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What to expect

Hi, I'm David. A journalist, and a curious generalist.
I've been curating the best of the web for my newsletter since 2011. I'd love to be your diligent curator, too.

Recommendations in the Weekly Filet are things I want my friends to see.

Things that tickle and delight a curious mind.

Articles, books, podcasts, graphics, videos, photographs,...The form is never the limit.

I let these questions guide me:
1. Does it help understand a complex, important issue?
2. Does it foster empathy by making you see the world through others' eyes?
3. Does it inspire self-reflection?

If it's timely, that's good. If it's timeless, that's better.

If in doubt, I prefer nerdy, witty, ambiguous. Solutions-oriented and actionable. Candid.

Don't expect news. Expect new insights.
Expect to be surprised.

Surprise me now!

Treasure trove

2487 recommended links since 2011

The Power of Letting Kids Struggle

Obviously, a podcast episode for parents. But not only parents. I’d recommend it to anyone who cares about helping people gain autonomy and confidence in areas where they’re still learning (which is kind of a long way to say: everyone).

From Weekly Filet #480, in March 2024.

    How do you make an addictive video game?

    Ok, to call this nerdy is an understatement. The podcast host explores how I he got totally addicted to a mobile game, with the man who made it. If you like games, this is for you. (So far, I managed to resist the urge to try out the game.)

    From Weekly Filet #480, in March 2024.

      Why Don’t We Just Ban Fossil Fuels?

      «One way [to stop arson] would be to require people to pay for the right to burn down buildings. Another would be to issue a strictly limited number of tradable arson-permission certificates, which would-be arsonists could trade among themselves. We could spend money making buildings more fireproof.» Of course, we did the obvious thing: Make it illegal to burn things down. With fossil fuels, it’s not quite as simple – or is it? The article falls short of providing a satisfying answer, I wished it went a bit deeper. Nonetheless, the refreshing radicality reverberates.

      From Weekly Filet #480, in March 2024.

        Trevor Noah interviews Sam Altman

        You knew that Trevor Noah is a brilliant comedian. He’s also a great interviewer. Thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with OpenAI’s Sam Altman.

        From Weekly Filet #480, in March 2024.

          A Letter From Our Founder

          This is more than the announcement of a new media organisation. It’s a sharp reflection on the role of journalism in today’s information ecosystem. This is especially on point: «objectivity has been misapplied in the news industry as a performative goal rather than a commitment to rigorous processes that counter the inherent biases that we all possess.»

          From Weekly Filet #479, in March 2024.

            Does Offering ChatGPT a Tip Cause it to Generate Better Text? An Analysis

            You’ve probably heard that ChatGPT delivers better results when offered a generous tip. This data scientist decided to dig deeper, to figure out what incentives ChatGPT reacts to the most. Tips are nice, but how about front-row tickets to Taylor Swift? The prospect of world peace? A lifetime supply of chocolate? The analysis doesn’t stop with positive incentives: Threatening our future overlords with death in all caps – what could possibly go wrong?

            From Weekly Filet #479, in March 2024.

              The Potent Pollution Of Noise

              An exploration of how profoundly we’re altering the acoustics of our surroundings, the consequences noise has, and what can be done to change things.

              From Weekly Filet #479, in March 2024.

                Two Years On: Your Questions Answered

                It’s now two years since Russia began it’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. For the grim anniversary, the BBC’s Ukrainecast ran a seven-part series, focusing on where things stand and what might lie ahead. All episodes are worth your time, if you only pick one, I recommend this one in which the team answers questions from listeners from around the world.

                From Weekly Filet #479, in March 2024.