September 20, 2011
Samuel L. Ipsum
Full Tilt Ponzi
U.S. Alleges Full Tilt Poker was Ponzi Scheme. The Justice Department has filed suite against popular online poker site Full Tilt Poker, asserting that money players believed to be stored in their accounts was actually diverted to the site's owners, with money from new players being used to pay off bets when necessary. Reaction from the poker community when the site was first shut down in April. Reaction now. Always good for a contrarian spin, Deadspin says the Ponzi scheme is really all the Justice Department's fault.
Carbonara
Pasta alla carbonara (usually spaghetti, but also fettuccine, rigatoni or bucatini) is an Italian pasta dish based on eggs, cheese (pecorino or parmesan), bacon (guanciale or pancetta), and black pepper. [more inside]
Cheap Internet for Low-Income American Familes
"Internet Essentials" is a $10/month internet plan available to any family with one child eligible for free lunches at American public schools. [more inside]
If we've got any surprises for each other, I don't think either one of us is in much shape to... Holy crap! Tentacle attack!
From the start of Bill Lancaster writing the original script to the final edited cut of the film, The Thing underwent some serious changes. A lot of footage ended up littering the cutting room floor. The Collector's Edition DVD gives us a look at some of the Outtakes and Deleted Scenes, but it falls shy of showing us what really was cut. - Deleted Scenes from The Thing and other assorted goodies at Outpost 31.
There is also a prequel of some kind.
There is also a prequel of some kind.
A Modest Call to Action
Occupy Wall Street is an event comprised of anti-corporate non-violent protests that are being promoted by a range of groups including the AdbustersMedia Foundation and a New York City group called General Assembly. Months ago a plea was put out to diverse political and activist groups urging them to descend on Wall Street on September 17th and take part in long-term occupation of the area in the spirit of the Arab Spring rebellions. [more inside]
Crayons under the spectrophotometer
Starting with a fresh box of twenty-four Crayola crayons I measured each with an i1 pro spectrophotometer to create a set of spectral power distributions (SPD) of the reflected light.
$2 a Word? Chump Change!
Byliner and The Atavist might be heralding a change in how and how much longform article authors are paid.
Emotional Bag Check
Found via this comment by Concordia on this AskMe, I want to give a wider welcome to Emotional Bag Check - a site that pairs up those having a tough time, with those who are inclined to lend an ear - with the additional feature that with each piece of advice comes a song chosen by the advice-giver.
repl.it
repl.it is an online environment for interactively exploring programming languages. Supported languages.
Too Many Dicks
Too Many Dicks on The Daily Show. Two of my favorite things together at last. (YT)
"Okay smarty, you've had your party but never again.""
This interview with Maurice Sendak on NPR is worth a listen. Sendak has just published his first book in 30 years. Bumble-ardy was written while his partner was dying in order, he says, "to save myself". be sure to hang in until the end of the interview, have some tissue handy.
Reamde by Neal Stephenson has been released
Reamde - Neal Stephenson's much anticipated book, has just been released. Perhaps you can ask Neal questions at one of his book-signings. I know I've got some questions about Bitcoin and what he thinks of his 1995 predictions now with the latest happenings over at Mt Gox. :)
Hank 3 x 4: Country, Cajun, Cattle-Core, and Doom Rock
Hank Williams III has had a rocky relationship with his label, Curb Records, from the beginning, when his first album with them was an album with his grandfather and father, "thanks to the wonders of 21st century digital overdubbing." A decade and a half later, Hank 3 was free from Curb Records, though the label snuck out one last album, even though the contract was over. It was actually an old album from a decidedly non-country style, but that didn't stop Curb from offering it as a Hank III album at a fire-sale discount, ensuring Billboard Country charting. That was in June of this year. Jump ahead to September: Hank 3 released three albums over four CDs, spanning his broad musical styles and beyond. CD1: country (of sorts); CD2: haunted ambient soundtrack and Cajun-tinted country, with guests (like Tom Waits); CD3: cattle-core; CD4: doom rock.
Photos and video of Mongolian nomads
mongolia! This summer, a pair of teenage photographers visited Mongolia and took Polaroids of Mongolian nomads, for the nomads to keep. This video shows them with their snapshots. [more inside]
Chile on strike
The ongoing student demonstrations in Chile began as a protest over the costs, profits, and fairness of higher education there. They have since attracted other segments of Chilean society venting frustration over wages, health care, and other issues. Uniting the protesters is common dissatisfaction with hugely unpopular President Sebastian Pinera and social inequality...
Troy Davis execution imminent
In 1991, Troy Davis was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1989 murder of policeman Mark MacPhail in a Savannah, Georgia parking lot. Since then, seven of the nine prosecution eyewitnesses have recanted all or part of their testimony, with some citing pressure from the police to make false statements. An exception is Sylvester "Redd" Coles, who made the initial report of Davis’s guilt, and is regarded by the defense as the chief suspect. New witnesses have sworn affidavits that Coles confessed the crime to them. An array of figures have called for a stay of execution, including death-penalty supporters Senator Bob Barr and former FBI director William S. Sessions. Today, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles denied clemency; barring action from the District Attorney, Davis is set to be executed by lethal injection tomorrow at 7pm. [Previously]
Didn't win? There's always next year...
The 2011 MacArthur “Genius" Fellowships have been announced ('07, '08, '09, '10 on the Blue). Among the recipients is Chicago-based architect Jeanne Gang. The 82-story Aqua Tower is her first skyscraper, and stands as the tallest building in the world designed by a woman.
"You know, a lot of architects get into fetishized objects,” she said to me. “But when you can design anything you want without actually having to make it, you do wild things that can’t work. And that’s not what I want to do.”
"You know, a lot of architects get into fetishized objects,” she said to me. “But when you can design anything you want without actually having to make it, you do wild things that can’t work. And that’s not what I want to do.”
Sequoyah says, "ᎣᏏᏲ!"
Every child had a pretty good shot To get at least as far as their old man got.
"I never felt like passing out in a warehouse and I never felt treated like a piece of crap in any other warehouse but this one," Goris said. "They can do that because there aren't any jobs in the area."The Allentown newspaper The Morning Call investigates life inside of one of Amazon's newest warehouses. [more inside]
An unusual place for a polemicist.
There is no right answer.
Damned if we do impose sanctions on Syria. And damned if we don't.
Foreign companies are enriching Assad's brutal regime – but even the Syrian people are divided on the issue of sanctions.
This piece was written by George Monbiot after he had publicly asked for feedback What do you think – should we impose sanctions on Syria?
The moral line is unclear, but I'm writing a column next week about this issue and would appreciate some of your input.
Useful background : Geopolitics of the 2011 Syrian Uprising. Some voices from the street. (Previous 1; 2; 3; 4 ).
Damned if we do impose sanctions on Syria. And damned if we don't.
Foreign companies are enriching Assad's brutal regime – but even the Syrian people are divided on the issue of sanctions.
This piece was written by George Monbiot after he had publicly asked for feedback What do you think – should we impose sanctions on Syria?
The moral line is unclear, but I'm writing a column next week about this issue and would appreciate some of your input.
Useful background : Geopolitics of the 2011 Syrian Uprising. Some voices from the street. (Previous 1; 2; 3; 4 ).
Tales for Little Rebels
Was your favorite childhood book written by a radical lefty? Scholars reveal the socialist history of 20th century American children's literature. Discover the myriad connections between midcentury American socialism and Crockett Johnson (Harold and the Purple Crayon), Syd Hoff (Danny and the Dinosaur), and the authors of many of the Little Golden Books and I Can Read Books.
"In reading just one article, you and your child will have bolstered important literacy skills that will help them every day of their lives."
Teaching Kids News Timely, relevant news articles for kids, educators in the classroom and parents at home. How to Use This Site: On TKN you’ll find original news articles on topics that are timely, relevant and intriguing. They are written for an elementary and intermediate school audience (grades 2-8) and can be used easily by kids, parents, and teachers.
The Nocebo Effect
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