MetaFilter posts by growabrain.
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After a long day of playing in the forest while their juvenile counterparts were at Orangutan Jungle School, an active congress of orphaned baby orangutans at the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation in Indonesia adorably piled themselves into wheelbarrows in order to catch a ride back to the nursery where they’d be safe and well-fed
posted on Aug-20-20 at 6:35 AM
This "the first ever Polish website dedicated to space design and breakthrough (alternative) technology watches of the XXth century. The content is focused on presenting detailed information about collectible timepieces of the 1950-1970's including technical aspects, servicing hints and an additional average price reference. Many servicing descriptions are shown for the first time on the internet to preserve lost knowledge about old forgotten watches." (Photos are links)
posted on Aug-19-20 at 4:13 AM
A new Ted Koppel report today @CBS about the presidential emergency action documents (PEADs), classified orders granting vast presidential authority in response to extraordinary situations. PEADs are so secret even Congress cannot see them – and that troubles constitutional scholars.
posted on Aug-16-20 at 12:55 PM
Idiom is “vortex of books” installation at the Prague Municipal Library by Slovakia-born artist Matej Kren
posted on Aug-15-20 at 11:36 AM
Hydrovegan is an Instagram feed of fruits. Fruitarian's another
posted on Aug-14-20 at 8:32 AM
A True Story (Ἀληθῆ διηγήματα, Verae Historiae) is a novel written in the second century AD by Lucian of Samosata, a Greek-speaking author of Assyrian descent. The novel is a satire of outlandish tales which had been reported in ancient sources, particularly those which presented fantastic or mythical events as if they were true. It is Lucian's best-known work. It is the earliest known work of fiction to include travel to outer space, alien lifeforms, and interplanetary warfare. As such, A True Story has been described as "the first known text that could be called science fiction".
posted on Aug-13-20 at 4:43 AM
Realistic render of Frédéric Chopin by Hadi Karimi. (Also, Chopin’s cartooning on his manuscript) "If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music... I get most joy in life out of my violin." Shostakovich Posing with a cat and a kitten. Also, a pig. Shostakovich working on Symphony 8 Saint-Saens in his amazing pajamas. Early 1900s Colorized Stravinsky and Rachmaninoff. Also, Listz 4 months before he died. Extra, My great great Grandfather chilling with Rachmaninoff Alfred Schnittke's gravestone. (And Stockhausen's)
posted on Aug-10-20 at 4:21 AM
Making fun of Trump — who has long existed as outright self-parody — was never easy. Two parodies of the Axios interview from yesterday deserve mention: 1. Study Hall 2. Do you like me, Jonathan? (By TrumpDraws!). (Via) Extra: The Curb Your Enthusiasm version And Extra/Extra: Why Your Boomer Parents Are Obsessed With Sarah Cooper:... “For your parents, at least — the pleasure of seeing Cooper or anyone else simulate Trump’s idiocy is directly tied to the hope that he’ll see it and be very, very mad. That’s their little revenge, and they’re addicted to it. Harmless in the short-term, no doubt; the worry is that over time, the schtick folds fascism, hate and violence into simple clownery. With Trump, that’s a mistake we’ve repeated since the start”.
posted on Aug-6-20 at 6:48 AM
Ibrahim Maalouf is a French-Lebanese jazz trumpeter and composer. Here are a few concerts from his YT feed: LIVE IN ISTANBUL - 07/06/2013 Alcaline 1/25/2016 North Sea Jazz Festival Holland 2014 Paléo Festival 2012
posted on Jul-31-20 at 4:23 AM
An American redditor asks: What is the story with that funky orange/red that shows up on Copenhagen walls? Small discussion ensues, and an architecture student posts an explainer video about Paint and Color in Denmark
posted on Jul-28-20 at 5:19 AM
Mr. Jason Wilson is a martial arts teacher in Detroit, MI. He teaches young (and old) men to 'Cry like a men'. (Main account).
posted on Jul-19-20 at 1:33 AM
Harmony, an emotional doodle from multidisciplinary artist Michal Levy. She is remembered from her 2001 animation short, Giant Steps, which captured a part of her synesthesia, and showed a bit how she sees music. But there were other jazzy animations Giant Steps previously on Metafilter (Via)
posted on Jul-16-20 at 11:59 AM
Oliver Sacks remembers his bodybuilding days on Venice, California’s Muscle Beach. (Via)
posted on Jul-15-20 at 9:37 AM
Ever wonder how we made all these crazy machines do all their crazy machine things before computers came along? Wonder no more as Alec (AKA, Mr. Connectify) from “Technology Connections” explore the inner workings of a Wurlitzer 3400 series jukebox from 1970. (23 min long YT vid). Found via a post of an open side view of an antique calculator from here His Youtube channel A second channel
posted on Jul-12-20 at 5:04 AM
Beware, the Big Heads are coming for you over the meadows. By Artist Bedwyr Williams. (Via)
posted on Jun-27-20 at 1:48 AM
... So then I finish saluting my final salute, I said, “Thank goodness. Thank you very much.” Think of it. So essentially almost 600 times. Now the general says, “Sir, are you ready?” I said, “I’m ready General, where are we going now?”
posted on Jun-23-20 at 1:25 AM
Residents of a small street in the ancient city of Chester performed a one-shot “socially distanced production” last week, featuring World War II songs. Orchestrated by a musical director Matt Baker.
posted on Jun-8-20 at 3:49 AM
Millions of people drink mineral water every day that has previously been transported thousands of kilometres around the world. Often in plastic bottles, always at the expense of the environment. But almost everywhere in Europe we have great tap water, of high quality and inexpensive. Which is why we, the Duisburg Public Services, decided to hold up the mirror to the water industry. (SLYT)
posted on Jun-5-20 at 2:14 PM
Henry Cyril Paget, 5th Marquess of Anglesey (1875 – 1905), styled Lord Paget until 1880 and Earl of Uxbridge between 1880 and 1898, and nicknamed "Toppy", was a British peer who was notable during his short life for squandering his inheritance on a lavish social life and accumulating massive debts. Regarded as the "black sheep" of the family, he was dubbed "the dancing marquess" and for his Butterfly Dancing, taken from Loie Fuller, where a voluminous robe of transparent white silk would be waved like wings. He inherited some £73m. But in the space of just over five years, he had blown the lot, been declared bankrupt, and died from complications of tuberculosis in Monte Carlo. Newspapers in March 1905 declared his death a "wasted life". Paget's style has often been compared to that of Freddie Mercury. (via) Previously on M-F
posted on May-31-20 at 4:48 AM
From homeless refugee to chess prodigy, 9-year-old dreams of becoming youngest grandmaster. Follow up on a Nicholas Kristof story from last year on M-F
posted on May-25-20 at 6:50 AM
Cimafunk has no wikipedia entry yet! (But not for long). They played NPR's Tiny Desk concert last week. Their YouTube channel has only 21 tracks at the moment.
posted on May-16-20 at 1:55 PM
Yahya Hassan is / was a young Danish-Palestinian poet. His most notable work, Yahya Hassan, was the best-selling debut poetry collection in Denmark, and has been printed in more than 120,000 copies. He died last week at the age of 24. Here's Poems of Rage, an interview with English subtitles
posted on May-11-20 at 4:30 AM
Hello everyone! We're the Clark family. Colt (the Dad) is a professional musician and Aubree (me, the Mom behind the camera) is a photographer. Together we home school our three children (even when we're not in the middle of a pandemic). :) We're keeping busy during our time at home by
posted on May-8-20 at 1:16 PM
Writer Dmitry Orlov, who witnessed firsthand the collapse of the Soviet Union, gave a lecture (in 2006) "Closing the ‘Collapse Gap’: the USSR was better prepared for collapse than the US". His message is perhaps more prescient now than ever. Orlov previously on Metafilter, including his article Social Collapse Best Practices His Wikipedia. Via mltshp
posted on May-5-20 at 7:24 AM
A different portrait of an extreme endurance runner, from Outsideonline: One day, Michael Shattuck started to run. He liked it, so he ran longer, sometimes for as many as 65 hours each week. He never wanted to stop. What was he running from?
posted on Apr-30-20 at 3:57 AM
For over 30 years, 1016 Shaw Street, the "Parashos family's house" residential masterpiece has delighted and bewildered passers-by with its unapologetic design and annual sign wishing all Torontonians a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. (Via)
posted on Apr-27-20 at 3:37 PM
Thai Kutwa Rocket Festivals are merit-making ceremony traditionally practiced by ethnic Lao people throughout much of Isan and Laos, in numerous villages and municipalities near the beginning of the wet season. Celebrations typically include preliminary music and dance performances, competitive processions of floats, dancers and musicians, culminating on the third day in competitive firings of home-made rockets.
posted on Apr-21-20 at 1:00 AM
Garden Party, a lush animated short. Featuring the bullfrogs & other creatures from Maestro. Illogic & Bloom Pictures: last year on MF
posted on Apr-15-20 at 12:41 PM
Bon Appétit features 13 professional chefs cooking Quarantine Pasta at home with the most basic ingredients they have on hand. 29 min. SLYT
posted on Apr-14-20 at 11:17 AM
Takeshi Terauchi (寺内タケシ) is a Japanese instrumental rock guitarist. He started his career playing rhythm guitar for the Country and Western act "Jimmie Tokita and The Mountain Playboys". Here he sings Fool such as I. Here they sing Blue moon of Kentucky Tennessee Waltz Tumbling tumbleweeds Amazing Grace - More songs Credit
posted on Apr-13-20 at 2:43 AM
Solving Churchill's Cigar and Whisky Bottle Puzzle. From the German Youtube channel Mr. Puzzle
posted on Apr-11-20 at 3:07 PM
In 2015, a group called "Southern Voice Band" with their singer "Ken" gave a small, private birthday party crowd the performance of a lifetime with a spirited cover of "Let's Get It On". Five years later, somebody uploaded the video to r/videos, and the photographer showed up.
posted on Apr-6-20 at 8:03 AM
Soul singer Lynn White sings a medley, God Blessed Our Love / When a Man Loves a Woman / That's How Strong My Love Is. This is from the 1985 "Sorry" album. Bio
posted on Apr-4-20 at 4:06 PM
The fascinating land art of Stuart Ian Frost. Start with 'Site Specific installations'.
posted on Mar-22-20 at 12:01 PM
TheB1M is a YouTube channel for large scale construction projects. Here are some sample videos: Building Dubai Creek Tower, the World's Tallest Structure How To Dispose of a Skyscraper Building The Golden Gate: Many others inside. New videos every Wednesday
posted on Mar-16-20 at 2:18 PM
Inspired by the movie Dodgeball, here are some obscure or 'less seen' competitive sports: Buttacrobatics If you look in the same direction your opponent points, you lose 10 year old girl wins Kent Bazemore's UNO tournament Bike Football T-shirt Relay PG-13 remake of The Human Centipede Trampoline Roman candle battle Portable belt sander races Ice soccer Brick Racing
posted on Mar-14-20 at 3:52 AM
Mise en place is a French culinary phrase which refers to the setup required before cooking. It is often used in professional kitchens to refer to organizing the ingredients that a cook will require for the menu items s/he expects to prepare during a shift. It is also the name of a new video series from Eater (so far only 6 episodes) about some behind the scenes at 2 and 3 Michelin-starred restaurants. Start with the one about Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
posted on Mar-12-20 at 3:45 PM
Here are some calming, nearly trance-like .gifs and short clips of things that are being cut by very sharp knives: - Soap slicing - Sushi - Leaf cutting - Carving out the bowl of a wooden spoon - Steak - Slow-motion video of an apple and some bananas being sliced in half while in mid air - Japanese knife professional transforms vegetables into works of art - From a Japanese Kezuroukai Planing Competition with shavings as thin as 5 micron, plus (Video)
posted on Mar-7-20 at 2:57 AM
PLANET PLASTIC - How Big Oil and Big Soda kept a global environmental calamity a secret for decades. By Tim Dickinson, from Rolling Stone
posted on Mar-4-20 at 2:45 AM
Remember when Wikipedia was a joke? In its first decade of life, the website appeared in as many punch lines as headlines. The Office's Michael Scott called it “the best thing ever,” because “anyone in the world can write anything they want about any subject—so you know you are getting the best possible information.” Praising Wikipedia, by restating its mission, meant self-identifying as an idiot. That was in 2007....
posted on Feb-28-20 at 9:53 AM
Footage of a 1935 Motoruota Monowheel. Background and wikipedia. Previously on metafilter
posted on Feb-11-20 at 3:40 AM
"Consider these demographics, and one starts to understand why the people of Las Vegas get overlooked... I have often wondered whether the general ignorance about Las Vegas is born of laziness, snobbery, or an altogether more insidious impulse. Las Vegas was, of course, déclassé and embarrassing from the start: founded by the Mafia, the first “unaristocratic” Americans, as Tom Wolfe wrote, “to have enough money to build a monument to their style of life.”
It’s frequently said that Las Vegas has no culture, but that’s not true. My Italian relatives from Illinois—my aunts with their Carmela Soprano hairdos and long acrylic nails—love it for a reason. They love playing the slots downtown at the Golden Nugget and going out for martini dinners at old-school Italian places. (At one of these, I heard Pia Zadora breathily sing about her “accidents and arrests.”) They love Cirque du Soleil shows, where you can sit and watch first-class acrobats fly across the stage while you sip from a plastic cup of beer. Las Vegas is vernacular culture—“prole,” Wolfe called it—and thus, he notes, “it gets ignored, except on the most sensational level.”
Those who think of themselves as cultured and educated look down on Las Vegas as garish and brazen. But concern about “good taste” is often just socially palatable code for classism and racism. This is a working-class town that’s nearly 33 percent Hispanic, 12 percent Black, and 7 percent Asian. It has one of the largest populations of undocumented immigrants in the country, and the eighth-highest rate of homelessness."
posted on Feb-7-20 at 12:22 AM
NASA photographer Lauren Orchowski had been documenting the Cold War era rocket ship playgrounds that were mass produced and installed by rural, suburban, and metropolitan communities on both public and private land at the height of the 20th century Space Race. Other collections: Telescopes in the rain Fireworks stands Prompted by this photo from Rocketship Park in Torrence. Via mltshp
posted on Jan-31-20 at 1:07 AM
She dropped a coin into the cup Of a blind man at the gate... “...Probably my favorite Dylan cover on what is easily my favorite Jerry Garcia Band recording. If not my favorite of any of Jerry's live output, The "After Midnight- Kean College 1980" show. Then watch the show from the next night, 03/01/80 ... Two of his best ever....” Via late night Local Stain MLTSHP Dylan's version from Blood on the tracks (and Live from around Rolling Thunder) Other covers: Joan Baez from "Diamonds & Rust" Jeff Twiddy Diana Krall others wikipedia
posted on Jan-27-20 at 12:26 AM
Megavalanche (nicknamed "Mega") is a downhill mountain bike race held annually at the Alpe D'Huez ski resort in the French Alps. The event starts on the glaciated summit of Pic Blanc in Huez and descends to the valley bottom for a total of over 2,600 vertical meters (8530 feet) and a 20 km (12 miles) distance. The mass-start race is known for its fast speeds and winding turns over varying terrain, with hundreds of riders descending the mountain at once. Here is the big crash of 2019. (Here's the Winner's full run, 32 min.) Previously, the 2018 winner's SLYT
posted on Jan-25-20 at 11:30 AM
Why Finland And Denmark Are Happier Than The U.S. (Previously): World Happiness Report
posted on Jan-22-20 at 9:52 AM
"Best" trailers of all time:
Raging Bull
Goodnight Mommy
Logan
La La Land
The Shining
The Social Network. (And from Screen Junkies, an honest trailer of same)
The Comic-Con Suicide Squad
Citizen Kane
(Trailers tag on M-F )
Similarly, my own random list of 'best' movie scores
posted on Jan-17-20 at 5:07 AM
The Starbugs was a musical quintet of five kids from Wellington, NZ, ranging in age from 7 to 15.
In 2011, they released an 11-track CD of Dylan covers, called 'Kids Sing Bob Dylan'.
Here’s their “Forever young”
Here’s “Mr Tambourine Man”
Here’s “Knockin' On Heaven's Door”
Here’s “I shall be released”
Here’s “Girl From the North Country”
Here’s the rest of their channel, including a previous CD of Beatles covers
- Background
- From
- Via
posted on Jan-16-20 at 3:13 AM
Historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat is a an expert on fascism, authoritarianism, war & propaganda. In a 20 minute podcast hosted by Chauncey DeVega (starts at 0:30), she posits that a fascist, authoritarian takeover is not a future event we should worry about, but an actual process we are living through right now, and that if Trump wins again, America will be ‘ready for full-on authoritarian rule’.
Ben-Ghiat warns that societies often succumb to authoritarianism and fascism not in one dramatic moment, but gradually over time. “Only in a military coup do you really have an instant change. A person leaves the house in the morning and five hours later they are living in a dictatorship and there is mass violence. But otherwise, even Mussolini and Hitler took years to get into power.”
Read on Salon.
Ruth Ben-Ghiat previously on M-F
posted on Jan-14-20 at 8:40 AM
Shamook (SHAM00K) is master deepfake artist.
In his latest Youtube video, he partnered with impressionist Jim Meskimen to perform their poem “Deeper metrics of Christmas”, as read by 20 celebrities.
Other “Deepfakers” (some of which were mentioned previously on Metafilter) are:
- Ctrl Shift Face
- Derpfake
- birbfakes
Otherwise: Wikipedia
posted on Jan-8-20 at 11:35 AM
posted on Aug-20-20 at 6:35 AM
This "the first ever Polish website dedicated to space design and breakthrough (alternative) technology watches of the XXth century. The content is focused on presenting detailed information about collectible timepieces of the 1950-1970's including technical aspects, servicing hints and an additional average price reference. Many servicing descriptions are shown for the first time on the internet to preserve lost knowledge about old forgotten watches." (Photos are links)
posted on Aug-19-20 at 4:13 AM
A new Ted Koppel report today @CBS about the presidential emergency action documents (PEADs), classified orders granting vast presidential authority in response to extraordinary situations. PEADs are so secret even Congress cannot see them – and that troubles constitutional scholars.
posted on Aug-16-20 at 12:55 PM
Idiom is “vortex of books” installation at the Prague Municipal Library by Slovakia-born artist Matej Kren
posted on Aug-15-20 at 11:36 AM
Hydrovegan is an Instagram feed of fruits. Fruitarian's another
posted on Aug-14-20 at 8:32 AM
A True Story (Ἀληθῆ διηγήματα, Verae Historiae) is a novel written in the second century AD by Lucian of Samosata, a Greek-speaking author of Assyrian descent. The novel is a satire of outlandish tales which had been reported in ancient sources, particularly those which presented fantastic or mythical events as if they were true. It is Lucian's best-known work. It is the earliest known work of fiction to include travel to outer space, alien lifeforms, and interplanetary warfare. As such, A True Story has been described as "the first known text that could be called science fiction".
posted on Aug-13-20 at 4:43 AM
Realistic render of Frédéric Chopin by Hadi Karimi. (Also, Chopin’s cartooning on his manuscript) "If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music... I get most joy in life out of my violin." Shostakovich Posing with a cat and a kitten. Also, a pig. Shostakovich working on Symphony 8 Saint-Saens in his amazing pajamas. Early 1900s Colorized Stravinsky and Rachmaninoff. Also, Listz 4 months before he died. Extra, My great great Grandfather chilling with Rachmaninoff Alfred Schnittke's gravestone. (And Stockhausen's)
posted on Aug-10-20 at 4:21 AM
Making fun of Trump — who has long existed as outright self-parody — was never easy. Two parodies of the Axios interview from yesterday deserve mention: 1. Study Hall 2. Do you like me, Jonathan? (By TrumpDraws!). (Via) Extra: The Curb Your Enthusiasm version And Extra/Extra: Why Your Boomer Parents Are Obsessed With Sarah Cooper:... “For your parents, at least — the pleasure of seeing Cooper or anyone else simulate Trump’s idiocy is directly tied to the hope that he’ll see it and be very, very mad. That’s their little revenge, and they’re addicted to it. Harmless in the short-term, no doubt; the worry is that over time, the schtick folds fascism, hate and violence into simple clownery. With Trump, that’s a mistake we’ve repeated since the start”.
posted on Aug-6-20 at 6:48 AM
Ibrahim Maalouf is a French-Lebanese jazz trumpeter and composer. Here are a few concerts from his YT feed: LIVE IN ISTANBUL - 07/06/2013 Alcaline 1/25/2016 North Sea Jazz Festival Holland 2014 Paléo Festival 2012
posted on Jul-31-20 at 4:23 AM
An American redditor asks: What is the story with that funky orange/red that shows up on Copenhagen walls? Small discussion ensues, and an architecture student posts an explainer video about Paint and Color in Denmark
posted on Jul-28-20 at 5:19 AM
Mr. Jason Wilson is a martial arts teacher in Detroit, MI. He teaches young (and old) men to 'Cry like a men'. (Main account).
posted on Jul-19-20 at 1:33 AM
Harmony, an emotional doodle from multidisciplinary artist Michal Levy. She is remembered from her 2001 animation short, Giant Steps, which captured a part of her synesthesia, and showed a bit how she sees music. But there were other jazzy animations Giant Steps previously on Metafilter (Via)
posted on Jul-16-20 at 11:59 AM
Oliver Sacks remembers his bodybuilding days on Venice, California’s Muscle Beach. (Via)
posted on Jul-15-20 at 9:37 AM
Ever wonder how we made all these crazy machines do all their crazy machine things before computers came along? Wonder no more as Alec (AKA, Mr. Connectify) from “Technology Connections” explore the inner workings of a Wurlitzer 3400 series jukebox from 1970. (23 min long YT vid). Found via a post of an open side view of an antique calculator from here His Youtube channel A second channel
posted on Jul-12-20 at 5:04 AM
Beware, the Big Heads are coming for you over the meadows. By Artist Bedwyr Williams. (Via)
posted on Jun-27-20 at 1:48 AM
... So then I finish saluting my final salute, I said, “Thank goodness. Thank you very much.” Think of it. So essentially almost 600 times. Now the general says, “Sir, are you ready?” I said, “I’m ready General, where are we going now?”
posted on Jun-23-20 at 1:25 AM
Residents of a small street in the ancient city of Chester performed a one-shot “socially distanced production” last week, featuring World War II songs. Orchestrated by a musical director Matt Baker.
posted on Jun-8-20 at 3:49 AM
Millions of people drink mineral water every day that has previously been transported thousands of kilometres around the world. Often in plastic bottles, always at the expense of the environment. But almost everywhere in Europe we have great tap water, of high quality and inexpensive. Which is why we, the Duisburg Public Services, decided to hold up the mirror to the water industry. (SLYT)
posted on Jun-5-20 at 2:14 PM
Henry Cyril Paget, 5th Marquess of Anglesey (1875 – 1905), styled Lord Paget until 1880 and Earl of Uxbridge between 1880 and 1898, and nicknamed "Toppy", was a British peer who was notable during his short life for squandering his inheritance on a lavish social life and accumulating massive debts. Regarded as the "black sheep" of the family, he was dubbed "the dancing marquess" and for his Butterfly Dancing, taken from Loie Fuller, where a voluminous robe of transparent white silk would be waved like wings. He inherited some £73m. But in the space of just over five years, he had blown the lot, been declared bankrupt, and died from complications of tuberculosis in Monte Carlo. Newspapers in March 1905 declared his death a "wasted life". Paget's style has often been compared to that of Freddie Mercury. (via) Previously on M-F
posted on May-31-20 at 4:48 AM
From homeless refugee to chess prodigy, 9-year-old dreams of becoming youngest grandmaster. Follow up on a Nicholas Kristof story from last year on M-F
posted on May-25-20 at 6:50 AM
Cimafunk has no wikipedia entry yet! (But not for long). They played NPR's Tiny Desk concert last week. Their YouTube channel has only 21 tracks at the moment.
posted on May-16-20 at 1:55 PM
Yahya Hassan is / was a young Danish-Palestinian poet. His most notable work, Yahya Hassan, was the best-selling debut poetry collection in Denmark, and has been printed in more than 120,000 copies. He died last week at the age of 24. Here's Poems of Rage, an interview with English subtitles
posted on May-11-20 at 4:30 AM
Hello everyone! We're the Clark family. Colt (the Dad) is a professional musician and Aubree (me, the Mom behind the camera) is a photographer. Together we home school our three children (even when we're not in the middle of a pandemic). :) We're keeping busy during our time at home by
posted on May-8-20 at 1:16 PM
Writer Dmitry Orlov, who witnessed firsthand the collapse of the Soviet Union, gave a lecture (in 2006) "Closing the ‘Collapse Gap’: the USSR was better prepared for collapse than the US". His message is perhaps more prescient now than ever. Orlov previously on Metafilter, including his article Social Collapse Best Practices His Wikipedia. Via mltshp
posted on May-5-20 at 7:24 AM
A different portrait of an extreme endurance runner, from Outsideonline: One day, Michael Shattuck started to run. He liked it, so he ran longer, sometimes for as many as 65 hours each week. He never wanted to stop. What was he running from?
posted on Apr-30-20 at 3:57 AM
For over 30 years, 1016 Shaw Street, the "Parashos family's house" residential masterpiece has delighted and bewildered passers-by with its unapologetic design and annual sign wishing all Torontonians a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. (Via)
posted on Apr-27-20 at 3:37 PM
Thai Kutwa Rocket Festivals are merit-making ceremony traditionally practiced by ethnic Lao people throughout much of Isan and Laos, in numerous villages and municipalities near the beginning of the wet season. Celebrations typically include preliminary music and dance performances, competitive processions of floats, dancers and musicians, culminating on the third day in competitive firings of home-made rockets.
posted on Apr-21-20 at 1:00 AM
Garden Party, a lush animated short. Featuring the bullfrogs & other creatures from Maestro. Illogic & Bloom Pictures: last year on MF
posted on Apr-15-20 at 12:41 PM
Bon Appétit features 13 professional chefs cooking Quarantine Pasta at home with the most basic ingredients they have on hand. 29 min. SLYT
posted on Apr-14-20 at 11:17 AM
Takeshi Terauchi (寺内タケシ) is a Japanese instrumental rock guitarist. He started his career playing rhythm guitar for the Country and Western act "Jimmie Tokita and The Mountain Playboys". Here he sings Fool such as I. Here they sing Blue moon of Kentucky Tennessee Waltz Tumbling tumbleweeds Amazing Grace - More songs Credit
posted on Apr-13-20 at 2:43 AM
Solving Churchill's Cigar and Whisky Bottle Puzzle. From the German Youtube channel Mr. Puzzle
posted on Apr-11-20 at 3:07 PM
In 2015, a group called "Southern Voice Band" with their singer "Ken" gave a small, private birthday party crowd the performance of a lifetime with a spirited cover of "Let's Get It On". Five years later, somebody uploaded the video to r/videos, and the photographer showed up.
posted on Apr-6-20 at 8:03 AM
Soul singer Lynn White sings a medley, God Blessed Our Love / When a Man Loves a Woman / That's How Strong My Love Is. This is from the 1985 "Sorry" album. Bio
posted on Apr-4-20 at 4:06 PM
The fascinating land art of Stuart Ian Frost. Start with 'Site Specific installations'.
posted on Mar-22-20 at 12:01 PM
TheB1M is a YouTube channel for large scale construction projects. Here are some sample videos: Building Dubai Creek Tower, the World's Tallest Structure How To Dispose of a Skyscraper Building The Golden Gate: Many others inside. New videos every Wednesday
posted on Mar-16-20 at 2:18 PM
Inspired by the movie Dodgeball, here are some obscure or 'less seen' competitive sports: Buttacrobatics If you look in the same direction your opponent points, you lose 10 year old girl wins Kent Bazemore's UNO tournament Bike Football T-shirt Relay PG-13 remake of The Human Centipede Trampoline Roman candle battle Portable belt sander races Ice soccer Brick Racing
posted on Mar-14-20 at 3:52 AM
Mise en place is a French culinary phrase which refers to the setup required before cooking. It is often used in professional kitchens to refer to organizing the ingredients that a cook will require for the menu items s/he expects to prepare during a shift. It is also the name of a new video series from Eater (so far only 6 episodes) about some behind the scenes at 2 and 3 Michelin-starred restaurants. Start with the one about Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
posted on Mar-12-20 at 3:45 PM
Here are some calming, nearly trance-like .gifs and short clips of things that are being cut by very sharp knives: - Soap slicing - Sushi - Leaf cutting - Carving out the bowl of a wooden spoon - Steak - Slow-motion video of an apple and some bananas being sliced in half while in mid air - Japanese knife professional transforms vegetables into works of art - From a Japanese Kezuroukai Planing Competition with shavings as thin as 5 micron, plus (Video)
posted on Mar-7-20 at 2:57 AM
PLANET PLASTIC - How Big Oil and Big Soda kept a global environmental calamity a secret for decades. By Tim Dickinson, from Rolling Stone
posted on Mar-4-20 at 2:45 AM
Remember when Wikipedia was a joke? In its first decade of life, the website appeared in as many punch lines as headlines. The Office's Michael Scott called it “the best thing ever,” because “anyone in the world can write anything they want about any subject—so you know you are getting the best possible information.” Praising Wikipedia, by restating its mission, meant self-identifying as an idiot. That was in 2007....
posted on Feb-28-20 at 9:53 AM
Footage of a 1935 Motoruota Monowheel. Background and wikipedia. Previously on metafilter
posted on Feb-11-20 at 3:40 AM
"Consider these demographics, and one starts to understand why the people of Las Vegas get overlooked... I have often wondered whether the general ignorance about Las Vegas is born of laziness, snobbery, or an altogether more insidious impulse. Las Vegas was, of course, déclassé and embarrassing from the start: founded by the Mafia, the first “unaristocratic” Americans, as Tom Wolfe wrote, “to have enough money to build a monument to their style of life.”
It’s frequently said that Las Vegas has no culture, but that’s not true. My Italian relatives from Illinois—my aunts with their Carmela Soprano hairdos and long acrylic nails—love it for a reason. They love playing the slots downtown at the Golden Nugget and going out for martini dinners at old-school Italian places. (At one of these, I heard Pia Zadora breathily sing about her “accidents and arrests.”) They love Cirque du Soleil shows, where you can sit and watch first-class acrobats fly across the stage while you sip from a plastic cup of beer. Las Vegas is vernacular culture—“prole,” Wolfe called it—and thus, he notes, “it gets ignored, except on the most sensational level.”
Those who think of themselves as cultured and educated look down on Las Vegas as garish and brazen. But concern about “good taste” is often just socially palatable code for classism and racism. This is a working-class town that’s nearly 33 percent Hispanic, 12 percent Black, and 7 percent Asian. It has one of the largest populations of undocumented immigrants in the country, and the eighth-highest rate of homelessness."
posted on Feb-7-20 at 12:22 AM
NASA photographer Lauren Orchowski had been documenting the Cold War era rocket ship playgrounds that were mass produced and installed by rural, suburban, and metropolitan communities on both public and private land at the height of the 20th century Space Race. Other collections: Telescopes in the rain Fireworks stands Prompted by this photo from Rocketship Park in Torrence. Via mltshp
posted on Jan-31-20 at 1:07 AM
She dropped a coin into the cup Of a blind man at the gate... “...Probably my favorite Dylan cover on what is easily my favorite Jerry Garcia Band recording. If not my favorite of any of Jerry's live output, The "After Midnight- Kean College 1980" show. Then watch the show from the next night, 03/01/80 ... Two of his best ever....” Via late night Local Stain MLTSHP Dylan's version from Blood on the tracks (and Live from around Rolling Thunder) Other covers: Joan Baez from "Diamonds & Rust" Jeff Twiddy Diana Krall others wikipedia
posted on Jan-27-20 at 12:26 AM
Megavalanche (nicknamed "Mega") is a downhill mountain bike race held annually at the Alpe D'Huez ski resort in the French Alps. The event starts on the glaciated summit of Pic Blanc in Huez and descends to the valley bottom for a total of over 2,600 vertical meters (8530 feet) and a 20 km (12 miles) distance. The mass-start race is known for its fast speeds and winding turns over varying terrain, with hundreds of riders descending the mountain at once. Here is the big crash of 2019. (Here's the Winner's full run, 32 min.) Previously, the 2018 winner's SLYT
posted on Jan-25-20 at 11:30 AM
Why Finland And Denmark Are Happier Than The U.S. (Previously): World Happiness Report
posted on Jan-22-20 at 9:52 AM
"Best" trailers of all time:
Raging Bull
Goodnight Mommy
Logan
La La Land
The Shining
The Social Network. (And from Screen Junkies, an honest trailer of same)
The Comic-Con Suicide Squad
Citizen Kane
(Trailers tag on M-F )
Similarly, my own random list of 'best' movie scores
posted on Jan-17-20 at 5:07 AM
The Starbugs was a musical quintet of five kids from Wellington, NZ, ranging in age from 7 to 15.
In 2011, they released an 11-track CD of Dylan covers, called 'Kids Sing Bob Dylan'.
Here’s their “Forever young”
Here’s “Mr Tambourine Man”
Here’s “Knockin' On Heaven's Door”
Here’s “I shall be released”
Here’s “Girl From the North Country”
Here’s the rest of their channel, including a previous CD of Beatles covers
- Background
- From
- Via
posted on Jan-16-20 at 3:13 AM
Historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat is a an expert on fascism, authoritarianism, war & propaganda. In a 20 minute podcast hosted by Chauncey DeVega (starts at 0:30), she posits that a fascist, authoritarian takeover is not a future event we should worry about, but an actual process we are living through right now, and that if Trump wins again, America will be ‘ready for full-on authoritarian rule’.
Ben-Ghiat warns that societies often succumb to authoritarianism and fascism not in one dramatic moment, but gradually over time. “Only in a military coup do you really have an instant change. A person leaves the house in the morning and five hours later they are living in a dictatorship and there is mass violence. But otherwise, even Mussolini and Hitler took years to get into power.”
Read on Salon.
Ruth Ben-Ghiat previously on M-F
posted on Jan-14-20 at 8:40 AM
Shamook (SHAM00K) is master deepfake artist.
In his latest Youtube video, he partnered with impressionist Jim Meskimen to perform their poem “Deeper metrics of Christmas”, as read by 20 celebrities.
Other “Deepfakers” (some of which were mentioned previously on Metafilter) are:
- Ctrl Shift Face
- Derpfake
- birbfakes
Otherwise: Wikipedia
posted on Jan-8-20 at 11:35 AM