August 18, 2018

Let's talk about talking

Small talk is dreadfully boring. Let's jump right into the truly interesting parts of the new people we meet. Small talk is wonderfully interesting. Let's take a moment and appreciate the joys of lightweight conversation. [more inside]
posted by perplexion at 10:17 PM PST - 149 comments

There is no inherent limit in the destructive power that may be attained

Edward Teller and the 10 gigaton bomb.
posted by Chrysostom at 7:34 PM PST - 54 comments

Dearly beloved

23 Prince Albums, New Anthology Come to Streaming Services [Rolling Stone] [Pepsi Blue Purple] “Until now, a limited slice of Prince’s catalog was available on most streaming services. Luckily, that slice included his indispensable Eighties LPs like Dirty Mind, Purple Rain and Sign o’ the Times. But on streaming services, the latter half of Prince’s career effectively disappeared. That started to change in June, when Prince’s estate reached a deal with Sony to acquire the distribution rights to 35 of the singer’s albums. 23 of those titles are now available on services like Apple Music and Spotify, including several LPs stocked with late-period Prince gems like Crystal Ball (“So Dark”), Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic (“Man o’ War”), Musicology (“Call My Name”), Planet Earth (“Chelsea Rodgers”), 20Ten (“Sticky Like Glue”) and more.”
posted by Fizz at 7:17 PM PST - 19 comments

Replace shareholder-value capitalism with stakeholder capitalism

Elizabeth Warren has a plan to save capitalism - "She's unveiling a bill to make corporate governance great again." (via) [more inside]
posted by kliuless at 5:38 PM PST - 72 comments

"I’m a serial educator"

"A physicist-turned-farmer left L.A. for a mountain getaway. You can visit for goat cheese and cajeta." A mile high in the San Gabriels, on the far northern edge of the Angeles National Forest — about 1,000 square miles of looming mountains that fill the horizon northeast of downtown Los Angeles — a herd of Nubian goats forages amid the chaparral. It’s a small herd, as herds go, about 60 goats rustling through sagebrush and desert almond, buckwheat and scrub oak trees. Gloria Putnam is the goatherd of this motley tribe, and she walks among them, picking mistletoe tangled in an oak to feed the matriarch of the herd, an 11-year-old named Rosie. Piñon Ridge rises above them, bandaged with clouds. A trim red barn in the distance is the only spot of color.
posted by Celsius1414 at 3:48 PM PST - 11 comments

Re: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert in conversation with Sopan Deb of The New York Times. Previous TimesTalks.
posted by growabrain at 2:28 PM PST - 3 comments

100 Favorite Horror Stories - NPR Reader's Poll Summer 2018

A solid list. The list takes in some of the early entries in the popular sub-genres (zombies, werewolves, vampires) but also includes cosmic horror, short story collections and others.
posted by Werod at 2:24 PM PST - 35 comments

Oh hivemiiiiiiind!

On this day three years ago, webcomic author Ryan North and his dog got stuck in a hole. (previously)
posted by queen anne's remorse at 2:24 PM PST - 14 comments

Pete Tong's History of House, a look at classic dance hits

Pete Tong looks back at classic dance hits with from decades past with History of House, talking with the musicians behind those timeless tracks. There are currently 12 segments online: Kings of Tomorrow - "Finally" ֍ The Shapeshifters - "Lola's Theme" ֍ Inner City - "Good Life" ֍ Josh Wink - "Higher State of Consciousness" ֍ Roger Sanchez - "Another Chance" ֍ David Morales - "Needin' U"* ֍ Reel 2 Real - "I Like To Move It" ֍ Mylo - "Drop the Pressure" ֍ MJ Cole - "Sincere" ֍ Felix Da Housecat - "Silver Screen (Shower Scene)" ֍ Candi Staton - "You Got The Love"* ֍ Ultra Naté - "Free" ֍ Bonus links inside [more inside]
posted by filthy light thief at 1:44 PM PST - 12 comments

Moderation is the Commodity

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) filed a discrimination complaint against Facebook today for letting landlords target protected attributes for ads on the Facebook platform. Should we let Facebook slide by on this one? Tarleton Gillespie wants us to take a closer look at what we're really expecting out of platforms. His thesis: by letting platforms turn moderation into a commodity, we've let that conversation shift away from duties and responsibilities. [more inside]
posted by redct at 12:49 PM PST - 16 comments

If given the opportunity, I just go kick ass.

There’s something fascinating about an actress who has made her name not through sex appeal, but the way she moves, punches, and scorpion kicks. Hollywood rarely allows women to be powerful like this. To be taken seriously, they must be EMOTIONAL and FRAGILE. Instead, Michelle Yeoh is STRONG and PLACID and GOOD AT BEATING PEOPLE UP. Michelle Lhooq interviewed Michelle Yeoh for GQ.
posted by ChuraChura at 11:51 AM PST - 16 comments

To the artist there is never anything ugly in nature.

3D character artist Miguel Vasquez brings fairly innocuous-looking cartoon characters into disturbing 3D "life," like he did with Homer Simpson, here. (SLBoingBoing)
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 11:35 AM PST - 5 comments

Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been A Member Of The Communist Party?

In the 1930s and 40s, jazz pianist Hazel Scott was a child prodigy, the star of Cafe’ Society, a fighter for civil rights, Hollywood strike leader, and the first African-American woman to solo host her own TV show. So what ever happened to The Queen of Jazz?
posted by The Whelk at 9:51 AM PST - 5 comments

Wanna see a magic trick?

Harvard's James Mickens (previously) recently gave the keynote address at the 27th USENIX Security Symposium. The title? Q: Why Do Keynote Speakers Keep Suggesting That Improving Security Is Possible? A: Because Keynote Speakers Make Bad Life Decisions and Are Poor Role Models [more inside]
posted by Cash4Lead at 8:34 AM PST - 13 comments

Lick the Rock! Lick it!

Geoscientist Mika McKinnon felt hurt by the viral tweet mocking rock licking for science, so she explained (threadreader) why you might lick rocks, noted which rocks will kill you, and judged pop culture rock-licking technique. Bonus Last Jedi content (threadreader).
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 8:25 AM PST - 20 comments

We Got Some Work To Do Now

Scooby Dos and Scooby Don'ts is a podcast that aims to review every single episode, special, movie and other narrative-based product in the Scooby Doo franchise (including stat counts and property damage tallies). Currently, they're up to the chaotic and nostalgic 'wilderness years' of the 90's and early 00's, but still have many movies/special and four (going on five) entire TV series to go, and plan to pick up the podcast whenever new media is released thereafter.
posted by BiggerJ at 2:11 AM PST - 22 comments

« Previous day | Next day »