October 30, 2020
What would you change?
"Cascade" by A.J. Fitzwater (published July 2020) is (as reviewer Vanessa Fogg says) "an unusual story of time travel, in which a group of grieving friends discuss what steps they would take to change the past without changing the current world too much—and only for the better." Or, as the author puts it, "This story is about a trans guy mourning the death of his best friend, and in a drunken state with his other friends manifesting a Goddess of Change into the world." Lots of queer representation; content note for mention of a trans person's suicide before the story starts.
Little Bobby Tables, LTD
A UK business decided to make a splash with their corporate name = by formally registering a cross site scripting (XSS) attack as one, waiting to confound anyone who read the list of corporate names without sanitizing the results. (SLRegister) [more inside]
Choose your Poison
Happy by Danny Elfman. Take my hand, in my hand, and my eloquent knife. First solo song since 1985. Puppy, Puppy, Puppy, Puppy. 2020 2020 2020 2020. [Warning: Video has flashing lights]
What is the internet doing to our parents’ brains?
"While it’s true that older generations are more vulnerable to fake news in some ways, they are more resilient in others. Millions of millennials’ parents did not suddenly decide to slide into conspiracy-land. They are simply living in a country with more and better ways of pulling them there. "
Much more detail about African genomes and the discovery of a migration
An analysis of the genomes of people from 50 ethnolinguistic groups in Africa spots 62 genes under positive selection and 3 million more genetic variants than previously documented. [more inside]
When the votes will be counted
538 has finally done something useful this election season beyond reminding us constantly that any percentage for a Trump win still means he can win. Popular voting ends on Tuesday, and the electoral college votes on December 14, this is a guide to when all the popular votes will be counted in between.
Wallace Shawn, "Developments Since My Birth"
"There was a dignity to feeling kind and good. It was enjoyable." A single-link-essay in which Wallace Shawn expounds on the inherent cognitive dissonance required to perpetuate the myth of American Exceptionalism. Not, unfortunately, inconceivable.
“You are a bold and courageous person — afraid of nothing…”
So begins Disneyland Records' Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House. Narrated by Laura Olsher (IMDB), side one of the certified gold 1964 sound effects record consists of ten "frightening" tracks sure to entertain children who were alive 40 years before YouTube was a thing. Track listing and more inside. [more inside]
A Short Yikes!
Adam Robinson-Yu, creator of A Short Hike (previously), has a new free game out for Halloween: Mayor Bones Proudly Presents Ghost Town’s 999th Annual Pumpkin Festival (Win/Mac/Linux). Carve pumpkins in 3D and show them off on the World Wide Web! “It’s simple, and it makes me very happy” (Polygon).
Don't keep your head in the game
Age of Discord II
Welcome To The 'Turbulent Twenties' - "We predicted political upheaval in America in the 2020s. This is why it's here and what we can do to temper it."[1,2] (via) [more inside]
"You can only make a change if you check. that. damn. box."
Keke Palmer's Actually Vote. Do watch this - it's great.
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