The novel coronavirus is infecting and killing Black, Latinx, and Native American people in the U.S. at rates shockingly higher than whites, according to state public health data. Mother Jones has a deep data dive into the racial disparities of COVID-19, which examines the many factors that have led to the outbreak hitting Americans of color hardest.Excerpt:In early April, Mother Jones began requesting racial and ethnic breakdowns of COVID-19 infections and deaths from health departments in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Of those, 21 states released no racial or ethnic breakdowns of those infected. Twenty-six states failed to release breakdowns of fatalities by race, and among the states that did, the information was inconsistently formatted. Some broke out data only by race, others only by ethnicity, and some by both. Some offered data for Latinx and Asian communities; others classified them as “Other.” Most states had little if any information about how Latinx, Asian, and Native American populations have been affected.But a clear picture did emerge. Preliminary data analysis by Mother Jones finds that Black people overall have disproportionately contracted and died from the coronavirus. In 20 of the 28 states plus DC for which a usable racial breakdown of infection data was provided, Black people make up a larger share of coronavirus infections than they do of the general population.In 18 of the 23 states plus DC for which a usable racial breakdown of fatality data was provided, Black people likewise make up a disproportionately large share of coronavirus fatalities. Read the rest

Between Ancestry, 23 and Me and all the rest of the DNA testing companies out there today, you can uncover incredibly detailed genetic information about yourself, not to mention trace back familial connections potentially hundreds of years.Yet unless pedigree was established at birth, it’s very likely that one member of the family not only didn’t make it into your family tree but doesn’t have a genetic history that extends much beyond mutt. Yes, we’re talking about your dog.But just as with human DNA services, testing service DNA My Dog has started to offer up a lot more than anecdotal historical information about your four-legged pal.Not only does DNA My Dog break down your dog’s exact breed, genetic composition, and personality traits, but a simple swab of your dog’s cheek can unlock all the details you need to help your pet live a long and happy life.DNA My Dog screens each pooch for over 100 of the most common diseases for their particular breed. No matter how old your dog, this medical projection is an invaluable medical snapshot of your pet’s health, offering important tips about potential health risks and other methods for keeping your dog safe and happy.Each set of results also comes with a custom photo certificate outlining your dog’s full genetic breed composition, so even if your pet was a rescue or a stray, you’ll have vivid test results with 99.97 percent accuracy on your dog’s complete genetic history.Considering how much man’s best friend contributes to your life, this simple testing can go a long way to ensuring you’re able to repay the favor by giving your dog just the proper care they need as they get older. Read the rest

Wow, Dr. Phil is awful. Mister Phil, really. Gentle reminder than “Dr. Phil” is not a licensed doctor.On Fox News, on Laura Ingraham's popular white supremacist TV show, “Dr. Phil” defended “opening up America,” as impeached president Donald Trump puts it. Mister Phil also compared the coronavirus death rate to car and swimming pool accidents, which is not true.Here's that original Fox News clip he's going on about in the YouTube clip at the top of this blog post:Dr. Phil appears on Laura Ingraham and says we don’t shut the country down for automobile deaths, cigarette related deaths, and swimming pool deaths pic.twitter.com/q8KCgLLClY— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) April 17, 2020Is there a vaccine to keep Dr. Phil from invading our lives? Someone go work on that.Read the room, my man.Maybe take a little quarantine time out.—@DrPhil addresses comments he made on @IngrahamAngle's Fox show: "Last night I said we as a society have chosen to live with certain controllable deadly risks every day: smoking, autocracies, swimming. And yes, I know that those are not contagious. So probably bad examples."— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) April 17, 2020"And I get they are not contagious so they are probably not good examples," @DrPhil adds. "I probably could have used better examples about that. And by the way, I misspoke about drowning deaths. I quoted a worldwide number, not a US number"— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) April 17, 2020"If I offended people's sensibilities last night with my examples, then erase those," @DrPhil says. Read the rest

It took this artist around 330 hours and 300,000 matches to make this coronavirus sculpture. In under five minutes you can watch its creation and then its satisfying destruction.Mute until the burning starts (2:18) for a better viewing experience. Read the rest

Do you have more leftovers that usual? We sure do. We were running out of food storage containers so I bought a 9-pack of these 16-0unce twist-lock containers. The fact that they have leak-proof lids that won't come off when you drop them is key. They're also dishwasher safe. Read the rest

Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli has released stunning free backgrounds for videoconferencing software like Zoom. Change your set and setting to Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, Castle in the Sky, and four other enchanting film scenes. Download them here: "Studio Ghibli wallpaper that can be used for web conferences" (via Open Culture) Read the rest

Earlier today, Disney announced they are offering a free bedtime message, via a toll-free number, to help children to go to sleep. But I called it, and it's clear to me this was not created specifically for this shelter-in-place time. I started by listening to option 5, aka "Goofy." He talks about being tired from going fishing and having lunch with his pal Mickey. Then I rang "Daisy Duck." She had a picnic with Donald, and later hung out and played soccer with her nieces. And if you think she might be in the same germ pod with those members of her family, think again. She then brags about having dinner with Minnie Mouse! I guess characters in the Disney universe aren't affected by coronavirus? Seems a bit tone deaf, Disney! In any event, here's the info, so you can remind your little ones of all the fun they're missing:Beginning today, fans can hear messages from favorite Disney characters before falling asleep – all from the comfort of home. Parents, simply call 1-877-7-MICKEY for one of five special messages for your little ones from Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck or Goofy.The toll-free hotline will run for a limited time only, so be sure to make your call before the end of the month, Thursday, April 30 at midnight PT. Available in the United States only. Limit 1 message per call. If calling using a mobile phone, standard mobile charges may apply. Read the rest

The Washington Post reports that smugglers used cheap tools to saw through Trump's expensive wall 18 times in the San Diego area over a one-month period:The records do not indicate whether the one-month span last year is a representative sample of how frequently people are trying to breach new sections of Trump’s border barrier, which are made of tall steel bollards partially filled with concrete and rebar. The Post reported last November that smuggling crews armed with common battery-operated power tools — including reciprocating saws that retail for as little as $100 at home improvement stores — can cut hack through the bollards using inexpensive blades designed for slicing through metal and stone.The wall, which Trump lied that Mexico would pay for, is also easy to climb over:Trump repeatedly touted the bollard fencing as impenetrable in rallies and speeches, until The Post reported that smugglers were climbing the 30-foot structure with improvised ladders and hacking at the bollards with “recip saws” and other commercially available power tools. The president has since backed down on those claims.“You can cut through anything, in all fairness,” Trump acknowledged in a speech 24 hours later, on Nov. 3, insisting the barrier was designed to be easily repaired.Image: By Shealah Craighead - White House, Public Domain, Link Read the rest

The largest fan convention in the United States, Comi-Con has been canceled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was scheduled to be held in San Diego in late July. This is the first time the Comic-Con was canceled in its 51-year history. People who purchased tickets for this year's event have a choice of a refund or a pass for the 2021 Comic-Con.From Variety:Founded in 1970, and given the moniker San Diego Comic-Con (or SDCC) in 1973, the annual convention of comic book fans, writers, and sellers ballooned in size in the 2000s with the explosion of big-budget genre entertainment in Hollywood. The four-day convention has been a critical promotional tool for feature films and TV shows for over a decade.But given the near-total suspension of work within the entertainment industry — not to mention widespread anxiety about the safety of mass public gatherings — it was unclear how many studios and networks were even going to participate in this year’s SDCC. Read the rest

In 1969, astronaut Richard Gordon used this hand controller to steer the Apollo 12 command and service module Yankee Clipper around the moon while his colleagues frolicked on the lunar surface. The controller, complete with trigger switch, just sold at auction for $56,000. I hope the buyer is using it to mod a vintage Lunar Lander arcade machine. From the RR Auction "Space and Aviation Auction":...Measuring 2.75″ x 4.75″ x 2.5″ overall, with affixed “Class III, Not For Flight” label and underside of base marked with part numbers: “S/N 16, 10022865-101, 94580.” The controller, with trigger switch, is secured to a walnut 4.75″ x 8″ x 1″ base with upper and lower plaques, “Apollo 12, Nov. 14-24, 1969” and “Rotational Hand Controller,” with handwritten notation to underside: “RG, 93-002b.” This spring-loaded hand controller was used to control pitch, roll, and yaw while Gordon navigated in lunar orbit. In fine condition. Read the rest

A kayaker was found early this morning after lighting a fire and spelling out the words HELP with sticks and twigs. An no, he wasn't on some speck of an island in the South Pacific, but rather, a remote island in Jamaica Bay, New York. NYPD Aviation rescued the man, in good condition, who had been missing for 12 hours. Here is their video.A kayaker takes social distancing to the next level. #NYPD Aviation found the uninjured male stranded on a remote island in Jamaica Bay, Queens. Missing for over 12 hours the male signaled for help by starting a fire & spelling out help using nearby sticks before being found. pic.twitter.com/cqYqz8tLFG— NYPD Special Ops (@NYPDSpecialops) April 17, 2020 Read the rest

The New York Police Department released this video from their rescue of a kayaker who got stranded on a tiny island in the Jamaica Bay estuary off the western tip of Long Island, New York. According to a tweet from NYPD Special Ops, the man, missing for 12 hours, "signaled for help by starting a fire & spelling out help using nearby sticks before being found."A kayaker takes social distancing to the next level. #NYPD Aviation found the uninjured male stranded on a remote island in Jamaica Bay, Queens. Missing for over 12 hours the male signaled for help by starting a fire & spelling out help using nearby sticks before being found. pic.twitter.com/cqYqz8tLFG— NYPD Special Ops (@NYPDSpecialops) April 17, 2020 Read the rest

Renowned mathematician and beloved Princeton University professor, John Horton Conway, died this week (April 11) of COVID-19. He was 82. Conway is best known as the inventor of the hugely influential and inspirational artificial life program, The Game of Life.From the Princeton obit:“John Conway was an amazing mathematician, game wizard, polymath and storyteller who left an indelible mark on everyone he encountered — colleagues, students and beyond — inspiring the popular imagination just as he unraveled some of the deepest mathematical mysteries,” said Igor Rodnianski, professor of mathematics and chair of the Department of Mathematics. “His childlike curiosity was perfectly complemented by his scientific originality and the depth of his thinking. It is a great loss for us and for the entire mathematical world.”Over his long career, Conway made significant contributions to mathematics in the fields of group theory, number theory, algebra, geometric topology, theoretical physics, combinatorial game theory and geometry.The jacket to Siobhan Roberts' biography of Conway describes him as:"Archimedes, Mick Jagger, Salvador Dali, and Richard Feynman all rolled into one -- a singular mathematician, with a rock star's charisma, a sly sense of humor, a polymath's promiscuous curiosity, and a burning desire to explain everything about the world to everyone in it."It is so sad to have lost him and doubly sad how little I've seen about his passing. I guess that's one of the many tragic dimensions of dying in the grim sweep of a pandemic.Image: Thane Plambeck/Wikipedia Read the rest

I have watched Zabrecky's latest installment, a seance to connect rocker David Yow with the legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, both backward and forward, yet I can not find a secret message. Read the rest

If you write down passwords, use easily crackable passwords like your birthday or recycle the same ones over and over...you’re doing it all wrong.We get it...because remembering several dozen passwords for all your personal and professional logins, accounts and websites is borderline madness. But trust us. You’re leaving yourself open to disaster. And we aren’t telling you anything you didn’t already know.If your password security could use an upgrade, it’s way past time to muscle up with the help of an industry-leading password protection app like Keeper Unlimited Password Manager.With a Keeper subscription, you only need to remember one master password protected by two-factor authentication to access your account.Otherwise, every time you go to a website that requires a login or password, Keeper will offer to create a new one up to 51 unbreakable characters long and save it. When you return, Keeper will automatically fill in the needed information so all you have to do is click enter or authenticate with a fingerprint. It’s just that easy.Keeper also has your back for your other vital personal information. It can save credit card numbers, phone numbers, addresses and all the other identity details you need to fill in to complete online forms or purchases. And in the interests of security, all your personal data is fully encrypted and saved only on your personal devices, never on Keeper’s own servers. There’s no way your financial information can fall into the wrong hands — because all that info stays only with you. Read the rest

Super kawaii pink-and-green Sakura Matcha Oreos exist for a limited time. As do not-quite-as-kawaii Oolong Peach ones. The catch? They're only available in Hong Kong. Boo! They sure are cute though.(localiiz)images via localiiz Read the rest

For those who have spent years lamenting the fact that they never seem to have any time for simple pleasures like putting together a home-cooked meal...we introduce you to home quarantine.Granted, this probably isn’t the way you wanted to find your way back to the kitchen, but while you’ve got this time, maybe you should invest in an appliance that can tackle about as many different cooking options as you can dream up.The SOUS°V Pot Precision Sous Vide Multi-Cooker has the look and feel of an appliance you’d find a chef’s kitchen, yet with all its sneaky packed-in utility, it’s actually versatile enough to justify its counter space by handling a variety of culinary tasks.In case you’ve never tried sous vide cooking, it’s the process of dropping vacuum-sealed food in a plastic bag into a very precisely heated water bath, usually for a long, slow cook. The process, a favorite in restaurants, helps retain the food’s natural flavors while ensuring consistent results every time. The SOUS°V handles those duties like a champ, including Dual Accutemp Technology, a top-mounted high precision temperature probe that automatically drops down in sous vide mode to take the water temperature directly and accurately.With all the control options on the front panel, it’s easy to set the cooking temperature and time so your meal will be done when you want it -- and cooked your way.But in case you always wanted to try sous vide cooking, but couldn’t justify the expense for a device that specialized, the SOUS°V lists sous vide as just one of its many talents. Read the rest

This is a perfect popcorn machine to make for your next camping trip. Or a fun project to craft during yet another day at home, for which you might want to use Corona beer cans just for grins. One thing to possibly tweak is the size of the popcorn bowl. Read the rest

Last week, we lost famed music impresario, Hal Willner, likely to COVID-19. Willner was a beloved figure throughout the music community, and in the wake of his death, there have been many touching tributes and people have been resurfacing all sorts of obscure wonders that demonstrate Willner's tremendous range and his talent for putting together unique and inspiring productions. Yesterday, American Songwriter posted this letter that Tom Waits wrote in tribute to Willner.Hal. Dear Hal. Brother. Uncle. Father. Son. Husband. Godfather. Friend. Wise and reckless. Lamb and black sheep. Lover of the afflicted and the blessed. More than kin and more than kind, more than friend and more than fiendish in his daunting and devoted pursuit of the lost and the buried, long may his coattails run and long may we now ride, and those that follow us continue to ride upon them.Hal was the wry and soulful and mysterious historical rememberer. He specialized in staging strange musical bedfellows like Betty Carter and the Replacements or The Residents backing up Conway Twitty. Oh, the wild seeds of Impresario Hal. He was drawn equally to the danger of a fiasco and the magical power of illumination that his legendary productions held.Read the rest on American Songwriter.Bonus tracks:A couple of videos from the documentary film, September Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill. Hal Willner produced the soundtrack to the film.Image: CC BY-SA 3.0 Read the rest

Janus is a darling goat born on April 5 at Nueske Farms in Wittenberg, Wisconsin. He was named after the Roman god with two faces for obvious reasons. Jocelyn Nuesks is posting updates about Janus on the farm's Facebook page. A vet examined Janus this week and apparently the kid is doing pretty well, all things considered. "He's a normal goat," Nueske told Fox11 News. "We just have to help him. We try to help him as much as we can, and give him a break when he gets tired." Read the rest

Paul McCartney is admittedly biased, but here he is on The Howard Stern Show on Tuesday explaining why he thinks The Beatles were a better band than the Rolling Stones. "Their stuff is rooted in the blues. When they're kinda writing stuff, it's to do with the blues, y'know. We had a little more influences[...]“We started to notice that whatever we did, the Stones sort of did it shortly thereafter. So, like we went to America and we had huge success.Then the Stones went to America. And then we did Sgt. Pepper, the Stones did a psychedelic album. There was a lot of that. But we were great friends, still are, kind of a thing. We admire each other." Read the rest

In 1962, Andy Warhol exhibited his famous Campbell's Soup Cans paintings for the first time and cemented his place as a Pop Art powerhouse. Previously, Warhol had bridged his commercial and fine art efforts with paintings based on comic strips and advertisements, but he (rightly) felt that style had already been done by Lichtenstein and others. So why soup cans? Smithsonian has the story in an excerpt from Blake Gopnik's new book Warhol. From Smithsonian: Warhol’s final breakthrough into ’60s Pop came through an accidental inspiration from a minor dealer on the New York scene named Muriel Latow. She was a flamboyant decorator, three years younger than Warhol, and had hopes of becoming a serious art dealer. Latow has gone down in history as Pop Art’s most important, if accidental, muse. As the story is told—in one of its many, mostly incompatible versions—Latow went to a dinner at Warhol’s house in the fall of ’61 to console him for having been one-upped by Oldenburg and Lichtenstein and others. “The cartoon paintings...it’s too late,” Warhol is supposed to have said. “I’ve got to do something that really will have a lot of impact, that will be different enough from Lichtenstein.” He begged his guests for ideas, and Latow came up with one, but wouldn’t deliver until Warhol handed over a check for $50. “You’ve got to find something that’s recognizable to almost everybody,” she said. “Something you see every day that everybody would recognize. Something like a can of Campbell’s Soup.” Read the rest

I'm currently re-discovering Jeff Van Der Meer's Area X / Southern Reach Trilogy via Audible, because I thought a familiar Weird Sci-Fi story about an invisible lifeform that kind of ambiently inhabits the world around us, changing things in imperceptible ways until it's too late, would be a relaxing respite from the chaotic news of COVID-19.That may have been a bad decision. I'm even more terrified now. Then I learned about this in Newsweek:A team aboard the RV Falkor—the flagship research vessel of the Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI)—spotted the organism, a type of siphonophore known as Apolemia, using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) in a deep-sea environment known as the Ningaloo Canyons.[…]Resembling a long piece of string, siphonophores—a group of creatures related to jellyfish and corals—may look like one organism, but they are actually made up of many thousands of individual, specialized clones that come together to form a single entity.With the help of lasers mounted onto their ROV—known as SuBastian—the Falkor scientists estimated that this siphonophore's outer ring measured 49 feet in diameter, suggesting that this section alone is 154 foot in length, or about as tall as an 11-story building.Check out this beautiful *giant* siphonophore Apolemia recorded on #NingalooCanyons expedition. It seems likely that this specimen is the largest ever recorded, and in strange UFO-like feeding posture. Thanks @Caseywdunn for info @wamuseum @GeoscienceAus @CurtinUni @Scripps_Ocean pic.twitter.com/QirkIWDu6S— Schmidt Ocean (@SchmidtOcean) April 6, 2020As I've now learned, these things are in fact "colonial organisms," rather than individual beings. Read the rest

A few hours after a mayor in Australia told everyone via Facebook to keep washing their hands, social distancing, and staying at home, the gentleman was fined (USD) $1,043 for chatting with a group of people on a sidewalk. In other words, for not following his own rules on social distancing. Police also issued him a warning for drinking in public..@WarrnamboolCity mayor Tony Herbert has been fined by @VictoriaPolice for breaching COVID-19 laws. Was snapped drinking a beer on the city's main street last week. Herbert says he thought engaging with business owners as part of mayoral role was within law @abcmelbourne pic.twitter.com/pGbXn8TNM0— Daniel Miles (@danielmiles) April 16, 2020 Oops. Mayor Tony Herbert apologized for his "mistake.""I realize that I had inadvertently breached the new laws to keep the community safe. I am genuinely sorry for my actions."Read the full story at BBC. Read the rest

Love and Rockets' creators Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez have mentioned in interviews that they loved Little Archie comic books when they were growing up. Little Archie was started in the 1950s and stars the characters from Archie comics as little kids. The earlier stories were written and drawn by Bob Bolling, and they're regarded by people who know and love comic books as some of the best stories in comic book history.The Big Blog of Kids' Comics has two excellent Little Archie stories. Mykal Banta, who runs the blog, says:Bob Bolling has that rare gift few cartoonists have -- his character design is just funny on sight. Howie Post (of Harvey fame) and Milt Gross had it, as does modern animation master, John Kricfalusi. It's a quality that can't be taught. Throw great scripting and wonderful layouts into the bargain, and you have classic stuff. Last time I checked, Mr. Bolling was still turning out high-caliber Little Archie stories for Archie Comics! These two Bolling stories come from Little Archie No. 3 (Summer 1957).Read the stories here.If you like these stories and want more, I recommend The Adventures Of Little Archie Volume 1 and Volume 2 Read the rest

U.S. telecommunications giant Verizon is today reported to be acquiring the videoconferencing company Blue Jeans Network in a transaction valued somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 million dollars. Today @VerizonBusiness entered into an agreement to acquire cloud-based video conferencing and event platform @BlueJeansNet. More details here: https://t.co/iXhQC7FUoA pic.twitter.com/VorUSPzcwL— Verizon News (@VerizonNews) April 16, 2020Since the coronavirus pandemic struck the United States with full force about a month ago, the use of videoconferencing app Zoom has skyrocketed, but not without widely reported security and privacy issues, and a new word: "zoom-bombing," when malintents crash into your chat.Verizon buying Blue Jeans? I don't know, but I can only think of bad things happening to a pretty good product that had advantages over its suddenly popular number one competitor.More at the Wall Street Journal:"Verizon Buys Zoom Conferencing Rival BlueJeans, Acquisition comes as the coronavirus spurs unprecedented work-from-home arrangements"[via techmeme.com]Observations from Twitter by reporters and others, below."Buy Zoom!""Ok but it would cost like $80B. That's 34% of our market cap.""What?""OK BUY BLUEJEANS"https://t.co/oGhmVEElL4— Jason ✨InItTogether✨ Lemkin (@jasonlk) April 16, 2020In our work from home study we just completed, we surveyed a number of industries and companies large and small and could not find many BlueJeans users. https://t.co/FefURc7uMK— Ben Bajarin (@BenBajarin) April 16, 2020Gotta wonder: was this deal sealed ON BlueJeans? https://t.co/AmMAPMJ6nr— Leslie Josephs (@lesliejosephs) April 16, 2020I am super excited to lose signal 2-3 times during our weekly team meetings AND to get notifications about new @TechCrunch articles during video calls. Read the rest

Multimillionaire treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin (yeah, this guy) says that $1200 stimulus check some people are getting should be enough to live on for 10 weeks. Let's see you try it, Steve. Read the rest

Paralysis by analysis. It’s the phenomenon that happens when you’re so stuck on thinking through all the ramifications of your actions that you don’t actually take action in the first place.That can happen with all this free time you’re spending stuck inside your house. With literally every home-bound option available to you, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by your choices and just watch Dr Pimple Popper from morning til night.Resist that urge, people. In fact, we’ve got three ways your time indoors could actually end up being time well spent -- and you can knock out all three with The Social Distancing Lifetime Subscription Bundle ft. Rosetta Stone.Learn a languageHalf the world is bilingual. Literally. So if you’re locked in on English and only English, you can broaden your communication horizons with a lifetime subscription learning up to 24 different languages at your own pace with Rosetta Stone. They’ve spent decades refining their intuitive learning method that’s been the online gold standard for language learning for 30 years. Their immersive system ramps up vocabulary, conversation, and writing skills naturally while their TruAccent speech recognition technology is there with instant feedback on how well your spoken language skills are progressing.Read a book...or dozens of booksSince you can’t go to the library, you can bring the library to you with lifetime access to 12min Premium Micro Book Library. Just scroll through hundreds of different nonfiction titles in more than 20 different categories and make your choice. Read the rest

Pizza Rat has got nothing on this Philadelphia groundhog who casually walked up to a glass door and casually munched on a slice, apparently for more than an hour, as two dogs looked on with delight. (6ABC) Read the rest

French classical musician Florent Ghys brings us what might very well be the silliest cover of Erik Satie's "Gymnopédies." The Cats & friends Choir is proud to present their first interpretation of Erik Satie's Gymnopédies. The three movements of this deep and soulful piece have been virtually recorded by more than 500 enthusiastic participants in isolation from their homes and farms. 00:00 Gymnopédie 1: Slowly and painfully02:54 Gymnopédie 2: Slowly and sadly05:05 Gymnopédie 3: Slowly and gravely Bravo, critters!screengrab via YouTube Read the rest

Input Magazine's Mehreen Kasana reports on a Ukrainian designer's custom keyboard, which turns Photoshop's toolbar into a mechanical masterpiece of bland yet slightly weird design.Playing around with brightness, contrast or any other function is a breeze when you don't have to mess about with on-screen icons. And undoing things with a single button press certainly beats having to hit CTRL + Z. You can also use the number pad to open or save files.Whichever keyboard you choose, you can get it in one of three colors: black, white, or metallic. You'll just need to wait around three weeks for delivery. But considering how much time you'll save in the long-run, that's a small price to pay. Besides, we hear that patience is a virtue. Yours for $200 at Etsy. Read the rest

New shots from the set of Denis Villeneuve's forthcoming Dune movie depict the hardy Fremen, natives of the desert planet at the heart of the sprawling spice opera. Those gloves Chani is wearing are Oakley Factories [CHOAM referrer link] (or knockoffs thereof), available for fifty Imperial solaris or so.Oakley Factory gloves [CHOAM] Read the rest

A Boston-area police department issued a request to locals to remember to wear pants when picking up their mail, but the posting appears to have someone in particular in mind. "You know who you are," Taneytown police wrote on Facebook. "This is your last warning." Read the rest

This dashcam video captures the moment a paper mill exploded in Maine. (Previously.) No-one was hurt, according to reports, but the driver's radio was on and captured nearby truckers' sweary reactions to the unfolding disaster. Read the rest

5.2 million more Americans joined the ranks of the jobless, as the coronavirus crisis continues to decimate the economy.Economists had predicted that this week's loss would be roughly 5.1 million.We're now at well over 22 million Americans who have filed for unemployment over the last 5 weeks.In just one month, all jobs gained since the 2008 U.S. financial crisis ("Great Recession") have been wiped out.Weekly jobless claims, past month, for the week ending:March 14th: 282,000March 21st: 3.3 MillionMarch 28th: 6.9 MillionApril 4th: 6.6 MillionApril 11th: 5.2 MillionMore than 20 million Americans have been made unemployed by the pandemic.— Justin Hendrix | wash your hands & stay at home (@justinhendrix) April 16, 2020BREAKING: Another 5.2 million workers filed for their first week of unemployment benefits last week, according to the US Department of Labor, bringing the total number of Americans who have filed initial jobless claims to around 22 million since March 14.https://t.co/J5j19cwoFU pic.twitter.com/7fPNri8KgV— New Day (@NewDay) April 16, 2020 Read the rest

In their upcoming study, so far published on the preprint server arXiv and submitted to Physical Review Letters, Linden and his colleagues examined a decade’s worth of data from NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope to better analyze the sun’s emission of gamma rays—the universe’s most energetic form of electromagnetic radiation. To their surprise, the researchers found the most intense gamma rays appear strangely synced with the quietest part of the solar cycle. During the last solar minimum, from 2008 to 2009, Fermi detected eight high-energy gamma rays (each with energies greater than 100 giga–electron volts, or GeV) emitted by the sun. But over the next eight years, as solar activity built to a peak and then regressed back toward quiescence, the sun emitted no high-energy gamma rays at all. The chances of that occurring at random, Linden says, are extremely low. Most likely the gamma rays are triggered by some aspect of the sun’s activity cycle, but the details remain unclear.The team speculates these gamma rays are likely emitted when powerful cosmic rays—produced throughout the universe by violent astrophysical events like supernovae and colliding neutron stars—slam into the sun’s surface. If a single cosmic ray collides with a particle in the solar atmosphere, it creates a shower of secondary particles and radiation, including gamma rays. Such showers would usually be wholly absorbed by the sun, however. But according to a hypothesis dating back to the 1990s, some of these secondary showers can be bounced out and away from our star by strong fluctuations in its magnetic field. Read the rest

Zero reason to be "bored" out there, people. Take inspiration from the Heller family who made --in their "spare time" -- a shot-by-shot recreation of Journey's "Separate Ways" music video! It's SO GOOD.TODAY:The lip-sync performance, which was shot entirely on iPhones in Maple Valley, Washington, stars Steven and Jana Heller and their children, Lily, 15, Jackson, 14, Asher, 12, and Violet, 9...The Hellers worked hard to nail every move — including the legendary air keyboard and four-person head turn. On Facebook, Steven wrote that they "copied 100% shot for shot."“We wanted to be able to 10 years from now, say, ‘Remember when we were stuck in our home and we did this crazy thing and it was so much fun?’” Steven said.(Geek Girl Authority)screengrab via Vimeo Read the rest

Jim Starlin has drawn classic issues of many major comic book characters since the early 1970s, including Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Legion of Super Heroes, and more. But his real claim to fame is his artistic obsession — both as an artist, and a writer — with exploring mythological archetypes on a meta-galactic scale. Starlin pioneered characters like Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock, and also created Thanos, Drax, Gamora, and many other characters that were thematically fascinating but never commercially successful until the recent explosion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.One of Starlin's pet projects in the early 80s was a book called Dreadstar. Dreadstar existed in its own universe outside of Marvel and DC, and gave Starlin a vessel through which he could continue to explore the philosophical implications of literary classics with a shameless embrace of pulpy space opera, and this time without (too much) corporate meddling.Nearly four decades later, Starlin is returning to the Dreadstar universe with a new Kickstarter-funded original graphic novel that already raised more than $50,000 in the first few days — a testament to the cross-generational appeal of Starlin's work. From the campaign page:The original, long-running Dreadstar series centered on the exploits of Vanth Dreadstar, newly arrived in the Empirical Galaxy after the necessary destruction of the Milky Way. Vanth attempts to live a pastoral existence on a planet populated by peaceful cat-people. That peace is quickly disturbed when Dreadstar and the crew he assembles are thrust into the conflict between the two major forces in the galaxy: The Monarchy and the Theocratical Instrumentality and its Lord High Papal. Read the rest

In 1946, Australian engineer Ben Carlin decided to circle the world in an amphibious jeep. He would spend 10 years in the attempt, which he called an "exercise in technology, masochism, and chance." In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe Carlin's unlikely odyssey and the determination that drove him.We'll also salute the Kentucky navy and puzzle over some surprising winners.Show notesPlease support us on Patreon! Read the rest

"My wife hates it when I work from home," writes Banksy on Instagram. Read the rest

Murray Berrill Constructions in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia created this wonderful "easy access wine cellar" in the dead space under a stairway. With a few modifications to the design, it could be entirely secret storage! (via Laughing Squid) Read the rest

While many people are taking this strange "time off" to unplug, decompress, and practice mindfulness, some instead are making the most of their extra hours to tackle goals ranging from odd jobs, like finally fixing that leaky shower head, to lifelong dreams—like actually writing that book they've always wanted to. If you fancy yourself a literary social distancing superstar, then this Digital Creative Fiction Writing Certification Bundle is perfect for you.Now is a particularly good time to rekindle your love of writing, because having a creative outlet during a crisis can help your overall wellness and decrease anxiety by giving your wildly-running imagination something to better focus on. As Deepak Chopra said, “The best use of imagination is creativity. The worst use of imagination is anxiety.” Even when you're not in the midst of a pandemic, creativity can improve your health.With this bundle of 4 online courses, you'll get reacquainted with the basics of what makes good fiction writing good, get your creative juices flowing in the right direction, and learn the steps involved in getting your book published. In total, there are 128 hours of training content from Write Academy that over 200k students have gone through. The Academy features an elite team of bestselling authors, editors, and publishers that have designed courses to help you get on the path to your own professional fiction writing career.Write Fiction Online CourseTo start, you'll cover the key facets of fiction writing: character, plot, setting, dialogue, narrative voice, and genre via 14 interactive online modules that encourage you to start work on your novel from day one. Read the rest

From BB contributor Gareth Branwyn's excellent Tips, Tools, and Shop Tales e-newsletter:In this video a fan rescued from the old MythBusters site on Discovery, Jamie goes through his essential toolkit, the tools he doesn’t let anyone else touch... He recommends several somewhat unusual tools, several that bear pointing out, a unibit, a telescoping inspection mirror, and Knipex cutters. Read the rest

A few months ago, my son bought a cute mini-zine from the Zine Machine vending machine at The Bindery in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury. What we noticed right away is that the 8-page zine was ingeniously folded from just a single sheet of paper. In the above video, Austin Kleon, author of the wonderful Steal Like An Artist, explains how it's done. And Umami Design posted a layout template here. In the video clip, Austin recommends this book by Esther Watson and Mark Todd that looks like fun: Whatcha Mean, What's A Zine? The Art of Making Zines and Mini-Comics. Read the rest

I would have completely lost it.On a road in the Far East of Russia, a driver is reported to have spotted of the world’s most endangered big cats, an Amur tiger, and captured this amazing video. Here's that video via the Siberian Times of Russia.A road in the Far East of Russia, a driver who kept good distance and one of the world’s most endangered big cats, an Amur tiger pic.twitter.com/Me6SHn0IlP— The Siberian Times (@siberian_times) April 15, 2020In Russia's Far East, a driver bumped into an Amur Tiger, and managed to get some decent footage. Due to a big conservation effort, there are now around 550 of the endangered cats in the wild, mostly in Russia's Primorye region. Up from about 350 in 2005. pic.twitter.com/7K5saHrXG8— Bryan MacDonald (@27khv) April 15, 2020Nature is the calming force we all need right now. Enjoy this little moment with an Amur tiger from the Russian Far East! pic.twitter.com/XEAnRi1L2r— wwf_tigers (@WWF_tigers) March 28, 2020 Read the rest

In the late 1960s, the US Department of Agriculture released this LP titled "How To Buy Meat." The voice is that of Sandra Brookover, Consumer Meat Specialist. The record, a collection of public service announcements, was meant for radio stations and never saw a commercial release. Due its scarcity, I expect the imminent release of a 180 gram, gatefold reissue of the record. Limited edition, 'natch.Have a listen: "How can you tell a blade chuck roast from an arm chuck roast?" (MP3)(Weird Universe) Read the rest

By ‘grace of God,’ no one was injured in a massive explosion at the Androscoggin Mill in Jay, Maine, earlier today, reports the Bangor News.A bystander's video can be viewed in its original form here on Facebook.Excerpt:A large explosion severely damaged the Androscoggin Mill in Jay on Wednesday morning, causing wood pulp to rain down on the surrounding area.Amazingly, no bystanders were harmed in the incident, which sent a large plume of smoke and debris into the sky that was visible for miles around.“It’s nothing short of a miracle,” Androscoggin Mill spokeswoman Roxie Lassetter said Wednesday at a press briefing.There was no one near the site of the explosion, Lassetter said. Some people on site were experiencing respiratory issues following the explosion, but were treated and released, according to Joel Davis from the fire marshal’s office. The explosion occurred inside of the mill’s digester, which is where wood is broken down using water and a chemical to create pulp. Lassetter said it is not immediately clear what caused the malfunction that led to the explosion.And from the Associated Press:A rising cloud of smoke that was recorded by a bystander was followed by raining debris that made bullet-like noise as it struck cars in the area. Video recorded after the explosion showed extensive damage to the mill, which employs about 500 people and is a key piece of rural Maine’s economy.Emergency responders rushed to the mill, and the state fire marshal planned an investigation. Read the rest

Check out these GLORIOUS images of a wonderful 1980s robot-space-tech themed watch with little pop-out mechanical arms. There's a cool Reddit discussion about exactly what brand it is, and the consensus seems to be that it's a bad knockoff of the Kronoform watch.From the comments: A Kronoform would have had Takara’s name and Kronoform on the face of the watch. Kronoform was the outside Japan release of their brand Microchange which was a line of realistic items that changed into robots. One of the original toy lines Hasbro used to create the Transformers brand in 84. It included toys that would become the characters of Soundwave, Megatron, Blaster, and Perceptor.More at the OP:Vintage '80s watch - I had It when i was a kid[r/interestingasfuck/]Vintage 80s watch Read the rest

Wow, man. Some of us take on more extreme projects during the Great Coronavirus Quarantine than others. This ambitious fellow shows you how to build a Nintendo Switch, with a beautiful and wholesome purpose: “to Starve Online Price Gougers” who are jacking up the prices because demand is high for Nintendo Switch, and availability is nil. Here's their introduction to the HOWTO gallery, which is amazing and stupendous.After playing New Horizons and hyping it up to my friends, they decided they wanted a Switch. They called around to different retailers every day for a week with no luck finding anyone who had one in stock. No one knew when the next shipment would be. This led to an online search like Craigslist, OfferUp, and Ebay. Unfortunately everyone knows the rest. Upwards of $450 to $600 in the Seattle area for a used Switch. Some with and without all the accessories. This enraged me to the point of telling them I could build one cheaper out of spare parts. So they hired me to do just that. If anyone is interested in doing the same here is my step by step buying guide along with assembly instructions and a pricing guide. 1. Game Cartridge Card Slot Socket Board w/Headphones Port - $152. NS Console Micro SD TF Memory Card Slot Port Socket Reader - $53. Nintendo Switch HAC-001 CPU Cooling Heatsink - $74. Game Cartridge Card Plastic Cover - $15. Console Speaker Replacement Parts For Nintendo Switch Built in speaker - $86. Read the rest

Back in the day, sometime after the first assumed vaporizer invention but before modern e-cigarettes were a thing, people used to use lighters to smoke solids instead of batteries to smoke liquids. Wild, right? Well, if retro vibes are your kind of thing or if you simply prefer herbs, flowers, and resins to cartridges of concentrates, you're going to love the Hippie Pipe Analog Vape Pen.The ideal little vaporizer for on-the-go smoking, this brown rosewood or ebony blackwood device offers a hands-on element that adds an extra level of satisfaction to the whole experience. As user, Justin L. tells it, "This right here is a great product. Took mine to the TOOL concert in San Diego — perfect for rockin' out and on the go!!"With the Hippie, you'll get the clean smoke and convenience of a vape pen without the need for batteries, chargers, cartridges, atomizers, cartomizers, or clearomizers — no more worrying about losing parts. The new design is pretty to look at and nice to hold, with stunning carbon fiber, wood, and stainless steel build. Plus, it's highly efficient, manufactured with the highest grade of materials. It features a manual telescopic heating chamber that you push out to fill; once you slide the chamber back in place, simply heat it with a double jet flame torch lighter and let the magic happen. Once the ideal temperature is reached, the indicator slot changes color from black to chrome, and you'll know it's time to indulge.Measuring just 1" x 5" x 2", each non-electronic Hippie Pipe includes a brush and packing tool. Read the rest