The return of #ReadingRainbow with @mychal3ts.bsky.social as its new host is some encouraging news in the midst of our present chaos.

"no more superficial individual expression"

Over the past century and a half, the US military has developed an entire body of law relating to the legitimate use of force that Hegseth completely erases here. To most in the armed forces, it is important to have a code of ethics (no matter how imperfect). Otherwise they are just hired killers.

Watch the clip below and then remember this is the audience that President Sundown is addressing

20 years ago today, #Serenity brought Mal, Zoe, Wash, and the rest of the #Firefly cast to the big screen. Here’s my review from 2005.

David Cross’s blog post excoriating the comedians performing at the Riyadh Comedy Festival (e.g., Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Bill Burr) is pure gold. “I don’t understand how being rich can make someone such a whore… This is truly the definition of ‘blood money.’”

While watching some of Hegseth’s uber-macho speech about America’s military, all I could think was “Dude, you hit yourself in the nuts with a skateboard.” (The fact that this video was posted on *his* YouTube channel, like some point of pride, makes it even funnier.)

This is correct. If you heard someone in an assisted-living facility rambling on this way, you'd be talking with the doctors about appropriate next levels of care. No kidding. And every officer in the room has to realize it.

The next time Bobby Wratten starts a new band, please let me know. Lightning in a Twilight Hour is right inline with The Field Mice and Trembling Blue Stars but Wratten’s lyrics are less about heartache and more about our current political situation. Now available via @elefantrecords1.bsky.social.

Horror movie aficionados living in the #LNK and #OMA areas will be glad to know that The Ross is hosting their 3rd annual “Fright Fest” in October. Check out this year’s lineup, which includes silent classics, outrageous comedies, Japanese cyberpunk, and everything in-between.

Meanwhile at the Riyadh comedy festival

Although it’s probably best known as a tool for hosting your media collection on your own server, @plex.tv is also a streaming service in its own right, with tens of thousands of on-demand titles. And it’s all free, so long as you’re willing to sit through an ad or two.

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2025)

30 years ago this month, @subpop.bsky.social released Eric Matthews’ solo debut album “It’s Heavy in Here,” which blends pop music and orchestral arrangements with stunning, sophisticated results.

I still think it’s backwards that every mass shooter owning an AR-15 is considered a right while their victims’ healthcare is considered a privilege.

My son is currently taking a guitar class, and so our house has occasionally been filled with the sound of “Come As You Are”’s opening notes. Thus, it seems more than just a little coincidental that this concert video popped up in my YouTube recommendations last week.

This weekend’s Opus newsletter features articles on the Lord of the Rings, this year’s Ig Nobel Prizes, (Internet) Cookies, Dropout TV, the Rapture, and more.

as a christian, one thing i love about trump is that he explicitly rejects the teachings of jesus

Let’s talk about what real strength looks like—and how Trump’s MAGA “alpha male” act is the opposite of it. 🧵

If you need a nice Sunday afternoon chillout album, Sven Wunder’s latest will *not* disappoint.

The tragic irony is that this guy probably goes to church every Sunday but his dehumanizing actions are straight out of the pits of hell.

With its vivid artwork, striking animation, and of course, a totally banging K-pop soundtrack, it’s no surprise that this is Netflix’s biggest titles ever. My ★★★½ review of Chris Appelhans and Maggie Kang’s “KPop Demon Hunters” (2025):

If you see this, QTP with a cartoon with an amazing theme song. “Partly metal, partly real…”

Ben Holton’s lovely solo album is now out on @waysideandwoodland.bsky.social. Listen to one of its highlights here:

very cool that trump is singularly dedicated to making everything in your life more expensive

Looks and feels as epic as anything streaming today. But the season’s narrative feels fractured and prone to revelations that make no sense whatsoever. My ★★★ review of “Foundation,” season three: opus.ing/diet/485851

There’s a disarming humility in Fepeste’s “dad jams about faith, hope, and worries.” Now available via Velvet Blue Music.

I regret to inform you that Gwar has pushed the boundaries of good taste.

Hey #LNK folks, The Ross is screening @hundredsofbeavers.bsky.social this weekend. If you haven’t seen it, you’re in for a real treat.

I wrote this back in 2011 about another Rapture that never happened.

“To the gamers I’m a gamer, that I might save some.”

Listen to a highlight from 2022’s “Deus Arrakis,” the final album from electronic music pioneer Klaus Schulze.

One might refer Vance to a mirror. trib.al/DV9pD5X

Our president is a petty little man.

I discovered a handful of “Comic Shop News” issues from the early ’90s while cleaning up my office. They instantly took me back to high school and spending my Saturdays perusing the racks at Dragon’s Lair and Cosmic Comics in #Omaha.

A new season of #MakeSomeNoise from @dropout.tv? Yes and please.

How it started // How it’s going

Some of us do.

To celebrate its 35th anniversary, @4ad.com has announced a remastered edition of Lush’s 1990 “Gala” compilation, which collects the legendary #shoegaze band’s earliest recordings.

Honestly one of the best uses of taxpayer dollars I can think of

If you’re a regular Sass user and can’t imagine web development without it, try kicking it to the curb for a while and giving vanilla #CSS a try, esp. if you’re working on a simple site or personal blog. You might be pleasantly surprised by what you can still accomplish with a Sass-free workflow.

This 2023 EP contains stripped down versions of some of the band’s most recent material. Of course, with a band as accomplished as Everything But The Girl, “stripped down” is an entirely relative term.

This week’s Opus newsletter features articles on “Super Mario Bros,” Kate Bush, Robert Redford (RIP), the 2025 Emmys, Jimmy Kimmel, and much more.

The Department of Justice has removed a study showing that white supremacist and far-right violence “continues to outpace all other types of terrorism and domestic violent extremism” in the United States. 🔗 www.404media.co/doj-deletes-...

What movie do you consider “perfect”?

“Even if Carr’s statement had zero influence on ABC’s decision, and ABC suspended Kimmel entirely of their own volition, it’s still troubling that the FCC chairman effectively declared that the federal government can and will influence such a decision in order to silence someone they don’t like.”

This month’s playlist and podcast episode for Opus subscribers highlight the vast and immersive catalog of James Clements, aka ASC.

"We spent six years thinking about a fascist takeover of a galaxy far, far away. Six years thinking about ordinary beings as an authoritarian regime comes in for the kill. Many people saw parallels between Andor and the real world. I see them as well, particularly in the events of the last week."

My new timeline cleanse is listening to my 15yo practice Tears For Fears’ “Head Over Heels” in the other room.