In case you need this today. Via The Kid Should See This.
Friday headlines: Spotify warped
Fighting has resumed between Israel and Hamas—the White House blames the ceasefire's end on Hamas's failure to produce a new list of hostages for release. / Reuters
Gaza City officials accuse Israel of deliberately destroying its main public library, home to thousands of books and historical documents. / Literary Hub
See also: An artist is trying to preserve the Palestinian internet of the late '90s and 2000s. / VICE
As some countries lobby the US to limit AI-controlled killer drones, some nations—including the US—are resisting the regulations. / Business Insider
A UK customer finds what appears to be a Chinese prisoner's ID card inside a newly purchased coat, raising concerns about prison labor. / The Guardian
"The mace fell back toward Earth, and [Shane] MacGowan caught it and handed it back. A Christmas miracle." The real story behind the "Boys of the NYPD Choir." / The New York Times [+]
An apparent hacking campaign earlier this year that flooded accounts with Lil Durk streams is skewing people's Spotify Wrapped results. / VICE
The tennis-pickleball turf wars—which have escalated all the way to an act of arson in Santa Monica—as revealed in local government documents. / 404 Media
A site dedicated to the "books that have been neglected, overlooked, forgotten, or stranded by changing tides in critical or popular taste." / The Neglected Books Page
Zines made by children are exactly what they sound like. / Mini-Zine Library
See also: From 2007, laptops drawn and designed on construction paper, by seven- to nine-year-olds. / The Morning News
Test your skills at a game about guessing words through other words—e.g., an "electric brain" is a "computer." / Noun Noun
Thursday headlines: Bottle episode
US life expectancy has rebounded by more than a year, but still remains below 2020 levels. / Associated Press
Following on yesterday's news about African cocoa producers, farms in Ghana that supply the Mars company have children as young as five harvesting cocoa beans. / CBS News
Untold numbers of Cambodians died at Kissinger's hands—first through his bombing campaign, which catalyzed the Khmer Rouge's reign of terror. / The Conversation
"Henry Kissinger, war criminal beloved by America's ruling class, finally dies." / Rolling Stone
E.g., "The surprising dating life of Henry Kissinger, a West Wing 'playboy.'" / The Washington Post [+]
At least a dozen US states have reported cases of an unidentified, infectious respiratory disease among dogs. / CNN
Google's DeepMind AI has predicted the structure of more than two million new materials, a process that typically takes decades of research. / Reuters
Paste Magazine has purchased the recently deceased Jezebel, and may relaunch it as early as this week. / Variety
"Witch bottles" containing vegetation and other objects—and of course spells—are washing up on Texas beaches. / Houston Chronicle
"The pressure to view all work as enterprise is not just fashion. It is being promoted." When a form asks for your "industry," pandemonium follows. / The Hedgehog Review
The iconic Shane MacGown of the Pogues has died at 65, and it's always as good a time as any to listen to "Fairytale of New York." / The Guardian, YouTube
"I bought the new seven-CD Garth Brooks box set from Bass Pro Shops (a true story)." / Uproxx
Collaborators? Your mom? No one? An analysis of who gets thanked in Grammy speeches. / Can't Get Much Higher
Wednesday headlines: They’ll never know
Peru's glaciers are melting, forming high mountain lagoons that are trapping Peruvians' water reserves—should the lagoons overflow, widespread flooding may follow. / Reuters
The COP28 president has been using his role at the climate summit to lobby foreign governments on oil and gas deals. / Center for Climate Reporting
See also: Saudi Arabia's state investment firm finances fossil-dependent infrastructure in developing countries in an attempt to lock in oil demand. / The Guardian
African activists decry handing McKinsey control of the continent's renewable energy goals—pointing to, among other issues, its fossil-fuel clients. / Climate Home News
In Côte d'Ivoire, where 45% of the world's cocoa comes from, cocoa producers want to decolonize their product, and become a chocolate-producing nation. / Le Monde
Ahead of major elections, the front pages of major outlets remain unfortunately free of policy coverage—the same missteps that led up to 2016. / Columbia Journalism Review
Using AI, scientists have built an equation that can predict when rogue waves will strike. / Live Science
Sports Illustrated has been publishing AI-generated articles with bylines—and headshots—from AI-generated authors. Now they've deleted the content and are blaming a contractor. / Futurism
In the age of student debt and hybrid learning, assessing the future of the campus novel as the lines blur between college and real life. / Esquire
Well this is cool: a book about the history of books in their many, many forms. / Hyperallergic
See also: How video game designers are using their craft to tell personal stories of food. / The New York Times [+]
"Former police chief John Anderton's Tesla spontaneously shuts itself off while he's driving." Popular dystopian fiction if it were describing 2023. / McSweeney's
A history of Snoopy at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. / Art Dogs
Wednesday headlines: Motion to hotel
TMN is taking a break for the Thanksgiving holiday and will resume publishing on Wednesday, November 29.
Israel and Hamas agree to a four-day ceasefire and an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners. / Al Jazeera
The Harvard Law Review spikes a fact-checked article about genocide in Gaza. / The Intercept
Mark Harris on what it's like to be Jewish right now among people who are "paranoid about becoming paranoid Jews." / Intelligencer
Sketchy details suggest a plot to kill a Sikh separatist in the United States was foiled, and a warning was sent by the US to India over concerns the government was involved. / The South China Morning Post
A secretive government program gives law enforcement access to phone records for millions of Americans who aren't suspected of a crime. / WIRED
See also: A normie's guide to the soap opera playing out in artificial intelligence. (Versus a more expert guide from earlier in the week.) / Read Max, The Atlantic
The garment workers behind the "Made in America" slogan often are paid far below minimum wage. / The Nation
Nearly half of millennial and Gen Z consumers say they've been "scammed" purchasing a dupe product on social media. / Womens Wear Daily
Related: "It's Too Easy to Buy Stuff You Don't Want." / MSN
Mexico City's plummeting murder rate may be based on homicides being reclassified as missing people. / The Guardian
One of California's fastest-growing areas—Mountain House—may soon become a city; charts show how rare that is. / The San Francisco Chronicle
Unrelated: Making the argument that hotels should not be sexy. / GQ
Assessing a collection of dictionaries that occupied every flat surface of a woman's two-bedroom Manhattan apartment. / Atlas Obscura
Tuesday headlines: Life valor death
Qatar's foreign ministry says negotiations between Israel and Hamas are in their "final stages" over a potential release of hostages. / Al Jazeera
Casualities are mounting on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border. / The New York Times [+]
Julien Barnes-Dacey and Jeremy Shapiro: Now's the moment for the West to ditch its illusions about a liberal rules-based order—and get down to making deals. / Foreign Policy
The number of Mexican states exposed to high water stress is at risk of doubling (to 20) by 2050. / Americas Quarterly
Electric bikes displace four times as much demand for oil as all the world's electric cars. / Ars Technica
See also: The UN's Emissions Gap Report (sadly) embraces the metaphor of a broken record. / Kottke
A woman who died from cancer this weekend erased approximately $14 million of other people's medical debt with a posthumous plea. / The Associated Press
A study finds that Black women who perceive experiences of racism have a 38% chance of having a stroke compared to those who don't. / NBC News
A new biography of Lena Horne says "to be Hollywood's Black belle came at the unforgivable price of sexual harassment, racism, and cruelty." / The Cut
Some thoughts from a Norwegian on Britain's carpets: "How they clean these floors is still a mystery." / Vestoj
Why do so-called public intellectuals condescend to readers? Because they're often pandering, "not thinking at all." / The Yale Review
Working through concerns about stolen valor for people who enjoy vintage military garments. / Permanent Style
A reminder for Americans this week: Cook the turkey, not your home. / X
The annual long list—our fricking 20th—is now here for the 2024 Tournament of Books! / The Tournament of Books
Monday headlines: Hocus pocus
The Dept. of Defense fails its sixth consecutive Congressionally mandated audit, and doesn't appear to have any plans for that to change. / The Intercept
When wildfires hit the tundra, thawing permafrost releases ancient carbon that converts into large amounts of methane, further accelerating climate change. / High Country News
Meta disbands its responsible AI team, Cruise's CEO quits amid a safety review, and as of last night OpenAI was on its third CEO of the weekend. / CNBC, Reuters, The Verge
See also: "New OpenAI CEO was a character in a Harry Potter Fanfic that's wildly popular with effective altruists." / 404 Media
How a magician allegedly helped Britain deceive the Nazis—including by erecting fake buildings to conceal the entire city of Alexandria from German bombers. / BBC
See also: A top-secret unit in World War II that included Bill Blass, Ellsworth Kelly, and Art Kane used inflatable tanks and sound effects to fake out the enemy. / The Morning News
And also: "Magicians less prone to mental disorders than other artists, finds research." / The Guardian
Italy's Culture Ministry opens an exhibit on J.R.R. Tolkien—in the far-right Meloni era, it's a choice that's rife with political connotations. / The New York Times [+]
It's the 400th anniversary of the printing of Shakespeare's First Folio, which has been stolen countless times. / CrimeReads
Researchers find public opinion around committing fraud is changing, with more people feeling it's "reasonable" to lie on a CV or act as a "money mule." / The Guardian
"As you walk the rows of strangers' belongings, some make you feel guiltier than others." Shopping at the lost baggage store. / The Washington Post [+]
See also: Mapping Mallorca's worst tourist spots by the number of scam ATMs. / Twitter
Published in 1922, Robert Mallet-Stevens's Art Deco visions of the ideal city. / Flashbak
Saturday headlines: Please please tell me now
New research finds gig workers may be missing from government job reports, which could have massive implications for how the Fed assesses inflation risk. / Reuters
Signal's president breaks down what it costs to keep the platform afloat, which by 2025 will add up to around $50 million a year. / Signal
Joanne McNeil on the empty promises of self-driving cars, which could actually be useful if companies weren't so focused on dazzle. / Esquire
"It's been a little over a year since Elon Musk officially took over Twitter, and I'm prepared to admit that—on at least one count—I was wrong as shit." / Read Max
Experiencing a toddler learning to talk teaches lessons about large language models. / The New Yorker
See also: "The study and building of neural networks have become central to learning about the mind." / Scientific American
The world of 1800, when artists revolted against the technocracy, is remarkably similar to today—maybe we're headed into a new Romanticism? / The Honest Broker
Unrelated: Recalling the New Romantic aesthetic from the late 1970s/early '80s, which "burned briefly but brightly." / Aesthetics Wiki, Museum of Youth Culture
"Can Jeff Bezos, Kid Rock, or George W. Bush lasso a steer or fix your truck?" Why rich guys love dressing like cartoon cowboys. / Texas Monthly
Cold calling people around the world to find out if they're familiar with Thanksgiving: "I think of America, I think of gun violence and sad people." / The Morning News
A short story for your weekend: Sheila Heti's "According to Alice." / The New Yorker
"When the mega-mansion developer said, 'Build,' he willed the entire life of a neighborhood into despair." Martin Luther in the West Village. / McSweeney's
Friday headlines: Fuchsia and far between
The FTC is trying to stop industry groups and nutrition influencers from pushing guidance without disclosing that it's paid advertising. / The Washington Post [+]
Did Osama bin Laden's "Letter to America" really go viral on TikTok? Not exactly—and besides, how views are counted on TikTok is murky at best. / Garbage Day
Related: "Bin Laden was a billionaire who did the thing billionaires do: play with the lives of others. He made his preoccupations and pathologies everyone else's problem." / Forever Wars
See also: In the past three years TikTok has had the fastest uptick as the social platform where Americans say they get their news. / Axios
Antibiotic resistance is getting worse—the vast majority of infections seen at a hospital in Nigeria are resistant to at least one antibiotic. / The Conversation
Water shortages in Mexico are intensifying, and quickly have become a central issue in next year's presidential election. / Americas Quarterly
Why a pond in Hawaii has turned bright pink—it's probably from halobacteria, which love extremely salty water. / Atlas Obscura
An exhibit explores how US National Park signage tells a narrative of "a nation attempting to explain itself, to itself." / Hyperallergic
"What had been utilitarian farm architecture was becoming symbolic stone archaeology." On New England's stone walls. / Smithsonian Magazine
Appreciate the web in entirely new ways by taking an internet walk. / Syllabus Project
"This is as rich a psychological portrait of a cartoon character that has ever been put onto film." A reviewer screens Coyote v. Acme. / Cartoon Brew
Photos from Salvador Dalí's home and studio where he created his best-known works. / It's Nice That
Wednesday headlines: Stop! Or my mom will flute
A long lull in Russian bombing has left people in Kyiv finally getting some decent sleep. / The New York Times [+]
Of the 36,000 small- and medium-sized companies registered in Ukraine this year, 51% are run by women. / The Economist
The IMF says central bank digital currencies have the potential to replace cash. / CNBC
See also: Anger appears to be driving the United States economy. Meanwhile, what if money expired? / Bloomberg [+], Noema Magazine
Since 2022, Meta has quietly allowed Facebook and Instagram to run political advertising saying the 2020 election was rigged. / The Wall Street Journal [+]
Watch: A New Zealand family visits an American Walmart for the first time. / YouTube
A longtime Amazon veteran says that under the company's success, "there's a startling level of disorder." / Big Technology
Related: A row boat made from an enormous Jeff Bezos head. / YouTube
Researchers studying Marie Curie are required to sign a liability waiver because her research papers, notebooks, and clothing will remain radioactive for another 1,500 years. / Open Culture
Another tribute to the women's website Jezebel, this time from former staffers and contributors. / Dirt
André 3000 releases a solo album that's all flute, no rap. / NPR
In the fashion industry, what should we expect next after this year's Y2K-inspired fashion? "More Y2K fashion." / The Cut
A map shows the US distribution of people who say "sneakers," "gym shoes," or "tennis shoes." / Kottke
Wednesday headlines: The glitter end
The United States now experiences a "billion dollar" disaster event every three weeks. It was every four months in the 1980s. / The Wall Street Journal [+]
ICYMI: The veterans and civilians who volunteer to do disaster relief as a form of group therapy. / GQ
"Do we or don't we need to hate America?" Ahead of President Biden and Xi Jinping's summit, China's propaganda machine pulls a 180. / The New York Times [+]
A journalism professor implores the media to adopt a mantra for the upcoming presidential election: "Not the odds, but the stakes." / Reliable Sources
Republican lawmakers are wearing a new accessory: semi-automatic lapel pins. / The Guardian
Sweden is suffering from a wave of gang violence. Travelers, especially young travelers, are flocking to Japan. / The Economist, Bloomberg
A survey of AI systems being deployed to predict the weather. A survey of the infinite art of the great Holly Herndon. / TechCrunch, The New Yorker
A new book by Robert Sapolsky argues we're not in control of or responsible for our decisions. / Ars Technica
TikTok users deploy glitter to detect—or get revenge after—moments of infidelity. / Nyon
Unrelated: "Super glues are super, but you have to know how to use them." / Popular Mechanics
The American Ornithological Society decides to change all English language common names of birds that honor people (because racists). / University of Illinois
Lucy Sante pays tribute to the hipness of Glenn O'Brien. Lynell George pays tribute to Mike Davis one year after his death. / The New York Review of Books, truthdig
Watch: The results of 4,000+ Americans tasting the same exact four coffees. / YouTube
Tuesday headlines: Candle with care
A high-ranking Israeli official says the country and Hamas are closing in on a deal to free some hostages. / The Washington Post
From Gaza to Ukraine, Myanmar to Sudan, diplomats are "running out of bandwidth." / The Economist
Global negotiators reconvene in Kenya to create a landmark treaty to end plastic pollution. / The Associated Press
Related: Why do corporations struggle to reach net zero? "The materials we tend to use these days are simply very good at doing what they do." / Material World
Nepal joins India in banning TikTok entirely, to protect the nation's "social harmony." / TIME
Regarding loneliness: "Even when one has a caring and supportive network of relationships, one will often experience 'reverse culture shock.'" / aeon
A visualization of the London skyline in 2030 if 11 new towers get built. / Building Design
Some sublime views of the American West by Korean photographer Jungjin Lee. / Howard Greenberg Gallery
"Make candlelight ordinary." A nice list of ideas for addressing the gloom in the dark half of the year. / The Clearing
A short recording captures a hook to a 1980s-style New Wave song—but internet sleuths can't figure out what it is. / Rolling Stone
See also: Dolly Parton's final song, locked in a "dream box" at her theme park, won't be released before 2046. / Atlas Obscura
Monday Headlines: Talk the walk
Launched on Saturday, a first-of-its-kind satellite will detect carbon dioxide emissions from individual facilities. / Reuters
An explainer on the subsea cables that the internet depends on, and that will surely be targets in any sort of kinetic conflict." / CNET
As if deepfaked nudes of private individuals weren't already chilling enough, now an online AI marketplace has introduced "bounties." / 404 Media
The US Army has overturned the convictions of 110 Black soldiers accused of mutiny in the 1917 Houston race riot. / Houston Chronicle
After 28 years of monthly meetups, a book club finally reaches the end of Finnegans Wake. / The Guardian
See also: A detailed interpretation of Finnegans Wake's final page. / From Swerve of Shore to Bend of Bay
What happens when you take a ChatGPT-guided walking tour of Sydney: exceedingly distant recommendations for soup and straight-up lies. / The Guardian
See also: Armed with a fistful of maps from 1901 and a smartphone bristling with data-recording apps, an attempt at uncovering a city's secrets. / The Morning News
After training a GPT as his assistant, John Warner has notes: "It is not me in ways that are frankly, sort of disturbing." / The Biblioracle Recommends
Are any words the same in all languages? The answer: two, almost. / Duolingo
"I started thinking about why I play this game in the first place, a typical thought one has when one is losing." Diary of a chess tournament. / Dirt
Competing in the annual Man Against Horse Race, which is exactly what it sounds like. / GQ
"I recently sent out a survey asking parents to describe the situations that make them feel the most competent and the most like wayward teens." / The Cut
Oct 27, 2023“I have no intention of overthrowing the government, nor do I have the ability. But there are truths that I believe Chinese citizens have the right to know. We’ve all been educated to say, ‘Better to keep our mouths shut.’ But this is wrong. When information doesn’t flow, the whole country will go backward.”
↩︎ The New Yorker

A short video on the day-to-day of a Japanese neighborhood izakaya, via Kottke.