The Viennese police will go to any lengths.  To…end corruption? No…stop human and drug trafficking? No…rescue furry house pets? Yes.

According to Jalopnik:

The Vienna Police spent all night chasing a cute kitten that eventually crawled into the chassis of their van. Undaunted, they called the fire department and slowly dismantled their vehicle until they were able to retrieve the still-adorable kitty.

And – oh look, there’s a video!

Next on their list – help Arlette Laguiller with her groceries as she crosses the street.

-B.C.Bodnar

Barneys New York!

Now, to be honest, there’s no science here. Not even a pseudo-empirical poll. This is straight-up, 100% my opinion.

“Why make such an extreme statement?” you might you ask? Well, let’s examine the backstory and facts:

Like many of you, I like nice things, and I like to spend as little money as possible to obtain them (sales! coupons! etc.). So, like many of you, I joined the email lists for many department stores: Macy’s, Nordstroms, etc…. and Barneys New York.

Mistake.

First, let’s learn a little bit more about Barneys. By checking out their website, we find out that Barneys is:

… a mecca for discerning fashionistas and clothing connoisseurs since 1923.
… a Manhattan institution.
… a blast!
… an emporium of style and gorgeous products.
… a celebrity hangout.

They forgot “a place desperate enough to name-drop Sarah Jessica Parker.” But I digress. (I’ll get hate mail for that, won’t I?)

Now, let’s examine the titles of the emails they bludgeon me to death with:

SHHHH
ZOE – baubles, shiny baubles!
You’re fired!…. LIPSTICK QUEEN!
REVIVE is gonna get you
$ The PURPLE CARD is seriously great!!

All of these are copied EXACTLY as I receive them. I get one of these every day. Perhaps the summer rays are beginning to fry my brain, but in what way are those emails “discerning” or indicative of an institution?

I know the economy is in the trash and all, but annoying people into buying your products? Now that just reeks of desperate. Perhaps they just have an overzealous intern who recently experienced some blunt head trauma, but I’m going to have to give Barneys a general thumbs down for being abrasive as hell. Plus, they have an awful Men’s collection.

-Sagar Deshpande

Photo: from Second City Style

Official promo material. Curiosity piqued?

I’ll spare any twists and turns and get right to the point- a group of five friends is shaken when their ringleader, Alison, goes missing. All is fine and well until mysterious messages are left for the remaining four by an unidentified “A” (Take, for example, “I’m still here, bitches, and I know everything. -A”). And when Alison’s body is found, well, absurdity ensues. There’s no denying a bit of David Lynch and Marc Cherry firmly grounded in this show’s roots- the premiere even featured shots so similar to the pilot of Desperate Housewives, one couldn’t help but chuckle. But that is where it succeeds: it’s a mockery of melodrama, an often comedic depiction of all things wrong with being a teenager in America. I mean, let’s be real, you can’t help but burst out into laughter when a flask is passed down the first row of a church pew at Alison’s funeral.

To put it simply, Pretty Little Liars has no soul. Despite this, however, it is a piece of pop culture collage that is worth noting. And with the first season picked up for 12 more episodes, I certainly recommend a passing glance for those of us who consider ourselves TV educated. Like much of the content out there today, it requires little thinking and can best be enjoyed with a strong glass of skepticism and wit. But from the moment you meet the deviant blind girl, Jenna, who’s rattling cane sends shivers down our protagonists’ spines, it’s hard to look away. And, like many tweens, I’ll be awaiting to see if and when the mystery is wrapped up. No harm, no foul.

A suggestion for producers, however: take a note from Peaks and keep this a secret for as long as possible. One false move, and you’ll be television history.

Image from David La Spina/The New York Times

No sooner had we posted word that female farmers were a rising trend in the agriculture world that the web seems to explode with news about that industry.  And perhaps best of all – much of it concerns innovations brought to the field from young people (just like you!).

Girl power continues with this story from The New York Times about Alexandra Reau, a Michigan teenager who started farming a portion of her backyard and now sells the produce to eager subscribers.

Not that farming has to be a rural pastime, so proves the Brooklyn Grange in Queens, New York. With one acre of growing space on an industrial rooftop, the usefulness of growing vegetables in these spaces seems much greater than that of the much celebrated “green roofs“.

Once the celebrities do it, it’s a trend. Case and point, Scarlett Johansson and her recent purchase of  a Louisiana farm with husband, Ryan Reynolds.  Not enough? How about Mark Ruffalo, who lives with his family on a dairy farm in the Catskills (check out this interview he did recently with NPR where he details the allure of country life).

Besides the actual growing part of farming comes the selling part.  From a University of Michigan graduate now based in this state after a stint with Google comes RealTimeFarms.com, a website designed to help users find and navigate farmers markets in their areas. In an interview with ConcentrateMedia.com, the website was described as:

Part social media tool for the local foodie set…part nationwide directory of markets and available products, the site allows nationwide searches for farmer’s markets based on city or zip code. Users can share pictures of local markets and farm stands by posting them to the site, along with information about what’s there and handy tips for other patrons.

And the trend continues…

-B.C.Bodnar

What may ultimately seem like a lackadaisical attempt to stay afloat in the era of 3D, however, eventually transforms into a clever time capsule of sorts with the capability of capturing the world as we all see it: you, me, and just about everyone else. Kevin MacDonald poses three questions to be answered via submissions, not only to add a coherent flair but to seize an emotional and psychological image of the 2010 human. What do you fear most in your life today? What do you love? What makes you laugh? And, a final request asks for submitters to reach into their pocket and film what is there. Strange? Yes. But it has the potential to exhibit exactly how the world lives, thinks, breathes, and thrives.

Only time will tell how this project comes together. It sure does beat the altogether stomach churning mess I see as the current state of cinematic experience, but its overwhelming tinge of aggressive marketing is a huge turn off. What is to be a story of a day in the life of global mankind has been drenched with corporate and promotional excess. If Scott and MacDonald can overcome this bearing weight, infusing their own remarkable styles into the piece without filter, then Life in a Day has the opportunity to be a quirky glimpse of exactly what its title employs.

Meanwhile, Andy Warhol was right. And if you think a typical day in your life is worth watching, I say- why not? You’ve only got 15 minutes….

I travel to a lot of different places and there are great restaurants and cool things to do and see, but for me it comes down to the people. And I love the people in Michigan… We’re really having so much fun. I love it here.

Arquette has been spotted all around Ann Arbor- Eve’s, Zingerman’s, Broken Egg, even Rick’s– Ann Arbor’s poshest night club, er something. Note: Whether or not he has stayed until 2AM to hear Kenny Rogers’ “Gambler” has not yet been confirmed.

Michigan’s recent tax break for filmmakers has brought in a variety of celebrities, but no one has Tweeted about their love for Michigan more than Arquette. Let’s review the Tweet pics and captions. And please don’t judge his glasses. He’s just trying to blend in with us Midwesterners.

"Carnival in Ann Arbor"

"Yet another remarkable sunset in Ann Arbor"

"At our favorite restaurant EVE in Ann Arbor. It is incredible."

"Ann Arbor Art fair!"

Wait- this can't possibly be Arquette with "Cab Driver Aaron."

"At Pinball Pete"

And my personal favorites…

This speaks for itself...

"With Donny at Rick's- he's the man"

The cast for Scream 4 is huge– Hayden Panettiere, Emma Roberts, Adam Brody, Courtney Cox– but it’s really David Arquette who has become most fond of Ann Arbor. Is it possible that Courtney and David will permanently reside in Ann Arbor? Hey, I think they’d look great wearing maize and blue.

Photo source: David Arquette’s Twitter

from Quirk Books

Film snobs are just like their visual art and music-loving brethren in that they have an aptitude for pretentious conversation. It’s the kind of discussion that would make anybody not unusually well-versed in independent and avant-garde cinema squirm like a Latter-Day Saint at a strip club. Unfortunately, finding oneself accidentally embroiled in such conversation is far more likely and much less hilarious than the latter (no pun intended…) situation:

- Average Adam, what did you think of Ingmar Bergman’s seminal Persona?

- Uh…

If this question would likely elicit a similar response from your mouth, and you generally enjoy movies (just not the “right” ones), Robert Schnakenberg’s “Secret Lives of Great Filmmakers” is the ideal tome to carry on any trips to the local coffee shop. This time, when you bump into film aficionados sipping on Earl Grey tea – because nothing subtly whispers “I am enlightened” like drinking tea in a coffee shop – the conversation might go a little something like this:

-       Average Adam, what did you think of Ingmar Bergman’s seminal Persona?

-       I will answer your question with another question, Enlightened Eddie. What do you think of Bergman’s ability to hurl his fuzzy slippers at leading lady Liv Ullman’s head, as he once did in the midst of a lovers’ spat?

Schnakenberg’s book contains all sorts of random tidbits like this about directors hailing from places all over the world and from across time, like the early twentieth-century’s D.W. Griffith to modern-day heavyweights like Tarantino. “Secret Lives of Great Filmmakers” functions as a collection of short biographies of major directors, as the author briefly summarizes their lives before delving into the more sordid parts of their existence. The book contains somewhat well-known facts like Walt Disney’s sympathies for the Nazi party, as well as trivia even the most hardened film buff likely wouldn’t know. Take, for example, Charlie Chaplin’s reputation for being well-hung.

The Not-So Little Tramp

“Secret Lives of Great Filmmakers” is organized chronologically, with a chapter for each director. It also has an index in the back, so it’s easy to find information if you’re looking for a particular director or bit of trivia. But it’s definitely not a serious reference book – which should be pretty obvious if you noticed the ad in the back matter for the new Quirk Books’ website, Irreference.com – and like a lot of things that are slightly irreverent, Schnakenberg’s book isn’t boring, either.

Although the book is chock full of facts about directors most people haven’t heard of, it’s entertaining and easy enough to read for anybody who harbors even the slightest fondness for the silver screen.  It’s also a good primer for people who want to explore great directors and don’t know where to start, as each chapter lists the director’s major works.

That’s not to say it’s dumbed down; I’m sure even the snobbiest of film critics would discover something previously-unknown with the book’s abundance of director-centric tidbits.  At the very least, they would appreciate Schnakenberg’s witty, snarky, and slightly bitter tone. In fact, “Secret Lives of Great Filmmakers” is a great read for a lot of folks. Film buffs, those who enjoy breaking awkward silences in social situations by spouting off random trivia, and people who’d rather read a book in between classes instead of checking Facebook will all find something to enjoy within its pages.

Visit Irreference.com to purchase the book and see similar titles.

Women in farming is a red-hot trend. Gap fashion aside, women’s growing interest in sustainable, small-scale farming is leading to farmer’s markets full of healthier food for communities. And while the ActionAid report looked at women in agriculture in other parts of the world, rest assured, it’s a phenomenon that’s bringing food that’s healthier food for people and the planet here in the United States, too. The last United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) most recent U.S. Ag Census showed that women small-scale farm owners are the fastest-growing demographic surveyed.

So once again, women save the world.

While some organizations that support women in agricultural industries are quick to point out the feminist symbolism, it should be noted that gardening and horticultural clubs are as 1950′s American housewife as an apple pie cooling in the kitchen window.

And it starts early.  If you’re on the University of Michigan campus, you can join groups like Cultivating Community, a student group for those interested in small-scale organic gardening and sustainable food systems. But of course, it’s open to men and women.

So get growing!

-B.C.Bodnar

If you’re like most people – breathing, media-watching, and humor-loving – you’ve seen the new Old Spice Bodywash commercials.  Featuring the manly man charm of Isaiah Mustafa, these ads are sensationally funny.  Even more brilliant?  The use of social media to create nearly 200 interactive videos, themselves a viral sensation.

It all began earlier in 2010.  Early promotions of this new, hip Old Spice are borderline obnoxious but like the hilarious commercials we enjoy today, feature rapid scene changes as our hero assures us of his manliness.  Somehow – not that funny, even when Isaiah Mustafa rides a horse backwards. Then – brilliance:

Mustafa manages to be charming, naive, arrogant, hilarious, and gorgeous, all at once.  Now – this could stop here and we’d chuckle over the commercials for the next couple of days, then go on our merry little way.  But Old Spice got smart. They put Mustafa to work churning out dozens of responses to the Old Spice twitter account (@OldSpice) via YouTube clips.

Check out, for example, this one from a four part series to actress, Alyssa Milano:

While bigthink suggests this has all been a clever marketing ploy to attract women by combining Chuck Norris with the Dos Equis’s “Most Interesting Man,” I’m a little saddened to think this might all be coming to an end.  No matter – Isaiah Mustafa has been memorialized online at the Los Angeles Times, Forbes Magazine, Newsweek, and Jezebel.com.

Silver Fish Hand Catch!

-B.C.Bodnar

The Land of Nod Experiment is coming to Jackson, MI, July 23 through the 25. Much like Rothbury, the Land of Nod is a camping event and has a focus on sustainability and art.   Offering over 60 bands and performance groups including Of Montreal and local favorite My Dear Disco, the Land of Nod should be an interesting weekend.

SHEI will be there the whole weekend providing up-close and behind-the-scenes coverage. Look for a review and photos after the event.

The Details:
Where: Jackson, MI (40 miles west of Ann Arbor)
When: July 23-25, 2010
Cost: 37.50 for day passes and $119 for the weekend with camping pass

For more information on the festival and pricing, check out the official website.