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New York Times 100 best movies since 2000
The New York Times compiled a list of the 100 best movies since 2000. All in all, it’s solid list, and to me, the top pick is deserving. Included in the list, are check boxes so you can track which ones you have seen, what/need to see, and even submit your own top 10 choices. I’ve seen 80, and here’s my top choices in no particular order.
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5 conversation types
A handy guide breaks down five conversation types, their purpose, their approaches, how to interact.
- Seeker
- Scientist
- Spaceholder
- Socialite
- Non-sequitourist
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Uncovering new Merlin
Using a combination of new imaging techniques, a new chapter in Merlin’s story has been uncovered.
The manuscript had survived the centuries after being recycled and repurposed in the 1500s as the cover for a property record from Huntingfield Manor in Suffolk, owned by the Vanneck family of Heveningham.
It meant the remarkable discovery was folded, torn, and even stitched into the binding of the book – making it almost impossible for Cambridge experts to access it, read it, or confirm its origins.
What followed the discovery has been a ground-breaking collaborative project, showcasing the work of the University Library’s Cultural Heritage Imaging Laboratory (CHIL) and combining historical scholarship with cutting-edge digital techniques, to unlock the manuscript’s long-held secrets – without damaging the unique document.
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Octogenarians in the club
A Brussels program to fight loneliness among senior citizens.
Among the revelers in crop tops, short skirts and high heels, one group stood out: gray-haired retirement-home residents, many in their 80s or 90s. The men wore suits with pocket handkerchiefs, and the women, in mascara and red lipstick, wore chunky necklaces and tops with sequins.
“Look at the atmosphere,” said Guillaume Vanderweyen, 99, who was clubbing for the first time in 40 years. “Everyone is happy because we’re doing something different. That matters in life.”
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The use of Fortunate Son
Like Born on the Fourth of July, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Fortunate Son is up there with most misunderstood songs of all time. Why or how Fortunate Son, about a draft dodger, ended up on Trump’s parade playlist is a new height for irony.
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The Great Egg Heist
It’s got the makings of a screwball caper, how a freight truck with 280,000 eggs were stolen.
…shipment headed from Maryland to Florida: 280,000 brown eggs, sizes large and extra large.
They belonged to Cal-Maine Foods, which boasts being “number one in the pecking order” of egg supply. About 1 of every 5 eggs sold in America are laid by a Cal-Maine hen. They line the refrigerated shelves of Walmarts, Costcos and other supermarkets, labeled Eggland’s Best, Land O’Lakes and various generic brands.
By gobbling up its competitors,Cal-Maine built an egg empire without most egg eaters knowing the company’s name. But by the April afternoon when the 280,000 eggs left the farm, that was beginning to change.
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Halt and Catch Fire syllabus
Halt and Catch Fire was four seasons of TV perfection, telling a slightly alternate history of late 80s and 90s tech industry. Ashley Blewer created a supplemental website with readings, episode summaries, and discussion questions.
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Maybe the whales are communicating with us
If the movie Arrival suggests anything, it’s that communication with other species will have a different language. Whales may be communicating with humans.
Researchers at the SETI Institute and UC Davis have documented a striking new behavior in humpback whales. These whales, some weighing over 30 tons, are seen producing nearly perfect rings of bubbles that spiral to the surface. These aren’t random puffs. The whales often blow them during close encounters with humans and they seem to be watching what we do next.
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The Atomic Lucy
My friend Gabrielle is a playwright, and she submitted an audio story, The Atomic Lucy, to the Atlanta Fringe Festival using some of my music as the soundtrack,
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Dancers in Penn Station
The lower level of Penn Station is perfect for dancing and serving as a makeshift dance studio.
Penn Station, the transit hub for hurrying commuters and Amtrak riders, has a side gig. Its wide, lower level corridor — specifically the passageway leading to the Moynihan Train Hall from Track 7 to Track 16 of the Long Island Rail Road — is an unlikely dance studio.
Officially called the West End Concourse, the corridor has a lot going for it: It’s easily accessible, the floors are spacious and smooth, and there are public restrooms, a rarity in New York City.
It’s a ready-made stage for all sorts of group and partnered dance, including hip-hop, K-pop and salsa. Reflective glass windows overlooking the tracks double as mirrors. Rows of blue lights overhead make for pleasing visuals when filmed. The biggest draw? It’s free.
