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In the 1960s, Pepsi rebranded with a new slogan, a new look, and a cutting edge modernist building. When the Pepsi Headquarters was built in 1960, the 13-story building at the corner of Park Avenue and 59th Street exemplified the International Style in America. Moreover, it pushed the limits of what was technically possible; its nine-feet-high by thirteen-feet-long glass panes were the largest that could be created and only a half-inch thick. (Part 1) Employee morale rose but architecture critics were repulsed upon the opening of the company’s new campus in Purchase, New York. (Part 2)
posted by geoff. at 7:33 PM PST - 24 comments

The Spiffing Brit ran a gigantic marble run (in Marble World, digital not physical) with 400 marbles and did play-by-play, and it is gripping. If you enjoy such things and have 32 minutes to watch round things rolling down ramps, then this is for you! Bonus: the unpaid intern shows his construction process! [13m]
posted by hippybear at 2:57 PM PST - 8 comments

Delayed a year because of Covid, Ireland will be enumerating the people tonight with a Census form [PDF]. It usually happens every 5 years and is substantively the same each go-round - so that comparisons can be more easily made. For the first time, households are being offered the option to send a message to the future; all of which will be sealed for 100 years. These Time Capsules are anything that can be written / drawn in a rectangle 17cm x 12.5cm. [more inside]
posted by BobTheScientist at 11:48 AM PST - 15 comments

A powerful phenomenon that you may or may not be taking advantage of: the calf muscle pump. Time spent not using your calf pumps is time the heart muscle has to go it alone, which it’s not well-equipped to do. An illustrated valentine from Katy Bowman of Nutritious Movement, author and host of the Move Your DNA podcast (with transcripts!)
posted by spamandkimchi at 9:43 AM PST - 22 comments

During Samantha Stevens’ seven-plus years as Michigan State’s director of licensing, tens of thousands of designs and renderings for Spartans souvenirs crossed her desk, seeking the stamp of approval. Within this pile of prospective products, Stevens vividly recalls a submission last year by FOCO, the licensed fan goods manufacturer, for an MSU-anointed “Man Cave” sign. Specifically, she recalled it as being “outdated” and “creepy.”
posted by Etrigan at 9:28 AM PST - 33 comments

@depthsofwikipedia. Background: Annie Rauwerda on the NYT. [more inside]
posted by storybored at 8:13 AM PST - 19 comments

Is it safe to walk downstairs backwards if I close my eyes? That depends. Do you have a TV? [more inside]
posted by clawsoon at 7:13 AM PST - 25 comments

The idea is pretty simple: on April Fools' Day (also known as “April 1st”), a participant produces genuine content that's very different from their normal produced content. It could be a different format, a different topic, a different style, anything. The constraints are:

1. It is something they normally wouldn't do.
2. It is totally genuine: no irony to it.
3. It is up to their usual standards of quality.

posted by kmt at 6:07 AM PST - 6 comments

Groucho Marx reads at T.S. Eliots funeral. (YT/Audio) [more inside]
posted by clavdivs at 12:02 AM PST - 10 comments