I had a great view of campus today. From the 8th floor, you can really see how many trees are all over the University of South Carolina campus.
I follow a handful of Mastodon accounts here on Micro.Blog. Every so often, I notice them replying to some controversy swirling around Mastodon. Or arguing with a particularly rude commenter. I’m glad I can follow Mastodon accounts on Micro.Blog, because I don’t think I’d enjoy Mastodon.
The Beekeepers Who Don’t Want You to Buy More Bees - The New York Times:
“But that’s an agriculture story, not a conservation story,” Mr. Black said. “There are now more honey bees on the planet than there have ever been in human history.”
Streaming killed the TV clip show
Recently, we started rewatching Alias, the 2000s ABC spy thriller by J.J. Abrams.1 All five seasons are on Disney+ and we started from the beginning. Season 1 has 22 episodes, which was once considered a “full season.” Now, a streaming show rarely has more than 8 or 10 episodes a season.
Alias became a hit and attracted new viewers over the first season. But in the broadcast TV era, there wasn’t an easy way for people to go back and watch the episodes they’d missed. I remember ABC trying to rerun episodes as it gained popularity. And the “previously on” section got hilariously longer to try and catch people up.
The 17th episode of season 1, “Q&A,” is an exposition-filled clip show where a skeptical FBI agent quizzes super spy Sydney Bristow (played by Jennifer Garner). She answers his questions, explaining the premise of the series while showing...
Dropped my oldest off at college today. She is living in the same building that my wife lived in her freshman year. She’s only 20 minutes away from our house, and my office is 6 blocks away, but it’s still a big change for Team Wertz.
With the start of school, my wife’s sleep schedule has changed radically. She goes to bed much earlier because she wakes up much earlier. The result is that I’m going to bed earlier, too, but waking up at 1 am. Not fun. I’ll get used to the new schedule, but it will take a couple of weeks.
Just discovered that the Apple TV MLB app lets you stream minor league games if you have MLB AtBat. (AtBat is the radio broadcast streaming MLB product which is much cheaper than MLB.TV.) Currently watching the Cub’s Low A Affiliate Myrtle Beach Pelicans play our local Columbia Fireflies.
The Clean Energy Future Is Arriving Faster Than You Think - The New York Times:
Today, solar and wind power are the least expensive new sources of electricity in many markets, generating 12 percent of global electricity and rising. This year, for the first time, global investors are expected to pour more money into solar power — some $380 billion — than into drilling for oil.
What’s driving new growth in renewable energy? It’s not saving the environment. It’s saving money.
Finally got around to watching the season finale of Strange New Worlds. What a great season with an intense ending. Ready for season 3… which won’t be coming for a while. 🖖
Rewatching Alias on Disney+. I forgot how engaging season one was. The cliffhangers at the end of each episode. The rapid pacing. The costumes. The Rambaldi mystery. The twists and turns. So much fun.
I know the plot gets messy as the seasons add up, but I’m enjoying these early episodes.