PicoBlog

Image by L.E. Wilson from RedBubble based on work by OpenClipart on PixabayWhen I think of funny, I think of the movie Airplane! (1980). It’s so silly and fun! Oh, it’s not a perfect film by any means, but it is a unique movie, quite different from other comedies because it’s chock-full of puns, gags, slapstick, and absurdity, which are all bundled in an exciting, thrilling plot that even includes a bit of romance. It’s an amazing feat really, and why this movie remains embedded in the consciousness for years and years after watching it.

the perplexity of this question does not become easier to dissect when you unravel and pick apart the layers. once you begin to explore the depth of this question, you are only met with more equally complex and painful questions. rejection or regret? embarrassment or foolishness? even with the words rewritten, will you still get the same answer at the end of it all? possibly the most unanswerable question i’ve ever come across, let’s talk about it.

Running in Denver right now is like navigating the arctic tundra—even with temperatures back above 40 degrees, we’ve got everything from six-inch icebergs littering the roads to sheets of black ice sheathing the sidewalks.  Still, the treadmill is always my last resort. If it’s sunny and over 10 degrees here, I want to be outside. (Although I have my limits—after getting caught in Denver’s “arctic chill” the other week, I accepted a ride from a friend instead of running another 20 minutes home.

This post is inspired by a recent video by Joey Swoll, the self-proclaimed “CEO of GYM POSITIVITY,” and I do recommend you smash that follow.  My take as a woman who is in the gym several times per week for work and my own workouts: Yes, it can be OK to shoot your shot in the gym, but as is the case in any other context and location, it requires tact, understanding of social cues, and emotional intelligence.

Have you ever fallen in love with a painting or piece of artwork and then realized that you couldn’t afford it? Do you think owning original artwork is outside your budget? Have you ever thought about, or indeed tried, haggling with an artist to get a discount? There is a lot of advice out there on etiquette when it comes to buying art but, the truth is, there is no single approach that can be applied to all artists.

Owen Wolff’s been a weirdly controversial Austin FC player for someone who’s plugged in ably during the 2023 season. According to Transfermarkt — and we’ll definitely be referencing that site here in a couple of spots — the 18-year-old slotted in at four distinct positions for Verde in MLS play. The first three — attacking midfield, central midfield, an… ncG1vNJzZmiulaexpq3LpZuasV6owqO%2F05qapGaTpLpwvI6orp6mXay8rbLFZmlpamNiwKat0qilZqqVq7amw4xrZ2tsXai9pq%2FUpZitoZ%2Bj

The Culture Journalist is a podcast about culture in the age of platforms. Episodes drop every other week, but if you want the full experience — including bonus episodes, culture recommendations, and our eternal parasocial friendship — we recommend signing up for a paid subscription. All earnings go back into making the show. Hi pals! To celebrate the release of Blood in the Machine: The Origins of the Rebellion of Big Tech by the great tech journo Brian Merchant (Buy it!

What is AG1? AG1 by Athletic Greens is a popular nutritional supplement that comes in powder form, often referred to as a "greens supplement". It contains a wide variety of nutrients including, per its website, “vitamins, minerals, probiotics, prebiotics, adaptogens, and various superfood extracts.” The makers of AG1 claim that its goal is the address common nutritional gaps and provide support across the following key areas: energy, immunity, gut health, hormonal support, and longevity (we will dig into some of these claims momentarily).

The accompanying shiur is available on the Orthodox Union's parsha learning app: All Parsha. My introduction to the prohibition of lashon harah (roughly translated as “negative speech”) was with a song. “Lashon harah lamed hei,” the song begins—the lamed hei being the first letters of each respective word, “spell it backwards that’s where you’ll stay.” The latter part of the song is what stings most. For those who either haven’t heard the song or worked out what the Hebrew letters lamed hei spelled backward is a reference to, I’ll spell it out for you: הל is a reference to hell.