April 27, 2010
Kalamazoo Residents against T&J Towing
Kalamazoo Residents against T&J Towing is a facebook group with over ten thousand members. Initially, Justan Kurtz said the towing company took down his parking pass so they could tow him. The facebook group quickly filled up with gripes about shady practices, but the towing company says they have done nothing wrong. Now, T&J Towing is suing Kurtz for $750,000. Perhaps a SLAPP suit is not the best course of action. So, First Amendment Right, or libel? [more inside]
They keep calling: Ahead!
A small slide show of partisan monuments on the territory of former Yugoslavia. via: [aesthetic interlude] and [grain edit]
All summer In A Night
I am sick! She's my mom.
[Warning: Not Safe For Work. NSFW. Nudity, graphic sexual content, and that's just the beginning.]
Sexy Losers (1999-2009) -- a send-up of all things hentai, four panels at a time. Featuring the Lighter Side of [ incest • necrophilia • chronic masturbation • coprophilia • watersports • bukkake • sex tricks • sex dolls • tentacle porn • and so on... ]
"Charts & Graphs" at Lapham's Quarterly
Each issue of Lapham's Quarterly (previously) has original and whimsical info-laden "Charts & Graphs". 76 of them are online (click "previous" to move forward). [more inside]
The Man in the Red Checkered Shirt
Working With Studs is a radio documentary about Studs Terkel. You will like it. Good production and tech notes, courtesy of Transom.org
iPod Don't Touch
A touch screen you don't touch. From Ishikawa Komuro Laboratory at the University of Tokyo, a gesture-controlled handheld device that responds thereminically to the motion of a finger held above the screen. Watch to the end for the remarkable 3-d painting app. From the people who brought you the pitching, batting, and dribbling robots. Previous Ishikawa awesomeness on Metafilter.
Sister, sister, he's just a plaything...
An essay on sleep and loss by Bill Hayes, author of Sleep Demons. The essay is part of a NYT series All-nighters, which has also included work from Mefi favorite Christoph Niemann (previously) and other sleep deprived contributors.
Doing What Fountains Do
At the foot of the Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai there's a fountain. At night, this fountain does what fountains do. Well, not just any fountain. Baba Yetu | Time to Say Goodbye | Bassbor Al Fourgakom | Dhoom Taana. If you can, watch in 1080p in fullscreen.
Marx is claiming it was offside
One of the greatest football matches of all time, Greek Philosophers vs German Philosophers is going to be replayed.
Pepsi Lifespan
"The first ten minutes of Up, with superior white goods": John Lewis' new ad, intended to show the whole life of a customer, is far more emotional than anything that's trying to sell you stuff ought to be. (MLYT) [more inside]
“Some problems in the world are not bullet-izable.”
Confused about the complexity of American military strategy in Afghanistan? Fret no more:
PowerPoint to the rescue! [NYT story]
Is this gonna be a standup fight, sir, or another bughunt?
In an exclusive interview with MTV, Ridley Scott releases further details on his latest project: two 3D Alien prequels, which will have a non-Ripley female lead and focus on the story behind the first movie's "Space Jockey." [more inside]
Janelle Monáe, Girl from Another Planet.
"Open your minds, earthlings, and prepare to be launched headfirst into an alternate universe. A place where robots fall in love with humans. Where your tour guide into this alternate realm is a demure lil thang with a bold set of pipes. 'I'm an alien from outer space,' declares Janelle Monáe on the first song of her debut album, Metropolis: The Chase Suite (Special Edition). Yes, Toto, we are no longer in Kansas anymore. Or even planet Earth." [more inside]
Airspace Reboot
The Young Kristofferson
The legend of American singer//songwriter//actor//badass Kris Kristofferson has already been established here on Metafilter. Now (and until May 4) you can listen to the entirety of Kristofferson's soon-to-be released album of previously unreleased tracks Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends: The Publishing Demos 1968-72 over at NPR.
"A vicious little pup like you"
When "The Dark, Dark Hours" episode of General Electric Theater aired live from Hollywood on December 12, 1954, Ronald Reagan and James Dean were just two actors yet to find the roles that would define them. – The Atlantic has a six-minute video clip and some background.
It's not just every day you get to marinate with a tapir, man...
April 27th is World Tapir Day! Take a few minutes to celebrate our prehensile-schnozzed fellow mammals by learning some facts, viewing some cuteness, or supporting the cause.
I pick the Motorcycle.
Journey into Manhood is a program designed to rid Christian men of their attraction to other men. The program is rooted in the belief that homosexuality has its source in gay men's early relationships with their parents and peers. The program is endorsed by the National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality, whose writings on "Childhood Gender-Identity Deficit" seems to have greatly influenced the JiM program. Straight, atheist writer, Jim Cox, decided to investigate the program. He writes about his experience here: What Happened When I Went Undercover at a Christian Gay-to-Straight Conversion Camp
Lady Gaga discusses the human form
An essay on perceptions of the human body, written before Lady Gaga was Lady Gaga Love her or hate her, there's a lot more going on in her head then the average pop star.
This is your brain on... a layer of bits?
The first massively parallel evolutionary circuit has been built. Brain-like computing on an organic molecular layer.
I, for one... overlords... you know.
Mystery Man
Kid who doesn't exist looks to future No birth certificate. No Social Security number. No official identity.
Soviet Sci-Fi Animation in the 1980's
This is a small collection of Soviet Animated science fiction from the 1980s, including the work of Vladimir Samsonov, Mikhail Titov (whose "Сражение" is one of Stephen King's "Dollar Babies"), Vladimir Tarasov, Nazim Tulyakhodzayev and Anatoly Petrov. [more inside]
Sounds like every other song, or at least the spaces between the notes
John Cage's piece 4'33'' was originally written for piano but has been performed by a full orchestra. In modern times its movements have been interpreted by the guitar, harmonica, nose flute, ukulele, and toy piano. It was pretty exciting to watch Cage perform 4'33" live, but I still enjoy dancing to the party mix!
made by a thirteen year-old in 1996
Geocities is Back!!!! and they've taken over the world! from the crafty folks at Wondertonic.com...make sure to read their terms of use before browsing the site. some autoplaying music... [more inside]
A blog collecting examples of longform journalism & essays.
Blair Peach
Better late than never A report by Police Commander John Cass says an unnamed SPG officer dealt the fatal blow to Blair Peach.
Unblinking Eye and APUG: Alternative Processes for Photography
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