Media — June 2026
More interesting stuff than I thought this month. Lots of articles plus some good new music releases.
Reading
We’re continuing through Salamandastron in our Redwall reads, and finding a bit more time to read with summer schedule.
Katabasis
I had heard great things about this one and had finally put it on hold at the library. I really enjoyed it a lot (ignore that I technically finished it July 1st). As far as journeys to the underworld go I’m only really familiar with Dante (read in high school) plus some Greek legends. Plus the Hades games.
Kuang has a way of crafting sentences that makes me want to read more of her stuff, which I’ve heard are all quite good. All the philosophical jokes (many of which I had to look up) and academia parodies were vey entertaining and apparently rooted in her real life experience.
It is of course an inherently dark story, not just because of the literal journey but also the elements of depression and trauma after sexual assault. It’s really well handled though. Highly recommend.
No, Artificial Intelligence is Not Conscious
Ted Chiang continues to be one of my favorite current science writers. He’s been really diving into the AI circuit lately and this article covers a lot, including a nice layman-accessible metaphor around how large language models work.
Can Patagonia™ own Patagonia?
Good dive on brands, trademarks, colonialism, and protected parody.
Why AI Hasn’t Replaced Software Engineers, and Won’t
Coding agents are a normal technology with normal adoption properties. Agents make the implementation phase of projects much faster but deciding what to build and how remains the most important thing we do.
The Deadly Rise of Giant Trucks and SUVs
As a pedestrian and bus commuter in the city these vehicles are terrifying. There’s a simple regulatory fix: require the safety testing to consider other vehicles and people, not just the ones in the car. Good graphics.
Now Where
Bill McKibben again on how Trump’s policies are setting the US up to be an energy and environmental laughing stock compared to the rest of the world in the 21st century.
Understand Luddites in the Age of AI
Some corrective history around the popular use of the word “Luddite” especially in an anti-AI context.
KHAAAAAAAN! …and Me
Some fun background from Nicholas Meyer on writing what many consider to be the best Trek movie (but not me).
The Doomsday Organism
Seems like a thing which we Should Not Attempt.
Watching
With summer starting we resumed our MCU catch up with kid, including wrapping up the Infinity Saga. Fun going back to most of these which I hadn’t seen in a long time.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
This was the only new-to-me MCU entry because when it came out we weren’t doing theaters yet and with the licensing between Disney and Sony I hadn’t caught up on the other Spiders Men on streaming. It was clever how they brought back so much from the previous movie entries, but I think it suffered a bit from too many characters. It made the final battle kind of a mess to follow (dark and costumes too similar). Still enjoyable and quippy like Spider-Man should be.
Dropout
Andrle and I have been watching the new season of Game Changer and some Smartypants as well as catching up on old stuff. I tried out a bit of the most recent season of Um Actually and the first season of VIP. All of the shows vary a bit episode to episode depending on topic or premise and which cast members are there.
Cassette Deck Vader
Auralnuats are back. I swear I’d seen this one before but it seems to be new? Anyway, funny Star Wars edit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOiOOD5IK7k
Gravity is Just a Habit
A short documentary with OK Go doing a behind the scenes of their zero G music video for “Upside Down and Inside Out“. Kid found this watching their old music videos.
https://youtu.be/YwyXLBQUEC0?is=nVrA_jlLrt2w_BNI
Listening
A month with a lot of new music!
Tournament Rematch
I played a lot of Unreal Tournament on the Rage 128 in our B&W G3, mostly against local bots because I didn’t have fast enough internet at home at the time. The music in it is pretty iconic; someone in a Discord gaming channel shared this track from the iconic Facing Worlds map:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCRibm4kOaE
…which led me to the recent album of remixes of the original soundtrack, Tournament Rematch. A lot of really good late ’90s drums and bass. Electronica-induced gaming nostalgia.
Massive Attack — Teardrop (Live in Berlin)
She’s still got it. I associate this song a lot with riding the Red Line in Boston; I think it saw heavy iPod rotation there in 2006-07.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOTvzImXk4E
Thomas Bangalter — Mirage
The former Daft Punk member has branched out into scoring a minimalist modern ballet. It’s more like a soundscape than a set of movements? Some elements reminded me a lot of The Rite of Spring. Neat but also weird.
Olivia Rodrigo — You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love
Not super familiar with her recent hits but liked this pop entry. Perhaps unfairly I feel like she doesn’t have her own sound exactly but riffs on a lot of others, with a healthy dose of ’90s nods. I definitely hear some Chappell Roan or Gracie Abrams among her contemporaries. In discussing with Andrle we heard at points The Cranberries and Sixpence None the Richer and Garbage and the opening guitar of Foo Fighters’ “Everlong” and even Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide“. Shoulders of giants and all that, but at some point inspiration can go too far into mimicry. I guess she’s gotten in some legal trouble over this interpolation?
Death Cab for Cutie — I Built You a Tower
Another great album from Death Cab, one of our favorite bands across the whole family. We’d heard and enjoyed the singles last month but this release was highly anticipated for us. I would say in general it is an iteration on their sound; nothing shockingly new but still quite enjoyable. I think my favorite tracks are on the back half of the album: the driving “How Heavenly a State” (reminiscent of “I Will Possess Your Heart“); “Trap Door” (which sounds more The Postal Service); and the single “Riptides”. Good stuff.
#generativeAi #music #sciFi #softwareDevelopment #starTrek