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Hello Poster Children for Having Rock Hard Abs,
How’s it going! Did you miss me? Did you notice I was gone? There was no email last week, and for that I am sorry. But sometimes you just gotta take a break and not do the work that no one is paying you for. Know what I mean?
I have been having tons of trouble focusing on any one thing lately. I am fully addicted to my phone and really trying to stay off it for longer stretches at a time to very middling success. But I’m making progress slowly but surely. I will defeat the phone!
For all those curious to my apartment struggles I have found a new place and moved in last week. It’s a beaut in Bedstuy, close to good bars/restaurants and a nice grocery store. Glory glory!
Ok time for the usual linkies. Enjoy.
How NFT Philanthropy Could Deepen Inequality
Just Give Me A Synopsis:
Much like everything else in this brave new world of crypto we’re going to have to come up with new regulations and protocols for how these things are handled by the law cause there isn’t anything for it right now. Whether or not you buy into the NFT craze, it is a reality at this point that is going to have wide reaching impacts.
And A Quote From The Article Please:
That’s because if a wealthy donor holds an asset such as an NFT that has gone up in value since they’ve acquired it, selling it means they have to recognize the “gain” they’ve made. But if they donate it, they get the double benefit of not having to recognize the rise in value of such assets while still getting the tax deduction. This tax benefit of crypto donations applies under most jurisdictions in the world.
And Tell Me Why I should Care:
It’s really interesting to think and read about how the system is constantly being gamed by those that have the resources to game the system. I don’t necessarily agree with 100% of the critique this article is making, nor do I necessarily think this will become a major issue in the future, but it will be something for sure. When there are countless news articles about how the billionaire tech mogul is cheating the government out of millions of tax dollars because he gave his GIF of a turd flipping off a toilet to a bad charity, we will know we’ve hit peak NFT.
The Unexpected Life Form That’s A Literal Gold Mine
Just Give Me A Synopsis:
It turns out there are plants that will absorb metals from the ground and can then be “mined” to obtain those metals. It’s not even all that complicated. Plants grow and over time get metals occurring naturally in the soil all up in them. They can then be harvested and refined to produce pure metal at high rates.
And A Quote From The Article Please:
Producing metal by growing plants, or phytomining, has long been tipped as an alternative, environmentally sustainable way to reshape—if not replace—the mining industry. Of 320,000 recognized plant species, only about 700 are “hyperaccumulators,” like Kinabalu’s P. rufuschaneyi. Over time, they suck the soil dry of metals like nickel, zinc, cobalt, and even gold.
And Tell Me Why I should Care:
Look any metal mining is not a great thing. But the truth of the matter is that it is something we need to live in a functioning society at this point. It’s like reality TV or Instagram influencers, we hate it but we need it. The benefit of this type of mining however is that it has the ability to be boatloads more sustainable than traditional mining techniques. Think about it, if you need the plants to grow in order to get your metals you’re going to be hellbent on keeping those badboys upright and only harvesting exactly what you need, like sustainable timber.
Time Management Isn’t For Doing Everything. It’s For Doing The Things That Matter.
Just Give Me A Synopsis:
An enlightening interview with Oliver Burkeman, the author of the new book called Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. Four thousand weeks happen to be how many weeks the average human will live in their lives, give or take. An amount that feels hauntingly small when put on paper. In this interview he gives some wonderful perspective on how he now thinks about the constant grind to manage time better.
And A Quote From The Article Please:
But Burkeman argues that this is the wrong way to manage time. Rather than looking outward to productivity strategies and hacks, Four Thousand Weeks encourages an inner shift in perspective. It confronts a series of comforting illusions that many of us hold onto instead of internalizing colder truths: that we will die not having done a tremendous number of things we care about; that every commitment we make to a person, place, or line of work rules out countless others that may fulfill us; that our lives are already ticking away.
And Tell Me Why I should Care:
I am usually not very into this self help type of stuff. I think it preys on our insecurities and our desire to be more productive as if there is some magical hack to suddenly go from being a slob on the couch to running a fortune 500 company. It can happen but we are led to believe everyone can do it, which yes and no. But I found this interview and this guy’s perspective particularly enlightening. That it shouldn’t be about doing anything and everything faster and more efficiently, rather that it should be about fully diving into the things that matter most, and letting other less important things fall by the wayside. It’s not about doing it all. It’s about doing what’s important.
Weird Internet Resource Of The Week
Playhouse is described as a combination of Zillow and Tiktok, meaning homeowners are doing dances in public and looking like damn fools? No what it means is that this platform is created for native video of the real estate market. Even if you’re not in the real estate market it can be a fun distraction. I know a lot of y’all like to troll apartment listings as a relaxation technique so give this one a go. Check it out.
Other Interesting Things You May Or May Not Care About
Your Favorite Start-up Probably Didn’t Make That Thing It’s Selling Doris Dev Did.
That colorful and trendy direct-to-consumer startup that you love so much is not actually making those products you post about on Instagram. It’s all outsourced to an industrial design shop who handles it soup to nuts and lets the founders do what they do best, market the hell out of their brand until they convince you that this plunger or mason jar or box for your cat is the one true king.Why The US Can’t Just Beam Internet Into Authoritarian States Like Cuba
Internet is a tricky thing requiring towers and infrastructure. So when there is none around it is hard to amplify it. I feel like many times I’ve just said to myself “just send in better internet” but apparently it is not that easy. Still can’t believe planes don’t have good and free wifi across the board, though.Nigeria's Hipster Herders - The Funky Fulanis
Cattle herders by day and fashion icons by, well, day as well. Some truly swagadelic fits in here.The Story Behind The Iconic Vietnam Episode Of 'Hey Arnold!'
I remember watching this episode as a child and thinking '“oh damn this is some serious sh*t!” but also a beautiful story and one that stuck with me because I was like seven when this aired and it stuck with me. A cool piece focusing on the innovative and groundbreaking work of the show about a kid with a football shaped head.The History Of The Ziploc Bag
We use them a lot. Too much in fact. It’s a $1.6 Billion dollar industry, which given their price means we use them more than just for school lunches. The history dates back to post WW2.
Brands I Quite Like
There are so many brands out there that are not cool or unique that I thought I would highlight new brands that I think are in fact doing dope things and are worth knowing about. This is not sponsored or full of affiliate links.
Lost iN - City Guides That Dive Deep
There’s no other way to put it… these magazines look cool as shit. They are also very welcome deviations from a lot of the typical travel magazines we see. As you should be able to tell from the image, each edition focuses on a single city and delves into the local stuff you really want to know that you won’t find elsewhere. It’s a diverse array of musings – interviews with influential locals, original fiction, neighborhood guides and more. It’s the type of travel publication to inspire you when you’re sitting at home. It also looks hot fire on a coffee table. Check em out.
Let’s Just Looks At Art Because Reading Sucks
Lists Are What The Internet Was Made For!
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“You know nothing Jon Snow because you don’t read The Breads enough” - Ygritte of the Free Folk
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