Yo-Yo Ma performs Bach for Earth Day amidst the melting permafrost in a birch forest in Alaska. “If we find the time to truly listen, we might recognize ourselves in the melting permafrost or the fallen birch…” https://kottke.org/24/04/yo-yo-ma-performs-bach-in-alaska-for-earth-day

Yesss, Run Lola Run is returning to theaters for its 25th anniversary. A 4K digital restoration will start showing on June 7. I loved this movie — saw it in the theater when it came out but haven’t seen it in many years. https://deadline.com/2024/04/run-lola-run-re-release-25th-anniversary-1235890286/

The first episode of the podcast featuring astrophysicist Katie Mack explaining the universe to John Green is up! It’s about the first two minutes of the universe. “We are not just made of stardust; we are also made of Big Bang stuff.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqRF8jTF74c

Adam Roberts and his partner dined at Noma (aka “The Best Restaurant in the World”) and he was thwarted by some pre-meal queasiness & the challenging cuisine. “You don’t seem like yourself. You look haunted.” https://www.amateurgourmet.com/blog/2024/4escape-from-noma

The Man Who Killed Google Search, i.e. how “growth-hungry managerial types” from Google’s ad business chased out the old search team “to make Google worse to make the company more money”. https://www.wheresyoured.at/the-men-who-killed-google/

This is great: a 25-minute interview with legendary animator Chuck Jones as he sits and draws some of his iconic characters (Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck). https://kottke.org/24/04/watch-chuck-jones-draw-bugs-bunny-daffy-duck-and-porky-pig

Christopher Slayton built a bunch of iconic cosmic structures in Minecraft, including the Sun, the Pillars of Creation, galaxies, a supermassive black hole, and galaxies. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-18-year-old-recreated-the-entire-universe-in-minecraft-180980940/

An experimental data sonification of what a “decentralized, digitized, decarbonized electricity grid” would sound like. “Should we be dramatic, Hans-Zimmer-style ‘bahhhhhhhhnnnnn’ sounds? Or more ambient?” https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-might-new-grid-sound-like-experiment-sonifying-data-matt-jones-hrbue

Sounds like The Onion has been rescued from an agonizing death by private equity by an acquisition by people who actually care about it. “The Onion is just an institution. It should be preserved and it should be great.” https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/25/business/media/the-onion-sold.html?unlocked_article_code=1.nE0.Nrih.oGBYaLXAaMV-

Just a beautiful drawing of bluebells, by the artist Skevoulla Gordon! https://kottke.org/24/04/just-a-beautiful-drawing-of-bluebells

“A big [mistake], or just an early one, can fore­close all hope of the life you wanted.” Is that true? I don’t know. https://kottke.org/24/04/life-ruining-mistakes

Here’s a pleasantly painful trailer for a new movie from the comedian Joanna Arnow: The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed. https://kottke.org/24/04/the-feeling-that-the-time-for-doing-something-has-passed

“I think knitters are often fascinated by the fact that I use such tiny needles. Some of the needles are almost the dimension of a human hair.” Magnificent miniature sweaters! https://kottke.org/24/04/size-xxxs

“I have no training for this work. I got the job by bringing in my posters to be framed … and asking the frame shop guy—my boss—if he needed an assistant.” I loved this essay about working in a frame shop (and beyond). “My life has gone off the map, it seems.” https://oxfordamerican.org/magazine/issue-124-spring-2024/don-t-bleed-on-the-artwork-notes-from-the-afterlife

Diary comics from Edith again. In this installment, I go out to dinner with my family and pick up some art from the framer. https://kottke.org/24/04/diary-comics-dec-15-16

The Pudding asked people to trace the drawing of the person before them and the result is a huge collaborative “flipbook” animation (8.5 minutes, 5,760 drawings). They started w/ circles and straight lines; they all ended up with squiggles. https://kottke.org/24/04/a-huge-collaborative-flipbook-animation

Kelly Hayes: the double standards of conservatism (i.e. “there must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind…”) are about hierarchy (or caste, if you will). “They are outlining the world they want, including who should be victimized at will.” https://bsky.app/profile/mskellymhayes.bsky.social/post/3kqwehxunq22u

The Biden administration is imposing new regulations on coal burning power plants. “Taken together, the regulations could deliver a death blow in the United States to coal, the fuel that…has caused global environmental damage.” https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/25/climate/biden-power-plants-pollution.html?unlocked_article_code=1.nE0.eW1L.LasvZWNKMuw2

What Bird Is That? presents an animated guide to some birdsong basics. “What’s that bird that sounds like Star Wars singing on my roof? What bird sings it’s own name? What’s that laughing sound you heard in the woods?” https://kottke.org/24/04/what-bird-is-that

How teens benefit from having the choice to read “disturbing” books. They reported being more empathetic, thoughtful, happier, and better readers. I read a lot of “age-inappropriate” stuff as a preteen & teen (Stephen King, etc.) and it was fine. https://theconversation.com/how-teens-benefit-from-being-able-to-read-disturbing-books-that-some-want-to-ban-223533