The Evolution of Allure - The MIT Press

While at work, I discovered the following:

The Evolution of Allure - The MIT Press

"From the Medici Venus to Vitruvius, Leonardo, Dürer, and the phone-sex goddesses of D-Cup Superstars, Hersey's lively, erotically charged text shows that the formulas set forth by the Greek sculptor Polykleitos have established a Western canon of human gestures and proportions and may have influenced human evolution."

"Hersey concludes with an excursus on the current hyperdevelopment, in both sexes, of breasts and muscles, as exemplified in the likes of body builders, Batman, and the Incredible Hulk."

Oscars, Part 3

11 PM... shoulda been done by now.

Documentary Feature. The Cove... something's up... banner? heh... ABC cut the text message ad!

Another unknown... Film editing: Hurt Locker.

Promo for Hurt Locker

Quentin Tarantino and ??? Foreign Language Film: Argentina. The Secret In Their Eyes.

Promo for Avatar.

Best Actor. Wow... nice set! What's with the testimonials? Zzzz... too long Michelle....

Jeff Bridges. Crazy Heart.

Best Actress. [fifteen minutes later] Sandra Bullock Time is 11:50.

Barbra Streisand! Looking pretty good. Best Director. Hurt Locker. Kathryn Bigelow.

Tom Hanks. Best Picture. Hurt Locker. Six total. It might be the lowest grossing BP on record.

And that's a wrap.

Oscars Part 3

10 PM.... one hour to go...
HEY ABC! Program the Oscars like the Super Bowl! Pregame. Red carpet 6:30-6:30. Oscars from 7:30 to 11 ET. Move Barbara Walters to the week before. Two or three specials, maybe some specials on special effects. handicapping the major categories.

Avatar for art direction.

Hey, Phylis Diller is presenting! Oh, excuse me... Sarah Jessica Parker. Costume design. Ironic since Ms. Parker doesn't have great fashion sense. Young Victoria wins, and the winner upstages her with a classy glamourous look!

Precious promo. What's on her dress, Is that the underwire for the dress, on the outside?

Orchestra... Best Score? Heh... funny film.

Nice dress. Horror appreciation. Wow... they hit eveything!

Nice intro to Sound. Hurt Locker for both editing and mixing.

Nice dress whoever she is.

Tech awards promo

Glorious Basterd promo.

Speeding things up? No frills no noms for Cinematography. Avatar. Wow. The cinematography was in a computer!

Best Score? Nope.. In Memoriam. Roy Disney? Horton Foote? Quite a loss... So much talent. Yet it is all cuaght on film, in front and behind. I hope there is a webpage at the Academy with bios. So often we don't know those behind the camera.

Who's the hipster with J-Lo? Best score. Break damcing to Sherlock Holmes? Hurt Locker? Shades of Saving Private Ryan! Fantastic Mr. Fox... Up.... oh man... I'm on the floor! Avatar. Nice staging. well, the audience liked it.

Up wins. What are the pins the Pixar folks are wearing?

Two unknowns... visual effects. Avatar. easy pick.

Up in the Air promo.

Oscars, Part 2

What's with the sunglasses? Is that Robert Downey Jr.? Screenplay... nicely presented.
original: Hurt Locker
adapted:

The mike melts into the floor! Nice!

Who's with Matthew Broderick? Molly Ringwald? Nice appreciation of John Hughes. Woulda been classy to segue into the Memoriam feature.

Up Best Picture promo.

Commercials.

Whoa... some dresses! Short Film? Animated: Logorama... not a surprise.
short documentary: Music by Prudence. Man... that's what it's all about. Biggest night of hos life, and he's enjoying it! And Prudence is there!
Live Action Short: New Tenants

Heh... Ben Stiller. Makeup... of course. Star Trek. (thought so)

serious man promo

Bathroom break.

Best Adapted Screenplay: Push. Cool. He's overcome... Saphire is there too. Nice.

Queen Latifah? What's this? Governor Awards. Will that be broadcast?

Robin Williams. BSActress. Mo'nique. It seems that the color line has been erased at the Oscars.

An Education promo.

Commercials.

Ready for My Long Shot

Nice opening with the nomines... escorted off by their seat warmers. Holy... Neil Patrick Harris! Steve Martin becoming Jack Benny? And Steve Baldwin looks squished.... bad tailor? Knocking em dead in the aisles!

Heh... Avatar jokes.

No lectern!

BSActor... on screen captions would be nice... Inglorious Basterds.

Blind Side commercial. and regular commercial. what goes on in the auditorium while TV goes to commercial?

An ipad commercial? Why?

Nice Sonata ad.

And we're back. Who's the blonde with Steve Carell?

Oh man! Best Animated Feature! Nicely done. No surprize. Up.

Oscar... kinda looks like The Gimp when the face is in shadow.

Original Song... nicely done... show is moving quickly. Miley Cyrus forgot to put on her top. upset... no Disney win. Crazy Heart.

Ten Best Pics... difficult to fit all in. District 9 is next.

And commercials and bathroom.

Superfriends Got Nothing on Da Bronx!

Wow. The Hall of Justice is a new building, composed mostly of glass. A large atrium greets visitors as they wait in line for the security scanners.

The Jury Assembly room, located on the First Floor, is a cathedral to Justice. Skylights offer some natural lighting, and large padded seating, backed by a veneered wood (fancy plywood), give the room a graceful yet serious ambience. Almost no noise is heard as we wait for the clerks to make their appearance on the dias.

While I waited in line, I saw a juror wearing her card like a convention attendee. The date on her card? December 21, 2009. I wonder what the longest juried case is on record, and what percentage of jurors are not selected?

More later.

This Looks Like A Job For...

Today, I am on my way to the Hall of Justice. No, not the one in Metropolis with Superman and Wonder Dog. The one in the Bronx. As a registered voter, I have once again been summoned to serve. I have no opinion against jury duty. It is only required once every four years in the Bronx, and, like taxes, is a requirement necessary to keep a democracy functioning.

I do not know what type of case I might be called for, if I am found suitable. I probably will not blog about it, lest someone misplace their anger and frustration.

Last time, I read Tom Wolfe's "Streamline Baby" collection of essays while I waited. This time, Terry Pratchett's Unseen Academicals. I'm sure he's written one or two Discworld novels about the Justice System, but this is his latest.

See you soon...