On-line recordings of lectures delivered at Columbia University's architecture school. Speakers included Alvaro Siza, Bernard Tschumi, Marshall Berman, and a number of other important architects and urbanists. [A bit more inside.]
posted to MetaFilter by slipperywhenwet at 8:04 AM on June 18, 2003 (3 comments)

Seeing The Matrix yesterday (and just before it, the preview for the third Terminator movie) reminded me of this old David Foster Wallace essay"F/X Porn", in which he points out how Hollywood blockbusters have become the equivalent of your average "2 for $10.99!!" XXX rentals. [Google cached version here.]
posted to MetaFilter by slipperywhenwet at 7:51 AM on June 13, 2003 (36 comments)

The official String Theory website. Fo' all your supa string needs.
posted to MetaFilter by slipperywhenwet at 7:16 PM on June 11, 2003 (11 comments)

The return of the dangerous classes: crime control in the 21st century. "The language of crime control seems to be today on the verge of eclipsing all others - in particular that of social rights – and becoming the single, all encompassing goal of social policy."
Sounds topical? John Lea's work on the changes postfordism has brought to crime control are even more relevant now than they were when he wrote them back in the nineties. [more]
posted to MetaFilter by slipperywhenwet at 8:22 PM on April 30, 2003 (3 comments)

Along with water, there's been increased interested in food issues lately. Probably the most controversial issue is genetically modified foods. And it looks like here in Canada, they're not going to be labelled. The day after I read this in the paper, Steve Talbott published an issue of his superb newsletter Netfuture, with this thoughtful essay. [more inside]
posted to MetaFilter by slipperywhenwet at 10:56 PM on August 29, 2002 (10 comments)

Martians may resemble the Spanish. Scientists are studying a red river in Spain which flows through a deposit of pyrite, "has a pH similar to that of automobile battery acid and contains virtually no oxygen in its lower depths" to get an idea of what Martian microbes might be like. The critters found in the Rio Tinto are extremophiles, little microscopic buggers that can live miles underground, or in water 170 degree Celsius under deep-sea hydrothermal vents. (No word yet on whether there's a Portuguese connection.)
[via Red Rock Eater]
posted to MetaFilter by slipperywhenwet at 7:03 PM on August 25, 2002 (5 comments)

Bored at the office? Put some of that paper to good use: make some paper airplanes. Those two links should keep you busy for a few days (be sure to try out Nick's Plane. Possibly the best paper plane there is. Thank you Nick, who ever you are..), but if you're looking for something a little flash, you could try folding one of these.
posted to MetaFilter by slipperywhenwet at 12:44 PM on August 23, 2002 (18 comments)

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden imbeciles...

The Oulipians dis Wordsworth. [via Follow me Here]
posted to MetaFilter by slipperywhenwet at 9:32 PM on August 21, 2002 (23 comments)

This year three first rate Canadian painters have passed away: Kazuo Nakamura (b.1926), was a member of the Painters 11 (flash site, doesn't seem to be working right now, short articles here, and here). Jean-Paul Riopelle (b. 1923) was a member of Les Automatistes whose Le Refus Global helped to completely reshape Quebec culture. Riopelle passed away last March. Finally, Michael Forster (b.1907?) was a WWII vet and a war artist. He passed away in July.
posted to MetaFilter by slipperywhenwet at 6:46 PM on August 8, 2002 (3 comments)

For the past year or so pinhole photography has been an important part of my artistic practice. These are some of the sites that have inspired me: pinhole visions is a great all round pinholing resource, and also hosts the Pinhole discussion mailing list. The discussion list was one of the launching points for the 2nd annual world pinhole day, this past April 28th; check out the image gallery. Artist sites worth checking out include this page on Dianne Bos, Martha Casanave's incredible work (both pinhole and not), pinhole.nl (Dude! Meat cathedral), The Oehl's fantastic self-portraits, and polaroidsandpinholes.com. Finally, if you're heading out to Burning Man this year, you could check out Camp Pinhole where each year they "build, operate, and burn a van-sized walk-in pinhole camera/darkroom" (cool!). (First post. Be nice)
posted to MetaFilter by slipperywhenwet at 9:28 PM on August 6, 2002 (11 comments)