| June 18, 2006 |
The Frat Pack Tribute
In  the '50s, the rat pack ruled. In the '80s, the brat pack took over. Now, the frat runs things. The Frat Pack is a group of comedic actors that includes Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell, Owen Wilson, and Ben Stiller (and others). The actors have a tendency to show up in each other's movies, often in cameos (think Ferrell's appearance at the end of "Wedding Crashers"). Today's Pick celebrates the Frat Pack's meaty, cheesy dominance over Hollywood. The site, obviously run by big fans of the group's work, maintains a movie scorecard and brief biographies of all key members. It also explains the name's origin, and even features its own podcast. Now that's dedication. (in Actors & Actresses) |
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| June 17, 2006 |
Moleskinerie
This  is what every blank book dreams of—brand loyalty and passionate writers. But for the Moleskine journal, it's no dream. The small black notebook with the elastic band was famously employed by well-known writers and artists—from Chatwin to Picasso to Hemingway to Van Gogh— but the entire line enjoys a dedicated following today. In this online love fest, some fans tell how to augment the books; some exhibit artistry on exotic themes or everyday inspirations. Others review what pens they use, or record movie sightings. And some take on the Wandering Moleskine Project, where each person can use only one page before sending the notebook on to the next participant. Be careful, newbies to the Moleskine. You may just end up with one of your own. (in Blogs) |
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| June 16, 2006 |
The Show With ZeFrank
Who  is Ze Frank, and why should we care what he thinks? We don't know, but we're watching his vlog anyway, where the unshaven, deep-voiced, and scatologically inclined raconteur free-associates on whatever random thoughts trespass his unhinged consciousness. For example, on the June 7 show, he muses on Germans, T-shirts, Jeffersonian Democracy, Wikipedia, "Tuesdays with Morrie," Tony Snow, Arlen Spector, and chocolate milk—all within a few minutes. The May 30 show wades into such controversial issues as a nuclear Iran, soup, and the enigmatic Bobo Twins. Don't ask, we don't know either. Production values are not HBO-level—close-ups and extreme close-ups account for most of the visual style. But you should check Ze Frank out. And soon. Before he's institutionalized. (in Vlogs) |
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| June 15, 2006 |
Unphotographable
Michael  David Murphy is a photographer with a long record of beautiful and inquisitive work. But he gets all the more intriguing when you wander through his collection of photos he never took. This "catalog of exceptional mistakes" records the times when he forgot his camera, "wasn't brave enough" to click the shutter, or had the dignity and sensitivity to let an image escape him. From a crippled boy in Ethiopia to a soldier in Myanmar to a surprisingly warm San Francisco night, these un-photos hail from around the world. They include humorous misses, lost political shots, and star-studded withdrawals. Each is composed with the eye of a photographer and the skill of a poet (Michael, there's another career waiting for you out there). And each attests to the moments—increasingly rare in our Flickrized, digitized, uploaded world—when you don't want to see life through a viewfinder. (in Photography) |
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| June 14, 2006 |
The Meatrix
Part  exposé of the evils of factory farming, part food consciousness agitprop, and part spoof of "The Matrix" films, "The Meatrix," and its recently released sequel "The Meatrix II: Revolting," depict the adventures of a pig named Leo and a hunky, spiffily dressed bull named Moopheus. When the two first meet, the wise, hyper-enunciating bull (speaking in a dead-on Laurence Fishburne imitation) offers the chubby little swine a chance to see the truth of his rural homeland ("Do you want to know What. It. Is?"). Leo obligingly swallows the red pill and embarks on a tour of corporate agriculture's dark side. If you choose not to take the pill, or even if you take it and disagree with what Moopheus has to say, the site is nonetheless worth checking out, if only as a lively, witty, and sharp example of the Web used well. (in Science) |
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| June 13, 2006 |
PARKitecture in Western National Parks
In  the early 20th century, National Park Service engineers, architects, and landscape architects embraced the notion of "designing with nature" to create rustic structures that commingled harmoniously with the surrounding landscape. The design ethic, since dubbed "parkitecture," resulted in much of the stone and wood creations we see today in parks throughout the West. It extended from entrance signs and entry stations to bridges, kiosks, and lodges. This online exhibit shows off some of the best examples from 10 beloved parks, among them the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, and Yosemite national parks. We loved the organic grace of the Triple Arches Bridge in Glacier National Park and the subtlety of the Grand Canyon's Hermit's Rest. The lobby of Mount Rainier's Paradise Inn, built in 1917, looks as fresh and modern as anything you'd see from another group that derives its moniker from "architecture": today's starchitects. (in Design Arts) |
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| June 12, 2006 |
Dailysonic
Dailysonic's  fare isn't your typical roundup of technology news or ultra-personal ramblings that fill so many podcasts. Instead, this site offers a varied and vigorous gathering of segments on music, news, and food for thought, an eclectic offering in the spirit of public radio. But Dailysonic's got one up on its media model—listeners can take control, picking and choosing what to listen to via the site or by subscribing to categorized feeds. Skip over the daily headlines or avoid the word of the day if you desire. All you really want is an occasional dose of "F*ck You Robot" and music reviews? Simple—download the individual shows. Or if you'd rather hear the full broadcast, sit back three times a week and learn about music, culture, politics, and tech the way the Dailysonic programmers crafted it. (in Podcasts and Audioblogging) |
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