Tedium | An Offbeat Digital Newsletter

Social Imagineering

Despite what you’ve heard, the word “imagineering” is not unique to Disney. In fact, it’s a phrase that was first used in World War II corporate propaganda.

May 20, 2022

Stumbled Into a Discount

Cheap Tickets, one of the first big digital travel companies, has a hell of a corporate history—one with nothing to do with the internet.

May 18, 2022

No backlinks required but I do wish you could include this image no less than once a month. pic.twitter.com/0VOr04nuyK
— Dr. Matt Lee (@mattl) May 4, 2022

I was asked to include this image on the Tedium website somewhere, so here it is, on the front page.

May 04, 2022

Right Track, Wrong Station

KarTrak, an innovation originally built for the rail system, was quickly discarded by train operators. But without it, we wouldn’t have modern barcodes.

May 04, 2022

New to the @readtedium family, we are now hosting @30pincom for our contributor, @ylitvinenko, who is based in Russia. His words will not go offline. https://t.co/6EQrSzigR1 https://t.co/HbcE2SjJfT
— Tedium (@readtedium) March 10, 2022

In these unusual times of global conflict, we feel that it is important to look out for our pals affected by the world’s changing shape. With that said, Tedium is (hopefully temporarily) hosting 30pin, a site operated by our friend and contributor Yuri Litvinenko, a reporter based in Russia. Check it out.

May 04, 2022

Not Rap, Definitely Alien

A bizarre 2008 children’s album called “Alien Rap” has been making rounds in “so-bad-it’s-good” culture. The man who made it is about as weird as you’d think.

Apr 29, 2022

Living Life in a Bubble

The lasting appeal of bubble hockey—and the unrelated patent lawsuit that’s keeping its inventor pretty busy these days.

Apr 27, 2022

CNN Plus Innovation

Everyone is ripping on CNN right now for shutting down CNN+ after like three weeks. Let’s remember the network’s long legacy of innovation for a second here.

Apr 22, 2022

More Attention Ploys

Social Imagineering

Despite what you’ve heard, the word “imagineering” is not unique to Disney. In fact, it’s a phrase that was first used in World War II corporate propaganda.

Stumbled Into a Discount

Cheap Tickets, one of the first big digital travel companies, has a hell of a corporate history—one with nothing to do with the internet.

Disposability Interchange

Considering the tension between disposability and interchangeable parts, and how right to repair opponents are trying to have it both ways.

Shuffled By the iPod

The iPod is leaving the market, which means that now’s as good a time as any to consider the many audio players it vanquished along the way.

Cathode Ray Context

A few ways cathode ray tubes were used that you might not have been aware of by simply watching the boob tube.

Right Track, Wrong Station

KarTrak, an innovation originally built for the rail system, was quickly discarded by train operators. But without it, we wouldn’t have modern barcodes.

Not Rap, Definitely Alien

A bizarre 2008 children’s album called “Alien Rap” has been making rounds in “so-bad-it’s-good” culture. The man who made it is about as weird as you’d think.

Living Life in a Bubble

The lasting appeal of bubble hockey—and the unrelated patent lawsuit that’s keeping its inventor pretty busy these days.

CNN Plus Innovation

Everyone is ripping on CNN right now for shutting down CNN+ after like three weeks. Let’s remember the network’s long legacy of innovation for a second here.

More Attention Ploys

Social Imagineering

Despite what you’ve heard, the word “imagineering” is not unique to Disney. In fact, it’s a phrase that was first used in World War II corporate propaganda.

Stumbled Into a Discount

Cheap Tickets, one of the first big digital travel companies, has a hell of a corporate history—one with nothing to do with the internet.

Disposability Interchange

Considering the tension between disposability and interchangeable parts, and how right to repair opponents are trying to have it both ways.

Shuffled By the iPod

The iPod is leaving the market, which means that now’s as good a time as any to consider the many audio players it vanquished along the way.

Cathode Ray Context

A few ways cathode ray tubes were used that you might not have been aware of by simply watching the boob tube.

Right Track, Wrong Station

KarTrak, an innovation originally built for the rail system, was quickly discarded by train operators. But without it, we wouldn’t have modern barcodes.

Not Rap, Definitely Alien

A bizarre 2008 children’s album called “Alien Rap” has been making rounds in “so-bad-it’s-good” culture. The man who made it is about as weird as you’d think.

Living Life in a Bubble

The lasting appeal of bubble hockey—and the unrelated patent lawsuit that’s keeping its inventor pretty busy these days.

CNN Plus Innovation

Everyone is ripping on CNN right now for shutting down CNN+ after like three weeks. Let’s remember the network’s long legacy of innovation for a second here.

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