December 1
Australian Bioacoustic Search Tool
The Australian Acoustic Observatory has 360 microphones across the continent, and over 2 million hours of audio. However, none of it is labeled: We want to make this enormous repository useful to researchers. We have found that researchers are often looking for 'hard' signals - specific call-types, birds with very little available training data, and so on. So we built an acoustic-similarity search tool, allowing researchers to provide an example of what they're looking for, which we then match against embeddings from the A2O dataset. [more inside]
The Australian Acoustic Observatory has 360 microphones across the continent, and over 2 million hours of audio. However, none of it is labeled: We want to make this enormous repository useful to researchers. We have found that researchers are often looking for 'hard' signals - specific call-types, birds with very little available training data, and so on. So we built an acoustic-similarity search tool, allowing researchers to provide an example of what they're looking for, which we then match against embeddings from the A2O dataset. [more inside]
November 28
Bottlecap Mountain - “I Guess It's Christmas” - Official Music Video
I made this animated video for my band's new Christmas song - "I Guess It's Christmas." I also played bass. [more inside]
I made this animated video for my band's new Christmas song - "I Guess It's Christmas." I also played bass. [more inside]
November 27
The Taxonomy and Ecology of Demonology
I made a very short, illustrated, RPG pamphlet describing various categories of demon. For any game where you want a gently novel take on summoning and binding hostile otherworldly monsters. [more inside]
I made a very short, illustrated, RPG pamphlet describing various categories of demon. For any game where you want a gently novel take on summoning and binding hostile otherworldly monsters. [more inside]
November 25
Brids, Sfish and other Amals
A simple head swapping browser toy that mixes up Victorian animal illustrations to create amazing new hybrid animals every time you click. [more inside]
A simple head swapping browser toy that mixes up Victorian animal illustrations to create amazing new hybrid animals every time you click. [more inside]
November 20
What Rosa Brought
When my kids were ready to begin learning about the Holocaust, but not to face its full horror, I told them their grandmother's story. My mom was a little girl in Vienna when the Nazis marched in. She was present for the first steps that they took against the Austrian Jews. Miraculously, she and her parents escaped in 1939. It’s not a happy story, but it's a story whose sadness a child can wrap their head around, and I thought it might be helpful for other parents who are ready to begin this conversation. So, I put it in a picture book. It was published last week, and I'm prouder of it than anything else I've written. It got starred reviews in Kirkus and Booklist. [more inside]
When my kids were ready to begin learning about the Holocaust, but not to face its full horror, I told them their grandmother's story. My mom was a little girl in Vienna when the Nazis marched in. She was present for the first steps that they took against the Austrian Jews. Miraculously, she and her parents escaped in 1939. It’s not a happy story, but it's a story whose sadness a child can wrap their head around, and I thought it might be helpful for other parents who are ready to begin this conversation. So, I put it in a picture book. It was published last week, and I'm prouder of it than anything else I've written. It got starred reviews in Kirkus and Booklist. [more inside]
November 15
Kraken Whispers - an interactive text adventure
A climate-fiction text adventure with dystopian themes, set in 2051. Can you survive for one week as a regular person under the rule of the York Emergency Authority? (Maybe you can do more than survive, and blow oxygen on embers of resistance.) With beautiful art by Dibujos de Pam! Play for free in your browser, desktop or mobile. [more inside]
A climate-fiction text adventure with dystopian themes, set in 2051. Can you survive for one week as a regular person under the rule of the York Emergency Authority? (Maybe you can do more than survive, and blow oxygen on embers of resistance.) With beautiful art by Dibujos de Pam! Play for free in your browser, desktop or mobile. [more inside]
November 11
heroes wreck everything
"Monster in the Wilderness" is a solo journaling game about lying in wait for a hero who wants to come to your lair and steal your stuff. Play using random generators, or by building a house of cards.
"Monster in the Wilderness" is a solo journaling game about lying in wait for a hero who wants to come to your lair and steal your stuff. Play using random generators, or by building a house of cards.
November 9
Eldercare, Family Caretaking, and End-of-life Logistics: Stuff I Learned
My mother died this year, after a long decline in her health, and I was one of the main people who helped take care of her. While caring for her, preparing for her death, and handling logistics afterwards, I learned a lot from online resources (including MetaFilter), various professionals, and friends. So I'm trying to pass on some things I learned -- about paperwork, patient advocacy, body donation, delegating to friends, coping with Mom's delirium and incontinence, and more -- by sharing them in a blog post I have been working on for months. It was pretty hard to write in places, and I hope it saves people a few unpleasant surprises. [more inside]
My mother died this year, after a long decline in her health, and I was one of the main people who helped take care of her. While caring for her, preparing for her death, and handling logistics afterwards, I learned a lot from online resources (including MetaFilter), various professionals, and friends. So I'm trying to pass on some things I learned -- about paperwork, patient advocacy, body donation, delegating to friends, coping with Mom's delirium and incontinence, and more -- by sharing them in a blog post I have been working on for months. It was pretty hard to write in places, and I hope it saves people a few unpleasant surprises. [more inside]
November 5
Bonjour Hi - A game in the Montreal Metro
In the vein of Jet Lag the Game, Taskmaster, The Amazing Race, and more, I came up with a game for my friends and I to play in the Montreal metro (subway) system. We recorded the whole thing. The goal: "capture" the four main transfer hubs of the metro system and race back to where we began. The first team back wins. The fun bit is we need to do various tasks before we're allowed to advance in the game, which leads to much hilarity. [more inside]
In the vein of Jet Lag the Game, Taskmaster, The Amazing Race, and more, I came up with a game for my friends and I to play in the Montreal metro (subway) system. We recorded the whole thing. The goal: "capture" the four main transfer hubs of the metro system and race back to where we began. The first team back wins. The fun bit is we need to do various tasks before we're allowed to advance in the game, which leads to much hilarity. [more inside]
November 4
Baby’s first stand-up set
Hey, remember earlier this spring when I asked the green how to learn more about stand-up comedy as a creative outlet? I followed some of your advice, found a local intro to stand up class, and just finished and did my first performance in my class show! [more inside]
Hey, remember earlier this spring when I asked the green how to learn more about stand-up comedy as a creative outlet? I followed some of your advice, found a local intro to stand up class, and just finished and did my first performance in my class show! [more inside]
November 3
Scorecard.gg
Free minimal scoresheet tool for your favorite boardgames, including Scrabble, 7 Wonders, Kingdomino, Scythe, Agricola, and Yahtzee!
Free minimal scoresheet tool for your favorite boardgames, including Scrabble, 7 Wonders, Kingdomino, Scythe, Agricola, and Yahtzee!
October 31
Jabo’s Annual Halloween Cartoon 2023
It’s Halloween! And another of my annual bone-chilling cartoons; HALLO23, is now up and haunting the HTML. Guaranteed to make you shiver (or maybe just shake your head). As always enter at your own risk. But if it’s a real scare you’re looking for, you can just read today’s paper.
It’s Halloween! And another of my annual bone-chilling cartoons; HALLO23, is now up and haunting the HTML. Guaranteed to make you shiver (or maybe just shake your head). As always enter at your own risk. But if it’s a real scare you’re looking for, you can just read today’s paper.
October 26
October 25
Restaurants in Peace
Leave a remembrance about a restaurant that's closed. A long project in the making (started in ~2019, before the everything), I'm super happy to share it with the fellow MeFites and the world. You can let me know (via the site or message me here) if places are missing -- and a lot of places are! Cheers and thanks for everything
Leave a remembrance about a restaurant that's closed. A long project in the making (started in ~2019, before the everything), I'm super happy to share it with the fellow MeFites and the world. You can let me know (via the site or message me here) if places are missing -- and a lot of places are! Cheers and thanks for everything
Choco Chooser
Match with the perfect chocolate for you by building your taste profile. With more varieties of candy out there than ever, this tool will help you discover a new favorite just in time for Halloween.
Match with the perfect chocolate for you by building your taste profile. With more varieties of candy out there than ever, this tool will help you discover a new favorite just in time for Halloween.
October 24
Jazz!
This past summer, I took on a fill-in show at our local campus/community radio station. A traditional jazz show, but I decided to only ever say the station's call letters, frequency, and the word "jazz". Over and over and over again. [more inside]
This past summer, I took on a fill-in show at our local campus/community radio station. A traditional jazz show, but I decided to only ever say the station's call letters, frequency, and the word "jazz". Over and over and over again. [more inside]
October 18
Any movie scene, rewritten like a Michael Bay movie
Needs More Boom is proof that sometimes you just need to do something stupid for no other reason than "because I can." Just type the scene, hit the 💥LFG💥 button, and see how much better if would have been if Bay had shot it. [more inside]
Needs More Boom is proof that sometimes you just need to do something stupid for no other reason than "because I can." Just type the scene, hit the 💥LFG💥 button, and see how much better if would have been if Bay had shot it. [more inside]
October 5
Quonsmas Magazine
I was looking through my old Canva projects when one caught my eye, and I thought it might be worth sharing here. It's the magazine I put together for Quonsmas Magazine. [more inside]
I was looking through my old Canva projects when one caught my eye, and I thought it might be worth sharing here. It's the magazine I put together for Quonsmas Magazine. [more inside]
October 2
Mahnawhgads
Do you like the Muppets? Do you like Homestar Runner? Then you might enjoy this mashup tune I made.
Do you like the Muppets? Do you like Homestar Runner? Then you might enjoy this mashup tune I made.
October 1
British Seaside Simulator
Fully experience the sights and sounds of the UK’s coastal resorts. This was meant to be a quick thing using a ready-made rain effect but, as documented on Mastodon and ex-Twitter, I ended up doing it my own way from scratch and added lots more features.
Fully experience the sights and sounds of the UK’s coastal resorts. This was meant to be a quick thing using a ready-made rain effect but, as documented on Mastodon and ex-Twitter, I ended up doing it my own way from scratch and added lots more features.
September 26
Incredible Doom: Eternal September
A new comic series we're launching today in the Incredible Doom universe (that Metafilter has been so kind to!), Eternal September is an intimate, harrowing series about teenagers navigating the wild, dangerous days of the early web. You can read Issue 1 free online today, and you'll be able to read the entire series for free as it's posted to followers. No ads, no trackers, no middlemen, we're going back to our roots on the open web. [more inside]
A new comic series we're launching today in the Incredible Doom universe (that Metafilter has been so kind to!), Eternal September is an intimate, harrowing series about teenagers navigating the wild, dangerous days of the early web. You can read Issue 1 free online today, and you'll be able to read the entire series for free as it's posted to followers. No ads, no trackers, no middlemen, we're going back to our roots on the open web. [more inside]
Endless Knights
Endless Knights is an infinite Arthurian knight generator, for all your heroic knightly needs. [more inside]
Endless Knights is an infinite Arthurian knight generator, for all your heroic knightly needs. [more inside]
September 25
Halloween History Zines
What's the relationship between Samhain and Halloween? What sorts of divination games were played that night? Where did trick-or-treating come from? What about the Jack-o'-lantern? I have written two zines about the history of Halloween! They are published by Microcosm, or you can get PDFs on itch.io. [more inside]
What's the relationship between Samhain and Halloween? What sorts of divination games were played that night? Where did trick-or-treating come from? What about the Jack-o'-lantern? I have written two zines about the history of Halloween! They are published by Microcosm, or you can get PDFs on itch.io. [more inside]
September 22
Codections
Connections for coders. Inspired by the hot new word game from the New York Times. Test your dev knowledge!
Connections for coders. Inspired by the hot new word game from the New York Times. Test your dev knowledge!
September 12
Practical Defence Against Piracy - a graphic novel / webcomic in progress
Twelve years ago I posted a project here - “DelilahDirk.com - a graphic novel, serialized online.” Then, for a decade, I kept my head down in an old-fashioned authorly manner and made two more in the same series and some other books I’m proud of. Now I’m making another comic on the internet, it’s full of pirates, it's been nominated for a Will Eisner award, and the final instalment of the most recent chapter goes up on International Talk Like A Pirate Day. [more inside]
Twelve years ago I posted a project here - “DelilahDirk.com - a graphic novel, serialized online.” Then, for a decade, I kept my head down in an old-fashioned authorly manner and made two more in the same series and some other books I’m proud of. Now I’m making another comic on the internet, it’s full of pirates, it's been nominated for a Will Eisner award, and the final instalment of the most recent chapter goes up on International Talk Like A Pirate Day. [more inside]
September 10
Modern Art in Midcentury Comics
For a while I've been collecting examples of 20th century comic strips and newspaper cartoons which include parodies of Modern Art. (I got some help from ask.meta last year!) I've now posted my collection on cohost, and I will add new ones as I find them.
For a while I've been collecting examples of 20th century comic strips and newspaper cartoons which include parodies of Modern Art. (I got some help from ask.meta last year!) I've now posted my collection on cohost, and I will add new ones as I find them.
September 8
Scorned by every other graveyard? Welcome to Cross Bones
Today I published PlenetSlade's third paperback book (Amazon link), and it's an updated version of my 2013 e-book telling the tale of South London's Cross Bones Graveyard. This tiny patch of unconsecrated ground just south of the Thames has sheltered the remains of London's most despised citizens for over 400 years. Today, it's a shrine to our own era's outcast dead, where thousands of people a year attend the monthly vigils created by a shamanic local writer and attach their own heartfelt offerings to the site's gates. It's one of the most fascinating graveyards in London, and a vivid lesson in what the poor of this city have always had to endure. [more inside]
Today I published PlenetSlade's third paperback book (Amazon link), and it's an updated version of my 2013 e-book telling the tale of South London's Cross Bones Graveyard. This tiny patch of unconsecrated ground just south of the Thames has sheltered the remains of London's most despised citizens for over 400 years. Today, it's a shrine to our own era's outcast dead, where thousands of people a year attend the monthly vigils created by a shamanic local writer and attach their own heartfelt offerings to the site's gates. It's one of the most fascinating graveyards in London, and a vivid lesson in what the poor of this city have always had to endure. [more inside]
September 4
A Substack of My (mainly) Fantasy Writing
I've finally pulled the trigger and started a Substack! [more inside]
I've finally pulled the trigger and started a Substack! [more inside]
August 30
Verity web app
A web app that uses AI to generate quizzes and score open-form answers on whatever topics you like. [more inside]
A web app that uses AI to generate quizzes and score open-form answers on whatever topics you like. [more inside]
August 26
An Abundance Of Beasts
An Abundance Of Beasts is an endless medieval bestiary generator, creating new creatures every time you look. [more inside]
An Abundance Of Beasts is an endless medieval bestiary generator, creating new creatures every time you look. [more inside]
August 25
Mertonon
Neural network organizational budgeting. You put down a picture of your organization as a neural network, and backpropagation will tell you where to allocate your resources. Like Project Cybersyn, only not from the 70's, prolly (hopefully, lol) not gonna get ganked by Nixon and Pinochet, based upon marginally more modern technology, and you can download the JAR for it right now.
Neural network organizational budgeting. You put down a picture of your organization as a neural network, and backpropagation will tell you where to allocate your resources. Like Project Cybersyn, only not from the 70's, prolly (hopefully, lol) not gonna get ganked by Nixon and Pinochet, based upon marginally more modern technology, and you can download the JAR for it right now.
August 21
Clone-a Lisa
Can you paint a copy of the Mona Lisa in 60 seconds? Anything over 80% is good, 85%+ very good, and 90% may be possible if you're extremely fast and accurate. While making it I posted updates to Twitter and Mastodon (click a later post to load more of thread).
Can you paint a copy of the Mona Lisa in 60 seconds? Anything over 80% is good, 85%+ very good, and 90% may be possible if you're extremely fast and accurate. While making it I posted updates to Twitter and Mastodon (click a later post to load more of thread).
August 19
The Lucille Ball book I wrote over my maternity leave
I wanted to share the update to the book I wrote over maternity leave -- it's a real book coming out in October! [more inside]
I wanted to share the update to the book I wrote over maternity leave -- it's a real book coming out in October! [more inside]
August 18
a web app for playing Netrunner via video call
Pantograph is a web application that streamlines playing the card game Netrunner with a remote opponent using physical cards. Each player needs paper cards and a camera positioned over their play area. Once you start a video call using the app you can click on your opponent's cards to see higher resolution images. [more inside]
Pantograph is a web application that streamlines playing the card game Netrunner with a remote opponent using physical cards. Each player needs paper cards and a camera positioned over their play area. Once you start a video call using the app you can click on your opponent's cards to see higher resolution images. [more inside]
August 14
A song (and music video) about a satellite
I first got interested in music many years ago and played in a band but never quite learned how to write songs. I spent a lot of time learning theory but still never quite understood how to apply it but then I gradually just started writing as much as I could over the last year or two. This is my first song I've ever released and I really had to stretch to do everything! The song and production are mine but the hand printed animation is done by an artist friend of mine. [more inside]
I first got interested in music many years ago and played in a band but never quite learned how to write songs. I spent a lot of time learning theory but still never quite understood how to apply it but then I gradually just started writing as much as I could over the last year or two. This is my first song I've ever released and I really had to stretch to do everything! The song and production are mine but the hand printed animation is done by an artist friend of mine. [more inside]
August 12
The Phantom of the XY-Plane
Every year mathematics YouTuber 3Blue1Brown runs a contest called the Summer of Math Exposition which encourages people, who might not otherwise do so, to publish explanations on math related topics. It's the third year of the contest but the first year I actually had an idea. [more inside]
Every year mathematics YouTuber 3Blue1Brown runs a contest called the Summer of Math Exposition which encourages people, who might not otherwise do so, to publish explanations on math related topics. It's the third year of the contest but the first year I actually had an idea. [more inside]
August 8
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser extended essay/review
I wrote 12,000 word piece on a recent trip to Disney's Galactic Starcruiser “Star Wars hotel”, looking at it from a game design/business/marketing perspective, with plenty of photos. My background is in designing ARGs and augmented reality games, so I was very curious to check it out before it closes next month. tl,dr: it’s extremely impressive and consciously uses a lot of ideas and mechanics from RPGs and MMOs! It's been very much misunderstood, and I'm convinced that soon as it closes, it'll be considered a lost classic.
I wrote 12,000 word piece on a recent trip to Disney's Galactic Starcruiser “Star Wars hotel”, looking at it from a game design/business/marketing perspective, with plenty of photos. My background is in designing ARGs and augmented reality games, so I was very curious to check it out before it closes next month. tl,dr: it’s extremely impressive and consciously uses a lot of ideas and mechanics from RPGs and MMOs! It's been very much misunderstood, and I'm convinced that soon as it closes, it'll be considered a lost classic.
August 6
Wander - A browser extension that helps you revisit your bookmarks
You bookmark interesting pages to check out later. But the more you bookmark, the harder it gets to find and revisit them -- if you even remember to do it. Wander surprises you with a random page that you bookmarked once upon a time. Get back to the places you love, not just the places that hook you. [more inside]
You bookmark interesting pages to check out later. But the more you bookmark, the harder it gets to find and revisit them -- if you even remember to do it. Wander surprises you with a random page that you bookmarked once upon a time. Get back to the places you love, not just the places that hook you. [more inside]
August 4
The Burning Lies: Witches, Radical Feminists, and Nazis
A short zine about about the curious life of an invented fact. Scholars peg early modern European witch-hunt deaths at 40,000, but estimates in the millions continue to circulate in feminist and Pagan communities. Where did these gross exaggerations come from, and what uses have they been put to? After reading this zine, you will know! [more inside]
A short zine about about the curious life of an invented fact. Scholars peg early modern European witch-hunt deaths at 40,000, but estimates in the millions continue to circulate in feminist and Pagan communities. Where did these gross exaggerations come from, and what uses have they been put to? After reading this zine, you will know! [more inside]
July 27
The Coin Toss World Cup
"Come one! Come all! And welcome to the ultimate test of skill... That's right, live from the Independent Monetary Kingdom of Coinland, it's time once again for The Coin Toss World Cup! 8 billion players from all around the world! One solitary winner! Who will it be? Who knows! But it could be you! And it has to be someone!" The Coin Toss World Cup is an exciting game of skill and talent in which YOU could become the number one "heads-or-tailser" in the world! All you have to do is choose (and not lose)! [more inside]
"Come one! Come all! And welcome to the ultimate test of skill... That's right, live from the Independent Monetary Kingdom of Coinland, it's time once again for The Coin Toss World Cup! 8 billion players from all around the world! One solitary winner! Who will it be? Who knows! But it could be you! And it has to be someone!" The Coin Toss World Cup is an exciting game of skill and talent in which YOU could become the number one "heads-or-tailser" in the world! All you have to do is choose (and not lose)! [more inside]
July 21
We built a giant eagle pupper for Iceland's national day
This is the fifth large scale puppet we have built, and the first one done officially as a puppet making company. Custom designed wings, a completely novel neck mechanism, and literally thousands of laser cut feathers.
This is the fifth large scale puppet we have built, and the first one done officially as a puppet making company. Custom designed wings, a completely novel neck mechanism, and literally thousands of laser cut feathers.
July 19
Sleep Funnels
New EP about sleep. It's mostly ambient, with some intense swells. One of the tracks is procedurally generated phase music, and the others are traditionally composed. I wrote a bit about its making, if you're interested in that sort of thing. [more inside]
New EP about sleep. It's mostly ambient, with some intense swells. One of the tracks is procedurally generated phase music, and the others are traditionally composed. I wrote a bit about its making, if you're interested in that sort of thing. [more inside]
Big Ben word game
A unique puzzle for each second of the day, with lots of nice touches: the background fades between day and night based on London time, there's a satisfying bonnggg sound that shakes the game when you find a long word, fireworks if you clear the grid, etc. It also features a large dictionary and generously makes sure you don't get a Q without a U next to it.
A unique puzzle for each second of the day, with lots of nice touches: the background fades between day and night based on London time, there's a satisfying bonnggg sound that shakes the game when you find a long word, fireworks if you clear the grid, etc. It also features a large dictionary and generously makes sure you don't get a Q without a U next to it.
July 13
The Dark Forest
A 6-track dungeon synth album. Dark, whimsical, and a little cinematic. [more inside]
A 6-track dungeon synth album. Dark, whimsical, and a little cinematic. [more inside]
July 5
down-river.net
AMZN has an extensive open box and used outdoor gear selection, but searching it is a mess. I built a little tool to declutter the experience: trim out all the distractions and sponsored products, random low quality brands, etc... All wheat, no chaff. [more inside]
AMZN has an extensive open box and used outdoor gear selection, but searching it is a mess. I built a little tool to declutter the experience: trim out all the distractions and sponsored products, random low quality brands, etc... All wheat, no chaff. [more inside]
June 21
The Trashscarf Tales
So after a short break from writing of about 20 years, I'm starting up a little story that's just for fun. It's a whimsical fantasy adventure sort of thing with lots of silly jokes and bad puns. There is a talking mustache that is actually a mycelium network. That kinda thing.
So after a short break from writing of about 20 years, I'm starting up a little story that's just for fun. It's a whimsical fantasy adventure sort of thing with lots of silly jokes and bad puns. There is a talking mustache that is actually a mycelium network. That kinda thing.
June 18
Venas Abiertas
An early pass at a psychedelic jazz tone poem set to The Miguel Zenón Quartet's Venas Abiertas off their album Música De Las Américas, inspired by Las venas abiertas de America Latina by Eduardo Galeano. [more inside]
An early pass at a psychedelic jazz tone poem set to The Miguel Zenón Quartet's Venas Abiertas off their album Música De Las Américas, inspired by Las venas abiertas de America Latina by Eduardo Galeano. [more inside]
May 26
Succession Quotes > Midjourney Prompts
In honor of the final Succession Sunday, thought I'd share a project I've been working on throughout the season. I take my favorite quotes from each episode and turn them into prompts in Midjourney. It gives me great delight and I'm happy to take requests if there's a pre-season 4 quote that's near and dear to your heart.
In honor of the final Succession Sunday, thought I'd share a project I've been working on throughout the season. I take my favorite quotes from each episode and turn them into prompts in Midjourney. It gives me great delight and I'm happy to take requests if there's a pre-season 4 quote that's near and dear to your heart.
May 25
DayBrix daily minigame
I had the thought “What if a certain falling-blocks game asked you to clear today's date?” and decided to build it… in an original, legally-safe, non-infringing way. Each day of the week has its own theme (and music), and there’s an Arcade Mode.
I had the thought “What if a certain falling-blocks game asked you to clear today's date?” and decided to build it… in an original, legally-safe, non-infringing way. Each day of the week has its own theme (and music), and there’s an Arcade Mode.
May 24
[iOS] US Passport agency rapid(ish) redialer
People in the US waiting for passports often have to call the passport info line as their travel date approaches to move things along, but that number is swamped and on many tries plays a long recorded apology before hanging up. This iPhone/iOS shortcut lets you redial the moment that apology starts, so you can immediately try again, with a minimum of effort. [more inside]
People in the US waiting for passports often have to call the passport info line as their travel date approaches to move things along, but that number is swamped and on many tries plays a long recorded apology before hanging up. This iPhone/iOS shortcut lets you redial the moment that apology starts, so you can immediately try again, with a minimum of effort. [more inside]