Fascinating! You're answering questions I never thought to ask, and you're making it SO INTERESTING! So human. I want to hear the stories of everyone who took a donut from the box at the laundromat (I know, an impossible ask). Thank you!
I love your idea of basing a story on something so random and yes I'm sure it'd be super interesting! I'd start with the person's name, occupation AND WHAT KIND OF DONUT THEY CHOSE. Very telling!
Anybody else see (in the image of the truthful lady) a shoe as her right hand? Dark part is the underside of the heel, and light part is the toe point away from her. I can't unsee it!
David! Yes! I originally saw it as a shoe myself until others told me it was just a missing hand—a stump. But it makes sense to me that an AI might make that mistake and substitute a foot for a hand, right? After all, a limb's a limb's a limb!
I am impressed, flabbergasted, surprised and PROUD that you took the time to investigate this story. And you could have easily dropped the ball anywhere along the way - no problem. So very glad that I am helping pay for your work with my subscription! Thanks again.
Ugh, ugh, ugh, I love Sam Harris and I have to know what you don't agree with! And I've now ordered "Lying" so thanks for nothing! Also... the handless lady. It's so odd. I think *some* part of my brain *noticed* it, but chalked it up to some factor that my brain didn't see fit to to examine. Such as, women in olden times were missing hands due to hard lives, what are you going to do, this illustration seems appropriate, nothing more to think about here. Or something like that...? 🤓
I had a long talk about Sam Harris and this book with a friend. The thing about Mr. Harris is that he is just not very emotional. Which helps him to think very clearly and logically. Like a spock! But then sometimes because of this he misses the point.
For instance, his book starts out with the example of receiving a gift that you don't like from a friend who bought you something while traveling abroad. Mr. Harris advises us tell the person that you don't like the gift, so they have an opportunity to use it themselves or give it to someone else.
He misses the point that it's not about the gift! It's the care and intention that went into it. Even if you don't love the item, you can love the fact that the person cared enough to buy you a gift while they were traveling, and focus on that.
Hope you enjoy the book!
I like the idea that the missing limb was intentional, reflecting the fact that in the 19th century, missing limbs were not so unusual!
Huh. Verrrrrrry interesting. I've read "Waking Up" and I have a lifetime subscription to the Waking Up meditation app, but I haven't read anything else he's written. Have you listened to the the podcast he does with Ricky Gervais, "Absolutely Mental"? It's pretty funny. And super interesting. He does have a sense of humour, but he's no Ricky Gervais, haha. They're friends apparently. I do love him, but I can see what you're saying. Now I want to read the book even more!
An excellent point, Mr. Edwards. There are many things passing for donuts these days, but eclairs still aren't one of them. I'm calling the donut police!
So funny Oleg—these are exactly the kind of donuts I don't like. I always wondered why yeast donuts (the kind in the photo) are lumped into the same category as "old fashioned" cake donuts (the kind I like.) They really are two entirely different beasts!
I’m curious to know what happens each day to unsold donuts (once they’re already on a cart)? Are they thrown-out? Given away for free? Donated to a shelter or soup kitchen? Sold as “fresh” the next day? So many possibilities, I just wonder if there’s a social-action conscious awareness for the cart owners. Food waste is such a hot-button issue!
Good questions Jessica. From what I can remember though, most of these guys weren't ordering a ton of donuts—maybe one or two dozen, and they wouldn't have many left by the end of the day—maybe one or two? So maybe they just take the last few home to the kids!
What a great post, thank you. So much effort and care. As for the poor erstwhile Anne, biologists in the 19th century reported an unusual phenomenon among badgers -- excessive hand gnawing. I can’t say that’s true, but it’s a real possibility if our poor lass lived in the woods and hunted during winter. Just saying....
You are the best. I’m going to post that in my Notes tomorrow. You rock.
We should start a stack called something like “You Explain This, Cuz I Sure Can’t” and have all sorts of crazy stuff that people try to explain. Some could have drawings like poor sweet handless Anne. Or you describe something like. “By age 34, Ramona’s beard had reached epic lengths. In winter, he used it as a scarf and hat -- yes, both -- wrapped around his neck and head. During the summer, his beard was the champion of Levi’s, as he wrapped it through all his belt loops and made a double bunny loop in front. Despite the ridiculousness of all this, the public loved him. “Ramone!!” They shreeked when he was spotted at Subway. But then Ramone decided to take his beard to a new level. After a year of gel cream and papaya to spur growth, he marveled even at his own accomplishment -- his hair were now shoelaces. Nike gave him a shoe contract. Pantene became his sole beard shampoo. Then one day, Ramone was hit by a bus. His beard was caught in the windshield wiper and sheared off, leaving only a mustache.”
OK, explain that. Then we pick contest winners and announce them weekly let’s say.
But we would show just three AI drawings -- Ramone in winter, summer, and shoelaces.
Nov 13, 2023·edited Nov 13, 2023Liked by Anne Kadet
Tremendous feature story — big kudos to Kadet!
Also, the feature headline ("A NYC Donut Mystery!") hit upon one of my big inner conflicts. To wit: When using the indefinite article before an acronym, do you style the article as if the acronym were spelled out, or not? Or to put it another way, should it be "A NYC Donut Mystery" or "An NYC Donut Mystery"? I can never decide and am often inconsistent in how I handle this type of thing. Do you ever overthink these things, as I clearly do?
I LOVE the idea that this is street talk. In truth, Biscuit and Waffles are the names of Mr. Lukas's two kitties. But maybe I'll adopt this as new slang. Biscuit and Waffles to you, Nick!
"Ruben Normatov was standing just inside the truck bay, smoking a Parliament."
you know THIS attention to detail is what sets you apart from the other gumshoes and mystics drifting the mean streets looking for a scoop (note the several food references).....the image of all that glaze donut debris spattering your cell phone and hoodie makes me laugh!
I've always wondered this very same thing. I am just in unremitting AWE of the productivity of The Donut King from Queens. Forget Cal Effing Newport and Tim 4-hour week Ferriss. THAT DONUT GUY should teach the Master Class in how to GSD. To make THAT many donuts each day, deliver them, and to have perfected the above-oil frying technique??? I feel like the Donut King from Queens totally deserves a CROWN. Maybe even a scepter? Just saying. 😂 And reading this, while being stuck out west makes me so nostalgic for "Coffee regular". Absolutely no one knows what that is out here. Le sigh. Thank you for this.
Oh man, you know what we need is a CHART comparing and contrasting Mr. Newport, Mr Ferris and Mr. Normatov. If I do the factory tour followup story, this will for sure be one of the sidebars.
Nov 15, 2023·edited Nov 15, 2023Liked by Anne Kadet
Oh, I bet AI could totally whip up THE CHART! And take away strategic limbs in the process, to which we could give completely sinister industrial productivity backstories!!! Lol.
COFFEE REGULAR 4EVER should either be a midlife feminist punk band and/or really killer tee-shirts. OR ... (puts on business-y cap) the feminist media collective that brings Jezebel back to life.
Thank you Alan! And yes I think you're right. The moment somebody senses that someone is truly interested, they start talking. Well, not everyone, but most folks!
I too noticed the lack of hand and wanted to ask about the picture but was afraid that it referenced some famous moment in lying history that was obvious to everyone but me and I would look like an idiot for asking.
It seemed like a perfect set up for an Eric Adams heart hand joke too, especially with last weeks EAW section, but I missed my opportunity. 🫶🏼
Fascinating! You're answering questions I never thought to ask, and you're making it SO INTERESTING! So human. I want to hear the stories of everyone who took a donut from the box at the laundromat (I know, an impossible ask). Thank you!
Thank you Justin, so glad you enjoyed!
I love your idea of basing a story on something so random and yes I'm sure it'd be super interesting! I'd start with the person's name, occupation AND WHAT KIND OF DONUT THEY CHOSE. Very telling!
Anybody else see (in the image of the truthful lady) a shoe as her right hand? Dark part is the underside of the heel, and light part is the toe point away from her. I can't unsee it!
David! Yes! I originally saw it as a shoe myself until others told me it was just a missing hand—a stump. But it makes sense to me that an AI might make that mistake and substitute a foot for a hand, right? After all, a limb's a limb's a limb!
hahaha...ok, we may have a new gold/blue dress test here;)
Yes, I definitely saw it as a left hand and a right shoe. Saw it last time and just thought ‘daft AI’.
I am impressed, flabbergasted, surprised and PROUD that you took the time to investigate this story. And you could have easily dropped the ball anywhere along the way - no problem. So very glad that I am helping pay for your work with my subscription! Thanks again.
Awwww thanks Mordy, that means a lot! And I very much appreciate your subscription. Regards!
WHAT? Are you telling me that children wouldn't accept free donuts from a stranger? What is the world coming to!
If you had just explained that you also had puppies in a van around the corner, I'm sure they would have realized it was ok and taken them.
LH I will try the van/puppy thing next. Thank you!
A whole-wheat donut!?! I can't believe such a thing exists. Then again, of course it does!
You know what? I never stopped to think about this one, Jillian. But it's true. It's an existent that SHOULD be a non-existent. Stupid universe!
i think she meant "hole-wheat"
Ugh, ugh, ugh, I love Sam Harris and I have to know what you don't agree with! And I've now ordered "Lying" so thanks for nothing! Also... the handless lady. It's so odd. I think *some* part of my brain *noticed* it, but chalked it up to some factor that my brain didn't see fit to to examine. Such as, women in olden times were missing hands due to hard lives, what are you going to do, this illustration seems appropriate, nothing more to think about here. Or something like that...? 🤓
I had a long talk about Sam Harris and this book with a friend. The thing about Mr. Harris is that he is just not very emotional. Which helps him to think very clearly and logically. Like a spock! But then sometimes because of this he misses the point.
For instance, his book starts out with the example of receiving a gift that you don't like from a friend who bought you something while traveling abroad. Mr. Harris advises us tell the person that you don't like the gift, so they have an opportunity to use it themselves or give it to someone else.
He misses the point that it's not about the gift! It's the care and intention that went into it. Even if you don't love the item, you can love the fact that the person cared enough to buy you a gift while they were traveling, and focus on that.
Hope you enjoy the book!
I like the idea that the missing limb was intentional, reflecting the fact that in the 19th century, missing limbs were not so unusual!
Huh. Verrrrrrry interesting. I've read "Waking Up" and I have a lifetime subscription to the Waking Up meditation app, but I haven't read anything else he's written. Have you listened to the the podcast he does with Ricky Gervais, "Absolutely Mental"? It's pretty funny. And super interesting. He does have a sense of humour, but he's no Ricky Gervais, haha. They're friends apparently. I do love him, but I can see what you're saying. Now I want to read the book even more!
Very interesting B.A. -- two of my favorite Podcasters in one comment (SH& RG).
Same here! Love Harris though. I wrote this as a response to a Harris pod episode a while back: https://michaelmohr.substack.com/p/why-youre-not-an-expert-and-im-not
Wait, what do you mean eclairs are donuts?! What. At least he knew to also bring up boston cream.
An excellent point, Mr. Edwards. There are many things passing for donuts these days, but eclairs still aren't one of them. I'm calling the donut police!
Is the Boston creme really a donut? Or is it a pastry? It can even be a cake, which is confusingly called a pie. MAKE IT MAKE SENSE
Those are some mouth watering 🍩 🍩 🍩. And they look closer to the kind of donuts we had as kids in my part of the woods.
So funny Oleg—these are exactly the kind of donuts I don't like. I always wondered why yeast donuts (the kind in the photo) are lumped into the same category as "old fashioned" cake donuts (the kind I like.) They really are two entirely different beasts!
Polish/German doughnuts aka faschnauts are the BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. Cake doughnuts with sour cream in the batter!!!
Oh lord that DOES sound good.
There's also another type of curd cheese donut -- https://visit.kaunas.lt/en/eat-and-drink/restaurants/classic/spurgine/ -- they're round and taste nothing like yeast donuts or cake donuts.
The best part is the skeptical or perhaps worried look on the face of the lady to the right. Clearly, she is not as donut-confident as her sidekick!
I’m curious to know what happens each day to unsold donuts (once they’re already on a cart)? Are they thrown-out? Given away for free? Donated to a shelter or soup kitchen? Sold as “fresh” the next day? So many possibilities, I just wonder if there’s a social-action conscious awareness for the cart owners. Food waste is such a hot-button issue!
Good questions Jessica. From what I can remember though, most of these guys weren't ordering a ton of donuts—maybe one or two dozen, and they wouldn't have many left by the end of the day—maybe one or two? So maybe they just take the last few home to the kids!
What a great post, thank you. So much effort and care. As for the poor erstwhile Anne, biologists in the 19th century reported an unusual phenomenon among badgers -- excessive hand gnawing. I can’t say that’s true, but it’s a real possibility if our poor lass lived in the woods and hunted during winter. Just saying....
Mr. Kerschberg, I created this just for you. Enjoy!
https://www.bing.com/images/create/badger-gnawing-hand-in-style-of-19th-century-drawi/65525289ad5742ffac180086478a653b?id=ZjRsfFDr57Dn%2fFrLCXTR0g%3d%3d&view=detailv2&idpp=genimg&FORM=GCRIDP&mode=overlay
You are the best. I’m going to post that in my Notes tomorrow. You rock.
We should start a stack called something like “You Explain This, Cuz I Sure Can’t” and have all sorts of crazy stuff that people try to explain. Some could have drawings like poor sweet handless Anne. Or you describe something like. “By age 34, Ramona’s beard had reached epic lengths. In winter, he used it as a scarf and hat -- yes, both -- wrapped around his neck and head. During the summer, his beard was the champion of Levi’s, as he wrapped it through all his belt loops and made a double bunny loop in front. Despite the ridiculousness of all this, the public loved him. “Ramone!!” They shreeked when he was spotted at Subway. But then Ramone decided to take his beard to a new level. After a year of gel cream and papaya to spur growth, he marveled even at his own accomplishment -- his hair were now shoelaces. Nike gave him a shoe contract. Pantene became his sole beard shampoo. Then one day, Ramone was hit by a bus. His beard was caught in the windshield wiper and sheared off, leaving only a mustache.”
OK, explain that. Then we pick contest winners and announce them weekly let’s say.
But we would show just three AI drawings -- Ramone in winter, summer, and shoelaces.
Our writers create the stories.
Beyond the idea for a new Substack, feel like I have lived and died a whole second life reading the story of Ramone.
Ramone is no joke.
Maybe I should turn these off-the-cuff ramblings into short stories.
And thank you !! For my badger, whom I have named Big Al.
Tremendous feature story — big kudos to Kadet!
Also, the feature headline ("A NYC Donut Mystery!") hit upon one of my big inner conflicts. To wit: When using the indefinite article before an acronym, do you style the article as if the acronym were spelled out, or not? Or to put it another way, should it be "A NYC Donut Mystery" or "An NYC Donut Mystery"? I can never decide and am often inconsistent in how I handle this type of thing. Do you ever overthink these things, as I clearly do?
Thank you Mr. Lukas!
Good question! I always think when in doubt, write like you talk!
I would say "A NYC donut mystery" so that's what I decided to write. (And yes I do think about these things).
Hola to Biscuit and Waffles!!!
Biscuit and Waffles.. 🤔 WTH! Is that street talk or a new salutation? Biscuit and Waffles back at you🫵🏽.
I LOVE the idea that this is street talk. In truth, Biscuit and Waffles are the names of Mr. Lukas's two kitties. But maybe I'll adopt this as new slang. Biscuit and Waffles to you, Nick!
Thank you Anne. That means a lot to me. 😀
"Ruben Normatov was standing just inside the truck bay, smoking a Parliament."
you know THIS attention to detail is what sets you apart from the other gumshoes and mystics drifting the mean streets looking for a scoop (note the several food references).....the image of all that glaze donut debris spattering your cell phone and hoodie makes me laugh!
Did I mention the RECESSED FILTER?
you do realise those filters once were associated with intake via nostril of white powder right?
I've always wondered this very same thing. I am just in unremitting AWE of the productivity of The Donut King from Queens. Forget Cal Effing Newport and Tim 4-hour week Ferriss. THAT DONUT GUY should teach the Master Class in how to GSD. To make THAT many donuts each day, deliver them, and to have perfected the above-oil frying technique??? I feel like the Donut King from Queens totally deserves a CROWN. Maybe even a scepter? Just saying. 😂 And reading this, while being stuck out west makes me so nostalgic for "Coffee regular". Absolutely no one knows what that is out here. Le sigh. Thank you for this.
Oh man, you know what we need is a CHART comparing and contrasting Mr. Newport, Mr Ferris and Mr. Normatov. If I do the factory tour followup story, this will for sure be one of the sidebars.
COFFEE REGULAR 4EVER!
Oh, I bet AI could totally whip up THE CHART! And take away strategic limbs in the process, to which we could give completely sinister industrial productivity backstories!!! Lol.
COFFEE REGULAR 4EVER should either be a midlife feminist punk band and/or really killer tee-shirts. OR ... (puts on business-y cap) the feminist media collective that brings Jezebel back to life.
Great stuff Anne, always fascinated by behind the scenes stuff on things we enjoy. And you have a natural curiosity that inspires people to talk! 😊
Thank you Alan! And yes I think you're right. The moment somebody senses that someone is truly interested, they start talking. Well, not everyone, but most folks!
I too noticed the lack of hand and wanted to ask about the picture but was afraid that it referenced some famous moment in lying history that was obvious to everyone but me and I would look like an idiot for asking.
It seemed like a perfect set up for an Eric Adams heart hand joke too, especially with last weeks EAW section, but I missed my opportunity. 🫶🏼
So funny! Just to check, I Googled "famous moments in lying history missing limb" but nothing!
This donut story was a goddamn delight.
Oh yay! Thank you Summer!!