Make is kicking off Family Maker Camp this week, and the timing couldn't be better for this free, at-home guided week of fun activities that families can enjoy together.Dale Dougherty, founder of Make, says:Family Maker Camp encourages making and hands-on learning at home. Making is fun and engaging for kids as well as adults.What is making? It can be many things and use all kinds of materials and tools. Making is usually defined as a project shaped by your ideas and interests. Making is as much about the process of taking an idea and bringing it to life. Making integrates science and technology as well as arts and crafts.Family Maker Camp provides inspiration, guidance and an opportunity to share what you do with others online. We have many projects that will help you get started and continue to develop new skills and a maker mindset.Most importantly, Family Maker Camp will connect you with a community of makers of all ages who have a broad range of interests and skills. We will introduce you to makers online and have them talk about their projects and their process. Read the rest

My friend and Cool Tools partner, Kevin Kelly created a 36-part lecture series about the future for China Mobile. He's running them on his YouTube channel. The first one is about the future of the Internet in China.There are three big challenges in the Internet space that all countries must face in the near future. China's approach to the challenges will impact not only Chinese Internet users, but potentially all Internet users. What interface follows the smart hone, whether it be AR-enabled glasses, foldable screens, or wearable projectors, will not only be influenced by China's substantial Internet-using population, but also by their manufacturing. Privacy, as it relates to online information collecting and sale, has consequences for broader community standards, and there is no one-size fits all approach to this issue. China must engage their own ethicists, community, government and technologists to develop a solution that works for China. Finally, globalization. Most of China's internet success has been within China, but as China begins to consider how it might attract users from outside its borders, it will need to consider dialing back the protections that have held foreign Internet companies at bay. Read the rest

CuloClean is a portable gadget that turns a plastic bottle into a bidet. I can't vouch for its efficacy but it seems like a useful alternative to wiping your bum, especially as toilet paper has become a high-value currency. Apparently CuloClean supplies are also running low but it seems like you could make one yourself that would at least approximate this $9 gadget's utility. From CuloClean:You can easily regulate water intensity by exerting more or less pressure to the bottle. This way you will get perfect results, better than using toilet paper or wipes. Read the rest

Elisha Nochomovitz, 32, was disappointed that the Barcelona Marathon was cancelled due to the coronavirus so he ran the distance on his apartment balcony instead. His girlfriend fueled him up with soda and candy along the way. From UPI:Nochomovitz said it took him 6 hours and 48 minutes to complete the approximately 3,000 laps that it took to run the distance of a marathon.The runner, who has completed 36 official marathons, said the balcony run was more challenging than his previous runs because the short track made it impossible to build momentum or speed while running. Read the rest

With so much chaos happening in the world at the moment, this may not seem like the right time to start a new hobby.However, we would argue that now is actually the perfect time to dive into something new. Things are changing — and while there’s plenty happening that’s worthy of genuine concern, there’s also an opportunity here to change and grow personally.So if your dream has always been to pick up an ax and shred like you’re Eddie Van Halen, the Jamstik 7 Guitar Trainer can help make it happen, even under the present conditions.Lightweight, wireless, and portable, the Jamstik 7 looks like one of those Guitar Hero-style push-button guitar toys, but it’s anything but. It’s actually a home-based, innovative guitar training system that bypasses the hassles of in-person guitar lessons and gets right to the heart of your desire: playing music.Once you’ve plugged the Jamstik into your iPhone, iPad, Mac or Google Chrome device, all your sound is filtered through your device as you tackle lessons through Jamstik-enabled software.The Jamstik features all-new patented FretTouch finger sensing technology and Infrasense optical string pickups. That may all sound like tech-speak, but while you’re actually playing on real, high-quality custom guitar nickel steel strings from D'Addario, the Jamstik actually senses when and how hard your fingers are breaking light beams.A capacitive touch PCB sits right below the fretboard, catching your finger positioning, then showing your fingers on your device screen in real-time as you’re playing so you’ll always know if you’re hitting the right note. Read the rest

Some strategies for combatting the spread of coronavirus probably wouldn't go down to well in America. Such as banging on people's doors and threatening them if their phone goes dark and they can't be tracked.My phone, which is satellite-tracked by the Taiwan gov to enforce quarantine, ran out of battery at 7:30 AM. By 8:15, four different units called me. By 8:20, the police were knocking at my door.— Milo Hsieh (@MiloHsieh) March 22, 2020My phone briefly ran out of battery at 07:30, and in less than an hour, four different local administrative units had called. A patrol was dispatched to check my whereabouts. A text was sent notifying that the government had lost track of me, and warned me of potential arrest if I had broken quarantine.I returned to Taiwan last Thursday to experience the island's zero-risk take on coronavirus.Since I was coming back from Europe, I am subjected to a mandatory 14 days home quarantine. Before I had my passport checked, I had to pass through a booth set up by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. I filled out a document detailing places I had visited in the last fortnight, my phone number, landline and address. They notified me that my phone would be "satellite-tracked" for enforcement.A thought to consider: the more the current administration in the U.S. bungles it, the more reasonable it will seem to propose draconian, unconstitutional measures to prevent disaster. Trump and the GOP have always wanted those things, so coronavirus creates a perverse incentive for them to cultivate crisis. Read the rest

If they're sunbathing in March on Shepherd's Bush Green, reason is a questionable faculty to appeal to. But I do like seeing cops ask nicely, as opposed to "you have 20 seconds to comply" or whatever they're going to end up saying in Alabama as an immediate prelude to watercannonading the locals.Perhaps tutting played loudly over the public warning systems would be more effective? Just someone's mum tutting and occasionally sighing. This could be an incredibly effective wide-area suppression system in the UK. Read the rest

Prince Charles, 71, is disaplying "mild symptoms" after testing positive for Covid-19, the fast-spreading novel coronavirus that has killed nearly 20,000 people and has the world on lockdown.Charles and Camilla are now self-isolating at Balmoral. Buckingham Palace said the Queen last saw her son, the heir to the throne, on 12 March, but was "in good health". The palace added that the Duke of Edinburgh was not present at that meeting, and that the Queen was now "following all the appropriate advice with regard to her welfare". Read the rest

This isn't the first time that we've been dicks to one another by grabbing as much of everything, all at once, that we possibly can. This video primer provides an overview of how we've fucked one another over for what should be plentiful resources throughout the 20th century. Read the rest

Tom the Dancing Bug, IN WHICH Super-Fun-Pak Comix features "Sully's Place," "Nutso Kaputo" and more

Via IGN:Japanese schools have been closed for over two weeks due to COVID-19 and, with the Japanese school year ending in March, it's meant many students won't have their graduation ceremonies, according to SoraNews24.However, graduates from one elementary school found they could use Minecraft to create their own ceremony. Without any school or parental oversight, kids designed their own assembly hall, and gathered on a server to play out their graduation online.一日中オンラインで集まってゲームをやって笑い転げている。楽しそうで良いねぇ。 pic.twitter.com/sYqoJ1zYaj— 柏原周平 (@backyennew) March 14, 2020Read the rest of the piece here.[H/t Ted Tagami]Image: Screengrab Read the rest

It was announced today on the Facebook pages of Robert Fripp of King Crimson, KMFDM, and several other bands, that celebrated industrial and progressive rock drummer, Bill Rieflin, has died. He apparently died of influenza. Robert Fripp posted to his Facebook page:Call from Tracy Rieflin in Seattle. Bill Rieflin flew from this world c. 18.50 Pacific, 18.50 UK. Tracy told Toyah and me that the day was grey, and as Bill flew away, the clouds opened and the skies were blue for about fifteen minutes. Fly well, Brother Bill! My life is immeasurably richer for knowing you.Ministry posted to their page:Today we lost a wonderful artist, tremendous human being, and an integral part of Ministry’s developments and success… Safe travels my brother on the way to your next universal gig. Jared Louche of the band Chemlab (and a Pigface) wrote:Bill Rieflin, one of the most fascinating, complicated, and creative drummers we’ve had the pleasure of watching evolve, has just died, confirmed by his friend Robert Fripp. As if 2020 wasn’t bad enough already. Fuck me.Here is Bill and Chris Connelly performing Robert Wyatt's Sea Song.Sail on, Bill.Image: Jeff Henry, NC 2.0 Read the rest

Cocaine, as they say, is one hell of a drug. In fact, it was recently shown in a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science to have greatly helped the re-wilding a good chunk of Columbia.How you might ask?Pablo Escobar's hippos, which are still hanging around breeding in Columbia today, were bought with cash made from selling massive amounts of nose candy. Instead of simply shitting in the water and troubling anything that moves, they've been busy fulfilling the role of long-absent megafauna in Columbia's ecosystem.From Gizmodo:“While we found that some introduced herbivores are perfect ecological matches for extinct ones, in others cases the introduced species represents a mix of traits seen in extinct species,” study co-author John Rowan, a study co-author and biology researcher at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said in a statement.Pablo’s hippos, for instance, are similar in diet and size to the now-extinct giant llamas that once roamed the area. They’re also similar in size and semiaquatic behavior to another extinct species, notoungulates, which have been gone for thousands of years. That allows them to fill two long-vacated roles in the Colombian ecosystem they were introduced to after Escobar died and they began to roam the countryside.According to Gizmodo, it's not just hippos jazzing up local ecosystems where they don't belong. The study also looked at 72 other invasive species to see if their introduction to an ecosystem had been a boon or a blight. In 64% of the cases that the study examined, the introduced species showed the potential to fulfill the roles of long extinct animals in a given ecosystem that could have a effect on the ecosystem's overall health. Read the rest

While all of us face the daily challenges and major concerns surrounding the coronavirus epidemic and accompanying societal lockdown measures, there are also handfuls of smaller-scale crises sparked by the outbreak. Like...what do I do if I can’t go to the gym?Gyms and workout facilities in many areas are already closed until further notice, so how do you keep from comfort-binging mint chocolate chip ice cream and watching your fitness goals fall off a cliff in the meantime?Well, these six workouts and full-body wellness programs might help do the trick. And right now, you can also save an additional 15 percent by entering the code SPRINGSAVE15 during checkout. We’re all in this together, people. Stay strong.iBodyFit Premium Diet & Workout Plan: Lifetime Subscription - $42.49 after discount; originally $499From the weight room to the living room, iBodyFit workouts can help keep you toned up, no matter where you do the work. Ranked no. 1 in online fitness by TopTenReviews.com, this premium plan includes the entire iBody package, including all 400 online workouts, all 40 custom diet plans and all the daily support and feedback you need from the iBodyFit team. So whether you want to do a 4-week Fat Burner plan, an 8-week Muscle Toner plan or the 12-week Beach Bod Shredder plan, you’re covered.The Complete Fitness Trainer Certification Bundle: Beginner to Advanced - $24.65 after discount; originally $2,200Maybe the best way to maintain all your lofty fitness goals is to just become a trainer yourself. Read the rest

CBS All Access has announced that they are making the entire first season of Picard free to non-subscribers of the streaming service. You get it for free if you register and use the coupon code: GIFT.There are nine episodes in the season so far and the season finale will air this Thursday.ENGAGE!Update: The coupon code unlocks all of CBS All Access, free for a month.Image: YouTube Read the rest

An unidentified priest in Italy didn't let the coronavirus situation stop him from doing mass. He simply live-streamed the service instead. Amusingly though, he left on his camera's filters which overlayed a space helmet, some glitter, dumbbells (?), and a Walter White hat and sunglasses get-up onto his otherwise serious broadcast. Twitter user Gavin Shoebridge shared the footage:In Italy today, a priest decided to live-stream a mass due to COVID-19. Unfortunately he activated the video filters by mistake. pic.twitter.com/zu2qwAlCyT— Gavin Shoebridge (@KiwiEV) March 24, 2020screengrab via Gavin Shoebridge/Twitter Read the rest

During today's complete shitshow of a White House coronavirus task force briefing, impeached and obviously bonkers president Donald John Trump said the U.S. is “near the end of our historic battle” with COVID-19 and has begun to see "the light at the end of the tunnel.”That's wrong.That light is an oncoming train.The death toll continues to rise.Today was the deadliest day of the outbreak yet in America.Pres Trump just said: "As we near the end of our historic battle" with the coronavirus and that there is now "light at the end of the tunnel." FACT CHECK: Government's own plan warned pandemic "will last 18 months or longer." Trump himself said this could last until August.— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) March 24, 2020also, "the light at the end of the tunnel"https://t.co/5iDlvuanK4— Tom McCarthy (@TeeMcSee) March 24, 2020Today is already the US' deadliest day yet in the coronavirus crisis, surpassing yesterday.The President just said we are starting to "see the light at the end of the tunnel" as we "near the end of our historic battle with the invisible enemy."— Kyle "Please Mute Your Line" Feldscher (@Kyle_Feldscher) March 24, 2020"I can tell you that there's tremendous hope as we look forward and we begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel," Trump says, even though the U.S. death toll is continuing to rise.— Felicia Sonmez (@feliciasonmez) March 24, 2020"We can begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel," says @POTUS. Read the rest

NASA's STEREO (Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory) research platform consists of two orbiting spacecraft that collect stereoscopic data about the sun and the eruptions of magnetized plasma during coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Last month, UFO buffs spotted a strange object in data acquired by STEREO, specifically what appears to be a wheel-shaped UFO. The footage made the rounds online (example above) spurring NASA to explain the anomaly. Turns out, it's... Venus. Bummer. From NASA:Some people have noticed an odd shape, sort of a cross inside a circle, entering the field-of-view of the HI2 telescope on STEREO Ahead around February 20,2020. Eventually there is a cone shape that appears next to it. You can see the feature in question in this movie moving from right-to-left, just below the trapezoidal occulter on the right side of the image.The answer lies on the exact opposite side of the image. At the same time as this strange-looking feature starts being visible, the very bright planet Venus enters the HI2-A field-of-view from the left. Notice that Venus and the feature stay in step almost exactly opposite each other across the middle of the detector. This is not a coincidence. The strange looking geometrical "object" is actually an internal reflection of the planet Venus within the telescope optics. This effect has been seen many times before. Here's a particularly striking example of internal reflections caused by the planet Earth as seen early in the STEREO mission, taken from our image artifacts pages. Read the rest

Four-time Tony Award-winning playwright Terrence McNally, who was known for plays including "Ragtime" and "Kiss of the Spider Woman," has died due to complications from coronavirus, his publicist said Tuesday. He was 81, and a lung cancer survivor who had chronic COPD. "A lot of people stop learning in life and that's their tragedy."- Terrence McNally, one of the most brilliant and prolific playwrights... EVER. #RIP https://t.co/1u5tMMWk9c— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) March 24, 2020BREAKING: Terrence McNally, one of America’s great playwrights, who won Tony Awards for "Love! Valour! Compassion!" and "Master Class" has died of complications from coronavirus at age 81, his representative says. https://t.co/IzcLKxUjqc— The Associated Press (@AP) March 24, 2020Terrence McNally, one of America's great playwrights, has died at 81 of complications from coronavirus https://t.co/9nq9MjaKrU pic.twitter.com/90v3zioH8E— CBS Sunday Morning 🌞 (@CBSSunday) March 24, 2020Terrence McNally, the Tony-Winning playwright whose credits include "Ragtime," "Master Class," "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and "Love! Valour! Compassion!", died today at 81 of coronavirus complications. He was a lung cancer survivor with chronic COPD. https://t.co/xItii4MhcG— Michael Paulson (@MichaelPaulson) March 24, 2020 Read the rest

Reality, people.Kentucky governor Andy Beshear says the state now has 163 confirmed coronavirus cases, including one person who attended a “coronavirus party.” That individual may well have infected many others before later testing positive for the virus that causes COVID-19. And now we know that “coronavirus party” is a thing some people are doing.Beshear says there is a positive from someone who attended a "coronavirus party."— Kevin Wheatley (@KevinWheatleyKY) March 24, 2020Andy Beshear just announced a new Coronavirus case in Kentucky is someone who went to a "Coronavirus Party." He looked like he wanted to punch his podium as he said it.— Cole Claybourn (@ColeClaybourn) March 24, 2020.@GovAndyBeshear says that one person in Kentucky has tested positive after attending a coronavirus party— Ben Tobin (@TobinBen) March 24, 2020Beshear said there is a positive case today "from someone who attended a coronavirus party." He's a little fired up: "Anyone who goes to something like this may think they're indestructible..." but it's someone else's loved one who's life might be at stake.— Daniel Desrochers (@drdesrochers) March 24, 2020"This is one that makes me mad. And it should make you mad." Said we should forgive the person, but these things shouldn't happen.— Daniel Desrochers (@drdesrochers) March 24, 2020 Read the rest

• Trump demands economy reopen by Easter amid pandemic• Medical experts & disaster movies tell us this would be bad“I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter," is a thing that Donald Trump just said during a Fox News virtual town hall. This is contrary to what officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization, as well as economists, have advised. "Easter is a very special day for me ... Easter Sunday, and you'll have packed churches all over our country." A “very special day for me”?Packing them into churches?The man is nuts and he could get a lot of people killed.Trump on why he picked Easter as the day he wants to end strict social distancing and reopen American businesses: "Easter is a very special day for me ... Easter Sunday, and you'll have packed churches all over our country." pic.twitter.com/6cXEtW8LmR— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 24, 2020Trump explains why Easter Sunday is a "beautiful time" for Americans to be working again pic.twitter.com/lwg5cayiKB— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) March 24, 2020Trump, asked why he chose Easter as the date to end the shutdown, says it's because it'd be beautiful to have packed churches all around the nation.— Susan Simpson (@TheViewFromLL2) March 24, 2020Trump: "And I say, wouldn't it be great to have all of the churches full? You know the churches aren't allowed essentially to have much of a congregation now... Read the rest

Today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced its largest gain in a single day since 1933.From the Wall Street Journal:U.S. stocks rallied sharply Tuesday, with the Dow surging to its biggest one-day gain in more than 85 years on signs that lawmakers and the Trump administration were nearing a deal on a giant stimulus package aimed at limiting the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 2,113 points, or 11.4%, as of 4 p.m. Eastern time. That represented its largest gain in a single day since 1933.More: Dow Soars More Than 11% In Biggest One-Day Jump Since 1933 [WSJ, Alexander Osipovich, Caitlin Ostroff, and Joanne Chiu]US stocks ended in the green on Tuesday, recouping all of Monday’s losses as investors grew optimistic about the government’s response to the coronavirus crisis.The Dow closed up 11.4%. The S&P 500 finished up 9.4%. The Nasdaq Composite rose 8.1%. https://t.co/f8KFYyk5AL— CNN Business (@CNNBusiness) March 24, 2020BREAKING: This morning, Pres. Trump and VP Pence held an investor call with Wall Street heavyweights to discuss the markets, the Federal Reserve, and economic reopening.— Kayla Tausche (@kaylatausche) March 24, 2020“Dow surges 2,100 points as Congress nears deal on virus aid” https://t.co/hSmZd6Rt7k— Matt Lee (@APDiploWriter) March 24, 2020 Read the rest

Youâve seen whatâs happening at your neighborhood Costco or Target. Itâs not exactly armageddon-level rioting and lawlessness...but it ainât exactly fun out there right now either. Just trying to stock up on all the meal staples youâre looking for is taking a little more hustle, ingenuity, and good old dumb luck than it used to.Under the circumstances, it may be wise to start considering alternatives thatâll keep your necessary foods fresher longer. Did you know a piece of meat that could survive six months in the freezer will actually last up to 3 years if it's vacuum sealed? Cheeses that might normally last a week or two in a regular refrigerator will make it as long as eight months in vacuum-sealed packaging.Getting your own vacuum sealer is definitely a smart option -- and they arenât all that expensive. Check out these four vacuum sealers you can pick up right now, all available with an extra 15 percent off if you enter the code SPRINGSAVE15 during checkout.'Seal The Deal' Bag Sealer - $15.29 after discount; originally $49.99As an introduction to the bagging arts, this sealer is a great way to get started. While itâs extremely portable, the included suction cups and wall mount also make it convenient to put just about anywhere you need to fashion airtight sealed bags in seconds. Your food gets an extra lease on life, all with no leakage or spilling. With a fresh set of batteries, you can seal an average of 300 bags, more than enough to stockpile loads of essentials for the long haul. Read the rest

This is the creation of avant-garde fashion designer Arnold Putra, claimed to be made with an ethically-sourced human child spine and alligator tongue leather. Unfortunately, it's been memory holed since Twitter found it. Fortunately, the memory holers always forget about the Bing Cache.The ARNOLD PUTRA alligator tongue and human spine bag has been ethically sourced and crafted in a multiple panel construction. With an emphasis on protruding scar stitching lacing the outer construction of the bag, each wearer is encouraged to sculpt a form of his/her own sentiment. The unique silhouette is complimented by the human spine handle and raw edge finishes. Technical in design and construction, this one off bag is an ideal statement piece.Each piece of Arnold Putra is meticulously hand crafted in their atelier upon order, limited in availability and may take up to 14 days to arrive during busy periods.FEATURES:- Limited to 1/1- Alligator tongue and human spine bag with a unique pattern construction- Natural finish- Protruding scar stitching finishes- Large main compartment- Raw edge finishes- Limited in availabilityCOMPOSITION:- Shell: 100% Alligator tongue- Shell: 100% Human spine handleIf you're thinking of DIYing it, it turns out that ethically-sourced human child spines are not on Amazon, sadly, so you might have to wait three or more days to get the materials together.(throws horror writing career out of window)I got nothing on this reality. https://t.co/7IE25yx0GR— Cassandra Khaw (@casskhaw) March 24, 2020I messaged them on WhatsApp... Read the rest

View this post on Instagram You don’t wanna miss *tomorrow’s post* it’ll be good. But for now this experimental piece inspired by John Cage. Been washing my hands so much in the basin—made me think of Water Music. My classic CR-78 and metal meets water. Our world, our habitat is a giant experiment! In geological time—-we’ve been here for the tiniest fraction. C’mon, let’s make it good. Everybody In. March 17,2020 #isolationjams A post shared by Money Mark (@moneymarkofficial) on Mar 17, 2020 at 3:45pm PDT My pal Money Mark, longtime key(board) collaborator with the Beastie Boys, is one of the most creative and inspiring music makers I've ever met. Since California's shelter-in-place order began, he's been sharing daily "Isolation Jams" on Instagram! The truly "experimental" music brings me great joy. See more below and @MoneyMarkOfficial. Here's what Mark told me:Making Isolation jams is a daily meditation. I call them 'Song Poems’ or ‘Sound Poems,' an exercise I’ve kept for years. Only now, I realize, documenting them and posting the audio/video is helping others. Routine is power like the sun rising and setting. View this post on Instagram Isolation jams number 9. Feedback studies I did in the 90’s spawned over a dozen pieces inspired by #johncage ...@realkidkoala Kid Koala and I toured the world together and I would open the show by walking thru the crowd with a boom box and microphone; taped on the back, a small drum machine and an echo pedal. Jimi Hendrix made it popular and I thought I’d take it to the next level. Read the rest

CNN spoke to psychologists to find out why some people refuse to practice physical distancing during an epidemic. They give 6 reasons:They think they are invulnerable. "They aren't following social distancing because they believe they won't get sick, even though it could prevent more vulnerable people from becoming infected."They won't let a virus boss them around. "Exercising their defiance makes the virus seem smaller."They think it's not their problem. "People who live in communities where infection isn't widespread or officials haven't imposed lockdowns may be less willing to distance themselves from others."They're numbed by info overload. "When people's media diets, social media feeds and conversations with loved ones consist of nothing but Covid-19, they may become desensitized to its severity."They favor individual freedom over the good of society. " The Western world, and the US in particular, has long prized individual freedoms -- sometimes even over community benefit."They're lonely. "Human beings crave connection, and being denied social interaction for extended periods can sting."Image: Twitter/@realkatiewilliams Read the rest

Reverend William is looking for love.I have no idea what he's a Reverend of, or if he's even ordained at all. In fact, as you progress through his "Republican Goddess" quiz, he doesn't seem to be a Christian of any kind, but more of a New Age Spiritualist Right Wing Conspiracy Theorist. I'm not sure what that ordination ceremony entails (but then, I am ordained in the Church of Latter-Day Dudes).But either way: "Reverend William" has grown tired of those lonely LA nights, and has set up a website to help him find true happiness.I'm a healthy 68. I'm looking for a woman born in any year from 1950–1995, who takes excellent care of herself.I am a natural-born U.S. citizen residing in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. I will consider relocating within the United States but am unwilling to move to another country. If the woman I'm looking for lives outside the United States, she must be willing and legally able to move to the United States to marry me and to live with me here.As you read through this website, you will notice that I'm an intense, complex man who thinks waaay "outside the box." If my intensity/complexity is too much for you, or if I think too far "outside the box" for you, well then, we are not a match. I seek a woman who is likewise intense and complex (not a mild or simple woman; nor a woman who thinks I wrote way too much here). Read the rest

Yale psychology professor Laurie Santos's course “Psychology and the Good Life" is the most popular class in the history of the university. Now it's available for anyone to take for free remotely through Coursera. The public online version of the class is called the "Science of Well-Being." From the description:In this course you will engage in a series of challenges designed to increase your own happiness and build more productive habits. As preparation for these tasks, Professor Laurie Santos reveals misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the mind that lead us to think the way we do, and the research that can help us change. You will ultimately be prepared to successfully incorporate a specific wellness activity into your life.More about the course: "‘The Science of Well Being’: Yale’s most popular class ever available via Coursera" (Yale) Read the rest

Sunbathers at Galheta Beach in Brazil were treated to sandstorm created by helicopter police tasked with enforcing public distancing rules.Image: YouTube Read the rest

Sure, the 41-minute virtual tour of the Winchester Mystery House is cool and all, but if you want to really go for spooky, turn off the lights and start exploring the underground ossuaries below Paris. While physically closed to the public during this time of coronavirus, the virtual visit to the Catacombs of Paris is still open. The history of the Paris Catacombs starts in the late eighteenth century, when major public health problems tied to the city’s cemeteries led to a decision to transfer their contents to an underground site. Paris authorities chose an easily accessible site that was, at the time, located outside the capital: the former Tombe-Issoire quarries under the plain of Montrouge. In operation since at least the fifteenth century and then abandoned, these quarries were a small part of the labyrinth that extended under the city over approximately 800 hectares. Preparation of the site and the organization of bone transfers were entrusted to Charles Axel Guillaumot, an inspector at the Department of General Quarry Inspection. The mission of this department, which had been founded on April 4, 1777, by Louis XVI, was to consolidate the abandoned quarries following major collapses of the ground under Paris in the mid-eighteenth century. The first evacuations were made from 1785 to 1787 and concerned the largest cemetery in Paris, the Saints-Innocents cemetery, which had been closed in 1780 after consecutive use for nearly ten centuries. The tombs, common graves and charnel house were emptied of their bones, which were transported at night to avoid hostile reactions from the Parisian population and the Church. Read the rest

This is Tim. He's the head of security at the National Cowboy Museum in Oklahoma City. While everyone else is social distancing, Tim stands vigilant, protecting things like John Wayne's boots. So as long as he was there, the museum's social media team asked him to tweet for them.Thanks, Tim.Hello, my name is Tim and I am the head of security for The Cowboy. I have been asked to take on the additional duty of social media management while the museum is closed. I’m new to this but excited. My team will also continue to protect and monitor the museum. Thanks, Tim Send pic.twitter.com/bPiXD9DoAd— Nat'l Cowboy Museum (@ncwhm) March 17, 2020Tim does not understand how hashtags work. But gosh darnnit, he tried it.This is the hat and eyepatch the Duke wore in the movie True Grit. They are part of our Exhibition about the 2 True Grit. Lots of interesting props and clothes. I’m told I can’t try it on. Hashtag John Wayne. Lucas, my grandson, told me to use hashtags. Thanks, Tim pic.twitter.com/yNO3RP4uA4— Nat'l Cowboy Museum (@ncwhm) March 17, 2020Or really how the Internet works.Twitter tips, please— Nat'l Cowboy Museum (@ncwhm) March 18, 2020Sorry, thought I was Googling that. Thanks, Tim— Nat'l Cowboy Museum (@ncwhm) March 18, 2020Oh cool there are John Wayne's boots! Thanks, Tim.And these are his boots. Hashtag John Wayne. Thanks, Tim pic.twitter.com/4hVPPT8QX9— Nat'l Cowboy Museum (@ncwhm) March 18, 2020I hope he's done his grandson proud. Read the rest

It's already been reported that Trump is getting antsy about all the social-distancing quarantines intended to flatten the curve of coronavirus deaths, and that he's eager to return things to business-as-normal. Who cares about a million deaths as long as the economy is moving, amirite?I'm sure his decision has nothing to do with the fact that his own hotels are hurting from the shutdown. Again, what's a few million lives compared to the President's personal profits?Unfortunately, Trump is not alone in his mass-murdering sentiment. Republicans have been parroting a new refrain this week, that, "The cure cannot be worse than the disease." But this implies that a few billionaires losing some money is objectively worse than a million dead. And that's just absurd.Jonathan Ashbach took to The Federalist to complain about the ways that coronavirus impedes on that uniquely American value of "freedom."It seems harsh to ask whether the nation might be better off letting a few hundred thousand people die. Probably for that reason, few have been willing to do so publicly thus far. Yet honestly facing reality is not callous, and refusing even to consider whether the present response constitutes an even greater evil than the one it intends to mitigate would be cowardly.First, consider the massive sacrifice of life Americans are making in their social distancing campaign. True, nearly all are not literally dying, but they are giving up a good deal of what makes life worth living — work, classes, travel, hugs, time with friends, conferences, quiet nights out, and so forth. Read the rest

The Action Lab Man made a table supported by thread. You can see other examples of "floating compression" in this Wikipedia article about tensegrity. Read the rest

Dr. Adrian Smith of the Ant Lab YouTube channel recently found some little bugs on the lid of his trash can. They are called globular springtails, and as their name suggests, they use a spring-loaded tail to jump away from danger. Dr. Smith took some of the mysterious creatures into his lab to film their jumps in slow motion.Image: YouTube Read the rest

Andy Greene literally wrote the book on The Office. His book The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s: An Oral History is released today! Vulture has an excerpt from the book telling the behind-the-scenes story of "Stress Relief," the two-part "fire drill" episode. Here's a snip:Ben Silverman [producer]: The fire drill was insanity. Greg and I talked about it and were like, “Okay, let’s make this one hundred percent like a movie, like a stunt. When it happens, how do people not change the channel?”Kate Flannery, actor: That scene was a big deal. It was so fun, but I also knew that it was expensive, so it’s like, “Don’t fuck this up.” It was definitely like a little nerve-wracking because you just didn’t want to be the one that messed it up for everybody else.Anthony Farrell, writer: Greg was like, “It’s the Super Bowl episode. We need it to be big and crazy and wild and this is the first thing they’re gonna see, so we want people to stick around.” He said to me and [fellow writer] Ryan Koh and some of the writers’ assistants, “You guys work on this cold open.” We knew it would start with Dwight setting off the fire alarm and Greg was in a place where he was like, “We need it to be bigger and crazier.” So we just started adding all sorts of crazy shit happening with the mayhem and the melee, like them using the photocopier as a battering ram and cats falling out of the ceiling. Read the rest

VIDEO: Inmates hop fence, escape from Yakima County jailDETAILS: https://t.co/TnZRCPifEd📹Briseida & Alex Gonzalez pic.twitter.com/d52QVyQLUh— KAPP-KVEW (@KAPPKVEW) March 24, 2020Yesterday evening in Yakima, Washington, Briseida and Alex Gonzalez recorded this clip of a dozen inmates hopping the fence of the Yakima County Jail. The music playing on the Gonzalezes' car radio is a perfect soundtrack. Apparently, the inmates broke open a fire door and made a run for it. Six have been caught so far.According to YakTriNews, Found inmates reportedly told officials 'they were upset after the Governor’s press conference regarding the statewide order to shelter in place and the virus outbreak has them all scared.'” Read the rest

You have a week before the first season of Julia Child's fantastic cooking show is no longer available with Amazon Prime.The French Chef with Julia Child -- Season One via Amazon Prime Read the rest

We're sheltering in place with my sister-in-law's family while COVID-19 continues to rip humanity a new asshole. I love my family, but my nine year old nephew, who's been home from school for two weeks, is driving me insane. He's watched every episode of Captain Underpants at least twenty times. I've given up on wondering why anyone's cool with nearly naked middle-aged man hanging out with a couple of kids and have started reciting lines from the show.I've been desperate for something, anything to fill the air while my noise-cancelling headphones recharge. Happily, Jeff Bezos has answered my prayers.From TechCrunch:Amazon is making a selection of family-friendly and programming for kids available for free streaming on Prime Video as a result of the COVID-19 health crisis, which has people trapped at home. The content is available to all Amazon customers, and includes a mix of Amazon Original kid and family shows as well as select third-party family movies and TV series licensed from studio partners.Amazon says it’s continuing to work with content partners to widen the selection over time.While we apparently can't expect the world's wealthiest man to pay his front line employees a decent wage (although Amazon will soon pay a premium for its employees to continue to risk their ass) or guarantee their income if they get sick serving the rest of us, but hey: free cartoons.Image via Wikipedia Read the rest

French artist Albert Uderzo, co-creator of legendary comic book characters Asterix and Obelix with writer René Goscinny, died at home ‘from a heart attack unrelated to the coronavirus.’ He was 92 years old.One of the best-loved characters in French popular culture, with more than 370m albums sold worldwide, 11 films and an Asterix theme park, the small-statured Asterix is a warrior from Roman-occupied ancient Gaul, who together with his best friend Obelix and dog Dogmatix – Idéfix in the French original – takes pleasure in outwitting Roman legionnaires. Fortunately for Asterix, Obelix fell into a cauldron of magic potion as a child, making him invincibly strong.Photo: Christian Koehn (CC BY 2.5) Read the rest

John J. King is a playwright and all-around awesome and clever dude; we were playwriting fellows together at the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston, and I also contributed some music to his Hamlet/James Bond mashup From Denmark With Love.Now John has decided to share his work-from-home tips, in the form of a fun, dance-y music video (clothing optional). Enjoy! Read the rest

On their website, the Arizona medical group, Banner Health, is reporting that a man has died in their care after self-medicating against COVID-19 using an anti-malaria drug that Dear Leader had mentioned during one of his campaign rallies briefings in recent days.A man has died and his wife is under critical care after the couple, both in their 60s, ingested chloroquine phosphate, an additive commonly used at aquariums to clean fish tanks. Within thirty minutes of ingestion, the couple experienced immediate effects requiring admittance to a nearby Banner Health hospital. Read the rest of the brief announcement here.NBC News correspondent Vaughn Hillyard spoke to the wife by phone from her hospital bed. She had this to say:we saw Trump on TV--every channel--and all his buddies--saying that this was safe. Trump kept saying it was pretty much a cure."[...]Don't believe anything the President says and his people because they don't know what they're talking about. And don't take anything -- be so careful and call your doctor. This is a heart ache I'll never get over.Yet another reason why these "briefings" should not be televised live, but should only be summarized by responsible adults.Photo by camilo jimenez on Unsplash Read the rest

Even if you’ve never been germaphobic, events in recent weeks have probably made you a lot more conscious of bacteria, airborne viruses, and contaminants of every size, shape, and variety. From countertops to sofas, beds to carpets, even those beloved stuffed animals, they’re all likely chock full of more microscopic creepy crawlies and pathogens than we ever realize.Before you start panicking that everything is contagious or dangerous to the health of your household, there are steps you can take to calm the fears. One valid approach would be to confront the germs head-on — and the Rockubot Sterilizing Robot can be one heck of a soldier in your war against the unclean.The Rockubot is equipped with ultraviolet (UV-C) lights that kill 99.9 percent of all bacteria and germs as well as ultrasonic wave emitters that dust mites hiding deep in materials at a microscopic level. Just set the Rockubot down on your bed, furniture or chosen surface and it gets to work, using its 24 sensors to smart-map the area and avoid obstacles and cliffs while methodically eliminating all allergens and irritants in its path as it disinfects and sterilizes.The unit also has a manual mode to allow for handheld cleaning of virtually any item. It’s perfect for any mom or dad who wants to make sure all their kids' pillows, blankets, clothes, toys and more are safe and cootie-free.The compact Rockubot weighs in at just about a pound, so it slides easily into a suitcase or travel bag for any road trips. Read the rest

With the spooky times that we're living in, chances are pretty good that you're staying at home as often as your responsibilities and level of health allow.14 days ago, I had to head into the hospital: blood was coming outta places where blood's supposed to stay put. The only thing that's kept me from going insane wondering whether or not I may have been infected with COVID-19 while my bits were being inspected, has been good music. One of the new-to-me-acts I stumbled upon while I was losing sleep over the past two weeks is Ryan McNally. Raised in rural Quebec and, from what I gather, now based out of northwestern Canada, McNally's sound is a delightful mishmash of influences that I could listen to for hours at a time.If you dig what you hear, you can show McNally some love by plunking down a few bucks for one of his two albums, over at Bandcamp. Read the rest

Today, there’s no shortage of ways for consumers to live a socially conscious lifestyle. They now have access to vehicles with improved fuel economy, a wide selection of organic groceries and manufacturers are increasing the amount of recycled materials they use in their products.Despite these widespread shifts, the financial services sector hasn’t kept pace. Consider this. In 2018, the world’s largest banks lent approximately $654 billion to finance businesses in the fossil fuel industry. Much of those funds were backed by consumer funds, without their consent.Aspiration is a financial institution that is built from the ground up on a socially conscious business model. They guarantee that 100% of customer deposits will not be used to fund harmful industries such as: fossil fuels, private prisons, firearm manufacturers, and political entities/campaigns.Their business model also is built on fairness. Rather than nickel and diming their users, Aspiration follows a “pay what you think is fair model.” Users choose their monthly account fees, even if it is zero. Aspiration accounts also have zero required fees. Overdrafts, check deposits, and inactive accounts, all fall under that umbrella.If you’re ready to pay it forward, learn more about Aspiration, here. Read the rest

Adult Swim has released all episodes of their crazed, headbanger animated comedy, Metalocalypse, for free during the coronavirus pandemic.Adult Swim has made all four seasons and the Klok Opera movie available for free streaming on their website and app.You can watch all the episodes of Metalocalypse here.Non-US fans of the dumb and the restless are reporting that they can't view the streams. But hey, that's what VPNs are for.Image: Screengrab Read the rest

In this cute Physics Girl video, Diane shows you 20 simple, fun, and educational kitchen experiments you can do with your kids.To make the video more exciting, Diane turns her demo into a race against the clock, trying to conduct all of the experiments within five minutes. You and your kids can take your time.Image: YouTube***BTW: Did you now that our very own Mark Fraunfelder wrote and illustrated a book of these sorts of kitchen counter science experiments, called Mad Professor? You might want that right about now. Read the rest

Washington Post captured the empty streets of Los Angeles by drone.As one commenter puts it, "On the bright side, we have lots of new B-roll footage for future apocalypse movies."screengrab via Washington Post/YouTube Read the rest

All together now: 🎵 Hands, washing hands! 🎵 Reaching out 🎵 Don't touch me 🎵 I won't touch you! 🎵 screengrab via Neil Diamond/YouTube Read the rest

Only 8 million people need to die to ensure that decabillionares don't become mere billionaires.One death is a tragedy; a million deaths is an economic policy.https://t.co/QuP4iNSEbD— TrillionDollarCoinHat (@Popehat) March 23, 2020 Read the rest

Portland, Oregon, home of a fantastic bookstore and some awesome people.The Oregonian:The home delivery service, in which a pair of scantily clad strippers will deliver hot food to your door, started as a joke Boulden posted on social media. When people began seriously inquiring about orders, Boulden saw potential.So, while the rest of Portland was hoarding toilet paper and pasta, he bought out one local store’s stock of pasties.From 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., Boober Eats is offering the full menu from the Lucky Devil Lounge at the same prices. Delivery rates are generally $30, but vary depending on distance from the lounge....Popular orders include chicken fingers, steak bites and mini corndogs. Read the rest