rock-a-bye

One automobile manufacturer is producing licensing a bassinet (not pictured) that ingeniously virtually reproduces the experience of a car ride that many new parents swear by. Unfortunately, this crib—which makes muffled engine noises and gently jostles its passenger and even will replicate a desired route’s pace and twists and turns—is for now only available in infant sizes because I can also attest that riding in the car can lull me to sleep. When an actual drive around the block is not feasible, however, I suspect that make-believe is still the better alternative.

6x6

littoral: the Inuit use these maps carved out of driftwood to navigate the coast

библиотека: a gallery of remarkable libraries of Eastern Europe

special sauce, lettuce, cheese: stratified recipe cards from Zing Zhang, via the always fabulous Nag on the Lake

shortlist, shoreditch: a selection of the finalists for a UK Brexit passport redesign

duchenne smile: earbuds that are controlled with facial expressions

crispr: octopi and their relatives can edit their own genes at will

no, i am spartacus

As Dear Leader is launching yet another disastrous and deadly public-relations stunt in order to deflect attention from his rank, unhinged incompetence, there comes news that his regime is moving to pressure his mouthpiece of choice to unmask the identities of the US civil servants behind anonymous social media accounts critical of his stewardship (or lack thereof). So far the social media network is resisting calls to reveal the names of administrators behind alt- and rogue agency web presences and has rebuffed repeated summonses but we’ve been treated multiple times to Dear Leader’s relentless bullying and hope the network has the stamina to not be browbeaten.

well played, democrats or meals and incidentals

As an official inquiry into the costs of the flying circus that is Dear Leader’s insistence on receiving dignitaries at his southern White House franchise and being a geographical bachelor (apparently, but at least Number One Daughter is close at hand) is being conducted, a committee of concerned congress members have been a bit more creative in naming their legislation than what’s been trialled of late.
“Making Access Records Available to Lead American Government Openness” Act forms the initialism MAR-A-LAGO. It makes me think of that anecdote that Anthony Bouvier told Suzanne Sugarbaker about the domestic helper that introduced himself to the family that he served with his name but added that they could refer to him “by my initials.” Among other things, the act would require that Dear Leader’s regime to disclose the names not only of those who have access him and his viceroy in Washington—where there’s a visitors’ log, but also at his various properties, where there’s currently no accountability. Dear Leader surely prefers it that way and would like to keep conducting official business way beyond the Beltway.