Rowan
@mzrowan.bsky.social
Reposted by Rowan
In which some poor person asks me "why did a pilates studio need discretionary sign-off?" and I kinda lose it.
San Francisco has a near blanket ban on "chain" businesses: if you have more than (IIRC) 3 locations already, it requires explicit approval from PlanCom after a public hearing where everyone gets to put their oar in. As dumb and corruption-prone as you think this sounds like, it's worse in practice.
November 14, 2025 at 10:19 PM
In which some poor person asks me "why did a pilates studio need discretionary sign-off?" and I kinda lose it.
Reposted by Rowan
I'm still sad the lawyer wouldn't let me embed xkcd.com/2867/ in my declaration even though it was the right call because the judge was not the type who'd appreciate it. It was relevant to my argument, even!
DateTime
xkcd.com
November 14, 2025 at 10:41 PM
I'm still sad the lawyer wouldn't let me embed xkcd.com/2867/ in my declaration even though it was the right call because the judge was not the type who'd appreciate it. It was relevant to my argument, even!
Reposted by Rowan
she’s a 10 but Excel thinks she’s October
November 13, 2025 at 8:08 AM
she’s a 10 but Excel thinks she’s October
Reposted by Rowan
Little guy looks more cozy than I’ve ever been in my entire life
November 14, 2025 at 11:26 PM
Little guy looks more cozy than I’ve ever been in my entire life
Reposted by Rowan
"Malort advent calendar" is already such an unhinged concept but every little window just having Malort in it really pushes it over the edge into something transcendently funny
November 15, 2025 at 12:54 AM
"Malort advent calendar" is already such an unhinged concept but every little window just having Malort in it really pushes it over the edge into something transcendently funny
Reposted by Rowan
I am one of today's lucky (?) 10,000
Every day someone new learns that Oscar Isaac was in a late 90s Christian ska band. Who will today’s person be.
November 15, 2025 at 2:27 AM
I am one of today's lucky (?) 10,000
Reposted by Rowan
I had a dream that we were in a beach town and I kept finding a sweater in thrift shops which somehow I knew had been made locally.
It was like the "I AM A LUXURY" sweater but short sleeved and pale blue. The text on it was "STUCKONY + RHODEY". I was impressed by someone's dedication to their OT4
It was like the "I AM A LUXURY" sweater but short sleeved and pale blue. The text on it was "STUCKONY + RHODEY". I was impressed by someone's dedication to their OT4
November 14, 2025 at 4:50 PM
I had a dream that we were in a beach town and I kept finding a sweater in thrift shops which somehow I knew had been made locally.
It was like the "I AM A LUXURY" sweater but short sleeved and pale blue. The text on it was "STUCKONY + RHODEY". I was impressed by someone's dedication to their OT4
It was like the "I AM A LUXURY" sweater but short sleeved and pale blue. The text on it was "STUCKONY + RHODEY". I was impressed by someone's dedication to their OT4
Reposted by Rowan
BREAKING: The Trump administration is officially withdrawing a Biden-era plan to require airlines to pay passengers cash compensation when flight disruptions are caused by the airlines.
November 14, 2025 at 4:16 PM
BREAKING: The Trump administration is officially withdrawing a Biden-era plan to require airlines to pay passengers cash compensation when flight disruptions are caused by the airlines.
Reposted by Rowan
Somerville officially has a hammock district at the newly opened Junction Park!
November 14, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Somerville officially has a hammock district at the newly opened Junction Park!
Reposted by Rowan
In 1941, Pan Am's California Clipper had to do something no commercial flight had done before: circumnavigate the world.
In Part 3 of our series looking at her journey, the crew must work out, mid-air, how to fly her on regular gasoline. Something her Wright Cyclone engines were never designed for.
In Part 3 of our series looking at her journey, the crew must work out, mid-air, how to fly her on regular gasoline. Something her Wright Cyclone engines were never designed for.
Into the unknown: The remarkable journey of the California Clipper, Part 3
Unable to source military-grade aviation fuel, our crew are forced to cross the Indian Ocean using regular gasoline. Something no Boeing 314 has ever flown on before.
theupfront.media
November 14, 2025 at 11:16 AM
In 1941, Pan Am's California Clipper had to do something no commercial flight had done before: circumnavigate the world.
In Part 3 of our series looking at her journey, the crew must work out, mid-air, how to fly her on regular gasoline. Something her Wright Cyclone engines were never designed for.
In Part 3 of our series looking at her journey, the crew must work out, mid-air, how to fly her on regular gasoline. Something her Wright Cyclone engines were never designed for.
Reposted by Rowan
Sometimes I wonder whether people understand how dedicated Cory is to teaching people about the importance of resisting surveillance technologies. But every once in a while, we see a true and perfect example of his commitment to the cause. Just think how spyware would have ruined this moment.
November 14, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Sometimes I wonder whether people understand how dedicated Cory is to teaching people about the importance of resisting surveillance technologies. But every once in a while, we see a true and perfect example of his commitment to the cause. Just think how spyware would have ruined this moment.
Reposted by Rowan
YES
Give me the 2025 equivalent of Sting performing “Demolition Man”!
Give me the 2025 equivalent of Sting performing “Demolition Man”!
this, i view as the world healing
blockbuster movies were better when the soundtrack had 15 pop stars doing original tracks tangentially related (at best) to the movie
blockbuster movies were better when the soundtrack had 15 pop stars doing original tracks tangentially related (at best) to the movie
i repeat, i have no idea what's going on
November 14, 2025 at 2:35 PM
YES
Give me the 2025 equivalent of Sting performing “Demolition Man”!
Give me the 2025 equivalent of Sting performing “Demolition Man”!
Reposted by Rowan
Also sounds like people who don’t understand books. “I want to set my books up so nobody needs to talk about them online or writes fanfic” is such a wild thing for someone to say if they want to make money.
I’ll say this much: This reads exactly like what it is: people who discovered romance five years ago and decided they had all kinds of amazing new ideas to “fix” it. Connections between books? That feel kind of cozy to the reader? How did no one ever think of that?? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/b...
November 14, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Also sounds like people who don’t understand books. “I want to set my books up so nobody needs to talk about them online or writes fanfic” is such a wild thing for someone to say if they want to make money.
Reposted by Rowan
and look, I say “no 3rd grader could possibly follow,” but I have spent the last 32 years being like “Mr Freed was quite clear about the knock-on effects of inflation,” so who am I to question his choices!
November 14, 2025 at 2:29 AM
and look, I say “no 3rd grader could possibly follow,” but I have spent the last 32 years being like “Mr Freed was quite clear about the knock-on effects of inflation,” so who am I to question his choices!
Reposted by Rowan
in 3rd grade there was this teacher, Mr Freed, who would go off on these long tangents no 3rd grader could possibly follow about free trade and America’s rise as a global superpower, and lately I have had two thoughts
1) Mr Freed knew this shit about tariffs in 1993
2) wtf was up with Mr Freed
1) Mr Freed knew this shit about tariffs in 1993
2) wtf was up with Mr Freed
November 14, 2025 at 2:19 AM
in 3rd grade there was this teacher, Mr Freed, who would go off on these long tangents no 3rd grader could possibly follow about free trade and America’s rise as a global superpower, and lately I have had two thoughts
1) Mr Freed knew this shit about tariffs in 1993
2) wtf was up with Mr Freed
1) Mr Freed knew this shit about tariffs in 1993
2) wtf was up with Mr Freed
Reposted by Rowan
"Does our plastic actually get recycled?" The #CamberVille newsletter is always excellent, but this one is truly a must-read: a deep dive into the recycling processing plant where all of Somerville's recycling winds up: mailchi.mp/bostonglobe....
November 14, 2025 at 3:03 AM
"Does our plastic actually get recycled?" The #CamberVille newsletter is always excellent, but this one is truly a must-read: a deep dive into the recycling processing plant where all of Somerville's recycling winds up: mailchi.mp/bostonglobe....
Reposted by Rowan
a “Space Force”, if you will
November 13, 2025 at 2:27 PM
a “Space Force”, if you will
Reposted by Rowan
like one out of three elder millennials lost their virginity to portishead. what the fuck are you talking about.
Portishead’s Geoff Barrow: ‘I can’t think of any worse music to make love to than ours’
Portishead’s Geoff Barrow: ‘I can’t think of any worse music to make love to than ours’
As he moves into film production with the thriller Game, the musician – also known for Beak> – answers your questions on Myspace rappers, sex playlists and whether Portishead will ever make new music
www.theguardian.com
November 13, 2025 at 11:42 PM
like one out of three elder millennials lost their virginity to portishead. what the fuck are you talking about.
Reposted by Rowan
This is so cool: Copper, which makes induction stoves with li-ion batteries integrated, is going to build *10,000* of these suckers for use in New York public housing.
Better cooking, easier cleaning, grid resiliency built in. Win win win.
Better cooking, easier cleaning, grid resiliency built in. Win win win.
$32 Million Commitment Announced to Electrify Cooking Appliances in NYCHA Buildings Through Induction Stove Challenge - NYSERDA
The New York Power Authority (NYPA), the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) today announced that the next phase of the ...
www.nyserda.ny.gov
November 13, 2025 at 8:05 PM
This is so cool: Copper, which makes induction stoves with li-ion batteries integrated, is going to build *10,000* of these suckers for use in New York public housing.
Better cooking, easier cleaning, grid resiliency built in. Win win win.
Better cooking, easier cleaning, grid resiliency built in. Win win win.
Reposted by Rowan
Overheard at the comic con =3
November 13, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Overheard at the comic con =3
Reposted by Rowan
Author manuscripts in Hollywood: I only write by hand and every evening I store this precious document in a safe that only I have the combination to
Author manuscripts irl: Hey friend when you get a mo can you email me the chapters I wrote on your kids laptop pls
Author manuscripts irl: Hey friend when you get a mo can you email me the chapters I wrote on your kids laptop pls
As a tax man who works with high net worth individuals, I am routinely asked, and after that demanded, to send non-password protected full tax returns via email
TV conspiracies: we’ve hacked their computers but they’ve perfectly cleaned up the evidence!
Real conspiracies:
To: conspirator
From: famous person
Attachment: evidence.png
Real conspiracies:
To: conspirator
From: famous person
Attachment: evidence.png
November 13, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Author manuscripts in Hollywood: I only write by hand and every evening I store this precious document in a safe that only I have the combination to
Author manuscripts irl: Hey friend when you get a mo can you email me the chapters I wrote on your kids laptop pls
Author manuscripts irl: Hey friend when you get a mo can you email me the chapters I wrote on your kids laptop pls
Reposted by Rowan
appreciate this article breaking down a taxonomy of knowledge games (also, unfortunately, known as metroidbrainias)
azhdarchid.com/against-metr...
azhdarchid.com/against-metr...
Against 'Metroidbrania': a Landscape of Knowledge Games
What are knowledge games? How do we relate them to each other? What sub-genres exist – and which ones might be implied?
azhdarchid.com
November 13, 2025 at 9:17 AM
appreciate this article breaking down a taxonomy of knowledge games (also, unfortunately, known as metroidbrainias)
azhdarchid.com/against-metr...
azhdarchid.com/against-metr...
Reposted by Rowan
now I'm reminded of the guy who they named Cincinnati after who was twice appointed to be dictator of Rome during wars and both times ended the crisis in like 2 weeks and immediately resigned his dictatorship to go back to his farm and follow his true passion of growing cabbages
busted: meditations of marcus aurelius
new hotness: cato the elder's cabbage-based binge drinking methods
new hotness: cato the elder's cabbage-based binge drinking methods
November 13, 2025 at 12:01 PM
now I'm reminded of the guy who they named Cincinnati after who was twice appointed to be dictator of Rome during wars and both times ended the crisis in like 2 weeks and immediately resigned his dictatorship to go back to his farm and follow his true passion of growing cabbages
Reposted by Rowan
Friendly reminder that dishwashers made after 1995 or so are so water and energy efficient that even if you ran them twice fully loaded it would still use less water than handwashing the same load.
So many "green" things feel like sacrifices. Dishwashers are not one of them.
So many "green" things feel like sacrifices. Dishwashers are not one of them.
November 12, 2025 at 5:03 AM
Friendly reminder that dishwashers made after 1995 or so are so water and energy efficient that even if you ran them twice fully loaded it would still use less water than handwashing the same load.
So many "green" things feel like sacrifices. Dishwashers are not one of them.
So many "green" things feel like sacrifices. Dishwashers are not one of them.
Reposted by Rowan
The International Criminal Court is ditching Microsoft Office, saying it’s too dependent on US tech, in favor of Open Desk, a German open source alternative.
The move comes after Microsoft revoked ICC head Karim Khan’s email access when he was sanctioned by the US for the warrant against Netanyahu.
The move comes after Microsoft revoked ICC head Karim Khan’s email access when he was sanctioned by the US for the warrant against Netanyahu.
International Criminal Court to ditch Microsoft Office for European open source alternative | Euractiv
The court will move its internal work environment to Open Desk, a German-developed open source software
www.euractiv.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:36 PM
The International Criminal Court is ditching Microsoft Office, saying it’s too dependent on US tech, in favor of Open Desk, a German open source alternative.
The move comes after Microsoft revoked ICC head Karim Khan’s email access when he was sanctioned by the US for the warrant against Netanyahu.
The move comes after Microsoft revoked ICC head Karim Khan’s email access when he was sanctioned by the US for the warrant against Netanyahu.