Displaying post 1 to 23 of 23
from
mefi
Legendary artist Alton Kelley created a graphic style that rocked the world beginning in the psychedelic sixties. His
concert posters, logo designs, LP album covers, and fine art have forevermore defined that time.
Kelley passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, June 1, 2008 of complications from a long illness.
posted to MetaFilter by terrapin
at 4:09 PM on June 2, 2008
(18 comments)
The Ultimate Act of Sports(wo)manship
"It kept everything in perspective and the fact that we're never bigger than the game. ... It was such a lesson that we learned—that it's not all about winning. And we forget that, because as coaches, we're always trying to get to the top. We forget that. But I will never, ever forget this moment. It's changed me, and I'm sure it's changed my players."
[via SportsFilter]
posted to MetaFilter by terrapin
at 1:49 PM on April 29, 2008
(42 comments)
Elisha Gray could have been known to us as the inventor of the telephone. Instead, he goes down in history as the accidental creator of one of the first
electronic musical instruments, the "Musical Telegraph." There are many other examples of early electronic instruments, including: the
Teleharmonium, the
Audion Piano, the
Optophonic Piano, the
Trautonium, the
Ondes Martenot, the
Rhythmicon, the
Theremin Cello and the better-known Aetherphone (aka
Theremin) to name a few. MetaFilter discussed
odd music previously.
posted to MetaFilter by terrapin
at 5:10 AM on March 25, 2008
(8 comments)
In 1980 artist
Lars Vilks began construction of
two sculptures in Skåne, Sweden. The works—once they were found—were considered houses by the local authorities and therefore condemned because they were built on a nature reserve. After many lost appeals, Vilks protested by declaring the area as the micronation of
Ladonia with the motto of
suum cuique. And while there is no possibility of receiving work or actually living in
Ladonia, you too can
become a citizen of Ladonia. For a nominal fee you can even become nobility, and choose your own title!
posted to MetaFilter by terrapin
at 12:01 PM on April 6, 2007
(23 comments)
The
Digital Freedom Campaign believes that new technologies are essential to the creativity and innovation, and that digital technology enables anyone and everyone to be an artist and an innovator. The DFC is dedicated to defending the rights of artists, innovators, creators and consumers to use lawful technology free of unreasonable government restrictions and without fear of costly lawsuits.
posted to MetaFilter by terrapin
at 10:57 AM on March 28, 2007
(10 comments)
Using a physiological sensor called the
SenseWear by BodyMedia, researchers at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) have
created the XPod. The XPod "learns" a user's preferences, activities and even emotions, and then selects the most appropriate music to accompany any given situation. The
mood ring for the new millennium.
posted to MetaFilter by terrapin
at 7:27 AM on October 24, 2006
(14 comments)
Inspired by comments Brian Eno made in his book
A Year with Swollen Appendices,
Duncan Sheik released White Limousine with two discs: One, a CD labeled
Mine and the other a DVD labeled
Yours. The former contains his stereo mixes, while the latter contains WAV files of the individual elements of the mixes for each song. Sheik is requesting that people remix his CD to their liking, and has even provided
a place for people to upload their efforts. The best remixes will be streamed on the remix site, and some will even be released as downloads.
posted to MetaFilter by terrapin
at 11:27 AM on September 23, 2006
(16 comments)
After nearly being wiped out by a fungus
(
Cryphonectria parasitica), that was first identified in 1904, the American chestnut is attempting to make a comeback with a little help from its fungus-resistent Chinese cousin ... and maybe you. [more inside]
posted to MetaFilter by terrapin
at 8:31 AM on October 13, 2005
(18 comments)
We're Knights of the Round Table
We dance whene'er we're able.
We do routines and
chorus scenes
With footwork impeccable.
We dine well here in Camelot.
We eat ham and jam and
Spam a lot.
We're Knights of the Round Table.
Our shows are formidable,
But many times we're given rhymes
That are quite unsingable.
We're
opera mad in Camelot.
We sing from the diaphragm a lot.
In war we're tough and able,
Quite indefatigable.
Between our quests we sequin vests and impersonate Clark Gable.
It's a busy life in Camelot.
posted to MetaFilter by terrapin
at 8:52 AM on March 11, 2005
(43 comments)
While the
Grateful Dead were pioneers in the sharing of music, it wasn't too long ago that fans had to meet in-person with other DeadHeads at taping parties to grow their library of "bootlegs." In the late 1990s when CD burners became more prominent, The Dead again led the way. They went on record to say that fans were still welcome to
copy, share and trade their music as long as no money changing hands—including no advertising on web sites with downloads. Yesterday, the band again made history when they announced they are releasing the contents of their vast vault electronically (and simultaneouly) on iTunes Music Store and their very own
Grateful Dead online store, the latter making the songs available in mp3 (128 and 256kbps) and FLAC .
posted to MetaFilter by terrapin
at 6:06 AM on March 2, 2005
(74 comments)
Swim, Katie, Swim!
From the
Hike With Your Dog site comes the story of Katie, a water-loving dog who is on a quest (well, maybe it is her owner's quest) to swim in "all the great waters of North America." The quest started on her way home from the kennel in September 1998, and continues to this day. From the Atlantic Ocean to the Yampa River, this animal has done some serious doggy paddling.
[Caution: lots of pictures may cause slow loading]
posted to MetaFilter by terrapin
at 9:51 AM on August 20, 2004
(6 comments)
And they're off!
Apparently BBC3 plans to broadcast what it says is the first televised sperm race on April 15—on the educational show
Lab Rats, naturally. The race will be filmed from inside two tiny glass tubes and relayed to a crowd watching at a pub. I wonder what the bookmakers have to say about the event?
posted to MetaFilter by terrapin
at 12:47 PM on April 9, 2004
(2 comments)
Police Boycott "Harry Potter"
Police in Penryn, PA (near Harrisburg) have refused to direct traffic at a YMCA event. The police claim that because the YMCA reads "Harry Potter" to local children that they are promoting witchcraft. Fire Police Capt. Robert Fichthorn says "I don't feel right taking our children's minds and teaching them (witchcraft). As long as we don't stand up, it won't stop. It's unfortunate that this is the way it has to be."
posted to MetaFilter by terrapin
at 9:34 AM on January 24, 2002
(47 comments)
U.S. Will Monitor Calls to Lawyers
According to this article in today's
Washington Post, the United States' Department of Justice (DOJ) has decided to "listen in" on telephone conversations between lawyers and their clients in federal custody—including people who have been detained but not charged with any crime "whenever that is deemed necessary to prevent violence or terrorism." Sounds to me like an infringement of the right to counsel and attorney-client privilege. In a
related article, the DOJ has also decided to stop releasing a count of the thousands of people it is detaining—without charging them with a crime—just as civil libertarians and the media are starting to question the secret and possibly unconstitutional detentions.
posted to MetaFilter by terrapin
at 12:30 PM on November 9, 2001
(10 comments)
Bush Makes a Pitch for Teaching Patriotism
At a Washington, DC area high school—whose mascot is the Patriot—President Bush spoke on the supposed importance of patriotism.
"The Bush administration has backed a series of initiatives aimed at boosting children's patriotism and enlisting the young in the effort to counter anti-American propaganda abroad."
Is this how the
Hitler Youth started?
posted to MetaFilter by terrapin
at 7:15 AM on November 2, 2001
(44 comments)
National Review Cans Columnist Ann Coulter
as a contributing editor after her call to "invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity." For a person who makes a living out of being as obnoxious, partisan and mean as she can be will this do anything but put her in the spotlight and help her career? The way she has slammed the
National Review since her axing seems to indicate this will be the case. And she's already blaming the "liberal" media and the "anti-Christian bigots."
posted to MetaFilter by terrapin
at 7:26 AM on October 2, 2001
(70 comments)
