The unapologetic domesticity of Ina Garten - Ina Garten lived on my family's TV growing up, along with Alton Brown and Emeril. I never reflected much on her persona, but in hindsight she is both unique and admirable. Hers is one celebrity memoir I will be picking up. Pairs very well with this deep dive on the 'tradwife' trend.
As someone who also decided not to have children, I appreciate Garten’s forthrightness about and lack of apology for her choice. But it’s also remarkable to me in part because Garten has made herself all but synonymous with domesticity, something that many people still view through the prism of motherhood. Garten is nurturing without being maternal; instead of children, she lavishes her care on her husband and friends.
[OOO] Yiwu International Trade Market and Beixiazhu e-commerce village 🎥 | Following the yuan - I am fascinated by commerce in China. In the past, I've featured consumer trends, but today we get a peek behind the curtain. This issue covers Yiwu, which is a wholesalers dream.
In media, Yiwu’s story has been widely covered — it is seen as the epitome of the China dream, a multicultural trade hub with vibrant Arab influence, and even a predictor of US elections — while new elements continue to emerge.
★ The iOS Continental Drift Widens - I love good laws, but Europe's attempts at regulating Big Tech are not it. Good law is like a good principle, it's flexible and modular, able to be applied to novel situations and classics alike. The DMA, which regulates Big Tech in the EU, is so specific it is invasive. Let's hope we can take note and come up with better regulation stateside.
It’s unclear to me whether users in the EU will be able to delete apps like Photos and Camera even if they don’t have any third-party photography apps installed, which would leave their iPhone in a state where there is no way to take new photos or view existing ones. This is performative regulation. None of this deletable apps nonsense increases competition; it merely increases the chances of profound user confusion.
how I spent a year “strategically broke” (pics and number inside) - It is a tragedy we put kids in a pressure cooker from a young age. We forbid them the ability to wander. What we fail to see is that life is not deterministic and bottom down. No, life is unpredictable, generative and bottom up. You can only connect dots afterwards, you can't plan a life by drawing lines deep into the future now.
… but this was the best trade I ever made. “Nice stuff” was cool, but freedom of time was much cooler. A year of free time in your 20s is worth a decade of free time when you retire at 65. When you’re young, life is a lot more fun. The relationships and skills you build in your 20s have 20+ years to compound. The travel is more fun. You literally just have more energy.
Frank Sinatra Has a Cold - I was born mere months after Frank Sinatra passed away. My dad would sing his songs as he pushed me around the neighborhood. He still sings those same songs, now for a more responsive audience at the nursing home down the road. Frank Sinatra was the most famous Italian American, bar none. His presence loomed large in my family, lending credence to our own dreams. It wasn't until reading this though, that I finally understood the man who played such a role in my life.
Sinatra was ill. He was the victim of an ailment so common that most people would consider it trivial. But when it gets to Sinatra it can plunge him into a state of anguish, deep depression, panic, even rage. Frank Sinatra had a cold.Sinatra with a cold is Picasso without paint, Ferrari without fuel—only worse. For the common cold robs Sinatra of that uninsurable jewel, his voice, cutting into the core of his confidence, and it affects not only his own psyche but also seems to cause a kind of psychosomatic nasal drip within dozens of people who work for him, drink with him, love him, depend on him for their own welfare and stability.
Launching Adjacent - Prediction is complex, but getting better all the time. Combining prediction markets with news is a stroke of genius. I cannot wait to see where this venture goes. For more on prediction, check out this organization for superforecasters.
Adjacent News is a new-age media venture that is focused on using prediction markets and forecasting platforms to add context to the news you already read, where you read it. Generate news that is driven by changes in the markets and provide trading and data platforms.
Mexican War Streets Society - My neighborhood! I live in a historic district of Pittsburgh. The society organizes events to share the many historic townhomes that line the streets. A friend described the neighborhood as "very Hallmark."
Nestled in the heart of Pittsburgh's Northside lies a hidden gem, the Mexican War Streets. Here, a dedicated group of individuals has taken up the mantle of preserving the historic character of this beautiful neighborhood while fostering community engagement and support. We are the Mexican War Streets Society (MWSS), a non-profit organization founded in 1969 by community-minded individuals who share a passion for preservation and a commitment to our neighborhood.
Black Habits by D Smoke - D Smoke was discovered on the Netflix show, Rhythm and Flow. A bilingual history teacher investing in his home city of Compton, D Smoke had an incredible depth and earnestness to him. It did not hurt that he could rap with the best of them. This is his debut album, supported by his talented brother SiR. I recommend Top of the Morning for the bass line that haunts me in my dreams.