World Irony Shortage Averted

The irony supply has hit new highs thanks to two braying jackasses.

Michael Ledeen, call your office.

A Work of Art

I just got to see The Secret of Kells for the second time. Unfortunately it does not yet have distribution in the U.S. but, if you’re in Ireland or France, you can see it now.

Loosely based on the history of the Book of Kells, and very much based on the look of said book, this is an emotionally-satisfying movie that is also art that moves. They broke most of the usual rules of animation (avoiding flat poses and tangents, for example) and made one of the most beautiful and successful blends of hand-drawn and computer animation ever. Note that there is practically no 3D CG in this film: the computer was used to animate flat art in some really innovative ways.

If you get a chance to see it, do yourself a favor and get a nice dose of eye candy.

Let’s Hear It for the Twins

This is one place where NASA has given us more than our money’s worth.

Hopeful planners are already setting future operations for the twins, assuming the pair will continue to plow ahead but acknowledging that one or both of the rovers could fail at any time. After all, these robots aren’t exactly spring chickens. Spirit has been driving backwards since one of its wheels jammed in 2006, and a broken electrical wire has reduced movement of Opportunity’s robotic arm.

Good thing there are no VHS tapes of Hello, Dolly up there.

A Fine Tongue-Lashing

Enjoy Daniel Hannan MEP dressing down the “devalued Prime Minister”.