You can just parachute anywhere. You can be on one side of the world and then two seconds later be on the other side, and never have to worry about flying, borders, any of that. – Jacque Kelly has been traveling the world for the past 4 years using Google Street View. [previously]
posted to MetaFilter by simmering octagon at 4:44 PM on June 22, 2020 (9 comments)

CNN reports the coronavirus pandemic does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon in the United States, according Michael Osterholm, head of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and 23 states are reporting a rise in new cases compared to the previous week, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. NBC News reports more than 120,000 people have now died from coronavirus in the US, and over 2.2 million people have been infected across the country, while CNBC reports hospitalizations due to Covid-19 were growing in 14 states as of Sunday, according to a CNBC analysis of data compiled by the Covid Tracking Project. Meanwhile, The Guardian reports that Trump, who hosted a racist campaign-style rally in Oklahoma over the weekend, refuses to wear a mask in public, regularly contradicts health officials, and mischaracterizes the scientific landscape.
posted to MetaFilter by katra at 1:18 PM on June 22, 2020 (881 comments)

What is the best way to lace your shoes? Let Mathologer (Burkard Polster professor of maths at Monash University in Melbourne Australia) tell you about his proof by dream.
posted to MetaFilter by zengargoyle at 4:52 PM on June 22, 2020 (17 comments)

EA returns space dogfighting to Star Wars. Star Wars: Squadrons (coming Oct. 2, 2020) will have cross-platform support between players on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, and VR headset compatability for PS4 and PC. Official Reveal Trailer - EA official site
posted to MetaFilter by CheesesOfBrazil at 11:53 AM on June 16, 2020 (69 comments)

There's No Such Thing as a Dangerous Neighborhood. Most serious urban violence is concentrated among less than 1 percent of a city’s population. So why are we still criminalizing whole areas? (Stephen Lurie, CityLab) On the other hand, a study in 2019 (abstract only) shows that growing up in an affluent community brings “compounding privileges” and higher educational attainment—especially for white residents. (Tanvi Misra, CityLab)
posted to MetaFilter by filthy light thief at 11:25 AM on June 16, 2020 (21 comments)

The Poetics of CLI Command Names.
posted to MetaFilter by signal at 8:25 AM on June 16, 2020 (55 comments)

Jazz Sabbath (1968) were considered to be at the forefront of the new English jazz movement. Long forgotten but now, startlingly, rediscovered.
posted to MetaFilter by epo at 6:13 AM on June 11, 2020 (16 comments)

Should the funny pages look like the news? Josh Frulinger writes for Polygon about how newspaper comic strips are handling the pandemic.
posted to MetaFilter by bijou243 at 12:58 PM on June 10, 2020 (16 comments)

Driving into Athens from Nelsonville, it’s impossible to miss the massive billboard sitting on the right side of Route 33. The sign is loud, yellow and black, its text practically shouting at motorists, “WE ONLY SERVE MEATLOAF AND STRAWBERRY MILK.” This is the now-famous sign for Margie’s Meatloaf Mecca, a restaurant that doesn’t, and will never, exist.
posted to MetaFilter by Etrigan at 6:43 AM on June 8, 2020 (31 comments)

The Story Behind Bill Barr’s Unmarked Federal Agents
posted to MetaFilter by Monochrome at 12:46 PM on June 5, 2020 (25 comments)

Revisiting an American Town Where Black People Weren’t Welcome After Dark Most people I met in Anna, Illinois, wish the racist lore behind the city’s name would go away. So why hasn’t it?
posted to MetaFilter by shoesietart at 10:50 AM on June 5, 2020 (15 comments)

"Though it’s today one of the lesser-known ‘decorative arts’, the technique of pietra dura is highly prized and widely used, and can be found in settings ranging from antique jewellery boxes to the walls of the Taj Mahal."
posted to MetaFilter by misteraitch at 7:06 AM on June 5, 2020 (8 comments)

If you need a break from all the awful, there's a lot of joy to be found in watching Anne Marsen dance through crowded NYC streets in GirlWalkAllDay. Or take your pick from a ton of other Movies That Are Unlike Anything You've Seen Before.
posted to MetaFilter by Mchelly at 7:10 AM on June 4, 2020 (41 comments)

Here’s How Low-Budget Horror Film ‘The Wretched’ Is Breaking Box Office Records
posted to MetaFilter by Etrigan at 6:56 AM on June 2, 2020 (9 comments)

In 1998, Lucy Lawless brought down Studio 8H with an impression of the Fleetwood Mac frontwoman imagined as the owner of a bad Mexican restaurant. The sketch is not one of ‘SNL’s’ most famous, but in the two decades after its airing, it has garnered a cult following.
posted to MetaFilter by Etrigan at 7:27 AM on May 28, 2020 (77 comments)

"Do you like Fun & Adventure? See this One of a Kind Brick Ranch, Converted into a 2 Story. Enter the Door to a 13th Century Castle Décor Sunken Living Rm, w/ Dramatic, High, Oak Beamed Ceiling, Hardwood Floor, Brick Fireplace, a Ladder to an Elevated Library. Time Travel at Warp Speed to the 25th Century Starship. A Talking Space Alien greets you as you walk toward the Floor to Ceiling, Outer Space Wall Mural." And that's not all! But if you have a bigger budget and are looking for something woodsy, browse this listing, though it's not clear if the forest resident is included with the home.
posted to MetaFilter by filthy light thief at 7:51 PM on May 23, 2020 (30 comments)

NPS graphics encouraging best practices for health and safety in national parks.
posted to MetaFilter by vespabelle at 11:09 PM on May 23, 2020 (19 comments)

A Feud in Wolf-Kink Erotica Raises a Deep Legal Question (NY Times, possible paywall, possibly NSFW depending on how your work feels about sexy wolves)
posted to MetaFilter by betweenthebars at 10:23 AM on May 23, 2020 (73 comments)

There's a medical association that supports Trump's misinformation.

Among the most ardent proponents of these claims is the American Association of Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS), a fringe group of less than 5,000 doctors. The group was recently cited by Trump’s campaign manager, Brad Parscale, to explain the president’s stunning announcement that he is taking the drug hydroxychloroquine in an attempt to protect himself against Covid-19 despite a lack of evidence of its effectiveness.

posted to MetaFilter by Kirth Gerson at 7:14 AM on May 24, 2020 (39 comments)

So I tried to support another Black Owned Business for lunch today. It’s called Ava’s Kitchen, just opened end of April. It’s a very clean establishment, but whewww let me tell you about this owner.
posted to MetaFilter by Evilspork at 8:11 AM on May 23, 2020 (15 comments)

The Museum of Ridiculously Interesting Things is the blog of curator and art historian, Dr. Chelsea Nichols. The collection includes such treasures as sexy weasels in Renaissance art, how to scare children in the 1920s, and hidden mothers in Victorian portraits. There are also occasional guest posts, on topics including Ivan Bilibin’s Illustrations of Russian folklore by Claire Atwater, Robert Liston, a surgeon and a showman by Mike Crump, and a make-your-own-bat-colony activity sheet by Alice Fennessy.
posted to MetaFilter by Kattullus at 9:09 AM on May 24, 2020 (14 comments)

Richard Scarry's classic What Do People Do All Day, further revised to reflect our current societal roles in The New Now. | Sanctioned Revisions to Richard Scarry texts previously on MeFi
posted to MetaFilter by not_on_display at 11:10 AM on May 24, 2020 (28 comments)

"Welcome to McBang ASMR eating show. This is an ASMR MUKBANG video channel. If you enjoy eating sounds, then you are in the right place." Let me tell you this, Metafilter: that is not the right place for me. But, more interestingly, NPR's Short Wave science podcast investigates the awfulness of autonomous sensory meridian response.
posted to MetaFilter by Evilspork at 8:29 PM on May 19, 2020 (29 comments)

Last August six white-tailed eaglets were transplanted from Scotland to the Isle of Wight, in a bid to reintroduce the species to England. They were carrying GPS trackers, so if you have any curiosity about what an eagle might get up to during a typical day, or how far it might roam, you can satisfy it here.
posted to MetaFilter by mokey at 4:08 AM on May 20, 2020 (2 comments)

BioShock Infinite Ambience.
posted to MetaFilter by Foci for Analysis at 11:01 AM on May 19, 2020 (15 comments)

PLEASE STOP TELLING ME MRS. POTTS SHOULD BE IN THIS. I DIDN’T FORGET ABOUT HER. I’M NOT AN IDIOT. THAT’S THE WHOLE REASON I CHOSE TO COMPARE ANGELA LANSBURY TO TEAPOTS. [twitter thread] SHE’S DELIBERATELY NOT INCLUDED AS IT WOULD JUST BE COMPARING ANGELA LANSBURY TO HERSELF. PLEASE. JUST. STOP.
posted to MetaFilter by hippybear at 1:06 PM on May 19, 2020 (20 comments)

The U.S. Space Force has unveiled its service flag, based upon the logo approved in January; the design remains oddly familiar.
posted to MetaFilter by Iris Gambol at 11:07 AM on May 17, 2020 (39 comments)

Yoko Kanno's band Seatbelts reunite for a virtual session to play Tank! [SLYT], the beloved theme from the anime (and soon to be live action series) Cowboy Bebop.
posted to MetaFilter by dephlogisticated at 10:52 AM on May 17, 2020 (15 comments)

NPR bought the rights for $1, and created an expanded story using original music, original sound effects, original actors, and truly brought the Star Wars universe into everyone's headphones in a glorious manner. Star Wars: The Original Radio Drama (podcast link, 13 half-hour episodes).
posted to MetaFilter by hippybear at 11:10 AM on May 16, 2020 (32 comments)

An oral history of SisQó's “Thong Song” (As told by SisQó, and no one else.)

Then I was gonna come up with a second verse, but the first verse was so good I was like, "Yo what if I just sang the same verse but made it sound like it was a different verse?" That's lowkey genius. It's a sing-a-long. It's like complex simplicity.

posted to MetaFilter by Going To Maine at 8:49 AM on May 17, 2020 (12 comments)

The Story Of Donkey Kong In Manga Form! [YouTube][26:59] A brilliant retelling of the 1981 and 1994 Donkey Kong story.
posted to MetaFilter by Fizz at 9:10 AM on May 17, 2020 (2 comments)

Welcome to Jstris, a simple online multiplayer block game. Jstris is known for its fast gameplay and is attracting talented players from all around the world. This guide will introduce you to the basic features of the game.
posted to MetaFilter by aniola at 9:35 AM on May 17, 2020 (9 comments)

Why do dogs sneeze? There are many reasons, but the important thing is that it's funny as hell. Another example. The aquatic variant. Many more.
posted to MetaFilter by Johnny Wallflower at 12:42 PM on May 16, 2020 (9 comments)

Actor Fred Willard has died of natural causes at the age of 86. His lengthy career included an extensive mockumentary run through roles such as the base colonel in This Is Spinal Tap, Buck Laughlin in Best in Show, Mike LaFontaine in A Mighty Wind, Chuck Porter in For Your Consideration, Ron Albertson in Waiting for Guffman. But he also occupied a whole host of other film and TV roles over the years. Willard on "Real People" from his three-and-a-half hour Television Academy Foundation archive interview.
posted to MetaFilter by mandolin conspiracy at 3:32 PM on May 16, 2020 (85 comments)

Scooby-Doo’s invention was no happy accident; it was a strategic move in response to cultural shifts and political exigencies. The genesis of the series was inextricably bound up with the societal upheavals of 1968 – in particular, the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy.
posted to MetaFilter by Etrigan at 12:17 PM on May 15, 2020 (40 comments)

Shakespeare may have written King Lear while under quarantine, but Gui Khury did even better than the Bard during his coronavirus pandemic school closure, pulling off the first-ever 1080 (three revolutions) on a standard vertical skateboard ramp.
posted to MetaFilter by Etrigan at 12:12 PM on May 14, 2020 (29 comments)

1985 was a ridiculously strong year for music releases. May 15, 1985 was when Dead Or Alive released their debut album [YT playlist] Youthquake. It wasn't a giant release but it had a giant single and a lot of people bought it. Side A: You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) [video], I Wanna Be A Toy, D.J. Hit That Button, In Too Deep [video - dailymotion link], Big Daddy Of The Rhythm
posted to MetaFilter by hippybear at 5:43 AM on May 14, 2020 (17 comments)

THIS LONG CENTURY
posted to MetaFilter by the man of twists and turns at 12:47 PM on May 13, 2020 (4 comments)

David Lynch used to record short video weather reports for his website, then he stopped. Now, he’s started again, using YouTube.
Weather Report 5/11/20
Weather Report 5/12/20
Weather Report 5/13/20
posted to MetaFilter by Going To Maine at 1:35 PM on May 13, 2020 (21 comments)

In Sleepless Domain, a webcomic about brave magical girls confronting demons (outer and inner), a transgender magical girl is eventually mentioned, and a few months later is established as an existing character who gets her own adventure and has flower-themed magic powers. She discusses transitioning, having wanted to become a magical girl, her excitement over having a girl's name, and the time before she was "out as a girl," but none of these moments define her.
posted to MetaFilter by one for the books at 2:59 PM on May 13, 2020 (7 comments)

As Stevie Wonder turns 70, a look at how he wrote the soundtrack for a fragile America: "Signed to Motown’s Tamla imprint at the age of 11, the artist then known as 'Little Stevie Wonder' landed his first Billboard Hot 100 hit at 13 with 'Fingertips – Pt. 2.' By the time that original Motown contract ended in 1971, the 21-year-old Wonder had already amassed 13 studio albums (15 total). But over the next five years, Wonder unleashed five albums in a peerless display of both musical excellence and social conscience. It started with Music of My Mind and Talking Book in 1972, Innervisions in 1973, and climaxed with Fulfillingness’ First Finale in 1974 and Songs in the Key of Life in 1976."
posted to MetaFilter by mandolin conspiracy at 3:53 PM on May 13, 2020 (26 comments)

People keep creating stuff! Get inspiration for your own creations, or simply marvel at the amazing makers.
posted to MetaFilter by Stark at 7:47 AM on May 12, 2020 (5 comments)

This chip plays ‘Doom’ and nothing else [Engadget] It’s been over 25 years since Doom was unceremoniously released on a university FTP server. And despite its age, the classic first-person shooter has become a mainstay, not just for gamers, but also for programmers. The game has shown up on a ridiculous amount of hardware, from ATMs to printer screens to iPods. Graphics and game development enthusiast Sylvain Lefebvre [@Sylvain] , though, has created a machine that only plays his custom port of Doom. [Twitter thread linked below.]

The DooM-chip! It will run E1M1 till the end of times (or till power runs out, whichever comes first). Algorithm is burned into wires, LUTs and flip-flops on an #FPGA: no CPU, no opcodes, no instruction counter. Running on Altera CycloneV + SDRAM. Everything is described in a language I am working on: SDRAM controller, divider, BSP traversal, texture unit, etc. Main renderer (w/o data) is 666 lines of code (!). A great test case, made quite a few improvements, fixed some issues, learned a lot on CycloneV + Quartus.

posted to MetaFilter by Fizz at 9:33 AM on May 12, 2020 (14 comments)

Artist and their Cats is but a page.
GatosyRespeto has many, many more. (Pages all in Spanish, but hey Cats am i rite?)
There is Eugene Delacroix, photographer Henri Cartier Bresson , the surrealist Remedios Varo and her friend Leonora Carrington and cat queen Leonor Fini (Mefi Previous.)
Just click around and enjoy, it's 100% Gatos.
posted to MetaFilter by adamvasco at 3:44 PM on May 12, 2020 (4 comments)

Everything you see is really happening, there’s no green screen.

I grew up on all the “Mad Max” movies — they’re very popular in South Africa. I remember being 12 and my dad letting me watch it with him. So I was like, “Oh yeah, I wanna be in a ‘Mad Max’ movie. Are you kidding me?”

posted to MetaFilter by kirkaracha at 4:34 PM on May 12, 2020 (50 comments)

In classical chamber music the standard string quartet line-up of two violins, viola & cello when joined by a fifth player (typically a second violist or cellist; less often a double-bassist or a third violinist) naturally forms a string quintet. Perhaps the single most recognisable piece for string quintet (on this occasion including a second cello) is the 3rd movement of Luigi Boccherini’s Quintet in E major, op. 11 no. 5, aka The Celebrated Minuet, which, for example, features prominently in The Ladykillers; serves as background music in the restaurant scene in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off; and even turns up, re-arranged, performed by Spinal Tap. But Boccherini wrote over a hundred quintets: if you feel inclined, look inside to find one of them, plus a couple of dozen quintets by other composers...
posted to MetaFilter by misteraitch at 1:38 PM on May 10, 2020 (6 comments)

The Politics and “Pretentiousness” of Reading James Joyce
posted to MetaFilter by Chrysostom at 6:56 PM on May 10, 2020 (30 comments)

Indycar's Virtual Race Crashes Sparked Real-World Controversy Among Drivers [Vice Gaming] “With about three laps to go in the First Responders 175, the final race of the virtual, quarantine-inspired sim racing series featuring pro Indycar drivers, it was shaping up to be a classic finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. F1 driver Lando Norris was in a battle for the lead with Oliver Askew, Patricio O’Ward, and Marcus Ericsson, and caution was going out the window as the drivers went three-cars wide through corners, completely filling the width of the track with no margin for error. [...] Then, as the lead pack of cars whipped through a corner onto a straight, Norris’s car piled into the back of the slow-moving, highlighter-yellow car of 2019 Indy 500 winner Simon Pagenaud. [...] Pagenaud’s deliberate wrecking is an annoying troll within the context of a video game, but it’s a betrayal of the highest order in the context of real-world, professional racing. An inherent tension in F1 and Indy racing is that drivers are in ruthless competition at the same time that they are all trying to prevent crashes that can easily turn deadly. Now that these same drivers are competing in a space where the deadly physical consequences are no longer an issue, the sport is changing fast, and in ways that can carry over to real-world tracks when drivers are able to race on them again.” [Explainer][Simon Pagenaud Full Incident][Santino Ferrucci Crash with Oliver Askew]
posted to MetaFilter by Fizz at 11:11 AM on May 7, 2020 (40 comments)

According to Vanity Fair, there are many troubling allegations contained in the "blistering, 63-page complaint" that Dr. Rick Bright, former head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), filed today with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. Among other things, "He was pressured to invest in drugs and vaccines that lacked scientific merit, because the people selling them had friends in the Trump administration, up to and including the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner."
posted to MetaFilter by Bella Donna at 2:09 PM on May 5, 2020 (50 comments)

“I’m Emerson. You may know me as the person that lives here that writes a lot of letters & decorated the envelopes. Emerson likes sending letters. A story of an eleven-year old girl and the USPS in a time where sharing can be hard. (link to Twitter thread)<
posted to MetaFilter by PussKillian at 5:10 PM on May 3, 2020 (12 comments)