Left of Bang: How the Marine Corps’ Combat Hunter Program Can Save Your Life. I had Patrick Van Horne on the podcast way back in 2014 to discuss this book, which he co-authored with Jason Riley. Left of Bang lays out the Marine Corps’ Combat Hunter program, which was developed during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to train Marines in staying “left of bang” — able to detect threats before they happen rather than responding after the attack. Full of accessible and potentially life-saving mental models, the book is really interesting and did a lot to shape my thinking and help me develop the skill of situational awareness. If you haven’t read it, pick up a copy.
Manhattan’s Fastest Bike Messenger. I love watching old videos about jobs that no longer exist or are on the decline. My latest find is this 1985 CBS Evening News segment in which Charles Kuralt profiles David Leopold, the best bike messenger in New York City. Back before email and e-filing, thousands of messengers tore through Manhattan traffic hand-delivering contracts, blueprints, and film reels, and at age 24, Leopold was the king of them all. Kuralt sets out to discover why he’s so good at what he does. Bike messengers still roam the streets of NYC today, but their numbers are significantly smaller than during their heyday decades back.
More Men Are Addicted to the ‘Crack Cocaine’ of the Stock Market. One thing I have a growing concern about when it comes to young men is the rise of online sports gambling. I did a really interesting episode of the podcast about it with Michael Lewis, who did a deep dive into the sports betting industry. Related to that trend is the increasing popularity of day trading via apps. This Wall Street Journal piece looks at the phenomenon of day trading addicts and the financial ruin it’s causing them. Guys are making risky option bets that can completely drain their savings in a day. One man profiled in the piece hid his trading from his Gamblers Anonymous group for years and ended up losing around $1 million from his portfolio’s peak. I’ve been having conversations with my 15-year-old son about staying away from this stuff and just sticking to boring index funds.
Vintage Belt Buckles. I have a thick leather belt that lets you swap out the buckle. I wanted something with a little pizazz and stumbled upon this eBay shop that specializes in selling vintage belt buckles. They’ve got thousands of them in every category imaginable: railroad, rodeo, occupational, 70s hippie brass. I picked up a handsome brass buckle featuring the state seal of Oklahoma. It means business. Pairs real nice with bootcut jeans and cowboy boots.
On our Dying Breed newsletter, we published Sunday Firesides: The Hills Will Find You Out and Should You Stay or Should You Go? How to Escape the Sunk Cost Trap.
DB’s Lonesome Dove Book Club also just came to a close. It was a huge success! We had over 800 people join us on the trail with the Hat Creek Cattle Company, and the engagement from members was plentiful and top-notch. I got so many new insights about the book from them, making this read of my favorite novel the most enjoyable one yet (besides the first time; you can never beat the first time). We’ll definitely do another book club in the future. Stay tuned.
Quote of the Week
Lost, yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered, for they are gone forever.
—Horace Mann
