http://www.metafilter.com/ The past 24 hours of MetaFilter Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:23:04 -0800 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:23:04 -0800 en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 http://www.metafilter.com/73446/Where-Musicians-Come-to-Play Larry Groce has been producing Mountain Stage in West Virginia for 25 years. This weekly radio and public television program has been broadcasting the best mountain music in Appalachia, usually from the WV Cultural Center. This month NPR began distributing the show nationally in the U.S. Also, last year Mountain Stage began archiving podcasts of the programs ... many, many hours of wonderful mountain music.
Some featured artists on the podcasts include Kathy Mattea (a native West Virginian), Ani DiFranco, Duncan Sheik, Suzanne Vega, They Might Be Giants, Asleep At the Wheel, Joan Osborne, Judy Collins, Bruce Cockburn, Jorma Kaukonen, Arlo Guthrie, and the Cowboy Junkies, plus much, much more.]]> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.73446 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:23:04 -0800 music larrygroce mountainstage westvirginia appalachia netbros http://www.metafilter.com/73445/The-Taco-Bell-Dana-Carvey-Show The Dana Carvey Show lasted for only a handful of episodes on ABC in the spring of 1996. but produced more than its share of memorable sketches, thanks to a talented writing staff (with Charlie Kaufman among others), and a cast including Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, and Robert Smigel. Some highlights for the Hulu-impaired: Leftover Beatle Memories - Skinheads from Maine - Germans who Say Nice Things - First Ladies as Dogs - Waiters who are Nauseated by Food
]]> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.73445 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:08:22 -0800 danacarvey stevecarell stephencolbert charliekaufman robertsmigel hulu youtube Silune http://www.metafilter.com/73444/we-heart-electric-bikes Bicycles are the most efficient mode of transportation; walking is a distant second, followed by crowded vans and motorcycles, with everything else being relatively equal. This may change soon. WSJ online jokingly tests a new plug-in electric bike versus a standard racing model.
]]> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.73444 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:10:52 -0800 pluginev bicycle electricbicycle ebike moped fuelefficiency transportation hybrid Brian B. http://www.metafilter.com/73443/It-seems-like-your-thong-is-showing NiceCritic - enabling passive aggression.
]]> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.73443 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:05:10 -0800 nicecritic anonymous passive aggressive office Burhanistan http://www.metafilter.com/73441/Russian-poetry-and-drama Early Twentieth Century Russian Drama and From the Ends to the Beginning: A Bilingual Anthology of Russian Poetry are both products of Northwestern University Slavic Department. The former is devoted to Russian theater from the 1890s through the 1930s and focuses on the visual aspect of theater, with images of costumes, set designs and photographs of stagings. The latter is a collection of 250 poems, both in Russian and English translations ranging from the 18th Century to the modern day. There are some amazing images from the history of Russian drama, such as Kazimir Malevich's designs for Victory over the Sun and a quicktime video of actors doing Meyerhold's biomechanical exercises. The Listening Gallery of russianpoetry.net has over 75 recitals of poems, including Vladmir Mayakovsky reading his own And Could You? and a reading of Velimir Khlebnikov's famous Invocation of Laughter.
]]> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.73441 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 11:09:39 -0800 literature drama theater Russia Maykovsky Malevich Khlebnikov Meyerhold 200thpost Kattullus http://www.metafilter.com/73440/From-the-Ottoman-military-to-the-Balkan-Roma The Mehterhane or Mehter, as they are often known, are thought to be the oldest military marching band in the world. Starting around the 13th century, the band accompanied the Ottoman empire troops (Janissaries, or yeniçeri, roughly meaning "new troops" and were comprised mostly of young men from the Balkans) into battle, spreading their music along the way and influencing western classical composers like Mozart and Beethoven.
Mehter also seems to have influenced the style of music and dance known among Serbian Roma as ?o?ek (Macedonian chochek or ?????; Bulgarian kyuchek or kyutchek--?????).

?o?ek as a dance is related to the Kar??lama ("face-to-face") style of dance. The rhythm of traditional ?o?ek music is 9/16, but has been modified into 4/4 and 7/8 as well. Here are some examples in costume and in the street.

The music is brass heavy as played by modern bands like Kocani (or Kochani) Orkestar, Boban Marcovic, Fanfare Ciocarlia, or Goran Bregovic's compositions for movies like Underground and Time of the Gypsies (here's an interesting article on the use of Balkan as a metaphor, utilizing Time of the Gypsies). The music can be stripped down to guitar and flute or violins and clarinet, and has been utilized by American groups like A Hawk and a Hacksaw (featuring Neutral Milk alum Jeremy Barnes on accordion/drums/bell hat). Due to proximity of origin, the music shares some traits with klezmer as well (but that's a whole other research topic).

Interestingly, the terms ?o?ek and ????? seemed to have derived from the Ottomans as well. The word köçek (related to küçük meaning "little or small," but, as one very nice language loving mefite pointed out to me, also means "foal [of a camel]" and by most accounts seems a direct antecedent to the Bulgarian term ?????) was used for men and boy dancers dressed as women. There are arguments as to whether the köçekler were seen as sexualized beings (music plays on first link) or just burlesque, but the practice continues into modern times.]]> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.73440 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 10:44:24 -0800 cocek cocek dance music Roma serbia bulgaria macedonia ottomanempire turkey klezmer mehter militaryband brassband sleepy pete http://www.metafilter.com/73439/Yip-yip-yip-yip-yip-yip-yip-yip-uhhuh-uhhuh-uhhuh Have some yip-yips with your weekend. [mlyt]
]]> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.73439 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 09:54:16 -0800 yipyip sesamestreet shadow vector http://www.metafilter.com/73437/Theyre-coming-outta-the-goddamn-walls much stranger...
]]> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.73437 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 08:20:25 -0800 prague art sculpture baby tower creepy Artw http://www.metafilter.com/73436/Christies-breaks-out-in-a-cold-sweat recently auctioned estate of James Brown fell well short of the two million that Christie's had hoped for. You'll want to browse the collection for yourself, of course. If I had the extra scratch, I'd have sure bought this.
]]> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.73436 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 07:46:33 -0800 music auction estate James Brown JameBrown Cold Sweat flapjax at midnite http://www.metafilter.com/73434/The-amazing-comic-book-adventure-of-Brent-Rinehart Meet Brent Rinehart: Conservative Republican. Active Christian. Roads Scholar. NOT a homosexual pedifile. [PDF] The controversial mix of comics and politics are back in the news this week. So are Oklahoma's homophobic politicians, with the amazing comic book adventure of Brent Rinehart.
Brent Rinehart is an Oklahoma County Commissioner in a tough reelection campaign. He is facing felony campaign finance charges, with the trial starting in September. Now Rinehart wants the world know his side through a self-written comic book.

What's the REAL story? Rinehart is a victim of a vast conspiracy, consisting of the state attorney general, homosexuals, liberal good ol' boy politicians, homosexual scout leaders, a greedy sheriff, toga-clad homosexuals and (of course) Satan himself. The full comic -- which I highly recommend -- can be downloaded here [PDF].]]> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.73434 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:05:29 -0800 Oklahoma politics comics Dirjy http://www.metafilter.com/73433/Totem-Destroyer Totem Destroyer ... a puzzle game where you strategically remove blocks in order to lower a golden idol closer to the ground. Get it within 3 squares from the bottom, but not touching it, and you move on to the next level. (via)
]]> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.73433 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 23:37:41 -0800 flash game puzzle idol jenga Dave Faris http://www.metafilter.com/73432/Guinness-World-Records-Podcast Meet the World's Greatest Distance Zorber [what's zorbing?], some dude who put ten rattlesnakes in his mouth?, the rellepS drawkcaB tsetsaF s'dlroW, TheWorld'sFastestTalker, and a host of others who are the World's ____-est via the Guinness World Records podcast. [all links are in .mp3 format except to the main site.]
]]> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.73432 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:57:18 -0800 WorldRecords Guinness Podcast not_on_display http://www.metafilter.com/73431/The-Sacred-Mushroom One Step Beyond - The Sacred Mushroom. A 1961 episode of One Step Beyond investigates whether or not psilocybin mushrooms can give you extra-sensory perception. Part 2, Part 3. [Via Neurophilosophy]
]]> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.73431 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:35:32 -0800 ESP ExtraSensoryPerception Mushrooms Psilocybin Psychedelics Shamanism Shrooms Madness homunculus http://www.metafilter.com/73430/Vanhacking In a time before the Prius, the custom conversion van ruled the roadways. Pushing the boundaries of the airbrush form, testing the limits of mobile interior design, featuring the latest in automatic pink leather bed, compact toaster, 8-track, and love machine technology, the 70s van was celebrated in song and cinema. You started with a factory model, new or used, and ended at a place limited onlyby your creativity, your budget, and your old lady's patience (NSFW). Ford could make you a man.If push came to shove, you could even live in your van. It was fantasy on wheels: van-tastic, man.
More from the 1977 movie Supervan.
Even more from that movie.
A van show clip from The Van.

George Barris rehabbed the Supervan for its 1977 movie appearance. The Guild of Automotive Restorers returned it to its former glory in 2003 - step by step photos here.

My closest personal connection to the world of conversion vans was through the Little Van Goes Design Kit, which let you use relief templates to customize your own fantasy van.]]> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.73430 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:14:16 -0800 van auto car 70s 1970s history popculture custom mod Miko http://www.metafilter.com/73429/Italian-metal-band-Fratello-Metallos-lead-singer-is-a-Capuchin-friar heavy metal friar"(watch out for the volume on that last link), says he was inspired by the energy of Metallica and that he is not trying to convert anyone to Christianity, but rather to "convert [listeners] to life" and get them to live their lives "full stop."
]]> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.73429 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:12:04 -0800 capuchin heavymetal franciscan music homelystar http://www.metafilter.com/73428/Leopard-Vs-Crocodile Pictures (and a video) of a leopard attacking and killing a crocodile.
]]> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.73428 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:48:04 -0800 leopard crocodile nature predator Effigy2000 http://www.metafilter.com/73427/Its-the-Pew-News-IQ-Comin-right-at-you What's YOUR Pew News IQ? (not to be confused with the New Zoo Revue, even though it rhymes) We've discussed Pew's surveys about news knowledge before, but this time you can test yourself. Just 12 eeeee-zeee questions (not 100). Wendell got them all correct. Can you?
Honestly, if you get more than 2 wrong, you should not be commenting on MetaFilter. But you should be reading MetaFilter and all its NewsFilter-ish links. Yes, I said it.]]> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.73427 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:15:53 -0800 pew news survey knowledge currentevents thisisimportantdammit wendell http://www.metafilter.com/73426/How-do-you-rate-as-a-husband-or-wife-of-the-1930s This scale was first brought to my attention by the blog "The Unwound Road". It appears someone took the original 1930s rating scale and posted it to Flickr. From there it was a natural progression to Internet quiz. So, how would you rate as a husband or wife in the 1930s? Answer 100 true or false type questions and find out!
]]> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.73426 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:45:45 -0800 quiz 1930s 30s rate spouse polysigma