Random Stuff, 22 April 2023

A little housekeeping note and some brief thoughts about a few things going on in the world at large and on Substack . . .

Greetings and salutations, my fellow inmates of this crazy clownworld asylum! Just dropping into your email inbox (or substack feed) with a little housekeeping note and some brief thoughts about a few things going on in the world at large and on Substack. We’ll talk about RFK, Jr. running for President, the beer-front in the culture wars, Substack’s new Notes feature, and more . . .

Random Stuff . . . (Photo by Lucas Santos on Unsplash)

First, Some Quick Housekeeping …

As some of you may have noticed, I turned on paid subscriptions. Most new posts will still be free, and anyone¹ can comment on those posts, regardless of subscriber status; but I did put some of my archives behind a paywall and will probably do an occasional post just for paying subscribers.

Also, I created a new section on this substack called “Randomness.” (It’s the section in which the post you’re currenly reading resides.) To paraphrase the great Borscht-belt comedian Myron Cohen,² Everything gotta be someplace! So if it doesn’t fit anywhere else, then into the “Randomness” section it will go.

And on the subject of substack sections, you can subscribe to or unsubscribe from them individually. Most of you already know how this works, but in case you don’t, here’s how you do it:

1. While on the substack in question, click on your own avatar in the upper-right corner, and in the drop-down menu select “Manage Subscription;”

2. Scroll down the page to the “Notifications” section, which contains a breakdown of different sections on the substack; and

3. Use the switch to the right of each section to turn on or off notifications for that section.

I know that on this substack I flout the conventional wisdom that says you should narrow the focus of your content to an easily definable niche. I do not do “niche.” The right-hemisphere of my brain cannot stand narrow niches. I must generalize, explore widely, and contemplate the possible links among my varied interests. I like individual trees, but I really prefer seeing the forests as a whole.

Most of you are similar in that way, though your own interests undoubtedly do not overlap precisely with my own, so if there’s a section of my substack that doesn’t appeal to you, there will be no hard feelings from me if you unsubscribe from that section!