Coffee + Broken Cookie Exchange Cast-offs = Breakfast of Champions
Dearests, I hope your last-full-week-before-Christmas is treating you well. I’m running about trying to finish the last few holiday chores before I head off to Canada on Friday, turning off my computer and (hopefully) ignoring current events for a few days. Which is to say, the Missive will be dark next week, returning in the New Year.
But don’t worry! The internet is here until then!
This week, in the Bay Area: Loose Goat Leads Cops On Freeway Chase Across I-880 In Oakland.
And also this week, in Washington: After Bloodbath, The National Zoo’s Naked Mole-Rats Finally Choose Their Queen
Amnesty International just released “the world’s largest crowdsourced dataset about online abuse against women,” a study of harassment against women on Twitter. They also explore the potential of predictive algorithms in flagging abusive content.
Sometimes, technology can be used for good: This fake package covers porch thieves in glitter and fart spray. <— Includes one of the most satisfying videos I’ve seen in a long time.
Do you find reading year-end polling wrap-ups from Pew a delightful accompaniment to your morning coffee? I sure do. And this is why we’re friends.
Friends, I forgot to send you the latest bit of Gritty news last week, which is inexcusable considering so many of you sent me this Ringer piece to me on how Gritty is messianic, “a weird and scary avatar for a weird and scary time.” I’m sorry, what? Anyway, it’s a great look at the business of sportsball/puck mascotry, and includes the very true observation: “people on the internet in general, can sense uncertainty and will punish it.” And now I’ve gone down a 20 minute Gritty internet rabbit hole. (primary h/t to Brendan)
You’re all lovely. Be kind to one another.
Xoxo Amy