Does anyone know what British SF writer Richard Calder has been up to recently? It’s been a while since I’ve seen any writing or news from him.

Min wage ($3.35/hr) in 7th grade washing dishes at lunch. I’d eat quickly, get yelled at and sprayed with hot water as I cleaned the bowls and trays, then go to my afternoon classes damp. They let me go after a while when they figured out I wasn’t actually old enough to have the job.

We are the LARGEST union in trade publishing history, and we want better for our workers in order to make a sea change for creatives everywhere. Let's take a stand together against the existential threats to the arts, whether stagnating wages, the AI slop machine, and destructive layoffs.

This would have been something to see. The sheer existence and persistence of the Yoshida Dormitory always gives me hope.

The big takeaway of the AI discourse is that we have to stop trying to replace each other.

Decided to watch Masao Adachi's "Revolution+1". No reason.

"We must transform Tokyo into a political metropolis rather than a tourist attraction." A conversation with a student activist at the University of Tokyo about tuition protests, solidarity with Palestine, and Toyama Koichi. heatwavemag.info/magazine/iss...

This is exactly the kind of anti-intellectualism I wrote about here: www.elizabethspiers.com/the-anti-int...

Support for Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki is wavering ahead of the prefecture's Sept. 13 gubernatorial election due to changes in the political landscape as a result of the February general election.

I love this essay very much!!!!

QTP with a gif of the last show / movie you watched

'[Yamazoe] asked, “Doesn’t this contradict the Japanese government’s long-standing position that arms exports should not contribute to international conflicts?”' www.japan-press.co.jp/modules/news...

A local theatre company recently put on a production of the play “Radium Girls”, and I couldn’t help but think of techbros throughout.

On Twitter I once shared that transport accounts for only 3-6% of food-related emissions, and the vast bulk of food emissions are from land use & ag production, and WHAT (eg beef) matters way more than WHERE. I woke up to hundreds of angry responses from people in the UK who produce or eat meat.

Just saw a local progressive account on here repost an article on paying fair wages. That was on Substack. With an obviously AI header image. I’ve never understood how people can’t figure out that things are connected. Every day we can make better choices.

I don’t generally believe in conspiracy theories for one main reason - the conspirators would have to have a level of competence and the ability to keep their mouths shut that they have never in their lives been able to demonstrate in other contexts.

The publication of this article has managed to get all the white men academics on X really really angry--even if they do not actually do qualitative research and are not qualified to comment. Once again, why are the AIbros so ANGRY when we refuse? journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

"If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe" -- Carl Sagan Animation is fully crafted by human hands.. all credits to sonvapritch for the hardwork.

cutting down food waste and halving (not ending!) the amount of meat consumption would do a lot

Tired: One-state solution Wired: Two-state solution Inspired: Prostate solution

Some 20+ years ago I presented a short paper called "The Never-Ending Evangelion". I don't recall what exactly I said, but my titular premise still seems to be valid, at least.

I love this account! For me it's a reminder of images I've written about or gawped over. For others it's an introduction into the cosmos.

アルファ電子1984年頃の広告。ひとつの発想が技術を生み、その技術が新たな発想を創る。技術ポエムがいい感じだ… #AlphaDenshi #1984

Saw this meme and I did it. Opening line to Neuromancer.

I'll say it again, one of the worst things this rampant push to cram "generative AI" into everything has done is make people suspect bright kids of cheating when they're just nerdy or bookish or neurodivergent, sanding down their unique edges to fit into people's lowered, homogenized expectations.

20 years ago, Nintendo was selling everyone on the idea that they should exercise their brain with Brain Age to keep themselves mentally sharp. Now tech companies are trying to sell everyone on the idea that outsourcing your capabilities to software and atrophying your brain is good and necessary.

Shouldn't they all just be writing letters for the Correspondence Dinner?

Well, that's it for Sunsoft. What a world.

Red state: we have cut gender studies because it doesn’t support our theology Blue state: we have cut gender studies because it doesn’t support our AI institute

Guess who's coming to TCAF?? Battan!! Look at this glorious poster she did! And you know I'm beyond thrilled to come out of TCAF retirement to interpret for her!! Plus a whole crew of manga artists--Kohinata Marco, Katsushika Keita, Onmae Moka, Tokushige Kawakatsu! It's going to be so good!!

I'd missed that Mamoru Oshii actually has a "credit" in the new Patlabor. us.oricon-group.com/news/8412/

Coming soon(ish) to bookstores everywhere: my volume for the BFI Film Classics series on my all-time favourite film, KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE.

I spent 6 months working for a Swiss NGO researching the tactics used by Big Oil and how similar they are to Big Tobacco’s tactics, and I can tell you that the ones used by ‘Big AI’ are virtually identical.

My attention has been drawn to this delightful image.

This, but for education, too!

Boo - having to get up early to go in to the local high school Yay - it’s because my youngest is getting inducted into National Honor Society

In addition to today being the 50th anniversary of the first Ramones album, it’s also the 30th anniversary of Propagandhi’s “Less Talk, More Rock”. Both were formative albums for me in their own ways.

Since Tomino is making waves again, this bit by Otsuka: “The Palestinian issue is there in the background of the original Gundam.”

A team of academics looked into the environmental & climate claims of the meat & dairy industry from 2021-2024, to try to determine what percentage of those claims qualified as "greenwashing." The good news: it wasn't 100%! The bad news: it was, uh, 98%.

Tomino is literally doing the “wow cool robot” meme

Happy 50th Bday to the Ramones first record. This is not a first pressing, but on the other hand, I got this in a thrift for $1.00 back in the 80's, still in great shape

I’m going to be part of a webinar at work next week with a couple of our vendors. My face is even on the invite, which is a bit of a weird feeling. (I’m not the only one, there are others.)

Commentary: You Can’t Even Watch A Movie Anymore Without Seeing Some Theme Explored https://theonion.com/you-cant-even-watch-a-movie-anymore-without-seeing-some-theme-explored/

Dad of two grade-schoolers here: can confirm that the kids are using “AI” as a synonym for “fake”

there is something of a culture (80% on the right, 20% on the left) that basically thinks the goal of politics is to establish an anti-social egoist utopia

Chiba returns as Shiba in Patlabor EZY!

I’ll go on about Watsuki and Shimabukuro because they’re subculturally close, but of course Michael Jackson overshadows them (both in terms of influence and alleged crimes). If people like your stuff, they really will overlook anything, apparently.

Boosting this signal because writers need to stand together, now more than ever

found myself in a pretty trick spot: rent’s going up and I don't have much work right now. So I’m looking for (paid) assignments! I’m a pretty good critic, I've written a lot about Black film and animation – recent samples in replies! I can be reached at: kambole [at] outlook [dot] com

Today is my birthday AND World Book Day. Treat yourself, send good wishes, and support RJL by buying a book through RJL’s bookshop. (All books count. Not just an RJL recommendation and not just JLit.)