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Winner of the 2024 prize for best first sentences

OK, that's actually something that I just made up, but if such an award existed, would not the following win it? "Here's a tricky ethical conundrum โ€“ how much can you command yourself to care about the suffering of a monumental dickhead?" While being mindful of the gendered nature of the included slur (thanks Metafilter!) I nonetheless submit to you the tribulations (SLGuardian) faced by West London curator Ben Moore, courtesy of the Guardian's Lucy Mangan's review of The Stormtrooper Scandal.

One choice quote: "Furious trading ensues and Moore and the cryptobros take a cut of everything and make (estimated) millions. Then some of the artists become aware that pictures of their work have been taken and sold without permission. To the apparent total surprise of Moore, this matters and ultimately ends in the NFTs becoming worthless." Oh ho ho, did you say NFT? And also, somehow, Star Wars? Fair warning: I have yet to see the film, but with a writeup like this, you can be sure it's in my watchlist. Currently airing on BBC2, here's hoping we'll find it on SBS soon enough. Creepto derision not just welcome, but encouraged! (And has anyone else noticed a dramatic increase in the spicyness of Guardian reviews?)

Sublime Perfection

The history of gelato is long. There's also a timeline over at a Gelato-Inspired Resource. Gelato can ostensibly be made at home. Yelp has you covered with 10 Best Gelato Near Philadelphia, but for finding the good stuff in Italy, ask over at National Geographic, Rick Steves, or chronacedigusto. Note that gelato is not ice cream. Hit up Gelato Festival for world rankings. You can eat your gelato like the Romans do it, or you can adorn it with seasonal fruit or other accompaniment.

looking at one thing at a time

The just-before or the just-after tell a story; whether of becoming, or of letting go. For over 12 years, Mary Jo Hoffman has been taking a daily image of a gathered natural object (usually plants, sometimes dead birds and in one case, a live toad). Click on "details" at the bottom right of each object for, well, details. Hoffman on technique: "I spend a lot of time waiting for the sun to go behind a cloud so I can get softer lighting."
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