Matt Roussel’s Textured Woodcuts Metamorphose into Paintings — Colossal

These are wild. Carving blocks which are then painted – the results are fantastic.

DOGE’s Cyberattack Against America

This country is sleepwalking through the takeover of the US. We are letting this happen.

The Red Pill Was Hijacked | Techdirt

The right’s Red Pill obsession is not only idiotic, it’s also a freaking lie. Their red pill is blue, and they’re super happy to be in the Matrix of their own creation.

The ‘World’s Smallest Record Player’ Is a VW Bus That Plays Vinyls by Driving on Them

This was a Sony idea and I’d never heard of it. If it was created in 1976, they must have been known and talked about while I was still there. I LIKE IT!

This 1969 Ford GT40 Race Car Has a Secret Slot Car Track Inside

And now for something completely different… but also not. MOAR CARZ!!??

Bonobos recognize when humans are ignorant, try to help - Ars Technica

I think we’re gonna need a lot more Bonobos to get through 2025.

Life on Earth Depends on Networks of Ocean Bacteria | WIRED

It’s almost like boiling the ocean might be a bad idea!

Massive Pedestrian Crushers Don’t Actually Keep Occupants Safe Either, New Research Shows

Giant vehicles aren’t safe for the people outside them, but they’re also not safe for the people in them either, it turns out. But that’s not why people buy them anyway, they buy them to compensate for their tiny genitals.

“Just give me the f***ing links!”—Cursing disables Google’s AI overviews - Ars Technica

I don’t use Google, but if all tech starts behaving differently to people who swear, I’m in luck because most of my conversations with Siri are just a torrent of expletives.

Rats beat AI at recognizing obscured objects | Popular Science

“Living creatures that have evolved for billions of years better than computers with no eyes at identifying things!” You don’t say? 😄

Declassified CIA Guide to Sabotaging Fascism Is Suddenly Viral

I’ve no idea why this could be…

The Pad-O-Matic Prints One-Time Pads On Demand - IEEE Spectrum

Back when fighting Nazis as opposed to being Nazis was cool, the one-time pad provided security against the enemy. Now, a digital version – the Pad-O-Matic!

Your Soul Is a Blue Marble: How to See with an Astronaut’s Eyes – The Marginalian

Here’s a book review, because why not? We should probably all read this book and write encrypted reviews of it using our Pad-O-Matics.

The Winners of This Annual Competition Show Nature Is Ready for Its Close-Up — Colossal

From the “Nature is weird so you don’t have to” department, more fantastic photos of living things.

Do You Believe in Life After Death? These Scientists Study It. - The New York Times

I don’t know how anyone would ever prove reincarnation, but it seems like a fun job trying. Better than digging ditches or trying to keep hackers out of your financial institution.

A brief history of logs and Console – The Eclectic Light Company

If you’re a Mac person who’s ever dug through Console logs looking for errors, this should be a fun read. I’ve always appreciated the fact that the Mac tried to give a one-stop shopping center for logs.

A Capitol Rioter’s Son Is Terrified About His Father’s Release | WIRED

Yikes. How’d you like to turn your father in for insurrection and then have the incoming fascist-in-chief pardon him? On top of that, this kid is gay and I can’t imagine his Texas Three Percenter father being super chill about that. By the way, the dad that was pardoned is the one who threatened to crack Nancy Pelosi’s head open on the Capitol steps. Thanks for voting Trump, America.

I’m a Luddite (and So Can You!) | The Nib

I’m not sure I’m full-Luddite, but considering the damage what passes for Silicon Valley is doing these days and how enthusiastically they’ve cozied up to corrupt and power abusing politicians, I think it’s ok to be one. Also consider the huge environmental aspects of the mega-data center build-outs. It’s a weird time to be in tech, I’ll say that.

From Infocom to 80 Days: An oral history of text games and interactive fiction - Ars Technica

Stepping back to when tech was fun with very few qualifications, here’s a great story. Am I the only one old enough to remember these? I know I’m not, so are you. Stop lying.

Cryptocurrency wallet drainers stole $494 million in 2024

See, cryptocurrency is good for something! Unrelated, I think I have a new business idea…

Hokkaidō: A Tapestry of Lakes and Rivers | Nippon.com

I would really love to go spend some time in Hokkaido. I honestly don’t recall if we visited Hokkaido when I was a kid. If so, I don’t remember anything about it.

American lab is developing a BAT laser that could enable ‘beyond EUV’ lithography, provide 10X power efficiency boost | Tom’s Hardware

As nice as it would be if the future of lithography wasn’t entirely in the hands of one Dutch company, what I really want to know is if the BAT laser can be used as a BAT signal.

Could Humans Have a Brain Microbiome? | WIRED

I guess I need brain yogurt? 🤔

Finnish authorities board tanker suspected of damaging undersea cables — tanker is reportedly linked to Russia’s shadow fleet | Tom’s Hardware

I’m shocked, I tell you, SHOCKED, to learn that nation states are slicing undersea data cables intentionally. They seemed like such nice evil villians too.

Buyer beware: OpenAI’s o1 reasoning model is an entirely different beast – GeekWire

AI is approaching anti-vaxxer levels of denialism. I’m not wrong, you’re wrong. No puppet, no puppet, you’re the puppet.

She Was a Russian Socialite and Influencer. Cops Say She’s a Crypto Laundering Kingpin | WIRED

I love a good true crime story, and the crypto world is nothing if not a true crime story generator. I’m always intrigued by the sheer inventiveness of people like Zhdanova. I wish I had half their creativity, and slightly more morals and ethics (which wouldn’t be very difficult).

WTF Is Going on With the New Jersey Mystery Drones? Maybe Mass Panic Over Nothing

People are good at failing to learn from history, but I feel like the non-learning cycles are getting shorter and shorter.

5 Festive Facts About Japanese Christmas Cake - Savvy Tokyo

Sometimes a cake is not just a cake. Then it’s a Japanese Christmas cake.

Hacking Digital License Plates - Schneier on Security

I’m worried about the implications of digital license plates – I don’t think they can be as easily manufactured in prisons. Back to beating each other up in the back of the kitchen, I guess.

Honda CEO Does Not Rule Out Possibility of Merger With Nissan

Well there’s one I didn’t see coming. I think ithis is surely a sign of the end times.

Japan now has fish-shaped soy sauce bottle hand cream | SoraNews24 -Japan News-

I squeezed a lot of soy sauce out of little plastic fish when I lived in Japan, I’m really glad I didn’t get hand cream on my sushi.