Inspired by Three Point Four Media friend Kyle Chayka (buy his book), we purchased an ad in Garbage Day, an excellent newsletter about the internet. You can read it here. (Also, subscribe to Garbage Day.) (So demanding, this newsletter is.) It was quite easy as far as these things go. (At least I think so, our previous experience being nonexistent and all.) Garbage Day proprietor Ryan Broderick told us what to send, which we did—after learning how to make a tracking URL; very ominous, very easy—and then our ad was there. We got a handful of leads from it so far and had a conversation about working with a company run by a very tired-looking gentleman in Serbia.
We also haven’t paid for the ad yet, despite asking Ryan multiple times how to do so—Ryan, if you’re reading this, how do we send you money???—so the ROI is, depending on how you want to calculate it, zero or infinite. Striking out or grand slams. That’s how we roll at TPF.
An article
Kathryn Schulz, recently seen getting everyone riled up about a giant earthquake (sorry but there are badly used stats in here!), has moved on to solar storms. There’s some cool stuff about the composition of the sun (plasma!) and the inability of homing pigeons to return home. Also: “The sectors that bear the brunt of bad space weather are anything but niche interest groups. They are the backbone of modern society: telecommunications, aviation, space-based technology, and the power grid.” This is sort of, and also not at all, the plot of The Wandering Earth and reminded me that I should watch the sequel, which is now available in the U.S.
Fantastic opening line: “Ken Tegnell’s first home was on Alcatraz.”
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A video
Red Bull and some Dutch guys spent a year making a drone fast and maneuverable enough to follow Max Verstappen’s car for a lap. The dramatic stakes they try to create for this video are absurd—who really cares if they succeed or not? Also: obviously they are going to succeed—but the resulting footage is incredible.
Happy F1 opening weekend to those who celebrate.
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A project
The 11VEN Q&A: Clean energy consultant Joshua Pierce, part one
The 11VEN Q&A: Clean energy consultant Joshua Pierce, part two
We helped our friends at 11VEN launched a Q&A series. The first one is with Joshua Pierce, a man who has never seen a problem he can’t solve or a system he can’t improve.
Green hydrogen, the fuel of the future.
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A run
After months of not running, I have successfully run the Prospect Park loop twice in the past two weeks. Feels like a huge win, and it’s great to be back going in one long slow circle.
I also hopped on the bike this week and did six slightly faster circles. Very dizzy.
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A coffee shop
We wandered into Red Hook Coffee Shop on a rainy Saturday afternoon. It was a perfect experience. Locals complaining about puddles on Van Brunt Street. A wide selection of herbal tea. A chaotic yet functional ordering experience. A lost European couple sheltering from the weather. A sitting area that doubles as a vintage furniture, clothing, and knickknack store. I did not purchase anything. Blank Street but the opposite.
10 out of 10. Many notes that would be ignored by ownership.
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Bill will return in two weeks time.