Internet Things Lately #3
Some things around the web I've enjoyed or found thought-provoking lately.
Rivers Cuomo, Weezer, and the Blue Album | "Do You Believe What I Sing Now" by Juno Rylee Schultz - A wonderful retrospective on a band I used to love but admittedly hadn't thought about in a while. I love the way this piece uses quotes from the band members and other people involved in the making of the Blue Album. After reading this, I immediately listened to Weezer's debut album for the first time in years.
Nigeria and the Rural Imagination by Jídé Salawu at Flaming Hydra - I believe this article might be behind a paywall, but I highly recommend subscribing to Flaming Hydra if you're able to. I enjoy their independent journalism with insights from writers around the world. This piece by Jídé Salawu confronts the fact that African migration stories are often centered around cities, and we need more focus on the rural African point of view, particularly as it's misunderstood in the West.
Personal blogs are the best, I love yours and I’ll try and tell you why by Peter at Nothing Original Here - I stumbled upon this blog post by Peter, and not only did it give me the warm fuzzies, but I found myself nodding along enthusiastically. I completely agree with all of these reasons for loving personal blogs, and I hope to continue reading them for a long time to come, as they're one of my favorite things in the world.
Living a joy-led life at Sylvia's Noodling Nook - This blog post by Sylvia really resonated with me. Without realizing it, I've been trying to live the kind of joy-led life that Sylvia describes for the past few years. It can be difficult sometimes, but I try to be kind to myself when I have days where I don't accomplish much by society's standards.
Princess Academy by Natasha Ochshorn at Unwinnable - A criticism of Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree in comparison with Princess Academy by Shannon Hale. I personally enjoyed Legends and Lattes, but I agree that it's quite superficial when you take a critical lens to it. Princess Academy was one of my favorite books as a kid, and I appreciate this look back on it as a work of fantasy that, as Ochshorn says, "replaces the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism" and "take[s] us somewhere new that reminds us a little of home, while so many stories are just taking us to the places we already use to escape."
Death and Destruction From the Sky at Equator - This is a three-part symposium of responses by people from around the world to the American-Israeli aggression toward Iran. I recommend reading all three parts. 'Wartime Cigarettes' by Khosro Majd and 'My Home is Burning' by Lina Mounzer are particularly affecting and important perspectives from people in the thick of it.
Nobody Likes Nvidia’s Weird New AI Porn Faces by Nathan Grayson at Aftermath - A good overview of Nvidia's horrifying DLSS 5 tech with some of the best memes about it all in one place.
How electrifying a Bay Area rail system made trains faster, cleaner, and more frequent at Grist - Ending with some good news! The Caltrain commuter rail in California upgraded 51 miles of track from diesel to electric, making rides faster, quieter, and smoother while substantially reducing pollution. As a result, more people than ever are riding the Caltrain rail, proving the importance of well-implemented public transportation.