SCIENCE FOR PEOPLE WHO GIVE A SHIT
IMPORTANT, NOT IMPORTANT

Newsletter Episodes

The weekly INI newsletter. A tent-pole essay, plus Action Steps and a news round-up. 10/10, you're welcome.
April 11, 2024

Program The World

This week: Letโ€™s talk about the Information Era. Here's What You Can Do: Donate (and subscribe!) to the 19th , an independent, non-profit, kick-ass newsroom reporting on gender and politics. Volunteer with Tech Shift to builโ€ฆ
March 25, 2024

The Aftermath

This week: Bernie decided March 15th is Long COVID Awareness Day , so I thought it was an appropriate moment to try to pull together the threads of why Long COVID pisses me off so much, examples of other self-defeating issueโ€ฆ
March 13, 2024

How To Give

This week: There are few problems so simple that a single donation can fix them. Usually, to turn a problem into a realistic opportunity takes many donations. Over time, spread over a large number of donors. But all the workโ€ฆ
Feb. 26, 2024

How to See The Forest

This week: Are we in the hardest part of the climate transition? Here's What You Can Do: ๐ŸŒŽ๏ธ Donate to 350.org , a global movement working towards a fossil fuel-free world. Volunteer with your local Mothers Out Front chapter โ€ฆ
Feb. 14, 2024

The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round

This week: How are we supposed to navigate this energy transition, AI, and pandemics, if we cannot agree on the most basic, fundamental shit? We argue about tradeoffs or gently suggest expanding the scope of our moral concerโ€ฆ
Feb. 9, 2024

If This, Then What Else?

This week: Todayโ€™s essay is a bit of a departure โ€” I just wanted to make super clear where I stand vis a vis the next eleven months. A MAGA party don't stop unless we stop it. Here's What You Can Do: Donate to Voters of Tomoโ€ฆ
Feb. 7, 2024

2024: The Gaps and How to Close Them

This week: Todayโ€™s essay is my version of a 2024 preview. Unlike other previews, though, itโ€™s less, โ€œThis is what is going to happenโ€ and more โ€œThese are the table stakes as far as I can tell.โ€ I think that approach is much โ€ฆ
Jan. 29, 2024

2023 Review: What Just Happened?

This week: Iโ€™m back today to share my 2023 wrap-up. Itโ€™s a pretty stream-of-consciousness endeavor, but I think it sums up where I was right in my 2023 preview, where I was very wrong, how the world changed โ€” or didnโ€™t โ€” andโ€ฆ
Nov. 22, 2023

๐ŸŒŽ How Does The Brain Work?

This week: How the hell does the brain work? And what does it have to do with lemonade stands and school supplies? Here's What You Can Do: Donate to support The Markupโ€™s invaluable work examining the ways technology is beingโ€ฆ
Nov. 10, 2023

๐ŸŒŽ Coffee: Back To The Future

This week: Will coffee survive climate change? Here's What You Can Do: Donate to support African farmers by increasing incomes and improving food security through the Alliance for a Green Africa . Volunteer to join the Coffeโ€ฆ
Nov. 2, 2023

๐ŸŒŽ How I think about how to think about whatโ€™s next

This week: How I think about how to think about whatโ€™s next Here's What You Can Do: Donate to help the BlueGreen Alliance unite labor unions and environmental organizations to create clean jobs, develop clean infrastructure,โ€ฆ
Oct. 24, 2023

๐ŸŒŽ The Disconnect

This week: Exactly why the youths are so pissed off. Here's What You Can Do: Donate to the Steve Fund to support the mental health of young people of color. Volunteer with Everytown so youth can grow up in communities free fโ€ฆ
Oct. 18, 2023

๐ŸŒŽ The Illusion of Choice

This week: It can be difficult as hell to understand when we donโ€™t actually have a choice โ€” and when weโ€™ve got more options than we think. Deciphering the two is the key to the good stuff getting built way, way faster. Here'โ€ฆ
Oct. 11, 2023

๐ŸŒŽ The coolest year of the rest of your life

This week: Why was this year so hot? Will it keep getting hotter, and for how long? Itโ€™s not an easy read, but itโ€™s important you know and keep in mind the inputs and externalities. Here's What You Can Do: Donate to Climate โ€ฆ
Sept. 26, 2023

๐ŸŒŽ The Long Defeat

This week: Tolkien described life (and often, his stories) as a "long defeat", where evil frequently, inevitably wins. But he allowed for "eucatastrophe" - sudden joyous turns, just like breakthroughs in voting rights. We muโ€ฆ