Our Transparent Society

https://medium.com/@jeffreypbezos/no-thank-you-mr-pecker-146e3922310f  Is very encouraging.

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mfw@wyle.org | 1.425.249.3936

City on the Edge forever by Harlan Ellison (original script and essays)

The original Star Trek series from 1964 has always been near and dear to me.  I was also a fan of Harlan Ellison's writings.  Harlan died last June and this new collection of essays about the controversy of his original award-winning script vs the episode that aired on TV was reissued. It was fun to read points of view from my favorite celebrities of the 1960s again, very nostalgic. 3/5 stars.

Proteus in the underworld by Charles Sheffield

Unwinding the mysteries at the end was great and it's fun to experience "Silver Age" plots sometimes.  Not Sheffield's best, but relaxing & fun, 3/5 stars.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens

Having read two separate books that try to end the story Dickens was writing at the time of his death, I decided to read the original.  It was disappointing because there is no ending and I didn't really like any of the characters. 1/5 stars.

Drood by Dan Simmons

Very long, slightly convoluted horror story with interesting historical information about the life and times of Charles Dickens.  I like Dan Simmons but don't enjoy horror, 2/5 stars.

neck pillow, sleep mask, and ear protection on long flights

This type of machine washable "scarf" with a removable neck support frame is, for me, more comfortable than standard airplane neck pillows.  They cost $10 on eBay with free shipping.

Another $10 deal on eBay is a blackout sleep mask that does not touch your eyes so you can REM sleep (or keep your eye makeup from smearing).  The standard airline sleep masks are not opaque and put pressure on my eyelids.

Standard soft ear plugs work ok for me but I also travel with the best active noise canceling headphones and they work much better.  When I sleep on the plane, I wear the headphones but don't play any sound.

Most Effective Mental Strategies for Aversive Challenges

This study has some groundbreaking and repeatable results for working through tough challenges at school, work, and in life. These results debunk over-generalizations from the marshmallow study.

Most effective strategies:

• thinking about the positive consequences of getting to the end 
  
• monitoring one's goal progress
  
• thinking that the end is near
  
• emotion regulation (e.g. trying to stay in a good mood)

In contrast, distracting oneself from an aversive challenge can frequently lead to less success.

Heads You Win by Jeffrey Archer

Fun, immersive historical fiction thriller with interesting perspectives on the politics, economics, and values of London, New York, and Leningrad from the fall of Chernenko through the rise of Putin. 4/5 stars.

The Brain: A User's Guide by New Scientist magazine

Long, superficial overview of many areas of research in understanding how our brains work. The book is a little misleading but not terribly so.  2/5 stars.

Super Human by Evan Currie

Currie tries his hand at writing comic book fantasies.  Not good, 1/5 stars.