Month: February 2026

Something I’ve heard from every Mario developer I’ve ever spoken to over the years is this: Whenever you press a button, something fun should happen. Whenever your curious human mind goes, “I wonder what’s over there?,” the answer should be: Something fun. It can be something amusing, like the planet that looks like a Pokéball in Super Mario Galaxy, or something properly awe-inspiring, like when you look up at the ceiling of Peach’s Castle in Super Mario 64, directly into the sun at the center of its decorative mosaic, and you’re transported to a secret level where Mario soars through the clouds in a winged cap. Your curiosity should always be rewarded.

Literary Hub » The Origins of One of the Most Beloved Video Games of All Time

Covid’s retreat has also helped bring American life expectancy to an all-time high of 79, a recovery far less heralded than its dip had been lamented. Deaths from heart disease, cancer, and drug overdoses have also ebbed.1 Covid was the No. 3 killer in 2020, but has now slipped out of the top 10; an American is more likely to die these days from cirrhosis or suicide. CDC statistical analysis chief Robert Anderson told the Associated Press that he expects the improvement to continue, so the data for 2025 may be record-breaking as well.

— Read on theprogressnetwork.substack.com/p/covids-quiet-retreat

But Bill and Ed never relented. They made it their goal, each in their own way and sometimes collaboratively, to keep shining the light on telling the history of this city, warts and all, and wanted people to think, reflect, and examine what they learned. They weren’t afraid of the good, the bad, and the ugly parts, and they didn’t shy away from any of it because they knew it was vital for us to understand and come to terms with our past in order to grow. To them it was an adventure and a challenge worth facing. The entire city and so many of us in it are better off because of their zeal, and this place will sadly never be the same without them.

— Read on www.baconsrebellion.com/bill-eds-excellent-richmond-adventure/

Lame.

Close the cover on the CIA World Factbook: The spy agency announced Wednesday that after more than 60 years, it is shuttering the popular reference manual.

The announcement posted to the CIA’s website offered no reason for the decision to end the Factbook, but it follows a vow from Director John Ratcliffe to end programs that don’t advance the agency’s core missions.

— Read on apnews.com/article/cia-world-factbook-ratcliffe-trump-fbec61ce16c4b3db59db9cefce0da043