April 2026
Howdy, folks! Sorry to say I've still been in the job-hunting zone for the past few weeks, and it's really sapping my joie de vivre. I haven't been reading or scouring the web as actively in the past month, but I've still got plenty to share!
Let's see what else is on...
Put This On
Get Down - They Might Be Giants
TMBG's latest studio album The World is to Dig was released this week, and wouldn't you know it, these old-timers have still got it. Bangers abound, the above track included. Well worth your hard-earned cash. Very excited to be seeing them live at the end of May!
Read This
The Soft Serve Review - sweetfish
I always love everything Ayu does with their website, and this post is no exception. A review of several soft serve ice creams eaten on their recent trip to Japan, laid out very pleasingly. They all sound good, but my mouth was literally watering at the description of the wakame flavor.
i don't think We are owed a hobby - aenore
Learning how to do a thing is doing the thing. It's good to have to try and get good at something, or even just do a thing at all. You shouldn't just be able to do everything instantly.
Days Of The Week, Ranked From Best To Worst - Kotaku
I haven't followed Kotaku in a hot minute, but I did enjoy coming across this blog that is very much in the same vein as my Tomorrow starts at 4am post.
In 2026, The Nintendo 3DS Is A Better Value Than Ever - madeline blondeau
Many people are saying that you can very easily hack your 3DS and that it rules and the games are very good. They just keep saying this.
Podcast Canon looks back on 30 years of This American Life - AV Club
It's been ages since I actually listened to This American Life, but they really did set a standard for audio storytelling. Sounds like they're still going strong! Good for them! Chicago Public Media undefeated.
This Election Is Too Darn Important To Be Left To Merciful Salad Eaters - Defector
Great breakdown of just how fucking stupid and out of touch the Democratic establishment is, and also of a very particular style of profile about a powerful person that is constantly begging the question, "hey what the fuck are you talking about?"
The Subprime AI Crisis Is Here - Where's Your Ed At
Ed Zitron is frequently saying exactly what I need to hear someone in the media saying about AI: It doesn't work, it's not particularly good at even the things it can do, no one likes it, it doesn't meaningfully boost productivity, the finances don't make sense — that is to say, acknowledging reality. His writing is always beefy and pretty dense, but someone has to sift through the muck and make sense of it, and there's a lot to understand in order to get the full picture of what's going on here.
This particular piece digs into what makes the AI industry a financial bubble, what that means, and the context around it. What I love about pieces like this is that you can argue about the morals and values of making "AI" "art" until you're blue in the face, but you can't argue around the fact that this shit is fundamentally unprofitable. The brick wall won't move out of your way just because you want it to. Worth the deep dive when you have the time and wherewithal!
Watch This
Neil's back, and he brought someone I literally haven't stopped thinking about since childhood: the Tang chimp(s).
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD 5th Anniversary Experience | Universal Studio Japan 🇯🇵 🎉 - Experience Japan
Okay so yeah Nintendo World looks fun, but this video really got me wondering about whether these types of youtubers are actually eating the food they show on camera. This is a channel we watch regularly, and I've never questioned this guy's ability to pack it away before, but if he's really eating everything he shows himself eating, then this man eats an entire (admittedly small-ish but still meant for more than one person) cake by himself.
Mrs. Apple‘s recipe — Apple pie - milin woolfelt
An adorable stop-motion animation of a felted woodland creature baking an apple pie in a cottage. My only comment is that I wish it took its time a bit more!
Busy Beavers Build Dam Ahead of Winter | Yellowstone - BBC Earth
And finally, take some time to marvel at the skill and ingenuity of beavers building a whole damn (heh) ecosystem.
Play This
$40 - PC, PS5, Xbox
I usually have a whole section of free browser games here, but I haven't been able to make time to see what's out there lately. But Marathon rules and you should check it out.
Some Good Websites
I Might as Well Explain the Joke
A website dedicated to telling the stories behind popular jokes in American history and culture, giving context to things you've heard a million times but have no idea as to their origin or context. It's really interesting stuff!
This is an oldie but a goodie that lets you click through random videos folks have submitted of the views from their windows. It's soothing and nice, and sort of gives me a feeling of what the internet could be.
Thanks for reading! Til next time! 👋