The Top 1 Percent: What Jobs Do They Have
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Remembering Steve Jobs
A compilation of some of the best tributes, stories, and remembrances of Steve Jobs.
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It Ain’t Blood, People
I’ve worked in a restaurant for 7 years and have heard every variation of, “Well done, I don’t want no blood left in that steak.” and “This isn’t cooked, there is still blood.” that you could imagine.
So what is that red liquid you are seeing in red meat? Red meats, such as beef, are composed of quite a bit of water. This water, mixed with a protein called myoglobin, ends up comprising most of that red liquid.
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Peek Inside the Lamborghini Factory
The Italian automaker founded in 1963 by feisty Ferrari hater Ferruccio Lamborghini built a long line of swoopy exotics that demanded passionate, dedicated drivers — with an equally passionate and dedicated mechanic on speed dial. Several ownership changes over the years, including an ill-fated union with Chrysler in the 1980s didn’t help the cause. Lamborghinis inspired lust, but consistency of build and reliability proved elusive. Until the Germans got involved.
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“If Life Is So Purposeless, Do You Feel That It’s Worth Living?”
Yes, for those of us who manage somehow to cope with our mortality. The very meaninglessness of life forces man to create his own meaning. Children, of course, begin life with an untarnished sense of wonder, a capacity to experience total joy at something as simple as the greenness of a leaf; but as they grow older, the awareness of death and decay begins to impinge on their consciousness and subtly erode their joie de vivre, their Idealism—and their assumption of Immortality. As a child matures, he sees death and pain everywhere about him, and begins to lose faith in the ultimate goodness of man. But if he’s reasonably strong—and lucky—he can emerge from this twilight of the soul into a rebirth of life’s élan. Both because of and in spite of his awareness of the meaninglessness of life, he can forge a fresh sense of purpose and affirmation. He may not recapture the same pure sense of wonder he was born with, but he can shape something far more enduring and sustaining. The most terrifying fact about the universe is not that it is hostile but that it is indifferent; but if we can come to terms with this indifference and accept the challenges of life within the boundaries of death—however mutable man may be able to make them—our existence as a species can have genuine meaning and fulfillment. However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light.
Stanley Kubrick (Playboy: September 1968)
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What Kids of the World Eat at School
Mostly embarrassing.
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Over or Under: The Great Toilet Paper Debate
The eternal question: Should toilet paper hang over or under? Modern engineering has created an efficient way to dispence toilet paper, but it has left orientation up to consumer. In determining which is best, there are numerous variables, statistics, and principles of mechanics to take into account. And simple efficiency is not the only concern: for many, TP orientation is a matter of identity, lifestyle, and passion. Let us walk you through this timeless and enduring debate.
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The History of the Space Shuttle
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The 22 Rules of Backyard Wiffle Ball
Just in time for your July 4th game of wiffle ball.
1. It’s not a real Wiffle ball game unless you can break a window. Or windows.
5. Skinny yellow bats only…
11. Yes you can throw your super-awesome curve ball. But throw it fat and slow over the plate. Like a 2011 Astro.
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Awesome People Hanging Out Together
From artists to celebrities, from one generation to another – these people are awesome.
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The William Stove
I’d cook only so I could use this.
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Could There Be a Batman?
A cluster of opinions and scenarios on whether or not The Dark Knight really could exist.
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Someday Syndrome
Waiting for your ship to come in or falling prey to the “someday syndrome” isn’t how anyone should live his or her life.
(via 52 Tiger)
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Video: Liftoff of STS-134 Endeavour
Space Shuttle Endeavour lifts off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on its final mission. Commander Mark Kelly and crew will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the International Space Station.
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STS-134 Endeavour
A beautiful set of photos from NASA of the crew before the launch, the night of the delay, and the liftoff.
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The Big Picture: Tornadoes Kill Over 200
Over 200 are dead after over a hundred separate tornadoes left a trail of destruction across five states in the American South. The nation appears headed for a record number of tornadoes this year. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has been mobilized to deal with the aftermath. Tornado watches were issued for the entire East Coast as the storm system that caused the destruction yesterday moved to new ground.
Devastating.
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Back of a Webpage
A very clever look at the view from behind some of the most popular sites on the Internet. Worth a look for a little laugh.
(Via Subtraction)
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Riding a Bicycle Across the Country
In 1979 I rode my cheap bicycle from San Francisco to New York, with detours up to Oregon and down to Texas along the way. It took me three months of leisurely riding, with no training up front. I think I spent $500 for the whole trip. It was of course, a blazingly glorious journey, and not that hard. My rule of thumb was to never pass on opportunity to snack along the way, mostly as an excuse to stop and chat with whomever was around. I burned through a lot of junk food, but learned a lot about the US.
(Via Coudal)
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Baseball Infographs
Dozens of baseball infographs. For stat and design geeks all around.
(Via Coudal)
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Scared Shitless: How I (Mostly) Learned to Love Being Afraid of Pretty Much Everything
Video of Merlin Mann’s funny, tear-filled, terrifying and motivating talk from Webstock 2011.