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A walk on the beach right after the storm. Lots of logs scattered all around, for miles. And sanderlings running all over the place.

For nerds of my generation, Infocom is a legend. Today, I watched the long-time overdue Infocom: The Documentary and I found it to be a gem. With no commentary or narration but made up of the protagonists’ testimonies alone, it effectively evokes the excitement and enthusiasm around the early computer game industry (and software development in general) of those early years. It is also a cautionary tale about how easy it is to fall once you reach the peak1...

We spent a weekend in Venice1 a short while ago, and one of the things that caught my attention was the wells in the city’s squares. Is there fresh water underneath that brackish swamp water? Well, no. The water from the wells in Venice is rainwater, collected by an ingenious hydraulic collection system that leveraged the square and surrounding buildings. I learned this and other intriguing tidbits by watching The Crazy Engineering of Venice on YouTube....

I took a walk on the beach last weekend. I never frequent Lido Adriano. It is much better than I expected, especially out of season.

I went for a walk in the local pinewood the other day. It’s one of my favorite places, especially the least frequented parts, where one can walk for hours (and risk getting lost) without meeting anyone. I cut it shorter this time as it started to drip rain, and I had nothing with me.

I’ve been reading Marcus Aurielius’ Meditations and, very appropriately and scaringly, YouTube algorithm thought I would be interested in Marcus Aurelius, the Man Who Solved The Universe. The title is bombastic and misplaced, but the video is well executed and correctly summarizes some of the Emperor-Philosopher’s thoughts.

The footage, captured directly by NASA’s Mars rovers - Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity, and Perseverance - unveils the red planet’s intricate details. These rovers, acting as robotic geologists, have traversed varied terrains, from ancient lake beds to towering mountains, uncovering Mars’ complex geological history. As viewers enjoy these images, they will notice informal place names assigned by NASA’s team, providing context to the Martian features observed. Each rover’s unique journey is highlighted, showcasing their contributions to Martian exploration....

I think I like his take on the topic.

The Guardian’s The Winterkeeper: A Lifetime Spent Protecting Yellowstone National Park is a beautiful short documentary I truly enjoyed watching. A little research on Steven Fuller, the protagonist, allowed me to dig out some promising reading material.