"One should fight like the devil the temptation to think well of editors. They are all, without exception--at least some of the time--incompetent or crazy. By the nature of their profession, they read too much, with the result that they grow jaded and cannot recognize talent though it dances in front of their eyes."--John Gardner

“It was very difficult the past few months, prior to Biden’s announcement,” she said. “Our students were chasing down voters. Now voters are chasing organizers down, trying to get involved.” https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/kamala-harriss-youth-vote-turnaround

The daring tortoise managed to travel roughly three miles before it was found and safely returned.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c985yy9jdj0o

"U.S. health officials on Friday approved a nasal spray to treat severe allergic reactions, the first needle-free alternative to shots like EpiPen." https://www.oregonlive.com/health/2024/08/first-nasal-spray-to-treat-dangerous-allergic-reactions-approved-by-fda.html

This Caitlin Clark butter sculpture at the 2024 Iowa State Fair is cutting across the internet, well, like butter. https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/amazing-caitlin-clark-butter-sculpture-030335385.html

Why America’s love affair with spicy food could finally be coming to an end. https://www.businessinsider.com/how-america-became-so-alarmingly-obsessed-with-spicy-food-2023-11

10 reasons why AI may be overrated https://www.npr.org/sections/planet-money/2024/08/06/g-s1-15245/10-reasons-why-ai-may-be-overrated-artificial-intelligence

"Because the technology works on the basis of image analysis, it is in theory applicable to any writing whatsoever, from Egyptian hieroglyphs to copperplate. Ten years after its initial development, some truly exciting consequences of the development of handwritten text recognition (HTR) techniques are becoming clear." https://theconversation.com/how-ai-could-reveal-secrets-of-thousands-of-handwritten-documents-from-medieval-manuscripts-to-hieroglyphics-218734

"Americans receive billions of robocalls per month. That number could start to dwindle with new FCC rules going into place next year."
Oh, please god. But also, this story goes into detail about what it means for marketing and business. https://sherwood.news/business/the-industry-blasting-your-phone-with-spam-calls-and-texts-is-about-to/

All hail the golden mole—recently rediscovered after being thought extinct for over eight decades! https://theconversation.com/golden-mole-that-swims-through-sand-is-rediscovered-in-south-africa-after-86-years-219022

This is how you change someone's life forever. https://www.tiktok.com/@thevital2/video/7399793332815138090

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OpenStreetMap Is Turning 20 https://stevecoast.substack.com/p/the-days-are-long-but-the-years-are

TIL Star Trek’s cast has carved out a remarkably robust second collective career as video game voice actors. https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/12/live-long-and-prosper-a-retrospective-of-video-game-roles-played-by-star-trek-actors/

For writers who are struggling with their work today:
"I am going to write a little Book for Murray on orchids," Darwin wrote, "and today I hate them worse than everything." https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2012/10/18/163181524/charles-darwin-and-the-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-day

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“The first debate challenge is to walk up a ramp, and we both walk up the ramp slowly and carefully, but everyone agrees that I walked the ramp better.” (gift link) https://wapo.st/3WYa4NI

Frank Zappa’s kids are still grappling with his legacy — and each other (gift link)
Long, fascinating article about what he left behind. https://wapo.st/4dE8pm4

"And then some absolute son of a bitch created ChatGPT, and now look at us. Look at us, resplendent in our pauper's robes, stitched from corpulent greed and breathless credulity, spending half of the planet's engineering efforts to add chatbot support to every application under the sun when half of the industry hasn't worked out how to test database backups regularly." https://ludic.mataroa.blog/blog/i-will-fucking-piledrive-you-if-you-mention-ai-again/