These photos capture the subtle art of deep sleep marks—imprints left on skin after napping on objects. The collection includes marks from a TV remote, earbuds, and even a palm print.

Each photo tells a story about where someone dozed off. — Read the rest

The post Deep sleep marks captured in photos show the imprints of naps appeared first on Boing Boing.

Skateboarder Ted Barrow takes a look at the yesterday and today of Los Angeles' famous beachfront skate spots, from the Santa Monica Pier to the Venice Pavilion.

Whether you grew up watching skate movies or in West Los Angeles, the skate spots along Santa Monica and Venice Beach are iconic. — Read the rest

The post The architecture and history of LA's skateable beachfront appeared first on Boing Boing.

So I thought I would republish my paean to pancakes — which are kind of like cocktails, if you think about it —— from last year. Only this time, it's FREE. Enjoy.

The winter Olympic events consist of skiing, skating, or sliding in a variety of wild ways. Biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing and target shooting, has some competition for the title of "craziest sport combining other sports" at the Olympics with the debut of skimo. — Read the rest

The post The newest Olympic sport is bonkers appeared first on Boing Boing.

Casio's Moflin is an adorable artificial pet, which is to say a toy that's hooked up to AI so that it's squeakings and movements have some element of verisimilitude and the unexpected. The Tribble-like "AI Companion" is designed to "support, reassure, and grow with you through life's everyday moments," as the literature goes, and comes in gold and silver. — Read the rest

The post Do you love your Casio Moflin? appeared first on Boing Boing.

TL;DR: Send voice messages directly through Gmail or Outlook with a lifetime subscription to Chorde for $39.99 (MSRP $199).

Are you a better yapper than a writer? If you've got the gift of gab, but never feel like it translates to writing, it might be time to start writing emails with your voice. — Read the rest

The post Come across like yourself over email with Chorde appeared first on Boing Boing.

Earlier this month, MIT Press came out with The Unseen Internet: Conjuring the Occult in Digital Discourse by Shira Chess, and it seems like a book some of you might be interested in. 

Here is part of the book blurb: "Historically the emergence of the internet was concurrent with technopaganism, which blended digital technologies with the occult in ways that are both seen and unseen by the casual user. While technopaganism is not the only lens with which to understand the emergence of the internet, it is an understudied one that reaches toward contemporary anxieties about the ineffability of our tech."

Joseph Matheny called the book to my attention in his latest Substack, 

Matheny says he tried to do a similar book and endorses Chess'. "I will give it a full-throated endorsement and assure you that you will be in capable hands ... Included in the interviews, acknowledgements, and profiles (besides your's truly) are friends, acquaintances, and co-conspirators: Nick Herbert, Tiffany Lee Brown, Jon Lebkowsky, Robert Anton Wilson, Klint Finley, R.U. Sirius, Richard Metzger, Don Webb, Timothy Leary, and Douglas Rushkoff, to name a few. I'm sure I left someone out, but it wasn't on purpose." More at the link.

Chess has a Substack. 

Norwich-based band, Bag Of Cans are currently playing their hearts out across the UK. They are maverick - understatement, they most definitely entertain, and they provide some thumpingly good tunes. Formed in 2017, the band have a constant and loyal cohort growing fan base. Think of Britpop, especially, Blur, with a smattering of the Libertines and Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and then you may know what to expect. This band laughs at itself, and its lyrics are deliciously humorous and beautifully twisted.

Bag Of Cans produces an excellent respite to the monotonous droning of drum and bass or the sycophantic narcissism of so much of the current contemporary oeuvres. For a start this crew can write - admittedly somewhat bizarre - lyrics, but they resonate with an audience that's bored with the mainstream, often feels disenfranchised and needs a release. Why not sing about a favourite shirt.

"He's drowning in confidence (Favourite Shirt).
Smiling at strangers on the street (Favourite Shirt).
Great big grin on his face (Favourite Shirt).
Delightful, to everyone he meets (Favourite Shirt).
No, not in a strange way (Favourite Shirt).
In a hope you have a nice day way (Favourite Shirt).
In an absolute pleasure to be around way (Favourite Shirt).
And nothing could possibly change that today way (Favourite)."

Talking to the band's drummer, Joe explains how this unorthodox bunch got together.

"We all met separately. I met the bassist, Sam Watts, on my course, (Environmental Studies at UEA) and he was in a band with Tom McGhie, (journalist) separately doing gypsy jazz swing stuff. The two Georges: George Baker, trumpet and vocals and George Bryce, guitar and vocals, moved here for work, one in insurance and the other at the cathedral, and then bonded in the open mic scene and started a duo which became the initial Bag of Cans. At the same time Sam, the bassist, introduced me to Tom and we started a psych rock band with some other friends."

Joe continues, "I did a drum recording for the two Georges for some SoundCloud demos in Tom's front room which was how I got to know them. Then a member from the psych rock band I was in started putting on shows called Fangsound at the Pig and Whistle (before it became a sports bar) and asked the two Georges to play. They then asked Sam, Tom and me if we'd be able to add a full band to it - and the rest is history."

It may be history to them but to their fans it was a hallelujah moment. Their eclectic, sometimes bizarre style is typified in Hair of the Dog. Unsurprisingly the song's video depicts a dead/comatose Tom McGhie being revived by a tankard of brew. Dressing up is one of the band's fortés, but make no mistake, this group is as passionate and serious about its music and entertainment as it is its quirky humour.

Supporting Northern Irish headliners Ash for their current tour, Bag Of Cans, can be spotted in both Norwich on 17 February at Epic Studios, and Chinnery's Southend on 18 February, concluding with a grand finale at Birmingham's O2 Institute on 19 February.

With a thematic issue on a vital topic - the rise child poverty, ending on a hopeful note. You will find sharp analyses on the effect of poverty on children's lives, with a spotlight on the communities that are on the front line of deprivation, with personal stories and shared solutions. Click on the image to gain access to it, or find us on Substack.

Journalism by the people, for the people.

The post Never kick a Bag of Cans into the long grass first appeared on East Anglia Bylines.

The venture capitalist son of Anthony Scaramucci shows off his investing prowess by setting the record for the most expensive Pokémon card purchase of all time at $16.5M.

The Mooch was one of Trump's most laughable clowns, and he did his damage to the reputation of the United States in record time. — Read the rest

The post Son of Anthony Scaramucci sets record with $16.49M Pokémon card purchase appeared first on Boing Boing.

While wireless charging hasn't standardized enough to eliminate the need for three different surfaces, it has gotten pretty good. This Energizer stand handles all my portable devices and then some.

I try to keep a Kindle Paperwhite SE, Apple Watch, iPhone, Apple iPod, and iPad Pro charged up and use them all daily. — Read the rest

The post I am very happy with my Energizer wireless charging stand appeared first on Boing Boing.

Cursing and controversy rarely mix with curling or Canada. But a tense game between the Canadian and Swedish men's teams at the Milano Cortina Olympics delivered both. The incident shocked fans of the typically sportsmanlike game.

The Swedes told officials that Canadian Marc Kennedy had touched the stone's granite portion during delivery, somewhat sarcastically asking for rule clarification. — Read the rest

The post Olympic curling gets ugly with Boopgate appeared first on Boing Boing.

Green's Dictionary of Slang, the largest collection of English vulgarities, slurs and other ne'er-do-well words, is now free to read online thanks to author Jonathon Green. It is 'Quite simply the best historical dictionary of English slang there is, ever has been…or is ever likely to be,' according to the Journal of English Language and Linguistics. — Read the rest

The post Largest dictionary of English-language slang now free online appeared first on Boing Boing.

Millions of people in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and beyond are today enjoying pancakes, because it is Pancake Day. Formally Shrove Tuesday, a tradition rooted in centuries of religious practice and culinary custom preceding Ash Wednesday, it's now mostly about the pancakes. — Read the rest

The post It is pancake day appeared first on Boing Boing.

TL;DR: Microsoft Visio Professional 2024 for Windows is on sale for $44.97, giving you a lifetime license to build professional flowcharts, network diagrams, and data-linked visuals without a subscription.

Some people are visual learners. Others are visual thinkers. And if you're the type who sees processes as boxes connected by arrows, you already know that waving your hands around in a meeting just doesn't cut it. — Read the rest

The post Diagram like a grown-up with Microsoft Visio Pro 2024 for $45 appeared first on Boing Boing.

Aram Zucker-Scharff writes "I don't want to read one more thinkpiece about blackbox AI code factories until you can show me what they've produced."

I've made the same request, and there was very little even brilliant programmers could show, including some who have become influencers in the AI space.

Here's the problem -- it takes a lot of skill and patience to make software that appears simple because it gives users what they expect. It's much easier to write utility scripts, where the user writes the code for themselves. That is very possible, esp if you use a scripting language created for it, and the AI bots are really good at that, they speak the same language we do.

But to make something easy to use by humans, I think you actually have to be a human. I've found I'm not very good at creating software that isn't for me. And I've been practicing this almost every day for over fifty freaking years. (I think freaking is the proper adjective in this situation).

Scaling which everyone says is hard is actually something a chatbot does quite easily imho -- because you just have to store all your data in a relational database, you can't use the local file system. That's all there is to it. They try to make it sound mysterious (the old priesthood at work) but it is actually very simple. It's so easy even ChatGPT can do it.

I know this must sound like the stuff reporters say about bloggers, but in this case it's true. ;-)

An anectdote -- I used to live in Woodside CA where a lot of the VCs live, and we'd all eat breakfast at Buck's restaurant, and around the time Netscape open sourced their browser code, the VCs were buzzing because they wouldn't have to pay for software, they'd just market the free stuff. That was a long time ago, and it did not work out that way.

The good folks at Epomaker know that I love an ergonomic keyboard, so they've sent me their new "Split 70" model to review.

This isn't your traditional ergonomic keyboard. Essentially, this is two separate halves joined by a USB-C cable; so you can position it however you like.

Here's a quick video showing it in action:

It is very clicky! Yes, you can replace the keys and switches with something softer. But then people wouldn't know you're the sort of nerd who uses a mechanical keyboard. And where's the fun in that?!

Similarly, the lights are delightfully dazzly. Yes, you can make them more subtle or even turn them off. But then people wouldn't know you're the sort of cool kid who has a light-up keyboard.

The Split 70 comes with a USB-C to A cable. Personally, I'd've preferred straight C-C, but this does the job. Flick the switch at the back to USB mode, plug it in, and Linux instantly detected it. No drivers to configure.

It shows up as 342d:e491 HS Epomaker Split 70 - there's another switch for changing between Mac and PC mode. That doesn't change how the keyboard presents itself; just the keycodes it sends.

There's also a Bluetooth option. Again, Linux use was a breeze - although you'll have to remember what the pairing combo is and which device it is paired to.

There's also a 2.4GHz option. Hidden on the back of the left unit is a little USB-A receiver. Again, pairing is simple - just plug it in and flick the switch.

As expected, it also plays well with Android. The Bluetooth connection worked as did USB-OTG. Of course, quite why you'd want a giant heavy keyboard paired to your tiny phone is an exercise left to the reader.

This came as a US keyboard with the " and @ in the "wrong" place. It's easy to remap the keys and adjust the lights using https://usevia.app/ - although you'll need to download the JSON layout first.

It comes with a tool to remove the keys and switches. I'll admit, I'm too much of a chicken to attempt that - but it does look easy.

What doesn't look easy is the way to get it into firmware update mode - which involves shorting some pins and comes with some stringent warnings!

There is some question about whether Epomaker comply with the GPL when it comes to the QMK source. They appear to have some source code available but it is hard to tell whether it exists for this specific model.

After politely emailing them about GPL compliance, they were happy to supply a link to the Split 70's QMK source code. I'm not deep into recompiling the firmware for my keyboards - but it looked comprehensive to me.

It's delightful to type on - and I got used to the noise after a while. I wasn't a massive fan of the layout to start with, but it easy to see its appeal. Personally, I'd like an extra numpad to go with it.

The four macro keys are useful. By default, they're set to cut, copy, paste, and undo - but can easily be remapped. The knob is fun - by default it does volume, I'm sure you can find something else useful to do with it.

Battery life is excellent even if you have the lights on full disco. I kept it plugged in to my machine for typing most of the time.

Being able to adjust the split to your own specification is outstanding. If you suffer from RSI, this can genuinely help.

About £80 from Amazon UK or AliExpress. That feels reasonable for this much tech. Obviously you can get a bog-standard keyboard for buttons - but this is unique, tactile, and interesting.

This year
The winter solstice fell on 21st December 2025.
The new moon on 20th December didn't count.
The first new moon after the winter solstice was on 19th January 2026.
The second new moon after the winter solstice is on 17th February 2026.
Which is today - Kung hei fat choi!

This year

Although we are not seeing the mass rallies and violence of fascism in the 1930s, there are certainly similar trends in many countries. So, is this fascism, or something new? In a new study, Mark Coeckelbergh, Professor of Philosophy of Media and Technology at the University of Vienna, argues we are seeing a new form - "technofascism".

Political theorists argue that fascism arises from mass alienation and atomisation. Individuals who feel themselves isolated and oppressed are vulnerable to emotional myths of national rebirth and victimhood. Fascism then suppresses pluralism, fuses the state and corporate power, and turns politics into a kind of entertainment. And capitalist democracies facing crisis, and visible inequality, are particularly vulnerable.

Coeckelbergh argues that we are seeing the rise of a new form of fascism, which he terms "technofascism". This has three components: the technology itself (Artificial Intelligence and platforms), the business context (Big Tech and surveillance capitalism) and a political context (right‑wing populism, authoritarianism, and illiberal democracy). 

Where the fascism of the 1930s controlled people through mass rallies and open terror, technofascism uses algorithms that predict, nudge, and constrain behaviour, often invisibly. AI enables mass surveillance, emotional manipulation, information domination, and algorithmic governance that all erode autonomy, moral judgment and accountability.

AI and social platforms enable classic fascist patterns of myth‑making and emotional mobilisation. Personalised feeds amplify "us versus them" narratives. They polarise and dehumanise "others"; and platform owners can tweak algorithms with no need for overt censorship.

Myths about Artificial General Intelligence, the colonisation of Mars and life extension present tech billionaires as saviours of humanity. So extreme inequality and sacrifice are allowed in the name of a technological destiny. At the same time, AI chatbots and digital companions exploit loneliness and alienation by simulating intimacy, offering escape from isolation to a new sense of community.

This is aided by surveillance capitalism, corporate concentration and a "tech coup", where Big Tech gains power over regulations and politics. Where historic fascism dominated by fear, technofascism pacifies with pleasure, convenience and distraction, while AI‑driven platforms subtly steer preferences and suppress dissent. And behind libertarian rhetoric, Big Tech quietly embeds itself in states, militaries and intelligence agencies.

Coeckelbergh argues that this is what we are seeing in the rise of illiberal democracies and populism in the US and Europe. Leaders use digital media to bypass intermediaries, cultivate personality cults and turn politics into an emotional spectacle. Social media produces a "fantasy of participation": enabling people to endlessly express their political views online without having any influence on the underlying structural power. Algorithms amplify divisive content and encourage people to follow leaders, while democratic institutions, and checks and balances are hollowed out.

He does not claim that these tendencies are intentional. Many engineers and some tech leaders might not intend fascist outcomes, yet the opportunities offered by the technology, corporate incentives, capitalist crises, and illiberal politics, produce exactly that result. Digital infrastructures and AI align with authoritarian, corporatist and exclusionary politics, clothed in narratives of innovation and human benefit.

Coeckelbergh argues that conventional AI regulation and modest democratic reforms - transparency rules, impact assessments, anti‑concentration measures, better oversight, digital literacy and restrictions on political uses of AI - are all necessary, but insufficient. They do not address the deeper drivers:  unregulated capitalism, entangling of corporations with the state, social atomisation, ideological myths and the vulnerabilities of liberal democracy.

So, he calls for a broader democratisation, by:

• rebuilding stronger constitutions and independent institutions
• limiting emergency powers
• reforming intelligence services
• tackling media ownership concentration
• strengthening welfare and community
• curbing the accumulation of capital and political power in Big Tech.

He also argues for "bottom‑up" resistance: the development of AI ethics, alternative technological architectures and platform co‑operatives, and education that cultivates democratic virtues and critical awareness of the risks of technofascism.

He is not a pessimist; he believes that technofascist systems also have potential internal weaknesses: complexity, infrastructural fragility, loss of expertise, environmental crises, and cyber‑vulnerabilities, which may make opposition possible.

So technofascism is not just a metaphor - it is a mutation of fascism in the new context. To prevent societies sliding further into this form of domination, he urges not just incremental regulation of AI but a much more radical transformation of both technology and society. We need new democratic narratives and "myths" that can mobilise political emotions towards egalitarian and emancipatory ends, rather than towards authoritarian futures.

With a thematic issue on a vital topic - the rise child poverty, ending on a hopeful note. You will find sharp analyses on the effect of poverty on children's lives, with a spotlight on the communities that are on the front line of deprivation, with personal stories and shared solutions. Click on the image to gain access to it, or find us on Substack.

Journalism by the people, for the people.

The post Technofascism: AI, Big Tech, and the new authoritarianism first appeared on East Anglia Bylines.

I hope to write a serious article shortly about the position of Venezuela, which is rather that of a hostage with a gun to their head, attempting to appease a psychopath.

But for now here are a couple of small videos illustrating that it is a lie that the country is failed, starving or repressive.

Obviously in this crisis the government is under some strain. I am however trying to work my way up to get a minister to talk to me on the record about the extent of economic liberalisation, how far it is being driven by the Americans, how the country's revolutionary principles can be preserved, and the prospects for the United States lifting its naval blockade of Venezuelan oil to non-US customers.

If I can't get the access we may reach the limit of how much I can usefully do here; there is still more to bring you from the ground, and simply showing you that long term Western propaganda has given an entirely false image of the country has its uses. A mini documentary on the commune system is in the edit.

As ever with an entirely individual donation and subscriber model, there is also a question of financial sustainability. We are employing a little local team here including Natalia our cinematographer, Andreina our journalist, Jonathan our editor and Greimar our assistant, and we are hiring an apartment. It takes time to get the production pipeline going and I do understand that the output does not yet justify the expense.

As ever we need to spread the load and please we are looking primarily to those who have never donated or contributed before. Our Gofundme link for the Venezuelan operation is here:

This is the same crowdfunding account we used for Lebanon so discount the first £35,000 raised as it was spent in Lebanon.

Anybody is welcome to republish and reuse, including in translation.

Because some people wish an alternative to PayPal, I have set up new methods of subscription payment including a Patreon account and a Substack account if you wish to subscribe that way. The content will be the same as you get on this blog. Substack has the advantage of overcoming social media suppression by emailing you direct every time I post. You can if you wish subscribe free to Substack and use the email notifications as a trigger to come for this blog and read the articles for free. I am determined to maintain free access for those who cannot afford a subscription.

Subscriptions to keep this blog going are gratefully received.

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PayPal address for one-off donations: craigmurray1710@btinternet.com

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The post Two Little Caracas Videos appeared first on Craig Murray.