Lori Dorn

Senior Contributing Writer - @HRLori

Ben Folds Composes a Live Orchestral Arrangement With Help From the Audience in Just Ten Minutes

by Lori Dorn at 10:41 AM on June 26, 2017

During Sound Health in Concert: Music and the Mind, the incredibly talented musician Ben Folds demonstrated his amazing spontaneity by composing a full orchestral arrangement with help from the audience in just ten minutes. Folds then performed this song with the National Symphony Orchestra much to the delight of the Kennedy Center audience.

NSO Artistic Advisor Ben Folds composes a piece live with the National Symphony Orchestra and conductor Edwin Outwater during Sound Health in Concert: Music and the Mind, presented by The Kennedy Center and National Institutes of Health. Introduced by Dr. Charles Limb.

via Scott Devaney

An Astute Deconstruction of In-Jokes and Tech References in the ‘Silicon Valley’ Title Sequence

by Lori Dorn at 10:14 AM on June 26, 2017

The online explainer series Shots Fired performed a really astute deconstruction of the animated opening title sequence for the HBO series Silicon Valley, noting the story behind the sequence, the rotating players and the little social statements that are cleverly hidden in plain sight.

The show’s creator Mike judge didn’t even want titles he wanted to save every second of air time for the show itself. But HBO has a long tradition of iconic title sequences so it pretty much had to happen. HBO set Judge up with a design firm U+ Co and together they brainstormed the neat little toy valley. The titles are full of tiny little in-jokes and stories and every season the show has added and updated these.

The title sequences from seasons one, two, three and four.

Coyote Peterson Goes Out Into the Dead of Night In Search of an Elusive Hellgrammite

by Lori Dorn at 6:46 PM on June 23, 2017

While on location in West Virginia, the ever-adventurous Coyote Peterson of Brave Wilderness dragged his crew out to the river in the dead of night in a hopeful quest of locating an elusive hellgrammite. These alien-like larval dobsonflies are more active in the dark, which increased his chances of actually finding one to examine. Luckily, it didn’t take very long, but the hellgrammite was none too happy to be disturbed.

It just latched now if the bite isn’t enough, what they will also do to deter predators is squirt a nasty smelling musk from their rear end and it actually smells just like human feces ..Oh it absolutely stinks. …This is about the most alien looking creature I think
I have ever come across. Like something from ‘Stranger Things’.

An Agile Border Collie Performs an Incredible Dance Routine In Perfect Synch With His Beloved Human

by Lori Dorn at 6:13 PM on June 23, 2017

An extremely agile border collie named Hero and performed an absolutely incredible dance routine in perfect synch with his beloved human/trainer Sara Carson. Hero is a member of the of The Super Collies, a trio of performing border collies who live in Ontario, Canada.

Known for her appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, Carson and Hero have captivated audiences all over the world. They have also been seen together on The Marilyn Dennis Show, CTV news, Rogers Daytime Toronto, and multiple live shows such as The Canadian Pet Expo, Purina National Dog Show, and the All About Pets Show. Carson skillfully trained Hero to take part in several commercials for Petco, the Family Channel, and the Pet Network, among others.

A post shared by The Super Collies (@thesupercollies) on Feb 27, 2017 at 10:48pm PST

A post shared by The Super Collies (@thesupercollies) on Feb 26, 2017 at 1:43pm PST

via Boing Boing

The Members of the Vegetable Orchestra Share the Ideas Behind Their Choice of Instruments

by Lori Dorn at 5:37 PM on June 23, 2017

In September 2016 we wrote about The Vegetable Orchestra, an wonderfully unique band that makes playable instruments out of vegetables. Since that time, the members put out a really informative video explaining the idea of the orchestra, how the orchestra was formed, how they chose their specific medium, their general philosophy around creating music and the style of music they play.

The compositions are tailored to suit the specific characteristics of the vegetable instruments being used, in terms of their sonic attributes and practical considerations to optimize performance. Stylistically the music oscillates between organic pop music and aural sound experiments, with inspiration from various sources: Minimal Techno, Ambient, Noise, Pop, New and Electro-Acoustic Music.

submitted via Laughing Squid Tips

Flexy Paw, A Flexible Phone Attachment That Grabs a Pet’s Attention for Pictures With a Yummy Treat

by Lori Dorn at 5:18 PM on June 23, 2017

The Flexy Paw by Paw Champs is a very clever flexible, multi-directional attachment that simply clips onto a smartphone and deftly grabs the focused attention of a beloved pet for pictures by holding onto a toy or a yummy treat. Paw Champs is raising funds through Kickstarter to bring the Flexy Paw to market.

Flexy Paw is a simple phone attachment that helps you grab your pets’ full attention for the PAWfect Picture. No need to install apps, yell your pets name, or ask others to help. With Flexy Paw, it makes it fun and exciting for you and your pet!

A post shared by FlexyPaw (@flexy_paw) on Feb 1, 2017 at 8:11am PST

A post shared by FlexyPaw (@flexy_paw) on Jun 23, 2017 at 8:00am PDT

A post shared by FlexyPaw (@flexy_paw) on Jun 19, 2017 at 8:02am PDT

A post shared by FlexyPaw (@flexy_paw) on Jun 12, 2017 at 8:15am PDT

via Digital Trends, PetaPixel

Deeper Underground, A Striking Film Showcasing the Distinctive Tunnels of the London Tube System

by Lori Dorn at 4:39 PM on June 23, 2017

Deeper Underground, a short film by Guus ter Beek and Tayfun Sarier of In Return is a really striking film that offers a first person view that showcases the distinctive tunnels and wondrous geometry of The London Underground tube system.

The infinite tunnels pull us in with their symmetry. The ceiling lights guide our eyes to the horizon. The tiles and posters form patterns that please the eye. The echoes of rushing crowds, a flickering light, a train zooming by.

submitted via Laughing Squid Tips

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