Emergency Brake Video

As someone who used to (thank god it's past tense now) ride the train to work everyday, I've stared at that Emergency Brake a number of times. Here's an interesting dissemination of everything you've ever wanted to know about it!

emergency brake from Casey Neistat on Vimeo.

...the Shadow of the Statue?

***If for some reason, like you've been living in a cave or something, you've not seen the most recent season of LOST, for God's sake, don't frickin read the following post***

Oomph...just too many LOST tidbits percolating in my brain/tummy. First of all, why is the premiere––and this season, I presume––on Tuesday nights? Hasn't it mostly been on Weds & Thurs?

Is it a coincidence that tonight's premiere coincides* with Groundhog Day? By the way, Punxsutawney Phil predicts six more weeks of winter...anyway, are the LOST writers giving a hint by aligning their show w/a Janus-faced rodent who's mostly concerned with (what lies in) his shadow??

Onto the predictions:

(1) Juliet's bomb-busting abilities fail to do anything other than create a massive white fade-out, resulting in all-out war between Ilana's group and a yet-to-be-determined group loyal to Esau, aka Man-in-Black, aka Flocke (Fake Locke)

(2) I'm predicting a full-on Anakin Skywalker for Ben: his murder of Jacob, masterminded by The Emperor, I mean Flocke, I mean Esau (isn't this fun?), will drive Ben into a Darth Vader-esque rage, threatening to kill all of Ilana's peeps, or he'll be so disgusted at his being used, that he will turn on Flocke/Esau.

(3) I predicted way back in the spring that it would be totally rad –– rad, I tell you –– if the premiere opened either back in Australia w/everybody getting on the plane again or actually on the plane itself. In addition, they all crash again but get a chance to right their wrongs, ala those Choose Your Own Adventure Books (I loved those things).

Allright, see you on the other side...

*see what I did there?

Handel, part deux...

"Handel had been left off-balance by his mighty swing. De Gex lashed out with his free hand and caught the composer's lace cravat in a bloody grip. He jerked hard, desperately trying to pull himself out. Eliza reacted before she could think. Her free hand dropped to the bridge of the cello. She raised it on high as her other hand levered the neck down toward the floor, and she launched it across the pit in a high arc. It rotated as it hurtled through apogee, and came down like a javelin, its whole weight concentrated behind the tail-pin. When it stopped, it was sitting on de Gex's chest. It lodged there at an angle, emitting a spectral chord as the life sighed out of de Gex. He let go of Handel's cravat.

The composer picked up his staff from the floor and righted his periweg. "Fifth page, second bar!" he called out. But the musicians were slow to return..."

[p. 581, System of the World]

Jo(h)n & Kate + 8

That is, John Locke, Kate Austin and whichever eight other Losties you prefer––I'm partial to

Hurley, Juliet, Jack, Sawyer, Sayid, Ben, Jacob & Jacob's friend. As Kottke said,

enjoy this little amuse bouche less than a week away from the premiere...

Handel, Alchemy & Vampires...

"There must be an opera tonight," Jack remarked through the grate.

" 'Tis not possible," Daniel returned. "It is out of season. I do believe they are erecting sets, and rehearsing, for a revival of The Alchemist by Ben Jonson."

"I saw it a hundred times as a boy," Jack said, "why ever are they reviving it now?"

"Because Herr Handel has written new music for it."

"What? It is a play, not an opera."

"Styles change," Daniel said...

"...It chagrins me to hear that the good old Alchymist [sic] is being subjected to such perversion," said Jack. "I've a mind to pop Mr. Handel in the gob."

p. 564 from System of the World, the third volume in Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle...I'm almost finished with this massive undertaking –– I must be a masochist; moving on from DFW's Infinite Jest (just under 1,000 pages) onto Stephenson's 3-part series, each of which clocks in at around 900 pages.

TW, on the other hand, continually reads and re-reads the Twilight series –– and now she's moved on to Sookie Stackhouse, of True Blood fame. So, anything w/vampires and she'll read it. Me –– anything w/o vampires, and I'll give it a go.

If you missed "Fantastic Mr. Fox"

Here's a little sample of what you missed:

"...in different area codes"

Check out the Times for an interesting compilation of data concerning your Netflix queues...for conversation's sake, here's the good ole 02453 (Waltham):

1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. Slumdog Millionaire
3. Burn After Reading
4. Milk
5. Twilight
6. The Wrestler
7. Gran Torino
8. I Love You, Man
9. Changeling
10. Doubt

I don't know what it says about Boston, but in and around the city, Slumdog, Button and Milk seem to make the top five. Thought provoking, but also a little creepy -- although not for me, since I stopped Netflixing about 4 years ago. What do you think?