Peter Wick

Anthropic cofounder says studying the humanities will be 'more important than ever' and reveals what the AI company looks for when hiring | Fortune "The things that make us human will become much more important instead of much less important."

"The things that make us human will become much more important, rather than much less important."
fortune.com/2026/02/07/a...

There's an irony to the (very good) film, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. It treats the album Nebraska as the lowest point in his life. The problem with this take? Nebraska is the only Springsteen album I've ever really loved, and marks - to me - his greatest acheivement.

That's so interesting.

"The Rip" is a new low for Netflix's mindless filmmaking Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's cop caper is a repetitive, over-explained slog perfect for zapped attention spans.

It's extremely important that filmmakers fight against this intentional dumbing-down Netflix model. Netflix thinks this is a fight to keep distracted viewers attention. Really, it's a fight for the integrity of story telling.
www.salon.com/2026/01/25/t...

I've been absent. Apologies. You have a new YouTube channel.

new Simple Displeasures - 141 - Valparaiso (1st sneak peek)

peterwick.blogspot.com

McDonald’s faces class action lawsuit claiming McRib contains no actual rib meat The lawsuit argues the McRib’s name and rib-shaped patty mislead consumers and seeks nationwide and state-specific class action status for purchases over the past four years

See...you're taking the name too literally. 'McRib' does not have to mean 'Rib.' McRib can be anything.

www.the-independent.com/life-style/m...

200 million years from now, due to friction between Earth and the moon, an Earth day will last 25 hours. Just thought everyone would want to know ahead of time

Looking forward to the book!

I know tom Stoppard is not the same level of celebrity as some recent celebrity deaths, but after mentioning his brilliant play and film, Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead, I thought it was a good time rewatch the great Terry Gilliam film, Brazil, which Gilliam co-wrote with Stoppard.

Sir Tom Stoppard, playwright famed for his wit and depth, dies at 88 The King and Queen pay tribute to a "dear friend who wore his genius lightly".

I've been thinking about Tom Stoppard a lot recently. His alternate versions of reality influenced my 20s and 30s. Watch his hilarious low key riff on Hamlet; Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead. the movie from the 90s has Gary Oldman and Tim Roth. Brilliant. RIP Sir!

www.bbc.com/news/article...

I often say I LOVE it when it rains on L.A. This past week has been very home-town Seattle weather.

Granddaughter of ‘Charlotte’s Web’ author criticizes use of book title in DHS immigration crackdown operation | CNN In the popular children’s book “Charlotte’s Web,” the title character, a spider, uses her web as an instrument of good to help secure the freedom of Wilbur, a pig on her farm.

As an E. B. White fan - probably more for his excellent history of New Yorker essays and humor - I am appalled that his Charlotte's Web title is being used in this way. I hope Martha White somehow wins this.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/16/u...

Bizarre comment. My point is every season will shut down for 2 months, negating momentum, fitness, 'mid season form.' Bad for players, bad for the league.

A terrible terrible decision by MLS. 2 months off in the middle of the season does NOT match European leagues. Gimmicky and dumb decision. MLS credibility has been on the rise. This cuts into credibility. Basically playing 2 seasons with 2 off-seasons each year. DUMB!

YouTube video by TRU world 🎼 SOUNDGARDEN 2025 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME induction. LIVE Performance!!!Tribute to Chris Cornell 🥀

This was pretty cool! Chris Cornell's absence still hurts eight years later:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x1Y...

Hooray?

When masked agents descended on a Chicago suburb, residents sprang into action, hollering and documenting their operation | CNN Residents near Chicago are joining a coalition of resistance and opposition to ICE raids and the President Trump’s unwavering determination to detain and deport undocumented migrants en masse.

Sometimes I'm proud of grass roots Americans and the tradition of raucous protest...

www.cnn.com/2025/10/24/u...

YouTube video by The Daily Show "No Kings" Protests Defy GOP Expectations & Jon Gives Trump a Royal Inspection | The Daily Show

Jon Stewart just keeps on being brilliant. It's really quite amazing:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggIB...

Lou Piniella ejected from game, kicks hat | 08/26/1998 Mariners manager Lou Piniella is ejected from the game and kicks his hat across the field

As this Mariners playoff game goes to the 14th inning, the Fox Sports guys keep reminiscing about the great Edgar Martinez-Griffey Jr. play from 30 years ago. Here's an equally great Mariner moment from the 90s....
www.mlb.com/video/lou-pi...

Trump watches TV and thinks Portland is 'burning to the ground.'

When do we get a grown up human as President?

Hm...maybe gen z will also turn out ok also.

Waymo driverless car stopped by Bay Area police during DUI operation Police in one Bay Area city expected to spend Friday night looking for impaired drivers. Instead, they found themselves pulling over a car with no driver at all.

Someday in the future the robots will actually be drunk, and DUI tickets issued...

www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...

Trump has made me so sick of watching news, that I've actually started following the WNBA playoffs.

Jimmy Kimmel’s show to return on Tuesday | CNN “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will return to air on ABC on Tuesday night, the network announced in a statement.

These are the moments that show greatness, the fact that as a country, even our most $$ focused corporations can self-correct on principal:

www.cnn.com/2025/09/22/e...

YouTube video by Late Night with Seth Meyers Trump Returns from U.K. Visit and the White House Cracks Down on Free Speech: A Closer Look

At some moments in history, societies celebrate their artists and comedians. At other times they throw them in jail (or just cancel shows). These comedian are, currently, right at this moment, real-time heroes:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGpY...

YouTube video by 100lizi Iconoclasts Robert Redford and Paul Newman part 1/4

Redford and Newman only made two films together, Butch and Sundance, and The Sting, but it was fun to watch them together in 2005:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2uK...

Flying cars crash into each other at air show in China Footage shared on social media shows burning wreckage on the ground after the mid-air collision.

Yeah, uh...I'll take being stuck in traffic...on the ground.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

One of these rich dudes invested in a food company with all proceeds going to kids in need. The other started Sundance Institute, boosting the lives of countless artists. Hey modern rich dudes, don't be a typical greedy AI crypto-prick, be like these two.