The Verge looks at the symbiotic relationship between Google and the SEO industry, which has resulted in an internet full of sites “optimized for Google first and readers last”. https://www.theverge.com/c/23998379/google-search-seo-algorithm-webpage-optimization
From a piece on “charismatic megaprotein” prime rib: “Half of all the beef consumed in the US on a given day is eaten by just 12% of the population. And members of that 12% were most likely to be white men between the ages of 50 and 65.” https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/24/dining/christmas-prime-rib.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Ik0.4Qh9.1n8oz73ykyiw
Never thought that I'd write these words:
I read a hugely important thread over at Threads.
Probably won't surprise (m)any, I know, but still needs to be public knowledge.
Next year marks the 100th anniversary of surrealism. Countless artists across disciplines have been inspired by the uncanny, unconscious, and fantastic, a few of which are celebrated in a forthcoming book.
When people pointed out the Nazi, fascist language, his campaign clarified by ... doubling down: https://newrepublic.com/post/176892/trump-team-responds-hitler-vermin-accusations-proving-accusers-right
As one of the political scientists quoted in the piece, Brian Klaas, concludes:
“I study the breakdown of democracy, and I don’t know how to say this more clearly: We are sleepwalking towards authoritarianism."
Amazon’s Alexa has been telling people the 2020 presidential election was “stolen by a massive amount of election fraud.”
The voice assistant cites Rumble as its source. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/10/07/amazon-alexa-news-2020-election-misinformation/
America's 2023 Covid booster rollout has been slow and uneven because it works like the rest of our health care system now (whereas before it was a single-payer program run by the US government). https://www.statnews.com/2023/09/26/rollout-of-covid-vaccines-is-bumpy-but-not-unexpected-experts-say/
Amazing look at how scalpers are getting all those tickets you wanted. https://www.404media.co/why-scalpers-can-get-olivia-rodrigo-tickets-and-fans-cannot/
Surprising Movies That Got Thumbs Down From Siskel, Ebert, or Both. The Silence of the Lambs, Apocalypse Now, Blade Runner, Die Hard (Ebert ?!), and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. https://letterboxd.com/superpulse/list/surprising-movies-that-got-thumbs-down-from/detail/
When I was a kid in the 80s and 90s, I watched Star Trek: The Next Generation. I soaked up the vibes of a high-tech, utopian future. I internalized the trajectory we were on was good, that we had reached the End of History. There might be a few bumps on the road, but the direction was inevitable and the destination was inexorable.
It turns out that the fastest a human being has ever traveled was 39,897 kilometers per hour. That was the crew of the Apollo 10 mission returning to earth. That happened on 26 May, 1969.
Fifty-four years ago. We peaked more than half a century ago.
1/of several
Portland's Montavilla neighborhood got its name because its original name – Mount Tabor Village – wouldn't fit on streetcar headboards. Originally shortened to "Mt. Ta. Villa", it evolved to "Monta.Villa" (as seen in this 1905 photo) and the name just kind of stuck.
"These people enjoying a very casual conversation about Miyazaki movies have no idea that there is an absolute Miyazaki freak lying in wait among them." https://clickhole.com/blood-in-the-water-these-people-enjoying-a-very-casual-1834240097/
I’ve spent much of this year examining car bloat, the process through which smaller vehicles are being replaced by increasingly massive SUVs and trucks.
What I’ve learned: Huge cars are terrible for society, often in ways that are hidden.
Some basic facts:
◆ >80% of US car sales are now trucks/SUVs.
◆ Models keep expanding. For example, the F-150 is now ~800 lbs heavier and 7 inches taller than in 1991.
◆ EVs can make the problem worse due to huge batteries.
Continued (THREAD)
There will sadly never be a better software name than Nero Burning ROM.
Amazon is crawling with travel guides written by AI -- vague, crappy, and pushed up in search results by astroturfed fake five-star reviews: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/05/travel/amazon-guidebooks-artificial-intelligence.html?unlocked_article_code=Gmcb6fkRXSAX7JUdbTpFyhH1lSBWBcI0RuiXgcku3gVTdQV7s_SPvl1tKw76F_txTehAmHdU0bZ3PUoPyH0h-dybeb8_bGL7UzysZynt-SFcx9yByC4wr37_65cVodjr_Z-sRcqUfioeOsUAKJpEECejhG2SlL4jPCoaBG8PFnu_YLKDXA0hkzvhrJnGuD5kw59N8Bz7T7D7UOeJXLkowJnnoB6IDt6bHn6XiBvlH--t6M_9xmGCkNlYdtiiScdbS3ebGG5C3xKkCxwacaT96yLi9NK5dx9YHwhHSPdoVJPqslvVGAwQFvpSQvDvgHZGOFxW09EeUVAHYZl6uI-aSYS0_UfYhcXjDi6J2-M1oFlpWg&smid=url-share
That's a "gift" link so you don't need to be a New York Times subscriber to read it
It's a great investigation, and highlights the real problem, which is ...
... unsurprisingly by now, Amazon seemingly does little-to-nothing to stop this
The site is just soiled top to bottom with fake crap in every category
the world is on fire and Jeep just introduced a 19-foot long vehicle with a built-in mini fridge that gets 16 miles to the gallon
https://www.wsj.com/articles/2023-grand-wagoneer-l-series-iii-reivew-how-big-is-too-big-5dcc419d
A treetop walkway gracefully winds through Norway’s Hamaren Activity Park to expand access to people with disabilities #design #architecture
https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2023/06/effekt-hamaren-activity-park/
The Death Cult of the American Car. It's obvious how to make the roads safer for cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers alike. We just don't do it. https://prospect.org/infrastructure/transportation/2023-06-28-death-cult-american-car/
Do y’all think about how the desert city of Dubai, which is hosting the next United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), has a huge indoor ski facility that has a lodge that uses gas heaters to keep guests warm?