• Alt Lit is an online writing community that uses videos, social media, and images as its medium. The output is odd, fascinating, and challenging. Kenneth Goldsmith digs into the phenomenon for The New Yorker, making comparisons to Walt Whitman, the Beats, and even William Blake. (newyorker.com) • The quietest place on Earth is in Minnesota, and…
• To commemorate the 100th anniversary of World War I, The Atlantic is featuring a weekly series of photo essays. This week’s installment: technology. (theatlintic.com) • Mother Jones sits down with comedian and musician Reggie Watts. (motherjones.com) • Adam K. Raymond gives a pretty thorough breakdown of just why the hell The Big Bang Theory is the…
• A thread on Reddit has been having fun pitching honest slogans for companies. It’s not particularly novel — and a lot are too obvious — but there are some decent ones in there. (elephantjournal.com) Now the depressing stuff… • Surprise! Facebook is reading your private messages. But don’t worry, it’s all cool, says Sheryl Sandberg,…
• Speaking of trolling on Twitter, comedian Joe Mande has been having fun soliciting La Croiz sparking water to make him its official spokesperson. La Croix wants not part of it, and has told Mande as much via its lawyers. That’s where thing took a turn for the worse with Mande swearing off La Croix…
• Mel Brooks sits down with Entertainment Weekly to discuss why, 40 years later, Blazing Saddles is still the best damn comedy ever made (insidemovies.ew.com) • NPR’s Marketplace tells the surprisingly fascinating story of why black olives only come in cans. (marketplace.org) • VIDEO: Pete Holmes interviews Joel McHales as Guile from Street Fighter.
The Plaid Crew 