August 26, 2010
Soon, America's pole-sockers will be out of work, replaced by a machine.
What Motivates Us?
Challenging the notion that humans are motivated by monetary reward, Dan Pink presents a variety of studies that test this notion. Inspired by his newest book, Drive
Decorated Paper
The Decorated and Decorative Paper Collection (University of Washington) offers digitized examples of "Western marbled paper, paste papers and decorative papers, such as Dutch gilt and lithographically or linoleum block printed paper." Marbled paper, which many of you will have seen in the endpapers of nineteenth-century books, developed independently in Japan (suminagashi) and Turkey (ebru), although the Turkish form is best known in the West. Some very striking endpapers have been known to crop up in unexpected places. For further historical examples, see the Salem Athenaeum, the Folger Shakespeare Library, and the Koninklijke Bibliotheek.
That's not racially transcendent
"It usually sounds ridiculous when opponents to video game describe them as murder simulators..."
"Serial Killer Roguelike" is exactly what it sounds like. Here's a video of it in action. [more inside]
Whack-a-mole climate denialism
Investigative reporting continues to attack the credibility of the IPCC reports on climate change, as well as vicious personal attacks. These stories gain wide coverage in the denialist echo chamber, yet several months down the track, after thorough independent investigation, they are found to be false. Weak retractions are published in newspapers, but the damage is done.
the idea of a fully operational zero...
"Michel de Montaigne, whose essays transformed Western consciousness and literature, was not capable of solving basic arithmetic problems. And most other people would not be able to do so either, if not for the invention of decimal notation by an unknown mathematician in India 1500 years ago." The Greatest Mathematical Discovery? (expanded pdf) a paper written for the US Dept. of Energy makes this assertion based in part on the work of Georges Ifrah. [via] [more inside]
best magazine covers of 2010
The American Society of Magazine Editors and Amazon.com have announced the finalists for best magazine covers of the year. There are 12 categories: News & Business; Most Controversial; Sport & Fitness; Lifestyle; Science, Technology & Nature; House & Home; Fashion & Beauty; Funniest; Entertainment & Celebrity; Most Delicious; Sexiest; and, Best Vampire. Favourites: Obama with Google-eyed glasses, Colbert looking crazy on skates, Ryan Reynolds's abs, and a couple of great-looking hotdogs.
And a little one for KG
It is the map that engenders the territory
Radical Cartography has made a lot more maps since greasy_skillet posted it in 2005, including maps showing housing prices and segregation of all kinds in New York, Chicago, DC and elsewhere, counties named for Presidents, the night sky, the US in agriculture, the US as projected to other spots on the globe, and a physical atlas of the world.
seriously, don't try this at home
Eleven Million Dollars
How much does it cost to run a country? Somalia's Prime Minister released the government budget for 2009 (PDF) today. They had $11 million dollars to spend. That's million. With an M.
The Financial Documents Baseball Doesn't Want You To See
Today, Deadspin leaked financial documents detailing the finances of several MLB teams, including a few that are getting revenue sharing money. They show that several of MLB's "poorest" franchises turned a profit due to these cash infusions. [more inside]
User-driven discontent
Yesterday morning, social news juggernaut Digg.com finally unveiled its much-ballyhooed redesign: Digg 4.0. More than a simple cosmetic makeover, the new edition of the popular link-sharing platform fundamentally alters the underlying mechanics of the site. [more inside]
Asteroid Discovery From 1980 - 2010
Asteroid Discovery From 1980 - 2010: an animation of the solar system that highlights asteroids as they are discovered. I would suggest watching it in a high resolution.
Reflections on Judging Mothering
(pdf) Chris Gottlieb writes in the "Baltimore Law Review" about judging parents. The article discusses instances of racism and classicism in the family court systems.
An adaptation of the "Baltimore Review" article appears in the New York Times. [more inside]
You talkin' to me?
Where am I?
If your brain and body were separated, which one would be "you?" Philosopher Daniel Dennett explores what might happen in that event. (Previously)
Z for Zine Editor
The early days of british comics fanzines, by Dez Skinn, one time head of Marvel UK and founder of Warrior.
Used games, the letters of marque of the gaming world?
THQ's Cory Ledesma opened the flood gates in his interview about used games. Penny Arcade sides with publishers on the issue, citing issues with the used game market. [more inside]
You probably don't even know what you like
Choice blindness occurs when subjects are unaware that the choice they made is opposite their previously stated preferences. In this recent paper, subject preferences were reversed between tastes of jam and scents of tea. Overall, only a third of all the manipulated trials were detected by subjects whose preferences had been switched by the experimenters. [more inside]
♫ When they're scared go and comfort them! ♫
Dowling Duncan redesign the US bank notes
The Work of Art in the Age of Digital Reproduction
Pictures of people taking pictures of the Mona Lisa (non-Flash but still annoying interface warning)
How I Wonder?
Chick Lit v. the NYT
Best selling authors Jennifer Weiner and Jodi Picoult speak out about how the New York Times treats "chick lit": "when a man writes about family and feelings, it's literature with a capital L, but when a woman considers the same topics, it's romance, or a beach book - in short, it's something unworthy of a serious critic's attention." [more inside]
You made him sandwiches in the middle of the night. You took away his manhood.
My assignment for the day was to photograph Jerry Stiller in front of The Costanza House in Astoria, Queens. As we pulled up to the house he decided to ring the doorbell not knowing if anyone would answer. Story from the Daily News.
I think we are all winners here.
Street Dance vs Ballet - Dance It Up (SLYT)
It isn't every airline offers flights for 50p...
Cheap Flights by Fascinating Aida is a new song from a trio of satirical women who have been making people laugh for over a quarter of a century. As they say on their homepage "It started by going fungal, then it went bacterial, and is in severe danger of going viral. Hurrah! We write a hit - it's only taken 27 years!". Other notable songs include their ode to viagra Getting it, White's Blues, and an old gem Time, from 1987.
You're awesome!
How great would you feel if a real person called you every day to tell you, "You're Awesome!"?
Because Top 10 lists are for cowards
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