Thinking, making, and stuff

A blog on Critical Thinking (media studies, cultural studies, communications, critical theory), mostly relating to media, research, and technology. Perhaps applicable to creative practice, content creation, arts practice, and such like.

[stranger-phenomena]

Tori Amos covering Kendrick Lamar wasn't on my 2023 bingo card but here we are.

[thinking-and-making-and-stuff]

Listen!

[thinking-and-making-and-stuff]

Chloe Hayden (Quinni) and the Happily Ever After 👸🎆✨ | Compass | ABC Australia

Amazing young person.

[cyle]

What the heck happened in 2012?

On when the modern world was invented

The confusion over the messaging of Barbie is a synecdoche for the confusion over our own post-revolution world, which now looks corrupt and run-down, much like the depressive “malaise” of the 1970s.

fun read!!

[fiiidget-deactivated20250410]

The Golden Rule is not a way to get your needs met.

Saying this for myself as an autistic literalist, and for anyone else who needs to hear it: The Golden Rule - "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is just a fancy way to say "be nice to people" it is NOT, in fact, instructions on how to ask for help. I took it very literally for my entire childhood and into adulthood to mean "the way to let get your needs met is to demonstatively provide those around you with the care that you yourself need." And I was like, "sweet, a nonverbal way for me to express my needs!" WHICH IS NOT THE NEUROTYPICAL READING OF THIS.

I don't regret treating people with the grace and compassion I wish folks would extend to me-- but this realization certainly clears up a lot of weird reactions to behaviors I thought of as "helping others" in the past. Turns out that

A) it is better to treat people how they want to be treated vs how you want to be treated

B) You have to tell people (with words 🙄) what you need

[sosuperawesome]

How To Be A Bug Zine // Rachel Bard on Etsy

[belacqui-pro-quo]

Thus from both sides the image is felt to be weak in respect of meaning: there are those who think that the image is an extremely rudimentary system in comparison with language and those who think that signification cannot exhaust the image’s ineffable richness. Now even — and above all if — the image is in a certain manner the limit of meaning, it permits the consideration of a veritable ontology of the process of signification. How does meaning get into the image? Where does it end? And if it ends, what is there beyond? Such are the questions that I wish to raise by submitting the image to a spectral analysis of the messages it may contain.

[frederatortimes]

More Frederator in London, so grab a cup of tea and read on.

Frederator’s Founder/CEO and serial entrepreneur, Fred Seibert took part in Film London’s event, Animating For the Internet Age, held at the YouTube London Space on June 25, 2015.

This industry exclusive summit featured Seibert and a panel of other noted entrepreneurial filmmakers Mike Bell (Simon’s Cat), Jesse Cleverly (Wildseed Studios) and Jonti Picking (Mr. Weebl). Each of these panelists is known for using their respective skills and vision to make their properties successful on the internet, resulting in huge numbers of views and subscribers.

Film London’s mission is to underscore, support and strengthen London’s vital and growing animation industry by helping to boost production, facilitate co-production opportunities and create jobs.

The Animating For the Internet Age panelists discussed the changing world of producing animated content. Topics touched on included that It isn’t just about pitching a concept and getting someone to order a program anymore, and that the internet allows artists to put their ideas out there – take risks, fail and learn.

Speaking about animation and the internet, Seibert explains, “Today the internet has enabled a new global golden age of animation; talented animated filmmakers can become stars in whatever location they choose to work, with audiences of more than 1 billion people. London has always hosted one of the world’s great animation communities, and now they have a chance to gain viewers everywhere.“ 

Additionally, Fred said, “The internet helps me find & support new & independent talent. There’s not AN audience but 1000s of audiences out there.”

Adrian Wootton, Chief Executive of Film London and the British Film Commission, said: “Animating for the web is an area of rapid growth. It represents a world of opportunity for London animators willing to explore the new channels at their disposal, especially since these projects can claim our generous Animation Tax Relief. The capital is a real hotbed of talent and expertise, but like every industry we need to adapt to exploit new business models. This means that being able to host a legendary animation guru like Fred Seibert was not just a pleasure and a privilege, but also presented our audience of London animators with an invaluable opportunity to hear from someone at the industry’s forefront, along with insights from some of the UK’s most innovative online success stories.”

Until next time London!

Thanks –

Gwen

[wtbw]

(via jakub geltner nests security cameras + satellite dishes in nature and architecture)

[mymodernmet]

Ellen Jewett’s Gorgeously Surreal Sculptures Fuse Animals with Nature

[thinking-and-making-and-stuff]

Wow.

[bongbabu420]

#ui  | http://navchatterji.com/diary/828 

[fred-wilson]

fuck yes

[thinking-and-making-and-stuff]

True?

[ibmconsulting]

BBC to give out one million ‘Micro Bit’ computers to get kids coding Nick Summers, engadget.com

It’s the first year of a major new coding curriculum in the UK, and now the BBC wants to play its part in training the next generation of star programmers. The broadcaster is developing a spiritual successor to the BBC Micro, called the Micro Bit,…

[thinking-and-making-and-stuff]

What do you think of the push to get kids coding?

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Chris Mooney of the Inquiring Minds podcast interviewed Jordan Ellenberg about his book How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking, and in a fascinating accompanying post, Mooney investigates whether mathematics are “liberal.” His argument is that liberal thought is…

[thinking-and-making-and-stuff]

An argument that mathematics is "liberal" or politically/ideologically leftwing. Do you think certain studies, interests, professions, hobbies have particular ideological leanings?

[gifsboom]

Live action GTAV bug.

[thinking-and-making-and-stuff]

Here's a live action recreation of a bug from GTA V. Which cultural movement does this fit into?

[emergentfutures]

Microsoft universal app platform could be a game changer

Microsoft unveiled more details about the universal app platform and the ways it will transform application development and the broader Windows ecosystem.

Full Story: TechRepublic

[thinking-and-making-and-stuff]

Do you think this will be good for Windows and Microsoft? What do you think is motivating this development?

[emergentfutures]

Why video game engines may power the future of film and architecture

The original developer of Gears of War has an ambitious plan for the future of everything

Full Story: The Verge

[thinking-and-making-and-stuff]

Do you think game engines such as Unreal or Unity could be used for films in the future? What changes do you think are ahead for film, games and other visual media?

[emergentfutures]

SanDisk crammed 200GB into a fingernail-sized microSD card

The 200GB microSD card is the new holder for world’s highest capacity microSD card with 56 percent more storage than the 128GB one. The card can transfer up to 1,200 photos in a minute at up to 90 megabytes per second and hold up to 20 hours of full HD (1080p) resolution video.

Full Story: Mashable

[thinking-and-making-and-stuff]

200GB micro sd card. What questions are raised as data storage becomes cheaper and smaller? What will happen to all the data stored? How many times have you lost data?

[ted]

How do we look at portraits? Just like this gif.

In his series “Morfologies of Gazes,” artist Mariano Sardón explores the paths our eyes take when we look at faces by using eye-tracking data taken from over 100 people as they looked at portraits for eight seconds. (The dots represent eye movement and pupil dilation.)

Watch his TEDx Talk on the project to learn more»

[itsokaytobesmart]

In case you’ve ever wondered how we spot things.

[sciencefriday]

Neat!

[npr]

Eyes looking for eyes. -Emily

[thinking-and-making-and-stuff]

Interesting information about gaze and eye tracking. Do you think gaze/eye tracking could be used to interact with media? Can valid information be gained about media by knowing how people visually interact with it?