Art

 Today we make our way to National Harbor in Prince George's County, Maryland, home of "The Awakening." This dramatic sculpture, created in 1980 by J. Seward Johnson, Jr., is made of five separate pieces to give the impression of a giant struggling to free himself from the earth. The tallest piece of the aluminum sculpture is the arm, which extends 17 feet (5.2 meters) into the air.

Who is on the current shortlist to play Batman in Zack Snyder's Batman/Superman film!?!

We all knew this was coming after Warner Bros announced the Batman/Superman film at this year’s Comic-Con but THR has a short list of actors that are “in the mix” for the role of Batman. They had this to say about their sources’ information on the role of Batman in the film:

“But the real insight is the kind of Bruce Wayne/Batman that Snyder is looking to cast. According to numerous sources, this Wayne/Batman will be in the late 30s or around the 40 mark. He will be established and rugged. This new movie will not seek to recount an origin story or the rise of the Dark Knight. Sources say the new movie is aiming for the tone of the relationship and fight seen in Frank Miller’s 1980s ground-breaking mini-series The Dark Knight Returns.”

Now before we get to the list, just know that this is a very early rumor and the script is not finished and so nothing has been sent to actors or agents. This does give us a good idea of the kind of actor WB and Snyder are looking for (and let's face it part of the fun of following all of this information on the internet is speculating). On this list we have actors that are very popular and famous and actors that are out of left field. Now let's get to it:

• Josh Brolin - It is said that he is the current front runner. This makes a lot of sense as he seems to fit every it of criteria that THR's sources have said Snyder and WB are looking for. He also is an established actor and can overcome the shadow, Christian Bale has put on the role. The biggest problem facing his casting would be his high profile divorce the he had with Martha Kent actress Diane Lane. Does he want that to become a story with both of them in a big, blockbuster film? Maybe but it is definetly something to consider.
• Ryan Gosling - This seems to be more internet chatter than anything because as good of an actor as Gosling is, he doesn't fit any of the above criteria. To me this seems like the least likely choice of anybody on here. I am not saying he would be bad, but I don't see this happening and how many franchise tentpoles has Gosling been in?
• Joe Manganiello - He is another young guy who is mostly known for his roles on TRUE BLOOD and HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER. He was one of the finalists for the role of Superman that eventually went to Henry Cavill. It is also said that Snyder liked him a lot so it would appear that he has a good shot at this role. I don't know if he would be able to pull off being an established Batman.  Just imagining him as Frank Miller's version of Batman is hard to do but then again, a lot of people didn't think Michael Keaton could pull off a believable Batman and he was great.
• Richard Armitage - He is 41, so right about the age they are looking for. He also has two more installments of THE HOBBIT to boost his profile, so he seems to have a great shot to get the role. He also has that rugged look that Brolin has and would be our second straight British Bruce Wayne. I like this choice. 
• Max Martini -  His highest profile role just came as a fighting father in PACIFIC RIM. He is 43 so he again is right around the age WB and Snyder are looking for. He is mostly known for his TV work and his profile isn't that big, so again it would be hard to establish him as an experienced Batman. 
• Matthew Goode - He is only 35 and has a babyface so it doesn't seem like he would fit in with what Snyder is looking for but he did play Ozymandias in Snyder's adaptation of WATCHMEN. He is also a really great actor with a lot of different roles so this could be a risk Snyder and company are considering taking. It would be hard to imagine him in the cowl facing off with Henry Cavill and it seeming like a believable matchup. On the other hand, he has the ability to take the role in places nobody expects and make it his own.
• Gerard Butler - He isn't on THR's list but Latino-Review is reporting that he is also in consideration for the role. He fits the age and ruggedness that is required and he already worked with Snyder on 300 but I don't think he has the range to overcome the Bale shadow. He plays the same kind of role in most of his films whether they are terrible romantic comedies or action films. If you compare that kind of role to what Bale did with it, then it is really going to be a drastic difference in quality. 

I know a lot of us wish Jon Hamm would be considered for the role and he would be a great fit, but it looks like the filming of the final season of Mad Men might get in the way. Obviously, WB just wishes Bale would reprise his role and it sounds like they tried to make it happen but he turned them down.

My pick would be to give Michael Keaton the role back if they are going to really emulate THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS but that isn't happening. If I had to pick somebody off of this list, it would probably be Brolin but I also really like Armitage and the potential of Matthew Goode. I would bet that none of these actors ultimately get the role though (and this will all just be pointless, but we can look back at the fun we all had speculating about every single name that has been dropped).  

Enough with my thoughts on the role though. Who do you guys want to see get this role? Is there any obvious candidate nobody is talking about yet, that fits this criteria? Do you think an unknown actor can play an established Batman with no origin story? Does this list encourage your enthusiasm for this project?

And most importantly, will this be the final shot of the film?

Happy FriendShip Day!

A Friend is Sweet when its new but it is Sweeter when its TRUE! ‪#‎HappyFriendshipDay‬

Lyrical Paradise

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Eye drawing of the night

North Korea

This past weekend, North Korea marked the 60th anniversary of the armistice that halted the Korea war with a display of military might and pageantry. The country's 30-year-old leader, Kim Jong Un, presided over a massive parade of troops and weaponry as well the Arirang mass games. A handful of western journalists—normally barred from entering the country—were invited to witness the spectacle.

These rarely captured images offer a glimpse into life in a country notorious for its reclusive practices.

Tanzania

A stretch of land that extends 12,000 square miles from Tanzania into southwestern Kenya has captured the imaginations of people for centuries. The Serengeti, which translates to "endless plains" from the local Maasai language, is known for its sweeping terrain and for the 500-mile journey made each year by millions of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles and other diverse forms of wildlife. The chance to see hundreds of species against the backdrop of their majestic habitat is irresistible to many, and those fortunate enough to visit the region have documented their experiences.

Comic Con International

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San Diego Comic-Con International is a multigenre convention held annually in San Diego, California, United States. It was founded as the Golden State Comic Book Convention in 1970 by a group of San Diegans, which included Shel Dorf, Richard Alf, Ken Krueger and Mike Towry; later, it was called the "San Diego Comic Book Convention". The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is commonly known as Comic-Con or the San Diego Comic-Con. It is a four-day event (Thursday-Sunday) held during the summer in San Diego, in southern California, United States. On Wednesday evening, there is a preview for professionals, exhib itors, and some guests pre-registered for all four daysComic-Con International also produces two other conventions, WonderCon and the Alternative Press Expo (APE), both held in San Francisco, innorthern California. Since 1974, Comic-Con has bestowed its annual Inkpot Award

Superheroes, aliens and costumed enthusiasts of all kinds have descended upon San Diego, California, over the past three days for Comic-Con International 2013. The convention first began in 1970 as a small one-day meeting with about 100 people in attendance, but over the past 46 years San Diego Comic-Con has grown to a four-day affair with over 130,000 attendees and a host of celebrity special guests. The convention has even expanded to other nearby locations, including The Nerd Machine's popular mini-convention

Incredible India

For the past 7 days, Hindus in the state of Odisha, India, have been celebrating Ratha-Yatra, a festival characterized by large, ornate chariots pulled through throngs of people. The event honors Lord Jagannath, the "Lord of the Universe," and the western term "juggernaut" is derived from the raucousness that characterizes the parade. Jagannath is actually made up of three deities who are usually worshipped in a temple; But during the month of Asadha, they are paraded in large chariots down a main avenue in Puri to the Sri Gundicha Temple so that they may be seen by the public. See more photos of the colorful chariots and lively crowds from Ratha-Yatra celebrations in India and around the world

Gullfoss Waterfall

Gullfoss is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country. The wide Hvítá rushes southward. About a kilometer above the falls it turns sharply to the right and flows down into a wide curved three-step "staircase" and then abruptly plunges in two stages (11 m and 21 m) into a crevice 32 m (105 ft) deep. The crevice, about 20 m (60 ft) wide, and 2.5 km in length, extends perpendicular to the flow of the river. The average amount of water running over this waterfall is 140 m³/s in the summertime and 80 m³/s in the wintertime. The highest flood measured was 2000 m³/s.As one first approaches the falls, the crevice is obscured from view, so that it appears that a mighty river simply vanishes into the earth.During the first half of the 20th century and some years into the late 20th century, there was much speculation about using Gullfoss to generate electricity. During this period, the waterfall was rented indirectly by its owners, Tómas Tómasson and Halldór Halldórsson, to foreign investors. However, the investors' attempts were unsuccessful, partly due to lack of money. The waterfall was later sold to the state of Iceland. Even after it was sold, there were plans to utilize Hvítá, which would have changed the waterfall forever. This was not done, and now the waterfall is protected.Sigríður Tómasdóttir, the daughter of Tómas Tómasson was determined to preserve the waterfall's condition and even threatened to throw herself into the waterfall. Although it is widely believed, the very popular story that Sigríður did save the waterfall from use is not true. A stone memorial to Sigriður, located above the falls, depicts her profile.

Denver Hotel

 For a limited time, a Denver hotel is offering a package with a one-night stay in a pop-up, inflatable room that rises 22 feet in the air, thanks to a scissor lift on top of the van on which it sits.

The cost: $50,000.

There is a weight limit. No smoking is allowed.

Architect Alex Schweder created the 5-foot-by-7-foot, see-through room atop a van for the Biennial of the Americas festival of arts, culture and ideas in Denver. It has a chemical toilet, shower, sink, inflatable bed and couch, and curtains. It is being driven to parking lots around town through Aug. 23.

"It's a very small room but a very special room," Schweder said. "You're always on the top floor."

Now the Curtis hotel, which sponsored the piece, is offering the curious a chance to stay in the aluminum and inflated vinyl structure called "the hotel rehearsal."
Much of Schweder's work centers on the performance of architecture, focusing not so much on a structure but the actions within it. After Schweder learned developers want to turn several Denver parking lots into hotels, he created "the hotel rehearsal" as a foreshadowing of how the space could change. One early draft involved suspending the room from a crane. Schweder was encouraged to keep it more grounded.
For $50,000, a guest would get one weekend night in the puffy space, plus lots of extras including a diamond pendant and earrings, two iPod Nanos and a dance party for 100 people in a ballroom of the Curtis. The inflatable room holds 450 pounds. No alcohol is allowed inside, in hopes of discouraging people from using it as a bouncy castle.
At least one person has inquired about the room, said Kate Thompson, sales director at the Curtis. Schweder said much of the $50,000 will go toward insurance, but customers also will be supporting the future of the Biennial of the Americas.
Schweder, who is based in New York and the United Kingdom, spent two nights in the room. While it has curtains, Schweder left the roof uncovered during his stay so he could peer up at the sky.
After one night, he tweaked the design to mitigate sound from the fans that bring in fresh air and keep the room inflated.
Schweder tells potential guests, "The thing you shouldn't forget in your suitcase is your imagination."

Oddfellows Ice cream

OddFellows Ice Cream Co.  makes small-batch ice cream from scratch in Brooklyn, New York. Before the shop itself opened a couple months ago, the folks at OddFellows were sharing photos on Instagram to entice New Yorkers eager to beat the summer heat. Now that they’ve opened their doors, OddFellows uses their Instagram account to let customers know what flavors they’re serving and where you can find their ice cream carts each day. They also give you a sneak peek into their kitchen, sharing their process of mixing up delicious batches of ice cream in offbeat flavors like root beer remix, burnt marshmallow and buttermilk honey blueberry.

Every year since 1953, the Experimental Aircraft Association  holds its Fly-In Convention in Wisconsin. Now known as EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, the event is America's largest annual gathering of aviation enthusiasts. Between 300,000 and 500,000 visitors are expected to attend the airshow this year, and EAA estimates 10,000 to 15,000 aircraft will be at the event. This will make the control tower at the host airport, Wittman Regional Airport, the busiest in the world during the gathering. The show began Monday, July 29, and will close at the end of this week on August 4.