Newsletter Leaf Journal CLXL 〜 Extra large seel
Issue 190 of The New Leaf Journal features links to the four most recent New Leaf Journal articles, 21 articles from around the web, and 6 articles from the NLJ archive.
Welcome to the 190th 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 editor and administrator of The New Leaf Journal, Nicholas A. Ferrell. Today's newsletter comes with several new New Leaf Journal articles, many links from around the web, and other news and notes.
Leaves from the week that was
I published four new articles since mailing Newsletter 189.
- Pistons, Lakers, and the 2004 NBA Finals: The underdog Detroit Pistons demolished the heavily favored and star-studded Los Angeles Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals. I looked back on the series and examined whether the signs were there going in and if the Pistons should have been favored. This project follows my having written an article referencing the series in trying to pin down precisely when I received a specific video game. (Bonus points to anyone who gets the video game title reference.)
- Beating Rafael Nadal at the French Open: Tennis legend Rafael Nadal has not often lost at the French Open, being defeated on the Court in only 4 of his 19 appearances (excluding one edition where he pulled out due to injury). I examined how the four players to defeat Nadal 3 sets out of 5 at Roland-Garros did in their respective French Opens after beating the King of Clay.
- Ditto Pokémon Graffiti in Brooklyn: Ditto on a dumpster in Cobble Hill.
- Introducing My Newpoint Switcher 2000 Plus: This article about my 26-27 year old power switch has something in common with my look back at the 2004 NBA Finals from four days earlier: It followed from the same June 11, 2024 New Leaf Journal article. Talk about variety.
Leaves from around the web
I gave you plenty to read this weekend (especially if you are interested in the 2004 NBA Finals piece), but perhaps you need more. If you need more, you're in luck.
Printing money (or not)
As Zimbabwe’s economy collapses, traditional healers are selling wealth advice on TikTok
Chris Muronzi for Rest of World. June 20, 2024.
Given the typical trajectory of currency values in Zimbabwe I suppose there are worse ways to light your money on fire before it becomes worthless.
Dollarization in Ecuador
Daniel Dematos for The Tontine Coffee-House. June 17, 2024.
Trading the sucre for the dollar.
As the need for copper rises, cable manufacturers recycle more
Jennifer McDermott for the Associated Press. June 9, 2024.
What will this do for penny prices?
Humble golfers
Bryson DeChambeau's new driver is a weapon rarely seen on Tour
Jonathan Wall for Golf. August 8, 2023.
“It’s fantastic for anyone that’s over 175 [miles per hour] ball speed,” -The always-humble Bryson DeChambeau
Bryson DeChambeau is using 3D-printed irons at the Masters
Jonathan Wall for Golf. April 13, 2024.
He finished 6th at the Masters followed by 2nd at the PGA and a win at the U.S. Open, so I foresee a 3D-printed irons trend.
Car racing (real and imaginary)
NASCAR, IndyCar icon Tony Stewart's new passion for drag racing Ryan McGee for ESPN. April 30, 2024.
Tony Stewart has probably raced everything else with wheels so why not?
Project Gotham Racing 3: a forgotten way to play?
Pete Davidson for Moe Gamer. May 31, 2024.
A favorable review of a nearly 20-year old racing game for Xbox.
Bison (living and not-so-living)
Here’s what could make a baby bison white
Christina Larson for the Associated Press. June 13, 2024.
Out: Anime hair color series. In: Bison fur color series.
Why Store 41,000 Bison Bones From the Jones-Miller Site?
Stephen E. Nash for Sapiens. July 18, 2023.
Sounds suspicious.
Big birds
Ostrich Bubbles
Katrina Gulliver for JSTOR Daily. April 24, 2024.
I once sat across from someone eating a rare ostrich burger. Note this was rare as in cooked rare not as in ostriches are rare. This was more than 10 years ago and I still haven't recovered.
500-Pound Prehistoric Bird Was a ‘Giga-Goose,’ Fossils Reveal
Kate Evans for Scientific American. June 3, 2024.
Duck... duck... GIGA GOOOOOOOOOSE.
Cooking up a newsletter
Rice Cooker Ketchup Rice ケチャップライス
Namiko Chen at Just One Cookbook. May 20, 2024.
Probably good.
Whole-grain Dijon gives pan-fried chicken cutlets bright, pleasantly sharp flavor
Christopher Kimball for The Associated Press. June 19, 2024.
I approve of the recipe on paper.
Back to me
Totem Proposes Mixed-Use Development at Broadway Junction
Max Gillespie for YIMBY New York. June 18, 2024.
I used to think Times Square was the worst place in New York City. Then I walked through Broadway Junction twice in one day. Let's just say I have low expectations for this project.
Filipino man jumps into ocean to save drowning boy in Japan, gives too-cool statement after
Casey Baseel for SoraNews24. June 18, 2024.
He forgot that the most important part of being a hero is telling everyone that you're a hero.
Chase, PayPal Digital Ad Gambits Bring New Privacy Worries
Isobel Asher Hamiltin for The Daily Upside. June 16, 2024.
Will Chase use the windfall to keep people from sleeping in ATM vestibules?
Interview with Tim Street (Pokémon Official Magazine)
The Johto Times. June 6, 2024.
I missed out on this magazine because (A) it only lasted two issues, and (B) I did not live in the United Kingdom.
C wut I did thar?
‘Ever more,’ ‘ever-more,’ ‘evermore’
Grammarphobia. June 17, 2024.
Quoth the Raven "[E]vermore"
Rare 'Absolutely Tiny' Plant, Not Seen for More Than a Century, Found in Vermont
Sarah Kuta for Smithsonian Magazine. June 14, 2024.
And yet they still call it a "false" mermaid weed as if its feelings have changed in the last century.
Checking in on Central Asia
Nascent Afghan resistance grows in strength but not a threat to Taliban rule
Will Selber for Long War Journal. May 22, 2024.
That my first thought was "the biggest resistance group in Afghanistan is Islamic State" is probably a bad sign for the resistance this article focuses on.
Memoir: A tale of two first presidents: Islam Karimov and Nursultan Nazarbayev
George Krol for Eurasianet. June 21, 2024.
They former presidents of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan (not the current presidents of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan) had some interesting views of each other.
The Old Leaf Journal
Let's check in on our archive...
- Fairy Tricycle Promotion from 1895 Harper’s Round Table (NAF. July 16, 2021.): It's never too late to take advantage of an 1895 promotion.
- “King Baby” Graffiti on a Truck in Gowanus (NAF. June 11, 2021.): My first encounter with KING BABY graffiti.
- On When to Watch Credits or Leave a Bad Movie (NAF. June 6, 2020.): A classic, albeit not oft-visited, New Leaf Journal essay.
- The Pigeon on a Limb (NAF. February 11, 2021.): A pigeon struggles for a snack in Brooklyn Heights (the snacking may be the problem).
- Dialogue: Dinosaur fight tier-lists (NAF. March 6, 2023.): Everyone has a dinosaur fight tier list (or not).
- Hair Color in the MYTH Visual Novel (NAF. March 9, 2022.): We learn that pink hair is actually pink in one of the long (and very strange) novel's first scenes.
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-hit counting solution. Below, you will find the most-visited articles of Newsletter Week 25 (June 15-21) along with stats for 2024 and going back to the first week of 2021.
- #1. The Last Nintendo Wii Games (N.A.F. August 1, 2023.)
2024 & History: 2 appearances and 1 top placement.
- #2. Planning and Angel Next Door Season 2 (N.A.F. November 5, 2023.)
2024 & History: 7 appearances and 2 top placements.
- #3. Recommended F-Droid FOSS Apps For Android-Based Devices (2021) (N.A.F. November 28, 2021.)
2024: 18 appearances and 1 top placement.
History: 75 appearances and 9 top placements.
- #4. Installing GrapheneOS on a Google Pixel 6a (N.A.F. May 15, 2023.)
2024: 3 appearances.
History: 11 appearances.
- #5. Installing Ubuntu Touch on a Google Nexus 7 (2013) (N.A.F. July 5, 2021.)
2024: 11 appearances and 2 top placements.
History: 88 appearances and 4 top placements.
Analysis
Newsletter Week 25 was in line with previous weeks, including in terms of having a weak top 25. Taking advantage was last year's piece on the last Nintendo Wii games, which makes its first top placement and second top-five overall. While it has not been a top-five fixture, it currently sits in 14th place in the overall 2024 ranking with its consistent week-to-week numbers. Planning and Angel Next Door Season 2 had a gentle drop from the top spot, finishing second after back-to-back weeks at number one and remaining in strong position to take the top spot for June.
News leaf journal
We had a quiet week on the news front. I was busy outside of The New Leaf Journal, so I had little time to devote to the site beyond publishing four articles, three of which had been drafted during the previous week. I have continued to add related posts to old articles as I note them on our daily Koko Analytics visit counts.
Notable leaf journal
I conducted a significant room cleaning, primarily to tackle dust. I came away impressed with Endust Dust & Clean Multi-Surface Spray. I purchased the "plant-powered" edition since it was not much more expensive than the regular. It touts itself as being very good for dust collection and I can confirm that dust is much more prone to clinging to my microfiber cloths and dusters with Endust than without.
Taking leaf
Thank you as always for reading The Newsletter Leaf Journal. If you are not already a regular reader, you can sign up for our weekly email, add our RSS feed to your favorite feed reader (this would be my preferred option), or check our newsletter archive weekly. See our options here.
While June has not been a high-traffic month, I think I have published some interesting articles that may be fixture as things pick up this summer. I have some more drafts reaching their final pre-publication stages and I look forward to sharing them with you in the weeks to come.
Until June 28,
Cura ut valeas -- Nicholas A. Ferrell.