January 16, 2021
RIP Sylvain Sylvain (February 14, 1951 - January 13, 2021)
Sylvain Sylvain, born Sylvain Mizrahi, guitarist for proto-punk band The New York Dolls, has died at age 69. [more inside]
Toward a unified theory of the exurbs
The Republican Party’s most Pro-Trump members have been elected by higher income white homeowners in the fast-growing exurban fringe. They feel the social status traditionally associated with their identity as white Christians is being degraded and that left wing political movements pose a threat to their livelihoods and political power. [more inside]
Counter-Reformation, 2021 Edition
The techniques of this movement start with insults and propaganda and work their way up through boycotts and demonstrations to discriminatory laws. Then comes stochastic violence followed by planned violence. An important point is that it doesn’t start with atrocities. It begins with scapegoating, stigmatizing, and dehumanizing the targeted group(s); political speech. The true believers incrementally escalate their behavior. By the time they reach planned violence, there is no going back. [more inside]
owl spotting
Timber Wars is an eight-part podcast about the history of logging and environmentalism in the Pacific Northwest. It includes some great episodes on the spotted owl and the ecology of old growth forests. The series wrapped up in November, but just a few days ago, in the closing days of a failed administration, a new change to the federal rules placed 3 million acres of Northwest forests on the chopping block, removing protections for the spotted owl. [more inside]
22 Orphans Gave Up Everything to Distribute the World’s First Vaccine
In 1803, Spanish health officials wanted to get the smallpox inoculation to the New World. The problem was that it required fresh lymph which wouldn't last the journey across the Atlantic.
The plan involved putting two dozen Spanish orphans on a ship. Right before they left for the colonies, a doctor would give two of them cowpox. After nine or 10 days at sea, the sores on their arms would be nice and ripe. A team of doctors onboard would lance the sores, and scratch the fluid into the arms of two more boys. Nine or 10 days later, once those boys developed sores, a third pair would receive fluid, and so on.[SLTheAtlantic]
Fighting Baseball - the Full Roster
Having garnered considerable online fandom, the curious player names of Fighting Baseball (previously) have since been researched in depth by redditor Cincinnati Redlegs, who has since published a spreadsheet of the complete list of player names.
This is what it sounds like when the violet backed starlings cry.
Prince as birds. (Twitter) Avian avatars of the Artist. thread reader link For the Twitter averse (or Donald Trump).
R.I.P. Margo St. James
On January 13, Margo St. James, founder of the St. James Infirmary and COYOTE (Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics) died. She was a fighter for sex-workers rights and their health and safety. I remember learning about her as a young person and she was one of the influencers of my feminism--she changed how I think about sex work/workers. Rest In Power.
Wild, white horses
Mr. Frank Watkinson makes beautiful guitar covers. He also posts original music on his channel. I highly recommend listening to his rendition of I Will Follow You Into The Dark.
Next: DisneySpace?
Tokyo DisneySea is considered by enthusiasts as perhaps the best theme park in the world. Opened in 2001, it includes a “Mediterranean Harbor”, a “Mysterious Island” (complete with volcano), an “Arabian Coast”, an “American Waterfront” and a forthcoming "Fantasy Springs". With no expense spared by owner The Oriental Land Company which uniquely operates Tokyo Disney Resort under licence from Disney, fans have waxed rhapsodical over the sheer scale and quality and immersion of the park (eps 75-77 of The Golden Horseshoe Review podcast). Episode 4 of The Imagineering Story (Disney+) examines the creation of the park. [more inside]
« Previous day | Next day »