Things I Think Are Kinda Cool

Frustrated with the partisan bickering that’s jamming up our government and putting the political process on hold, artist Jeff Gates started the “Chamomile Tea Party” in an effort to calm down the hostilities.  He tapped into his designer instincts and created some old-school WWII-era-inspired propaganda posters to try to convey some of the issues Washington is currently facing.  Here are some of my favorites, along with the original WWII-era posters he used as inspiration:

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-Download these images, print them out, and plaster them around your town.  (via HuffPo)

BRAIN:  I’m exhausted.

YOU:  Been reading all your high-brow fancy-schmancy articles again, huh?  What’s that you’re reading now?

BRAIN:  Nothing.

YOU:  It’s obviously something.  What is it?

BRAIN:  …schmuss breechley…

YOU:  Huh?

BRAIN:  …frush kreakly…

YOU:  WHAT?

BRAIN:  Fine…US WEEKLY!  Happy now?!?  Are you KIDDING me, Jesse James?  That’s America’s Sweetheart, Acadamy Award winner Sandra Bullock!  We’re already on Mistress #4, and who knows when th-

YOU:  SHUT THE HELL UP!

BRAIN: —

YOU:  First you were obsessed with Tiger Woods, now this dude?  Put down the damn magazine and read these articles…NOW.

BRAIN:  thanks……i need help.

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* The honeymoon is over.  Digital media and the internet are creating some fascinating (and some would argue, negative) side-effects:  our ‘mash-up’ culture is challenging concepts of ownership, our political discourse is becoming even more intensely polarized, mediocrity is winning the battle against expertise, and the list goes on.  This article is chocked-full of compelling ideas. – NY Times

* Fun-fact:  By 2025, China will build TEN New York-sized cities.  Not-so-fun-fact:  China executes three times as many people as the rest of the world COMBINED.  Those are just 2 of 15 facts about China that will literally blow your mind. – Business Insider

* Have snarky movie review blogs killed legitimate film criticism, or are they simply adding more accessible ideas to ‘establishment’ opinions?  The evolution of film criticism has been long and winding, from it’s birth at the beginning of the 20th century, to it’s debatable death today. – The Chronicle

* Researchers studied 150 Hollywood films and recorded the length of every shot.  They then calculated the average frequency between shots, called “Pink Noise”.  Now here’s the trippy part – the specific characteristic of “Pink Noise” that they discovered is found all over our everyday life:  the beating of our heart, the ups and downs of the stock market, traffic patterns, how we focus/re-focus our attention, and so much more…woah.  – NY Times

* Apparently male mice are romantic little devils – they actually sing ultrasonic love songs to impress the ladies.  (Rats do this too, but no one wants to think about them). – MSNBC

‘Look what I found in the Women’s Studies section!’

-via Reddit

Prepare to be bombarded with an onslaught of ‘Decade Retrospectives’ over the next few weeks – most people are already considering the years 2000-2010 to be the most depressing and awful decade in the history of the US.  Good times!

Newsweek beat most other news outlets to the punch and has already produced a video highlighting the biggest events of the past decade.  Besides the invention of the iPod and ‘Lord of the Rings’ sweeping the Oscars, it’s an incredibly gloomy stroll down memory lane.  Enjoy!  Bring on the ‘teens!

-via @artglobe

BRAIN:  ”Help!  Feed me!”

YOU:  ”But I wanna zone out with more weird and crazy videos.”

BRAIN:  ”Please?  I’ll let you watch Melrose Place on Tuesday night…”

YOU:  ”I heard Amanda Woodward is coming back…it’s a deal!”

* Ever wonder why commercials on TV are annoyingly SO much louder than regular shows?  It’s more complicated (and interesting) than you think - Live Science

* Paul Krugman breaks down the true cost of being energy efficient, and reveals that it’s far less expensive than conservative critics are claiming – NY Times

* Explore some of the hidden meanings and motivations behind L. Frank Baum’s classic “Oz” books.  They’re about much more than just a girl from Kansas and her dog – Slate

* Find out how the Japanese government is actually PAYING people to have babies (insert obligatory Octomom joke here) – Global Post

* Glenn Greenwald explains why we should slow down with the newly-heated Iran rhetoric, and instead use some of the important lessons we learned in the Iraq debacle – Slate

It’s not always about cocktails, crazy vids, and cute animals…these are the most insightful articles and blog posts I’ve read this week. Come on, you know your brain wants some:

* Filmmaker Mitchell Bard makes an urgent plea to Democrats to grow some balls and stop getting their butts kicked by Republicans in the health care debate – Huff Po

* A fascinating look at Mohamed Atta’s (the architect of 9/11) thesis paper in urban planning, and how it might have influenced his role in the attacks – Slate

* What does it mean that a Harvard Business School study on social networks shows that two-thirds of all Facebook page views are of photos on women’s profiles? (Hint: we’re all creepy voyeurs) – Double X

* Evan Handler (Charlotte’s SATC husband) gives a refreshingly honest and raw reaction to what’s going on right now in the trenches of America – Huff Po

* A detailed and enthusiastic profile of the new Kandinsky retrospective at the Guggenhem – NY Times

* Melissa Harris-Lacewell (my new favorite commentator) shines a light on the long and painful history of racism in America and challenges us to remember the rallying cry, “Yes we can” – The Nation

Ted Kennedy had the first Congressional website.  Enough said.

-link via Slate

This photo was taken at the protest outside yesterday’s New Hampshire town hall.  Check out the sign the guy in the middle is holding up.  Classic.

-via Democratic Underground

Two other favorites of mine:

Stimulate This!

You’ve probably heard news reports over the past few weeks about the Obama administration’s “Cash for Clunkers” program.  In a nutshell, Americans can trade in their gas guzzling, inefficient cars for a rebate towards a new, more energy efficient auto.  The rebate amount varies between $3500 and $4500 depending a few factors…but the bottom line is that as long as the clunker can run and the new car has a better fuel efficiency, you’ll be eligible towards a rebate.  Already, the $1 billion allotted for the program has almost dried up, so the government is currently in the process of approving another $2 billion (the bill was already approved in the House – now it’s up to the Senate).

Many opponents have tried their hardest to find fault with the program, but after a few weeks, it’s biggest critics are changing their tune.  Diane Feinstein, who was initially skeptical that the fuel-economy requirements of the program were too lax, was just quoted in Time Magazine, saying ”this program has done much better than we ever thought it would for the environment”.   And as the vote to extend the program is now in the Senate, the NY Times reports that even Senator Jim DeMint, who has been one of the most vocal opponents, said he would not use his power to block replenishing the program’s funds.

I can tell you from personal experience that this program has had a huge impact.  This past weekend, I was in DC visiting my friend TJ, and we spent a chunk of time looking for a new car.  The dealership we ended up at was packed with people…not just browsing the lot, but actually driving out in new cars.   The refreshingly trustworthy and honest salesman we worked with said that since the program was announced, the influx of customers has been overwhelming.  There was definitely a buzz in the air.  I saw an incredibly diverse group of people crammed in the showroom…grannies, young people, huge families, 1st-generation immigrants, business executives, etc.

It’s about time we heard some good news related to the Great Recession and the stimulus that was intended to create some tangible results.  Hopefully this is just the beginning…

Above image courtesy of www.chunkypita.com