TIME Opinion Innovation

Five Best Ideas of the Day: July 18

1. After the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight 17, the world must push a political solution to the Ukraine crisis or risk it becoming much more dangerous.

By Dmitri Trenin at the Carnegie Moscow Center

2. We can’t disown the children at our border.

By Jim Gaines at the Reuters Great Debate

3. We should let failing arts organizations die.

By Devon Smith in Medium

4. Amazon Web Services deal with the CIA could revolutionize intelligence work.

By Frank Konkel in Government Executive

5. A Cold War lesson: Challenging the status quo in Iran as we did decades ago with the USSR.

By Nicholas Burns in the Boston Globe

The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C.

TIME Entertainment Television

Missing Your Favorite TV Shows This Summer? Here’s What to Watch Instead

Find the perfect off-season replacement (and learn how long it'll take to watch it)

For regular people, summertime is a happy time: full of sunshine and warmth and good feeling. But for diehard TV fans, the summer can get pretty bleak: all your favorite shows are off the air, and you start to feel like you’re just sitting around wondering why all the meaning has been sucked out of your life. Sure, you could go outside and get some fresh air, or even read a book or two — but that’s silly. Instead, you should spend this summer binge-watching shows that are similar to your favorites from the past year.

With that in mind, we’ve put together a guide to help satisfy your TV needs and tide you over until your shows come back on the air. Plan your binge-watching schedules accordingly.

  • If you’re missing House of Cards, watch 24.

    24: Live Another Day
    Greg Williams—Fox

    All the scandal and intrigue and twists — but at a faster pace. Instead of watching Frank Underwood slowly plan out his careful schemes, you’ll watch Jack Bauer taking on terrorists head-on.

    Time commitment: High. With just over 200 episodes, fully committing to 24 is no small task.

    Where to watch: iTunes, Netflix (DVD only)

  • If you’re missing Parks and Recreation, watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

    Brooklyn Nine-Nine
    Patrick Eccelsine—FOX

    Brooklyn Nine-Nine was created by Michael Schur and Dan Goor, both of whom worked extensively on Parks and Rec. The parallels are clear: a workplace comedy featuring an ensemble cast full of wacky weirdos; shenanigans ensue. But Brooklyn Nine-Nine is still finding its footing, and is likely to continue developing a distinct identity.

    Time commitment: Low. Just one season! (This one season was enough to earn the series the Golden Globe for Best Comedy Series.)

    Where to watch: Hulu Plus

  • If you’re missing Bob’s Burgers, watch Home Movies.

    Home Movies
    Cartoon Network

    Like Bob’s Burgers, this show was the brainchild of animator and voice actor Loren Bouchard. You’ll notice some direct parallels — some of the characters are voiced by the same actors, for example — but you’ll come to appreciate both shows for their distinct sets of quirks.

    Time commitment: Medium. There are four seasons’ worth of episodes, but you’ll still enjoy the show if you pick and choose random episodes.

    Where to watch: YouTube, Adultswim.com, Netflix (DVD only)

  • If you’re missing Orange Is the New Black, watch Weeds.

    Weeds
    Showtime

    Both shows come from creator Jenji Kohan and center on wealthy, white female leads who commit crimes. Otherwise, though, there are plenty of difference in the shows’ humor, characters and plot lines. And if you already watched Weeds when it aired, it’s especially interesting to go back and compare it to Orange.

    Time commitment: High. Eight seasons, with just over 100 episodes. But you can do it. We have faith in you.

    Where to watch: Netflix

  • If you’re missing Mad Men, watch Masters of Sex.

    Masters of Sex
    Showtime

    They’re both period dramas that take place in the mid-20th century, so they’ve got a similar retro vibe. And as TIME pointed out when Masters of Sex wrapped up its first season, the show often plays out like a more feminism-minded Mad Men. So you get the mid-century hairstyles and costumes you crave, plus a tad more gender equality — and also, more nudity!

    Time commitment: Low. If you catch up on the first season quickly, you’ll be able to watch the second season — which just premiered on July 13 — in real time.

    Where to watch: iTunes, Showtime

TIME Newsfeed viral

Princesses in Prison: Watch a Very Entertaining Mashup of Frozen and Orange Is the New Black

It includes not ONE performance of 'Let It Go'

+ READ ARTICLE

(Warning: some NSFW language)

What if Elsa from Disney’s Frozen had done time for freezing the kingdom of Arendelle? Would her stint in prison have played out like an episode of Orange Is the New Black? This animation sets out to explore that question by replacing OITNB’s Piper with Elsa — and substituting her fellow Litchfield inmates with all your favorite Disney princesses, from Ariel to Tiana to Mulan.

Oh, Beauty and the Beast‘s Gaston replaces Litchfield corrections officer Pornstache, which is pretty good. Additional bonus points for an Adele Dazeem reference thrown in there.

TIME Newsfeed Arts

Here’s How the World’s Most Creative People Organize Their Daily Routines

From Maya Angelou to Beethoven to Picasso

Never sure how to budget your time each day to maximize your productivity and enhance your creativity? Well, perhaps you should take a cue from some of history’s most successful and prolific artists, writers, musicians and thinkers. This interactive tool created by Podio compares the daily schedules of some of history’s most famous creative types.

(View full-size. via Podio).

So if you’re looking to create some new daily habits, allow these folks to be your inspiration.

TIME Newsfeed Arts

Ghostbusters Returns to Theaters This Summer

Columbia

It's part of the movie's 30th anniversary celebration

Grab some Twinkies: In honor of its 30th anniversary, Ghostbusters will be re-released in theaters for one day only on August 29.

That’s right, it’s been 30 years since the hilarious and delightfully ridiculous cinematic adventure first unfolded, and now, 700 theaters have agreed to revive it, Entertainment Weekly reports. The anniversary celebration will also feature special events, collectible merchandise and a new Blu-ray release.

Who you gonna call … to share your excitement about this?

MORE: Harold Ramis, Writer of Ghostbusters, Dies at 69

MORE: Ivan Reitman Remembers Harold Ramis

TIME Newsfeed Appreciation

The 10 Best Tap Dance Scenes In Film

In honor of National Tap Dance Day, a look at some of the best tap numbers throughout movie history, from the sweet and amateur to the polished and professional

In 1989, George H.W. Bush officially declared May 25 National Tap Dance Day. (This date was chosen because it was the birthday of famous tapper Bill “Bojangles” Robinson.) So, 25 years later, we’d like to continue celebrating this art form with a look back at some of the best tap dance sequences in movies, from quiet, simple performances to grandiose, show-stopping numbers.

1. Tap, 1989

It would be pretty disappointing if a movie called Tap lacked some high-quality tap dancing scenes, wouldn’t it? Watch this “Challenge” scene to get a taste — the dialogue helps provide some context, but the actual dancing begins around a minute and 45 seconds in.

2. Stormy Weather, 1943

Fred Astaire once called this performance by the Nicholas brothers — which features their many impressive signature moves — “the greatest dance number ever filmed.”

3. Chicago, 2002

To shoot this scene, Richard Gere took tap dance lessons for three months.

4. The Artist, 2011

This spirited dance sequence became one of the most memorable scenes from the 2011 Best Picture winner.

5. The Little Colonel, 1935

In this iconic staircase number, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson tutors Shirley Temple in the art of tap.

6. Blue Valentine, 2010

This scene is less about showcasing tap dance as an art form, and more about showcasing two people falling in love.

7. Garden State, 2004

This scene is also less about showcasing tap dance as an art form, and more about showcasing two people falling in love.

8. Swing Time, 1936

In this musical film, Fred Astaire performed a tap sequence called “Bojangles of Harlem.” Though clearly an impressive dance number, it sparked controversy as it was the only scene in which Astaire appeared in blackface.

9. Singin’ in the Rain, 1952

You might notice that the sounds of Gene Kelly’s taps in this classic scene appear to be out of sync. That’s because the tap sounds were dubbed in post-production.

10. Billy Elliot, 2000

The titular character taps his way out of his house and out onto the street, using dance as a way to cope with his frustration and pain.

TIME Newsfeed Arts

This Interactive Chart Compares the Vocal Ranges of the World’s Greatest Singers

See which of your favorite singers can hit the highest and lowest notes

When it comes to determining who the best singers are, we’re all bound to disagree at least a little bit. You may acknowledge that, say, Bruce Springsteen is a talented musician, but you just don’t get why your dad wants to listen to him all the time. Or you might like the sound of Beyoncé’s voice, but she’s simply not your favorite. (Though be careful with that one, because the Beygency might come after you.)

But for a more objective look at what makes a singer great, try using this handy interactive tool, created by ConcertHotels.com, to compare the ranges of the world’s most famous vocalists. They chose artists from Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 greatest singers of all time, and then, to include more contemporary voices, also threw in some of the nominees for top male and female artists from this year’s Billboard Music Awards.

Once they settled on a list, the ConcertHotels team turned to The Range Place to gather data on each singer’s vocal abilities. Check out the results below , which you can sort by range, highest note or lowest note.

Who knew that when it came to pure vocal range, Axl Rose and Mariah Carey would blow everybody else out of the water?

 

TIME Newsfeed Arts

Artist Creates Crayola Crayon Sculptures of Everyone From Darth Vader to Daria

Hoang Tran

He does pop culture icons along with custom-made special requests, and they're all impressively precise

We all knew crayons could be used to draw beautiful art, but who knew crayons could also themselves be art?

Behold Wax Nostalgic, a project which features the work of artist Hoang Tran, who creates incredibly detailed sculptures made from nothing other than good old Crayola crayons.

Tran mainly takes inspiration from pop culture — he’s recreated characters from shows like Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad along with those from movies like Star Wars and Beauty and the Beast. He also takes custom orders, which means he could totally create a sculpture of your dog (He sells his work on Etsy).

Tran emphasizes that the sculptures — even the multicolored ones — are made entirely from crayons.

“Painting would probably be a lot easier but I’m a purist and want the entire carving to be made of crayon wax,” Tran told Lost At E Minor in a recent interview. “I don’t want to reveal the exact technique but I basically melt wax from one crayon and carefully apply it drop by drop to the main crayon I’m working on.”

Here are some of our favorites:

Hoang Tran
Hoang Tran
Hoang Tran
Hoang Tran
Hoang Tran

 

TIME Newsfeed Arts

Barbara Walters Makes a Cameo On SNL to Poke Fun At Herself

Plus, a look back at the many Barbara Walters impersonations throughout Saturday Night Live history

+ READ ARTICLE

Barbara Walters will retire from The View and from TV journalism in general this week. But first, she stopped by Saturday Night Live‘s Weekend Update desk to have a little retrospective fun.

First, we’re treated to a montage of the show’s many incarnations of Barbara Walters, performed by Gilda Radner, Rachel Dratch, Nasim Pedrad and Cheri Oteri. Then the legend herself appears, declaring it an honor “to see my groundbreaking career in journalism reduced to a cartoon character with a ridiculous voice.”

Walters then takes a few moments to offer four tips to future journalists, including “Develop a signature voice that no one will forget” and “Do not be afraid to ask the tough questions, like, ‘if you were a tree, what kind of a tree would you be?’ or, ‘your place or mine, Brokaw?’”

Thanks for that, Barbara.

TIME Newsfeed Arts

Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama Deliver a Special Passive-Aggressive Mother’s Day Address On SNL

The bitterness is directed not toward their moms, but toward each other

+ READ ARTICLE

To kick off Saturday night’s episode of Saturday Night Live, Michelle Obama (played by Sasheer Zamata) and Hillary Clinton (played by Vanessa Bayer) came together to deliver a Mother’s Day message.

“You know, both of us have been called so many things,” Clinton says. “It’s nice to have one day where the first thing that we’re called is mom.”

The women seem to be in good spirits, but soon their address devolves into a sort of tense proxy war of quietly calculated insults.

“What Barack and I are really proud of are giving the gift of health care to 8 million Americans,” Obama says. “You know, which is funny, because I tried to give them that gift 16 years ago, so it’s more like a regift,” Clinton responds, prompting Obama to shoot back, “But we actually delivered it.”

They continue their address by acknowledging the challenges of being a working mother. Clinton, however, thinks she knows just a bit more about this, since she spent years crisscrossing the globe dealing with humanitarian crises. “You know, but I suppose it’s also tough to make a chubby kid eat an apple.”

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