Today's Wordle is absolutely diabolical.
Posts by Ren LaForme
A refreshing interview with the founder of my favorite brewery www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R-8...
In an era of declining trust, industry collapse, and technological disruption, does the media, as we’ve historically understood it, have a future? harpers.org/archive/2025...
It me: "But it was difficult to explain to other people. They would say if I wanted beer, I should just go to the supermarket and buy it; there is plenty. But I told them, 'Those are not my beers. What I want is not there.'" www.beerandbrewing.com/a-true-frenc...
And yet, he had to conclude, “there is hope as long as history lacks closure. If the past was different from the present, so may the future be.” www.theatlantic.com/books/archiv...
Ugh … How to Hit Peak Fitness After 40
(Not quite there but inching closer.)
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/06/w...
"It’s a peculiarly modern predicament: working harder than ever while feeling the impact of that work dissolve into an increasingly fractured and cynical digital landscape." www.chrbutler.com/the-exodus
"The idea I keep coming back to is that the big platforms, like Marley, were dead to begin with, and are now something particularly bad, which is dead on their feet."
www.wrecka.ge/bad-shape/
"In the last three decades, youth culture has moved from a deep suspicion of commerce to a passionate defense of anti-anti-commerce to an entire generation of 'creatives' who leverage the commercial market… to do even more commerce." culture.ghost.io/the-age-of-t...
Closing my open tabs — some of which have been open all year — and sharing the good stuff. This is truly all over the place.
This is an incredible read — about public health, farmers' rights, government overreach and, yes, ostriches. www.theatlantic.com/science/2025...
Journalists in Jamaica are navigating power outages, flooded roads and dangerous conditions as they document Hurricane Melissa’s aftermath. Poynter’s Amaris Castillo spoke with Associated Press photographer Matias Delacroix about what he’s seen on the ground. www.poynter.org/reporting-ed...
Living in a world without Kaleb Horton means living in a worse world.
kalebhorton.ghost.io/2025-so-far/
Who bends when the government leans on the press? Our latest analysis shows how corporate ownership shapes which companies cave, like ABC or Paramount, and which newsrooms are better positioned to hold firm.
www.poynter.org/business-wor...
When I was 14, curiosity led me to search for a journalist’s murder video online. Today, social media pushes violence to us before we can look away. There used to be guardrails. If violence is always just a scroll away, what kind of toll will that take over time? www.poynter.org/ethics-trust...
Fans of "The Bear" will devour this profile of Curtis Duffy from @kimseverson.bsky.social. And those juicy details won't cost you nearly as much as the tasting menu at Ever, though I would very much like the opportunity to compare the two.
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/11/d...
Catching up on some reading.
This elegy for two fallen high school football stars, a half-century apart, is a pinnacle of a type of journalism that has become woefully scarce. @tomjunod.bsky.social is a master of this form and I can't wait for his new book.
www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/...
Yesterday, I saw a paint-splattered woman driving a scissor lift down the Hertel sidewalk. This morning, the Buffalo News told me why. That’s local journalism doing its job.
buffalonews.com/news/local/a...
Who’s getting into the Trump White House press pool? Angela Fu found 32 “new media” outlets you should probably know about. Some will surprise you. Some won’t.
www.poynter.org/reporting-ed...
I helped cover the crash of Flight 3407 near Buffalo in 2009. The families fought hard for stronger safety rules, and for 16 years, the U.S. had no major passenger airline crashes. Their efforts saved lives. I’m heartbroken this has happened again, and my thoughts are with those affected today.
Apropos of nothing — what a wonder the USPS is! Days ago, I dropped off dozens of letters and a handful of packages. Today, they arrive in mailboxes and on front porches around the country. All for less than a buck each and with some patched and worn tech that might be older than me. A wonder.