link dump #9

 

I follow a lot of RSS feeds which makes it easier for me to discover interesting web pages without having to visit my list of interesting blogs which aren't updated often.  I hate to send these interesting links via email since it feels too much like a teacher giving homework... here, go read all of these web pages and report back to me.  Instead I think collecting them in a blog post is a friendlier way to pass links along.

My Google Alert for stories about Andy Weir alerted me to the news that the directories of the movie Project Hail Mary are planning to adapt the first book from Dennis E. Taylor's Bobiverse series as their next film project.  If you enjoy SciFi books and haven't read this series, you're in for a treat.
https://www.cbr.com/universal-hard-sci-fi-bobiverse-next-step-after-project-hail-mary/

I love old Blues music so this story about a new recording of Cross Road Blues by Robert Johnson grabbed my attention.  This recording is amazingly clear and provides insight into how revolutionary his music was in the 1930s.  It gives a better context for how the rumor about him selling his soul to the devil for his outstanding guitar skills came about.  Wow, I love the way a slide guitar sounds when played by a expert musician.
https://www.openculture.com/2026/04/recording-lets-you-hear-delta-blues-legend-robert-johnson-in-stunning-clarity.html

I follow NASA's APOD (Astronomy Picture of the Day) because the pictures are always interesting.  This photo is one of my favorites.  I love taking pictures of crepuscular rays.  I had no idea that anticrepuscular rays existed.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250204.html

As a film buff, this story about younger viewers no longer having the attention span requires to watch a full length film saddens me.  Apparently many feel the need to glance at their phones.  Alamo Drafthouse used to be my favorite venue for movies thanks to their strict policy of ejecting customers using their phones in the theater. but that may no longer be the case  Apparently their new policy of allowing phone ordering has degraded the experience.
https://tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com/2026/01/attention-span-problems-viewing-movies.html

Voice AI tools are threatening the livelihoods of voice actors.  I enjoy animated programs and movies and can't imagine them without the work of the talented humans who help bring them to life.  I feel the same way about the narrators of audiobooks.  Their performance can add so much to my enjoyment of a book.
https://restofworld.org/2026/ai-voice-actors-hollywood-dubbing/

Lawrence of Arabia is one of my favorite movies.  This quote illustrates Lawrence's irreverent attitude towards authority.
https://www.quotes.net/mquote/1194085

I recently found a mention of Margaret Hamilton, who reportedly coined the term "software engineer" while working at NASA.  I've long been an admirer since first seeing the famous picture of her standing next to her assembly language listings.  The quality of her code is legendary.  The link below contains a story of her daughter uncovering a bug in the AGC (Apollo Guidance Computer) in a simulator while playing with it was really interesting.  If you prefer video, Youtube has a short video of her talking about the incident.
https://wehackthemoon.com/people/margaret-hamilton-her-daughters-simulation

I've been a fan of Penn & Teller for a long time.  This story surprised me a bit.  While Penn often shares his political views, I don't recall them taking such an active stance as this.  I guess the fight against pseudo-scientific thinking is never ending.
https://hoodline.com/2026/04/penn-teller-crash-supreme-court-fight-over-texas-hypnosis-death-row-case/

I found this story about kids making the trek from Oklahoma to New York on their own in 1910 fascinating.
https://texascooppower.com/the-astonishing-ride-of-the-abernathy-boys/