History
My Last Polaroid
My Last Polaroid is a site that is attempting to gather images of the last ever Polaroid people take as a tribute to the format. There’s also a documentary in the making. Director and photographer Steve Glashier is filming people who have used Polaroid film in their work – artists, fashion photographers, forensic scientists and [...]
The Architecture of Segregation
The old Montpelier railway depot in Virginia has recently been restored and opened to the public; what sets it apart from other similar buildings is that it has been restored with the segregated waiting areas and signs for ‘Coloreds’ and ‘Whites’ intact. A single ticket office served the two waiting rooms (the one for black [...]
Modern Fossils
Christopher Locke looks forward to a time when people will look back at the technological advances that didn’t survive the evolutionary fight for survival, such as the audio cassette, Sony Walkman and the Atari joystick. He’s created a series of ‘modern fossils’ using concrete – see them here.
Lady Jane Grey
Lady Jane Grey, the Tudor queen who reigned for just nine days was cruelly beheaded at the age of sixteen; a victim of her mother’s ambition. Or was she? Biographer Leanda de Lisle’s researches suggest that her mother was herself the victim. Read the full article in More Intelligent Life
Royal Mail
History Today charts the history of the Royal Mail, which dates back to the reign of King Henry VIII in the 16th century. Since then the post office has variously acted as censor and newsagent. The first post office was set up in London in 1635, where letters were sorted by a clerk and an [...]
Last Supper Portions
A Cornell University professor and his brother, a religious studies professor, studied paintings of the Last Supper and discovered that artist’s through the centuries have gradually been increasing the amount of food being eaten by Jesus and his disciples, which they say mirrors socio-cultural changes through the ages. Read the full article on Reuters.
TED Talks: Long News
Ex-ad guy Kirk Citron’s “Long News” project aims to collate the news stories that will still matter centuries from today. He outlines the project in this TED Talk. Watch the video:
What the Butler Saw
Eugene Allen, who died in March 2010 aged 90, grew up under segregation in Virginia but went on to to work as a butler at the White House, where he served eight US presidents from 1952. His wife of 65 years died on the eve of Obama’s election, so he had to go to vote [...]
How to Build a Medieval Castle
French landowner Michel Guyot has been conducting an unusual architectural experiment since 1998 – he’s building a medieval castle in the style of a design by 13th century French King Phillipe-August. The Chateau de Guedelon is being painstakingly built using materials and techniques used in 1200s. Read more at BBC News
Starbucks Enters Its Middle Age
In 2011 Starbucks turns 40, and argues an article in Reason, it’s battling with a mid-life crisis as it tries to reestablish its authenticity and trailblazing credentials. Read all about it.
