May 4, 2022
One word: enzymatics!
Scientists Discover Method to Break Down Plastic in Days, Not Centuries - "Scientists modified an enzyme that can break down plastic in one week to create fresh material for new products."[1,2,3] [more inside]
Trevor riffs with the audience, longform
Between The Scenes is Trevor Noah doing audience work during tapings of The Daily Show. If you want to see his comic gifts sparkle, here's your chance, as compilations. The Best Of Trevor's Accents [24m], Growing Up In South Africa [19m], Trevor's Family [15m30s], Eight Times America Surprised Trevor [16m], The Best Guest Moments [23m] [more inside]
I’m studying sn-risks. . .
I can no longer shop happily
“Of supreme importance,” writes Zola in his 1883 department store novel The Ladies’ Paradise, “was the exploitation of Woman. Everything else led up to it, the ceaseless renewal of capital, the system of piling up goods, the low prices which attracted people, the marked prices which reassured them.” from "Lost In the Supermarket," in which Rhian Sasseen riffs on Claire-Louise Bennett's new book Checkout 19 and the literature of retail
Anyway AAA BAAY-BAAYY, here's FRANKFRANKFRAAANK Wonderwall PHWEEEE-phooo
Tico is a double yellow-headed Amazon parrot vocalist who performs with his guitarist, Frank Maglio, on YouTube as the duo Tico & the Man. They began performing together when Frank started working from home because of COVID, and he discovered Tico's response to strumming his guitars. They have amassed a huge collection of videos (and followers) and covered all the big hits. And yes, of course he's done Freebird. [more inside]
May 4-8 2022, NYC & Everywhere
i am feeling unwell. would you like to report an incident after months of total darkness? please, at least before you begin destroying the earth, over and over again... just look at that round ass shit. //// Today marks the beginning of PRISMATIC GROUND (Year Two), an experimental documentary and avant-garde film festival that you can experience in person if you happen to be in New York City, New York, USA, or for free, online, everywhere there is an internet. [more inside]
MAY THE FINGERTIPS BE WITH YOU
They Might Be Giants' Fingertips, set to The Last Jedi. Set to other Star Wars movies. (Previously, set to The Force Awakens) [more inside]
"Grover makes one last frantic plea not to turn the final page"
Today I read and enjoyed the English Wikipedia-style-y plot summary for The Monster at the End of This Book: Starring Lovable, Furry Old Grover, a classic children's book. Here's the edit that changes "However, nothing works (primarily because from the reader's POV these are simple illustrations, not actual difficulties)" to "nothing works (mostly because these are really simple illustrations, not actual obstacles)" (the "primarily" line having been added in 2014; thanks XTools Blame!). Previously, previously.
The Rise and Fall of Geek Culture
"In a lot of ways I think this attitude reflects this, now dated, conception of the geek as an oppressed underdog [...] but, at the same time, the actual real world conditions around you reflect the exact opposite of that. So, you not only get this fervent demand for geek stuff to be liked and consumed by everyone but also this notion that a rejection of geek culture is somehow the dominant attitude: "the bully picking on the loser"
Sarah Z chronicles The Rise and Fall of Geek Culture.
Sarah Z chronicles The Rise and Fall of Geek Culture.
Choosing Winners and Losers in Alaska’s Crab Fishery
ONK WOT DRS
Knotwords (iOS, Android, Steam) (trailer, review) is a new daily word game from Zach Gage, creator of games like Ridiculous Fishing, SpellTower, and Really Bad Chess. It's probably not going to get Wordle-famous, but Josh Wardle likes it, and, if you like word games and/or logic puzzles, you might too.
Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab
World’s Most Dangerous Toy? Radioactive Atomic Energy Lab Kit with Uranium (1950) “USERS SHOULD NOT TAKE ORE SAMPLES OUT OF THEIR JARS, for they tend to flake and crumble and you would run the risk of having radioactive ore spread out in your laboratory.” Such was the warning that came with the Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab, a 1950s science kit that included four small jars of actual uranium. Yes, the Gilbert company definitely intended for kids to try this at home. And so the company’s warning was couched not in terms of health risk but rather as bad scientific practice: Removing the ore from its jar would raise the background radiation, thereby invalidating your experimental results."
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