Tag Archives: 2024

Longreads reader favorites

Longreads.com readers like some weird, occasionally morbid stuff apparently, most of which does not appeal to me personally. The only one that really stood out to me is I was Hypnotized as a Teen. Was it Dangerous? Basically, the verdict is that medical hypnosis is definitely a real thing, and there is overall agreement that stage hypnosis is at least partially real. People can’t be hypnotized against their will, apparently, but once they agree to it at least some people lose control to the hypnotist and do not remember details of the experience.

Longreads #1 stories

A lot of the #1 stories are kind of depressing, to be honest. Here are a couple that caught my eye:

The Road to 1948 – The personal history of one Palestinian family.
A Family Ranch, Swallowed Up in the Madness of the Border – Interesting because it talks about all the different people popping up on the ranch (which is huge) and where they are from. It surprises me that there are people from all over the world sneaking (or sometimes being trafficked) across the US-Mexico border. I have been skeptical of this.
The Opus Dei Diaries – I am only familiar with the Dan Brown version, and in fact this article mentions the Dan Brown version.
‘Lavender’: The AI Machine Directing Israel’s Bombing Spree in Gaza – I already did a whole post on this one, but this is possibly my single most interesting/disturbing find of the year.
From the Encampments – about the anti-war protests on US college campuses.
Spreadsheet Superstars – There is something called the “Excel World Championship”.
Emma Carey: The Skydiver Who Survived a 14,000-foot Fall – I probably wouldn’t actually read this article, but yeah this person is still alive.
They Played Football as Children. Now Their Families Mourn – (American tackle) football is horrible. And very entertaining. I am conflicted. I am a hypocrite. I am still watching.
40 Acres and a Lie – This is about some reparations that were actually paid out in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. And then mostly clawed back.
When the Arctic Melts – it’s only a question of how fast and how bad
Maylia and Jack and Opioids Ravaged a Kentucky Town. Then Rehab Became Its Business. Opioids and the war on drugs. It’s ugly out there.

the Time person of the year

The Time Magazine Person of the Year is supposed to be “a person, group or concept that had the biggest impact — for good or for ill — on the world over the previous 12 months”. I’m trying to come up with creative alternatives for who it could be other than he-whose-name-must-not-be-spoken (but it rhymes with Drumpf). One creative idea I can think of, since it can be a group, is ChatGPT, CoPilot, Bard, and other AIs. Surely they have had a massive impact on our entire global human society over the past 12 months. Or how about Moo Deng, the Thai hippo. Is the problem that we not ready to admit that these are people? Maybe that is the issue. But no, if I need to remove any doubt, all the editors could think of was his royal incompetent foolish clown dipshit highness Donald J. Trump. Please form your own opinion and we can have a civil discussion about it if you want, but there is my opinion for all to see.

https://theweek.com/cartoons/todays-political-cartoons-december-13-2024