darrencohen.me

Darren Cohen

  • 🔗 I Love This

    This Vinyl-Listening Club in Brooklyn Slows Down for the Whole Album

    Welcome to Cue the Record, a Brooklyn-based group that hosts listening sessions at least twice a month in Prospect Heights for an influential vinyl record on an audiophile’s sound system. What started in 2024 as a group of 15 people at a wine bar has grown into ticketed gatherings for around 80 people, with the cost ranging from $25 to $35. Like a book club, Cue the Record discusses an album after attendees listen to it in full.

    Music, in person interactions, and no screens. What a perfect way to spend a few hours.

  • 🔗 Alcaraz Gets the Slam

    Carlos Alcaraz beats Novak Djokovic in Australian Open final

    MELBOURNE, Australia — Carlos Alcaraz is the youngest man ever to complete a career Grand Slam after securing the Australian Open title against Novak Djokovic, who had never lost in his 10 previous finals at Melbourne Park.

    Alcaraz, at 22 years, 272 days old, showed no ill effects of the severe cramping that nearly derailed his 5½-hour epic semifinal win against third-seed Alexander Zverev just 48 hours earlier, as he outhustled and overwhelmed the 24-time Grand Slam champion to prevail 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 in 3 hours, 2 minutes.

    I had to do a double take when I saw he was not even 23 yet. I know he is young, but was still a shock to read.

  • 🔗 Coffee as a Treatment

    A cup of coffee for depression treatment has better results than microdosing

    The study has not yet been published. But MindBio’s CEO Justin Hanka recently released the top-line results on his LinkedIn, eager to show that his company was “in front of the curve in microdosing research.” He called it “the most vigorous placebo controlled trial ever performed in microdosing.” It found that patients dosed with a small amount of LSD (ranging from 4 to 20μg, or micrograms, well below the threshold of a mind-blowing hallucinogenic dose) showed observable upticks in feelings of well-being, but worse MADRS scores, compared to patients given a placebo in the form of a caffeine pill. (Because patients in psychedelic trials typically expect some kind of mind-altering effect, studies are often blinded using so-called “active placebos,” like caffeine or methylphenidate, which have their own observable psychoactive properties.)

    This means, essentially, that a medium-strength cup of coffee may prove more beneficial in treating major depressive disorder than a tiny dose of acid. Good news for habitual caffeine users, perhaps, but less so for researchers (and bio pharma startups) counting on the efficacy of psychedelic micro dosing.

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    Well given the amount of coffee I drink, I will approve of this study. Will take any help I can get. Also, someone tell Elon!

  • When FaceID and TouchID are not Good Enough

    This issue has been talked about for years, courts have been saying that your face and/or fingerprint can be compelled to unlock your phone while they can’t force you to give up the pass code in your head. John Gruber wrote about this a few years ago, and the article contains some good advice that everyone should heed.

  • Perfect Diner Lunch

    Tuna on toasted rye, tomato, a pickle, and a cup of coffee. It does get better than this.