Stop motion on a bed

Really cool idea and execution of a stop motion animation...

The Historicalness of the Inauguration

This is something I found in my thoughts... it's been bugging me throughout the day...

I have a heard so much about how historic this day is, how meaningful and special it is to so many people. I'm finding myself a bit confused. Why is it special? What makes it more historical than any other presidential inauguration? I guess the answer is obvious, it has to do with skin color and the history of a certain social status, right? And this is perceived as an achievement?

It makes me cringe a bit because I think it'd be so much more special if it wasn't so special. Does that make any sense? This shouldn't be an unbelievable event. Why in the world did some people think it was? Wouldn't it be more amazing if nobody noticed or cared about skin color? Isn't that what we want, not to notice? Or do you believe that can never really be achieved, so this is the next best thing? Are people fighting for equality, or just fighting for its appearance? Can people tell the difference?

A lot of people are remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. today and his "I Have a Dream" speech. It annoys me because ... NO! This was not his dream! His dream was about what I mentioned earlier, about people not caring about skin color, about people treating each other as equals, about "do unto others as you would have them to do you". That's not something that suddenly proves itself on a certain date in history, that's not something achieved by any one individual, and that's certainly not something that has to do with politics. It's something people don't notice and take for granted until they one day look back and say "oh, look, I'm living the dream!"

So, hopefully this doesn't sound really cynical, but this day doesn't prove anything. And rightly so, there shouldn't be anything to prove, there shouldn't be anything to compensate for. But with the kind of attention the day seems to be getting, with what this day seems to mean to some people, I'm kind of saddened, because it seems like some people do believe that something has been proven. It's sad because true equality isn't something that can be "proven", and I'd be a bit worried if a lot of people believed we've achieved something that perhaps we haven't yet.

But at least there's a lot of happiness... is that the important thing?

I don't think so, but oh well! :-)

Why people think alike

This article seems to explain why a lot of people disagree with me even though I'm usually always right...

You're in a room with 10 other people who seem to agree on something, but you hold the opposite view. Do you say something? Or do you just go along with the others?

Decades of research show people tend to go along with the majority view, even if that view is objectively incorrect. Now, scientists are supporting those theories with brain images.

Star Wars Retold

Somebody twittered this, and it is indeed quite funny.

The Star Wars trilogy summarized by someone who's never seen it...


Star Wars: Retold (by someone who hasn't seen it) from Joe Nicolosi on Vimeo.

Strange marketing for Ghostbusters 3

According to imdb.com, Ghostbusters 3 is set to come out 2010, though no director or actors are listed (and if they don't have the original cast members, it's probably not going to be that good no matter what they do). But the point is, it's announced, so they're either shooting it right now and being secretive, or they're not.

Anyway, last week this blogged went up: Ghostspy. The blogger claims that he is part of the film crew and is secretly spying on the production, posting pics and videos from the filming locations.

Now, if it were possible for a member of a film crew to really do this and get away with it, why hasn't it been done before? Obviously this is probably a marketing scheme for the film.

On one hand, I like that some people in the film industry are trying to be innovative in their marketing, and that they're being allowed to try these new things. This idea of a crew member secretly leaking footage and info isn't even that bad by itself, but I think the execution is kind of awkward.

The blog shouldn't be so awkwardly cryptic. They could go two routes, the first being: admit the idea is a sham but still have fun with it. The Onion is obviously fake news, but it's still enjoyable; Borat is obviously an actor; Lemony Snicket is as much of a character as the ones in his book. One can certainly have fun creating the "fake real". Give this blogger a name and a face and let him be a character. Acknowledge that he's fake, but let someone have fun playing him.

Or the other (more difficult) route: make the blog more believable. I'm not even sure how exactly this could be pulled off, but you might get more attention (and more hate when people realize you're faking it). You'd have to have the production company put out real statements saying that these leaks are unapproved. You'd have to have the blogger stop using some awkward camera that shows an image through a circle, be better at editing his footage, and be better at capturing images. There are a lot of people on YouTube who sneak cameras into places, and they don't always make their footage look like The Blair Witch Project. And don't say things like:

And no, I won’t tell any details. Because if I do and they find out, they will kill me.

Don't say you won't give any details, just don't give any details. Let people ask first, and then be secretive in your answers. (And definitely do give feedback!) And don't say "they'll kill me", that sounds too unrealistic, too childish. Just say you'll be in trouble or something.

Then of course I suppose there's the possibility that the blog is exactly what it says it is and not a marketing strategy at all, which would make it even more awkward.