Short films are often short for the good reason that no normal person can stomach them for more than five minutes. But Strangers, a film by Erez Tadmor & Guy Nattiv manages to be both tense and effective. Two characters, one Asian, sit on a moving train opposite some skinhead thugs. The Asian then has his newspaper sprayed by one thug who puts his jackboot between the poor guy’s legs. Then there’s a chase. All in the time it takes to boil an egg.

It’s a piece of political genius that successive Republicans have styled themselves as good ol’ boys while portraying their Democratic rivals as elitist snobs. Cindy McCain’s recent interview with CNN could, however, go some way to dispelling that myth. According to the little blonde sprite, the “only way“ to travel around Arizona is by “small private plane.” Well, roads are for commoners, non?

Meanwhile, the mainstream music industry continues to try to find ways of stemming its inexorable decline. www.muzu.tv – currently in its Beta launch in the UK and Ireland – allows users to create a personalised music channel that can be shared on social networking sites. Sony BMG has signed up, and will get revenue from display advertising and in-video content. The site looks smart and works, too, even in Beta. It’s an impressive personalised version of MTV without the annoying yoofy presenters.

Albert Einstein has by now been so ingrained on our consciousness that it’s strange to think that he lived so recently (he died only in 1955). Hear the great man himself explaining E=mc2.

Editor's choice

• Are Glasvegas the new Oasis?
• Proms Podcast with Stephen Hough
• Vote for musical perfection