Newsletter Leaf Journal CLXIX 〜 Ranking hacking 〜
The second Newsletter Leaf Journal of 2024 covers the three newest New Leaf Journal articles, including our review of the year that was in anime in 2023, six links from our archives, 21 links from around the web, and news about the new version of our site's About and FAQ pages. We may also have some Hacker News notes.
Welcome to the 169th edition of The Newsletter Leaf Journal, the official newsletter of the perennially virid online writing magazine, The New Leaf Journal. This newsletter comes to you as always from the waterproof keyboard of the editor of The New Leaf Journal, Nicholas A. Ferrell. I am running a bit behind schedule today, so let us cut straight to your regularly scheduled newsletter content.
Leaves from the week that was
I published three new articles since mailing Newsletter 168.
2023 Anime Year in Review
Nicholas A. Ferrell. January 6, 2024.
My third annual New Leaf Journal review of the year that was about anime, and it features my ranking of the top six series of 2024, notes on additional series, and category-specific awards. You can either use my article to find something to watch or as a prompt to become angry because you have contrary opinions about anime in 2024. The world is your oyster. By the way, why do people eat oysters? They do not look good. But I digress.
On Reports of Instagram in Classrooms
Nicholas A. Ferrell. January 8, 2024.
This is a bad idea.
Carroll Gardens Library Renovations
Nicholas A. Ferrell. January 12, 2024.
Some local reporting at your favorite perennially virid online writing magazine.
Leaves from around the web
Let's check in on what's going on around the world wide web.
Everything is about me
Discovering the Truth Behind Cycling Doping Misconceptions
Kevin Curry at Gear & Grit. January 8, 2024.
Playing the sub-section header straight here because this article is, in fact, about my recent cycling-doping essay.
Loving Yamada at Lv999, Or Teaching an Audience to Empathise
Takafumi at Please no Hate. April 9, 2023.
A deep dive into an early scene of an anime I covered in a joke article.
Read more about my anime series of the year
Studio Troyca’s 10th Anniversary And The Work That Came To Embody Their Evolution: Overtake! Production Notes
kViN at Sakuga Blog. December 29, 2023.
A fine piece on my choice for the best anime series of 2023.
Introduction to Oshi no Ko's Team: Maximizing Impact Through an Adaptation
kViN at Sakuga Blog. April 18, 2023.
On my runner-up for series of the year.
Questions and answers
Do You Speak Chicken?
Roxanne Hoorn for Atlas Obscura. January 9, 2024.
Bok?
Why do some people have perfect pitch?
Emily Cooke for LiveScience. December 9, 2023.
So they can tell you about their perfect pitch in perfect pitch.
Answers to questions
No, Japan is not ready for AUKUS
Ryosuke Hanada for The Strategist. December 7, 2023.
An interesting perspective on what the author argues are Japan's inadequite espionage laws.
This fish is worth $300,000
Emily Voigt for the New York Post. June 5, 2016.
I already covered albinism in 2D girls. Do I also need to cover it in fish?
The life lived well
Chinese chess champion stripped of title after defecating in hotel bathtub
AFP (via The Guardian). December 26, 2023.
In his defense, the young man is only 48.
Man strips naked, jumps into Bass Pro Shops Leeds aquarium and knocks himself unconscious
Carol Robinson for Alabama.com. January 4, 2024.
If you are reading this, you are ALIVE. But this should make you ask yourself: "Am I truly LIVING?"
Uncalled for
10 of the strangest hybrid animals
Patrick Pester for LiveScience. October 25, 2023.
Little judgmental, no?
Because they can
One Of The World's Most Obscure Consoles, The Casio Loopy, Gets Its Own Flash Cart
Darren McFadden for Time Extension. January 9, 2023.
People working to keep the memory of Casio's brief foray into the video game console business alive.
Tangara is an open source, iPod-inspired portable music player (crowdfunding soon)
Brad Linder for Liliputing. December 19, 2023.
I could see an idea here if you combine it with something else that can work well offline.
Bulls
Ricardo the Bull was saved from slaughterhouse by retired trucker who called police on way to scene
Alyssa Guzman for the New York Post. December 21, 2023.
Off the beaten track.
Resilient NY bull rider returns to compete at MSG a year after tearing his groin off at ‘Unleash the Beast’ event
Stephan Jeremiah for the New York Post. January 7, 2024.
He is nothing if not resilient.
It's all in the pitch
The Life Changing Linguistics of... Nigerian Scam Emails
Chi Luu for JSTOR Daily. September 11, 2019.
My expectations for scam emails were forever raised by the one I received from the former defense minister of China.
Islamic State announces new global campaign to rally members and supporters
Caleb Weiss for Long War Journal. January 5, 2024.
ISIS's new "Kill Them Wherever You Find Them" campaign name is to the point but I think their naming conventions lack finesse.
Mistakes happen
Scientists Accidentally Bred the Fish Version of a Liger
Annie Roth for The New York Times. July 15, 2020.
Have we not all been there? (See archived version.)
Kyrgyzstan’s new flag raised to a chorus of anger, confusion, threats
Ayzirek Imanaliyeva for Eurasianet. January 5, 2024.
Honestly the best 2024 article I've come across thus far (except my own, of course).
The Old Leaf Journal
Let's look dig into our archive...
“Cooking for Invalids” – Recipes For the Bedridden From 1800s Britain
Nicholas A. Ferrell. October 2, 2021.
I recovered from a recent bout with something so I no longer need these recipes. Please enjoy.
Aliens vs Noncitizens – The Anatomy of a Debate
Nicholas A. Ferrell. May 26, 2022.
Every now and then I invite my day job to The New Leaf Journal.
The Unicorn in the Snow in Brooklyn
Nicholas A. Ferrell. January 2, 2021.
Scenes from a more snow-filled January in Brooklyn.
Murakami on Bad Social Media Content
Nicholas A. Ferrell. March 7, 2021.
Much has changed in the social media space since I wrote this, but the piece holds up well.
I don’t want your emu and I don’t have to feed it
Nicholas A. Ferrell. July 29, 2020.
Note my beautiful art in this article.
Most-turned leaves of the newsletter week
I list our most-read articles from the previous newsletter week (Friday to Saturday) in each edition of The Newsletter Leaf Journal. These statistics come courtesy of Koko Analytics, our local, privacy friendly page-counting solution (see my review).
Below, you will find the five most-visited articles of 2024 newsletter week 2 (January 6-12) along with their 2024 statistics and all-time statistics, which go back to the first week of 2021.
Most-visited for Jan-6-12
(1) Cycling Doping Fallacies
Nicholas A. Ferrell. January 5, 2024.
2024: 2 appearances, 2 top placements.
(2) The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten - Anime Review
Nicholas A. Ferrell. March 30, 2023.
2024: 2 appearances.
Historic: 6 appearances, 1 top placement.
(3) Heights in “The Dangers in My Heart” Anime
Nicholas A. Ferrell. April 2, 2023.
2024: NEW
Historic: 8 appearances.
(4) On Barry Bonds’ IBBs in 2006 and 2007
Nicholas A. Ferrell. September 17, 2023.
2024: NEW
Historic: NEW
(5) Recommended F-Droid FOSS Apps For Android-Based Devices (2021)
Nicholas A. Ferrell. November 27, 2021.
2024: 2 appearances.
Historic: 59 appearances, 8 top placements.
Analysis
My essay on doping in cycling's Armstrong era would have easily taken its second consecutive top five from residual hits from its being shared in The Browser newsletter. Apparently not content with that, it was shared a second time to Hacker News and became our sixth Hacker News page one article, which came with all of the predictable consequences for the ranking. Our fourth-place finisher on the week, my essay on Barry Bonds' intentional walks, likely owes its position to being linked in my cycling essay. The other notable of the week is the appearance of my leaflet on heights in The Dangers in My Heart anime, which was last seen in 2023 Newsletter Week 29. It has had a resurgence with the start of season two of the anime -- albeit I would like to see some more of its reviews go to my actual review of the first season.
The cycling doping essay will almost certainly (barring some sort of sharing event) make it three consecutive weeks on top of the weekly ranking, but I could see things being more competitive in week four. My 2023 review of The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten would be on its third consecutive week leading the ranking if not for the unexpected cycling doping essay sharing and it seems poised to take over once the effects of The Browser and Hacker News wear off.
News leaf journal
I actually have some news this week.
Prompted in part by the About Page receiving more hits over the last week and change, I finally got around to re-writing it for the first time since 2021. You can see the new About Page here. I also added a new FAQ page to complement the About Page.
Notable leaf journal
One reason this week's newsletter is "late" is because my second monitor began to falter. I ordered a new monitor on Thursday night and it arrived on Saturday. While setting it up was not difficult, I did some cord management while I was in the area.
Taking leaf
Thank you as always for reading The Newsletter Leaf Journal. If you enjoyed the content and are not already a regular reader, you can sign up for our weekly email or simply add our newsletter's RSS feed to your favorite feed reader (see options). Early 2024 has been unexpectedly busy at The New Leaf Journal, and I am continuing to work on publishing the projects I planned for January, so I hope you look forward to our upcoming articles.
Until January 20,
Cura ut valeas.