Castles in the Sky
How many of The New York Times 100 Best Books of the 21st Century have I read?
This is a Workshop post, which means it doesn’t get emailed out to everyone and doesn’t show up in...
5 months ago
This is a Workshop post, which means it doesn’t get emailed out to everyone and doesn’t show up in the Castles in the Sky best of lists. To subscribe and receive these in your email inbox (or unsubscribe from them if you’re already receiving them), adjust your
The Ruffian
Why London's Famous Penguin Pool Has No Penguins In It
A Tale From My Trip To The Zoo
8 months ago
A Tale From My Trip To The Zoo
Tech and Tea
Transformed into a couch
On taking this time to slooooooow down
a year ago
On taking this time to slooooooow down
Both Are True
free t-shirts
+a lil story + a genuinely useful lil tip!!
7 months ago
+a lil story + a genuinely useful lil tip!!
Atoms vs Bits
Sleep Setup
in case you were wondering
2 weeks ago
in case you were wondering
The Honest Broker
Death: A Literary Guide
Can you really prepare for it or even understand it? These 10 books are my cherished touchstones on...
a year ago
Can you really prepare for it or even understand it? These 10 books are my cherished touchstones on the matter.
Both Are True
the detonator
no, i will not 'grieve' my pre-parent self
8 months ago
no, i will not 'grieve' my pre-parent self
The Honest Broker
What's the Greatest Live Music Event You Ever Saw?
Today is open mic day at The Honest Broker
6 months ago
Today is open mic day at The Honest Broker
Stoic Simple
Philosophy and Parenting: Becoming a Better Parent with Stoicism
Parenting is a challenging, rewarding, and ever-evolving journey. Sometimes, it can be difficult to...
a year ago
Parenting is a challenging, rewarding, and ever-evolving journey. Sometimes, it can be difficult to navigate the ups and downs of raising children, especially when it comes to managing difficult emotions and maintaining a positive relationship with them. That's where Stoic...
Adrian Hanft, III:...
What Will Happen When Your Analytics Become Illegal?
When your users become aware of the data you are collecting will they be angry? Will you lose their...
over a year ago
When your users become aware of the data you are collecting will they be angry? Will you lose their trust? How long do you think you will be able to keep this secret?
Luxagraf:...
Shoreline
If there is a theme to the places we go, it's water. Lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, creeks. We find...
a year ago
If there is a theme to the places we go, it's water. Lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, creeks. We find them. Even out west, far from any large body of water, "the desire of water is scribed across the desert like graffiti."1
While I like almost all places with water—the bigger the...
Diaries of Note
The French coast was torn up
On July 1, 1944, Vincent “Roi” Ottley boarded S.S. Scythia in New York and began his unprecedented...
a year ago
On July 1, 1944, Vincent “Roi” Ottley boarded S.S. Scythia in New York and began his unprecedented journey as the first African American war correspondent in World War II. Arriving in a Europe scarred by conflict, Ottley reported for three different publications, providing...
Diaries of Note
His first remark was, taking up a book: “Human skin”
Arnold Bennett was one of the most successful British novelists of the Victorian era, a prolific...
a year ago
Arnold Bennett was one of the most successful British novelists of the Victorian era, a prolific wordsmith whose output spanned 34 novels, seven collections of short stories, a dozen plays, and hundreds of articles—and amidst it all, he somehow found time to keep a daily diary...
Laetitia@Work
Leaving Germany: 3 things I’ll miss / 3 things I won’t miss about Germany
Laetitia@Work #72
4 months ago
Nat Eliason's...
Using ChatGPT as a Writing Coach
How to improve instead of atrophy
a year ago
How to improve instead of atrophy
Mark Manson
5 Life-Changing Levels of Not Giving a Fuck
Every day, hundreds of millions of people suffer from giving too many fucks. They spend their lives...
11 months ago
Every day, hundreds of millions of people suffer from giving too many fucks. They spend their lives imprisoned by meaningless anxiety and unnecessary concerns. But it doesn't have to be that way.
In this article, I'm going to walk you through the five levels of non-fuck-giving,...
The Honest Broker
We Have Entered the Self-Loathing Stage of the Internet
Or why web platforms keep changing their names like criminals in the Witness Protection Program
a year ago
Or why web platforms keep changing their names like criminals in the Witness Protection Program
Adrian Hanft, III:...
How to Emasculate the Mississippi
What kind of filth was being carried downstream, rolling by, hidden under the muddy Mississippi...
over a year ago
What kind of filth was being carried downstream, rolling by, hidden under the muddy Mississippi River? Massive flooding had lifted the water to the top steps climbing closer to the base of the St. Louis Arch. As a photographer I stood in awe of the destruction, wondering how my...
The Honest Broker
Why Gregory Bateson Matters
Or what a counterculture might look like in the 21st century
6 days ago
Or what a counterculture might look like in the 21st century
The Ruffian
The Social Media Cage Fight
A Rattle Bag of Goodies, Including Some Shameless Self-Promotion
a year ago
A Rattle Bag of Goodies, Including Some Shameless Self-Promotion
journal – Winnie Lim
learning to be physically stronger
After thinking about it for more than three years, I’ve finally signed up for personal training so I...
a year ago
After thinking about it for more than three years, I’ve finally signed up for personal training so I can learn how to strength-train. We start to have muscle loss as we age:...
Wait But Why
It’s 2020 and you’re in the future
Some people are young, just not you.
The post It’s 2020 and you’re in the future appeared first on...
over a year ago
Some people are young, just not you.
The post It’s 2020 and you’re in the future appeared first on Wait But Why.
Atoms vs Bits
Release Valve Principles
The choices you make when you can't make a choice.
a year ago
The choices you make when you can't make a choice.
Diaries of Note
Why have children or plant trees?
M.F.K. Fisher was an accomplished author and gastronome who brought the art of food writing into the...
a year ago
M.F.K. Fisher was an accomplished author and gastronome who brought the art of food writing into the realm of literature. From the age of nineteen she kept a journal, and this entry comes thirteen years down the line as she cared for her beloved husband, the writer and artist...
The Honest Broker
Judgment Day Arrives at the Washington Post
And updates on seven other recent articles at The Honest Broker
a year ago
And updates on seven other recent articles at The Honest Broker
Mark Manson
How to Make Friends as an Adult
Romantic relationships get all the attention, but I'd argue that friendships are just as...
a year ago
Romantic relationships get all the attention, but I'd argue that friendships are just as important—if not more so—for our health and happiness.
Just like with romantic relationships, creating fulfilling, lasting friendships as an adult can be really hard.
But… Why?
I mean, sure,...
Stoic Simple
Stoic Techniques for Stress Management: How to Live a More Peaceful Life
In today's fast-paced world, it's difficult not to become overwhelmed by stress. Whether it's work,...
a year ago
In today's fast-paced world, it's difficult not to become overwhelmed by stress. Whether it's work, family, or personal struggles, stress seems to be an inevitable part of our lives. However, the ancient philosophy of stoicism provides powerful techniques for managing stress and...
The Convivial...
To Hell With Good Intentions, Silicon Valley Edition
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 14
a week ago
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 14
Atoms vs Bits
Anti-Rivalrous Goods
the rivalrousness s-curve
5 months ago
the rivalrousness s-curve
The Honest Broker
How to Read Greek Tragedy in a Netflix World
If you dare
3 months ago
The Ruffian
FLASHPOINTS #12: Are machines becoming more intelligent than us - and what does that even mean?
A conversation with Professor David Krakauer
a year ago
A conversation with Professor David Krakauer
Diaries of Note
I found myself nervous and tense to the point of tears
On 21st March 1960, the South African Police opened fire on thousands of black protestors in what...
a year ago
On 21st March 1960, the South African Police opened fire on thousands of black protestors in what came to be known as the Sharpeville Massacre, a shocking event which saw 69 people killed, triggered a state of emergency, and led to mass detentions—including that of Hilda...
Diaries of Note
For the love of God, give me a flea!
Born in 1880 in the mining town of Diamantina, Alice Dayrell Caldeira Brant was in her sixties when...
a year ago
Born in 1880 in the mining town of Diamantina, Alice Dayrell Caldeira Brant was in her sixties when she found fame, for it was then that her teenage diary was published to wide acclaim. Written under the pseudonym Helena Morley between the ages of 12 and 15, the diary tells the...
journal – Winnie Lim
my mind, the invisible loudspeaker
Anhedonia. The inability to feel pleasure. I wonder if I have sort of been this way for as long as I...
a year ago
Anhedonia. The inability to feel pleasure. I wonder if I have sort of been this way for as long as I can remember. Is that why I’ve always been somewhat reckless and...
Atoms vs Bits
It's Not A Bad Restaurant, It's A Bad Dish
You go to a restaurant with great reviews, but find the food completely mediocre. What happened?
Of...
a year ago
You go to a restaurant with great reviews, but find the food completely mediocre. What happened?
Of course there's lots of options: other people have bad taste, the reviews are fake, the place went downhill.
But I think an underrated explanation is that there's high variance
Diaries of Note
This must be a specially sad day
Born Hermione Llewellyn in 1913, the life of Hermione, Countess of Ranfurly took a dramatic turn in...
12 months ago
Born Hermione Llewellyn in 1913, the life of Hermione, Countess of Ranfurly took a dramatic turn in 1941 when her husband, a lieutenant in the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry, was captured by Rommel’s Afrika Korps, leading to his imprisonment as a prisoner of war in Italy. She wrote...
Left To Write
№ 70: The Disappearance of The Great Good Place
Finding Community - Ray Oldenburg's Third Place - Revolutions
a year ago
Finding Community - Ray Oldenburg's Third Place - Revolutions
Atoms vs Bits
If Not Could Not
Suppose you're hiring for a sales job. In the first interview, the candidate says: "I'm very good at...
8 months ago
Suppose you're hiring for a sales job. In the first interview, the candidate says: "I'm very good at selling things." Well, that's nice: the job is all about selling things, so someone good at selling things would indeed be a good fit.
Diaries of Note
I declare private war
Alfred Wintle was living in Dunkirk when the First World War began—sixteen years old and fiercely...
a year ago
Alfred Wintle was living in Dunkirk when the First World War began—sixteen years old and fiercely patriotic. Desperate to join the army, in 1915 he entered the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich to begin his training, and within months was on the front line. At the Third Battle...
Left To Write
№ 76: RIP Charlie Munger (1924-2023)
The investing legend, the goat of common sense and wisdom, and the Vice Chairman of Berkshire...
a year ago
The investing legend, the goat of common sense and wisdom, and the Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway
Raptitude.com
Feedback is What Makes Everything Work
The other day I closed a savings account at a tiny credit union branch. I expected it to take about...
5 months ago
The other day I closed a savings account at a tiny credit union branch. I expected it to take about five minutes, but the teller took so long that I started to experience time distortion. I knew it had been at least fifteen minutes, but perhaps it was much longer. Twenty-five...
Tech and Tea
This world was not built for working parents
and trying to find our way anyways in this season of life
a year ago
and trying to find our way anyways in this season of life
Nat Eliason's...
Kickstarting TikTok: 55,500 Followers & 7m views in 6 Weeks
No hired help, no gimmicks, no fancy gear. Just vibes.
a year ago
No hired help, no gimmicks, no fancy gear. Just vibes.
The Honest Broker
Dave Hickey on Dolly Parton and Richard Pryor
I share passages from the expanded 30th anniversary edition of 'The Invisible Dragon'
a year ago
I share passages from the expanded 30th anniversary edition of 'The Invisible Dragon'
The Ruffian
Unveiling 'John & Paul: A Love Story In Songs'
Yes It's an Actual Book With a Cover and Everything
2 months ago
Yes It's an Actual Book With a Cover and Everything
Stoic Simple
Stoicism as a Way to Learn Patience, Acceptance & Be Calm
Whether it's waiting in line at the grocery store, dealing with a difficult coworker, or facing a...
a year ago
Whether it's waiting in line at the grocery store, dealing with a difficult coworker, or facing a personal setback, we all encounter moments that test our patience. While it's natural to feel frustrated or angry in these situations, practicing patience can bring a sense of...
Diaries of Note
I can’t remember his name
E. J. Kahn Jr. began to write for The New Yorker in 1937, launching a career that would span decades...
a year ago
E. J. Kahn Jr. began to write for The New Yorker in 1937, launching a career that would span decades and establish him as an influential figure in American journalism. Born on December 4, 1916, he was the son of renowned architect Ely Jacques Kahn, and in addition to his work at...
journal – Winnie Lim
practicing is also a practice
Most skills if not all requires practice. Recently I realised to be capable of the discipline and...
a year ago
Most skills if not all requires practice. Recently I realised to be capable of the discipline and regularity that practicing needs, is a practicable skill too. We think of discipline as some inherent character...
Atoms vs Bits
80/20 Cooking
In short: Salt, fat, acid, heat
11 months ago
In short: Salt, fat, acid, heat
How to Be a Stoic
Stoic Q&A: can virtue justify evil?
[Feel free to submit a question for this column, addressing it at massimo at howtobeastoic dot org.]...
over a year ago
[Feel free to submit a question for this column, addressing it at massimo at howtobeastoic dot org.] V. writes: My question is: can Stoic virtues be used as excuses to conduct evil deeds? I’m asking this question for several reasons. First, in the current political climate, the...
The Honest Broker
Why Streaming Subscription Prices Will Continue to Rise
You are a user—so get ready to be used
a month ago
You are a user—so get ready to be used
The Honest Broker
How We Lost the Ability to Listen
In this extract from my book 'Music to Raise the Dead' I look at how texts replaced songs as sources...
10 months ago
In this extract from my book 'Music to Raise the Dead' I look at how texts replaced songs as sources of wisdom and guidance
Wait But Why
You Won’t Believe My Morning
A highly unexpected turn of events.
The post You Won’t Believe My Morning appeared first on Wait But...
over a year ago
A highly unexpected turn of events.
The post You Won’t Believe My Morning appeared first on Wait But Why.
Diaries of Note
This death hit me hard
Born in 1907 in the Australian city of Wangaratta, Sir Ernest Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop was a surgeon...
a year ago
Born in 1907 in the Australian city of Wangaratta, Sir Ernest Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop was a surgeon and soldier known for his humanitarian work during WWII. Captured by Japanese forces in 1942, he was sent to work on the deadly Thai-Burma Railway where, as a senior medical officer,...
Adrian Hanft, III:...
Deadly UI
A look at the design decisions that lead to the death of Anton Yelchin
over a year ago
A look at the design decisions that lead to the death of Anton Yelchin
Farza's Newsletter
me and the beatles just ate some waffles in tokyo
I've raised $12M for my company + hired amazing people -- and until very recently, whenever anyone...
7 months ago
I've raised $12M for my company + hired amazing people -- and until very recently, whenever anyone would ask me my 10-year plan I would flat out say "I have no idea".
Left To Write
Trust Me, I’m A Lying Social Media Performer
The early 2010’s internet used to be so simple. Facebook was used for connecting with friends....
a year ago
The early 2010’s internet used to be so simple. Facebook was used for connecting with friends. Instagram for sharing our pictures. Twitter for our thoughts. And LinkedIn to network. Everything was shown in chronological order. Fast forward to today, and the internet has become...
Unfiltered by Tim...
11 Decisions I'm Making At 38 To Avoid Regret At 58
The future you is formed by every small decision you make today, not luck or fate
2 weeks ago
The future you is formed by every small decision you make today, not luck or fate
Nat Eliason's...
The Crypto Mania Has Begun. How to Profit & Understand What's Happening
If you missed out last time, this is your opportunity
a month ago
If you missed out last time, this is your opportunity
Daniel Bourke
A Learners Fight: Adaptation vs. Education
Education saves time. Adaptation sharpens instincts.
a year ago
Education saves time. Adaptation sharpens instincts.
Castles in the Sky
Why Write Memoirs | Review of All the Wrong Moves by Sasha Chapin
A good memoir is entertaining, insightful, and relatable. A great memoir changes you because you see...
a year ago
A good memoir is entertaining, insightful, and relatable. A great memoir changes you because you see yourself in it. All the Wrong Moves by Sasha Chapin is a great memoir. It is nominally a book about a guy who becomes obsessed with chess. But to me, it’s a book about the...
Nat Eliason's...
The Scariest Day of My Life
What the hell am I supposed to do?
5 months ago
What the hell am I supposed to do?
Castles in the Sky
13 Lessons from 37 Years
My Gift to You for my 37th Birthday
2 months ago
My Gift to You for my 37th Birthday
Both Are True
the essay formerly known as romcom (act two)
Rom and Com are perfect for each other, but the universe has other plans
9 months ago
Rom and Com are perfect for each other, but the universe has other plans
The Map is Mostly...
Efforts and Goals and Joy
There was joy in concentration, and the world afforded an inexhaustible wealth of projects to...
11 months ago
There was joy in concentration, and the world afforded an inexhaustible wealth of projects to concentrate on. There was joy in effort, and the world resisted effort to just the right degree, and yielded to it at last. People cut Mount Rushmore into faces; they chipped here and...
Luxagraf:...
Microcosm
We sprinted across Florida, from St. Augustine to the far end of the panhandle in two quick drives....
10 months ago
We sprinted across Florida, from St. Augustine to the far end of the panhandle in two quick drives. We stopped in the middle at the Tallahassee Car Museum, an odd little museum with a few campsites out front (not everything on Harvest Hosts is a farm).
The kids and I wandered...
Both Are True
did you steal my bicycle
we moved to Asheville and then this happened
3 months ago
we moved to Asheville and then this happened
Passing Time
Savoring the Unsavory
Making Meaning on Mount Adams
11 months ago
Making Meaning on Mount Adams
Adrian Hanft, III:...
Three Words Invented by Buckminster Fuller
A simple post to introduce you to three words coined by one of my heroes, Buckminster Fuller. When...
over a year ago
A simple post to introduce you to three words coined by one of my heroes, Buckminster Fuller. When current words couldn't contain his ideas, Bucky would invent new ones. Here are three terms you should know.
Diaries of Note
I really seem to have no idea of the passage of time
Michel Siffre’s intrigue with caves took root when he was just ten, and in 1962, aged twenty-three,...
a year ago
Michel Siffre’s intrigue with caves took root when he was just ten, and in 1962, aged twenty-three, he embarked on a bold experiment in the French Alps. Descending deep into an ice cavern via a staggering 130-foot vertical pothole, he found himself in an environment devoid of...
Atoms vs Bits
New Game: Nomido
With one of my other hats on, I made a new online word puzzle game called Nomido. The goal is to...
a week ago
With one of my other hats on, I made a new online word puzzle game called Nomido. The goal is to construct words out of two-letter tiles. I think it's great fun, and hope you will too – please give it a look!
Nomido
Share this on X
DYNOMIGHT
Fancy math doesn’t make simple math stop being true
What are you supposed to do when someone disagrees with you using a bunch of math you can’t...
11 months ago
What are you supposed to do when someone disagrees with you using a bunch of math you can’t understand?
I’ve been thinking about that recently because of the NordICC colonoscopy trial. It took 85k Europeans aged 55-64, invited a third of them for a free one-time screening...
Both Are True
Babe wake up we’re sharing our fears
Genuine thoughts I've had that have nothing to do with the election !!!
a month ago
Genuine thoughts I've had that have nothing to do with the election !!!
Unfiltered by Tim...
This Is the Single Breathtaking Moment When Your Entire Life Changes
Don't miss it
a month ago
Adrian Hanft, III:...
Design Masochism and the Five Stages of Anguish
Early on I remember choking back tears when my designs made first contact with outside eyes. The...
over a year ago
Early on I remember choking back tears when my designs made first contact with outside eyes. The feedback stung. Every word holding a hint of negativity was a dart that penetrated my tender puerile flesh. I wondered if I had chosen the wrong career.
journal – Winnie Lim
why I refuse to learn drawing properly
When some people want to learn to draw, they do it the “right” way. They take a drawing class, watch...
3 months ago
When some people want to learn to draw, they do it the “right” way. They take a drawing class, watch youtube videos, or buy a book – starting from the basics. I...
Adrian Hanft, III:...
Pseudo Sacrifice vs. Speculation
Observers are stunned when they witness a queen sacrifice. For a chess player to abandon their most...
over a year ago
Observers are stunned when they witness a queen sacrifice. For a chess player to abandon their most powerful piece seems like a daring risk. The sacrifice is followed by a decisive combo resulting in checkmate. Bravo, the crowd goes wild.
Castles in the Sky
CATHEDRAL | Chapter One - Four Years Out
Cathedral | Castles in the Sky #60
9 months ago
Cathedral | Castles in the Sky #60
Adrian Hanft, III:...
Powered by a Whisper
As promised, today we are going to take a journey to the heart of the web. The web has become...
over a year ago
As promised, today we are going to take a journey to the heart of the web. The web has become bloated and gluttonous. We need hungry scalpels, sharp mental x-acto knives to cut away the excess. What will we find at the center? Is there a truth worth saving at the heart of the...
The Honest Broker
100 of My Favorite Things in Music (Part 1 of 2)
And you can add some of your own
a year ago
And you can add some of your own
journal – Winnie Lim
Paik Jong Won
…is a celebrity chef in South Korea. He also owns multiple restaurant franchises with thousands of...
2 months ago
…is a celebrity chef in South Korea. He also owns multiple restaurant franchises with thousands of branches mainly in korea with some splattered all over the world. I first knew of him...
Paul Cudenec
Truth, essence, knowledge and light
Being criticised or insulted by your political enemies is not too difficult to cope with – after...
3 weeks ago
Being criticised or insulted by your political enemies is not too difficult to cope with – after all, you do not really care what they think of you.
Atoms vs Bits
Doing Things Differently
The salience of different-ness gets in the way of doing things differently.
a year ago
The salience of different-ness gets in the way of doing things differently.
Nat Eliason's...
Make the Commitment You're Afraid to Make
The cost of looking for new mountains
a year ago
The cost of looking for new mountains
Castles in the Sky
The Limits of Novelty as a Value Proposition
Early thoughts on writing about Russian Cosmism and "the common task"
9 months ago
Early thoughts on writing about Russian Cosmism and "the common task"
The Ruffian
The Unreal Thing
What Coca Cola's Christmas Ad and Ben Affleck Tell Us About AI and the Future of the Creative...
a month ago
What Coca Cola's Christmas Ad and Ben Affleck Tell Us About AI and the Future of the Creative Industries
The Map is Mostly...
Careful technology
Dear friends, There is a commonplace opinion that technology and the natural world, or that...
7 months ago
Dear friends, There is a commonplace opinion that technology and the natural world, or that technological pursuits and natural pursuits, are at odds. An example: I think this is a false position. But if this kind of sentiment is so often repeated, its worth thinking about why it...
Diaries of Note
Our worst fears are realized
On 2nd June 1854, following a failed rescue attempt at the courthouse, huge numbers of angry...
a year ago
On 2nd June 1854, following a failed rescue attempt at the courthouse, huge numbers of angry protesters lined the streets of Boston as hundreds of federal soldiers led twenty-year-old Anthony Burns to the harbour where he was to be shipped to Virginia, back to the life of slavery...
Castles in the Sky
The Many Faces of Mexican Heirloom Corn | Introducing the Vignettes Series
Vignettes #1
8 months ago
Diaries of Note
When I die I shall go to May
British gardener Monty Don has been educating and inspiring the British public for decades through...
a year ago
British gardener Monty Don has been educating and inspiring the British public for decades through his love of nature, beginning in 1989 with a television debut that ultimately led to him presenting BBC’s much-loved Gardener’s World. It was shortly after he became a broadcaster...
Adrian Hanft, III:...
Seven Minutes on David Letterman
Abandon it in a garden and it may never catch anyone’s gaze. Lost in plain sight, it could be...
over a year ago
Abandon it in a garden and it may never catch anyone’s gaze. Lost in plain sight, it could be mistaken for an odd stone or the tip of a dark root protruding from the earth. The steel egg is alien, not beautiful in the way humans have decided is appropriate for display in art...
Castles in the Sky
The Best Things I Read or Watched in April 2024 | Castles in the Sky Links
These are all the best things I read and watched in April 2024. If you open this in a browser, you...
7 months ago
These are all the best things I read and watched in April 2024. If you open this in a browser, you can click the link to take you straight to that part of the article. Cosmographia by M. E. Rothwell “On reaching the age of the TV anti-hero” by Erik Hoel
The Honest Broker
Could Any Other Jazz Trumpeter Match Up with Louis Armstrong in the 1930s?
The short answer is no—but these eight horn players came close
a year ago
The short answer is no—but these eight horn players came close
The Honest Broker
The Brilliant Bad Decisions of John Luther Adams
He never finished high school, took demanding work outside of music, moved to a cabin in Alaska,...
a year ago
He never finished high school, took demanding work outside of music, moved to a cabin in Alaska, etc. Can you really win a Pulitzer Prize this way? Well, yes. . .
The Honest Broker
A Landlubber’s Guide to Sea Shanties
You don't need to be a sailor to put these songs to work
a year ago
You don't need to be a sailor to put these songs to work
Unfiltered by Tim...
The Fastest Way To Ruin Your Life
8 easy steps
3 weeks ago
The Honest Broker
The Best Online Essays & Articles of 2023
Longform journalism is coming back (and deserves our support)
12 months ago
Longform journalism is coming back (and deserves our support)
The Honest Broker
Jim Croce and Me
50 years ago today, the gifted singer-songwriter died in a plane crash
a year ago
50 years ago today, the gifted singer-songwriter died in a plane crash
Letters of Note
I’ve got a hunch
In July of 1938, American novelist Thomas Wolfe was struck down with pneumonia and taken to...
over a year ago
In July of 1938, American novelist Thomas Wolfe was struck down with pneumonia and taken to hospital. He was soon diagnosed as having tuberculosis of the brain, from which he would never recover. Wolfe died on 15th September, aged just 37. A month before his death, as he lay in...
Mind Mine
a return to soul
bring back the Era of the Artist. not a political take.
a month ago
bring back the Era of the Artist. not a political take.
Raptitude.com
Humans Are About to Learn Like Never Before
Humans aren’t good at predicting the future, but sometimes you can see a trend that promises...
4 weeks ago
Humans aren’t good at predicting the future, but sometimes you can see a trend that promises something great — like “a genie is granting your wish” great. I think this might be happening right now with one of my genie wishes, maybe yours too. For me it has to do with the piles of...
Adrian Hanft, III:...
The Resignation Letter I Couldn’t Send
Writing a resignation letter is easy. Knowing whether or not to send it is the hard part.
over a year ago
Writing a resignation letter is easy. Knowing whether or not to send it is the hard part.
The Honest Broker
If I Ran a Major Record Label...
I'd do these 10 things
a year ago
Passing Time
What's the Least Impactful Way to Spend $300 Million?
Buying status is as close to bad as a good act can be.
a year ago
Buying status is as close to bad as a good act can be.
Naveen Arun's Blog
Doing Laundry on Campus Without a Phone
A Graduate Student’s Attempt to Find Sunshine as the Cloud Reigns Summary: I tried doing my laundry...
a year ago
A Graduate Student’s Attempt to Find Sunshine as the Cloud Reigns Summary: I tried doing my laundry without a smartphone. This proved to be difficult, since our laundry machines can only be operated with a smartphone app. After lots of struggle, I finally managed to do it,...
Left To Write
I Want What You Have
Let's talk about envy and its shenanigans
a year ago
Let's talk about envy and its shenanigans
Stoic Simple
A Stoic Perspective on Achieving Happiness
In today’s fast-paced and unpredictable world, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the challenges and...
a year ago
In today’s fast-paced and unpredictable world, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the challenges and pressures of daily life. Many of us are constantly searching for ways to achieve happiness and inner peace amidst the chaos. While some turn to meditation and mindfulness, others...
Daniel Bourke
Not just fishing knots
Took mum to her childhood home Sunday just gone to see Papa.
We walked in and mum saw Nana and they...
8 months ago
Took mum to her childhood home Sunday just gone to see Papa.
We walked in and mum saw Nana and they both started to cry.
Papa, Alan, Alby, my grandfather was quite sick.
The room was quiet and somber but had an unshakable aura of warmth and love.
Everyone was
Adrian Hanft, III:...
Special Hell 7, Stasis Crackers
On the hard days I get close to walking away from everything. Goodbye world. So far I have never...
over a year ago
On the hard days I get close to walking away from everything. Goodbye world. So far I have never given in. Except for that very first time.
Adrian Hanft, III:...
The U.S. Navy’s $100 Million Checkbox
Two years ago a Navy destroyer was ripped open by the nose of a Liberian tanker. Ten sailors were...
over a year ago
Two years ago a Navy destroyer was ripped open by the nose of a Liberian tanker. Ten sailors were crushed or drowned as their sleeping quarters filled with water after the collision. At the heart of the tragedy is a single checkbox on a touchscreen. This is the untold story of...
The Map is Mostly...
Reading Well
Reading is alluring. It has a nameless quality beyond satisfying desires for information and...
a year ago
Reading is alluring. It has a nameless quality beyond satisfying desires for information and pleasure. Despite more colorful and interactive media, reading text somehow remains more refined, more seductive. There is a visceral feeling to good reading. Partly this is because...
The Convivial...
The Wisdom of Daybreak
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 1
11 months ago
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 1
Adrian Hanft, III:...
A Special Hell for Designers Like Me
In case you think I am pointing fingers from my ivory tower, today I want to confess my own...
over a year ago
In case you think I am pointing fingers from my ivory tower, today I want to confess my own contribution to this mess.
Diaries of Note
The sound of failure
Few individuals have shaped the sound and trajectory of modern music quite like Brian Eno. Born in...
a year ago
Few individuals have shaped the sound and trajectory of modern music quite like Brian Eno. Born in 1948 in Suffolk, England, Eno initially rose to fame as a member of the glam rock band Roxy Music in the early 1970s. Since then, he has carved out a niche as a visionary in the...
Adrian Hanft, III:...
The Fruity Cereal Version of Your Predicament
A dazed bunny landed inches from my head. It was the night before a race, the precious hours of...
over a year ago
A dazed bunny landed inches from my head. It was the night before a race, the precious hours of sleep before my 4am wake up call.
Mark Manson
5 Ways to Get Rid of Anxiety
We're living in an era where anxiety seems to be omnipresent, and everyone is struggling with it to...
a year ago
We're living in an era where anxiety seems to be omnipresent, and everyone is struggling with it to some degree.
It's important to remember that the reasons behind our anxiety may not be as crucial as our reactions to it. In this guide, let's explore five comprehensive ways to...
Diaries of Note
Any visitor to the hospital is free to barge into his room
In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Chicago witnessed the rise of Al Capone, a notorious mob boss...
a year ago
In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Chicago witnessed the rise of Al Capone, a notorious mob boss who, despite running a vast and fearsome criminal enterprise for many years, evaded conviction until 1931 when he was finally indicted and convicted for tax evasion. Released from...
Diaries of Note
One feels as if one is dissolved into Nature
Albert Einstein’s trip to the California Institute of Technology in December 1931, for the first of...
a year ago
Albert Einstein’s trip to the California Institute of Technology in December 1931, for the first of three annual visiting professorships, marked a crucial juncture in his life. The rise of the Nazi party in Germany, with its vehement anti-Semitism, was forcing the physicist to...
journal – Winnie Lim
gyeongju, the city of beautiful tombs
Spent a few days in gyeongju. I knew there were going to be tombs, but what I didn’t expect was them...
5 months ago
Spent a few days in gyeongju. I knew there were going to be tombs, but what I didn’t expect was them to be everywhere, not just concentrated in one area. I didn’t...
Stoic Simple
Stoicism’s Relationship with Learning and the Pursuit of Knowledge
Stoicism is a philosophy that has been around for centuries, and it has evolved throughout history...
a year ago
Stoicism is a philosophy that has been around for centuries, and it has evolved throughout history to become the mature and insightful philosophy that it is today. Stoicism is a school of philosophy that originated in Athens in the third century BCE and was founded by Zeno of...
Adrian Hanft, III:...
The Pattern Recognition Machine
At some point our work inevitably makes contact with people who won’t be able to match your work...
over a year ago
At some point our work inevitably makes contact with people who won’t be able to match your work with their mental patterns. Pattern recognition is convenient when we are stocking the shelves but it can be stifling when we interact with concepts that want to change us.
Unfiltered by Tim...
The Internet Will Pay You More for Your 9-5 Skills than an Employer Ever Will (Few Understand)
Stop stealing from yourself
2 months ago
Stop stealing from yourself
Diaries of Note
The most sensual thing I’ve ever seen
When Pamela Des Barres graduated from high school in 1966, she headed straight for the Sunset Strip...
a year ago
When Pamela Des Barres graduated from high school in 1966, she headed straight for the Sunset Strip where the rock stars she had idolised from afar roamed—a path that led her to become one of the most celebrated groupies of the rock and roll era. She kept a diary throughout and...
journal – Winnie Lim
pretension
Lately I am trying to have more compassion for myself, but it has been a struggle. I tell myself...
9 months ago
Lately I am trying to have more compassion for myself, but it has been a struggle. I tell myself just like I wouldn’t expect someone without a leg to run a marathon,...
Castles in the Sky
Original Castles in the Sky Art
This is the home for all the original art in Castles in the Sky that is an AI generation, original...
a year ago
This is the home for all the original art in Castles in the Sky that is an AI generation, original commission, or some collage of the two. When the art is AI-generated, I will link to the first time it appeared in Castles in the Sky along with the prompt I used.
Left To Write
The Power of Storytelling
Seriously, this is the skill you want to learn
a year ago
Seriously, this is the skill you want to learn
The Map is Mostly...
A lot with a little
Have more than thou showest, Speak less than thou knowest, Lend less than thou owest — The Fool,...
a year ago
Have more than thou showest, Speak less than thou knowest, Lend less than thou owest — The Fool, King Lear Some works are better for their brevity. Fan Ho needs very little: Most of the image is black, or blurry. You can scarcely tell what materials you’re looking at. But the...
Mark Manson
Why Skills Matter More Than Goals
Welcome to the first Monday of the new year. It’s 2022 and if you’re like me, it still feels like...
over a year ago
Welcome to the first Monday of the new year. It’s 2022 and if you’re like me, it still feels like 2019 was last year. Talk about a mindfuck.
This is that time of year where most productive and growth-minded people sit down and focus on their goals, their identity, and who they...
Stoic Simple
Students of Stoicism: Using Stoic Philosophy in Teaching & Education
In today's fast-paced and highly competitive world, students face immense pressure to perform well...
a year ago
In today's fast-paced and highly competitive world, students face immense pressure to perform well academically, often at the cost of their emotional and mental well-being. As a result, many students struggle with stress, anxiety, and low self-esteem, which can impact their...
DYNOMIGHT
Let’s stop counting centuries
Here’s a sentence from Steven Pinker’s Enlightenment Now:
The Enlightenment is conventionally placed...
5 months ago
Here’s a sentence from Steven Pinker’s Enlightenment Now:
The Enlightenment is conventionally placed in the last two-thirds of the 18th century, though it flowed out of the Scientific Revolution and the Age of Reason in the 17th century and spilled into the heyday of classical...
Diaries of Note
Why am I always struggling to get them to blend?
In March of 1976, Eleanor Coppola and her family waved goodbye to their home in California and...
a year ago
In March of 1976, Eleanor Coppola and her family waved goodbye to their home in California and headed for the Philippines, the filming location for her husband’s next film, Apocalypse Now. As the lush landscape of the Southeast Asian archipelago sprawled out before them, little...
Both Are True
"she looks exactly like you"
she's my daughter, she's my twin
8 months ago
she's my daughter, she's my twin
Diaries of Note
I have been playing a new game called insomnia
In December of 1941, three days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, 26-year-old Thomas Merton entered...
a year ago
In December of 1941, three days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, 26-year-old Thomas Merton entered the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani in Kentucky, where he began life as a Trappist monk. Over the next 27 years, until his death in 1968, Merton authored more than fifty books that...
Stoic Simple
Stoicism & Politics: Should Stoics be Apolitical?
By Tanner Campbell Recently it was suggested to me that a Stoic could be apolitical. While I believe...
a year ago
By Tanner Campbell Recently it was suggested to me that a Stoic could be apolitical. While I believe this is theoretically true, I don’t believe, in practice, that anyone could call themselves a Stoic while abstaining entirely from political involvement. I want to talk about why...
The Ruffian
How the World Failed Greta Thunberg
The Perils of Praising Teenagers
2 months ago
The Perils of Praising Teenagers
The Honest Broker
Why Creatives Will Win by Thinking Small
In 2024, the path to success has been turned upside down
7 months ago
In 2024, the path to success has been turned upside down
The Map is Mostly...
How to Cook for Odysseus
Health is not merely about one’s diet, but it feels like a natural place to start. What follows are...
a year ago
Health is not merely about one’s diet, but it feels like a natural place to start. What follows are a few beliefs of my own.
Diaries of Note
I have never been happier
Ernest Hemingway was still married to Martha Gellhorn when he met his fourth wife, Mary Welsh, and...
a year ago
Ernest Hemingway was still married to Martha Gellhorn when he met his fourth wife, Mary Welsh, and on their third date he proposed. Nine years later, a month after he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the now-married couple went on a safari in East Africa that would...
Jason Crawford
My simple guide to life
I first made a version of this chart seven years ago today. It’s worth a re-up (and it’s never been...
over a year ago
I first made a version of this chart seven years ago today. It’s worth a re-up (and it’s never been on my blog).
The meaning of this chart is:
Everything you do should be justified either by being inherently enjoyable, or by being important for some other purpose. Absolutely...
Mind Mine
being in bloom
don’t forget to smell the roses
5 months ago
don’t forget to smell the roses
Adrian Hanft, III:...
Why Do the Homeless Hate Whoppers?
A story about the stories we tell ourselves.
over a year ago
A story about the stories we tell ourselves.
Stoic Simple
Stoic Resilience: How Stoicism Makes Us Resilient When Facing Challenges
Life can be incredibly unpredictable, and there are times when it can feel like the entire world is...
a year ago
Life can be incredibly unpredictable, and there are times when it can feel like the entire world is working against us. These are the moments when we need to muster all the resilience we can and face adversity with a sturdy sense of perseverance. Luckily, the philosophy of...
The Honest Broker
Open Mic Day: Tells Us About Your Favorite Movies, Music, Books, Etc. of 2024
Share your best picks!
a month ago
Mind Mine
returning from the hero's journey
fitting your new self into a life designed by your past self
6 months ago
fitting your new self into a life designed by your past self
How to Be a Stoic
Were the ancient Stoics feminist? Should the modern ones be?
The short answers to the title questions are: not really, and of course yes. At least, that’s the...
over a year ago
The short answers to the title questions are: not really, and of course yes. At least, that’s the conclusion of a detailed analysis of the relationship between Stoicism and feminism published in a paper by Scott Aikin and Emily McGill-Rutherford in Symposion, 1, 1 (2014): 9-22....
Diaries of Note
A very wonderfull scene
In 1768, British botanist Joseph Banks was one of nearly a hundred crew members to join Captain...
a year ago
In 1768, British botanist Joseph Banks was one of nearly a hundred crew members to join Captain James Cook on the first of three historic voyages of exploration. For three years they journeyed, visiting South America, Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia and Java as they...
Left To Write
№ 74: An Entrepreneurial Odyssey
How an epic poem can manage your expectations and reality
a year ago
How an epic poem can manage your expectations and reality
How to Be a Stoic
Stoic advice: can a salesperson be a Stoic?
[Feel free to submit a question for this column, addressing it at massimo at howtobeastoic dot org....
over a year ago
[Feel free to submit a question for this column, addressing it at massimo at howtobeastoic dot org. However, consider that I have a significant backlog, and I may not get to your question for some time, or at all.] D. writes: How should a practising Stoic ethically approach their...
journal – Winnie Lim
osaka, and thoughts on travel blogging
We were surprised to discover that Osaka has quite a number of outdoor dining options. Our first...
a year ago
We were surprised to discover that Osaka has quite a number of outdoor dining options. Our first meal was okonomiyaki of course, and my partner found a okonomiyaki restaurant with outdoor seating:...
Both Are True
the thoughts that think me
i'm not aware of almost anything I am thinking on a daily basis, surely that's not good doc???
4 months ago
i'm not aware of almost anything I am thinking on a daily basis, surely that's not good doc???
Passing Time
Sometimes It's About the Destination
Trying & failing to seek extrinsic motivation
2 months ago
Trying & failing to seek extrinsic motivation
Both Are True
Being an idiot and writing your newsletter - an interview I did for Creator Spotlight
+ my brand deal with an indie shoe company called ADIDAS
a month ago
+ my brand deal with an indie shoe company called ADIDAS
The Ruffian
How Did Politics Get So Weird?
James Kanagasooriam Explains Everything
a week ago
James Kanagasooriam Explains Everything
Diaries of Note
Nothing can be less beautiful than the first sight of London
Emily Shore was just nineteen when she died of tuberculosis—a short life, but one brimming with...
a year ago
Emily Shore was just nineteen when she died of tuberculosis—a short life, but one brimming with intellectual curiosity. Born in Suffolk, England in 1819, her now-celebrated journal contains not just her intricate observations of the natural world, but also thoughtful reflections...
Diaries of Note
I did so want to be a great actress
Rachel Roberts was a formidable Welsh actress whose performances on stage and screen garnered praise...
a year ago
Rachel Roberts was a formidable Welsh actress whose performances on stage and screen garnered praise and awards, her name often spoken with a mix of reverence and endearment within theatrical circles. Sadly, her personal life was at odds with her professional one, and in the last...
Both Are True
A parent's theory of relativity
twas the first day of preschool...
3 months ago
twas the first day of preschool...
The Convivial...
The Thing That Is Silence
The Convivial Society: Vol. 4, No. 14
11 months ago
The Convivial Society: Vol. 4, No. 14
Diaries of Note
I’ve given my pee to science
On 23rd November 2014, former Italian Air Force pilot Samantha Cristoforetti embarked on a...
a year ago
On 23rd November 2014, former Italian Air Force pilot Samantha Cristoforetti embarked on a monumental journey. Strapped into the confines of a Soyuz spacecraft in Kazakhstan, she was launched towards the International Space Station where she was to live for 199 days—the longest...
The Honest Broker
I Say Forbidden Things About Sports
What's happening in athletics is tragic—but don't expect to hear about on ESPN
3 weeks ago
What's happening in athletics is tragic—but don't expect to hear about on ESPN
Diaries of Note
Why should we consider the soul mortal?
In October 1908, 20 years before publication of her groundbreaking children’s book Millions of Cats,...
a year ago
In October 1908, 20 years before publication of her groundbreaking children’s book Millions of Cats, American artist and author Wanda Gág embarked on a 30-year diary-keeping journey. This detailed and intimate record not only encompassed her personal experiences and reflections...
Passing Time
My Experience Posting Satire to the Internet
The lesson: I should have known better
over a year ago
The lesson: I should have known better
The Convivial...
The Art of Living
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 4
9 months ago
The Convivial Society: Vol. 5, No. 4
Mark Manson
Why Your Favorite Self-Help Book Sucks
https://youtu.be/hQB3viVFhPA
Yes, yes—I know you think that one book you read that one time changed...
a year ago
https://youtu.be/hQB3viVFhPA
Yes, yes—I know you think that one book you read that one time changed your life.
Hell, maybe that was even my book.
And don't get me wrong, self-help books can help, but I think people mistake what they're actually doing.
Let me break this down for...
Nat Eliason's...
Don't Work Faster. Transition Faster.
A secret to creative output from endurance sports
2 months ago
A secret to creative output from endurance sports
Paul Cudenec
The stench of the system: conspiracy
Something is smelling decidedly ‘off’ in today’s world, with nauseating levels of corruption, mass...
a month ago
Something is smelling decidedly ‘off’ in today’s world, with nauseating levels of corruption, mass murder, lies, hypocrisy and repression.
Castles in the Sky
Thought Bananas (Castles in the Sky) 23
“Failing is not the end of growth”
a year ago
“Failing is not the end of growth”
The Honest Broker
Cruising for Classical Music in LA
A section from Dana Gioia's new book
a month ago
A section from Dana Gioia's new book
Nat Eliason's...
On Writing Better: 43 Things I Learned from My Insane 2 Years of Study
You'll wanna save this one
5 months ago
You'll wanna save this one
Mark Manson
3 Steps to Stop Negative Thinking
Ever find yourself drowning in a sea of negativity, wondering how you can escape the relentless...
a year ago
Ever find yourself drowning in a sea of negativity, wondering how you can escape the relentless tidal wave of self-doubt and judgment?
Well, you're not alone. We all suffer from negative thoughts, and it's about time we learned how to deal with them effectively.
In this...
Diaries of Note
I should like to see him forcibly shaved
Born in Manchester, England, in 1904, Christopher Isherwood was a novelist, playwright, and...
a year ago
Born in Manchester, England, in 1904, Christopher Isherwood was a novelist, playwright, and screenwriter who left an indelible mark on 20th-century literature with novels like Goodbye to Berlin and A Single Man. He was also a keen diarist and since his death in 1986 multiple...
Both Are True
introducing: are both true? (a podcast-ish podcast)
🎵 when a man tries to podcast 🎵
a year ago
🎵 when a man tries to podcast 🎵
The Honest Broker
I'm Confessing that I Love Doris Day
As a jazz singer—but I don't know if that makes it better or worse
a year ago
As a jazz singer—but I don't know if that makes it better or worse
The Honest Broker
Is Honest Writing the Next New Thing in Journalism?
And 21 reasons why writers are dishonest
9 months ago
And 21 reasons why writers are dishonest
Nat Eliason's...
30-Day First Draft: Week 1 Report & Lessons
29,588 Words Later
3 months ago
Letters of Note
My heart almost stood still
The following letter was written exactly 100 years ago. It’s a remarkable piece of writing that...
10 months ago
The following letter was written exactly 100 years ago. It’s a remarkable piece of writing that never fails to move me. And because you deserve it, above the transcript I’ve included audio of the letter being read by the lovely Juliet Stevenson, taken from the Letters of Note:...
The Convivial...
Lonely Surfaces: On AI-generated Images
The Convivial Society: Vol. 3, No. 20
over a year ago
The Convivial Society: Vol. 3, No. 20
Adrian Hanft, III:...
My First Golden Combover
My design education had indoctrinated me with belief in the purity of flat design. I was a true...
over a year ago
My design education had indoctrinated me with belief in the purity of flat design. I was a true believer. I was faced with a moral dilemma on my very first assignment. What did I do?
The Honest Broker
Why I Don't Read Reddit
And why I did read Reddit's IPO filing—here are seven things I learned
9 months ago
And why I did read Reddit's IPO filing—here are seven things I learned
Diaries of Note
How can men be so cruel, as many of them are
In 1872, just two years after the death of her mother, five-year-old Martha Van Orsdol embarked on a...
a year ago
In 1872, just two years after the death of her mother, five-year-old Martha Van Orsdol embarked on a journey with her family to the Kansas frontier. When she was fourteen, Martha began to keep a diary, and over the span of four decades diligently filled 4,000 pages with her...
The Honest Broker
An Executive Briefing Paper on the Creative Economy
Here's my latest culture and arts survey
a year ago
Here's my latest culture and arts survey
Stoic Simple
Stoic Quotes on Marriage: The Best Stoicism Sayings & Phrases
Previous Next What exactly did the ancient Stoics think about marriage? It's true, there isn't a...
a year ago
Previous Next What exactly did the ancient Stoics think about marriage? It's true, there isn't a huge amount of quotes to find from them specifically about marriage, although there are plenty about love, relationships and caring for people in our lives. It's worth keeping in mind...
Diaries of Note
Dickens flew into so violent a passion
Born in London in 1793, William Charles Macready was one of the most famous Shakespearean actors of...
a year ago
Born in London in 1793, William Charles Macready was one of the most famous Shakespearean actors of his generation, thanks to a forty year career that began on stage in 1810 and also saw him manage both the Covent Garden and Drury Lane theatres in the 1840s. Such a career...
Passing Time
My Aspirational People List
These are the people I would invest in
over a year ago
These are the people I would invest in
Diaries of Note
Excrement is the thread of life
Salvador Dalí, born in Spain in 1904, was the mustachioed maestro of surrealism, with a flair for...
a year ago
Salvador Dalí, born in Spain in 1904, was the mustachioed maestro of surrealism, with a flair for the fantastical in both his life and art. His paintings, like The Persistence of Memory with its melting clocks, are playful explorations of the dream world, but this love of the...
Castles in the Sky
Questions Lead to the Good Life
Formally Introducing Psychological Richness
a year ago
Formally Introducing Psychological Richness
Adrian Hanft, III:...
Boston Marathon Data Analysis, Part 1
Every time I line up at the start of a marathon I am amazed by the diversity of humans I see....
over a year ago
Every time I line up at the start of a marathon I am amazed by the diversity of humans I see. Running is truly a sport for all shapes, sizes, and varieties of people. While the top finishers steal the headlines, the real story to me is the thousands of runners who finish behind...
Diaries of Note
The important thing is to keep going
Born in London in 1909, Stephen Spender’s talent was recognised early on by T.S. Eliot, who...
a year ago
Born in London in 1909, Stephen Spender’s talent was recognised early on by T.S. Eliot, who published Spender’s first book, Poems, at Faber & Faber in 1933. Spender wrote the following diary entry six years later, a few days after lunching with Eliot and with the world teetering...
Adrian Hanft, III:...
Racing Shadows and Dodging Doldrums
When I get down, one of the things that pulls my head back above water is running. If snow blocks me...
over a year ago
When I get down, one of the things that pulls my head back above water is running. If snow blocks me from the trails, the cabin fever sucks the life out of me.
How to Be a Stoic
What Would a Stoic Do? Dating
“Dating” is a word I was not familiar with before coming to the United States. Especially with the...
over a year ago
“Dating” is a word I was not familiar with before coming to the United States. Especially with the advent of modern dating apps, it essentially means that you are trying out different people to see who “wins” the alleged honor of being your (next) partner. Except, of course, that...
The Ruffian
Why Does Donald Trump Keep Happening?
Notes On The Election
a month ago
journal – Winnie Lim
the ability to our selves as who we are
My tcm (traditional chinese medicine) appointment a couple of weeks ago was postponed because my...
4 weeks ago
My tcm (traditional chinese medicine) appointment a couple of weeks ago was postponed because my physician was sick. I thought it would be fine to go a couple of weeks without, but...
Jason Crawford
Announcing Progress Studies for Young Scholars
Excited to announce that I’m launching an online high school summer program in the history of...
over a year ago
Excited to announce that I’m launching an online high school summer program in the history of technology: Progress Studies for Young Scholars.
Daily online content, plus a speaker series featuring Tyler Cowen, Patrick Collison, Max Roser, Joel Mokyr, Deirdre McCloskey, and more....
Tech and Tea
Progress can be slow
We can spend a lifetime working on the same things, and that's ok
5 months ago
We can spend a lifetime working on the same things, and that's ok
Castles in the Sky
Castles in the Sky 34 - June 2023
Monthly Wrap-up
a year ago
Tech and Tea
Do you keep your wishes secret?
Have you ever hoped that someone would notice your good work and give you more opportunities? Would...
a year ago
Have you ever hoped that someone would notice your good work and give you more opportunities? Would that have been even more meaningful than if you asked for what you wanted, and got it?
Atoms vs Bits
Magic Cutoffs
There's nothing magic about six berries, specifically
a year ago
There's nothing magic about six berries, specifically
Stoic Simple
Comparing Stoicism & Buddhism: A Comparison of Two Philosophies
When it comes to personal philosophies and ways of life, there are numerous options out there. One...
a year ago
When it comes to personal philosophies and ways of life, there are numerous options out there. One approach that has gained popularity in recent years is Stoicism, an ancient Greco-Roman philosophy that teaches individuals to find inner peace and contentment through discipline,...
The Ruffian
The Ruffian's Greatest Hits 2023
This Year's Top Ten Posts As Voted On By Me
a year ago
This Year's Top Ten Posts As Voted On By Me
Naveen Arun's Blog
“The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog”, but in legalese
I asked ChatGPT to rewrite “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog”, but in legalese. This is...
a year ago
I asked ChatGPT to rewrite “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog”, but in legalese. This is what it gave me: “WHEREAS, this Agreement is made, entered into and fully understood on this day, by and between two primary entities, both of distinct characteristics and...
The Honest Broker
I Do My First Video Interview in More Than a Year
Here's my guest appearance on Rick Beato's video channel
7 months ago
Here's my guest appearance on Rick Beato's video channel
Castles in the Sky
The Moral Case for Small Business
Starting, running, and supporting our way to a better world
a year ago
Starting, running, and supporting our way to a better world
The Honest Broker
How Did Pop Culture Get So Gloomy?
Audiences seek out darkness and dysfunction, but why?
2 months ago
Audiences seek out darkness and dysfunction, but why?
Left To Write
#8 Writemas: 3 Lessons from Steve Jobs' Biography
Last week, I finished Steve Jobs’ biography by Walter Isaacson. Isaacson portrays Jobs as a complex...
a year ago
Last week, I finished Steve Jobs’ biography by Walter Isaacson. Isaacson portrays Jobs as a complex character with many paradoxes and personal contradictions. For example, he was adopted and struggled with ‘rejection’, yet rejected his own daughter, Lisa Jobs.
Left To Write
#5 Writemas: The Way You Present Something Matters
If you had asked me 5 years ago, “Would you do sales?” I would’ve looked at you with disgust. I’m...
a year ago
If you had asked me 5 years ago, “Would you do sales?” I would’ve looked at you with disgust. I’m introverted, typically quiet and observant. But as Bloomstory’s co-founder, it’s one of my roles within the business. In fact, I volunteered for it. Most of my responsibilities...
Both Are True
when all (keys, wallet, etc) is lost
you lose some, you lose some
8 months ago
you lose some, you lose some
DYNOMIGHT
Thoughts while watching myself be automated
An old friend visited me a few weeks ago. And we soon got to chatting about—what else—how long will...
3 months ago
An old friend visited me a few weeks ago. And we soon got to chatting about—what else—how long will it be before all human intellectual work is automated.
My position was: I dunno, because things are moving fast right now but what if we run out of data or scaling laws break and...
Daniel Bourke
The subtle shade of the clouds
Garlic takes six to seven months to grow.
I’m still working it out.
I planted my garlic too...
a year ago
Garlic takes six to seven months to grow.
I’m still working it out.
I planted my garlic too late.
Not the farm garlic though.
They’ve had practice.
Over a thousand bulbs this year, maybe more.
Tens of thousands of cloves.
Garlic is the biggest harvest of
Stoic Simple
Using Stoicism to Handle Criticism & Not Get Upset at Challenges
Criticism is a fact of life. Whether it is constructive feedback from a colleague or harsh words...
a year ago
Criticism is a fact of life. Whether it is constructive feedback from a colleague or harsh words from a rival, criticism can be painful and humbling. Dealing with criticism in a healthy and productive way is essential to personal and professional growth. This is where Stoicism...
Stoic Simple
Stoicism & Military Training: How Stoic Philosophy Makes Better Soldiers
Military training is known for its rigorous physical and mental demands. Soldiers must be able to...
a year ago
Military training is known for its rigorous physical and mental demands. Soldiers must be able to perform under pressure while managing complex emotions in high-stress situations. To better prepare military personnel for the challenges ahead, many are turning to Stoic philosophy...
Diaries of Note
Diana forgot to steer
Few people witnessed the tumultuous events of mid-20th century Britain quite like Duff Cooper, a...
a year ago
Few people witnessed the tumultuous events of mid-20th century Britain quite like Duff Cooper, a charismatic politician whose life was as colourful as it was influential. Born in 1890, he was known as a steadfast politician who famously resigned from his government post over the...
Left To Write
#11 Writemas: What I Read This Year
I had two main reading goals for 2023: a) Slow down my reading b) Try to read books that are at...
a year ago
I had two main reading goals for 2023: a) Slow down my reading b) Try to read books that are at least 100 years old. Here’s the full list of my completed books this year, in case you were wondering… Ed Thorpe, A Man for All Markets (2017) Kahill Gibran,
DYNOMIGHT
OK, I can partly explain the LLM chess weirdness now
We recently talked about a mystery: All large language models (LLMs) are terrible at chess. All,...
a month ago
We recently talked about a mystery: All large language models (LLMs) are terrible at chess. All, that is, except for gpt-3.5-turbo-instruct, which for some reason can play at an advanced amateur level. This is despite the fact that this model is more than a year old and much...
Passing Time
Respecting Repose
There's a difference between noise and sound.
over a year ago
There's a difference between noise and sound.
Left To Write
№ 78: Bloomstory Codex, Changing of Seasons, Unproductivity Is The New Productivity
A brief update of the last months
9 months ago
A brief update of the last months
Adrian Hanft, III:...
In the future everyone will be creative for fifteen minutes
We were promised a future of flying cars and robot slaves. I love my smart phone, but pinch me if...
over a year ago
We were promised a future of flying cars and robot slaves. I love my smart phone, but pinch me if the future doesn’t look an awful lot like the 80's. I blame the creative people.
Diaries of Note
BlooOOP, blooOOP
In 1949, as she searched for obscure books to feed her reading habit, American author Helene Hanff...
a year ago
In 1949, as she searched for obscure books to feed her reading habit, American author Helene Hanff struck up a correspondence with Frank Doel, chief buyer for Marks & Co., an antiquarian bookshop nestled at 84, Charing Cross Road in London. These letters, filled with Hanff’s...
Both Are True
does anyone know how to inherit wealth?
been reading a ton about it and am fairly sure it's the path for me
4 months ago
been reading a ton about it and am fairly sure it's the path for me
The Honest Broker
How I Write
I tell everything in an in-depth video interview
6 months ago
I tell everything in an in-depth video interview
Diaries of Note
The ultimate bovine humiliation
Anne Lamott was thirty-five, single, and newly sober when she gingerly entered the world of...
a year ago
Anne Lamott was thirty-five, single, and newly sober when she gingerly entered the world of motherhood. Already a seasoned novelist born in 1954 in San Francisco, this transformative period of her life became the foundation for her first foray into non-fiction, Operating...
Both Are True
i figured out why nothing is ever enough (science)
its dopamine all the way down babe
a year ago
its dopamine all the way down babe
Castles in the Sky
Castles in the Sky 33 [May 2023]
Big, Big News!
a year ago
Atoms vs Bits
The Al Capone Problem
Al Capone went to prison for tax evasion, and didn't go to prison for tax evasion.
a year ago
Al Capone went to prison for tax evasion, and didn't go to prison for tax evasion.
Passing Time
Pave the 14ers
We must democratize access to 14ers.
over a year ago
We must democratize access to 14ers.
The Ruffian
Rattle Bag
On a plot hole in Macbeth and much else besides
10 months ago
On a plot hole in Macbeth and much else besides
Adrian Hanft, III:...
25 Questions You Didn’t Know You Needed “Art of the Living Dead” to Answer
A starting point for anyone curious about reading a book about creativity and zombies
over a year ago
A starting point for anyone curious about reading a book about creativity and zombies
Diaries of Note
You can see the magic in him
Each weekday at 9 a.m., beginning in November 1976 and continuing until just days before his death...
a year ago
Each weekday at 9 a.m., beginning in November 1976 and continuing until just days before his death in 1987, Andy Warhol would engage in a lengthy phone call with Pat Hackett, a close friend who had initially started working for him as a typist in 1968. During his conversations...
Adrian Hanft, III:...
The 40-Year-Old Version
There is a path weaving through the seven lakes of Loveland that hugs the western edge of Boyd Lake,...
over a year ago
There is a path weaving through the seven lakes of Loveland that hugs the western edge of Boyd Lake, kisses the tip of Horseshoe, parts the lips of Westerdoll and Heinricy, caresses the Upper and Lower Hoffmans.
Castles in the Sky
Get into Character
Characters drive the story
a year ago
Characters drive the story
Both Are True
Being enough isn't the fucking point
How some toy cars and a bunch of farts helped me transcend the need to be 'enough' // S1E5
a year ago
How some toy cars and a bunch of farts helped me transcend the need to be 'enough' // S1E5
Luxagraf:...
Fortified
From Edisto we worked our way south, stopping off a Hunting Island for a few dismal days in the cold...
11 months ago
From Edisto we worked our way south, stopping off a Hunting Island for a few dismal days in the cold and rain, camping in a site that was just a smidge above actual bog. We escaped that dreariness for the much more uplifting Fort McAllister, the first of a string of forts we...
Diaries of Note
I fell on the flagstones
It was in the final decade of her life that Frida Kahlo kept a diary—ten turbulent years marked by...
a year ago
It was in the final decade of her life that Frida Kahlo kept a diary—ten turbulent years marked by emotional distress, declining health, and unwavering artistic spirit. Kahlo endured multiple surgeries and spent long periods in hospital during this period, and in 1953, already...
Both Are True
This really is it
no time to review this cuz the kids are screaming again lol I hope it doesn't suck
4 months ago
no time to review this cuz the kids are screaming again lol I hope it doesn't suck
Diaries of Note
The whole Channel is filled with little ships
Exactly 80 years ago today, the world held its breath as the Allied forces launched the largest...
6 months ago
Exactly 80 years ago today, the world held its breath as the Allied forces launched the largest seaborne invasion in history, marking the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany’s occupation of Europe. Among the thousands of brave soldiers who set out to liberate the continent was...
Diaries of Note
A greater public calamity could not have occurred
On 6th November 1817, the British public was plunged into deep mourning following the unexpected...
a year ago
On 6th November 1817, the British public was plunged into deep mourning following the unexpected death of Princess Charlotte of Wales. The only child of the Prince Regent (later King George IV) and Caroline of Brunswick, Princess Charlotte was admired for her spirited personality...
Nat Eliason's...
Maybe Your Sleep Tracking is Killing You?
The Lure of the Measurable
a year ago
The Lure of the Measurable
Wait But Why
100 Blocks a Day
Everyone gets 100 10-minute time blocks to use every day. How are you using yours?
The post 100...
over a year ago
Everyone gets 100 10-minute time blocks to use every day. How are you using yours?
The post 100 Blocks a Day appeared first on Wait But Why.
Diaries of Note
A disgusting day!
In April of 1891, Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky made the long journey to New York where...
a year ago
In April of 1891, Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky made the long journey to New York where he was to play a pivotal role in the inauguration of the city’s new music hall, later known as Carnegie Hall—a momentous occasion and the first time he had set foot in the United...
The Honest Broker
"I Told Three Big Lies That Changed My Life"
A story from the comments section
5 months ago
A story from the comments section
Diaries of Note
I shan’t worry about my girth
Born in Minnesota in 1882, Dorothea Moulton Balano was no ordinary ‘skipper’s wife.’ At a time when...
a year ago
Born in Minnesota in 1882, Dorothea Moulton Balano was no ordinary ‘skipper’s wife.’ At a time when women were expected to remain ashore, she joined her husband, Captain Fred Balano, on maritime adventures aboard the schooner R. W. Hopkins, and her diaries, kept between 1910 and...
The Honest Broker
In Search of Dupree Bolton
How I tracked down the most mysterious musician in the history of West Coast jazz
10 months ago
How I tracked down the most mysterious musician in the history of West Coast jazz
Laetitia@Work
What future of work in a warmer world?
Laetitia@Work #60
a year ago
Unfiltered by Tim...
I Used to Be Impressed by People Who Had a Lot of Money — But Now I’m Impressed by People Who Have...
Being told what to do is the adult daycare 99% of people live in.
2 months ago
Being told what to do is the adult daycare 99% of people live in.
Diaries of Note
I took Olga to her first bull fight
It was on his sixteenth birthday in 1902 that pioneering photographer Edward Weston held his first...
a year ago
It was on his sixteenth birthday in 1902 that pioneering photographer Edward Weston held his first camera—a Kodak Bull’s-Eye No. 2 given to him by his father that sparked his fascination with capturing the world around him, the style that developed eventually seeing him become...
Both Are True
the 'many escape rooms' theory of why our smartphones suck the big one
a confession that things have also been v hard + a pretty elaborate escape room metaphor // S1E8
a year ago
a confession that things have also been v hard + a pretty elaborate escape room metaphor // S1E8
Adrian Hanft, III:...
Seven ways to increase stress
This week you have a homework assignment. Below is a list of seven stress-inducing exercises. Pick...
over a year ago
This week you have a homework assignment. Below is a list of seven stress-inducing exercises. Pick one.
Laetitia@Work
The Mystery of Mastery
Laetitia@Work #64
a year ago
Diaries of Note
Every lie pronounced is accepted as high truth itself
William Shirer was an American journalist who found himself at the heart of unfolding history in...
a year ago
William Shirer was an American journalist who found himself at the heart of unfolding history in Nazi Germany, both in print and on the radio for CBS. In September of 1934, just one month after Hitler assumed the title of Führer, Shirer attended the Nuremberg rally, where an...
Adrian Hanft, III:...
The Slow, Steady, Inevitable March Towards Oatmeal
Pushing back against the idea that you are doomed to become a commodity.
over a year ago
Pushing back against the idea that you are doomed to become a commodity.
Diaries of Note
I WAKE FOR THE FIRST TIME
Everything changed for British musicologist Clive Wearing in 1985, the year he contracted...
11 months ago
Everything changed for British musicologist Clive Wearing in 1985, the year he contracted herpesviral encephalitis. The disease severely damaged his memory-forming brain regions, leading to one of the most extreme cases of anterograde amnesia ever recorded and a memory span that...
RhysTranter.com
Easter 2024: A Roman Pilgrimage
A selection of the sites visited during a recent Easter pilgrimage to Rome
7 months ago
A selection of the sites visited during a recent Easter pilgrimage to Rome
The Honest Broker
They Praised AI at SXSW—and the Audience Started Booing
My survey confirms that consumers are getting angry about new tech (and not just AI)
9 months ago
My survey confirms that consumers are getting angry about new tech (and not just AI)
journal – Winnie Lim
in the mountains at chiang mai
After spending a while in the city we moved to the mountains for a bit. Previously I had avoided any...
a week ago
After spending a while in the city we moved to the mountains for a bit. Previously I had avoided any trips that involved long vehicle rides because of covid risk, but I...
The Honest Broker
Why I Ran Away from Philosophy Because of Sam Bankman-Fried
Or how flawed thinking can make $10 billion disappear
a year ago
Or how flawed thinking can make $10 billion disappear
journal – Winnie Lim
random scenes from busan
I tend to forget about my photos once too much time had passed, so today I deliberately dug into the...
2 months ago
I tend to forget about my photos once too much time had passed, so today I deliberately dug into the archive from my korea trip a couple months ago. It is an...
Diaries of Note
I never saw daffodils so beautiful
Born in the English county of Cumberland on Christmas Day, 1771, Dorothy Wordsworth was an author,...
a year ago
Born in the English county of Cumberland on Christmas Day, 1771, Dorothy Wordsworth was an author, poet, and diarist arguably best known as the sister to Romantic poet William Wordsworth. Close throughout their lives, it was on 15th April, 1802, shortly after taking a walk with...
Mark Manson
4 Fascinating Psychological Theories That Explain Your Whole Life
Welcome, dear readers, to a mind-bending adventure into the labyrinth of the human psyche. We're...
a year ago
Welcome, dear readers, to a mind-bending adventure into the labyrinth of the human psyche. We're going to embark on an odyssey through the catacombs of cognition, the jungles of the subconscious, and a wild ride into the boundless depths of human behavior—with four psychological...
Diaries of Note
A black and empty future
Of the many first-person accounts of World War I, the diary of Edwin Campion Vaughan stands as one...
a year ago
Of the many first-person accounts of World War I, the diary of Edwin Campion Vaughan stands as one of the most vivid and harrowing ever kept. Joining the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 19th June 1916 as a second lieutenant, eighteen-year-old Vaughan soon found himself on the...
Daniel Bourke
Home alone on a Saturday night
Got caught in thought space today.
Ideas galore, activities here and there, actions minimal, lots of...
over a year ago
Got caught in thought space today.
Ideas galore, activities here and there, actions minimal, lots of standing around watching not enough touching.
Like the guy with a crush on a girl but never says anything.
So I took a step outside thought space.
And found gravity.
Twenty...
The Honest Broker
12 Things I Learned from René Girard
How a thinker who hated trends & fashions became trendy & fashionable
9 months ago
How a thinker who hated trends & fashions became trendy & fashionable
Adrian Hanft, III:...
Five Words That Might End Your Design Career
It is rare to be confronted with a truth so obvious, so devastating, that it causes you to abandon...
over a year ago
It is rare to be confronted with a truth so obvious, so devastating, that it causes you to abandon your belief system, to walk away from the thing that defines you as a person. My design career ended when I read five words.
Adrian Hanft, III:...
Stepping Inside Hallucinations
The cake tilted precariously as I stumbled into my parents bedroom. Panic gripped me as I tried to...
over a year ago
The cake tilted precariously as I stumbled into my parents bedroom. Panic gripped me as I tried to steady the massive cake.
Adrian Hanft, III:...
The Greatest Guitar Player’s Worst Concert
Phil Keaggy struggled. He is recovering from a detached retina. There’s nerve pain in his hand. His...
over a year ago
Phil Keaggy struggled. He is recovering from a detached retina. There’s nerve pain in his hand. His guitar broke, so he had to borrow one from the opening act. The sound crew was questionable. It might have been the worst concert Phil has ever performed. And yet...
Atoms vs Bits
My Personal Electoral College Total
Would the states you've visited be enough to win the electoral college? Find out....
10 months ago
Would the states you've visited be enough to win the electoral college? Find out....
Stoic Simple
The Leaf, the Cart and the Stacking of Stones
by Phil Van Treuren Your mind: a spring-fed pool, constantly renewed with fresh, cool water....
a year ago
by Phil Van Treuren Your mind: a spring-fed pool, constantly renewed with fresh, cool water. Unwanted thoughts are leaves falling into the pool; acknowledge them, let the stream carry them away, think of them no more. Your body: a sturdy cart, able to carry heavy burdens....
Mark Manson
Everyone Is Mostly the Same… (And Why This Is Good News)
I started my first blog in 2007. By 2011, writing and publishing online was my full-time job. By...
over a year ago
I started my first blog in 2007. By 2011, writing and publishing online was my full-time job. By 2013, that writing was being read by over a million people each month. And while the exact number has fluctuated over the years, that still remains true.
Early on in my career, as you...
The Convivial...
Embrace Your Crookedness
The Convivial Society: Vol. 4, No. 13
a year ago
The Convivial Society: Vol. 4, No. 13
Atoms vs Bits
Jethro Tull: A Beginner's Guide To Turnips
for Science
3 days ago
The Honest Broker
Nobody Will Tell You the Ugly Reason Apple Acquired a Classical Music Label
But you need to know, because it offers a glimpse into the dark future of streaming
a year ago
But you need to know, because it offers a glimpse into the dark future of streaming
RhysTranter.com
The Letters of Thomas Merton
I have recently finished re-reading Merton’s The Seven Storey Mountain, one of my favourite books....
over a year ago
I have recently finished re-reading Merton’s The Seven Storey Mountain, one of my favourite books. Now, I am dipping into the multi-volume edition of his letters...
Castles in the Sky
The Individual Magic of Their Genius
Introducing the Enchanter Series
a year ago
Introducing the Enchanter Series
Paul Cudenec
An African henchman of the global mafia
The importance of Rwanda to the imperialist agenda is confirmed by the fact that alongside Agnes...
4 days ago
The importance of Rwanda to the imperialist agenda is confirmed by the fact that alongside Agnes Binagwaho on the Rockefeller Foundation board of trustees we find fellow Rwandan Donald Kaberuka. [156]
The Ruffian
The Story Behind the Greatest Guitar Solo in Rock History
The Dark Energies Behind Prince's Moment of Genius
3 months ago
The Dark Energies Behind Prince's Moment of Genius
The Map is Mostly...
[subscribers only] Ask me Anything
a year ago
journal – Winnie Lim
to be willing to search
I broke a personal distance record yesterday while running very slowly, though my current “slow”...
a year ago
I broke a personal distance record yesterday while running very slowly, though my current “slow” speed would spike my heart rate at least by 10bpm just a few weeks ago. I accomplished...
Nat Eliason's...
Slow Habits
Change without Force
4 months ago
The Tao Of Wealth
A Prayer For The New Year
God, grant me the serenityto accept the things I cannot change,the courage to change the things I...
over a year ago
God, grant me the serenityto accept the things I cannot change,the courage to change the things I can,and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time,enjoying one moment at a time;accepting hardship as a pathway to peace;taking, as Your Divine Incarnations...
DYNOMIGHT
Against dystopian views of high-speed audiobook listening
There was recently a thread on r/slatestarcodex about “What life hacks are actually life changing”....
2 months ago
There was recently a thread on r/slatestarcodex about “What life hacks are actually life changing”. One of the examples given was:
Buy audiobooks to read much more books, listen at 1.5-2x speed
This led to the following thread (later removed):
Aaa: A midwit in making
Bbb: Audio...
Diaries of Note
Every atom of hate we add to this world makes it still more inhospitable
On 7th September 1943, a year after writing the following diary entry, 29-year-old Etty Hillesum and...
a year ago
On 7th September 1943, a year after writing the following diary entry, 29-year-old Etty Hillesum and her family were sent from Westerbork transit camp to Auschwitz, where she would meet her tragic end two months later. Born in 1914 in the Netherlands, Hillesum was a woman of keen...
Diaries of Note
We mutually agreed to call it The First World War
Born in South West England in 1858, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles à Court Repington was forced to...
a year ago
Born in South West England in 1858, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles à Court Repington was forced to retire from the British Army in 1902 due to a scandalous affair with the wife of a fellow officer. Returning to London, he quickly pivoted to journalism and rose to prominence as one of...
The Ruffian
Delusional self-belief is a superpower until it's a disaster
What's the optimal amount of self-deception for a politician?
9 months ago
What's the optimal amount of self-deception for a politician?
Stoic Simple
What Does Stoicism Teach About Pleasure and Pain?
Stoicism is an ancient philosophy that has gained increasing popularity in recent years. At the...
a year ago
Stoicism is an ancient philosophy that has gained increasing popularity in recent years. At the heart of this school of thought is the idea that we can achieve true happiness by living in accordance with nature, accepting what we cannot change, and focusing on developing our own...
Tech and Tea
Expectations, planning, and suffering
Thoughts on planning and letting go of expectations
6 months ago
Thoughts on planning and letting go of expectations
Daniel Bourke
Mistaking the menu for the food
Let’s do an experiment.
A chef who can’t read comes into your kitchen to cook you a meal.
You’re...
a year ago
Let’s do an experiment.
A chef who can’t read comes into your kitchen to cook you a meal.
You’re sitting in another room and can’t see what they’re making but you can smell it.
On the bench top there are
Jason Crawford
“Ascend the Hierarchy”: Let’s improve online discourse
Many years ago Paul Graham wrote an essay, “How to Disagree”, that proposed a hierarchy of...
over a year ago
Many years ago Paul Graham wrote an essay, “How to Disagree”, that proposed a hierarchy of disagreement with seven levels, from DH0, “name-calling”, to DH6, “refuting the central point”. Someone then created a pyramid diagram based on this.
Recently when someone commented...
Jason Crawford
What went wrong with the ventilator stockpile?
The New York Times reports on how the federal government tried and failed to increase the stockpile...
over a year ago
The New York Times reports on how the federal government tried and failed to increase the stockpile of ventilators. Some are reading this as a story about the private sector, the profit motive, or “greed”. I think it’s a story about incompetent project management.
The story in...
The Honest Broker
How Musicians Invented Stand-Up Comedy
Even today rhythm makes a joke funnier
a year ago
Even today rhythm makes a joke funnier
Passing Time
Reasons Not to Burn Coal That Have Nothing to Do with Climate Change
You don't need to talk about CO2 to have reasons to stop using coal for electricity generation
over a year ago
You don't need to talk about CO2 to have reasons to stop using coal for electricity generation
The Honest Broker
Open Mic: What Should I Write About?
And some coming attractions at The Honest Broker
11 months ago
And some coming attractions at The Honest Broker
Both Are True
All Day I Dream About Substack (ADIDAS)
writing is the new sex
2 months ago
Adrian Hanft, III:...
The Search for Words that Transcend
The perfect sentence. Lifetimes are spent in search of words that transcend. If you are lucky enough...
over a year ago
The perfect sentence. Lifetimes are spent in search of words that transcend. If you are lucky enough to find the words, the battle has just begun.
The Honest Broker
I Revisit My Doom-and Gloom Forecasts
What did I get right? What did I get wrong? And what will happen next?
a year ago
What did I get right? What did I get wrong? And what will happen next?
Mark Manson
Motivation: What It Is, How It Works, and Where to Find It
We all want to be motivated. We want to feel energized and excited about the things we do. We want...
over a year ago
We all want to be motivated. We want to feel energized and excited about the things we do. We want to wake up in the morning with a sense of purpose and drive, ready to tackle the day ahead.
But the truth is, motivation is not always easy to come by.
We tell ourselves lies about...
The Honest Broker
The Rise and Fall of The Village Voice
A new book reminds us what we lost when the counterculture disappeared
8 months ago
A new book reminds us what we lost when the counterculture disappeared
Adrian Hanft, III:...
ETHDenver: A Glimpse into the Future
I signed up for ETHDenver 2020 hoping to learn more about cryptocurrency. What I came away with was...
over a year ago
I signed up for ETHDenver 2020 hoping to learn more about cryptocurrency. What I came away with was questions about the viability of, well, everything.
Both Are True
you don't need everyone to like your work (2018)
revisiting something i wrote years ago
8 months ago
revisiting something i wrote years ago
Tech and Tea
Ask vs guess culture
When unreasonable requests are followed up with "but you could have just said no!" Exploring the...
a year ago
When unreasonable requests are followed up with "but you could have just said no!" Exploring the clashes of ask culture and guess culture, at home and at work.
Diaries of Note
I hear some funny noise
Born in Alaska in 1898, Ada Blackjack was an Iñupiaq woman who found fame in the 1920s after...
a year ago
Born in Alaska in 1898, Ada Blackjack was an Iñupiaq woman who found fame in the 1920s after surviving a doomed two-year expedition to Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean. Hired as a seamstress and cook, Ada, who had no survival skills to speak of, was the sole female in a...
Diaries of Note
The Luminous Man
As Deputy Director-General of MI5 from 1940 to 1952, Guy Liddell was one of the its key figures...
a year ago
As Deputy Director-General of MI5 from 1940 to 1952, Guy Liddell was one of the its key figures during a pivotal time that included World War II and the early years of the Cold War. Known for his role in elaborate counter-espionage schemes including the famous “Double Cross...
Farza's Newsletter
dropped french fry grease on my piano and the keys are so smooth now but my hands smell like old...
Zip We’re just shipping so much stuff every week lol. It’s kinda ridiculous in an awesome way. We’re...
over a year ago
Zip We’re just shipping so much stuff every week lol. It’s kinda ridiculous in an awesome way. We’re doing a good job at just focusing on delivering value to our users and building on what they’re telling us. Everything from the classes we choose to create to the features we...