David Barber writes quirky, curiosity-driven essays on offbeat cultural artifacts, such as vintage science humor and old novelty prank ads. Readers get entertaining stories with some original digging, such as profiling a collector, though the newsletter has since moved to Ghost.
Website: https://ironicsans.beehiiv.com/
Noah Smith's blog covers economics, AI, politics, and culture, including essays on film, AI progress, and political critique. Readers get long-form analysis mixing policy commentary with personal reflections on current events.
A long-running Substack of personal essays and political commentary by journalist Matt Labash, mixing satirical takes on Trump and technology with reflections on daily life and travel. Readers get a witty, first-person voice in the vein of literary humor writing.
Persuasion is a community newsletter covering politics, culture, and the defense of free societies, including first-person war reporting from Ukraine, conversations with public intellectuals, and investigative pieces. Readers get analysis of current events, perspectives on reading and AI's cultural effects, and firsthand accounts from frontline-adjacent civilians.
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