It seems like they’ve been here forever, but with the Russian launch of Sputnik in 1957, American scientists stepped up their game and then responded to JFK’s challenge to put a man on the moon by the end of the 60’s. They responded in kind with some of science’s most advanced developments over the past 50 years. It’s not been with their ups and downs, however, we will always have the Hubble Telescope, Tang, Space Camp and freeze dried ice cream you can buy at science museum gift shops. Hopefully, we can return to the glories of NASA, or at least return them to importance by making science research and education a priority in this country. Wired has an appreciation of the space agency.

So I desperately wanted to watch a really bad movie last night. I was in the mood to see something so atrocious that it might end up being humorous. The choices came down to Strange Wilderness, that Steve Zahn shark movie, Fools Gold with Matt McConaughey and Katie Hudson, 10,000 BC the prehistoric fantasy flick and Drillbit Taylor.

Drillbit ended up looking like the best of a sorry lot. I took the metaphorical mangy dog home with me and I’m happy to report that the movie is every bit as terrible as I was hoping. I pity laughed maybe two or three times throughout the movie and genuinely laughed a few times more.

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Poking around and it looks like Pixar has another movie coming out next summer called Up. I’m not sure entirely of the details of the project (I’ll look into it and get back to you) but it’s going to have to be something special to top Ratatouille and Wall-E.

Lionsgate has been trying to get this removed, but it’s out on Youtube and other video sites. It won’t be difficult to find it if the embed below is gone.

With that said, W looks to be underhandedly funny, the juxtaposition of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” as Dubya ascends to the White House. Also looks like this will be unflinchingly negative portrayal of Dubya’s early hard-partying ways.

Oliver Stone has been an uninteresting director for so long one wonders how this movie will be received. The cast looks great, almost strange and the timing of the movie - while the President is still in office - seems cumbersome. I almost feel like the release date should be moved back?

It’s not that I like Bush. I don’t. He’s an idiot that’s ruined the country. But, I can’t believe I’m saying this. It feels disrespectful. Don’t ask why, but watching this made me queezy on several levels, the least of which was that I can’t believe this is our President.

Anyway, consider the oven on for this one. It’ll be a hot button.

I love the line, “What do you think you’re a Kennedy? You’re a Bush. Act like one.” I’m giddy to see this.

I’m a firm believer that education, as it is currently conceived, doesn’t do enough to help students navigate the world of information.  Libraries and schools, as information nexus, haven’t been given the funding or opportunity to embrace the future or adequately prepare for it.

The internet has altered the way that people process information, find information, share information, and schools by still relying on books as their fundamental source for knowledge/information have failed to engage students in a way that the internet does.  It’s a losing battle until they change their mode of attack.

I guess, in many ways, this longish piece in the New York Times this morning looking at the internet and literacy has also failed.  It’s a 3,000 word (estimate only) look at how teenagers process information, which inevitably is dubbed “reading.”  They argue that kids no longer no how to read or even bother to do so because of the internet.  Oddly, the whole point of the article: that kids don’t read in a linear fashion anymore.

Ironically, I didn’t even read the entire piece, but skimmed through it looking for relevant parts, interesting points, etc.

Few who believe in the potential of the Web deny the value of books. But they argue that it is unrealistic to expect all children to read “To Kill a Mockingbird” or “Pride and Prejudice” for fun. And those who prefer staring at a television or mashing buttons on a game console, they say, can still benefit from reading on the Internet. In fact, some literacy experts say that online reading skills will help children fare better when they begin looking for digital-age jobs.

Some Web evangelists say children should be evaluated for their proficiency on the Internet just as they are tested on their print reading comprehension. Starting next year, some countries will participate in new international assessments of digital literacy, but the United States, for now, will not.

Clearly, reading in print and on the Internet are different. On paper, text has a predetermined beginning, middle and end, where readers focus for a sustained period on one author’s vision. On the Internet, readers skate through cyberspace at will and, in effect, compose their own beginnings, middles and ends.

Just because kids don’t read in a linear fashion anymore doesn’t mean that they can’t or won’t read.  It’s just that they’ve changed the way they want to access information.

So why would you republish the article in a newspapery linear fashion?  Wouldn’t it have been more bold of the NYT editors to repurpose the print article and illustrate their point by creating a multimedia extravaganza?

Speaking of Hamlet, I would like to point out a Canadian television import that’s currently seized my attention and dominated my Netflix queue.

Slings and Arrows follows a Shakespearean theater festival reeling after the scandalous on-stage nervous breakdown of their star Hamlet, Geoffrey Tenant (dazzlingly played by Paul Gross) and, later, the untimely death-by-Ham-delivery-truck of their longtime Artistic Director Oliver Welles (Stephen Ouimette). Geoffrey reluctantly returns to take the position of Artistic Director, and finds himself haunted by the nagging ghost of his departed frienemy as he prepares to direct the very production which sent him into psychological breakdown - Hamlet. MORE »

On the surface the trailer for The Brothers Bloom looks like your average con movie with a pretty cast. But the movie has one big thing going for it - it was written and directed by Rian Johnson. Now, Johnson’s name isn’t a household one but it will be one day.

The Brothers Bloom is his follow up to the shamefully underseen Brick, which essentially launched the adult-acting career of Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Brick was a masterful work of film noir. A detective story set in high school. It’s one of my favorite movies and the layers of intrigue make it rewatchable. Seriously, do yourself a favor and go rent the movie if you haven’t seen it.

Now we have Mark Ruffalo, Adrian Brody and Rachel Weisz. The Brothers Bloom are the best con men in the world, swindling millionaires with complex scenarios of lust and intrigue. Now they’ve decided to take on one last job - showing a beautiful and eccentric heiress the time of her life with a romantic adventure that takes them around the world. Ruffalo and Brody are the brothers and Weisz is the heiress. MORE »

First of all, it’s almost hilarious that there is such a thing as a Rock, Paper, Scissor Championship and that people participate. But the behind the scenes look from Comedy.com cracked me up. I love when the guy faces off against some of the, ah, competitors and throws them non-sensical symbols like “dog taking a dump” or “Bono speaking to the UN.” Great stuff.

Go figure my camera died on the way to the show and I couldn’t get many picks.  But despite the lack of visuals, the band put on another high energy show.  The last time they were here they played over at The Crystal Ballroom, which seemed a bit cavernous for them, nestled comfortably at The Doug Fir it seemed like the venue was busting at the seems.

The Duke Spirit find themselves in a place many bands often do: their sound is too big for small places but not really anthemic enough for some of the large venues.  It’s clear that in a year or two, with a lucky break here or there, that Leila Moss and company could catch a wave of popularity.  Surprisingly, there was only a small audience there last night of very appreciative fans.

I’ve seen The Duke Spirit a few times now and regardless of audience size or venue they’ve played each show like they’re the biggest band in the world.  There’s very little stage banter, lots of swagger; it’s just an hour and a half of straight music.  That wonderful mix of psychedelic blues and Sonic Youth-style rock.  Leila prances around the stage and has developed a comfortable presence - really letting her freak flag fly.

As one of the peeps I was with last night said after the show, “She’s the coolest girl in the world.  She really is.”  And isn’t that how a rock star is supposed to make you feel after a blistering set of scuzzy tunes?  Like there’s nothing the average person could do to compete for coolness points?

The band relied heavily on material from Neptune, which is one of my fav records of 2008, and also played several choice cuts from 2005’s Cuts Across the Land.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the opening band Reporter.  They’re from Portland a damn what an impression they made.  They sorta sounded like a strange combination of The Pixies covering Ennio Morricone.  All three members were exceptional and together it sounded like they’ve been playing forever and have developed something all their own.  They’ll be playing the PDX Pop Now this weekend, so if you get the chance to, check them out.

Not having seen Rocky Horror Picture Show got me thinking about what other famous movies and books I haven’t watched or read. And I’m not alone in this. Reporters at The Telegraph in the UK like to play a game called Humiliation, in which they all take turns admitting books they’ve never read. The catch is they only score points when it’s a book that other people have read.

The winner of their most recent foray won by admitting to having never read Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which every other reporter had read. This game also makes me think of my buddy Ryan Stewart who always cops to having never watched so many classic movies. He’s not even ashamed which is the great part.

So what books or movies haven’t you read or watched? I’m having a hard time thinking of anything great off the top of my head, at least anything that beats Rocky Horror, but the best answers always happen in conversation. Most of the books I’ve never read are all children’s classics like um, The Narnia series or A Wrinkle in Time or even something like Bridge to Terabithia and that’s mostly because I was illiterate until the age of 15.

So you remember that terrorist watch list that grew to 1 million names recently?  Apparently one of those names belongs to Drew Griffin, a CNN reporter who did a series of unflattering reports about the TSA.

In a move that comes off as very vindictive, Griffin has been hassled every time he flies since those pieces aired in May.

“Coincidentally, this all began in May, shortly after I began a series of investigative reports critical of the TSA. Eleven flights now since May 19. On different airlines, my name pops up forcing me to go to the counter, show my identification, sometimes the agent has to make a call before I get my ticket,” Griffin reported. “What does the TSA say? Nothing, at least nothing on camera. Over the phone a public affairs worker told me again I’m not on the watch list, and don’t even think that someone in the TSA or anyone else is trying to get even.”

The TSA, which is a part of the Department of Homeland Security, said Griffin’s name wasn’t even on the watch list, and the agency blamed the airlines for the delays the reporter experienced. The airlines, on the other hand, said they were simply following a list provided by TSA.

The TSA obviously denies any impropriety, but let’s be real.  This stinks to high heaven of yet another government agency not doing it’s job properly.  Or at least someone in the agency got upset and took some liberties.  Nothing like Freedom of the Press, those pesky First Amendment rights just getting in the way of the government.

You know, I’m a bit ashamed to admit that I’ve never seen Rocky Horror Picture Show. It’s the granddaddy of them all, the midnight showing cult movie that people still go out out to see and get dressed up for.

According to Variety, MTV is remaking the 1975 movie with  “the original screenplay by Jim Sharman and Richard O’Brien but may also include music not featured in the original.”

Producers are aiming to start soon and have the movie in theaters for Halloween next year, but as of right now there is no cast, no director and no new music.

The original movie, starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Meatloaf and Barry Bostwick has grossed about $140 million dollars over the years due to those midnight screenings.

And though I’ve never seen the original this sounds like a disaster.  Who are you making this movie for?  The people who’ve never seen it like me?  No thanks I’d rather see the original.  Are you remaking it for the people who dress up and go to the midnight shows?  Again, I doubt they are gonna wanna see a remake, I’m sure they’re just fine with the original.  A newer, younger generation?  High school or college kids?  I suppose, but ultimately how do you sell them on a musical horror parody about a couple that breaks down and finds refuge at the castle of a sweet transvestite named Dr. Frank-N-Furter from Transexual, Transylvania?

The answer is you don’t.  This is the film that has been in theatrical release longer than any film in the history of the business.  Though I haven’t seen the movie this just has disaster written all over it.

Mp3: The Rocky Horror Picture Show - “Time Warp”