Something of a case study in aviation media communications is taking shape, or rather, cracking up, in relation to ‘minor’ cracks found in the wings of some Airbus A380s, writes Ben Sandilands.
Culture / People & Ideas
What not to do if you’re a woman on a bicycle, circa 1895
Are you a woman who rides bicycles in 1895? OK, maybe not, but this old resurrected list published by a New York newspaper provided specific pointers — including “don’t scream if you meet a cow.”
Who says porn stars can’t be smart?
They work in an industry not exactly celebrated for intellectual achievements. Nevertheless it is incorrect, according to Ranker, to assume porn stars (they list 13 of the smartest) can’t be entrepreneurs or Oxford debaters.
The 2011 Crikeys: the best in film, music, books, TV and stage
We went searching for the most page-turning books, the funniest TV, the smartest theatre, the best books and music and film. After naming the best in politics, policy, media and business, we present the 2011 Cultural Crikeys.
Remembering the lives of ordinary people
This American Life and The New York Times have banded together for a special look at the lives of ordinary people who passed away in 2011: from aspiring rappers, to grandfathers and poets.
The economist’s guide to buying Christmas presents
The indisputable fact about Christmas presents is that cash is the most economically efficient gift. But given handing out $$$ is usually socially unacceptable, gift-giving should be redistributive, according to economist Matthew Yglesias.
Do great buildings make great cities?
Sydneysiders would be wise to note that what makes Melbourne’s centre so enviable is the whole box and dice — buildings, laneways, streets, river, trams, parks and plazas, and so on, writes Alan Davies.
Has Peter Higgs found the ‘God particle’?
If British professor Peter Higgs has found the ‘God particle’, scientists stymied by a conundrum known as the ‘Infinity Puzzle’ will finally have a formula to measure the previously unmeasurable, writes Frank Close.
Vale to the witty and wise Christopher Hitchens
Essayist and thinker Christopher Hitchens died last Friday after a public battle with cancer. George Eaton pays tribute to Hitchens’ political views, his take on religion and his glorious hedonistic life.
Visions of future flying machines: a 200 mile high club, a zero G bridal suite…
How about a zero G bridal suite in earth orbit, or an inter-city tilt rotor aircraft with room for thousands of commuters? These are among the latest visions of future flying machines by the Yelken Octuri design studio, writes Ben Sandlands.
Butter not margarine, s’il vous plaît
There seems no end to the conspiracy against healthy eating in the modern world, even by quasi-official associations — such as the Heart Foundation of Australia — who should know better, writes Michael R James, a research scientist and writer.
healthcare Crying babies: what parents need to know v what they are told
Many parents and their babies are not getting the help they need. Instead they are getting advice flavoured by old ideologies popular throughout the second half of the 20th century, writes Pamela Douglas.
The top 10 most uninteresting people of 2011
Enough about the best films, books, people of the year. Gawker takes a different tact, presenting the 10 least fascinating people of 2011. Take a bow, Michael Bublé.
Great excuses for knocking back a drink at a Christmas party
The festive season is a time for food, family, presents and…alcohol. But what if you’re not in the mood for a drop of grog? How do you say no? The Guardian lists some good excuses for staying sober.
Mario maestro Shigeru Miyamoto on the future of Nintendo
Shigeru Miyamoto’s greatest stamp on popular culture was Super Mario Bros, which he created in 1985. Miyamoto talks to Wired about Nintendo’s ongoing quest to expand the definition of video games, the company’s future and his desire to work on smaller projects.
The Talkley Award – a word nerd’s night of nights
The Talkey Award acknowledges the contributions of Australian linguists who promote language awareness in the public arena. The recipient of the inaugural Award went to celebrity linguist Kate Burridge, writes Piers Kelly.
An eclipse, when astronomy meets designer drugs
If you had clear skies and thought the total eclipse of the moon looked good early Sunday, then just wait until early morning in far north Queensland and parts of Arnhem Land on November 14 next year.
Buzz Feed’s best protest signs of 2011
During a year in which antiauthoritarian protests swept across the world, protestors clutched a range of bold and pithy signs. Buzz Feed picks 40 of the best.
aviation industry The awesome eeriness of planes
Why is that so many awe-inspiring feats of engineering hare so hard to separate from deliberate mass death and misery? asks Robin Cameron.
On the spot with a cabbie called Shiva
When W H Chong recently caught a taxi, he dabbled in a round of vox pop with the driver. Guess how much the driver makes for working 11 hour days, six days a week?
Wired’s top 5 toys of all time
Wired’s selection of the top five toys in history isn’t exactly a crop of techno delights. Coming it at number one: a good ol’ fashioned stick, writes Jonathan Liu.
Women pose in bikinis to ‘own’ their bodies. Something’s not right here
We don’t make men believe that “strength”, “pride”, “empowerment” and “inspiration” require them to strip in public, so why do women continue to believe it of themselves?
healthcare New study: more people would cycle if helmets weren’t compulsory
The ongoing bicycle helmet legislation debate usually focuses on how effective helmets are. Another side of the debate is whether helmet legislation deters people from cycling, writes Professor Chris Rissel.
History shows gangland journo wins million-dollar property claim
Gangland journalist Adam Shand is standing on the brink of a million-dollar payout from the NSW government after archival research revealed his family’s historical claim to a western Sydney lane.
Rundle: DSK, Assange and the intersection between conspiracy and violence
An investigation by Edward Jay Epstein in The New York Review of Books has re-opened the whole Dominic Strauss-Kahn matter dramatically and highlights the intersection between so called conspiracy theories and s-xual violence.
