Today, find joy in something simple.
Showing posts with label inspiring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspiring. Show all posts
Lucy at 100Saturday, August 06, 2011
Today is Lucille Ball's 100th birthday!
I believe she is and will always be one of the funniest people on television (although I may be biased—I Love Lucy is one of my absolute favorite shows). This clip from one of my favorite episodes made me laugh when I was a kid as it makes me laugh now. And that is the magic of Lucille Ball—her timelessness. Can we honestly point to any contemporary TV personality today who will charm audiences in 50 years?
Not only was Lucille Ball a comic genius, but she was a pioneer for the entertainment industry—she was the first woman to run a major television studio (Desilu, founded by her and Desi Arnaz), she and Arnaz developed the three-camera filming style which would become a staple of sitcom production for decades, and she was among the first people to successfully fight the House Un-American Activities Committee.
Lucille Ball has also been featured on the cover of TV Guide more than any other person.
The Museum of Broadcast Communications has a great bio on the life and legacy of Ball:
"Twenty-three percent alcohol?!"
I believe she is and will always be one of the funniest people on television (although I may be biased—I Love Lucy is one of my absolute favorite shows). This clip from one of my favorite episodes made me laugh when I was a kid as it makes me laugh now. And that is the magic of Lucille Ball—her timelessness. Can we honestly point to any contemporary TV personality today who will charm audiences in 50 years?
Not only was Lucille Ball a comic genius, but she was a pioneer for the entertainment industry—she was the first woman to run a major television studio (Desilu, founded by her and Desi Arnaz), she and Arnaz developed the three-camera filming style which would become a staple of sitcom production for decades, and she was among the first people to successfully fight the House Un-American Activities Committee.
Lucille Ball has also been featured on the cover of TV Guide more than any other person.
The Museum of Broadcast Communications has a great bio on the life and legacy of Ball:
Her comedic skills were grounded in the style of the silent comics, and Buster Keaton, with whom she once shared an office at MGM, seems to have been particularly influential in the development of Lucy's daring exploits, hang-dog expressions, and direct looks at the audience ... So distinct were her rubbery facial expressions, that scriptwriters for I Love Lucy referred to them with specific code word notations. For example, the cue "puddling up" directed the star to pause momentarily with huge tear-filled eyes and then burst into a loud wail. "Light bulb" was an indication to portray a sudden idea, while "credentials" directed the star to gape in astonished indignation.
Life magazine also released a gallery of unpublished photos of the star, many from her modeling career before she established herself as the undisputed "first woman of television."
Happy birthday, Lucy!
Alfred Sirleaf and The Daily TalkMonday, July 25, 2011
Thanks to Mental Floss, where I first discovered this story.
This incredibly inspiring story comes out of Monrovia, Liberia.
In the capital of one of the world's poorest countries, Alfred Sirleaf works as the unpaid one-man editorial staff of a most unlikely news publication.
The Daily Talk isn't your regular newspaper. In a country where most cannot afford a newspaper, or television, or internet, or often electricity, Sirleaf has made a heroic effort to sustain that most important ingredient of any functioning democracy—a well-informed citizenry.
Monrovia's most-read news source, you see, is nothing more than a blackboard on the side of a shed on the side of a road.
Sirleaf updates his chalkboard bulletin daily with succinct summaries of the day's events, often accompanied by biting editorials which provide his audience with critical analyses of government leaders and policies that Daily Talk readers would otherwise never hear.
The Daily Talk is hugely popular, with crowds gathering and cars queuing up every day, patiently awaiting the unveiling of the day's news.
Some have characterized the Talk as the worlds only (and most popular) analog blog.
Sirleaf has even developed a subtle system of visual symbols that accompany his stories, so that Monrovians who can't read are able to follow along with others. For example, next to a story about the president's failure to electrify the city Sirleaf hangs a kerosene lamp juxtaposed alongside an unlit fluorescent bulb.
It's clear that Sirleaf provides an invaluable service to his city and country. As an admitted news junkie myself, I know how easy it is to forget that the fire-hose of news and ideas I enjoy on a daily basis is a precious commodity for so many others.
If you have a few minutes, check out the great article about Alfred Sirleaf over at the New York Times. You can also watch the video from Motherboard.tv below.
This incredibly inspiring story comes out of Monrovia, Liberia.
In the capital of one of the world's poorest countries, Alfred Sirleaf works as the unpaid one-man editorial staff of a most unlikely news publication.
The Daily Talk isn't your regular newspaper. In a country where most cannot afford a newspaper, or television, or internet, or often electricity, Sirleaf has made a heroic effort to sustain that most important ingredient of any functioning democracy—a well-informed citizenry.
Monrovia's most-read news source, you see, is nothing more than a blackboard on the side of a shed on the side of a road.
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| Photo credit New York Times |
Sirleaf updates his chalkboard bulletin daily with succinct summaries of the day's events, often accompanied by biting editorials which provide his audience with critical analyses of government leaders and policies that Daily Talk readers would otherwise never hear.
The Daily Talk is hugely popular, with crowds gathering and cars queuing up every day, patiently awaiting the unveiling of the day's news.
Some have characterized the Talk as the worlds only (and most popular) analog blog.
Sirleaf has even developed a subtle system of visual symbols that accompany his stories, so that Monrovians who can't read are able to follow along with others. For example, next to a story about the president's failure to electrify the city Sirleaf hangs a kerosene lamp juxtaposed alongside an unlit fluorescent bulb.
It's clear that Sirleaf provides an invaluable service to his city and country. As an admitted news junkie myself, I know how easy it is to forget that the fire-hose of news and ideas I enjoy on a daily basis is a precious commodity for so many others.
If you have a few minutes, check out the great article about Alfred Sirleaf over at the New York Times. You can also watch the video from Motherboard.tv below.
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