21 May link roundup

Maître Chez Moi, par Laurent Gloaguen, via Karl.

International standard paper sizes, by Dr. Markus Kuhn, via Eryn.

The dials of Awake’s new Sơn Mài Guilloché Main collection, which combine sơn mài lacquer painting with guilloché engraving, are truly stunning. (Via Hodinkee).

The Royal Pop Riot: Swatch Manufactured Chaos, by Chris Antzoulis. (Another case of text that’s only revealed as you scroll. Fortunately the usual “scroll to the bottom, then back” workaround is effective.)

Japan’s Tourism Troubles Are Being Fuelled By Social Media Assholes, by Luke Plunkett, via Kottke.

A stone monument in the shape of Indiana reads “In Commemoration for 25 Years of Friendship between Zhejiang & Indiana. June 13, 2012. ‘When one has a close friend in this world, the far ends of Heaven are like next door.’ Governor Mitch Daniels and Lt. Governor Becky Skillman.” — Long boat is long, Amsterdam, May 2026

Several links, all via Eric Bailey:

There’s No Earthly Way of Knowing Which Direction We Are Going…, by Kottke.

Surprising things I learned putting together a Home Brain, by Joe Gregorio.

The value is in the difficulty, by Barry Prendergast, via Jeremy.

Three dingies are tied up along the grassy shore of a small lake. — Boats in ’t Havenrak, Broek in Waterland, May 2026

Tito as Gaeilge, leis an Paul Campbell, trí Jeremy chomh maith.

WhatCable [is a macOS menu bar utility that] explains [USB-C] cable speed, charging limits, e-marker data, and connected devices in plain English, via Ethan Marcotte.

All non-drone militaries are obsolete, by Noah Smith, via Faisal.

Kleptocracy, by Joyce Vance , via Kottke.

The VRA Was the Nice Version, by Gracchus , via Kottke.

We are moving into a political state weirdly reminiscent of the period between 1905 and the 1930s. If we're lucky we're going to get New Deal 2.0 and a brisk round of socialism: if we're unlucky, it's going to be guillotine time all over again. — Charlie Stross

Supreme Court Maintains Mifepristone Access, But Thomas Calls for Comstock Act Prosecutions, by Garnet Henderson and Susan Rinkunas.

The January 6 rioters are about to get millions, and We the People can go fuck ourselves, by Jeff Tiedrich. See also Read Trump’s “settlement” with the Trump admin to create a nearly $2 billion slush fund that Trump ultimately controls, by Chris Geidner.