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Damien Daville, Producer
LA Judge, Editor


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Greetings and happy summer. Anyone that reads this column on a regular basis knows that I am not a big fan of over commercial websites hawking products and prepackaged opinions. However, its summer, and sometimes ya just gotta let your hair down and have some fun. All of this month’s selections are blatantly commercial, but all rate high on the damn-cool-o-meter. So kick back, crank-up you net connection and let’s have some summer fun. After all its their dime – ya might as well enjoy the free ride.

Bovine Unite
(Maryland State Lottery)
http://www.bovineunite.com

Here in the “old line” state we do things a little differently. For weeks we were touted with the possibility of an utter revolt. Billboards bedecked in Bolshevik style informed us from highways and bus stops that bovine uprising was a hoof. Then guys in cows suites started showing up everywhere from the local gym to the grocery store. We were hooked. We were intrigued. Was there really going to be a bovine uprising? Ok we knew there was big bucks behind this and that we were being had – but who was it? On May 5th the Maryland State Lottery premiered their new summer and the cow was out of the bag.

This is a fun promotion. While I don’t advocate wasting your bucks on a lottery ticket – I do advocate having a little mindless fun on their website. Presented in Russian Constructivist style enjoy the various parts of this site. Presented is a manifesto and a call to action (be sure to pick “cow” given the choice – selecting human is unacceptable.) Enjoy the Cow News Network and the Cow Council all with appropriate mooing. Gee, I wouldn’t find mindless commercial so bad if they were all this much fun.

Michael Jackson Puppet Theater
(Countdown MSNBC)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com

If you are not familiar with Countdown on MSNBC, get familiar with it. Keith Obermann presents the top stories of the day in about as an irreverent manner as you can get for a major network backed by big money. The real candy here is Michael Jackson Puppet Theater. Click on Countdown from the selections on the MSNBC site, and then click on the Michael Jackson Puppet Theater banner. You will have to wait till this loads and probably have to wait thru a commercial or two hawking some useless idiot product. Before you ask yourself is it worth it – just remember I’ll never steer ya wrong. Who knew photocopied heads on Popsicle sticks could be so darn much fun?

The premise behind the puppet theater is about as flippant as you can get. Since the trial is a joke and cameras are not allowed inside the courtroom, why not have puppets play out the daily trial events. Only the scripts here don’t exactly follow the “events”. Yup all the major players are there with a tint of what when on behind closed doors, but this is the trial as it should be – chimps, MacCaulay Culkin and all. Presented in chronological order you’ll be hooked. Why not a White House version or maybe one for British Royal family? This is defiantly the news as it should be!

Tribeca Short File Festival
(Amazon.com)
www.amazon.com

Amazon.com has once again teamed up with some very hefty corporate sponsors to advocate film arts. This is not the evil empire of commercialism that it would seem to be on the surface. What ids presented is a slick global commercial venue for small filmmakers to gain exposure. In association the Tribeca Film Festival, Amazon is presenting a number of short new films. (You re will need a Macromedia player to experience this). Each film is presented with a written statement about the work and the artist / filmmaker. The films are being shown in two parts. Thru the end of May viewers and a panel of judges will rate all the films that they view. In June the top five will be selected and presented with a chance to rate them as well.

What Amazon has actually provided here is an amazing opportunity for both the filmmakers and the viewing public. Most folks never have experienced an experimental film. This opportunity to view such takes culture out of the hands of the elite and gives it back to the people, all without setting foot outside of their home. While it can be argued that the small screen lacks the visual intensity of a large theater, the opportunity that is presented here is amazing. Now a guy in the most remote region has the ability to sample the same cultural palette as a guy living in the cultural mecca of New York. I recommend taking full advantage of this collaboration between artists, media and money. And I do hope that this is enough of a commercial success that the Tribeca Short Film Festival on Amazon stays as an annual event.

Until next time.
Veritatem dies aperit.
LA. Judge

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