Mellow “Cheese Optimist” Toast

The Rat On war and what we have to choke down.

I've been starting and stopping this essay for almost two years, but recent events made it seem urgent: On war. jude-doyle.ghost.io/the-rat/

When I was 11 we took my great grandmother to see An American Tail. My mother & aunts were hyped: my GG was Russian-Jewish and immigrated to NYC as a kid.

As we left the theater, GG loudly praising the movie, she turned to me & whispered “don’t tell anyone, but I’m glad the shitting thing’s over.”

!!! What is this and why have I never heard of it before?!? Those are both rhetorical questions I’m just excited to catch up!!!

❤️ (My wife also picked Kara but not for the same reason. It’s a good name!)

Bullet Time at the Kink Party Leah is queer community. Leah is expanding and expansive. Leah wants to fall in love with everyone still alive in this room and beyond and be their bottom for a night, just one night, though she wo…

this is the most Queer As In FUCK YOU story I've ever read in a mainstream magazine

I'd describe it to you, but that would violate bsky's terms and conditions, so you should just go read it instead

Sigh, Starbuck aka the character that led to me acknowledging that I was not straight

Palestinian Uncles doing freestyle poetry battles coming with some of the hardest lines I’ve heard in a long time.

You Know, You Can Just Say "Patriarchy" These analyses of the Epstein case are... missing something.

Lord forgive me, but it's time to go back to the old me: Trying to get dudes on the Internet to say "patriarchy" about the Epstein files:

Suddenly wishing I was better at social media so I could properly tell the story of how I spent a full 30 minutes this morning trying to identify a very distinctive bird call before realizing it was my sunrise alarm clock sound

I really appreciate you reposting this. I am grappling with this stuff now at my job and it’s really helpful to have the information from an expert!

Cognitive Helmets for the AI Bicycle: Part 1 I hear people name these three fears: will developers lose their problem-solving skills, learning opportunities, and critical thinking? One science-backed area can help: better metacognitive strategie...

So many developers have sent me that Anthropic skills/mastery case study that I realized I should ungate what I *already wrote* about this: beginning principles to design workflows that work *with* your mind, not against it, & protect your problem-solving

www.fightforthehuman.com/cognitive-he...

Such a difficult and stressful situation. I’m sorry your family is going through this but glad you’re taking care of yourself ❤️

Crystal, everything is so… UGH

I love them

My main rec for books featuring pathetic men is Running Close to the Wind by @alexandrarowland.bsky.social — main character is possibly the most pathetic hero ever and I love him (plus the book is so funny)

America's "dual state" is a racial state ICE's terrors draw on an American traditions of racial violence

David French argued Renee Good's murder is an example of the US having two sytems of law: orderly for friends & belligerent for foes. @victorerikray.bsky.social corrects him: US law has always promised fascism for non-whites & those who stand with them.

groupthreat.com/p/americas-d...

In my ongoing attempts to give you a break from *gestures widely* THE HORRORS:

Let's talk about the utterly bizarre science of cats' purring.

Here's a weird starting point:
There are NO cats (Felidae) that can BOTH roar AND purr.

Cats that roar = genus Panthera
Cats that purr = genus Felis

For the mental model aspect I recommend articles/courses/workshops from @miriam.codes — I took a css workshop from her last year and it helped a ton with understanding CSS. Don’t have any links to specific things of hers though… hmm let me see if I have anything bookmarked

I love this book. I had to keep pausing to tell my wife what was happening because it was so weird (affectionate). Recommend!

That was so good! Your wife is amazing! (Not news to you, I know)

Mom in the bodega trying real hard to explain to her increasingly furious toddler that when she said he could have “one thing” she meant “a snack,” not the Golden Retriever that’s accompanying his owner.

The year ‘post-woke’ broke | Xtra Magazine In 2025, bigotry was trendy, and we found out who our friends really are

At Xtra: This was supposed to be the year of "post-woke" pop culture. It fell apart because -- shockingly -- no-one wanted to spend time with a bunch of assholes: xtramagazine.com/power/politi...

On keeping hope right now, from @brennanleemulligan.bsky.social on stream with @katmabu.bsky.social.

Yayyyyy! My favorite show is back!

I love you Socks

Top down view of a cat’s head. Beneath him is a human’s left arm - wrist and hand are visible, hand on a computer mouse. To the right of the mouse is a keyboard with pastel purple and turquoise decals.

My cat has found the optimal position for hindering me at work (yes he is on my forearm; purring level indicates he is very pleased)

Oh yeah 100%. Sounds especially but also textures.

❤️❤️❤️

I like that what they object to is the use of a plural noun, not anything else. Very good

What the fuck