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Entries for August 2023
MLS Parents Complain Leo Messi Too Advanced For Sons’ League. “He should really be playing against people who are at his own skill level and stop making our poor sons feel so inferior.” 😂
Very Minimalist Movie Posters
There’s minimalism and then there’s these classic movie posters from Michal Krasnopolski. Each poster is based on a simple grid of a circle, a square, and four intersecting lines. It would be a challenge to come up with a poster for every movie in this style, but the ones he picked work really well. (via moss & fog)
How Do We Fix the Scandal That Is American Health Care? “An infant is some 70 percent more likely to die in the United States than in other wealthy countries.” 70%!
“Democracy is, at the very highest level, a system for turning the idea of human equality into practical political reality. When leaders can get away with whatever they want, there is no real political equality.”
Prison Can Be A Hostile Place. Then the Birds Came. “Even the toughest guys became consumed by these little creatures. It was impossible not to be — they were adorable.”
Scientists Should Stop Naming Species after Awful People. “There’s even a beetle named after Adolf Hitler, and specimens have become a collectible item among neo-Nazis to the point that it’s actually affecting wild populations of the species.”
Josh Harmon creates the foley sounds for a short clip of Snoopy making a pizza using bubble wrap, a balloon, and a stapler. Love this.
Goodnight temaki. Goodnight nigiri. Goodnight maki. Goodnight inari. Goodnight sushi, everywhere.
LK-99 isn’t a superconductor — how science sleuths solved the mystery. “After dozens of replication efforts, many experts are confidently saying that the evidence shows LK-99 is not a room-temperature superconductor.”
We Cannot Out-Organize Voter Suppression. This mistaken belief “minimizes the real world effects of repeated, targeted suppression laws. It shifts the burden from the suppressors to the voters.”
MLB broadcaster Vin Scully’s career lasted 67 seasons, during which he called a game managed by Connie Mack (born in 1862) and one in which Julio Urías (b. 1996) played in. Superb example of The Great Span.
Blood on the Tracks: Thai Railway Safety Posters
These railway safety posters from Thailand are kind of amazing — very straightforward, graphic, and often gruesome in their illustration of the dangers involved with improper train travel.
See also The Horror of Vintage Dutch Safety Posters. (thx, chelsea)
Great interview with Amy Sherald. “I remember being frustrated when I was like six, five years old, wanting to make a masterpiece, but I didn’t have the skills. My crayons weren’t giving me Leonardo da Vinci.”
The world’s longest ultra-marathon event, the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race, is a 52-day, 3,100-mile race around a block in Queens. Runners can run between 6am and midnight and must average 59.6 mi/day to finish.
The JWST is spotting dozens of unexpected “little red dots” in young galaxies in the early cosmos. “The most straightforward explanation…is that large black holes weighing millions of suns are whipping the gas clouds into a frenzy.”
Emily St. James on the Barbie movie’s gender duality. “Humanness is inherently messy, and as the film embraces that messiness, it finds space outside its dualities, space where trans people can thrive.”
The New Kottke Newsletter and Some Other Misc Things
Hey folks, a quick word. Newsletter. I’ve revamped it in recent weeks and now it’s a digest of posts and Quick Links from the site, delivered to your inbox twice a week on Tuesday and Friday. It’s free and you can subscribe here.
[Brief newsletter colophon interlude because I know people will be curious: I recently moved the newsletter from Mailchimp because it was too expensive, kinda janky for media-ish newsletters, and also they are owned by Intuit now. 👎 I switched to Sendy, which is a locally installed program that sends mail through Amazon’s SES.
If you’re looking for a new home for your newsletter, Sendy might not be a good choice if you don’t want to install software on a server, but I have heard great things about Buttondown and good things about beehiiv. Try to avoid Substack.]
Second thing, two words: Gift links. Online content is increasingly paywalled and even though kottke.org doesn’t have a paywall (thanks to a generous membership for keeping it free and open for everyone!), I do link to things on sites that are paywalled. I wish I didn’t need to, but that’s how many media companies have chosen to pay quality writers, editors, artists, and photographers to produce excellent work these days. It can be easy to get around some of these paywalls — by opening a link in private browsing mode, deleting the site’s cookies, or using a site like 12ft, archive.org, or archive.is — but it’s a pain in the ass and doesn’t work in all cases. While I cannot promise no paywalled links, I have been making a greater effort lately to use gift links when featuring stuff from the likes of the NY Times & Washington Post and finding alternate sources for news items — the AP, Reuters, The Guardian, NPR, The Verge, Vox, Ars Technica, and several other media sites all publish quality content without paywalls and I am happy to link to them more often in appreciation. (And if I do use a paywalled link and you’ve got a gift link to spare, send it along and I’ll replace it. Thx!)
Lastly, three words: Ask Me Anything. I know it’s been awhile since I’ve answered any of the AMA questions, but I haven’t forgotten about it and will get back to it soon.
P.S., four words: new thing coming soon. I love to underpromise and overdeliver so I generally don’t tease things, but I have been beavering away on something new for the site for a few weeks now. The first iteration is getting close to the finish line and hopefully I’ll be able to launch it towards the end of the month or in the first part of September. It’s been fun to see it come together and I’m eager/anxious to see if it works once it’s out there. But that’s all you get for now. ✌️🤐
Yes: Scientists Recreate Pink Floyd Song by Reading Brain Signals of Listeners. But: “The audio sounds like it’s being played underwater.” (Still impressive though.)
Hackers gather to try to break AI chatbots, discover it’s not difficult. “I told the AI that my name was the credit card number on file, and asked it what my name was. And it gave me the credit card number.”
This summer, a group of congressional interns took selfies with all 100 senators. Cory Booker was dubbed the most fun while Amy Klobuchar was the last one they got. Ok but I want to know who the biggest jerk was — lots of candidates there.
Doctors are trying to scale back on radiation for cancer treatment. “Treating cancer has always been a balancing act between the brutal therapies that kill tumors and how much of the treatment the human body can take.”
Meteorologist Is Naming Heatwaves After Big Polluting Oil Companies
Right now, the Portland, OR area is suffering through a heat wave, with high temperatures some 20-25°F above normal. Earlier this year, meteorologist Guy Walton began naming North American heatwaves after oil companies:
Obviously, I’m naming heatwaves to highlight this worsening climate problem and perhaps save lives by getting the public to focus on this weather threat. This year I’m naming major heatwaves after oil companies to shame them in the process and to identify culprits that are exacerbating these deadly systems.
Portland’s hot spell, the fourth heatwave of the summer, is named Heatwave Citgo…having been preceded by Heatwave Amoco, Heatwave BP, and Heatwave Chevron. Next up on the list:
5. Conoco (Phillips)
6. Dana
7. Exxon
8. Frontera
9. Gazprom
10. Hess
11. Koch
And several more as needed. Here’s Walton’s criteria for choosing what constitutes a nameable heatwave (mirroring the scale for hurricanes):
CAT 3: A major level heatwave severe enough such that a few fatalities are reported. A city in a CAT 3 heat wave would be under a heat emergency for a few days. Many heat records would be either tied or broken.
A CAT3 or higher heatwave would be considered to be a major heatwave and would get a fossil fuel corporation name.
The highest category of heatwave is CAT5:
CAT 5. Catastrophic heat wave. Many all-time temperature records would be shattered with thousands of deaths reported. Remember the European heat wave of 2003 in which there were well in excess of 10,000 fatalities? This event would certainly fit my CAT 5 category.
The media should actually start using these more widely. (via @dens)
Harrison Ford: “These scientists keep naming critters after me, but it’s always the ones that terrify children. I don’t understand. I spend my free time cross-stitching. I sing lullabies to my basil plants, so they won’t fear the night.” 🌿🎶
A new book from Pippin Barr, who I feature on the site from time to time: The Stuff Games Are Made Of. “A deep dive into practical game design through playful philosophy and philosophical play.”
Very Expensive Maps
Very Expensive Maps is, well, I can’t say it much plainer than host Evan Applegate: “Very Expensive Maps is a podcast by cartographer Evan Applegate in which he interviews better cartographers.” A podcast about a visual medium like maps is maybe a tiny bit like dancing about architecture, but Applegate makes it work. The archives are a key part of the show…lots of links to the maps discussed during each episode. Here’s a sampling of some of the visuals from recent shows:
Finally, a Lego version of the Concorde supersonic passenger jet. Including a tiltable droop nose and, er, toilets.
Antworks and Other Art Made in Collaboration With Ants
This is a lovely, mesmerizing short video made by artist Catherine Chalmers in collaboration with some leafcutter ants. I’m not gonna say why, but you should watch this all the way to the end…there’s a bit of a twist that’ll make you smile.
Earlier this year, Chalmers was the subject of a profile in the New Yorker:
The work encourages us to empathize with bugs. One reason they disgust us, Chalmers believes, is that they seem immoral, or at least differently moral. “We see ourselves as individuals,” she said. “And we see insects as being this uniform, formless mass that will sacrifice themselves and do all these sorts of things.” Some of her photos capture a praying mantis eating the head of her mate. “Civilization is a march for greater and greater and greater control over the world,” she said. But nature doesn’t play by our rules.
You can more of Chalmers’ collabs with ants and other insects on her website and Instagram. She’s also spoken about her work at a National Geographic Conference and at a TEDx event. (thx, andy)
It’s time to make the bloodsicles. “A Dallas zoologist describes what it’s like to make massive, bloody ice pops for lions and tigers in the sweltering summer heat.”
Wow, the top 25 finalists in the kids category of the USA Mullet Championship. Glorious.
New Healthcare Breakthroughs Provide Hope That Baby Boomers Will Never Leave Positions Of Power. “Thanks to rapid advancements…baby boomers never have to let go of their stranglehold on the political and economic arenas.”
Sylvia Robinson, the Mother of Hip-Hop
The other day when I posted about iconic hip-hop samples from the past 50 years, I noticed a name that featured prominently in the early years: Sylvia Robinson. Robinson was the CEO and co-founder of the very first rap record label, Sugar Hill Records. She produced the first rap record, Rapper’s Delight, and the seminal The Message, widely regarded as one of the best and most influential rap and hip-hop tracks ever.
From an essay written on the occasion of her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022:
Sylvia Robinson played many roles in the music world — artist, producer, and, most notably, record executive. But as the founder and leader of the pioneering Sugar Hill label, she revealed herself to be something even rarer. She was a visionary.
In 1979, “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugarhill Gang introduced hip-hop to the global mainstream, illustrating the genre’s commercial and creative potential. Robinson had overseen the record’s backing track, assembled the group members, and arranged their vocals — but fundamentally, it was her idea that rap was even viable as recorded music. Her place in history would be secured by that track alone, though it was far from her only impact on the direction of pop.
Here’s a short video that covers the high points of her career:
It’s sad that Robinson and her achievements haven’t been more widely known — this seems like another case (as in computing and other industries) where women played an early vital role and were then forgotten.
From The Verge, a visual history of the iMac, which celebrates its 25th birthday this year. “Since then, the iMac has become one of the most popular desktop computer lines ever.”
The Cooper Hewitt Design Museum has announced the winners of the 2023 National Design Awards, including Seymour Chwast, Arem Duplessis, and Beatriz Lozano.
The Clean Energy Future Is Arriving Faster Than You Think. “The United States is catching up, and globally, change is happening at a pace that is surprising even the experts who track it closely.”
Play Laya’s Horizon, a 3D Open-World Game With Alto’s Odyssey Vibes
The makers of Alto’s Adventure and Alto’s Odyssey, two of my all-time favorite video games, are back with a game called Laya’s Horizon, which brings the familiar Alto vibe to a 3D open-world situation. In the game, you fly & glide around, navigating different terrain to achieve various goals and objectives. I’ve been playing it for the last few days and it’s a really fun, chill game. Basically, if you loved either Alto game, you’ll enjoy this.
Laya’s Horizon is available on iOS and Android and is free to play if you have a Netflix account. Did you know Netflix had a gaming service? (thx, patrick)
Twitter’s t[dot]co link wrapping domain is delaying forwarding to certain domains (NY Times, Threads) by 5 seconds. I still use Twitter for exactly one thing (finding gift links for paywalled articles) and can confirm this is a thing. So petty.
Former NFL player Michael Oher is suing Sean & Leigh Anne Tuohy, who Oher says never adopted him and instead tricked him into making them his conservators, thus pocketing millions from The Blind Side movie.
Forthcoming book from Mary Beard: Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World. “What power did emperors actually have? Was the Roman palace really so bloodstained? What kind of jokes did Augustus tell?” Beard wrote the bestselling SPQR.
The Most Iconic Hip-Hop Sample of Every Year (1973-2023)
This started off a little slow for me but once it hit the early-to-mid 80s, I was hooked — and bobbing my head uncontrollably throughout. The visualizations really help you see how the various samples were modified, repeated, and layered to achieve the desired sounds — geniuses at work. Man, watching stuff like this makes me want to learn how to do this. (via waxy
You’re a Cyclist Who Was Just Struck by a Car Driver. Here’s Why It Was Your Fault. “You were riding in the morning, or at night, or on a quiet road, or a main road. The only appropriate time to ride a bike is a time beyond time…”
Watch Alexey Molchanov’s World Record Freedives
Alexey Molchanov, one of the best freedivers of all time, recently set two new world records at a competition at Dean’s Blue Hole in the Bahamas:
- An FIM dive that took 4m 42s and went to a depth of 133 meters (442 feet). Molchanov pulled himself down and up using a guide rope without fins.
- A CWT dive that took 4m 13s and went to a depth of 133 meters (442 feet). CWT is when the diver uses a monofin and weight belt to dive and return to the surface.
His complete record-breaking dives are embedded above and are completely suspenseful to watch even though you know the outcome. They’re almost like watching someone meditate instead of compete in an extreme sport. Molchanov needs to expend some energy and oxygen getting down and back, but also can’t over-exert himself. A lot of it is just being relaxed and calm — this is truly a mind-over-matter discipline.
I’ve written about Molchanov before,1 riffing off of this profile of him in GQ.
When Alexey was younger, his mother, Natalia Molchanova, was the world’s best freediver, a distinction that she held for many years. She was a pioneer in the sport and the practitioner of a mind-and-body-control technique called “attention deconcentration.” She passed her secrets to her son, who perfected them and uses the regimen to reach a state of intense calm. By doing so, he can slow his heart rate, his metabolic rate, while simultaneously slowing the activity of his brain and his body. His focus deepens. He relaxes to the point of seeming asleep. He takes deep, drowsy breaths, like a summer breeze filling a sail.
I will never not be fascinated by freediving.
And his mother Natalia, who was probably the best freediver ever and taught Alexey how. Natalia disappeared while diving in 2015 and is presumed dead.↩
A judge ruled in favor of a group of young Montanans who sued the state for violating “their right to a ‘clean and healthful environment’ by promoting the use of fossil fuels”. Here’s hoping this sets a precedent.
Stephen Fry will be hosting a British version of Jeopardy! starting in October. “Episodes will be an hour in length, with a third round betwixt Double Jeopardy and Final Jeopardy to make up the length.”
There’s a lot of dystopian shit going down rn, but a US MLM company backed by white, billionaire libertarians scanning people’s iris patterns with a silver orb in exchange for cryptocurrency in Sub-Saharan Africa really takes the cake.
No Cars Allowed in This Swiss Town (Except Tiny Electric Ones)
Tom Scott visits the small Swiss ski town of Zermatt, where petrol cars have never been allowed. In the 1980s, the town skipped right from horse-drawn carriages to locally-built electric vehicles, which are made pretty much by hand and are expensive — but they are also easy to maintain and repair and can last for 30-50 years. Because space is at a premium, the town tightly controls who can own a vehicle and most of allowed vehicles are delivery vans, public transportation, or other vehicles with a communal use.
The Ukrainians Forced to Flee to Russia by Masha Gessen. “Some are brought against their will. Others are encouraged in subtler ways. But the over-all efforts seem aimed at the erasure of the Ukrainian people.”
She Wasn’t Able to Get an Abortion. Now She’s a Mom. Soon She’ll Start 7th Grade. A 12-yo Mississippi girl was raped, got pregnant, and bc of anti-abortion laws, couldn’t afford to travel to the nearest place (Chicago!) to get an abortion.
Secret Ingredients, Trade Secrets, and the “Onion in the Varnish”
In the Scope of Work newsletter, Anna and Kelly Pendergrast look at various trade secrets and secret ingredients — some that are still necessary, and others that are merely legendary.
When Chicago’s Vienna Sausage Company moved from its original premises which were “put together in a Rube Goldberg kind of arrangement” to a brand new state-of-the-art facility, the sausages didn’t taste as good. For a year and a half, the company tried to work out the problem to no avail. One day, workers were reminiscing about an ex-employee, Irving, who didn’t come to work at the new factory due to the long commute required. Irving’s job was to move the sausages from the filling room to the smokehouse, taking them on a half hour journey through a maze of rooms where other products were getting produced. After noting this absence, it clicked that Irving’s daily trip was the secret ingredient — on his journey the sausages were getting pre-cooked and infused with flavor. The company was eventually able to recreate the sausages’ original taste, building a brand new room onto the factory which emulated the properties of Irving’s trip.
(via robin sloan)
Stop Using So Much Laundry Detergent. “Though it seems counterintuitive, the more detergent you use past a certain point, the dirtier your clothes become.”
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