Historic England is on the hunt for ghost signs -- those beautifully faded painted signs advertising businesses and products of the past. https://historicengland.org.uk/whats-new/features/ghost-signs/

Beyond the wonders of a quickly developing art form and technology lay widespread lack of control over one’s own image, perverse incentives to make a quick buck, and generalized fear at the prospect of humiliation and the invasion of privacy. https://www.historynewsnetwork.org/article/overexposed

TIL The first assassination attempt against a president occurred in 1835, when Richard Lawrence attempted to fire two pistols at Andrew Jackson. His pistols misfired and Jackson used his cane to severely beat Lawrence.

https://imperfectunion.substack.com/p/dangerous-waters

Essential oils have a long history of straddling the lines between magic, medicine, and scam.
Long read, but both educational and entertaining.
https://www.sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/the-big-business-of-wish-fulfillment/

The Department of City Planning (DCP) rolled out an updated version of the NYC Street Map tool, providing users with a record of not just the altered streets but also the original ones dating back to the early 20th century. The tool offers a digital compilation of the entire history of New York City’s 32,000-plus streets. https://streets.planning.nyc.gov/about

Just because you can doesn't mean you should https://www.foodandwine.com/cup-noodles-campfire-smores-flavor-walmart-8672499

This is Your Brain on Zoom

Neural signaling during online exchanges is substantially suppressed compared to activity in face-to-face conversations.
https://news.yale.edu/2023/10/25/zooming-our-brains-zoom

Older news story, but you need the timeline cleanser: A tortoise called Charles Darwin officially opened a science laboratory at the University of Lincoln. The presenter held him while he munched through a ribbon made of rocket and dandelion leaves at the opening of the new Joseph Banks laboratories.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-32306558

Hundreds of Roman Empire forts popped up in old spy satellite imagery depicting regions of Syria, Iraq and nearby "fertile crescent" territories of the eastern Mediterranean.
https://www.space.com/spy-satellite-images-declassified-roman-empire-forts-discovered

Here's a listicle for #horror fans: the best science horror films of all time https://www.newscientist.com/article/2398256-the-scariest-sci-fi-horror-movies-for-halloween-chosen-by-an-expert/

Why cybersecurity training isn’t working (and how to fix it) https://securityintelligence.com/articles/why-cybersecurity-training-isnt-working-and-how-to-fix-it/

Okay, there's no way I'd get this inflatable bubble tent. For one thing, I'd have a Hamster Identity Crisis. But it looks so cool. https://amzn.to/3W3OINf

CISA broke into US federal agency, wasn't spotted for months https://www.theregister.com/2024/07/12/cisa_broke_into_fed_agency/

How to Save Wet Books After A Flood

I wish I knew this in 1980 when my basement apartment flooded. My high school yearbook might have been saved.

https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/preservation-matters-disasters-saving-wet-books-after-a-flood.htm

@ArcturusSaDiablo She had a great catalog!

A lot of the button sayings later appeared as email sigs.

Hawaii’s governor, David Ige, has committed to what’s referred to as the “30 by ’30” plan: to fence in 30 percent of the state’s priority watersheds by 2030, largely to protect them from the deer. https://modernfarmer.com/2021/05/the-struggle-to-contain-and-eat-the-invasive-deer-taking-over-hawaii/

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"If you’re looking for an intellectual, rational reason why chattering teeth have been such a consistent seller and are repeatedly knocked off by overseas toy makers, there isn’t one." https://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/yakity-yak-60-years-of-teeth-that-talk-back/

@ImagineThat I wrote an article for Network Magazine circa 1997 about what it took to set up videoconference rooms.

Very different times.