Wow. I absolutely did not see this coming and thought it would not happen in my lifetime (or Leonard's): Indigenous Activist Leonard Peltier Granted Clemency by President Biden.

The President's statement read in part:

Tribal Nations, Nobel Peace laureates, former law enforcement officials (including the former U.S. Attorney whose office oversaw Mr. Peltier’s prosecution and appeal), dozens of lawmakers, and human rights organizations strongly support granting Mr. Peltier clemency, citing his advanced age, illnesses, his close ties to and leadership in the Native American community, and the substantial length of time he has already spent in prison...

The extradition of Peltier to the US in 1976 is one of the great disgraces and injustices of the Canadian Government. Those interested in learning about Peltier should check out the documentary Incident at Oglala. It's not the easiest to track down, so here's a bit of a primer from The Fifth Estate:

In Hong Kong, skilled armies of scaffolders can erect enough bamboo to engulf a building in a day — even hours — using techniques that are thousands of years old, and have been passed down through generations.

Absolutely fascinating deep-dive page on Bamboo Scaffolding in Hong Kong.

I was sad to hear of the death on Wednesday of David Lynch. I've watched his film Mulholland Drive so many times that I've developed a parasocial relationship with it. Not only is it a terrific look at Hollywood from the point of view of an actor, but I believe it to be a deeply insightful film about trauma. For months, I've been trying to write a primer for explaining the story from that perspective — I don't think it's a common take — but as yet have been unable to crack it. Perhaps the news of Lynch's passing will have me take another shot at it.

If you only know Lynch because of his films, I'd suggest you also check out his paintings and thoughts on creativity and meditation. He was a lifelong advocate of Transcendental Meditation and spoke about it in his Masterclass and wrote about it in his book Catching the Big Fish.

And then there's this:

Drawn and Quarterly has published a collection Edward Steed's delightful comic panels.

Asterisk interviews David Skarbek (Professor of Political Economy at Brown) about Why We Have Prison Gangs.

I'm a big fan of the Arc web brower, but I'm tempted to check out Horse, which has a different approach. Watch this 90-second video for an explanation.

As I weave through double parked cars and brave pedestrians, I see that this bicycle with an electric motor has returned the hope I’d lost over the years. Here, listen, it whispers: tech doesn’t have to be a con or make us the worst versions of ourselves. Look: technology has kept its promise and genuinely made the world better!

I love my single speed bike, but this essay on ebikes by Robin Rendle is lovely: This Glorious Machine!

I've had my eye on a Beachman Bike for some time, but I really do love my single speed.

There's a free puppet library in the basement of Emmanuel Church in Boston, MA. It is entered through the alley in back, Public Alley #437.

If you're in Brooklyn on Monday, January 13, 2025, you can head to Wonderville and participate in robot karaoke:

Join us for karaoke night on impossible mode as we replace the lyrics to any SONG with words from any TEXT, then try to sing the results on the spot. It all happens live, so each song has never been heard before and will never be heard again.

Past combos include Yelp reviews of psychics to the tune of Total Eclipse of the Heart and Bernie Saunders Email Subject Lines to the tune of Don't Stop Believin'.

There’s a resurgence of small, handcrafted sites challenging the current trajectory of the internet. Joining the movement is as simple as making your own.

from Chia Amisola's excellent essay, Making Space for a Handmade Web. Just one of the Six Memos for the Future of Digital Creation.