January 23, 2016

‘I was terribly wrong’

Writers look back at the Arab spring five years on [more inside]
posted by the man of twists and turns at 11:30 PM PST - 27 comments

Actually, the An-2 is just like other biplanes, only there’s more of it.

A day with the Hampshire-based PPL club that operates one of the world’s biggest single-engine biplanes, all 1,000hp and five-and-a-half tons of it
posted by Confess, Fletch at 10:50 PM PST - 16 comments

She’s actually really lazy

Ludivine, a two-and-a-half-year-old hound dog, was let out of the house in Elkmont, Alabama, to do her business. Prone to roaming around town at will, Ludivine snuck out of the backyard and made her way to the starting area of the inaugural Trackless Train Trek Half Marathon about a quarter mile away. Ludivine proceeded to mingle with the runners, run the entire 13.1-mile course, cross the finish line in an unofficial 1:32:56, and have a medal draped over her floppy brown ears—all without her owner, April Hamlin, realizing she had wandered off in the first place.
posted by mama casserole at 6:02 PM PST - 47 comments

10 things to know about progress in international development

10 things to know about progress in international development (.pdf) Around the world, amazing progress is being made. More than 1 billion people have been lifted out of extreme poverty since 1990, with major gains made in health and education and in other areas that contribute to human well-being.

Lots of problems remain of course. And you can still be very poor and not be below the $1.25 (in $2005) line. But a big deal.
posted by hawthorne at 5:03 PM PST - 9 comments

Breaking down David Bowie's 'Heroes' - Track-by-track

Producer Tony Visconti uses the original master tapes from sessions at Hansa Studio in Berlin to get to the heart of the title track from 'Heroes'.
posted by Catblack at 2:15 PM PST - 62 comments

Scrooge McDuck's Giant Pool of Money is Real

Planet Money's Adam Davidson ponders an emerging economic paradox in this week's NYT Magazine: Why are corporations hoarding trillions in cash? The cash stockpiles being held by many major corporations situation are unprecedented in size, and often vastly exceed any sum of money that these corporations could ever dream of spending. This behavior runs in direct opposition to most economic theories, violates assumptions about how rational corporations should act, and is being rewarded by the market (but only in some industries). So, what gives?
posted by schmod at 2:11 PM PST - 77 comments

Has a piston stroke of just 6 millimeters

The origami engine: Incredibly detailed tiny V8 motor made of paper revealed (and it really works)
posted by Michele in California at 2:05 PM PST - 9 comments

Drone Art: Arctic Edition

Drone Art: Arctic Wildlife & Landscapes is a two and a half minute drone video from the far north of Canada starring beluga whales, polar bears and some of the most amazing scenery.
posted by jason's_planet at 1:22 PM PST - 7 comments

the art of our necessities is strange

"If you have a Democratic frontrunner who is opposed to capitalism and a Republican frontrunner who wants to deport 10 million immigrants, that'll make a difference."

Michael Bloomberg set to run for President.
posted by four panels at 12:34 PM PST - 322 comments

"It's not a single process, it's 1,095 days of little decisions."

What It's Really Like to Transition, via Cosmopolitan [more inside]
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:24 PM PST - 37 comments

#1000BlackGirlBooks

"I told her I was sick of reading about white boys and dogs" In the past year, Philadelphia native Marley Dias has successfully written a proposal for (and received) a Disney Friends for Change grant, served food to orphans in Ghana and recently launched a book club. Dias is 11 years old. Dias' latest social action project is the "#1000BlackGirlBooks" book drive. Frustrated with many of the books she's assigned in school, she confessed to her mother during dinner one night that she was unhappy with how monochromatic so many stories felt.
posted by pjsky at 12:19 PM PST - 6 comments

Time for a vat of refreshing green juice

First there was Deliciously Ella. Then came Deliciously Stella.
posted by alby at 12:16 PM PST - 6 comments

Maned Lionesses

This male-like lioness is defying gender norms (full episode) - "An African lioness that looks and acts male may be the secret to her pride's success."
posted by kliuless at 12:12 PM PST - 10 comments

G O B B L E S T I X

A commerical for the dried turkey snack food 'Gobblestix' slowed down 50%
posted by The Whelk at 10:00 AM PST - 34 comments

The Velvet Ant

The Velvet Ant "A female velvet ant's legs are so powerful, she can use them to wrestle her way out of a predator's mouth. You might think that a bigger animal like a lizard could easily crush her in its jaws, but the velvet ant is too tough for that."
posted by dhruva at 9:54 AM PST - 25 comments

Venus Flytraps Are Even Creepier Than We Thought

When it comes to digesting its prey, the plant is a calculating killer.
posted by ellieBOA at 9:39 AM PST - 15 comments

"I cannot be that person."

John and Sherry Petersik built a cult following with their website, Young House Love. Then they tried to walk away. The couple behind Young House Love on the process of falling down the rabbit hole from lifestyle bloggers, to full time "brand," and the burnout that resulted. Related, Heather Armstrong (a.k.a. Dooce) on "Why the 'Queen of the Mommy Bloggers' had to quit." [more inside]
posted by blue suede stockings at 9:36 AM PST - 40 comments

“I haven't had my muffin yet, MATT!”

Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base [YouTube]
posted by Fizz at 7:41 AM PST - 31 comments

Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger Red Deer! Red Deer!

Charles Foster has lived as a badger, a red deer and an urban fox among other animals. Extract from his book. (Contains descriptions of worm eating)
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 6:36 AM PST - 13 comments

You go to war with the app you have, not the app that you might want.

Have you ever wished there was a way to play solitaire while still viewing inspirational wartime content of Winston Churchill? Do you have an iPhone? Well, has Donald Rumsfeld (best known for such previous non-mobile hits as the admittedly buggy Iraq War) got the game for you! [more inside]
posted by corb at 5:53 AM PST - 19 comments

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