Untied States
@mnent.bsky.social
The best lack all conviction
While the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
...
Trying not to sound completely nuts while explaining only a fraction of what's happening to not-terminally-online friends and family.
Currently not succeeding.
While the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
...
Trying not to sound completely nuts while explaining only a fraction of what's happening to not-terminally-online friends and family.
Currently not succeeding.
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This is Charles Clyde Ebbets, the photographer who took the iconic “Lunch atop a Skyscraper” picture. Look at this fearless, dapper fuck wearing spats, suspenders, and a tie 850 feet above the ground. Absolute legend.
December 12, 2025 at 2:28 PM
This is Charles Clyde Ebbets, the photographer who took the iconic “Lunch atop a Skyscraper” picture. Look at this fearless, dapper fuck wearing spats, suspenders, and a tie 850 feet above the ground. Absolute legend.
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🏺🏛️ Witham shield, Middle Iron Age, River Thames
(pic taken at British Museum)
(pic taken at British Museum)
December 8, 2025 at 3:00 PM
🏺🏛️ Witham shield, Middle Iron Age, River Thames
(pic taken at British Museum)
(pic taken at British Museum)
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2/ This became quite a thread. Look below for some powerful reminiscences. As I said, I was watching that night with my dad. Just something lots of fathers and sons did and do. A total shock. I was eleven but a huge Beatles fan. Threw me in a profound way. It's overshadowed in my life because ...
December 9, 2025 at 2:04 PM
2/ This became quite a thread. Look below for some powerful reminiscences. As I said, I was watching that night with my dad. Just something lots of fathers and sons did and do. A total shock. I was eleven but a huge Beatles fan. Threw me in a profound way. It's overshadowed in my life because ...
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I wanted dinner recommendations so I scraped 13,000+ London restaurants and accidentally discovered Google Maps is running a shadow economy. Anyway here's a dashboard and a political economy thesis: open.substack.com/pub/laurenle...
How Google Maps quietly allocates survival across London’s restaurants - and how I built a dashboard to see through it
I wanted a dinner recommendation and got a research agenda instead. Using 13000+ restaurants, I rebuild its ratings with machine learning and map how algorithmic visibility actually distributes power.
open.substack.com
December 9, 2025 at 7:53 AM
I wanted dinner recommendations so I scraped 13,000+ London restaurants and accidentally discovered Google Maps is running a shadow economy. Anyway here's a dashboard and a political economy thesis: open.substack.com/pub/laurenle...
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Donald Trump just removed Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from the list of free entry days at national parks.
They are being replaced with Trump’s birthday.
They are being replaced with Trump’s birthday.
December 6, 2025 at 2:32 AM
Donald Trump just removed Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from the list of free entry days at national parks.
They are being replaced with Trump’s birthday.
They are being replaced with Trump’s birthday.
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Okay. If this was a lad from your small Irish town, what would his nickname be for the rest of his life?
American Student Ends Up Trapped in Giant Vagina Sculpture
Firefighters embarked on an "extraordinary rescue mission" when an American exchange student got his leg trapped inside a giant vagina sculpture.
www.nbcnews.com
December 2, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Okay. If this was a lad from your small Irish town, what would his nickname be for the rest of his life?
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They were 8 and 11 years old
December 2, 2025 at 6:50 AM
They were 8 and 11 years old
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LONG RAMBLING EMOTIONAL THREAD:
It's World AIDS Day. Since the Administration has decided to keep it quiet, I'd like to share my introduction to AIDS.
I grew up in Seattle. My mom remarried a man who had a brother who was a King County Sheriff's Deputy. His name was Terry and he was gay. 1/x
It's World AIDS Day. Since the Administration has decided to keep it quiet, I'd like to share my introduction to AIDS.
I grew up in Seattle. My mom remarried a man who had a brother who was a King County Sheriff's Deputy. His name was Terry and he was gay. 1/x
December 2, 2025 at 3:59 AM
LONG RAMBLING EMOTIONAL THREAD:
It's World AIDS Day. Since the Administration has decided to keep it quiet, I'd like to share my introduction to AIDS.
I grew up in Seattle. My mom remarried a man who had a brother who was a King County Sheriff's Deputy. His name was Terry and he was gay. 1/x
It's World AIDS Day. Since the Administration has decided to keep it quiet, I'd like to share my introduction to AIDS.
I grew up in Seattle. My mom remarried a man who had a brother who was a King County Sheriff's Deputy. His name was Terry and he was gay. 1/x
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Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.
November 30, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.
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“The editor interviewed him in the 1960s for the job of political correspondent.
‘Are you interested in politics, Mr Stoppard?’
‘Indeed I am.’
‘So then can you tell me the name of the prime minister?’
‘I said I was interested, not that I was obsessed!’”
open.substack.com/pub/nickcohe...
‘Are you interested in politics, Mr Stoppard?’
‘Indeed I am.’
‘So then can you tell me the name of the prime minister?’
‘I said I was interested, not that I was obsessed!’”
open.substack.com/pub/nickcohe...
RIP Tom Stoppard: England’s great (Jewish) playwright
Tom Stoppard died today aged 88 – which, as a lover of cricket, he would be the first to say was a decent innings.
open.substack.com
November 29, 2025 at 8:46 PM
“The editor interviewed him in the 1960s for the job of political correspondent.
‘Are you interested in politics, Mr Stoppard?’
‘Indeed I am.’
‘So then can you tell me the name of the prime minister?’
‘I said I was interested, not that I was obsessed!’”
open.substack.com/pub/nickcohe...
‘Are you interested in politics, Mr Stoppard?’
‘Indeed I am.’
‘So then can you tell me the name of the prime minister?’
‘I said I was interested, not that I was obsessed!’”
open.substack.com/pub/nickcohe...
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And I don't know if the answer is: everyone is too traumatized to do work and we need to reinvent society. Or if it's more like: generations are losing their cognitive abilities and willpower due to destructive technologies. Or: we all have post-viral brain damage. Or: all of the above.
November 28, 2025 at 11:34 PM
And I don't know if the answer is: everyone is too traumatized to do work and we need to reinvent society. Or if it's more like: generations are losing their cognitive abilities and willpower due to destructive technologies. Or: we all have post-viral brain damage. Or: all of the above.
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When I ask them: "What are you reading? What are you watching? What are you listening to?" Often, the answer is: nothing. Which has a direct effect on their over-use of prompts and AI, because they can't think of ideas, because they are literally not engaging with a single figurative thing.
November 28, 2025 at 10:33 PM
When I ask them: "What are you reading? What are you watching? What are you listening to?" Often, the answer is: nothing. Which has a direct effect on their over-use of prompts and AI, because they can't think of ideas, because they are literally not engaging with a single figurative thing.
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A very good boy! 🐾🐕😍
An amazing c. 3,400 year-old ancient Egyptian dog carved from ivory. This leaping dog opens and closes its mouth as if barking by using a lever below its chest.
The Met 📷 by me
#Archaeology
An amazing c. 3,400 year-old ancient Egyptian dog carved from ivory. This leaping dog opens and closes its mouth as if barking by using a lever below its chest.
The Met 📷 by me
#Archaeology
November 22, 2025 at 9:37 AM
A very good boy! 🐾🐕😍
An amazing c. 3,400 year-old ancient Egyptian dog carved from ivory. This leaping dog opens and closes its mouth as if barking by using a lever below its chest.
The Met 📷 by me
#Archaeology
An amazing c. 3,400 year-old ancient Egyptian dog carved from ivory. This leaping dog opens and closes its mouth as if barking by using a lever below its chest.
The Met 📷 by me
#Archaeology
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It's a small graphic design detail, but the loitering guy on TTC signage is actually in front of the red slash, casually leaning against it, making him look *unbelievably* cool.
November 6, 2025 at 10:30 PM
It's a small graphic design detail, but the loitering guy on TTC signage is actually in front of the red slash, casually leaning against it, making him look *unbelievably* cool.
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it's a story straight from The Onion.
The guy baguettes away with murder.
He's focaccia and the rye of his generation.
The guy baguettes away with murder.
He's focaccia and the rye of his generation.
November 5, 2025 at 11:24 PM
it's a story straight from The Onion.
The guy baguettes away with murder.
He's focaccia and the rye of his generation.
The guy baguettes away with murder.
He's focaccia and the rye of his generation.
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Here's my How we made... piece from today's Guardian. I held out a little too long in the hope make-up effects maestro Craig Reardon would materialise as the 2nd interviewee, but without marvellous Marty Casella I wouldn't have heard about maggot handlers or got to include the phrase "ghost semen."
‘If I’d known the skeletons were real I’d have been even more disgusted’: how we made Poltergeist
‘Steven Spielberg lit up when I told him I couldn’t do the face-tearing scene. Those are his hands you see in the film. I could never have ripped my face off with the same joie de vivre’
www.theguardian.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Here's my How we made... piece from today's Guardian. I held out a little too long in the hope make-up effects maestro Craig Reardon would materialise as the 2nd interviewee, but without marvellous Marty Casella I wouldn't have heard about maggot handlers or got to include the phrase "ghost semen."
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The legend that is the Japanese Ambassador to the UK enjoying a bowl of Scouse in Liverpool
October 25, 2025 at 9:55 AM
The legend that is the Japanese Ambassador to the UK enjoying a bowl of Scouse in Liverpool
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Things are not what they seem in the art of Thomas Deininger.
October 22, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Things are not what they seem in the art of Thomas Deininger.
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the plan lacked something in sophistication, you say?
October 22, 2025 at 1:15 PM
the plan lacked something in sophistication, you say?
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Ordered too much Chinese food for one person so had to do the whole charade of pretending there were other people in the house too, but oversold it and accidentally crafted a one act play about strained friendships and growing apart that is being heavily tipped for awards.
October 4, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Ordered too much Chinese food for one person so had to do the whole charade of pretending there were other people in the house too, but oversold it and accidentally crafted a one act play about strained friendships and growing apart that is being heavily tipped for awards.
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Six weeks ago, I picked up a year-old tawny owl with a broken leg off the main road near our home and dropped him off at our nearest vet.
After a few days, I received one of the most bizarre phone calls I’ve ever had, asking “So when are you coming to pick up your owl?” 🧵
After a few days, I received one of the most bizarre phone calls I’ve ever had, asking “So when are you coming to pick up your owl?” 🧵
October 5, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Six weeks ago, I picked up a year-old tawny owl with a broken leg off the main road near our home and dropped him off at our nearest vet.
After a few days, I received one of the most bizarre phone calls I’ve ever had, asking “So when are you coming to pick up your owl?” 🧵
After a few days, I received one of the most bizarre phone calls I’ve ever had, asking “So when are you coming to pick up your owl?” 🧵
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A tragic loss. Manchán has helped us define a different kind of relationship with nature based on our language and traditions. RIP.
The writer, broadcaster and documentary maker Manchán Magan has died at the age of 55, his family has confirmed
Broadcaster and scríbhneoir Manchán Magan dies aged 55
The writer, broadcaster and documentary maker Manchán Magan has died at the age of 55, his family has confirmed.
www.rte.ie
October 3, 2025 at 6:29 AM
A tragic loss. Manchán has helped us define a different kind of relationship with nature based on our language and traditions. RIP.
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New! Cassetteboy vs Keir Starmer.
This took absolutely ages, so if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi.com/cassetteboy we'd really appreciate it. Thanks!
This took absolutely ages, so if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi.com/cassetteboy we'd really appreciate it. Thanks!
September 30, 2025 at 10:55 AM
New! Cassetteboy vs Keir Starmer.
This took absolutely ages, so if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi.com/cassetteboy we'd really appreciate it. Thanks!
This took absolutely ages, so if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi.com/cassetteboy we'd really appreciate it. Thanks!
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I was bawling long before the end of this.
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/s...
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/s...
‘There was comedy at all times’: Andrew O’Hagan on 15 years of funny, frank and champagne-fuelled friendship with Edna O’Brien
In the last decades of her life, the two novelists became close friends. He recalls their intense bond, their last trip to Ireland and her memories of being romanced by Richard Burton
www.theguardian.com
September 27, 2025 at 9:56 PM
I was bawling long before the end of this.
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/s...
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/s...
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I am (self-evidently) very interested in language. And also in technology. From that perspective, the rise of LLMs has created many new things for me to think about.
One is: why is it that certain very small clusters of words are *clearly written by an LLM*? What is the quality of that writing?
One is: why is it that certain very small clusters of words are *clearly written by an LLM*? What is the quality of that writing?
September 16, 2025 at 7:32 AM
I am (self-evidently) very interested in language. And also in technology. From that perspective, the rise of LLMs has created many new things for me to think about.
One is: why is it that certain very small clusters of words are *clearly written by an LLM*? What is the quality of that writing?
One is: why is it that certain very small clusters of words are *clearly written by an LLM*? What is the quality of that writing?