WSJ: Tech Leaders Emerge Behind Plan to Build New City Near California Air Base

Venture capitalists want to build a new city on currently rural land in California. This will go as well as crypto, Web3, and the metaverse.

An ode to “Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast.

I loved this podcast. “… one of the great love letters to twentieth-century Hollywood.”

Some of the best guests were D-list stars even in their prime, who might only be remembered by the narrow age demographic that Gottfried and I shared.

From Brooklyn to Astoria (Oregon): Journalist Clive Thompson cycled 4,150 miles coast-to-coast reporting for his next book on “micromobility.”

What’s the biology behind why we find some people attractive?. On Inner Cosmos with David Eagleman

Last night before bedtime, I stepped into the backyard and found myself standing with a big red spider a couple of inches in front of my nose.

The spider was about an inch wide, and furiously busy tending its web, scurrying back and forth and moving its legs rapidly.

I took a step back and watched it for a while.

I tried to get a video but it didn’t come out great, and I know spiders give people the fantods so I won’t share the video here.

Casey Newton at Platformer: Why note-taking apps don’t make us smarter.

I’m surprised to learn Casey is a note-taking apps nerd, like me.

And like me he’s a compulsive hoarder of clips and links.

And like me he wants a chatbot to be able to ask the hoard questions and get good answers.

Decluttering continues. Two observations:

• A surprisingly significant amount of the clutter in my office was empty boxes for me to put the clutter in. • Some days I think I’m smart and other days I try to flatten empty cardboard cartons without tearing them.

What Happened to Wirecutter?. By Charlie Warzel at The Atlantic.

I rely on Wirecutter for any unusual purchase under $200. If I need something I’ve never bought one of before, and it’s priced under $200, I just buy whatever Wirecutter recommends.

The police came by to do a wellness check. They said Amazon had requested it because I hadn’t had anything delivered in nearly a month, and they were worried that we were OK.

Things that are annoying me today:

  • Password management
  • The acronym PTO. I don’t care whether you’re getting paid for taking time off.
  • Companies that sign you up for their email list without your permission, just because you did business with them one time.
  • Pretty much everything. I’m irritable.