JFB

.0051 - That was surprisingly fun. Certain hues were consistently more difficult.

Rumi (to warmongers):

What kind of lightning are you, setting farms on fire?
What kind of cloud are you, raining down stones?

What kind of hunter?
Caught in your own trap—
a thief stealing from your own house.

-- Rumi, "Water."
trnsl. Haleh Liza Gafori

Light vs. dark is a compelling civilization-level cosmology, but renders every human-level narrative cringe without exploring subversions in both forces.

many don’t know that the phrase “have a good one” is referring to a hot dog

Just my level of privilege I guess, that I assumed everyone had this experience in March growing up.

The Scale of Billionaires’ Campaign Donations is Overwhelming U.S. Politics

NEW: We just published a deep dive into just how much billionaires are now dominating U.S. politics.

We found 300 billionaire families accounted for 19% of federal donations in 2024. The deluge was even larger in many state and local races.

1/7

www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/u...

Is an AI designing the questions?

same, also in Durham. We get the skinks and anoles and frogs in the yard. As far as snakes, I've only seen copperheads, and only on the ATT.

Anecdata, but it's something I think Americans could use more of with the current data quality issues we have: friend returning after 8 months in Europe: grocery prices in UK much cheaper than US. A country with a fraction of arable land and narrower growing season. Even with Brexit.

windows 11 task manager showing as not responding

come on

Are you close to a body of water? I've been surprised since moving to NC that we don't regularly run into them in our yard.

I don't have a personal connection to him, but Carl Bergstrom on here is a corvid guy.

BELLA CIAO - RANA CHOIR (Farsi, Hebrew, Arabic) YouTube video by Rana Choir מקהלת ראנה جوقة رانة

Here is the full version, with credits. youtu.be/kBJoGGfNzUg?...

The Brotherhood? Duke Basketball and the Legacy of Black Durham by Mark Anthony Neal Few of Duke University Basketball’s most fervent fans, or haters, I imagine are as knowledgeable of Dr. John Hope Franklin, as they are…

Duke Basketball is the # 1 ranked college basketball team in the nation, but are they #1 in the hearts of Black Durham?

The Brotherhood? Duke Basketball and the Legacy of Black Durham | Mark Anthony Neal
medium.com/p/e5dd14b8f10e

Today I Will Look The Burrito Man In The Eye and other stories of manifesting success

North Carolina is not on a path to carbon neutrality, new greenhouse gas inventory shows The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality has released an updated inventory of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, detailing trends in the pollutants most responsible for climate change...

WFAE: A report from the NC Department of Environmental Equality shows that North Carolina has reduced its gross emissions by 20% since 2005.

But the state is not on track to meet its goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.

www.wunc.org/2026-03-05/n...

I never noticed that Willie's "May I Sleep in Your Arms Tonite, Lady" is Hank Cochran lyrics on top of "Red River Valley." Just thought the melody was familiar.

Saw You Out with the Weeds by Suitor (Feel It Records)

Whichever Way You Are Going, You Are Going Wrong by WOO (Independent Project Records)

Sibyl by Sibyl (Gold Bolus)

A Semblance: Of Return by Asher Gamedze (Northern Spy)

📻 From 4-6pm ET today, I'm spinning tunes on the radio, wxdu.org or 88.7 FM

On my playlist: new or newly reissued music from Cleveland's Suitor (post-punky!), Woo (their '82 masterpiece is back!), Sibyl (folk songs & murder ballads!), Asher Gamedze (best jazz album of 2026!) & Altin Gün (so funky!)

FT comments section this morning - saying what everyone else is thinking, right?

A message for these times reposted from Omid Safi ❤️‍🩹:  

A kind friend who knows that I am Iranian asked me today:
"Do you have family in Iran?"

I told her: "Yes, I do. 92 million.
And 8 billion beyond those."

What To Do When Your Popular Sheriff Loses His Insurance Counties get insurance policies to cover their costs in case someone sues the sheriff or his or her deputies. But what happens when the people who pay the bills can't tell the sheriff what to do?

Here's something I learned in researching this story: Since the death of George Floyd, 2/3rds of the private companies that provided liability insurance to law enforcement agencies pulled out, and those that remained have increased their rates and lowered caps.
www.ncrabbithole.com/p/what-to-do...

Unless he switches parties, he's still just an asshole as far as I'm concerned.

Same, friends' older brothers blasting 2LiveCrew and NWA when we hitched a ride to school, but it felt so cringe even then.

For Israel & the U.S. to go to war during Ramadan is also a message.

Side-eyeing from Cackalack. From my personal experience, Bennett is probably the most common surname in NC. Based on that nom de plume alone, definitely feels like an AI publish.

This album was my first real dive into hip hop - fun and nerdy!

They definitely went through the industry grinder at least twice, the last one for more than a decade. it's a shame Dave didn't get to see them emerge from all the conflicts. glad they're still making music though.

oh, addl credits on the YT page. Sklar is another monster too.

first time I've heard the sample source on that. it would have to be Ron Carter, wouldn't it.

more like Eris' apple.

Oh shit.