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I think we all know the back-story by now. In November of 2021, a very vintage Omega Speedmaster, reference no. 2915-1, with a so-called “tropical” brown dial, sold for $3.4 million at Phillips. At the time, the listing described the watch as follows: “The present watch displays an exceptional ‘tropical’ dial that has aged to a vibrant milk-chocolate shade. The brown tone is not only rich and vivid, but it is also incredibly even throughout.

Franklyn Ajaye is the most underrated American comic. I back up this statement based on the strength of his comedy records contrasted with his lack of presence in the mass pop culture mind. He put out five records and had a career on television and in the movies that spans five decades. I’m listening to one of the records right now—Vagabond Jazz & the Abstract Truth—and it still sounds great 19 years after it came out.

Francis I (1494 – ) has been King of France since 1515. He succeeded his first cousin once removed and father-in-law Louis XII, who died without a legitimate son. Cromwell meets the king at Boulogne. Francis can’t get his head around Cromwell, who is not from “some family of humble Tudor retainers.” He cannot understand why Henry wants to marry his mistress either. “Does he think she is a maid? Myself, I never tried her.

One last batch of the around-the-league notes before the NBA Finals begin? As it should be! But first please allow me to plug this Finals preview podcast I recorded Wednesday with the NBA's original Sunday Notes Specialist: Legendary Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan. On the latest edition of #thisleague UNCUT, Bob joined me to break down Celtics vs. Mavericks as only he can and pay tribute, as well, to the one and only Bill Walton:

In 2006, not long after the chef Grant Achatz spoke of using tonka beans in an interview, the FDA raided his Chicago restaurant Alinea. He didn’t even realize that this aromatic, dried legume had been illegal in the United States since 1954 because they contained trace elements of the chemical compound called coumarin, … ncG1vNJzZmimlazEsL7LnZyrZqOqr7TAwJyiZ5ufonyxe8WrnJ5lpJ2ybsDOp6KaZZKarq8%3D

The economic advantages of portability are very great. In many segments of the computer industry, the dominant cost is development and maintenance of software. Dennis Ritchie and Stephen Johnson 1978 … many insist that C is the programming language and that it will last forever. Byte Magazine 1983 The August 1983 issue of Byte Magazine devoted its cover, and a large part of its editorial content, to the C programming language.

Provocative essays about the podcast industry that challenge creators, listeners, and especially executives to think differently about their business strategies, aiming for sustainability rather than excessive growth. By Mia Lobel · Over 1,000 subscribersNo thanksncG1vNJzZmieopqyra3NnJycmZaae7TBwayrmpubY7CwuY4%3D

When I was a few weeks away from giving birth to Luca (one year ago!!) I made a big bag full of mini burritos to keep in my freezer. Turns out it was a brilliant idea. I have never felt a hunger like breastfeeding hunger. When the mood would strike I would pop 1 (or 3) of these burritos in the oven or microwave. Dipped in some salsa and sour cream, they are an amazing snack, nursing or not.

Dear Bread people, I spend my Saturdays baking bread. I like to believe that I’m echoing traditions of women in my city of Troy, New York. I try to imagine the process of handling a week’s worth of bread dough at different eras. The flour, the stoves, the pans, the bowls or wooden troughs. But the more I look at history, the more I see of my reluctance to believe facts and the power of my emotions.