Issue 016: Craigslist, Streaming Piracy, Kavanaugh & Ghost Forests
Hope everyone's having a great week. I've missed a couple newsletters, but I'm hoping to get back in the swing of things. Did everyone get their text from the Presidential Alert System yet? Mine said, "Remember covfefe? ;) xoxo Donny" What did yours say?
Craigslist should have ratings. From Poshmark to ebay, most other reselling systems lets you rate your experience.
After a particularly sketchy Craigslist experience this week, I realized that not only does CL not let users rate their transactions with each other, they don't even track whether or not the transaction occurred.
Hey, maybe it was my fault. I broke the first rule of this Gothamist article ("It's Time To Talk About Craigslist, You Monsters") by meeting someone in a desolate area, after dark, alone...
But, it doesn't feel like it would be that hard to add a review system for sellers. Whadya think?
Some of the most interesting articles I read this week:
MOTHERBOARD: Rise Of Netflix Competitors Has Pushed Consumers Toward Piracy
BitTorrent usage has bounced back in response to a glut of streaming services with exclusive content.
Devil's Triangle Really IS A Drinking Game?
This microsite explains how to play and has a roundup of anti-Kavanaugh resources and articles.
BUZZFEED: Knockoff Font Helping Pad Essays
"It's called Times Newer Roman and it looks like a teacher-approved font — just, uh, bigger."
Photo by Erin Schaff/The New York Times
This goes without saying, but if you live in Arizona, Maine, Alaska, North Dakota or Indiana... CALL YOUR SENATORS and urge them to vote NO on Kavanaugh.
If you don't live in a state represented by Flake, Collins, Murkowski, Heitkamp or Donnelly. You can still get involved:
Donate to Senator Collins' future opponent if she votes to confirm via Be A Hero.
Find the nearest House district near you and help flip it.
Even if your Senators aren't on the fence, call them to say thanks, or tell them why you won't be voting for them in the future.
Do you love greasy nachos? Perfectly plated cuisine? Mouthwatering sweets? Then you're ready for this week's Instaporn. Category is: FOOD.
⬆️ @OverOverUnder – Eater LA's Farley Elliott is one of the best food writers in the game, with photos to match
⬆️ @ClayLarsen – In addition to being an incredible all-around photographer, Clay is the go-to-guy for some of LA's finest restaurants and food bloggers alike.
⬆️ @codyreiss – Whether you refer to him as a 'dirty lil cheese boy,' 'the naughty chef,' or 'Chef Colby,' Vice's Cody Reiss has a comedic voice as deliciously unique as the food he cooks up.
A couple thousand years ago, an earthquake shifted an ancient forest into a tidal zone along the coast of what we now call Oregon. The result? Petrified tree stumps that protrude from the sea at low tide, forming the Neskowin Ghost Forest. PS: you can camp nearby.
For an upcoming project, I'm looking for cell phone towers that are disguised (often poorly) to look like trees. Let me know if you spot any!
I do improv comedy every Friday night at UCB Franklin with Bangarang! We've sold out weekly for the last 8.5 years. It's fun!
SMALL TOWN: A fully improvised show based on real articles from your hometown newspaper. Second Mondays at UCB Sunset.
Thanks for reading! I'd love to get your feedback. Favorite segment? What's working? What's not working? What do you want to see more of?