Date: January 24, 1984
New product debut: “Macintosh” computer
Features: 9-inch screen, 128k of RAM, ‘mouse’
Price: $2,495 US—and, if you can put a valuation on what history deems the catalyst for a revolution, worth every penny.
In adjusted dollars, by the way, the peppy little machine that popularized the mouse and made a computer with a graphical interface “affordable,” for lack of a better word, would today cost… Read More
In Moncton, N.B., the tides swell larger than in any other place on earth—up to 15 metres, or as tall as a five-storey building. Ask for a lobster roll and you might expect a Celtic jig of some kind, but you will, in fact, receive a local delicacy suitable for munching. In a certain spot, you can even leave your car idling in neutral and then watch it mysteriously creep uphill. My three-day road trip in a Saturn Astra proved that the East Coast is chock full of quirky and unique attractions. Read More
In 1912, “American culture was set up to be a more individualist culture and the British culture was more about the gentlemanly behaviour,” says Queensland University of Technology’s David Savage, interviewed by the BBC about his study of lifeboat queues during the sinking of the Titanic. The Australian behavioral economist argues that, with the majority of women and children safely placed in the boats, American men generally started pushing their way into the remaining spots while their male British counterparts politely stood by. And died.
Of course, Titanic captain Edward John Smith is famously reported to have said, “Be British, boys, be British,” as he went down with his ship.
That most people would be pretty slow to name an Alan Arkin movie is a testament to his acting skills. He’s not a showy actor like his contemporaries, De Niro and Pacino, he’s simply a very good one. Maybe by now you can think of the profane grandfather from Little Miss Sunshine, or one of the sadsack salesmen from Glengarry Glen Ross, or if you’re really on your game, you’ll recall Captain John Yossarian from 1970’s Catch-22.
What you probably didn’t know is that he’s also a composer, a pretty darn good singer—and quite the swingin’ cat, too, as evidenced by this clip from a little show from long ago. Arkin sings one of his own compositions, fronting a band called The Electric Mayhem.
January 27-31, Halifax, NS—This annual Haligonian festival of acoustic music provides a great reason to leave your cozy den and brave the harsh Atlantic winter. This year, the festival’s fourth, will feature performances in various venues by artists including Buck 65, Gypsophilia (pictured), The Saddle River String Band, plus dozens more. Check out InTheDeadOfWinter.com for the full schedule and location details. For those who can’t make it to the citadel city by the sea, there will be a smaller satellite festival at the Black Sheep Inn in Wakefield, PQ, February 6-8.
Barack Obama’s inauguration is an event being celebrated around the globe, and one of the biggest parties is taking place in a small city in Japan’s Fukui prefecture named–coincidentally–Obama city. Ever since the democrat was nominated, the residents have been feverish supporters, selling Obama burgers, chopsticks and bean cakes, plastering the streets with ‘I [heart] Obama’ posters, and sending ‘Obama girls’ (who are generally more conservatively dressed than Obama Girl) to various festivals and parades across the country. Read More
St-Alexis-des-Monts, Que.— Infiniti must have been crazy to launch the newest version of its FX model at a time when record high gas prices were chasing new car buyers away from SUVs. But the FX has always been ahead of the curve since it debuted in 2003 so Infiniti receives the benefit of the doubt here. Besides, Infiniti lessened the carbon footprint of the launch somewhat by entertaining journalists in a TV/Internet/cellphone-free hotel deep in Quebec’s Laurentians. Read More
In a bout of blatant commercial opportunism, Hennessy is celebrating the inauguration of the 44th U.S. president with a limited-edition (although 180,000 bottles doesn’t exactly scream exclusivity) Cognac, aptly named Hennessy 44.
Our thanks to the World Health Organisation and the New England Journal of Medicine, whose year-long joint study of surgical procedures in major cities in industrial countries—Seattle, Toronto, London, Auckland, Amman, New Delhi, Manila, and Ifakara—determined that a universal checklist of safety do’s and don’t’s was probably a good idea.
Before last Friday’s premiere of “Sometimes a Great Notion,” the first of the final episodes of Battlestar Galactica, Space broadcast all ten of the short BSG webisodes that comprise “The Face of the Enemy” (still streaming free at the Space site), which featured a couple of versions of DRIVEN’s favourite Cylon model, number 8, AKA Grace Park.
To read about our own close encounter with Ms. Park, check out page 20 of the December issue of DRIVEN. Then spool up the FTL drive and monitor the DRADUS, because there are some slight spoilers after the jump.
