Monday, February 27, 2012

A BBC news mockup

I'm in the midst of a move right now so the blog will be taking a small break until March 1st. In the meantime, enjoy Cassetteboy's latest video mockup.

Protests in Moscow

Meanwhile in Moscow thousands of people are standing in protest of their own corrupt government. There are some great pictures here.

Footage from Syria

This is some pretty crazy footage from the city of Homs, Syria. Prior to the current uprising looked like this. Obviously there is some graphic footage included.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Roxy Music - Love Is The Drug

This is an awesome Todd Terje remix of the 1975 classic. Trippy video heaven!


BONUS BEATS!

Jack Beats - Make The People

Nikita Zabelin - Serpentin

This is an awesome video done by StereoNoize from Russia. More minimal goodies down below as well!


BONUS BEATS!

Karen O - Hello Tomorrow


Standard Fair - Northern City [Jun Akimoto & Ittetsu Remix]


Popof - Blue Dream

Ultimate Tazer Ball

If this isn't proof positive that you can truly manifest any ridiculous idea into reality, I don't know what is.

Amazing firefly photography

Done with long exposures in Japan by Tsuneaki Hiramatsu. Check out more here.

John Cleese answers your questions

Yup, he's still got it.

The mystery box of Sesame Street

I watched the new Muppet movie the other night, and it was pretty awesome. A very pleasant surprise indeed. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out. Here's a reminder of what kind of sillyness is involved.

Rick Mercer rants about Bill C-30

Yup, that about says it.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Nightmares On Wax - Les Nuits

If you haven't heard of these guys, here you go. Chill out supreme.


BONUS BEATS!

K-Def - Times Change


Mayer Hawthorne - You Got The Makings Of A Lover [Pillow Talk Edit]


Bob Johnson & Rev. Jamel - Walking On The Moon

Damian Marley - Affairs Of The Heart

Not quite up to his "Distant Relatives" standards, but worth a listen.

US Intelligence admits that Iran has no nukes

Leave it to the greasy politicians to try and convince us otherwise.

Regrowing your teeth

This clip is a bit old, so where's our tooth regrowers already?

Awesome voice impressions

Josh Robert Thompson does an amazing Morgan Freeman.

The Joy of Books

I definitely need to read more. Books I mean.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Tomoyasu Hotei - Battle Without Honor Or Humanity

I feel like this one is probably on that soundtrack too.

Santa Esmeralda - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

There's probably an awesome movie soundtrack somewhere with this on it.

Train Of Thought - The Mustard Station

Fresh Canadian hip-hop! A supergroup featuring Ghettosocks, Muneshine, Timbuktu, Jeff Spec, and Moka Only! Awesome.

Baard Kolstad - Drum Solo

No crazy news today, just tunes. First, a wee drum solo from the streets of Norway.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Ludwig van Beethoven - 6th Symphony

Also referred to as "The Pastoral Symphony", this one is a big longer than the others, but worth the listening effort. Performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Christian Thielemann. Watch in HD!

Edward Elgar - Nimrod

This is a very well known piece performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 1975, conducted by the legendary Georg Solti.

Sergei Rachmaninov - Rhapsody On A Theme By Paganini

Today is a good day for some classical tunes, just because. Let's start here. This is the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Claudio Abbado.

Former BC attorney generals want marijuana regulated

Both sides of Canadian politics have reared their heads this week. First it was the ugly side, with asshole of the week Vic Toews comparing those against unrestrained government control of the internet to child pornographers. Then it was the good side, with former BC attorney general Geoff Plant giving a very progressive and reasonable argument about legalizing and regulating marijuana. Too bad he's retired from politics. The ones who haven't retired yet are utterly incompetent.

Blatant voter fraud in Maine

If you think this is an isolated incident give your head a shake.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Claudio Sanchez - Sentry The Defiant

Late afternoon addition! Claudio just posted this one, it's an acoustic version of one of the songs from the upcoming Coheed & Cambria album. The description reads:

"Instead of making you wait until the album is released, I thought I'd share my excitement for this song with you now. I decided with this piece to video document its creation. This is literally the first time I played the song through in its entirety. His name is Sentry The Defiant. - Claudio"

Styx - Come Sail Away

Almost as good as Eric Cartman's version.

Teddybears - Hey Boy

Hot funky beats from Sweden circa 2004. Video, not so hot.

Talib Kweli - Get By

Great track, can't believe it's 10 years old already. Dope remix of it here.

The World In 2030

According to Michio Kaku. This is an interesting lecture about the future. Keep in mind this is from October 2009, so some of the things that he's talking about have already become fact.

Mythbusters banned from talking about RFID chips

Adam Savage gives us the scoop on why.

New Old Spice commercial

Starring Terry Crews and directed by Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim.

Happy Valentine's Day

Ain't it grand.

Monday, February 13, 2012

The Specials - A Message To You Rudy

Since we were just talking about Rudy...

Jamaica All Stars - All Rudies

Might as well make that a double. Some ska this time.

Midnite - Mongst I & I

Some new reggae goodness from Jamaica.

Aurora borealis from space

NASA has released this pretty awesome footage from the International Space Station. It shows a view of the aurora borealis from space. It's a pretty impressive sight from the ground, from space it's just amazing. Watch in HD.

Freedom Watch cancelled

The only show worth watching on Fox has been cancelled. Judge Andrew Napolitano's two year run has come to and end after the network bigwigs decided that there was simply too much truth being spread for it to continue to be on a strictly entertainment only network. The announcement followed the airing of the episode which included the clip below.

Ice skating in Amsterdam

It's truly a crazy world that we live in. Athens is burning after another Greek bailout; American cops are still shooting innocent people; Mohamed Nasheed has been kicked out of office in the Maldives; Fukushima continues to melt and threatens Japan; the Republican state primaries are complete fiction; and the Chinese are having debt problems of their own, which begs the question, if China has no money, and Europe has no money, and the US has no money... who the hell has all the money?

None of this seems to matter in Amsterdam, however, where the current cold snap has frozen its canals for the first time in 15 years. Enjoy this little break from insanity, complete with a lovely song from Patrick Watson and the Cinematic Orchestra.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Gabin - Doo Uap, Doo Uap, Doo Uap

How about we follow that up with some electro swing? Sure, no problem.


BONUS BEATS!

Ella Fitzgerald - Air Mail Special [Club Des Belugas Remix]


Dunkelbunt - Cinnamon Girl


DJ Sneak - Studio Swing

Royal Crown Revue - Hey Pachuco!

You may remember this song from "The Mask". This version is insane.

Average White Band - Pick Up The Pieces

You've heard this song before. Just not live in Montreux. Until now.

This Is My Winter

For anyone into snowboarding, this is a pretty amazing short documentary about Xavier de la Rue. If you're not into snowboarding, this is probably still amazing.

What Is Reality?

This is a pretty awesome video montage from The Paradigm Shift, featuring Joe Rogan talking about reality. If you don't know Joe, this probably isn't for you. So a mild disclaimer: lots and lots of cursing ahead. As always, watch in HD!

The Iceman

Wim Hof shares the same nickname as Richard Kuklinski, but that is where the comparison ends. Wim has the unique ability to control his internal body temperature. How he does this is known only to him. There's an interesting TED Talk about him here.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Novalima - Mamaye

These are some awesome latin beats from Peru. I'd love to see this stuff live.


BONUS BEATS!

Gregor Salto - Paranda Loca


Champion - War Dance


Salmonella Dub - Slide

Slix - I Ball

Here's some UK grime I can dig.

Swindle - Ignition

I have no idea what genre this is, but it's pretty freakin' dope.

NASA develops biocapsule to treat astronauts

This is just nuts. It's an implant that diagnoses and treats individuals without them even feeling it. No science fiction here, just science fact. You can read the full article here. "That was too cool!"

No More Secrets

This is an absolutely amazing lecture by renowned neuroscientist Michael Persinger. If you have any questions about human telepathy, this might answer many of them.

Nigel Farage on the state of the European Union

My favorite British parliamentary figure at his scathing best in September.

Disneyland in 1957

Just some nostalgic footage from when the park was not even two years old.

Confessions Of A Mafia Hitman

Richard Kuklinski was extraordinary in a very different way. He was an infamous Mafia hitman, known as "The Iceman". This is a unique look into his dark places.

The Boy Who Sees Without Eyes

Another extraordinary story about the late Ben Underwood who used echolocation to see after his eyes were removed after being diagnosed with cancer.


Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Michael Franti & Spearhead - Nobody Right Nobody Wrong

Yet another brilliant song from the best political singer out there right now.

Sevendust - Angel's Son

This is actually Lajon Witherspoon from Sevendust singing with the surviving members of Snot. It's a tribute to the late Lynn Strait, the extremely talented singer who was taken far too early.

Black Roots - Juvenile Delinquent

Classic reggae from the UK. Doesn't get much better.

Lefties Soul Connection - Move What You Got

How about a little funk? From Amsterdam? Sounds like just the ticket.

The Real Rain Man

This is the fascinating story of the man with the world's most amazing memory, the late Kim Peek. I'll be featuring a few more stories of extraordinary people in the coming days.


The history of the Amen Break

Now for a little music history. This is the story of the "Amen Break", probably the most prolific sample used in the last 30 years. Even in music it's hard to find things that are truly original.

A modern history of Iran

Since it seems we're all too keen to just waltz into Iran because they're "dangerous", I think it's important to understand why Iran might not be so willing to deal with the United States face-to-face. There is always more than meets the eye. Check out this rant I posted a month ago for more on this subject.

Gun camera footage from 1945 in Japan

I've been interested in war film, both fictional and real, for a while now. This might seem weird since I'm vehemently opposed to war, but I think it's important to understand exactly what these men were forced to go through so that you can attach a value to the human element when weighing the cost of aggressive political action. This is footage from a fighter jet over Japan in 1945. Watch in full screen HD for full effect.

35 fantastic HDR pictures

This is an old collection and you'll find lots more in the interwebs, but if you don't know what HDR photography is, this is a good introduction. In a nutshell it's a technique of using multiple exposures of the same picture to create a surreal image that captures a full range of light and color, more than any normal single exposure would. If that doesn't make any sense, just look at the these pictures and enjoy. This one is a late night in Toronto by Chris Carson. Awesome.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Maceo Plex - Can't Leave You

From fish to cephalopods, we keep it underwater. This is one of my favorite new producers who seamlessly blends progressive, minimal, tech, and lots of groove to everything he releases. Oh look, more bonus beats too!


BONUS BEATS!

Talk Talk - Life's What You Make It [Starkillers Remix]


Knightlife - I Want You


Dub Taylor - Holy Cow

Chali 2na - Hype 2night

One of the best in the biz, the 2naFish delivers every time.

Lewis Parker - Shark

Sweet track with a cool video. Dude's got killer specs too.

Crazy truck accident video

Imagine seeing this in front of you as you head down the highway.

Dr. Adrian Park speaks on shale gas

This is a big issue in New Brunswick, and certainly a divisive one. On one hand, this would create lots of jobs and boost the economy. On the other, it has the potential to do irreversible damage to our environment. As Dr. Park explains this is unlikely and mostly preventable with strict regulations, but for me even the slightest possibility that things could go wrong is a risk not worth taking. In my opinion we need to look past fossil fuels as energy sources and invest in renewable, clean energy sources that we have the science to develop. Shale gas is a temporary solution to a problem that needs a long term solution. Nonetheless this is an interesting (albeit pretty boring) presentation and should shed some light on the process involved.

The Lost World of Lake Vostok

This is a must-watch if you're interested in the developing Lake Vostok story.

Epic next level pies

I will make an Appleton apple pie. I will.

Dam Mantle - Not A Word

I thought I'd already posted this one, but apparently not. Some minimal goodness here, and below, at long last, some bonus beats!


BONUS BEATS!

Gregory Porter - 1960 What? [Opolopo Remix]



Aloe Blacc - Loving You Is Killing Me [Mano Le Tough Remix]



Radiohead - Little By Little [Caribou Remix]


Monday, February 6, 2012

Damien Echols freed from Memphis prison

One of the infamous "West Memphis Three" did this interview with Amy Goodman of Democracy Now, and I think it's worth a watch. This case is a particularly harrowing case of the American judicial system gone horribly, horribly wrong. A new documentary titled "West of Memphis" was just presented at the Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim and the filmmakers hope to take the case back to court this year.

Reggie Watts - Big Ass Purse

Probably my favorite comedic musician right now. Hilarious.

Zoe Thomson - Stratosphere

This is 8 year old Zoe Thomson, just doing a little practice. Aspiring guitarists, don't quit your day jobs just yet.

Russian scientists reach Lake Vostok

They've done it. After 30 years of drilling, scientists have finally reached the mysterious Lake Vostok. It's been an intriguing last week or so when reports of its imminent awakening surfaced accompanied by reports that the scientists had gone missing or at least lost contact with the world, but all of those proved to be unfounded and they have finally made it through the ice. Now the question is, what is down there? Some of the world's preeminent billionaires are there to see, and whatever they find you can be sure it's going to be mind-blowing.

Someone is wrong on the internet

This reminds me of me sometimes.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Stompin' Tom Connors - Bud The Spud


"Today in New Brunswick (and Canadian) history. On February 3, 1936, "Stompin' Tom" Connors, singer, was born at Saint John New Brunswick. Connors grew up in Skinners Pond, PEI. He started singing for a living in 1964, at the Maple Leaf Hotel in Timmins, Ontario, when he found himself broke. His foot stomping style was developed to keep the beat over the noise of the tavern. His trademark song is "Bud the Spud", about a potato trucker from Prince Edward Island."

Happy birthday to a Canadian legend.

There might be metal in your cereal

I don't really each much cereal so I'm not too concerned, but maybe you should be.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Aloe Blacc - If I

There are six songs from this stunning performance in Berlin with a string quintet. I was going to post them all because they're so good but you'll just have to find the rest yourself. Absolutely brilliant.

Koro Island aerial video

This is why I want to go to Fiji.

The 12 year old girl who silenced the world

In 1992 Severn Cullis-Suzuki, daughter of legendary Canadian activist David Suzuki, gave a truly amazing speech at the United Nations Earth Summit in Brazil. Methinks there are more than a few politicians who could take a lesson or two from this even today.

FW De Klerk speech to end apartheid

22 years ago today marked the beginning of the end of apartheid in South Africa, and the announcement of the release of Nelson Mandela from prison. To this day the method of transition continues to be controversial, but this was truly an historic moment for South African politics.

Six really, really old trees

A couple weeks ago Florida's legendary cypress tree "The Senator" burned down from a lightning strike. At some 3500 years old it was among the oldest trees on the earth. These giant old trees are pretty awesome sights, and while I would hardly call myself a "tree-hugger", I think some of these are probably worth keeping for a few more decades at least if we can help it. Check out these cool trees including the tree below, the Zoroastrian Sarv in Iran.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Big Wreck - Albatross

I can't believe this video has been out a week and I hadn't seen it before now. My friends have failed me. Hahaha. FINALLY! The video for the new single is out. Check it. I can barely contain my excitement for this new album.

Gregory Porter - 1960 What?

Great track that Mr. Scruff posted today.

Telepathy machine reconstructs speech

Speech from your brainwaves. Open your mind...

The Nomad - Perilous Times

Some fusion from Australia. Sweet.

Nas - Nasty

THIS is rap music. Serious.

3D printing is the new frontier

The Pirate Bay has recently made the press again by declaring so-called "physibles" as the new frontier for piracy. It's a bold statement but one worth noting. In just a few short years we've gone from room-sized computers to 4G cell phones and now the things that only Gene Roddenberry could conceive of are closer to reality. The future is coming faster than you think. Are you ready for it?

The Gordon Arnold video

The US National Archives released a bunch of audio tapes from Air Force One on the day of JFK's assassination recently, but I haven't listened to any of them as I don't think it will shed too much new light on anything we don't already know. Here's something you might not have seen before though, the complete Gordon Arnold interview. For those who still think he was killed by a "magic bullet", give this a watch.

Peek-a-boo

I've never posted an animated GIF on here before. I hope this works.

Kenton Slash Demon - Daemon

I don't usually post two videos at once from the same artist, but I think this time it's justified. This one might be better than the last. Again, this is entirely "analog". No computers. Unreal.

Kenton Slash Demon - Matter

These guys are from Denmark and this video is done entirely without computers. Amazing. Watch it in HD.

Oh thank God it's just...

...an alligator!

Distance & Alys Be - Falling

Some cool slow motion dance move action here to go along with some minimal dubstep.

50 unexplainable black and white photos

Pretty self explanatory. Check them out here. I like this one.

Time lapse MMA drawing

This is just a short time lapse video of a guy drawing his MMA coach that I thought was cool. I like to watch processes and such.

The truth about sugar

Dr. Robert Lustig gives a very interesting talk about obesity and its causes. If you're into the real science of it I recommend watching this. If you just want to know how to stop gaining fat, cut out refined sugar and alcohol and increase your fiber intake. Exercise, apparently, is not very effective. I don't really agree with the solutions he suggests at the end of the video, but the rest of his presentation is very informative.