OMM – July 2024 – #4
~ a curated selection of discoveries ~
::: The Open :::
Dear Reader,
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Thank you for reading and for your time.
With Gratitude,
~ Mark
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Please Note:
This newsletter is typically too long to appear in its entirety in an email. Please click through to Substack to read in full.
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::: Personal Notes :::
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A poem of mine was published in The New Verse News the day after the attempted assassination of Former President Donald Trump.
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I have a poem in the 20th Anniversary Issue (Issue #156) of Right Hand Pointing.
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I posted an essay in OMM on Class Dysphoria.
I’m remembering that when I talk about zip code destiny in the piece, I would have liked to add something about Rawl’s “veil of ignorance” but maybe that’s getting too into the philosophical weeds.
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I posted another essay in OMM about my personal experience with asthma, air quality, managing extreme heat, and future climate concerns.
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What Lit Mag Is the Right Home for Your Work?
I’m still hoping other lit mags will join the cause and do a bit of research and contemplation about the lit mags they believe have kinship with their own. I’d like to see more community assistance helping poets and writers find appropriate homes for their work (and making the process less arduous).
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::: ONE ART :::
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26 Literary Journals with Fast Response Times (Authors Publish)
This list includes ONE ART.
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“Stealth Formalism”: Formal Verse for Free Verse Poets
Instructor: Nicole Caruso Garcia
Date: August 14, 2024
Time: 6:00-8:00pm (Eastern)
Price: $25 (payment options)
& & &
Short & Sweet: Writing the Short Poem
Instructor: Donna Hilbert
Date: Thursday, August 22, 2024
Time: 5:00-7:00pm (Pacific)
Price: $25 (payment options)
More registration info forthcoming. Contact Mark Danowsky directly @ oneartpoetry@gmail.com if you wish to attend.
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::: Podcasts :::
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If Books Could Kill just re-released their episode on JD Vance’s “Hillbilly Elegy”.
I read at least part of the book and listened to interviews with Vance when the book was published in 2016 or soon after.
I was living in West Virginia at the time and I probably thought the book would give me some insight into Appalachian life.
It’s interesting what you remember and don’t remember. As the hosts note, the liberal cultural zeitgeist had a short-lived love affair with the book. Initially, lots of rave reviews.
Not the same at all but I’m reminded of the blowback that happened with James Frey’s “A Million Little Pieces” on Oprah back in 2006.
I’m also reminded of the powerful story Mike Daisey told on This American Life, in 2012, which he then had to walk back.
2016 was a very different time than 2012 and 2006 is a lifetime ago.
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::: Music :::
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This review is a sad reminder that Eminem, in spite of his talent, refuses to grow up. He remains a dick constantly who punches down.
What a waste of talent.
It’s also a reminder that talented people can be “genius” in some respects and have massive blind spots and a complete lack of insight (self-awareness) into other areas of their own reality and life in society.
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::: The Literary Community & Beyond :::
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This sounds like a good read:
Our Long Marvelous Dying by Anna DeForest
DeForest just had a short article in LitHub that is powerful.
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If you sign up for TWJN’s newsletter, you get 5 free pitch opportunities in your inbox each week. Even if you aren’t pitching, I personally find it interesting to see what’s out there and what editors operating in different markets are seeking.
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‘24PearlStreet Upcoming Workshops and Events’
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‘A Four Week Workshop on the Art & Craft of Writing Personal Essays’ (Authors Publish)
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‘100+ Lit Mags Who Like to Laugh’ – Updated Google doc from WitCraft resources
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79 Opportunities for Historically Underrepresented Authors in July 2024 (Authors Publish)
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‘Bill Viola, Video Artist Who Established the Medium as an Integral Part of Contemporary Art, Dies at 73’ (ArtNews)
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‘Daughter of Alice Munro Speaks Out About Abuse’ (Book Riot)
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Best of the Net released their 2024 selections.
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‘The Platform Authors Need Now (That Isn’t Social Media)’ (Allison K Williams featured on Jane Friedman’s blog)
Fiction suggestions differ from poetry suggestions, for example:
“Try not to publish more than 30–50% of your manuscript, but standalone work almost always needs serious revision to truly stand alone, so it’s not a spoiler.”
The following is important to consider:
“True platform is Lived Platform. We best create an audience of readers—and reach the audience already there—by publishing our work as widely as possible (which means writing better), carrying out projects we care about (and giving up activities that aren’t serving our work and our goals), and making personal connections by actively reaching out and participating in real life and online.”
This is elaborated on in a post for Brevity— ‘We Need Platform Yes We Do’ by Allison K Williams (Social Media Manager for Brevity)
“Who are you talking to as your public self, and who’s listening?”
“A lived platform doesn’t have to be a life spent in the public eye. Celebrity is one kind of lived platform, but this platform can also be subject-matter expertise, or a lifetime of experience that relates to a cultural moment now.”
There’s a focus on community that I appreciate.
“How much energy do I want to spend connecting with my community, both readers and fellow authors, versus the amount I want to spend on carefully improving my writing?”
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(Note: I read this article and was planning to share it BEFORE the Crowdstrike catastrophe… It feels even more urgent now.)
Writers.
You want to make sure your work and notes (and more) remain available in the future.
‘How to Properly Archive Your Digital Files’ (WIRED)
“Will you be able to open today’s Word docs in 20 years? Probably not, unless you take some necessary steps to give those digital files an extra-long shelf life.”
“Twenty years, in the digital realm, is ancient,” says Lance Stuchell, director of digital preservation services at the University of Michigan. His team is frequently tasked with recovering digital files from old computers and storage mediums. “We have a lab that can deal with old media—floppy drives, CDs, older computers. We can get that off of those types of media and move it into our preservation system while ensuring we don't mess it up while we're doing it.”
“For documents he recommends PDF/A, an open standard built on top of Adobe's PDF format that includes everything the file needs in order to be opened, including the fonts used in the document. Microsoft Office, LibreOffice, and Adobe Acrobat all support exporting to PDF/A, meaning it's relatively easy to make such a file. Stuchell recommends that you archive any document that you want to keep to that format.”
““PDF/A is an open standard,” says Stuchell. This principle can apply to all of your documents. An Excel spreadsheet that opens fine now might not open in 20 years, but if you export that spreadsheet as a CSV file—which is essentially just a text document that other spreadsheet applications can understand—you can be sure that the file will be openable for decades to come.”
“Basically, if a file on your computer can only be opened by a specific piece of software, and that software is controlled by a single company, you should probably export it to an open format. It's the only way to future-proof it.”
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::: Health & Wellness :::
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Dogs can be trained to tell if a person has PTSD with 90% accuracy.
A good doctor should be able to tell with 99% accuracy.
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‘35 Gaslighting Phrases That Experts Say Are Unfairly Belittling Your Emotions’
First, I’m by no means disagreeing that gaslighting is both disturbing and cruel.
If you read this piece, you may note that some of these statements are somewhat commonplace for generations older than millennials. I don't think Gen Xers, Boomers, or Greatest Generation thought they were gaslighting. Though, let’s keep in mind the film Gaslight was released in 1944.
Not a retort, rather a reminder we can get in trouble using “therapy speak” outside sessions.
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A short piece about Shadow Work.
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We remain lost on the subject of how sleep works.
That being said, this is interesting…
‘Night owls’ cognitive function ‘superior’ to early risers, study suggests’ (Guardian)
“Going to bed late is strongly associated with creative types. Artists, authors and musicians known to be night owls include Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, James Joyce, Kanye West and Lady Gaga.”
“But while politicians such as Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill and Barack Obama famously seemed to thrive on little sleep, the study found that sleep duration is important for brain function, with those getting between seven and nine hours of shut-eye each night performing best in cognitive tests.”
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“Teflon Flu” is a thing and no it has nothing to do with “Teflon Don” (WaPo)
“It’s linked to a coating on some nonstick pans.”
“Over the last two decades, poison centers in the United States have received more than 3,600 reports of suspected cases of “polymer fume fever,” a flu-like illness linked to a chemical coating found on some nonstick pans.”
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The ongoing discussion about risks and potential gains associated with use of psychedelics in therapeutic settings. (NPR)
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So many articles are misleading… This article in Newsweek begins with a presumption that is essentially debunked by the end of it.
“Even if a causal relationship is found, maternal diets are not the only factor influencing a child's likelihood of developing autism, and it is estimated that around 80 percent of autism cases can be linked to inherited genetic mutations.”
“In other words, a mother could follow a perfectly balanced, healthy diet and still see their child receiving an autism diagnosis.”
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::: Attempted Assassination of Former President Donald Trump :::
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Important Facts:
There were civilian casualties.
The shooter was Thomas Matthew Crooks, a resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.
Thomas Matthew Crooks was a registered Republican.
TMC was 20-years-old.
TMC used an AR-15 style assault rifle.
TMC is believed to have acted alone.
We probably should be too hard on the Secret Service. It’s a tough job that very few people would be willing to do.
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“[…] Symbolism is often more significant than substance.” (Politico)
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“For Trump, much digital ink was spilled analyzing the potential political value of photos taken of him just after the shooting, most notably Evan Vucci’s Associated Press photo showing a bloodied Trump raising his fist while the American flag is behind him. His fans opined on social media that it made him look “tough,” with many making the comparison to the 1912 incident when Theodore Roosevelt was shot during a campaign speech and finished his speech. (The comparison is not perfect: Trump did not finish his speech, and Roosevelt lost that election.)” (Vox)
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“President Biden has clearly declined with age and is fighting to maintain his role as nominee. Trump is a victim now, but he’s still the same man he was before it happened. Biden is a steady leader but in a poor position to handle a crisis; Trump is a demagogue who is more likely to raise tensions rather than lower them.”
“A gunman’s bullet has just sent the country hurtling into an abyss. The only question now is how far we fall.”
(Vox)
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“Edward Luce of the Financial Times noted, “Almost any criticism of Trump is already being spun by Maga as an incitement to assassinate him. This is an Orwellian attempt to silence what remains of the effort to stop him from regaining power.” Indeed, MAGA Republicans appear to be trying to stop discussion of their extremist plans— which are enormously unpopular— by claiming that such a discussion is polarizing.” (Letters from an American)
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Trump is not 50 Cent.
‘Forbes removes column that asks if Trump surviving shooting will appeal to black voters’ (New York Post)
“Just casual racism from Forbes,” filmmaker Randy Wilkins argued. “No biggie.”
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“Over 23 million Americans watched President Biden’s press conference last Thursday. That’s more people than watched this year’s Oscars.” (The Skimm)
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::: Small Explorations & Deep Dives :::
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Mainstream Media (MM) is in a new[ish] position. I don’t know how long it has been the way it’s been. MM now knows that social media, independent sources, alt media, will cover the many sides of a story. At the moment, I’m partly reminded of Rashomon. A story can be told many ways. We are all too well aware that “the truth” has been under assault to create mass confusion thereby opening the door to a strongman.
In the story of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, Mainstream Media is (mostly) taking the high ground. That’s not the case on social media. Because of course it isn’t.
My open-ended question involves wondering what MM organizations have been strategizing behind closed doors when it comes to messaging while keeping in mind the knowledge that the state of play has changed. What is the responsibility of conventional journalism today? Hop on Twitter (X) or TikTok or Facebook and it’s instantly evident we are unable to police ourselves. And I don’t think we’re secretly yearning for a Hobbesian Leviathan either.
Citizen journalism can only take us so far.
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The Worst is Ahead of Us
“News stories constantly remind us that we’re headed for trouble. Children are being murdered, authoritarianism is on the rise, and Earth is inevitably going to warm so much that it will likely kill millions of people. Given this, how could we possibly imagine a less bleak future?” (The Pudding)
Lots of thoughtful “What if” questions in this piece.
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Almost 1 in 3 Americans think they'll always need a 'side hustle' (QZ)
I am one of them.
Also, just one side hustle?
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The Hong Kong government is making its own version of ChatGPT…
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“The price of a first-class postage stamp went up for the second time this year on Sunday. It’ll now cost you five cents more—73 cents—to send snail mail.” (The Skimm)
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Semafor reports that The Daily Mail Group has been in talks to acquire The Skimm, which is known for having a “strong, largely female audience”.
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“Are Capes In Style?” I’m going to say… yes. Because why not?
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Can you wear gold and silver jewelry at the same time? Also, yes.
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You can wear whatever socks feel right to you. It’s totally fine.
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Star Wars OTW
‘South Korea to mass produce lasers that can take out drones at $1.50 a hit’ (CNN)
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Wild read.
“She Made $10,000 a Month Defrauding Apps like Uber and Instacart. Meet the Queen of the Rideshare Mafia” (WIRED)
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‘Mushrooms Help Turn Toxic Brownfields into Blooming Meadows’ (Good News Network)
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‘Is This the Craziest Sneaker You Have Ever Seen?’ (NYT)
Interesting story about tech advancements.
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10.3 Billion… “The number of humans expected to exist when the world reaches its peak population, probably in the mid-2080s. The United Nations’ latest demographic report says that in 63 countries — containing more than a quarter of the world’s population — numbers have already peaked. Another 48 countries are expected to start seeing population decline in the next 30 years. The total number of people alive in 2100 is now projected to be 700 million smaller than the last estimate, a decade ago, as birth rates decline faster than anticipated.” (Semafor)
Don’t be speciesist.
This is actually good news.
This will allow the planet to maintain life longer.
The tragedy? Population decline is going to happen for many bad reasons. Poverty and starvation. Preventable diseases that will not be prevented. Wars. Hoarding of resources. The list goes on. Less humans isn’t the problem… if the human population is living a decent life.
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‘Dogs might have evolved to read your emotions’ (Nature)
We kinda already know this but here comes Science to put some factual weight behind it.
But wait there’s more…
“Studies testing whether the animals are just reacting to weird human sounds, or are capable of true emotional contagion — the ability to interpret and reflect people’s emotional states — are thin on the ground. Most animals can accurately echo the feelings of only other members of their species. But studies have shown that dogs (Canis familiaris) can mirror the emotions of the people around them.”
“Like dogs, pet pigs are social animals that are from a young age raised around people. But unlike dogs, pigs have been kept as livestock for most of their history with humans. So, if emotional contagion can be learnt through just proximity to people, pet pigs should respond in similar ways to dogs.”
A reminder… eating pigs is an ethical dilemma… even for non-vegetarians/vegans.
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‘THE UNEXPECTED POETRY OF PHD ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS’
Yeah… I don’t think we want to call this “poetry” …
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Nate Silver (FiveThirtyEight) joins prediction market startup Polymarket (Axios)
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Sebastián Marset direct-to-streaming docu-drama inevitably already in progress.
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‘The Eight U.S. States With Population Declines in 2023’ (Visual Capitalist)
Unfortunately, flight is probably not from desirable areas or, at least in some cases, for reasons that are preferable or result in heartwarming stories.
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‘These 10 U.S. states have America’s worst economies in 2024’ (CNBC)
Depressing.
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Sign of the times.
‘Doomsday dinners: Costco sells ‘apocalypse bucket’ with food that lasts 25 years’ (CNBC)
“The Readywise Emergency Food Bucket boasts 150 freeze-dried and dehydrated meal servings and has caused a stir on social media. With an online price tag of $79.99, the bucket’s product description boasts that it’s more than just food, it provides “readiness in the face of uncertainty.”
“The bucket features 80 entrees and sides, 30 breakfast servings and 40 drink servings that just need water to prepare, for a total of 25,280 calories. The meal options range from teriyaki rice, tomato basil soup, pasta Alfredo, cheesy macaroni and apple cinnamon cereal.”
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‘Subway worker denies conservative Christians service because of their outrageous t-shirts’ (LGBTQ Nation)
HATERS DENIED.
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Great article intro to the Crowdstrike debacle by The Skimm:
“CrowdStrike might sound like a straight-to-DVD action movie starring a professional wrestler, but it’s actually one of the world’s foremost cybersecurity firms.”
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An obvious problem with monopoly-esque situations… Crowdstrike is being used by more than half of Fortune 500 companies.
Relatedly, AWS (Amazon Web Services) is used by… basically everyone for basically everything.
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We have just a few major cloud storage companies.
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‘MrBeast’s TeamSeas Initiative Pulls 34 Million Pounds of Trash From the Ocean’ (MMM)
A YouTuber did this… so that means companies and governments should be able to do so as well.
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Beyond the worrisome index, Waffle House is where it all happens.
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Mongolia wins Gold for Best Olympic Uniforms.
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News people trust… and don’t. (Visual Capitalist)
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“None of us, in our secret hearts, are truly one kind of person.”
“Binaries are inescapable, consistently rearticulated and affirmed by our social environment. Most of all, we must be vigilant about binaries. Remembering to see them as a starting point, a comfort zone to push past, to inspire resistance rather than passivity. […] To take a binary at face value, simply because it feels true, is another kind of loss.”
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::: Humor :::
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‘New App Connects Users Too Tired To Get Out Of Bed With Gig Worker Who Will Turn Off Their Lights’ (The Onion)
Too real.
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‘Is AI funnier than humans? This study says so — but you be the judge’ (New York Post)
Love the meta use of using AI chatbots to search for photos that make fun AI chatbot humor.
“ChatGPT’s jokes are hilarious — if you’re a 4-year-old.”
“ChatGPT’s jokes would get booed off most stages.”
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‘Humor in parenting: Does it have a role?’ (PLOS ONE)
How else do parents survive?
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::: Google Search Trends :::
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People are wondering why the Secret Service wears sunglasses.
Obviously, the answer is because it makes them look cool.
Also, have you seen The Matrix? The Agent look is rather trendy.
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JD Vance is, of course, now selling a ridiculous number of copies of Hillbilly Elegy.
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People are looking up the definition of “elegy”… so that’s something.
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People are searching for the best deals on streaming bundles. There are so many… paradox of choice… purposeful overwhelm so we spend more money on services we don’t really need.
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People are concerned about “office chair butt” … basically, a PSA to remember not to sit too long or in the same position for too long… It’s important to get up and walk around periodically for health reasons. I’m saying this for myself, too.
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Searches for Food Trucks are up. This is apparently standard for June/July.
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People in Florida are confused about how to park on a hill.
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People don’t really understand what yield signs mean. Comforting.
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People don’t understand hydroplaning.
I’m guessing that means they really don’t understand that it can occur are a surprisingly low speed. Generally, any speed over 35 mph.
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People don’t know what a CDL is even though trucking is one of the largest industries in the U.S.
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Some “Boho” styles are trending… they involve hair
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Y2K outfits are in
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Most searched “how does overconsumption affect …”
past year, US
1. The environment
2. Climate control
3. Society
4. The economy
5. Biodiversity
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::: News of the Weird :::
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‘The first Miss AI has been crowned — and she’s a Moroccan lifestyle influencer’ (CNN)
I find this very creepy.
“Meet Kenza Layli, a Moroccan lifestyle influencer who hopes to bring “diversity and inclusivity” to the AI creator landscape. With nearly 200,000 Instagram followers, and a further 45,000 on TikTok, Layli is entirely AI-generated, from her images to her captions and buzzword-filled acceptance speech.”
“The inaugural Miss AI contest opened in spring, drawing entries from some 1,500 AI programmers around the world, according to organizers Fanvue, an influencer platform for both AI and human creators. Layli was created by Myriam Bessa, founder of the Phoenix AI agency, who will receive $5,000 cash, support on Fanvue and a publicist to raise Layli’s profile. The runners-up were AI contestants Lalina Valina from France and Olivia C of Portugal.”
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Consistent Recommendations:
ONE ART: a journal of poetry – daily poems
Verse Daily – daily poems
Chill Subs – down to earth submissions resource
** Want to subscribe? Get a discount using this ONE ART exclusive affiliate link.
Becky Tuch’s LitMagNews – literary community news & essential resource
Trish Hopkinson – resource for the literary community
Erika Dreifus – resource for the literary community
C. Hope Clark’s Funds for Writers –weekly email newsletter contains invaluable short essays
The Poetry Space_ with Katie Dozier & Timothy Green (podcast)
Commonplace: Conversations with Poets and Other People (podcast hosted by Rachel Zucker)
The Gray Area with Sean Illing (podcast)
Hidden Brain (podcast)
Heather Cox Richardson’s Letters from an American – daily news with historical context
Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance – political commentary
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::: Shameless Promotion :::
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Chill Subs – down to earth submissions resource
** Want to subscribe? Get a discount using this ONE ART exclusive affiliate link.
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A mobile app for reading poems and more from literary journals.
You’ll find select ONE ART poems if you sign up.
I hope you’ll check it out.
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