My buddy Aaron the Alligator is celebrating his birthday tomorrow with a brand-new sport.
Serious news coverage can be found here.
It will be ridiculous but we have tried to make it legitimately playable at the same time. If you’re in the Hutt, come along to Trafalgar Park at 5pm.
“Mmp” is the sound you make when you’ve been gagged and tied to a chair by a villainous smuggler and your kindly aunt is standing unknowingly just outside the door and you wish to alert her to your presence so she can free you and help you thwart the smugglers.
MMP is the proportional electoral system we use in NZ. There’s currently a massive consultation underway. The team that have set this up have done a really amazing job – there’s clickable ads all over the NZ web, and lots of real-world notices too. The website has lots of useful information divided up into small, understandable questions, and you are encouraged to respond to those same questions (though more extensive responses are welcomed of course). This makes it really easy to look at this hugely important issue and give some input.
And it is a hugely important issue. Just look at the debacle in the UK right now, or the last few decades of US governance, for some clear evidence that your electoral system has a huge impact on your society’s welfare.
I’ve said before on here (somewhere or other) that the biggest problem with participation in our democracy is that it’s a pain in the butt to do anything more than vote every few years. This is the first time I’ve seen something that shows it doesn’t have to be this way. Kiwis, I implore you to check it out & have your say.
Right, on with the rest of the linky:
Jennifer Connelly’s audition for Labyrinth.
That’s via Dangerous Minds, who also embedded the entirety of the first ever version of the Muppet Show, a test-run special titled “Sex and Violence” that aims for a more adult tone. Kermit is not the presenter; Floyd has a major role; it’s the Muppets but not as you know it. Coincidentally, the AV Club wrote about this episode a couple weeks back.
Back on the subject of Labyrinth – Original Pope of this Blog, Mr David R., alerted me to the splendid Bowiesongs Blog’s analysis of the Labyrinth soundtrack as a hidden Bowie album. Neato.
Hmm. I wonder, which would have launched more puberties: gold bikini Leia or tightpants Labyrinth Bowie? Suggestions for methodology and funding welcome.
Batman vs. that famous pick-up artist Mystery
Downton Abbey dialogue anachronisms
Here’s U.S. highways mapped like the London Underground. Yes yes it’s a cliche but this one actually works.
Interesting article taking the parasites-can-affect-behaviour research another step – why your cat can make you crazy
What scientific concept would improve everyone’s cognitive toolkit? Many many smart people respond. Includes the usual suspects (Dawkins, Brand, Lakoff, Shirky) and names I didn’t expect (Rudy Rucker, Brian Eno) and many more I’d never heard of. The entries I read were all great (one inspired suggestion: kayfabe). Well worth your time; I’m gonna come back to this.
Jamas has found the entirety of GET LAMP, a documentary about interactive fiction/text adventure games, is available to watch online. Yay!
Using police identikit techniques and descriptions in text, making images of novel characters (e.g. Lisbeth Salander, Daisy Buchanan)
Via Dylan H: Alan Moore explains, in 90 seconds, why he worships a glove puppet.
And finally… food on my dog