More miscellaneous details

Month: October 2024

Extra extra! The end times, onscreen – The New York Times

Newspapers survive in a tangible way, unlike the final broadcasts on television and radio, which are also frequent tropes in the genre. And in post-apocalyptic worlds where power grids are largely nonexistent, digital trails also vaporize. There will probably be no screenshots to communicate society’s unraveling.

horror, movies, newspapers, sci-fi, time

30/10/2024
Microsoft Excel’s bloopers reel: 40 years of spreadsheet errors – The Guardian

MI5, the UK’s domestic spy agency, tapped 134 incorrect telephone numbers in 2010 following a spreadsheet error that altered the last three digits in the numbers to “000”. A report admitted the errors were caused by “a formatting fault on an electronic spreadsheet”, adding euphemistically that “a degree of unintended collateral intrusion occurred”.

Excel, spreadsheets

29/10/2024
Maurizio Cattelan banana artwork could fetch $1M at auction – Hyperallergic

Hyperallergic asked Sotheby’s whether the $1 million estimate is a joke. David Galperin, Sotheby’s head of Contemporary Art, Americas, responded that “‘Comedian’ is among the artist’s most iconic works, and so its value should be aligned with the highest ends of his market.” He added that some of Cattelan’s works have sold for as much as $17 million at auction and that “the estimate is just a starting point.” […] A Sotheby’s representative told Hyperallergic that the buyer of “Comedian” will receive a certificate of authenticity along with official installation instructions, a roll of tape, and one banana. “The banana and duct tape can be replaced as needed,” the Sotheby’s representative told Hyperallergic.

art, auctions, food, installation art, Maurizio Cattelan, satire

28/10/2024
Sculpture of a turd on Nancy Pelosi’s desk appears on National Mall – Hyperallergic

It’s not immediately clear if the sculpture is satirizing the idolization of January 6 or serves as an actual endorsement of Trump, but one thing is for sure — this is the shit that gets people talking.

art, politics, satire, sculpture

28/10/2024
Diff Text – compare text online

A simple diff checker tool to quickly find the difference between two blocks of text. It can be used to compare changes with plain text, code, json, yaml, html, css, markdown, and more. Green means the text was added, red means the text was removed, and the rest is unchanged.

writing

26/10/2024
AI Safety for Fleshy Humans by Nicky Case & Hack Club

This 3-part series is your one-stop-shop to understand the core ideas of AI & AI Safety* — explained in a friendly, accessible, and slightly opinionated way!

AI, ethics, technology

26/10/2024
Silver Quay Ambleside 5 bedrooms, 10 guests, from £2240 – Lakeside Retreats

A lake lovers’ paradise. You can’t stay closer to lake Windermere than this without a houseboat! Whether you’re stepping into the lake for a morning swim, paddle board, or canoe (supplied in the jetty storage area), or if you want a more laid-back breakfast on the decking, when you’re this close to the water, the views are unbeatable.

tourism

25/10/2024
Everything you can do from Google Chrome’s address bar (besides run searches) – WIRED

Chrome’s omnibox is not just for typing out URLs or searching Google. Use it to take notes, write emails, and chat with Gemini.

Google, software

25/10/2024
It sure looks like Trump watches are breaking copyright law – WIRED

The pair of watches, initially named “Fight Fight Fight” and “Victory Tourbillon,” retail from between (the recently inflated) $799 and $100,000, and the timepieces were said to feature “premium, Swiss-Made materials” and include “intricate details.” However, as watch connoisseurs began to review the Trump Watches marketing materials, they were less than kind about the craftsmanship. WIRED’s watch expert called them the most tragic celebrity watches yet. … According to the Associated Press, though, TheBestWatchesonEarth LLC advertised a product it can’t deliver, as that image is owned by the 178-year-old news agency. This week, the AP told WIRED it is pursuing a cease and desist against the LLC, which is registered in Sheridan, Wyoming.

copyright, Donald Trump, watches

25/10/2024
Nixon in China libretto – Opera Arias

Act One Scene 1: Nixon’s arrival. (The airfield outside Peking. It is a very cold, clear, dry morning; Monday, February 21, 1972; the air is full of static electricity. No airplanes are arriving; there is the odd note of birdsong. Finally, from behind some buildings, come the sounds of troops marching. Contingents of army, navy and air force – 120 men of each service – circle the field and begin to sing “The Three Main Rules of Discipline and the Eight Points of Attention”)

classical, John Adams, music, opera

24/10/2024
15 years of Horrible Histories – kids’ TV so good it’s getting a Bafta – The Guardian

The Axe Factor: A batch of wannabe beheaders battle it out to be the next royal executioner on this Tudor talent contest. “The type of noose varies according to the appointed time of the public hanging. This is the nine o’clock noose, his is the noose at 10 … ”

history, humour, television

24/10/2024
In ‘Hidden Portraits,’ Volker Hermes reimagines historical figures in overwhelming frippery – Colossal

Engulfed in their own finery, the subjects of Volker Hermes’ portraits epitomize a bygone era. From the Italian High Renaissance to French Rococo, his digital reinterpretations playfully hide the faces of wealthy and aristocratic sitters. Hidden Portraits: Old Masters Reimagined, a new book forthcoming this month, gathers a quintessential selection of Hermes’ works into one volume. Highlighting the artist’s wry commentary on luxury, social status, and fame, the selection delves into the history of portraiture through a humorous lens.
art painting satire volker-hermes

art, painting, satire, Volker Hermes

24/10/2024