May 2021
Hey all,
You may have noticed there wasnāt a newsletter last month. Or maybe you didnāt notice; thatās also fine. The fact remains that there was no newsletter last month.
To be frank, Aprilās newsletter was 90% done, but I felt it was boring. I didnāt really have much to say in this opening paragraph, and the links I shared felt uninspired. Rather than force it ā ie send out a newsletter just for the sake of hitting my arbitrary self-imposed requirements ā I decided to scrap it entirely.
Now that Iām putting together the May newsletter, I 100% feel like it was the right move. As Iāve said several times, I want this email to be one of the best things that arrives in your email inbox each month. And if I feel like one has fallen short, Iām just not going to send it.
There. I feel better now that thatās settled. This is still a monthly newsletter, except when itās not. And if itās not, itās for everyoneās benefit.
See you next month.
-Dann
šø Get UAP (Get on UAP)
The reason why science and facts are so difficult is because everyone can't be an expert in everything. Letās take Global Warming as an example. Most people arenāt subscribing to journals and reading all the latest studies. All we, as regular people, can do is choose the experts we trust, using whichever credentials we feel are sufficiently validating, and take those expert opinions as our own.
Itās a fantastic shortcut, allowing the layperson to behave just as intelligently as an expert ā assuming theyāre able to pick the right people to emulate. Itās also the reason why conspiracy theories and the current political rift are so prevalent: each side has their own set of āexpertsā they rely on, and theyāre all saying drastically different things.
But while society has been battling this rise in conspiracy theories, one prominent theory has quietly left the realm of conspiracy and crossed the threshold into reality.
Iām talking, of course, about Unidentified Aerial Phenomenons (UAPs), or UFOs as theyāre more commonly known. No, Iām not talking about aliens, per se, but actual flying objects that defy our understanding of physics and that professionals cannot identify. Objects that have been 1) observed by radar, 2) visually verified by multiple US military members that have risked their reputations and gone on record.
Up until now, Iād been ignoring UFO research in the same way Iād been ignoring āresearchā about Big Foot or ghosts. The 2017 New York Times article with radar footage of purported UFOs momentarily caught my attention, but then was quickly forgotten.
But a 60 Minutes segment on UAPs made it impossible for me to ignore. The sheer number of reliable people now going on record is astounding. And the facts of the cases are mind-blowing. If youāve been ignoring this story like I had, itās officially time to catch up.
Iām staying away from any theories about what these are, because thatās still rife with conspiracy, but itās now pretty much impossible to deny that these things actually exist.
š Itās one banana, Michael...
Iām not following the New York City mayor race super close, but I can tell you who Iām NOT voting for: Shaun Donovan or Raymond J. McGuire.
Each were recently asked to estimate the median home price in the borough of Brooklyn. One answered $90,000, the other $100,000 (the real answer is $900,000).
Iām not usually one for discounting a candidate for one infraction, but come on.
š§© Favorite Noods
One of my favorite iOS puzzle games recently got a sequel. Which is great because I beat all the levels for the 6x6 grid on the original game.
Noodles 2 has an extremely simple premise: spin the tiles to make everything a single unbroken pipe. Each new game feels fresh, even after mastering the strategy. It quickly became my go-to casual game.
The best part? Zero microtransactions. Itās free to play, and $1.99 if you want to remove ads. The way it should be.
š” Big brain energy
Some people like to put weird brain-enhancing chemicals in their bodies. I find that to be incredibly interesting. So does Scott Alexander, the man behind Astral Codex Ten.
He got 852 people to take his survey on Nootropics, and itās one of the most comprehensive overviews on the topic that Iāve seen. Itās a fantastic jumping-off point for anyone wanting to deeper research. I hadnāt heard of most of these chemicals, but nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) seems really interesting (itās the most-stuck-with nootropic). Itās an anti-aging pill that actually helps stop aging?
Iām personally still a loooong way from taking any of these myself. Not only do I want to read more peer-reviewed research first, but I think that chemical supplements should only enter oneās wellness strategy after nailing the basics such as diet, exercise, and sleep.
But if any of yāall have any experience in this area, let me know. Iām in sponge-mode when it comes to Nootropics, and would love to pick your supplemented brain.
šŖ¦ Night of the living Dann
My newest sticker just dropped, and I think it might just be my favorite yet. Zombie Dann is now available at my online store in limited quantities.
I can personally attest that it looks pretty damn cool on the back of a mobile phone or your favorite e-reader. And I imagine there are probably other places where itād look pretty cool, too.
End note
If you've enjoyed this, I'd love it if you shared it with a friend. You can send them here to sign up.
I'll be sending out these emails once per month, and I'm happy you're along for the ride. I'm trying to make it one of the best things that arrives in your inbox each month, so thoughts and feedback are always appreciated. You can just reply to this email.
Also, if you find anything interesting this week, send it my way.
Thanks for reading. Until next time,
Dann