal against Argentina happened in the 1990s.
Zinedine Zidane
Real Madrid v Bayer Leverkusen, 2002
Read the Soccernet write-up about this for a full appreciation.
Jared Borgetti
Mexico v Italy, 2002
I remember watching this and thinking, "So what?". Then I saw the replay.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Ajax v NAC Breda, 2004
Estebian Cambiasso
Argentina v Serbia, 2006
Lionel Messi
Barcelona v Getafe, 2007
The Soccernet piece talks about the similarities with Maradona's goal in 1986. This video clip explores that further. Scary.
Grafite
Wolfsburg v Bayern Munich, 2009
It's not as great as Sebastian Langkamp's classic, but it's pretty darn impressive nonetheless.
Worst
Take a look through The Big Picture's depressing collection of The Decade In News Photographs, and you'll see why Time magazine called the Noughties the worst decade ever.
How did we live through that?
Sinking
The Daily Beast's Copenhagen post-mortem makes for pretty gloomy reading. (By the sounds of things, there was plenty of hot air at the summit – along with a West Wing-esque highlight.)
As somebody who lives near the coast, I really hope that all the blustering actually amounts to something. Otherwise we'll all be heading for hills.
Familiarity
On the other hand, familiarity also breeds contempt. Which I suppose means that acceptance and contempt must be cousins.
2009
It's (almost) the end of the year, and The Big Picture has its one-, two-, three-part gallery of 2009 In Pictures up. As you'd expect, it's a mix of news, features, and pretty pictures.
I, of course, like the pretty pictures best.
Although sometimes the news shots have some amusing/interesting surprises.
How
I found this via InformationIsBeautiful: it's a collection of drawings/comics/graphicthings by a guy called lunchbreath. And it's all (mostly) very, very, funny.
Hexen
Dan Carlin recently completed a podcast series on the Ostfront - and it's an absolute all-time classic of its form. In one, two, three, four parts he tells the story of the entire Eastern Front campaign: how Hitler thought he could avoid repeating Napoleon's mistakes, how the advance took its toll on the soldiers, how such a vast area turned into a massive killing field, how the German campaign turned sour, how the Soviet people fought back, and how the Soviets turned the tide and advanced on Berlin.
It is brutal, brutal stuff. But fascinating - and Carlin's delivery makes it a thousand times better than any book, movie or radio show. It's a four-part series, with each part running at least an hour (most are up around 90 minutes). And it's free... which means you'll end up donating to Carlin's site just to thank him.
One of the many things he touches on is the phenomenon of the Nachthexen. During the war (Operation Barbarossa, for all you pedants), there were thousands of Soviet women who got involved in the war effort. Some signed up as travelling prostitutes for the Soviet troops ("So what did you do during the war, Grandma?"), some as snipers, and some as stealth bombers.
These were the Nachthexen. The Germans called them the "Night Witches" because they would glide over the frontline and silently dive-bomb the Germans, sweeping in silently before screeching like banshees, dropping bombs and terrorising the frostbitten German troops.
It's a fascinating story. Read about it here or - better still - download the Hardcore History podcast series.
Or, wait for Quentin Tarantino to make the movie...
Closing Sale
There's a great, creepy gallery up at The Morning News of deserted, abandoned shopping malls.
Signs of the times...
Defeat
I found a reference to this in one of Uli Hesse's Bundesliga columns: it's officially the greatest German sports photograph of the century, taken by a bloke who called himself (though it famously wasn't his real name) Sven Simon.
That, in case you're wondering, is West German soccer player Uwe Seeler reacting to his team's defeat to England in the 1966 World Cup Final. I still reckon (but will never admit it) that the Germans were robbed in that game. But I don't have much sympathy for them: Hungary were by far the better team in the 1954 World Cup Final, and the Netherlands were by far the better team in 1974... and the Germans won both those titles.
What's the German for "what you lose on the swings you make up on the roundabouts"?
That, in case you're wondering, is West German soccer player Uwe Seeler reacting to his team's defeat to England in the 1966 World Cup Final. I still reckon (but will never admit it) that the Germans were robbed in that game. But I don't have much sympathy for them: Hungary were by far the better team in the 1954 World Cup Final, and the Netherlands were by far the better team in 1974... and the Germans won both those titles.
What's the German for "what you lose on the swings you make up on the roundabouts"?
Flag
I was in Cape Town for the first leg of the Coca-Cola Fifa World Cup Trophy Tour a couple of weeks back. The trophy landed in the Mother City a day or two before the big World Cup draw, and they had a special unveiling ceremony.
I have two observations:
1. Waving Flag, the official tour song, is a great track. I'm sure there's something to be said about Somali hip-hopper K'naan selling out to the Man, and letting a brilliant emo-political track like this be co-opted by a big corporation... but I ain't going to say it. I quite like the idea that K'naan's getting paid a huge fee by Coke - because between BitTorrent and YouTube, he ain't getting his pocket money from music "buyers" like me...
2. The World Cup Trophy is very, very shiny.
I have two observations:
1. Waving Flag, the official tour song, is a great track. I'm sure there's something to be said about Somali hip-hopper K'naan selling out to the Man, and letting a brilliant emo-political track like this be co-opted by a big corporation... but I ain't going to say it. I quite like the idea that K'naan's getting paid a huge fee by Coke - because between BitTorrent and YouTube, he ain't getting his pocket money from music "buyers" like me...
2. The World Cup Trophy is very, very shiny.
Cape Town
Have a look at this super-duper-high-res image of Cape Town. It's just as sharp as the gigapan shots you'll find elsewhere... except it includes my office block. I'm sure if you look hard enough, you'll see me through my window working hard.
Soup
It's completely unseasonal for us Southern Hemispherers, but - in this unseasonably cold weather - it's nice to have New York magazine's list of the Best Soups in New York City. I'm going to try some of these at home when winter rolls around.
Orwellian
I don't like Christopher Hitchens much. (Okay, I don't like him at all - and I find his anti-religious cottage industry to be a little too contrived for someone who's as obviously smart as he is - regardless of whether or not it's a valid argument).
But I do like the hour-long interview he did with Russ Roberts on the EconTalk podcast. The conversation weaves and winds from Orwell to India to the British Empire to war to peace to socialism to communism to facism to language to the Spanish Civil War to leftism, rightism and centrism.
But I do like the hour-long interview he did with Russ Roberts on the EconTalk podcast. The conversation weaves and winds from Orwell to India to the British Empire to war to peace to socialism to communism to facism to language to the Spanish Civil War to leftism, rightism and centrism.
Sweet
I've had Lynyrd Skynyrd's Sweet Home Alabama stuck in my head for the past couple of days. It's a great song - and what makes it even greater, I reckon, is that it's part of a 1970s long-hair rock band dissing battle. Turns out the Southern Man don't need Neil Young around anyhow...
Amsterdam
There's a great story in The New Yorker (the abstract is here for non-subscribers) about the social situation in Amsterdam. Apart from being an interesting snapshot of the city, it's also a fascinating look at the problem of tolerance. Amsterdam has always prided itself on being the city of tolerance - and on my visits there I've loved the fact that (much like Cape Town, though there it's less by accident and more by design) you can walk across the Dam or down Kalverstraat and rub shoulders with Muslims, gays, liberals, conservatives, whites, blacks, locals, foreigners, Jews, and pretty much everybody who doesn't fit into the vanilla flavour of some of Europe's other, less complex, cities.
But, much as Amsterdammers try to promote their values of tolerance and acceptance, they're finding that some of the people they're... erm... tolerating aren't quite as... y'know... tolerant as they are. And that's the whole problem, isn't it? You let anybody into your society, and you'll soon find that some of the people you let in have no desire to fit in, and wouldn't ever let you into their societies. It's a social and philosophical problem that will, I sense, shape this century.
Of course, the simple answer is to just let them all eat stroopwafels.
Amerigo
There's a great story in this month's Smithsonian magazine on the origins of the name "America". Turns out the New World got its name from a couple of random German cartographers. Great story.
Leaders
New Yorker photographer Platon recently completed a project where he tried to photograph as many world leaders as possible during a short visit to the United Nations. And it's not just happy snaps – Platon asked these presidents and prime ministers to each sit for a proper portrait. The results are up at the New Yorker website, accompanied by a brief audio commentary on each portrait by the photographer. Dmitry Medvedev sounds like a naughty little rascal...
Eschatology
Time magazine continues its cheerful approach to modern times with a slideshow of Cinematic Visions of the Apocalypse. I prefer R.E.M.'s way of looking at it...
.--. .-.. .- -. / -...
If ever you're feeling sad,
If ever you're feeling blue,
If ever you're hating your job right now,
A trawl through the Abstruse Goose archives is what you need to do.
100 Days
On 1 May, Glacier Park Magazine editor Chris Peterson started a project where he took photos of Montana's Glacier National Park over 100 consecutive days. The results are utterly amazing.
Spending 100 days meant Peterson got to see the changing of the seasons, and it meant he got to see some interesting animals doing interesting things.
There's a collection of pics up at The Big Picture, and Glacier Park magazine's website has all 100 photos.
Cool
It's the start of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen... and Non Sequitur is on a hot streak.
Greenwich
There was a story on the BBC a couple weeks back marking the 125th anniversary of the Greenwich Meridian. Seems strange now, in the age of GPS, to think that there was a time when nobody could agree on the world's lines of longitude.
Quote from the story: "The world was in a very big mix-up," explains Dr Avraham Ariel, author of Plotting the Globe. "People had lots of prime meridians. Earlier in Europe there were 20 prime meridians. The Russians had two or three, the Spanish had their own and so on."
Which, of course, was one of the key plot points in Red Rackham's Treasure...
Killers
So I was in the crowd at The Killers' gig in Cape Town on Sunday, and it completely lived up to my unreasonably high expectations. Three days later, I've forgotten the crazy traffic... and I've got the tunes on permanent repeat in my head.
Haunted
If you're ever in East LA and you're thinking of making a horror movie, I think I've found you a location. The abandoned Linda Vista hospital in Boyle Heights - as featured in this eerie gallery at mental_floss – is about as haunted a house as you'll find.
Creepy.
Choose
If you were a child of the 80s you’ll remember those old Choose Your Own Adventure books, where each page ended by giving you a choice of how you’d like the narrative to continue. (It was like a first-person RPG, just on paper...) Wired must’ve loved the Decade of Bright Colours, because they have an incredibly smart story up (a Choose Your Own-style story!) on the whole phenomenon.
The smart folks at samizdat, meanwhile, have mapped out an entire CYOA book for your graphic pleasure.
If you’d like to read the Wired story, click here.
If you’d prefer to read the samizdat story, click here.
Change
Okay, so you know those iconic Obama campaign posters?
Well, a clever designer named Tim Doyle has transformed that. And by "transformed", I mean Transformed.
Jump The Shark
In case you've been wondering (and, going into Season 3 of Friday Night Lights, I've been wondering myself), Gawker has formulated an equation for When To Quit Watching A TV Show.
Use it. It'll save you a lot of wasted time. (And a lot of frustration at Lost, which lost me in Season 2.)
Use it. It'll save you a lot of wasted time. (And a lot of frustration at Lost, which lost me in Season 2.)
Vogue
I'm loving this Daily Beast gallery of Vogue magazine shots. Goes to show: you can do a fashion shoot without doing a... y'know... fashion shoot.
Gear
Go take a look at Wired's list of the 10 Best Sports Gear Innovations. I shudder to think where I'd be without golf ball dimples...
Contact
New York magazine has a slideshow up of work by Harry Benson, one of the great 20th celebrity photographers. His work really is magnificent, and it's worth checking out.
One of his best – and most famous – photos is actually a contact sheet (more on those here) of shots he took of the Beatles getting stuck in to a pillow fight after hearing that "I Want to Hold Your Hand" had gone to number one.
Sacrifice
Great pics (as expected) up at The Big Picture of the Eid al-Adha celebrations. It always amuses me how people will call it "Eid", when "Eid" means "Festival"... and there are about a dozens Eids on the Muslim calendar.
Paparazzi
Another industry takes a Dubai-esque turn for the worse: according to this great feature at The Daily Beast, the market value of paparazzi pics has plummeted 31%.
Thinkers
Foreign Policy have a great feature up on their Top 100 Global Thinkers... and it really is a Global list. It's a long read (one of those cases where the Internet simply cannot compete with a magazine for readability), but it's worthwhile - if only to see Hillary Clinton having to share sixth place with Bill.
Fail.
Everybody's going to run some or other end-of-year list (the whole thing will go meta when somebody runs a list of Top 10 End-of-Year Lists)... but The Root has an especially amusing one. Top 10 Fails of 2009 - with everybody's favourite "Don't Make Him Look Too Gay" musician sitting happily in ninth place.
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