New Criticals

"The myth of the seafarer as the drunken adventurer with “a girl in every port” couldn't be further from the truth, with shore leave a rarity, and ports so far from urban centres that day leave excursions become little more than trips to out-of-town shopping malls to stock up on essentials such as shampoo, shower gel, and snacks. But for most of the Seletar's crew – made up of mainly Indian, Filipino, and Chinese seafarers – the reasons for going to sea are the same as they ever were:  to make money that can be sent home to their wives, children, and parents."

Tim Maughan in The Invisible Network that Keeps the World Running

"New research from a team at The Ohio State University shows men who take frequent selfies display higher than average psychopathic tendencies, while those editing their photos before uploading are more self-objectifying."

Emily Arata in Research Says Men Who Take Selfies Have More Psychopathic Tendencies

"We need to think about the state of our democratic institutions and how much we can really trust them to be the stewards of our digital commons. It is a false dichotomy to assume that we have to either stick with our present oligarchy or hand over that power to municipal governments and smaller for-profit enterprises. There has got to be more participatory and democratic organizational forms out there and now is exactly the time to start building them."

David Banks in The Tyranny of Small Town Internet

"The chart makes vivid unconscious biases. The implications go well beyond professors and college students, to anyone who gives or receives feedback or performance reviews."

Claire Cain Miller in Is the Professor Bossy or Brilliant? Much Depends on Gender

"The selfie stick is a metal rod that attaches to your iPhone and, via the magic of bluetooth, will help you snap a selfie from a better vantage point or distance. Some assistant professor in Ohio thinks that only psychopaths use them but that is crazy. What isn't crazy is that some museums are banning the sticks, with MoMA being first here in New York."

Jen Carlson in NYC Museums Consider Ban On Selfie Sticks