Culture on My Mind Lord, Laird, Lady? December 30, 2022
This week, I’m reading about the downfall of a YouTube sponsorship. We’ve all seen the advertisements as we’re perusing our favorite videos – let’s face it, there are a lot of ads on the platform, and the frequency seems to be increasing – and I know that I wondered about the logistics and legalities of owning a square foot of land in Scotland.
I mean, the appeal is pretty big from a novelty perspective. Make a donation, get a certificate, and laugh about being a Lord of Scotland. But how deep does that rabbit hole go? I tried digging into it back in June and landed on an article from Tales of Times Forgotten named No, You Can’t Buy One Square Foot of Land in Scotland and Become a “Scottish Lord”. But the dissent was sparse at that point. I mean, I had no intention of buying in after living through trends like the “buy a star for your loved ones” in the ’90s, and I donated directly to ecological charities and causes to make a difference, but I was certainly curious about how something like Established Titles worked.
YouTuber Scott Shafer cracked the story open recently, and I found out about his work through YouTubers like Pleasant Green and LegalEagle. It certainly has the YouTube community in an uproar as content creators take their various sides and start hurling mud, but at least we have some answers.
No, you can’t buy a small piece of land and earn a title. Yes, companies like this are under investigation for their business practices.
And, yes, they’re pulling their sponsorships and closing ranks, which implies a lot about the case on the whole.
There is more to come on the matter, but I think that these two videos are a great starting point for the logistics and legalities. Both of them sum up Scott Shafer’s original research quite well. Take some time to dive in if you’re interested.
LegalEagle:
Pleasant Green:
Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.
STEAM Saturday Artemis to the Moon December 24, 2022
In this edition, we start with the Artemis program’s successful flight, bizarre creatures at the bottom of the ocean, and a major fusion breakthrough.
It has been a while since I published a STEAM Saturday, so there are a few more video links for you to peruse over the holidays. I hope you and yours have a safe and warm holiday season. See you next year.
NASA – Liftoff! NASA’s Artemis I Mega Rocket Launches Orion to Moon (Nov 16, 2022) Following a successful launch of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), the most powerful rocket in the world, the agency’s Orion spacecraft is on its way to the Moon as part of the Artemis program. Carrying an uncrewed Orion, SLS lifted off for its flight test debut at 1:47 a.m. EST Wednesday from Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA – Splashdown! NASA’s Orion Returns to Earth After Historic Moon Mission (Dec 11, 2022) NASA’s Orion spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, west of Baja California, at 9:40 a.m. PST Sunday after a record-breaking mission, traveling more than 1.4 million miles on a path around the Moon and returning safely to Earth, completing the Artemis I flight test.
Science Alert – A Host of Bizarre Creatures Has Been Found At The Bottom of The Ocean (Nov 4, 2022) From fish on stilts to creatures of ooze, the strange denizens of the deep uncovered during investigations of two new marine parks located 2,500 kilometers (about 1,500 miles) off Australia’s western coast were a dream come true for researchers.
BBC – US scientists announce fusion energy breakthrough (Dec 12, 2022) Physicists have pursued the technology for decades as it promises a potential source of near-limitless clean energy. On Tuesday researchers confirmed they have overcome a major barrier – producing more energy from a fusion experiment than was put in. But experts say there is still some way to go before fusion powers homes.
Scientific American – Nuclear Fusion Lab Achieves ‘Ignition’: What Does It Mean? (Dec 13, 2022) Scientists at the world’s largest nuclear-fusion facility have achieved the phenomenon known as ignition—creating a nuclear reaction that generates more energy than it consumes.
ScienceNews – The first planet found by the Kepler space telescope is doomed (Dec 19, 2022) The first planet ever spotted by the Kepler space telescope is falling into its star. The planet has roughly 2.5 million years left before it faces a fiery death.
Physics Girl – Hosted by Dianna Cowern, a science communicator and physics alumna from MIT, this show was part of PBS Digital Studios until 2020. She uses her platform to explore complex physics, astronomy, and science-related topics in simple terms.
Veritasium – A combination of the Latin for truth, veritas, and the suffix common to many elements, -ium, this show is literally an element of truth. It is hosted by Australian-Canadian science communicator, filmmaker, and inventor Derek Muller (Ph.D., Physics Education Research).
Ask a Mortician – Caitlin Doughty is a mortician, author, blogger, and YouTube personality known for advocating death acceptance and the reform of Western funeral industry practices. You got death questions, she’s got death answers. Ask a Mortician was suggested by Sue Kisenwether.
Ceddar – Cheddar News feeds curiosity about what’s next with the latest in business news, culture, media, technology and innovation shaping our world tomorrow.
Becky Stern – Becky Stern is a maker living in NYC. Making and sharing are her two biggest passions!
Practical Engineering – Grady Hillhouse is a civil engineer in San Antonio, Texas. His channel aims to increase exposure and interest in the field of engineering by highlighting the connection between the world around us and the energy, passion, and thought that goes into making it a nicer place to live.
Not Just Bikes – Stories of great urban planning and urban experiences from the Netherlands and beyond. There are a lot of reasons why Dutch cities are so great; it’s not just bikes.
Shop Time – Peter Brown is a geek with a full set of power tools, and he uses that knowledge to experiment, craft, and have fun.
Ben’s Worx – Ben is a maker from Queensland, Australia who has always had an interest in woodworking. He makes all kinds of things from wood, metal, plastics, and epoxy resin, and loves to experiment in the name of entertainment.
Moonpie Creations – Ken is a woodworker and creator who likes to have fun. A combat veteran, he uses his tools as a way to relax and deal with everyday stress. He loves to try new things, think outside the box, and stay cool.
Boylei Hobby Time – A hobbyist just trying to make fun things and inspire you to be creative.
Defunctland – Defunctland is a YouTube series created by filmmaker Kevin Perjurer telling the stories of pop culture’s past. With a focus on theme parks and themed entertainment experiences, Kevin guides audiences through colorful, dramatic, and often surprising narratives of nostalgia, business, and creativity. A spin-off show named DefunctTV explores the history of children’s television entertainment.
8-bit Music Theory – This YouTuber loves music, video games, and analyzing and talking about music from video games. He promises that if you are a big nerd, you’ll love it too!
Veritasium – A combination of the Latin for truth, veritas, and the suffix common to many elements, -ium, this show is literally an element of truth. It is hosted by Australian-Canadian science communicator, filmmaker, and inventor Derek Muller (Ph.D., Physics Education Research).
Johnny Harris – Johnny Harris makes videos about maps… and other things.
Mark Rober – An engineer and inventor, Mark Rober presents popular science concepts and do-it-yourself gadgets in easy-to-understand terms. He was previously a NASA engineer (where he worked on the Curiosity rover) and a product designer at Apple’s Special Projects Group (where he authored patents involving virtual reality in self-driving cars). One of his best-known series involves the development of a glitter bomb to combat porch pirates and internet scammers.
Wendover Productions – Wendover Productions, run by filmmaker Sam Denby, is all about explaining how our world works. From travel, to economics, to geography, to marketing, and more, every video will leave you with a little better understanding of our world.
U Can Beat Video Games – U Can Beat Video Games is a YouTube channel for all of us! Have you ever wanted to get better at video games, but every video requires players to have superhuman abilities? On UCBVG, watch Kylo take on titles like Castlevania, Mega Man, or Zelda, and learn strategies that anyone can use for these games and more! UCBVG also discusses the history and technology behind these games during his tutorials.
If you have any suggestions for STEAM Saturday, please leave them below in the comments. If your suggestion is used, your name will be credited.
Disclaimers: Any sponsored content or advertising presented in videos and/or links highlighted in STEAM Saturday are not necessarily endorsed or supported by Creative Criticality. Pursue such content and offers at your own risk. The links and videos attached to this post were publicly available at the time of publication, but there is no guarantee of availability after publication.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope that something inspired you to get out there and explore the universe.
STEAM Saturday is a celebration of curiosity and imagination through science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, the very building blocks of the universe around us.
Culture on My Mind Classic Christmas in Pac-Land December 23, 2022
This week, I’m thinking about the holidays.
On December 16, 1982, the ABC television network in the United States aired an animated special that was a spin-off from the Pac-Man animated series. That series was conceived from the famous video game and was produced by Hanna-Barbera for Saturday morning cartoon blocks. This series was the first cartoon based on a video game and followed the ’80s trend of making holiday specials based on popular cartoons.
The series is a classic, and therefore is prime real estate for the Dragon Con American Sci-Fi Classics Track. So, on December 19th, Joe Crowe and Gary Mitchel were joined by ToniAnn Marini (@Jersey_Devil86 on Twitter), Chris Cummins (@scifiexplosion on Twitch and Twitter), Kevin Cafferty (Gleaming the Tube), and Kevin Eldridge (The FlopCast) for a dramatic reading of this holiday adventure.
These Classic Track Quarantine Panels are typically held once every two weeks (or every fortnight, if you will). If you want to play along at home, grab your internet-capable device of choice and navigate the world wide webs to the track’s YouTube channel and/or the group on Facebook. If you join in live, you can also leave comments and participate in the discussion using StreamYard connected through Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch.
Gary can also be found on A Podcask of Amontillado, a horror-themed podcast that he co-hosts with Erin McGourn.
You can find those discussions and more every other Thursday as the American Sci-Fi Classics Track explores the vast reaches of classic American science fiction.
The episode art each week is generously provided by the talented Sue Kisenwether. You can find her (among other places) on Women at Warp: A Star Trek Podcast.
Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.
Culture on My Mind Stick the Landing 2022 with Tee Morris and No Kid Hungry December 16, 2022
This week, I’m thinking about friends, charity, and ending the year on a high note.
Over on Twitch, podcaster, storyteller, and “Twitch Dad” Tee Morris has pledged his channel to a month-long charity drive to help combat child hunger. No Kid Hungry is a campaign run by nonprofit organization Share Our Strength, a group dedicated to solving problems of hunger and poverty in the United States and around the world.
Tee started his campaign this month with the hope of ending a rough year with a major victory for children in need. He set a $1000 goal and his community obliterated it. He now has an unexpected stretch goal of $5000 and has asked his friends and followers to spread the word in the hope of helping as many kids as possible.
If you have the means, please consider donating to Tee’s campaign on Tiltify.
Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.
Note: I know that everyone dislikes the wall of text preceding the actual recipe, but the United States Copyright Office requires “substantial literary expression” to accompany the ingredients and instructions. You can jump to the recipe by clicking here.
This recipe comes from Sam the Cooking Guy. Sam Zien is a Canadian chef and restauranteur who lives in the San Diego area. I came across his YouTube channel some years back and started finding inspiration in his creations.
This particular dish looked amazing so my wife and I decided to give it a try. This was before he published the recipes as he demonstrated them, so I watched the video multiple times to estimate the proportions. You see, Sam is the kind of chef that cooks by what looks and smells right, so his bottle shakes and weights are educated guesses based on experience. We have tweaked this recipe over time to fine-tune the details to our tastes.
Among those details are the proteins and the produce. We have tried ground beef, ground turkey, and ground bison, and the key to the protein is the fat content. The higher the fat, the more likely that the ground meat will stick together and stay substantial. We have also experimented with produce by adding bell peppers and mushrooms.
If you are not a meat-eater, I would love to hear how you adapt this recipe to your dietary needs. I don’t have enough experience with tofu or meat replacements but I want to learn as I grow and experiment.
Our red wine of choice for the dish is the famous “two-buck chuck” at Trader Joe’s. It’s a wine that cooks well and is enjoyable on its own. Note that the alcohol cooks off in the making of the dish, so the wine is providing an earthy and fruity body to the meal. We have also tried Yellow Tail. The key is getting an inexpensive bottle because you’re cooking with it. There’s no sense in using an expensive bottle of wine here.
This is one recipe that I recommend playing with. Even if it isn’t quite right for your palate, the results are still amazing. The leftovers are even better since the extra time allows the flavors to meld and enhance.
The original video by Sam the Cooking Guy can be found on YouTube (and is embedded below).
Sam’s Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
Meat
1/2 lb bacon
1 lb ground meat or protein of choice
Produce
3 to 4 Yukon Gold potatoes (or equivalent)
1 yellow onion
3-4 large carrots
1-2 bell peppers (optional)
2 mushrooms (optional)
4 cloves garlic (unpeeled)
2 cloves garlic (pressed/minced)
1 handful of fresh spinach
Chives or parsley for garnish
Dairy
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Liquids
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup beef broth (or equivalent based on meat choice)
1 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce
2 Tbsp tomato paste
Spices and Staples
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp rosemary
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Miscellaneous
Aluminum foil
Cooking oil of choice
Instructions
These instructions are separated into four parts, however, Part 2 and Part 3 should be accomplished simultaneously if possible.
Part 1 – Bacon
Chop the bacon into bite-size pieces and cook in a frying pan
Reserve 2 Tbsp of the cooking grease
Place the bacon (and a small amount of grease as needed for moisture) in a warm space
Part 2 – Mashed Potatoes Topping
Wrap unpeeled garlic cloves in aluminum foil and roast at 300°F for 30-45 minutes
Chop the potatoes into similar-sized pieces
Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes and drain thoroughly
While the potatoes are boiling, combine butter and cream in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until melted
Mash/whip the potatoes while adding the butter-cream mixture
Add salt, pepper, paprika, and roasted garlic (discarding the paper skin)
Mix in parmesan cheese
Fold in bacon
Set aside and keep warm
Part 3 – The Insides
Finely chop the onion, carrots, (optional) bell peppers, and (optional) mushrooms
Using the reserved bacon grease, soften the onion, carrots, and bell peppers over medium heat
Add minced/pressed garlic and a splash of cooking oil, then cook until fragrant (30-60 sec)
Add meat of choice and cook thoroughly
If using mushrooms, mix them in and cook briefly
Mix in the flour and allow to thicken
Mix in wine and broth and allow to thicken
Mix in Worchestershire sauce, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper
Add spinach and mix until wilted
Remove from heat
Part 4 – Finishing the Dish
Add Part 3 contents to an oven-safe dish
Top with mashed potatoes, ensuring complete coverage
Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes
Broil to crisp the top for 1-3 minutes
Top with garnish and allow to rest for a short time (approx 5 minutes)
Serve and enjoy
Cenandi is a collection of recipes and culinary concoctions. Cooking is a dual expression of art and science, and I like making good meals and tasty treats for the people in my life.
Culture on My Mind Theater Nerds November 21, 2022
Now, for something completely different, let’s talk about the performing arts. This week, I’m thinking about the Venn diagram between theater and pop culture, courtesy of the Theater and Musical Lovers YouTube Channel.
The channel and its associated Facebook group were established as an unofficial gathering of Dragon Con attendees who love theater, musicals, and the performing arts. Their goal is to create a community of fellow thespians and fans at the convention.
On November 18th, the community’s leaders Gary Mitchel and Sarah Rose were joined by Sue Kisenwether (@spaltor on Twitter, Women at Warp), Kelly (@broadwaykelly on Twitter), and Courtney Bliss (website) to chat about why theater is definitely a part of nerd and pop culture.
Note: Depending on security settings, you may have to click through below to see the video directly on YouTube. You should definitely subscribe to their channel for more updates.
The Theater and Musical Lovers Group will be hosting more of these panels. If you’re interested in participating or have some topic ideas in mind, head over to the group on Facebook and drop them a line.
Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.
STEAM Saturday Mars Quakes and Loading Plant Vogtle November 5, 2022
In this edition, Vogtle 3 gets loaded, climate change takes the stage at the United Nations, Mars quakes, and more.
Scientific American – The World Isn’t Adapting to Climate Change Quickly Enough, U.N. Says (Nov 3, 2022) “The world is doing far too little to prepare for the impacts of a warming planet, even as climate-fueled storms, floods, heat waves and drought become more extreme. That’s the conclusion of the latest report from the U.N. Environment Programme, which finds that efforts to build defenses against climate change impacts—what’s known as adaptation—are not keeping up with the growing risks they pose to humanity.”
WABE (NPR) – Fuel load begins at Georgia Power’s Plant Vogtle (Oct 14, 2022) Workers have begun loading radioactive fuel into a new nuclear reactor in Georgia, utilities said Friday, putting the first new American nuclear reactor built in decades on a path to begin generating electricity in coming months.
Be Smart – A PBS Digital Studios science show hosted by Dr. Joe Hanson (Ph.D., Cell and Molecular Biology).
Veritasium – A combination of the Latin for truth, veritas, and the suffix common to many elements, -ium, this show is literally an element of truth. It is hosted by Australian-Canadian science communicator, filmmaker, and inventor Derek Muller (Ph.D., Physics Education Research).
Kyle Hill – Kyle Hill is a science educator with degrees in civil and environmental engineering and science communication. He previously hosted the popular Because Science YouTube series, but now runs The Facility.
Ask a Mortician – Caitlin Doughty is a mortician, author, blogger, and YouTube personality known for advocating death acceptance and the reform of Western funeral industry practices. You got death questions, she’s got death answers. Ask a Mortician was suggested by Sue Kisenwether.
Johnny Harris – Johnny Harris makes videos about maps… and other things.
Becky Stern – Becky Stern is a maker living in NYC. Making and sharing are her two biggest passions!
Jerry Rig Everything – Zack Nelson has used his love of repairing, simple explanations, and brief tutorials to help millions of people with repairs of their own. Outside of YouTube, his ‘to-the-point’ style of teaching has created instructional and informational videos for manufacturers and factories around the world.
Nostalgia Nerd – The Nostalgia Nerd has an addiction to nostalgia & things often categorized as “nerdy”. He talks about software, hardware, games, toys, programs, magazines, and other things from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, sometimes with a liberal amount of dry humor.
Practical Engineering – Grady Hillhouse is a civil engineer in San Antonio, Texas. His channel aims to increase exposure and interest in the field of engineering by highlighting the connection between the world around us and the energy, passion, and thought that goes into making it a nicer place to live.
Not Just Bikes – Stories of great urban planning and urban experiences from the Netherlands and beyond. There are a lot of reasons why Dutch cities are so great; it’s not just bikes.
Shop Time – Peter Brown is a geek with a full set of power tools, and he uses that knowledge to experiment, craft, and have fun.
Ben’s Worx – Ben is a maker from Queensland, Australia who has always had an interest in woodworking. He makes all kinds of things from wood, metal, plastics, and epoxy resin, and loves to experiment in the name of entertainment.
Moonpie Creations – Ken is a woodworker and creator who likes to have fun. A combat veteran, he uses his tools as a way to relax and deal with everyday stress. He loves to try new things, think outside the box, and stay cool.
Patrik Pietschmann – Patrik Pietschmann is a keyboard player, arranger, and programmer from Germany who creates piano arrangements of popular current soundtracks.
8-bit Music Theory – This YouTuber loves music, video games, and analyzing and talking about music from video games. He promises that if you are a big nerd, you’ll love it too!
Mark Rober – An engineer and inventor, Mark Rober presents popular science concepts and do-it-yourself gadgets in easy-to-understand terms. He was previously a NASA engineer (where he worked on the Curiosity rover) and a product designer at Apple’s Special Projects Group (where he authored patents involving virtual reality in self-driving cars). One of his best-known series involves the development of a glitter bomb to combat porch pirates and internet scammers.
Frank Howarth – A Portland, Oregon-based architect and woodworker, Frank Howarth uses stop-motion animation to demonstrate his design and building process for a variety of projects and art pieces.
I Like To Make Stuff – Bob Clagett likes to make stuff, whether it be home renovations, fixing up a vintage car, or building an astromech droid.
If you have any suggestions for STEAM Saturday, please leave them below in the comments. If your suggestion is used, your name will be credited.
Disclaimers: Any sponsored content or advertising presented in videos and/or links highlighted in STEAM Saturday are not necessarily endorsed or supported by Creative Criticality. Pursue such content and offers at your own risk. The links and videos attached to this post were publicly available at the time of publication, but there is no guarantee of availability after publication.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope that something inspired you to get out there and explore the universe.
STEAM Saturday is a celebration of curiosity and imagination through science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, the very building blocks of the universe around us.
Culture on My Mind Lycan Subscribe November 4, 2022
It has been a hot minute since I have written up a segment for this recurring feature, but life has been non-stop since Labor Day. This week, however, I’m thinking about werewolves. Specifically, the favorites of the lycanphiles at the Dragon Con American Sci-Fi Classics Track.
The term lycanphile may or may not be a real work. Regardless, it’s on the internet now, so it must be true. On October 20th, Joe Crowe and Gary Mitchel were joined by Shaun Rosado (@pneumaz on Twitter), Sarah Daisy Splitt (@SpiffyKeen on Twitter), Amy Splitt, Sherman Burris (@Nerdburger358 on Twitter), and Lola Lariscy (@LolaLariscy on Twitter) for a little bite at the lore of werewolves (in London and elsewhere).
The panel’s title is courtesy of James Palmer (@palmerwriter on Twitter). I liked the pun, so it’s also the title of this segment. Thanks for the laugh, James!
These Classic Track Quarantine Panels are held once every two weeks (or every fortnight, if you will). If you want to play along at home, grab your internet-capable device of choice and navigate the world wide webs to the track’s YouTube channel and/or the group on Facebook. If you join in live, you can also leave comments and participate in the discussion using StreamYard connected through Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch.
You can find those discussions and more every other Thursday as the American Sci-Fi Classics Track explores the vast reaches of classic American science fiction.
The episode art each week is generously provided by the talented Sue Kisenwether. You can find her (among other places) on Women at Warp: A Star Trek Podcast.
Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.
Debrief: Dragon Con 2022 Atlanta, GA – September 1 through September 5, 2022
Boom! Dragon Con 2022 is in the books!
And it was an experience of highs and lows.
Attendance was reported at 65,000, and while it was definitely higher than the 42,000 from 2021, it was still pretty manageable. The big issue was the convention’s pandemic precautions (or lack thereof… more on that later), but I could still get behind an attendance cap in the 65,000 to 70,000 range. It felt comfortable enough.
As usual, we did a lot of good charity work this year. Open Hand Atlanta will be receiving at least $190,000, which is $70k more than we raised in 2021.
Dragon Con was also a getaway from reality that I really needed. Life and work have been insanely busy lately, and it was refreshing to decompress with the geek family, especially the former Scapecast folks that my wife and I hadn’t seen for three years.
These Classic Track Quarantine Panels will be held once every two weeks (or every fortnight, if you will). If you want to play along at home, grab your internet-capable device of choice and navigate the webs to the YouTube channel and/or the group on Facebook. If you join in live, you can also leave comments and participate in the discussion using StreamYard connected through Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch.
The next panel will be live at Dragon Con 2022! Like, a whole five days of them! After that, Joe and Gary will take a little break before picking up this series once again. After that vacation, you can find those discussions and more every other Thursday as the American Sci-Fi Classics Track explores the vast reaches of classic American science fiction.
The episode art each week is generously provided by the talented Sue Kisenwether. You can find her (among other places) on Women at Warp: A Star Trek Podcast.
Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.
Creative Criticality 