Working for the weekend

Further escalating its war with Iran, the United States begins a military blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. / Politico

What makes Iran’s Lego-themed propaganda videos so effective? Because AI is trained on so much Western content, it’s the perfect tool to reach American audiences. / BBC News

See also: A history of gas station signs is also a history of America’s national mood. / The Atlantic [$]

“Optimistic people tend to be pretty happy and healthy, but they can also be a bit complacent.” Hope versus optimism. / Vox

Weekends aren’t meaningful because you have two days off, it’s because others do as well—and when workplaces try to encroach on that, they’re damaging society. / The Hustle

Traffic fatalities in the US increase on days big albums are released, apparently related to distracted driving while using streaming apps. / The New York Times [$]

Any benefits non-diabetics may get from wearing a continuous glucose monitor can be muddied by advice from influencers and a need for perfectionism. / The Verge

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The artist behind the world’s pinkest pink has made the color freely available to everyone except the artist who trademarked Vantablack. / My Modern Met

When New York diners use AI to advertise their food and atmosphere, the result is a synthetic version of the authentic experience patrons want. / The New York Groove

In a study of mosquito flight paths, student volunteers temporarily donate their bodies to research, donning mesh suits and waiting for bites. / Georgia Tech

When asked to imagine certain cognitive tasks, some vegetative patients show brain responses that match those activities. / The New York Times [$]

iPods may not be back —yet—but second-hand sales are on the rise, and growing interest in digital audio players shows it’s more than nostalgia. / Gizmodo

Vintage Pan Am luggage tags recreated by Ella Freire. / Ella Freire

Watch: Videos of skateboarding without music are a sort of ASMR. / YouTube, MetaFilter

“Nobody told me that watching competent people do a hard thing correctly would be the most therapeutic experience of my adult life.” Artemis II is competency porn. / Airplane Mode

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