Recent Activity
Super Bowl Advertising Gets Politicized. What Would the Whassup Guys Say?
Like most internationally-televised events, the Super Bowl is a true island. A fascinating place where people leave the real world behind in order to revel in gridiron glory and food, glorious food. Oh, and those multi-million-dollar commercials. It culminates in the one day where being a mindless consumer is really acceptable, and maybe even kind of fun. But this year’s big game has somehow courted something usually actively avoided: political controversy. … Read More
February 4, 2010 | In Media & Internet
Collecting Data Through Your Cell Phone
In a world that seems to be governed more and more by hard data, the search is on to find the fastest and easiest way for collecting that data. With metrics assisting in the decision-making process with everything from sports to business to policy, how can we compile figures around the world in an age where home telephone-based surveys seem about as dated as, well, home telephones? In the age of the online survey, the future of data collection could be resting in your hand. Welcome to a world where you’re more than just a number, you’re a cell phone. … Read More
February 3, 2010 | In Science & Tech
A Bad Day for Progressive Underdogs: RIP Howard Zinn and JD Salinger
January 27th will primarily be remembered as the date of President Obama’s first State of the Union address. But it will also be remembered as the day America lost two of its most prominent literary figures: JD Salinger and Howard Zinn. While their personalities seemed vastly different, their works converged in the minds of many of the people who contributed to the president’s winning campaign. And when it comes to their respective legacies, there might be more similarities than differences. … Read More
January 30, 2010 | In Arts & Culture
Overlooked in much of the post-State-of-the-Union discussion was President Obama’s renewed insistence on bringing America’s rail system up to speed for the first time in decades. Amid the countless issues discussed, the proposed supertrain is gaining momentum in some parts of the country. While it hasn’t inspired any really heated discussion, the supertrain could be an intriguing solution for a country that is hurting. … Read More
January 28, 2010 | In Future
The Protest Scarf Comes of Age
Historically speaking, scarves haven’t had a multitude of uses. Other than providing modest covering as a requisite religious dress, they’re primarily used to keep warm and (occasionally) look dapper. But as the use of scarves (particularly of the head variety) has become demonized in parts of the world, the scarf may have inadvertently become a very unlikely tool of protest. Depending on what you’re rallying against, the color of your scarf could mean more than you thought. … Read More
January 26, 2010 | In Politics & Policy
Tal Pinchevsky is a Canadian writer who first moved to New York in 2001 to work for Gear Magazine, an ultimately-doomed men's lifestyle publication founded by Bob Guccione Jr. A McGill University graduate, he has since worked as an editor and freelance journalist covering everything from sports to real estate to consumer electronics for a variety of publications, including the New York Times, ESPN, New York Post, Blender, and Minyanville.com.
