Aspiring astronomers should look toward the Big Dipper soon to get a glimpse of a one of the brightest supernovas in the last century. Soon the light will fade so that it will only be visible to professional astronomical equipment.
Here's the Economist's take on what would happen if World War I were a bar fight. This is one way of understanding the complexities of WWI by applying it to a more simplified and perhaps common scene. Also check some of the links in the comments to the Economist's post.
All of this reminded me of this excellent comic with characters for every country and a colloquial picture and humorous interpretation of World War II. Poor Poland.
Of course, wars are no laughing matter. But for all the history buffs out there, the divergence into humor can sometimes provide more illumination to the complex facts of history.
Famed 19th century Polish actress Helena Modjeska (Modrzejewska) is trying to get more Facebook friends, so she's asking all of Kraków to search for her (or to "facebookować" her).
As 2009 draws to a close, bloggers, artists, and journalists everywhere are scrambling to reflect upon the past ten years. Naturally, in this decade of the Blog, of Google, of YouTube, and of Facebook (it's hard to believe that none of these concepts existed ten years ago), this reflection is taking many diverse forms.
My favorite 2009 tribute goes to DJ Earworm, who created this clever mash-up of the top 25 pop songs of the year:
However, reflections on the decade as a whole present additional challenges. To start with, what should we call these past ten years? We've had ten years to decide how to pronounce the '00s, and with perfect procrastination, we failed to reach any consensus. Personally, I'm a fan of reviving the term "aught", which was used to describe the years of 1900-1909. (For example, '05 was pronounced "aught five"). Paul Krugman argues reflects on all the negative trends between 2000-2009 and thus suggests that the decade should be remembered as the "Big Zero".
The past decade certainly did bring a lot of challenges, and it bears careful remembrance and reflection. For those with only a few minutes to spare, Newsweek released a comical fast-talking review of the decade in seven minutes through headlines and old news reels. For those with a bit more time to spare, the Daily Show released a fantastic year-by-year review of the decade through old Daily Show clips to sum up the main events.
However, my favorite tribute so far is the You Aught to Remember blog. This blog has been posting an entry a day for the past hundred days in order to reminisce about various events and (pop) cultural phenomenon that were quintessential parts of 2000-2009. Though this blog will be completed in the next few days (only 4 more entries to go!), the archives provide a comprehensive look back over the past years.
For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne, We'll take a cup o' kindness yet For auld lang syne!
Facebook has truly permeated our culture. The OED announced today its Word of the Year for 2009: "Unfriend" (or "defriend"), that is, a new verb to describe the act of breaking off Facebook connections with someone and de-linking profiles.
Antonym: to friend (someone), i.e. "Sue friended the girl she met yesterday." Also see: to facebook (someone), which is sometimes used as a synonym for friended but also implies facebook-stalking.
In other Facebook news, the social networking site now offers language options that include English (upside down) and English (Pirate).
Italian actor and comedian Roberto Benigni (also famous for his exuberance at the 1999 Oscars) brings his stand up Dante act (Tutto Dante, here in Italian) to the US. He begins by reciting a canto (from memory) and then humorously interpreting it to our modern day. (sound familiar?) He will be in the Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC this Saturday. Other cities on his eight show tour include Montreal, QC (two shows); Boston, MA; Toronto, ON; and and Quebec City, QC, before concluding on June 12 in Chicago, IL. (Review from the NY Times)
His words at a recent interview really encapsulate the power of Dante's Comedia, as one of the greatest works ever written: “We need to have the nerve to understand why a man with a big nose 700 years ago had the heroic shamelessness to write. Really this is the most daring, bold poetry ever. In 2,000 years of Christian poetry they never surpassed this. They never produced such a scandal of beauty. Never, never, nobody.”
Benigni recites the very beginning of the Comedia with the first lines of the Inferno.
The Pomegranate phone is the ultimate all-in-one device. It puts more things in the palm of your hand than you ever thought possible: phone, email, full internet browsing, camera, video, MP3 player, GPS navigation.
There's a new extreme sport in town, taking bungee jumping to the next level by adding a bridge, a solid river of ice, an oncoming train, and 20 of your closest friends:
Thought this was appropriate for a Sunday afternoon, as students around the country struggle through piles of assignments, papers, and homework for the upcoming week. A friend provided this link, and the tune is so catchy that I couldn't help sharing.
Yep, behind the times on this one. But in case you haven't read it yet, check out Dave Barry's annual Year in Review, also known as Bailing Out of 2008.
Stumbled across this old treasure from ages ago. In an amusing and surprising essay, Josef Joffe traces the discovery of quality coffee to the downfall of empires. History in a Hazelnut Shell
"There is a reason why the great empires of yore have gone under when confronted with a Melior full of freshly brewed Kenyan Blue. Either you tend to your gold-plated Gaggia or to your F-16. You don't fight with a frappuchino in hand. And as you admire that gentle dollop of steamed milk in your macchiato, what will you think about: the ''halls of Montezuma'' or the beaches of Cozumel?"
P.S. Despite that it might have caused the fall of the Habsburgs, I could use a good Melange right about now.
Here are some letters to the editor from the Telegraph. These Brits would be scandalized by the American dialect and our "stubborn refusal" to pronounce that darn middle "h" in "why". Enjoy.
The views expressed on these pages are solely belonging to the author and do not reflect the views of the Fulbright Program, the U.S. Department of State or its partner organizations.
About this Blog
A delicious melange of travel, books, food, culture, languages, music, current events, Vienna, and whatever else strikes my fancy. (more) Current location: Washington, DC
“As you start traveling down that road of life, remember this: There are never enough comfort stops. The places you’re going to are never on the map. And once you get that map out, you won’t be able to refold it no matter how smart you are.
So forget the map, roll down the windows, and whenever you can, pull over and have a picnic with a pig. And if you can help it, never fly as cargo.” ~Kermit the Frog
Stumbled across this old treasure from ages ago. In an amusing and surprising essay, Josef Joffe traces the discovery of quality coffee to the downfall of empires. 
