A profile of Cyd Charisse with clips. —Her Legs Should’ve been Registered as [a] Deadly Weapon
Category: articles
Against Hustle
"Even Thomas Merton — a mid-twentieth century activist monk who lived at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky, and whom Odell holds up as a model of informed, participatory refusal — might have difficulty following the same path today. My mom lives a couple hours away from the Abbey of Gethsemani and when we went … Continue reading Against Hustle
Brain in a Vat
"In a challenge to the idea that brain death is final, researchers have revived the disembodied brains of pigs four hours after the animals were slaughtered. Although the experiments stopped short of restoring consciousness, they raise questions about the ethics of the approach — and, more fundamentally, about the nature of death itself. " —Sara … Continue reading Brain in a Vat
Above Us Only Stars
"GPS and other Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are used in everything from cellular communication networks, to basic consumer goods, high-end military systems, and stock trading inputs. But these systems are vulnerable: by attacking positioning, navigational, and timing (PNT) data through electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, state and non-state actors can cause significant damage to modern … Continue reading Above Us Only Stars
Castles of Burgundy
"The Castles of Burgundy has long been one of my favorite strategy board games, a 90-120 minute game of tile-laying with a complex scoring system that is often derided as “point salad,” meaning you can get points from so many different paths that there might seem to be no logic to it. I mention that … Continue reading Castles of Burgundy
The Weekly Dump
This is a list of links, in no particular order, of things I found interesting enough to note this week but for one reason or another, didn't make it as an individual post. This is my way of clearing the decks and showing what is on the cutting room floor and maybe provide you with … Continue reading The Weekly Dump
Electric Velomobiles
"Both the velomobile and the electric bicycle increase the limited range of the cyclist — the former optimises aerodynamics and ergonomics, while the latter assists muscle power with an electric motor fuelled by a battery.The electric velomobile combines both approaches, and so maximises the range of the cyclist — so much so that it is … Continue reading Electric Velomobiles
The Power and Pitfalls of Adderall: Daring to Be Disinteresting
"Evolution is a nice, big idea. It connotes the glacial pace of an unmeditated act unfolding upon species, concepts, and ecosystems. It certainly doesn’t usually get branded as a feeling. But a couple months ago I felt this thing. Maybe a little like what a mommy feels when her fetus kicks the wall crossed with … Continue reading The Power and Pitfalls of Adderall: Daring to Be Disinteresting
Why Facts Don’t Change Our Minds
"'Once formed,' the researchers observed dryly, 'impressions are remarkably perseverant.'" —Elizabeth Kolbert, "Why Facts Don’t Change Our Minds." The New Yorker. February 19, 2017. Be careful what you believe.
How to Read the Mueller Report
"Even before Barr releases the report, those planning on reading it would do well to reflect on what it is — and what it is not. It is, by regulation, a report on the prosecutions and declinations the Mueller team took during their tenure. It is not supposed to be, contrary to many claims, a … Continue reading How to Read the Mueller Report
One Step Closer to Printing Organs on Demand
"'This is the first time anyone anywhere has successfully engineered and printed an entire heart complete with cells, blood vessels, ventricles and chambers,' Professor Dvir said in a press briefing on Monday at the university.""Israeli Scientists 3D-Print A Tiny, Live Heart Made With Human Tissue" NoCamels.com. April 15, 2019.
Salafistes
"Salafistes is, from start to finish, a gruesome film. Originally shot in Timbuktu after the town fell under jihadist control in 2012, the documentary takes place over the course of four years—first, with live footage of life under Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in Mali; later, using propaganda videos from the Islamic State in … Continue reading Salafistes
Automated Authoritarianism
"In China, there is no why." —Chris Buckley, Paul Mozur and Austin Ramzy, "How China Turned a City Into a Prison." The New York Times. April 4, 2019. The future is here; it's just not evenly distributed yet.
The Weekly Dump
This is a list of links, in no particular order, of things I found interesting enough to note this week but for one reason or another, didn't make it as an individual post. This is my way of clearing the decks and showing what is on the cutting room floor and maybe provide you with … Continue reading The Weekly Dump
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