no one's posting anymore
ALSO: the reflecting pool drama as reality tv, asking chatgpt what it knows about you, a hot honey cookie recipe, and more
Happy Friday, July 24th! Everyone, say happy birthday +1 to my mom!
WELCOME :)
Just a reminder: every Tuesday and Friday, I’ll be in your inbox with the latest in politics, tech & social media, culture, and other relevant topics – and I’ll share some notes and tips on what I’m keeping my eye on.
ALSO want to do a super fun, super cool rapid interview for this newsletter??? Reply to this email or hit the button below. Tips, thoughts, concerns, good jokes, bad jokes, ☕️, etc?
And finally, if you enjoy this newsletter and want to share it with your network (and/or your chronically online friends), or buy me a matcha, that would be so appreciated 🙏
People are watching the Reflecting Pool like reality TV. What does that say about us?
It’s a source of memes, a conversation starter, a form of escapism from heavier headlines about global conflict and climate change. But, he says, it’s also a microcosm of many issues critics have with the Trump administration, from its perceived disregard for expert input to financial dealings with political allies. (NPR, 7/22)
Louisiana Rep. Cleo Fields won’t seek reelection after Democrat’s seat was redrawn
The majority Black congressional district was redrawn by the state legislature in May to favor Republicans in November’s midterm elections. A month earlier, the Supreme Court ruled that Fields’ district relied too heavily on race and was an “unconstitutional gerrymander.” (AP, 7/21)
Lucy’s note: important to see the real costs of that SCOTUS decision, i think…
Social media is becoming less social
The results reflect what broader trend data suggests. First, in terms of posting, the data found that 55% of respondents are posting less to social media now than they did five years ago. That aligns with other trend data, which showed that fewer people are posting online, and more people are sharing posts and updates with their closer friends within private DM groups. (Social Media Today, 7/22)
Instagram is now banning pickup artists and pranksters who use Meta glasses
It’s unclear how many videos have been removed under this new policy. Business Insider found that two large accounts of pickup artists who filmed themselves approaching women in public while wearing the glasses had been deactivated. (Both previously had more than a million followers.) (Business Insider, 7/23 – free version)
Lucy’s note: literally what did they think people were going to use these glasses for
4 Prompts That Can Tell You What Chatbots Really Know About You
The conclusions drawn by the chatbots, the researchers said, illustrated that A.I. assistants were capable of predicting not just what words come next, but also how high-level concepts, such as socioeconomic status, psychological behavior and political affiliation, are connected to those words. (NYT gift link, 7/23)
How Netflix Broke TV’s Most Important Promise
Netflix’s competitors have been turning away from the binge-drop model in favor of more or less weekly schedules, because they’ve realized—or relearned—that the time when a show’s not on the air is as important to building its audience as the time when viewers are actually watching. The all-at-once approach didn’t just take away our weekly date with our TV friends; it made it more complicated to share the experience with our friends in real life, because there’s always someone who failed to power through the entire season in a single day and is nervous about spoilers. (Slate, 7/23)
Evangelists say they are heeding a biblical command to preach on flights
There have been viral guitar-led worship services in the air, hours-long prayer and song sessions, and quick messages during a flight delay. Where some people see admirable boldness, many recoil at the thought of an unwanted sermon. (WaPo, 7/23 – free version)
What Is Entropy, Really?
So you might think, why should you clean up your office if it will only get messier? That might be true, but you can’t blame it on entropy. The messy-room metaphor is often used to introduce the idea (it’s usually a teenager’s bedroom—can you relate?), but it’s misleading. See, disorder doesn’t mean messiness or chaos; it refers to the number of ways the parts of a system can be arranged without changing the overall state of the system. (WIRED, 7/24 – free version)
Great Apes kiss and cuddle to keep the peace, says study
Touching, embracing and kissing before stressful events may be an ancient way of building trust, according to scientists studying the behaviour of our closest ape relatives. Researchers at Durham University studied chimpanzees and bonobos using physical contact to reassure each other ahead of conflicts over food. (BBC, 7/21 – free version)
Hot Honey Peanut Butter Cookies
These cookies get their heat from two sources: hot honey and cayenne pepper. The flavor and spice level of hot honey varies depending on the brand, so make sure to taste it before using. If you like it on its own, you’ll love it in these cookies! (Delish, 7/24)
Lucy’s note: not news, just exciting lol
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Extra Credit 🤓
Substacks That Really Substacked This Week 🤌
Sneaky Links
TL;DR I’ve inexplicably started receiving codes to stuff… here are the things I actually like :)
My BNTO code for July is UQG7S9 for $20 off (if you know me IRL, you know my rant about the Nuulification of the 20-something city dweller)
I also have a code for CampSnap??? And I do love my CS8 camera from them but like I don’t think I said that online? Either way, it’s LUCYR7 for 7% off
That’s all for now – I’ll see you on Tuesday!