internet explorers club | someone made a shrimp cannon and it's incredible

Look it should come as absolutely no surprise that I feel very strongly about articles about Teens and The Internet and Things That I Do On The Internet. So The Atlantic delivered yesterday, with an article about the ("great and terrible") rise of screencaps. It's weird, because it's not a bad article, but stops just short of really digging into what is it about screencaps (he includes gifs in here too) that is compelling (especially to Youths).

It's strange, because it is so a part of Tumblr Culture (tm) that I barely registered that it IS a thing, but I suppose it is. It seems obvious to me: this easy way to relive scenes, jokes, and more from our favorite shows.I want to be clear that I have a literal folder full of Arrested Development screencaps.

Also what's weird -- though this is admittedly selfish on my part -- is the lack of mention of mashup blogs. They are NIGH UBIQUITOUS on Tumblr (or at least including mashup posts) and a huge portion of that is recognizing the source material + new material from screencaps.

That being said, the guy has reached out to me so STAY TUNED.

Some folks in Japan made a SHRIMP CANNON and it is GREAT. Watch the full video, it's worth it, and quoth Tumblr: "so metal."

In Serial: The case of Adnan Syed is moving through appeal. His lawyer says the courts have agreed to hear it, and it's DEFINITELY NOT based on how popular the podcast has been. Ok, buddy. Sure. The lawyer is arguing that Asia McClain is the key to the case, but is she? WE WILL DISCUSS ON THURSDAY.

This is an article titled Here's what it's like to spend a weekend at a castle in Poland doing a Harry Potter LARP and that is in fact what it is. For what it's worth I was going to post this as a half-joke but it actually sounds kind of amazing:

There were classrooms full of magical artifacts and items to explore, a fully-functioning potions lab with in-game concoctions to brew and drink, a terrifying dungeon in which to practice the darkest magic, and a divinations tower high above the ground. And of course, there were the castle’s built--in secret passageways to explore, and the gorgeous grounds, complete with its own Forbidden Forest full of fawns, inferni, and Death Eaters.

Etcetera: This is probably the best WSJ line-drawing portrait, honestly.

--Emily