Low Velocity — Updates

Bryan Robb — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 21:31:34 -0800

👌

Fuck you, Haley Stevens.
And your weird ass husband too.

Bryan Robb — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 21:29:18 -0800

I’ve visited the same niche internet forum since the ’90s. It never moved beyond vBulletin 3.x and has been offline for weeks due to the PHP security issue. Archaic, dysfunctional, often toxic. And yet I still instinctively check it every morning. I don’t even know why I miss it, but I do.

Bryan Robb — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 09:06:06 -0800

Despite its flaws, I keep using BottleDrop because it lets you automatically transfer bottle refunds into Oregon College Savings Plan accounts. $5/week for 18½ years could grow to $7,800 at 5% average annual return. With my fizzy water habit, we might actually fully fund two kids’ college tuition.

Bryan Robb — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 08:18:13 -0800

At What Cost? How Chicago's Outdated Zoning and Land Use Systems Thwart Inclusive Growth

The report assesses how Chicago’s zoning and land-use systems shape housing affordability, development patterns, environmental outcomes, and neighborhood dis…

urban.org

Bryan Robb — Sun, 01 Nov 2026 08:29:25 -0800

morning bm schedule knows the time change is a scam

Bryan Robb — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 11:49:43 -0700

Beaverton School District’s Spanish immersion program at Barnes is the lowest performing school In the district. It doesn’t seem to act as an immersion program so much as a support school for families who don’t speak English at home.

Plan to reshape Spanish immersion emerges as a flashpoint for Portland school closures

The plan to create three Spanish-language “hub” schools — one each in Southeast, Northeast and North Portland — is one of the linchpins of the complex scenarios that could close up to 14 schools.

oregonlive.com

Bryan Robb — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 08:02:34 -0700

What a tragedy

Protests erupt in Spain after train crash kills dozens

Far-right demonstrators clashed with police outside the country’s transport ministry where they had gathered to call for the prime minister’s resignation.

nbcnews.com

Bryan Robb — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 19:32:05 -0700

Me: this salted caramel shortbread cookie dough recipe is half butter.

Also me: googles whether I need to grease the cookie sheet.

Bryan Robb — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 07:46:35 -0700

Opinion | Baby Boomers Are Retiring. Private Equity Is Waiting. (Gift Article)

Investors in big cities are quietly consuming small businesses all over the country.

nytimes.com

Bryan Robb — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 19:59:50 -0700

I voted today, but I wish I could vote in Michigan this year.

Bryan Robb — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 14:23:17 -0700

Anyone else keep an old Mac around just because you have some old firewire hardware? This MBP is from 2009. Maybe I should have Claude write a driver for my Apogee Ensemble. 🎸

Bryan Robb — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:31:02 -0700

Oh, this is cool. Wish it had an iOS app.

Rocksky — Keep track of what you listen to

Track what you listen to with Rocksky. See your listening stats, follow other listeners, and import your scrobbles. Open source and built on AT Protocol.

rocksky.app

Bryan Robb — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 21:03:11 -0700

Replacing the post that held the gate could’ve got me. But this one isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Bryan Robb — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 21:14:40 -0700

It's almost like they had it coming

Creator of Free Adobe Suite Strikes Again, Reverse Engineers Microsoft Office

ArtCraft has announced open-source clones of Microsoft's widely used Office tools, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.

futurism.com

Bryan Robb — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 09:49:48 -0700

Finally unloaded the Blues Deluxe and UA Dream ’65, neither of which I’d used much since getting the ’62 Princeton Reissue and Vox AC15. Freed up some much-needed space in the garage, but the larger problem remains: I really need a shed.

Bryan Robb — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 22:58:32 -0700

Tonight I learned Pride and Prejudice works as slapstick. Half the cast played three people each.

Willamette Week

Jane Austen’s most classic of classics critiques the patriarchy and wins slapstick laughs in Kate Hamill’s adaptation.

A Retooled, Farcical ‘Pride & Prejudice’ Opens Season 20 at Portland Center Stage

Eric Ash

wweek.com

Bryan Robb — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 23:00:37 -0700

Anyone else feel a little like libraries are one of the few remaining social goods keeping modern life from becoming completely unglued? Sometimes I wake up and I'm shocked they still exist

Aah BOOO Rah, Scary PDX Stereotype

Wanna hold a woke, Native, women-created, queer horror film fest for friends, for FREE? Hit the library! 🎵 The more you socialism 🎵

Multnomah Library DVDs and BluRays, mostly horror, all kick ass

Bryan Robb — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 22:46:03 -0700

www.architecturaldigest.com/story/zach-b...

Zach Bryan and His Wife Samantha Bring Oklahoma Soul to Their Manhattan Home

In the New York City town house of the singer-songwriter, every surface bears the patina of a life well lived

architecturaldigest.com

Bryan Robb — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 21:11:41 -0700

Bryan Robb — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 16:06:19 -0700

I live minutes from both the Nike and Columbia employee stores and get passes through work now and then, but I've never gone to either. Are they worth it?

Bryan Robb — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 10:44:12 -0700

iCloud sync, the secret destroyer of device storage

Bryan Robb — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 07:24:19 -0700

Bend: housing is so expensive here!

Also Bend: literally don’t you dare build anything over 5 stories

Bryan Robb — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 18:34:03 -0700

OpenAI Releases Findings on 377 Math Problems, Further Roiling Field

After a previous solution angered mathematicians, the company characterized the new release as being more responsive to concerns about A.I. disrupting research.

nytimes.com

Bryan Robb — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 11:00:35 -0700

The old saying that you can tell a lot about a person by how they treat service industry staff also applies to how they treat musicians, paid or not. Nobody has to like a particular artist’s music or message, but there’s a lot of room for respecting the effort, even if imperfect.

Bryan Robb — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 19:38:18 -0700

According to my son, today was “meh, plus about 20%”

Bryan Robb — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 15:59:07 -0700

If only it fit

Bryan Robb — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 10:27:00 -0700

Some guys hit 45 and buy a Corvette or a Miata. On Tuesday, I used FERPA to litigate a 27-year-old math shortcut the front office ladies relied on to average grades after a scheduling change at my high school, which mangled GPAs and class ranks for hundreds of kids. I’m a lot of fun at parties. 🫠

Bryan Robb — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 09:40:39 -0700

The marketplace for affordable but cute reading glasses for men is sparse. I often find myself drawn to women’s shoes and accessories but I’m a large man and they just don’t fit. I can’t help myself but look every time I pass a good Peepers display.

Bryan Robb — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 11:25:31 -0700

Cook Political Report just moved 15 House races toward Democrats (including 12 GOP-held seats) and now says Republicans are “on track to lose” the House, with a projected Democratic gain of 5–15 seats.

GOP on Track to Lose House Majority as 15 Race Ratings Shift Towards Dems

Despite a push for mid-decade redistricting, a massive reserve of cash, and an unpopular opposition party, Republicans are on track to lose their House majority this November.Unlike in 2018, the last ...

cookpolitical.com

Bryan Robb — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 21:38:50 -0700

Bryan Robb — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 19:41:38 -0700

A New Era for Amtrak Cascades: Airo Fleet Debuts Sept. 30 - Amtrak Media

media.amtrak.com

Bryan Robb — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 18:48:39 -0700

300 giorni e non ne so più di prima.

Bryan Robb — Sun, 20 Sep 2026 19:34:42 -0700

Every other post on LinkedIn is now AI slop.

Bryan Robb — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 22:38:14 -0700

Speak at Your Own Risk

Donald Trump’s attacks on the First Amendment

theatlantic.com

Bryan Robb — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 17:46:39 -0700

Trump Wanted Canada as the 51st State. He Ended Up Pushing It Toward the European Union.

The invitation by the E.U. for Canada to become an “associate member” is a sign of Mr. Trump’s brand of diplomacy, which often involves threatening America’s closest friends.

nytimes.com

Bryan Robb — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 11:13:50 -0700

Went on a double date with friends in Northwest last night and had a wonderful time. We don’t do this nearly enough.

A couple doing a side hug at a restaurant table with other people at tables behind them and art on the wall.

Bryan Robb — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 12:08:48 -0700

How are other busy parents managing work and family calendars? Between meetings, school, sports, and medical appointments, keeping personal events on the work calendar and vice versa, feels like a full-time job. Any good tools for mirroring iCloud and Outlook?

Bryan Robb — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 23:17:20 -0700

Are Grandparents the New "iPad Kids"?

Your parents may seem phone-absorbed like your teens, but their motivations and needs are different. You can address their digital habits without becoming the technology police.

psychologytoday.com

Bryan Robb — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 17:28:07 -0700

Apple is releasing its first foldable phone in 2026, so I can reasonably expect genre filters to arrive in the Apple TV app sometime in the mid-2030s.

Bryan Robb — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 18:17:45 -0700

At 2nd grade soccer practice and always think it’s funny how kids’ goals are tiny while grownups’ are the size of the broad side of a barn.

Bryan Robb — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 20:57:35 -0700

CBO’s latest 2026 projection expects deaths to begin exceeding births in 2030. From that point onward, all net U.S. population growth is projected to come from immigration. Without immigration, the U.S. would begin shrinking.

The Demographic Outlook: 2026 to 2056

At a Glance The size of the U.S. population and its composition by age and sex have significant implications for the economy and the federal budget. For example, the number of people at the prime work...

cbo.gov

Bryan Robb — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 20:35:12 -0700

Speechless

Live Updates: Trump Floats $5,000 Checks to Americans if Republicans Win Midterms

The president offered a “dividend” to every adult citizen if Republicans keep control of Congress. But his sagging approval ratings could endanger his party’s chances in November.

nytimes.com

Bryan Robb — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 19:33:17 -0700

About ready to cancel my Duolingo sub because they change their icon to this garbage if you haven’t practiced by 9 a.m. or something.

Bryan Robb — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 11:31:32 -0700

Found this framed Wizard of Oz print at a thrift store. It felt like a fitting metaphor, so naturally, it’s now hanging in my office at work.

Bryan Robb — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 22:44:32 -0700

What’s ADHD like? I go downstairs to let the dog out and grab a snack. Nothing sounds good, so I make a batch of homemade caramel for dipping apple slices. An hour later, I’m back in bed, still smelling like butter, when the dog barks to be let back in.

Bryan Robb — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 19:16:57 -0700

Interviewed for a job Friday that I think I’m a great fit for, but I can’t stop replaying the silly mistakes I made. It’s rough when you have highly relevant experience, but nerves get in the way of communicating it as well as you know you could.

Bryan Robb — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 14:29:26 -0700

Unexpected $700 vet visit, yay

Bryan Robb — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 20:12:53 -0700

One underappreciated value of AI is broader access to knowledge that used to require money, expertise, or hours of research. Understanding your rights, navigating government programs, challenging institutions, advocacy work, or figuring out what options you have in complex bureaucracies. It’s a BFD.

Bryan Robb — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 11:11:07 -0700

This is a depressing graphic.

Bryan Robb — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 08:58:26 -0700

Opening IG or YT Shorts is almost always a mistake. I’ll go in to look something up and get sucked into the feed instead.

The psychology of these apps is intense. Increasingly convinced it’s best to just not open them at all. Honestly considering deleting Instagram altogether.

Bryan Robb — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 19:17:59 -0700

Halfway through a 48-hour fast after a long break and sort of surprised by how much of a non-event it’s been. Feels good to reset. 🍕☕️

Bryan Robb — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 17:05:39 -0700

I’ve been getting back into learning Italian lately. Picking some things up again, but I’ve very obviously lost some prior gains. Wish I would’ve kept at it!

Bryan Robb — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 23:15:41 -0700

Fruit of the sea = absolutely not!

Bryan Robb — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 22:39:01 -0700

Lunar Eclipse 2026

Bryan Robb — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 20:44:56 -0700

“I don’t like any of the houses in this whole area”

*moves the max listing price slider several hundred thousand to the right*

“Ohh”

Bryan Robb — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 19:51:45 -0700

“Because walking among olives, I begin to believe that peace is not naïve. These trees have outlasted wars, crusades, colonies, and dictatorships. They have stood while men bled beneath them, and yet they still fruit. They bear despite everything. They bear because that is what they do.”

Growing Olives in the Pacific Northwest: History, Survival, Struggle, and the Long Bet.

Every olive carries history in its roots — Athens crowned with Athena’s gift, Noah reading the branch as landfall, empires rising and falling while the trees still bore fruit. To plant one here is to ...

pendragonorchardandvine.com

Bryan Robb — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 12:57:38 -0700

Jane Fonda Slams Paramount for Calling Mark Ruffalo’s Comments ‘Antisemitic’: ‘A Smear to Delegitimize Criticism of the Merger’

Jane Fonda slammed Paramount for calling Mark Ruffalo's recent comments 'antisemitic.'

variety.com

Bryan Robb — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 20:23:16 -0700

Why the hell does the @nytimes.com keep calling El-Sayed a “left-wing insurgent”? Insurgent?

Can Democrats Win Back the Senate? Why Their Chances Are Improving.

Republicans still have some clear advantages on the map, but President Trump’s unpopularity has opened the door for an outcome that once seemed far-fetched.

nytimes.com

Bryan Robb — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:14:37 -0700

Seeing people pay thousands for a new cedar fence and then never sealing it is wild.

Bryan Robb — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 16:10:27 -0700

A Kafkaesque nightmare

Supreme Court backs Trump’s order to curb mail ballots | CNN Politics

The Supreme Court on Monday said that President Donald Trump could begin carrying out parts of an executive order intended to restrict mail voting, but additional legal challenges could hinder impleme...

cnn.com

Bryan Robb — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 10:50:06 -0700

Sometimes I get a strong urge to shave the beard and sport a mustache but I always immediately regret it when I do. #bigroundfaceproblems

Bryan Robb — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 10:39:28 -0700

Bluesky needs a private profile notes feature ASAP. Too often I unfollow someone, stumble across their profile later, get tricked by a cool bio, and hit follow again. Then I remember exactly why I unfollowed them for bad behavior in the first place. Rinse and repeat. lol

Bryan Robb — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 20:23:46 -0700

We need an AT Proto ride-hailing app run by a nonprofit.

Bryan Robb — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 14:48:26 -0700

Went to the Italian Festival today at St. Philip Neri in Portland and connected with some good folks.

Bryan Robb — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 20:37:15 -0700

I like what Pika.page has done with their revived Pika Pulse. They also recently started allowing more custom code on blogs. I’ve been mostly happy with my setup on Ghost, but I do really like this product and keep trying to think of ways I could use their service.

pika.pika.page/posts/the-pi...

The Pika Pulse (Is Back) - Building Pika Out Loud

It’s time: The Pika Pulse is live again! The Pika Pulse is our take on helping you discover personal bloggers that are writing on Pika. It now includes a new Following feed and other experimental idea...

pika.pika.page

Bryan Robb — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 14:47:32 -0700

Opinion | Scott Galloway: America Abandoned Its ‘Unremarkable’ Young Men

And what society can do to help a struggling generation.

nytimes.com

Bryan Robb — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 14:02:54 -0700

Maybe just me, but the NYTimes app for iOS seems improved lately. Still prefer reading the digital print edition through my library, but the app is usable at this point.

Bryan Robb — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 13:25:46 -0700

When you moved thousands of miles away from one of your favorite shops but can’t bring yourself to unsubscribe from their marketing campaigns despite having been gone for over a decade. Miss you @elderlyinstruments.bsky.social.

Bryan Robb — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 08:18:05 -0700

Elementary school supply drop-off day is wild in the richest place in the history of the world

Bryan Robb — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 21:51:01 -0700

This. All day.

Bryan Robb — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 21:43:48 -0700

Hmm

TTArtisan's Ultra-Affordable Full-Frame 85mm f/1.8 Lens Costs Just $99

Ultra-affordable portrait prime lens.

petapixel.com

Bryan Robb — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 19:55:04 -0700

Someone once said, “For every beautiful woman, there’s a man tired of her shit.”

I feel that way about places. It’s easy to romanticize somewhere from afar; living there is another thing entirely.

And wherever you’re dreaming of going, someone there is dreaming of being where you are.

Bryan Robb — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:09:23 -0700

Hold me closer, tiny dormer

Bryan Robb — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 17:59:12 -0700

As an English speaker, it’s hard for me to connect the Italian word ‘morbido’ to ‘soft’.

Bryan Robb — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:19:45 -0700

📚 Read the first Harry Potter book with my son, who is seven. He read most of it himself. Very proud of him.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, Book 1) • Notes by Bryan • Popfeed

Read the first Harry Potter book with my son, who is seven. He read most of it himself. Very proud of him.

popfeed.social

Bryan Robb — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 19:45:02 -0700

“Dad, can you solve a 3x3 Rubik’s Cube?”

“Nope.”

“Well, 2x2’s are super easy. And 1x1’s you don’t have to solve.”

Roasted by a 7-year-old.

Bryan Robb — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 13:13:56 -0700

One legitimately great use of AI is travel planning. I’ve dealt with pretty severe executive dysfunction my entire life, and getting first-draft itineraries down or even prioritizing dates based on other life details has been kind of incredible. It’s genuinely been life-changing for me.

Bryan Robb — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 09:09:44 -0700

I don’t know who else needs to hear this, but having a public input session for a new roadway design when it’s already at 30% construction drawings is not OK.

Bryan Robb — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 19:19:32 -0700

But it is the DSA’s official platform.

Greg Pak

No actual DSA candidate is running on abolishing the Senate. He’s carrying water for Republicans here.

Aaron Rupar

WELKER: Do democratic socialists belong in the Dem Party?

JEFFRIES: What I can say is I do not support defunding the police, I do not support open borders, I do not support abolishing the Senate. We're focused on actually solving the problems hard-working American taxpayer want us to solve ...

Bryan Robb — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 18:13:52 -0700

@ghost.org any chance we could get that ActivityPub migration out feature sometime soon?

Bryan Robb — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 14:21:00 -0700

Go to Hawaii, they said. It will be fun, they said.

Bryan Robb — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 23:17:13 -0700

FX line used to be the GOAT.

OPB

A pair of goats have gone viral after briefly boarding a bus in Portland on Tuesday and then promptly leaving. Please share your best puns in the comments.

Bleat week: 2 goats board a Portland bus, destination unknown

TriMet officials and bus riders were surprised by a pair of goats that briefly boarded a Portland bus Tuesday.

opb.org

Bryan Robb — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 20:17:58 -0700

Opinion | I Was Dick Cheney’s Cardiologist. I Have Questions About Trump’s Health.

The president has not been looking well. Americans should get answers to these seven questions.

nytimes.com

Bryan Robb — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 17:50:08 -0700

I keep coming back to this and wondering how many stars could be in this one photo.

Bryan

No such luck seeing the Perseids, but I did manage a few decent shots of the night sky from our balcony.

The Milky Way Galaxy.

Bryan Robb — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 17:47:50 -0700

Just another day in Lihue

Bryan Robb — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 05:04:24 -0700

No such luck seeing the Perseids, but I did manage a few decent shots of the night sky from our balcony.

The Milky Way Galaxy.

Bryan Robb — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 23:45:06 -0700

Trying to catch the Perseids meteor shower from Kauai tonight, if I can stay up late enough.

Hawaiʻi Skies: Perseid meteor shower

HPR's Kevin Allen speaks with Roy Gal from the Institute for Astronomy about the meteor showers and solar eclipse filling the sky this month.

hawaiipublicradio.org

Bryan Robb — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:41:19 -0700

Before I’m 50, I hope.

Copenhagen Travel Guide: What to See, Visit and Do

From picturesque canals to cozy coffee shops, here's all you need to plan your visit to the Danish capital.

nytimes.com

Bryan Robb — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 18:53:17 -0700

With Trump Secretly Evacuated, Imperiled Air Force One Became a Flying Decoy

In response to a threat against the jet last month, the president was clandestinely removed in a catering container. But the plane was sent into the skies anyway with government employees and reporter...

nytimes.com

Bryan Robb — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 12:59:08 -0700

I came across this picture of my grandmother today while looking through old photos. She was Italian on both sides and grew up in Detroit, and I always thought she looked a little like Madonna. We lost her to cancer seven years ago. She would’ve turned 94 on July 4 this year.

Bryan Robb — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 22:51:29 -0700

Aisle seats only for this big papa with puffy feet and tight hip flexors. #4, without question.

Jacqueline Antonovich

#5 final answer.
It will be so calm and chill, I get the window seat, and mama bear probably has really good snacks that she would share.

A meme showing six sets of three airplane seats under the caption, "On an 8-hour flight which seat are you picking?" Each row has one empty middle seat between two fictional characters. Option 1: Bert and Ernie. Option 2: Steve from Blue's Clues and Winnie the Pooh. Option 3: Frog and Toad. Option 4: Brother Bear and Sister Bear from The Berenstain Bears. Option 5: Mama Bear and Small Bear from The Berenstain Bears. Option 6: Amelia Bedilia and the Cat in the Hat. The image invites viewers to choose which pair of characters they would sit between on a long flight.

Bryan Robb — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 13:19:56 -0700

Hello, Kauai.

Bryan Robb — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 12:52:17 -0700

📚 I’ve wanted to tackle this one for a bit.

Postwar • Notes by Bryan • Popfeed

I’ve wanted to tackle this one for a bit.

popfeed.social

Bryan Robb — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 12:50:37 -0700

📚 Why Buddhism is True (2017) ★★★★½

via @popfeed.social

A review of Why Buddhism is True (2017)

Review on Popfeed