february 21
Gift thinking is a muscle that atrophies without exercise
feeling heartbroken by the greed and selfishness in our world? Though the systems we live in prioritize profits, we can choose giving and generosity as an antidote to fear and isolation - looking for the helpers and becoming them ourselves. [more inside]
The food so good, I got to share
keep hitting Reply All or the virus can infect your computers
I typed these easily: í â © ™ å č ə ff ĸ ° ™ ß ŭ × ⓞ ¡
A secret move some Linux and Unix users know is that typing special characters needn't be a chore involving Alt codes or a character map application. You go into keyboard settings (on KDE go under Keyboard then Key Bindings; on Gnome you'll have to install Tweaks) and pick a key to be the compose key (I suggest Caps Lock). Then press it, then a symbol (like apostrophe), then a character to combine it with (like e), and what you end up with is the characters combined if possible: é. Or... (see inside) On macOS, enabling the Compose key is hard (try this). On Windows, you can install WinCompose. Jason Lefkowitz wrote a great introduction to the Compose key in 2015. This old page hosted in Dartmouth's webspace gives a number of sequences to try. [more inside]
“And to that, I scream out loud, 'I'm coming'”
An early favourite for this year's Eurovision Song Contest is the entry from finland: Ich komme, by Erika Vikman. Wikipedia: The lyrics reflect "the joyous message of pleasure, ecstasy and a state of trance" and sexual pleasure and reaching the climax, reflected in its structure, which corresponds to the way a sexual climax is reached. Eurovision World: Erika herself says about her song for Eurovision: “In this song you take control. Everything related to your sexuality is in your own hands. Pleasure should not be taboo.” Lyrics.
a conspiracy of evil nerds
'What if I were to tell you about an obscure clique of consultants that concoct dubious economic analysis to convince regulators to side with corporations, enabling a massive rip-off of ordinary Americans? I think your curious, cautious response might be, “You’re going to have to be more specific.” OK, so this obscure clique has a name. They’re called the Society of Utility and Regulatory financial Analysts, or SURfA. And they are a large part of the reason why you’re paying way too much for electricity.' The Secret Society Raising Your Electricity Bills.
Samuel Roth
"Though frequently remembered as a pornographer, Roth importantly shaped the Modernist movement by compelling many of its key players to think more seriously about issues of censorship, artistic freedom, and literature’s relationship to the law. Roth dedicated the first issue of Two Worlds Monthly to Joyce, “who will probably plead the cause of our time at the bar of posterity.” And indeed, Ulysses has become a testimony to the great experimental achievements of Modernism. In publishing Two Worlds Monthly, Roth hoped to carve out a sphere in which these daring Modernist authors could exercise creative freedom, particularly in scandalous yet realistic portrayals of human sexuality." [more inside]
Tassie devil trapped by mistake released into the wild
Tassie devil trapped by mistake released into the wild. Wildlife researchers say they have never come across a male Tasmanian devil with such markings. A Tasmanian devil with highly uncommon markings has been spotted after it mistakenly wandered into a private landowner's trap. Due to its unusual appearance, the devil was taken to a wildlife park on Tasmania's east coast and checked for signs of ill health. The adolescent devil has been released at a secret location, to minimise the risk of illegal wildlife traders finding it. (Australia)
User-centered design: Why we're looking for a few users to test a form
The Metafilter Moderation Oversight Committee is looking for a few interviewees to test out our intake form. Please consider signing up! This process is a part of user-centred design, which has been around for a long time. But in the age of AI, human-centred design may be more important than ever. [more inside]
A change is gonna come
60 years a martyr: on this day in 1965 CE, Malcolm X was shot by assassins. On february 21, 1965, two men shot El Hajj Malik El Shabbaz (Malcolm X) in New York City. [more inside]
“He wanted to keep his barge a surprise"
What distinguished Landi from a run-of-the-mill fraudster, though, was the outlandishness of his maneuvers, which exploited every loophole the globe had to offer. Landi was a libertarian who sought freedom from meddling governments and their cumbersome regulations, but in a select few nations, he found willing accomplices. Landi hid money in Switzerland, skated around extradition treaties while living comfortably in Dubai, registered companies in bespoke tax-free zones, procured diplomatic credentials from Liberia, dabbled in crypto and, finally, took to the sea, where there was no one to tell him what to do. from The Man Who Got Away [New York Times; ungated]
february 20
CANADA fUCKING WON
Canada wins the 4 Nations face-Off final after Connor McDavid scores in overtime.. Trump's teams keep losing.
The Savage Adventures of flaming Carrot, The Strangest Man Alive
"One of the sources of richness within the medium [of comics] has long been the play between creators who favor naturalism versus absurdity. Coming down squarely in the latter camp is Bob Burden who dreamt up one of the most surreal series in comics’ history: flaming Carrot Comics." [more inside]
The first kangaroo embryo has been produced through IVf
The first kangaroo embryo has been produced through IVf. An IVf breakthrough could prove crucial for some of Australia's most iconic species.
The Sign Stands in Rigid Silence
ARE YOU IN THE MOOD fOR SNAKE
In a time of absurdity, sometimes you need a comic that is slightly more absurd than life. You should read the words surrounding the drawings of Rory Blank. His website is called King of Blood and even though I have been scrolling a while I have not yet found said King (just a mind wizard).
“No stresso, no stresso, no need to be depresso”
As various countries announce their entrants for the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, there is controversy over Estonia's entry by Tommy Cash (also known as Kayne East, real name Tomas Tammemets). “Espresso Macchiato” (live performance, lyrics) won the qualifying Eesti Laul with 83% of the final round vote. The song is sung in an interesting linguistic manner, while Mr Cash drinks an Espresso Macchiato. The Estonian rapper is well-known for ... unusual ... music videos including Sdubid, Racked, X-ray, Leave Me Alone, and Surf.
It doesn't all have to be doom and gloom
We have demonstrated that, as is common in sustainability, appealingly simple narratives give way to complexity when you scratch the surface. Online energy consumption is full of trade-offs, and there are rarely one-size-fits all solutions. Interventions that reduce energy in one scenario may not be effective in another. from Does what you scroll burn coal? [BBC]
They are coming to take me away to the funny farm
Robert f. Kennedy Jr. is finally in a position to implement his dream goal of sending millions of Americans to "wellness farms". [more inside]
Project 2025 Tracker
The Project 2025 Tracker is a straightforward presentation of America's descent into regressive authoritarianism.
The Peter Brötzmann Octet's "Machine Gun"
"This historic free jazz album is a heavy-impact sonic assault so aggressive it still knocks listeners back on their heels decades later. Recorded in May 1968, Machine Gun captures some top European improvisers at the beginning of their influential careers, and is regarded by some as the first European — not just German or British — jazz recording. Originally self-released by Peter Brötzmann, the album eventually came out on the fMP label, and set a new high-water mark for free jazz and 'energy music' that few have approached since." - AllMusic [more inside]
Tired of losing
New koala sanctuary plan for Kangaroo Island
New koala sanctuary plan for Kangaroo Island. A sanctuary for up to 1000 koalas and other wildlife is to be established on Kangaroo Island (Australia) with the hope it will bring tourism and education opportunities while protecting the valuable population of marsupials.
jedi
justice dismantles barriers to resources and opportunities in society so that all individuals and communities can live a full and dignified life [b-lab] [more inside]
🤘🤘 #17 the most random number 🤘🤘
Your (not really) weekly dose of female fronted Metal:
Nemophila - Just Do It! Total banger. [more inside]
Like Midjourney but for new species
Have you been looking for an AI Text-To-Genome-Sequence DNA generator? I got U! Arc Institute is dropping a new AI model trained on over 100.000 species. They claim it can "identify patterns in gene sequences across disparate organisms that experimental researchers would need years to uncover".
The Ideal Candidate Will Be Punched In the Stomach
february 19
Time is running out to find out what happened in those early days
I spent the past 10 months traveling the country interviewing my father and other people he worked with who built the first internet, sent some of the first messages, and conceived of the precursors to wireless to collect their stories before it’s too late. I learned about the battles for credit that some founders have even waged on their deathbeds, explored whether the french actually deserve more credit for the internet, and studied how much some founding fathers foresaw the consequences of their early inventions. from Computer freaks: The untold history of how the internet almost didn’t happen. [Inc., some text and podcast]
Trump: "Long Live the KIng"
Trump likens himself to a king on Truth Social. The post was in relation to the USDOT killing New York City's planned congestion pricing. In case you missed it: Yesterday, Trump issued an executive order ending the independence of multiple agencies. A few days ago, he claimed that "He who saves his Country does not violate any Law". And after firing nuclear safety workers, the regime said "Oops" and struggled to rehire them. In a bit of good news, a court reinstated the head of the Merit Systems Protection Board, which hears appeals from federal workers.
HMAS Protector, bought for just 10 pounds, now a marine paradise
HMAS Protector, bought for just 10 pounds, now a marine paradise off Heron Island. This crumbling shipwreck on the Great Barrier Reef was bought for just 10 pounds in World War II.
"Ecologically, and from a tourist point of view, it's the king," Dr Kininmonth said.
"You go to that ship and you will see so many fantastic things because all the fish, sharks, and turtles and rays are all enjoying the habitat around the ship. It provides them a lot of security."
The book covers of Stanisław Lem’s "Solaris"
"The covers of the book depict some form of the cosmos, the planet, the ocean, and occasionally a lonely man facing it. However, while the 1960s and 1970s were characterized by hallucinogenic, sprawling, or more abstract visions, more recent editions have a more streamlined design." [more inside]
fanfare Roundup: The Work Is Mysterious and Important
THIS WEEK IN fANfARE... NEW MOVIES: Captain America: Brave New World, for those still loyal to the MCU; Apple TV's action/romance/sci-fi yarn The Gorge; Hulu's mob wives drama fresh Kills; and harrowing 1972 Olympics drama September 5. AND IN TV: season three of Yellowjackets is hot off the fire; season three of The White Lotus checks in; new episodes of Severance, Paradise, The Pitt, and Abbott Elementary. Meanwhile, SNL turns 50 years old and throws itself a big party. [more inside]
Everyone Should Know About this
Doug had a party, and it was AWESOME. This really made me feel warm and fuzzy. I hope all of you get the same feeling.
Gulf of
Animated Martial Arts Mayhem
If you need a quick hit of fantasy violence, you might enjoy one or more of these short films that I find very entertaining. They are all animated, showcase various martial arts, and are on YouTube. from shortest to longest: ~~~
Kung fu Jesus (0:36) stop-motion, fighting the Pope for a good cause ~~~
Pexachu VS Godzilla (3:25) stop-motion, multiple Godzillas ~~~
HIDARI (5:32) stop-motion, super stylish samurai action ~~~
Hard Blade (7:32) CGI medieval sword combat (HEMA!) ~~~
(CW: violence)
How to strip your baby
The M-16 U.S. Army Rifle Maintenance Booklet was distributed to every U.S. soldier from 1968-1972 during the Vietnam war. Originally sealed in plastic to accommodate weather concerns, and for jungle distribution, the 32 page M-16 booklet featured art by Will Eisner Studios. The comic books aimed to minimise the M16 rifle’s notorious early reliability problems through proper maintenance. from The Will Eisner M-16 U.S. Army Rifle Maintenance Booklet, 1968 [flashbak]
Wheeee
PM Trudeau announces 300km/h, fully electric, high speed rail project to connect Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montréal, Laval, Trois-Rivières and Quebec City. The service would run along a 1000km long corridor where 50% of Canada's population lives and would reduce the travel time between Toronto and Montreal to just three hours.
The Person Saving The Media You Love Is You
Chris Pearson talks with Dan McQuade and David Roth about preserving media recorded on VHS, and separately, in more detail about the process of extracting good signals from VHS tapes (and LaserDiscs!), which involves soldering wires into the the deck and using VHS-Decode software to make sense of the raw Rf signals. The quality that can be extracted is surprising.
Doomsday Preppers
"As a cultural experience, Doomsday Preppers is TV on the precipice, the kind of phenomenon that future historians will look back at and think: “We should have known then.” A testament to how the twin traits of design genius and psychopathology seem to lurk within every decent prepper, the show is populated by men (it’s always men) who spend their lives fantasizing about the end of the world as we know it. Like people who join the Territorial Army reserves, you get the strong feeling that these cosplayers yearn for real war. for them, the collapse of human civilization would be the sweetest justification. Unless and until the very worst happens, their preparations are for nothing." - Vice.com [more inside]
Here’s the story of the Hurricane
february 18
Rare fish once extinct in Victoria is making a comeback
Rare fish once extinct in Victoria is making a comeback. The olive perchlet, a tiny translucent native fish last seen in the wild in Victoria about a century ago, is back from the brink of extinction. (Australia)
Black flag gig flyers
O beautiful for spacious skies
There is no distinction between the gutting of the parks and the gutting of education, the gutting of healthcare, the gutting of basic decency. The same impulse drives both: a belief that nothing has value unless it can be owned, extracted, turned into capital. [more inside]
The Path to American Authoritarianism
The breakdown of democracy in the United States will not give rise to a classic dictatorship in which elections are a sham and the opposition is locked up, exiled, or killed. authoritarianism does not require the destruction of the constitutional order. What lies ahead is not fascist or single-party dictatorship but competitive authoritarianism—a system in which parties compete in elections but the incumbent’s abuse of power tilts the playing field against the opposition. Most autocracies that have emerged since the end of the Cold War fall into this category, including Alberto fujimori’s Peru, Hugo Chávez’s Venezuela, and contemporary El Salvador, Hungary, India, Tunisia, and Turkey.
A consistent wine in an inconsistent place
In the Champagne region of france now, many producers are adapting a new element to their production method. They see it not only as a significant improvement in nonvintage Champagnes, the vast majority of the bottles produced each year, but as a major hedge against the effects of climate change, which for many producers has altered both the way they farm the grapes and how they make the Champagne. from A Perpetual Champagne, Built One Year at a Time [New York Times; ungated]
Native mouse struggling to breed gets helping hand in ACT
Native mouse struggling to breed gets helping hand in ACT. Smoky mouse populations are so isolated and in such low numbers that the animals struggle to find mates that are not genetically related to them. However, a Canberra program is helping to change that. (Australia)
Stanisław Lem's "A Perfect Vacuum"
"A book like A Perfect Vacuum, a collection of reviews of non-existent books, is more akin to Borges than Heinlein. ... a book filled with ideas — in the form of compacted micro-books. The device of using faux-literary criticism for the launching of bold philosophical queries in miniature is novel, if not utterly brilliant. The execution is deadpan, believable, and totally hilarious." [more inside]
Write, Action, Chimera!
A federation of publishers operating on different scales and with different capacities would allow for new cartographies of knowledge where non-overlapping disciplinary fragments, hypotheses, and other research ingredients from different disciplines could be put into play in a rich cognitive setting. By establishing a relative disciplinary cohabitation, a federation of publishers would be positioned to address fragments and bodies of knowledge in a horizontal fashion, while remaining totally independent from the formation and the institution of these very same disciplines. from federating Publishers: from Conceptual Comics to a Creative Europe Initiative [e-flux]
february 17
Getting to Denmark* looks further away than ever (vs annexing Greenland)
but the only way we're going to get there is to organize...
fINALLY: Jamie Raskin with MUST-SEE plan to DEfEAT Trump & Elon is filing amicus briefs, which may seem underwhelming? [link-heavy fPP] [more inside]
fINALLY: Jamie Raskin with MUST-SEE plan to DEfEAT Trump & Elon is filing amicus briefs, which may seem underwhelming? [link-heavy fPP] [more inside]
Shooting campaign to target foxes raiding sea turtle nests in Queensland
Shooting campaign to target foxes raiding sea turtle nests in Queensland. European red foxes have been caught on camera digging up sea turtle eggs and biting hatchlings at Mackay, prompting plans for a cull by the local council. (Australia)