Episode 549: Electric Feels

Real Life Devon has been diving into The Electric State, and the discussion turns to the unique blend of kid-friendly aesthetics and eerie, unsettling imagery. The upcoming movie adaptation ( IMDB link ) raises the question: who is this really for? Meanwhile, Steven is excited about the group finally playing City of Mist with Greg—expect some noir-drenched, super-powered storytelling soon. Also, Windows 11 users, rejoice (or at least breathe a little easier): Microsoft is making moves to remove ads from its interface. Progress? We hope so. Ben bids farewell to Clawed, a beloved companion. Losing a pet is never easy. As a result, he's rethinking his relationship with social media. When you're grieving, the internet can be both a comfort and a drain. Is it time to step back and reevaluate our online spaces? Future or Now Ben introduces us to SEN, a project aiming to revolutionize desktop environments with a data-centric approach. Unlike existing knowledge management systems, SEN prioritizes local storage and metadata integrity over cloud-based solutions. If you're into Obsidian, Haiku OS, or just wish your computer worked with your thoughts instead of against them, check it out ( SEN introduction ). And for those interested in the philosophy behind it, the Data-Centric Manifesto lays out the foundation of this approach. Devon takes us way, way back—to LUCA, the Last Universal Common Ancestor. New research suggests all life on Earth traces back to this single organism that existed only 400 million years after Earth formed. Even more fascinating? LUCA likely had an early immune system, meaning it was already fending off viruses. ( Read more ) Life finds a way, indeed. Book Club Next week, we're reading To Be Taught, If Fortunate: Votum by Becky Chambers. If you're following along, now's the time to grab a copy! This week, we covered To Be Taught, If Fortunate: Opera. One of the standout moments: "It was not a cozy storm, a curl-up-with-a-book-and-a-blanket storm. This was weather that resented us." That kind of atmospheric writing is why we love Becky Chambers. In other media news, Steven and Ben wrapped up Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and were blown away. A season-long What If? style arc that absolutely delivered. Meanwhile, Devon and Steven have jumped into Daredevil: Born Again. How does it hold up to expectations? You'll have to listen to find out. That's it for this week! If you're enjoying the podcast, let us know what you think about the books, games, and tech we're covering. And if you have a take on LUCA, Windows 11, or The Electric State, we'd love to hear it.