A correction: last week’s newsletter cited a Substack note sentence that was in fact a quote from Philip K. Dick’s VALIS, not an original statement from the author. We regret the error. Thanks to Saga for bringing this to our attention.
what am i to do with all this sand in my chest
“A Conversation with My Mother About the Bloodstains on My Shirt”, Darius Simpson
Via Jesse on Bluesky.
He feared she had spotted a grizzly bear, only to discover a far better surprise—he had won the Nobel prize in medicine.
“Scientist learns he has won Nobel prize while on digital detox in US mountains”, Oliver Holmes (and agencies) for The Guardian
Submitted by Justin. First time I’ve seen (and agencies) on a byline, huh.
To our dismay, Lacher’s article mobilizes phallic and sexist imagery to divide Polanyi scholarship into “hard” versus “soft.”
“Against Polanyian orthodoxy: a reply to Hannes Lacher”, Margaret Somers and Fred Block
I like imagining these two respected political economy scholars saying with dismay "Oh no...Lacher made the critique horny!!" This reply essay also has one of those classic academic petty moves where the authors state something about their opponent's, position, then just write "Fine." and then go on to a sentence challenging their point. I love a bitchy little it's-definitely-not-fine "Fine." in an academic text.
Instead, what Weiss peddles is pro-establishment bilge that flatters the need of our richest and most cosseted dimwits to pretend that they are actually besieged outsiders.
“Vile Grifters Are Taking Over Establishment Media”, Jack Mirkinson for The Nation
Submitted by Erik.
As with much of recorded history, it was not that way at all.
Black Pioneers: Images of the Black Experience on the North American Frontier, John W. Ravage
Submitted by Charlie.
It’s the obscenity of gestures, I cannot do it.
Slavoj Žižek on The Charlie Rose Show
Via a clip on Instagram. Possibly made truly perfect with the context that Zizek was talking about dancing.
Also key to The Mummy’s enduring legacy is its status as a sacred text of millennial bisexual awakening.
"A relic of horny Hollywood: why The Mummy remains a classic bisexual awakening movie", Jordan Prosser for The Guardian
Submitted by John.
He calls himself an anti-capitalist writer, but I think he really just means he doesn’t have a lot of money.
Morgan (described as "a mid-20s escort and former sugar baby”) as quoted in an article in Bustle
Submitted by James.
Well, if we need to tank the economy to figure out the best way to make an app where you can generate videos of people barbecuing and eating Pikachu, so be it, I guess.
“A slow moving and very viral civil war”, Ryan Broderick in his newsletter Garbage Day
Submitted by George. Also, shoutout to Ryan and Akilah for redeeming the IG relationship hard launch this past week.
And at this point, AT Proto has become essentially a sort of ideological vaporware; a way for Jay Graber et al to run a social media platform while claiming they don't run a social media platform.
“Delusions of a Protocol”, Bruno Dias on his blog Azhdarchid
Submitted by Chris.
But as Conkertrix was defeated by rival Timmy Nuts – who managed to get her conker into his mouth – and she bid farewell to the crowd by flashing her breasts, I wondered if perhaps I was overthinking the whole thing.
"Inside the brutal, bloody world of the Peckham Conker Championships", Olivia Ovenden for The Observer
Submitted by Gryff.
The average listener is not under the impression that a diss track is the product of a thoughtful or disinterested investigation, conveying to the public factchecked verifiable content.
Legal opinion of Graham vs UMG Recordings, SDNY judge Jeannette A. Vargas
There is never enough gravy to make regret feel like anything but your soul leaving your body.
“How to eat with others”, Mike Monteiro in his newsletter Mike Monteiro’s Good News
Submitted by Angela.
A recent study described something no one had ever found before: a 126,000-year-old fossilized butt-drag.
"The 126,000-Year-Old Butt-Drag That Rewrote What Counts as a Fossil", Silvia Pineda-Munoz for the Climate Ages blog
Submitted by Ed.
We have fallen into fact.
Editorial, Clint Marsh for Fiddler's Green Magazine 9
Submitted by Mykael.
Federal officers appeared to clear the road for an exiting vehicle and quickly retreated without interacting with the many characters outside
A screenshot from a TikTok about the Portland ICE protests
Submitted by @kieffercities.com via Bluesky
Hong Kong Disneyland recently opened a Haunted Mansion-inspired attraction called Mystic Manor, which follows a monkey named Albert meddling with his owner’s magical antiques.
"Disneyland Guest Dies After Haunted Mansion Ride", Ethan Shanfeld for Variety
This is the last sentence of the article and doesn't really have very much to do with the story. A fascinating choice.