Tag Archives: Harper’s

Things I Learned this Week

Among the things I learned this week:
* DVR users’ commercial skip rates, which vary primarily by time of show (e.g., primetime, daytime). (Courtesy: Thomas Rogers on Bloomberg Radio)

* About 98 percent of Bitcoin transactions occur off the blockchain (Courtesy: a16z Podcast)

* Tap music developed out of American slavery, an outgrowth from Irish and West African dancing. Ella Fitzgerald’s Apollo debut was going to be a tap dance, but she decided to sing at the last minute out of nerves. (Courtesy: Harper’s review of What the Eye Hears: A History of Tap Dancing)

* Smarties are vegan. (Courtesy: NYT)

Things I Learned this Week

Among the things I learned this week:
* Amtrak’s Acela is late 1/3 of the time, while the Northeast Regional is late 1/4 of the time. (Courtesy: Amtrak)

* K’ang (Courtesy: Dream of the Red Chamber)

* Masnada and mafia precursors. (Courtesy: Agatha Christie’s Poirot)

* Michael Jordan initially wanted an endorsement deal with Adidas. (Courtesy: Harper’s)