Posted by Todd Wiley

https://marcgunn.com/celtic-music-magazine-cat-on-the-roof/

Céad Míle Fáilte

Hello, to you, our lovely readers. It is Todd once again. In this issue we have a new episode of our own Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. The other podcasts we highlight are The Scottish History Podcast and Celt in a Twist. The articles featured are about the decline of the rural Irish village shop, a collection of tokens from Cornwall up for auction, and the home named Scotland’s “Best Building.” We have a list of new albums as well. The spotlighted festival is a Celtic weekend at a Ren Faire. The Southern Indiana Renaissance Faire Celtic Weekend takes place April 25 -26, at Swifty Farms in Seymour, IN. We hope you enjoy this issue. Until next time, Sláinte mhaith!

IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST #755: CAT ON THE ROOF

Cedar Dobson and Debojyoti Sanyal, The Here & Now, Ryan McCombe, Faoileán, Celtic Conundrum, Pressgang Mutiny, Arise & Go, The Bilge Pumps, Stephen MacDonald, Duncan McLauchlan, Glaucia Carvalho, SeaStar, Dropkick Murphys, Release the Craicen, Leevy, Tara's Folk

A special thank you this week to Maryjane Foos

Listen to the Show

CAST YOUR VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20

Every year, I publish the Celtic Top 20. This is your pick of the best, most-popular songs of the year. But to make the show great, I need you to vote for your favorite songs in each episode.
Just list each of the bands performing those favorite songs to quickly and easily cast your vote.

Vote in the Celtic Top 20

WHAT'S NEW WITH CELTIC MUSIC
& CULTURE ONLINE?

NEW CELTIC ALBUMS

BIG PUB IN THE SKY – by Sammy Horner / The Sweet Sorrows / The Electrics
Guardians of Arduenna – by Lumieresoundworks
We Made This! – by The Shenanigans
The Old Gods – by Sergej Miladinović
Gothic bard fantasy songs – by Andrei Krylov
Celtic Lofi: Rhythms of the Sleepless Sanctuary – by YUNOKIA
Third Set – by Learning Fiddle with Irish Music
Bridge – by Learning Fiddle with Irish Music
Next Tunes – by Learning Fiddle with Irish Music
First Songs – by Learning Fiddle with Irish Music
Lullaby Island – by Julia Norton
Edge of the Spiral: Celtic Music of Brittany – by Trouz Bras
Regrets and Egrets – by Campbell Jeffrey Wilson
Clan 4 – by Medwyn Goodall
Qeltic – by Qroaker
Illuminate – by Adam Hendey
Forest Folk – by Daridel
Primal Breath – by Warg
Hiraeth – by Warg

Attn Bands: Go to 4celts.com to submit your band to the podcast.

THE SCOTTISH HISTORY PODCAST: EPISODE 92 – THIS WEEK IN SCOTTISH HISTORY – 13TH APRIL

This Week In Scottish History – T.W.I.S.H
This week we talk about the Porteous Riots and the infamous Battle of Culloden – events that happened this week in Scottish History.

Listen here

THE DECLINE OF THE RURAL IRISH VILLAGE SHOP

THE story of Ireland’s rural shop is one of community and connection but also, increasingly, of decline.
For decades, family-run businesses sat at the heart of towns and villages, but today many of these shops have disappeared as people move and competition from big supermarket chains reshapes rural life.

To read more, go here!

CELT IN A TWIST: APRIL 14, 2026

It's April and bevies are served this happy hour, from Melisande with Boisson D'Avril. Artemis 2 received a message from late astronaut Jim Lovell and we kick off the program with Bold Lovell, new from Boiled In Lead, Expect appearances from Vancouver-bound Gnoss and Dervish, and more new grooves from Haggis X-1. Join Patricia Fraser in the Celtic frontier!

Listen to the Show

COLLECTION OF 17TH CENTURY TOKENS UP FOR AUCTION

A collection of more than 70 tokens from the 17th century is set to go up for auction.
The tokens were issued by traders across Cornwall for use as currency at times when governments were not issuing small change.
The collection was amassed over 30 years by Mac McCarthy, who is from Cornwall, and has an estimate of £15k for the auction in London on 22 April.

To read more, go here!

INSIDE THE STRIKING AND STYLISH HOME NAMED SCOTLAND'S ‘BEST BUILDING'

If you’ve ever visited Glasgow jewellery shop Orro, you’ll know that its founders and resident designers have an excellent eye.
However, it seems that Neil Smith and goldsmith Wesley Zwiep don’t just leave their taste at work, as they’ve applied it to their home, too.
The beautiful Grianan (Gaelic for sunny place) in rural Stirlingshire is gorgeous inside and out. This property was created after the couple commissioned Stuart Cameron of Cameron Webster Architects, and in 2025 it won Best Building at the SSA (Stirling Society of Architects) Awards.

To read more, go here!

SOUTHERN INDIANA RENAISSANCE FAIRE: CELTIC FOLKLORE WEEKEND

Step into a world of ancient tales and lively music. The pipes will play, the dancers will whirl, and families will gather for a celebration of Celtic tradition. Student Day makes its return, giving students admission for only $5 with a paid adult ticket.
Some of the entertainment you will see Drunk & Sailor, Kris Colt of Blackrose, Magpie Swallows, Celtucky, The Brothers Boru, and many many more!

Find out more information

WHAT ARE YOU DOING WHILE LISTENING?

You can send a comment or a picture of what you're doing. You can also send a photo from one of your trips to a Celtic nation or anywhere around the globe.

Slainte!

Todd Wiley (he/him) & Marc Gunn (he/him), The Celtfather

April 16, 2026

TELL A FRIEND

Do you have a friend who loves Celtic music? Why not share the latest episode of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. Share this newsletter or your favorite episode. Tell them why you love it.

#celticmusicmagazine

https://marcgunn.com/celtic-music-magazine-cat-on-the-roof/

https://marcgunn.com/?p=22269

marcgunn_feed

Posted by Mitchell Petersen

https://marcgunn.com/irish-celtic-music-podcast-755-cat-on-the-roof/

https://marcgunn.com/?p=22262

This week on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, we travel from Kolkata to Dublin. We go from pub brawls to Ragland Road. From a cat on a rooftop to the bog down in the valley. Fifteen artists. One incredible hour. Let's go. It’s the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast #755. Subscribe now at CelticMusicPodcast.com!

Cedar Dobson and Debojyoti Sanyal, The Here & Now, Ryan McCombe, Faoileán, Celtic Conundrum, Pressgang Mutiny, Arise & Go, The Bilge Pumps, Stephen MacDonald, Duncan McLauchlan, Glaucia Carvalho, SeaStar, Dropkick Murphys, Release the Craicen, Leevy, Tara's Folk

GET CELTIC MUSIC NEWS IN YOUR INBOX

The Celtic Music Magazine is a quick and easy way to plug yourself into more great Celtic culture. Enjoy seven weekly news items with what’s happening with Celtic music and culture online.

Subscribe now and get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free.

VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20 FOR 2026

This is our way of finding the best songs and artists each year. You can vote for as many songs and tunes that inspire you in each episode. Your vote helps me create this year's Best Celtic music episode. You have just three weeks to vote this year. Vote Now!

THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC

0:06 – Cedar Dobson and Debojyoti Sanyal “Jimmy Ward's Jig” from From Kolkata to Dublin

1:46 – WELCOME

4:19 – The Here & Now “Madison Avenue” from Ladybird

9:27 – Ryan McCombe “Ragland Road” from single

13:16 – Faoileán “Cat on the Roof” from Why Should I Not

17:19 – Celtic Conundrum “The Land” from Lore

21:25 – FEEDBACK

28:09 – Pressgang Mutiny “Maggie May” from Departure

31:37 – Arise & Go “The Drowning At Bruckless / The Miller’s Maggot” from Moments of Light

35:47 – The Bilge Pumps “Excursion Around the Bay” from Greatest Hits, Vols I – VII

38:45 – Stephen MacDonald “The Chords Wouldn’t Play” from The Legend of John Lally

41:45 – Duncan McLauchlan and Glaucia Carvalho “The bog down in the valley” from McLauchlan's Celtic Brew

45:13 – THANKS

47:08 – SeaStar “The Fore Shadows” from The Treekeeper Awakens

52:13 – Dropkick Murphys “Fiending for the Lies” from For The People (Expanded Edition)

54:53 – Release the Craicen “Fisher's Hornpipe / Limerick Lasses / Mason's Apron” from Live! Songs on a Boat

57:42 – Leevy “Burn the Casket” from Baile Mhúirne or the Soldiers March the Paps of Anú

1:01:18 – CLOSING

1:02:06 – Tara's Folk “Everybody's old” from remember how we fall

1:05:52 – CREDITS

Support for this program comes from Cascadia Cross Border Law Group, Creating Transparent Borders for more than twenty five years, serving Alaska and the world. Find out more at www.CascadiaLawAlaska.com

Support for this program comes from Hank Woodward.

Support for this program comes from Dr. Annie Lorkowski of Centennial Animal Hospital in Corona, California.

Support for this program comes from John Sharkey White, II.

Support for this program comes from International speaker, Joseph Dumond, teaching the ancient roots of the Gaelic people. Learn more about their origins at Sightedmoon.com

The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn, The Celtfather and our Patrons on Patreon. The show was edited by Mitchell Petersen with Graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs. Visit our website to follow the show. You’ll find links to all of the artists played in this episode.

Todd Wiley is the editor of the Celtic Music Magazine. Subscribe to get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free. Plus, you’ll get 7 weekly news items about what’s happening with Celtic music and culture online. Best of all, you will connect with your Celtic heritage.

Please tell one friend about this podcast. Word of mouth is the absolute best way to support any creative endeavor.

Clean energy isn't just good for the planet. It's good for your wallet. Solar and wind are now the cheapest power sources in history. Spring is a good reminder of what we stand to lose… and what we're fighting to protect.

The science is clear. Human activity is driving climate change. Record heat. Rising seas. Disappearing seasons. And yet too many politicians would rather protect billionaire energy interests than help working families lower their bills.

Real change starts when we stop letting the ultra – rich write our energy policy. Support clean energy. Reduce your waste. Talk to your elected leaders. Every choice moves us toward a future that's more affordable, more free, and a planet that can actually breathe.

The power to fix this is ours. Let's use it.

Promote Celtic culture through music at http://celticmusicpodcast.com/.

WELCOME TO THE IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST

* Helping you celebrate Celtic culture through music. I am Marc Gunn. I’m a Celtic musician and also host of Pub Songs & Stories. Every song has a story, every episode is a toast to Celtic and folk songwriters. Discover the stories behind the songs from the heart of the Celtic pub scene.

This podcast is for fans of all kinds of Celtic music. We are here to build a diverse Celtic community and help the incredible artists who so generously share their music with you. If you hear music you love, please email the artists to let them know you heard them on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast.

These musicians are not part of some corporation. They are small indie groups that rely on people just like you to support their music so they can keep creating it. Please show your generosity. Buy a CD, Album Pin, Shirt, Digital Download, or join their community on Patreon.

You can find a link to all of the artists in the shownotes, along with show times, when you visit our website at celticmusicpodcast.com.

SPRING CELTIC CHALLENGE

You are two weeks into the Spring Celtic Challenge. That is no small thing. Two weeks of walking. Two weeks of music. Two weeks of picking up a little trash and leaving the world a bit cleaner than you found it.

Week three is where it gets real. The novelty has worn off. Life has gotten in the way at least once. And you're still here. That matters.

So here's your reminder. Step outside today. Twenty minutes. Let the music move with you. And if you spot something on the ground that doesn't belong there, pick it up. One piece. That's all.

If you've been working on the community knotwork or sharing your challenge art, keep going. Tag it, share it, celebrate it. You're building something with this community, step by step.

Two weeks down. Two to go. Let's walk.

Let me know how it’s going. Email me at follow@bestcelticmusic. I'd love to hear from you.

THANK YOU PATRONS OF THE PODCAST!

This show exists because of you. Every episode… the music, the production, the Celtic Music Magazine, the effort to find and support independent artists from around the world… it all runs on the generosity of our Patrons of the Podcast.

Your support pays for audio engineering and graphics. It helps us buy music directly from independent Celtic artists. It keeps this community growing week after week.

And in return, you get something good. Early access to episodes. Music – only editions. Free downloads. Exclusive content. And the power to vote for your favorite tracks. Which shapes the show in a real way.

A special thank you this week to Maryjane Foos

If you'd like to join Maryjane, here's how it works. Go to patreon.com/celticpodcast. Pick a tier that works for you. And become part of the reason this music keeps reaching new ears every single week. We'd love to have you.

HERE IS YOUR THREE STEP PLAN TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

Go to our Patreon page.
Decide how much you want to pledge every month, $4, $12, $25.
Keep listening to the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast to celebrate Celtic culture through music.

You can become a generous Patron of the Podcast on Patreon at SongHenge.com.

TRAVEL WITH CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join us with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts and videos. Learn more about the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/

#celticmusic #irishmusic #celticmusicpodcast

I WANT YOUR FEEDBACK

What are you doing today while listening to the podcast? Send me a photo from your St Patrick's Day celebrations or any new audio recordings you got for the holiday.

Email me at follow@bestcelticmusic.

Ryan S. emailed back in January: “Hey Marc. On this week's Dan Savage podcast episode #1000, they mentioned the Irish and celtic music podcast!!! Woot! Keep up the good work!”

Chelle Fiddler emailed: “Hi Marc! I am also a long – time Celtic musician. As a player, I love the pin idea. As an audient (my invented word for one audience, ; – ) ) I probably wouldn't buy it. But that's just me…. I'm not inclined to listen to Celtic music at home. I'm more likely to go to a live show, or even hire the band to play a house concert.

I'm running the Celtic series at the Old Brogue in Great Falls now… I adopted that baby from IONA this past Fall. Hopefully I can beg your help promoting the shows? We need all the help we can get. : – ). I'm so very green at promoting shows, and now I'm running two concert serieses… serii? Like you, I'm all about keeping this music alive and vibrant, and building an audience for my brilliant colleagues. All the best,”

Metta RavenHeart messaged on Patreon about show #748: “Here here and there there. Your authenticity far outweighs any difference of opinion. Please continue to march for freedom. Here in New Mexico we know what it is like to stand up against tyranny and racism, and you inspire us to continue.”

Alexander Randall 5th emailed: “Whether you make better patter or not, I will listen to you until I die.

I mentioned the Galacian Celtic music.

I am so intrigued by this sound.

Some of it is like obvious jigs and reels and marches, but it also sounds like Flamenco some of the time and sometimes muslim creep in. It is very “spanish” and yet not. And when the bagpipes come in, you think you are in Ireland…

Here are four that you will find interesting.

This one is by the kind of national Galacian folk arts concert. It opens with an almost middle eastern sound, the the voices com in singing in Spanish and then the bagpipes hit and it turns into a celtic party… in spain!

This one opens with cricket and turns into a dance.

This one is a jig. It says so in the title but then it turns into something else – – The Muneira is like the Galacian national dance… It could be scots…

What country did this dance come from?

You pick up all kinds of odd ideas. Fiddle around with this Galician celtic music…”

https://marcgunn.com/irish-celtic-music-podcast-755-cat-on-the-roof/

https://marcgunn.com/?p=22262

bruce_schneier_feed

Posted by Bruce Schneier

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2026/04/human-trust-of-ai-agents.html

https://www.schneier.com/?p=71853

Interesting research: “Humans expect rationality and cooperation from LLM opponents in strategic games.”

Abstract: As Large Language Models (LLMs) integrate into our social and economic interactions, we need to deepen our understanding of how humans respond to LLMs opponents in strategic settings. We present the results of the first controlled monetarily-incentivised laboratory experiment looking at differences in human behaviour in a multi-player p-beauty contest against other humans and LLMs. We use a within-subject design in order to compare behaviour at the individual level. We show that, in this environment, human subjects choose significantly lower numbers when playing against LLMs than humans, which is mainly driven by the increased prevalence of ‘zero’ Nash-equilibrium choices. This shift is mainly driven by subjects with high strategic reasoning ability. Subjects who play the zero Nash-equilibrium choice motivate their strategy by appealing to perceived LLM’s reasoning ability and, unexpectedly, propensity towards cooperation. Our findings provide foundational insights into the multi-player human-LLM interaction in simultaneous choice games, uncover heterogeneities in both subjects’ behaviour and beliefs about LLM’s play when playing against them, and suggest important implications for mechanism design in mixed human-LLM systems.

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2026/04/human-trust-of-ai-agents.html

https://www.schneier.com/?p=71853

rachelmanija

Danny is a 15-year-old closeted trans girl in a world where superheroes are real. She's across town from her home and her transphobic abusive father, hiding in an alley and painting her toenails with polish bought in a shop as far from her home as she can manage, when America's strongest superhero, Dreadnought, gets in a fight with a supervillain, crashes at her feet, and passes on his powers to her, since she's the only one there to receive them, before dying.

His powers automatically reshape her body into her mental ideal. So now she's physically a very pretty, very strong girl with superpowers... who now has to explain this to her abusive transphobic parents, everyone at her school, and the local superheroes, one of whom is a TERF. Not to mention that the supervillain who killed Dreadnought is still out there...

This is basically exactly what it sounds like: a superhero origin story for persecuted trans teenagers. It's very earnest and has absolutely no subtext. My favorite parts were the bits where Danny gets her gender affirmed by new friends and a sympathetic superhero, which are genuinely very sweet, and when Danny finally proclaims herself the new Dreadnought, which is a great stand up and cheer moment . But overall, I'm too old to be its ideal reader.

Content notes: A LOT of transphobia and transphobic slurs.

mrissa

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Welllll, I bet Vo wishes this was less topical.

Given the time it takes to put a book through production, she was clearly thinking about refugees and their treatment with the cohort of us who knew that it was a crucial world political issue before the early months of 2026. But now here we are, and hey, look! A protagonist who is sensitive to and helping refugees without requiring them to be moral paragons! Everybody buy two copies and pass them around, its time has come.

I am not being sarcastic.

This is the latest in the Singing Hills Cycle, which is the chronicles of Cleric Chih and their memory hoopoe, Almost Brilliant. It is a perfectly good entry point to the series--you will smoothly and swiftly find out who these people are, what they're up to, and why you should care, and then you can circle back and read the others as you can find them. (They're still in print, but we live in parlous times etc.) And while the plight of refugees is not exactly an upbeat topic, the different volumes have different levels of harrowing, and this is definitely on the less-harrowing end, which often makes for a good starting point. (Again parlous times.) I'm glad this series is ongoing, and I'm glad this is the way it's going on.

lydamorehouse

First, I feel that I'll be accused of burying the lead (alternately lede, if you are old school) if I don't start with this: I got the library job out in Anoka County!!

This is exciting!

And also a hassle!

As I may have mentioned in my previous post about this, there were two jobs available to the candidates. I was sincere when I told the interviewers that I did not care which one I got, if I got one. It is, of course, easiest to say that when actually landing the job seems like a distant prospect. The job I ended up with has, what is quite obviously, the more terrible schedule of the two options. Library work always requires evening and weekend work, but I will be working both Saturdays and Sundays every other week. This is particularly rough for me, as someone who often hopes to attend SFF conventions on the weekends. I am unclear how friendly this workplace will be to me announcing that I can not work some assigned shifts? I won't have to test this until July, when Convergence is going to slam headlong into a "week 2" of my schedule, aka my weekend hours. (I am also GoH, as mentioned many times now, at Quantum Con, but as CHANCE WOULD HAVE IT, that weekend falls on my "week 1" week and thus is not a week I am expected to work weekends.)

So, it's going to be interesting to work all that out. For the moment, I am excited to be taking on some extra work, especially since the nice thing about this particular schedule is that I will only be expected to work two four hour shifts, every work week. The way everything actually works out, given that week 1 begins on a Tuesday for me, there will, in fact be weeks where I will have worked the previous weekend and then also have to work into the evenings of both Tuesday and Thursday. But then I'll get this weidly long gap before I have to do it again.

I can see why this position was open? I can only imagine people want out of it ASAP.

Given that we are a one car family, this is also just... a lot of logistics for us. We have solutions to all of that in the works already, however.

Second, since a lot of you got very invested in my phone problems yesterday, I am happy to report that I am already in possession of a brandnew phone. I have not yet moved everything over to it, but that will probably happen tonight. (I may need my wife at home to hold my hand, as Tracfone can be notoriously annoying when activating and switching to a new phone. At least my previous/current phone is still in my possession and I can access it. The worst is when you've lost or totally bricked your previous phone.) In the meantime, the gods have chosen to laugh at me. Yesterday, after spending the day (and notably my patrol) with my phone OUT LOUD sans earphones,* I dropped it. I didn't think anything of it until, without thinking, I went to turn it on with my headphone jack and VIOLA. It suddenly decided to work again. This was, of course, about two second after Shawn had hit the "buy it" button at Best Buy.

Ah well.

Otherwise, today is Wednesday and I have managed to read almost nothing the entire week. I have a zillion books out from the Ramsey County Library right now. They're even manga, something that I am known to consume at ligthning speeds. For whatever reason, I have just not picked them up. I'm going to renew them one more time, but, obviously, if I can't get through them after that, I'll just have to give up. The same has been happening with my audiobooks. I did start to listen to Volatile Memory by Seth Haddon, but I just couldn't get into it. What I have on audio right now is:

Sunbirth by An Yu
Audition by Katie Kitamura
The King Must Die by Kemi Ashing-Giwa

If anyone has a recommendation of which I should try next, please let me know!

I just hopped over to Instagram and it looks like my mutual aid folks are up and in operation today. I still need to have a little bit of something to eat for lunch, but I might wander over there in a bit and give them some of my time. Also, I am curious AF if Colin actually got enough money to fully fund "distro" or if we're going to be sending out sad little bags of beans and a couple of apples or what. Curiosity and drama. It's what my end of this resistance runs on.

If people want, I can also give you an anti-ICE resistance update at some point. The short of it is that last Friday I was on a live call while on foot patrol near a local mosque and listened to a commuter attempt to stop an abduction here in St. Paul. According to what I heard on school bus patrol yesterday, there was also another person stolen from their family and their home extra-legally the day before (Monday, also in Saint Paul). The bastards are still doing their grab and go of human beings, many of whom are attempting to follow the legal process of immigration. (And even if they aren't? Masked men randomly hauling a person away isn't how this is supposed to happen.) We, the Resistance, are generally low on commuters and patrolers "post surge," so that isn't helping matters. If we don't get recordings of these events, ICE can lie about them more easily and/or act like they never happened. Luckily, I know for a fact that during the Friday's kidnapping, our commuter was able to get the name of the person ICE abducted. Thanks to being there and his quick thinking, that meant we could follow-up. While I listened, I heard reports of people returning to the scene to try to find family, friends or other contacts to make sure that the abductee's family knew they had been taken and try to get them legal aid, anything else they might need right away.

I can't even imagine what it must be like. To say goodbye to a loved one or your parent or your child as they (or you) head to work in the morning and then.... they just never come home. And you don't know where they went or if they're okay. And by the time you find out, if you ever do, they might be in another state or another country, all alone. If that happened to Shawn I wouldn't even know what to do, how to go on. To think that my neighbors face this every day is just heartbreaking.

And this is why I pray some of us will never stop fighting.

==
*The live call I join is unvetted and everyone involved knows that they could be overheard. Everyone is very circumspect about locations and events.

lsanderson

US Tax Day! Happy Happy Joy Joy
Tax day: US taxpayers spend hundreds more on military as Trump pushes for vast increase
As Americans race to file their federal taxes before today’s deadline, new analysis breaks down where the money goes
Anna Betts in New York
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/15/us-taxpayers-military-spending-trump

Tax day is a reminder of America’s unequal tax system. But we can fix it
Joseph Stiglitz, Gabriel Zucman and Zohran Mamdani
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/apr/15/tax-day-united-states-unequal-taxation ( Read more... )

bruce_schneier_feed

Posted by Bruce Schneier

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2026/04/defense-in-depth-medieval-style.html

https://www.schneier.com/?p=71830

This article on the walls of Constantinople is fascinating.

The system comprised four defensive lines arranged in formidable layers:

The brick-lined ditch, divided by bulkheads and often flooded, 15-20 meters wide and up to 7 meters deep.
A low breastwork, about 2 meters high, enabling defenders to fire freely from behind.
The outer wall, 8 meters tall and 2.8 meters thick, with 82 projecting towers.
The main wall—a towering 12 meters high and 5 meters thick—with 96 massive towers offset from those of the outer wall for maximum coverage.

Behind the walls lay broad terraces: the parateichion, 18 meters wide, ideal for repelling enemies who crossed the moat, and the peribolos, 15–20 meters wide between the inner and outer walls. From the moat’s bottom to the highest tower top, the defences reached nearly 30 meters—a nearly unscalable barrier of stone and ingenuity.

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2026/04/defense-in-depth-medieval-style.html

https://www.schneier.com/?p=71830

twilightearth_feed

Posted by Asmaa Ali

https://twilightearth.com/encyclopedia/%d9%82%d8%a7%d9%85%d9%88%d8%b3-%d9%85%d8%b5%d8%b7%d9%84%d8%ad%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d9%83%d8%b4%d9%81-%d8%aa%d8%b3%d8%b1%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%8a%d8%a7%d9%87/

https://twilightearth.com/?p=2902

عندما يزورك فني كشف التسربات، قد يبدأ في إلقاء مصطلحات مثل “النبض الصوتي”، “الخاصية الشعرية”، أو “معامل التوصيل الحراري”. بالنسبة لك، قد تبدو هذه الكلمات كلغة غريبة، لكنها في الحقيقة هي “مفتاح الأمان” لمنزلك. في شركة المهندس، نؤمن أن المعرفة هي أولى خطوات الإصلاح الناجح. في هذا الجزء من الموسوعة التعليمية، قمنا بتجميع وتبسيط كافة المصطلحات التقنية والهندسية التي تحتاج لمعرفتها لتكون شريكاً خبيراً في حماية عقارك.

أولاً: مصطلحات علم التشخيص الرقمي (Detection Science)

هذه المصطلحات تصف “كيف نرى ما وراء الجدران” باستخدام الأجهزة والتقنيات الحديثة:

النبض الصوتي (Acoustic Pulse): الترددات والاهتزازات التي يصدرها الماء عند اندفاعه من ثقب مجهري في الماسورة تحت الضغط.
المسح الحراري (Infrared Thermography): تقنية استخدام الأشعة تحت الحمراء لرصد بقع الرطوبة خلف الرخام والجدران عبر اختلاف درجات الحرارة.
الغاز الخامل (Tracer Gas): مزيج غازي (نيتروجين وهيدروجين) يُحقن في المواسير الفارغة للكشف عن أصغر التسربات التي لا تصدر صوتاً.
روبوت CCTV: كاميرا مرنة تتوغل داخل أنابيب الصرف لمسافة تصل لـ 90 متراً لتصوير الكسور الداخلية بجودة HD.

ثانياً: مصطلحات علم المواد والعزل (Materials & Insulation)

لفهم ما يتم تركيبه في منزلك من واقع دليل عزل الأسطح:

البولي يوريثان (الفوم): مادة كيميائية تُرش لتشكل طبقة عازلة مائياً وحرارياً في آن واحد، وتتميز بخلوها من الفواصل.
الإيبوكسي (Epoxy): طلاء كيميائي صلب يُستخدم لتبطين خزانات مياه الشرب، يتميز بمقاومته العالية للبكتيريا والكيماويات.
العزل المتبلور (Crystalline): مادة كيميائية تتغلغل داخل مسام الخرسانة لتغلقها من الداخل، وتُستخدم بكثرة في “البدرومات” لمقاومة ضغط المياه الجوفية.
البيتومين (Bitumen): المادة الأساسية في الرولات السوداء، تُستخدم للعزل المائي القوي في الأساسات وتحت البلاط.

جدول: قاموس المصطلحات السريع (Search-Ready)

| المصطلح التقني | المعنى البسيط | متى تسمع هذا المصطلح؟ |

| التزهير (Efflorescence) | بقع ملح بيضاء على الجدار | عند وجود رطوبة ساحلية في أحياء الشاطئ والراكة |

| الخاصية الشعرية | صعود الماء للأعلى داخل الجدار | عند وجود تسرب في الخزان الأرضي أو المياه الجوفية |

| اختبار الكتامة | غمر المنطقة بالماء للتأكد | بعد الانتهاء من أعمال العزل وقبل تسليم الضمان |

| تنميل الخرسانة | شروخ دقيقة جداً | نتيجة الإجهاد الحراري أو تسرب مياه قديم |

| المحبس الرئيسي | صمام التحكم في مياه المنزل | عند حدوث طوارئ وانفجار مواسير |

ثالثاً: مصطلحات مديونية المياه (NWC & Financial)

المصطلحات التي تحدد علاقتك بـشركة المياه الوطنية:

التقرير المعتمد: وثيقة هندسية رسمية تُثبت وجود تسرب وتم إصلاحه، وهي المستند الوحيد المقبول لقبول الاعتراض على الفاتورة.
العداد الذكي: العداد الإلكتروني الذي يرصد تدفق المياه، وحركته والمحابس مغلقة هي الدليل القاطع على وجود “اللص الصامت”.
شرائح الاستهلاك: نظام تسعير المياه في المملكة؛ حيث يرتفع سعر المتر المكعب كلما زاد الاستهلاك نتيجة التسربات.

نصيحة الخبير

لا تسمح لأي فني بالبدء في العمل قبل أن يشرح لك “المصطلح” الذي استخدمه في التشخيص. الفني المحترف في شركة المهندس مُلزم بتبسيط هذه المصطلحات لك قبل توقيع أي ميثاق جودة. تأكد دائماً أن المصطلح يتبعه “دليل رقمي” من الجهاز.

إن امتلاكك لـ قاموس مصطلحات كشف التسربات يجعلك الطرف الأقوى في معادلة الصيانة. نحن في شركة المهندس لا نصلح المواسير فقط، بل نبني جسراً من الفهم بينك وبين منزلك.

📞 هل سمعت مصطلحاً ولم تفهمه؟ اسأل مهندسنا الآن: 0533287010

الأسئلة الشائعة حول المصطلحات

ماذا يعني الفني بقوله “الماسورة بها تهريب شعري”؟

يعني أن التسرب صغير جداً وغير مرئي بالعين، لكنه مستمر ويؤدي لتشبع الخرسانة بالرطوبة ببطء، ويحتاج لأجهزة صوتية دقيقة لرصده.

ما الفرق بين العزل المائي والعزل السلبي؟

العزل المائي العادي يُطبق من جهة مصدر الماء، أما العزل السلبي فيُطبق من الجهة المعاكسة (مثل عزل جدار القبو من الداخل لمنع دخول مياه التربة).

https://twilightearth.com/?p=2902

the_one_ring_net_feed

Posted by greendragon

https://www.theonering.net/torwp/2026/04/14/121777-breaking-hunt-for-gollum-casting-revealed/

https://www.theonering.net/torwp/?p=121777

Exciting news - just revealed today at CinemaCon, some information about Hunt for Gollum casting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UInyWvduSs&list=PL_g_1c59GOvVbY8lC-kMlLGYy5zlxZOKv

Ian McKellen and Kate Winslet confirmed - Winslet's character is rumoured to be Smeagol's mother, named here as Marigol. This is the first we've heard anything at all about Jamie Dornan - there was no hint of his casting as Strider! Plus, it's interesting to note that the character is - accurately - here called Strider, not Aragorn; at this point in the history, King Elessar is pretty much only known as Strider.

So Leo Woodall, whom we suspected to be Strider/Aragorn, is in fact a character named Halvard. Is this a member of the Dúnedain? Perhaps based on the leader of the Grey Company, Halbarad? But then, why not just use the name from Tolkien, instead of adjusting it to Halvard? (Could this be to avoid confusion with the name used in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Halbrand?)

And can we assume that the 'working title' of The Hunt for Gollum has now become the definite title? So much to think about and discuss!

Release date of Dec 17 2027 was also confirmed. Can't wait! Expect thoughts and reactions from TORn staffers; and you can join the chat on Discord to share the excitement of this breaking news!

https://www.theonering.net/torwp/2026/04/14/121777-breaking-hunt-for-gollum-casting-revealed/

https://www.theonering.net/torwp/?p=121777

rachelmanija

As you may have guessed, I completely failed to live up to my goal of reviewing everything I read, even in brief. Rather than attempting to catch up to my backlog, I am re-starting from where I am.

Yesterday I did a quick book cull by pulling books off my shelves that have been sitting there for ages, reading the first couple chapters, and deciding if I was likely to continue. I focused on books I'd started before and not gotten very far into. Here are the books that landed in the "move to Paper & Clay's used section" bag.

Trouble and Her Friends, by Melissa Scott

See the new cover? If you've been wanting to read this, it's now available as an ebook!

This is a classic lesbian cyberpunk novel that I have tried to read at least three times, and never managed to get very far into. I kept putting it back on the shelf because it's a classic and probably objectively good, but I'm just not that into cyberpunk. If a lot of the action is taking place online, I tend to lose interest. Also, some books just don't grab me, due to a mismatch between me and the book, rather than being objectively or even subjectively bad. This is clearly one of them. Someone else can be thrilled to find it at Paper & Clay, take it home, and enjoy it.

The Splinter in the Sky, by Kemi Ashling-Garcia

A tea specialist becomes a spy in a far-future colonized world! Unfortunately, this starts with a prologue which reads much like the infamous "trade war" crawl at the top of The Phantom Menace. Yes, I know that turned out to be prescient, but the problem was that it was written in a stultifying manner. The next couple chapters were much more lively, but also had a tendency to clunky exposition - some of which was pretty cool, to be fair. This was the second time I attempted this book, and had essentially the same reaction I did to Trouble and Her Friends - not bad, but not for me.

Furies of Calderon, by Jim Butcher

This has been described to me as "Pokemon in alternate ancient Rome," which sounds amazing. For at least the third time, it failed to grab me. I got about four chapters in and there's still no Pokemon. Someone else will like it more than me.

The Hum and the Shiver, by Alex Bledsoe

A race of people called the Tufa have lived amongst normal humans in Appalachia since the beginning of time. They can see ghosts, have music-based magic, etc. This opens with a Tufa woman very very clearly based on Jessica Lynch, who was a real-life American soldier who was wounded and captured in the US/Iraq war, returning from Iraq. I found this in poor taste. The general style also got on my nerves.

While doing this, I got sufficiently grabbed by the openings to keep reading and finish Maureen McHugh's Nekropolis, which hopefully I will actually review. I also returned Amitav Ghosh's Sea of Poppies and Tanya Huff's Sing the Four Quarters to the shelf.

feministdailynews_feed

Posted by Jaharra Anglin Stubbs

https://feminist.org/news/urgent-care-clinic-in-michigan-fills-gaps-in-abortion-access/

https://feminist.org/?p=88542

As abortion clinics continue to close at alarming rates across the country, many community-based medical providers are stepping in to expand access to care. After a Planned Parenthood clinic in Marquette, Michigan shut its doors, the Marquette Medical Urgent Care, under the direction of Dr. Shawn Brown, began offering medication abortion. As Dr. Brown explained […]

The post Urgent Care Clinic in Michigan Fills Gaps in Abortion Access appeared first on Feminist Majority Foundation.

https://feminist.org/news/urgent-care-clinic-in-michigan-fills-gaps-in-abortion-access/

https://feminist.org/?p=88542

bruce_schneier_feed

Posted by Bruce Schneier

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2026/04/upcoming-speaking-engagements-55.html

https://www.schneier.com/?p=71945

This is a current list of where and when I am scheduled to speak:

I’m speaking at DemocracyXChange 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on April 18, 2026.
I’m speaking at the SANS AI Cybersecurity Summit 2026 in Arlington, Virginia, USA, at 9:40 AM ET on April 20, 2026.
I’m speaking at the Greater Good Gathering in New York City, USA, on Tuesday, April 21, 2026.
I’m speaking at the Nemertes [Next] Virtual Conference Spring 2026, a virtual event, on April 29, 2026.
I’m speaking at RightsCon 2026 in Lusaka, Zambia, on May 6 and 7, 2026.
I’m giving a keynote address and participating in a panel discussion at an ICTLuxembourg event called “Europe at the Crossroads of AI, Power & the Future of Democracy.” The event will be held at the University of Luxembourg’s Belval Campus on May 12, 2026.
I’m speaking at the Potsdam Conference on National Cybersecurity at the Hasso Plattner Institut in Potsdam, Germany. The event runs June 24–25, 2026, and my talk will be the evening of June 24.
I’m speaking at the Digital Humanism Conference in Vienna, Austria, on Tuesday, June 26, 2026.
I’m speaking at the Nuremberg Digital Festival in Nuremburg, Germany, on Wednesday, July 1, 2026.

The list is maintained on this page.

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2026/04/upcoming-speaking-engagements-55.html

https://www.schneier.com/?p=71945

lydamorehouse

For months now, I've been turning my phone on by plugging my earphones into the jack. Some time around last August (I remember because it first happened when I was one of the GoHs at Diversicon,) my on/off button just stopped working consistantly. If someone texted/called me or if I lucked out, I could sometimes turn it on.Eventually, it fully failed. I discovered that the screen would turn on when it registered a device being plugged in, so I just carried around a zillion pair of earphones so I could always turn it on as needed.

I've been skating by on that for... well, I mean what is that? Almost six months?

Last night the earphone jack gave up the ghost. It accepts no plug into that jack as anything real. If I'm listening to a podcast, everyone gets to hear that I'm into "Betwixt the Sheets" and other sex history podcasts. That is, when I can turn it on. Right now, the only thing my phone will still recognize as a device is its charging cord--but only when active, as in plugged in. In essence it's a landline now, which is not what I need and, as it happens, I still have a landline.

I found a place on University that supposedly will deal with ancient technology like my Samsung, so, hopefully, they'll be able to fix one or both of the phone's problems. It'd be cool if I could actually turn it on the normal way again, but I'd settle for a working earphone jack.

Before you yell at me, yes. The plan *is* to buy a new phone. They're not that expensive. This will be an "in the meantime" as we wait for it to arrive solution. And, yeah, I'm aware that it's possible that the repair person will tell me that the cost of fixing it is more than the price of a new phone (keeping in mind that my family buys cheap-ass phones from Tracfone.) In which case, I'll figure something out. I can keep a charging cord in my car and so maybe before I go out on school patrol I can plug it in and just make sure I am always tapping the screen so I don't lose the ability to go on mic or, you know, hang up. I'll still be without headphones, which would suck, but you know, needs must.

My appointment at the shop is for noon. I'm hoping for something simple and cheap.

Wish me luck.

julian

On Sunday, we had Ny's Online Thing. (Wake. Memorial.)

It was very good; full of singing and poetry and science facts and art and memories and sadnesses. and made me sort of/almost cry at various time periods, but because I was the Official Zoom Host I felt like I couldn't, like, take breaks, which is of course Never True. Once it finished, I ended up with a dyspeptic-and-congestion-related headache that took a bit to clear out, but it did eventually.

There were a thousand small details that I didn't quite think of, which makes sense because generally I'm not the one hosting large Zooms, or, for that matter, organizing memorials. And also, the sad.

The general inchoate "we" of the Discord have been hashing out ethical stuff about posting and/or linking to the video of the memorial. Because, it was a semi-public event, but also private, and the simultaneous chat in particular had a lot of linking up wallet names and online handles that is perfectly fine in a semi-private space, but less so in the wider world. And yet, one of the things I appreciated about Ny was that she created a life where she could, to the extent possible, be as much herself as she could, out loud, and I don't want her life's celebration muffled.

But, we didn't quite make it clear that it might be posted later, or ask people if they were OK with it being posted (see above re: small details), and in the general sense, we're fans of opt-in rather than opt-out. So we've come to a (current) compromise. I am quite positive there will be further movement later. (For all I know, someone'll make it a Project to ask everyone who was there if they're OK with it being public, or if they'd like their identities ambiguated. I'm sure not doing it, though, because I have overdue client notes to write.) But anyway, for now, we're not sending out the chat, but will send out the video. So!

If you're interested, either

a) email vicka about it, and she can send you the video. (vicka's the one with the Ny Page, which was where I originally found out about the dying-of-COVID part. Her email is findable on the wider andor pages.)

or b) PM me/comment here/email me/send me a carrier pigeon, and I can send you a link to the video, which is on Mega, which is how I got it to vicka because I decided I wasn't up to figuring out SCP. I'm not including the chat there because of the aforementioned linkages.

Or c)

gingicat is, soon, going to post the link to the announce-list, if you're on that.

lsanderson

Ramsey County is investigating federal immigration officers for possible kidnapping, burglary and false imprisonment over the arrest of an American citizen who was detained and led outside wearing only a blanket and underwear in freezing temperatures, reports The Associated Press.
https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-enforcement-crackdown-690091eeef2eb7f2bca1d8545bba9e83

US states drop Medicaid coverage of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs as demand rises
Experts say any short-term financial benefit will be outweighed by long-term health costs related to obesity
Eric Berger
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/14/states-medicaid-coverage-glp-1 ( Read more... )

bruce_schneier_feed

Posted by Bruce Schneier

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2026/04/how-hackers-are-thinking-about-ai.html

https://www.schneier.com/?p=71838

Interesting paper: “What hackers talk about when they talk about AI: Early-stage diffusion of a cybercrime innovation.”

Abstract: The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) is raising concerns about its potential to transform cybercrime. Beyond empowering novice offenders, AI stands to intensify the scale and sophistication of attacks by seasoned cybercriminals. This paper examines the evolving relationship between cybercriminals and AI using a unique dataset from a cyber threat intelligence platform. Analyzing more than 160 cybercrime forum conversations collected over seven months, our research reveals how cybercriminals understand AI and discuss how they can exploit its capabilities. Their exchanges reflect growing curiosity about AI’s criminal applications through legal tools and dedicated criminal tools, but also doubts and anxieties about AI’s effectiveness and its effects on their business models and operational security. The study documents attempts to misuse legitimate AI tools and develop bespoke models tailored for illicit purposes. Combining the diffusion of innovation framework with thematic analysis, the paper provides an in-depth view of emerging AI-enabled cybercrime and offers practical insights for law enforcement and policymakers.

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2026/04/how-hackers-are-thinking-about-ai.html

https://www.schneier.com/?p=71838

dailykos_feed

https://www.dailykos.com/story/2026/4/13/2377697/-What-happens-to-California-s-governor-race-without-Eric-Swalwell?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=

Rep. Eric Swalwell's California gubernatorial campaign—and career in Congress—appear to be over after the Democratic lawmaker suspended his campaign and announced his resignation following a spate of disturbing sexual assault allegations from multiple women and former aides.

Given that Swalwell had been the front-runner in the contest, his exit from the race upends what has so far been a messy affair, with more than a half-dozen Democrats vying for the chance to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom.

California gubernatorial candidate Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., listens to a question from the audience during a town hall meeting in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) — Rep. Eric Swalwell’s run for governor is over.

Until now, the big fear in Democratic circles was that the party could blow the race entirely, as the crowded primary field risked locking Democrats out of the general election altogether. That's because California has a jungle primary, in which all candidates regardless of party ID run on the same ballot. And with the Democratic vote getting cut in so many different ways, two Republicans could have advanced to the general.

But with Swalwell out, the odds of a Democratic lockout have dropped—especially given that President Donald Trump endorsed one of the two GOP candidates, former Fox News host Steve Hilton, likely consolidating the Republican vote behind his chosen nominee.

The biggest question that remains now is which Democratic candidate stands to benefit from Swalwell's exit.

Polls before Swalwell's scandal showed that billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer and former Rep. Katie Porter were neck-in-neck to be the second-place Democrat in the race.

FILE - U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., smiles as she prepares to address supporters at an election night party, March 5, 2024, in Long Beach, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File) — Former Rep. Katie Porter.

Steyer, for his part, has the advantage of money. And given that California is the largest state in the country, as well as one of the most expensive to run a statewide campaign thanks to its vast size and expensive media markets, that is not a factor to discount.

Steyer has already given $121 million to his campaign, $90 million of which he spent on television advertising. That could absolutely boost him to victory in the June 2 primary.

Porter is more of a known name in California politics, having represented an Orange County-based House seat for three terms, and running a statewide race for Senate in 2024—which she ultimately lost in the primary to now-Sen. Adam Schiff.

However, she has struggled to raise money this time around, taking in roughly $6 million in donations from July through December, according to the BallotBook. While that sounds like a lot, it's a pittance in California, where television ads cost a fortune in expensive media markets like Los Angeles and San Francisco.

What’s more, Porter has her own baggage. Early on in her gubernatorial bid, she was exposed as a nasty boss who berated employees in her congressional office. She also showed her temper in an interview with a local television reporter, threatening to end an on-camera interview over a dumb yet otherwise benign question.

Something to watch is what the many congressional Democrats who had endorsed Swalwell's campaign will do now. Do they coalesce behind one of the Democratic candidates in the race, helping build momentum for that person? Do they splinter, watering down their impact? Or do they sit out altogether?

Meanwhile, a poll also circulated after the Swalwell scandal broke asking if voters would be open to former Vice President Kamala Harris running a write-in gubernatorial campaign. There’s no sign that Harris herself was behind the survey, nor that she would embark on a difficult write-in campaign. But it’s something people are talking about.

Ultimately, a lot can happen in the seven weeks between now and the primary. But Steyer's money gives him an advantage that makes him a difficult candidate to beat.

https://www.dailykos.com/story/2026/4/13/2377697/-What-happens-to-California-s-governor-race-without-Eric-Swalwell?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=