It feels like the right sort of weekend for a proper summer nap. One of those where you wake up to find your book on the floor, the sun almost gone down, and the house is completely awry? A bit like how some in the Tory Party must feel. One day you're leading the country – though, questionably – and the next, as Alan Rusbridger writes, your leader, Kemi Badenoch, has created an upside-down party where former neo-Nazis can run as councillors. If I woke up to that, I reckon I’d go back to sleep.
You’ll probably be able to get a good sleep as well these days. The AI revolution that was promising to save us one week and enslave us the next? It’s all starting to sound a bit like the boy who cried (AI) wolf. First OpenAI’s system goes rogue, then Anthropic’s does the same. And poor old Meta even threw in their lot so as not to be left out. Rogue AI breakouts are a serious problem, but tech writer Andrew Griffin writes that the constant scare tactics may be hiding the real issues about this technology.
One breakout we should be very concerned about, though? Octopuses. Last year, the amount of tentacled molluscs that fishermen were hauling in rose by 7,700%. Here, Hannah Twiggs speaks to experts about the surge and restaurateurs making use of the extra cephalopods, and asks if, given that those cheeky creatures have their suckers all over the local lobsters and crabs, putting them on a plate might be the best thing to do.
If pulpo is not exactly your thing, Hannah has also compiled some incredible Greek dishes for us, from easily made spiced lamb chops with hummus to scored halloumi offset with golden apricots.
If you’re off on your summer holidays this week, spare a thought for the partners of the eclipse hunters… With the upcoming one in Spain, they’ll be setting off again, some having already spent thousands jetting off to Libya, Mexico and China to catch the event. Though the way they speak to Graham Keeley about how enchanting the spectacle is, it’s enough to get you looking up flights to be there for Wednesday; thankfully we’ve also filled you in on the best places to see it – safely obscured, of course.
Those who climb Earth’s highest peaks are gripped by a somewhat similar desire to witness nature’s majesty. Figures like Nirmal Purja, a legendary climber, a pursuer of seemingly unattainable goals, whose life ended in tragedy weeks ago. Initially he planned to climb just G2, but the promise of climbing Broad Peak without supplemental oxygen as well was too strong. Days of deteriorating weather were the first of many warning signs that this might be Purja’s last climb.
In this in-depth feature, Maroosha Muzaffar recounts how the expedition unravelled, speaking to veteran climbers to find out what led to the incident.
And at the peak of the Republican Party, we have its prodigal son, here, Alex Hannaford has broken down exactly how Trump’s man of war Pete Hegseth can screen troops for testosterone levels and no one bats an eyelid. The current White House is a very comfortable place for a certain kind of militant evangelical masculinity. People like Hegseth cast off the meek “gentle Jesus” of the gospels in favour of some religious warrior with more in common with someone like Andrew Tate, and a leader like Trump is a perfect figurehead for that. He speaks with an author about her book that explores the dovetailing of Jesus with notions of controversial masculinity.
On that note, it’s time for me to go and enjoy God’s most wonderful creation: a bright summer’s day. Just tell Kemi not to change too much if I doze off? Cheers.
All the best,
Liam Murphy-Robledo
Digital Features Publisher
No comments:
Post a Comment
Keep a civil tongue.