On January 6th the world watched with a mix of confusion and dread as a pro-Trump mob violently pushed past police officers and barricades with ease, like a red wave rolling over boulders — simultaneously effortless yet forceful.
The mainstream media paused during the riot. There were regular updates on the progress the mob was making in penetrating the Capitol but no analysis, that was for the juicy aftermath.
Political commentary commenced once the crowd was sent packing and after Trump issued a half-assed demand for an end to the violence.
Most sources would assign labels to the mob members…
It’s common for shows to have fans. It’s rare for them to have rabid fans. Rarer still is a show that has such a strong following that its fans are able to get the world’s richest man to save it.
The Expanse is probably the best all-round science fiction show out there. Based on the books of James S.A Corey (a pen name — the books are actually written by two authors), it plays out in a future where humans have settled the solar system and the political, technological ethical and philosophical consequences that follow.
Few shows touch multiple themes…
From making cards to holding them all.
Nowadays there’re barely any tech companies which get me excited — the most recent being Google when it announced its cloud gaming service Stadia (that excitement died when it released Stadia).
When it comes to gaming companies in particular, it’s even worse. You’d think gaming companies would be well loved, after all, they literally create fun times. You’d be wrong. Although the pandemic has seen a massive increase in the number of gamers worldwide, the public perception of the companies making the games has been sour for quite some time.
The road to hell is paved with good inventions
Robert Propst
The cubicle is perhaps the textbook image of a modern workplace. While they aren’t really seen as ‘liberating’, ‘productive’ or conducive to creative work — Propst, its inventor, used those words to describe what he wanted it to be.
First introduced in 1964 as the Action Office, the design was considered thoroughly modern and elegant at the time. The design was intended to promote movement by separating the work desk and filing area physically, thus leading to a more dynamic work place.
However, corporate accepted the Action Office with open arms and then bastardised it, which led to it commonly…
What are the odds?
A recently published paper suggests that according to our current understanding of science, the existence of humans is improbable.
The paper published by Cai et al builds upon previous work determining the likelihood of intelligent life emerging in our galaxy. Yet, it’s the first study to consider something previous papers have missed: the likelihood of intelligent life destroying itself. The study considered the following factors;
- The rate of star formation, i.e., how many stars are likely to form in a volume of space. Life forms on planets, planets form from the remains of stars, ergo, this number is crucial.
- The…
Fact or fiction?
UFOs have been around for thousands of years, but their explanations are always changing. Taken at face value, Unidentified Flying Object just means something that flies about which we can’t make any concrete statement on what it is.
In prehistoric times, a UFO would probably be explained as a bird. In the days of the ancient Greeks, a visit from Zeus. In medieval times, an omen from God, and in our modern age, advanced spacecraft from space.
While there is no hard evidence of extraterrestrial visitation on Earth, there are interesting records that would get even a skeptic interested. …
Better crippled in body than corrupt in mind
I’ve been there. A few years ago I was halfway through university, and I had a lot of time on my hands. I was an OK student, I’d do 90% of my studying during exam season — meaning I would loiter around most of the time.
I was left to my own devices — nobody telling me what to do, what how to do it, what to say and where to be. So I did what a lot people would do with no direction: I mindlessly browsed Youtube. I saw a video with a crazy title which went something like…
Tips for directing your life
Robert Rodriguez is a name synonymous with grit in Hollywood. A director, he has worked with many A-list actors such as Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Robert De Niro and Mel Gibson to name a few.
His road to working in Hollywood is like a movie itself. After making a few short films, he decided to make his own feature-length movie. That film was El Mariachi, a fun tale of a wandering guitar player who got mixed up for a killer that keeps guns in his guitar case.
El Mariachi went on to make over $2 million at the box office…
Death by chocolate takes on a whole new meaning
The Nazis are infamous for their murderous schemes and willingness to use any means necessary during World War II. In 1943, the war had turned sour for them. The massive gains they made in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe were being chipped away, its navy decimated and the Battle of Britain had inflicted heavy losses on the air force.
With the prospects for a land invasion of the UK gone, the Germans tried a hilariously sneaky trick to sow chaos — killing Winston Churchill with deadly chocolate. …
Small lessons, big wins.
Common sense dictates that when you set off on a journey, you seek the advice of someone who has been on the same path before , hopefully many times before. I would agree, but a lot of life advice is usually shallow such as; ‘go find a mentor’ or ‘find your tribe’ — it’s easier said than done.
A good way I learn things is to look at someone who’s been something that I want to do for a relatively short period of time. …
