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John Hodgman interviews George R.R. Martin
George R. R. Martin is the author of the very popular series of fantasy books called, collectively, “A Song of Ice and Fire.” The most recent installment is “A Dance with Dragons: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book Five.” The series was recently adapted for the acclaimed HBO show “A Game of Thrones.”
Martin has received numerous awards for his writing and was named, by John Hodgman, in Time Magazine as one of the most influential people of 2011.
Hodgman recently interviewed Martin on The Sound of Young America.
Just can’t imagine camping without s’mores? No problem. Try adding one or two of these ingredients to put a gourmet twist on this classic campfire treat:
• peanut butter
• Nutella
• coconut
• strawberries
• pineapple
• dried apples
• candied ginger
• banana slicesWant to think outside the graham crackers? Check out these other gourmet campfire desserts!
Tips for awesome s’mores. My chocolate weakness has gotten me in trouble this July. I have got to run next week.
In honor of the shuttle lift-off, watch one of the best openings of West Wing. “He said it right.”
A History of the Space Shuttle
Billows of smoke and steam infused with the fiery light from Space Shuttle Endeavour’s launch on the STS-127 mission fill NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39A in July of 2009. (NASA)
See more incredible photos at In Focus
Yellowstone, the first national park in the world, was established by the U.S. Congress in 1872 and has welcomed millions of visitors in the 139 years since. Last year, Yellowstone recorded its highest number of visitors ever, as some 3.6 million people passed through its gates. Its well-known geothermal features — geysers, hot springs, and fumaroles — owe their existence to the massive Yellowstone Caldera, a 45-mile-wide volcanic system beneath the park. Tourists are also drawn to Yellowstone’s hundreds of species of wildlife, massive waterfalls, and incredible vistas. Collected below are a few recent views of Yellowstone National Park.
Above: A rainbow appears at the base of the Yellowstone River Lower Falls in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, on June 21, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart)
See more spectacular images at In Focus
Embodiment: A Portrait of Queer Life in America is a collection of short films and photographs which seek to explore the varied experiences of queer life in America. They’ve spent the last year on the road, collecting new images, video, and words, which they’ve compiled into an interactive gallery exhibit and (just announced!) website:
This morning (yep, exactly one year from the day we met our Kickstarter goal) we launched the new, interactive, multimedia exhibition of Embodiment: A Portrait of Queer Life in America!
Definitely worth browsing their galleries. Tons of vivid portraits and incredibly moving stories — plus ample evidence of an extraordinary commitment from the creators. So spectacular!
Lauren Greenfield on Beauty CULTure
The Annenberg Space for Photography is housing an amazing show on the way Beauty affects us all. Told with a decidedly female perspective visually, there is an opening doc directed by photographer Lauren Greenfield. We spoke to her about the exhibit, and many other things in this vid.
Declaration of Independence (by jamesmichaelroot)
I am blessed beyond measure to have been born in, grown up in, and thrived in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
I wish somehow that the thank-yous captured in the lives of millions of Americans lived over the last 235 years might ring backward in time to the 56 men who signed the Declaration, “with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence,” pledging their Lives, their Fortunes, and their sacred Honor. I wonder if they could have envisioned what they were setting in motion in 1776.
In honor of our Independence Day, I hope you’ll take 15 minutes to view this dramatic reading of The Declaration of Independence, the first-of-its-kind document which started it all. The introduction by Morgan Freeman is stirring in itself.Reposted from EdTechSandyK Blog
(via Ten rules for writing fiction | Books | guardian.co.uk)
Ten rules for writing fiction
Get an accountant, abstain from sex and similes, cut, rewrite, then cut and rewrite again – if all else fails, pray. Inspired by Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing, we asked authors for their personal dos and don’ts
Simon & Garfunkel - America
Portrait of Les Paul, New York, ca. Jan. 1947 / William P. Gottlieb, (Library of Congress)
From Caroline Hirsch at the Photo Booth: “Reading this week’s fiction piece, Julian Barnes’s ‘Homage to Hemingway,’ brought back memories of growing up in Miami, where my best friend had a six-toed cat named Tina—short for Ernestina, and purportedly a descendant of one of Hemingway’s Key West cats—and led me to discover a treasure trove of Hemingway photographs at the JFK Library. Here are some of my favorites.”
You’ve been credited with documenting the birth of hip-hop. What did you make of it then?
At the time, I didn’t realize that I was documenting the birth of hip-hop. For me, I was just documenting the world that I lived in and that was very intriguing. Hip-hop today is a multi-billion dollar industry that has created countless opportunities for so many people both here and abroad. It has now become a universal language that has gone beyond the communities it came from.Why do you think these photographs have become so timeless?
For the people who grew up during the late ‘70s and ‘80s, in NY, it’s almost like looking back at a high school yearbook of friends and family. Another reason I think a lot of people are drawn to Back in the Days is largely because of the fashion exhibited in the photos. The ‘80s was a period in time when a lot of young people from my community took great pride in looking good and representing themselves in a dignified manner.Street Photographer Jamel Shabazz Brings Back the Days with a New Book & Doc
