June 24, 2014
"When you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk."
"A collector of walking sticks is termed a rabologist"
Artist Mike Stinnett carves one-of-a-kind walking sticks out of a single piece wood, often with elaborate rattlesnakes motifs. [more inside]
Some are red. Some are blue. All are green.
Greenhouse is a browser app for Firefox, Chrome, and Safari that allows you to mouse over any Congressperson's name in your browser to reveal where their campaign money comes from. [more inside]
Show Me Another Pointless Website
Does what it says on the tin. Lest you think I'm kidding:
Annoying Cursor.
Brrriiinnngggg.
Instant CSI.
Chat with iGod. [more inside]
Pants just don't 'get' us.
NYT Minus Context (SLTwitter) -- Does exactly what it says on the tin.
It doesn't do anything different and yet you are changing it
Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men
Every Sunday, Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men, starting at the very beginning.
Behind the Bite
So earlier today Luis Suarez, striker for the Uruguay side, bit Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini on the shoulder during their respective teams' final group play match for the World Cup. This is not the first time he's done this--in fact, folks were taking bets that Suarez would bite someone during World Cup play. Biting is a major taboo in sports, and sure enough, Suarez is now facing a ban of up to 24 games by FIFA. Indeed, Suarez has a history of violent behavior and racist statements, even when you leave aside the biting incidents. And yet, despite all this, Suarez is generally regarded as one of the best soccer players in the world today. So it's fitting that, just before this year's World Cup began, ESPN published an essay by Wright Thompson (previously) on the many myths and contradictions that surround Luis Suarez.
communication breakdown
The only good Steve Reich remix since "Little Fluffy Clouds".
PianoPhase.com is a Web-based recreation/visualization of the first section of American "minimalist" composer Steve Reich's landmark piece, Piano Phase (1967). Created by interactive artist Alexander Chen. [more inside]
It will not, however, read your lips and try to kill you.
In the spirit of movie geekery as well as "if you're gonna do something, do it right", may I present The HAL Project: A fiver year project (and counting!) to faithfully recreate the computer displays in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey as a screensaver.
It's This or Get A Real Job
It's This or Get a Real Job is the subtitle to Greg Fallis' blog in which the former military medic, private detective, counselor in the Psychiatric/Security unit of a prison for women, professor at The American University in Washington, D.C. and at Fordham University in New York City, writer and photographer, offers his opinions on a variety of topics, such as mistakes, "After the disastrous Charge of the Light Brigade, Field Marshal FitzRoy James Henry Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan (GCB, PC) acknowledged his error and said, “Well, let’s not do that again.” And he never ordered another cavalry charge against a redoubt with a battery of fifty cannons. That wasn’t Lord Raglan’s first mistake; he also had an arm shot to pieces at the Battle of Waterloo. But as his arm was being amputated, Raglan told the surgeon, “My bad, learned my lesson, sorry to be a bother.” And he never had another arm amputated for the rest of his life. Lesson learned."
Risky Business
The Economic Risks of Climate Change in the United States (PDF); prospectus (PDF); press coverage (YT) - "The signature effects of human-induced climate change—rising seas, increased damage from storm surge, more frequent bouts of extreme heat—all have specific, measurable impacts on our nation's current assets and ongoing economic activity. [The report] uses a standard risk-assessment approach to determine the range of potential consequences for each region of the U.S.—as well as for selected sectors of the economy—if we continue on our current path..." [more inside]
Free Der Rosenkavalier.
BBC Arts is now hosting the entirety of a performance of Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier live from Glyndebourne. This version was recently presented streamed into cinemas. A podcast about the production is available here at Glyndebourne's own website.
The modern American realist novel in a time of r>g
In the LA Review of Books, Stephen Marche reflects upon the Literature of the Second Gilded Age. In his recently published book, Capital in the Twenty-First Century, economist Thomas Piketty argues that when r>g, that is, when an economy's annual rate of return on capital exceeds the economy's annual rate of growth, wealth inequality tends to increase, and that this condition has held both during the 19th century and since around the latter quarter of the 20th century. Unusually for an economics book, Piketty's work makes reference to several pre 20th-century works of fiction.
Stephen Marche discusses role of this literature in Piketty's book. He goes on to critique the modern American social-realist novel. Although these books are not discussed by Piketty, according to Piketty's research they too pertain to a time in which r>g. Marche however accuses the more modern literature of being a "restrained, aspirational product" with "most of its sting removed".
Spoilers, sweetie.
Website Doctor Who Spoilers, which specializes in collecting behind-the-scenes photos from location shoots, has published a handy and clickable chart of most of NuWho, including the forthcoming season, with links inside each one to tons of photos and background info on each location. [more inside]
BeyondSynth Podcast
The BeyondSynth Podcast is a podcast with artists and producers who make synthwave/new-retro/electronic music. From his home base in Canada, Adam talks to the top artists in the scene. Links to guests' music pages for each episode inside. [more inside]
The commercialization of mentorship
In the ultra-competitive worlds of business and freelancing, should mentorship come with a fee? Arguments for and against:
"When someone asks to pick my brain, I bristle. My brain is how I earn my living — would you ask a plumber to unclog a drain for free?"
"Not every investment of time has to be 'worth it.' Sometimes you just have a brief conversation with someone because—why not?"
Having the same tired discussions about gender bias, over and over.
The first Women in Science Writing: Solutions Summit took place at MIT on June 13-15. Here's a brief roundup, with plenty of links and stats that look at gender bias and harassment in science journalism.
Celery: from silver vases and glass bowls, to tonics, malts and soda
If you've browsed collections of glassware from decades and centuries past, you might scratch your head and wonder, what exactly was the use of this item? This reverse glossary of vintage and antique terms may help, or it might confuse you further. For instance, why were there fine glass celery dishes and celery vases of glass and silver? Take a look back, at home in the nineteenth century with celery at the dining table. Celery was once a status symbol, due to its high cost (Google books preview), and was included in tonics and sold in the 1897 Sears Roebuck & Co. Catalogue in a malt compound (Google books preview). Kalamazoo even boasted of being the Celery City in the late 1800s and for a few decades to follow. But the craze faded as celery cultivation became easier. One of the few remaining products from the celery craze is Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray soda, an acquired taste.
You're way off.
What was the average American college graduate's college-related debt in 2013? What state has the highest rate of poverty in the United States? Answer these and other depressing questions (or submit your own) at How Wrong You Are.
Mississippi Smouldering
Fifty years ago this week Andrew Goodman, James Cheney, and Michael Schwerner, three voting rights workers were savagely beaten and shot to death by klansmen after being stopped by a Neshoba County, Mississippi Sheriff's Deputies. Today, sheriff's deputies across Mississippi have been tasked with preventing voter intimidation in the ugly Republican primary runoff election between incumbern Thad Cochran and Tea Party favorite Chris McDaniel. [more inside]
The Great Yes No Don't Know 5 Minute Theatre Show
The National Theatre of Scotland is spending 24 hours staging and live streaming 185 five minute plays on the subject of independence, created by people all over Scotland and beyond, as a creative reflection on the forthcoming independence referendum. [more inside]
Not Safe for Workers of the USSR
Inside the Soviet Union's Secret Erotica Collection (The Moscow Times). "Across from the Kremlin, the country's main library held a pornographic treasure trove." Photogallery. "Legend has it that Soviet henchmen used to come to the archive".
The Trouble With Time Travel
Club vs Country
In the wake of England's exit from the 2014 World Cup, QPR Manager Harry Rednapp said in an interview with BBC Five Live that some players didn't want to play for England.
"When full internationals came around, two or three players didn't want to go and play for England. They'd come to me 10 days before the game and say: 'Gaffer, get me out of the game. I don't want to play in it.'"England Captain Steven Gerrard then called on Rednapp to name names, however Rednapp has so far refused. Former England Manager (91-93) Graham Taylor then came out and said that players not wanting to play for their country is "nothing particularly new". And finally, ex Arsenal and England striker Ian "Wrighty" Wright wades into the debate in The Sun
Familiar with all Internet traditions
I was sitting NIFOC and TLOL when I ran across this list of Internet slang [PDF] developed for FBI agents trying to navigate Twitter's ARE. [more inside]
Morrissey and Paws
Morrissey recently canceled the remainder of his USA tour after coming down with an illness he allegedly caught from his opening act, Kristeen Young, who denies she was the cause of the illness. This was not Morrissey's first instance of controversy on this tour, however. -----
"And before last night’s show at the Observatory in Orange County, he incurred the wrath of the Scottish band PAWS when his management attempted to get their set that night canceled. PAWS and We Are Scientists were scheduled to play a smaller room within the same venue, but Morrissey didn’t want any chance of sound-bleed during his set, and his management allegedly demanded that PAWS cancel their opening set and We Are Scientists only take the stage, for a shortened set, after the Morrissey show was already over. PAWS were actually going to be paid double for the canceled show, but the idea of canceling at Morrissey’s behest didn’t sit well with them, and they lashed out against Moz on Facebook, calling him a 'rich, has-been, ego maniac acting like a baby throwing toys from a pram.'"
Morrissey denies the allegations.
"the realities of cabbage"
Artist Walks A Cabbage In Public To Question How Society Value Things In a project that started since year 2000, Chinese artist Han Bing has documented a series of photographs that see him walking a cabbage on a leash in public.
everyone was aware of the fact that tuesday was the deadline
The first rule is: there are no rules.
Journey to the Centre of Google Earth
“But what shall we dream of when everything becomes visible?” Virilio replies: “We’ll dream of being blind."
Coming to a MeFite beach party this summer
In a post-speedo world of increasingly European beachwear the mankini, popularized by Sacha Baron Cohen in Borat, provides an alternative method of support and coverage for the discerning sunbather. This item of modesty, predominately marketed for the male physique but occasionally for the female, has been designed across a range of colors, styles, pouch volumes and variations in the number and positioning of straps. However, the approaching summer brings more swimwear options... [more inside]
It was late June
On 24 June 1914, a young man caught the 10.20 train from London to Malvern. At around 12.45 the train stopped at a small country station in Gloucestershire. And what happened then? Well .. nothing much. The station closed in 1966, but this afternoon a special train will be stopping there, unwontedly, to mark the centenary of one of the best-loved poems in the English language. [more inside]
TAL @ BAM
This American Life did a show at Brooklyn Academy Of Music earlier this month. As a salute to the space they were in, they did a show [audio download, transcript, streaming available here] which adapted radio journalism into opera (including a world-premiere from Philip Glass), Broadway Musical (in which a story from 2011 about undercover cops looking to bust drug dealers in high schools gets adapted by an actual Broadway composer and starring actual Broadway performers), and a current live-television performer adapts one of her stories as a radio drama. A video of the performance, including nearly another hour's worth of journalism-adapted-into-performance is available, Louis CK-style, for $5.
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