Carcassonne Political Film Fest Rejects Far-Right City Funding
The Carcassonne International Political Film Festival, now in its eighth edition (January 15‑19, 2026), turned down a municipal grant from the city’s far‑right‑led council. Organizers said accepting the money would compromise artistic independence and align the event with a political agenda they reject. The offer, reportedly around €50,000, was made by Mayor Jean‑Claude Dupont, a member of the National Rally. Instead, the festival will pursue private sponsorship to fund its program.
Cannes and Tokyo Launch the 'Japan IP Market'
The Cannes Film Market (Marché du Film) has partnered with the Tokyo International Film Festival Content Market (Tiffcom) to launch the Japan IP Market, debuting at Cannes 2024. The new platform will present a curated slate of Japanese film, television,...
I'm so Sorry- I Feel Like an Absolute Failure Today
Dr. Julia Patterson, a six‑month‑pregnant newsletter author, announced she will skip today’s edition due to worsening Braxton‑Hicks contractions, dizziness, and abdominal tightening. She describes the symptoms as intense, leading her to pull over while driving and break down in tears....
Pyncher Sign to Heist or Hit and Unleash Explosive New Single ‘One Day’
Manchester indie quartet pyncher has signed to the cult label Heist or Hit and released their new single 'One Day.' The track, recorded with Alex Greaves in Leeds, mixes drum‑machine urgency reminiscent of The Strokes with the fuzzed‑out rawness of...
Massive Attack and Tom Waits' Boots On The Ground Addresses "the American Epoch that Is yet to Be Named."
Massive Attack has released "Boots On The Ground," their first original track since 2016, featuring Tom Waits' first new recording in 15 years. The song and its accompanying film comment on an unnamed American epoch marked by large‑scale ICE protests,...
Tinvìs – Satisfied
Indie band Tinvìs has dropped the single “Satisfied,” a folk‑rock track that opens with a cinematic piano and unfolds into an intimate, lyric‑driven composition. The song earned a glowing review that likens its emotional core to the sound of Mercury...
100%WET Return with Cinematic “Hypergaze” Anthem ‘Eleanor’s Escape’
Copenhagen duo 100%WET released “Eleanor’s Escape,” their first original single of 2026, expanding their signature “hypergaze” sound by fusing shoegaze textures with drum‑and‑bass energy. The track follows a health‑related hiatus that forced the band to cancel UK shows, and signals...
I Read Over 20 Psychology Books to Learn These 20 Lessons
The article distills 20 core lessons drawn from more than 20 seminal psychology books, spanning cognitive biases, trauma, habit formation, and social dynamics. It explains dual‑system thinking, predictable irrationality, choice overload, and Cialdini’s persuasion levers, then moves to body‑stored trauma,...
5 Types of People You Should Not Trust According to Charlie Munger
Charlie Munger, the late Berkshire Hathaway vice‑chair, warned investors to steer clear of five character types that can erode wealth and decision‑making. He flagged people who force a single solution on every problem, those whose incentives clash with clients, individuals...
10 Signs You’re a High Value Person, According to Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett outlines ten habits that define a high‑value person, from using an inner scorecard instead of external applause to protecting reputation at all costs. He stresses intellectual honesty, daily learning, disciplined focus, and choosing associations that raise standards. Long‑term...
Does Your Coworking Space Need A Rage Room?
Rage rooms, once a niche novelty, are seeing rapid adoption by corporations seeking hands‑on stress relief and team‑building experiences. Coworking operators are eyeing these spaces as a way to differentiate their offerings and deepen member community. While the concept taps...
Ghosting Your Own Book: How to Cross the Finish Line When You Want to Run Away
Anne Marina Pellicciotto spent over a decade crafting a memoir before hitting a mental‑health wall while drafting a required synopsis. A therapist session helped her untangle inner conflicts, and she turned to Claude, an AI writing assistant, to generate a...
Nvidia Ising and DARPA's Heterogeneous Architectures for Quantum Program
Nvidia launched its open‑source Ising family of AI models on World Quantum Day, targeting quantum‑processor calibration and real‑time error‑correction decoding. The company argues that large‑language models can turn today’s noisy quantum chips into reliable, large‑scale computers. Meanwhile, DARPA’s Heterogeneous Architectures...
Godwin Is Expanding the Frame With ‘RENDITIONS’
Nigerian artist Godwin is expanding his creative scope with the piano‑driven EP *RENDITIONS*, a reinterpretation of beloved Nigerian classics, while his documentary *Crocodile* chronicles a decade of work with his brothers in The Critics and recently screened at the Berlinale....
The Waiting Room • Daily Devo #522
Daily Devo #522 reflects on biblical waiting rooms through Elijah’s drought‑filled exile and Mephibosheth’s disability‑induced marginalization. Both narratives illustrate how God uses periods of apparent stagnation to prepare for dramatic breakthroughs—rain after three years for Elijah and full land restoration...
Simulated Qualia Mugging
Israeli startup Toda Corporation, the leader in whole‑brain emulation, inadvertently exposed the weight files of its first human upload after a backdoor in OpenSSH was exploited in spring 2029. The leaked data, briefly hosted on HuggingFace, was sold to the...
Bill Rees: A Childhood Moment on a Canadian Farm Led to Ecological Footprint Analysis
Bill Rees recalls a childhood epiphany on his Ontario farm that sparked a lifelong quest to quantify humanity’s demand on Earth. In 1996, with Mathis Wackernagel, he introduced the Ecological Footprint, a metric that compares global consumption to the planet’s...
There’s No Single Path Through Collapse. It Spans Multiple Systems and Perspectives
In his upcoming book *Collapse: Navigating Civilization’s Predicaments With Wisdom and Courage*, author JP Quinonez frames the unfolding polycrisis as a convergence of ecological limits, thermodynamic constraints, and deep‑seated psychological and cultural forces. Drawing on months spent living off‑grid in...
The Pretty Flowers – “Convent Walls”
The Pretty Flowers dropped their sophomore album Never Felt Bitter on March 27 through independent label Forge Again Records. The record’s standout track, “Convent Walls,” blends vibrant power‑pop guitars with indie rock energy. The song’s title references a rare 1980s...
How to Stay Sharp, Creative, and Focused in the Age of AI with Steven Kotler
Steven Kotler, NYT‑bestselling author and founder of the Flow Research Collective, joins The Ready State to explore how AI, information overload, and rapid tech change strain our ancient brains. He argues that the mismatch fuels burnout, fragmented attention, and a...
CatDraggon – “Hello My Old Friend”
California‑born psych‑rock artist CatDraggon has dropped her new single “Hello, My Old Friend,” a meditation on grief written after losing a close friend to cancer. The track fuses 60s blues‑rock grit with Latin and neo‑psychedelic flavors, while maintaining soulful, vintage‑style...
Angine De Poitrine
Quebec‑based duo Angine de Poitrine, consisting of guitarist Khn and drummer Klek, has issued two concept albums in rapid succession: Vol. I in 2024 and Vol. II just two weeks ago. Their music fuses microtonal guitar/bass, Arabic maqam scales, math‑rock structures and...
Singer-Songwriter Courtney Barnett on the Importance of Looking Back at Your Progress
Australian singer‑songwriter Courtney Barnett explains how she shifted from early imitation to a more honest, self‑directed voice as she crafted her latest album. She relies on free‑writing and a dream‑state approach, recording ideas without pre‑planned themes and later extracting motifs....
The Sin Trade by Cheng Si-Yi Trailer
The Sin Trade, directed by Cheng Si‑Yi, dropped its trailer on April 10, 2026. The gritty crime thriller follows a lone cop who abandons protocol to chase a missing college student, only to be caught between a human‑trafficking ring and a...
Musicians MUNA on Leaning Into Specificity
MUNA’s third album *Dancing on the Wall* leans into hyper‑specific geographic references, anchoring songs like “East Side Girls” in historic queer neighborhoods across major cities. The record also embraces overt political themes—from climate change to LGBTQ rights—reflecting the band’s belief that...
‘The Köln Concert’ by Maki Namekawa & Thomas Enhco
Last Saturday the Barbican hosted a rare live rendition of Keith Jarrett’s legendary *Köln Concert*, featuring pianists Maki Namekawa and Thomas Enhco. Namekawa opened with Part I, following the painstaking 1991 transcription and delivering near‑perfect technical precision. Enhco then tackled the 33‑minute Part II entirely...
Two Examples of Joy in the Seemingly Mundane
The author reflects on two everyday sources of joy: the abundant, year‑round produce in supermarkets—exemplified by fresh winter tomatoes at Berkeley Bowl—and the surprising civility people show across deep political or cultural divides. Both observations highlight modern supply‑chain resilience and...
MARUANI MERCIER Opens a Second Brussels Space with George Rickey’s Ordered Movement
Maruani Mercier has opened a second Brussels venue at Rue Saint‑Georges 13, expanding its presence in the Ixelles gallery district alongside its Avenue Louise flagship and Knokke outpost. The inaugural show, George Rickey: Ordered Movement, presents four decades of the American kinetic sculptor’s work, focusing...
The History of Sneakers: How Athletic Shoes Took Over the World
The sneaker evolved from a simple vulcanized‑rubber shoe in the 1830s into a global cultural and economic powerhouse. Key milestones include Converse’s All‑Star dominance, the Adidas‑Puma rivalry that birthed athlete endorsements, Nike’s waffle‑sole breakthrough, and Michael Jordan’s Air Jordan line...
Portugal
A travel writer revisits Portugal for the first time in five decades, noting the country’s welcoming locals, renowned cuisine, striking architecture, and vibrant cultural scene. The visit highlights Lisbon’s bustling outdoor markets and the ornate interiors of historic cathedrals. Recent...
Film Review: Queue (2026) by Adolfo Alix Jr.
Filipino director Adolfo Alix Jr. debuts "Queue" at the Moscow International Film Festival, a one‑shot drama starring Gina Pareno that follows 75‑year‑old Regina navigating a never‑ending government health queue. The film uses a Kafkaesque lens to expose systemic corruption and...
Matt Browning at Kunstverein München
Matt Browning’s first institutional solo exhibition, *All Woodcarvings Remain Slow Motion Mobiles*, opens at Kunstverein München in 2026. The show gathers works he has carved from Douglas fir since 2013, each formed from a single block through a subtractive, whittling‑like...
2028 Audi RS Q5 Spied Testing; Would Offer Close to 640 Bhp Hybrid Power
Audi’s upcoming 2028 RS Q5 was spotted in testing, revealing a performance‑focused SUV that will deliver roughly 640 bhp through a plug‑in hybrid system. The powertrain pairs a 2.9‑litre twin‑turbo V6 with a 177 bhp electric motor, offering about 90 km of electric‑only...
Moneera Al-Ghadeer Answers: ‘Why Saudi Poetry?’
Syracuse University Press released "Tracing the Ether: Contemporary Poetry from Saudi Arabia," edited by Moneera Al‑Ghadeer, featuring 26 poets. The anthology was born from a teaching gap in the U.S. and aims to counter war‑focused Western narratives by showcasing experimental...
Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell
Rainbow Rowell’s *Cherry Baby* follows 36‑year‑old Cherry Fairway as she navigates a divorce, a husband‑turned‑comic‑character, and relentless public scrutiny. The novel blends sharp humor with raw emotion, using sister group‑chat transcripts to deliver exposition and family dynamics. Rowell’s prose is...
How King Saheed Osupa Became A Timeless Pop Culture Icon
Saheed Osupa, the Fuji legend, reinforced his cultural relevance in 2025‑2026 by hosting high‑profile events, collaborating with younger stars, and earning academic honors, positioning him as a Yoruba language custodian. After missing the Olubadan coronation, he staged the Olubadan Appreciation...
Krassimir Terziev at Sarieva, Plovidv
Sarieva/Gallery is hosting Krassimir Terziev’s solo exhibition “Base and Superstructure” at DOT Sofia from March 12 to April 26 2026. The show pairs newly created 2026 works—such as the gold‑leaf series “Central” and “Lights Off”—with the artist’s early 1994 piece “Angels and Chimneys,”...
The Suggestive Sounds of Paula and Pablo
Argentinian pianist Paula Shocron released *Tarot Sonoro* (2025), a self‑issued album of 22 short piano pieces each mapped to a Major Arcana tarot card, accompanied by original artwork from Sandra Ureta Marín. The music is minimalist, blending quiet piano, subtle percussive accents,...
ALL Accor Fairmont 25% To 35% Off Flash Sale For Stays April 29 – October 1, 2026 (Book By April...
Accor’s Fairmont brand has launched a Spring Escape flash sale offering a fixed 25 % discount on public rates for stays from April 29 to October 1, 2026, with ALL Accor loyalty members receiving an extra 10 % off. The promotion must be booked by...
The Case for Doing Real, Hard Things
In a recent essay, Brad argues that activities like deadlifting, pottery, and woodworking provide rare, concrete feedback in an increasingly digital world. He frames these pursuits as "autotelic" experiences where effort directly translates into measurable outcomes, free from AI, SEO,...
How Your Gut Signals Fullness — and What Happens When That System Breaks Down
The post explains that the gut hormone GLP‑1, which curbs appetite and stabilizes blood sugar, depends on the short‑chain fatty acid butyrate produced by fermentable fiber. Modern diets high in seed oils and low in resistant starch starve butyrate‑producing bacteria,...
Ania Wysocka on Democratizing Immediate Panic Attack Relief — Rootd | VIVE 2026
Rootd, a mobile app founded by Ania Wysocka, delivers instant, evidence‑based relief for panic attacks through a single‑tap CBT interface. The solution emerged as anxiety disorders surged 25% worldwide after the pandemic, overwhelming traditional therapy capacity. Rootd’s consumer‑friendly design—featuring a comforting...
What Your Wearable Knows That Your Doctor Ignores: Weekly Livestream W/ Brooks Leitner
The Food is Health newsletter is hosting a live stream on April 17 at 2 p.m. ET with Dr. Brooks Leitner, a Yale‑trained physician‑scientist and co‑founder of VO Health. The discussion will focus on VO2 max, a fitness metric that research shows...
Planets Need More Water to Support Life than Scientists Previously Thought
University of Washington researchers report that an Earth‑sized planet needs at least 20‑50% of Earth’s ocean water to sustain the geologic carbon cycle that stabilizes surface temperatures. Their simulations show that insufficient water leads to runaway carbon dioxide buildup, evaporating...
Canes Of Karabakh ~ S/T
Polish trio Stanisław Matys, Olgierd Dokalski and Paweł Bartnik released *Canes of Karabakh*, centering the Armenian duduk amid the fallout from the Nagorno‑Karabakh conflict. The album weaves the doubling of cane‑reed prices into its sonic fabric, turning material scarcity into...
Patricia Fernandez at Whistle
Patricia Fernandez’s solo show "A Constellation of Its Other" opens at Whistle in Seoul from March 20 to May 2, 2026. The exhibition showcases 28 carefully selected photographs that explore themes of identity, displacement, and cultural overlap. Co‑produced with Commonwealth...
Melik Ohanian at Galerie Chantal Crousel
Melik Ohanian’s solo show "ALTERATION, For a long time in Time" opens at Galerie Chantal Crousel in Paris from March 13 to April 18, 2026. The exhibition features a mix of video, installation, and archival objects that probe the fluidity of memory and temporal perception....
Adam Gaffney Song Premiere – Product of Another Sad Song
St. Louis‑born singer‑songwriter Adam Gaffney is set to release his next album, *Product of Another Sad Song*, next month. The record is a country‑leaning collection that mixes honky‑tonk instrumentation with deeply autobiographical lyrics, many of which recount his battles with...
Estrogen Is Estrogen As Far As Your Uterus Is Concerned
The article challenges the common claim that transdermal, “bioidentical” estradiol is safer for the uterus than other estrogen therapies. It explains that any estrogen that activates the ERα receptor drives endometrial cell division, regardless of its source. By comparing transdermal...
Join Me on Friday, April 17!
A live Ask Me Anything session is scheduled for Friday, April 17 at 1 PM Eastern Time, targeting women dealing with midlife weight gain. The host will discuss how menopause alters metabolism and will share practical tactics to counteract those changes....