The model of catastrophe
The immense complexity of the climate makes it impossible to model accurately. Instead we must use uncertainty to our advantage - by David Stainforth Read on Aeon
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A good business vs. a useful idea
Ideas open doors, lead to connections and make things better. But not all good ideas are good businesses. Crop rotation is a good idea. So is sous vide cooking and the sport of juggling. But these aren’t good businesses. A business thrives when it can charge a premium–selling
Beautiful, Color Photographs of Paris Taken a Century Ago—at the Beginning of World War I & the End of La Belle Époque
It may well be that the major pivot points of history are only visible to those around the bend. For those of us immersed in the present—for all of its deafening sirens of violent upheaval—the exact years future generations will use to mark our epoch remain unclear. But when we
Daniel Arnold’s New Pleasure? Missing the Shot.
"The street photographer speaks about New York City folklore, stepping away from Instagram, and his shifting priorities as an artist."
The Groundbreaking Animation That Defined Pink Floyd’s Psychedelic Visual Style: Watch “French Windows” (1972)
You could argue that, of all rock bands, that Pink Floyd had the least need for visual accompaniment. Sonically rich and evocatively structured, their albums evolved to offer listening experiences that verge on the cinematic in themselves. Yet from fairly early in the Floyd’s
Dismissed Philadelphia Art Museum Director Fires Back With a Lawsuit
The museum had commissioned an external investigation that recommended ousting Sasha Suda.
Public Artwork by Shellyne Rodriguez Pays Homage to the Bronx
"Phoenix Ladder: Monument to the People of the Bronx" honors the undeafatable spirit of the New York borough.
Can’t Make It to The Met? Take a VR Tour Instead
The institution’s first foray into virtual reality offers free digital tours of the Temple of Dendur and its new Oceania galleries.
High Horse: The Black Cowboy
High Horse: The Black Cowboy is a three-part documentary about the culture of Black cowboys & cowgirls and their erasure from the history of the western United States. From executive producer Jordan Peele and Monkeypaw Productions, the pop culture and historical documentary
Before Wonder Woman, There Was Fantomah
Fletcher Hanks, a cantankerous cartoonist who was active only from 1939 to ’41, left behind a complex legacy and bizarre body of work. A new book offers clues about his enigmatic life.
Who Was Marie Antoinette Beneath All That Silk and Spectacle?
History has never really known her as a person, and that isn’t about to change here.
The pursuit of wonder
This is a bonus post about a couple of my hobbies. We will return to our regular scheduled post tomorrow. Wonder is the feeling we have when our experience extends beyond our expectations. It’s uniquely human, and available whenever we can create the conditions for it to occur.
The Algorithmic Presidency
Just as 20th-century fascists deployed radio and film, today’s ideological descendants use memes, social media, and above all, artificial intelligence.
Going to Art Galleries Can Improve Wellbeing. “Enjoying original works of art...
Going to Art Galleries Can Improve Wellbeing . “Enjoying original works of art in a gallery can relieve stress, reduce the risk of heart disease and boost your immune system, according to the first study of its kind.” 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →
Nearly Intact Roman Shipwreck Rests Just Six Feet Beneath Mallorca’s Waters
Discovered in 2019, the 1,700-year-old merchant ship reveals details about early Christian trade.
A zoomable, fully searchable archive of every single page of every single...
A zoomable, fully searchable archive of every single page of every single issue of BYTE magazine from 1975-1998 . “I hope seeing everything in single, searchable place offers a unique perspective.” 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →
Notes on Harold Brodkey’s 1992 essay Notes on American Fascism, which was...
Notes on Harold Brodkey’s 1992 essay Notes on American Fascism , which was dismissed at the time but now seems prescient.
Gilberto Rivera’s ‘Jailbirds’ Imagine Freedom Within Confinement
In 'Jailbirds,' Gilberto Rivera presents parrots, herons, pelicans, pigeons, and more within carceral cages. Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article
Against the Cartesian Myth of Work/Life Balance: André Gregory’s Extraordinary Letter to Richard Avedon about the Nature of Creativity
Half a millennium into our recovery from the civilizational wound Descartes inflicted by severing the body and the mind, we are bleeding with a Cartesian cleft of our own making — the damaging divide between life and work. The notion of a “workaholic,” often worn as a badge on
Two Hours of Wellness
A two-hour version of the music played in the Wellness Center in Severance. “Please try to enjoy each listening session equally.” See also Severance: Music To Refine To . ✅ Added to my Underscore collection . Tags: music · Severance · TV · video 💬 Join the discussion on
Reinvent Your Practice With UMBC’s Intermedia + Digital Arts MFA Program
Funding for tuition, healthcare, stipends, and summer research awards are available. Apply by February 1, 2026, to be considered for financial support.
Call for Proposals: Roman Witt Residency at the University of Michigan
The U-M Stamps School partners with the U-M Institute for the Humanities to offer a $20,000 honorarium, housing, studio space, and the contemporary humanities gallery for installations and projects.
A Journey to Vietnam to Uncover the Origins of Phở. “If you...
A Journey to Vietnam to Uncover the Origins of Phở . “If you want to find the origins, you must go to Nam Ðịnh province and a village called Vân Cù.” 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →
17-Year-Old Biggie Smalls Freestyling
From Freestyle: The Art of the Rhyme , a short clip of a 17-year-old Christopher Wallace (aka Biggie Smalls, aka The Notorious B.I.G.) freestyle rapping on a street corner in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn in 1989. It’s all there…the talent, the confidence, the skills. Compare with a
In ‘Inward,’ Cinta Vidal Folds Time and Space in Perspective-Bending Paintings
The show at Thinkspace Projects continues Vidal's exploration of what she describes as "un-gravity constructions." Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article
If you’re looking for a typeface with Radio Shack logo vibes, try...
If you’re looking for a typeface with Radio Shack logo vibes, try Megazoid . 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →
Kara Walker’s ‘Unmanned Drone’ Reimagines a Confederate Statue of Stonewall Jackson
"Instead of charging into battle, Walker’s headless horseman wanders in Civil War purgatory, dragging its sword over a ruined battlefield." Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as
Coulou’s vinyl cafe (no. 2). “Even though we’re traveling from jazz to...
Coulou’s vinyl cafe (no. 2) . “Even though we’re traveling from jazz to funk to middle eastern and Indonesian 70s disco then hip hop, then folk and even more genres, to me this felt like a cool experience of finding the throughline in music…” 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →
“I wish we could ignore Bill Gates on the climate crisis. But...
“I wish we could ignore Bill Gates on the climate crisis. But he’s a billionaire, so we can’t,” says George Monbiot . “His [recent climate] essay reads like nothing so much as a peace offering to Donald Trump.”