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ain't graphic design

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Voicing Mario in a movie is an impossible task

Reinventing Mario for film is necessary, because he’s never really been a character

Do we really want to listen to a whole film of Charles Martinet going “woohoo” in falsetto and putting on a cartoonishly thick Italian accent?

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How to Build Public Spaces for Teen Girls

Teen girls have unique needs and experiences that are often left out of our built environment. Explore three projects across the world as they share how they are transforming public spaces for teen girls (and how you can too!)

Teen girls have unique needs and experiences that are often left out of our built environment

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Loab: an AI horror story

(Warning: some creepy/gross images follow)

“Loab” was initially produced using a technique called “negative weighting.” Usually, when using an AI image generator, you’re attempting to make your AI produce whatever image it can that it believes most closely resembles a verbal prompt. Negative weighting allows you to do the opposite. (Warning: some creepy/gross images follow)

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The man who made the “worst” video game in history - The Hustle

Howard Scott Warshaw’s video game was blamed for single-handedly sinking a multibillion-dollar market. But the true story is more complicated.

Howard Scott Warshaw’s video game was blamed for single-handedly sinking a multibillion-dollar market. But the true story is more complicated.

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Man Mountain Dean: the pro wrestler who helped beat the Nazis - Sports Illustrated

He was Hulk Hogan before Hulk Hogan. He leapt to the big screen before it was the sporting standard. And for his final act? He worked in the shadows to help topple Hitler.

He was Hulk Hogan before Hulk Hogan. He leapt to the big screen before it was the sporting standard. And for his final act? He worked in the shadows to help topple Hitler.

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In the dark: the internet sparked a revolution, then it was turned off

Seven years, 60 countries, 935 internet shutdowns: How authoritarian regimes found an off switch for dissent.

Seven years, 60 countries, 935 internet shutdowns: How authoritarian regimes found an off switch for dissent.

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How to Commit Murder Inside a Locked Room

Few genres are more preposterous than the locked room mystery. The premises are absurd and plot solutions ridiculous—but still I keep on reading.

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‘Teletubbies’ Was a Fever Dream, But the Weirdest Parts Happened Off-Set

From bizarre on-set dramas to salacious tabloid reports of queer propaganda, the story of ‘Teletubbies’ is anything but innocent

The story of ‘Teletubbies’ is anything but innocent

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The Greatest Unsolved Heist in Irish History

Scandal, conspiracy, and cover-ups in the theft of the "Irish Crown Jewels" from Dublin Castle.

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How Out Run changed video games forever

Out Run hit arcades 35 years ago this month. Its influence is still being felt on consoles, in music, and in movies

Out Run hit arcades 35 years ago this month. Its influence is still being felt on consoles, in music, and in movies

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Why are hyperlinks blue?

The internet has ingrained itself into every aspect of our lives, but there’s one aspect of the digital world that I bet you take for granted. Did you ev

The internet has ingrained itself into every aspect of our lives, but there’s one aspect of the digital world that I bet you take for granted. When a co-worker casually asked me why links are blue, I was stumped.

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No Laughing Matter? What the Romans Found Funny

ORLANDO GIBBS The Fun and Farce of Plautus and Terence

The structure of many jokes today bear a striking resemblance to their ancient counterparts, and many modern comedies mine character traits that are very similar to the popular stock types of ancient comedy.

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700,000 lines of code, 20 years, and one developer: How Dwarf Fortress is built

Dwarf Fortress is one of those oddball passion projects that’s broken into Internet consciousness. It’s a free game where you play either an adventurer or a fortress full of dwarves in a randomly generated fantasy world. The simulation runs deep, with new games creating multiple civilizations with histories, mythologies, and artifacts. I reached out to him to see how he’s managed a single, growing codebase over 15+ years, the perils of pathing, and debugging dead cats. Our conversation below has been edited for clarity.

Dwarf Fortress is one of those oddball passion projects that’s broken into Internet consciousness.

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On the Trail of a Mysterious, Pseudonymous Author

Late last spring, a strange, beguiling novel began arriving, in installments, in the mail. Who had written it?

Late last spring, a strange, beguiling novel began arriving, in installments, in the mail. Who had written it?

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Love in the Time of Cryptography

Most romances today have deep digital footprints. This one didn’t — and to the state, that was a problem.

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A team of Ukrainian graphic designers has created an ever-changing image that captures the evolving aftermath of nuclear disaster.

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The History of TV Color Bars, One of the First Electronic Graphics Ever Made

You might not realize it, but every part of a color-bar layout, the most common television test pattern out there, has a specific purpose. Here’s how it came to be.

You might not realize it, but every part of a color-bar layout, the most common television test pattern out there, has a specific purpose. Here’s how it came to be.