Good Men

… Are you dreaming? How often do you see yourself somewhere else? Does it warm the center of you, even when you’re centered in a cold, dark world? But more importantly… How much closer are you than you were yesterday? Last month? Last year? What if you knew exactly why your dream is still a dream? Want to know the difficult part of this? I realized that, while I’m more ‘in it’ than years before, I’m actually not tangibly closer. What does that mean then? Is it the unseeable progress…or is it no progress at all? … Sometimes… Just sometimes…I can steal my attention away from what ‘needs to be done’, and into a state of mind that is a strictly objective realit…

Sam Altman Unveils Bold Plan to Create Self-Sustaining City in Nevada Desert In a groundbreaking announcement yesterday, entrepreneur and investor Sam Altman revealed plans to create a self-sustaining city in the Nevada desert. The city, which will be built from scratch, will be entirely powered by renewable energy and will be designed to house up to 50,000 residents. Altman’s plan, which has been in the works for several years, is focused on creating a sustainable community that can serve as a model for the rest of the world. The city will feature cutting-edge technologies and infrastructure, including solar panels, wind turbines, and advanced water filtration system…

We often imagine that relationships fall apart because of big betrayals or dramatic conflicts. But more often, it’s the small things – the tone of our voice, the words we choose, the way we listen – that either build or erode the foundation of love. When partners speak with love and respect, even during conflict, they create safety. And safety is what allows love to grow. Respect in communication signals: “I see you. I value you. You matter.” Psychologists like John and Julie Gottman have shown that it isn’t the absence of conflict that makes a relationship last – it’s how couples talk to each other during conflict. Disrespect, criticism, contempt, or defensiveness are …

By Liz Kimbrough Male leopard seals call out for hours on end during the breeding season, using five sounds to compose unique “songs.” Researchers analyzed the underwater vocalizations of male leopard seals in the Davis Sea along Eastern Antarctica’s pack ice. The information entropy of the songs, a measure of how predictable or random a sequence is, was remarkably close to that of human nursery rhymes. While many mammals can vocalize, few create complex songs, and leopard seals join a select group that includes humpback whales, sperm whales, gibbons, and even mice in assembling sounds into structured sequences. In the cathedral of ice beneath Antarctica’s frozen …

‘Tron Legacy’ Is arriving soon on 4K Ultra HD I originally saw Tron Legacy as a student while in college. It was a visually stunning movie that told the next exciting chapter in this series. Once this film came to a close, life for these characters was changed forever. A few days ago it was announced that this movie is coming out on 4K Ultra HD and here is my thoughts on this news. You can read the plot for this sequel here: When the son of a famous video game engineer receives a virtual signal from his long-lost father, he sets off on a thrilling, high-tech adventure through a cyber universe to rescue his dad. It is great to hear this film is being released on 4K Ultr…

As you may have heard, in order to justify the recent military occupation of the nation’s capital, Donald Trump alleges that the D.C. Metropolitan police department has been lying about crime numbers in the District. Supposedly, they’ve been cooking the books to make it seem as though crime has been dropping dramatically, even though “everyone knows” that D.C. is, as Stephen Miller puts it, “more dangerous than Baghdad.” And by “everyone,” they mean that guy, “Big Balls” from DOGE, who got his ass kicked by a 15-year-old would-be carjacker a couple of weeks ago, prompting Trump to call in the troops. Anyway, although the D.C. police may have provided inaccurate numbers…

Bodybuilding is stupid. Sports are supposed to make you healthier, but competitive bodybuilding is one of the only sports that shortens your lifespan instead. There probably isn’t a single professional bodybuilder today who hasn’t tried some sort of “enhancement” such as HGH, IGH, TRT or whatever other three-letter anabolic steroid that’s illegal somewhere. It’s rampant amongst fitness influencers, too, making the rest of us feel smaller and smaller every time we open a social media app. What’s worse is that the standard of what’s considered muscular or aesthetic has become more and more caricaturized over time, a phenomenon known today as “physique inflation.” Wolveri…

ByJill Ettinger After three seasons of And Just Like That… feeling like an awkward Thanksgiving dinner, the finale gets one thing right: pie is always a perfect ending. Let’s face it. For three seasons, And Just Like That… has been the television equivalent of an awkward Thanksgiving dinner. The kind where the seating plan makes no sense, the conversation swings between oddly intimate and strangely evasive, and you’re never entirely sure who’s bringing what to the table. There were moments of warmth, yes, but also moments when you’d have happily excused yourself to “check on the rolls” and never returned. Which is why the finale’s focus on pie felt less like a plot d…

“Sometimes you will create self-imposed deadlines, and you won’t make them. You then become your harshest critic and head down a shame spiral.” — Jadah Sellner, She Builds Does this sound familiar? If so, stop it! Starting now. What might you do instead? Something a little more constructive perhaps… “This is when you must ask for more time from yourself,” advises Sellner in her beautiful book, She Builds; the Anti-Hustle Guide to Grow Your Business and Nourish Your Life. “Don’t give up,” Sellner says. “Take a beat, then assess why you didn’t make the deadline, adjust your approach as needed, and reset your pace. Don’t put a timeline on your dreams. We are human, so…

[In this extended series, I want to explain what meaning is, why it comes and goes, how it loses its luster, and what you can do to experience its reenchantment. I hope you’ll follow me on Substack, enjoy my book Redesign Your Mind, and preorder my latest offerings, Brave New Mind and Night Brilliance. This series is called “The Reenchantment of Meaning.” I hope you find it valuable.] Let’s begin with a mind experiment. Picture the following five scenarios. A father has taken his child to the park. He loves being there on these Saturday morning outings, he’s brought snacks, he’s silenced his phone, and he is looking forward to watching his daughter play. He experiences…

By Kirstin Kelley Originally published on The Wip and republished here with the author’s permission. I recently published a story about my experiences as a person who is asexual. Writing this story felt important to me because there are a lot of misconceptions about asexuality and many well-intentioned people who, consequently, have no idea how to be supportive. While, on a basic level, asexuality is a lack of desire for sexual intimacy, there is actually quite a bit of variety among the asexual community. Some people are neutral to sex, some are repulsed by the idea, and some actually have an interest in sex, but only in very specific circumstances, and often only w…

The princess treatment is trending on TikTok. I’m here for it. The videos are hysterical. They involve a man sitting in a chair, a woman with a hose and a list of questions. Princess treatment or bare minimum? Depending on the answer the man might get hosed by his girl. The questions? Here’s a sampling of them. How would your guy answer them? Or if you’re a guy how would you answer these questions? Opening the car door or any door. Princess treatment or bare minimum? Flowers for no reason. Princess treatment or bare minimum? Carrying your girl’s bags or purse. Princess treatment or bare minimum? Paying for her manicure. Princess treatment or bare minimum? Giving …

Life has a way of moving so quickly that we often forget to notice the moments that make us feel truly alive. We get caught up in the routine—work, responsibilities, the endless to-do lists—and before we know it, we’re moving through life on autopilot. Then, out of nowhere, something shifts. A moment sneaks up on us, raw and electric, and reminds us what it feels like to be fully present. Maybe it’s standing at the edge of the ocean, feeling the cool water rush over your feet. Maybe it’s the way your heart pounds with excitement when you laugh uncontrollably with someone you love. Or maybe it’s the quiet stillness of a morning sunrise, when the world hasn’t yet started r…

By Miriam Bahagijo This February news sites around the world shared footage of a rarely seen black seadevil anglerfish who took the internet by storm. The bizarre deep-sea animals, who have a bioluminescent “fishing lure” used to draw prey toward their fang-like teeth, normally live in complete darkness at depths of up to 4,900 feet below sea level. When this one was spotted near the Canary Islands, people quickly started speculating about why and how the creature had made such an extreme vertical ascent. Some got sentimental and poetic about the fish’s experience, making remarks about how the fish finally got to see other lights — the sun — besides its own before its de…

Irina Tsukerman is a human rights and national security attorney based in New York and Connecticut. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in National and Intercultural Studies and Middle East Studies from Fordham University in 2006, followed by a Juris Doctor from Fordham University School of Law in 2009. She operates a boutique national security law practice. She serves as President of Scarab Rising, Inc., a media and security strategic advisory firm. Additionally, she is the Editor-in-Chief of The Washington Outsider, which focuses on foreign policy, geopolitics, security, and human rights. She is actively involved in several professional organizations, including the American…

At the 2004 Democratic National Convention, a state senator from Illinois named Barack Obama gave the keynote address. He spoke to a vision of national unity, decrying the notion of a divided America. There was not a conservative or liberal America, he argued, but a United States of America. There weren’t blue states or red states, but the United States. “We worship an awesome God in the blue states, and we don’t like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the red states,” he said. That’s an ironic sentiment, considering the attack on libraries and freedom of thought imposed by a far right seeking censorious book bans across the country. Five years later, auth…

by Martha A. Lavallie A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that 92% of people admit to having “quirky” private behaviors they’d be embarrassed for others to witness.1 From singing in the shower to making weird faces in the mirror, humans engage in strange activities behind closed doors. But what exactly are these 15 hidden habits? 1. Talk to themselves out loud Many people engage in entire conversations with themselves when alone. This self-talk can range from rehearsing upcoming interactions to processing emotions and decisions. Talking to oneself is a typical and healthy behavior. Self-directed speech can improve cognitive perf…

The coffee was cold. I stared at the mug on my nightstand — placed there silently at 6:30 AM, just like every weekday for three years — and felt nothing. Outside, rain streaked the window like tears. My partner slept beside me, kind and consistent. So why did I feel so empty? I’d chased grand gestures and dizzying passion, mistaking intensity for intimacy. It took losing myself to understand: real love doesn’t always roar. Sometimes, it’s the quiet hum of being seen. … The Illusion of “Enough” I used to equate love with sacrifice. If he stayed up listening to my anxieties, if I canceled trips for his work emergencies — surely that proved devotion? But therapist Dr.…

by Mike Rosen For those that don’t know, I’m a lucky Dad of three young men. Jack is a junior in college and his twin younger brothers, Keil (pronounced Kyle. It’s his grandmother’s maiden name) and Sam, are just beginning their respective (and separate) college careers. When we took Jack to college, his drop-off experience mirrored closely the experience in dropping him off at preschool, kindergarten, and beyond. No hesitancy, no tears, not a whiff of fear or uncertainty. “Bye Mom, bye Dad!” is a quote both from preschool and college. I make up a story he also wanted to say ‘Don’t let the door hit you in the a*% on the way out!” but he’s always been way too polite to ut…

By Tirso Sitoe, Trans by: Liam Anderson Editor’s note: The author of this text is also a contributor to the new edition of the book by interviewee Domingos da Cruz. In June 2015, Domingos da Cruz, a journalist and human rights defender, and other activists were detained under suspicion of “planning a coup d’état” after attending a conference discussing his book on peaceful methods of protest and civil resistance. The conference was led by Da Cruz, and the group of 17 activists became known as the “15+2” group. Ten years later, Da Cruz has released a new edition of “Tools to Destroy the Dictator and Avoid a New Dictatorship – A Political Philosophy of Liberation for An…

By Jacqueline Mitchell | BIMDC Communications | Harvard Gazette A new study sheds light on the biological underpinnings of excessive daytime sleepiness, a persistent and inappropriate urge to fall asleep during the day — during work, at meals, even mid-conversation — that interferes with daily functioning. The findings, published in The Lancet eMedicine, open the door to exploring how nutrition, lifestyle, and environmental exposures interact with genetic and biological processes to affect alertness. The findings add weight to the idea that excessive daytime sleepiness isn’t just the result of too little sleep. “Recent studies identified genetic variants associated wit…

By Chris Balter for StayModern Most companies are making the same expensive mistake with AI. They buy the tools, set them up, and expect immediate results.But results don’t come from the technology alone. What matters is how well employees learn to use it. Studies show that generative AI could increase productivity by up to 40%, which makes effective training programs absolutely necessary if you want to see those gains. StayModern explores how AI training is changing the way businesses operate and why every team needs to become AI-literate for companies to save money and accelerate innovation. Why AI Training Is Now a Business Imperative A recent McKinsey survey shows …

— Gatlinburg is a top destination in the Smoky Mountains, but many visitors think their options with pets start and end on hiking trails. That belief often means they miss out on a variety of pet-friendly activities right in town. The truth is that Gatlinburg has much more to offer than nature walks. From local attractions to charming streets and outdoor dining spots, you can enjoy a full vacation without leaving your furry companion behind. This guide focuses on places and experiences in Gatlinburg where pets are welcome, so you can plan a trip that’s comfortable, fun, and stress-free for both you and your pet. A Leisurely Walk Along the Gatlinburg Strip The Gatlinbur…

I have found out that it is important not to fly blindly in relationships. I now understand many people only discuss the honeymoon phase when speaking of love, but after years of observing the surrounding couples thrive or struggle, I realize love takes work in a number of ways no one tells you about during the honeymoon. It is directed to those who have passed beyond the initial stages of nervousness and would like the long value of a relationship. Whatever your stage, whether you feel that things are not the same as before, you are a new couple who are eager to know why you are getting a different experience, you are a couple who are coming out of your first major disp…

By Will Venn > BREAKOUT STORY: Making scents of our memory When the radio plays hits from your teenage years, it’s easy for your mind to wander back to that period of your lives with vivid recall. Music is a powerful trigger for memories, but in particular, the age of 17 has been pinpointed as the peak era for listening to new songs that, in later life, will reap the most nostalgic rewards. This is the outcome of research from the University of South Australia’s Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science, whose experts in evidence-based marketing understand the high value role that nostalgia-triggering tunes play in advertising and brand awareness. Researchers…