October 5, 2023
Content Warning: Graphic self-driving car accident
This post contains the graphic description of a person recently struck by a self-driving car in San Francisco. Link [more inside]
Wheels coming off the (NGP) VAN?
"Democrats have relied on one company’s tools to power its campaigns. They’re now facing a possible collapse." Following the 2021 purchase its parent company by a British private equity firm, the Democratic-aligned platform NGP-VAN has seen rounds of layoffs and cost-cutting that have left some activists alarmed about the future viability of the critical organizing tool. Alternatives exist, but none have NGP VAN's market share or deep integration with Democratic campaign infrastructure. Doing the Work of Democracy Despite Lousy Tech and Data:
"Door-knocking is the best way to earn votes, but for all their vaunted tech savvy, Democrats’ core tools and voter data are a mess."
Snakes in the Grass, or On the Vertical Within the Horizontal
As with any disruptive phenomenon, there are both enthusiasts, whose close-meshed nets catch some dubious fish, and deniers, who insist that even the big ones should be thrown back. For many years, insanity was a common metaphor employed for those who believe acrostics in ancient poetry are intentional. The most influential one-paragraph Classics article ever written, Don Fowler’s playful intervention about the acrostic MARS spanning Vergil’s description of the Gates of War, ends with the memorable sentence: ‘I await the men in white coats.’ What Fowler did not anticipate was that, four decades later, acrostics would begin to be recognised as not just an occasional jeu d’esprit in ancient poetry, but a widespread phenomenon and a major source of meaning. from Vergil’s secret message
The 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature goes to Jon Fosse
Norwegian author Jon Fosse is the 2023 Nobel laureate in literature. He first gained prominence as a playwright, but has also written poetry and novels. He was interviewed last year by Merve Emre in the New Yorker. For reviews of his books, and more reaction across the day, check out M. A. Orthofer's post on the Complete Review's Literary Saloon.
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