“We got an internet that reflects both the horror and the beauty of who we are as human beings. We got the internet that reflects who we are.” Mike’s thoughts are more optimistic than that might read, I swear. #link
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On Bandcamp Daily, a thorough introduction to the prolific Japanese noise-rock-plus guitarist. #link
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“Your Gmail is approaching storage capacity.” Ouch. [c/o lowbrowculture] #link
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In case you were under any illusions that Battles’ John Stainer was at all embarrassed about his former status as ‘the drummer in Helmet’, here he is absolutely blown away that Hank Shteamer recognises the subtleties he brought to that band’s sound, beyond simply cranking his snare so tight that even Terry Date would have second thoughts. #link
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A thoroughly engaging and entertaining write-up, with a refreshingly honest perspective, of one person’s experience at the supposed “best restaurant in the world” [c/o kottke.org]. Perhaps it wasn’t intended as such (as the writer makes it clear they would’ve got a kick out of the place were they not feeling unwell) but to me, Noma simply oozes pretentious bolloxology — both in the superior notions of the institution itself, and its reflection in the cult that ‘foodies’ have built around it, and others like it. #link
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The measurements are US imperial (sigh) but it’s more or less a two-to-one ratio of water volume to pasta weight. I made macaroni and it came out fine, certainly good enough for me. #link
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An emulator for the Lyra-8 synthesiser. Which doesn’t currently support M1 chips so it won’t work on my Mac. But I’m saving this here for later. #link
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How much do I want this Lego-compatible model of a Hong Kong bus, with digital destination board and all? Quite a lot. #link
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In my day job I regularly create and work with documents of various kinds, and I could stand to remember this advice. #link
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Is it bad that I really want this? I don’t care, I really want this. #link
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No one else sounds like U.S. Maple (except maybe Singer, the short-lived act with the guts of the band plus Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe, and guitarist Todd Rittman’s subsequent band Dead Rider). This is an easy introduction to their music and story and what makes them so enthralling to me. #link
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Ostensibly, it’s an analysis of online reaction to the LK-99 story but there is, as the saying goes, a lot to unpack here. The drama angle, for instance, speaks a lot to me, as a wrestling fan; it’s also alarming to think that ‘the real world’ might be reduced to the storytelling dynamic of pro wrestling (which I love dearly, but come on). #link
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Absolutely embarrassing that The Brazen Head has 16th place in this list of ‘the most legendary restaurants in the world’. I had lunch there once when I was on jury duty and the Irish stew was flavourless, watery muck. [c/o Kottke.org] #link
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Some Balinese and Javanese gamelan sounds for the Sunday that’s in it. #link
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What a wild story, almost like a surrealistic aside in dystopian fiction. #link
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Simpler then I’d assumed! On a similar note, we made horchata (from Chef John’s recipe) the other day and it turned out really well. #link
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A collection of free single-purpose online tools for web developers (and potentially tinkerers like me). #link
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I’ve already changed the font here, to Inconsolata. But since it’s a work in progress, I might test this one out. And if I ever want to go a bit less harsh and ‘code-y’, there’s Inter. #link
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I also need to try this, although I’ve decided I only really like tofu when it’s either crunchy on the outside, or pillowy and melt-in-the-mouth. So we’ll see how this goes. #link
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I’m going to try this, but I’ll bake the tofu instead as I’ve had good results doing that recently. #link
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I made this a few weeks ago, and the second time it turned out great. The first was botched due to poor-grade, almost bitter syrup (thanks but no thanks, Aldi) and issues with bringing the syrup up to temperature. Second attempt, I used a bigger pot for the two bottles’ worth; I took it a little higher than the recipe suggests, up to soft ball stage on our sugar thermometer. And I didn’t bother adding nuts. The mixture went in a silicone bread loaf mould to cool and I just chopped it into squares a few hours later. Also, it actually tastes better the day after you make it. #link
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We all know RSS was killed off by the double-whammy of Google shuttering Reader (for no real reason) and Facebook becoming the de facto walled garden for the majority of people online (finally realising the promise of AOL!). But it also never died. My blog has been consistently publishing a feed since the early days, although some backend SSL issues with my domain mean it’s not currently validating. But! You can subscribe to it just fine with NetNewsWire, which I’ve returned to after a few years with Feedly (which is also good, but it no longer recognises my feed, so…) and with which I’m rebuilding my ‘blogroll’. I’d also love the option to send newsletters from my Gmail inbox to NNW, but not enough to pay Feedbin $5 a month for it, sorry. #link
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I went by the manufacturer’s guidance when I set up my turntable earlier this year, but this will probably come in handy in future. #link
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Filing this away for whenever I make the leap. #link
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The BFI’s upcoming season celebrating Japanese cinema goes online, with retrospectives for Akira Kurosawa and Yasujiro Ozu to get the ball rolling. Buuuuut it’s UK-only, which is utter bollocks considering Ireland is essentially a branch of the UK film marketplace. #link
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I’ve been watching a play-through of this on YouTube (as us Millennials do) and it looks like a lot of fun. If only it were available outside of the US in physical form… #link
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Basic stuff, here, but I’ve got a few dirty LPs in need of a scrub and it’s worth saving this for reference. #link
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On the dark side of SimCity: “Behind one of the most iconic computer games of all time is a theory of how cities die—one that has proven dangerously influential.” #link
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And how the iconic ‘Marber grid’ was made. #link
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A fantasy card-drawing game that’s best with two players, so worth adding here as a reminder. #link
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Stuck for something to watch on New Japan’s streaming service while they’re on Covid-19 break this month? This spreadsheet might help. #link
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The last time I made overnight oats, the texture was, well, off-puttingly glutinous. But if I do get the urge to try again, I might do it this way. #link
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Surveying the sizeable discography of the shape-shifting combo; my favourite is their second LP, History Is What’s Happening. #link
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“Carrie Lam is a Theresa May-like figure who seems to thrive on a performative stoicism, standing firm in the face of a self-inflicted crisis that a more capable politician would simply wiggle out of. She is a tragic figure in the same way that a pilot who points the nose of the aircraft at a mountain and refuses to listen to the passengers screaming for her to turn is a tragic figure. You puzzle over her motives while also wishing that someone, anyone, would throw her out of the plane.” Great analysis here on the protest the west has seemingly put behind it (because if the markets are untroubled…). #link
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Essentially the story of a journalist hung out to dry by their publisher. Shameful behaviour altogether. #link
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Here’s a genuinely heartwarming tale of triumph against the odds (and the music is great, too). #link
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This kind of ‘reputation management’ is clearly awful but makes perfect sense, and reminds me of an article I read recently about what I believe was the US agricultural giant Cargill, and how it uses SEO tricks to keep its bad press buried on the web, but which I now cannot find (touché). #link
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Poetic visuals it may have, but script-wise, this Brad Pitt space epic is spiritual doggerel. #link
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No disrespect to the makers and most of the cast involved, but this film is being decidedly oversold. #link
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The grindcore trio’s new album Pollinator (with a bonus EP of not-grind) is out this Friday and I’ve ordered the CD because physical things are still worth having. #link
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We could all benefit from learning more about Marion Stokes, so I’m looking forward to both the upcoming documentary and the Internet Archive’s digitisation project for her tapes. #link
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Late to posting this because I’m terrible, but if you like your sci-fi short and twisted, here’s a story for you from my friend DG Reynolds. Also recommended: The Great Bear, by Dara Thomas Higgins. #link
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Some interesting tips, here. #link
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Bee shared this one with me, from 10 years ago: a quietly furious tale of prejudice where pride — in one’s self-appointed expertise (in this case, junk science about arson investigations), in one’s convictions (the failings of eyewitness testimony), whatever it may be — comes before truth and justice. #link
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A semi-DIY, part-cardboard drum machine that promises to be “super affordable”? I’m interested. Let’s see when the crowdfunding campaign launches. #link
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Rex Sorgatz replaced his blog with a newsletter of weekly recommendations, and his latest recommends the Netflix docu-series Diagnosis, of which I watched roughly half in a binge last week. It’s exactly what you’d expect it is from the synopsis, and from familiarity with the format, but still very watchable. #link
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The man in the van with a bass in his hand goes deep on his relations to the world around him. #link
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This album came out today and it’s brilliant stuff. I don’t know what it’s doing on Relapse Records but that’s not a complaint. #link
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Everyone’s gonna have a take on the new Quentin Tarantino film, which opens here tomorrow. Anyway here’s mine. #link
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So, my site passes muster up to Level 2 here, pretty much (my h-card is ‘incomplete’ but I’m not adding my email address, sorry). I think I’ve done all I can for now, unless I need/can use Bridgy? #link
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