Friday Squid Blogging: New “Squid” Sneaker
Nov. 21st, 2025 10:08 pmI did not know Adidas sold a sneaker called “Squid.”
As usual, you can also use this squid post to talk about the security stories in the news that I haven’t covered.
6 Old-Fashioned Compliments That Are Used as Insults Now
Nov. 21st, 2025 09:50 pmFamily of missing Colombian seek answers after US strike on alleged drug boat
Nov. 21st, 2025 10:01 pmZelensky warns Ukraine risks losing US support over White House peace plan
Nov. 21st, 2025 09:22 pmStarter? Set! – DORK TOWER 21.11.25
Nov. 21st, 2025 06:00 am
This or any DORK TOWER strip is now available as a signed, high-quality print, from just $25! CLICK HERE to find out more!
HEY! Want to help keep DORK TOWER going? Then consider joining the DORK TOWER Patreon and ENLIST IN THE ARMY OF DORKNESS TODAY! (We have COOKIES!) (And SWAG!) (And GRATITUDE!)
Googling Yourself Is Strange
Nov. 21st, 2025 04:38 pmYeah, I Google myself ... what's your point? And I found out things I, the Googled, um, Google-ee, never knew.
Okay, so, Haunted Noble County is available in the Netherlands. No, seriously:
https://www.bruna.nl/engelse-boeken/haunted-noble-county-indiana-9781467156066
You can read it to yourself, if you can read it. Which I can't.
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| If one of you can't afford the book, go Dutch. |
I haven't gotten around to contacting local libraries about getting copies of our newer books (I know, my fault), but somebody has. Somebody, specifically, in the Plainfield-Guilford Twp Public Library in Plainfield, where Haunted Noble County, Indiana, Images of America: Albion and Noble County, and Smoky Days and Sleepless Nights are shelved in new local history & genealogy. Or so I'm told. It turns out all of our books are evergreens, or more specifically available through the Evergreen library system:
I found our 21Alive TV interview on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdh8YfU6JiU
Which makes us a YouTube sensation? No? But we're there, anyway.
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| "Missed it by THAT much." |
Our publisher posted about us on Twitter ... I mean X ... nah, it's Twitter:
https://x.com/HistoryBoooks/status/1957025429329514775
Which, I guess there's really no reason for me to know.
This is also how I discovered I'm now a top 10 Amazon author. Well, sort of: I did make it to number 8, but it was in a subcategory. But the good news is, I can just leave out that small detail.
None of this really bothers me--they're just fun surprises. It reminds me of when I did an interview at the WAWK studio in Kendallville, and right after we stopped at the nearby Walgreens to discover Images of America: Albion and Noble County on a book display. I knew the publisher was going to try to get the word out: I just didn't know when or where.
The Netherlands thing was a shock, though.
It’s really not hard to find us, even without Google:
· Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO
· Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"
· Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4898846.Mark_R_Hunter
· Blog: https://markrhunter.blogspot.com/
· Website: http://www.markrhunter.com/
· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ozma914/
· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkRHunter914
· Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrhunter/
· Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkRHunter
· Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarkRHunter
· Substack: https://substack.com/@markrhunter
· Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/ozma914
· Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ozma914
· Audible: https://www.audible.com/search?searchAuthor=Mark+R.+Hunter&ref_pageloadid=4C1TS2KZGoOjloaJ&pf
Remember: Other than sales, an author’s favorite things are reviews and library reads.
Science
Nov. 21st, 2025 02:59 pmNew research shows that light’s magnetic field is far more influential than scientists once believed. The team found that this magnetic component significantly affects how light rotates as it passes through certain materials. Their work challenges a 180-year-old understanding of the Faraday Effect and opens pathways to new optical and magnetic technologies.
Happy Birthday, WordPress
Nov. 21st, 2025 08:25 pm

WordPress, which is the blog software and hosting service Whatever is on (and has been since October 2008) is celebrating its 20th anniversary today, a fact that I found out thanks to a lovely call-out from them in their own blog post about the day. Speaking as someone whose blog was buckling under traffic and technical issues before it migrated to WordPress, I am both happy it has lasted this long, and also that it is still thriving and continues to be an excellent home for and partner to this site. And from a technical point of view, I’m glad it continues to be a platform for innovation beyond just the “post text on a page” functionality that it provides on a surface level. It takes a fair amount of tech at this point to keep even a relatively simple site like this one up and running every day, and I’m happy WordPress takes care of that, leaving me and Athena to do what we’re actually good at: Writing and community stuff.
So happy birthday, WordPress. Here’s to another 20 years, at least. I’ll be here if you are.
— JS
Birdfeeding
Nov. 21st, 2025 02:18 pmI fed the birds. I haven't seen any activity today.
The birdbaths are already full from the rain.
EDIT 11/21/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
I've seen several sparrows and house finches at the fly-through feeder, which is basically a little roof over a tray of seed. I can see why they'd prefer it today.
EDIT 11/21/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night.
How to Fix a Typewriter and Your Life
Nov. 21st, 2025 07:34 pmThat was very pleasant
Nov. 21st, 2025 07:54 pmMeet-up with visiting person from US institution of renown which I have visited in the past, and BBL (who I realise I have known for getting on for 40 years as we first met when I gave the first paper on my PhD research), whom I have not seen in person for yonks though we have talked on the phone.
While the reason for this was rather sad as it involves scholar we both knew and liked a lot who died unexpectedly last year, and left various projects unfinished but in a fairly advanced state, it was also a very lively and stimulating and enjoyable meeting with lots of mutual appreciation.
Also it looks like there may be a very interesting project coming out of this to finish off one of the projects which is bang in my wheelhouse/ballpark/whatever.
However, though not surprised or shocked, saddened to hear that things are, indeed, and fairly predictably, not well with the institution in question.
More on Rewiring Democracy
Nov. 21st, 2025 07:07 pmIt’s been a month since Rewiring Democracy: How AI Will Transform Our Politics, Government, and Citizenship was published. From what we know, sales are good.
Some of the book’s forty-three chapters are available online: chapters 2, 12, 28, 34, 38, and 41.
We need more reviews—six on Amazon is not enough, and no one has yet posted a viral TikTok review. One review was published in Nature and another on the RSA Conference website, but more would be better. If you’ve read the book, please leave a review somewhere.
My coauthor and I have been doing all sort of book events, both online and in person. This book event, with Danielle Allen at the Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center, is particularly good. We also have been doing a ton of podcasts, both separately and together. They’re all on the book’s homepage.
There are two live book events in December. If you’re in Boston, come see us at the MIT Museum on 12/1. If you’re in Toronto, you can see me at the Munk School at the University of Toronto on 12/2.
I’m also doing a live AMA on the book on the RSA Conference website on 12/16. Register here.



