March 31
According to the National Labor Relations Board, "Amazon repeatedly violated the rights of employees who pushed for health and safety improvements during the coronavirus pandemic". But the NLRB is powerless to do anything about it.
30 of the Best Book Covers of the Year (So Far). Some great design in here.
Opening lines of books, rewritten for the pandemic. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë: "There was no possibility of taking a walk that day. Too many people were outside without masks on. Oh, well, never too early for Netflix."
On the coming 4th surge of Covid-19 in the US. "I understand the impatience with restrictions – I'm fed up and tired, too – but our restlessness risks creating one last set of victims who could easily be spared."
"The Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine is extremely effective in adolescents 12 to 15 years old, perhaps even more so than in adults, the companies reported on Wednesday." Zero infections & no serious side effects in trials.
March 30
VW's name change to "Voltswagen" is a dumb April Fools joke. Another own goal by the company. How about this: make good cars, sell them to people, and stfu.
You can watch Bowling for Columbine for free on Michael Moore's YouTube channel. I haven't seen this in years – I wonder how it holds up?
The date of full bloom of the Kyoto cherry blossoms has been measured since 812. Due to climate change, they've been blooming earlier & earlier. In 2021, they bloomed earlier than ever before.
Very frustrated at the continuing lack of rapid testing (and free mask distribution) in the US. The vaccines are great, but we could move even faster & smarter w/ lots of antigen testing & more mask-wearing.
Another survey by Kaiser Family Foundation also shows that Covid vaccine hesitancy has dropped in the last few months. "Republicans and white evangelical Christians were the most likely to say they will not get vaccinated."
A simple simulation game where you try to steer a ship through the Suez Canal. It took me only 30 seconds to Ever Given that thing right into the bank.
"Volkswagen plans to change its brand name in the United States to 'Voltswagen'" – I hope this is an April Fools thing. VW has been *terrible* in naming cars in recent years: Tiguan, Arteon, Touareg...yuck.
March 29
We Can't End the Pandemic Without Vaccinating Kids. "So far, children have mostly been spared from the worst aspects of Covid-19. Let's keep it that way."
Unlike in other US cities, violent crime dropped sharply during the pandemic in Baltimore after the city temporarily stopped prosecuting drug possession, prostitution, and other minor charges. So the city made those changes permanent.
March 27
March 26
Ian Manuel spent 18 consecutive years in solitary confinement from age 15 to 33. "The harrowing injustice I suffered as a boy should never happen to another child in this country." Solitary is straight-up state-mandated torture.
Flanked by six white men, Governor Brian Kemp signed Georgia's new voter suppression measures into law underneath a painting of an actual slave plantation. "The new, new Jim Crow" indeed.
I Like That The Boat Is Stuck. "I like knowing that there can be a big problem that's caused by something as straightforward and comprehensible as a stuck boat."
The White House press corps didn't ask President Biden a single question about the pandemic at his first press conference yesterday. Not one! From @zeynep, here are 10 questions they should have asked him.
The Hard Work of Remembering. "As of today 545,305 people in this country have died from COVID-19. If the names were on the same bronze parapets as the 9/11 memorial, they'd stretch for forty-nine miles."
Yes, this. But also: I am torn between a) the knowlege that I need to cut *myself* some slack and b) the continuous criticism of myself. Working on it!
Over the past 40 years, Kevin Kelly travelled to 35 countries in Asia, documenting unique cultures before they disappear. The result is Vanishing Asia, a 3-volume book containing over 9000 photographs.
Dominion Voting Systems filed a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News, arguing they lied about Dominion rigging the 2020 election. Sue those fuckers right into the ground.
March 25
Visualizing deaths caused by policing in the United States. "These three alarming trends...could suggest that the police are becoming increasingly aggressive and invested in maintaining the racial order."
New study finds that tax evasion is rampant among America's wealthy: more than 20% of their income goes unreported, to the tune of $175B/yr. The underfunded IRS doesn't have the resources to investigate this theft.
For some reason, my teen son has become obsessed with the "Dicky Moe" episode of Tom & Jerry. To be fair, the first 40 seconds are a brilliant animated distillation of Captain Ahab's deranged whale obsession.
March 24
"Virginia, the state that has executed more people than any other in the nation, is abolishing the death penalty today." It's the first formerly Confederate state to do so.
This short paper shows a dramatic difference in infection rates between staff at a Texas hospital who received Covid-19 vaccinations and those who did not. Worrying stat tho: even though they had access, 22% of staff remained unvaxxed.
Wow, George Oates has returned to Flickr to revitalize fantastic Commons on Flickr program she launched back in 2008. What great news – The Commons is one of the web's true gems.
"In City After City, Police Mishandled Black Lives Matter Protests." Mishandled? Or deliberately escalated? Police intentionally rioted in American streets last summer as a show of force & a rebuke to any restriction of their power & autonomy.
March 23
On the Americal ritual of a Killing Day. "Mass shootings are by now a standard part of American life. Preparing for them has become a ritual of childhood."
Amazon Delivery Drivers Forced to Sign 'Biometric Consent' Form or Lose Job. Amazon could be a beloved company (and still hugely profitable) if they wanted to be but it just doesn't seem like they want to be.
Pickup lines generated by AI. "What's the definition of a femtometer? Cause I'd like to run it through your quark 10 times."
How to Wait in Line. "Distract yourself to pass the time. If you can, embrace the camaraderie of wanting something en masse."
For a limited time, the ebook version of Charles Mann's excellent 1491 is on sale for $2.99. This book rearranged my brain when I read it in 2005.
Ten people were killed in a mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado supermarket yesterday. In America, part of opening back up after a pandemic is the return of periodic public slaughter. (Gun sales surged massively in 2020.)
Sylvia Plath's Food Diary. The poet wrote about food a lot and @whatsylviaate is keeping track. "God, must I lose it in cooking scrambled eggs for a man?"
March 22
Mickey Drexler tells the Old Navy origin story. "I did some research and found that 80% of the jeans in America sold for less than $30, and Gap's price point started at $34.50."
Who can and can't get vaccinated right now around the world. While I wait my turn, I've learned there's no polite way to ask friends my age and younger how they've gotten vaccinated already.
This is wild: people vary in how fast they age. "The slowest ager gained only 0.4 'biological years' for each chronological year in age; in contrast, the fastest-aging participant gained nearly 2.5 biological years for every chronological year."
As spiders age, they produce less web and their feet lose some of their grip. So this person added some climbing aids to help her pet spider climb to a favorite spot.
March 19
Cookie Consent Speed Run. How quickly can you decline all the cookies? "This game uses all the text and tricks of normal cookie consent pop-ups and banners, so don't blame me if it's too hard."
An extensive analysis of the timing of Covid-19's emergence. "It is highly probable that SARS-CoV-2 was circulating in Hubei province at low levels in early-November 2019 and possibly as early as October 2019, but not earlier."
March 18
The Curious World of Animals. "Take a glimpse at the natural world which surrounds us in this groundbreaking documentary that nobody asked for."
March 17
My Mom Believes In QAnon. I've Been Trying To Get Her Out.
The Responsibility of Saving Restaurants Should Never Have Been Ours. "By refusing to act, the government effectively told diners that workers' livelihoods and lives were in their hands."
Good thread from Linsey Marr summarizing her House testimony about the airborne transmission of Covid-19. Ppl working in gas stations here in VT still routinely go unmasked behind plexi partitions; drives me nuts!
Hollaback! is offering free bystander intervention training to help stop Anti-Asian/American and xenophobic harassment. Even if you can't do the training, check out the resources at the bottom of the page.
Art heist! Houston's Rienzi House Museum was (maybe) robbed last night. The thieves escaped by motor boat, disappeared into a drainage tunnel, and are still at large. Still unclear if anything was actually taken...
The US is sitting on a stockpile of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine doses that we won't be able to use. Send them to countries that can use them to save lives!
Horrific: eight people were murdered (7 women, 6 of Asian descent) by a white man in three different locations in the Atlanta area yesterday. Let's call this what it is: white supremacist terrorism fueled by easy access to guns.
March 16
Here's what living with Long Covid for a year is like. "Until November I had a racing heartbeat and my HR would shoot up anytime I used my arms while standing."
Shakespeare in the Park is returning to NYC's Central Park this summer! Civilization is healing...
Lessons for the Next Pandemic. "To prepare for the next pandemic, the government must put science and data above all else."
On the unrealistic expectations of the American system of work. "Long before Covid-19 hit, Americans were expected to work like they didn't have families."
The Logo Quiz. How well do you know tech company logos?
Evidence from Israel that their aggressive vaccination efforts are working. Look at that steep, steady drop in hospitalizations in the 60+ age group.
March 15
March 12
The Age of Data – Embracing Algorithms in Art & Design. "An anthology of genre-redefining data-based art. Featuring 40 artists, designers and studios."
Novovax announced that their Covid-19 vaccine is "96% effective in preventing cases caused by the original version of the coronavirus" (phase 3 results). Right up there w/ Pfizer and Moderna. Also 86% effective against B.1.1.7.
What's this, a fresh new design for the Noticing newsletter? You can check it out right here.
Old-school NYC diner Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop has shuttered. Very sad – I used to work nearby and got takeout lunch there at least once a week.
March 11
Sobering visualization of the 2.3 million Americans currently jailed or imprisoned. "The United States holds more people in jails and prisons than any other country by far, both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of population."
One year ago today, the reality of Covid-19 finally & dramatically hit the United States. On 3/11/2020, the Dow plummeted, the WHO officially called it a "pandemic", the NBA suspended its season, and Tom Hanks announced his diagnosis.
Research suggests that increasing the minimum wage could help lower suicide rates. "So many people who died by suicide weren't just starving for therapeutic attention. They were starving."
Lego is going to produce a set featuring Vincent van Gogh's painting The Starry Night. It's based on an idea contributed by Truman Cheng, who will receive a 1% royalty from all sales of the set.
March 10
This study gave $500/mo in no-strings-attached cash to low-income folks for two years. After, recipients were happier, healthier, less anxious, and more likely to have a job. "The best way to get people out of poverty is just to get them out of poverty."
In 1977, the "world's last lost tourist", bound for San Francisco from Germany, mistakenly got off the plane in Maine. "The rusted green bridge that links Bangor to neighboring Brewer was clearly not the Golden Gate, but Kreuz carried on regardless."
March 9
How Looney Tunes & Other Classic Cartoons Helped Americans Become Musically Literate. "Who can hear Wagner without wanting to sing at the top of their lungs, 'Kill da wabbit, Kill da wabbit, Kill da wabbit!'"
Plots of 80s movies if their protagonists had been people of color. "Ferris attends school that day, and every other day, until he graduates high school as valedictorian, goes to Yale, and becomes a dermatologist."
March 8
There Are Days, a poem by Kate Baer. "How they climb and climb and climb and climb."
The pandemic travel pause has given some communities a chance to rethink tourism. "Tourism had become extractive and hurtful, with tourists coming here and taking, taking, taking, taking, without any reciprocation with locals."
1-in-670 Americans has died of Covid-19 and 1-in-3 has lost someone they loved. This heart-wrenching interactive feature from the NY Times profiles some of those who have been lost and those left behind. Make some time for this.
Terry Boot takes over for Peter Foot at a shoe company. This is the best name-fits-the-job news since Doug Bowser became president of Nintendo of America.
There's No Real Reason to Eat 3 Meals a Day. "Your weird pandemic eating habits are probably fine." In the past year, I've seen a big uptick in eating because I'm bored (and less healthily too).
The Kilobyte's Gambit. Can you beat 1024 bytes of JavaScript in chess? (I love the disclaimer about not reporting en passant capturing as a bug.)
Whoa, I heard this sonic boom created by a meteor last night. Didn't see the fireball but the boom was so deep & loud that I legit started looking around for a mushroom cloud (80s kid habit).
March 6
March 5
The 50 Best Movie and TV Show Twists of All Time. Knives Out, Citizen Kane, Infinity War, The Good Place, Empire Strikes Back, and more.
A recent study found a correlation between places with Black Lives Matter protests and decreased killings by police. "Many cities with larger and more frequent BLM protests experienced greater declines in police homicides."
A new light installation by James Turrell is opening at MASS MoCA in May 2021. "I can make the sky any color you choose."
Just sent out this week's image-rich issue of the @kottke newsletter, featuring Wandavision cartoons (no spoilers!), letterlocking, and printed hair flowers.
March 4
"Why did Jack Dorsey buy Jay-Z's failed music service?" Square bought a majority stake in TIDAL for some reason...
I have experienced absolutely no vaccine FOMO. It's not my turn yet and mostly I just feel happy anytime people I know (or even folks I don't) get their shot. Every jab gets us all closer to some normalcy.
Day Care Makes The World More Tender. "Silence the voice inside your head that has internalized the patriarchal belief that children are best loved at home, exclusively by their mothers."
Holy wow, this story by @choitotheworld. "All the pain of the past year taught me something: the true nature of intimacy."
Johnson & Johnson announces trials to test their Covid-19 vaccine in children aged 12-17 and, following that, in younger children and infants. In an interview elsewhere, J&J's CEO said those trials should be completed by Sept.
It's weird that a) NY will allow live performances to resume in April and b) this @nytimes piece about it doesn't include a single quote from a scientist or public health official. Cases, positivity, deaths still at high levels in NYC.
March 3
Khoi Vinh and his 11-year-old daughter designed a family cookbook together. "It was a blast talking about these fairly esoteric topics...to have it come alive for her, demystifying the act of what it takes to create a 'real' book."
Dolly Parton gets her first Covid-19 shot (she helped fund Moderna's research) and sings a little song to the tune of Jolene. "Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, 'cause once you're dead, that's a bit too late."
Really happy to see that the Covid-19 vaccination effort is speeding up in Vietnam. In order to effectively end the pandemic (and guard against future dangerous variants), a fast, worldwide effort is necessary.
March 2
What if Reese's Peanut Butter Cups but without the chocolate? "Both the outer shell and inside of the cup are all peanut butter." YES.
What if the Earth were listed for sale on Zillow? "BEAUTIFUL, SUN-DRENCHED planet TRANSFORMED by human touch... The humans also redid all the floors in asphalt..."
March 1
"An oily, 100-nanometer-wide bubble of genes has killed more than two million people and reshaped the world." But are viruses alive?
The COVID Zoom Boom Is Reshaping Sign Language. "Deaf people are adapting signs to accommodate the limitations of video communication while working from home."