Digital Digest: 20/12/2010

The Best Of The Web

Film

www.youtube.com

Despite being one of the most celebrated film directors of all time, Terrence Malick has made only four films in a career spanning 37 years. The Tree of Life, starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn, is his fifth. The just-released trailer doesn’t give much of the plot away, but in keeping with his other work, it looks set to explore life’s bigger questions.

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Music

www.nme.com

In this short film, New York rockers, The Strokes, reminisce about the old-fashioned mixtape. They recall how they used to record music onto a cassette from the radio and vinyl records, before going on to sharing some of their favourite songs from their youth, as well as what they would put on their dream mixtape now. Surprisingly sweet stuff.

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Photography

www.boston.com

As the year comes to a close, it’s time to take a look at some of the amazing photography that has come out of the past 12 months. Here are Big Picture’s finest shots from the first third of 2010: documenting the millions of gallons of oil spewed into the Gulf of Mexico, several massive earthquakes, and the Winter Olympics. See them here:

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Environment

www.wired.com

In 2007, the US Geological Survey reported that the world’s polar-bear population could be reduced by two-thirds within 50 years if greenhouse-gas emissions continued unabated. But a new report suggests cutting emissions enough during the next few decades may stabilise the shrinking Arctic sea ice and bear numbers.

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Decorations

www.nytimes.com

So the tree is up and the mistletoe is in place. Christmas decorations done, right? Wrong. Well, wrong if you happen to live in one of these trendy Manhattan neighbourhoods. For a glimpse of life on the other side, this New York Times article profiles the decorators brought in to deck the wealthiest halls.

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History

www.historypin.com

Created by We Are What We Do, Historypin allows users to upload their old photos and superimpose them directly onto the Street View of today, creating an interesting super-imposed effect of old vs new. It is a great way to share photos and check out amazing events from the past on a street near you.

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Travel

www.lonelyplanet.com

The New Year is just around the corner – and with it all the bleak promises of January. If you’re feeling blue at the prospect of starting 2011, this should cheer you up. It’s the Lonely Planet pick of the best destinations for next year. From Albania to Panama to Tanzania, find your perfect holiday and get planning.

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