September 16, 2010

I always knew I would never get away with it

The time I fought Matsuo Basho
posted by randomyahoo at 11:33 PM PST - 9 comments

Dolly Parton, Buena Vista Social Club, Jay-Z, Tupac, Mos Def, Dire Straits, and many more.

Waterproof London is a mashup album by KMT.
posted by OverlappingElvis at 10:12 PM PST - 13 comments

All ducks are wearing dog masks

All ducks are wearing dog masks.
posted by Astro Zombie at 8:08 PM PST - 80 comments

Bear Baiting

Bear baiting is possibly the world's most savage blood sport. Bears are have their teeth and claws removed, are tethered to a post and set upon by dogs. It is illegal in every civilized country. Authorities turn a blind eye to bear baiting in two countries: Pakistan and the USA, where South Carolina Officials refuse to act. [more inside]
posted by Susurration at 7:27 PM PST - 75 comments

Muxes: "”Thanks to God, we have one of them in every family"

We are princesses in a land of machos. "They drink beer, they are part of local governement and they are symbol of good luck for their family: they are Muxes, homosexuals of the “pueblo oaxacaqueno de Juchitan”, more than 3000 homosexuals who enjoy respect and admiration in all the country... they walk proudly in the streets, dressed as women with huipiles and enaguas, typical dress of the Tehuantepec Isthmus." Photo essay by Nicola Okin Frioli. More at Flickr. [more inside]
posted by madamjujujive at 7:04 PM PST - 28 comments

yellowback novels

Emory University has made more than 1,200 yellowback novels available as PDF downloads. Yellowbacks were inexpensive books marketed largely to railway travelers in 19th century Britain.
posted by maurice at 4:45 PM PST - 30 comments

Method Man to Method Acting

Casey Affleck finally admits that "I'm Still Here," his recent film which follows Joaquin Phoenix's resignation from acting and following hip hop career, wasn't real. [more inside]
posted by hempgranola at 3:41 PM PST - 137 comments

Jane Goodness

National Geographic has digitized all of Jane Goodall's articles for the publication from the past five decades. They've also added a galley of photographs documenting her extraordinary work with chimps.
posted by gman at 3:31 PM PST - 12 comments

Meet Eater

Meet Meet Eater, a plant that sustains itself through Facebook interaction. This project was created by designer and artist Bashkim Isai as a university project to explore the idea of "affectionate computing" and currently sits at digital hub The Edge in Brisbane, Australia. Meet Eater has a good sense of humour, but also perhaps a drinking problem.
posted by divabat at 3:14 PM PST - 8 comments

Making Puppets with Jim Henson

In a wonderful 15-minute video from 1969, a young Jim Henson shows you how to make puppets out of ordinary things. Yes, it's SLYT, but it's a really good SLYT, so I beg forgiveness.
posted by cerebus19 at 1:37 PM PST - 43 comments

Mado by Tomoyuki Sakaguchi.

Mado by Tomoyuki Sakaguchi. A series of portraits taken in Tokyo. The subjects are framed by subway doors.
posted by chunking express at 1:01 PM PST - 32 comments

This Modern Life

A Dictionary of the Near Future: "The thing about the future is that it never feels the way we thought it would. New sensations require new terms; [here] are a few such terms to encapsulate our present moment." [more inside]
posted by bayani at 12:35 PM PST - 26 comments

STEM ed policy, the next wave from DC

Three years after the National Academies (US) report Rising Above the Gathering Storm outlined eroding science and technology "advantages," the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) released today an outline for the development of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education: Prepare and Inspire (executive report). [more inside]
posted by cgk at 12:28 PM PST - 15 comments

Arthur's Classic Novels, his Love of Mankind and the Internet

Arthur's Classic Novels has 4000 free ebooks, no registration, nicely organized by author and topics: great old Science Fiction magazines l plentiful online education with 650 books for doctors l a vast collection of famous novels l short stories l by women l Buddhist Scriptures, including The Buddhist Bible, a fave of Jack Kerouac l magazines online l stories by Robert Sheckley l The Autobiography of Charles Darwin l huge collection of fairy tales l philosophy l P. G. Wodehouse l vintage technology l Oscar Wilde l Mark Twain l Rudyard Kipling l George MacDonald l the Koran l a collection of eText resource links. About Arthur Wendover. [more inside]
posted by nickyskye at 12:16 PM PST - 33 comments

Study Answers and Raises Questions About HIV Virus and Origins

The HIV ancestor virus, SIV, has been around much longer than previously thought. The NY Times notes: "And that assumption in turn complicates a question that has bedeviled AIDS scientists for years: What happened in Africa in the early 20th century that let a mild monkey disease move into humans, mutate to become highly transmissible and then explode into one of history’s great killers, one that has claimed 25 million lives so far?" [more inside]
posted by questionsandanchors at 11:47 AM PST - 61 comments

Star Light, Star White

ELLE drastically lightens Gabourey Sidibe's skin color (and crops out 75% of her body) for the cover of its October issue. This sort of thing happens fairly often. At least they didn't just put her head on Ann Margret's body.
posted by hermitosis at 11:39 AM PST - 109 comments

Five t-shirts that you probably shouldn't wear

Few things are more American than t-shirts and pissing people off for no reason. Vice Magazine designed six wildly offensive t-shirts and managed to get all of them printed. (nsfw)
posted by The Devil Tesla at 11:34 AM PST - 67 comments

"Writers are sexy. No argument. Some people think this about heroin addicts, too."

Nitsuh Abebe dissects a rather twee post on why it's great to date a writer. Bonus writer links: Why you should just punch yourself in the face instead of becoming a freelancer, and why it's good despite all the face punching.
posted by Artw at 11:28 AM PST - 19 comments

Governed By A Ghost

This week's issue of Forbes features a cover story by Dinesh D'Souza that argues that "the U.S. is being ruled according to the dreams of a Luo tribesman of the 1950s," along with an editorial featuring a picture of Obama's head photoshopped onto Joseph Stalin's body. [more inside]
posted by EarBucket at 11:01 AM PST - 129 comments

It's the infrastructure, stupid!

Is the United States becoming a third world country? Macleans thinks so. So does Arianna Huffington. Chris Hedges talked to Ralph Nader and they figured out who's to blame. Thank goodness Michael Kinsley has a solution to the problem.
posted by valkane at 10:02 AM PST - 105 comments

Caterpillar to butterfly

MODEL-MORPHOSIS A close-up of the makeup looks from this and past Fashion Weeks. A nifty slide bar lets you compare the face before and after.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:53 AM PST - 53 comments

Colourful fluid dynamics

Two galleries of fluid motion - one from the journal Physics of Fluids, and one from MIT. The MIT gallery shows some common everyday fluids in unexpected lights. The PoF gallery (which is quite extensive, check out the 85-09 archives) mostly concerns itself with more esoteric interests. Some of the results presented have a stark beauty and some are riotously colourful. I personally love the results that look at turbulence and transition. Also, some visualisations from the past ten or so years are presented as video! (PDFs, Quicktime)
posted by Dim Siawns at 9:38 AM PST - 9 comments

Touch Paul Bellini. Then tattoo him on your arm

Don’t just touch Paul Bellini – tattoo him on your arm! That kooky writer from The Kids in the Hall, Paul Bellini (NSFW blog), developed cult infamy as a result of recurring appearances on that show wearing next to nothing but a bath towel. Who indeed can forget the subsequent Touch Paul Bellini contest, in which one Rebecca Klatka of St. Petersburg won the right to do just that? (Video proof. Inevitable Facebook group.) A decade and a half later, Eric Cedrone of Buffalo takes the prize for Most Dedicated Fan of Man in Towel with his arm tattoo of Bellini in said towel, voided area used to advantage.
posted by joeclark at 9:30 AM PST - 28 comments

X-Prize announced

The $10 Million X-Prize Competition for the best 100 MPG production-capable car has been announced, the winner is Edison 2 Very Light Car at 102.5 MPG.
posted by stbalbach at 9:01 AM PST - 42 comments

Massive La. Fishkill Prompts Oil Spill Questions

Low levels of oxygen lead to a river of dead fish stretching to the horizon, from shore to shore near Plaquemines, Louisiana
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 8:26 AM PST - 37 comments

“Loneliness is the most terrible poverty.”

Table For One.
posted by allkindsoftime at 7:43 AM PST - 191 comments

What Not to Wear in the Lineup

If you see someone walking towards you late at night, on a dark street, wearing a big NY on their cap, watch out. The New York times examines a link between Yankees clothing and criminal behavior. Mets fans say we told you so. Is there a link between Jay-Z, the Yankees and criminality? "Criminologists, sports marketing analysts, consumer psychologists and Yankees fans have developed their own theories, with some attributing the trend to the popularity of the caps among gangsta rappers and others wondering whether criminals are identifying with the team's aura of money, power and success."
posted by Xurando at 7:01 AM PST - 98 comments

Pack it in.

iBackpack Canada. Do you like backpacking? Do you like Canada? How about backpacking across Canada? iBackpack Canada is an independent travel guide for backpackers interested in traveling Canada on a budget. All kinds of helpful info: Top 7 Must-Have Foods for Camping Trips, 10 Ways to Die in Canada, The Ultimate Packing list for Backpacking Across Canada Via: Packwhiz.com, Top 5 Rivers for White Water Rafting in Canada, Backpack Toronto: Things to See and Do, and so much more.
posted by Fizz at 6:52 AM PST - 31 comments

"It was like I had become a psychiatric call boy."

The Secret Lives of Big Pharma's 'Thought Leaders' An article in the Chronicle details the love affair between Big Pharma and the academic doctors anointed as "Key Opinion Leaders"--arguing it's not about the money. There's been some push back at Harvard, after a recent embarrassing episode.
posted by availablelight at 5:49 AM PST - 19 comments

Being healthy, choose-your-own-adventure style!

Health Month is a game, currently in beta, that takes a "choose-your-own-adventure" approach to motivating you to improve your health. [more inside]
posted by Phire at 5:03 AM PST - 19 comments

Khmer Rouge Leaders Formally Indicted.

The four most senior surviving leaders of the Khmer Rouge have been formally indicted for genocide, and will stand trial next year. Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Ieng Thirith and Khieu Samphan had all previously surrendered to the government under amnesty deals. Senior goverment officials have refused to appear before the Cambodia Tribunal as witnesses, and the tribunals judges are split on whether they can be compelled.
posted by Ahab at 4:49 AM PST - 29 comments

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