Newsletter Leaf Journal CCXXIV 〜 Gotta read 'em all
Issue 229 of the Newsletter Leaf Journal features a link to our newest article (along with its related video), 21 links from around the web, and other news and notes from the week that was.
Welcome to the 228th 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 Filco Majestitouch v3 keyboard of the administrator/editor/writer of The New Leaf Journal and its short-form writing sister site, The Emu Café Social, Nicholas A. Ferrell. I was suffering from bug-related sinus problems for most of the week, so I only published one new article that had already been in progress. Having recovered, I took a walk to and from Red Hook, Brooklyn (which should feature in upcoming articles), which explains why I am mailing this newsletter in the evening. Despite my low publishing output, you will still find plenty to read in this newsletter with our usual assortment of links from around the web and other news and notes.
Leaf from the week that was
On April 8, 2025, I read that Pokémon had teamed up with Google to create a Google Search-based Pokémon catching game. I had originally planned to just share a link to an article about the game in last week's newsletter, but then I decided to do one better and write an article about the game. In Catching 151 Pokémon in Google Search, I documented my catching all 151 available Pokémon in Google Search. I also recorded my session and uploaded the recording to the Internet Archive. There is a link to the video in the article, but you can also watch in this humble newsletter while reading along.
I published one post on The Emu Café Social before my sinus problems fully kicked in. Long Delays Between Anime Seasons comes to you as advertised.
Most-turned leaves of the newsletter week
The full recording which goes along with my Catching 151 Pokémon in Google Search article is one hour. But even if you watch the video and read my article, you may have some more time to fill this weekend. This newsletter has you covered with 21 links from around the world wide web.
You have to look at the photos in the links
British High-Power Microwave Weapon Successfully Tested Against Drone Swarms
Thomas Newdick for The War Zone. April 17, 2025.
I like this weapon's very low profile.
Watch These Elephants Form an 'Alert Circle' as an Earthquake Shakes San Diego, Protecting Their Young at the Center
Sara Hashemi for Smithsonian Magazine. April 17, 2025.
Note the image also shows them standing in open ground, away from any trees that could fall over.
Mobile device innovation
This eBook reader has an 8 inch foldable E Ink display
Brad Linder for Liliputing. April 17, 2025.
...That's a good idea. I'm intrigued if it will have KoReader support.
LILYGO T-Deck Pro is a mobile dev kit with an ePaper display, QWERTY keyboard, 4G and - Liliputing
Brad Linder for Liliputing. March 28, 2025.
It's not a phone and thus not my ideal phone, but we are headed in the right direction.
The ProStar: The Portable Gaming System And Laptop From 1995
Maya Posch for Hackaday. April 13, 2025.
Its heart was in the right place. The buttons were not.
Speaking of 1995
What the Internet Was Like in 1995
Richard MacManus at Cybercultural. March 26, 2025.
A look back at the web that was.
Are CRT TVs Important For Retro Gaming?
Dave Rowntree for Hackaday. October 11, 2024.
My TV was still a "retro TV" when I first received my Nintendo Wii.
A Proper OS For The Sega Genesis/Megadrive
Jenny List for Hackaday. April 3, 2025.
To think I just used mine to play Sonic 2 and NBA Live 98.
Checking in on Libya & friends
Russia Increasing Military Presence in Africa by Reviving Desert Airbase in the Libyan Sahara
Andrew McGregor for The Jamestown Foundation. April 17, 2025.
This article covers everything from Russia's Libyan airbase, the head of one half of Libya who spent the better part of the last 35 years in Virginia, the civil war in Sudan, Chad, France, Italy, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates... and it all comes together somehow.
Middle Eastern monarchies in Sudan’s war: what’s driving their interests
Federico Donelli for The Conversation. March 16, 2025.
Relevant follow-up reading to the Libya article.
Video game litigation
Sega Almost Sued Atari Over A Terrible Virtua Fighter Clone But Decided It Would Be "Embarrassing"
Damien McFerran for Time Extension. April 3, 2025.
You know you're bad when you're too bad to sue for copyright infringement.
How Nintendo Bled Atari Games to Death
Julien Mailand for The MIT Press Reader. April 15, 2025.
Not to give Nintendo's 80s/90s legal super team too much credit, Atari shot itself in the foot on this one.
Cultural exchange
Forget Mediterranean cuisine — here’s the new health diet
Rhys Blakely for The Sunday Times. April 3, 2025.
The Tanzanian diet is so in this year.
Chinese ‘Triad couple’ shot dead in Rome amid suspected mafia gang feud
Carl Deconinck for Brussles Signal. April 18, 2025.
I was sitting here thinking that what Italy needs is organized crime. Of course, there is none of that native to Italy. Good thing it can be imported.
Half a million NHS records to be accessed by Chinese researchers, despite MI5 fears
Franklin Okeke for The Channel Co. Computing. April 16, 2025.
I know I'm hard on TikTok (which should still be banned) but this is next level. Next up they will be funding dangerous virus research in a lab in Wuhan.
Going pro isn't easy
My YouTube Career As an Anime Character Got Me Out of My Comfort Zone
Mint Fantôme to Amanda Perelli for Business Insider. April 3, 2025.
I still don't understand the VTuber thing but I can imagine that being a 3D 2D person could pull one from his or her comfort zone.
Becoming a Pro Athlete Is Hard Work. So Is Managing Their Finances.
Griffin Kelly for The Daily Upside*. April 18, 2025.
This is how the owners won the 1998-99 NBA lockout.
Libertarianism on the march?
The reason Javier Milei is releasing Argentina’s secret Nazi files (via Archive Today)
Sam Meadows for The Spectator. February 25, 2025.
All roads from the long awaited Libertarian Moment (TM) lead to the release of the Nazi files.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs bill allowing gold to be used as a transactional currency
Misty Severi for Just the News. April 17, 2025.
My libertarian moment detector is buzzing.
Easter posts
Inflatable Carrot and Easter Bunnies in Brooklyn
Nicholas A. Ferrell at The New Leaf Journal. April 19, 2022.
As advertised.
Go inside the factory where Peeps are made
Tassanee Veipongsa and John Seewer for Associated Press (via The Washington Times). April 15, 2025.
Do I get a free Peep?
Most-turned leaves of the newsletter week
I use a privacy-friendly and entirely local tool called Koko Analytics (see my 2022 review) to track page hits. In each issue of the newsletter, I list our five most-visited articles, according to Koko Analytics, for the one-week period beginning with Saturday and ending with Friday. Below, you will find the most-visited articles of 2025 Newsletter Week XVI (April 12-18) along with their 2025 and historic (going back 2021) weekly ranking statistics.
(1.) Examining Whether Defense Wins NBA Championships
N.A. Ferrell. July 9, 2024.
2025: 14 appearances and 7 top placements.
Historic: 18 appearances and 8 top placements.
(2.) How the Forget-Me-Not Flower Found Its Name
N.A. Ferrell. March 11, 2021.
2025: NEW
Historic: 6 appearances.
(3.) Dragonair Safari in Pokémon Yellow
N.A. Ferrell. October 5, 2023.
2025: 2 appearances.
Historic: 4 appearances.
(4.) Broken Optical Audio Cable Door "Fix"
N.A. Ferrell. September 16, 2023.
2025: 6 appearances.
Historic: 20 appearances.
(5.) Amazon "Cargo Bikes" in Brooklyn
N.A. Ferrell. April 9, 2025.
2025: NEW
Analysis
My study on whether defense wins NBA championships broke out again -- this time most likely on account of internet searchers looking forward to the just-beginning NBA playoffs. The rest of the top-five was pedestrian in terms of visitor numbers, but we see a few notable entrants. My 2021 article on the forget-me-not flower made its first weekly top-five of 2025, coming in second for the week. Our top-five also includes a new April 2025 article for the second consecutive week. Last week it was my review of the Honey Lemon Soda anime. This week it was my look at Amazon's new "cargo bikes." The Amazon article just edged out my December article on Victory Chimes which looks poised to make a weekly top-five appearance one of these weeks.
Taking leaf
Thank you as always for reading, and if you have not done so already, you can follow this newsletter by signing up for our weekly email, adding our RSS feed to your favorite feed reader, or checking in on our archive page.
Things did not go as planned last week due to my being sick for most of the week, but I look forward to a New Leaf Journal rebound this upcoming week as we look forward to our site's fifth birthday on April 27. In the interim, I wish all readers a happy Easter.
Until April 26 (NLJ Birthday Eve),
Cura ut valeas -- Nicholas A. Ferrell.