@Jake
I write about drinks, public policy, and other vices in Portland, Oregon. Co-founder of Seabird, the app you're using right now!
www.jacobgrier.comI've been following Derek Thompson's grappling with these themes over the past few years, and here he tries to unite them in one piece on the "Tragic Twenties": how so many things have come together to create a rogue wave of American unhappiness despite some relatively solid economic figures.
If America's So Rich, How'd It Get So Sad?
Or: How the 2020s broke our brains
derekthompson.org
"Philosophers, in general, are used to disagreeing vehemently in the classroom and then gathering over a beer. Mathematicians aren’t. Usually, if they disagree, it means somebody royally messed up."
What Can We Gain by Losing Infinity? | Quanta Magazine
Ultrafinitism, a philosophy that rejects the infinite, has long been dismissed as mathematical heresy. But it is also producing new insights in math and beyond.
quantamagazine.org
A contrarian case for bringing back the chicken breast. By most standards an inferior cut of meat, but maybe you just need to challenge yourself to cook it right?
The Chicken Thigh Is the Current Darling of the American Table. But Its Popularity Is Costing Us More Than We Realize.
Which cut will reign supreme?
slate.com
Fascinating history here on the role of literary agents and how an unsavory scammer sensed the opportunity to disrupt the "gentlemanly" practice of submitting manuscripts to only one publisher at a time, instead making the publishers compete on price for a sought after book.
Meet the Literary Agent Who Invented the Book Auction
In 1952, literary agent Scott Meredith did the unthinkable: he sent the same manuscript to ten publishers at the same time, and single-handedly invented the book auction. At least, that’s how Mered…
lithub.com
10 minutes with Lucinda Williams on her songwriting, from the NYT's new feature on the greatest living songwriters.
The Lucinda Williams Interview
The singer-songwriter talks about being self-taught, and reaching down into the deepest, darkest parts of herself to pull out a song.
nytimes.com
I don't have any trips to Senegal planned, so I guess I need to find grains of Selim if I want to try this intriguing "cafe Touba" drink with a very cool history.
How a Sufi Saint’s Coffee Recipe Took Senegal by Storm
Cafe Touba was created as spiritual fuel during Sheikh Amadou Bamba’s French-imposed exile. Now it’s giving Nescafe a run for its money
newlinesmag.com
News you can actually use: what the whiskey glut will likely mean for consumers.
The Whiskey Glut Won't Lower Prices, but It Will Mean Older, Better Bottles
Whiskey has an oversupply problem. In both bourbon and Scotch, stocks are way up, consumption is flat to down, and many producers are responding by slowing or pausing production, temporarily closing distilleries, and, in some cases, laying off staff. For companies that buy barrels of new-make or aged American whiskey to supply their brands, prices have dropped dramatically. “There are some pretty fire-sale prices out there,” says Adam Polonski, co-founder of independent bottler Lost Lantern, whi
vinepair.com
Solid podcast on the current state of the economy, particularly for young people.
“The Job Market for Young People Is Brutal” - The Ringer
Today’s guest is Rogé Karma. We talk about the labor market for new hires, why young college graduates are so miserable, and why economic vibes are worth paying attention to, even if the official statistics are pointing in another direction.
theringer.com
"I had long since accepted the fact that I would have to take a substantial portion of my compensation in the form of moonlight and birdsong, but that was a bargain I was willing to make." This is a really great symposium of writers on what they do to actually make money, and a reminder that no matter how successful you are, you're only as valued in the industry as your next book or feature.
The Profession That Does Not Exist | Baffler Symposium
A partial history of the hidden labor that makes possible the poems, stories, essays, and books you read.
thebaffler.com
“We’ve not identified a way to make [the tax] not annoying.” Also in this piece: a proposal for Portland to tax subscriptions to Netflix, Spotify, OnlyFans, and other online entertainment.
Portland’s annual arts tax would increase, fewer people would pay under new proposal
Portland’s arts tax is headed for a makeover. But the fix might not address everyone’s grievances with the long lamented fee.
opb.org
I definitely haven't read all of this yet, but it looks fun to at least dip into in parts. (And FWIW I scored 17/30 on the quiz, thanks in no small part to lucky guesses.)
How to Be Cultured
A highly idiosyncratic compendium of what you need to know right now.
nytimes.com
And here's my take on the UK's tobacco prohibition.
Opinion | How the U.K.'s generational smoking ban could backfire
Jacob Grier: From black markets to an erosion of civil liberties, history shows how prohibition tends to go sideways.
ms.now
Friedersdorf on the UK's generational smoking prohibition. My own take on this should be out this weekend too.
The U.K. Smoking Ban Is Illiberal
Distaste for cigarettes is no reason to cede bedrock liberties to the state.
theatlantic.com
News you can use.
What would a primordial black hole do to a human body? Nothing good
Subatomic black holes from ancient cosmic history could, in principle, make you have a very bad day. But chances are you’ll never encounter one
scientificamerican.com
From 2017, an essay from the road by musician Tift Merritt. (I should hat tip Beth, but she shared this so long ago I'd never find it.)
THE WHOLE SHEBANG
Amps & Raisins “There is neither a proportional relationship, nor an inverse one, between a …
oxfordamerican.org
Data centers in space? A guide to what it would take to make them feasible.
Four things we’d need to put data centers in space
SpaceX wants to put up to a million data centers in orbit. There are a few technological hurdles standing in the way.
technologyreview.com
What slippery slope? Tobacco prohibition taking effect in the UK, making it illegal for anyone born after 2009 to ever purchase cigarettes, cigars, or pipe tobacco.
Proposed Lifetime Smoking Ban to Become Law in Britain
The proposal, which was approved by Parliament on Tuesday, will ban the supply or sale of tobacco products to anyone born in 2009 or after, permanently.
nytimes.com
Tejal Rao looks into what you're getting when you order Wagyu beef in the US.
‘Wagyu’ Used to Guarantee Quality Beef. What Are You Paying for Today?
Behind the scenes, competing forces battle for the reputation of prestige meat.
nytimes.com
New from Henry Grabar on urban social architecture: "The contours of this debate are nearly identical in conversations about bathrooms, benches, and other public facilities. How do we negotiate the ideals of universal access against the needs of the system and the comfort of its users?"
San Francisco Solved Metro Vandalism With One Neat Trick
The age of the fare-gate society is here.
theatlantic.com
Something we're starting to see a bit of in the Pacific NW: a boosterish case for making big buildings with timber.
The skylines of the future will be made of wood
Laminated timber is more environmentally friendly than steel, and perfectly safe for constructing tall buildings.
grist.org
Matt Zwolinski on the sociology of the libertarian crackup in the Trump era, very recommended if you're into that kind of thing.
The Myth of Libertarianism
Tribe first, theory later
bleedingheartlibertarian.substack.com
Wild conservation story here, involving oryxes from Texas being reintroduced to Chad thanks to the ruling family of Abu Dhabi. Worth clicking through for the photos too.
How the Scimitar-Horned Oryx Became a Conservation Unicorn
Ten years after its reintroduction to the wild, herds are thriving, but the harsh realities of life in the Sahel mean the fight’s not over yet
newlinesmag.com
Pithy writing advice from a professor of the craft.
Talking to students
Twenty-eight things I say to creative writing students when asked
rosecrans.substack.com
Good dog of the day.
A wolf tracked by GPS did something no one expected in Switzerland: it jumped into Lake Lucerne, and its journey has experts baffled
A GPS tracked wolf stunned experts by swimming across Lake Lucerne, revealing unexpected wildlife movement in modern landscapes
ecoticias.com
I just came across this post from 2021 and it's great, on uncovering the history of souvenir refrigerator magnets. Part two is also available.
Fridge Magnets and Memory: Part 1
Fridge magnets are more than tacky souvenirs. They're vessels for our memories.
little-flying-robots.ghost.io
Everything you wanted to know about how helium is used, in case we start facing real shortages.
Helium Is Hard to Replace
The war in Iran, and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has unfortunately made us all familiar with details of the petroleum supply chain that we could formerly happily ignore.
construction-physics.com
That's right.
The radicalisation of the American liberal
How US liberalism found the will to fight Trump—and what we can learn from it
prospectmagazine.co.uk
Major new survey could shed some light on dark energy.
New 3D map of Universe could solve dark energy mystery
Latest data must still be analyzed but could help determine if dark energy is constant or varies over time.
arstechnica.com
Not that I was ever the target market, but the question of who buys a condo in the Portland Ritz-Carlton is definitely one I'm curious about. Here the Oregonian does some looking into it.
oregonlive.com
On the persistence of hardback books. I'm personally glad to see that sales for recipe books in hardback are still strong, given that I have one coming out in that format later this year!
What's the point of hardbacks?
Error: consider reformatting
tomrowley.substack.com
Solid piece on how protectionism for the American auto industry is crushing the budget end of the car market.
Opinion | Where Did All the Affordable Cars Go?
This is how cars got so ridiculously, forbiddingly expensive.
nytimes.com
On the view from Taiwan following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the second election of Trump.
Preparing for an Invasion — The Dial
Taiwan goes it alone.
thedial.world
Speaking of legal analysis, welcome Steve Kennedy to Seabird!
Trump Just Automated Draft Entry. It’s Time for the Supreme Court to Step In.
The concerns around the draft raise a deeper constitutional question that has been too long neglected.
slate.com
Shared without shade toward our own pup, who is surely Ivy-bound.
In Defense of Dumb Dogs
Your pet is (probably) not a genius, and that’s OK.
nytimes.com
On the potential larger legal implications of the home distilling case. YMMV on whether you like them or not!
The Supreme Court could legalize moonshine, and ruin everything else
McNutt v. DOJ could allow the justices to seize tremendous power over the US economy.
vox.com
If only there were a social network for people who like to click on links.
Social traffic kinda stinks for news publishers now, in 3 charts
Globally, Chartbeat clients
niemanlab.org
A note of optimism following the cooperative success of the Artemis mission.
To the Moon
The Artemis moon mission provides a vision of a joyous, hopeful liberal future—one built on international cooperation, not war and hatred.
liberalcurrents.com
Finally, something good from science: finding a new way to make French fries that uses less oil but still tastes great (allegedly).
Scientists Have Made a French Fry Breakthrough
Researchers have developed a method of making french fries that results in a healthier bite without sacrificing crispiness.
wired.com
Fun piece on the history of gas station signs, the most direct price signal most consumers face.
The Romance of the Gas-Station Sign
A few glowing roadside numerals set the national mood.
theatlantic.com
As rising costs and climate change put the squeeze on long sled dog races, a visit to a new shorter one that provides an entry point to newer competitors.
A New Sled Dog Race in the Yukon Tries to Save a Fading Sport | The Walrus
The Yukon Odyssey offers a smaller, more sustainable model as long-distance contests struggle
thewalrus.ca
On the death of "wit" and other lost English pronouns.
Wit, unker, git: The lost medieval pronouns of English intimacy
Tales of love and adventure from 1,000 years ago reveal a dazzling range of now-extinct English pronouns. They capture something unique about how people once thought about "two-ness".
bbc.com
More to read on the long road of democratic reform ahead for Hungary now that it's ousted Orbán.
Viktor Orbán has fallen
What it means that MAGA’s favorite strongman is out of a job.
vox.com
I read "There Is No Antimemetics Division" this week on the recommendation of a couple acquaintances, and I'm happy to second the recommendation. Think the cleverness of certain Doctor Who villains (with a few points reminiscent of specific episodes) infused with a greater sense of visceral horror. Very fun and mind-bending read
There Is No Antimemetics Division: Review & Analysis
A requiem for the forgotten
proseandcontext.substack.com
Luke Winkie goes all in on beef tallow--for a week, anyway.
An Old Fashioned Ingredient Has Divided America. I Spent a Week Eating It to Find Out Why.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. believes the science on beef tallow is wrong. There’s a much bigger issue at hand.
slate.com
A writer from LA tours the self-cleaning public toilets of Paris and comes back envious.
The best seat in town
It's a public bathroom, yes, but it's really a piece of infrastructure that unlocks access to the city
torched.la
Update on a case I wrote about in 2024: an appeals court has upheld a ruling overturning the federal ban on home distillation.
Fire Up The Stills! 158-Year-Old US Home Distilling Ban Ruled Unconstitutional | the deep dive
A 158-year-old federal ban on home distilling in the United States has been declared unconstitutional by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, marking a historic win for hobbyists and personal liberty advocates. The ruling, handed down on Friday, came in favor of the Hobby Distillers Association and four of its 1,300 […]
thedeepdive.ca
Smart piece from a left perspective looking back on the economic and political lessons of the Biden era.
A Retrospective on Bidenomics - The American Prospect
Joe Biden listened to the left on full employment. But the lasting effects were wanting, and the politics were brutal.
prospect.org
A short post in favor of seemingly useless scientific research.
The usefulness of useless knowledge
Of honey bees, long shots, and the usefulness of useless knowledge…
timharford.com
Seconded. Everything will continue to get worse until he's removed from office.
America Needs to Impeach Trump For its Own Moral Health
Even an unsuccessful effort will show that many Americans reject threats of genocide to win a war
theunpopulist.net
Oh hey, I wrote another book! It's been a weird time to write about cocktails and spirits but I'm excited to share this later this year. The Bartender's Library is available for pre-order now, coming out in October.
The Bartender's Library: A Guide to Curating Spirits and Creating Cocktails--From the Multnomah Whiskey Library
A Guide to Curating Spirits and Creating Cocktails--From the Multnomah Whiskey Library
bookshop.org
