PBS Ideas Channel "Guide to Common Fallacies" | Crazy Philosophers

Ah.... logic.

For the complete playlist of the PBS Ideas Channel's "Guide to Common Fallacies" head to their YouTube playlist page.

For a hint of the fantastic wonders within... the "No True Scotsman" Fallacy...:



Thx to Open Culture for pointing this out.

Lee Mishkin's 1973 "Is it always right to be right?"

Featuring the voice of Orson Welles, Lee Mishkin's 1970 short film won the 1971 Oscar for Short Films, Cartoons. This was the last award of that category, when it was changed the following year to "Short Subjects, Animated Films."



visit Open Culture for a great write-up.

Fire is stored sunshine | Crazy Scientist

You need to watch this clip right to the end. Richard Feynman explains what fire is, on the 1983 BBC series Fun to Imagine.



Thx kottke for pointing this out.

Wes Anderson's "X-Men" (Parody) | Crazy Flimster

Orkestra Obsolete cover New Order "Blue Monday" | Crazy Musicians

Using only instruments available in the 1930s, like the theremin and musical saw, Orkestra Obsolete perform a cover of New Order's 1983 Blue Monday.

Darwin's "Origin of Species" | Respect

On November 24, 1859, English naturalist and geologist Charles Robert Darwin published On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. This work is considered the foundation of evolutionary biology.

It is difficult to imagine a world prior to the theory of evolution. At the same time, I'm surprised at the number of people that don't necessarily understand "how" evolution works. Here's an excellent video that explains the process of evolution, from the fine folks over at Stated Clearly.

James Last live at BBC Studios, London, 1976 | Crazy Orchestra

German-born contemporary composer James Last passed away on June 9, 2015. [BBC obit] Reaching international fame and success with his original and orchestral re-mix medleys of popular songs, he sold some 200 million albums worldwide in his lifetime.

This BBC studio performance was recorded on October 15, 1976.

Regardless of whether one thinks he was ahead of his time anticipating the mash-up or simply the "King of Elevator Music" it's undeniable he was a talented composer surrounded by equally-talented musicians. If you love watching musicians do their thing, this is a must-see.

Banksy sells art in Central Park | Crazy Artist

So... Banksy set up a stall in New York's Central Park selling original, signed stencil artwork. But didn't tell anybody.

Bill Murray | Wisdom

For a contemplative day. Asked what he wants that he doesn't have, Bill Murray answers candidly and honestly with words of wisdom.

"I'd like to be more consistently here, y'know?"



(thx for the excerpt, Rustbukkit J.)

In Praise of the Quiet Life

(thx School of Life)

UHD (4K) View of Planet Earth from NASA | OuterSpaced

New York City Transit's ancient equipment | Just Crazy

An informational video published in 2015 about the upgrades to the New York City Transit (MTA) system, including a look and explanation about the current equipment. Some of the control systems are over 80 years old...!



(thx Kottke)

How to use the dial telephone (1927) | Crazy PSA

Important instructions and pro-tips for when your own state-of-the-art rotary-dial telephone is finally available for installation in your town, kindly produced by all our friends at the American Telephone and Telegraph company!



(Thx PDR for the tip!)

Choir! Choir! Choir! cover "Ahead By A Century" by The Tragically Hip | Good Rawkin'

Oldest Song in the World, written 3,400 years ago | Crazy Ancient Musicians

The short of it: in the early 1950s archaeologists discovered 14th Century B.C.E. clay tablets with cuneiform writing in what was once the Sumarian city of Ugarit, in present-day Syria. The cuneiform turned out to be a cult hymn, and Ann Draffkorn Kilmer of the University of California produced an interpretation in 1972, which was then recorded. It's a fascinating story, which is explained wonderfully at Open Culture. It is also worth reading the detail text on the YouTube site, posted by AssyriaTimes.

Happy Canada Day! The Tragically Hip, 1989.

Thx Darrin Cappe.

Dossier C : Crows

It's been several years since I was struck on the back of my head by a crow. My initial hatred and desire for revenge have subsided, but I am still always aware and wary of The Crows. We have reached some sort of detente, even though I know they are my Enemy, and I will never again trust them.

I think my vigilance and suspicion is justified -- after all, they drew first blood. My experience is not uncommon, as this Langara College-designed map of common crow attack areas in Vancouver indicates. [CrowTrax] In fact, the map is crowd-sourced, so if you are swooped or struck, add your experience to the map! (Thx VanBuzz for the great story about the map!)

As if we needed any reminders as to how insidiously clever and ruthless this Enemy is... here are some interesting random tidbits I've collected:

They use complex tools... even more complex than imagined: they can make tools that only humans have been known to make previously.

They can solve complex problems, involving multiple steps: this crow can solve a problem involving eight steps.



A crow's brain can recognize numbers: and counting crows' neurons work just like humans.

And we already knew: crows recognize faces... and they know where you're hiding.



Though also just like us, sometimes hard work just doesn't pay off: crow versus pizza box.



And they hold funerals. (thx Devour)



Our only defense, other than carrying around a tennis racket (which I have been tempted to do), is education. PSA: from VanCity Buzz, 8 tips to prevent crow attacks.

Ambition | Crazy Filmsters

This is an impressive science fiction short film, with great effects, produced through a collaboration between Platige Image the European Space Agency to promote Rosetta. It stars Aidan Gillen (of game of Thrones) and Aisling Franciosi. The theme explores the ambition that turns science fiction into science fact.



The amusing part is that the "making of" video is longer than the film itself.

The Icicle Works "Birds Fly (A Whisper to a Scream)" | Crazy Band

29 Celebrity Impressions, One Original Song | Crazy Musician

This could have gone terribly, terribly wrong, but is terribly, terribly entertaining and well done. Musician Rob Cantor (vocals/voices, with the help of several others, as this is a music video and not a live performance) performs an original song in the voices of 29 celebrities. What I particularly love is that the theme of the song actually ties in with the use of all the voices, instead of being a simple gag or shtick: you're perfect in the way that you are.



And before anybody screams foul that it's fake and this dude isn't actually singing all those voices: yep, you're right. It's a music video. It's to promote a music album called Not a Trampoline. Remember when Michael Stipe and REM blew the socks off the music video world by not singing (lip syncing) a line in "Losing My Religion"? Same sorta thing: it's to entertain.

Check out the "making of" video, it's pretty interesting in its own right: