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Comparisons, a study
Russell Samora performed an analysis on 200,000 works to find how common or unique a comparison was. The article presents an amusing and engaging read, providing charts and illustrations.
Most adjectives’ shape have a similar skewed distribution, with some key distinctions:
- Gentler slopes tell us there are no dominant idioms.
- Many have a couple go-to nouns, then a long tail.
- The clichés are obvious, marked by a single tall spike that overshadows the others.
While some writers reach for a novel comparison to make it their own, most just want one that’s reliable and accessible.
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Haiku, a generative music album
Haiku is software that creates a generative album of music. No two listens are the same.
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Artists transform vacant hospital
Super cool project where 70 artists transformed a vacant hospital into something interesting.
Through July 31, visitors experience an alternative vision for communal healing, all through the lens of 70 artists. Dubbed the Hospital of Emotions, the pop-up exhibition converts 80 rooms into temporary installations based on eight themes: joy, love, fear, anger, hope, sadness, compassion, and resilience. Among the participating artists are Lisa Waud, whose lush florals spill across an operating room, and Greg Corbino, who built a barren forest from cardboard.
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Smart glasses in warfare
Smart glasses in warfare is a natural application of the technology.
Depending on the situation, the glasses for either prototype will overlay certain information onto a soldier’s field of view. This might be as simple as a compass or as complex as an entire map of the area, information about where nearby drones are flying, or AI-driven recognition of a target like a truck.
The soldier would then speak to the interface in plain language—for example, to order an evacuation for someone who’s been injured or to plan a route taking into account which areas are off limits.
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Beta Moms
A Beta Mom might be a new parenting trend.
Despite the name, “Beta Mom” isn’t about being passive or checked out. If anything, it’s a pushback against competitive, high-pressure parenting culture.
Many of the moms identifying with this trend are millennials (and some Gen Xers) who grew up with intense expectations themselves. They have packed schedules, achievement pressure, and the idea that success had to be engineered from childhood.
Now, they’re questioning that whole model.
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An interview with Fiona Cauley
That’s kind of my number one reason for doing all of this. I don’t think I initially understood what an impact bringing a neuromuscular disease or disability into mainstream comedy would have. Most people have a very two-dimensional concept of what disability is and what it looks like. I am a wheelchair user, but I’m not paralyzed. I have a neurological disorder, and people can get upset that I can move my legs.
It’s true. There’s still a large portion of the population that has a very narrow scope of disability.
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Instant coffee, how does it work
Apparently, instant coffee is a technological marvel.
Creating instant coffee required developing techniques to extract the soluble molecules in coffee from the insoluble plant matter without destroying the fragile compounds that make coffee worth drinking.
