posted May 15, 2017 #

Thanks for clearing that up, WaPo https://t.co/2Bj5327LKS

posted May 15, 2017 #

I don't know why but I've never liked Ferris wheels… #ItsMy2Cents

How to Accidentally Stop a Global Cyber Attacks

posted May 14, 2017 #

In-depth breakdown on WannaCrypt

posted May 13, 2017 #

What are your favorite album titles? Not favorite albums, but titles.

posted May 13, 2017 #

What pop culture opinions are you the most afraid to tell people? For me: -I love Sublime. -I could never get into Twin Peaks.

posted May 13, 2017 #

@david_sizemore "I Am The Fun Blame Monster!"

posted May 13, 2017 #

@david_sizemore Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?

posted May 13, 2017 #

Do not pin your hopes on impeachment. Act locally. Fight gerrymandering. Reclaim state legislatures.

posted May 13, 2017 #

It's still good. G.I. Joe PSA Compilation - [Remastered HD] https://t.co/2IylE0yQQv

posted May 13, 2017 #

"Put your head down and work like a mother fucker" - https://t.co/3kekHftXy7

posted May 13, 2017 #

Pls enjoy these transcripts from my workout w/@TheRock ("DJ"), which I consider a personal attack by the transcribe… https://t.co/CfQecdaUQA

Dwayne Johnson for President

posted May 13, 2017 #

A surprisingly delightful read.

Daniel Arnold interview on Juxtapoz

posted May 12, 2017 #

Phenomenal read. I really love his take on his craft and the long haul. "I am very grateful to have a life that offers more and more time and space to indulge in those interests, and I'm grateful to feel snapped out of the fantasy of being a young person."

posted May 12, 2017 #

@yewknee gotta say, more confused by this dude https://t.co/6CDrr4CMkP

posted May 12, 2017 #

Went to a museum armed with Face App to brighten up a lot of the sombre looks on the paintings and sculptures. The… https://t.co/aSQtMOg3Uo

posted May 12, 2017 #

@maggieNYT https://t.co/3wkexPhMyh

posted May 12, 2017 #

Music fans should keep an eye on the proposed changes to net neutrality https://t.co/8y1VnHuCl5

PWR BTTM Lose Touring Members, Opening Band Amid Sexual Abuse Controversy

posted May 12, 2017 #

Dang! This is certainly a shocking turn

Friday Videos - May 12th, 2017

posted May 12, 2017 #

I am writing this from the past for you to read in the future. Maybe I'm on a plane right now. Maybe I've landed in New Orleans already and I'm enjoying the onslaught of sun and weirdos. Maybe I'm already on my way back. There's just no telling when it comes to time exactly when you and these words of mine are going to interact. Whenever it is, I hope you're able to enjoy the list of distractions below.

COPS opening but with The Office theme - a mashup I can fully endorse.
Fish on Balloon - what is this and where can I find the ten hour version?
MindHorn trailer - Julian Barratt in an absurd Netflix movie? I'm in.
David Lee Roth, Vocals Only - you know what? This still gets me.
Still Life - Fruits; deflating and inflating. Bizarre, surreal and entrancing.
The Great Dictator Speech - watch this. Soak in every word. Watch it again. And again. And play it for you anyone willing to listen. It's unbelievable how relevant, contemporary and inspiring this speech still is. And maybe a bit sad.
GenderMess - a ten-minute short film on the Australian alt-Drag company of the same name. I don't typically post such lengthy pieces in Friday videos but I'm going to Bushwig in NOLA this weekend and am ready to see the weirdest of the weird.

History of the Entire World, I Guess - got 20 minutes to catch up on the history of our planet? Here you go.

Jolly Roger Telephone Company

posted May 12, 2017 #

The NY Times recently published a piece on Robocalls and How to Stop Them. Among their solutions, they recommend a service called Jolly Roger Telephone Company as a means of antagonizing the telemarketer you get connected to. Once you've got a human on the line, you patch in a third party robot to keep the conversation going in a frustrating way.

There's a full feature on the creator, Roger Anderson, available here that explains his reasoning for making it and how the tech works. Simply put:

While the simple robot does not possess anything near artificial intelligence, it does understand speech patterns and inflections, so it can monitor what the telemarketer is saying, and then do its best to try to keep the person on the end of the line engaged.

There's plenty of amusing examples of the stilted back-and-forths, and even a Best Of compiled by Anderson. Part of me feels bad for the human but not that bad. Check some of these out:

Vegas Telemarketer suggests meth - can't tell if he gets it or if he's just annoyed.
Are you on meds? - excellent quick assumption.
That's When YOU answer ME - short, sweet and perfectly frustrating.
Air Conditioning Contractor Catches On - finally, they get it.

Roger Anderson is an American hero for making this thing.