So this evening, I spent some time on YouTube. quixotickitten introduced me to 300, which I missed when it hit the theaters.

Did a quick search for a few bands I like to see if any of them have new music out. One of the ones I grew up with, Erasure, released a song earlier in the year "I Could Fall In Love With You" -- which is standard fare. Light synthpop. Nothing to write home about. (It's not a Selena cover.) I watched the original vid in June or July and wasn't terribly impressed.

I guess Erasure wasn't either. It seems they put a notice up on their website after the song was released, asking fans "to submit pictures or video footage of themselves and loved ones in scenes depicting love or falling in love." These scenes (also including the band's duo, Vince Clarke and Andy Bell) were then edited together into a montage. This new version has sprung up on their official YouTube page, dubbed the "alternate video".

It looks as if all conceivable gender combinations are represented. The final result is a sweet, fun, romantic video that completely changed how I felt about the song. Nicely done! :)



Erasure's Myspace Page
"I Could Fall In Love With You" on the official Erasure site.

From bestweekever: On Monday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hosted a screening of Star Wars: Episode IV. To go with it, the Lucas minions CGI'ed up this clip:



Original is from here.

Sorry I'm being so prolific today. This is my last post for the day, I promise. :)

The longest "Couch Gag" intro to date.

Improvements to Livejournal:

The limit for the number of friends a journal can have has been raised: Starting immediately, the friend limit for Basic, Plus, and Early Adopter accounts has been raised from 750 to 1000 friends. It's been raised to 2000 for Paid and Permanent accounts.

For paid users, a new Edit Journal Privacy option, which will allow mass changing of privacy levels on posts. This feature will be active soon.

Also, the Random User page is back.

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"Before this is over, you might see calls for his impeachment." An interview with Republican Senator from Nebraska Chuck Hagel in Esquire Magazine. This article was written by Charlie Pierce, who also wrote the amazing "Greetings from Idiot America" article.

NASA lacks the funding they need to identify "killer asteroids"

A trifecta of space psychology links from Psychology Today: The Right Mind Set for Mars, Alone in Space and an interview with Astronaut Mike Foal about what being in space is like.

Grace Park has a video Q&A at scifi.com regarding Battlestar Galactica. I don't think there are any Season 3 spoilers, but might have overlooked 'em.

Scott Berkun: How to start meetings on time

Portrait-Photos.org (Most probably SFW, but caveat emptor)

USAToday: More reporters embrace an advocacy role

Blender: The 50 Craziest Pop Stars Ever

Earvolution: Top Ten Corporate Moments in Rock

"Airport": "The animated story of one man's epic journey, created entirely from public domain symbols. In other words, an airport story told in the language of airport infographics." (YouTube Video)

Pac to the future: 7 Ms. Pacman Fun Facts. There's an arcade at LaGuardia Airport?

Premiere Magazine is shutting down. (via yendi)

3 Questions to ask before you get your hotel room key

I haven't seen this, although I've been assured it's safe for work:



Thanks to aclipscomb for posting it.

The Bulwer-Lytton Awards for worst opening sentence in imaginary fiction are out.

Topless Speed Bandits -- the most viral film on the web. (NSFW) The Danish Road Safety Council launched their first ever viral campaign last November to reduce speeding. A fake news story + fun concept + topless Danes = the most watched viral video on the net.

New York Taxi Fare Finder (from gbam)

Don't. Drink. The. Coffee.

Playboy Archives Going Digital. (Link is SFW)

Time: Supporters Push Gore 2008.

Super Bowl 2007 Ads

Taking Group Rights Seriously: Multiracialism in Singapore

We could make BILLIONS.

Border's Bookstores: a "20% off one item" coupon good through 2/15.

Kimchi, Kalbi & Karaoke - Paper Magazine's Killer Guide to New York's Koreatown

The Battlestar Galactica Season III Gag Reel. (Google Video / Uncensored / Contains S3 spoilers)
It's also been posted on YouTube here

Season I and II's gag reels are available on Google Video. Season I: Part I and Part II, which was on the S1 DVD set, and Season II: Part I & Part II. Most of these are terrible quality -- taken with a handheld of a screen at what I assume was a wrap party. (And of course, they all include more spoilers...)

Avenue Q meets The World of Warcraft, in "The Internet is For Porn" (Cannot begin to emphasize how very not safe for work the song is.) Original audio/video of the song on Avenue Q's website. (first link via yendi)

book_of_daniel signs up for the gym.

CJR: “If You Use My Name, They’ll Make Fun of Me” I am definitely traveling in the wrong circles in this city. :(

This post: “Rachel Ray is Not God” got a blogger fired.

25 Mind-Numbingly Stupid Quotes by Various Idiots (Yet another 2005 round-up)

“Craigslist Could Make Me Rich”

src kindly dug up a jump page listing which HP printers are Mac OS X-compatible.

Via goddes: Polar bears drown as ice shelf melts


Politics
HI Magazine has been suspended. WashPost story here. Their English-language site is here.

Bob Barr blasts the White House again.

A speech given by author Michael Crichton on “Fear, Complexity, & Environmental Management in the 21st Century” (Edit: yendi suggests: "Anyone reading Crichton's speech should also be reading this response (which was actually to his book, but applies equally here)."

Molly Ivins takes the gloves off.