Sunday Morning Reading

Big stuff is happening.

Something big is happening. Everywhere all at once. At a pace that seems like it’s uncontrollable. We can either try to keep up, or tune out. Those are the options. I choose to try and keep up, try and stay aware. Mostly just try. That’s one of the reason this Sunday Morning Reading column exists. To share some of the writing about some of things that I think keep me aware. Hope you agree.

Person in a bright yellow hoodie and jeans sits on a floor covered with newspaper pages, holding an open newspaper in front of their face so it hides their identity, with a wall of newspapers behind them. Photo by Egor vikhrev IFdQ6ea7r0s unsplash.

I took the first sentence of the above paragraph from the excellent post from Matt Shumer. Yes, it’s called Something Big Is Happening. Because there are so many big things happening. As a spoiler, Matt’s post addresses Artificial Intelligence. Pay attention.

“Art begins when the words stop.” That’s a quote from the excellent Every Brushstroke Is A Philosophy In Motion by Natasha MH. It’s the text of a Valentine’s Day speech of hers. Read these first two pieces back to back. Connect the dots. Pay attention.

A Great Social Rewilding Is Coming. So says, David Todd McCarty. So say I as well.

Wonderful actor Bob Odenkirk tells us what his agenda will be in I Will Be Your Next President. He nails the moment. If he ran I’m sure he’d get votes. Probably mine. Can’t be much worse than what we’ve recently seen.

Mike Elgan writes Why There’s No ‘Screenless’ Revolution. I happen to agree that there won’t be one. Anyone still watching 3D TV?

Curtis McHale takes on Binary Bias, Cancel Culture, and the Death of Nuance. Sadly, it wasn’t a quick or a painless death.

There’s no question that journalism is in as big a mess as most everything else. David Brooks Sucks. This Is Who Should Replace Him by John Warner lays out the case for the first sentence. But read it for the links to those who he thinks should replace him.

The surveillance state is going to the dogs thanks to a Super Bowl ad. Mathew Ingram tells us about Building the Panopticon: The Doorbell Camera Version.

It’s been quite a cold winter, though it’s warming up a bit in these midwestern parts, but apparently this cold weather across most of the U.S. led to increased demand for firewood and just about anything that will burn. Neil Vigdor writes about it Shivering Americans Snap Up Firewood As Winter Grinds On.

And since this is Valentine’s Day weekend, I’ll close the circle with Catherynne M. Valente’s piece, On Valentine’s Day. There are indeed worse things to feast over.

(Photo  by Egor Vikhrev on Unsplash)

f you’re interested in just what the heck Sunday Morning Reading is all about you can read more about the origins of Sunday Morning Reading here. If you’d like more click on the Sunday Morning Reading link in the category column to check out what’s been shared on Sunday’s past. You can also find more of my writings on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome.

Happy Valentine’s Day

Today is Valentine’s Day. Like all holidays some welcome it. Some not so much. Each time this holiday, like all the others, comes around it’s another reminder that we’re all different even though we’re all the same.

A close-up of a Valentine’s Day gift box filled with heart-shaped chocolate brownies and a smooth black stone engraved in gold text that reads, “Happy Valentines Day! Life has its ups and downs, but your love keeps me grounded. I love you and thank you for being my rock.”

Thanks to my lovely sweetheart of a wife for the lovely heart shaped brownies that she baked that work with my diabetic diet. We’re each other’s rock.