Tuesday 31 March 2015

How Nazis’ Stolen Art Sparked a Battle for the Woman in Gold

How Nazis’ Stolen Art Sparked a Battle for the Woman in Gold


Helen Mirren’s new film sees her playing Maria Altmann, a Jewish refugee who took on the Austrian government in the fight for a Klimt painting that was looted from her family.

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Monday 30 March 2015

Writing About His Impending Death Has Given Clive James's Poetry New Life

Writing About His Impending Death Has Given Clive James's Poetry New Life


His latest colleciton of essays, Poetry Notebook, is a masterful argument for the importance of poetry.

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Good Morning Los Angeles: Fear the Walking Dead - Trailer

Good Morning Los Angeles: Fear the Walking Dead - Trailer


"A strange virus is going around…" Fear the Walking Dead premieres Summer 2015. Only on AMC.

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What You Need To Know Before Watching The New Scientology Movie

What You Need To Know Before Watching The New Scientology Movie


HBO's eagerly-anticipated, explosive Scientology documentary "Going Clear" finally premieres on the cable channel this Sunday. The film, written and directed by Alex Gibney ("The Armstrong Lie," "Taxi to the Dark Side"), is based on Lawrence Wright's controversial book of the same name. The documentary debuted at Sundance -- it does not disappoint -- but the more you know about Scientology before your viewing, the better you'll understand the mystery and mania that...

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Racing goes electric: At the track with Formula E, the first e-racing series

Racing goes electric: At the track with Formula E, the first e-racing series


The pit lane we're standing in is unusual, and not only because it's a temporary setup placed in the shadow of American Airlines Arena (home of the NBA's Miami Heat). Garages are set up on both sides rather than being limited to one. A few things also appear to be missing. To start, a familiar smell from the usual mix of burning hydrocarbons is absent. And it’s remarkably quiet.

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Are your old Harry Potter books worth anything?

Are your old Harry Potter books worth anything?


In Philip W. Errington’s new book, J.K. Rowling: A Bibliography 1997-2013, he includes a handy chart for early Potter fans to determine whether any of their beloved copies have financial value.

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Sunday 29 March 2015

Six seconds that shaped 1,500 songs

Six seconds that shaped 1,500 songs


Amen, Brother was a little-known B-side released in 1969. Barely noticed at the time, its drum solo has been hugely influential, appearing in more than 1,500 other songs.

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A Snowboarder's Unbelievable Tiny House

A Snowboarder's Unbelievable Tiny House


Pro-snowboarder, Mike Basich, tours his self-built 225 square foot home in the middle of his 40 acre snow covered property near Truckee, CA - and shows how being close to nature drives his most creative decisions. In Going Off Grid, Laura Ling examines how 180,000 Americans a year are choosing to live entirely disconnected from our modern internet-focused world in pursuit of a more sustainable, simple lifestyle.

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WrestleMania 2015: by the numbers

WrestleMania 2015: by the numbers


WWE's biggest event invades the Bay Area after a roller coaster year since unveiling its over-the-top WWE Network. Here are the numbers you need to know.

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Consolation for Life’s Darkest Hours: 7 Unusual and Wonderful Books that Help Children Grieve and Make Sense of Death

Consolation for Life’s Darkest Hours: 7 Unusual and Wonderful Books that Help Children Grieve and Make Sense of Death


When death comes and brings grief with it, as Joan Didion memorably put it, it’s “nothing like we expect it to be.” What we need isn’t so much protection from that engulfing darkness as the shaky comfort of understanding — a sensemaking mechanism for the messiness of loss.

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A Blood-Thirsty Gentleman

A Blood-Thirsty Gentleman


Some characters seem to grow more real than their creators, and perhaps no villain better exemplifies this than Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula.

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The Hottest Books on Sale This Week. 03/29/2015

The Hottest Books on Sale This Week. 03/29/2015


Watch for new titles from Terry Pratchett, Steve Berry and Sara Gruen.

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“Make me the villain of your next book”: Maine governor fires back at Stephen King

“Make me the villain of your next book”: Maine governor fires back at Stephen King


Maine Gov. Paul LePage is refusing to apologize for falsely insinuating that Stephen King no longer pays taxes in the state, but he did make the bestselling author an acerbic offer: “Just make me the villain of your next book, and I won’t charge you royalties.” The current dispute between King and the Tea Party Republican stems from LePage’s assertion in a radio address last week that King and a number of other prominent Mainers had abandoned the state...

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A New Type of Dyson Sphere May Be Nearly Impossible to Detect

A New Type of Dyson Sphere May Be Nearly Impossible to Detect


Over fifty years ago, physicist Freeman Dyson proposed an awesome, if slightly insane, idea: That an advanced alien civilization might construct a massive, energy-harvesting sphere around its star, and bunk up inside.

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Holocaust Survivor Band

Holocaust Survivor Band


This short documentary profiles two elderly Holocaust survivors in Florida who recently formed their own klezmer band.

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Missouri Governor Nixon Is Putting Libraries in Peril

Missouri Governor Nixon Is Putting Libraries in Peril


Libraries in Missouri need help. Here's why, and what you can do to help.

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53 Stations of the Tōkaidō as Potted Landscapes

53 Stations of the Tōkaidō as Potted Landscapes


This book from the mid-19th century, Tokaido Gojusan-eki Hachiyama Edyu, presents a series of fifty-three prints created by a relatively obscure ukiyo-e artist named Utagawa Yoshishige, each illustration depicting a Tōkaidō station in the form of a potted landscape. The illustrations are based on actual pieces constructed by Kimura Tōsen.

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North Carolina Coach Dean Smith left every letterman he coached $200 in his will

North Carolina Coach Dean Smith left every letterman he coached $200 in his will


Legendary former North Carolina men’s basketball coach Dean Smith, who died Feb. 7, loved his players as much as he loved the game. Amazingly, he’s even managed to demonstrate this posthumously by sending each of his letter winners a check for $200 with the message, “Enjoy dinner out compliments of Coach Dean Smith.” A tweet showing a photograph of one of the letters, addressed to Tar Heels 1993 championship team member Dante Calabria, went viral on Thursday.

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'Beautiful mind' John Nash adds Abel Prize to his Nobel

'Beautiful mind' John Nash adds Abel Prize to his Nobel


Mathematician made famous by Hollywood will share US$765,000 award with Louis Nirenberg for work in the field of geometric analysis.

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"Cursed" - CGI Animated Shorts

"Cursed" - CGI Animated Shorts


Check out this very funny and creative CGI animated short film by the very talented animator, Juba Polati! It took eight months total, two months for pre-production and 6 months for production.

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Church Of Scientology Calls New HBO Documentary 'Bigoted'

Church Of Scientology Calls New HBO Documentary 'Bigoted'


The Church of Scientology is famous for its efforts to silence its critics, but it has not blocked an upcoming HBO film that turns a harsh light on the powerful organization and its leadership. Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, directed by Academy Award-winning documentarian Alex Gibney, will debut Sunday over the vigorous objection of Scientology officials.

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Saturday 28 March 2015

Danny MacAskill's Solar Eclipse Ride

Danny MacAskill's Solar Eclipse Ride


On Friday March 20th a Solar Eclipse plunged Europe into darkness. Photographer Rutger Pauw teamed up with Danny MacAskill to capture the moment on Danny's homeland, the Isle of Skye in Scotland. With just one small window of opportunity to get the shot he had dreamed about, Rutger and the team spent days scouring to select the perfect location. This clip gives a unique behind the scenes look at how they found the spot and how they managed to capture one of the most creative shots of the year.

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You can now play Super Mario 64 in your browser

You can now play Super Mario 64 in your browser


Super Mario 64 is still an amazing game, but nearly 20 years after it first launched on the Nintendo 64, it looks pretty dated. But with a little love, it can look amazing. Computer science student Erik Roystan Ross recently decided to remake the first level of the game while experimenting with the Unity game engine, and the results are impressive — the game looks almost as good as more recent games in the series, like Super Mario 3D World on the Wii U.

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Nissan GT-R Flips Into Crowd At Nürburgring Race, One Dead

Nissan GT-R Flips Into Crowd At Nürburgring Race, One Dead


A Nissan GT-R driven by Jann Mardenborough flipped off the track and into the spectator area at this weekend's VLN endurance race at the Nürburgring in Germany. The driver survived without serious injuries but one spectator was killed and more were injured.

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Nine Films to Watch in April

Nine Films to Watch in April


BBC Culture picks nine films coming out next month, including Ex Machina, the Avengers sequel and Russell Crowe’s directorial debut.

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Photography, Misery And Beauty In 'The Salt Of The Earth'

Photography, Misery And Beauty In 'The Salt Of The Earth'


The Salt Of The Earth, a documentary directed by Wim Wenders about Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado.

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Masi Oka Joins 'Heroes Reborn', Will Reprise Hiro Nakamura Role

Masi Oka Joins 'Heroes Reborn', Will Reprise Hiro Nakamura Role


Another Heroes fan favorite character will return for the upcoming Heroes Reborn event series. Masi Oka, who played wide-eyed time/space jumper Hiro Nakamura on the original series, is set to reprise his role in a guest-starring arc on Heroes Reborn, which is now slated for NBC’s fall schedule. (Will it return to Monday where the original launched successfully?)

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'Improbable Libraries' Is a Fascinating Trek among the Stacks

'Improbable Libraries' Is a Fascinating Trek among the Stacks


"Libraries have a long history of overcoming geographic, economic and political challenges to bring the written word to an audience," writes Alex Johnson, a journalist at the U.K. newspaper the Independent, in the introduction to his fascinating new book, "Improbable Libraries." Johnson should know — both of his parents are librarians. He spent the last few years documenting what he calls "the new library revolution."

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The Travellers’ Library Series – A Snapshot of Literary Fashion

The Travellers’ Library Series – A Snapshot of Literary Fashion


The Travellers’ Library series of books published by Jonathan Cape gives a fascinating glimpse of literary fashion in the 1920s, including names that have endured, others that have been completely forgotten, and still others currently halfway to obscurity.

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Friday 27 March 2015

Kim Jong-un calls for N. Korea’s participation in more global sports events

Kim Jong-un calls for N. Korea’s participation in more global sports events


North Korean leader Kim Jong-un encouraged the country’s athletes to join as many international sports events as possible, with the aim of becoming a sports power, according to Pyongyang’s media Thursday. The North held a national meeting of sportspersons on Wednesday at a stadium in the capital, said the Korean Central News Agency.

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Guitarist and songwriter John Renbourn, founder of Pentangle, dies

Guitarist and songwriter John Renbourn, founder of Pentangle, dies


The English guitarist and songwriter John Renbourn has died aged 70 at his home in Hawick in the Scottish Borders. Best known for his work with the folk group Pentangle, he had been on tour with the guitarist and singer Wizz Jones.

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Skydive Swoop 'N Slide

Skydive Swoop 'N Slide


Axis Flight School takes on an epic air and ground stunt.

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Tens of thousands of UK students turn to prostitution and sex work to pay off loans

Tens of thousands of UK students turn to prostitution and sex work to pay off loans


Tens of thousands of students across the UK are turning to sex work to pay loans and fund upmarket lifestyles at university.

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The Last Ever Top Gear

The Last Ever Top Gear


Exclusive previously unseen footage of the final episode, when Jeremy comes clean.

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Seattle Driver Blocking Bicycle Lane to Cyclist: "I Literally Don't Give a Fuck About Anything You Say"

Seattle Driver Blocking Bicycle Lane to Cyclist: "I Literally Don't Give a Fuck About Anything You Say"


This situation escalated quickly. In a video posted on Reddit (see below), a car driver appears to be parked directly in front of an official sign (like the one at right) telling drivers to "please" not park in the cycle track. Reached via Reddit, the cyclist says he commutes from Ballard to downtown via Fremont Bridge and Dexter Avenue.

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Young readers prefer printed books

Young readers prefer printed books


A new book called Words Onscreen: The Fate of Reading in a Digital World cites surveys that say that young readers increasingly prefer to read books from paper, not screens. More than that, though, they find ebooks and printed books complementary. Printed books are good for protracted reading and comprehension. Ebooks are good for subsequent reference and convenient access. I started arguing this in 2008, and it certainly reflects my own experience.

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Rowing Tug of War Is Now a Sport

Rowing Tug of War Is Now a Sport


A video surfaced on the Internet on Thursday morning of an event I can’t find a name for, but it will change everything you know about rowing, tug of war and perhaps physics...

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A Seizure of Happiness: Mary Oliver on Finding Magic in Life’s Unremarkable Moments

A Seizure of Happiness: Mary Oliver on Finding Magic in Life’s Unremarkable Moments


No one captures the humble grace of presence better than Mary Oliver in one particularly bewitching passage from her altogether enchanting Long Life: Essays and Other Writings.

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Premier League to share £1bn

Premier League to share £1bn


Premier League clubs have agreed to share at least £1bn of their record TV rights deal with English football.

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Dragonflies: Masters of Air and Water

Dragonflies: Masters of Air and Water


Bird-watching has more popular recognition as a hobby, but you can also dragonfly-watch. And what’s not to love about dragonflies? With names like Cyrano Darner, Serpent Ringtail, Black-winged Dragonlet, and a whole group of Shadow Dragons, they make a life list interesting. A new book by an avid dragon-watcher is a collection of photos and essays about these predatory minibeasts.

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Dan Deacon "When I Was Done Dying"

Dan Deacon "When I Was Done Dying"


Created this music video as a special episode of Off The Air. Tapping nine unique and talented animators (whose work had all appeared previously on the show) to create a beautiful and seamless journey through the afterlife to the great song "When I Was Done Dying" by Dan Deacon. Seen it a thousand times and it still makes me happy.

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Thursday 26 March 2015

Pot Quiz - SXSW Edition

Pot Quiz - SXSW Edition


From time to time back home in L.A., we ask pot smokers what they know about a variety of subjects. We thought it might be fun to try it in Austin as well. This is a special South by Southwest edition of "Pot Quiz."

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Charles Bukowski’s book on cats to show his gentler side

Charles Bukowski’s book on cats to show his gentler side


A collection of previously unpublished work by the ‘laureate of American lowlife’ will display his love of all things feline.

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Maggie Official Trailer #1 (2015) - Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin Movie HD

Maggie Official Trailer #1 (2015) - Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin Movie HD


As a virulent zombie epidemic spreads terror across the globe, a father (Arnold Schwarzenegger) cares for his infected daughter while struggling to prepare her for the inevitable.

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Kapow! Attack of the feminist superheroes

Kapow! Attack of the feminist superheroes


From She-Hulk to Ms Marvel and the new female Thor, a new generation of hero is revolutionising the world of comics and consigning sexualised stereotypes to history

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Entourage Official Trailer #2 (2015) - Jeremy Piven, Mark Wahlberg Movie HD

Entourage Official Trailer #2 (2015) - Jeremy Piven, Mark Wahlberg Movie HD


Film star Vince Chase and his cronies take on Hollywood.

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FCC proposes $325,000 fine for accidental inclusion of porn on video capture in news story

FCC proposes $325,000 fine for accidental inclusion of porn on video capture in news story


That’s what happened in yesterday’s In the matter of WDBJ Television. WDBJ broadcast a news story at about 6 p.m. about a porn star who was volunteering with the local rescue squad. To illustrate the story, they took an image of the star from a porn site (a “video in which only her face and shoulders can be seen” in which “she has her finger in her mouth, moving it up and down on her tongue...

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The Secret History of the White House Shows the Wild Side of Presidents You Never Hear

The Secret History of the White House Shows the Wild Side of Presidents You Never Hear


The all-powerful presidency, rare among the parliamentary systems favored by most Western democracies, has proven itself a remarkably stressful proposition. So as Brian Abrams writes in his sharp and funny new book, Party Like a President: True Tales of Inebriation, Lechery and Mischief From the Oval Office, the occupants of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. have been shameless in their pursuit of an after-hours release.

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Death Grips Announce World Tour

Death Grips Announce World Tour


Looks like the breakup is officially off: Death Grips have just announced a world tour that kicks off in June. That's the poster above; you can check out the North American dates below. "more dates to be announced, including: Sacramento, Los Angeles, and various international locations," the band wrote on Facebook. The tour is for real; tickets for some shows are listed on Ticketmaster.

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"It's a big deal": Rihanna on being the first black face of Dior

"It's a big deal": Rihanna on being the first black face of Dior


Rihanna is the gorgeous new face of Dior, which is a pretty big deal considering the French brand has never featured a black star in one of their campaigns.

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