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It was strangely sad, for some reason. Like two strangers met for a short distance of path in their lives because they had a common goal, and then one of them suddenly vanished, leaving the entirety of the task's weight and responsibility to the person that remained.

Kavinsky — Nightcall (Samsung Cover Cover) by D___N builds on Kavinsky — Nightcall (Samsung Cover) by Arsen Sayadyan. [Via.] [more inside]
posted by Wobbuffet at 9:30 PM PST - 7 comments

Taking a holiday break from the usual dispiriting revelations, The Intercept's latest release from the Snowden files is an internal Christmas cryptographic competition from Britain's Government Communications Headquarters. Take the quiz and see if you can outsmart Her Majesty's codebreakers!
posted by Tsuga at 6:27 PM PST - 178 comments

Wear the “MY WAR” shirt everyday. [more inside]
posted by The Devil Tesla at 5:41 PM PST - 17 comments

Even then [1995], Zerzan was probably the highest-profile anarchist in America. He was a fifty-two-year-old who earned his living as a babysitter. He lived in a housing co-op and didn’t own a credit card (even after computers became mainstream, Zerzan did most of his writing by hand). In appearance and temperament, he looked and sounded like Tommy Chong: a bearded baritone you could picture singing “Up in Smoke” while driving around with a doobie the size of a hot dog. If it weren’t for his two published collections of essays, Elements of Refusal and Future Primitive, Zerzan would have passed as another baby boomer with an aversion to adulthood. But in his writing, Zerzan espoused what is arguably the most extreme political philosophy on the planet: that the problem behind all the other problems—war, famine, disease, the environment—is civilization itself, and that the solution is to blow it up and start again.

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posted by the man of twists and turns at 3:47 PM PST - 130 comments

Speaking Klingon at the Weihnachtsmarkt because why not! Holidays can be for learning, too.
posted by Wolfdog at 3:11 PM PST - 5 comments

Got a hankering to cash in that newly-acquired gift card or just browse the newest Winter Sale? You might be waiting for a while, as the Steam Store is currently very, very down. [more inside]
posted by selfnoise at 2:55 PM PST - 34 comments

Christmas Experiments is a collection of Yuletide-themed browser toys and minigames, one for each day in December until Christmas. Each one was created by a different programmer / artist. Don't miss past years' entries: 2013; 2012. When you're done playing, check out the code on GitHub. [more inside]
posted by escape from the potato planet at 2:43 PM PST - 2 comments

Yes, Virginia, There is a Spider-Man: An Editorial by J. Jonah Jameson. From the indispensable Bully the Little Stuffed Bull and Comics Oughta Be Fun!
posted by themanwho at 2:03 PM PST - 5 comments

"Keep Your Eye On The Donut" – David Lynch (SLYT)
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 1:40 PM PST - 8 comments

Simon Abrams, Vulture: All 45 Peanuts Specials, Ranked From Worst to Best
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 1:21 PM PST - 43 comments

According to the CDC, November and December are the months with the fewest suicides. [more inside]
posted by a strong female character at 9:15 AM PST - 31 comments

@thomyorke: Last year we were asked to write a tune for Bond movie Spectre. Yes we were ...... It didn't work out ... but became something of our own which we love very much .... As the year closes we thought you might like to hear it. Merry Christmas. May the force be with you ...
posted by Artw at 8:09 AM PST - 34 comments

Galalith. The world's first plastic. Known as "milk stone" it was created by the interaction of casein and formaline. Produced in the 1900s in great quantities in France and Germany, it was used as an ivory substitute in billiard balls, piano keys and a variety of jewelry. Production declined post-WWII and while vintage galalith is pricey on ebay you can make it yourself at home.
posted by jessamyn at 7:21 AM PST - 29 comments

Many years ago, I introduced Metafilter to Pappy's Golden Age Comics blog. Well, for Christmas Day, Pappy has posted a wonderful gift: the comic book adaptation of the Beatles' Yellow Submarine. [more inside]
posted by wittgenstein at 7:03 AM PST - 7 comments

Sleeping In on Christmas? by Claire Cain Miller [The New York Times] [more inside]
posted by Fizz at 5:26 AM PST - 31 comments

A German Christmas card with just "England" on the envelope has reached the right address in Gloucestershire.
posted by marienbad at 5:14 AM PST - 32 comments

After a twenty-month hiatus, Chris Onstad wishes us all a Happy Holliday with a new Achewood strip, plus some other new content. (Warning: NSFW. NSFFamily, probably, either.)
posted by Navelgazer at 5:08 AM PST - 45 comments

Yesterday morning, fans all around the world woke up at the crack of dawn to eagerly open their gifts on the most important day of the year. ...Wait, what, I have to go do this "Christmas" thing? Sorry, I'm busy reading this year's new creations for the Yuletide Fanfiction Challenge (previously and previously). Yuletide is a Secret Santa fanfiction exchange that takes place every year around Christmas time. (Huge props to capricorn who posted an amazing 2013 Yuletide FPP that is the template for this one). [more inside]
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 2:19 AM PST - 29 comments