INFIDEL

[infidelco]

Watch Egyptian men and women shake hands for the first time

We've all seen that bullshit viral video of strangers sharing a kiss for the first time, but here's one that's a little different: Egyptian strangers shaking hands with the opposite sex for the first time. Straight up. No bullshit. Well, maybe some bullshit.

Haitham Abu Akbar, the director behind the video, told 'World Pulse' that "Although the idea is predominantly comedic [...] it's discussing a very serious problem: the relationship between men and women in Egypt". "The problem is lack of mutual trust between the two parties", but many agree it's much deeper than that.

"This is the first time I shake hands with a girl", one man says. Another asks a girl, "Are you boy phobic?". She responds, "No, I am disgusted".

One man says, "We won’t bite". The girl responds, "But you harass". "Life is tough in Egypt because of the boys [...] the men", says another woman. 

Mostly, the video's revealing of the tension and social injustice that plague the republic, where oppression is rife by religious doctrine and archaic social standards; women and men are still to this day strongly discouraged from socialising and making casual physical contact, which bring out the nuanced mannerisms of the strangers' interactions—some women barely tap the mens’ fingers, drawing their hands back immediately.

As Aymann Ismail says: "I hope everyone in Egypt watches this and thinks about how they can do better".

[infidelco]

Why George Zimmerman's "celebrity" boxing match is a piss-poor excuse for an event

Yesterday would have been Trayvon Martin's 19th birthday. A birthday Trayvon wasn't able to celebrate because he was shot and killed by George Zimmerman in early 2012. Yesterday was also the day that boxing promoter Damon Feldman tastelessly and unapologetically chose to announce that Zimmerman would be squaring off against rapper DMX in a "celebrity" boxing match. Apparently iniquitously murdering an unarmed teenager as he attempts to walk home now officially places you in the upper echelon of "celebrity".

Oh, and as if the proceedings weren't already bad enough, Zimmerman expressed particular interest in fighting Kanye West because he opposes West's history of attacking "defenceless people". (Just a friendly reminder of the irony at work here: George Zimmerman shot a black 158-lbs, unarmed 17-year-old boy.)

The root word of 'celebrity' being 'celebrate', and its Latin origin meaning 'honour', are two words that don't spring to mind for a man who's been involved with seven police incidents since 2005 (including domestic disputes--which includes aggravated assault only months ago--and various restraining orders).

Damon Feldman admits the obvious though, which is that he's "just in this to make money", but does the world really want to see Zimmerman exploit his notoriety even more? If recent White House and change.org petitions are anything to go by, the answer is a resounding FUCK NO.

Oh, and if you're wondering how any decent human being would agree to participate in a piss-poor excuse for an event, the LA times has posed a number of rhetorical questions to the rapper, such as "Why?" and "Seriously, dude, why?", along with the more serious points:

Has anyone on your team mentioned how much of a mockery you’re making of Martin’s death by engaging in this spectacle? Have you thought about the additional layer of grief this adds to Trayvon’s family and friends, considering this mess has unfolded on his birthday? How does this benefit you in any way other than financially? Where were you in the aftermath of Martin's shooting and during the trial, when your peers in the music industry were showing up to rallies and writing lyrics in protest?

And though the event's already being deemed just another tailspin in what's already been a spectacular nosedive of a career, DMX seems to be enjoying the opportunity to hype the event with trash talk, way too much:

I am going to beat the living fuck outta him. I am breaking every rule in boxing to make sure I fuck him right up. Once I am done with him, I am going to whip my dick out and piss on him, right in his muthafuckin' face.

How's that for justice!

As Chuck Creekmur from The Grio says:

What changes from this? Nothing. Trayvon does not get justice. Zimmerman makes money. You make money. Some faux charity makes a couple of faux bucks.

At the end of the day, nothing changes with this bout. We just get a brief, pointless media high seeing the bad guy take a frivolous loss. If he wins, then we all collectively have to watch this guy and his smug face guffaw about how he claimed victory once again.

Although, I'm sure many of us would love to see George Zimmerman get beaten to a pulp by well-meaning strangers, there's not a single redeeming thing about this. We all want justice, but there are a myriad of better ways to honour the life of Trayvon Benjamin Martin.

Feel free to sign the White House and change.org petitions, both of which are calling for the match to be cancelled.

[infidelco]

Is that a luge in Times Square?

Former mayor Michael Bloomberg’s vision of new sporting venues across the boroughs fizzled, and New York lost its bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics. But what if the city had tried to get the Winter Olympics instead? Well, the New York Times has visualised what it may just look like. Check it out.

[infidelco]

Why are Syrian activists disappearing from social media?

Social media has played a crucial role in Syria, where three years of civil unrest and a government ban on foreign reporters have rendered objective reporting near-stagnant.

Facebook and Twitter have proven to be particularly popular amongst activists who first launched protests against President Bashar al-Assad in 2011, but as the Atlantic reports, many of their pages and accounts are being terminated. Some of those who have experienced the shuttering of their account(s) are now accusing the Syrian Electronic Army—who allegedly flood social networks' reporting systems with spurious complaints—of being behind the shutdowns.

    Many are concerned that ambiguous site policies are making it difficult for activists to relay and distribute information in regards to Syria's civil war. "It’s terra incognita", Joshua Gillmore of SecDev told the Atlantic. "You have, for the first time, a conflict entirely documented over social media. Facebook is basically policing a large country and trying to do so without access to what’s really happening."

You can read Michael Pizzi's article in full on TheAtlantic.com →

[infidelco]

Guantanamo Bay's new vice: Canadian electro-industrial

It's well established that the U.S. Army used a fearsome mix of Metallica and Barney the Dinosaur oeuvre as a way to extract information regarding Ba'athist miscreants' possession of weapons of mass destruction, but Guantanamo Bay is said to have opted for something a bit more esoteric: Canadian electro-industrial.

"We heard through a reliable grapevine that our music was being used in Guantanamo Bay prison camps to musically stun or torture people", 'Skinny Puppy' founder cEvin Key told the Phoenix New Times. "We heard that our music was used on at least four occasions."

Whilst Metallica politely asked the U.S. military to stop using their music for 'stress-and-duress' techniques—including sleep deprivation, which human rights activists describe as a form of torture—Skinny Puppy took it one step further: they decided to seek compensation from the U.S. government by issuing them an “invoice” in the form of their 12th studio record. "We thought it would be a good idea to make an invoice to the U.S. government for musical services", Key explained. "Thus the concept of the [band's new] record title, 'Weapons'."

When asked how the band felt about their music possibly being used for torture, Key agreed with the likes of Nine Inch Nails and Rage Against the Machine, “Not too good. We never supported those types of scenarios [...] because we make unsettling music, we can see it being used in a weird way. But it doesn’t sit right with us."

Image courtesy of '☺' on Flickr under fair use.

[infidelco]

Coming to a dealership near you: talking cars

Smarter, symbiotic vehicles received a major push from the US federal government today, as the Department of Transportation announced plans for a regulatory proposal that would require vehicle-to-vehicle communication devices in the near future.

The proposal—which comes after a year-long pilot programme by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration—is "only a first step towards the new communication system, but it's a revolutionary one [...] by helping drivers avoid crashes, this technology will play a key role in improving the way people get where they need to go", US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx told media.

Various automakers have embraced and dallianced with the "connected car" model in recent years, which would result in a network that would allow for more sophisticated anti-collision and convoy systems, and make way for both the prevention of crashes and the easement of traffic congestion.

Rather than relying on brake lights to see when the car ahead of you is stopping, a car-to-car system could extract miles-per-hour directly from another driver's on-board computer, allowing for a smooth and automatic deceleration. But, as we all know, to enable that sort of technology, the insular car industry need a new set of standards—which, if today's announcement is anything to go by, may very well be led by the federal government. *gulp*

Click here to read the Department of Transportation's full announcement.

[infidelco]

Forgotify: Where unpopular Spotify songs go to be heard

Lane Jordan heard an interesting fact a while back: 20% of the songs in Spotify's catalogue have never been streamed, and though Spotify boasts some rather impressive numbers—including a huge 24 million monthly user-base (minus Thom Yorke)—Jordan, an interactive art director from San Francisco, was left inspired to develop a way to get those neglected songs heard.

Forgotify—which officially launched yesterday—is built upon a database that wrests Spotify of songs with a nil popularity rating, and once it's been played, it disappears from the site. Forever. Playing it destroys it. (From Forgotify, of course. The song still lives on in the abyss that is Spotify.)

As Jordan says, the catalogue of zero-play songs is, unsurprisingly obscure—but not because Forgotify users are making a dent in the catalogue. Instead, the number is growing (“But barely”, he clarifies) as Spotify adds new music. The most recently added un-listened-to music isn’t even on Forgotify’s list yet. And as of right now, neither is 'I Love the World for You' by Gus Farah.

I've had Forgotify streaming in the background for a few hours now and have been serenaded by an eclectic mix of Spanish jazz-funk, operatic symphonies, a nomadic Gypsy melody played on nothing but a flute, and a Fleetwood Mac tribute band (which was a clear winner, obviously).

I've been serenaded by an eclectic mix of Spanish jazz-funk, operatic symphonies, a nomadic Gypsy melody played on nothing but a flute, and a Fleetwood Mac tribute band

Whilst the wide-ranging genres certainly keep things interesting, Forgotify hasn't been amongst the most enjoyable listening experiences I've had, but as Jordan said, "Some say that there's a reason those tracks have not been played—and I tend to agree—but if you stumble upon just one gem, I think it's worth it.".

Click here to get your Forgotify rebetiko groove on.

[infidelco]

Disney Channel introduces first same-sex couple, bigots flip out

Whilst Queen Latifah was marrying scores of couples at the Grammys on Sunday evening, the Disney Channel kept its very own milestone under the radar: the introduction and first appearance of a lesbian couple on its family sitcom 'Good Luck Charlie'.

In what GLAAD has called a "huge step forward", Disney explained the development of the episode, and how it was brought to fruition:

"This particular storyline was developed under the consultancy of child development experts and community advisors", a Disney Channel spokesperson said. "Like all Disney Channel programming, it was developed to be relevant to kids and families around the world, and to reflect themes of diversity and inclusiveness".

[...] it was developed to be relevant to kids and families around the world, and to reflect themes of diversity and inclusiveness

But, as someone said on this MILEY CYRUS APPROVES! article, “it’s strange in this day and age to see lesbian parents treated as 'a little exotic'"—and the fact they were introduced two episodes out from the season finale—it's still nice to see that Disney has finally recognised the diversity of its viewership. Plus, they're *bound* to be doing something right if they've got One Million Moms riled up.

[infidelco]

Facebook wants you to do its dirty work and siphon your friends personal info

Facebook's latest feature now puts your very own friends to work in cajoling you to part ways with personal information you may not have wanted to. Users who have not disclosed personal information on their Facebook profiles—such as phone numbers, personal emails and home addresses—will now be bombarded with notifications from friends who want and need to know more.

In 2010, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said, "People have really gotten comfortable not only sharing more information and different kinds, but more openly and with more people [...] We view it as our role in the system to constantly be innovating and be updating what our system is to reflect what the current social norms are".

Which, Paea Taufa—an avid Facebook user—eloquently protested against on Facebook's official page: "This chnge seems more like a attmpt to alter our behavior then to cater 2 it", followed by "ur parents will die within 5 years. to undo this curse post this on 5 other videos . Sorry i CARNT RISK IT".

  ur parents will die within 5 years. to undo this curse post this on 5 other videos . Sorry i CARNT RISK IT

  The new feature

If you're the peruse-er, Facebook will flat-out encourage you to ask for said withheld information, and people who follow through on the prompt will be greeted by a text box, where they'll supply "a reason" for wanting the extra information.

The roll-out coincides with Facebook's perpetual goal of getting users to make more of their personal information publicly available—don't forget, this is a company that told a live audience that "if Facebook were created again today, user information would, by default, be public".

    [...] if Facebook were created again today, user information would, by default, be public

  No problems are being fixed by the introduction of this feature; it doesn't make things easier for users. It makes things easier for Facebook—who are essentially getting you to siphon your friends personal information. Personal information that'll most likely be sold to advertisers, marketers and other data-miners. Or, you know, passed on to the NSA.

[infidelco]

ICYMI: Here's the first 'The Fault in Our Stars' trailer

Get out your hankies: it was Time's 2012 book of the year, and now John Green's most beloved work, The Fault in Our Stars, has become a full-fledged movie, with 20th Century Fox finally succumbing to the pressure of releasing an official trailer.

[infidelco]

A little (Angry) Bird did not tell the NSA what you're up to... willingly

Rovio, developer of Angry Birds, has vehemently "refuted" claims—suggested days ago by a New York Times report—that organisations like the National Security Agency (NSA) are able to obtain user metadata—including the age of the user, their gender, and location.

Spies could be lurking in the background to snatch data

— NEW YORK TIMES

Whilst the original NY Times report never explicitly stated that Angry Birds was compromised, it did say that it was among several other gaming apps that lends agencies the ability to obtain user information; many versions of Angry Birds—like the recently launched Angry Birds Go—are ad-supported, which could potentially give groups like the NSA the capacity to tap into user data.

We do not collaborate, collude, or share data with spy agencies anywhere in the world

— ROVIO

Following the use of the game's name, Rovio has issued an official statement in which it denies that it has worked with any such group "willingly", emphasising that it "[does] not collaborate, collude, or share data with spy agencies anywhere in the world", and that it will be re-evaluating its collaboration with advertising services to ensure its users privacy isn't compromised.

Click here to read Rovio's full statement.

[infidelco]

Thug Entrancer - 'Death After Life I'

Ryan McRyhew is a long-time, influential figure within the Denver DIY electronic music scene. Relocating to Chicago in 2011, McRyhew's new home allowed him seclusion and time in order to create in-depth and unconditional music as Thug Entrancer, and for this we can all be appreciative.

'Death After Life I' seems to invoke a mind-bending vision of a dystopic and otherworldly future, which is only aided by the accompanying video, created by Milton Melvin Croissant III. Milton uses incredible 3D rendering to portray "techno-torture chambers, heavenly mall arcades and triumphant head-bangers." Check it out below.

Thug Entrancer's debut album "Death After Life" will be available as double LP, CD and on digital format from February 11 via Software.

Thug Entrancer: http://t.co/j0Cu470yUz Software Records: http://www.softwarelabel.net

[infidelco]

Legendary folk activist Pete Seeger dies, aged 94

The singer-songwriter who was at the front of the American folk revival has passed away of natural causes, the New York Times reports.

Seeger was a prominent figure in the history of American folk music, helping to create strong links between the genre and political activism. His work in political folk foreshadowed the socially charged folk music that became popular in the 1950s and 1960s, although he was also to join civil rights and anti-war movements in these later decades. His attitude towards his work in these areas echoes through in his 2009 statement:

My job is to show folks there's a lot of good music in this world, and if used right it may help to save the planet

— Pete Seeger

The musician recorded more than one hundred albums, and was inducted into the Rock ’n Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. His best known songs include “Where Have All the Flowers Gone”, “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)” and “If I Had a Hammer (The Hammer Song”, the latter of which is the purest example of the heart of Seeger, highlighting his musicality, optimism and activism.

The strength of Pete Seeger's spirit will live on, instilling incredible hope and optimism in each and every one of us. There are few people in the world who could be as inspirational.

[infidelco]

Trip on psychedelic GIFs in the privacy and safety of your own home

Brazilian artist-cum-graphic designer Henrique Lima—perhaps better known as ‘Gringo’—has created ‘Mestre Fungo’, a bizarre-yet-psychedelic series of animated .gifs in which “inscrutable countenances” melt like waxworks and eyes fill with air-glow green tears. It’s kinda beautiful.

For the full collection, head over to the official Mestre Fungo website.

[infidelco]

HBO has released a new trailer for the upcoming Game of Thrones preview special, 'Ice and Fire: A Foreshadowing'

The mini featurette will debut Sunday, February 9th at 8:45pm ET, prior to an episode of True Detective, and include a recap of the previous three seasons along with behind-the-scenes footage, interviews and clips from upcoming episodes.

The fourth season of Game of Thrones premieres Sunday, April 6 at 9pm ET on HBO.

[infidelco]

Stephen Hawking's new theory offers black hole escape

Black holes are "deeply misunderstood", according to renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, who released 'Information Preservation and Weather Forecasting for Black Holes'—a short but potentially revolutionary paper—on January 22.

Classical theory holds the belief that "no energy or information can ever escape a black hole", but the principles of quantum physics suggest otherwise. Dr. Hawking proposes a solution to this "paradoxical contradiction": instead of consuming energy permanently, black holes release it back into the cosmos, in a mangled, unrecognisable form.

Traditionally, black holes are believed to contain an 'event horizon'—a sharp boundary beyond which even light cannot escape the gravitational pull of the black hole's infinitely dense core. But now Dr. Hawking proposes a shifting boundary: the 'apparent horizon', which fluctuates according to quantum effects, and whose variable state lets light escape from black holes.

There is no escape from a black hole in classical theory, but quantum theory enables energy and information to escape.

— STEPHEN HAWKING

“The absence of event horizons mean that there are no black holes - in the sense of regimes from which light can't escape to infinity. There are however apparent horizons which persist for a period of time", writes Dr. Hawking.

Joseph Polchinski, of the Kavli Institute, remained skeptical about Hawking’s conclusion, questioning if a black hole without an 'event horizon' was even possible. In a comment to Nature.com, Polchinski said: "The kind of violent fluctuations needed to erase it are too rare in the Universe [...] in Einstein’s gravity, the black-hole horizon is not so different from any other part of space [...] we never see space-time fluctuate in our own neighbourhood—it is just too rare on large scales".

[infidelco]

ConferenceCall.biz: A place of white-collar existential despair

If you happen to stagger across ConferenceCall.biz—a site hoping to arouse a very particular and relatable type of monotony and white-collar existential despair—you wouldn't be blamed for thinking "is this some promotional website for an upcoming David Lynch remake of 'Office Space'?"

The site—although pretty innocuous-sounding—was created by Washington, D.C.-based .gif artist, Zach Scott, in hopes that he could "convey that special kind of 'workplace agony' that is the conference call", by highlighting its surreal qualities (like that mysterious incessant drone coming from the receiver, the inevitable technical hitches, and those jokes that seem hilarious on one end of the phone but are *almost always* met with dead silence on the other).

You wouldn't be blamed for thinking "is this some promotional website for an upcoming David Lynch remake of 'Office Space'?"

All 75 lines of idiosyncratic dialogue—which have been overlain by old, grainy footage to create a website that simulates a never-ending conference call—are randomised so that you never listen to the exact meeting twice; this effect also adds to the feeling of disconnection between the participants, but somehow still feels entirely believable—particularly if you’re listening at work. As Scott told Slate.com: "It always makes me laugh when the first randomly selected audio clip that plays is ‘Did someone just join the call?’ because it makes the website visitor feel like they're being addressed directly".

Join the conference call of ergonomic keyboards and Venn diagrams at ConferenceCall.biz. It's a real hoot.