If you include video in social media posts for your business, you'll see a 66 percent boost in serious engagement. Your brand awareness will be up over 50 percent. And an overwhelming 93 percent of marketers confirm that video on a social media post has resulted in a new customer. — Read the rest
Wednesday, 30 September 2020
Vocabulary Quest is an action-adventure game that also happens to teach you advanced vocab words
Studying for vocabulary tests in grade school was always the worst. Just you, a list of words, a sheet of paper and a pencil…and endless, endless, endless repetition. It was always the equivalent of an educational death march.
But the importance of an extensive vocabulary is undeniable. — Read the rest
From oil to gummies to pre-rolls, this CBD package has you completely covered
In case you've been under a rock the past few years, CBD is one of the fastest-growing businesses in America. In fact, one in seven American adults use cannabis-derived products.
With only three states still prohibiting the use of CBD-infused oils, tinctures, creams, and consumable foods and drinks, millions are discovering CBD's therapeutic relief and support with issues like anxiety, arthritis, pain, sleep disorders and other health issues. — Read the rest
Horrid mug looks like wool sweater
The White Winter Ceramic Mug [Amazon, set of four] is designed to resemble a nice cosy knitted sweater. Just imagine it filled with a hot steaming cup of tea or chocolate, surrounded by fancy European "biscuits", breathing warmth into a cold winter's day. — Read the rest
SB Nation has launched a new sequel to "17776: What Football Will Look Like In The Future"
In July 2017, sports writer Jon Bois used his platform on SB Nation to serialize a 25-part speculative fiction story about a far future America where football games last for thousands of years and span the continent. The story is told from the point of view of 3 sentient satellites, using a combination of interactive/hypertext media, scrolling triggers, GIFs, videos and animation, as well as standard text. — Read the rest
Republican Senators call on Netflix to cancel upcoming adaptation of "The Three Body Problem" over author's awful Muslim comments
Chinese science fiction author Liu Cixin is perhaps best known for the Remembrance of the Earth's Past trilogy, which is sometimes referred to by the name of the first book, The Three Body Problem, which was the first Asian novel to win the Hugo Award for Best Novel; it also helped kick-off the current Chinese science fiction renaissance. — Read the rest
Animated explainer: "Is it too late to stop climate change?"
Kurzgesagt's latest "In a Nutshell" animation asks "Is it too late to stop climate change?" From the video:
— Read the restWe have known for decades that rapid Climate Change is being caused by the release of Greenhouse Gases. But instead of reducing them, in 2019 the world was emitting 50% more CO2 than in the year 2000.
Helen Reddy, singer of "I Am Woman" (hear me roar), RIP
Helen Reddy, the Australian-American singer and activist who famously co-wrote and sang the 1971 feminist anthem "I Am Woman," has died at age 78. The song was informed by Reddy's experiences in the Women's Movement in Australia.
"I realised that the song I was looking for didn't exist, and I was going to have to write it myself," she later said. — Read the rest
Atlanta strippers' PSA hauls mens' "booty to the poll"
In an effort to get more Black men in the south to vote in November, a group of Atlanta strippers have created a risqué PSA that's sure to get their attention. It's called "Get Your Booty to the Poll" and it's more fun and educational than you might expect! — Read the rest
Murder case abandoned after prosecutors' racist emails exposed
Frances Choy was convicted of killing her parents in a 2003 house fire, but her conviction was voided earlier this year after racist emails sent by prosecutors came to light. On Tuesday, Plymouth County's District Attorney gave up on its effort to try her again. — Read the rest
Pantone adds a blood red color to end menstruation stigma
As a way to end the stigma of menstruation, Pantone has added a new red to its color matching system. The new shade is described as "an active and adventurous red hue," created to "embolden people who menstruate to feel proud of who they are. — Read the rest
Generating Pac-Man mazes is harder than you might think
Shaun LeBron set out to generate legit Pac Man mazes, but it turns out their simplicity and elegance concealed unexpectedly hard work: "Generating random Pac-Man mazes is a deceptively difficult problem that I spent some months working on. It is not easy to describe clearly. — Read the rest
This Florida Budweiser House could be yours for just $100,000
From the listing on Realtor.com:
— Read the restBudweiser's biggest fan meticulously adorned the walls and ceilings with Budweiser beer cans to display and showcase their intense love for one of America's favorite domestic brews! Whether you keep the current decor for your Youtube beer show or decide to renovate the home, this property offers tons of entertainment potential!
How Google Search Trends for "white supremacists" and "Antifa" have changed in the last 4 years
Social Media Researcher Erin Gallagher put this short video together, showing when Google Trends have spiked for "white nationalists" and "white supremacists," and comparing that to national interest in "Antifa" — the umbrella term for a loose affiliation of anti-fascist activists, which has been appropriated by Trump and Fox News and turned into shorthand for a fictional group of highly-organized Black Bloc terrorists funded and trained by George Soros, the Democratic Party, and the "Deep State." — Read the rest
A Calvinesque and Hobbesian look at a potential transfer of power
The two Tom the Dancing Bug books, Tom the Dancing Bug: Into the Trumpverse, and The Super-Fun-Pak Comix Reader, are now available. Information about the books, including how to order, and special offers here.
"Behold the wondrous, whimsical, witty world that is Tom the Dancing Bug! — Read the rest
In 1913, New York publicist John Duval Gluck proposed to answer Santa's mail
In 1913, New York publicist John Duval Gluck founded an association to answer Santa's mail. For 15 years its volunteers fulfilled children's Christmas wishes, until Gluck's motivation began to shift. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe the rise and fall of "Santa's Secretary" in New York City. — Read the rest
This was the first baseball season in 4 years with no homophobic slurs on the field
OutSports reports:
— Read the restMajor League Baseball ended its regular season on Sunday after a COVID-shortened 60 games and for the first time since the 2016 season, there were no players involved in any recorded, on-field anti-gay controversies.
Granted, the season was 102 games shorter than normal and we still have the playoffs to go, but it's refreshing nonetheless that we heard no mentions of players using gay slurs.
A member of the Breonna Taylor Grand Jury has successfully pressured the Kentucky AG into releasing the deliberation tapes
Many of us were disappointed — though sadly not surprised — when the Grand Jury for the Breonna Taylor case declined to indict the officers who killed her. The fact that one officer would be charged for stray bullets that didn't kill anyone only added insult to injury. — Read the rest
Tuesday, 29 September 2020
Trump, asked about election violence: 'I'm urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully'
TRUMP INCITES SUPPORTERS TO INTIMIDATE VOTERS AT POLLS ON ELECTION DAY
"Will you pledge tonight that you will not declare victory until the election is certified," asked moderator Chris Wallace during the first presidential debate.
"Will you urge your voters to stay calm if election results are unknown on Nov. — Read the rest
This 6-in-1 Universal Cable wants to be the one-stop answer to all of those power needs
If you're going on a trip, it isn't enough to bring your smartphone and your tablet and your laptop. You also have to bring all the charging cables for your phone. And the one for your tablet. And the charging brick plug-in. — Read the rest
Trump wouldn't condemn white supremacists, tells Proud Boys 'stand back and stand by' in Biden debate
In the first presidential debate, Trump refused to condemn white supremacists and racism.
He said instead to these groups, and he shouted out the Proud Boys in particular, "Stand back and Stand by."
Is that a command to his armed base to prepare for violence after Trump loses the election? — Read the rest
Biden calls Trump 'worst president America has ever had'
"You're the worst president America has ever had," Biden said to Trump tonight.
"In 47 months, I've done more than you've done in 47 years, Joe," Trump replies.
They'll both be lines remembered.
Trump claims he paid millions of dollars in taxes (he did not)
During the presidential debate tonight, Trump was pressed on the New York Times reporting that showed he paid no taxes for much of the past 20 years, and $750 for two years. Trump got flustered.
Show us your tax returns," Biden says. — Read the rest
'Will You Shut Up, Man' – Biden to Trump during debate, speaking for all of us
Joe Biden to Donald Trump during tonight's debate, truly speaking for us all at this point: "Would you shut up, man?"
This is an instantly iconic line. — Read the rest
Trump and Biden face off in first Presidential debate
The first presidential debate kicked off tonight at 9PM Eastern.
Donald Trump's pupils sure are… huge tonight.
Joe Biden's first words to Trump: "How you doin', man?"
12 minutes in, Trump calls Biden's party Socialist.
Trump began by defending his approach to filling #RBG's Supreme Court seat: "We won the election; we have the right to choose her." — Read the rest
What people actually say before they die
We all know the stories of profound deathbed dying words by famous folks. Beethoven's "Friends applaud. The comedy is over." Emily Dickinson's "I must go in, for the fog is rising." Bogart's "I never should've switched from Scotch to martinis." Josephine Baker's "You young people act like old men. — Read the rest
Here come the Halloween holiday tunes
"It's the most wonderful time of the year…" It's closing in on October and you know what that means. Everything in the known universe getting pumpkin spiced? Well, yes that, too. But, I'm talking about the YouTube algorithms feeding us Halloween tunes. — Read the rest
A guide to science fiction pandemics and other apocalypses
Ten years ago, Scientific American put together a list of their favorite apocalyptic plots from fiction and film. The grouped them by category, like astronomical catastrophes, war, geophysical disasters, machine-driven takeovers, and, of course, pandemics. Of course, this is far from a comprehensive list of the greatest tales of the end times. — Read the rest
Watch: A magpie chasing a boy on his bike is like a scene from 'The Birds'
Magpies are known to be highly intelligent, but I didn't realize they could also be such bullies. Whether it's for sport or out of revenge, this bird is terrorizing an Australian boy, who is screaming and pedaling as fast as he can to get away from it. — Read the rest
Parrots who swore at zoo visitors removed from public view
The UK's Lincolnshire Wildlife Park, home to the National Parrot Sanctuary where the public can re-home pet parrots, has temporarily removed five newly adopted parrots from view because the birds were cursing at visitors. From LincolnshireLive:
— Read the rest[Wildlife Park CEO Steve Nichols said,] "We found it highly amusing and the customers were fine – they were no problem at all.
Nike's "Just Do It" slogan was inspired by murderer Gary Gilmore's last words
When killer Gary Gilmore was about to be executed by a firing squad, he was asked if he had any final words. He said, "Let's do it." When Dan Wieden of the ad agency Wieden & Kennedy was trying to come up with a slogan for his client Nike, he recalled Gilmore's words. — Read the rest
Man with full body tattoos and inked eyeballs banned from teaching kindergarten
French Kindergarten teacher Sylvain Helaine, 35, has full body tattoos and recently had the whites of his eyes inked black. He says that last year, the parents of a three-year-old complained that Helaine's appearance triggered nightmares for their child and he's since been banned from teaching children under six at Docteur Morere Elementary School in Palaiseau, a Paris suburb. — Read the rest
Big tablet folds to become tiny laptop
The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Fold [Lenovo.com] is a 13.3" tablet with a folding 1560-line OLED display. There's a keyboard that magnetically clips into place, covering the bottom half of the screen and turning it into an ultraportable 6.65" laptop. It even comes with a pen, matching headphones and a leathery case. — Read the rest
Dentists report spike in cracked teeth likely due to pandemic stress
US dentists report a big increase in cracked teeth since the pandemic. Stress triggers bruxing (teeth clenching and grinding) which cracks teeth and breaks fillings and crowns. From CNN:
— Read the restFor [San Francisco oral surgeon Paul] Koshgerian's office, before the pandemic, treating one cracked tooth per day or every other day was normal.
Mystery man dumped more than 100 live eels into lake in Brooklyn, New York park
On Sunday night in Brooklyn, New York's Prospect Park, a fellow was spotted dragging two big trash bags filled with live eels to the lake there and dumping the animals into the water. Dominick Pabon approached the man and captured the interaction on the video, seen below. — Read the rest
Shipping container homes deemed bad
Do shipping containers make good homes? They're hard to cut, hard to insulate, have little structural strength, and generally end up using framing lumber and other traditional materials to make the dark and cramped interior livable. They are, in effect, a trendy cladding material that you build a real home inside. — Read the rest
The dandies of Brazzaville and Kinshasa
The BBC posted a fantastic gallery of sapeurs, the snappy Congolese dressers who brighten Brazzaville and Kinshasa. The photos are by Tariq Zaidi (insta), who has a book out in October titled Sapeurs: Ladies & Gentlemen of the Congo [Amazon]. — Read the rest
'Crying Nazi' Christopher Cantwell guilty of harassment
Christopher Cantwell (previously at BB) was first seen ranting about Jews at the Charlottesville "Unite the Right" rally and last seen blubbering in a self-pitying video which earned him the sobriquet "The Crying Nazi." Cantwell was found guilty of extortion Monday over a rape threat texted to a man he felt was harassing him. — Read the rest
Texas sheriff charged with destroying footage of officers killing black postal worker
Robert Chody, the Sheriff in Williamson County, Texas, was arrested and charged Monday with destroying footage of his deputies killing Javier Ambler. Ambler, 40, was a postal worker tased repeatedly after a car chase. He died begging for his life. — Read the rest
Ditch the binoculars and travel light with this high definition monocular telescope
With everyone looking for increased portability from all their necessary items, it's a surprise monocular telescopes haven't eclipsed binoculars yet. But it may not be too long before these lightweight marvels are nudging their way past their big, bulkier brother as the instrument people reach for to get a quality view from a distance. — Read the rest
Taika Waititi to create pirate comedy for HBO Max
HBO has ordered a pirate comedy from the prolific and ubiquitous Taika Waititi. To be called Our Flag Means Death, the show will be written by David Jenkins (People of Earth) and Garrett Basch (The Night Of, What We Do in the Shadows). — Read the rest
Trump ridicules Christians in private
In The Atlantic, McKay Coppins reports on Trump's contempt for Christians and his admiration for those who exploit them.
— Read the restIn private, many of Trump's comments about religion are marked by cynicism and contempt, according to people who have worked for him.
How The Mandalorian's Razor Crest spaceship came to life
Last week, Industrial Light and Magic posted this lovely featurette on the design and making of the Razor Crest spaceship, flown by The Mandalorian in the Star Wars universe.
There is some really interesting stuff in here, like the fact that the ship was inspired by the A10 Warthog and aluminum planes from WWII. — Read the rest
Fabricius, a free machine learning-based Egyptian hieroglyphs translator
Google's Arts & Culture division has a promising new app, called Fabricius, that uses machine learning to decode Egyptian hieroglyphics. The free app allows you to learn more about hieroglyphics, write them, and to decode them. Besides being a fun educational tool (and a way of sending coded love letters and hate mail), the program holds great promise for the study and instant translation of dead languages. — Read the rest
Play 2020 Debate BINGO (download + print all 8 cards)
From Hugh D'Andrade, the maker of the "2020 Funpocalypse" bingo card, comes a set of printable 2020 Debate bingo cards (pdf).
He writes, "The debates are just a huge source of anxiety for me, but unfortunately, I can't *not* watch them. — Read the rest
Dogs are being trained to sniff out COVID-19, and they're better than the tests
There are currently four COVID-19 sniffing dogs at the airport in Helsinki, Finland — part of a state-funded project to screen new arrivals who might be carrying the novel coronavirus.
As The Guardian explains:
— Read the restThe canines were not sniffing the virus itself but rather tell-tale volatile chemicals produced when the virus infects cells, and released by the body.
Monday, 28 September 2020
"Suspected ransomware attack" takes down Universal Health Services hospital network, doctors and nurses are using paper
A large hospital chain that operates medical facilities around the U.S. was taken offline Monday, and in a statement blamed an unnamed technology "security issue." Security experts say it sounds like a "suspected ransomware attack."
Universal Health Services operates over 250 hospitals and other medical facilities throughout the nation. — Read the rest
Microsoft 365 outage caused problems for Outlook.com and Microsoft Teams users
There was a big outage for users of Microsoft 365, and other related services. Late on Monday Microsoft said a recent change it introduced probably caused the glitch that impacted user access to multiple Microsoft 365 services, including Outlook.com and Microsoft Teams. — Read the rest
Why Trump's taxes matter so much
Because "Cracking down on rich tax cheats is law enforcement," writes the NYT.
Donald Trump's long-concealed, just-reported tax information for the last 20 years is "The Picture of a Broken Tax System," writes the New York Times Editorial Board: "Donald Trump's tax returns illustrate the profound inequities of the tax code and the shambolic state of federal enforcement." — Read the rest
No kitchen is complete with a great molcajete and this one is on sale for under $55
There are few tools in the history of humankind that stretch back as far as the molcajete. Going back thousands of years to the ancient Mayans and beyond, the process of crafting stone mortar and pestle instruments to grind up spices is a staple of Mexican and South American food preparation. — Read the rest
More than a dozen California public health officials have quit their job because of threats
Facemasks are a proven way to prevent the spread of Covid-19 but some mask-haters are so selfish that they threaten to harm and kill public health officials who want to save lives with masks and stay-at-home orders. As a result, "more than a dozen public health leaders have left their jobs amid such harassment over their role in mask rules and stay-at-home orders," reports KHN. — Read the rest
Zoom meetings are a poor substitute for in-person meetings and a worse one for phone calls
Zoom meetings started out as replacements for in-person group meetings, but they're now also replacing phone calls. I think that's a mistake, and so does M.G. Siegler, who explains why in his newsletter, 5ish:
— Read the restIt went something like this: in-person meetings were the norm, then COVID hit, then in-person meetings went away, most meetings were postponed to see how the world would shake out, and when it was clear that it would not shake-out anytime soon, Zoom became the replacement for the in-person meeting.
New album from pioneering all-woman 1960s band, Ace of Cups
Carla and I have been friends with Denise Kaufman for almost 30 years, but being the humble person she is, she never told us she had been the bass player for an incredible all-woman Haight Asbury rock band, Ace of Cups. — Read the rest
Differing points of view on the Vincent Black Shadow
This guy is a little less colorful, and certainly finds the Vincent less abusive than Hunter Thompson did.
Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72 (1973):
— Read the restBut first things first. We were talking about motorcycles. Jackson and I were out there in Ventura fucking around with a 750 Honda and an experimental prototype of the new Vincent — a 1000-cc brute that proved to be so awesomely fast that I didn't even have time to get scared of it before I found myself coming up on a highway stoplight at ninety miles an hour and then skidding halfway through the intersection with both wheel-brakes locked.
Could the descendants of LSD-dosed monkeys from the 1960s still be swinging in La Honda, California?
During the 1980s in La Honda, California, a tree-filled community in the Santa Cruz Mountains, kids would frequently report sightings of The Shaved, monkey-like creatures they'd spotted in the hills. It's possible that The Shaved were indeed monkeys, specifically animals that had been dosed with LSD during the 1960s psychedelic experiments supported by nearby Stanford University with US government funding. — Read the rest
Since George Floyd's murder, 104 drivers including 8 cops have rammed protestors with vehicles.
In a summer of marches over police misconduct, 104 incidents were recorded in which people drove vehicles into protestors. Of the drivers, 8 were at the wheel of a police car. Prosecutors determined that 43 of the incidents were malicious, and have charged 39 drivers. — Read the rest
Everyone's favorite stoned dad skateboarding to Fleetwood Mac
Nathan Apodaca, lifestyle guru.
Much more of his happy shenanigans here: @420doggface208
And here's a Mitú story on Apodaca from last year. — Read the rest
Man finds 9 carat diamond at state park
The policy at Arkansas' Crater of Diamonds State Park is that if you find a diamond in the 37-acre eroded volcanic crater, its yours to keep. Since he was in second grade. Kevin Kinard, now 33, has occasionally searched the field to no avail. — Read the rest
Home Depot's gigantic skeleton is Halloween decoration of the year
Behold as an enormous rubber lich heralds the final ruin of the American republic—and then check out Home Depot's 12ft Halloween skeleton, a $300 investment where the first nightmare is simply getting it home.
The seasonal viral seasonal sensation of 2020, the Home Accents 12 ft. — Read the rest
This 1982 Japanese punk cover of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" is perfectly restrained aggression
Many artists have covered Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart." In 1982, enigmatic Japanese post-punk musician Kiyoaki Iwamoto truly made the song his own. From the description of the new re-issue of this scarce 7" record:
— Read the restDecember 1982, Tokyo. Kiyoaki Iwamoto has a guitar, a simple rhythm box, a friend with a bass guitar, and some stripped-down songs, brazen in their post-punk simplicity, irritation and controlled aggression, yet full of sadness and resignation.
Literal copycat has been trained to mimic human behaviors
Ebisu the Japanese cat has been trained to copy the actions of her trainer, according to a new report in Animal Cognition:
— Read the restThis study shows evidence of a domestic cat (Felis catus) being able to successfully learn to reproduce human-demonstrated actions based on the Do as I Do paradigm.
SF Bay Area police detain "cult or activist" group and find "four-foot model of a vagina"
On Saturday, police in Richmond, California just north of Oakland detained around 60 individuals wearing "black uniforms" and gathered on Point Molate, a historic city-owned dock near a Chevron refinery. From SF Gate:
— Read the rest"Inside, they located some items (that won't be further described) that led the officers to believe this was some type of occult group or activist group since this event was in close proximity to the Chevron refinery," the department said in an announcement.
"Obsessively complete" Infocom catalog
In the 1980s, Infocom popularized the term "interactive fiction" and turned the text adventure into a profitable medium. Ingenious programming and broad literary horizons brought it (and one or two rivals, such as Magnetic Scrolls) explosive success, for as long as it lasted. — Read the rest
These truly wireless earbuds from Motorola are on sale for just $50
Sure, everybody is gaga about Apple's AirPods Pro. They love it all — except the $249 list price, of course. Especially if something should happen to those little darlings when you're working out at the gym, or running to catch a bus, or trying to escape an unexpected rainstorm. — Read the rest
Judge blocks Trump Tik Tok ban
A U.S. District Judge granted an injunction late Sunday blocking Donald Trump's "ban" on video-sharing app Tik Tok, which would have come into effect at midnight. The Chinese-owned app, a target of Trump's theatrical ire, will remain on offer at Apple and Google's app stores. — Read the rest
"Sincerely, Erik" follows a bookseller navigating the pandemic
Naz Riahi shot "Sincerely, Erik" in June, It follows Erik, a New York City bookseller trying to cope with pandemic isolation. Naz says it's "a love letter to New York, books and the lonely hearts." A small and sweet film! — Read the rest
Former Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale hospitalized after threatening to harm self
Brad Parscale, a senior advisor to Donald Trump's reelection campaign and its former manager, was hospitalized Sunday after an incident at his Fort Lauderdale home. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that Parscale's wife called police and said he was "armed and threatening suicide." — Read the rest
How to repair a very large tire
Tractor tires are inches thick, so it takes a lot to puncture one—and a lot to fix them, too. This video shows a repair job on a tire that's taller than the repairman, and involves the application of various Rubberhog wheels, grinders and buffers. — Read the rest
Check out the stunning artwork from this 90s DUNE Collectible Card Game
My friends and I were really into the Star Wars Customizable Card Game one summer in the 90s, and I have a vague recollection of us trying to get into the DUNE game around the same time. For whatever reason, it failed, and I forgot about it until I saw these images of the game on Instagram:
You can check out more of the artwork on illustrator Mark Zug's website. — Read the rest
Maine will be first state to use ranked choice voting in presidential election
Plurality voting has plenty of critics, so Maine is going to try ranked choice voting in the upcoming federal election. Via Reason:
— Read the restIn ranked-choice voting, citizens aren't asked to just choose a single candidate. They are permitted to rank the candidates from most to least favorite.
New weed-themed emojis on the way
Technically, they are "sigh," "face in clouds," and "face with spiral eyes," but it's pretty clear how these will be used out in the wild. Emojipedia has the full list in addition to these renderings of what the finals may look like. — Read the rest
Sunday, 27 September 2020
Become a master of SEO and Google with this zero to hero training bundle
If you want to succeed in the modern marketplace, your digital presence has to be on point. And this isn't just about beating out your retail competitor down the street anymore. When you sell online, you're selling to the world — and your competitors cover every inch of that globe too. — Read the rest
NYT got 2 decades of Donald Trump income taxes — paid no federal income taxes for 10 of past 15 years, and $750 for two years
The New York Times has obtained two decades of impeached and manifestly unfit U.S. President Trump. The resulting report shows he is in massive debt, and that Trump paid $750 in taxes to the federal government the year he was elected, 2016, and $750 again his first year in office. — Read the rest
Check out these grills, ovens, and accessories to make sure summer never ends
We've already had too much taken from us this year to give up outdoor grilling so easily. Let this ungodly year be the moment when you make a stand. Grilling season will end on your own terms, by God. You can help rage against the dying of the briquette light by picking up one of these 15 grills, grill accessories and outdoor ovens at savings up to 68 percent off. — Read the rest
How to do some easy but cool drum set stick tricks
Drummer Marco Minnemann shows how to add a little showmanship and flair behind the set with these stick tricks.
That channel has some wonderful performances of popular songs with the song dialed way down to hear the live percussionist, like this amazingly tight performance of "Smooth Criminal" by Jonathan "Sugarfoot" Moffett. — Read the rest
The Hestan Cue takes all the guesswork and culinary disasters out of cooking
We all have visions of cooking cool, elaborate meals. Unfortunately, those visions often die after we absolutely butcher a few.
We've all been there. Overcooked steaks. Undercooked poultry. A main course sits because we totally mistimed a side. There are any number of ways to well and truly murder a well-intentioned meal. — Read the rest
Take your cocktail making to the next level with these lab inspired bar tools
Mixology sounds like a science because it is…sort of. Oh sure, there's a lot of knowledge and skill that goes into conjuring up just the right balance for making a mixed drink really pop. But part of it really is just an exacting science of combining compounds and properly integrating flavors to make an absolutely delicious cocktail. — Read the rest
Fred Perry kills its yellow-tipped black polo shirt, denounces fascist appropriators
Fred Perry's polo shirts are the best polo shirts, a classic English design to be found in countless variations and colors. But the company, founded by a Socialist MP's working-class son and a Jewish friend, has seen its most famous cut — the black and double yellow twin-tipped shirt — adopted as a uniform by the Proud Boys, the violent fascist street gang founded by Gavin McInnes. — Read the rest
Slack is back: "J.R. 'Bob' Dobbs and the Church of the SubGenius" trailer drops
A SubGenius documentary? Yes, please, and Praise "Bob"!
MovieWeb:
— Read the restWhat started out as an inside joke amongst two self-proclaimed weirdos in Ft. Worth, Texas became something much more than they bargained for. Reverend Ivan Stang (Douglass St. Clair Smith) and Dr.
Saturday, 26 September 2020
CIA rectal tool kit an "object of intrigue"
Start your weekend on a relaxing note with Atlas Obscura's mini-documentary about the CIA rectal tool kit. Found within are files, a knife, a ruler, a drill bit, screwdriver, and similar everyday carry classics. "The seals have to be very tight, to prevent anything from seeping into the kit and to avoid sharp edges," says narrator Dr. — Read the rest
Torture lawyer John Yoo massages Trump
John Yoo is the Bush administration lawyer who authored its legal excuses for torturing prisoners. At first, he made a show of disliking President Trump, but like most Republicans he soon came around. Yoo now has a book out on how wonderful Trump is. — Read the rest
Missing manual for world's oldest surviving computer found
The long-lost manual for the Zuse Z4, the oldest surviving digital computer has been found.
— Read the restThe Z4 was the last computer the Nazis invented. Ahead of the Soviet invasion of Berlin, the Wehrmacht evacuated the machine west to Göttingen. It's inventor Konrad Zuse—inventor of the world's first programmable computer, the Z3—completed work on the Z4 in Göttingen but had to move the machine again ahead of the Allies.
What microphone pop filter is best for various needs?
Mike from Booth Junkie demonstrates a bunch of different pop filters, and what they can and can't do. Even if you're not in the market for one, Mike has such a soothing voice, that it may be worth listening with headphones just for the ASMR! — Read the rest
This portable air conditioner puts out all the cooling power of a home unit at a fraction of the size
If your summer found you sweltering somewhere, from your house to your garage to your RV to a tent in the forest, now's the time to start considering your plan for next year. Baking in some tiny unventilated space is no way to spend your time, even during a pandemic. — Read the rest
Stephen Colbert working out with RBG in 2018
In response to Rob's touching video post of Bryant Johnson, Ruth Bader Ginsburg's trainer, doing pushups as she lies in state, here's a segment from the The Late Show in May of 2018 of Stephen Colbert working out with "Lady Justice" and Johnson at The Watergate. — Read the rest
The mind-boggling size of the largest known star, Stephenson 2-18
How big is Stephenson 2-18, among the largest stars in the known universe? It would take earth's fastest jet over 500 years to travel around. It would take almost 9 hours at the speed of light. Its circumference equals the orbit of Saturn. — Read the rest
Car detailer documents his worst case, an 18-hour transformation
This 2018 Kia van transformation from trashed to pristine is one of the most satisfying of the "disaster detail" videos I've ever seen. The Detail Geek says "This van was the DIRTIEST and NASTIEST vehicle I've ever detailed! The transformation it made was epic and the owner reaction is unreal!" — Read the rest
Friday, 25 September 2020
The Crave PowerPack 2 is a massive stockpile of portable on-the-go power
You can never have enough power. While that sounds like a line from Niccolo Machiavelli, it's also the regular refrain from pretty much anyone with a mobile device. It seems like no matter how long you charge up before you leave the house, it doesn't take more than a few minutes of texting, map directions or — gasp — streaming video to put your battery in the red. — Read the rest
Judge to decide by Sunday if TikTok will remain in U.S. app stores
TikTok's fate in the U.S. Apple and Google app stores will be decided by Sunday, we are told.
A U.S. judge is expected to decide by Sunday whether Trump's ban on TikTok will be upheld, after a last-minute filing by the Trump-controlled Department of Justice supporting the move. — Read the rest
Breonna Taylor's family demands release of evidence
The family of Breonna Taylor on Friday demanded that authorities in Kentucky release all body camera footage, police files, and grand jury transcripts that led to no charges being filed against police officers who killed the Black woman while she was sleeping, during a mistargeted drug raid at her apartment. — Read the rest
'Army For Trump' ads incite armed militias to intimidate voters in 'election security operation', also Don Jr. doesn't look so good
President Donald Trump's son stars in this new "defend your ballot" ad, and says: "We need every able-bodied man and woman to join Army for Trump's election security operation…we need you to help us watch them."
Holy shit.
I mean, what else does one even say about these insane nwq Trump-Pence ads, and the curiously addled Don Jr., — Read the rest
Ron Paul hospitalized after suffering apparent stroke during live episode of his political show
[UPDATE, 1pm] – Message from Ron Paul: "I am doing fine. Thank you for your concern."
Disturbing video shows former Texas congressman Ron Paul suffering what appears to be a stroke on Friday. — Read the rest
Girl Genius, the video game
Phil Foglio's Girl Genius, a classic BB comics fave, will soon become a video game should a Kickstarter campaign reach its funding target. Girl Genius: Adventures In Castle Heterodyne will have Agatha exploring the castle of her mechanically-minded ancestors and finding much trouble to get into therein. — Read the rest
Taking a bad idea to its illogical conclusion: The 1974 PaCoMobile Camper
Inadequate in every way imaginable, the PaCoMobile camper is built on a Volkswagen microbus base. 1600cc of pure unadulterated meh will not 'power' this heavy, unsightly, and probably under-sprung monstrosity up a hill.
— Read the restThis 1974 Volkswagen Type 2 is said to be one of approximately 50 examples that were modified by the PaCoMobil company of Mexico City, Mexico.
Uluru "removed" from Google Street View
Uluru, the sandstone rock formation in Australia also known as Ayers Rock, is to be removed from Google Street View this week at the request of the Australian government.
The formation, one of the continent's most famous natural landmarks, is sacred to indigenous Australians such as the Pitjantjatjara, to which ownership of the site was returned in 1985. — Read the rest
Ruth Bader Ginsburg's personal trainer honors her memory by performing pushups by coffin in U.S. Capitol
Bryant Johnson, the personal trainer of Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, honored her memory Friday by performing push-ups by her coffin as she lay in state in the U.S. Capitol.
Johnson, a court clerk and Army reservist, approached Ginsburg and stood briefly in contemplation before lowering himself to the marble-tiled floor and executing three wide-grip extensions, rising to his feet and solemnly departing. — Read the rest
How the Trump campaign is already planning to keep power after the election
The Atlantic has a long, detailed, and harrowing new piece by Barton Gellman that goes in-depth into election security and the GOP's established history of voter suppression tactics. But Gellman also speaks with a few members of the Trump campaign team, who — as long as their names are protected — are very open about acknowledging the legal strongarm tactics that they're already planning to use to retain power. — Read the rest
Werner Herzog Halloween costume
Oh, cruel and merciless universe, please make this real. Please.
"Fun Size is a term that is profuse with deceit. This cavalcade of lies will be prominent in the universe's merciless judgement." – Werner Herzog
From Zack Morrissette's Instagram feed.
When Marshall, Will and Holly met Enik
I have found Enik to be a fantastic character. Stuck in the past with his dimwitted ancestors, stripped from a marvelous future where science and technology could solve all his problems, what worse could possibly happen to him?
Americans.
Song explains why flip phones are superior
♫ But can you do this?
If not shut your face, guess what you can kiss ♪
Enjoy LOLNEIN's song But Can You Do This? and the accompanying video, a paean to all the things old well-designed tools do that new ones do not. — Read the rest
Libertarian Party Supreme Court shortlist includes Alan Dershowitz
Libertarian Party presidential candidate Jo Jorgensen released her Supreme Court wishlist yesterday. The list has several celebrity picks, such as Judge Andrew Napolitano, a television figure of fun who would bring the Fox Business News swagger to the Supreme Court, and former ACLU president Nadine Strossen, whose commitment to free speech earned friends and enemies across the political compass. — Read the rest
Costco co-founder to new CEO: "If you raise the effing hot dog, I will kill you."
Costco co-founder and former CEO Jim Sinegal is serious about hot dogs. That's why he once reportedly told the new CEO and president, W. Craig Jelinek, "If you raise [the price of] the effing hot dog, I will kill you," according to a 2018 interview with 425 Business. — Read the rest
Guy makes spooky zip line for distanced trick-or-treating this Halloween
The guy who made that beer-dispensing Adirondack chair in the shape of Michigan has invented something new and just as novel. Matt Thompson of Thompson Woodworks has created a zip-line system to deliver Halloween candy via ghost to trick-or-treaters while keeping physically distanced. — Read the rest
Transform your home into 16 million different colors with these smart light bulbs
For those who are slow-playing our societal shift toward fully-integrated automated smart homes — don't be scared. Sure, we know there are whole movies about computer-controlled houses turning on their owners, but seriously… we're way past that now. Maybe it's time to take that first tentative step into gearing up your home with some basic smart technology that's about as non-threatening as it comes. — Read the rest
Wes Anderson's "artful homage" in The Grand Budapest Hotel
In this video, filmmaker Thomas Flight does a side-by-side comparison between Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel and a number of films he was "heavily influenced" by, mainly Bergman's The Silence and Hitchcock's Torn Curtain. Flight generously calls it "artful homage." — Read the rest
"Ambushed" cop actually shot himself
A police officer in Pineville, Louisiana, who claimed to have been ambushed and shot was himself arrested and jailed this week. John Michael Goulart Jr., 25, was charged with one count of criminal mischief and one count of malfeasance in office; he shot himself, says Deputy Chief Darrell B. — Read the rest
Celebrity Storytime: Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal to host online event benefiting Children's Fairyland
Children's Fairyland is the circa 1950 storybook theme park in Oakland, California where…
Walt Disney took inspiration from to build Disneyland;
Frank Oz got his start as a puppeteer;
It's also where Blindspotting creators Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal will host an online event called Celebrity Storytime this Saturday, September 26 at 6:30 p.m. — Read the rest
Here's how to make this cool origami dragon
Jo Nakashima has made a few improvements on his origami dragon design for 2020. It's great because he now shows the illustrated diagram while doing the folding:
— Read the restIn this tutorial you'll learn how to make an origami Dragon step by step.
How to cure people afflicted with conspiracy theories
In the summer of 2016, I began working on a play about an addiction support group for conspiracy theorists called How To Build A Universe That Doesn't Fall Apart. It had one public staged reading in May of 2017, then ultimately decided to turn it into a novel, which I finished and sent off to my agent on New Year's Day 2020. — Read the rest
The Trump Administration Gender Pay Gap is 69¢
USA Today reports:
— Read the restAn analysis by The 19th of the 2020 median salaries in the Trump White House found a $33,300 chasm between the salary for male staffers ($106,000) and the salary for female staffers ($72,700).
Women make nearly 69 cents on the male $1 – worse than the national gender pay gap of 82 cents on the dollar.
Thursday, 24 September 2020
VSDC Video Editor Pro might be the last video editing suite you ever need
With so many different video editing software packages available with so many varying price points, it's always difficult to know which one will offer you the best value for your particular editing needs.
That's where reviews come in very handy. So when a respected outlet like CNET says of VSDC Video Editor Pro that "this video editor gives you tons of control and editing power," that instantly makes it worthy of some attention. — Read the rest
Watch: Stevie Wonder's statement on Breonna Taylor, the George Floyd uprising, the election, and the universe
From a statement that Stevie Wonder released yesterday, titled "The Universe Is Watching Us — Stevie Wonder In His Feelings":
— Read the rest"As time is evolving, it seems so much has changed. So much is moving to a different rhythm. The way we work, live, love, meet, and greet.
Watch: Stevie Wonder's statement on Breonna Taylor, the George Floyd uprising, the election, and the universe
From a statement that Stevie Wonder released yesterday, titled "The Universe Is Watching Us — Stevie Wonder In His Feelings":
… Read the rest"As time is evolving, it seems so much has changed. So much is moving to a different rhythm. The way we work, live, love, meet, and greet.
National park mails trash back to litterbug campers
Officials from Thailand's Khao Yai National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, packed up the garbage dumped by some campers and mailed it back to them. They identified the litterbugs via equipment rental documents and a prescription bottle amidst the garbage.… Read the rest
It's now official: No pooping on NYC subways and buses
New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority is updating their rules to specifically ban pooping on subways and buses. In fact, doing a number 2 on the number 2 train, or any other train for that matter, is already subject to a $100 fine "for create[ing] a nuisance, hazard, or unsanitary condition (including, but not limited to, spitting or urinating)."… Read the rest
Watch 1940s film footage of the streets of Hollywood
Welcome to Tinsel Town! La-La Land! The City of Angels! Lotusville! Hollyweird!
The video descriptor says "1930s" but as one observant YouTube commenter writes:
… Read the restThis ISN'T 30's…this is 1942 at the earliest (but I'd say most likely mid to late 40's), because Red Skeleton's prints weren't made outside the Chinese Theatre until June 18th 1942 (it says the date RIGHT THERE).
Man dies from overdose of black licorice
A 54-year-old man in Massachusetts died from eating too much black licorice, reports a cardiologist in the New England Journal of Medicine. Apparently the deceased at a bag and a half every few weeks.
"Even a small amount of licorice you eat can increase your blood pressure a little bit," said Massachusetts General Hospital cardiologist Dr.… Read the rest
A new drug claims to treat dwarfism. Not everyone thinks it needs treatment.
A recent study published in the Lancet and funded by BioMarin Pharmaceutical claims to have found a way to successfully treat — but not cure — achondroplasia, a common form of dwarfism in humans.
As The New York Times reports:
… Read the restThe study has raised hope that the drug, if taken over the course of years, can make life easier for those with the condition, known as achondroplasia, including the distant prospect of alleviating major quality-of-life issues such as back pain and breathing difficulties.
Swastika, N.Y., to keep name after vote
Swastika, New York, was named for the Sanskrit symbol of good fortune in the 1800s. The hamlet kept the name throughout the Nazi era in Europe, World War II and the Cold War, but the recent surge of white supremacy in the U.S.… Read the rest
These fluorescent rocks abound on the shores of Lake Superior
Certain forms of the igneous rock syenite are nicknamed emberlite because they contain sodalite, causing them to fluoresce under black light. Glaciers deposited lots of them in the Lake Superior basin, where rock hunters go out at night to find them.… Read the rest
Rudy Giuliani got hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars in a PPP loan for a company with no employees
Salon reports that a payroll company with no employees that Giuliani has owned for 18 years received between $150,000 and $350,000 in emergency loans from the coronavirus relief package. It's the only Giuliani-owned company that received any federal PPP loans. Emphasis added below:
… Read the restAccording to government records, the loan, which was part of the Small Business Administration's Payroll Protection Program coronavirus relief package, was awarded on April 28 to a company called World Capital Payroll Corp.,
This 50-mile HDTV antenna could help you boot cable once and for all
With all the streaming services you're subscribed to now, do you really need cable anymore? Sure, local channels provide content that streamers can't match, but what else are you watching on cable channels that justifies that massive monthly cable bill?
We're all trying to save cash, so cut the cord permanently but smartly, but dumping cable while retaining all your local programming for free with the Liger HDTV 50-Mile Ultra-Thin Antenna and Amplifier.… Read the rest
Bardcore: AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck' done medieval style
Lovin' this bardcore cover of AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" (a song I am now familiar with, Miss Cellania!) by YouTuber/musical badass Johan Carlsberg!
Previously:
Bardcore: Medieval-style cover of Dolly Parton's 'Jolene'
Baby "sings" AC/DC's Thunderstruck
Trump supporters claim garage was tagged with anarchy symbol, BLM, and "Biden 2020"
A family in the Twin Cities reported yesterday that their garage was vandalized and tagged with the anarchy symbol, BLM (i.e. Black Lives Matter) and the slogan "Biden 2020." A van was also set on fire, with the garage ultimately receiving serious damage from the blaze.… Read the rest
Voices from entire Chipmunks movie pitch-corrected
On YouTube, you may now watch the entirety of The Chipmunk Adventure with the chipmunks' voices returned to the actors' normal pitch. "I can't believe I did this," writes editor NerdRush.
Granted, a full 80-minute movie of this is asking a lot, so here's some of their "classic" chipmunkfied covers slowed to reveal the normal register in which they are sung.… Read the rest
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