February 16, 2013
Old Town Warsaw
#32, You made it back
Oggi Sono Io
Alex Britti's 'Oggi sono io' covered by Italian pop star Mina, who recorded it in one take. An English translation of the lyrics.
Genderbending, Nerdery, and Armorsmithing, Oh My
Having previously written an article titled "Don't Dress as Slave Leia" and then, a rather more nuanced rehash in which he explored why telling people not to dress as Slave Leia is not itself free from problems, Ryan (of Mad Art Lab) has decided that, actually, he's going to dress as Slave Leia this con season; or, rather, Slave Leo.
Study Predicts Political Beliefs With 83 Percent Accuracy
New research, published yesterday in the journal PLOS ONE, suggests what mom and dad think isn’t the endgame when it comes to shaping a person’s political identity. Ideological differences between partisans may reflect distinct neural processes, and they can predict who’s right and who’s left of center with 82.9 percent accuracy.
Elizabeth Warren grills banking regulators on trials for big banks
Elizabeth Warren, in her new role as a member of the Senate banking committee, asks banking regulators: when did you last take a big Wall St bank to trial? (SLYT)
Anatomy of a Heroin Ring
What turned out to be most notable about the operation, though, was how typical it was. (Chicago Reader, via longform.org)
We Buy White Albums
We Buy White Albums is a New York record store dealing exclusively in first pressings of the Beatles' self titled 1968 double album (aka the White Album). The store is actually an art installation from Rutherford Chang. The inventory is growing (currently over 700 copies), with vinyl condition ranging from very good to scratched, warped, and graffitied, all filed by serial number. Each copy is being digitized and photographed with plans to press a new double-LP made from all the recordings layered upon each other and a composite cover of all of the photos. Vinyl collector site Dust and Grooves has an interview with Chang and a lot of pictures of the "store" and individual copies.
A Wild Cat x A Domestic Cat = A Hybrid Cat
A Serval x Domestic Cat = Savannah Cat
Where F=generations from wild. F1 through F3 are not recommended as pets. F4 are considered loyal and well-behaved, like dogs.
An Asian Leopard Cat x A Domestic Cat = A Bengal Cat
Named after the Leopard Cat’s species, P. bengalensis, not the distant Tiger relative
A Bengal Cat x Oriental Shorthair = A Serengeti Cat
Looks like a small Serval, but no Serval bloodline, fully domesticated. See also the Toyger and the Cheetoh [more inside]
Where F=generations from wild. F1 through F3 are not recommended as pets. F4 are considered loyal and well-behaved, like dogs.
An Asian Leopard Cat x A Domestic Cat = A Bengal Cat
Named after the Leopard Cat’s species, P. bengalensis, not the distant Tiger relative
A Bengal Cat x Oriental Shorthair = A Serengeti Cat
Looks like a small Serval, but no Serval bloodline, fully domesticated. See also the Toyger and the Cheetoh [more inside]
Why IS The Pepsi Blue?
From the Beatles' White Album to the Pink Panther's Fiberglass, Richard Branson's rebellious red to the Queen's posh purple, CBC's Under The Influence takes a look at How Colours Make Us Buy.
Embrace the Troll
Ian McEwan's Uneasy Relationship With Fiction
Downton Sixby
Genius livin' reckless
In 2011, the cast of beloved and short-lived sitcom Better Off Ted reunited for Malcolm Barrett's (a.k.a. Verbal) music video "Revenge of the Nerds."
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This week, the famed singer and performer Julia Pastrana was laid to rest near her birthplace in Sinaloa, Mexico.
Julia Pastrana died in 1860. Her husband had embalmed her body and exhibited it in a touring display for many years afterward, together with the remains of their infant son. [more inside]
Julia Pastrana died in 1860. Her husband had embalmed her body and exhibited it in a touring display for many years afterward, together with the remains of their infant son. [more inside]
Nollywood Worldwide: streaming Nigerian films
The Nigerian film industry known as Nollywood started humbly about 20 years ago. Nollywood movies were shot as cheaply and as quickly as possible, then released straight to VHS. The majority of Nollywood films are still sold offline, in outdoor markets from wheelbarrows or by the roadside from street vendors. In the early 2000s, Nollywood distribution shifted from VHS to discs — and now, the movies are also beginning to stream online. iROKO, one of the first companies to take Nigerian films online, is carefully tracking the viewing patterns of its growing audience. While Nigerian internet access is often subpar, streaming services are catering to the international diaspora. iROKOtv is a hub for streaming movies, with plenty of free movies alongside movies available as part of monthly membership. Their website grew out of their YouTube channel, which had over 400 movies online in 2011, though recently they are mainly posting trailers. If you're not sure which movies to see, Nollywood Forever has plenty of reviews, and Nollywood.com has a ton of African movie trailers.
The Flute was Blowing Smoke Rings
As a connoisseur of body parts...
The Plastinarium of Dr. von Hagens - A view into the world of plastic corpses.
Turning all your joy to pain, in pursuit of learning.
"It’s even worse than I thought."
Can the Republicans Be Saved From Obsolescence? (NYT)
How to Save the Republican Party (Commentary Magazine)
How to Save the Republican Party (Commentary Magazine)
365 Days of the Black Hero
Last year, freelance cartoonist and illustrator Wardell "War" Brown drew a daily sketch of a different Black hero, both fictional and real life, starting with Storm and ending with Muhammad Ali. For those clever clogs who'd now like to point out 2012 was a leap year, he got you covered.
What, Me Worry?
In 1959 Fred Astaire hired renowned makeup artist John Chambers to work on his television special, Another Evening with Fred Astaire. The assignment? Turn Fred Astaire into Alfred E. Neuman. The results were predictably strange. [more inside]
The Resurrection of Kevin Rudd
The plot is thickening in the lead-up to the Australian national elections. "'I said a week or so ago everyone should take a long cold shower,' Mr Rudd told Channel Seven on Friday morning. 'What I'd say to Malcolm and you Joe (Hockey) is it's time to jump in the ice bath'." [more inside]
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