May 11
Documenting the Damage
100 Harmful Policies from the First 100 Days of Trump's Second Term: PDF version and Website version. [more inside]
"I like myself best of all, drunk in my underwear looking out the window
I have Dracula merchandise / you are a man of your word!
A charming animated short by CalArts film student Ben Knight featuring, inter alia, rhythm games, the pressure of expectations, and a missing cow: I Have Leftover Pasta
School Swap - full documentary
British Kids Swap Schools With USA School Children UK big-city diversity collides with small town America, as teens from London switch lives, and schools, with high school students in rural Arkansas.
Liver Dave went horribly wrong as well
Cheese - Rathergood Chat episode 50 (YouTube podcast, 1h2m5s)
The cult of Cris
Over 50 years of teaching art history at New College of Florida, Prof. Cris Hassold had carved out an influential but complex legacy. She referred to her students as her children. She hired them to clean her home — a disturbing hoarder’s den. At times, she humiliated them in class. But the students who knew her best described her as a singular force of good in their lives. “The cult of Cris,” as one described it, lives on in her 31 favorite students, who inherited her intensity, her quirks and, in the end, her life savings. (NYT gift link)
A dark mirror of the global outsourcing industry
We spoke to Gavesh and five other workers from inside the scam industry, as well as anti-trafficking experts and technology specialists. Their testimony reveals how global companies, including American social media and dating apps and international cryptocurrency and messaging platforms, have given the fraud business the means to become industrialized. By the same token, it is Big Tech that may hold the key to breaking up the scam syndicates—if only these companies can be persuaded or compelled to act. from Inside a romance scam compound—and how people get tricked into being there [MIT Technology Review]
Disaster emergency preparedness workshops offered for Tasmanians
It will save lives: Disaster emergency preparedness workshops offered for Tasmanians with disability in pilot project. When Taraidh became quadriplegic 18 months ago, it turned his family's emergency plans on their head. A new program is helping equip people like him with the tools they need to prepare. (Australia)
May 10
Mississippi hopes "Sinners" amplifies the Crossroads of the Blues
Born in Clarksdale, Bound for Hell: ‘Sinners’ Is the Blues Horror Movie We’ve Been Waiting
Given its social layers, rich mythology, and deep cultural detail, 'Sinners' might be the most blues movie ever. It’s not just a soundtrack; it’s salvation, sin, and a battle cry. [more inside]
Like wearing a James Joyce T-shirt.
"The literary takedown is enjoying a renaissance. Every time a new high-profile hitjob leaks, the terminally online literati stop working altogether and join the pile-on—dragging the overrated author or the overzealous critic, sometimes both. What’s the function of this ritual? Have we, as the New York Times’ Joe Bernstein has suggested, transitioned from an era of “tedious structural critique” to one of “petty hatred”?
'I’d Like to Report a Murder. Lauren Oyler and Brandon Taylor talk to hannah baer about the dark art of literary takedowns.' via: A&L Daily.
'I’d Like to Report a Murder. Lauren Oyler and Brandon Taylor talk to hannah baer about the dark art of literary takedowns.' via: A&L Daily.
This was the stuff of a Mission: Impossible or James Bond movie
The lack of a concrete explanation for the failure led SpaceX engineers to pursue hundreds of theories. One was the possibility that an outside "sniper" had shot the rocket. This theory appealed to SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who was asleep at his home in California when the rocket exploded. Within hours of hearing about the failure, Musk gravitated toward the simple answer of a projectile being shot through the rocket. This is not as crazy as it sounds, and other engineers at SpaceX aside from Musk entertained the possibility, as some circumstantial evidence to support the notion of an outside actor existed. from SpaceX pushed “sniper” theory with the feds far more than is publicly known [Ars Tecnica]
How venues are trying to make gigs more accessible
How venues are trying to make gigs more accessible. These venues are proving a commitment to accessibility can start with simple, cheap and practical changes, that can make an important difference.
Are we there yet?
neal.fun presents: Internet Roadtrip (currently touring scenic Pelham, New Hampshire)
For Motion Discomfort
The Autopian's Mercedes Streeter tells you everything you ever wanted to know about barf bags and their history. There are some people who collect them.
It felt as if the future had arrived
At its peak, Skype had about 300 million users around the world. But it was a product of the desktop era, and as users went mobile, Skype lost its edge to upstarts like WhatsApp and FaceTime. Today, the app is forgotten on most phones and computers, particularly in the West. The platform still has dedicated pockets of users in countries like Turkey, Russia, India, and the Philippines, according to market intelligence firm Sensor Tower ... Before Skype goes the way of other early internet icons like AOL Instant Messenger and Friendster, Rest of World readers shared their favorite memories of the service. Here are their stories.
May 9
New study suggests controlled burns may increase bushfire risk
Prescribed burns are used to reduce bushfire risk. A new study suggests it has the opposite effect.
Areas that had multiple fires prior to 2019–2020 had greater biodiversity losses when Black Summer fires hit compared to areas that had burnt once or not at all beforehand. (Australia)
so i guess we're arresting mayors of major cities now
mayor baraka of newark, new jersey, arrested at ice detention center he has been protesting. [more inside]
I am always amused, surprised and happy that punk rock is still alive
Being around the early punk scene was a lot of fun, but putting out a magazine called PUNK became a big challenge. None of the New York bands wanted to be a “punk rock” band. They had learned lessons from all the “folk rock,” “acid rock,” and other labelled bands from years before. Bands like the Ramones, Heartbreakers, and The Dictators wanted to be “rock ‘n’ roll” bands, or even mainstream Heavy Metal acts. No one thought punk rock was going to become a big thing. from Comical Funnies: An Interview with John Holstrom [3:AM]
Corgi racing
Last year’s annual corgi race at Canterbury Park saw a photo finish.
coconut definitive
Malaya's timeless design "It was its colour—actually, the lack of it—that first caught my attention. A dull brownish purple, the dullest colour I could imagine, on a small rectangle of paper. It sat quietly amidst a riot of bright reds, greens and blues in a large book titled "Stamp Album"." [via]
Renewable energy is reviving abandoned mines
Abandoned outback mines sit lifeless, but renewable energy is reviving them. Here's how. They can be an eyesore, but end-of-life mines in the outback prove to be an attractive prospect in an unlikely relationship. So how are renewable energy companies repurposing mine shafts to help decarbonise the region?
"Burning like a silver flame"
Some time in the next 24 hours a fifty-year old Venus probe will re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. The lander is about one-half tonne in mass, aerodynamically designed to withstand the temperatures and pressures of Venus' atmosphere, so it's likely survive (at least in part) all the way to the ground. [more inside]
📚 Canadian small presses #9 (The Day We Hit the Coast edition) 📚
Under the fold, West Coast small presses Douglas & McIntyre, Greystone Books, and Nightwood Editions. [more inside]
The People v. Donald Trump
Can the President Refuse To Spend Money Authorized by Congress? - "[Russ] Vought is a self-described radical with roots in the Tea Party movement who views budget cutting as a key part of the culture war. He has also told Congress, on the record, that both he and Trump view the Impoundment Control Act as an unconstitutional limitation on executive power."[1] [more inside]
in your warm breath a flower grows
"Rising temperatures will drive the global spread of a killer fungus that infects millions of people a year, according to new research on how climate change is stoking severe disease threats. The Aspergillus family could expand its reach to more northerly swaths of Europe, Asia and the Americas, underscoring the stealthy menace of moulds already estimated to be a factor in 5 per cent of all worldwide deaths." -- Killer fungi to spread as climate heats up (FT; archive) [more inside]
Most magazines are stuck in an exhausting dance
I love a good bit of hyperbole, but I prefer data. And the data we see at Chill Subs, our platform that tracks thousands of literary magazines and submission calls, paints a pretty clear picture: submission fees aren’t the exception anymore, they’re the rule at the top. Across all the literary magazines we track, about 13% charge fees. Zoom in on Brecht De Poortere’s top 1000, and that number jumps to 24%. Narrow it further to just the top 100 most popular magazines, and it spikes to 56%. That’s not a slippery slope. It’s a cliff. The higher the prestige, the more likely it is that writers are paying just to be considered. from The Rise of the Submission Industrial Complex [LitHub]
May 8
A Hollow Narrative
Globalization did not hollow out the American middle class. "...the master narrative of protectionism is simply much more myth than fact. Yes, Chinese import competition hurt America a bit in the 2000s. But overall, globalization and trade deficits are not the main reason that manufacturing’s role in the U.S. economy has shrunk. Nor has globalization hollowed out the middle class — because in fact, the middle class has not been hollowed out."
From Port Sudan to the ICJ Civilians are Caught in a Nightmare
Sudan’s civil war has intensified as the RSF launched drone strikes on Port Sudan, targeting military and civilian infrastructure. The attacks disrupted humanitarian operations and prompted the UN to suspend aid flights. In response, Sudan severed diplomatic ties with the UAE, accusing it of supplying weapons to the RSF—an allegation the UAE denies. Meanwhile, the International Court of Justice dismissed Sudan’s genocide case against the UAE, citing a lack of jurisdiction. [more inside]
You can't say that! ... Oh man, the league is ready for this
Carl Nassib opens up on his football journey & coming out as NFL's first gay player [The Pivot] [more inside]
Pope chimney live cam
Because of course there is. And yes, you can bet on it if you want to, because of course you can. [more inside]
Kenji López-Alt‘s All-Day Red Sauce
MeFi favorite J. Kenji López-Alt: “This is the kind of sauce that restaurants in Little Italy rested their reputations on—back when Little Italy restaurants had actual reputations to maintain. We're talking all-day sauce here. The kind of sauce that starts with the simplest ingredients—some canned tomatoes, a few aromatics, some olive oil, and maybe some basil—and alchemically transforms them into something so good that families can be built around it.”
Remote Wongalara sanctuary using fire to protect native wildlife
Remote Wongalara sanctuary using fire to protect native wildlife. In the Northern Territory outback, Wongalara sanctuary is successfully reducing wildfires and lowering pest numbers using strategic burns. (Australia)
📚 Canadian small press hat-trick #8 (Bluenose edition) 📚
Under the fold, Nova Scotian small presses Conundrum Press, Nimbus Publishing, and Pottersfield Press. [more inside]
Camarada!
The Nakba, Cont'd
The west's shameful silence on Gaza [ungated] - "Trump announced an outlandish plan for Gaza to be emptied of Palestinians and taken over by the US... Senior Israeli officials have since said they are implementing Trump's plan to transfer Palestinians out of Gaza." (previously) [more inside]
You can never read a Pynchon novel too many times
His often uncannily prescient novels are known for their dense interwoven strands of plot, conspiracy and character, often peppered with musical numbers. Blinkered knuckleheads have unfairly branded him “mysterious” and “reclusive” because he opted out of the celebrity machine in order to let the work stand on its own. Some consider him America’s Greatest Living Writer, while others consider him The Greatest Writer America Has Ever Produced. He’s our Dostoevsky, our Joyce, our Homer, but, y’know, funnier. from (Don’t Fear) Thomas Pynchon by Jim Knipfel [more inside]
May 7
Turning down streetlights at night shown to reduce light pollution
Turning down streetlights at night shown to reduce light pollution and carbon emissions.
An adaptive lighting project in Canberra, which reduced the brightness of streetlights by up to half, showed a 25 per cent reduction in light pollution. The project used around 30,000 smart streetlights in Canberra during off-peak times, and also found a reduction in carbon emissions.
White Smoke: Can you become Pope without losing your soul?
US TV’s first lead cartoon hijabi
I created the hijabi mom character in #1 Happy Family USA. How she wears it is part of her personality – so I knew I had to get it right By Mona Chalabi
Grab your hiking pack & get your nerd on; we’ve got a lot to talk about
Stories are cultural artifacts, whether it’s epics on clay tablets or big-budget films. Those artifacts can tell us a lot about the time and culture that made them if we take a few minutes to shake them and see what falls out. To that end, an independent scholar goes rogue from academic respectability, wanders out into the wild, and talks to the trees and rocks about science fiction and its place in historical study.
[more inside]
What’s actually happening is uncanny
The work is intended to distill the content of the most popular YouTuber in the world down to one of its core motifs: the promise of the next number being even bigger: Mr. Beast Saying Increasingly Large Amounts of Money (Abridged version) There is also an unabridged version. by morry kolman
Dorian Film Awards
A few months ago, GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics announced its Dorian Film Awards for films released in 2024. The Substance (discussion on FanFare) won several Dorians; I Saw the TV Glow (FanFare) won two, Will & Harper (FanFare) won two, and Challengers (FanFare) also won two. "Unsung LGBTQ+ Film of the Year" went to The People's Joker, described in GALECA's press release as a "trans-empowering Batman spoof".
If you don't like the status quo...
The New Brunswick mystery neurological syndrome solved?
An independent assessment determined the condition is attributable to well known conditions. In 2019, NB Public Health monitored 40 patients with symptoms similiar to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare and fatal brain disease. It did not appear to be C-J, but of an unknown origin. It seemed to centre on Acadian Peninsula in northeast New Brunswick and the Monction region in the southeast. [more inside]
Footprints uncovered on school foyer boulder date back 200 million years
Footprints uncovered on school foyer boulder date back 200 million years.
Scientists say the discovery of 66 footprints on a rock at a Queensland high school are a huge breakthrough in understanding early Jurassic dinosaurs.
”Steering is a tiller, pointed directly at my face.”
Aging Wheels is the YouTube channel of a funny guy who likes weird cars—Reliant Robin, Trabant, you name it. Recently he bought two models of Spira, a car so light and economical that the door comes open at highway speeds. (YT 43:19, but it is immediately funny) [more inside]
Fred Dibnah, steeplejack
Let's go back to Bolton, Lancashire, 1979. Everyone speaks with a fantastic Northern accent and uses words like "mither" (to annoy). Nobody wears safety equipment, or even knows what it is. Steeplejack Fred Dibnah, soon to become a national celebrity, is featured in a BBC documentary, dangling precariously from giant chimneys while nonchalantly smoking, and scoffing cheese sandwiches with soot-blackened hands. [more inside]
Everyone Is Cheating Their Way Through College
📚 An interlude for some American small presses 📚
The National Endowment for the Arts is slated for the chopping block in Trump's budget. It has just cut off funding (paywalled, sorry) to, amongst others affected, many of the US's best small presses, including (but not limited to) Arte Publico, BOA Editions, Four Way Books, Hub City Writers Project, Milkweed Editions, Nightboat Books, Red Hen Press, Transit Books, feminist presses Alice James Books and Aunt Lute Books, and presses dedicated to translations, the Center for the Art of Translation, Deep Vellum, Open Letter Books, and Three Percent. [more inside]