Rebuilding to a Chin-Up with “The Beast”
Tony Gracia, a StrongFirst senior instructor, suffered a mysterious right‑arm weakness that sidelined his weighted chin‑up routine. After extensive medical testing, he focused on neck‑related rehab, paused all high‑intensity lifts for three months, and then employed a step‑loading protocol to rebuild strength. By progressively increasing load while staying well below failure, he moved from 12 kg to 24 kg over three months and successfully performed a 48 kg “Beast” chin‑up on his 40th birthday. The plan combined disciplined volume work, careful warm‑ups, and strict adherence to medical guidance.
Islets of Granada: A Tropical Escape Minutes From the Colonial City
The Islets of Granada, a 365‑island archipelago in Lake Nicaragua, lie just minutes from the colonial city of Granada. Formed by the eruption of Mombacho volcano, the islands host diverse wildlife such as capuchin monkeys, sloths, and vibrant bird species....
Matt Valentine :: The Aquarium Drunkard Interview
Matt Valentine’s Wet Tuna project releases its fourth full‑length album, Vast, on Captured Tracks. The record blends psychedelic, funk, and experimental pop elements, delivering richly textured yet spacious soundscapes. Coming a decade after the debut, Vast underscores Valentine’s evolving solo...
How To: Measure Simpson's Biplane Accurately
Aram K.’s latest post walks clinicians through the step‑by‑step process for measuring left‑ventricular ejection fraction using the Simpson’s biplane method on 2D echocardiography. It stresses acquiring both apical four‑chamber and two‑chamber views, precise endocardial tracing at end‑systole and end‑diastole, and...
Nothing Breaks Our Little Hearts In Two
The reviews spotlight Gena’s “Circlez,” praised for its meticulously calibrated mix that blends warm organ tones, precise percussion, and immersive spatial effects. Bebe Rexha’s “Çike Çike” draws heavily on early‑90s house and Madonna‑era pop while feeling contemporary, reflecting a streaming‑driven “flat‑time”...
Book of Churches’ Self Titled: A 48-Hour Blueprint of the Soul
Felix Mackenzie-Barrow’s debut solo album Book of Churches was recorded in a frantic 48‑hour session using only a couple of microphones and a cell phone. The resulting collection feels like a raw demo, emphasizing first‑thought urgency and stripped‑back arrangements. Critics...
The Untrustworthy Speaker
Louise Glück’s poem “The Untrustworthy Speaker,” originally published in her 1990 collection Ararat, resurfaced on a Substack literary blog. The work delves into the speaker’s self‑doubt, portraying passion as a barrier to trust and linking emotional wounds to mental distortion....
Your DNA Isn’t Your Destiny: The Science of Epigenetics and Experience
Epigenetics studies how environmental experiences modify gene expression without altering DNA sequences. A landmark McGill study demonstrated that maternal behavior in rats can imprint lasting epigenetic changes on offspring brain circuitry. The research links stress, pregnancy, and parenting to measurable...
Joanna Barker’s A Love Most Daring Is Strong Regency Mystery
Joanna Barker’s third Bow Street novel, A Love Most Daring, launches March 3, 2026 as a paperback in Shadow Mountain’s Proper Romance line. The Regency‑set story follows Beatrice Lacey, a scandal‑tainted society miss, who teams with Bow Street officer Alexander...
How to Walk Through a Cathedral
Visitors often rush cathedrals, missing the layered experience designed by medieval builders. The author argues the journey should begin with the façade, which functions as an introductory narrative, before moving inside to appreciate height, light, sound, and geometry. Examples from...
Snake Eyes’ Cash Rich: Unleashing Calculated Chaos
Snake Eyes have finally released their long‑awaited album Cash Rich on Alcopop! Records after five years of careful curation. The 12‑track record showcases a lo‑fi fuzz‑driven sound mixed with heavy distortion and occasional acoustic moments, reflecting the band’s gear‑obsessed production...
Circular RNA MT-RNR2 in Mitochondrial Function and Aging
Researchers identified mitochondrial circular RNA MT‑RNR2 as abundant in young cells but depleted in older individuals and senescent fibroblasts. The RNA‑binding protein GRSF1 binds both linear and circular MT‑RNR2, linking it to TCA‑cycle enzymes and glucose metabolism. Loss of GRSF1...
Enhancing Mitochondrial Function Improves Memory in Flies and Mice
Researchers discovered that boosting mitochondrial metabolism in neurons enhances long‑term memory formation in both fruit flies and mice. By reducing expression of the mitochondrial calcium exporter Letm1, calcium accumulates in the mitochondrial matrix, over‑activating metabolic pathways and increasing ATP production...
How to Get Out of a Slump 🤷♀️
The Good Trade article "How to get out of a slump" offers practical steps for breaking personal inertia, blending mindset shifts with tangible lifestyle tweaks like vegan street tacos, a productivity podcast, and ergonomic pillows. It emphasizes diagnosing the slump’s...
Maya Hawke Announces Fourth Album ‘Maitreya Corso’ and Releases Lead Single
Maya Hawke, known for her roles in "Stranger Things" and "The Hunger Games," announced her fourth studio album, Maitreya Corso, slated for release on May 1. The lead single, "Devil You Know," showcases stripped‑back folk influences and reflects her desire...
Should Adults Lift for Less than 5 Reps Per Set?
In episode 382 of #AskMikeReinold, the panel debates Mike Boyle’s claim that adult clients should not perform sets with fewer than five repetitions. Coaches Diwesh Poudyal, Dave Tilley, Dan Pope, and Kevin Coughlin largely agree that low‑rep, maximal loading is unnecessary...
Ultion Nuki 2025 Review – Smart Lock Pro 5th Gen with Ultion Door Handle and 3-Star PLUS Ultion Lock
Ultion’s new Nuki 2025 bundles the Nuki Smart Lock Pro 5th Gen with a purpose‑built Ultion handle and a BSI‑certified 3‑star PLUS cylinder for £339. The lock features brushless motor speeds, built‑in Wi‑Fi, Thread (Matter‑compatible) and a rechargeable magnetic battery lasting up to 12 months...
Tokyo’s Bed Share New Single ‘風 | KAZE’ via 40Miles
Japanese post‑punk outfit bed has dropped their latest single “風 | KAZE” on the 40Miles imprint, following an aggressive UK tour that saw them play multiple venues in a single week. The 105‑second track fuses industrial rock, noisy distortion and...
They Said They Would Give You Education -- and Delivered You Debt, Brainwashing, and a Lifetime of Regret
Charlie Kirk’s new book, The College Scam, argues that U.S. colleges have become profit‑driven debt factories that also indoctrinate students with left‑wing ideologies. He cites soaring tuition—up 1,200% since 1980—while average student debt hovers around $40,000, with many borrowers owing...
![[Outliers] J.W. Marriott: Building an Empire Without a Master Plan](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://fs.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Cover-Black-1024x1024.png)
[Outliers] J.W. Marriott: Building an Empire Without a Master Plan
J.W. Marriott transformed a modest $6,000 root‑beer stand in Washington, D.C., into the world’s largest hotel chain, now valued at roughly $4 billion. He pursued growth without a detailed master plan, focusing instead on minimizing downside risk and controlling variables such...
Base Your Story Structure on Principles, Not Systems
The article argues that writers should base story structure on underlying principles rather than rigid systems. It outlines three core functions of structure: advancing the plot, reflecting the character’s journey, and shaping the reader’s experience. Real‑world examples—from *White Mulberry* to...
Bassma Sheikho’s ‘Scream’
Bassma Sheikho’s poem “Scream,” translated by Maisaa Tanjour and Alice Holttum, appears in the spring 2026 issue *SYRIA: Fall of Eternity*. The piece, written in 2016, portrays a war‑torn Syrian household through stark, fragmented imagery, culminating in a cry for...
Shane Parish
Shane Parish, an American fingerstyle guitarist, has issued two new instrumental albums. "Autechre Guitar" features ten acoustic renditions of the IDM duo Autechre, derived from painstaking slow‑motion transcriptions. The follow‑up "Repertoire" pairs acoustic covers of jazz icons Alice Coltrane and Charles Mingus...
You Can’t Control the Weather. You Can Control Your Response.
The blog reflects on recent Middle East turmoil that grounded flights, forced route changes, and disrupted personal travel plans. The author, a swimmer, recounts a canceled Perth‑Doha‑London‑Lanz trip, using the experience as a metaphor for weather’s unpredictability. The piece argues...
Writer and Entrepreneur Glory Edim on Cultivating Talent in Yourself and Others
Glory Edim founded the Well‑Read Black Girl platform while working at Kickstarter, using a modest Kickstarter campaign to launch a book club that evolved into a literary conference, publishing imprint, and three authored books. After leaving Kickstarter in 2018, she...
The Surveyor Told Us Not to Buy the House
The author recounts buying a house despite a surveyor’s warning that it had the "worst roof" he’d seen in a thousand surveys. Over the past six months they have undertaken extensive DIY renovations, from structural repairs to interior redesign, often...
Set Apart by the Sacrifice
Day 12 of the "Holiness" devotional series, titled "Set Apart by the Sacrifice," underscores that believers should not merely admire God’s holiness but actively receive it. The post highlights the Cross as more than a symbol of forgiveness, portraying it...
Empathy (2025), by Bryan Walpert
Bryan Walpert’s novel *Empathy*, longlisted for the Ockham NZ Book Awards, follows marketing executive Alison Morris and game‑developer husband Jim as they attempt to commercialise empathy through a perfume and a video‑game called *EmPath*. The story intertwines their idealistic ambitions...
Across the Vanishing Sky by Catherine Cowles
Catherine Cowles’s debut novel *Across the Vanishing Sky* follows single mother Braedyn Winslow as she returns to the Oregon town of Starlight Grove to investigate her best friend’s disappearance. The story intertwines a slow‑burn romance with Dex Archer, a tech‑savvy...
Albert Camus on the Source of Strength and How to Save Our Sanity in Trying Times
Albert Camus, Nobel laureate in literature, penned the 1940 essay “The Almond Trees,” famously declaring that an “invincible summer” lies within us even in the deepest winter. The piece urges readers to reject despair, cultivate virtues such as strength of...
Menopause Hormone Therapy: The Myths, the Medicine, and the “Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me?” Moment
The article debunks long‑standing myths about menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) by highlighting how the 2002 Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) trial was misapplied to all women. It explains that the WHI tested an older cohort using a specific estrogen‑progestin combo, leading...
Cultivated Seafood Is Getting Real
San Diego‑based BlueNalu has raised $11 million in insider‑led financing to accelerate production of cultivated bluefin tuna toro, targeting a commercial launch in 2026. The funding will support scale‑up of bioreactor facilities and advance regulatory approval, with FDA clearance expected soon....
The Frenchman Who Understood Us Before We Did
The post revisits Alexis de Tocqueville’s 1831 trip to America, highlighting how his study of local self‑government, associations, and democratic habits revealed a social foundation for U.S. democracy. It argues that Tocqueville’s outsider perspective uncovers the “democratic DNA” that modern...
Monica Majoli at Hoffman Donahue
Monica Majoli presents a solo exhibition at Los Angeles’s Hoffman Donahue gallery from February 24 through April 4, 2026. The show features 17 new works that continue her exploration of intimacy, identity, and the body. A comprehensive press release and exhibition checklist have been...
Kim Fu’s Book Notes Music Playlist for Their Novel The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts
Kim Fu has joined Largehearted Boy’s Book Notes series by publishing a curated music playlist that mirrors the mood of their 2025 novel The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts. The novel, described by Publishers Weekly as an "alluring" portrait of mental...
Lorentz versus Euclidean Symmetry
The article explains how Wick rotation swaps the Lorentz symmetry SO(3,1) of Minkowski quantum field theory for the Euclidean rotation group SO(4), and how the reverse process is more subtle. It shows that Osterwalder‑Schrader (OS) reconstruction in Euclidean space breaks...
The Quiet Power of Professional Presence
In a recent talk in Charlotte, the author highlighted the often‑overlooked power of professional presence, arguing that how one shows up matters more than credentials. A joint Harvard‑Carnegie‑Stanford study found that 85% of professional success derives from soft skills such...
‘Art Is How We Remember Our Humanity’: Debbie Allen on Healing Communities Through Dance and Visual Arts
Debbie Allen’s Dance Academy revived its “Dancing in the Light: Healing with the Arts” initiative on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, offering free dance sessions to families affected by last year’s Los Angeles wildfires. The program blends movement, visual art, and...
How The Secret Agent Became Brazil’s Reluctant Political Rorschach Test
Brazil’s period drama *The Secret Agent* has emerged as a surprise Oscar contender, leading the domestic box office among Best Picture nominees. The film’s success coincides with Brazil’s October presidential election, where incumbent Lula seeks a historic fourth term against...
Finding My Dream Again
The author spent a month unplugging from social media and most phone use, reporting a clearer mind and renewed enthusiasm for creative work. This digital detox sparked a desire to return to filming, but with intentional systems to avoid past...
Query Critiques February 2026
The February 2026 edition of Query Critiques on The Shit No One Tells You About Writing offers two downloadable PDF critiques—one by Cw Notesmilleradams and another by Cece Notes Milleradams. Access is restricted to paid subscribers, though a seven‑day free trial grants temporary...
Dwi Riana – Songs From the Yellow Couch
Indie singer‑songwriter Dwi Riana has released her debut full‑length album, Songs from the Yellow Couch, on Bandcamp. The record continues the emotional depth of earlier singles like Springtime and Dysphoria, weaving bossa‑nova, indie jazz, and folk textures across ten tracks....
Harold Bloom, Mary Gaitskill, and More
The post juxtaposes Harold Bloom’s towering, canonical criticism with Mary Gaitskill’s provocative classroom provocation, illustrating a clash between traditional literary authority and contemporary, identity‑focused pedagogy. It highlights how students increasingly view meaning through a transactional, internet‑mediated lens, turning campuses into...
Kool Keith’s “Facts Remain”: Transcending Epochs & Styles
Kool Keith’s 2025 single “Facts Remain” drops a vivid, otherworldly narrative set in a Harlem hotel suite, complete with surreal décor and retro‑futuristic fashion. The track blends old‑school MC bravado with avant‑garde lyricism, positioning Keith as a timeless figure who...
The Cave We Live In: Plato's Vision of Reality and the Path to Enlightenment
The post revisits Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, drawing a parallel between the ancient shadows on the wall and today’s algorithm‑driven media bubbles. It outlines the painful journey from ignorance to enlightenment, emphasizing the philosopher’s role in guiding others toward...
A Failure of Sense Making
"Crisis Engineering" by Marina Nitze and co‑authors frames a crisis as a failure of sense‑making, echoing Stafford Beer’s cybernetic theory. The book blends philosophy with a hands‑on handbook, offering concrete methods to rebuild a shared reality when normal processes break...
Interview with Cold Camp – Winter Dreamz
Cold Camp, a DIY hip‑hop collective on Hand’solo Records, released their sophomore album "Winter Dreamz," describing it as the project where they finally nailed their signature sound. The group openly rejects AI as a primary creative tool, labeling it "creatively...
Twangville Returns to NYC’s Cafe Wha? On April 1st
Twangville will host a showcase at NYC’s historic Cafe Wha? on April 1, featuring Lydia Loveless and debuting Will Dailey. The event continues the venue’s legacy of legendary performances. Loveless brings a decade‑spanning catalog, while Dailey presents his new album...
New Literary Agency: Lingua Nova
Jaidree Braddix, former head of publishing at ARC Collective, has founded Lingua Nova, a new literary agency dedicated to nonfiction. The agency aims to represent a mix of emerging and established nonfiction writers, leveraging Braddix’s industry contacts. Lingua Nova enters...
Agencies Partner up to Represent Authors of Romance and More
The Gernert Company and Bookcase Literary Agency announced a partnership to jointly represent self‑published and debut authors of commercial fiction aimed at women, including romance. The collaboration pools the agencies’ editorial, sales, and rights expertise to broaden market reach. By...