December 13, 2019
Stephen A. Smith Is Never Satisfied
He's a giant of sports media. A self-made man who's overcome tremendous odds to become the biggest star at ESPN. But now that he's reached the top, where does Stephen A. Smith go from here? To find out, Drew Magary attempts to keep up with the take-master himself. [more inside]
Who gets remembered? Who gets paid?
Soraya Roberts recounts the complicated history and enduring legacy of the feminist blogosphere (2001-2009). [more inside]
The Infograhpic Strikes Back - Lightsaber Duels in the Star Wars Saga
"Reuters Graphics has taken a close look at the franchise's iconic weapon..."
The data is presented in a unique way - keep scrolling to see lots of neat tidbits. [more inside]
The people united will never be defeated.
El Pueblo Unido was written by Sergio Ortega and Quilapayún as for Salvador Allende's government. The song went on to become an anthem of resistance for Chileans in exile and opressed people the world over (wiki) .
Today, 7 weeks into what is being called a new Chilean Awakening, Inti Illimani sang the song in front of half a million people in la Plaza de la Dignidad (ex Plaza Italia) in downtown Santiago. [more inside]
“If you’re frightened of dying, and you’re holding on...
...you’ll see devils tearing your life away. But if you’ve made your peace, the devils are really angels, freeing you from the earth.“
RIP Danny Aiello, 86.
'the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken'
Ain't no big deal.
Dancing chimpanzees?
The first case of spontaneous whole-body entrainment between two chimpanzees could help reconstruct the proto-stages of hman dance [more inside]
What sounds or musical passages subconsciously trigger memories for you?
When you hear the old WGBH techno-electronica station intro, does your mind immediately start "singing" the Sesame Street theme? When a classic rock radio station plays ELO's "Fire on High" do you recall weekend afternoons watching a CBS Sports Spectacular? Does the whistled version of "The Colonel Bogey March" remind you of The Breakfast Club or the film The Bridge on the River Kwai? Does this trumpet fanfare remind you of ABC's Wide World of Sports and the "agony of defeat"skier Vinko Bogotaj?
The intricate, beautiful, and sometimes humorous temari of Fusako Aizawa
Fusako Aizawa started learning Temari in her 60s, later getting a diploma in the art, then teaching as a volunteer every Saturday. She made hundreds of them, each more intricate than the last, in vivid colours and elaborate geometric designs. Depending on the complexity of each piece, she could spend anywhere from two weeks to three months to complete them. [In April 2009,] On Fusako’s 88th birthday, her family put together an exhibition of her temari balls. [...] Her granddaughter – graphic artist NanaAkua – decided to individually photograph nearly 500 of her temari balls as a special gift to her. NanaAkua posted some photos to Flickr, but they weren't noticed much until 2013, when her grandmother's stunning work went viral (The Guardian). [more inside]
Rocket is Nowhere Near so Central as One Would Suppose
for grip and balance as it lives in the stalk zone of tall plants
Aw, you should see it from out here!
False Idol
Why the Christian Right Worships Donald Trump. Ex-evangelical journalist Alex Morris writes for Rolling Stone about the merging of American Christian conservatism with the militant white nationalism that animates Trump's base. It's also a deeply personal essay in which she describes her own journey away from that militancy while her family embraces it. (CW: Lots of quotes from anti-LGBT and anti-abortion people about how much they hate those things)
Never, Ever, Ever, Ever Sell the Rights
Impeaching Racist Mofos is a Good Thing
Novelist, poet, and journalist Michael Harriot posts a twitter thread on the impeachment of Andrew Johnson [threadreader] which shows how dangerous it is to have a racist in the white house and how Lincoln's most serious error may have been his attempt to compromise with racists by selecting Johnson as VP.
(n.b., while Johnson was successfully impeached, the Senate failed to convict him)
The Age Of The Instagram Face
It's a young face, of course, with poreless skin and plump, high cheekbones. It has catlike eyes and long, cartoonish lashes; it has a small, neat nose and full, lush lips. It looks at you coyly but blankly, as if its owner has taken half a Klonopin and is considering asking you for a private-jet ride to Coachella. [more inside]
On the 13th day of Fishmas my true love gave to me...
...Lepomus cyanellus. Three years ago, Notre Dame PhD candidate Katie O'Reilly (@DrKatfish on Twitter) spawned a celebration called #25DaysofFishmas. Now an annual tradition, it celebrates the aquatic diversity of the Great Lakes and points beyond. For invertebrate aficionados there's also a #25DaysofCrustmas.
The Power of the Earth
The use of geothermal heating goes back thousands of years, with bathing culture built around the latent energy from the earth. However, the history of the ground source heat pump is far more recent. [more inside]
“...he had all these followers—all these big businessmen”
“ For many, Modi’s reëlection suggested that he had uncovered a terrible secret at the heart of Indian society: by deploying vicious sectarian rhetoric, the country’s leader could persuade Hindus to give him nearly unchecked power. In the following months, Modi’s government introduced a series of extraordinary initiatives meant to solidify Hindu dominance. The most notable of them, along with revoking the special status of Kashmir, was a measure designed to strip citizenship from as many as two million residents of the state of Assam, many of whom had crossed the border from the Muslim nation of Bangladesh decades before. In September, the government began constructing detention centers for residents who had become illegal overnight.” Blood and Soil in Narendra Modi’s India (New Yorker) Hindu Nationalism with Achin Vanaik (The Dig Radio)
Electric Bugaloo
It’s a big, black box. █ And it will play video games.
Meet Microsoft's PC-like Xbox Series X [Engadget] “Last night, The Game Awards was a showcase for industry stars and served as an unveiling for Microsoft's next Xbox... box. [...] Previously known as Project Scarlett, the next-generation Xbox resembles a PC tower, and it arrives holidays 2020. Xbox chief Phil Spencer wrote in a blog post that the Series X design allows Microsoft to pack in four times the processing power of Xbox One X "in the most quiet and efficient way." It's said to be no louder than an Xbox One X, helped by a single fan that pushes air through the top. Microsoft says the Xbox Series X can handle 4K visuals at 60 frames per second, and potentially up to 120 fps. The console will also offer hardware-accelerated ray tracing and variable refresh rate, along with 8K capability. It's compatible with software going back to the original Xbox and will work with Xbox One controllers.” [YouTube][Reveal Trailer] [more inside]
The Fall of the City
'The city of masterless men will take a master. There will be shouting then: Blood after!' The Fall of the City by Archibald MacLeish is the first American verse play written for radio.
The 30-minute radio play was first broadcast April 11, 1937, at 7 p.m. ET over the Columbia Broadcasting System (today CBS) as part of the Columbia Workshop radio series. The cast featured Orson Welles and Burgess Meredith. Music was composed and directed by Bernard Herrmann. It is an allegory on the rise of Fascism
How to play
Games have always been a part of human culture. Alone or in groups we play games to amuse ourselves, pass the time and even meet new people. Game designer Holly Gramazio invites you to turn your mind to play whether you're at work, on a train, in a museum, or even drunk. Each article is packed with ideas for games to play, wherever you are. [more inside]
The Call is Coming from Inside the House
Refinitiv deployed filter to block Reuters reports as Hong Kong protests raged. Under pressure from the Chinese government, the financial information provider that distributes Reuters news to investors has blocked over 200 stories on the mainland that could paint Beijing in a negative light. The censorship began earlier this year after Refinitiv feared its China operation would be suspended.
Refinitiv and Thomson Reuters remain close: Reuters sells news to Eikon, and Thomson Reuters retains a 45% stake in Refinitiv. Refinitiv is by far Reuters’ largest client, providing nearly half its revenue.
Refinitiv and Thomson Reuters remain close: Reuters sells news to Eikon, and Thomson Reuters retains a 45% stake in Refinitiv. Refinitiv is by far Reuters’ largest client, providing nearly half its revenue.
I was always working steady / But I never called it art
I was always working steady
But I never called it art
I got my shit together
Meeting Christ and reading Marx
It failed my little fire
But it’s bright the dying spark
Go tell the young messiah
What happens to the heart
But I never called it art
I got my shit together
Meeting Christ and reading Marx
It failed my little fire
But it’s bright the dying spark
Go tell the young messiah
What happens to the heart
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