January 12, 2014
Could Unlimited Phone Surveillance Have Prevented 9/11?
Do "tendrils of past mind-sets still remain"?
As the instrument of DOET I became responsible for their salvation
The Cult of the Peacock. It’s easy to forget that at one time all videogames had manuals. I used to like reading manuals. Manuals were cool. Now, instead of manuals, we have interactive tutorials. They take about fifty times longer to produce, three times longer to consume, and players hate them so much that their highest aspiration is to become completely transparent. Currently I spend most of my waking hours developing them. It should come as no surprise that I hate them too.
listen to the wealthy scream
The return of "patrimonial capitalism": review of Thomas Piketty's Capital in the 21st century (pdf) - "Thomas Piketty's 'Capital in the 21st century' may be one of the most important recent economics books. It jointly treats theory of growth, functional distribution of income, and interpersonal income inequality. It envisages a future of relatively slow growth with the rising share of capital incomes, and widening income inequality. This tendency could be checked only by worldwide taxation of capital." [more inside]
Incomplete, apparently
Junk Head 1 - a short by Yamiken Hori
Junk Head 1 - Start with the stop motion animation look of an old Tool video, add in a bit of that Jeunet/Caro style humanity and humor, weave in some Cronenberg-like WTF creatures, and wrap the whole thing in an interesting story, and you have yourself a very cool short from Yamiken Hori.
Waste Watching: Robin Nagle's Discard Sudies
Discard Studies "is meant as an online gathering place for scholars, activists, environmentalists, students, artists, planners, and anyone else whose work touches on themes relevant to the study of waste and wasting." It's about hoarding discourse. Migrants' material trails. The stewardship of repair. Flood level markers. And so much more, thanks to the trashiest anthropologist in New York. [more inside]
If I only had a...
Many people have wondered about Metafilter over the years.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if Metafilter had human body parts?
Wonder no longer. NSFW
Metafilter's anus: The Elite Restless Labyrinth. [more inside]
"Felled by your gun, felled by your gun ...."
Eleanor Roosevelt and the Soviet Sniper
"Lyudmila Pavlichenko was a Soviet sniper credited with 309 kills—and an advocate for women's rights. On a U.S. tour in 1942, she found a friend in the first lady." [more inside]
What I've Learned From My Side Job Critiquing Dick Pics
The founder of the Tumblr Critique My Dick Pic (previously on Metafilter) talks about what she has learned.
The Saxophone Sisters, Indian fusion
The Saxophone Sisters, Lavanya and Subbalakshmi's musical repertoire includes Carnatic music, Hindustani, Western classical, Hindi, Tamil movie songs and jazz. [more inside]
Fantastic!
Fish leaps to catch birds on the wing
"Painting is an infinitely minute part of my personality."
Salvador Dalí Illustrates the Twelve Signs of the Zodiac, in stunning and colorful detail. [more inside]
To take the public debate a step further
On Wednesday, after retiring in September, former Germany international Thomas Hitzlsperger announced he is gay in an interview with Die Zeit (excerpt, de) and a statement (PDF, en) on his website, followed by an interview with the Guardian. He discussed the decision and the aftermath of the announcement with Gary Lineker on Football Focus (1:00-4:15). [more inside]
I'm a pretty big deal in Japan.
You might not know me, but I’m famous. Don’t feel bad. Until recently, I didn’t know I was famous either, and most days, even now, it’s hard to tell.
Do not pass go, do not collect $200
Inside Monopoly's secret war against the Third Reich The story of how Clayton Hutton came to use Monopoly to try and help POW escape during WWII.
A Sea Story
A Sea Story: One of the worst maritime disasters in European history [....]
Another gripping account by William Langewiesche. (Previously: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Another gripping account by William Langewiesche. (Previously: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Awww Pair!
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