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Hi friends,
Welcome to the latest edition of Newley’s Notes, a weekly newsletter containing my recent Wall Street Journal stories, must-read links on tech and life, and funny dog videos.
Image of the week, above:
Rainy Hong Kong. Snapped today.
Here are 10 items worth your time this week:
1) 
Good news: Homicides in many American cities are falling, bringing them back to pre-Covid levels. 
<– WSJ gift link
2) 
An eye-opening look at how cheap and easy it is to build a ChatGPT-powered propaganda “news” website. <– WSJ gift link
3) 
Archaeologists undertaking a new excavation at Pompeii have uncovered some dazzling frescoes.
4) 
And another archeological item of note, from Reddit: “Found a mandible in the travertin floor at my parents house.” Bonus link: an archaeology professor weighs in on the post.
5) 
Finish photographer Mikko Takkunen has released a gorgeous Hong Kong street photography book.
6) 
Is sense of direction a product of our upbringing, rather than being innate?
7) 
Here’s a video demonstrating just how enormous the universe is.
8) 
Brazilian MMA fighter Renato Moicano, after winning a recent contest, praised Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises (NSFW: profanity).
9) 
Mental health break: this website immerses you in one-minute videos of parks around the world.
10) 
Please enjoy these rats driving little cars.
•••
Dog-related video of the week:
“His name is Ares. He runs like a cartoon character.”
•••
Quote of the week:
“Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.” — Voltaire
•••
Fist bump from Hong Kong,
Newley