House, I have to say, is one of the best shows on television (to me at least).  The idea of a maverick-anything isn’t something new in TV-land, but what makes Gregory House so amazing is despite his arguably avoidant attitude and downright confrontational — and at times demeaning — bedside manner, is that in the end he gets the job done. Despite his curt, and sometimes atrocious (albeit bounding with with wit!) attitude, there is a heart of gold.  The Salk Institute is an amazing, charitably endowed research firm based in La Jolla, CA. It specializes in solving all the really obscure medical mysteries and puzzles.  takepart and check them out.

A confused simpleton with philosophical tendencies battles depression and searches for meaning amidst a series of aggravating peer encounters, leading up to a school play of the Nativity.  Lauded, a bit, yes, but consider the material.  In the opening sequence, the lead character, an 8-1/2 year old, Charlie Brown, ”thanks” Violet for the card she didn’t send him, “Don’t you know sarcasm when you hear it?”  She just keeps walking.  This guy just can’t catch a break.  It’s a cartoon, produced in 1965. 

That’s what’s so great about Charlie Brown; he’s a kid, but he’s not.  He wonders about the same things we wonder about, but with the 8-1/2 year old grace of navigating the shallows of social hierarchy and adolescence; he gets to ask the really great  questions:  “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”

A Charlie Brown Christmas airs at 8PM, PT, tonight on ABC. You can TakePart by visiting St. Jude’s which cares for the physical and mental health of children.

Above is a picture of a secret service agent escorting Barack Obama on a recent outing to the gym.  Read the article.   You can takepart by visiting the American Council on Exercise.

French filmmaker Luc Besson seems to be a creative genius, and I say this out a fondness for his film The Fifth Element (”It Mu5t Be Found”).   It’s too bad he cannot shoot a film in his birthplace without hoodlums sporting jerrycans of petrol torching cars.   As was reported by the world’s oldest established news agency AFP nine hours ago, the Montfermeial shoot for “From Paris With Love” was called off due to arsonists torching a fleet of stunt cars.   Investigators had been looking into rumors of attempted blackmail of Besson’s production company.    Monterfermeial is famous as the location of Thénardier’s inn (see Cosette) in Les Misérables. Read the rest of this entry >>

Mickey Mouse registered to vote in Florida.   The New York Times apparently has prophetic powers when it comes to forecasting the absurd.

Read the rest of this entry >>

A new service from Google aims to reduce email regret, by preventing emailing under the influence late night.   Here’s the scenario, Friday night, out with your co-workers or friends and after a couple of margaritas you check your email on your Blackberry.   And there it is, a message from your boss or ex, or a friend you’re secretly upset at.   Albeit an all-purpose anti-inhibitor, alcohol may make you more likely to reply half cocked into a diatribe revealing your “true feelings”.

You can takepart by visiting Madd.org to take up arms against another irresponsible drunk behavior.

If you haven’t seen it, here’s a great digital animation short produced in Spain called “Substantia“, that serves as a reminder to just how fragile our planet may be. It kind of reminds us of Wall-E.

The people involved really achieved something, and deserve the recognition.   Click the pic above to check it out.

You can takepart by visiting Arts Engine and Media That Matters to learn more.

Gas pump beep resembles EKG to assemble a metaphor for the life of our planet.

The short film “Save It” is written and directed by Nikos, a ten-year-old.   It’s been racking up views, but equally fascinating is its “making-of” featurette.

takepart by viewing our feature and checking out both films.

Update: Watch for Nikos’ message to air on CNN and MSNBC on the last two nights of the U.S. Presidential Debates, and visit 1sky.org to find out more about what you can do to help.

From Carter to Bush in 2004, a new JAMA study suggests an increased risk of car crashes on voting days (except in Oregon, where they vote-by-mail).   The solution: drive safer on voting days.

Here’s the original article on NPR and link to the audio feed discussing the story.   You can takepart by visiting the Global Road Safety Partnership.

Related:
Another Reason to Vote on Weekends from Why Tuesday?

There is a website called LiveScience.com which tracks all sorts of cutting edge scientific breakthroughs in research and otherwise. (See recent story Bees Can Count–who knew?). The best part about the site:   It’s not all about it.

Yesterday LiveScience published a story based on a study conducted at the University of Georgia which suggests people’s Facebook profiles can be used to diagnose narcissism, even by untrained observers. Read the rest of this entry >>