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Wiki v Burj Dubai
think the wiki monkeys have been tampering with the Burj Dubai entry...
3rd Feb 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Adverse Weather Conditions
The UK was hit by "adverse weather conditions" today, as 8 inches of snow embarrassingly laid the nation's capital to waste like a single stone from David's catapult.
Just in case you didn't notice, it's your lucky day - as every amateur photographer was out capturing exciting images of stuff covered in snow, as the 65,000+ images at Flickr can testify. Here's my selection.
2nd Feb 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
iPhoto '09
I've got my mitts on a copy of the latest version of iPhoto - Apple's photo management software, and I'm loving it. It's got three great new bonus features: Maps, Syncing and Faces.
Geotagging has been picking up momentum for a while now - and with more and more phones and cameras coming with built-in GPS, it's only going to get bigger. Geotagged photos are now all pulled together on a map, with the co-ordinates reverse coded to show location names, allowing you to search for places and find photos taken there. Pretty nifty. Adding locations isn't a big feature yet, but any locations added in Flickr can be synced using the next new feature.
Just when PhotoCopy had launched their excellent Flickr syncing program, Apple have added Flickr-syncing to the mothership - and it works perfectly. Any set of photos can be used to create a Flickr set, which then uploads to your chosen account. Any changes made to the set or the photos (adding tags, changing title etc) are automatically updated online, and even more impressively any changes made online are synced back to the program.
With more and more services becoming available to run sophisticated photo sites using Flickr (1, 2, 3), anyone can now manage a detailed photo site using just iPhoto.
Here's an example using the Chimp surveillance data.
Finally, iPhoto now uses facial recognition. If you saw this on CSI you would dismiss it as implausible, but it actually works incredibly well. As you first set it up, it scans through your library and marks any faces it thinks it has found. You can then click these and add a name - and as the names build up, the program quickly suggests other photos with that person in. It's right maybe 70% of the time, which makes tagging these photos super easy. You can then search your library for a name, and bingo - all the photos of one person in one place. The tagged photos work pretty much like Facebook's photo tagging, so as expected you can now upload directly to Facebook, keeping all that data in place.
I wasn't intending this to sound like a software review, but there's no denying how it's turned out. The best photo management album out there just got way better.
CSF - 4.5 Stars
2nd Feb 2009 - 2 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
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Colbert v McCartney
the "Fighting Walrus" gets the Colbert treatment
30th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
It's in custard Richard, custard.
Some times you have to go with the flow and run a piece on a viral email joke.
30th Jan 2009 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
More Martyn
Dr Chimp passed on another sublime John Martyn moment... great bass from Danny Thompson here too
30th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Phonographantasmascope
the perfect invention for all those times when you've been wondering what do to with your decks, and secretly wishing that the art of the zoetrope would make a comeback...
30th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Star Status: Nicole Kidman
I love to dance! Is her best film an ad? It's time to find out with this week's instalment of the Chimpomatic Star Status Movie Maths Generator!
Remember: it's 10 points for a Hit, 5 for a Maybe and 1 for a Miss... No TV movies, just cinema releases to date.
Australia (2008) .... Lady Sarah Ashley - MISS
The Golden Compass (2007) .... Mrs. Coulter MAYBE
Margot at the Wedding (2007) .... Margot MAYBE
The Invasion (2007) .... Carol Bennell MISS
Happy Feet (2006) (voice) .... Norma Jean MAYBE
Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006) .... Diane Arbus HIT
Bewitched (2005) .... Isabel Bigelow / Samantha MISS
The Interpreter (2005) .... Silvia Broome MISS
Birth (2004) .... Anna MAYBE
The Stepford Wives (2004) .... Joanna Eberhart MISS
Cold Mountain (2003) .... Ada Monroe MAYBE
The Human Stain (2003) .... Faunia Farley MISS
Dogville (2003) .... Grace Margaret Mulligan HIT
The Hours (2002) .... Virginia Woolf HIT
Birthday Girl (2001) .... Sophia, alias Nadia MAYBE
The Others (2001) .... Grace Stewart HIT
Moulin Rouge! (2001) .... Satine HIT
Eyes Wide Shut (1999) .... Alice Harford MAYBE
Practical Magic (1998) .... Gillian Owens MISS
The Peacemaker (1997) .... Dr. Julia Kelly HIT
The Leading Man (1996) .... Academy Awards Presenter MAYBE
The Portrait of a Lady (1996) .... Isabel Archer MISS
Batman Forever (1995) .... Dr. Chase Meridian MISS
To Die For (1995) .... Suzanne Stone Maretto HIT
My Life (1993/I) .... Gail Jones MAYBE
Malice (1993) .... Tracy Kennsinger MISS
Far and Away (1992) .... Shannon Christie MAYBE
Billy Bathgate (1991) .... Drew Preston MAYBE
Flirting (1991) .... Nicola HIT
Days of Thunder (1990) .... Dr. Claire Lewicki MAYBE
Dead Calm (1989) .... Rae Ingram HIT
Emerald City (1988) .... Helen MAYBE
Watch the Shadows Dance aka Nightmaster (1987) .... Amy Gabriel MISS
The Bit Part (1987) .... Mary McAllister MAYBE
Windrider (1986) .... Jade MISS
Wills & Burke (1985) .... Julia Matthews MISS
Bush Christmas (1983) .... Helen MISS
BMX Bandits (1983) .... Judy HIT
HIT 10
MISS 14
MAYBE 14
So out of a possible 380 that’s 184
Nicole Kidman: you have scored 48.42%
If you dare make a purchase, you can do so here, allowing Chimpomatic to profit from her loss. Check back next Thursday for more Star Status movie maths. Same Chimp Channel, same Chimp Time...
29th Jan 2009 - 3 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Van Morrison v Voiceover Guy
weird hearing Voiceover Guy bigging up the new live version of Astral Weeks out Feb 9
29th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Wilco en Espana
Wilco are heading over Europe for some dates in May and June ....but so far that only includes Spain and one night in Portugal. Madrid's show is at the Teatro Calderon on Friday May 26th, priced from 55 euros and up. Ouch.
29th Jan 2009 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Scarlett Johansson vs Jeff Buckley
Scarlett Johansson has mastered Tom, now she's having a crack at Jeff...
29th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Promo Promo: Eugene McGuinness
Nice stop-motion promo up for Eugene McGuiness's track Fonz. Glad someone is still using the art to good effect. With a digital camera you can make an HD stop-motion promo for next to nothing.
28th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
D9
couple of those interactive WTF sites popping up for a new Peter Jackson-produced sci-fi called D9 - some peaceful living guidelines for human/non-human life over at Multi-National United
28th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
It's A Tough-Off!
Check the cast list for Stallone's new film The Expendables: Mickey Rourke, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Ben Kingsley, Dolph Lundgren, Forest Whitaker and Stallone himself... They're "a team of mercenaries heading to South Africa to topple a dictator."
28th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Ad Nauseum: Protest
Creative Review has a run-down of some of the latest ads doing the rounds, including a flash-mob rip off of that Thriller thing, plus another Cadbury's ad.
This one for Protest caught my eye however. I can smell the snow.
27th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
C4 get True Blood and Generation Kill
finally, some HBO product on terrestrial: C4 have picked up both Generation Kill and Alan Ball's new vampire drama, True Blood - both will be shown later in 2009
27th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
This Is What You Get When You Mash With Us: Jaydiohead
ever wondered what Jay-Z would sound like if he'd grown up in Oxford? or what if Thom Yorke was all up in Brooklyn? wonder no more kids, here's Jaydiohead from Minty Fresh Beats
27th Jan 2009 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Polar Bear On The Thames
thought I was a bit tired this morning, but no, there really was a polar bear on the Thames...
26th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
International Space Station Tour
You're going to need a slow day at the office for this one. NASA has released a tour of the ISS, originally shot for Nasa TV. The piece has now been split into 4 chunks on YouTube, the first of which you can see above. Click for parts 2, 3 and 4.
26th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Trailer Park: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
Fun trailer up for the latest Michael Cera rom-tee-com - Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist.
Heartbroken teenage guitarist Nick meets cool chick Norah and they bond over a mix CD he made. Jay Baruchel also turns up as Norah's ex.
And FYI, that playlist includes: Band of Horses, Bishop Allen, Devendra Banhart, Modest Mouse and Vampire Weekend.
26th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Silver Jews v Dr Evil
Silver Jews man David Berman is splitting up the band so he can spend more time taking on his Dr Evil spin doctor dad...
26th Jan 2009 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Just say NO...thanks
The Guardian have followed up a recent Chimp discussion on the downside to free daily newspapers.
Links
No thanks....I have a book to read
Tags
26th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Vedder, Grohl and Drake
Unfortunately it's not Vedder, Grohl and Drake on the same song, but Dave Grohl and Eddie Vedder are among the artists set to appear on a Nick Drake covers record - as well as a short film by Heath Ledger(?).
26th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Bon Iver Hits The Charts
Bon Iver has hit the UK charts with his new single Blood Bank (review here), currently 'nestled between Pink and Rihanna in the hit parade', at number 37. That makes him Jagjaguwar's first top 40 single in the UK.....
He's also got a couple of tracks on the forthcoming Red Hot compilation, hopefully embedded below, along with a track from The Decemberists.
26th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Holy Font!
Looking to save ink? Check out this clever font that uses holes to minimise waste.
26th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Promo Promo: Tim Buckley
Not a new promo, but with John Frusciante bumping Song To The Siren back up the playlist, and Jeff Buckley riding high on his X-Factor success, check out Tim's original version of a timeless classic.
23rd Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
More Frusciante
We've been getting some love from the John Frusciante community this week - which has led me back to this excellent Frusciante career overview at Indie Paws (Part 1, part 2).
Readers are also coming in from the Chili Peppers discussion boards, as well as fan site Invisible Movement, who I notice now host the unobtainable internet only album From The Sound Inside that Frusciante released for free in 2001 (way before In Rainbows, people). They also have the demo and acoustic versions of Shadow Collide With People.
All good of course ...but don't hope for anything better than you may already have.
23rd Jan 2009 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Lonely Island
compilation of SNL's new-school boys Lonely Island's hits - Chronic Of Narnia, Dick-in-a-box, Natalie gangsta Portman etc
23rd Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Promo Promo: Neil Young
Crazy Uncle Neil Young has a new lo-fi video up. Fork In The Road is taken from his latest madcap concept album, which is all about bio-fuel cars....
Check out the Linc Volt site for more info.
23rd Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Cadence Mix
HHG favourite Cadence Weapon has a new release up on a pay-what-you-like basis, a la In Rainbows. It's a mix tape of exclusive tracks, remixes and collaborations.
1. Roll With The Winners (Prod. Hervé & A-Trak ft. Cadence Weapon)
2. The Cansecos "Rise Up" (Cadence Weapon Mix)
3. Pretty Girls Make Raves (Prod. Stuffa, Mapei and Sinden)
4. Mini T.V.'s (Chad Vangaalen Cover, Live ft. Final Fantasy)
5. Sailboats Are White "SAW" (Cadence Weapon Hi-Speed Edit)
6. Sally Shapiro "He Keeps Me Alive" (Cadence Weapon Mix)
7. Bad Graffiti (Prod. Murge)
8. Roland Pemberton III "Rupture Vers Le Haut"
9. The Morning After (Prod. C-Sekshun)
10. RJD2 "Sweet Piece" (Cadence Weapon Ladykiller Remix)
11. Kennedy Curse
12. Kid Sister "Damn Girl" (Cadence Weapon Remix)
13. Shout Out Out Out Out "Coming Home" ("We Do Acid" Demo)
14. Busdriver "Sun Shower" (Cadence Weapon's Raleigh Remix)
15. Junior Bloomsday "Your Perfect Gene" (ft. Cadence Weapon)
16. The Wet Secrets "The Chinball Wizard (Cadence Weapon Samir-themed Remix)
17. House Music Medley (bird Peterson, A1 Bassline, The Cansecos)
18. Super Extra Bonus Party "Radar" (Demo)
19. Roots Manuva "Buff Nuff" (Cadence Weapon Tuff Mix)
20. The D.B. Buxton Revue "Sex With My Ex" (Cadence Weapon's No Sex Mix)
Head over to his site to check it out. Great cover art too (above).
23rd Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Bed News: Mmmm
you love burgers. you love beds. but what if there was some way to combine the two? what if... there was a... burger-bed?
23rd Jan 2009 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Promo Promo: Animal Collective
Time for a bit of nature watching with Animal Collective. Check out the promo for their track My Girls - from the highly rated Merriweather Post Pavilion album.
22nd Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Star Status: Hugh Jackman
He's lined up to play Wolverine again this summer, and is currently starring with Nicole Kidman in Australia - but how does Hugh Jackman rate in the Chimpomatic Star Status Movie Career Hitrate Generator?
It's 10 points for a Hit, 5 for a Maybe and 1 for a Miss... No TV movies, just cinema releases.
Australia (2008) .... Drover MISS
Deception (2008) .... Wyatt Bose MISS
Happy Feet (2006) (voice) .... Memphis MAYBE
Flushed Away (2006) (voice) .... Roddy MISS
The Prestige (2006) .... Robert Angier MAYBE
The Fountain (2006) .... Tomas / Tommy / Tom Creo MAYBE
Scoop (2006) .... Peter Lyman MISS
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) .... Logan / Wolverine MISS
Van Helsing (2004) .... Van Helsing MISS
Standing Room Only (2004/I) .... Roger MISS
X2 (2003) .... Logan / Wolverine ...HIT
Kate & Leopold (2001) .... Leopold MAYBE
Swordfish (2001) .... Stanley Jobson MISS
Someone Like You... (2001) .... Eddie Alden MISS
X-Men (2000) .... Logan / Wolverine HIT
Erskineville Kings (1999) .... Wace HIT
Paperback Hero (1999) .... Jack Willis MISS
HIT 3
MISS 10
MAYBE 4
So that's 60 points out of a possible 170
Hugh Jackman: you have scored 35%
If you dare make a purchase, you can do so here, allowing Chimpomatic to profit from his loss. Check back next Thursday for more Star Status movie maths. Same Chimp Channel, same Chimp Time...
Links
Stock up on Hugh Jackman's good 35% here!
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22nd Jan 2009 - 2 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Bed News: The Back Up
Looking for a new bed? You might want to consider the Back Up. Protection Within Reach.
22nd Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Take Two
Don't worry - everything's above board now. After fluffing his lines on the big day, Barack Obama has been sword in successfully at a second attempt.
22nd Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Eastbound & Down
like the look of Eastbound & Down - a new HBO sitcom w Will Ferrell and Danny McBride (dude from Foot Fist Way)
22nd Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Best Maps of 2008
Google Maps Mania has a nice round-up of the best Google Maps of 2008 - including a nice narrative story-telling map (21 Steps) and a virtual skydive.
21st Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Charles In Charge
Broken Social Scene's Charles Spearin is following in the steps of Feist, Emily Haines and Kevin Drew and coming out with his own solo record - The Happiness Project, due March 23rd on Arts & Crafts.
Inspiration for the project was drawn from interviews with his neighbours on their thoughts of happiness, and he's been testing the material out on BSS's live crowds.
Check out the website for more info, where you can also download the track Anna.
21st Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Bloody Omaha
Nice video about shooting your own guerilla D-day invasion movie with 3 extras in 4 days. Saving Private Ryan provided below for reference.
If only they'd had an i-ball cam.
21st Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
People who bought this...
As noted by CJ, "customers who bought Band of Horses also bought Great Lake Swimmers". Nice match, particularly their latest album Ongiara (get it on iTunes or Amazon), although it's possibly more Mat Brooke than Ben Bridwell.
21st Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Presidency 2.0
While we all lovingly felt a connection with the way man-of-the-people Barack Obama nervously fluffed his lines (twice!) during the inauguration, it is of course great news to have a Web 2.0 loving President in office. A President who happily uses the awesome Gotham font to proclaim his simplistic, advertising-style, sloganistic promises - that we all find so easy to relate to.
Did his team just hit the right mark with the tone of their campaign? Did the Reagan fans vote Reagan in because they could relate to his age, choice of suits or the font of his letter head? Or is Obama genuinely a man in touch with the nation?
Fingers crossed the promises will be followed by action, else there's going to be a lot of disappointment around the world. I remember a very similar excitement when Tony Blair was elected....
20th Jan 2009 - 3 comments - Add Comment - Tweet
Best Jobs
With Apple calling time on the high-turnover pressure of the annual Macworld Expo, check out this greatest hits of Steve Jobs reality-distortion field in action.
20th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Red Hotter And Hotter
Things are hotting up over at the Dark Was The Night Myspace, with 4AD previewing one new track a day from the forthcoming charity compiliation - which will be released on double CD / triple vinyl / download on Feb 15th.
Today: So Far Around The Bend, from The National - whose Aaron and Bryce Dessner curated the compilation.
20th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet
Everest Sings
We may have overlooked their support slot on the recent My Morning Jacket UK tour, but things are sounding good from the un-Googleable Everest.
20th Jan 2009 - Add Comment - Tweet