Remembering Bob Kingdon, 1927–2010

Mentor, friend and inspiration. Bob is and will be missed. It was a privilege to know him, study under him and work with him.

Setting the Price of Wine in Geneva, 1556

As an essential foodstuff in sixteenth-century Geneva, the price of wine was, of course, regulated. Here we see in brief how that worked in 1556

Bathroom Reading Habits (Geneva, 1561)

A charming little bathroom book, found in the privies of La Fusterie in 1561. And yes, there is a pun in this summary

The Courting Stick

Dating has never been easy, but the eight-foot courting stick still used to separate New England couples into the 19th century made things both harder and easier.

Should You Be Taking BCAAs?

There’s a lot of research to sort through, but the short answer is that most people don’t need to take BCAAs and, if you do, you should keep the quantities moderate.

Six Essential Skills Scholars Can Learn from Copywriters

Most people in academia learn a style of writing that is great for precision, but terrible for persuasion, and those habits are deadly when it comes time procure grants, fellowships and jobs.

Getting Things Done by Making Slacking Hurt

At a certain point this year I found myself frustrated and feeling like I wasn’t getting anywhere on several different projects, while at the same time feeling like I was working too much and not having enough fun. I needed motivation, and I needed priorities. I came up with something that helps me with both […]