Dear 16 year old me. A PSA about malignant melanoma. Having had a sarcoma removed earlier this year, yes, this (it wasn't big enough or old enough or the kind that the dermatologist thought it was necessary to do any other checking and just froze it off). Check your skin (I'm almost OCD about checking my ears now). If you're in an intimate relationship, check your partner's skin (also, check for breast and testicular cancers). If you do it right, it can be a good thing. Fuck cancer. (Grokked from Jay Lake) Interesting synchronicity with today's graphic design post highlighting a poster to increase prostate cancer screenings.
Related to a recent story bone, Joshua Palmatier (aka Benjamin Tate) talks about magic systems.
The 50 things every creative should know. Yes. Dealing with #5 right now. For young creatives, #14, Never Take an Unpaid Internship, I can't emphasize enough. And, for me in my career, #24 "A good intern will find their reputation precedes them. Jobs are nearly always offered on this word-of-mouth evidence," has been a solid piece of advice. Your reputation is your brand. Nurture it. Also, after 20_ years, #39, "Clients fear arbitrary decisions — they want problem solving. Have a reason for everything, even if this is 'post-rationalised'," is so very true. I don't often explain a project, but I will explain how I arrived at the solution and how it will work for the client (even if I have to BS one or the other of these). (Grokked from Catherine Schaff-Stump)
The Science Fiction Oral History Association. Doesn't look like they've updated in a while, but there's some good older stuff there. (Grokked from Jeff Beeler)
Jim Hines has a follow-up to his poses post where he answers the common questions and has links to others of a similar vein.
Tobias Buckell shares the surprising truth about motivation and creativity. I've seen those studies before, and there is a lot of truth to them. In the audio the speaker gives two very important clues (that, IIRC, weren't included in part of the animation). First of which is that money not being a motivator for high cognitive tasks only works when the subject is already making enough to support themselves (ie. the task and reward involve don't mean the difference between starving or shivering in the cold). And all the creative fulfilling work exampled at the end comes after the job that pays the bills. Well, maybe that's just one point. Or, as explained on the Drew Carey Show, "We'll pay you $645.30 to (do this act that compromises some ethics)," says Mrs. Lauder. "Why that amount?" asks Mimi. "Because we spent millions of dollars to figure out what poor people like you consider a lot of money," replies Mrs. Lauder.
Also, I'll state here that for some time I tried to work to get that right level of exhaustion so I could enter a fugue state that is supposedly the "most creative state" (ie. the waking mind, or right before you go to sleep). You're more creative when you have had plenty of sleep. What I think both of these things show are once the Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs base levels are taken care of, you can get to the higher functions.
An inside look at the legacy and stigma of Guantanamo. Because you can trust the government. Just as the closest Indian or whale. As part of the political process I find it hilarious that those who advocate most vociferously for GITMO and it's processes are the same people who also spout off at the drop of a hat how government can't do or get anything right. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
Lisa Bufano, the Spiderwoman. A multiple amputee who takes advantage of her situation to make unique art and performance. (Pointed to by John)
Jay Rosen give a longer and more thought out essay on the subject of yesterday's open letter. (Grokked from Ferrit Steinmetz)
I can personally attest to this, we in the US are eating less meat. For me, it's just a desire level. I really don't yearn for a big steak (although I do like a well prepared steak, but those are expensive). Plus, for me, there's the prevalence of making the meat fattier (like fatty chicken, sure chicken always had fat, especially right below the skin, but lately I've seen big chunks). I tend either towards leaner cuts (and here I'll note that "marbled" beef is an entirely marketed concept, before the advent of feed lots and cheap corn, getting "fatty" meat was an anathema, but then the meat industry sold us on marbled meats because they were cheaper) or processed meats (grounds, sausage, formed patties). If I do have a steak, I cut out all the major fat and marbling. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
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