Supercut of Fox News hosts insisting coronavirus is no cause concern, a Democratic/MSM conspiracy, etc. Not “ha-ha-weird, nor ha-ha-funny. It’s more ha-ha-Exhibit-A-for-a-future-war-crimes-tribunal” - Cory Doctorow
What did people do before toilet paper?
The ancient Romans wiped their butts with a “tersorium,” a stick with a vinegar- or salt-water-soaked sponge attached, although these may have been used to clean the latrine rather than the person.
Other ancient cultures used small stones, rags on sticks, spatulas, and – for scholars – manuscripts. Yen Chih-Thui, a sixth century AD scholar, said he didn’t dare wipe himself “on the names of sages.”
The Chinese imperial family was using mass produced rice-paper-based toilet paper by 1393.
Inventor Joseph Gayetty introduced the first mass-produced TP in the west in 1857; it was called “J.C. Gayetty’s Medicated Paper for the Water Closet” because they knew how to do product names back then.
By Erin Blakemore at National Geographic.
One month ago today I went to the La Mesa-Foothills Democratic Club general meeting with a hundred or so of my closest friends. Following that, a small group of us had a light dinner and drinks at Hooley’s
This is a historic event for two reasons: It was the-second-to-last time I spent a lot of time in close proximity to a lot of people, prior to COVID-19 ramping up. The last time was as few days later, when Julie and I went out to brunch. A few days after that: Lockdown!
Since then, it’s just been social distancing.
The other reason this dinner is historic is I sat immediately next to someone who later got sick with COVID-19. We were packed onto that table so he and I were very close, nearly bumping elbows. He later spent a harrowing week or two in the ICU unit. He’s recovering at home now – thank goodness.
Fortunately for my and Julie’s peace of mind, I found out about this gentleman’s hospitalization more than two weeks after the dinner, well past the incubation period for myself and Julie. So we’re safe. Probably. I’m trying not to think about how little science actually knows about the spread of coronavirus, and whether that two-week figure might be simply be wrong.
Lots of things I’m not thinking about right now. I am becoming excellent at compartmentalization – part of me plans and prepares for the worst and part of me just tries to live life as normally as I can, working and spending time with Julie and reading my books and walking the dog and not thinking about the awful things that might happen. Nearly certainly will happen to so many people.
BTW, I realize this is extraordinarily self-centered – here’s this guy in the ICU and I’m all whew glad that wasn’t too stressful for me. I’m prepared to mount a LarryDavidian defense of my thinking.
Earthquake. About 50 minutes ago. Just a minor one, no damage or injury that I’m aware of. But it’s the biggest earthquake we’ve felt in a long time. Maybe ever.
Because life needed to get more interesting.
Help me with a thought experiment here. Those of you who identify as Republican or conservative: What are the values you hold most dear? What should our national priorities be? What should be government’s goals?
If you fell into a deep slumber and woke up in the United States 50 years from now what would you hope it would be like? Assume a cultural and political renaissance where everybody comes around to realize that your beliefs were best after all.
And how well do you think the Trump administration and present-day Republicans are doing?
Aside to my liberal/Democrat/progressive friends and family: Just sit on your hands on this one please. Let’s keep our mouths shut and learn some things.
From Google News a few seconds ago.
Republicans and Democrats perceive parallel universes with completely different realities now. But there is only one real world.
Researchers are building nearly microscopic robots, made from living cells, that live in petri dishes
Friday, April 3, 2020
Meet the Xenobots, Virtual Creatures Brought to Life Xenobots are designed to roboticists using algorithmic evolution in computer simulations. Joshua Sokol at The New York Times: Xenobots with a fork- or snowplow-like appendage in the front can sweep up loose particles (in a petri dish) overnight, depositing them in a pile. Some use legs, of a sort, to shuffle around on the floor of the dish. Others swim, using beating cilia, or link up blobby appendages and circle each other a few times before heading off in separate directions….
A long and pointless post about coffee
Friday, April 3, 2020
Just before the lockdown went in place in California, I had brunch with Julie at Farmer’s Table. The coffee was excellent, so much so that I asked the waitress about it. She said they got the coffee from a place in Barrio Logan (and now I see on Google there is more than one coffee place in Barrio Logan. I think Cafe Virtuoso was the one she said.) I asked the waitress what equipment they use to make the coffee, and she said just a restaurant coffee machine.
If you’re not nice to the barista, you’ll get decaf.
11 Behind-the-Counter Secrets of Baristas - Shaunacy Ferro at Mental Floss
I’ve been troubled by insomnia for months, but just last night I was thinking how glad I was that I hadn’t had a bout in weeks. Been sleeping soundly every night. Thank goodness for that, I thought last night.
You’ll totally guess what happened!
I’ve seen a bunch of inspiring chalk messages around the neighborhood this week.
ME (grocery shopping while wearing mask, consults shopping list app on iPhone)
MY iPHONE’S FACIAL RECOGNITION: “Who the hell are you?”
repeat several dozen times
Report on an excursion to the supermarket
Thursday, April 2, 2020
I went to the big Von’s on University Avenue to stock up today I wore nitrile gloves, as I did the other time I went to the supermarket nine days ago. I also wore an N95 mask – my first time out in public wearing one. I felt self-conscious about the mask, and over the past few days I was mentally rehearsing the conversation I might have with a hypothetical person who might confront me about using the mask when healthcare professionals are doing without.
I still get occasional comments on this article I wrote 10 years ago. Ten years!
Thursday, April 2, 2020
5 reasons why people hate Apple I just got an email this morning. The email had no context. Just a short two sentences on why the sender hates Apple – he’s an Android user and was using Dark Sky until Apple bought it this week and shut off API access, including Android. I replied by asking him why he was sending the email to me. But I was still waking up when I sent that reply, because truly I already knew.
Baked potato + kosher-style spicy brown mustard: Good idea? Discuss.
I just did the census. For “origin” I put in “American,” after Julie pointed out that her great-grandparents (and my grandparents and great-grandparents) were from other countries, but she and I are from right here in the USA.
I gave serious thought to putting in “human” for race, because I am becoming seriously convinced that racial differences aren’t just social constructs, they’re toxic bullshit.
But I went with the conventional answer: White.
Although to people who get really exercised about race, Jews aren’t white.
Fellow Americans, take the census today, if you have not already: 2020census.gov. It’s important; it’s how representation and government services will be distributed over the next decade.
In the “Reign of Terror” episode of “I, Claudius,” a character being beaten to death at the behest of a tyrant declares: “I’ve never fully realized before how a small mind, allied to unlimited ambition and without scruple, can destroy a country full of clever men.”
This TV drama is about ancient Rome, and it aired in 1976, so of course this quote has absolutely no bearing on today.
Via the delightful “I, Podius” podcast, with John Hodgman and Elliott Kalan.
The petty tyrant in the above scene is Sejanus, played by a thirty-something Patrick Stewart. Sir Patrick has hair in “I, Claudius” but – I learned in a previous episode of the pod – it’s stunt hair; Stewart has been bald since he was 19.
Something else to think about: Potential disruptions in the food supply chain.
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Skimmed and bookmarked for later reading. Food supply worries farmers in US as coronavirus disrupts their work - CNN The Effects of COVID-19 Will Ripple through Food Systems - Scientific American
How to play Scrabble. Classic Ze Frank. Funny - YouTube