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mattglidden boosted

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.” nytimes.com/2023/12/24/dining/

The New York Times · What Is Prime Rib? A Dish from America’s Past Gets Revisited Every ChristmasBy Brian Gallagher
mattglidden boosted

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

mattglidden boosted

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.

mattglidden boosted

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)

mattglidden boosted

Amazon is crawling with travel guides written by AI -- vague, crappy, and pushed up in search results by astroturfed fake five-star reviews: nytimes.com/2023/08/05/travel/

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 New York Times · A New Frontier for Travel Scammers: A.I.-Generated GuidebooksBy Seth Kugel
mattglidden boosted

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?