Your Mid-Week Experiment

Hey, my dad has a new Substack you should check out!

The reaction I was worried about to last weekend’s essay was from Charlie Bonner, the essay’s subject. I wanted to do right by him. He thinks I did, writing, “One of the remarkable gifts of friendship is that sometimes, they can see your story more clearly than you can see it yourself.” Thank you for sharing your story, Charlie. I’m grateful for you.

Let’s get to it:

My dad, who I’ve written about often on The Experiment, has his own Substack now about the unsolved murder of Michael Franke. (Phil Stanford)

Molly’s profile of Ron DeSantis is remarkable for how inexpert the Governor is in speaking about personal things. (Molly Ball)

Speaking of profiles, apparently some men are wary of dating women with large social media followings. (The New York Times)

Made this tomato and scallops dish last week. There are some leftovers in the fridge right now, and I’m getting hungry just thinking about them. (New York Times Cooking)

A thousand times this —> The foundation of NIMBYism, at least in Austin, is an opposition to other people wanting to live in Austin. As Bill Bunch put it, “We have a housing demand problem.” His solution? Oppose growth. (Jack Craver)

And I know you’re going to be shocked, but NIMBYism contributes to school segregation. (Washington Post)

This might be the best writing advice I’ve ever read. (Austin Kleon)

And this might be the best marketing advice I’ve ever read, especially when it comes to repulsive products: move the dirty and recast it as a prestige product. (Knowledge at Wharton)

I grew up hating the Lakers, but I am fired up after watching the first two episodes of season 2 of Winning Time.

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We set up a merch table in the back where you can get T-shirts, coffee mugs, and even tote bags now. Show the world that you’re part of The Experiment. 

We’ve also got a tip jar, and I promise to waste every cent you give me on having fun, because writing this newsletter for you is how I have fun.

Buy the book Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick banned from the Bullock Texas History Museum: Forget the Alamo: The Rise and Fall of the American Myth by Bryan Burrough, Chris Tomlinson, and myself is out from Penguin Random House. The New York Times bestseller is 44% off and the same price as a paperback now!