#crowdsource indexing

[zomb13s]

The White Stones of Reaction: Go, Democracy, and the Networked Counter-Offensive in the Work of Alfons Scholing

AbstractThis paper analyzes Alfons Scholing’s self-described position as the “white stones” in the game of Go—a reactive yet principled stance against an initiating “black stone” of ideological aggression. Framed through Scholing’s digital corpus (2013-2025), we examine how his trans-cultural philosophy , technical systems , and autobiographical narratives model a democratic resistance to fascist…

[haladrielscriptorium]

who are the moderator(s) of this account?

Hi friend,

Thanks for asking :) currently I ( @elwingss ) am the only Scriptorium mod, though hopefully that will change! A little about me: although I became a LOTR fan as a kid when the movies came out, I'm quite new to the Haladriel fandom! I started reading Haladriel fic during season 1 but didn't actually start actively participating in the fandom until season 2 when the brainrot fully took over (and I'm shy so joining a new fandom can be scary lol).

I've been slowly working on indexing the AO3 fics in my free time and should be done by the end of this week. Once that's finished, the pan is to slowly start tracking down copies of fics that have been deleted. Let me know if you're aware of any or can provide backups for stuff that's no longer there.

Also, please feel free to send fic recs (self recs too!) so we can boost them, and if anyone has any interest in joining the team to help with stuff like creating taglists and answering asks, please shoot me a message!

My hope is that this can be a community resource where we can crowdsource and share fics and fic info.

PS: We'll be tracking #haladrielscriptorium and the regular haladriel tag, but feel free to directly tag us in anything you want signal boosted too!

[weaversweek]

"The fear" and "Grace Kelly"

Twice more unto the breach, with a pair of singles both popular and quality. It's the #FearOfMu21c project, where we’re crowdsourcing the greatest singles of the 21st century. This index post has all the entries.

"The fear" - Lily Allen

Daughter of Keith, sister of Alfie, Lily Allen might have been the most talented of them all. In a short hitmaking career (nine hits from 2006 to 2010, and a six-week revival in 2013), Lily showed she understood the young person's condition. The precarious life, take little pleasures when we can. Not so much a life of hedonism, but a life betrayed by the generations above.

"The fear" is a state-of-society capsule from 2009, written by Greg Kurstin and Lily Allen. "Life's about film stars and less about mothers. It's all about fast cars and cussing each other."

If the generation above had any sort of introspection, they'd ask themselves, "why do our children feel like this? Could we have done better?" But no, for the boomers and 50s kids, it's all "me me me me me", and they're still at it.

Grace Kelly - Mika

An ode to his insecurity, Mika puts on all sorts of different faces in an effort to impress someone. By the end of the song, he's learned that someone else has insecurities, and to have a little confidence in himself.

Written by Dan Warner, John Merchant, Jodi Marr, and Mika, this was the breakthrough single from early 2007, a slight return for vaudeville into the top five. The parent album, "Life in Cartoon Motion", was eye-poppingly bright, but the anglophone markets didn't like it when he went serious a few years later.

Mika has remained popular in France and Italy, where pop stars are allowed to have quality. He's done casting shows for major broadcasters, and a song competition in Turin.

[smute]

just wanted to add that wikipedia is NOT necessarily unreliable. the fact that it is crowdsourced and always changing (i.e. being updated constantly) actually makes it an incredibly valuable source of information. the reason why you can't quote it is that it's a tertiary source, and tertiary sources do not contain original ideas. their purpose is to list, organize, and refer to secondary and primary materials. anything you want to quote from a wikipedia article can be found in a secondary or primary source linked at the bottom of the page)

ive said it before and ill say it again, classifying materials as primary, secondary, or tertiary sources can be difficult, but it's an essential research skill:

primary sources are wholly original works, or records of events or scientific evidence. they express original ideas, record observations, or describe new information. e.g., theses and dissertations, original works of art, letters, diaries, narratives, poems, interviews, scholarly articles, research reports, raw data, etc. primary sources are closest to the point of origin of any given piece of information, and they show the highest degree of originality. (you can quote these)

secondary sources interpret, analyze, describe, or explain. they add value to primary sources through original ideas, but they rely on primary materials. secondary sources include edited/annotated works, textbooks, literary criticism, histories, scholarly reviews, etc. secondary sources are one step removed from the point of origin, but they still show a considerable degree of originality. (you can quote these as well)

tertiary sources compile, list, organize, summarize, index, abstract, or restate secondary and primary sources. tertiary sources include encyclopedias, bibliographies, manuals, guide books/handbooks, certain textbooks, etc. tertiary sources are two or more steps removed from the point of origin and show little to no originality. (you can't quote these because any piece of information mentioned here can be found in secondary or primary materials)

If I may, I must make the gentle request that people consult Wikipedia for basic information about anything.

I’m not entirely sure what’s going on, but more and more people coming to me saying they can’t find info about [noun], when googling it yields its Wikipedia entry on the first page.

I’ve said it before, but I’ll gladly say it again: You can trust Wikipedia for general information. The reason why it’s unreliable for academic citations is because it’s a living, changing document. It’s also written by anonymous authors, and author reputation is critical for research paper integrity.

But for learning the basics of what something is? Wikipedia is your friend. I love Wikipedia. I use it all the time for literally anything and everything, and it’s a huge reason why I know so much about things and stuff.

Please try going there first, and then come to me with questions it doesn’t answer for you.

[unicausnews]

e East tensions improve, an intriguing crowdsourced principle referred to as the “Pentagon Pizza Index” has gained recognition on the web. Some even speculated that the US might be discreetly going into disaster mode behind closed doorways when customers on X (beforehand Twitter) reported an sudden improve of pizza supply close to the Pentagon and Department of Defense in Washington, D.C., on June 12 and 13. Pentagon Pizza Report, a widely known X account with the deal with @PenPizzaReport, claims to supply “open-source monitoring of pizza spot exercise across the Pentagon (and different locations).” Despite being round for many years, the idea has simply now discovered its approach into social media. Pentagon Pizza Report, a widely known X account with the deal with @PenPizzaReport, claims to supply “open-source monitoring of pizza spot exercise across the Pentagon (and different locations).” On June 12, Pentagon Pizza Report acknowledged in an replace on X, “almost all pizza institutions close by the Pentagon have skilled a HUGE surge in exercise” at roughly 7 p.m. native time. Using a search engine's “Popular Times” operate, the publish displayed what appeared to be display photographs of 4 distinct pizza locations that had been busier than regular: We, The Pizza, Domino's Pizza, District Pizza Palace, and Extreme Pizza. The newest resurgence of the speculation between pizza exercise and the Pentagon occurred the night time when Israel's army launched a collection of assaults to destroy Iranian nuclear amenities and missile infrastructure. Pentagon reacts to Pentagon Pizza ReportA Pentagon spokesman informed Newsweek that the tweets from the Pentagon Pizza Report “didn't align with the occasions.” The spokesperson informed Newsweek that there “are many pizza choices accessible contained in the Pentagon, additionally sushi, sandwiches, donuts, espresso, and so forth,” indicating that the Pentagon doesn't seem like brief on pizza choices inside its headquarters. Also Read: Israel points chilling ‘12 hours’ warning to prime Iranian General amid struggle; ‘Otherwise, you’re on…’ Pizza tracker reviews excessive exercise at Papa John's close to PentagonPizza tracker detected “HIGH exercise” at Papa John's close to the Pentagon earlier than US President Donald Trump confirmed that American airplanes had hit three nuclear websites in Iran. Just half-hour after the pizza visitors alarm, Trump declared on his Truth Social account that the US army had efficiently attacked three essential websites linked to Iran's nuclear enrichment program—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. “A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the first web site, Fordow. Thank you in your consideration to this matter,” Trump wrote. Pentagon Pizza Index later reiterated Trump's assertion, “Thank you in your consideration to this matter.” The similar account additionally talked about “abnormally low exercise ranges” at Freddie's Beach Bar, a preferred spot near the Pentagon. The account described the calm night time as a “basic indicator for potential time beyond regulation on the Pentagon,” implying that both one thing vital was occurring or folks had been working late. Approximately half-hour previous to Trump's nationwide handle, at roughly 9:36 p.m. Eastern Time, the account additionally reported a “HUGE visitors surge” on the Domino's close to MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. On April 23, Pentagon Pizza Tracker wrote: “The Papa Johns closest to the Pentagon is reporting excessive visitors, properly above the common for a Monday at about 12:10pm ET.” In retaliation for the American assault of its nuclear installations, Iran started missile assaults on US army airbases in Qatar and Iraq on Monday. Meanwhile, Iran claimed to have focused US troopers primarily based at Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base on state tv. 'A mighty respo

[apricotjamendorsements]

we need a crowdsourced trustworthiness index for public busses

[fromdevcom]

For a lot of businesses nowadays, it’s imperative to have accurate weather data. In industries such as tourism and aviation, knowing the weather conditions for the next few days (or weeks) for a particular destination affects how their operations are planned and executed.This provides opportunities for software developers to create applications that utilize weather data to help individuals and businesses. And Weather APIs have become an important backbone for these applications.Most developers know about OpenWeatherMap. It’s a very easy to use and very data-rich weather API. This API’s development was inspired by crowdsourcing projects such as Wikipedia. Using OpenWeatherMap is good for most use-cases. But for more detailed and complex data there are alternatives that can do the job better. Listed below are some of the best options aside from using OpenWeatherMap.ClimaCell Weather APIClimaCell is excellent for real-time, short-term, and hourly forecasts. Its Microweather API provides industries with not only weather data but other information such as air quality as well. This Microweather API can pinpoint real-time data for fine locational grids (hyper-local).Climacell has an artificial-intelligence-driven model that captures data from several and diverse sources including drones, sensors, internet of things (IoT) devices, and associated vehicles. It provides a total of 5 data layers, that includes weather, air quality, pollen, road risk, and fire index, of 60+ different data fields. You can use as many, or as few, as you'd like. On top of this Climacell Microweather API offers map-layers with minute-by-minute weather data along with historical data.The API has a free tier along with enterprise plans. For most developers, the free plan already is stacked with a value that includes access to real-time and hourly forecasting, nowcasting (minute-by-minute forecasting), historical stations, air quality parameters, fire index, road risk, insights, map tiles, and more. The free plan usage is limited to 1,000 calls/day.AccuweatherAccuweather is known for its “weather journalism”. The company behind it provides up to date information on climate and weather through news and articles. Not to be overshadowed, the API itself is equally impeccable.Accuweather’s API is mostly used for smart-homes, connected-vehicles, mobile apps, and smart-TV’s. It processes over 30 billion API requests daily. This makes it one of the most popular, if not the most popular, on this list.One cool feature of the Accuweather API is the “Indices API” that provides flight delays, mosquito activity, stargazing, and dozens of other daily index values for a specific location. Another is the very interactive documentation that lets users try out each API call.As for pricing, Accuweather’s free tier is very much limited as it only allows a maximum of 50 calls per day. The paid plans start at $25 per month. The paid plans are very cost-effective as the product provides a lot of value.WeatherbitWeatherbit API sources its data from thousands of current weather observations, live weather stations, and 10-year historical weather data. Another feature is the highly localized forecast for any location on earth through a sophisticated data model.There are many ways to do data lookup. The most common is to use latitude and longitude or city name/city ID. But there are also other methods such as using the IP address of the weather station and even an airport’s ICAO code.Weatherbit provides hyperlocal forecasts at resolutions of less than 1 kilometer using machine learning models and algorithms. It also provides air quality, soil temperature and soil moisture data.Its combination of machine learning and artificial intelligence models allows it to have fast responses. For enterprise users this means they’ll get an average response time of 200 milliseconds. It also boasts a 95% uptime for its servers.Weatherbit offers a free tier that allows users up to 500 calls per day and isn’t allowed for commercial use.

The paid tiers start at $35/month.Weather2020If you’re looking for long-term forecasts (those upward of 6 months) then you will love Weather 2020 API. It calls itself the “predictive weather modeling platform” as it provides forecasts up to nine months in advance.Weather2020 uses statistical models developed by famed meteorologist Gary Lezak. The model makes use of atmospheric observations from October to December each year to generate predictions for the following year in the months of January to September.This API is used by the popular mobile weather app 1Weather and prides itself on serving more than 10 million forecasts per day. Its free version allows for 1,000 calls per day and for additional calls there is a payment of $0.002 for each call. The premium tier starts at $9.99/month.In ConclusionEach alternative to OpenWeatherMap discussed here has its own pros and cons. So we cannot make any objective conclusions on which is the best. What is best for one developer, building a particular project, will be very different from another’s use-case. The best way to identify what fits your needs the most is to qualify each API based on your technical requirements vs budget constraints.

[winklix]

Breathe Easy, Listen Closely: Mobile Apps Empowering Real-Time Environmental Monitoring

In our increasingly interconnected world, the health of our planet is becoming a paramount concern. From the smoky haze of urban air to the relentless din of city life, the environment around us directly impacts our well-being. Thankfully, the ubiquitous smartphone, armed with powerful sensors and advanced software, is transforming into a potent tool for real-time environmental monitoring.

The Power in Your Pocket: Sensor-Driven Data Collection

Modern smartphones and wearables are packed with an array of sensors capable of capturing a wealth of environmental data. Think beyond simple GPS and accelerometers. We're talking about:

Air Quality Sensors (External): While dedicated air quality sensors are often external peripherals, mobile apps can integrate their data via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. These sensors measure particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and other pollutants, providing localized air quality readings.

Microphones: Smartphones can act as sensitive noise pollution monitors, capturing sound levels and even analyzing frequency patterns to identify specific noise sources.

Ambient Light Sensors: These sensors can be used to assess light pollution levels, contributing to studies on urban lighting and its impact on ecosystems.

GPS and Location Services: Mapping pollution hotspots and tracking environmental changes over time becomes seamless with integrated location data.

Wearable Integration: Smartwatches and fitness trackers can contribute data on personal exposure to environmental factors during daily activities, offering a more granular view of individual impact.

Turning Data into Actionable Insights

The raw data collected by these sensors is only valuable when transformed into meaningful insights. Mobile apps are bridging this gap, offering features like:

Real-time Visualizations: Interactive maps and charts displaying air quality, noise levels, and other environmental parameters in an easily digestible format.

Personalized Alerts: Notifications based on user-defined thresholds, warning of high pollution levels or noise exposure.

Data Analysis and Trends: Tracking environmental changes over time, identifying patterns, and generating reports for informed decision-making.

Integration with Public Data: Combining sensor data with official environmental monitoring data to provide a comprehensive picture of the local environment.

Citizen Science: Empowering Communities

The true potential of mobile environmental monitoring lies in its ability to foster citizen science and community-driven awareness. Apps are creating platforms where individuals can:

Contribute Data: Share their sensor readings and observations, creating a crowdsourced network of environmental data.

Report Environmental Issues: Document pollution incidents, noise complaints, and other concerns, directly connecting with local authorities.

Participate in Research Projects: Contribute data to scientific studies and contribute to a deeper understanding of environmental challenges.

Raise Awareness: Share environmental information and advocate for positive change within their communities.

Examples and Applications

Apps that display real time air quality index, and provide recommendations on when to stay indoors.

Noise monitoring apps that map noise pollution hotspots and assist in urban planning.

Radiation detector apps that use connected sensors to provide information on radiation levels.

Platforms that allow users to report environmental issues, like illegal dumping or water pollution, to local authorities.

The Future of Environmental Monitoring

As sensor technology continues to advance and mobile apps become more sophisticated, we can expect even greater innovation in environmental monitoring. The integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning will enable more accurate predictions and personalized recommendations. Furthermore, the expansion of low-cost sensor networks and the development of open-source platforms will democratize access to environmental data, empowering communities to take control of their environmental health.

In conclusion, mobile apps are transforming the way we perceive and interact with our environment. By harnessing the power of smartphones and wearables, we can create a more informed, engaged, and sustainable future.

[jocelynch]

Can crowdsourced information during times of crisis (e.g. pandemic, natural disasters) mobilise the public into action (e.g. get to safety, assist those in need, communicate important information, etc.)?

Crowdsourcing refers to a variety of activities involving the collection of input or resources from a large number of individuals, but it is difficult to define because it can take many different forms. Various scholars have attempted to define it, but there is no single accepted definition. Some regard it as a problem-solving tool, while others see it as a means of promoting company innovation. As a result, some people may consider Wikipedia or YouTube to be examples of crowdsourcing while others may not. The phrase "crowdsourcing" is derived from two words: "crowd," representing the people involved, and "sourcing," which refers to the act of obtaining resources. While this provides a fundamental overview, it does not cover all aspects of crowdsourcing. To better understand what constitutes crowdsourcing, this blog examines various definitions and provides crucial criteria that can be utilized to identify crowdsourcing activities more precisely (Estelles-Arolas & Gonzalez-Ladron-de-Guevara 2012).

Image of Crowdsourcing

Since Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential election, platforms such as Facebook, X (Twitter) and YouTube have transformed political campaigns, allowing for more efficient information sharing, personal connections and targeted messages. However, the digital revolution brings new issues such as privacy violations, false accounts, foreign interventions, and the spread of misinformation, all of which interfere with voter trust and election integrity. Incidents like the Cambridge Analytica incident pushed nations to adapt rules to reduce these risks. Elections officials in East and Southeast Asia, where social media is widely used, have launched initiatives to address these challenges. However, the region has seen instances of online misinformation leading to violence, emphasizing the need of powerful measures to manage digital threats before elections (Tan 2020).  

Gif by Angelyn T.

Regulating social media during elections is difficult, especially given the growing incidence of misinformation coming from sources beyond a country's authority (Tan 2020). This issue is especially important during elections, when bogus news can confuse voters and put at risk fairness. While social media allows people to access and exchange election-related information, it may also be used by political players to manipulate public opinion through fake accounts, automated bots, and targeted adverts (Tan 2020). Similarly, during crises such as disasters or pandemics, rapid response and effective communication are critical. Crowdsourcing can play an important role in such situations, assisting people to stay informed, report misinformation, and take appropriate action. During elections, crowdsourced systems such as Kenya's Ushahidi efficiently monitored and reduced election-related violence. However, controlling internet content remains challenging due to disparities in national norms and the complexities of foreign influence (Tan 2020). Despite these challenges, crowdsourcing is a viable strategy of combatting misinformation and ensuring vote integrity, as well as raising public knowledge and engagement.

Other than that, an Electoral Management Body (EMB) oversees elections and its efficiency is determined by factors such as the legal framework, political climate and EMB independence. To address digital electoral difficulties, EMBs must have a strong political framework, access to cybersecurity resources and the ability to enforce standards governing online political expression, campaign funding and disinformation. This shows an index to assess EMBs’ preparedness to deal with digital disruptions, based on criteria: the EMB model (Independent Government or Mixed), the presence of regulations governing online campaign, data protection and misinformation, the rule of law and technological readiness. The index assesses how well countries are prepared to deal with digital difficulties during elections using both qualitative and quantitative data, such as the World Bank’s Rule of Law Indicator and the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Technological Readiness Ranking. EMBs are graded based on these criteria, with higher ratings indicating a greater ability to control digital threats and maintain electoral integrity.   

The Facebook/Cambridge Analytica incident in 2018 demonstrated how personal information may be abused in political campaigns. Data was acquired without the users’ content and used to target voters with individualized political advertisements, potentially affecting their beliefs and threatening integrity. In response, the European Union reinforced its data protection rules, most notably with the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), to promote openness and defend the democratic process. The argument also prompted questions about misinformation, micro-targeting and the ability of data analytics to influence public opinion. As technology advances, it is critical to establish ethical rules and openness in how personal data is used in order to preserve privacy and promote fair and democratic elections (Monteleone 2019).

In conclusion, crowdsourcing is an effective method for mobilizing the people during crises, allowing for real-time communication, resource allocation, and grassroots action. While it raises issues such as misinformation and verification, they can be addressed through focused tactics such as increased digital literacy, technological innovation, and collaborative frameworks. By taking advantage of crowdsourcing's capabilities while reducing its risks, societies might strengthen their resilience and responsiveness during times of crisis, eventually saving lives and building better communities.

Gif by buildingback

(788 words)

Reference list

Estelles-Arolas, E & Gonzalez-Ladron-de-Guevara, F 2012, ‘Towards an integrated crowdsourcing definition’, Journal of Information Science, vol. 38, no. 2, pp. 189–200, viewed 26 November 2024, <http://www.crowdsourcing-blog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Towards-an-integrated-crowdsourcing-definition-Estell%C3%A9s-Gonz%C3%A1lez.pdf>.

Monteleone, S 2019, AT A GLANCE, viewed 26 November 2024, <https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2019/637952/EPRS_ATA(2019)637952_EN.pdf>.

Tan, N 2020, ‘Electoral Management of Digital Campaigns and Disinformation in East and Southeast Asia’, Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy, viewed 26 November 2024, <https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/epub/10.1089/elj.2019.0599>.

[pokemoncenter]

On Pokedexes

While the electronic model popularized by Professor Samuel Oak is what comes to mind, in truth, the idea of the Pokedex is much, much older. In fact, the oldest surviving "Pokedex" is one of the eleven volumes of Naturalis Historia, written by Pliny the Elder in 77 AD (estimated). Though his methods were... bizarre, and his research extremely incorrect, the value of his work can not be overstated.

Through varying eras and locations, building off of Pliny the Elder's work, the idea of a Pokemon encyclopedia was an appealing one throughout history. Many, many people tried to make a definitive encyclopedia, but Pokemon simply change too quickly, and can escape too easily, for proper study. The most complete known Pokedex from history was Professor Laventon's Encyclopedic Monster Index of Hisui (estimated circa 1850).

The modern Pokedex, however, came about in 1996 from Professor an idea of the aforementioned Professor Oak. Abandoning the traditional methods of individuals using careful information, Professor Oak's idea was groundbreaking- A series of sophisticated measurement tools in a small, handheld package, connected to a Trainer's Pokeball system, allowing a Trainer to input data with incredible ease. Though this system was not immune to misinformation or mistaken measurements, overall, it became much easier to gain data. Professor Oak then entrusted this original model Pokedex with a Trainer from his hometown named Red, who then became famous for his dismantling of Team Rocket.

(It is known that Professor Oak made two of these original prototype Pokedexes, the fate of the second is unknown- Perhaps he kept it, or gave it to a family member, or simply scrapped it.)

However, this original Pokedex model, known as the model HANDY505, was merely a prototype, and as a result riddled with problems. It only had the space for around 150 species of Pokemon in its memory, which was barely sufficient for only the Kanto region- and for that matter, it had no recording ability for locations or habitats outside of Kanto.

However, Red's collection of Pokemon and filling out of the prototype was more than sufficient proof of concept for Professor Oak to receive more League funding, and he set about improving the Pokedex to a vast degree- The National Pokedex (often argued to be called the International Pokedex) was completed, and the sensor and measurement tools of the Pokedex were refined, even being able to extrapolate probable habitats from captured members of a species.

With the completion of the model HANDY910 used in Sinnoh, however, Professor Oak seemed to have finally been content with the advancement of the Pokedex, and in 2007, he did the one thing that would change the study of Pokemon forever:

He made the Pokedex open-source.

Now many researchers and scientists worldwide can create their own Pokedex. And each version of the Pokedex connects and works with each other, allowing for linking and gathering data on Pokemon in ever greater quantities than before. Whereas in Laventon's research, he had to catch vast quantities of Pokemon himself and study each of them individually, the Open-Source Pokedex Project allowed for scientists and professors worldwide to receive massive amounts of data from individual species just by simply looking into the collected information from the massive amounts of Trainers in the world, crowdsourcing research.

To this day, many variants on the Pokedex are still being created, trying to achieve the most useful and most complete version. Alola has a Rotom inhabit its Pokedex, allowing greater recording of information while the Trainer's hands are freed to focus on the Pokemon itself. Galar managed to compress all of this into a phone application, losing some sophistication in measurement tools in favor of greater convenience. Paldea's takes the form of a "digital bookshelf", where each Trainer's notes are recorded into books and sent to a central location for study. And the rush does not seem to be dying down- Every region, every scientist, seems to want their personal version of the Pokedex to be the best, to finally be the most complete, to know all there is to know about Pokemon.

Studying and learning everything about Pokemon is how we humans express our love for them.

[weaversweek]

"Summer girl" and "Turn off the light"

Another pair for the #FearOfMu21c project, crowdsourcing the greatest singles of the 21st century. An index post.

Summer girl - Haim

Trying to conjure up a bit of hope on a dark day, this soft jazz number features "doo-doo"s and a calm vocal. There's a lazy bassline, perhaps a bit too close to the wild side, and eventually a sax solo.

"Summer girl" was inspired by the time Danielle Haim's lover had a cancer diagnosis. She wrote, "I wanted to be his hope when he was feeling hopeless, so I kept singing these lines." But the song works without the back story, it's a light sorbet, the musical equivalent of a refreshing glass of Pimms in the heatwave.

The song's a bit different from earlier Haim work, less polished, more skittish, but keeping the harmonies and emotional intimacy that had become Haim's trademark. Written by Danielle, Alana, and Este Haim, their producers Ariel Rechtshaid and Rostam Batmanglij, and Lou Reed gets royalties for the fraction of "Walk on the wild side".

Turn off the light - Nelly Furtado

I could have picked any of a dozen singles by Nelly Furtado. The debut, "I'm like a bird", with soaring vocals. The whole "Loose" album, "Maneater" and "Promiscuous" and many more. "Big hoops" from the forgotten album Spirit Indestructible. Even "Forza" from Folklore - in retrospect, it sounds great next to other great fado and Portuguese songs.

"Turn off the light" gets my nod. Second single from "Whoa, Nelly!", it's a well-written song with a strong dance beat. Nelly had already turned ears for the mixture of sounds and textures; here, Nelly uses her lyrical prowess to make poetry from the mundane. The video features Nelly around the world, colourful and dark, wet and warm. Sounds a bit like a song by Edie Brickell? Not hearing it myself, but maybe that's swamp mud in my ears…

[theoffingmag]

As the feminist movement has evolved, it has created and encountered new frontiers and outlets, including cyberspace. In 2019, Mindy Seu, a designer and researcher based in New York, began the umbrella project Cyberfeminism Index. Initially, she created a crowdsourced spreadsheet that later evolved into an online database commissioned by Rhizome. The entries Seu gathered follow a constantly mutating definition but with a focus on techno-criticism. The Index is an indispensable research tool for those interested in this discourse and provides an entangled mix of theory and practice, emphasizing the highly subjective nature of curatorial work. The collection of hundreds of entries from the past three decades offers a magnified lens to diverse strands of evolving, contemporary cyberfeminism. 

In this interview with The Offing’s Art department editors, Seu talks about her inspiration to create a collection of cyberfeminism entries, which grew from her need for techno-critical theory and digital praxis. She also discusses her methodology and practice of entry gathering, the collaborative process with the book designer Laura Coombs, and the future of the Index.

[dilettantereviews]

Yesterday I was up watching TV until 5 AM (I know) and I ran out of things to watch so I just had MTV on in the background because it was Nineties Nation and to my surprise, Catherine Wheel came on. I sometimes catch I Want to Touch You on their Thursday Rock Block feature but this one was a shock to me. They do have a fairly wide range of videos, but you have to accept you’ll be watching a lot of the same artists again and again and savvier viewers might watch out for certain blocks and write out the exact sequence of videos and wait for a repeat of the same “episode” (in case you ever wanted to know if these were actual episodes or if they were just developed by a Vevo like algorithm). Sometimes if you’re lucky, you might even get non lead singles by relatively small named bands in the Nineties block. My biggest gripe would have to be their 120 Minutes block. They only show it Monday morning 12 AM to 2 AM (AKA Sunday night if you’re like me) which technically, no, it’s not late for me and I could watch all of it and go to bed directly at 2:01 AM and it would be “early” for me. but I only watch it as a treat if I have Monday off. Each 120 Minutes block I am vaguely disappointed at realizing it’s the same group of Radiohead, REM, Beck, Talking Heads, 80′s New Order and maybe Blur. Sometimes they throw in someone left field that surprises me, like Curve, The Sundays, or Aphex Twin, so I always keep it on just in case if I see someone new. But seeing Catherine Wheel on an even broader block was a definite surprise. They don’t get 120 Minutes play (or fellow shoegazers Lush, who I once saw have For Love on a women’s day playlist in March 2018, or My Bloody Valentine, who had a free on demand video on one of the Music Choice/Hive Music/etc options back in the day). If I still had a VHS that I knew how to use, I would just set up an auto recording and fast forward through it each Monday but that sounds like too much (I feel like in the forum era of the Internet we could crowdsource an index of songs that play on which MTV Classic block). I found an archive for an actual 120 Minutes episodes with some summaries for episodes. Although I never watched it, I can feel the nagging responsibility of unfinished homework, the weird hours of Sunday retail, the resentment and then the guilt of not being able to control your family’s Sunday plans and the unspoken dread I would get watching Sunday animation blocks knowing that Monday was one tossing-and-turning-in-bed away just through glancing these. It’s interesting seeing how often some videos would remain in rotation, what the musical hosts would play, or seeing people who I know get completely snubbed from the show (Adore by Smashing Pumpkins was completely snubbed from 120 Minutes at a quick glance). I’m confused because the show that they had after Kurt Cobain’s death didn’t play any Nirvana.

I feel like I don’t pay enough attention to Catherine Wheel. I have Ferment on CD but I still don’t know that much about them. I didn’t even know they were British! According to their Wiki, they vaguely parallel The Smashing Pumpkins with their debut album being different from their other albums, their second albums being heavier (ironically I would call Siamese Dream Smashing Pumpkins’ shoegaze album), their third album having their heaviest rock/metal moments, their fourth album being a new sound album, before taking a pause with their 5th album released in 2000.

Shoegaze is one of those genres where I almost have to compartmentalize it away in a box away because it feels like too big of a genre to just listen to. It takes me back to when I first started to fixate on it on a bad stretch of uninspiring job applications, awkward dating apps, and being at home in the summer when everyone is going away.

[5ummit]

Hi Wendy! I want to let the anon, whose posts would poof from tags after being edited, know that it is indeed a glitch that I’ve also experienced. My best guess is that tumblr’s image monitoring AI is mistakenly flagging certain images for no reason. It used to be that if you reupload the gifs, you can fix it after a few tries. But ever since late December, these posts, after they reappear in most recent tags, they would no longer appear in top search and tag results like they normally did. I have a few posts that won’t appear in top search/tags after 10+ days. Some other posts did fix itself and reappear in between 24 hours to five days. I’m hoping that this is caused by the search index delay and can be fixed. If anyone wants to discuss this issue or have a solution, let’s use the tag “#edited posts disappearing from tags”, so that we won’t keep bothering Wendy.

Hey Disappearing Post Anon, you're not alone! And thank you anon for this new information and the suggested troubleshooting tag!

Since I've never noticed this happening to me, regrettably I will not be of any further help here. If anyone else has encountered this problem and has more information to add (anything you know may help) or a possible solution, please consider tagging it "#edited posts disappearing from tags" so we can crowdsource this and maybe figure it out.

[listening-to-thunder]

重启|TLTR Episode Guide

Because I needed it, this is a thing that exists now: 重启|TLTR Episode Guide

Index: for jumping straight to a particular episode or sheet.

Episodes: each episode is broken down scene by scene, with the timestamp for each scene. This makes it super easy to find a particular moment for giffing or vidding, or skip scenes without missing any vital information. Each scene lists which characters are in it, and the notes include everything from particular lines to bits that might get lost in translation to information on stuff that was censored (all backed up with sources in the Links section).

Cast of Characters: Currently at 42 characters, with the name the character is listed under in the credits, other names they’re known by and super brief notes on who they are. They’re listed in order they appear, so there might be spoilers if you’re not caught up.

And for anyone looking for a way to figure out if any of your triggers or squicks show up so you can prepare or avoid, there’s the Crowdsourced TLTR Content Note Sheet, which anyone can add to! It’s fairly comprehensive for S1, with S2 still a WIP.