Subscriber Voting Polls, Sister Substacks, and Such Like

Also if you need a charity subscription I'm opening that up

It’s been a bit of a wild few weeks as I adjust to being back at work. Which apparently is a thing I’m still required to do even though this is the United States of America? How strange! My productivity is up overall but I’m working on some longer pieces so that probably doesn’t seem evident.

Apologies for a much lower reply speed on my end. It makes me feel like a terrible father to pull out my phone at the end of the day when I’m with my family and that will likely continue to be the case. I promise to read all comments but I might not be able to reply to all of them going forward.

Sister Substacks

If you didn’t see before, I’ve started two sister substacks for material that seems a little more “Off-Brand.” I’m going to do a link roundup every time we do a voting poll update in case you are interested in any of those pieces.

The Trust Assembly

I’m trying to update this weekly although I have lagged a bit. The project is still ongoing and we are looking for a web-developer if anyone is interested. We are closing to having an MVP for one tiny feature of the whole system after which I am going to aggressively seek funding. Reminder that this is my giant project to fix the problem of trust and “misinformation” on the internet.

Beyond the Upvote — about how we have become prisoners of simple attention tracking mechanisms.

Why are Community Notes so Good? — about why the two punch combo of adjudication plus display is so power.

The Genuinely Hard Problem of the Digital Attention Economy — about how it’s very hard to do all the things you subconsciously do in your physical environment to seek peace in the digital environment, and stretch an analogy about bookshelves to the limit.

Some Guy’s Junk Drawer

I’m trying to do one update per month, which at this time involves me lightly tweaking a story I wrote ten or fifteen years ago.

The Order of Edges — an interdimensional horror story for the whole family

Man-Maker — a young boy refuses to do undergo the manhood ritual of his people and learns valuable lessons.

Smiling Sick — a baby is sick. He smiles all the time. And his mother will do anything to get him help.

Voting Polls

Slight change in the question this week. If you are a free subscriber, would lowering the price cause you to consider going to paid? Assume a multiple of ten for each monthly amount for the yearly amount. Please choose the highest amount at which you’d actually consider converting. Note, it is presently set at $8 per month for the very scientific reason that was the default when I turned it on.

If I can crunch numbers and still make my wife happy —which, to be honest, is all this money is used for at present besides a few things to get the Trust Assembly up and running— I’m happy to reconsider the price point. Asking as a few folks have dropped from paid citing the price.

I also want to open up a charity subscription, wherein you drop a comment and I’ll extend a six month free subscription. All I ask is that you consider sharing your favorite piece on Notes. Not a requirement to get the subscription. If you need it free for some period, just ask in a comment. I figure a twice yearly subscription drive isn’t obnoxious and it does help me move obstacles out of my way.

Siri, set reminder for six months!

I’m going to write a piece about understanding the psychology of Elon Musk as well as an Open Letter to Sriram Krishnan over the next few weeks, as well as the piece “Middle Middle Class” which has come in second place a few polls in a row now. And a special Valentine’s Day Surprise if I can get it done in time. Just announcing that in case the order of the pieces bumps you at all.

These pieces are all clumping up in my head and I want to move them out.

Moosha Moosha — story about my oldest younger brother who used to touch my earlobes constantly.

Dr. Oshkosh B’Gosh — after graduation, a Nobel Laureate calls me to ask about my college plans but my sister hangs up on him, assuming that he is a representative of the children’s clothing company Oshkosh B’Gosh.

The Group — this is about when I went to group therapy for… well, to keep the mood light, we shall say… adults who were “befuddled” as children. And how this is probably what helped me get my life back on track.

The Koi Pond — my dad goes into a long manic episode after his fourth divorce which culminates in him demanding we dredge a koi pond with a blue tarp.