Hello Thursday!

This week while researching for my writing, I happened across a statement made in passing that boxing was the 8th most dangerous sport. So I searched out the list that was being referred to (because of course I did) and was equally amused and horrified by it. The seven sports more dangerous than boxing are (in order): BASE jumping, high-altitude mountaineering, wingsuit flying, free solo rock climbing, bull riding, motorcycle racing, and big wave surfing. So . . . yeah, boxing may be less dangerous than those seven, but that’s really not saying much. Also, you may have noticed (as I did) that boxing is the only one of those eight sports that’s in the Olympics, thus giving boxing the dubious distinction of being most dangerous Olympic sport.

Also, you may be (as I initially was) surprised that boxing is more dangerous than MMA (which was #9 on the list), but with a little consideration, this makes some degree of sense. MMA spreads the injury around more, and bouts can be won by causing the opponent to tap out, whereas with boxing, the main point is blows to the head, and the primary method of victory is knocking your opponent out, which requires a degree of neurological damage.

Things to check out online

• I just learned about The Black Schoolhouse, a new neighborhood-based arts and culture third space that’s going to open next month in the Seventh Ward of New Orleans. This innovative building, made from repurposed shipping containers, will be the home for artist Joseph Cuillier and Shani Peters’s Black School program. According to the ArtNews article I linked here, “It will host exhibitions and afterschool programs for art making, as well as provide the community with a garden, kitchen, library, and space for art making.” I think this is an amazing project and I think more neighborhoods need something like this.  

• After spending the last year or so concentrating on acting, K-pop idol IU (one of the ones I think actually deserves the label “idol”) released a double-A-side single last week. Check out the video for “Dear My Crazy Soulmate” — whatever you’re expecting, I’m almost certain the reality is different.

What I’ve been reading:

Since last week I’ve finished reading

• Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon, vol. 3 (Shio Usui) — In the afterword, the author assures us that volume 4 will be the final volume of this series. I am . . . skeptical about this. From where the story is right now, I think it wants at least two volumes, preferably three, to reach a satisfying conclusion. I guess I’ll see once I read volume 4. I just don’t think we’re actually that close to the end.

• Cozy Companion, vol. 27

• ArtForum, December 2025 — Seeing at once like this, 2025 was quite a year. I’m looking forward to the December 2026 issue, because I expect an even more intense experience looking back over this year.

I’ve continued reading

• ArtForum, February 2026 

• Computer Lib/Dream Machines (Ted Nelson) 

• Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, vol. 22 (Yuto Tsukuda) 

• Ritual Income, Witch of the Demesne vol. 1 (B.L. Brown) 

If you missed any past Thursdays, you can access the archives here.

And as always, THIS NEWSLETTER CONTAINS 100% HUMAN-CREATED WORDS.

Have a great week, and I’ll see you next Thursday,

Jason