Through Lines 194

It shouldn’t have, but it took me a bit to gel with the music of Margaret Glaspy. Her latest album is what did it for me — especially the sharp, muscular single Get Back which she performs with aplomb in this rollicking performance in the KEXP studio.

• “The brain is not a computer, and many of the problems we face — from climate change to the cost of living — are not technological problems. But that’s not the prevailing view of powerful people in tech.” It’s not in their business interest to think otherwise of course and this should surprise no one.
• “And when you think about building an identity, I think it’s about building a house. And then over time you can renovate those rooms, you can add rooms, you can change rooms, you can spend less time in one room and more time in another room.” Sounds like a reasonably good description of trying to behave with a more generalist mindset as opposed to a specialist one. Master of Change is going on my reading list.
• Although I don’t want to believe it, the back of my mind is agreeing that we are on a downward spiral when it comes to technology. The evidence is rapidly piling up.
• It seems insane that CS degrees don't require at least some modicum of proper education in cybersecurity today. 23 out of 24 schools can’t be wrong, can they?
• Work needs rest and rest takes work. A simple but honest a summation of one of the dilemmas we face today given the increasing demands technology has placed on us rather than relieved us from.
• But also, if you’re going to use AI, at least try to do something with it whose whole purpose is to be delightful and maybe even just a little odd like Poem/1.
• Cory Doctrow’s Transmediale 2024 Marshall McLuhan lecture and the theory of the enshittification of the internet is one to read/watch.
• Author Rebecca Solnit’s thorough and um, probably more or less right on the money guide on How to Comment on Social Media. Read it and weep.
• I released a new zine last week. It’s over 50% sold out and if you’re on the fence with getting one, I’d suggest maybe not waiting too long.
• Not surprisingly, Jeremy gets it.
• Every Mac ever made. Happy 40th Macintosh.
• Hey Greg — I think we need to arrange a little road trip.
• Boom! So good.

Notable Type Releases

• I’d describe LL Champion as scholarly only in the sense that it’s perfectly suited for sports jerseys of all sorts with it’s duplexed widths and chromatic variants. Not to be confused with Champion Gothic from H&Co.
• DJR’s latest Font of the Month, Daily Special, put the biggest, dumbest smile on my face. Tracing its origin from letterboard alphabets, this all-caps face includes some nice color font variations in addition to a more standard face.
• Gardein, designed by Christopher Caldwell and released through Leinster Type takes its concave stems and flared terminals to a logical conclusion, one where organic yet finely crafted letterforms can be forever revered: coffee branding and packaging.
• The drool-worthy RST Thermal is a real cracker. Elegant, contemporary, crisp, rhythmic — this family’s a serious workhorse — and those italics. Yowza!
• Lang from ArrowType is “quirky yet classic” which sounds ridiculous but maybe also a perfect summation of this semi-slab family derived from 19th-Century gravestones.
• Seasummer is probably about what Comic Sans might look like if you’re high. It’s chill, very chill. Or maybe dreamy. Who wants pizza?