Hey friends,
It seems like January started a century ago, but here we are, three days into February, holding on until warmer weather and brighter days. I hope you and your family are safe, and that you’re finding some time to enjoy something that makes you smile.
Also, for everyone who got a head start on the Wordle train from last month’s newsletter, you have my wife to thank for sharing it with me.
Here are this month’s links.
Access - Hundreds of thousands of new recordings and copyrighted works entered the public domain on New Years Day.
Barcelona Bike Bus - Kids in Barcelona ride to school in a massive group called a “bicibus.”
Clip n’ Dip - My wife got me these sauce dipping trays that clip into the vents in our car, and I’m honestly stoked.
Donate - There’s a blood shortage, and the Red Cross is looking for blood, platelet, and plasma donations.
Ephron - I’m not sure where I would wear this sweater, but I want it.
Frog - This is a wholesome Twitter thread for the ages.
Get The Shot - Ever wonder how they shoot scenes in front of mirrors without seeing the camera?
Hogwash - The “trickle-down” economic theory has been proven to be, well, not real.
Insurrection - Story of the Jan. 6 insurrection as told by the photographers and staff inside the building.
Just Say No - Great ideas for how to turn down an invitation. The one from E.B. White is my favorite: “I must decline, for secret reasons.”
Keyboard Music - Every letter is assigned a tone, and you can make songs out of everything you write.
Locked Letter - Before her execution, Mary Queen of Scots wrote a letter, and then used the very paper of the letter to seal it shut to prevent tampering. It’s taken centuries to figure out how she did it.
Midwest - Where is the American “Midwest” anyway?
NYT - Wordle is being acquired by the New York Times. Long live Wordle!
Old Book Illustrations - This is exactly what it sounds like: A place where you can search through old book illustrations.
Projector - Got $900 to spare? This projector connects to your phone and pretty much gives you a theater that fits in the palm of your hand.
Q & A - David Bowie predicts the impact of the internet…back in 1999. He is incredibly spot on. “It’s an alien life form.”
Redheads - Since red-headedness is a recessive gene…will redheads go extinct?
School - A gutwrenching op-ed from a principal at a Chicago school. “Our schools are not ok.” (Possible paywall)
Territory - France still controls a ton of little islands around the world, including this small island off the coast of Madagascar called Mayotte.
Underwater - Still waiting for that cookbook you ordered? It might be at the bottom of the ocean.
Venomous - Dangerous sea snakes have been charging divers, but some say they’re just looking for a little action.
WikiTrivia - Is this the new Wordle?
X - Trust me with this one.
Yolk - Got a carton of eggs with orange yolks? That’s a good thing.
Zone of Avoidance - For some astronomers, the Milky Way is…in the way.
Special thanks to Allyson for sending some links for this edition!
Have a suggestion for the next issue? I want to hear it! Reach out to me by replying to this email. And if you enjoyed this edition, go ahead and forward it to a friend and tap the heart at the top of the page.
See you in a month,
-Brady