Friday Varia and Quick Hits

Not only is the snow melting, but it’s beginning to dry out. This offers hope for a smooth transition from “mud” to “dust” season here in North Dakotaland. With temperatures scheduled for the 50s tomorrow afternoon (I’ll believe it when I see it) there is even a slim chance that I can run a bit outside.

This is a good sports weekend with the Japanese GP at Suzuka, which is one of my favorite tracks. The Phillies season started yesterday with a bang and continues over the weekend. The Sixers continue their improbably run at the 6th seed in the East, the NCAA tournament continues and the NASCAR circus is at Martinsville. Finally, I’m more than intrigued by the Moses Itauma v. Jermaine Franklin heavyweight fight this Saturday. 

This weekend is about reading and some class prep (and some grading!).

• Hesperia 95.1 (2026)

• A mid-Holocene age for Monte Verde. This will undoubtedly generate some heated discussion. Dibble is on it (non vidi).

• Sergio Luzzatto, The First Fascist: The Sensational Life and Dark Legacy of the Marquis de Morès (2026).

• Could AI Help Fix Peer Review, or Will it Only Make Things Worse?

• From the blogs:

Noodling Varia.

Dumb All Over.

• Angine de Poitrine (h/t to Dimitri Nakassis!)

• What I’m reading: Augustine’s Confessions.

• What I’m listening to: Miles Davis, E.S.P. (1965)