This morning’s bake. #Sourdough, of course. About 1/3 hard red whole wheat. One for the freezer and one for cutting into later, for lunch.
James R (Randy) Fromm
@RandyFromm
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Sourdough Baker. Perennial Student. ex-Cold War Sub Sailor. ex-Nuclear Nomad. Independent Scholar of Rhetoric, interested in Social Imaginaries & ‘American’ Vigilantism. Can also be found at: @randyfromm.bsky.social
@MerjaPolvinen
So, of course, I’m just finding these earlier posts … I don’t make it over here as often as I should.
This post seems to be the theme for my day. I came across this related article just this morning on my Bluesky feed. And it called to mind the work of Linda Stone (on continuous partial attention).
https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-fragmented-total-screen-main-driver.html
https://lindastone.net/2009/11/30/beyond-simple-multi-tasking-continuous-partial-attention/
Fragmented phone use—not total screen time—is the main driver of information overload, study finds
Amid hot discussion on screen time, social media use and the impact of digital devices on our well-being, a seven-month study from Aalto University in Finland sheds new light on what overwhelms users the most—and the results aren't what you might think.
Teri KanefieldMy sixteen-year-old Chilean nephew was curious about what’s going on with ICE.
In Chile, the word “conservative” is associated with capitalism, and the word “liberal” is associated with communism. He observed that Donald Trump says he’s a capitalist but doesn’t act like one.
I told him things are different here and labels have different meanings because we have a different history.
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Fresh from the oven just now: #sourdough loaf of 2/3 bread flour and 1/3 whole hard red wheat and rye (about 2:1) rolled in oats before final rise. There is a companion loaf in the fridge to bake off tomorrow morning.
It’s a bee-you-tee-full (as my high school English teacher would have said) day down here in chemtrail land, where the FAA unilaterally decided to close down the airports while CBP shot down a party ballon with a ‘high energy’ weapon.
A yard work day, for sure!
Thanks for this, Merja! I look forward to reading it ... and doing a bit more close reading myself.
Happy New Year!!
Robert Reich
CONGRATULATIONS! Well earned and deserved, Merja!
Oh, Merja ... have I got things to say about AI and some people's reactions to it. This syllabus is a gem, as is McSweeney's. Were more like this, we'd likely not have near as many problems with students who don't read them.
On the topic of AI, do you get the New York Review of Books at the Uni? If you do, look for James Gleick's recent review essay, "The Parrot in the Machine." He reviews two recent books that seek to roll back the curtain hiding the 'wizard' from our eyes.
Okay, whew. I've been writing. Some light summer beach reading . . . NOT
I begin by going over familiar territory: The authoritarian personality, what the neuroscientists tell us about our political differences. I even open with a story I’ve told before.
I need this because the new stuff requires context, so please stick with me
I add new research, new conclusions, and venture into new territory including existence pain and the role of the artist.
https://terikanefield.com/heres-why/
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