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You may touch the artifacts
Internet Artifacts: a thoroughly interactive multimedia timeline of the documents, technologies, and phenomena that defined the Internet in the pre-smartphone era. Come for the First Smiley (1983) and the First MP3 (1987), stay for the AOL Dial-Up handshake (1991) and the Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny (2006). [Via Neal.fun]
The Party of No (Speaker)
Representative Patrick McHenry (R-NC) remains acting Speaker of the House, an incredible three weeks after Kevin McCarthy was ousted by a group of far-right Republicans radicals. To recap the last fortnight and a half: McCarthy makes a surprise decision against running again; heir-apparent Steve "David Duke without the baggage" Scalise ekes out an internal vote against Fox News favorite Gym "Jim" Jordan only to be torpedoed by the Freedom Caucus; next Jordan seizes the nomination, but his ugly pressure campaign is repeatedly rejected by suddenly vertebrate GOP moderates; after three increasingly unsuccessful runs Jordan bows out to Tom Emmer, whose bid is summarily vaporized by Trump in a matter of hours. The latest rep in the barrel: Louisiana congressman Mike Johnson, who might actually have a shot at winning the gavel despite his extreme anti-choice (and anti-choice) stances. Can Johnson win the booby prize, or will the House GOP be forced to consider empowering McHenry (lol), implementing a power-sharing agreement with themselves (lmao), or *gasp* working with Democrats? The fate of the party and funding for Israel, Ukraine, and the federal government could hinge on today's noon vote. (liveblog)
"FREE THREAD!"
Are you a music lover? Are you a live music lover? Tell us about your experiences! What was your first concert? Have you ever played (or helped a band play) live? How many shows have you been to over the years? And which ones stick most in your mind, whether recorded or seen in person?
Rick and Morty: The Jerrick Trap
Rick and Jerry swap minds.
Rick and Morty: How Poopy Got His Poop Back
Rick and friends have a wild night with Mr. Poopybutthole during a rough time in his life. [Season 7 Premiere, as well as New Voice Actors Premiere]
You Got to Hold On
Since their earliest days playing record store gigs, the Alabama Shakes have been an absolutely holy-shit powerhouse of rock'n'roll soul.
But for all their collective skill, the true genius of the band was always frontwoman Brittany Howard -- a former cashier and postal worker-turned-generational talent whose electrifying voice, lyrical verve, eclectic tastes, and directorial eye drove the band's rapid musical evolution, from the anthemic southern roots rock of 2012's Boys & Girls to the cinematic groove, kaleidoscopic funk and eerie psychedelia (bordering on spiritual experience) that was 2015's Sound & Color.
And beyond: after a hiatus, Howard went solo to work on her debut effort Jaime (2019), a heartbreaking and deeply personal record inspired by her late sister and her own experience growing up as a queer, mixed-race woman in the Deep South.
Now, after brief forays into multiple side projects, jamming with Prince [audio] and Paul McCartney, an immaculate piano duet with Herbie Hancock at the Kennedy Center, and a delightful music video (starring pal Terry Crews, her dad, and a whole swath of her hometown), Howard has surprised fans with a second solo album, starting with the lead single: "What Now." Haven't heard enough about these fantastic albums? Well, bless your heart, there's
MetaFilter: The Quickening
Proposition: We should consider lowering the waiting time for new posts on the blue from one day to 12 hours.
Cognitive Bias, Situations Matter, Pick a Noun, and other dead ends
Gino's work has been cited over 33,000 times, and Ariely's work has been cited over 66,000 times. They both got tenured professorships at elite universities. They wrote books, some of which became bestsellers. They gave big TED talks and lots of people watched them. By every conventional metric of success, these folks were killing it. Now let's imagine every allegation of fraud is true, and everything Ariely and Gino ever did gets removed from the scientific record, It's a Wonderful Life-style. What would change? Not much.I’m So Sorry for Psychology’s Loss, Whatever It Is: an essay by psychologist Adam Mastroianni on academic fraud, the replication crisis, and the questionable paradigms underlying a still-adolescent field
“Subject: Cool pics!” is a perfect Dimension Apple subject line
The denizens of Dimension Apple love the following things: Punctuation, trips, sharing photographs, using emoji, taking photographs, surprise parties. You might be inclined to say that they hate roasts, bits, gossip, cynicism, text abbreviations like “LOL,” and other standard features of texting in our dimension--but it is not at all clear to me that any of these things even exist in Dimension Apple to be hated. Like Android users, irony simply does not occur in Dimension Apple. A literary history of fake texts in Apple's marketing materials
Wheels coming off the (NGP) VAN?
"Democrats have relied on one company’s tools to power its campaigns. They’re now facing a possible collapse." Following the 2021 purchase its parent company by a British private equity firm, the Democratic-aligned platform NGP-VAN has seen rounds of layoffs and cost-cutting that have left some activists alarmed about the future viability of the critical organizing tool. Alternatives exist, but none have NGP VAN's market share or deep integration with Democratic campaign infrastructure. Doing the Work of Democracy Despite Lousy Tech and Data:
"Door-knocking is the best way to earn votes, but for all their vaunted tech savvy, Democrats’ core tools and voter data are a mess."
Arguably the funniest McCarthyist purge in US political history
Representative Patrick McHenry (R-NC) has become acting Speaker of the House after Kevin McCarthy, rocked by a series of failed budget votes (and a last-minute agreement with Democrats to avoid a government shutdown), was ousted by Matt Gaetz and other far-right members of the House Freedom Caucus in an unprecedented vote. McCarthy, while likely to run for the speakership again, is no shoo-in given the 15 ballots it took him to secure the gavel just nine months ago (previously).
Grand gift ideas for a Grand Tour
A U.S. family member is taking a trip to Europe next year (France and Italy, ending in a cruise). What are some good birthday gift ideas to help prepare?
Barbs'n'himmler
Split-screen tonight in America: The first Republican presidential primary debate of 2024 starting in 10 minutes (moderated by Sean Hannity and featuring DeSantis, Ramaswamy, Pence, Haley, Christie, Scott, Hutchinson, and Burgum) vs. a counterprogramming interview between Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump on Twitter starting in 5. Live resources: Brian Tyler Cohen's debate livestream (with commentary) - Nitter mirror of @TuckerCarlson for those not wanting to patronize Musk/bowtie - FiveThirtyEight liveblog - NYT liveblog - Debate bingo and drinking game - MeFi chat for real-time discussion
This... is my mastapiece. This is the one that they'll rememba me for.
Clone-a Lisa: Can you paint a copy of the Mona Lisa in 60 seconds? "Anything over 80% is good, 85%+ very good, and 90% may be possible if you're extremely fast and accurate." [via mefi projects]
The S-Files
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES—118th Cong., 1st Sess. [S. 2226]
To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2024 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes.
AMENDMENT intended to be proposed by Mr. SCHUMER (for himself, Mr. ROUNDS, Mr. RUBIO, and Mrs. GILLIBRAND)
Viz: At the appropriate place, insert the following:
TITLE I—UNIDENTIFIED ANOMALOUS PHENOMENA DISCLOSURE
This title may be cited as the "Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Disclosure Act of 2023"
To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2024 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes.
AMENDMENT intended to be proposed by Mr. SCHUMER (for himself, Mr. ROUNDS, Mr. RUBIO, and Mrs. GILLIBRAND)
Viz: At the appropriate place, insert the following:
TITLE I—UNIDENTIFIED ANOMALOUS PHENOMENA DISCLOSURE
This title may be cited as the "Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Disclosure Act of 2023"
Friday Flash Fun Forever
Still mourning the death of Flash, and with it an entire era of online gaming? Enter ooooooooo.ooo (9o3o), the new searchable (and playable!) web frontend for the incredible Flashpoint preservation project. Browse over 145,000 preserved Flash games powered by the Ruffle emulator, and share your favorites with a simple link. Highlights:
DICEWARS -
Fly Guy -
Alien Hominid -
Samorost -
Crimson Room -
Nanaca Crash! -
Line Rider -
Don't Shoot the Puppy -
Bloxorz -
Gimme Friction Baby -
The Impossible Quiz -
Portal: The Flash Version -
Feed the Head -
Sprout -
Achievement Unlocked -
QWOP -
Cursor*10 -
Dino Run -
Grid16 -
Meat Boy -
SHIFT -
You Have to Burn the Rope -
6 Differences -
Canabalt -
Don't Shit Your Pants! -
Nevermore 3 - Small Worlds -
Don't Look Back -
Redder -
VVVVVV (demo) -
Synopsis Quest -
The Room Tribute -
The Scale of the Universe -
Mitoza -
Wonderputt -
Bullet Bill 3 -
Frog Fractions -
Dys4ia -
Snakes on a Cartesian Plane -
Want (gulp) more? Download Flashpoint Infinity to stream over 156,000 games from 70+ platforms (including Shockwave, Java, and Unity) plus over 27,000 animations... or clear some space for the monster 1.76 terabyte Flashpoint Ultimate to store every single file locally. So much more inside!
Redditors, in defense of Reddit, destroy Reddit
Anger over an astronomical increase in Reddit's API prices [prev.] boiled over this week as multiple third-party app developers were forced to close down, with one -- Apollo dev Christian Selig -- posting a scathing exposé detailing the company's shady dealings... including a recorded phone call disproving CEO Steve "spez" Huffman's claim that Selig blackmailed them. Huffman took to the site's vaunted AMA format to do damage control, only to double down, ignore tough questions, and reap thousands of downvotes. In response, the community has organized a massive subreddit "blackout" to protest the rate hike that will bankrupt popular apps, hamper critical moderation tools, and exclude blind users. While such protests are not new, this one is unprecedented in scope: 20,000+ mods from over 7,000 subreddits with more than 2 billion collective readers, from familiar mainstays like /r/aww, /r/videos, and /r/todayilearned to niche subs like /r/Eragon and /r/Panda. Facing layoffs, a major pre-IPO valuation cut, and a runaway user revolt reminiscent of Digg [prev.], could this be the end of the "front page of the internet"? Watch the site wink out in real time [livestream], join the fight on /r/Save3rdPartyApps and /r/ModCoord, backup your data, or check out some up-and-coming /r/RedditAlternatives.
[META] Last call for Steering Committee nominations
PSA: This week is the last call for user nominations to the second Steering Committee to help set policy and oversee the site budget for the year ahead. Do you want to help chart a course for this community (or know someone who would make a great pick)? Send in your nominations today! More details from the full MetaTalk post inside.
[META] Last call for Steering Committee nominations
PSA: This week is the last call for user nominations to the second Steering Committee to help set policy and oversee the site budget for the year ahead. Do you want to help chart a course for this community (or know someone who would make a great pick)? Send in your nominations today! More details from the full MetaTalk post inside.
Last call for SC nominations
PSA: This week is the last call for user nominations to the second Steering Committee, which will be setting policy and overseeing the budget for the year ahead. Do you want to help chart a course for this community (or know someone who would make a great pick)? Send in your nominations today! Or check inside for more details and questions answered.
March is Steering Committee election season
After an initial six-month period marked by a successful fundraiser, volunteer projects, and the start of a long process of establishing important tools and processes for the operation of the site, the MetaFilter Steering Committee (SC) is launching a second round of elections to replace departing members and help us continue our efforts to improve MeFi. Can you build on the progress made addressing the site's urgent needs, partner with diverse stakeholders from the membership, admin, and others, and coordinate with a committed group of volunteers to set MetaFilter's direction? Do you have relevant expertise, a desire to give back to this community, and the time and capacity to put its ideas into action? If so, we want you! Self-nominations will be open from March 1st through midnight Pacific Time on the 15th, with a voting period to follow. Check inside for details!
POTUS SOTU's NOTICE
In about half an hour, President Joe Biden will be making his second State of the Union address -- the first before a divided Congress, and widely seen as a soft-launch for his 2024 re-election campaign. Watch on YouTube (PBS), or check out Politico's cheat sheet for an advance transcript, background, and analysis. More: NYT: Biden’s State of the Union Prep: No Acronyms and Tricks to Conquer a Stutter - Politico: Biden’s 2022 State of the Union report card: Where he delivered — and fell flat - FiveThirtyEight: In Defense Of The Mostly Pointless State Of The Union - AP: U2′s Bono, family of Tyre Nichols’ among Jill Biden’s guests - State of the Union 2023: Who is the designated survivor? (unannounced at press time!) - Republican response: newly-elected Arkansas governor (and former Trump press secretary) Sarah Huckabee Sanders - Rep. Delia Ramirez to give progressive's response - Don't forget MeFi Chat for live reactions!
🎉Fundraising Wrap-Up: You've put MetaFilter on the road to Revival!
A few months ago we came to you with information we had just learned about the dire financial state of MetaFilter. The site was losing money every month and the cash reserves keeping it afloat had run dry. The situation was grim. But MeFites, you stepped up in a big, big way: recurring contributions have gone up by $9,863.10 and we have received $78,857.91 in one-time contributions (both figures are net). This means that according to our targets MetaFilter has more than enough budget to Survive, and is within striking distance of Revive!
There are more details inside about the specifics of the fundraiser and how the funds will be used, so please keep reading…
"Nowhere else is the lifegiving power of water so clearly demonstrated"
In winter, the Kalahari Basin in northern Botswana is a dusty, windswept wasteland of scrubby flora, with precious little rain. But not for long. As captured by a somber and wondrous segment from the original BBC Planet Earth, summer showers from the Angolan highlands soon feed a meandering river that splays out across the wilderness, flooding a vast inland delta that transforms hundreds of miles of arid desert into a verdant everglade teeming with life: the Okavango. This seasonal miracle, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Africa's Seven Natural Wonders, attracts all manner of megafauna that have adapted to its myriad creeks and lagoons, from migratory birds and amphibians to all five Big Game species (making it a boon for ecosafaris). And though it is (like most things) under threat from exploitation and climate change, conservationists worldwide are working tirelessly to defend it.
To a Nacreon in Heaven
In Norse mythology, the earthly realm of Midgard and the divine plane of Asgard are connected by a shimmering rainbow bridge -- the magnificent Bifröst. Though scholars debate whether the legend of this lustrous path was inspired by the famed aurora borealis or the star-studded arc of the Milky Way, there is perhaps another possible candidate: nacreous clouds [timelapse]. Also known as polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs), these breathtaking formations can be seen (quite rarely) in the high polar latitudes in wintertime at dusk, when a mass of super-cooled water ice forms so high up in the stratosphere that it reflects light from a sun that's well below the horizon at ground level. The result: diaphonous pearl-white sheets and iridescent streaks that light up the bleak twilight landscape with an otherworldly glow. (It's not all sunshine and stratospheric rainbows, though -- when mixed with nitric or sulfuric acid, these 10-15 mile-high clouds can contribute to ozone depletion over the polar caps [video].) Not a fan of winter weather? You may chance to see their more temperate cousin, the spectral and blue-tinged noctilucent cloud, which sometimes forms in summertime months north of 50° latitude (and north of 50 miles straight up). Or if you live near a space coast, you might see one of a menagerie of "twilight phenomenon" -- artificial light-clouds formed by multi-stage rocket plumes backlit by the sun -- including the spectacular space jellyfish. Just make sure to keep your eyes on the road...
Elegy for a Criminal Lawyer
Saul Goodman started as a joke -- a sleazy, motormouthed "two-and-a-half-dimensional" take on TV lawyers, a bit of comic relief brought on for a four-episode stint to help guide Breaking Bad protagonists Walter White and Jesse Pinkman into the criminal underworld. Brought to life by Bob Odenkirk, Saul proved to be one of the show's most popular characters, and in the wake of the show's blockbuster ending AMC announced a prequel spinoff series: Better Call Saul. But what was conceived as a 30-minute case-of-the-week sitcom quickly developed into a compelling legal drama and deep character study of Goodman's past as "Slippin'" Jimmy McGill, his evolution, and bleak future at an Omaha Cinnabon -- "we don’t want to get to Saul Goodman … and that’s the tragedy." Supported by vice-tight writing, masterful cinematography, and impeccable performances by Michael McKean, Patrick Fabian, Jonathan Banks, Michael Mando, Tony Dalton, Giancarlo Esposito, and especially breakout star Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler, the series has only grown more acclaimed as it progressed and, with its last batch of astonishing episodes, arguably surpassed its predecessor to become one of the greatest dramas in television history. Now, after seven years, six seasons, 62 episodes, one Peabody Award, multiple hiatuses, a COVID pause, and a brush with death, Better Call Saul is set to air its long-awaited series finale tonight at 9PM Eastern. It's showtime, folks.
Better Call Saul: Saul Gone
[series finale]
Better Call Saul: Waterworks
The stakes are raised when a discovery is made.
Better Call Saul: Breaking Bad
The partners escalate their enterprise to new levels.
Better Call Saul: Nippy
A new player enters the game.
Better Call Saul: Fun and Games
Gus attempts to smooth things over with the cartel while Mike ties up loose ends.
Better Call Saul: Point and Shoot
An unexpected visitor forces Jimmy and Kim to face the consequences of their actions.
[sweet guitar riff]
Jack De Sena is a former child actor and the voice of Sokka and the Dragon Prince. His longtime pal Chris W. Smith is a former Blue Man, actor/writer/producer, and juggler. Together they make Chris & Jack [trailer, Twitter, previously], a criminally underrated YouTube channel featuring high-concept, high-production value comedy sketches shot through with smartly-written metahumor and and a surprising amount of wholesome emotional honesty. Highlights:
Groundhog Daying -
Wormhole Monocle -
The White Room -
The Secret Weakness -
Abduction and Mind Wipe -
Body Swap -
Secret Alien -
Your Whole Life is a TV Show -
The Art of the Heist -
The Moments Between the Montage -
If Scrooge Slept In -
What's My Line? -
Deja Vu -
The epic struggle to invent a new holiday: July Sixth Park -
15-minute magnum opus MOVIES IN SPACE, about a cultural-exchange astronaut who is catapulted by host Eepgarg into the strange, strange world of alien movie production.
I... HAVE... THE POWER 🎨🖌️
Back in April, I made an in-depth post to the blue about OpenAI's DALL-E 2, an unbelievable new AI system that can generate hi-res artistic or photorealistic images of anything you can describe in just a few seconds. Now, after more than two months of waiting (and a comedy of errors), I've gained rare access to this amazing technology... and I'm passing the savings along to you! Post a text prompt you'd like DALL-E to generate in this thread, and I'll share the results! (Examples, conditions, and tips inside.)
Last June, my brother texted me a rave review...
INSIDE: The Photobook Last June, my brother texted me a rave review urging me to watch Bo Burnham's Netflix special INSIDE, which had been languishing on my to-watch list along with a hundred other things. I ended up loving it so much that I made this exhaustive megapost about it. As thanks (and for his 30th birthday present), I embarked on a project to turn the entire special into a coffee table-style photobook. It took a biiit longer than I thought (about six months longer!), but the project is now complete. Process, photos, and full PDF available... Inside.
Look, he made us some Content
Bezos III (Gregorian Chant) /
Living in the Future /
Is it gonna end? YES When? NEVER /
I Just Want to Feel Good /
JEANS™ /
Maybe I'll Feel Better /
Five years /
Trying to be funny /
UV teeth /
[What have we done to our children?] /
The best-case scenario is Joe Biden /
S P I D E R 🕷️ /
"It's very upsetting that The Future is in front of Now." /
This Isn't a Joke /
[Never go outside again] /
How to make a peanut butter sandwich /
"Our doing isn't done and our done-ing isn't did." /
"The unspeakable fear of never hitting the wall." /
I'm sticking with ✨Jeffrey✨ /
"MY PHONE MAKES ME SAD, AWWW." /
All Eyes on Me (Early Demo) /
"It's only a problem if you go outside." /
"The thing that I'm writing about *is* an ending." /
Goodbye (alternate ending) /
The Chicken /
A sneak peek at the ICU /
I don't know what's happening /
>> One year after the original virtuosic special premiered on Netflix, Bo Burnham returns with THE INSIDE OUTTAKES, a kaleidoscopic, stream-of-consciousness retrospective consisting of over an hour of new songs, new vignettes, fake ads, behind the scenes clips, musical outtakes, confessional pieces, perfectionist tableaus and so much more (including something from yours truly).
Better Call Saul: Plan and Execution
Jimmy and Kim deal with a last-minute snag in their plan.
[Mid-season finale - last six episodes start July 11th]
Better Call Saul: Axe and Grind
Kim and Jimmy enlist a knowledgeable contact; Howard scrutinizes Jimmy's business practices.
When we get together, well then, who knows?
A year after their surprise reveal at Glastonbury, Radiohead pandemic spinoff project The Smile have finally dropped their much-anticipated debut album: A Light for Attracting Attention [full album on YouTube].
Featuring Yorke, Greenwood, Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner, longtime RH producer Nigel Godrich, and an assist from the London Contemporary Orchestra, the album's heady mixture of funk, post-punk, math rock, soaring ballads, and themes of passion, alienation, and melancholy make it (perhaps) a worthy successor to 2016's elegant A Moon Shaped Pool.
Music videos:
angry #MeToo rocker "You Will Never Work in Television Again" [lyrics] -
abstract animation for orchestral odyssey "Pana-Vision" [lyrics] -
subliminal lyrics for swanky groove "The Smoke" [lyrics] -
trippy stop-motion nightmare "Thin Thing" [lyrics] -
an occult ritual framed by hopeful elegy "Free in the Knowledge" [lyrics] -
Thom ventures into a coal mine for the beautifully ethereal "Skrting on the Surface" [lyrics], a fan favorite 20+ years in the making. Full tracklist (including a complete live set list!) inside.
Better Call Saul: Black and Blue
While business booms for Jimmy, the vise tightens on the cat-and-mouse game between Gus and Lalo.
Better Call Saul: Hit and Run
Despite assurances from the cartel, Gus takes extreme measures to protect himself against looming threats. Kim and Jimmy enlist the help of a local pro to put on a show for Clifford Main. Howard seeks outside counsel.
Happy birthday to cortex
Let's all wish a very happy and hopefully stress-free b-day to outgoing veteran mod, inveterate punster, and all-around mensch, MeFi's own cortex "Josh" Millard.
Better Call Saul: Rock and Hard Place
Still on the run, Nacho is forced to choose where his loyalties lie. Jimmy must decide whether he wants to remain a "friend of the cartel" after his reputation is called into question. Gus and Mike ready the team for a meeting.
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic
Raccoon astronaut with the cosmos reflected in his helmet dreams of the stars /
Jedi sloth /
Lego Mona Lisa /
Cute animals on rainbow grass /
Bulldog in coat and hat drives an old car /
Victorian rabbit reads the paper on a bench /
Macro shot of a kitten in glasses /
Cool panda skateboards in Santa Monica /
Propaganda poster of a Napoleon cat with cheese /
Plants in a lightbulb /
Proud raccoons pose with their art /
Studio Ghibli train stations /
Kid and dog stare at the stars /
Ukiyo-e teddy bears shop for groceries /
Soup bowl monster knit out of wool /
Astronaut on a horse, pencil sketch /
American Gothic, but it's dogs with pizzas /
Badass sheep in a science lab /
Mona Lisa in Twin Peaks /
Kitty donut shop /
Colorful gamerooms, Memphis Design /
HD photo of Pikachu in a cape /
Wooden art deco cat /
Fruit golem /
Codex Seraphinianus / Voynich Manuscript /
Variations on Vermeer, Klimt, Seurat, Ohara /
"Good morning" Post-It on the ISS cupola /
Cats in blue hats /
Writer ponders her next story, oil painting /
Timepieces, De Chirico style /
Cheshire Cat and Tinkerbell play poker /
Pieter Bruegel's Incredible Hulk /
A plum and perfume served in a hat /
Earth as chocolate cake /
The orange cat Otto von Garfield in a Prussian Pickelhaube eats lasagna /
A robot paints while playing piano,
draws itself,
paints itself,
shows another robot its art / Meet OpenAI's DALL·E 2, the extraordinary new AI that creates anything you can imagine in a matter of seconds.
Are these tickets worth contesting? (And if so, how?)
After serving two weeks on a grand jury, I ended up with not one but two parking tickets that would claw back more than half of what meager pay I got. Normally I'd just pony up the dough, but in this case they feel pretty unfair and I'm just wondering if there's any point in contesting them. Is it worth a shot, given the circumstances?
Together you can create something more.
For April Fool's Day 2017, Reddit launched an intriguing experiment: Place. Given a blank digital canvas, any user could add a single colored pixel at 5-minute intervals. Thanks to cooperation between myriad subreddit communities, Place quickly blossomed into a complex sprawl of jokes, memes, and digital art -- a Million Dollar Homepage for the modern era [final image; timelapse]. Five years later, Place has returned -- with the added twist of a canvas that sometimes doubles in size, with another expansion expected soon. Watch the timelapse so far, or if you have a Reddit account, leave a pixel yourself.
Archive.org, Linkrot, and You
PSA: The Internet Archive's Wayback Machine is a fantastic resource for finding preserved copies of broken links from long-lost websites. But did you know you can now have it archive pages on demand -- including copies of all the pages that page links to?
AI Jukebox is a fascinating project from OpenAI...
Guess the AI Jukebox artist AI Jukebox is a fascinating project from OpenAI that uses cutting-edge neural neworks to perform all sorts of musical magic -- it can take a clip of a song and continue it in a new way, sing text lyrics in any artist's voice, make a song sound like it's being sung by someone else. My favorite? Tell it to generate music by an artist without any other info, and it will produce a gibberish song with nonsense lyrics... that still sounds 100% real and just like the actual singer or band with their unique style.
You can hear instruments, melodies, sometimes an audience, the breathing of the lead singer -- but the whole thing is generated completely from scratch by the AI, not with samples or digital sounds. It's not flawless -- some of the songs ramble, with glitchy effects or a mutating voice. But these just add to the vibe, like it's from a dream or a parallel universe.
I went through their database to find the best examples of these tracks from the most famous artists, then turned them into an audio quiz on Sporcle -- complete with AI-generated art of the artists I made to serve as hints in the second round. How many of the artists can you name?
Joe Biden's first State of the Union address
Happening now: President Joe Biden delivers his first official State of the Union address (after last year's "address to a joint session") during a time of crisis both domestic and international. Tune in on YouTube to hear #46 on coronavirus, democracy, the economy, the Supreme Court nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson, and the situation in Ukraine, for the first time with two women on the podium behind him, and for (potentially) the last time under full Democratic control of Washington.
Bitrot that doesn't kill posts makes them stronger
> comp.basilisk - Frequently Asked Questions :: Is it just an urban legend that the first basilisk destroyed its creator?
Almost everything about the incident at the Cambridge IV supercomputer facility where Berryman conducted his last experiments has been suppressed and classified as highly undesirable knowledge. It's generally believed that Berryman and most of the facility staff died. Subsequently, copies of basilisk B-1 leaked out. This image is famously known as the Parrot for its shape when blurred enough to allow safe viewing. B-1 remains the favorite choice of urban terrorists who use aerosols and stencils to spray basilisk images on walls by night. But others were at work on Berryman's speculations...
Almost everything about the incident at the Cambridge IV supercomputer facility where Berryman conducted his last experiments has been suppressed and classified as highly undesirable knowledge. It's generally believed that Berryman and most of the facility staff died. Subsequently, copies of basilisk B-1 leaked out. This image is famously known as the Parrot for its shape when blurred enough to allow safe viewing. B-1 remains the favorite choice of urban terrorists who use aerosols and stencils to spray basilisk images on walls by night. But others were at work on Berryman's speculations...
Classic Megaposts Remixed
In 2008 and 2011, we explored the early history of two titans of children's television. Starting in the '80s, fresh off success with MTV, producer Fred Seibert helped revitalize a struggling Nickelodeon with a comprehensive brand overhaul -- infectious doowop jingles, surreal interstitials, and a visionary slate of original shorts that brought it "from worst to first" in the ratings. In the '90s, he followed suit at Cartoon Network, working with creative director Michael Ouweleen on a series of inventive musical idents that reinterpreted the network's properties through stock footage, indie music, and original animation in a wide variety of styles, along with another groundbreaking roster of shorts that, along with the Nicktoons, would become some of the most famous in the history of American animation. [warning: Frankenstein's monster post inside]