Category: Snack Pantry
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Bidet Health
Bidets are good for your health, the environment, and your bank account → https://wapo.st/3SJLQDz I will never stop talking about bidets and how great they are. As this article shows, it’s not just me that thinks that, that knows that. We also now know we’re cleaner than you; healthier than you; happier than you. Heathens.…
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Geography Facts
19 facts about geography that are surprising and/or counter-intuitive → https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/geography-facts-change-your-perspective It’s been awhile since I posted a listicle, and there is never enough geography & map knowledge to learn. Is my love of maps related to why I like traveling so much? Perhaps, but I don’t think it’s a direct connection. Once you’ve traveled…
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The Gates
A documentary about the artist Christos’s three decade struggle to get a project approved & displayed in NYC’s Central Park → https://youtu.be/LAB4kHgLHOc?si=eAlR7DTHQWGBNL7Q I liked this movie when I first saw, but loved it for one scene: Someone asks Christo if going though all the bureaucracy, setbacks, and issues is worth it to get the art…
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Bob W.
A great, low-cost new “hotel” chain in Europe → https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/12/bob-w-airbnb-like-raises-40-million-euros-premium-accommodation/ I stayed in a Bob W. for a couple of nights when I was in Oslo, and can vouch that they’re great AND inexpensive. As the article details, it’s sort of a mix between a hotel & an Airbnb. You find & reserve a room…
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Body Temp
Men & women really do need the room to be different temperatures → https://wapo.st/3OHGB63 Cold rooms are better than hot rooms. That I think this is not my fault. Science wins again.
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Hidden Features
People post answers to the question “What common product has a feature you’re not sure everyone is aware of?” → https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/195ydoi/what_common_product_has_a_feature_youre_not_sure/ This list is endless, and endlessly fascinating. You WILL learn something new.
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Nearby Wiki
See places that have wikipedia entries near you on a map → https://en.nearbywiki.org You might think you know what’s around you in your neighborhood, but you really don’t. And you certainly don’t know much about the things you do know about. This web app is a great way to change this, and it does it…
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Latchkey Incontinence
Having to pee more the closer you get to a bathroom is a real thing → https://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/why-do-you-have-pee-closer-you-get-bathroom You always hear that folks who have a mystery medical issues feel so relieved when the specific ailment they have is identified, even though nothing has really changed except their knowledge. That’s what this article does to me.…
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Heat Pumps
Article that explains & interactively visualizes how heat pumps work → https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ng-interactive/2023/dec/23/heat-pumps-science-visualised We hear about them more & more these days, but I had no idea how they worked before reading this. File this one in the “boring, yet strangely interesting” category (which is just fine after yesterday’s emotion).
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman & Luke Combs sing “Fast Car” at 2024 Grammys → https://www.grammy.com/videos/tracy-chapman-luke-combs-fast-car-2024-grammys-performance-66th-annual-grammy-awards This was always an emotional song, even for me, back when Tracy first released it. This duet with Luke Combs, for how it sounds, for how it feels, for all the possibilities it represents, turns that emotion dial to 11. I can’t…
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Reggaeton Beats
An informative, interactive, and fun way to learn learn about reggaeton → https://wapo.st/49CBQmD If you’ve heard music playing in the background at all in the past few years, you’ve heard these beats, especially the dembow. Trust me, you have, it’s everywhere: out of apartment windows; from cars; blasting from that bicyclist who has taken the time…
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Richard Feynman
The first in a Freakonomics podcast series about the physicist Richard Feynman → https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ZFcM9fTyYHoYpnzAoE6sO I’ve had a low-grade nerd crush on Feynman for years. He’s just one of those people who come up all the time (Ex: His character makes a memorable cameo in the great movie Oppenheimer) and the more you learn about him,…
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AI Explainer
A comprehensive, but easy-to-follow, video explainer on Generative AI basics, including all the terms used → https://youtu.be/2IK3DFHRFfw?si=-CdcxZC7orgq0RuP One of the only things I really worry about trying to build something on my own, and hopefully permanently separate myself from the default worklife, is that its coinciding with the introduction & spread of Generative AI tools.…
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Greenland Ice
Ice harvested in Greenland is shipped & sold to exclusive bars in the UAE → https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/09/greenland-startup-shipping-glacier-ice-cocktail-bars-uae-arctic-ice At first glance this seems extraordinarily wasteful & stupid. But the article slightly makes the case that this ice trade is not as wasteful as you think. Luxury ice is still stupid, of course, but at least the shipping…
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Gift Cards
Easily deplete all remaining value from Visa gift cards by purchasing Amazing gift card reloads → https://amzn.to/3Sjpwk4 We all have Visa gift cards lying around with unknown values, and that always end up being like $3.34 and $2.52, etc. Not enough value to buy anything of note, and it’s too hard to purchase things by…
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Yesterday Beatles
A gentle, funny movie about a budding guitarist who sings Beatles songs in a world in which the band never existed → https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B07T77W9XW/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r I’d never heard of this movie before, but was bored last night, so just dove in, and was treated to a nice reward. It’s not a perfect movie –I think it goes…
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Literary Math
A 3rd century poet discovered & popularized in the 18th century is proven to be fraudulent in the 21st century, using math → https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/ossian-literary-hoax-james-macpherson-fingal-mathematics-social-network-study-a7371806.html I think it’s fascinating they used mathematical techniques to expose a literary hoax. That said, was it a hoax? I mean, if people (Thomas Jefferson! Napoleon!) enjoyed the poetry, does it…
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Guyana Oil
Guyana has the highest per-capita oil reserves in the world, and is thus now embarking on ambitious development plans → https://americasquarterly.org/article/can-guyana-beat-the-resource-curse/ It’s going to be fascinating to watch this modern-day natural experiment testing if the resource curse is inevitable. Time for all of us to learn where Guyana is on the map.
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Work Loyalty
Our relationship with work has changed a lot over the past few years → https://www.businessinsider.com/loyalty-employee-employer-job-security-broken-work-companies-bosses-2024-1 I think there’s way too much emotion, and perceived grievances, embedded within this article, but it’s still an interesting read that helps you better understand the workplace of today. One things it, surprisingly, doesn’t mention is the diabolical notion that…
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Food Trends
The US is trending away from Italy & towards Latin America → https://www.axios.com/2023/04/14/food-trends-us-restaurant-menu-tacos I think on board with pretty much all these trends. I’ve been background-craving Tex-Mex a lot in the last months, and haven’t really given in to it much. So, I hereby declare my return to it in 2024. Expect to hear about…
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PB&J NBA
Peanut butter & jelly sandwiches secretly fuel the NBA → https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/page/presents18931717/the-nba-secret-addiction It seems NBA players mostly agree with my pick here. And I love that this article is on ESPN, and not on some food site like Eater or Epicurious.
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Drive-Thrus
Drive-thrus now account for 70% of sales for some fast-food joints, and cities don’t like them → https://cnn.com/2023/06/24/business/drive-thru-fast-food-chick-fil-a-urban-planning/index.html I’ve never liked drive-thrus. I don’t have a car, and I live in the city, so it’s not really a choice I ever have to make, but still. I know they make sense when you have kids,…
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Birth Death
Falling birth rates everywhere are bad → https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2024/01/shrinking-populations-will-limit-convergence.html It looks like it’s becoming economics week here on the recommendation portion of this blog. It also looks like the US is part of this birth rate problem. And I’m very much aware that I’m part of this US part of the problem 🤷🏻♂️
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Crime Interest
Interest rates and crime rates are related → https://thecrimereport.org/2016/12/06/the-startling-link-between-low-interest-rates-and-low-crime/ So many articles have been, and will be, written about what causes crime. That’s why I think this article is refreshing — it uses economic stats to help identify a potential reason. It’s a pretty simple progression and it seems to make sense: Societal instability →…
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House Differences
19 differences between British & American houses → https://theportablewife.com/living-abroad/moving-to-london/british-vs-american-houses-differences/ So much history is embedded in these differences. That history is stuff we Americans don’t even know we don’t know — the definition of ignorant. It’s also great insight in the different cultures, different geographies, and differing philosophies of government. What a great article.
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American Toilets
Toilets, and toilet culture, in the US is different than anywhere else → https://brightlightsofamerica.com/2016/03/americas-weird-toilets/ It’d been so long since I’d posted about toilets, I figured it was time. It turns out our American toilets & toilet habits are weird. As it posting about bathrooms on your blog all the time…
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Big Alaska
A way-too-detailed article on why Alaska is so big → https://isolatedtraveller.com/how-big-is-alaska/ We forget about good ol’ 49, but we shouldn’t. It’s big. One thing I think about is the long-term impacts of climate change on it — will we benefit it in terms of access to usable land & valuable deposits? Or will we lose…
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Life Happiness
Great video on what the longest running study on it has to say about what makes humans happy → https://youtu.be/vSQjk9jKarg Be active + Build relationships. Add “Eat less” to it and you’ve replaced the need for 80% of self-help books. This YT channel is a great one to follow for science-backed explainers & explorations.
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Helmet Stickers
An explainer of the stickers the Michigan football team has on their helmets → https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/2024/01/08/michigan-football-helmet-stickers-explained-wolverines-decals/72098779007/ I’ve always assumed those stickers were all the same and had to do with specific accomplishments, eg. a sack or TD catch. Turns out they’re much more creative, inspiring, & goofy. Little kids obviously like stickers, but if we’re being…
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Anti-Semitism
Sam Harris & his Rabbi guest give a clear & concise explanation of why anti-semitism started, how it started, and why it persists → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hUn3ndO-MU Sam has had his detractors lately, but when he’s on the right topic, there’s nobody better at giving clear-headed explanations for complex, difficult problems. I highly recommend his podcast.
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Drop Bears
Australians invented an unique, indigenous animal just for tourists → https://australian.museum/learn/animals/mammals/drop-bear/ I’m a seasoned traveler, right? So, no way I’d fall for this, right? But I did, back in 2009, when I was taking a tour of the areas around Uluru. The guides really played it up, and it wasn’t until we “found” one in…
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Detox Detoxing
Detoxes are unneeded & don’t do anything your body doesn’t already do naturally → https://slate.com/technology/2023/12/holiday-detox-you-dont-need-to-heres-why.html One of my great joys continues to be finding articles that de-bunk commonly-held “beliefs”. And this detox myth is one of the things that always bugs me most at the start of each new year. That said, I’ve learned it’s…
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Daily Fact
Get one good fact served up daily from Britannica → https://www.britannica.com/one-good-fact Doing things every day, trying to make it into a habit, is the best way to establish behaviors that will last a lifetime. This includes learning & info consumption, and this site does it in fun way.
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Snack Pantry
A weekly blog that gives five interesting website, podcast, tech, video, travel, gear, science, or food link recommendations in each week’s post → https://snackpantry.com Yep, this is also something I created in 2023. Regular readers of this blog will have noticed a few months back that I started recommending a new, interesting link each weekday.…
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Did You Do it Today?
A web app that sends you a daily check-in message to help you build a new Habit & track your progress → https://didyoudoittoday.com Yep, this is the web app I’ve spent 300+ hours building over the past few months. The design is unpolished. It’s sometimes slow. It’s a little quirky & there’s lots of functionality still…
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2023 Dogs
A sweet highlight reel of the best dog videos of 2023 from WeRateDogs (turn your sound on) → https://youtu.be/dHCwfJ1Q82o?si=KQfHMrnL4D-MnO60 I think we should all admit that we watch more dog (and cat) videos than we think, so this vid is probably nothing new. But it’s still amazing, and a continuous example that dogs are one…
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Poke Life
Steve Jobs talks about a different way of viewing, and living, life → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYfNvmF0Bqw This video is making the rounds on Twitter today, so I’m eagerly posting it here. It’s one of the most inspirational videos out there for me, and something that has impacted how I’ve lived, and am trying to live, my life.…
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Eel Meals
Eating eel is quintessentially American → https://www.themarginalian.org/2022/11/20/eel-squanto-thanksgiving/ I think I’ve eaten everything but eels in the past week, but perhaps, as a good American, I should have.
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3-D Constellations
A three-dimensional view of Orion & the Big Dipper → https://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/xbyi1f/the_big_dipper_and_orion_in_3d_visualizing_the/ Nothing in space is what it seems, it seems
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Book Flood
Books are the most popular Christmas gift in Iceland → https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_Christmas_book_flood Yet another reason to love Iceland, and Icelanders. The Jólabókaflóðið is one of the things that Icelanders are most proud of, and make sure to tell all tourists. Pretty sure I heard about it four or five times when I was there.
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Global Laughter
How different languages laugh online → https://restofworld.org/2023/how-people-laugh-online/ Super interesting the way that some languages play with their alphabets and how characters look & sound, what’s possible on modern keyboards, and how history is embedded within all. Also a very cool of way of presenting the information. гггг!
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Lemming Myth
Lemmings don’t actually commit mass suicide → https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=56 Not sure any of us thought that Disney would be the bad guy, and Lemmings the victim, with this (mis)belief.
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Volcano Cam
A live stream of the results of the volcano explosion in Iceland → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRV23X3H9xE I had already set my phone’s lock screen to show an amazing image from this live stream, and this entirely appropriate dollar amount came in for the food I bought on my card at the airport today 👹
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Flavour Trip
A nomadic DJ couple serve up smooth grooves, good food, & goofy moves → https://www.youtube.com/@flavourtrip I have no idea how I found these fools (in a good way!) but I can’t stop watching/listening to them. I listen to EDM in background whenever I’m working, and their playlists are now a staple for me. A good…
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Airplane Contrails
Airplane contrails have more climate warming impact than burning jet fuel does → https://wapo.st/3v6a2rK It turns out that those cool parallel lines we see in the sky are doing some damage. I hope they figure out how to fix this, as I still think flying is magic, and no part of me wants to do…
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Santa Belief
The average age kids stop believing in Santa, by State → https://todayshomeowner.com/blog/guides/not-believing-in-santa-by-state/ Once again Mississippi is an outlier, and not in a good way. Which is consistent with their normal education performance. It’s especially amazing because two of their neighbors have some of the youngest “reveal” ages. This probably means the neighbors don’t go to…
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Flying Rules
52 rules that all sane, considerate people should abide by when flying → https://wapo.st/3v1PPTR Curiously, I agree with every single one of these, including “No reclining. No exceptions.” (LOL they list exceptions). I can’t remember the last time I read a judgmental list like this in which I agreed with everything. I’m worried I might…
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Search Year
Google gives the lists for its Year in Search 2023 → https://trends.google.com/trends/yis/2023/US/ I love all these year-end summaries we now get. It used to be “Best Movies” or “Best Books” (still great & needed), but now we get “Spotify Wrapped” and lists like Google’s. It’s interesting AND gives you a good indication of how in-touch/out-of-touch…
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Viking Helmets
Viking helmets never had horns → https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horned_helmet#Popular_association_with_Vikings Yep, that means the Minnesota Viking helmets & mascot are totally wrong. The article doesn’t explain it, but the reason that some folks thought the Viking helmets did have horns is that they found Viking drinking horns (which they used for…drinking) next to the helmets, and just assumed…
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Graffiti Rocks
Those stacks of rocks (cairns) that you see on beaches & hiking trails are considered graffiti, and you shouldn’t build them, nor touch them → https://hasanjasim.online/why-shouldnt-you-stack-rocks-on-hikes-and-what-should-you-do-if-you-see-them/ This one is kind of hard to swallow. I mean, those stacks usually look great, and many of them are super helpful to keep you on the trail, eg.…
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Rock History
Infographic on the “history” of Rock-Paper-Scissors → https://twitter.com/simongerman600/status/1733086550957674870 Some people call it rochambeau; some people call it RPS; some people call it Paper-Rock-Scissors. Whatever it’s called, it’s the perfect deciderer. Make sure you also read the comments on this post, as they show why the internet is so great when we’re all being a little…
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Secret Math
A physicist came up with a formula to determine how long a conspiracy theory “secret” can be kept “true” for → https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/math-formula-charts-the-lifespan-of-hoaxes We’re now awash in conspiracy theories, and then books, articles, and posts debunking them & explaining why humans love believing them so much. So it was refreshing to see this article address it…
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Human Killers
A post & graphic that shows the critters that kill the most humans every year → https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/ote7l3/oc_animals_that_kill_the_most_humans_per_year/ Man’s best friend is also one of man’s top killers‽ The biggest surprise, though, if you didn’t already know the factoid, is that mosquitos are at the top. We all like to think that violence is the thing…
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Cold Exposure
A detailed, science-based explanation of what cold water bathing does & why it’s good for you → https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter/the-science-and-use-of-cold-exposure-for-health-and-performance I fell in love with cold water plunging & soaking in Iceland, so it’s nice to know there’s a reason it felt so good. I’ve tried re-creating it with some cold showers from time to time, but…
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Designer Fun
Designers were tasked with creating the most annoying software volume controls, and the results are hilarious → https://twitter.com/0xDesigner/status/1642554817590566915 Most folks don’t spend much time thinking about the tools we use within the sites we visit, and the apps we use, each day. And they shouldn’t — well designed ones just let you get the job…
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Five Books
A website & newsletter that recommends five books to read in specific genres, and has an ‘expert’ explain why they’re recommended → https://fivebooks.com/ Tools don’t just have to be about building physical goods! If you’re a book reader, you’re forever on the lookout for help in finding new books, and this newsletter has been one…
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Periodic Chart
Interesting way of showing how we use, in real life, each of the elements in the periodic chart → https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/502751/illustrated-periodic-table-shows-how-we-regularly-interact-each-element I was going to make it a tool theme here this week, but maybe it’s now transmuted into periodic chart week. You can even buy a poster of today’s chart here. I think I once…
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Cabin Renovation
A video series where a Dutch man renovates & modernizes a stone cabin in the Italian Alps → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo8_5d9yGq4 Warning: There are almost 100 ~45 minute videos (and counting) in this series, so it’s essentially slow television. He also barely talks in the videos, which means you’re in for an almost purely visual experience (though…
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Periodic Tools
The most important tools in the world, depicted & detailed in a form similar to the periodic table of elements → https://periodictableoftools.com/index.html I absolutely love the internet. I mean, who takes the time to make & post something like this, for free? Sure, he’s trying to monetize it by selling merch for it, but it’s…
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Microwave Power
Microwave power settings don’t work like you think they do → https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/15aikko/til_that_microwave_power_settings_dont_actually/ Something to ponder as you’re standing there waiting for your leftovers to warm up today & through the weekend. And with that, Food Week concludes.
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Leftover Shelf-life
Here’s how long each of the Thanksgiving leftover dishes are safe to eat → https://www.verywellhealth.com/thanksgiving-leftovers-food-safety-8404592 Food week is still going. I love leftovers, and really base my whole diet around them: Cook one big batch of something on Monday and then eat the leftovers for the rest of the week. So, it’s good to have…
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Dining Solo
Dining out alone is great, and this article makes a case for everybody doing it once in awhile → https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/23542276/dining-out-alone-solo Food week continues. Thanksgiving week is full of social & gatherings, but is also a nice time to remember that dining out alone can be great. Sit at the bar & it can become even…
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Greatest Sandwiches
A fella searched history for the greatest sandwiches, and came up with a list of the best five & worst five → https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/nov/01/from-compressed-yeast-to-cream-cheese-and-cornflakes-one-mans-search-for-the-worlds-greatest-sandwich Food week continues. Disappointingly, but not surprisingly, three of the best five contain mayo. Why is there so much mayo in the sandwich world, no matter where on Earth you are? I…
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Instant Pot
The Instant Pot is an amazing appliance for easily, safely cooking meat → https://amzn.to/3G6eOYe It’s food week here in the States, so figured this was a good time to drop this recommendation in. This is my second favorite food appliance, and I mainly use it to cook batches of chicken: Empty a giant bag of…
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Funniest Words
Mental Floss discusses a study that takes a shot at determining the 200 funniest words in the English language, and figure out why words funny → https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/566352/funniest-words-to-say-in-english One of the reasons I’m posting a recommendation each day (other than to feed into snackpantry.com) is to force myself to post & write something every day. It’s…
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Physics Sphinx
The Sphinx in Giza might have been originally shaped by nature, and merely fine-tuned by humans → https://arstechnica.com/science/2023/11/study-reveals-how-natural-processes-helped-sculpt-the-great-sphinx-of-giza/ What can’t nature do, given enough time: Mountains; canyons; sculptures. This certainly made things easier for folks to make it back in the day, and even makes it seem a little less strange. Or maybe not —…
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Do Something
Motivation doesn’t come first, Action does → https://x.com/IAmMarkManson/status/1724830873457979843 Earlier this year I was, ironically, struggling to work on Did You Do it Today each day. I couldn’t get motivated. I waited for it to hit each day, but it never seemed to. I then established a daily schedule and forced myself to stick to it.…
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Heart Lights
The red lights in the stoplights in Akureyri, Iceland’s second largest city, are hearts → https://www.northiceland.is/en/place/hearts-of-akureyri Iceland is in the news these days, which reminded of this charming little thing they do in Akureyri. And I have proof of it from my visit: I took the pic above when I was there earlier this year.
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Sample Breakdown
Fascinating quick exploration of how the sample was sourced & implemented in the song “One More Time” by Daft Punk → https://twitter.com/dancingastro/status/1724111284201726079 Oh, boy. I think of one specific moment in time whenever I hear this song: The island of Ios, Greece in June of 2001. I never knew that was a sample in the…
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Fire Cameras
Check out the view from 100s of cameras across California that have been set up to spot fires → https://ops.alertcalifornia.org/ Sure, the fires are interesting, but what you really get here is a view into the beauty & diversity of the California landscape. I lived there for 10ish years, and don’t really miss it, but…
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No Shampoo
You don’t need to shampoo your hair → https://youtu.be/T-_HKFjxVl0?si=yMLDFGVX5w0aSlOR I haven’t washed my hair in ~2 years. Yep, even through the whole Camino, all I’ve ever done is shower & vigorously scrub it with my hands. And I think my hair has never been better. Sure, I’m unable to smell if it’s gone bad, but…
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Tyler GOAT
A new book about the top economists in history, that you can download for free, or examine via an AI chatbot → https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2023/10/goat-who-is-the-greatest-economist-of-all-time-and-why-does-it-matter.html When an amazing economist writes a book about amazing economists and then enables you to consume it using amazing new technology, it’s hard for the outcome to not be amazing.
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People Total
An explainer that calculates & details how many people have ever lived. On Earth → https://www.prb.org/articles/how-many-people-have-ever-lived-on-earth/ There’s also a video linked in the article, but this one is worth a read. The # they come up with is interesting, but how they come up with it is the most interesting part of it. I also…
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Andor
Andor is a fantastic addition to the Star Wars universe, showing worlds & characters breaking bad, and breaking good → https://www.disneyplus.com/series/star-wars-andor/3xsQKWG00GL5 I’m in the process of watching/rewatching all* the Star Wars movies & shows, in timeline order. Andor is most definitely sticking out as something very, very different than the others, and is my clear…
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Nate Bargatze
Super funny SNL sketch that dares to make fun of sacred American history, across several spectrums → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYqfVE-fykk I’m actually not a fan of SNL — I think it’s the most overrated show ever. But I’m a big fan of Nate, so was glad they knew enough to have him host, and he came through.…
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Food Truths
This food columnist sums up her top science-backed truisms after ten years on the job → https://wapo.st/3QksSlW New nutrition “facts” usually make big news when the results of the first study are announced. But most seem to eventually be proven wrong (ex: that wine every day is good for you), so I try to always…
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Shantaram
An amazing book about an escaped Australian convict finding his way, and humanity, in the slums & streets of Bombay, India → https://amzn.to/49g3N4b I only want to recommend my absolute favorite books ever here, and this is definitely one of them, probably in my top five. I haven’t read it in awhile, but I’m sure…
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Unpoisoned Candy
There was never any poisoned candy → https://nowiknow.com/where-did-the-fear-of-poisoned-halloween-candy-come-from/ Debunkings nourish my soul, but it probably won’t matter, and most folks will continue to believe what they’re fed. Oh well — Now I Know would still be a great newsletter for them to subscribe to for more good explainers/debunkers like this.
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Screen Printing
A mesmerizing video that shows you how t-shirts are screen printed and explains, without words, why it’s called that → https://twitter.com/HowThingsWork_/status/1712071005139546288 Seriously, I’ve never known why it’s called “screen” printing. Even worse, I’ve never been curious enough to question why it was called that. How many other examples like this am I ignorantly spewing each…
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Life Rules
Another one those amazing lists of random tips & tricks to maybe help improve your life → https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/7hFeMWC6Y5eaSixbD/100-tips-for-a-better-life I’m a sucker for these lists, and no matter who you are, or what you’re into, there’s something in here for you. No idea who wrote it, or how I found it, but it doesn’t matter.
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Creator Economy
The creator economy is severely underrated by we older folk, and, it turns out, by the Federal Government. Here’s a good explanation of why it is, what it is & why it matters → https://wapo.st/3FyHWra A lot of what I wanted to do in this sabbatical year I’m on is to independently create & put…
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Egg Cooker
A small cooker to make perfect, easy-to-peel, hard-boiled eggs with the touch of a button, and no “are they done?” judgement required → https://amzn.to/3FuuW5R I’ve posted about this cooker several times before, but I don’t care — it’s the singled greatest appliance I’ve ever used. I’m still amazed, every time I use it, how perfectly…
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Residential Library
There’s a library in North Wales that is both a working public library AND a bed & breakfast. Here’s an article about it from someone who stayed there → https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20231022-gladstones-the-uks-only-residential-library I don’t really think about or keep a travel bucket list, but this place is now on it. Maybe it’s because I’m not going to…
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Halloween History
An entertaining podcast episode detailing the comprehensive history of where Halloween came from, and why we do all the things we do to celebrate it here in the US → https://www.npr.org/2023/10/19/1198908127/throughline-draft-10-19-2023 Podcasting is a great way to consume history, and NPR’s Throughline is an exceptional one. I don’t have strong feelings for or against Halloween,…
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English Accents
A detailed explanation of why non-native English speakers have accents, a combination of their native language norms & English weirdness → https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/10/16/why-you-have-an-accent-in-a-foreign-language I love English spoken with an accent. Accents are the best, and they make me even more appreciate how hard those folks worked to learn our crazy melting pot of a language. Some…
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Geographical Memory
A fascinating, map-based, Twitter* thread the details how the geography & politics of pre-WW1 Poland is still impacting the regional demography, infrastructure, economy, and culture today → https://twitter.com/sheemawn/status/1714181402424738055 Maps are the best, especially when they can be used as the canvas to describe why history unfolded the way it did. Tough to fact-check all the…
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Pickleball Origins
Here’s a video that tells the definitive story of how pickleball started. Much like the game, it’s short & fun → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzYMAFjCRUQ I’ve become a big fan of pickle, and not just because I’m getting old. It’s just a really fun game to play, and you get the exercise out of it that you want.…
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Tech Matters
A very interesting podcast interview with Marc Andreessen in which he makes a strong case for why technology has been so important in history, and still matters → https://a16z.simplecast.com/episodes/new-why-technology-still-matters-with-marc-andreessen-X_Ea7oeI I’m a huge believer that pretty much all technology has been an immense overall benefit to society, even accounting for the downsides it sometimes brings. Maybe…
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Tushy Bidet
Toilet paper is gross, and you know it. Bidets are the way to go, and the ones from Tushy are cheap & easy to install yourself → https://amzn.to/3rKBYQF This shouldn’t be controversial take, nor should this topic be uncomfortable to talk about in polite society. But it is, and maybe that’s why I bring it…
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Coin Flip Odds
Coin flip odds are not 50/50, as the results are impacted by the initial position of the coin → https://www.iflscience.com/coin-tosses-are-not-5050-scientists-toss-350757-coins-and-prove-old-theory-71047 I love “things are not as you think” articles & findings like this. It’s proof that the scientific method works AND can be super interesting. Please note: If I ever toss a coin with you,…
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Trello
Trello is a great app to organize things. From saving simple stuff like to-dos, recipes, and account #s, to project managing complex events like a move or a trip → https://trello.com/ I really do use Trello for everything, including prepping for my trips, and organizing eyeintim.com posts. I’ve even used back-in-the-day as a quick &…
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Stick Figure
California reggae is very pop-y compared to the classic roots stuff, but is still great. Stick Figure is one my favorites bands playing it → https://open.spotify.com/artist/5SXEylV07TC57eanSxxg4R I know I would seem cooler if I recommended an old school reggae artist like Burning Spear or Steel Pulse , but I’m a firm believer that you don’t…
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Wickedest Sound
One of the best podcasts out there is 99% Invisible, which takes a deep dive on things designed & built by humans. This episode on how reggae music came about is a great example → https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/wickedest-sound/ For some unknown reason, I’ve loved reggae forever –an early cherished gift was Bob Marley’s catalog as a boxed…
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Noise Colors
There are different colors of noise. They’re mathematically defined, and have different purposes → https://wapo.st/45pHK83 We’ve all heard & know about white noise, but I don’t think we ever thought that the word “white” meant something very specific. It turns out the color meant something all along, and I’m a believer in the characteristics of…
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NextDraft
This is a great daily newsletter that provides a witty summary of some of the day’s big stories about news, culture, technology, and media. It then links out to each of the stories, bypassing any paywalls they might normally have → https://managingeditor.substack.com/ I’ve subscribed to the newsletter for over a decade now, and it’s been…
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Sapiens
I love it when people ask me for book recommendations. My answer changes pretty much every time, but this one comes up more than most → https://www.amazon.com/Sapiens-Humankind-Yuval-Noah-Harari-ebook/dp/B00ICN066A/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0 I know some people have issues with this book, and the author, but perhaps no book has made me think more than this one. So, treat it as…
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Matador Backpack
I’ve only used it once, for my trip to Oslo, but I can already tell this is the best backpack & travel bag I’ve ever owned → https://www.matadorequipment.com/collections/packable-bags/products/globerider45-travel-backpack I had that dream last night where you show up for a final exam and you realize you haven’t studied. That’s not interesting. What’s interesting is that…
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Fat Bear Bracket
My buddy Dan just launched a web app, Fat Bear Bracket, that he built from scratch, and where you get to immerse yourself into the high-stakes world of Fat Bear Week predicting → https://www.fatbearbracket.com/ Dan’s been an inspiration for me as I’m working to build out my web app, so I’m pretty proud & excited…
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North vs. South America
Since we’re on the topic of South American geographical things I don’t know if I knew → I mean it’s obviously true, but doesn’t align with how I see it, and how it feels, in my head.
eyeintim 