Manton Reece makes observations and prescriptions for the future of open social networks and the fediverse, which I wholeheartedly agree with. We need to break out of silos. Sure, Facebook and Instagram are silos, but so are Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, other ActivityPub platforms and Tumblr.
The Truth Physics Can No Longer Ignore
Physics operates on the reductionist principle that the universe can be entirely explained by the interactions of particles and forces. But that principle breaks down for living things, writes Adam Frank at The Atlantic:
Give me a simple cell from the early days of Earth’s history, and I could never predict that some 4 billion years later it would evolve into a giant rabbit that can punch you in the face. Kangaroos—like humans—are an unpredictable, emergent consequence of life’s evolution.
This is an interesting article, but I fear it might also be junk science.
Why A.I. Didn’t Transform Our Lives in 2025. By Cal Newport.
Neal Stephenson explores the fascinating science behind bullwhips. Bullwhips relate to a medical mystery in post World War II Germany, where multiple men went to doctors reporting “floaters” in their eyes that turned out to be nearly microscopic copper filament. P
Mitchellaneous CLXXXVIV. Twelve things I saw on the internet
I don’t get why a person would want to buy an AI recording gadget, for $179. Why not just use your phone?
Now you can read an excerpt of from “Winds of Wycaro," the book-within-a-TV-series whose author, Carol Sturka, is the main character of “Plur1bus.” “She would know that voice anywhere. As smooth as wyld bourbon and deep as the Robrionian Trench.”
Mitchellaneous CLXXXVIII. Four things I saw on the Internet
Mitchellaneous CLXXXVII. Mitchellaneous's triumphant return! Fifteen things I found on the Internet
My fortune cookie was smashed and missing a fortune. This seems ominous.