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Is John Likeglass Still Around?
The Mystery of VelmaDinkley.com [25m] is an internet mystery posted earlier this year. YouTuber CHUPPL has lost countless hours of sleep trying to answer the questions surrounding this subject. Ruh-Roh! Does a community of Scooby Doo fans have something to hide? The ensuing investigation is entirely human and the end is entirely satisfactory.
Ceasefire now
NYT: Gaza Civilians, Under Israeli Barrage, Are Being Killed at Historic Pace
- Even a conservative assessment of the reported Gaza casualty figures shows that the rate of death during Israel’s assault has few precedents in this century, experts say.[ungated]
Together, we can get paid in full
"May the Lord Watch is the definitive story (1:40:06) of Little Brother, the North Carolina rap group composed of rappers Phonte, Big Pooh, and (formerly) producer 9th Wonder, the underground legends that bridged the gap between The Roots and Kendrick, Tribe and Cole, De La and Drake. The film follows the rise, breakup, and reunion of the preeminent 2000s rap group"
Catherine Christer Hennix, drone composer
Catherine Christer Hennix (1948–2023) was a composer of minimalist, electronic, and drone music. Grounded in maths and sciences, her music adapted ideas from Indian ragas, Arabic music, jazz, and blues. She had a a wide ranging career across academia, writing, painting and sculpture, and intellectual movements from Fluxus to Lacan to Sufi Islam. She studied with Stockhausen, took inspiration from La Monte Young and Pandit Pran Nath, but had a modest commercial showing unlike her contemporaries Philip Glass and Steve Reich. Her music is astonishing.
"An account of a Time Lord's adventures through SPACE AND ONLY SPACE"
Tomorrow (Saturday November 25) starting at 3pm PT (6pm ET/11pm GMT) and running for approximately 24 hours, Laser Webber of the Doubleclicks (several previouslies, dating back to 2011) and Becca McGlynn (with some special guests) will be participating in a charity livestream that watches Doctor Who in chronological order -- but NOT chronological order of the airdates. This chronology is presented in order of when each event took place, from the perspective of the show's internal universe.
Happy Bi- oh wait.
Cat Scans
is one of the strangest instagram pages I've seen in some time. I have no idea how these people got their cats onto their scanners, or why. (via boing boing)
How bison are restoring US grasslands
How bison are restoring US grasslands.
Plains bison co-evolved with the short-grass prairie. In the 12,000 years since the end of the Pleistocene, they have proven themselves to be potent ecosystem engineers.
An adult bison eats about 25lb (11kg) of grass a day. The grasses adapted to their foraging. Vegetation across the plains uses the nutrients in their dung. Birds pluck their fur from bushes to insulate their nests.
Bison also shape the land literally. They roll in the dust and create indentations known as "wallows" that hold water after rainstorms. After the bison move on, insects flourish in these pools and become a feast for birds and small mammals. Pronghorn antelope survive by following their tracks through deep winter snows.
The Science Behind Our Musical Tastes
According to Nolan Gasser, a musician and musicologist, sociology plays a tremendous role behind our musical tastes. What we hear when we were babies and throughout our formative years become the home base of our musical sensibilities. But as we grow older, our taste in music evolves and expands as we become exposed to different music. For a deeper dive into musical taste, you may check out Nolan Gasser's Why You Like It: The Science & Culture of Musical Taste.
Kathleen Sully, the Vanished Novelist
"[Kathleen Sully's] name appears in no encyclopaedia, in no dictionary of biography, in no other survey of the English novel. One reason for her critical neglect is that she didn’t fit in—a reflection of the institutional prejudices of the English literary world. She was a woman writing when writing was a man’s game—not just a man’s game, but a public school/university-educated man’s game.
On Growth and Form
Toby "Tibees2" Hendy, explainer of science, has posted a beautiful 15m tribute to "The book biologists hate to read but love to cite". No, not The Origin of Species but On Growth and Form (1917) [Gutenberg Full text] by D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson. MetaPrev 2008.
Mastodon is Easy and Fun Except when it isn't
Erin Kissane has some criticisms of Mastodon's culture and technology
Since Elon Musk's enshittification of twitter, many new social platforms have sprung up. Mastodon, Bluesky, Cohost, Threads; to name a few. Even Metafilter got in on it by spinning up a MeFi Mastodon instance. Do you agree with the author's assessment of the state of Mastodon? Have you joined one of the new social media sites? How do your experiences stack up next to the author's?
Lord David Cameron
What David Cameron’s return says about British politics
- A man who caused many of Britain’s problems is now offering to fix them (Economist; ungated)
From Ukraine with Love
WaPo: Ukrainian military officer coordinated Nord Stream pipeline attack that shocked and mystified the West [archive.is]
Roman Chervinsky, a decorated 48-year-old colonel who served in Ukraine’s special operations forces, was the “coordinator” of the Nord Stream operation, people familiar with his role said, managing logistics and support for a six-person team that rented a sailboat under false identities and used deep-sea diving equipment to place explosive charges on the gas pipelines.[...] Chervinsky did not act alone, and he did not plan the operation, according to the people familiar with his role, which has not been previously reported. The officer took orders from more senior Ukrainian officials, who ultimately reported to Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, Ukraine’s highest-ranking military officer, said people familiar with how the operation was carried out. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive details about the bombing, which has strained diplomatic relations with Ukraine and drawn objections from U.S. officials.Notably claims that President Zelensky was kept out of the loop, especially since Chervinsky is currently behind bars for an unrelated rogue operation. As with any anonymously-sourced story, to be taken with a grain of salt, though the Washington Post is somewhat more reliable than Seymour Hersh's Substack theorizing [previously].
Is Finland the best place in the world to be a parent?
What the world can learn from childcare in Finland
[yt] - "Finland is a world leader when it comes to early years education. Childcare is affordable and nursery places are universally available in a system that puts children's rights at the centre of decision-making. Now the country is applying the same child-first thinking to paternity-leave policies in an attempt to tackle gender inequality in parenting."[1,2,3]
Thanksgiving Rider
It's that rare thing
- a New Yorker humour piece that's actually funny!
"What?????? What the hell???"
TLDR: Pulling off an advanced scam on Wikipedia and got blocked, made a new account and spent five years of pretending to be an indie singer, emotionally traumatizing the person who revealed their fake(!) identity, disappeared off the face of the earth. [X thread from depthsofwikipedia; nitter thread; wikisignpost summary: Admin bewilderingly unmasks self as sockpuppet of other admin who was extremely banned in 2015]
The Hidden Formula Behind Almost Every Joke on Late Night TV
Slate.com reveals how talk show writers formulate each night's topical jokes.
"When you have to write more than 100 topical jokes each day, there’s no time to wait for inspiration to strike. You need a reliable algorithm." (SLYT)
Beatles memorabilia from Mal Evans saved by an office temp and Yoko Ono
One article I read about the forthcoming release of a book based on Mal
Evans archives (namesake of MAL, the software that Peter Jackson used to extract John Lennon’s vocals for Now and Then) mentions the papers “languishing in a publishing house basement.”
Another article goes more in depth on how Leena Kutti, a temp was assigned to clear out a publisher’s basement storage area. She discovered the Beatles memorabilia, manuscript and diaries of Beatles gofer Mal Evans. To save what she found, she dropped a note to Yoko Ono.
How to cut the most common vegetables
Chef Jean-Pierre Bréhier shows us how to cut the most common vegetables.
Eruption seems likely on Icelandic peninsula
The peninsula of Reykjanes, which is home to the town of Keflavik as well as the famous "Blue Lagoon" geothermal spa, has seen a number of recent earthquakes as well as a measurable movement of ground level centered on the mountain known as Þorbjörn. The lava ledge growing below the peninsula is estimated to be one metre thick and six million cubic metres large. Evacuation plans have already been circulated for the towns nearest Þorbjörn, however experts fear that fast moving magma could isolate the residents of the peninsula without power or clear escape routes.
Don't leave me my wretched memory, Don't leave me now.
The Jazz Butcher, Pat Fish has died. Born Patrick Huntrods in 1957, Pat Fish put out records under variations of The Jazz Butcher name since the mid-’80s. As the Jazz Butcher Conspiracy, he collaborated with David J, members of The Woodentops, Spacemen 3’s Sonic Boom, and of course, Max Eider. He was known as quick wit, a generous soul, and a fantastic songwriter. Fans are sharing memories over at jazzbutcher.com.
Never heard of him? Links to some classics are below the fold. (Previously)
The Empire Won That War
I'll confess to not having watched Saturday Night Live at all this season but this sketch—Washington's Dream—is damn funny. The host was Nate Bargatze, who is a comedian I've never heard of, and he also had a funny opening monologue.
It's more complicated than that
Literary It Girls may have the standard markers of what we think of when we think of an It Girl: they’re beautiful, stylish, and social, with a certain je ne sais quoi. But what really makes them influential is the creative ways they stage and elevate their work — both on the page and in persona. from The Makings of a Literary It Girl
"So, when do the cops actually enforce gun laws?"
Investigative journalist David Forbes (previously) writes on the US gun control debate: "As a journalist I've investigated police departments for over 20 years. The reality is that they will not enforce gun laws against white supremacists, the far-right or the kind of abusive guy that makes up 95 percent of mass shooters on any scale that matters. They do not do so now and they won't in the future." Her post "A reality check on cops and gun laws", published June 5, 2022, aims to rebut assumptions "often held unconsciously by people who are in good faith trying to find an answer to appalling violence." Content warning: police and gun violence, hate crimes, domestic abuse. Disclaimer: I know David Forbes and she is a friend of mine.
“I could just break into tears, the human he’s become.”
"The evolution of Steve Albini", a Grauniad long read about a punk rock personality who is growing past his edgelord youth. Many previouslies, including another post on being offensive, but also Christmas, punk rock ethics, food, the music industry, producing 'In Utero', being pompous, producing records, being offensive (yes, it's a theme), selling out, beautiful sunrises, answering questions, and an even older post with mostly broken links.
All Crimewaves Are Bullshit
Target and other chains have overblown the impact of shoplifting. The rash of store closures across the nation are, as might have been suspected, driven by other factors - in the case of Rite Aid bankruptcy to avoid opiate lawsuits.
"Knowing what is missing is an important first step."
Zachary Turpin (Commonplace, 10/2023), "Have You Seen Me?: Missing Works of Nineteenth-Century American Literature": "To students new to the study of nineteenth-century American literature, it may seem that the field has been so thoroughly studied and catalogued that there can be very little left to discover about it. This could hardly be further from the truth." Partially inspired by Johanna Ortner (2015), "Lost No More: Recovering Frances Ellen Watkins Harper's Forest Leaves": "Having done my secondary source reading on her, I knew that Forest Leaves was deemed lost. Call it my naiveté as a young graduate student, but I figured I might as well type in the title in the society's catalogue."
it would appear our potholes are so bad that hell sprung a leak
nola_prepared is a satirical city emergency preparedness Instagram account for New Orleans Louisiana (although the official nolaready IG appreciates their different skill sets). Recommended posts: Hurricane season preparations include rescue gators; new hazard signs; a Hell vs NOLA comparison chart; flood warning; the dysfunction of Sewerage & Water Board; the toxic optimism of a happy New Orleanian as told by a marine iguana (do NOT click if you have a fear of snakes, like even a vague unease, unless you have some form of emotional support near you). No Instagram account? You should be able to see a few posts before they cut you off.
SCHNAAAAABEL
"Bird Calls (1972, recorded in 1981) by Louise Lawler is a six-minute roll call in which the artist squawks, chirps, and warbles the names of twenty-eight of the leading artists of the time—not coincidentally, all men. Each name is subject to distortion and derision as it is transformed into an individual call. This powerful (and powerfully funny) piece, the artist’s only audio work, may seem anomalous in relation to the subtly acerbic photographs and ephemeral multiples for which she is now known...
The History Behind London's Green Cabmen's Shelters
The History Behind London's Green Cabmen's Shelters. As you walk around London you may come across one of these green huts by the side of the road.
They are Cabmen’s shelters and they are amazing relics of Victorian London, but also a fantastic example of living history, as many of them are still in use today.
Hasan Minhaj's New Yorker response: that was not who I am
Hasan replies in his best medium.
Many will make their own decisions.
Douglas Rushkoff gives MeFi mods a shoutout
In ep.267 (25/10/2023) of his podcast, Being Human, Rushkoff gives a particular mention of MetaFilter in a long talk about social media.
🔔MetaFilter Transitional Board Volunteers Wanted!🔔
📣📣🫱🏿👋🏽🖐🏼✋Hi everyone,✋🖐🏼👋🏽🫱🏿📣📣
MetaFilter is beginning the transition to becoming a non-profit (seee this thread ) and to begin that process, a temporary transitional board is needed. This board of volunteers would establish a basic framework for the future site, along with defining what to look for in an Executive Director
We have several volunteers already, but most are based in the United States and have similar backgrounds, so we’re casting our net wider to encourage a more globally diverse board.
Interested? Let us know in the October 18, 2023 MetaTalk thread about changing the site to nonprofit.
MetaFilter is beginning the transition to becoming a non-profit (seee this thread ) and to begin that process, a temporary transitional board is needed. This board of volunteers would establish a basic framework for the future site, along with defining what to look for in an Executive Director
We have several volunteers already, but most are based in the United States and have similar backgrounds, so we’re casting our net wider to encourage a more globally diverse board.
Interested? Let us know in the October 18, 2023 MetaTalk thread about changing the site to nonprofit.
"Ike's Train Car of Terror"
"At one time this Pullman railroad car was the apex of luxury -- at least according to Stagecoach Stop USA, which in 1978 parked the car on the attraction's front lawn and opened it as the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Railroad Car Museum. Supposedly used by President Eisenhower in the 1950s-..."
or was it?
Take me right back to the track, Jack.
Please enjoy Louis Jordan And His Tympany Five performing two songs about trains: 1. Choo Choo Ch'Boogie - 1946 (recorded live); 2. Texas and Pacific - 1947 (recorded live)
Froderick
Froderick gets a home.
(SLYT)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: McKinsey
This week... things that continue: the hostage situation in Gaza, the US House continues failing to elect a new Speaker, and New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez facing corruption charges. And Now: Some Things That Turn Stuart Varney On. The main story is management consultants McKinsey & Company, a gigantic organization that advises huge corporations and government agencies alike. They have a pretty high opinion of themselves, while keeping a low profile. "They are, without question, the go-to consultants for managers seeking justification for savage cost cutting[...]as well as a convenient scapegoat on which to blame it." (Duff McDonald, The Firm: The Story of McKinsey and Its Secret Influence) The episode finishes with a LWT-made "commercial" for McKinsey, who are "capable of anything, and culpable for nothing." The McKinsey segment is on Youtube. (27 minutes)
You Think You Know a Site
I’ve known since I was 11 who these people, this Eyebrows McGee and this languagehat, are.
After graduating from college, I still thought of Metafilter as a rarified club of experts that I’d somehow snuck into. I also thought of Metafilter as a perfect window onto the world. I was sure I could better understand different life experiences because I read strangers’ thoughts, freed by anonymity to be honest. I knew I lived in a tiny bubble, and Metafilter seemed my best defense against that insularity.
[MeFi Site Update] October 18th
Hi there, MetaFilter!
Welcome to your monthly Site Update! You can find the last Site Update here.
Reminder: I will be the only mod actively monitoring this thread so please be patient. I’ll reply to your feedback and questions at least twice a week. I’m looking forward to your feedback and questions!
Welcome to your monthly Site Update! You can find the last Site Update here.
Reminder: I will be the only mod actively monitoring this thread so please be patient. I’ll reply to your feedback and questions at least twice a week. I’m looking forward to your feedback and questions!