This week: The Founding Fathers and Trump / The rise of the ‘virtual girlfriend’ / The first known drag queen / Explaining paint color names / The designer who dresses ‘Mrs. Maisel’
Most of these great items come from my social media networks. Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, LinkedIn, and Facebook for more fascinating videos, photos, articles, essays, and criticism. Learn more about my academic background here.
1. Even the Founding Fathers Couldn’t Envision a President Like Trump
By Liesel Schillinger | LitHub | February 2020
“The ideals of the 1780s and the 1830s are still current, still vital, in 2020, even if they’re couched in antiquated language that we must strain to enfold in our contemporary idiom.”
2. Someone Used Neural Networks To Upscale An 1895 Film To 4K 60 FPS
Digg | February 2020
“YouTuber Denis Shiryaev wanted to update the look of the clip, so — with the help of several neural networks — he upscaled the clip to 4K resolution and 60 FPS.”
3. No One Can Explain Why Planes Stay in the Air
By Ed Regis | Scientific American | February 2020
“Do recent explanations solve the mysteries of aerodynamic lift?”
4. Cam girl reality: an enticing illusion leaves many models poor and defeated
By Sofia Barrett-Ibarria | The Guardian | January 2020
“The rise of the ‘virtual girlfriend’ is changing the porn industry — but the many downsides for performers may threaten its staying power.”
5. Inside the Massive, Elaborate Care Packages Filipinos Send Home
By Joy Shan | The California Sunday Magazine | Janaury 2020
“An extensive shipping network allows millions to stay connected to the friends, relatives, and children they rarely see.”
6. The First Drag Queen Was a Former Slave
By Channing Gerard Joseph | The Nation | January 2020
“Who fought for queer freedom a century before Stonewall.”
7. The Rise of the Permian
By Christian Wallace | Boomtown :: Texas Monthly | December 2019
“The Santa Rita oil well, named after the patron saint of impossible dreams, launched the first Permian Basin boom and has been fueling the dreams of West Texas wildcatters ever since.”
8. Calamine pink, or Dead Salmon? What’s behind paint names
By Kim Cook | Associated Press | January 2020
“If you’re shopping for pink, say, you’ll find dozens of shades referencing roses, bubblegum and shells. There are some extra-evocative names like Calamine and Dead Salmon. And what about a pink called Harajuku Morning? Modern Love?”
9. Meet The Designer Who Makes ‘Mrs. Maisel’ Look So Marvelous
By Jeff Lunden | NPR | January 2020
“Mrs. Maisel’s world is a romanticized fantasy of color, and color comes naturally to Zakowska, who initially trained as a painter and a dancer.”
10. Isabel dos Santos: president’s daughter who became Africa’s richest woman
By Jason Burke and Juliette Garside | The Guardian | January 2020
“From her first investment in a beach bar, Dos Santos has built a $2bn empire. But her wealth is the subject of mounting scrutiny”
So many good suggestions. Where to find all the time? Thanks….