Fourierist
@fourierist.bsky.social
Philosopher, anti-lion, lemonade enthusiast.
www.baltimoresun.com/2017/07/11/d...
IIRC this is the guy, they named the character in the Wire after him, as it goes into
IIRC this is the guy, they named the character in the Wire after him, as it goes into
December 16, 2025 at 1:29 AM
www.baltimoresun.com/2017/07/11/d...
IIRC this is the guy, they named the character in the Wire after him, as it goes into
IIRC this is the guy, they named the character in the Wire after him, as it goes into
They had to let him go, and then he would kill another guy. Repeat the process. They had no idea what to do because mostly they solved cases by talking people into confessing, but he wouldn't talk. Finally they got him because he did a murder with an accomplice who confessed and implicated him.
December 16, 2025 at 12:09 AM
They had to let him go, and then he would kill another guy. Repeat the process. They had no idea what to do because mostly they solved cases by talking people into confessing, but he wouldn't talk. Finally they got him because he did a murder with an accomplice who confessed and implicated him.
There's a bit in the David Simon book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets where he describes a prolific hitman who got away with many murders by just refusing to talk to the cops. Everybody on the street and in BPD knew he was doing the murders, but he would just call his lawyer and shut up.
December 16, 2025 at 12:09 AM
There's a bit in the David Simon book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets where he describes a prolific hitman who got away with many murders by just refusing to talk to the cops. Everybody on the street and in BPD knew he was doing the murders, but he would just call his lawyer and shut up.
So, Orwell had to eat a little crow over that mistake.
I sometimes think it would be fun if "Orwellian" instead referred to some other aspect of his career, like making what seems like a safe assumption and finding out that you messed up in a very public and embarrassing way.
I sometimes think it would be fun if "Orwellian" instead referred to some other aspect of his career, like making what seems like a safe assumption and finding out that you messed up in a very public and embarrassing way.
December 13, 2025 at 9:55 PM
So, Orwell had to eat a little crow over that mistake.
I sometimes think it would be fun if "Orwellian" instead referred to some other aspect of his career, like making what seems like a safe assumption and finding out that you messed up in a very public and embarrassing way.
I sometimes think it would be fun if "Orwellian" instead referred to some other aspect of his career, like making what seems like a safe assumption and finding out that you messed up in a very public and embarrassing way.
What Orwell didn't realize is that Frank Richards was a real guy: Charles Hamilton. He not only wrote all the Frank Richards stories, which Orwell believed was impossible, but he had multiple other pen names that were similarly active.
He was literally the most prolific author of all time.
He was literally the most prolific author of all time.
Charles Hamilton (writer) - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
December 13, 2025 at 9:55 PM
What Orwell didn't realize is that Frank Richards was a real guy: Charles Hamilton. He not only wrote all the Frank Richards stories, which Orwell believed was impossible, but he had multiple other pen names that were similarly active.
He was literally the most prolific author of all time.
He was literally the most prolific author of all time.
The essay is partly based on an assumption there's no Frank Richards. It has to be a publishing syndicate that hires *dozens* of writers who follow a strict style guide and maintain a consistent formula and authorial voice.
After Orwell's essay was published, Frank Richards wrote a response.
After Orwell's essay was published, Frank Richards wrote a response.
December 13, 2025 at 9:55 PM
The essay is partly based on an assumption there's no Frank Richards. It has to be a publishing syndicate that hires *dozens* of writers who follow a strict style guide and maintain a consistent formula and authorial voice.
After Orwell's essay was published, Frank Richards wrote a response.
After Orwell's essay was published, Frank Richards wrote a response.
The other reason I love that essay is because Orwell made a really huge and funny error in it.
A large proportion of the boys' weeklies were attributed to a single byline, Frank Richards. In the review, Orwell states really bluntly that there's absolutely no way one guy could write so many stories.
A large proportion of the boys' weeklies were attributed to a single byline, Frank Richards. In the review, Orwell states really bluntly that there's absolutely no way one guy could write so many stories.
December 13, 2025 at 9:55 PM
The other reason I love that essay is because Orwell made a really huge and funny error in it.
A large proportion of the boys' weeklies were attributed to a single byline, Frank Richards. In the review, Orwell states really bluntly that there's absolutely no way one guy could write so many stories.
A large proportion of the boys' weeklies were attributed to a single byline, Frank Richards. In the review, Orwell states really bluntly that there's absolutely no way one guy could write so many stories.
Most people know him from 1984 and maybe Animal Farm, but I think his work as a reviewer and critic should be better known. His analysis is really interesting, including in the "Boys' Weeklies" essay. It's also about a genre that has basically disappeared, which I think is interesting.
December 13, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Most people know him from 1984 and maybe Animal Farm, but I think his work as a reviewer and critic should be better known. His analysis is really interesting, including in the "Boys' Weeklies" essay. It's also about a genre that has basically disappeared, which I think is interesting.
The main thing I like about it is it's just a good essay about something interesting, where he's doing media criticism about pop culture ephemera to figure out what is behind their extreme popularity, what can you learn from them about English culture, etc.
December 13, 2025 at 9:55 PM
The main thing I like about it is it's just a good essay about something interesting, where he's doing media criticism about pop culture ephemera to figure out what is behind their extreme popularity, what can you learn from them about English culture, etc.
Not surprising, since rural Iowa was ground zero for the 2000s meth epidemic.
But if you go into Zillow and poke around the area houses nearby are more higher, but not massively so, and the price differentials are partly attributable to larger lots (Iowa dirt in itself is very pricey).
But if you go into Zillow and poke around the area houses nearby are more higher, but not massively so, and the price differentials are partly attributable to larger lots (Iowa dirt in itself is very pricey).
December 13, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Not surprising, since rural Iowa was ground zero for the 2000s meth epidemic.
But if you go into Zillow and poke around the area houses nearby are more higher, but not massively so, and the price differentials are partly attributable to larger lots (Iowa dirt in itself is very pricey).
But if you go into Zillow and poke around the area houses nearby are more higher, but not massively so, and the price differentials are partly attributable to larger lots (Iowa dirt in itself is very pricey).
I mean, fuck, even people who already live in *Iowa* don't want to live in Aplington!
December 13, 2025 at 4:33 PM
I mean, fuck, even people who already live in *Iowa* don't want to live in Aplington!
I grew up in rural southwest Iowa. I now live in a metro area of eastern Iowa. I've been other places and I still have ambivalent love for this one.
So, believe me: there's a reason that house is $95k. There's a reason that at least 90 of 99 counties in Iowa are rapidly losing population.
So, believe me: there's a reason that house is $95k. There's a reason that at least 90 of 99 counties in Iowa are rapidly losing population.
December 13, 2025 at 4:31 PM
I grew up in rural southwest Iowa. I now live in a metro area of eastern Iowa. I've been other places and I still have ambivalent love for this one.
So, believe me: there's a reason that house is $95k. There's a reason that at least 90 of 99 counties in Iowa are rapidly losing population.
So, believe me: there's a reason that house is $95k. There's a reason that at least 90 of 99 counties in Iowa are rapidly losing population.
I got nasal drainage when I had colds as a kid and my mom taught me the saltwater rinse to help with occasional inflammation from that but if you have an actual problem like strep or something you should get seen
December 9, 2025 at 1:15 PM
I got nasal drainage when I had colds as a kid and my mom taught me the saltwater rinse to help with occasional inflammation from that but if you have an actual problem like strep or something you should get seen
1/2 tsp salt dissolved into 8 oz warm water, rinse mouth and gargle 10-15 seconds, obviously don't swallow any
should give some relief
convenient care or whatever if symptoms worsen
should give some relief
convenient care or whatever if symptoms worsen
December 9, 2025 at 1:13 PM
1/2 tsp salt dissolved into 8 oz warm water, rinse mouth and gargle 10-15 seconds, obviously don't swallow any
should give some relief
convenient care or whatever if symptoms worsen
should give some relief
convenient care or whatever if symptoms worsen
a guy who says such dumb things at such a rapid and unrelenting pace that Fiona Apple got sober after hanging out with him once
Fiona Apple Quit Cocaine After An 'Excruciating' Night With Quentin Tarantino and Paul Thomas Anderson
The singer said every addict should be locked in a private movie theater with these two filmmakers.
www.esquire.com
December 7, 2025 at 7:24 PM
a guy who says such dumb things at such a rapid and unrelenting pace that Fiona Apple got sober after hanging out with him once
One way to understand our current moment is that we're all suffering through a revolt against human society and the notion of public decency, initiated by a camarilla of astonishingly inadequate and embittered little men with crabbed, deformed souls.
December 7, 2025 at 7:01 PM
One way to understand our current moment is that we're all suffering through a revolt against human society and the notion of public decency, initiated by a camarilla of astonishingly inadequate and embittered little men with crabbed, deformed souls.
Grant graduated West Point near the bottom of his class. After a pretty good run in the Mexican-American War he was posted to Oregon and he missed his wife so much that he was cashiered for alcohol abuse.
During the Civil war it turned out he was one of the greatest military geniuses in history.
During the Civil war it turned out he was one of the greatest military geniuses in history.
December 7, 2025 at 12:12 AM
Grant graduated West Point near the bottom of his class. After a pretty good run in the Mexican-American War he was posted to Oregon and he missed his wife so much that he was cashiered for alcohol abuse.
During the Civil war it turned out he was one of the greatest military geniuses in history.
During the Civil war it turned out he was one of the greatest military geniuses in history.
Before the ACW Sherman was superintendent of a military academy in Louisiana and his close friend was an instructor from Virginia who was very enthusiastic about secession. After the war, so maybe apocryphal, the friend recalled Sherman didactically explaining exactly what was coming:
December 6, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Before the ACW Sherman was superintendent of a military academy in Louisiana and his close friend was an instructor from Virginia who was very enthusiastic about secession. After the war, so maybe apocryphal, the friend recalled Sherman didactically explaining exactly what was coming:
He died from them doing that. Also he had some time to know that he was dying, but he didn't think it was his doctors' fault because he didn't have that knowledge. He had some time to think about how he was dying but he wasn't mad at the guys who killed him. He just didn't have access to that info.
December 6, 2025 at 5:08 AM
He died from them doing that. Also he had some time to know that he was dying, but he didn't think it was his doctors' fault because he didn't have that knowledge. He had some time to think about how he was dying but he wasn't mad at the guys who killed him. He just didn't have access to that info.
People can get confused about this because it doesn't come up a lot, but you probably have like 10 pints of blood in your body. When George Washington got sick his doctors decided he had too much blood and started taking blood out of his body and they took 5 pints out. They took away half his blood.
December 6, 2025 at 5:05 AM
People can get confused about this because it doesn't come up a lot, but you probably have like 10 pints of blood in your body. When George Washington got sick his doctors decided he had too much blood and started taking blood out of his body and they took 5 pints out. They took away half his blood.
I am a US History teacher. When it comes up I make sure to explain that George Washington was one of the richest men in North America, but he got old and had strep (probably) so the best doctors available drained 50% of his blood and then he died.
December 6, 2025 at 4:31 AM
I am a US History teacher. When it comes up I make sure to explain that George Washington was one of the richest men in North America, but he got old and had strep (probably) so the best doctors available drained 50% of his blood and then he died.
Sexy Vampire Lady #1: "The English real estate guy will be here in ten minutes and we need to do his hair but he won't stop crying."
SVL#2: "Oh my GOD it's been 400 years, get OVER it!"
SVL#3: "I know, right?"
Dracula: [entering from another room, weeping] "My wife, she was so beautiful."
SVL#2: "Oh my GOD it's been 400 years, get OVER it!"
SVL#3: "I know, right?"
Dracula: [entering from another room, weeping] "My wife, she was so beautiful."
December 5, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Sexy Vampire Lady #1: "The English real estate guy will be here in ten minutes and we need to do his hair but he won't stop crying."
SVL#2: "Oh my GOD it's been 400 years, get OVER it!"
SVL#3: "I know, right?"
Dracula: [entering from another room, weeping] "My wife, she was so beautiful."
SVL#2: "Oh my GOD it's been 400 years, get OVER it!"
SVL#3: "I know, right?"
Dracula: [entering from another room, weeping] "My wife, she was so beautiful."
I imagine it looks kind of like Truth Coming Out of Her Well but she's here to chastise us with a whip for building several bathrooms that are just closets full of sinks
December 1, 2025 at 11:43 PM
I imagine it looks kind of like Truth Coming Out of Her Well but she's here to chastise us with a whip for building several bathrooms that are just closets full of sinks