Not Christmas Links #30

Her dream was to be a Muppeteer. Her Korean American ‘Sesame Street’ character just made history:

"Kathleen Kim is the woman behind Ji-Young, the first Asian American muppet. We spoke to them about their Thanksgiving debut."

Driving your Christmas tree home could land you a £300 fine:

"WITH many of us getting ready for the festive feeling, the debate on when to install your Christmas tree is one that comes up every year."

‘I wrote it from the perspective of a night light’: How They Might Be Giants made Birdhouse in Your Soul:

"‘I’m completely happy that we fall within the noble tradition of the one-hit wonder in the UK’."

Advent calendars: Call to use non-plastic alternatives:

"As children prepare to open the first door of their advent calendars, one mother is urging Wales to consider the sheer scale of plastic waste."

More boxsets than ever on BBC iPlayer this Christmas:

From new Christmas delights to the year’s best shows and classic favourites, BBC iPlayer has massive range of boxsets for viewers to binge on while nibbling on those festive treats.

Not Christmas Links #29

Preloved and perfect! The seven essential rules for secondhand presents: 

"For a thoughtful, less consumerist Christmas, make sure to tell the truth about your purchases, spritz musty clothes with vodka and invest in vintage wrapping paper."

Public libraries are better than Google:

"Google Search is now a pay-to-play wasteland. And that’s exactly what was predicted by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the founders of Google, in their 1998 academic paper on search engine design." [via]

BBC Radio 4: Fire alarm forces presenters to exit studio during broadcast:

"This is the moment a fire alarm caused two BBC presenters to make a sharp exit during their radio show."

24 Reasons We’ll Keep Watching the Beatles’ ‘Get Back’ Forever:

"The greatest moments from Peter Jackson’s epic gift to Beatles fans."

You Can Make Any Day the Best Day of the Year:

"On New Year’s Eves when I was in my late 20s, I would ask my friends to reflect on our best days of the year, the times when we had the most fun, felt the most grateful or were happiest."

Not Christmas Links #28

Peter Jackson Reveals How He Coaxed Paul and Ringo Into Giving Him the OK to Make ‘Get Back’:

"Peter Jackson does love a good epic trilogy … and so, now, do Beatles fans. When it was announced in June that a change in plans for Jackson’s “Get Back” documentary was afoot, and it was now going to be three times as long as originally announced — a three-part streaming docuseries on Disney Plus, instead of a single theatrical feature — aficionados who’d long hoped to see outtakes from the 1970 “Let It Be” realized they were going to get their own multi-part quest film."

Mobile phone museum celebrates ugly and iconic phones:

"More than 2,000 old and iconic mobile phones are being showcased in a new online museum."

Lucian Freud painting denied by artist is authenticated by experts:

"The artist insisted he did not paint Standing Male Nude, but three specialists have concluded it is his work."

Statue of Christopher Marlowe planned for Canterbury high street, near to playwright's birthplace:

"A statue to commemorate Canterbury's famous playwright - Christopher Marlowe - is planned to be installed in the city centre."

Firefighters launch tense rescue after pet tortoise traps pet dog in underground burrow:

"It was a relatively peaceful Sunday morning at the Fortin household in Scottsdale, Ariz. Around noon, though, chaos struck."

Not Christmas Links #27

 
‘Cancelled’ Artists - What Next?
"How does the market treat works by artists with histories of abuse?"

Stellan Skarsgård: ‘My tips for fatherhood? Don’t lie. Even about Santa Claus’:

"The Swedish actor best known for his collaborations with Lars von Trier – as well as Marvel movies, Pirates of the Caribbean and Mamma Mia! – answers your questions about Lars von Trier, porn and pickled herrings."

The Ending of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Has Forever Puzzled and Fascinated Me:

"Harrison Ford, Sean Connery and Steven Spielberg's 1989 adventure has such a curious ending."

Liverpool film studios: 'First steps' towards creating complex laid out:

"The "first steps" of a £70m scheme to bring a "sleeping giant of a building back to life" as one of the UK's biggest film and TV complexes have been laid out by Liverpool City Council."

The Measureless, Omnipresent Influence of Stephen Sondheim:

"Children will listen."

Not Christmas Links #26

 
The 2021 holiday movie guide: 100+ new films to get you in the spirit:
"Every year, more outlets offer holiday movies (and by that I mean overwhelmingly Christmas movies, but occasionally not). And the places that offer them seem to offer more. It has become a kudzu situation. How are we getting VH1 holiday movies now? How did Food Network get involved?"

Browns of Chester: How a city is coping without Debenhams:

"It's six months since the final Debenhams stores shut their doors for the last time, leaving many high streets with large, empty units."

I Made the World’s Blandest Facebook Profile, Just to See What Happens:

"My new Facebook account had the most generic interests possible, and still it brought me to a place no one should ever have to go." [via]

‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Season 4 Debuting Internationally On Friday On Pluto TV And Paramount+:

"Last week ViacomCBS surprised the world by announcing they had bought back the international rights for Star Trek: Discovery from Netflix, with the launch of season four outside North America moved to Paramount+ internationally in early 2022. But today they announced they are moving that release date up to this Friday."

Ailbhe Rea’s Diary: Why I spoke out about Stanley Johnson:

"I didn’t want Caroline Nokes to be alone in calling out something I knew hadn't only happened to her."

Not Christmas Links #25

 
BBC Three’s return to TV screens confirmed with new Terms of Trade agreed with Pact:
"The new broadcast channel will launch in early February 2022 and will be available on Freeview, Sky, Virgin and Freesat."

Because you're tired of watching movies on your laptop:

"Cinema Treasures is your guide to over 56,000 movie theaters from around the world. more."

How Teri Hatcher Found Her Stand-Up Comedy Groove With Help From ‘Ted Lasso’s’ Brett Goldstein:

"Teri Hatcher is getting serious about comedy."

Eighties pop star Debbie Gibson: ‘The price of fame is high. I have a therapist on speed dial!’:

"Squeaky clean, uncool and old before her years, the US singer blazed a trail for young women creating their own material. Having dealt with stalkers, addiction and illness, she’s back."

The publishers who made Shakespeare a global phenomenon:

"Walk into any decent bookshop today in search of Shakespeare’s plays and you’re sure to find at least one. And even if you can’t find what you’re looking for on the bookshelves, there is always the internet, where a great variety of different complete works and editions are also available – almost all of them free of charge."

Not Christmas Links #24

 

The Abominable Snowmen to be Animated:
"The BBC has announced that an animated version of the 1967 (Doctor Who) story The Abominable Snowmen will be released next year."

Despite the Outrage, Doctor Who Is Less ‘Woke’ Than It’s Been in Decades:

"With rumors circulating that Jodie Whittaker may depart the lead role at the end of her third season, it seems right to reflect upon her time in the TARDIS."

Neat enough for Pepys: Magdalene college Cambridge’s inventive new library:

"The famous diarist’s dedicated building, left to his Cambridge alma mater, could not be altered. So architect Níall McLaughlin created a magical solution."

A decade of Crinkley Bottom: Noel’s House Party remembered:

"Richard Latto, BBC reporter, rummages through the archives of one of the most successful Saturday night shows of all time and speaks to its producer and co-creator."

How to Troll an NFT Owner:

"On Wednesday, a Twitter user trolled Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian in a way that may not have been immediately clear to all observers."

Not Christmas Links #23

 
Toby Hadoke's Time Travels: Far Too Much Information (Bonus Minisode) - Class of ‘63:
"To celebrate a year of podcasting Toby Hadoke's Time Travels - not to mention 58 years of Doctor Who - here is one of the best bits of the Patreon exclusive podcast (Far) Too Much Information. This minisode is a re-recording - with loads of updates including new clips and interviews - of Toby's quest to find out everything about the Coal Hill Kids (the schoolchildren extras in the first episode), first released as part of the An Unearthly Child deep dive in (Far) Too Much Information."

Outlander author Diana Gabaldon: ‘I needed Scotsmen because of the kilt factor’:

"She secretly wrote the first of her time-travelling novels while her husband slept. Now she’s published the ninth in the smash hit series. She talks explosive sex scenes – and where George RR Martin went wrong."

BBC announces Christmas line-up across channels and BBC iPlayer:

"From a huge array of brand new shows and specials, to festive editions of your favourites, there is something for everyone on the BBC this Christmas."

The Dengineers:  Series 6: 2. Doctor Who Den:

"Doctor Who fan Adam wants a den where he can celebrate his favourite TV show and pursue his passion for drama. His den story takes him on an incredible voyage of discovery that includes a surprise chat with someone very special."

Doctor Who fan builds six-foot cyber-dragon at home:

"A SIX-FOOT tall cyber-dragon is looking for a new home, after the Doctor Who superfan who created it said he hopes it can go somewhere where it can be appreciated by more people."

Not Christmas Links #22

 
Kunsthaus Zurich: Looted art claims pose questions for Swiss museum:
"When Switzerland's largest art museum, the Kunsthaus in Zurich, last month opened the golden doors of a vast new extension designed by star architect David Chipperfield, it declared it was the most important home of French and impressionist paintings outside Paris."

How to Get Chrome Extensions on Android:

"Whether you’re a student or work from home or an office, Chrome has some great extensions that help with organization, productivity, learning, and entertainment. You’ve probably discovered quite a few of these handy extensions and plugins on your computer. So, how can you get these extensions on your Android device as well? Is it even possible?"

‘We were two tortured idiots trying to make TV’: The Adam and Joe Show, 25 years on:

"Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish built a cult following with their DIY Channel 4 show – but the pressure got to them. They reminisce over Britpop, getting cancelled and patching up their friendship."

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Begins Production Hiatus As Letitia Wright Continues To Recover From Her On Set Injuries:

"Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever officially began its production hiatus for the remainder of 2021 today as it allows star Letitia Wright additional time to recuperate from an on-set injury earlier this year."

JFK assassination: 8 strange details about Kennedy’s 1961 Lincoln Continental limousine:

"From its surprising price tag and oddball features to whispers of its role in a Dallas conspiracy, the Kennedy “death car” remains a public fascination."

Not Christmas Links #21

Harry Potter 20th anniversary: The UK film locations:
"It's 20 years since the boy wizard Harry Potter hit the big screen."

‘I just can’t believe it exists’: Peter Jackson takes us into the Beatles vault locked up for 52 years:

"Ahead of his epic series Get Back, the director reveals the secrets of 60 hours of intimate, unseen footage of the Fab Four – and why it turns everything we know about their final days upside down."

What Buffy's Building-Collapsing Sex Scene Meant For Teen TV:

"Twenty years after the "Smashed" episode, we look back at the cultural legacy Buffy and Spike's unbelievable night together."

I am listening to the Bible on audiobook and I can't believe they let kids read this:

"I will now livetweet the Bib - just kidding ... 81 hours and 7 minutes left to go ... Abimalech is watching Isaac bang his wife who he said was his sister. This book is nasty."

Starbucks waste reduction initiative to start in Tokyo: borrow a cup, use it, then return it:

"Take your cup home, then hand it back in at any participating Starbucks café."

Not Christmas Links #20

All the dating ‘green flags’ you should be exhibiting:

"Green flags are the positive attributes that make us dateable, says The Guyliner. Here's how to be your best single self."

‘Blade’: Delroy Lindo Joins Mahershala Ali in Marvel Studios’ Vampire Adventure (Exclusive):

"Bassam Tariq, known for directing the rap drama 'Mogul Mowgli,' is in the director’s chair."

The Misconceptions About Baby Boomers and the Sixties:

"Thankfully, we are within sight of the end of the fiftieth anniversaries of things that happened in the nineteen-sixties."

Postman Pat sets saved from destruction go on display:

"The sets used to create children's TV favourite Postman Pat have gone on show after being saved from destruction by the show's animators."

Teen rescued after showing domestic violence hand signal known on TikTok, police say:

"Kentucky driver called police after seeing ‘female passenger making hand gestures known to represent violence at home’."

Not Christmas Links #19

 
Fragment of lost 12th-century epic poem found in another book’s binding:
"Scholars knew the work about Guillaume d’Orange and the bloody siege of his city existed, but until now believed it had been lost completely."

The Bad Guys Are Winning:

"If the 20th century was the story of slow, uneven progress toward the victory of liberal democracy over other ideologies—communism, fascism, virulent nationalism—the 21st century is, so far, a story of the reverse."

Kid A Mnesia Exhibition:

"An upside-down digital/analogue universe created from original artwork and recordings to commemorate the coming of age of Radiohead’s Kid A and Amnesiac."

Opinion: Please stop asking film directors about Marvel movies:

"I understand that the culture of cinema is completely and totally dominated by the world of comic books. There’s a decent chance that North America’s five highest-grossing films released in 2021 will have a Marvel logo somewhere in the credits. But I am begging journalists to stop asking auteurs the Marvel Question — before it tears the moviemaking world apart."

Chloé Zhao explains how ‘Nomadland’ and ‘Eternals’ are cinematic twins:

"In some ways, Chloé Zhao embodies the typical Hollywood trajectory: A filmmaker makes a name for herself on the festival circuit with promising independent films, makes it to the Oscars with her bigger, more ambitious third outing, then captures the brass ring of directing a big Marvel movie."

Not Christmas Links #18

Pictures: Milton Keynes turns on the Christmas lights in spectacular style with a Sugababe in tow:
"Did you miss the lights switch-on well now you can re-live it with our gallery."

BBC 100: Year of brilliant programming to mark centenary:

"The BBC will mark 100 years with sports, events and landmark commissions for TV, Radio, and Online to inform, educate and entertain the nation."

How to Get Unstuck: Study:

"Learn something new, just because."

He Created The Oregon Trail:

"And he didn’t make a penny."

Panini: The sticker firm celebrating 60 years:

"Panini, the football sticker firm behind the playground craze of the 1970s and 80s, is celebrating its 60th anniversary. How did it survive tabloid warfare, a thieving tycoon's clutches and competition from Lycra-clad wrestlers to become a billion-pound business?"

Not Christmas Links #17

 
The Diary of River Song – New Recruit and other Big Finish updates:
"In keeping with tradition, I update the blog a smidgen later than I mean to re exciting new work things. So, to catch up, everything is going in this post."

‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Leaving Netflix For Paramount+ Internationally, Season 4 To Launch Globally in 2022:

"The fourth season of Star Trek: Discovery debuts on Thursday in the USA and Canada. But unlike the previous seasons, it will not also be launching on Netflix outside North America. ViacomCBS is bringing the show home to its own streaming service."

Superhero drama Superman & Lois acquired for BBC One and BBC iPlayer:

"The BBC has acquired the UK premiere of Warner Bros. Television’s hit US Super Hero drama Superman & Lois, with series one coming to BBC One in an early evening slot on Saturday 4 December and all episodes arriving on BBC iPlayer that day." (it's 5:40)

‘It is surreal’: the five-second book reviews going viral on TikTok:

"With 26bn views – and the ability to influence global sales – the social media app’s reading corner #BookTok is not as niche as it seems."

Skittish Is Live!

"As you may remember, I’ve spent the last few months working on Skittish, a playful space for virtual events and gatherings of all kinds — requiring only a browser and microphone, using spatial 3D audio to talk to others around you."

Not Christmas Links #16

 
Bill Nighy to narrate Terry Pratchett’s footnotes in new Discworld recordings:
"The actor will bring Pratchett’s ‘personal commentary’ to life in a star-studded re-recording of all 40 Discworld audiobooks, featuring narrators from Indira Varma to Andy Serkis."

We’re all famous now:

"Why MSNBC host Chris Hayes thinks the era of mass fame is upon us."

The far-right is doxing and threatening a man they incorrectly believe is on the Kyle Rittenhouse jury:

"He was in the pool of potential jurors but wasn't selected for the jury."

Independent artists and labels say Brexit has had “outrageous” impact in shipping music and merch to and from Europe:

"Many UK acts and labels now find it "kind of untenable to ship records to Europe"."

The 33 Best 33 1/3 Books:

"With more than 100 titles to its name at this point, Stephen M. Deusner highlights the 33 1/3 book series' finest moments."

Not Christmas Links #15

 

Peter Capaldi: ‘Don’t worry, I don’t suddenly think I’m a rock star’:
"The actor on political corruption, the genius of Terence Davies and making a solo album in his 60s."

Don’t appoint Paul Dacre as chair of Ofcom:

"To: Nadine Dorries, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Boris Johnson, Prime Minister."

Young viewers prefer TV subtitles, research suggests:

"Young people are almost four times more likely than older viewers to watch TV shows with subtitles, despite having fewer hearing problems, according to research by a captioning charity."

Finally watching Shang-Chi, here as a bus operator to rate the SFT transit factors of The Bus Scene:

"SFT (San Francisco Transit?) is using a New Flyer D60 articulated 60 foot motor coach for the 1 California."

The Day I Got Old:

"It just suddenly happened, and there isn’t a sports car in the world I can buy to make it otherwise."

Not Christmas Links #14

 

Jon Ronson and Adam Curtis on the culture wars: ‘How has this happened? Where is the escape hatch?’

"As Ronson’s BBC podcast Things Fell Apart begins, the documentary-makers and old friends discuss conspiracy theories, the problem of ‘activist journalists’ and what happened to Ceaușescu’s socks."

Fact check: Viral video purporting to show vaccinated woman's plane tantrum is fake:

"A video of a maskless woman having a tantrum on an airplane -- threatening to call the police because she is being forced to sit next to a man she presumes is unvaccinated -- has gone extraordinarily viral on social media."

Crooks, creeps and indecent proposals: Emily Ratajkowski on being paid to hang out with rich men:

"When she landed in LA, aged 19, the model, actor and writer was plunged into a world where wealthy men were desperate to be seen with women like her. At what cost?"

A 40-Year Variety Show: Reflections on Decades of Constant Change:

"This month marks the 40th anniversary of my joining Variety, which sets off a number of thoughts."

In Case I Don’t Write Here Again:

"This blog is almost 22 years old, and in all that time I’ve been solid about posting regularly — until this recent dry spell." [via]

Not Christmas Links #13

 

Britney Spears’ Conservatorship Terminated After 13 Years, Finally Giving Freedom to Pop Star: 

"Britney Spears’ conservatorship has been terminated after 13 years, a California court has determined." 

Thirty Films That Expand The Art of the Movie Musical: 

"They’re not all musicals in the conventional sense, but all enrich the cinematic experience of song and dance." 

Beatles and Killing Eve: Museum to celebrate Liverpool's cultural impact: 

"The Beatles' suits, Bill Shankly's overcoat and an outfit worn by Killing Eve's Jodie Comer are to go on show at the reopening of a gallery celebrating Liverpool's cultural impact."

Slapstick architecture: how a €3.99 Ikea salad bowl became part of the Rotterdam skyline: 

"The colossal mirrored bowl of the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen costs a fortune to clean and has upset a neighbouring hospital. So how are locals finding it?"

Covid vaccine holdouts are caving to mandates — then scrambling to 'undo' their shots: 

"As mandates spread, anti-vaccine groups have been trafficking in pseudoscience treatments meant to remove or counteract the vaccines. Experts say it's like trying to "unring a bell.""

Not Christmas Links #12.

 
Who were the Nasca?
"Thriving in one of the most arid regions in the world, the Nasca lived on the southern coast of modern-day Peru for around 850 years until AD 650. Peru exhibition curator Cecilia Pardo-Grau introduces their culture, including the colourful pottery, textiles and stunning Nasca Lines they’re known for."

Doctor Who and Sherlock writer Steven Moffat speaks at Oxford Union:

"Estelle Atkinson and Rosa Chalfen report."

Paul Thomas Anderson on ‘Licorice Pizza’ and Moviemaking: ‘Anyone Who’s Done This Knows That Confidence Is an Illusion’:

"Paul Thomas Anderson, chronicler of the dark heart of America in films like “There Will Be Blood” and parties that stretch to near dawn in “Boogie Nights,” is a morning person."

The secret court case 50 years ago that has robbed transgender people of their rights ever since:

"The story of Ewan Forbes shows how trans people were able to enjoy equality – until it was quietly removed to protect male rights of succession."

‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’ Makes a Classic Even Better:

"This new version of Taylor Swift’s greatest album is 30 tracks–the original 16-song ‘Red’ tricked out with B-sides and vault outtakes, all redone with more boom and detail in the production."

Not Christmas Links #11

Unpacking players keep mixing a GameCube up with a kitchen appliance:
"Feel old yet?"

Beatles: Song featuring George Harrison and Ringo Starr found:

"A previously unheard song featuring two of The Beatles at the height of their fame has been given its world premiere after being rediscovered in a loft."

‘It’s too much!’ – the Courtauld’s Van Goghs, Monets, Cézannes, Goyas and Bruegels are reborn:

"After a two-year revamp, this extraordinary collection is back – in a brighter, roomier, friendlier space. The Old Masters have never looked so magnificent."

Updating The Verge’s background policy:

"On ‘on background’"

In ‘Passing,’ the steep cost of crossing the color line:

"Ruth Negga shines in Rebecca Hall’s adaptation of the Nella Larsen novel."