Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

Update: The video is down.

In honour of Theodore Geisel, or Dr. Seuss, who would have been 105 today, I’ve posted part one of the environmental fable, The Lorax.

The Lorax, published in 1971, is a short story that speaks out against the destruction of the environment through the Lorax, a sage figure who speaks for the trees, only to watch his habitat destroyed by a series of unsustainable businesses. After the plants are killed and the animals leave the barren wasteland behind, the polluting Once-ler realizes the terrible mistake he’s made and urges a young boy to plant the last-ever Truffula seed to restore the beauty of the land.

Hit play or watch The Lorax on YouTube. See also, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, and part 6. Alternatively, here’s all the videos in The Lorax playlist.

New Born

Last night at about 2:50am, my friends Andy and Shannon delivered their new baby boy, Finn! He is a tall baby, about 52cm, weighing in at a nice 3.475kg (7.6 lbs). We’re all very excited for them.

[Finn Davies – Flickr]

Welcome to the world, Finn.

Photo of Jesus

Photo of Jesus clip

Laurie Hill’s short video/animation, “Photo of Jesus” brings a creative spin to the story of the kind of requests that the Getty Images archives deal with on a regular basis.

“Photo of Jesus”- Firstly it is an exquisite piece of animation (it’s hard to see how this film could be improved). Secondly, the engaging story line utterly nails the depth and breadth of the Getty Images archive and, with my ad man hat on for a moment, it’s hard to see how Getty Images could make a better, more representative film than this.

Watch Photo of Jesus online at the Annex Blog.

Subliminal Ringtones

I can’t express the level of skepticism I feel over this Discovery Channel clip claiming that subliminal ring tones can affect the way our minds think and even the way our bodies grow.

Hideto Tomabechi made headlines in June 2005 when he started selling a ring tone that he claims could make a woman’s breasts grow larger just by listening to it.

If ring tone breast enhancement smacks of gimmickry, the theories behind it are taken very seriously indeed. Over the last ten years, Dr. Tomabechi has been lecturing on how to apply his mind manipulating techniques to the threat of terrorism.

His services have been in demand ever since March 1995 when members of the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult released a nerve gas called sarin into the Tokyo Subway System which injured 5000 people and killed 12. Dr. Tomabechi was asked by the Japanese police to deprogram some of the brainwashed members of the cult by applying his “sound” theories.

Hit play or watch at YouTube.

For the record, there have been no scientific studies which demonstrate anything remotely close to subliminal commands influencing motives. It all boils down to the fact that subliminal messages designed to change behaviour DO NOT WORK.

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