May 27, 2019
I am not afraid of falling over the edge, but of throwing myself over
Why You Feel the Urge to Jump -- Jessica Seigel looks into the science and philosophy of looking down from a high place for Nautilus, from the way threat modulates perception of looming visual stimuli (PDF, full article, Emory University) to the fact that not everyone can accurately estimate heights, though all individuals studied had roughly accurate horizontal distance estimates (abstract only, Springer). If you've experienced the urge to jump, it doesn't mean you want to die, but may rather imply an urge to live, with a healthy dose of anxiety (full article, Academia.edu).
The Invisible City Beneath Paris
Under the southern portion of the city exists its negative image: a network of more than two hundred miles of galleries, rooms, and chambers. Robert Macfarlane spends a couple of days and a few thousand words exploring the extensive catacombs of Paris for The New Yorker.
An Op-Ed from the Future
It’s 2059, and the Rich Kids Are Still Winning An editorial by Ted Chiang, about the Gene Equality Project. (fictional)
"Because showing black love through a white gaze is very problematic."
Photographer Miranda Barnes captures the beauty of People of Color in love. I wanted to give this sense of taking back our narrative. I find that when I approach POC subjects and ask to take their photo, they’re like, “Wait, you want to take a photo of me ?” [...] A lot of them have never had a proper portrait taken of them that’s not on an iPhone. Asking to take their photo and validating their existence is, a lot of the time, more important to me than the actual photo. [Vice, Juxtapoz] [more inside]
Cardassians one day, Federation the next... but justice is justice.
'How much merit do our heroes gain by peacefully seeking out new life and new civilizations if they are incapable of conflict in the first place? Is it really tolerance if the Federation only has to tolerate those who will adopt Federation ideology? Or is the Federation essentially the same as the Borg, the evil cyborgs whose catchphrase is: “We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile.” What happens when our enlightened Federation heroes encounter someone intolerable, like the Dominion?'
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in 82.5 Hours. An episode guide, but mostly an essay about the show.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in 82.5 Hours. An episode guide, but mostly an essay about the show.
Abortion: Listen wherever you're listening to this podcast
Take some time to learn about the history of abortion in the United States through listening to This is Criminal's episode on "The Clergy Consultation Service, an underground network of ministers and rabbis who wanted to help women access safe abortions." Science Vs. covers "“self-helpers” Carol Downer and Francie Hornstein, who led a movement for safe abortions and education for women by women." Or step inside to listen more about present day experiences. [more inside]
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: stories behind classic portraits
Production is carried on for profit, not for use.
“This crippling of individuals I consider the worst evil of capitalism. Our whole educational system suffers from this evil. An exaggerated competitive attitude is inculcated into the student, who is trained to worship acquisitive success as a preparation for his future career.” May marks the 64th anniversary of the founding of Monthly Review, the longest continually published socialist journal in the US. To mark that occasion, here is an essay from thier first issue, “Why Socialism?“ by Albert Einstein.
In the spirit of Memorial Day -- Mark Twain, Dalton Trumbo, Joe Frank
Little Red Spot
Around the world, amateur astronomers are monitoring a strange phenomenon on the verge of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot. The giant storm appears to be unraveling. [more inside]
T-Pain - "It's My Dog Birthday" (Official Music Video)
T-Pain & Barkbox present the official music video for "It's My Dog Birthday" from the new album "1UP". (SLYT) [more inside]
Don't Throw Out My Legos.
Indie pop band AJR go from I'm Not Famous (and I don't hate it) to success and their own apartment... but Don't Throw Out My Legos (cause they want to move out, but don't want to move on.) [more inside]
"Violent attacks are winning, and infections are unchecked."
Ebola is out of control in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in the second-worst outbreak in history. The WHO says the national and regional risk levels are very high, and with the number of new cases increasing in recent weeks, the UN is strengthening its response. Neighbouring countries are considering using an experimental vaccine which has shown impressive results in the DRC itself, but the challenge there is dispensing it: health workers are met with mistrust, and work in constant fear of armed attack, with some having to lie about being doctors in order to treat people.
Peripheral Belters or Retooling Finance and Tech for Everyone's Benefit
Going to Space to Benefit Earth - "Bezos then went on to discuss his plan to ship humans off of the best planet in the solar system and send them to live in floating cylinders in space." [more inside]
The dark forest is full of life.
This is also what the internet is becoming: a dark forest. In response to the ads, the tracking, the trolling, the hype, and other predatory behaviors, we’re retreating to our dark forests of the internet, and away from the mainstream. [more inside]
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