MetaFilter posts tagged with podcast and video

if the shoe fits

flex — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 15:36:40 -0800

You can accurately judge a person just by looking at their shoes, psychologists say. "Researchers at the University of Kansas found that people were able to correctly judge a stranger's age, gender, income, political affiliation, emotional and other important personality traits just by looking at the person's shoes." Virginia Postrel responded: "The study made a solid contribution to research on first impressions, but it was hardly earthshaking. By getting so much attention, however, it demonstrated a sociological truth: People love to talk about shoes. Even those who dismissed the research as silly often felt compelled to call radio stations or comment on websites, providing details about their own choices. Why this fascination with footwear? " Toronto's Bata Shoe Museum has online exhibitions and a Shoe of the Month Podcast. If The Shoe Fits: Footwear, Identity and Transition is an ongoing project at the University of Sheffield (papers, reviews and work-in-progress) *If The Shoe Fits: Footwear, Gender and Identity (draft of paper, PDF file) *Who do you think you are? (on trainers/sneakers) (draft of paper, PDF file) Russell Belk: Shoes and Self "ABSTRACT - Based on questionnaires, observations, and interviews in 1990 and 2000, it is clear that to most Americans, their footwear is an extension and expression of themselves. The study finds strong gender differences, with women being more alert to the symbolic implications of shoes than men. Shoes affect our perceptions of others and our perceptions of self, including our passage into adulthood. Among the magical transformations we attribute to shoes is their ability to supercharge our athletic performance. Not only is footwear an extension of self, it also acts as a repository of memory and meaning in our lives." five excerpts from Women From the Ankle Down: The Story of Shoes and How They Define Us by Rachelle Bergstein *How Ferragamo’s Arch Remade the Shoe Industry *The Greatest Generation Was Robbed of Sexy Footwear *Wrapping Stilettos in Foot-Binding Debate *Smart Girls Wear Flats, Leave Heels Behind *Feel for Heel Allowed Women to Do Boardroom Deal *Marketplace Money audio interview with Bergstein (~5 min.) *Shoes: A History, a ~5 min. video with Giorgio Riello (author of Shoes: A History from Sandals to Sneakers) *Footprints from History: Giorgio Riello and Peter McNeil find shoes a fascinating key to social mores, and discuss what choice and design of footwear can tell us about morality, mobility and sexuality in Europe over the centuries. Shoes Can Help "Heel" Your Body Image Problems Linda Grant in the Guardian: Real women wear flat shoes Sole Mate: Christian Louboutin and the psychology of shoes

To Louboutin, shoes are like books, or workouts: if they don’t demand anything of you, you’re not going to get a lot out of them. Wearing gorgeous shoes is a form of self-enrichment. “The shoe is very much an X-ray of social comportment,” he said. Selling shoes at his first boutique, Louboutin became a keen student of consumer behavior. He noticed that Japanese women tended toward ankle boots, that most American women had pedicures, and that most French women didn’t (“When I started, sandals were not a possibility for the French”). Whatever their nationality, Louboutin’s customers enacted the same ritual upon trying on a pair of shoes. “When a woman buys a pair of shoes, she never looks at the shoe,” Louboutin said. “She stands up and looks in the mirror, she looks at the breast, the ass, from the front, from the side, blah blah blah. If she likes herself, then she considers the shoe.” Fortunately for Louboutin, women like themselves in designer shoes more than they like themselves in many other pieces of designer clothing. “The foot has this lucky thing,” Louboutin said. “A lot of women don’t like when they’re sort of fat, but a fat foot is as beautiful as a skinny foot. Think of Greek statues. Look how many people love the foot of the baby! There is something super-charming about the baby foot.” Louboutin considers his shoes as a sort of man-bait: men like high heels, and women like being liked by men. “It’s not like we’re designing an object,” Hugo Marchand told me. “Christian will never do shoes that don’t give an advantage to his customers.” Louboutin recalled, “One man said to me, ‘I have never looked at shoes before,’ and it was a huge compliment.” He went on, “I would hate to be in a position of a person that does things that repulse the guy.” At this, I mentioned a fur boot that Louboutin made, with a cleft for each toe, so that the foot looked like a lion’s paw. I doubted that many men would find it as amusing as I did. Louboutin looked apologetic. “Yes,” he said. “That is for a woman who is alone.”

The Israeli Bank Robber Who Can Record Your Dreams

zarq — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 12:40:23 -0800

"The moral of the story is: if someone asks you to rob a bank, say 'yes.'" (Via) So.. this is really two posts in one. I wrote what follows first, then in searching for additional information about Dr. Cerf, found the bank robbery video on jwz. Think of it as a bonus for clicking [More Inside.] :) "On October 26, 2010, Dr. Moran Cerf was a UCLA neuroscience researcher whose project, on the connections between single nerve cells and specific thoughts, had just been written up in the journal Nature. Affirmation. Life was good. For a few hours. Then he made a verbal slip in an interview with the BBC and, before long a "dream recording machine," not of Dr. Cerf's making but bearing his name, had come humming to life and was careening across continents by way of Internet news sites and blogs." What is it like to try and subdue a science fiction monster as it threatens to devour years of serious research? Dr. Cerf was interviewed by Collider and KCRW's Unfictional. The project was covered on MeFi at the end of October. (No dream recording machine reference in sight.)

Chrontendo plus

JHarris — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 02:39:00 -0800

Chrontendo is a video podcast in which a guy systematically described and discusses every Famicom/NES game released. Currently up to 33 episodes and counting, and covering hundreds of games. Chrontendo was posted to Metafilter back in June. (Thanks, griphus!) Chrontendo has updated since then. Another post about similar projects was made in September. This FPP adds a handy index of episodes by month, well-known games covered, and special features. This post made by permission of jessamyn. I know a lot about video games, but Doctor Sparkle knows a lot more than I do. Hearing him talk, I rage at the screen far less than I do many other video game articles and podcasts. I mean, he knows enough to like Deadly Towers! So far he's up to 33 episodes, with only blatteen kabillion left to go. Here is that index: Episode 1, July 1983-June 1984: Donkey Kong, Mario Bros. Episode 2, July-December 1984: Xevious, Lode Runner, Excitebike Episode 3, January-May 1985: Galaga, Kung Fu Episode 4, June-August 1985: Star Force, Tower of Druaga Episode 5, August-November 1985: Super Mario Bros., Battle City, Pac-Land Episode 6, November-December 1985: Lunar Pool, Karateka, Portopia Renzoku Satsujin Jiken, Bokosuka Wars Episode 7, December 1985-March 1986: The Legend of Zelda, The Goonies, Twinbee, Bomberman Episode 8, April-June 1986: Super Mario Bros. 2 ("Lost Levels"), Dragon Quest, Spy vs. Spy, Gradius, Mighty Bomb Jack Episode 9, June-August 1986: Metroid, Solomon's Key, Star Soldier Episode 10, August-September 1986: Sky Kid, Takahashi Meijin no Bouken Jima (Hudson's Adventure Island) Episode 11, September-November 1986: Castlevania, Pro Wrestling, Super Star Force Episode 12, November-December 1986: Zanac, Moero Twinbee Episode 13, December 1986: RBI Baseball, King Kong 2: Ikari no Megaton Punch, Deadly Towers, Takeshi no Chousenjou Episode 14, December 1986-January 1987: Kid Icarus, Zelda 2 Episode 15, January-March 1987: Dragon Quest II, Eggerland Episode 16, March-April 1987: Rush'n Attack, Otocky, Goonies II. Bonus: Summary of video gaming years 1984-1987 Episode 17, April-May 1987: Rygar, Ai Senshi Nicol, Renegade. Bonus: History of beat-em-ups Episode 18, May-June 1987 : Section Z, Pro Golfer Saru - Kage no Tournament, Meikyuu Jiin Dababa, Athena Episode 19, June-July 1987: Getsufuu Maden, Woody Poco. Bonus: Early history of Nintendo Power Episode 20, July-August 1987: Doki Doki Panic (Super Mario Bros 2), Double Dribble, Legacy of the Wizard. Bonus: History of Rare Episode 21, August 1987: Castlevania II, Maze of Galious, Robowarrior, Air Fortress Episode 22, August-September 1987: Magic of Scheherazade, Life Force, Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei. Bonus: Computer games of 1987 Episode 23, October 1987: Ultima III, Falsion, Kid Niki. Bonus: History of Irem Episode 24, November 1987: Punch-Out!!, Faxanadu, Bubble Bobble, Romancia Episode 25, December 1987: Dragon Scroll: Yomigaerishi Maryuu, Star Wars (Namco version), Top Gun Episode 26, December 1987, continued: Mega Man, Final Fantasy, Karnov, Wizardry I Episide 27, January 1988: Metal Gear, Ice Hockey, Konami Wai Wai World, Ripple Island, Wizards & Warriors Episode 28, January-Feburary 1988: Dragon Quest III, Contra, The Guardian Legend, Gun.Smoke, Donald Land (as in, Ronald McDonald) Episode 29, March 1988: Nobunaga's Ambition, R.C. Pro-Am, Golgo 13. Bonus: History of Taito Episode 30, March-April 1988: Double Dragon, Battle of Olympus, Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa Episode 31, April-May 1988: Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom, Jackal. Bonus: History of adventure games, part 1 Episode 32, May-July 1988: Blaster Master, Cosmo Police Galivan. Bonus: History of adventure games, part 2 Episode 33, July 1988: Bionic Commando, Blades of Steel, Rainbow Islands, Quest of Ki

Driving this road until death sets you free

P.o.B. — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 07:58:34 -0800

An homage to the director and soundtrack composer John Carpenter: ZOMBIE ZOMBIE "Directed by Simon Gesrel and Xavier Ehretsmann thanks to their favourite toys... the GI Joes !" A podcast interview with the directors. Band's Myspace page (in French). Alternate DailyMotion vid.

Squigglebooth is a playground for videobloggers

cortex — Fri, 25 May 2007 08:16:17 -0800

SquiggleBooth : a charming collaborative videoblog, from our own Ajit AP. [via Projects]

TED talks, give it a listen.

sixacross — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 04:23:59 -0800

TED talks is a collection of presentations given at the most recent installment of the annual convention of leading technologists, entertainers, and designers (prev iously). From the $100 laptop to the eradication of smallpoxto new ways of visualizing data and a charming and humorous look at education, there's a lot to chew on and more to come. Inspired yet? here's some more reading material. via

After all, it's the wave of the future, wave of the future, wave of the future, ...

kliuless — Mon, 23 May 2005 04:17:45 -0800

Steven Levy and Mark Pesce on the future of television. Oh and Conan O'brien! :D [via]