ONN Takes on the Cable News Version

I love tropes!

"Herzog" reads Curious George

I want more. Not really Herzog, but a pretty good imitation.

Bundling

NPR just announced that Weezer and the Snuggie have teamed up to offer a bundled Weezer-branded Snuggie along with their new album. TOO MUCH!

Social Media

Powerful bit of short-form documentary work from the NYT on suicide among returning Iraq veterans, including self-documentation from the victim, showing just how saturated we all are in recording technology.

On Language

Ben Schott has a nice little tidbit in the NYT on language -- as has been much lamented by many as Twitter increases its presence -- as it changes when limited. Rather than abbreviating with acronyms, maybe we should return to this code of telegraphy, no?

On Longing

"Nostalgia is the desire for desire."

-- Susan Stewart, On Longing: Narratives of the Miniature, the Gigantic, the Souvenir, the Collection

Lens Ad

This is how you sell a wide-angle lens.

Recent Signage

Technology + Creativity

It's amazing the things people hear and see and think to mash up.

Signifier

dial H-I-S-T-O-R-Y

My friend Alex Provan has an interview with Johan Grimonprez in the interview issue of Bidoun.



dial H-I-S-T-O-R-Y was part of the screening schedule for my senior seminar in documentary production, paired with One Day in September, and I loved it instantly. You should probably read Alex's interview, then watch both films.

Literal Music Videos

Yet another reason for the internet to exist.

Egg Salad Dady

My Egg Salad (thanks for the Easter eggs, Mom) is the Pimp Dady of Egg Salad Sandwiches. I kid you not.

Adventures in Word Verification #2

How apropos.

This American Life Impresses Once Again

Do yourself a favor, sit down without distractions, and listen to this.

Episode 375: Bad Bank

The collapse of the banking system explained, in just 59 minutes. Our crack economics team—the guys who explained the mortgage crisis, Alex Blumberg and NPR’s Adam Davidson—are back to help all of us understand the news. For instance, when we talk about an insolvent bank, what does it actually mean, and why are we giving hundreds of billions of dollars to rich bankers who screwed up their own businesses? Also, two guys go to New Jersey to look at a toxic asset.

Other shows on the financial crisis: Giant Pool of Money and Another Frightening Show About the Economy. And you can get daily updates about the financial crisis on Alex and Adam's Planet Money podcast and blog.

These recent episodes of the Planet Money podcast go into more depth on the issues in this week's show:

2/9/09 Get Tougher Please—especially the interview with Adam Posen
2/27/09 He Nationalized a Bank
2/2/09 Japan's Lost Lesson

Simon Johnson, the former IMF official on this week's show, has a blog called BaselineScenario.com.

Also, on C-Span—Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner praises this episode.

---

Prologue.

Host Ira Glass plays clips from TV in a recent senate hearing and talks about how confusing the current banking crisis is. But fortunately today, we have the team that brought us our show that explained the mortgage crisis a year ago, back to explain entire the banking system in 40 minutes. (3 minutes)

Act One. The Collapse of the US Banking System Explained in Just 39 Minutes.

Alex Blumberg and Adam Davidson tackle a very tough subject: trying to explain exactly what a bank is and does. They talk to a number of experts about what has gone wrong in banking, but not before bringing us all up to speed on some banking basics, like understanding a bank balance sheet, and a bank’s assets and liabilities, and the squishy business of what banks say about their balance sheets compared to what they are.

Alex and Adam walk us step by step through the complications of the US government buying up bad assets from banks, and explain why, when it comes to footing the bill, the government might just prefer to not be in charge of the very banks it is having taxpayers bailout. From a dollhouse, to a hypothetical bank worth tens of dollars, to the trillions of dollars being spent to keep banks afloat, Alex and Adam talk economy, and where we might be headed. (39 minutes)

Act Two. Clean Up Crew.

Not everyone hates the idea of “toxic assets.” Reporter Lisa Chow goes to New Jersey to follow two guys on their quest to clean up some of America’s bad mortgages—by buying them, and going straight to the homes themselves to have a look at how dire the situation really is. (13 minutes)

Song: "The House Song," Peter, Paul and Mary

And he's funny, too!

I have had the hots for Brian Williams for as long as I can remember. Swoon. The interview is the best part, but the references to Jon Stewart's earlier jokes make watching the entire episode worthwhile.

Technology can't possibly be educational!

Cornfed Gamer summarizes it better than I could, suffice it to say there are bigger fish our auditor ought to be frying...

Neal chimes in, too:

More Color from Michael Hernandez-Stern

Beautiful, uncut footage, graced with the markings of the Brown MCM transfer machine...

DIGI/HYPNO-TIZE from MNHS on Vimeo.

transfer of most recently developed film.

dictionaraoke

thanks, molly, for getting me hooked on this.

Look at that Fine German Engineering!

You're going to want to click the link for the wider view...

from the NYTimes Pictures of the Day.