Hi there everyone.

This is such a challenging time.

Every day we're having to sit and watch in disbelief as people lie to our faces about COVID-19, how bad things are, and what to do about it. We watch in disbelief as nonviolent protesters are arrested and accused of violence — while the police use tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper spray, and batons against them. We watch in disbelief as white women pull guns on Black people after saying the actual words, "White people aren't racist… No one is racist." Our president lies so often, so willfully, childishly, self-centeredly, and so without compunction that FactCheck.org, a nonpartisan advocate for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics, has a Donald Trump archive that is 107 pages long. And now I read that we've started executing federal prisoners again — despite what we all know about how flawed our criminal justice system is.

It can be hard to keep on top of how awful everything is.

I wanted to provide a few clarifying links, and recommend a book.

First, if you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of people in denial around you — and the capacity for people to lie to themselves and others about reality — I want you to know that you're not alone. Also, you're not crazy. Also, THERE IS AN OBJECTIVE REALITY. Keep hold of it. And if you don't know what cognitive dissonance is — this might be a good time to learn! A couple links —

• Cognitive dissonance is a huge factor in people, especially white people, denying the existence of structural racism and refusing to acknowledge our own investment in it. For just one example of how this plays out, check out "The psychological phenomenon that blinds Trump supporters to his racism," from the Washington Post a year ago.

• Cognitive dissonance is also playing a huge role these days in the pandemic. Check out "The Role of Cognitive Dissonance in the Pandemic," at The Atlantic.

Cognitive dissonance, when handled badly, is a killer. It makes people inexcusably ignorant, hurtful, and destructive. I find it helpful to learn about it, so at least I know what we're up against — and also so that I can be better equipped to watch for it in myself, because after all, I was socialized into this society too. Maybe you'll also find it helpful, especially now. When you're surrounded by people who are lying to themselves… It can be incredibly disorienting! And distressing, if these are people who profess to care about you. Learn about cognitive dissonance and shine some light through the bullshit around you.

Next, on the not unrelated topic of "The Letter" ("A Letter on Justice and Open Debate," published on July 7 at Harper Magazine and signed by 153 writers, artists, academics, and journalists). I really liked Hannah Giorgis's thoughts about The Letter, over at The Atlantic: "A Deeply Provincial View of Free Speech". Giorgis skewers The Letter's vagueness. She also reminds us of what free speech actually is, and what threats to free speech actually look like. An excerpt: "Any good-faith understanding of principles such as free speech and due process requires acknowledging some basic truths: Facing widespread criticism on Twitter, undergoing an internal workplace review, or having one’s book panned does not, in fact, erode one’s constitutional rights or endanger a liberal society." Yes!

Finally, I'm listening to a really great audiobook: Until We Reckon: Violence, Mass Incarceration, and a Road to Repair, by Danielle Sered. Sered is the director of Common Justice, which is a program in Brooklyn that provides a survivor-focused alternative to incarceration for violent crime. What I love about this book is that while I've been aware that our criminal justice system is broken — and that it's a lie that prisons keep anyone safe — I hadn't realized that there are workable alternatives already in play. Sered presents an alternative to incarceration that creates not just safety, but healing. The program is very survivor-focused. Survivors are deeply involved in decisions about how the people who harmed them are held accountable. And since most people who commit violent crime have also been victims of violent crime, the program helps those who've caused harm to heal too. The book is realistic about why people harm each other, and about how to change the system. It's a good introduction to the growing movement of restorative justice, and reading it makes me hopeful.

A heads up that Sered has a crystal clear grasp of what it's like to have PTSD and is searingly articulate about how it feels to want and need a person who harmed you to accept responsibility for what they did. If you are a survivor — of any kind of harm, not just violence — parts of this book may be gutting. I recommend taking breaks now and then.

Also, if you don't have time to read a book or if you can't access it right now while the libraries are in flux, I can recommend a recent podcast episode on the same topic. It's from the The Ezra Klein Show and it's the episode called: "A former prosecutor's case for prison abolition: Paul Butler on how our criminal justice system is broken — and how to fix it". I learned a LOT about how broken our criminal justice system is from that episode. I noticed that Ezra also has an even newer episode, an interview with sujatha baliga called "The transformative power of restorative justice." I haven't listened to that one yet, but it's on the same topic, so I'm guessing that's also an interesting and informative conversation.

Okay! So those are the things I wanted to share. Hang in there, everybody. I'll be writing another craft lesson blog post soon. Also, in Winterkeep news, I expect to have a cover (or several) to share with you soon! Be well, everyone.

We’re reprinting the Seventy Maxims “defaced” edition, and the crowdfunding project for that wraps up in just under a week.

As part of this project I’m designing two posters, both of which will have all seventy maxims on them. Yesterday I spent a few hours tweaking various text attributes like kerning and quote height, and finished up the two-column version of the poster. It’ll be a 16″x20″ thing, and will look something like this…

If you want to get your hands on one of these posters, perhaps for the wall of your office, or maybe the local kindergarten, jump in on the Backerkit project today. We’ll be printing extras, of course, but backing the project is the only way to ensure that we set one aside for you.

And speaking of Backerkit… this project is an experiment, a stress-test of a new soup-to-nuts crowdfunding service, an alternative to Kickstarter. For several projects we’ve used Backerkit in conjunction with Kickstarter, because Backerkit makes fulfilment easier for complex projects. They’ve been around for a while, and we love working with them.

We still like working with Kickstarter, but it’s good to have an alternative—especially since Kickstarter briefly flirted with adding NFTs to their blockchain infrastructure, sending much of their community scrambling for other options. They’ve backed away from that ledge, at least for now, which makes us happy. Also, we are happy to be trying out a different service. We like having options.

Unsurprisingly, there are a couple of maxims that may apply here:

50: If it only works in exactly the way the manufacturer intended, it is defective.
30: A little trust goes a long way. The less you use, the further you’ll go.

(You, too, can cite maxims as if from memory… all you need is one of these fancy new posters on a wall where you can see it.)

The Final Jeopardy clue for November 12, 2024.

The post Final Jeopardy Today November 12, 2024 – Question, Answer, Wages & Winner appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.

Following its return last Saturday, Netflix has finally shared the Arcane Season 2 Act 2 trailer for the next three episodes of the hit action fantasy series, based on Riot Games’ League of Legends video game. The second half of the final season will be available for streaming this Saturday, November 16. “The aftermath of […]

The post Arcane Season 2 Act 2 Trailer Previews What’s Next for Jinx & Vi appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.

Explore Marco Rubio's personal life: Meet his wife and their children. Get the full story now!

The post Who Is Marco Rubio’s Wife? Jeanette Dousdebes’ Kids & Relationship History appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.

UPDATE NOV. 13, 2024: While Deadline said on X that a previous version of the publication’s article “incorrectly stated Lupita Nyong’o had also joined the cast of Nolan’s next film,” The Hollywood Reporter is now saying that Nyong’o has indeed been tapped to play in undisclosed character in the movie. Original article: Anne Hathaway and Zendaya […]

The post Lupita Nyong’o Joins Anne Hathaway & Zendaya in Cast of Christopher Nolan’s Next Movie appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.

The highly anticipated Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight is set to arrive soon, and this has sparked major excitement among fans about its release time. Netflix is bringing this exclusive event to its platform, making it accessible for fans wanting to witness the showdown. In it, boxing legend Mike Tyson will go up against […]

The post What Time Does Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson Fight Release on Netflix? appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.

Kevin Federline is a popular disk jockey, dancer, and actor, arguably best known for his first marriage to pop star Britney Spears. As a dancer, he has worked with the likes of Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, and Pink. He also appeared alongside Spears on a reality TV series called Britney and Kevin: Chaotic. But, Federline […]

The post Who Is Kevin Federline’s Wife? Victoria Prince’s Job & Relationship History appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.

Curious about Tim Hardaway Jr.‘s condition following his recent on-court injury? As fans discuss the Detroit Pistons’ nail-biting NBA Cup opener against the Miami Heat, many are also concerned about Hardaway’s recovery and when he might return to the lineup. Here’s a quick look at Tim Hardaway’s injury, recovery, and its impact on the Pistons. […]

The post Pistons’ Tim Hardaway Avoids Serious Injury After Head Collision appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.

Yellowstone recently started airing part 2 of its fifth season. It resumes the journey of the Dutton’s to protect their ranch triggering high-voltage drama and entertainment. However, the most shocking aspect of the season was the death of the family’s patriarch, John Dutton. So, who killed John Dutton in Yellowstone Season 5? Here is everything […]

The post Yellowstone Season 5: Who Killed John Dutton? Jamie, Sarah or Beth? appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.

Over the years I’ve seen some writers who took the full time plunge express strong imposter syndrome and a sense of shame when going back to a day job. Sometimes it kills their desire to write because they feel like a failure. I don’t think biographies of writers emphasize how many famous writers had day […]

We speak with The Nation's John Nichols in Wisconsin, where Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are spending a lot of their time in the closing days of the election in a tight battle for the state's 10 Electoral College votes. Nichols also discusses the battle for the Senate, with key races in Wisconsin and Nebraska; how New York races could tip control of the House to Democrats; and why Kamala Harris needs to expand her message beyond the threat of Trump’s authoritarianism. “At the doors, people want to talk about economics,” says Nichols.

With just days to go before the November 5 presidential election, fears are growing that Republicans intend to interfere with the official results in order to install Donald Trump as president. At Sunday’s Madison Square Garden rally, Trump said he had a “little secret” with House Speaker Mike Johnson that would have a “big impact” on the outcome, though neither he nor Johnson elaborated on what that entailed. Elie Mystal, the justice correspondent for The Nation, says the secret is almost certainly a plan to force a contingent election, whereby no candidate wins a majority of the Electoral College and the president is instead chosen by the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold a slim majority. Mystal notes that even if Democrats challenge such an outcome, the case would still end up before a Supreme Court with a conservative supermajority that is likely to side with Trump.

As voters across the United States head to the polls on Election Day, many face “a choice between two unsatisfactory candidates,” says Democracy Now! co-host Juan González. This choice is especially “excruciating” for those “who are outraged by our government’s continued support for Israel’s yearlong genocidal assault on Gaza.” He says the 2024 election has echoes of 1968, when many progressives sat out the election because of anger over Vietnam, but Richard Nixon’s victory and ultimate expansion of the war proved to be disastrous. “It would take many years for some of us to realize we had made a big mistake in sitting out that election. … Making these decisions at the time of election may be difficult but sometimes necessary to do to open up the way for possible change in the future.

As Latino voters are a key voting bloc in the 2024 presidential election in battleground states like Nevada, Arizona and Pennsylvania, they have been targeted by a rise in Spanish-language misinformation. Most of the false messaging disparages Kamala Harris and supports Donald Trump, says Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa, host of Latino USA, which investigated the phenomenon in a new episode called “The Misinformation Web.” She interviewed some of the content creators in this “blob” of online vitriol and says there is almost no effective content moderation online, nor many reliable fact-checking sources in Spanish to counter the lies.

When Donald Trump reenters the White House, he will be met with a newly Republican-controlled Senate, consolidating power in the hands of a party now dominated by supporters of Trump. We take a look at the results of down-ballot races for the Senate and House, and the possibilities for congressional opposition to Trump’s agenda with John Nichols, The Nation’s national affairs correspondent. Nichols notes that losing Democratic Senate candidates missed opportunities to highlight working-class voters and economic issues, likely to their detriment.

Top U.N. officials are again warning that the entire Palestinian population in north Gaza is “at imminent risk of dying from disease, famine and violence.” At least 1,800 Palestinians have been killed, many of them children, since October, when Israel imposed a draconian siege and began an intensified campaign of ethnic cleansing on northern Gaza. Jan Egeland of the Norwegian Refugee Council recently spent several days in Gaza. He describes what he saw as “devastation beyond belief,” as Palestinians face “the most intense and most indiscriminate bombardment anywhere in the world in recent memory,” coupled with the utter depletion of aid. Egeland pleads for the United States, the largest supplier of military funding and equipment to Israel, to condition its weapons to Israel, enforce the provision of aid and commit to ending Israel’s assault. “It’s not in Israel’s interest to destroy its neighborhood in Gaza and in Lebanon. It will create new generations of hatred,” Egeland says.

Game of Thrones star Jacob Anderson is set to make his debut on Doctor Who later this year, playing Vinder in Series 13.

Yoga Guru Sharath Jois passes away: योग गुरु शरथ जोइस के निधन हो गया। उन्होंने अमेरिका में स्थानीय समय अनुसार दोपहर करीब 3 बजे अंतिम सांस ली। 53 वर्षीय आर. शरथ जोइस अक्टूबर ही अपने शिष्यों को योग सिखाने अमेरिका गए

झारखंड में पहले चरण का मतदान शुरू हो गया है। पहले चरण में 15 जिलों की 43 सीटों पर आज मतदान हो रहा है। इस बीच प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी ने लोगों से वोट अपील की है। प्रधानमंत्री ने एक्स पर पोस्ट

Juhi Chawla Birthday: बॉलीवुड एक्ट्रेस जूही चावला ने अपने करियर में कई सुपरहिट फिल्में दी हैं। वह 90 के दशक की टॉप एक्ट्रेसेस में शुमार हैं। भले ही जूही चावला कुछ समय से फिल्मों से दूर हैं लेकिन आज भी

The AAR Maharashtra, in the case of M/s. The Nisarga Consultancy, In Re [Order No. GST-ARA-21 of 2023-24/2024-25/B-55 dated July 31, 2024] ruled that no tax will be leviable on work allotted by Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikar ("MJP") as per of Jal Jeevan Mission ("JJM") which is a mission of Government

The Hon'ble Delhi High Court in the case of M/s Sanjay Sales India v. Principal Commissioner of Department of Trade and Taxes, Government of NCT, Delhi [Writ Petition (Civil) No. 10234 of 2024 dated July 26, 2024] held that the application for the cancellation of the GST registration cannot be denie

The merger between Reliance Jio's Viacom18 and Star India Private Limited is set to transform India's streaming landscape. This collaboration will introduce a new OTT platform, likely named Jio Star, combining JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar. The domain jiostar.com is live, hinting

Reliance Jio's ambitious rollout of its True 5G network across India is not just about faster internet speeds or improved connectivity. One of the less talked about, yet significant benefits is the potential enhancement of smartphone battery life. During the company's

In a surprising twist, Elon Musk is joining the Trump administration: not to advise on artificial intelligence or space innovation, but to lead an ambitious new project focused on government efficiency. Alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, Musk will head up the Department

As per sources within the Finance Ministry, the Centre is likely to maintain its original budgeted estimate of ₹22.07 lakh crore for direct tax collection when it revises estimates in February. ...

A lunar lander nicknamed Odie carries 125 small moon sculptures by artist Jeff Koons that could become the first authorized artwork on the moon

Scientists have finally found the compact object at the heart of the famous supernova of 1987, and it’s not a black hole

New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope are exposing the pathways that water takes to reach terrestrial planets

As a general rule, if you're using an RDBMS and can solve your problem using SQL, you should solve your problem using SQL. It's how we avoid doing joins or sorts in our application code, which is always a good thing.

But this is a general rule. And Jasmine sends us one where solving the problem as a query was a bad idea.

ALTER   FUNCTION [dbo].[GetName](@EntityID int)

RETURNS varchar(200)

AS

BEGIN

declare @Name varchar(200)

select @Name =
  case E.EntityType
    when 'Application'  then A.ApplicationName
    when 'Automation'   then 'Automated Process'
    when 'Group'        then G.GroupName
    when 'Organization' then O.OrgName
    when 'Person'       then P.FirstName + ' ' + P.LastName
    when 'Resource'     then R.ResourceName
    when 'Batch'        then B.BatchComment
  end
from Entities E
left join AP_Applications A   on E.EntityID = A.EntityID
left join CN_Groups G         on E.EntityID = G.EntityID
left join CN_Organizations O  on E.EntityID = O.EntityID
left join CN_People P         on E.EntityID = P.EntityID
left join Resources R         on E.EntityID = R.EntityID
left join AR_PaymentBatches B on E.EntityID = B.EntityID
where E.EntityID = @EntityID

return @Name

END

The purpose of this function is to look up the name of an entity. Depending on the kind of entity we're talking about, we have to pull that name from a different table. This is a very common pattern in database normalization- a database equivalent of inheritance. All the common fields to all entities get stored in an Entities table, while specific classes of entity (like "Applications") get their own table which joins back to the Entities table.

On the surface, this code doesn't even really look like a WTF. By the book, this is really how you'd write this kind of function- if we were going by the book.

But the problem was that these tables were frequently very large, and even with indexes on the EntityID fields, it simply performed horribly. And since "showing the name of the thing you're looking at" was a common query, that performance hit added up.

The fix was easy- write out seven unique functions- one for each entity type- and then re-write this function to use an IF statement to decide which one to execute. The code was simpler to understand and read, and performed much faster.

In the end, perhaps not really a WTF, or perhaps the root WTF is some of the architectural decisions which allow this to exist (why a function for getting the name, and the name alone, which means we execute this query independently and not part of a more meaningful join?). But I think it's an interesting example of how "this is the right way to do it" can lead to some unusual outcomes.

In a new anniversary retrospective, creators of John Wick talk about how The Lord of the Rings inspired and is connected to the production of the huge action franchise.

Over at Indiewire, director Chad Stahelski talks about the Tolkien influence on John Wick:

"I’m a big Tolkien fan, and I’d always wanted to do a modern-day fantasy that scratched that itch so when this came along, it was the perfect hanger to put our coat on. I’d been trying to sell this idea of Greek mythology and underworlds but Tolkien was probably my favourite growing up [and a big influence]. I was fascinated by world creation. Add 10 years working with the Wachowskis, and I didn’t want to do a regular old action or assassin movie. I wanted something where we could have a little element of fantasy."

The LOTR Film Connection

That's not the only LOTR connection! Stahelski was the stunt double for Keanu Reeves on The Matrix, which was produced by Barrie Osborne before he jumped into producing the Lord of the Rings films with Peter Jackson (bringing Hugo Weaving with him).

Read the whole 10 year anniversary interview of John Wick over at Indiewire. This, naturally, prompts the question, what would a Chad Stahelski directed LOTR movie or Rings of Power episode look like? Discuss in our Discord!

Iconic photographer, art director and illustrator...

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Amazing arts created using AI... For Nike, LEGO, Balenciaga

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Jägermeister collaborated with Pantone® to redefine its iconic colors for their new visual identity.

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Bielke & Yang made a packaging redesign for Talor&Jørgen coffee...

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The US Census Bureau processes data before publishing it in order to keep personal information private – but a new approach could maintain the same privacy while improving accuracy

The climate impact of flights taken by the super-rich rose sharply from 2019 to 2023, fuelling calls for a carbon tax on private aviation

Droplets of fluid have been known to hover above a hot surface, but a new experiment suggests the same can happen to tiny jets of liquid too

SpaceX is preparing for the sixth test flight of Starship, the world's most powerful rocket. Next week's launch – if successful – will be the fastest turnaround yet

To Heart remake slated for Switch, PC with full-3D graphics

Chain will still accept payments via JCB/American Express cards or other means