The problem with subscriptions (e.g., Substack, but not limited): I don't want a few dozen feeds from the same people. I want hundreds of blogs from random people that I can sample. (Feedly is great that way.)

Bagel question: the local bagel shops all make bagels that you could characterize as light and fluffy. As a (very former) New Yorker, it seems that bagels should have some snark and resistance. I don't like polls, but I do want to know: right or wrong?

Why would Facebook Marketplace think that I want a 1959 Chevy BelAire? (I still have a Facebook account, but never post, and have never done business with Marketplace or anything of that sort. I do not have accounts on other Facebook properties).

Yale's William Blake exhibition at the British Art Center is spectacular. Focused on the books, with a lot of individual leaves on display, including a lot of Songs of Innocence and Experience and Jerusalem. If you're near (or can get to) New Haven, it's worth it […]

@mfowler 's thoughts on Donnesbury at the end:
https://martinfowler.com/articles/2025-11-03-frags.html

For no reason at all: remembering the old Desitin tubes that had a fish with a faucet on its belly. Haven't seen that in years.

I've been trying and trying to get people to understand that the US political crisis is the result of a decades long effort to destroy literacy for most people in America, by destroying education. The right wing played a long game, and that's what got us in this mess […]

Missed #nokings for medical reasons. But I love seeing the photos and commentary here.

Perfect.

Don't know when I'm going to have time to read it, but I just got the new Pychon.

Never been a real fan of Pink Floyd's A Pillow of Winds, but I listened to it today (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkRSeZbck0k&list=RDbkRSeZbck0k&start_radio=1 after Grantchester Meadows) and it wrecked me. Couldn't stop crying. Not sure why--the English pastoral (my mom was English, though […]

Spent half an hour on the phone with Social Security. They were VERY helpful. Very willing to explain ridiculous complex rules. Good people there (when you get through to them).

Several people mention this fellow, apparently he's a thing.

Hanoi Turned Upside Down: a new O'reilly Radar article about the towers. https://www.oreilly.com/radar/hanoi-turned-upside-down/ It was fun to write.

Most Americans really have no clue how far the US is being left behind.

No kings in Guilford. Probably 1500 people there. Pride flag is a nice touch.

Something I've written on O'Reilly Radar: https://www.oreilly.com/radar/normal-technology-at-scale/