I‘ve been struggling (by degrees) to read more. It occurred to me while looking at my copy of Designing Your Life that there are two types of book - those that ask something of you (action, notes, or thought), and those that ask for nothing. If I’m tired and avoiding reading, it helps to remember what type of book I’m avoiding. It’s worked at least once to pick up a book that asks nothing (I’m rereading Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series right now). Maybe this simple idea will help you read more as well?

Speaking of books, I came across a rather large list of cyberpunk comics/graphic novels - check it out here. My wallet is already shaking in fear like a chihuahua that needs to pee. I’m particularly interested in reading The Long Tomorrow, Rebel, and Night Hunters (because it’s not set in the USA/Japan like most others in the genre). I already have a digital copy of Transmetropolitan, and reread it once every few years when I need to experience the comic book equivalent of dropping acid.

This article on Alberta’s pest control program opens with an absolute banger of a line. It’s also a great look at the kind of change I spoke of in last week’s field notes. Civilisation is built with constant unsung maintenance, not grandiose flash in the pan efforts. Alberta remains rat free due to a program that protects a thin 29 km wide strip blocking the rodent’s only natural entry point.
Like most countries, Australia has a problem with rodents. Unlike most countries, we have a mouse plague around every four years (and have done so since the first fleet introduced the pests). Maintenance, if missed or abandoned, is frequently expensive to repair, and in our case, impossible.

Rats have conquered nearly every place on earth where humans live. Only Alberta soldiers on.
– Deena Mousa, How Alberta Eradicated Rats

Alberta’s war on rats makes for a great story premise - an apocalyptic anthropomorphic world, where rats are winning a world war. While we could reach for rat nazis as the first option, it’s much funnier if we mine the illuminati and other new world government conspiracy theories for the story. If it worked for the classic Deus Ex video game series, it‘s good enough for us.

Finally, in a bit of good news, Grenoble banned billboards, and restricted on-street advertising. The result cleansed the city of visual pollution. Residents now enjoy a more tranquil life, free of the fear and anxiety driven by extractive business practices. I’m hoping the idea becomes more widespread around the world.

I’m glad you’re here,
Justin

This work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0