November 1
choices that hint at stories
"fifty decisions", such as: "...They sell the plane. She taps him on the shoulder. She writes her name on the list. He lies. They buy the tickets anyway...." An evocative list by Andrew Willett (disclaimer: a friend).
Stay out of MOIDA MANSION!
Lucas Pope, creator of Papers, Please and Return of the Obra Dinn, has just released Moida Mansion, a new game playable for free on itch.io. Moida Mansion, an ELECTRONIC LIQUID CRYSTAL GAME, throws back to handheld electronic games of yore.
“Are you Judd Nelson?” I asked. A ridiculous question!
I first started to read In Search of Lost Time in the fall of 2003. I was 29, unemployed, had recently finished graduate school, was still traumatized by a frightening experience in the World Trade Center on 9/11 (and deeply in denial of that trauma), and had picked up, semi-randomly, a copy of Swann’s Way. In a dim sense I was aware that the novel was part of a vaster work that was considered “difficult,” and featured a scene where a guy dunked . . . something into a beverage and then remembered things. But I knew nothing else about the book. from On Proust, Judd Nelson, and Some Other Things [The Millions]
"Excuse me, I'm trying to do my job!"
Land of Linkin'
LinkMe, November 2024: Come across an interesting link recently that you'd like to share, but don't want to work it up into a full post? Share it here for our perusal, nbd. And if you'd like to post something but need some inspiration, check out the links here to see what other members have found interesting and would like to read more about! Just tag the resulting post "LinkMe" and include a nod back to the original suggestion. No self-linking and usual site rules apply, but otherwise feel free to post whatever you like! Eerie, creepy, and horror-themed links encouraged but not required. Look inside for a round-up from last month! [more inside]
When Golf Courses Go Wild
The Opalized Fossils Of Lightning Ridge
This fossil collector may have just hit the jackpot. The only question is whether to sell or save it.
In a fossil-rich pocket of northern New South Wales, two pioneering palaeontologists have spent decades digging up rare relics of the past, striking deals with collectors and opal miners, and unlocking our understanding of deep geological history.
You used to be able to make a living playing in a band.
The decline of the working musician. New Yorker article reviewing the book Band People.
Ungated [more inside]
"Lead the way, Vilja!"
That Time Sir Terry Pratchett Modded Oblivion is a surprisingly moving 12 minute video essay by YouTuber ShadesOfSlay about how the author of the Discworld series and other books contributed to the Vilja Mod for the computer role playing game The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. He contributed lines of dialog and suggested features that could help him keep exploring the game even as Alzheimer's affected his short term memory. The video is based on a 2019 article by Cian Maher, who interviewed the creators of the mod, Emma, who also voiced the character, and Charles "CD" Cooley.
The Power of God and Anime
An aging contraption hurtling into the future
But what if the world really is constructed that way? In that case, it could be a mistake to put too much faith in digital perfection. We might need to fiddle with our technology more than we think. And we might also want to see it differently—less as an emanation from the future, and more like an inheritance from the past, with all the problems that entails. from Could Steampunk Save Us? [The New Yorker; ungated]
October 31
🕷️😴?
The Devil and Daniel Mouse
Kineko Video presents a restored 16mm film scan of the 1978 animated Halloween television special "The Devil and Daniel Mouse", the second television special produced by the Canadian animation company Nelvana. It is loosely based on the 1936 short story "The Devil and Daniel Webster" by Stephen Vincent Benét and features original songs by John Sebastian.
Giant Jurassic tadpole fossil includes skeleton, nerves and eyes
Giant Jurassic tadpole fossil includes skeleton, nerves and eyes.
Researchers have discovered the oldest-known tadpole reported to date, a fossil from 161 million years ago found in Argentina. The discovery sheds light on the evolution of frogs and toads.
"A dating site to defeat fascism in the next 5 days"
SWAP YOUR VOTE Teaming up voters to vote against Trump in the swing states and vote third party/protest votes in safe states.
- "A 'dating' site to defeat fascism"
Do you live in a Swing State, don't want Trump to win, but can't vote for Harris in good conscience? Go to this site and read!
Live in a Safe Blue state and are going to vote for Harris? Go to this site and read! [more inside]
Beats that nightmare about the test I never studied for
The Canadian Journal of Zombie Science is here to make your academic nightmares a little more entertaining.
The Most Iconic Speculative Fiction Books of the 21st Century
"Scared the hell outta me, Miss Corney".
"'The Bat' is a three-act play by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood that was first produced by Lincoln Wagenhals and Collin Kemper in 1920" which was based on a 1907-08 serialized novel, 'The Circular Staircase.' "The Bat is a 1926 American silent comedy mystery film directed by Roland West and starring Jack Pickford and Louise Fazenda" which in 1959 was (re) made into a movie starring Vincent Price and Agnes Moorehead. 'The Bat'. (slyt) [more inside]
She asked for my love and I gave her a dangerous mind
For Hallowe'en: Scary monsters and super creeps/Keep me running, running scared
Thread count bull sheet.
Thread Count Doesn't Matter (much) When Buying Sheets. "If the sheets aren't 100% cotton with single-ply weaves, chances are thread counts are either misleading or irrelevant. In fact, some brands may not even specify the percentage of cotton or the ply when you shop, which creates even more confusion. Here's why thread count doesn't matter for other materials...."
The connection between witches and beer
Could I live up to the expectations that come with a 12 foot skeleton??
In an age of overlapping social crises, the 12-foot skeleton is a flamboyant status symbol, and a super-human vector for discussions of privilege, comfort, and wealth.Foreign Body: On the 12-Foot Skeleton as Supra-residential Memento Mori, a short essay by Anna Soper. [more inside]
"The metamorphosis from man into beast is not an easy one"
Special effects legend Rick Baker has had a storied career in cinema, dating all the way back to his first (and the first) Academy Award for Best Makeup for his work in the 1981 John Landis-directed cult horror-comedy classic An American Werewolf in London. And though the film had plenty of clever effects work, no scene was a better showcase of his talents than the brilliant, brutal, and bizarrely hilarious transformation sequence. Unlike the simple dissolves of earlier creature features (or the unconvincing CGI of later fare), Baker augmented subtle makeup with an inventive series of practical effects, from reversible hair to a false body-puppet to a collection of ingenious mechanical "change-o" parts layered in lifelike urethane elastomer. And though Baker has since retired from the biz, his work on the film inspired generations of homages and tributes built on old-school practical effects, including BBC TV shows, haunted houses, custom animations, LEGO recreations, and an absurd "demake" parody (starring none other than Landis's son, Max!).
The Karate Christ
Nazareth, 29AD. A rage-filled fighter becomes an apprentice to a mysterious Carpenter, compelling him to pursue his greatest potential. An adopted viking orphan* becomes a carpenter's apprentice to Jesus. The orphan, Oren, fights as a side hustle. His experience training as a carpenter with Jesus as his mentor changes his lifestyle. This is a real trailer, for a real movie. (SLYT)
*Who owns a time machine, presumably
I always like to say that you have to love the skin that you’re in
The web series Work Is Four Letters usually spotlights people talking about their jobs. But for this week, the stories go in a... spookier direction: Meet Rennie (personal assistant), Liz (skincare influencer) and Vic (researcher and lecturer).
How not to freak out about the US election
Some readers may recognize ... the Stoic idea of the “dichotomy of control” – the notion that you ought to confine your concerns to things you can influence, while cultivating detachment from everything you can’t. But to be honest, and perhaps unfairly to Stoicism, I’ve always found this slightly bloodless and intellectual. Hard as I’ve tried, I apparently can’t just divide the world up into these two categories, then use my reason and willpower to decide not to care about one of them. I find it more effective to feel my way into the reality of my finitude. It’s like I’m standing here, on a tiny island of time and space, a miniscule outcrop in the middle of the ocean; and yet for all sorts of reasons, I find myself constantly leaning out over the water, attempting to fiddle with things that are outside my reach – and losing my balance in the process. From The Imperfectionist: How not to freak out about the US election by Oliver Burkeman. [more inside]
I'm certain Mother would approve
Take a seat by the fire
Fireside Canada is a podcast by David Williams now in its 4th season and covering Canadian legends, lore, and the history behind them. This season Williams is focusing on legends based in locations that have been abandoned, emptied out or demolished.
Jezebel's Top Ten Spooky Stories for 2024
Neither of these stories claims it's about a vampire
Two short fantasy stories, both published 2024, about taking care of family as & after they transform. Content notes on both, at top of the page. "The Wilding Year" by Jamie M. Boyd: "Erin resists the urge to ask the doctor what he changed into during his Wilding Year." Boyd says it "explores the messiness of parenthood and growing up, the loneliness and friendships we experience during those years, as well as the fear and anxiety that comes with change". "What Good Daughters Do" by Tia Tashiro: "I’m not expecting it when my mother eats the bus driver. My surprise comes mostly because I thought I’d gotten her under control." Tashiro asks: "What happens when the deterioration of your loved one is magnified by a disease as dangerous to others as it to themselves?"
"There’s some things’ll scare you so bad, you hurt yourself."
"The fun's in the fight" is an essay by Molly Ivins (previously), published in Mother Jones in 1993.
An evening that parted the veil between the human world and the dead
The days of the calendar differ. But it intrigues me that there is a wide swathe of the world which celebrates a holiday marked by sweets, blurred boundaries between the living and the dead, votive candles or bonfires, and costumes. How much can we really know about things like this — cultural patterns which might share a common origin in the distant past, but which have no documented historical connection? from A very deep history of Halloween [ResObscura]
A week of long distance driving in an electric truck
Tobias (Electrotrucker) quit his job to move to driving electric trucks. Here, he shares the experience of a working week spent driving loads around Germany and Austria in a Scania 40R . We see some of the attractions and some of the challenges. Dubbed in English from the original German.
The Fall Will Rise Again
The Fall band talk 'Grotesque'! : the John Robb interview The former members of The Fall have taken control of their back catalogue with a novel rerelease schedule that recreates classic albums with live versions of tracks. They talk to John Robb about this and how they wrote the songs in the first place, dealing with the legacy and working with Mark E Smith. Interview by John Robb with Marc Riley, Craig Scanlon, Paul Hanley and Steve Hanley [more inside]
October 30
The giant rats fighting the illegal animal trade
Meet Kirsty, Betty and Desmond — the giant rats fighting the illegal animal trade. Scientists say their research shows the rats have a similar sense of smell to dogs, but they're able to fit in tighter spaces.
Archaeologists Find First-ever Evidence of a Cat Kneading
Fondly Remembering Blossom Dearie
He paired innovations with a desire for control
Nationwide, just over a million children, mostly girls, participate in cheer each year (some estimates are even higher), more than the number who play softball or lacrosse. And almost every part of that world is dominated by a single company: Varsity Spirit. It’s hard to cheer at the youth, high school or collegiate level without putting money in the company’s pocket. from How Cheerleading Became So Acrobatic, Dangerous and Popular [NY Times Magazine; ungated] [more inside]
"the critical importance of the role of defecation in political art."
Poop on Pelosi's desk, a neo-Nazi tiki torch: Mysterious statues are popping up in D.C. Whoever the mystery artist/artists are, they are adding to their collection. [more inside]
SCP-8980: Ergophobia, Without Regards
The following file is undergoing active Ethics Committee investigation for violation of the SCP Foundation's Code of Conduct. Information contained therein may not accurately reflect reality and this document should not be considered a reliable source. [more inside]
A steerable balloon
A balloon that goes where it wants by choosing an air current (if I understand correctly!). Knowledge rather than force; an interesting way to deal with the world. Also, shiny.
Mary River cod log trial an absolute dream come true
Mary River cod log trial an absolute dream come true with endangered species already moving in.
Using underwater endoscopes, researchers have already discreetly filmed the freshwater cod taking refuge in several of the new purpose-built habitats.
Your Doctor Won't See You Now -- Or Ever Again
Why family medicine in Canada is dying (slTheWalrus)
More Canadian healthcare fun inside! [more inside]
Blood mixed with soil, then.
A sweeping historical-theoretical overview of the ideology of Zionism. Jake Romm: Elements of Anti-Semitism - The limits of Zionism (Parapraxis Magazine) : "David Ben-Gurion before him, the father of the nation, said: “Call me an antisemite, but I have to say it …We are choked with shame from what is going on in Germany, Poland, and America, that Jews do not dare fight back. Can we not be brave anywhere in the world?…We do not belong to that Jewish people. We do not want to be that sort of Jew.” [more inside]
“Brain size alone can’t explain human cognition”
What's so special about the human brain? A popular science article from Nature with fancy statistical graphics about the distinguishing features of the human brain.
Okay, I'm really doing this
An artwork is merely a physical token that represents ownership of a ledger entry, and ownership of an artwork is ownership of a security interest in an artist’s brand. from Why I Sued the SEC by Bryan L. Frye [Right-Click-Save] [more inside]
"Books. Comedy. Tomfoolery. Miscellaneous other forms of chaos."
Generic Entertainment is the YouTube channel of Nathaniel Beardsley. He's best known for short genre-related comedy videos, like the Two Types series (fantasy worldbuilders, sci-fi worldbuilding, alt-history worldbuilding), making fun of specific fans (Dune fans, Wheel of Time fans, hard SF fans, Lord of the Rings fans) and one offs (If Contemporary Fiction Was Written Like Science Fiction, If Toxic Authors Made Video Essays, If Subatomic Particles Could Talk). But he also does indepth book reviews, such as Small Gods, Left Hand of Darkness, Pattern Recognition and Satyricon. But there are a lot more videos.
October 29
Goose barnacles resembling udon noodles surprise beachgoers
Goose barnacles resembling udon noodles surprise beachgoers south of Adelaide. Beachgoers have been left confused by the unusual sight of thousands of tendril-like stalks attached to shells that washed up on a three-metre column, south of Adelaide (South Australia).
"Nothing really happened"
"The word kishōtenketsu itself defines the four parts that make up the narrative structure it describes, combining the words for each: ki, shō, ten, and ketsu." [more inside]