*A combination of things that won’t be found anywhere else on the internet.*

QQ Roundup Edition IV

I hope everyone in the US has had a happy Thanksgiving!

We got all of congress to agree on something for once! Well, all of congress minus some asshat named Clay Higgins from Louisiana. Was it to fix healthcare? Feed the poor? No. It was to stop covering up for an infamous child sex trafficking ring and we had to drag them kicking and screaming to do it. Its unbelievable how much effort it takes to get our representatives to do literally anything on behalf of the wishes of their constituents.

That’s my two cents. Now onto what to read, watch, and listen to…

What To Read

As a foray into the risqué, I finished Soft Core by Brittany Newell. Perhaps unhinged, the content was rich with visceral and raw description but it was totally lacking a plot arc. The main character is an unreliable narrator who is a stripper and dungeon dominatrix with a crossdressing and drug dealing boyfriend gone missing. It’s a slice of life book, a la The Catcher in the Rye, of which I wasn’t a fan despite its classic “required reading” status. The author herself is a professional dominatrix so the fictional story borrows from lived experience. It’s an intoxicating and foggy window into a largely unseen world for most of us.

My recommendation: read it if you find the vibes and subject intriguing. Skip it if you need a solid plot to hold your interest.

I also read Superagency: What Could Possibly Go Right with Our AI Future by Reid Hoffman and Greg Beato. I did not like this book all that much. The authors themselves would categorize me as a “doomer” or “gloomer,” i.e. a person who believes AI presents an existential threat or who is focused primarily on its near-term negative societal consequences. Without being hypocritical, I also see the vast potential for AI to make daily life exponentially better but that does not give the tech or the industry a free pass to move fast and break everything along the way. It’s far too rosy about unfettered technological innovation and capitalism - “permissionless innovation.” A large swath of the page is dedicated to lauding the author’s credentials and investments into AI companies making it feel like a long PR piece. A chorus of wealthy businessmen singing trust us, with a track record that only screams do not trust them. I even gave a listen to the author’s podcast for further insight and found more of the same.

My recommendation: skip it.

Mayhem Market

A new competitor for Etsy has entered the chat with an ethos that billionaires shouldn't exist and creators shouldn’t be exploited. The new model allows you to sell things without a percentage going to the host of the platform. Literally, 100% of the sales go directly to the creators. “If it costs us money to do, we charge for it. If it doesn't, we don't.”

The Sights And Sounds Of Bhutan

My favorite blog, Wait But Why by Tim Urban, emerged from a second book writing hiatus to recall a recent trip to Bhutan. I found the write up and accompanying video from a vastly different culture to be both calming and eyeopening. WBW has been a major influence of my own work, thanks Tim!

First Kiss Dates Back 21 Million Years

A new study suggests that the lip kiss evolved millions of years ago. It’s an interesting development as it has no obvious survival or reproductive benefits. Pucker up!

The Parnas Perspective

You might be familiar with him by now, but Aaron Parnas is THE independent journalist to follow for up to the minute breaking news. His reporting is some of the most objective you can find and he’s not beholden to any corporate overlords or advertising dollars. His reach has actually been overtaking that of the major mainstream outlets.

What To Watch

Squid Game: The Challenge, season 2 of the reality game show that mirrors the hit drama, was as riveting as the first go around. The wife and I were hooked and we fully recommend you give it a go especially if you enjoyed the drama series.

This video produced by The New York Times made me want to cry. Please watch it and understand what this administration is doing to innocent people and how much damage is being done to the reputation of America. Abolish ICE!

Learning about trees. Sometimes I look up at them and wonder what goes on inside the structure. Thanks to Kurzgesagt, an excellent channel for learning tons of stuff, now we know!

Valve has entered the console wars, more or less. Here is the announcement trailer for a new lineup of hardware from one of the most trusted names in gaming. I find myself excited about this, despite a lack of time to indulge in any gaming - thank you two year old, full time job, and creative pursuits like this very publication.

What To Listen To

Another contender is vying for album of the year. The powerful debut full length album Pain to Power by Maruja. Hailing from the UK with a genre blend of punk, noise, jazz, and rap the sound packs a punch speaking truth to power. Some lyrics to chew on from the song Look Down On Us, “politicians snaky, stuck inside aloof, when it's money over minds, there will never be a truce.”

I was taken by surprise listening to the new album, Viribus Unitis by 1914, which rocketed into my top five albums of the year. This is a Ukrainian blackened death metal band recounting the horrors of World War 1 with an overarching statement that violence always leaves scars. I found the use of wartime samples to be especially haunting.

Tosin Abasi, guitar wizard of Animals As Leaders, teamed up with Misha Mansoor, guitar wizard of Periphery, for a new song filled with tasty guitar licks.