iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Why am I still getting away messages from everyone in Germany??? I thought they already had their monthlong vacation in August. And Oktoberfest is technically already over. Or did they budget for the hangovers?

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I don’t understand people who have some moral superiority about not drinking coffee. I don’t go around telling wine drinkers that they’re idiots. In fact, it’s usually the other way around—I don’t like being told I’m a loser for not drinking alcohol.

Anyways, going all AI stamps would absolutely suck, because that's one more avenue lost for artists. And I've actually found cool artists I liked just through stamps.

And if there were no other option for stamps available, I could very well just go to the supposed dreaded label that the post office prints out instead of using a stamp. I'll decorate the mail in a different way.

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I'm not a stamp collector, but I wouldn't knowingly purchase a stamp with an AI-generated image. I think I would just stock up on the old stamps.

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I've been seeing Malaysian stamp enthusiasts complaining about a new stamp that looks like AI and finding out that their post office wanted a "modern look". I also know there are people on the European side complaining about the AI-generated German stamps.

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Yeah, it seems racist to me. Eye color is determined genetically and light eye colors are generally only found in people with European ancestry.

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Blech. The thermometer says it's 102F outside. The weather has been too hot since last week and I don't care if people are trying to spin it as an "Indian summer". October should be a cool, spooky season that gives you chills.

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I bought sweet potato latte powder from a Korean grocery store a while back. I end up using it as a milk substitute though because by itself it’s too potato-ey and that makes my brain confused.

I was on the elevator and one lady was telling her coworkers how exasperated she was with her daughter lecturing her about taking care of her hair. I didn’t understand as I thought her hair looked great—so is there a new hair trend going around with teens these days that involve wacky hair care?

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Although I would have thought that Finland would have had this market cornered already...

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Why are 3,000 deities watching this road in Hong Kong?

Some cool places in Hong Kong. I also learned of the folk belief of "villain beating" where you have an auntie use a shoe to beat a paper effigy of somebody you don't like. This seems way more efficient than trying to craft a voodoo doll. www.youtube.com/watch?v=he_L...

youtube.com

YouTube video by Sneaky Sushii

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Yes. But you have to give antibiotics immediately after exposure. From what I read, the hospital treating the lab worker wasn’t given any information and assumed it was COVID so they did initial treatment based on that. That delay was fatal.

I’ve only personally worked on Y. enterocolitica and I had a grad school advisor with a Yersinia lab at one point, so most of my knowledge is lab based, not epidemiological.

If they were working on a known strain, there are treatments for that. But if they were testing out antibiotic resistant strains, then that would be something else. Anyways, Y. pestis requires BSL 3 procedures which includes respirators, so PPE must have failed. Or they didn’t use BSL 3.

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S. Y. Affolee @syaffolee.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

I saw one article that mentioned it was from a broken test tube. If that is true, I suspect it got aerosolized since the lab worker got pneumonia instead of something like septicemia via a cut to the bloodstream.

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Here’s some random cards from the set—definitely an art deco influence on the art direction. There’s a lot of gangster related cards like “Sleep with the Fishes” but I have no idea why they thought the dinosaur card “Topiary Stomper” fits at all with the theme.

Magic the Gathering cards: (top to bottom, left to right), Black Market Tycoon, Rigo Streetwise Mentor, Wiretapping, Grisly Sigil, Topiary Stomper, Treasure token, Suspicious Bookcase, Sleep with the Fishes

S. Y. Affolee @syaffolee.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Continuing on in my MTG backlog, I’ll be checking out the Streets of New Capenna set which I think was inspired by 1920s art deco and gangsters. I remember when this first came out, there were people who didn’t like it. It certainly sounds like a unique theme.

A Magic the Gathering draft booster box of the Streets of New Capenna set

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Reposted by S. Y. Affolee

HudsonRiverCroc @hudsonrivercroc.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

This is how you establish dominance

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I wish people would first ask clarifying questions before yelling and making people cry.

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I was reading about how someone got screamed at by a postal worker for fraud when they asked about a special issue stamp that had Queen Elizabeth on it. The postal worker thought they were trying to send mail in Germany with UK stamps. But there’s actually a German stamp with the Queen on it.

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I was actually more excited to see this exhibit (which is separate from the other thing). Giant Arc by Jacob Hashimoto.

Giant Arc by Jacob Hashimoto - a kite inspired sculpture hanging on the ceiling of the first floor of SFMOMA

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Well, I see all the BTS fans have migrated around the corner to a drink place serving smoothies and matcha. Good thing I plan on going elsewhere for food.

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Here is some of the art in the RM x SFMOMA exhibit. Check the alt text for the artist and work.

Spring Sleep by Kang Yobae - a painting of a black cat sleeping with some yellow chicks.

Artificial City-Irony by Son Sangki - a painting of a living room with sofa, chair, table, lamp, and painting.

Woman (Black) by Kwon Okyon - a painting of a woman dressed in black.

Untitled (Azura) by Izumi Kato - a painting of a distorted face split on two canvases.

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Ugh. A young woman randomly shoved her phone in my hand wanting a picture of herself beside a pop star’s signature on the wall while everyone else is waiting in line. I did not try focusing.

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Today is also supposed to be exhibit viewing for members only, so I suspect these fans splurged and bought a museum membership just to see this exhibit. On the other hand, good on the museum for figuring out a way to get more revenue.

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(I’ve been a member of SFMOMA for years and I go here often if anyone has followed this account for any amount of time. I would be here anyway if it had been somebody I’ve never heard of curating the new exhibit.)

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Holy cow. This is the first time I’ve seen such a crowd at the entrance of SFMOMA so early before it opens. It’s because they are all BTS fans. Some fan tried to hand me free BTS merch, but I gave it back as I’m not a fan. I’m just here for the art.

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Ugh. Apparently there's some kind of a "zombie" beer crawl happening near my neck of the woods next week. I think I'll just hide at home that day. You know someone's going to try drunk driving.

S. Y. Affolee @syaffolee.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Most men are larger than I am, so I would probably either avoid or just abandon the cart and go to a grocery store in a different town.

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S. Y. Affolee @syaffolee.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Just saw a seminar email and this is the first time I’ve seen the term “infectologist”. This sounds wrong somehow. Why couldn’t they have used “infectious disease specialist” which is typically used for this area? Or were they just too lazy to type that all out?

c0nc0rdance @c0nc0rdance.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Reposted by S. Y. Affolee

You've seen fireworks that look like jellyfish, but what about a jellyfish that looks like fireworks? The E/V Nautilus filmed this rare Halitrephes maasi jellyfish glowing like a firework at a depth of 4,019 feet (1,225 meters) off the coast of Baja California, Mexico. (📷: Ocean Exploration Trust)

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Reposted by S. Y. Affolee

こまちみゆた @comatimiyuta.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

テラーナイト

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S. Y. Affolee @syaffolee.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I would have suggested Point Reyes Lighthouse, but they had to close their applications because they got an overwhelming response. I guess there's going to be fierce competition whenever there's another opening.

Sleestak @sleestak.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Reposted by S. Y. Affolee

and behold a pale horse. and the name that sat on him was death. and hell followed with him

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S. Y. Affolee @syaffolee.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Any kind of pet is a lot of work (and dogs especially so) and I don’t think most people realize what they’re getting into.

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Do some people even realize that they put exclamation marks after every statement that they make? It gives the impression that they’re a hyperactive shouter.

Ok, now on the bus and we just passed what looks like a corgi cafe that will be opening soon???

Katsu don for lunch in Japantown!

Katsu don : fried chicken, omelette, and rice.

Jake Lawrence @timecowboy.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Reposted by S. Y. Affolee

some creatures you might find in the woods.

Two panels; top is of some glowing sprite type creatures huddled together in the grass and the second is a big black serpentine creature with blank yellow eyes moving slowly through the forest.

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A rogue San Diego streetcar appears in SF???

A yellow and green San Diego streetcar on Market Street in San Francisco.

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I really enjoy the art direction in this set. It makes me want to get extra copies of the full card art lands just to use as bookmarks. I hope they continue it (I think there’s another Kamigawa related set coming out next year).

Magic the Gathering cards from Kamigawa Neon Dynasty set: full card art lands cards

Magic the Gathering cards from the Kamigawa Neon Dynasty set: Spirited Companion, Generous Visitor, Lucky Offering, March of Burgeoning Life, Greater Tanuki

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