December 11, 2011
They do indeed know it
There must be a recognition of the self in its relation to the profession one proposes. If we do declare our profession, we must also keep the epistemological awareness. That is, if we are our profession, we must know it. [more inside]
Beautiful Styling + Extreme Engineering = Creme de la Creme of Automotive Design from Jobs 1.0
"Harley Earl (video explaining a fraction of his role in shaping the modern American automobile [and his postwar vision of the future, full of ideas decades before their time, the Harley Earl Buick LeSabre]), the legendary automotive stylist, designed the F-88 under the belief that it would have outsold the Corvette and forever changed automotive history. Unfortunately Chevrolet, which produced more GM products than any of its other divisions, convinced the GM board of directors to cut the Oldsmobile project. The F-88 never went into production due to that sabotage combined with lukewarm Corvette sales. The 1954 Oldsmobile F-88 was strictly ever a dream car." (*Via, 1, 2) [more inside]
What if Sonic ran like an idiot?
An artist named Zac Gorman asked "What if Sonic Ran like an idiot?" The answer spawned this little gif. This inspired Nedroid to urge others to make Sonic look doofy. [more inside]
John Updike's book reviews
All told, Updike has published more than a million words on books. ... In Picked-up Pieces (1975), Updike’s second collection of essays, he lists his rules for reviewing... Without coyness, Updike renders a stern judgment based on telling quotation. He builds toward his findings in plain sight, earning him an authority that is based on his presentation of a plausible case. [more inside]
G+
Will G+ become Google's only product? Mike Elgin of Computerworld thinks so.
Google+ launched on June 28th, and, as Elgin states, ".... since the launch, Google has "integrated" a dozen more major products into Google+, turning them into de facto features. This process starts with a minor integration and evolves into a major one."
Because it's, like, SO IMPORTANT to have the right font.
"Over the internet we yell at each other with ALL CAPS and emphasize with bold and italics, but where is sarcasm? Where is the nuance, the elegance? We say it is time for a change. It's time for a revolution. It's time for a new font style!"
Introducing the sarcastic font.
Introducing the sarcastic font.
Come Along, McCrimmon
The Big Organ and Other Nightmares
The cautionary tale of the shiny new device that's smarter than its users and ends up taking over is pretty much cliché... but it took Australian pop musicker Gotye (prounced like Gaultier, if that helps) to apply it to a Lowrey Organ (the Cotillion D575, a vintage model he acquired for $100 and uses both in his recordings and concerts). Add retro-style animation, and you have something scary yet whimsical and truly "State of the Art". [more inside]
JJS the new DFW
John Jeremiah Sullivan is the working writer most frequently compared to David Foster Wallace (he's also sometimes compared to a young Tom Wolfe). He has a new essay collection out, and many of its pieces are available online (see inside). [more inside]
I didn't evolve from no flounder.
A Short Film In a Redwood Forest
Growing Is Forever they whispered.
Slumdog Golfer
Sunnier Than Sonny And Cher!
What is Pink Lady? In Japan they are remembered for a string of pop hits in the 70s, but Americans might remember them either from their disco single "Kiss In The Dark" or from an attempt to sell them to the US market in 1980 via a short-lived NBC variety show Pink Lady & Jeff (TVParty summary) with comedian Jeff Altman. (Opening). The show featured their Japanese hits, UFO, MONSTER (a bit more rock and roll), and SOS along with US hits like Boogie Wonderland, McArthur Park and the occasional guest star. (with encore) Also, Roy Orbison.
Sadly, the show failed to break out and the two returned to Japan for a series of farewell concerts and retrospectives. Much, much more available at this charmingly retro, utterly exhaustive fan site devoted to them. Or just read the recaps. [more inside]
Led by the child who simply knew
Led by the child who simply knew The twin boys were identical in every way but one. Wyatt was a girl to the core, and now lives as one, with the help of a brave, loving family and a path-breaking doctor’s care.
Twenty-Five Semi-Obscure Traditional Christmas Songs as Performed by Famous and Non-Famous People
Twenty-Five Semi-Obscure Traditional Christmas Songs as Performed by Famous and Non-Famous People:
1. The Coventry Carol. Celebrate the end of Christmas with this cheerful song about infants being murdered by a paranoid monarch. Actually quite beautiful. As performed by Sting, Joan Baez, John Denver, Nox Arcana, Loreena McKennitt, Manheim Steamroller, Alison Moyet, Annie Lennox and the African Children's Choir, Sufjan Stevens, Hayley Westenra, The Mediaeval Baebes, Dinah Shore, and the Westminster Cathedral Choir. [more inside]
Touch of Evil
Touch of Evil A NYT gallery of villainy featuring some of the best rouges of fiction.
Williamsburg Acrobatics
Seanna Sharpe's crazy acrobatics show 285 feet up the Williamsburg Bridge. (Not) for those afraid of heights or lycra. More Seanna here.
They Did it for Science
Experiment: To determine the efficacy and adaptability of pop-culture hook-up guides. Can a woman use the rules of "the game" on other women? And how will dudes respond to pick-up techniques that were designed to hustle ladies into bed? Kate Ray investigates what happens when a woman plays "the game" for Nerve, and she does it for Science
(All links potentially NSFW, I mean come on its nerve, but most are either OK to OK-ish or obvious from context) [more inside]
IT BUURRRNNNSSSS
The Right (and Wrong) Way to Die When You Fall Into Lava - You'll never be able to watch Return of the King the same way again.
Manya, a comic book
Manya was a short comic series, created in the ’90s, by writer Jen Benka and artist Kris Dresden. The sporadically published series covered life from the point of view of young female living in the city. A couple of those early issues are now available online:
Marie is about a meeting, of sorts, between Manya and Marie Curie, the scientist who did pioneering research on radiation.Jitterbug did an interview with Benka and Dresden, where they discussed the creation of Manya and other works.
Falling deals with the aftermath of the death of a friend from AIDS.
"Abolishing it [...] is no more feasible than eliminating agriculture or the auto industry."
"A statistical summary of women in prostitution is a chronicle of human wreckage—economic, physical, and chemical." GQ magazine's three-part investigation into the global sex trade is fascinating, if horrifying, reading: Part 1 (on sex clubs in the Phillipines), Part 2 (on human trafficking in Moldova), Part 3 (on sex tourism in Costa Rica).
BBC adaptation of Isaac Asimov's Original Foundation Trilogy
In 1973, the BBC aired an adaptation of Isaac Asimov's original Foundation trilogy, in eight one-hour parts. It is freely downloadable (or streamable) here.
There's a law in New York state about driving with a live moose on the hood of your car
Here (from NPR's All Things Considered, 2008) is Woody Allen's classic stand-up routine, the Moose Story. A few more, from YouTube: Science Fiction Film, Eggs Benedict (unfortunately with distracting animation), on the Jack Paar show. MLYT [more inside]
His Own Stupid Money
Louis' Challenge: To Torrent or Not The Pirate Bay is discussing (under the link to down the torrent) of the thing Louis CK is asked: Please don't torrent this video. I paid for the whole thing with my own stupid money. [more inside]
Battle at Troll Bridge
Apple has adopted new tactics in its patent war against the handheld industry. Last summer, Apple has transferred patents to the patent troll Digitude Innovations, using a shell company operated by Digitude's primary investor, Altitude Capital Partners. In December, Digitude filed suit with the International Trade Commission alleging patent infringement by almost every mobile manufacturers except Apple. (pdf filing) [more inside]
If it's out there, it's in here.
Ding! Furniture stripping. Rock drills. Herbs. Die casting. Dumbwaiters.
Conductive shoes. Vanity cases. Civil engineers. If it's out there, it's in here. [MLYT] [more inside]
IM MAKING PANCAKES FRESHER THAN A MAFUCKA
Fictional characters, real voters.
Being a charismatic young leader himself, gifted in bringing together animals from all walks of life (some had even called him the first zebra king), Mufasa related to Clinton’s first term. Like the Clintons, Mufasa was also a passionate advocate for universal healthcare since witnessing the positive impact of Rafiki’s healing powers for the animal kingdom.How Would They Vote is a US/Australia focused blog tracing the political awakenings and inclinations of characters from popular culture. Find out about Optimus Prime's anti-environmentalism, which of The Breakfast Club voted Dukakis, and what the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles really think of Herman Cain.
Before and After Science
The History and Future of Computing an interactive timeline from the New York Times which crowdsources predictions. [more inside]
"For many tiny, endangered languages, digital technology has become a lifeline."
Everyone Speaks Text Message: [NYTimes] "Is technology killing indigenous languages or saving them? Well, you may soon be able to text in N’Ko."
Why here, and not there?
Psychology Today handles The Big Question: Why Are We Here?
Cool! Obama's face for lunch!
Normally I manage a sandwich, pieces of fruit and veg, a yoghurt and a carton of drink for my kids' lunchboxes. In some parts of the world, it seems, only mini sculptures of cartoon characters, piano keyboards and pictures of Obama made from seaweed will suffice. Want to join in? Turns out Youtube is a goldmine: next week, give your child Octopus sausages!. Or buy a book!
With me it's a full-time job.
Three decades on from the release of British Gangster classic Get Carter Michael Brady revisited the film's locations. [more inside]
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