Erin McKean

Samuel Johnson: “I do not much wish well to discoveries, for I am always afraid they will end in conquest and robbery.”

For your enjoyment: a zine combining letterpress blocks and measurement facts: zinebakery.com/assets/homem... via @dhnow.bsky.social

happy International Pie for Breakfast Day to all who celebrate

Me using the Cuisinart: hell yeah yes!!!
Me washing the Cuisinart: well this sucks wtf

Picture of the Pope singing into a microphone, there is a man with a red skullcap behind him waiting impatiently for his turn

Any major dude with half a heart, surely will tell you, my friend
Any minor world that breaks apart, falls together again
When the demon is at your door
In the morning, it won't be there no more
Any major dude will tell you

there are 4 types of guys online. no exceptions.

Your last saved meme is your moral philosophy

I was only ever a visitor but Wednesday skate night at the old Roxy … such a good vibe. The chili at Bright Food Restaurant.

I put my dresses on one torso at a time just like every other person

The collective noun for leaf blowers is a SCOURGE

It's the 11th of the month! Sending out the Things I Learned While Looking Up Other Things newsletter a little late this month, but this edition has a lot of art-related links (including a MERCURY FOUNTAIN), some weird forensic science, and a really good name. buttondown.com/thingslearne...

We've filed 'The Montana Plan' with the Montana SOS. This is your Constitutional Initiative to make Citizens United irrelevant by simply removing a corporation's power to spend in elections.

Sometimes you have an idea so dumb that you HAVE to do it (I didn’t get this up in time for Halloween though)

I think we should bring back vibe spelling. Just add extra letters wherever, as you feel ‘em. Things can be frantick or hectick if you need that superfluous ’k’ edge. Resist the tyranny of received orthography!

Two weeks after I emailed my complaint, GoFundMe has finally replied to let me know they've taken down the page that was set up without permission -- but they're happy to "republish ... at any time to manage your presence and access donor insights." 🙄

I'm serious, I will pay hard subscription dollars to the publication that does this. Annual subscription, not that month-to-month nonsense. Start a Buttondown or something. I hear a lot of Teen Vogue journos are available ...

I want a tracker, with arrows! I want interviews with their current and new neighbors! I want weekly followups until they get a new driver's license in their new state!

I have a whole newsletter that’s just stuff I found out while trying to find out OTHER things! buttondown.com/thingslearne...

beginning to believe “neurotypical” is one of those words like “phlogiston” or “meritocracy” or “unicorn” that describes something that does not, in fact, exist

This was a very satisfying read, I recommend

Applications for the European Master in Lexicography (EMLex) (an international Master’s degree programme (120 ECTS) that has been offered since 2009) are now open! Deadline 2 Feb 2026 emlex.eu.usc.gal/web/

that's not about helping people, that's about being able to decide who is "worthy" of help ...

😬

There's a very "we're sorry if you were offended" press release now promising to take the pages down: www.nonprofitoregon.org/wp-content/u...

40 million Americans may go hungry in November because their SNAP funding is at risk.

40 million people at a time when most are already struggling to put food on the table.

Trump just gave 40 billion to Argentina.

That could feed every American.

That could easily fund SNAP.

America first?

If you missed it, @gofundme.com has set up (without consent) funding pages for nonprofits. Just got a mealy-mouthed reply from their Trust and Safety team with no answer as to when they will take these unauthorized pages down. Supposedly you have to "claim" the page to get it removed. Super-scammy.

Maybe this one? www.ebay.com/itm/16767237...

Ah! You probably want one of the Webster's New Internationals, which is easier since there were only three editions, and the Third wasn't published until 1961. :)
If it was: big and had a bunch of color plates, I'm betting it was the Second (1934).

Goodreads is terrible but they do seem to have a lot of cover images: www.goodreads.com/work/edition...

Here's a search link for 1940-1959: www.google.com/search?tbo=p...

Then you'll get results like books.google.com/books?id=5VM...

But maybe @petersokolowski.bsky.social has a better idea?