J.D. Moyer

sci-fi author, beatmaker

Reaction to Tim Ferriss’s Talk on Accelerated Learning (and Thoughts on his Rapid Rise to Fame)

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On September 24

In Creative Work/Career, Culture Rants/Shares, Metaprogramming

Ferriss dispensing some armchair wisdom.

I recently attended Tim Ferriss’s talk “Accelerated Learning in Accelerated Times,” as presented as part of the Long Now Foundation’s Seminar series.  Jason W. from Proton Radio invited me — thanks Jason!

You can listen to the whole presentation here.  And here’s the Long Now blog post summarizing the talk.

I sensed the audience had a mixed reaction to Tim’s talk.  It was the first time he had given this particular presentation and it felt both rough and rushed.  Also, I think Ferriss’s rapid rise to celebrity status rubs some people the wrong way.  He can come off as arrogant sometimes.

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Modulating Testosterone Levels (for Men)

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On September 14

In Health/Body-hacking

An article in yesterday’s New York Times claims that becoming a father reduces a man’s testosterone levels.  Is it true, and should dads be concerned?

Yes, and in most cases, no.

It’s been known for a long time that both long-term relationships and fatherhood are associated with lower testosterone (T) in human males, but the study cited by the New York Times is the first to show that the relationship is causal; becoming a father actually lowers T levels.  Furthermore, the more active and involved the dad (playing, cuddling, changing diapers, etc.), the greater the drop in T.

This sounds bad.  Most dads don’t want to trade off manliness for fatherhood.  Is that what the study implicates?

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B-Vitamins, Mood, and Methylation — It’s Complicated

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On September 3

In Health/Body-hacking, Mental Health

B-vitamins, building blocks of mental health?  Or B.S.?

There’s a great deal of misinformation on the internet regarding B-vitamins and health.  I know this because I’ve read most of it.  During the 5 years or so when I was researching how to cure my own asthma, I devoured every text I could find regarding the physiological effects of specific vitamins and minerals — especially the B-vitamins.  Large doses of B-complex or individual B-vitamins are recommended to improve mood, reduce PMS, reduce asthma symptoms, reduce the risk of various cancers, reduce the risk of heart disease, fight yeast infections, ward off mosquitoes, and prevent or cure numerous other ailments.

Which of these claims are based on reputable clinical research, and which are bullshit?

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Ambient Music I'm Madly In Love With

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On August 26

In Electronic Music

Just a quick post to turn you on to a new artist we’ve signed to Loöq Records.  As soon as we heard Kleidosty’s music we knew we had to get some of that for ourselves.  His music is textural, emotive, and other-worldly (without being too spacey).  Part of what keeps the music grounded is that the sound sources are entirely analog, but with digital manipulation (guitar reverb tails that are warped and otherwise manipulated).  It’s a unique sound.

We’ve just released the first Kleidosty EP (self-titled).  We’re giving away one of his tracks at looq.com (if you join our email list), but the whole EP is available on iTunes for only $2.97.  Music is so inexpensive these days — it’s insane!  Even though we’re on the label side, we fully appreciate what an incredibly bountiful time this is for music consumer/appreciators.

We’ll be following up the EP with a full-length release entitled “Edifice of Artifice” towards the end of the year.

Let me know what you think of Kleidosty’s music.  We’re considering signing even more of his material.

If you’re feeling it, please consider recommending this release to your friends, and/or writing an iTunes review (as a small independent label, word-of-mouth is a HUGE help to us in terms of getting the music we love out to the world).

My 11-day "30-day experiment" of Giving Up Coffee

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On August 19

In Health/Body-hacking, Lifestyle Experiments

Magic beans.

Earlier this month I decided to go without coffee for 30 days.  I’ve done a number of 30-day experiments over the last few years, including giving up booze, sugar, web-surfing, video games, and even artificial light.  30 days is a good amount of time to break old habits and establish new ones, or at least to reset your physiology and brain to a new set of stimuli.  Coffee was the only substance I hadn’t tried to give up.  In the interest of facing my fears, I decided to give up my favorite morning brew.

I also wanted to see if giving up coffee would alter my sleep cycle (sleeping deeper, and longer without waking), and/or affect my ability to concentrate and work on difficult tasks for long periods of time.  Lately I had been feeling that my mental wheels were spinning without the gears being fully engaged.

I did a one-day taper (only 1 cup in the morning, as opposed to my usual two cups in the morning and a cup in the afternoon), and then switched to only tea and dark chocolate.  At some point I may attempt a no-caffeine experiment, but that wasn’t the point of this experiment.

Physical withdrawal took about 5 days, with effects as follows:

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