Sriram Gopal

Husband/Dad/Drummer-Bandleader/Lifelong @Orioles Fan/Terp For Life/Freelance Writer/Policy Wonk By Day. Opinions mine alone.

[The Cultural Tutor @culturaltutor]

Reasons to read old books:

1) They’re often very pretty

2) Because they’re second-hand, they’re a lot cheaper than new books (this one cost £4)

3) Old books are 100% AI proof. When you see that something was printed in 1926 (for example) you know AI had nothing to do with it, and that it’s also insulated against the internet in general; they're time-machines

4) Not all books printed in the past were good quality, but the ones that have survived are: thicker (and nicer) paper than we use today, plus tougher bindings. These quality materials also mean they’re nicer just to hold in your hands.

5) If you read what everybody else is reading, the odds are you’ll end up thinking what everybody else is thinking. History is very long, and just reading books from the year 2026, or the 2020s, or even the 21st century, will warp your perspective. Reading old books (not even the greats, just random old books) teaches you more, because it acts as a foil to the present and helps you see it more clearly by comparison.

6) You often get old inscriptions in the endpapers: names, dates, awards, gifts. Sometimes you even get annotations. It’s a small thing, but knowing somebody one hundred years ago owned and loved a book you’re now reading is… well, it’s something.

7) Time is the best possible filter for quality. Many great books weren’t considered great in their own time; most books considered great in their own time have been forgotten. The same will happen to the best-selling books of the 21st century.

8) They generally look nicer on shelves

9) Unlike most modern paperbacks or hardbacks, older books were often printed in actual pocket-sized editions, so you can take them around easily

[The Cultural Tutor @culturaltutor]

The truth about minimalism:

[The Cultural Tutor @culturaltutor]

Taking decoration away from buildings is like creating a world where trees never have any leaves:

[Martenzie Johnson @10zJohnson]

Giving this up to move to suburban Indiana is just so stupid

[Birdland Metrics @birdlandmetrics]

The O's are 24th in MLB in run differential but it's a bit of a skewed story.

6 of 63 games (~10%) account for a -55 net run differential:

17-1 L vs. BOS
NYY series where they were swept (bad 4 games)
13-3 L vs. WSH

Removing these 6 games, the O's have a +18 run differential

[dylan matthews 🔸 @dylanmatt]

This is a good moment for very boring, traditional capital gains hikes
- return the estate tax to 2000 levels
- end step-up basis and treat death as a realization event
- treat carried interest as earned income
- raise the top rate from 23.8% to 30%

[Max Tani @maxwelltani]

Capital Weather Gang, the weather blog that has been a part of the Washington Post for almost 20 years, is becoming an independent site and rebranding as Capital Weather.

Per a note to WaPo staff today, the site will still contribute to WaPo during major weather events.

[Amy Siskind 🏳️‍🌈🇺🇸 @Amy_Siskind]

OMG 💔

[◥◤Kriston Capps @kristoncapps]

Bruce Springsteen broke a little news at Nationals Park tonight, on October 3 he's headlining a show here with Foo Fighters, Dropkick Murphys and Tom Morello (*and I believe he meant Rage Against the Machine)

[Sriram Gopal @srigop8]

@Orioles You left out his most memorable contribution. His "playing" catcher when (a likely drunk) Tippy Martinez picked off the side in 1983. Only time that's happened... ever. AND I WAS THERE! https://t.co/J6b1DZJLKI

[Baltimore Orioles @Orioles]

A trailblazer for Asian American baseball players & coaches alike, we're proud to highlight & celebrate 1983 World Series champion Lenn Sakata 👏

#Birdland | #AAPIHeritageMonth

[All The Right Movies @ATRightMovies]

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK was released 46 years ago today. One of Hollywood’s most popular films and most anticipated and acclaimed sequels, the making of story is as huge as you’d expect.

1/39

[Melissa Littlepage @TurnTheLP]

I have a beautiful @wmata story to tell.

My three sons take Metrobus to and from school together every day. Yesterday, one of them left his trumpet on the bus when getting off at home. Of course, tonight he has a band concert...🧵

[John Aravosis 🇺🇸🇬🇷🏳️‍🌈 @aravosis]

I live here, this is a lie. The park was popular with drug addicts and drunks a good 16+ years ago. It’s been quite popular with regular families since then, and is typically packed every summer weekend. And, unlike other spots in DC, there was never a homeless camp in this park. As always, the truth just isn’t enough with these guys. It’s sad, really.

[Tom Lee @tjl]

another great example of this. whatever you want to have happen with the Height Act--repeal or stasis--you need to realize a) a GOP trifecta will default to opposing your wishes as a DC pol and b) casting your wishes as anti-Trump worsens your position

[ben moores @benmoores2]

A thread on the 50 best fortifications to go and visit in the world according to me. They are all fun for at least one in the family. They are listed in reverse rank order as determined by how much fun, unique and awesome they are.

[Silvia Scandar Mahan @silviascandar]

As you watch this man be brilliant tonight, I want you to know that he was up at 2:30am last night with our six year old who has the stomach flu. He is our hero and we are so proud of him.

[scha·den·freu·de  @BlisterPearl]

The US government already has a ballroom just down the street. The Andrew Mellon Auditorium is less than a mile away from the White House is beautiful and accommodates more people than the new ballroom will and is owned by the U.S. Government.
via Shelia Earl

[Assaad Razzouk @AssaadRazzouk]

Today, India’s solar and wind deployment per capita is 5.5x higher than China’s was at the same stage of development. India is peaking its coal use a full decade earlier in its development curve than China did

>In 2025, India reached a GDP per capita of ~$10,000 (PPP). At that exact same wealth level (around the year 2010), China’s wind and solar generation was only 37 kWh per person. India is already at 205 kWh per person, literally 5.5 times higher
>India reached a 5% solar share in its power mix at a GDP per capita level 3 times lower than China’s when it hit the same milestone
>India already generates 33% more economic output per unit of energy than China did at the same stage of development

[Tommy Vietor @TVietor08]

This is a great answer from @AOC. I’ve heard a lot of people duck the are you gonna run for president question, and rarely is the answer actually inspiring.