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The Atlantic delivers a solid summary of why algorithmically-driven social media is harmful to common culture and democracy itself, ending with a few ideas about what can be done to course correct. [more inside]
posted by Leeway at 6:03 PM PST - 36 comments

A simple-looking edit to R scripts to make them more durable as packages update.
posted by clew at 5:13 PM PST - 64 comments

For Scott, demeaning comments about height are everywhere — whether in his personal life or in pop culture. “When I see a woman that is 5'8", I’m like, ‘That’s a tall woman,’” she says to the camera. “But when I see a man that is 5'8", I’m like, ‘Look! A garden gnome!’” In the comments, users had added to the bit: “No because who let him out unsupervised.” Humiliation flashed across Scott’s face. “Before the surgery, I was 5'7". I was not even a garden gnome to her.”
posted by geoff. at 5:04 PM PST - 135 comments

International opera singer and vocal coach Elizabeth Zharoff* does an analyzing First Listen of Rush's 1981 song Tom Sawyer [19m]. Her level of delight and wonder is overwhelmingly charming. Also, because I don't want to make two Rush posts in a row, Alex and Geddy in conversation with George Strombo, April 15, 2022. [46m, entirely open conversation about a lot of subjects, please watch if you're a Rush fan] [more inside]
posted by hippybear at 4:29 PM PST - 21 comments

Twitter user @bitterkarella read 20 years of the Sinfest webcomic (unrolled) so you don't have to (and you shouldn't). On his Garbage Day blog, Ryan Broderick read the thread so you don't have to (but you should) and summarizes it, in part, as "…the comic’s 22-year evolution actually gives us a startling insight into how a very specific kind of internet man would shift from angry nerd to anti-'woke' transphobic fascist." [more inside]
posted by signal at 1:31 PM PST - 85 comments

Land of Confusion was a 1986 hit by Genesis (No. 4 in the U.S. and No. 14 in the UK). The video featured many political and celebrity puppets from the UK TV show Spitting Image, most notably Ronald (the video being based on a dream he is having) and Nancy Reagan, an allusion to 2001: A Space Odyssey, and much more detail. The video won a Grammy, and was nominated at the MTV music video awards but ironically lost to Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer. Previous FPP with commentary.
posted by Wordshore at 11:11 AM PST - 34 comments

Tpying truble? During the iPhone’s first 15 years, its keyboard software has evolved, but it still sometimes flubs your lines. Here’s how it works and what you can do about it. (archive.today link)
posted by Etrigan at 7:46 AM PST - 59 comments

Klaus Schulze, German composer and pioneer of electronic and ambient music, has died. He leaves behind more than 60 solo albums and collaborations. [more inside]
posted by fregoli at 5:16 AM PST - 29 comments

256 bytes of JavaScript code to render a shaded city-scape [Twitter] [more inside]
posted by urbanwhaleshark at 4:24 AM PST - 9 comments

The greatest cabaret duo who ever graced a stage, Ronnie Dukes (1931-1981) and Ricki Lee (1933-1986) perform a spectazmatically swingin'-daddy, spellbinding rendition of The Who's classic rock classic, "Pinball Wizard." (h/t @rhodri)
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 2:22 AM PST - 21 comments