Ben Tackett

I am a farmer singing at the plow And as I take my time to plow along A steep Kentucky hill, I sing my song A one-horse farmer singing at the plow! -J.S.

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

Today’s the day to worship the Creator, create some margin, eat whole foods, take care of yourself, and connect with others! #bikepacking

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

@JohnStossel Only one car— US is the only place in the world where there’s 750 cars/1000 people, Europe is less than 500 and most of the world is less than 250 cars/1000 people

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

@SenseReceptor This is similar to King Charles never carrying a wallet his whole life. If it’s true, same thing

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

@AdamMilstein Unbelievable, Jews and Iranians celebrating together!

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

@elonmusk @grok discuss Wexner and Epstein’s shady relationship and the role it played in epsteins alleged career of compromising and blackmailing billionaires

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

@JohnStossel Use @Grokipedia started by @elonmusk

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

@reidhoffman In the email @elonmusk says he’d be going with his wife

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

@nypost @grok is this what always happens there because the trash trucks attach plows and plow the streets instead of doing collection?

[Archaeo - Histories @archeohistories]

Turkish coffee is a big part of the culture in Türkiye and it’s a custom they hold dear. The country’s so enamoured with the beverage that the Turkish word for breakfast ‘kahvalti’, literally means ‘before coffee’, and the word for brown ‘kahverengi’ means coffee coloured. 🇹🇷☕

Turkish coffee is far more than a morning drink, it’s full of tradition that’s been carried down through the ages from ancestor to ancestor. In fact, Turkish coffee is so unique that it was inscribed to Unesco’s Intangible Culture Heritage List in 2013, due to the unique practices that goes into the preparation and presentation.

The roots of Turkish coffee trace all the way back to 1555 CE, when it was brought to Istanbul by Syrian traders. Then, by mid-17th Century CE, it became an essential part of the Ottoman Court’s ceremonies and the Sultan would be served ceremonious coffee by his own personal coffee makers.

Certain historical coffee rituals also became a part of marriage, where women would receive training on brewing Turkish coffee and potential suitors would judge her depending on how well she could make the traditional beverage. Interestingly, in today’s world, elements of this custom still remain and its customary when a woman’s hand in marriage is asked for, for the bride to be to prepare and serve coffee for her family and potential husband. The story goes that if she brews it properly, she’s ready to be married.

Coffeehouses came to Türkiye, around 5 centuries ago, beginning in the Tahtakale neighbourhood. These places began as social gathering spots, strictly for men, with women typically enjoying the drink at home. The coffeehouses of Turkey were also an important part of preserving the country’s oral history, as they were places of storytelling and folklore during the Ottoman Empire.

All Turkish coffee is prepared in a ‘cezve’ and with the same method that’s been practiced for centuries.

Turkish Sand Coffee isn’t a coffee roast; it’s actually a brewing method that’s similar to cooking. A cup of Turkish coffee is thicker and stronger than any other brewing method, and that’s because the finely ground coffee beans are not filtered out of the finished cup. Yes, when you drink Turkish coffee, you’re drinking the coffee grinds, too.

Traditionally, a cup of Turkish coffee is brewed by using a pan filled with sand that’s heated over an open flame. The sand-filled pan allows for total control over the heat. Cups left on the surface stay warm, and the heat used for brewing can be adjusted by the depth of the coffee in the sand.

The fine coffee grinds and water are added to a special wide-bottomed pot called a cezve, and then they are mixed and placed in the hot sand. The sand creates an even heat, and the coffee foams to the top almost immediately. The cezve is removed and added to the sand three to four times and served in a small cup. The coffee grounds quickly settle to the bottom, making for a strong, thick cup of coffee. 

Turkish coffee is always served in small cups called demitasse cups, which are like espresso cups and often enjoyed with a side of dessert. From grinding to cooking and serving this coffee, it’s like a special ceremony.

🎥© _sinem_aslan (IG)

#archaeohistories

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

@the_jefferymead Ok but why is Europe doing the same thing?

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

@MrBeast @JosephKahn @AlexHonnold talk to @MrBeast I hate to see you do these things but if you’re going to, might as well clear 7 figures

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

@Thebestfigen Perhaps they taste better but @grok talk about how that green shell stains your fingers for a week

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

@fermatslibrary What’s the analogy or purpose of this contrived paradox? It’s better as a solvable riddle and I like the two solutions proposed: a woman or that one isn’t a barber when shaving self 😂 @grok what’s the source and purpose of this “paradox”

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

@roddreher “The great man, just because of his greatness is much more intelligible than modern commentators”

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

@roddreher CS Lewis would say go straight to Boethius “It has always therefore been one of my main endeavours as a teacher to persuade the young that firsthand knowledge is not only more worth acquiring than secondhand knowledge, but is usually much easier and more delightful to acquire.”

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

Here’s more of the quote from his introduction to On the Incarnation: THERE is a strange idea abroad that in every subject the ancient books should be read only by the professionals, and that the amateur should content himself with the modern books. Thus I have found as a tutor in English Literature that if the average student wants to find out something about Platonism, the very last thing he thinks of doing is to take a translation of Plato off the library shelf and read the Symposium. He would rather read some dreary modern book ten times as long, all about "isms" and influences and only once in twelve pages telling him what Plato actually said. The error is rather an amiable one, for it springs from humility. The student is half afraid to meet one of the great philosophers face to face. He feels himself inadequate and thinks he will not understand him. But if he only knew, the great man, just because of his greatness, is much more intelligible than his modern commentator. The simplest student will be able to understand, if not all, yet a very great deal of what Plato said; but hardly anyone can understand some modern books on Platonism. It has always therefore been one of my main endeavours as a teacher to persuade the young that firsthand knowledge is not only more worth acquiring than secondhand knowledge, but is usually much easier and more delightful to acquire.

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

@petersbarque Good word that cuts right to the heart, thanks!

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

@MrsCMFrancis 😂

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

Timeline cleanse from Psalm 103:

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

[Shining Science @ShiningScience]

🚨 Research shows repeated complaining physically rewires your brain to prioritize stress and negativity.

The way we speak about our daily challenges does more than just vent frustration; it physically alters the architecture of the brain.

When we engage in chronic complaining, we repeatedly activate neural networks responsible for detecting threats and processing stress.

Through the biological process of neuroplasticity, these circuits become stronger and more efficient every time they are used. Essentially, the brain learns to become more adept at finding things to be unhappy about, turning a temporary mood into a permanent biological predisposition toward negativity and fear-based thinking.

As these negative pathways become the brain's default setting, individuals often experience a measurable increase in baseline stress levels and emotional volatility. This heightened sensitivity means that even minor inconveniences can trigger an intense stress response because the brain has been conditioned to interpret the world through a lens of threat. Findings discussed by the Stanford University School of Medicine emphasize that while this mechanism is powerful, understanding the science of affective neuroscience is the first step in consciously redirecting those pathways toward more resilient emotional patterns.

Source: Stanford University School of Medicine. (2023). Neural Plasticity and the Impact of Negative Thought Patterns on Emotional Regulation. Stanford Medicine News.

[Ben Tackett @BenTackett]

@historyrock_ RIP Godfather of heavy metal