Three Recs: September 30, 2024
Three Recs: September 30, 2024
Dating apps, SNL, and a fascinating NASA book
Hey everyone. I hope your Monday is off to a great start.
Been a while since I recommended some things. So here’s a few bits of media I’ve seen lately that I think are worth some attention and are interesting for one reason or another!
It’s Not Just You. Everyone Hates Dating Apps Now.
I came across this YouTube video this week. I never had to use a dating app because I managed to find a girlfriend who would marry me before these apps really became popular. I am grateful for my fortuitous timing.
While plenty of people I know have used these apps with some success over the years, the apps seem to be experiencing the common internet technology phenomenon known as “enshittification” (pardon the language, but that’s the actual term that was once tongue-in-cheek but has become more technical and legit).
Anyway, this video is a great explainer on how these apps actually sorta prey on their users’ wallets at the cost of actually helping them find mates.
When ‘Saturday Night Live’ Debuted, They Were There. Here’s What They Remember.
I’m not a huge SNL enjoyer like some of my friends. I tend to find the funny clips following the show and just watch those. But this NYT article interviews the earliest cast members in light of the 50th anniversary season, and their reflections are fascinating.
For the people actually involved in the debut broadcast of what was then called “Saturday Night” — the writers, cast members, comedians and musicians — that excitement and energy is only one part of the tale. They remember the creation of the NBC show — the long buildup to its premiere, the performance itself and the aftermath — as sometimes hectic, sometimes carefully organized. It was a period full of head-butting, but one that also fostered camaraderie and lifelong friendships. And it never would have happened without some crucial, 11th-hour discoveries, or the right people in place to make those realizations.
Challenger by Adam Higginbotham
Sending people to space has become so commonplace that I fear we take it for granted. I’m a huge space nerd and, my wife can attest, I will watch virtually every rocket launch I can catch live on YouTube. There was just one this weekend!
SpaceX and other organizations are sending people to space quite often today, and with little fanfare or concern (except for when its Boeing). But it hasn’t always been this way.
A couple of months ago I picked up Challenger by Adam Higginbotham during a Barnes & Noble sale. The author details everything leading up to the tragic Challenger mission and following it. A fascinating read if you care at all about space or spaceflight. Good read.
