PicoBlog

In today’s issue: John Galliano seems all but certain to get another big job. My thoughts on whether or not he should. Highlights from the new documentary, High & Low: John Galliano, now streaming in the U.S. Loose Threads, including Burberry’s slump, Anna Wintour cuddling a puppy, and how much it will cost to attend Vogue World Paris. John Galliano has for the most part been restored to his former glory.

Hello! My peach tree is flowering, a sure sign of spring. Now that we’re in March, it’s time to start thinking about spring in the Northern Hemisphere, while for my family and pals in the Southern Hemisphere, fall is creeping up. Regardless of where you live, this is the moment to make and eat Hot Cross Buns with plenty of salted butter and jam. February was very kind to me.

Does Substack have a Nazi problem? This concern, raised by journalist Jonathan Katz in an article in The Atlantic, accuses this platform of allowing white supremacists to spew their ideas, find and harbor community, and raise money. I don’t want Nazis on Substack. I don’t want Nazis anywhere. But I’m also becoming a free speech absolutist, worried less about a handful of gross white supremacists and more about the implications of what happens when we police speech.

The cost of a thing is the amount of life which is required to be exchanged for it. Henry David Thoreau Humans appear to be quite fond of sitting around doing nothing. We came across two words with the same meaning not long after. The first was Niksen, which is a Dutch word. Now I'm here with a word that caresses my soul like a love song melody. Dolce far Niente

Welcome back! Another week, another Sunday edition of the Animation Obsessive newsletter. Here’s our lineup for today: One — looking at the beauty of so-called “limited” animation. Two — animation news from all around the world. Three — a bizarre retro ad for Levi’s. Four — the last word. If you’re new to the newsletter, now is a great time to sign up! It only takes a second. Catch our Sunday issues in your inbox for free, every week:

I opened the New York Times Sunday morning to find a full-page photo of Elizabeth Holmes staring at me. The black turtleneck and red lipstick were traded for a camel sweater and jeans. It reminds me of dressing defendants in sympathetic costumes for court. The Sunday Business title reads, “Liz Holmes wants you to forget about Elizabeth. As she awaits prison, the convicted Theranos founder has adopted yet another persona: devoted mother.

Happy Sunday from Bite into this. I re-watched Julie and Julia for the first time this week in many years, which inspired today’s newsletter, an ode to the Joy of Cooking. We’re finally living in the era where the Joy is unknown to the youngest people learning to cook, so today I argue in favor of its continued value. If you’d rather a recipe to inspire your cooking, check out last week’s newsletter, on strawberry shortcakes.

What are the ways you can power your house from a portable generator? I had a power outage for three days over the winter and ran a few extension cords into my refrigerator and television set, but there must be a better way. I hate messing with gasoline so how about a CarGenerator for backup power? And what’s this “suicide cable” I keep hearing about on eBay? Is it actually safe?

Art Dogs is a weekly dispatch introducing the pets—dogs, yes!, but also cats, lizards, marmosets, and more—that were kept by our favorite artists. Subscribe to receive these weekly posts in your email inbox. That’s Don Featherstone. He was born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1936, and attended art school at the Worcester Art Museum, where he fell in love with sculpting. After graduating, Don heard about a job at a local company specializing in plastic lawn decorations and applied.