Jason Kottke’s weblog, home of fine hypertext products since 1998
Generator: Movable Type 4.2
“A Dyson tree is a hypothetical genetically engineered plant (perhaps resembling a tree) capable of growing inside a comet. Plants may be able to produce a breathable atmosphere within the hollow spaces of the comet.”
“The MacArthur Foundation today announced more than $6 million in grants to support the growing field of climate journalism in the United States.” The grants will go to local and independent newsrooms & organizations.
Lorne Michaels may not like it when the actors on SNL break character to crack up at each other, but, to me, it’s the best part of the show. Here’s the NYT with a look at the phenomenon.
Approvingly citing Musk/X and Zuck/Meta, Substack reiterates its commitment to support Nazis, antisemites, anti-vaxxers, transphobes, and homophobes in spreading disinformation & hate under the guise of “free speech”.
I missed this back in October: Venkatesh Rao retired his long-running Ribbonfarm blog. His post is an interesting read, kind of a tour through the era of blogs & social media that Rao believes is now in the rearview.
The ACLU: Know Your Rights (or, what to do if you are questioned about your immigration status). “You have the right to remain silent and do not have to discuss your immigration or citizenship status with police, immigration agents, or other officials.”
Season two of Severance is underway and while the first episode didn’t have an opening title sequence, the second episode debuted a new sequence. The season one intro was inducted straight into the Unskippable Intros Hall of Fame and season two’s intro is just as good. Once again, the titles were done by Oliver Latta, who was found by Severance producer Ben Stiller via his Instagram account.
Tags: Oliver Latta · Severance · TV · video
Interesting: Ooni is coming out with a mixer that they say creates “stronger gluten networks” in your bread or pizza dough. “The stronger the gluten network, the more elasticity and extensibility you get in the dough.”
The Louvre’s upcoming renovation & expansion includes a dedicated room for the Mona Lisa. “The Mona Lisa would be accessible separately from the rest of the museum…with its own ticket.” An estimated 80% of visitors come just to see the Mona Lisa.
DC superhero Dreamer, Fortnite’s first out trans character (introduced in 2022), is available in the game’s item shop until Jan 31. Brb, totally buying this right now.
From January 2017, A.R. Moxon on Nazis:
Historians have a word for Germans who joined the Nazi party, not because they hated Jews, but out of a hope for restored patriotism, or a sense of economic anxiety, or a hope to preserve their religious values, or dislike of their opponents, or raw political opportunism, or convenience, or ignorance, or greed.
That word is “Nazi.” Nobody cares about their motives anymore.
They joined what they joined. They lent their support and their moral approval. And, in so doing, they bound themselves to everything that came after. Who cares any more what particular knot they used in the binding?
Tags: A.R. Moxon · Nazis · politics