The Emu Café Social

My throat is irrtated, my nose is stuffy, and I have a slight headache. It’s ragweed season. Unrelated: It’s time for our daily Pook-Emu Bee links. I took this photo in what I think was Cobble Hill on the afternoon of August 23, 2026. 1 | Dating App Adds Feature Allowing Men To Filter Out Women Who Support Lindsay Clancy (The Babylon Bee. April 27, 2026.) An all-timer from Babylon Bee. 2 | Iconic, stained glass ‘Watertower’ above Brooklyn Bridge Park dismantled (Mary Frost for Brooklyn Daily…

Liked 9 Games to Know Me (Strange Voyages) Part of the User Manual Series where I give some brief overviews of the media, experiences, thoughts that help make me...me. Released hourly on my 32nd birthday. I read a post on the Strange Voyages blog titled 9 Games to Know Me (HT Bubbles Weekly). It caught my interest because the concept struck me as similar (albeit not identical) to my September 2023 article titled Ranking My Big Impression Video Games (see simple list version), wherein I ranked…

I read an August 31, 2026 article in SoraNews24 titled Tamagotchi evolves into a ring for its 30th anniversary, preorders now open. I had a Tamagotchi at some point in the 90s, but I do not think it left a big impression on me. But this headline made me think. Pokémon celebrated its 30th anniversary on February 27 of this year. Is Pokémon older than Tamagotchi? I would have probably tentatively guessed “no” had I been asked before seeing this SoraNews24 article, but the headline suggests that…

For the first time in about a week (if not a little more), I do not have a tight work deadline. Thus, I present you with a relatively leisurely edition of the Pook-Emu Bee to kick off September. Note the bee in the top right. I took this photograph in Brooklyn Bridge Park on August 28, 2026. 1 | Expression After Hit By Car (Ojai Raptor Center (via Owl’s in Towels). Oct. 11, 2024.) That raptor has seen more things than the original raptors. 2 | GrapheneOS might skip the Pixel 11 series over the…

Quoted Fujinokawa Gives Kyoto 1st Sekiwake in 2 Centuries by The Yomiuri Shimbun (japannews.yomiuri.co.jp) According to the JSA, Fujinokawa becomes the first wrestler from Kyoto Prefecture to reach sekiwake in 198 years, following in the footsteps of Hiodoshi, who made it for the October tournament in 1828. The 2026 Aki banzuke (September Grand Sumo tournament) were released yesterday. 21-year-old Fujinokawa, one of the smallest wrestlers in the top-division, was expected to make his san’yaku…

We bring August to a close with one Pook-Emu Bee for the road. I photographed this Children at Play sign on Love Lane in Brooklyn Heights on August 21, 2026. 1 | Understanding And Dealing With Kim Jong-Un’s Resilience (Mario Alexis Portella for American Thinker. August 31, 2026.) I attribute Kim Jong-un’s resiliance to his looking at everything. 2 | Israel Continues Elimination Campaign Against October 7 Perpetrators and Gaza Terror Commanders (Vijeta Uniyal for Legal Insurrection. August 29,…

Favorited To the Moon creator explains why he still makes games with RPG Maker. The “just right” simplicity that lets you focus on the creative sides of development. by AUTOMATON WEST (automaton-media.com) Interview with To the Moon developer Kan Gao about making games in RPG Maker. Kan Gao is the creator of the successful indie To the Moon series. I am not personally a fan of To the Moon. I tried the first entry and it just was not working for me, so I never finished. But despite not being a…

Pook-Emu Bee will be taking the weekend off, first for Newsletter Saturday and probably for Sunday, so let us finish this work week strong before I return to my day job. I took this photo at the corner of State and Clinton Streets in Brooklyn Heights on the evening of August 26, 2026. This is just up the block from where I documented two downed Stop Signs on State in October 2020. 1 | Study Linking Solar Farms to Bird Loss Draws Scrutiny in China (Jiang Xinyi for Sixth Tone. August 28, 2026.) I…

Bookmarked Extract and Review Web Page Links Using a Bookmarklet by Adam Douglas (Adam Douglas) To help combat these obstacles I set out to figure out a solution to extract and then review all web page links using a bookmarklet. I’ve found the bookmarklet I created “List Page Links” to be quite useful and figured I should share it with you dear reader. Come along to discover what are bookmarklets, the advantages of this simple bookmarklet, how to install and run it. I saw a post in my feed…

I have a deadline today, so while the weekday Pook-Emu Bee streak continues, this will be another minimalist entry in my ongoing series. 1 | Israel: Law Adopted to Preserve the Memory of the October 7, 2023, Massacre and Commemorate Heroism (Ruth Levush for Global Legal Monitor. August 26, 2026.) A sound law. 2 | Model Owl in a Towel (Wildbase Hospital [via Owls in Towels]. August 24, 2026.) That is a [small] statuesque owl. 3 | How a Ukrainian commander sped through the ‘kill zone’ to save…

I have a rough three-day work-stretch ahead of me, but the weekday Pook-Emu Bee links streak must continue (I will however compromise on feature images today). 1. Brainless TikTok trend causes $2,000 in damage to SoCal home (Daniel Farr for the New York Post. August 26, 2026.) States and localities should consider sentence enhancement provisions for crimes committed for social media consumption. 2. EXCLUSIVE: US Investigators Have Proof That UNRWA ‘Social Worker’ Caught on Tape Dragging an…

Favorited Maxell brings back classic 1970s cassette tapes — 1970s ferric formula is custom-made for vintage PC data drives | Tom's Hardware by Mark Tyson (Tom's Hardware) Creating mix tapes is hinted at as a possible use of a pack of UD-60Us. Normal-position tapes (Type I ferric) like these are not the best for high-fidelity audio recordings. I always liked to use Chrome (Type II) or even Metal (Type IV) tapes for my own hi-fi mixes and recordings. Nevertheless, ferric tapes are ideal for 8-bit…

I have been busy today, but the weekday streak of Pook-Emu Bee links continues. 1 | California political candidate facing six years in prison after listing dive bar as home address (Marina Peña for the California Post. August 24, 2026.) This plan was dumb enough to make me wonder whether she lives in a dive bar. 2 | Summer Wars: An Anime With A Cautionary tale About AI (The Ghastly Mirror. August 24, 2026.) I watched Summer Wars with a friend a long time ago (maybe 2014-15). I recall liking it…

We’re back from the weekend with a new edition of the Pook-Emu Bee links. 1 | OpenAI builds dedicated ChatGPT experience for teens with parental controls and study features (Eric Revell for Fox Business. August 18, 2026.) This is heartwarming and all but what if the kids just went outside and tried reading once in a while? 2 | Google Opposes Site Blocking in Europe as U.S. Piracy Blocking Plans Gain Momentum (Ernesto Van der Sar for Torrent Freak. July 11, 2026.) Sometimes Google does in fact…

Quoted Wendy's loses status as second-largest burger chain after 6-year run by Eric Mack (Fox Business) Wendy’s has lost its place as America’s runner-up to McDonald's, ending a six-year run as the second-largest burger chain, being surpassed by a resurgent Burger King. Fox Business reported on August 9, 2026, that Burger King surpassed Wendy’s as the (distant) second largest burger chain in the United States after McDonald’s. According to the report, Wendy’s had passed Burger King in 2020 and…

I came across a New York Post opinion column by Lydia Moynihan titled The Gwyneth Paltrow AI controversy only hurts women. This may be rich coming from someone who, in the last month, has published reports on a free air conditioner and free printer left out for the taking in Brooklyn, New York City, but really? When I see that headline, I think “I have a deadline and no ideas, let me scour social media for something to write about.” Far be it from me to tell other internet writers how to live…

Reposted “Like Them, but Better.” It’s Not. by iamgregb (@iamgregb) A social media strategy focused entirely on the competition is in bad taste. There is nothing wrong with highlighting your strengths in comparison to theirs, but it becomes exhausting when that is your entire message (I'm looking at you, Proton). I want to choose your product because of its unique proposition, not because “it’s like … but better.” I came across a short post on @iamgregb (I assume by Greg B) titled “Like Them,…

It is time to wrap up another perfect five-for-five Pook-Emu Bee work-week before we take tomorrow off for Newsletter Saturday. Life Updates I shared a photo of my new (Ebay, so “new”) Wacom One drawing tablet yesterday. While the “drawing” works as expected, I cannot get it to display an image. I think the annoying Wacom “X cable” is the issue, so I am ordering a replacement from B&H to see if that is correct before I move for a refund. In any event, I tested it on different computers to make…

I’m a bit late with Pook-Emu Bee links today, but the streak continues. By the way, WordPress’s admin area looks different after the latest update. Change in color contrast. I’m not complaining. I ordered a Wacom One tablet on Ebay. Need to test, but looks good out of the box. 1 | Google is buying all of Spirit Airlines’ data to feed its AI models (Chris Isidore for CNN. August 18, 2026.) Looks like AIrline training. I’ll let myself out… 2 | Frozen fruit bars recalled nationwide over possible…

Keeping the Pook-Emu Bee weekday streak going on this sunny (here in Brooklyn, at least) August 19, 2026. I upgraded the InfiniTime firmware on my PineTime yesterday. 1 | Vindman Vaporizes $16.2 Million in Loss, Spends 36X DSA Candidate on Ads (Paul Bois for Breitbart. August 18, 2026) & Rep. Cory Mills Unseated in GOP Primary, Ryan Elijah Wins Nomination (Olivia Rondeau for Breitbart. August 18, 2026.) Both of these Florida primary results made me chuckle in their own ways. 2 | Minnesota’s…

Another weekday means another set of Poook-Emu Bee links. I photographed this suit case on August 14, 2026, on Court Street between DeGraw and Sackett. Only the brave wheels away a “free” suitcase in Brooklyn. 1 | Jeanie Buss battling siblings over sale of remaining Lakers shares to new ownership group: reports (Scott Thompson for Fox Business. August 17, 2026.) The unfortunate ramifications of sidelining your siblings for your own benefit. Your siblings, now having little stake in the…

Quoted Shoppers are still spending on expensive dairy products amid inflation by Matty Merritt (Morning Brew) With grocery item costs up everywhere, even $10 butter feels like a reasonable little treat. Writing for Morning Brew, Matty Merritt covered “luxury butter.” According to the author: “With grocery item costs up everywhere, even $10 butter feels like a reasonable little treat.” I live in an expensive area of Brooklyn, New York City (even by the general standards of Brooklyn) and I would…

Pook-Emu Bee was off Saturday for the newsletter and off Sunday because I had work to finish, but we return on this fun Monday for our regularly scheduled links from around the web. I made almond milk hot chocolate last night. Should I share my recipes? Add it to the to-do list. Links & Commentary 1 | Teenage tourist stabbed in ‘unprovoked’ attack inside McDonald’s near Times Square: sources (Joe Marino, Amanda Woods, and Jorge Fitz-Gibbon. August 17, 2026.) Note for tourists: Being anywhere…

Let us complete our perfect Pook-Emu Bee link week before our regularly scheduled day off for Newsletter Saturday. I spotted this TV cabinet in Downtown Brooklyn at approximately 7:40 in the evening on June 28, 2026. The note says “Free / Good Condition” 1 | Sekiwake Wakatakakage Begins Rehabilitation After Narrowly Avoiding Leg Amputation in Emergency Surgery (Sumostats. July 29, 2026.) Scary stuff. Hoping first for a safe and speedy recovery and second for him to quickly return to the lofty…

Liked 5 apps new Linux users should install on day one by Dibakar Ghosh (How-To Geek) Most Linux distros are intentionally minimal to avoid bloat, offering a fresh and clean environment. While this is a major perk, knowing what to install first can be tricky for newcomers. So, to help kickstart your journey, here are five essential apps that belong on every new Linux PC. I read a How to Geek blog post titled 5 apps new Linux users should install on day one (HT Tux Machines). The author, Dibakar…

Replied to Monospace by Ben Tsai (Ben Tsai) But I’m spending less time in the terminal and IDE these days. I still appreciate the feel of a monospaced font, but I want something that is optimized for prose. Unlike Ben Tsai, I have never been an engineer. But like Ben Tsai, I “appreciate the feel of a monospaced font, [and] want something that is optimized for prose.” In my case, I write drafts (and law stuff for my day job) in KDE’s Ghostwriter and prefer monospace fonts while writing in…

Quoted Timeless Brooklyn Reimagined: Minerva Development Unveils 263 Sackett in the Heart of Carroll Gardens by Bartolucci Team at Douglas Elliman (CityBiz) Located moments from Court Street, the building is surrounded by local favorites including Gersi, Nabila’s, Le French Tart, and Poppy’s Brooklyn, alongside cultural destinations like Congress Bar and Cobble Hill Cinemas. I added a significant number of Google News feeds for specific Brooklyn neighborhoods to my feed collection (future…

I was working late into the night (unfortunately not on articles), but I am back for another Pook-Emu Bee link (one away from Sunday-Friday perfection before we yield the floor on Saturday for The Newsletter Leaf Journal). I use SLS-free toothpaste because of canker sores. I also want toothpaste with fluoride. My options at Lot Less in late July were limited. This is what I came up with (photograph from July 29, 2026). 1 | Some Claude users are mad that Anthropic’s new watermarks will catch…

Can we complete a perfect Sunday-Friday Pook-Emu Bee link week? With this, we are 5/7 of the way there. Free discarded furniture on Love Lane in Brooklyn Heights. I took this photo on August 6, 2026. Articles 1 | New $472M electronic brain modernizes aging CH-47 Chinook helicopters (Amir Kholam for Interesting Engineering. August 11, 2026.) This reminds me of replacing the SSD and RAM in a cheap laptop I purchased on Ebay last year (I got in right before the DDR3 RAM was hit by price hikes!) 2…

We keep the Pook-Emu Bee link momentum going with more links from around the web. Key Food has many X for Y sales. In some cases you have to buy multiples for the sale price. In other cases the price applies to less than Y. With that in mind, I chuckled at having to buy five bottles of hot sauce for the $1 per bottle deal. Articles 1 | NYC first lady Rama Duwaji traveling to Syria, Lebanon — with taxpayer-funded NYPD security detail: sources (Carl Campanile for the New York Post. August 10,…