Frank Hecker
@frankhecker.com
Resident of Howard County, Maryland, USA. Occasional blogger. Staff writer for the Okazu yuri news and review site. Author of the book That Type of Girl: Notes on Takako Shimura's Sweet Blue Flowers.
I was up at 2 am checking out @subvert.fm. (I'm member #1,000.) The site was amazingly glitch free for an alpha version. I bought 2 albums and downloaded a free track. Artists get 100% of the release purchase price (sometimes discounted for members), but I added a little extra to support the site.
November 22, 2025 at 5:29 PM
I was up at 2 am checking out @subvert.fm. (I'm member #1,000.) The site was amazingly glitch free for an alpha version. I bought 2 albums and downloaded a free track. Artists get 100% of the release purchase price (sometimes discounted for members), but I added a little extra to support the site.
I reviewed the Chinese #yuri / #GL / #baihe drama "The Secret of Girls". Not an easy watch (beware a major spoiler in the GagaOoLala synopsis) but an excellent one, with He Lei in particular once again turning in a solid performance. #yurisky okazu.yuricon.com/2025/11/19/t...
November 20, 2025 at 12:15 AM
I reviewed the Chinese #yuri / #GL / #baihe drama "The Secret of Girls". Not an easy watch (beware a major spoiler in the GagaOoLala synopsis) but an excellent one, with He Lei in particular once again turning in a solid performance. #yurisky okazu.yuricon.com/2025/11/19/t...
As others have noted, today is the one-year anniversary of the death of #Cohost. To mark the occasion, a reminder that (almost) all of my Cohost posts are now available at frankhecker.com/tags/cohost/ complete with copies of the comments people made on them. RIP Eggbug, we hardly knew ye!
October 1, 2025 at 4:08 PM
As others have noted, today is the one-year anniversary of the death of #Cohost. To mark the occasion, a reminder that (almost) all of my Cohost posts are now available at frankhecker.com/tags/cohost/ complete with copies of the comments people made on them. RIP Eggbug, we hardly knew ye!
I received volume 3 of the English edition of @galetteweb.bsky.social #yuri today. I’m building a complete collection!
August 19, 2025 at 12:47 AM
I received volume 3 of the English edition of @galetteweb.bsky.social #yuri today. I’m building a complete collection!
Finally, "Lemnisket" is presumably from "lemniscate", the curve in the service's logo (with a cat added as an extra).
("PhysicsGraph" is presumably the new replacement name: less obscure but also less fun.) 7/7
("PhysicsGraph" is presumably the new replacement name: less obscure but also less fun.) 7/7
July 24, 2025 at 2:24 AM
Finally, "Lemnisket" is presumably from "lemniscate", the curve in the service's logo (with a cat added as an extra).
("PhysicsGraph" is presumably the new replacement name: less obscure but also less fun.) 7/7
("PhysicsGraph" is presumably the new replacement name: less obscure but also less fun.) 7/7
"That Type of Girl: Notes on Takako Shimura's Sweet Blue Flowers" also has a Japanese edition (『そっち系のひと：志村貴子「青い花」に関する考察』) courtesy of and thanks to Shimura fan and amateur translator Konsuke (not on Bluesky, but he's hitus_concats on the bird site). #yuri frankhecker.com/that-type-of... 2/2
June 26, 2025 at 2:34 AM
"That Type of Girl: Notes on Takako Shimura's Sweet Blue Flowers" also has a Japanese edition (『そっち系のひと：志村貴子「青い花」に関する考察』) courtesy of and thanks to Shimura fan and amateur translator Konsuke (not on Bluesky, but he's hitus_concats on the bird site). #yuri frankhecker.com/that-type-of... 2/2
As we near the end of Yuri Day, a reminder that I have a free-to-download book about the manga Sweet Blue Flowers by Takako Shimura. (It also discusses the history of S literature, #yuri, and related things, from arranged marriages to textile workers.) frankhecker.com/that-type-of... 1/2
June 26, 2025 at 2:34 AM
As we near the end of Yuri Day, a reminder that I have a free-to-download book about the manga Sweet Blue Flowers by Takako Shimura. (It also discusses the history of S literature, #yuri, and related things, from arranged marriages to textile workers.) frankhecker.com/that-type-of... 1/2
I bought this on a whim because it was on sale. My god this thing is heavy, it’s making the case for ebooks all by itself.
June 14, 2025 at 5:54 PM
I bought this on a whim because it was on sale. My god this thing is heavy, it’s making the case for ebooks all by itself.
In case you want to read even more Joanna Russ, here’s my collection of everything she ever published (pretty much all of which is still in print) plus a book of critical essays on Russ. (I also have Brit Mandelo’s "We Wuz Pushed: On Joanna Russ and Radical Truthtelling" on Kindle.)
May 3, 2025 at 4:18 AM
In case you want to read even more Joanna Russ, here’s my collection of everything she ever published (pretty much all of which is still in print) plus a book of critical essays on Russ. (I also have Brit Mandelo’s "We Wuz Pushed: On Joanna Russ and Radical Truthtelling" on Kindle.)
My rewards from the @galetteweb.bsky.social kickstarter 2 arrived safe and sound. They look great! #yuri
April 12, 2025 at 3:29 PM
My rewards from the @galetteweb.bsky.social kickstarter 2 arrived safe and sound. They look great! #yuri
"This all started because I don’t know what an eigenvector is." I've been (re)learning mathematics using #MathAcademy, a new online service, and wrote an 11-part series reviewing it and summarizing the book The Math Academy Way that outlines how it works. 1/ frankhecker.com/2025/02/08/m...
February 18, 2025 at 1:02 PM
"This all started because I don’t know what an eigenvector is." I've been (re)learning mathematics using #MathAcademy, a new online service, and wrote an 11-part series reviewing it and summarizing the book The Math Academy Way that outlines how it works. 1/ frankhecker.com/2025/02/08/m...
What a pleasant surprise! A package arrived with new copies of Galette Special English edition 01 and Galette Special Booklet 01 to replace the copies that were damaged in shipping. Thank you @galetteweb.bsky.social! Now I'm looking forward to getting my copy of Galette Special English Edition 02!
January 18, 2025 at 1:31 AM
What a pleasant surprise! A package arrived with new copies of Galette Special English edition 01 and Galette Special Booklet 01 to replace the copies that were damaged in shipping. Thank you @galetteweb.bsky.social! Now I'm looking forward to getting my copy of Galette Special English Edition 02!
In honor of yesterday's premiere of Ave Mujica, here's an old super-pretentious #Cohost post I did about It's MyGO!!!!! #bandori frankhecker.com/2023/09/23/o...
January 3, 2025 at 1:49 PM
In honor of yesterday's premiere of Ave Mujica, here's an old super-pretentious #Cohost post I did about It's MyGO!!!!! #bandori frankhecker.com/2023/09/23/o...
The good news: I got my copy of the English version of the Galette #yuri magazine from the @galetteweb.bsky.social kickstarter. The bad news: it was somewhat bashed up in transit. Fortunately the extras were fine, and I’m looking forward to the kickstarter for volume 2 tomorrow.
December 31, 2024 at 10:07 PM
The good news: I got my copy of the English version of the Galette #yuri magazine from the @galetteweb.bsky.social kickstarter. The bad news: it was somewhat bashed up in transit. Fortunately the extras were fine, and I’m looking forward to the kickstarter for volume 2 tomorrow.
My review of Korean drama Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born, about a 1950s all-female theatrical troupe. Based on a #yuri webcomic (but not itself yuri) it's an entertaining & emotionally resonant drama elevated by standout performances by Kim Tae-ri and others. #yurisky okazu.yuricon.com/2024/12/11/j...
December 11, 2024 at 5:48 PM
My review of Korean drama Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born, about a 1950s all-female theatrical troupe. Based on a #yuri webcomic (but not itself yuri) it's an entertaining & emotionally resonant drama elevated by standout performances by Kim Tae-ri and others. #yurisky okazu.yuricon.com/2024/12/11/j...
The Auto-Redistrict software also tries to balance out the two parties, but the Democratic edge is such that #HoCoMD voters for Democratic council candidates outnumber those voting for Republicans in all but two districts. Thus this map could reduce GOP council representation without even trying. 3/
December 3, 2024 at 3:04 AM
The Auto-Redistrict software also tries to balance out the two parties, but the Democratic edge is such that #HoCoMD voters for Democratic council candidates outnumber those voting for Republicans in all but two districts. Thus this map could reduce GOP council representation without even trying. 3/
This #HoCoMD 15-district map was generated using the Auto-Redistrict software, which attempts to balance (census-defined) racial and ethnic groups across the districts. Whites are the largest group in 13 districts, Blacks in one, and Asians (which includes both South and East Asians) in another. 2/
December 3, 2024 at 3:04 AM
This #HoCoMD 15-district map was generated using the Auto-Redistrict software, which attempts to balance (census-defined) racial and ethnic groups across the districts. Whites are the largest group in 13 districts, Blacks in one, and Asians (which includes both South and East Asians) in another. 2/
Continuing my #HoCoMD posts: If the Howard County Council were expanded to 15 members, how would they be elected? The easiest approach would be to have 15 districts, with one council member per district. I did an exercise in doing this a while back, using 2020 census and 2018 election data. 1/
December 3, 2024 at 3:04 AM
Continuing my #HoCoMD posts: If the Howard County Council were expanded to 15 members, how would they be elected? The easiest approach would be to have 15 districts, with one council member per district. I did an exercise in doing this a while back, using 2020 census and 2018 election data. 1/
I have two goals (and two subgoals) in my proposal: First, having a 15-member council can make for a closer relationship between Howard County Council members and their #HoCoMD constituents. Each council member represents almost 70,000 people; back in the 1960s each represented less than 10,000. 2/
December 2, 2024 at 1:24 AM
I have two goals (and two subgoals) in my proposal: First, having a 15-member council can make for a closer relationship between Howard County Council members and their #HoCoMD constituents. Each council member represents almost 70,000 people; back in the 1960s each represented less than 10,000. 2/
Continuing my #HoCoMD posting with a look at the potential future of the Howard County Council. Some GOP activists proposed adding 2 at-large members (the likely result of this is left as an exercise for the reader). I have a bolder proposal: expand the council from 5 to 15 members. 1/
December 2, 2024 at 1:24 AM
Continuing my #HoCoMD posting with a look at the potential future of the Howard County Council. Some GOP activists proposed adding 2 at-large members (the likely result of this is left as an exercise for the reader). I have a bolder proposal: expand the council from 5 to 15 members. 1/
Ask and ye shall receive . . .
November 30, 2024 at 8:42 PM
Ask and ye shall receive . . .
If you want to read the nitty gritty details of Howard County Council redistricting and how it all went down, see my blog series on the history (with side digressions on #HoCoMD politics) (frankhecker.com/2010/11/28/a...) or the book version of it (frankhecker.com/dividing-how...). 8/8
November 27, 2024 at 1:05 PM
If you want to read the nitty gritty details of Howard County Council redistricting and how it all went down, see my blog series on the history (with side digressions on #HoCoMD politics) (frankhecker.com/2010/11/28/a...) or the book version of it (frankhecker.com/dividing-how...). 8/8
9. Implications for artists: Kevin Kelly's "1,000 true fans" idea is flawed. Have a day job. Make art for the love of it. Find marketplaces where audiences are smaller but their tastes match your work, they have higher propensity to spend, and there's no AI slop. frankhecker.com/2023/02/06/p...
November 23, 2024 at 9:33 PM
9. Implications for artists: Kevin Kelly's "1,000 true fans" idea is flawed. Have a day job. Make art for the love of it. Find marketplaces where audiences are smaller but their tastes match your work, they have higher propensity to spend, and there's no AI slop. frankhecker.com/2023/02/06/p...
7. Implications for digital marketplaces: Most artists make very little, but adding lots can increase revenue if cost per artist is low (minimal or no human support, onboarding as easy as possible), there's a lot of artists willing to take a shot at making money, and you can optionally sell ads.
November 23, 2024 at 9:33 PM
7. Implications for digital marketplaces: Most artists make very little, but adding lots can increase revenue if cost per artist is low (minimal or no human support, onboarding as easy as possible), there's a lot of artists willing to take a shot at making money, and you can optionally sell ads.
6. Why log-normal? Hypothesis 3: success on #Patreon and other digital marketplaces is due to having to have well above average skill in multiple areas, which then multiply together: 1 in 100 talent for skills A, B, and C, would be 1 in 1 million for all 3 combined. frankhecker.com/2023/02/26/i...
November 23, 2024 at 9:33 PM
6. Why log-normal? Hypothesis 3: success on #Patreon and other digital marketplaces is due to having to have well above average skill in multiple areas, which then multiply together: 1 in 100 talent for skills A, B, and C, would be 1 in 1 million for all 3 combined. frankhecker.com/2023/02/26/i...