Dear Readers
Thank you.
I am truly honored (and humbled) by the rapid growth of Howlin' at the Moon in ii-V-I on Substack. Until about a year ago, I actually knew most of my subscribers. Today, that's no longer true. Thanks to referrals from readers and Substack itself, I now know only a fraction of you. The first thing that I'd like to do today is change that. If we don't know each other, and if you are willing, would you please respond in the comments with what brought you to Howlin'? Even if I do know you, feel free to respond and say hello to everyone. This feels like family to me. I'd be pleased if it felt that way to you as well.
The second thing I'd like to ask is a favor: if you like what you read here every week, please consider recommending Howlin' to your friends and associates. Most of the content here is free, so I really, really appreciate those who volunteer to pay for subscriptions. You are helping my retirement funds, which have been under duress lately. I will do my best to continue to make your investment worthwhile.
Look forward to a resumption of videos and interviews in the coming weeks, some of which will be available only to paid subscribers to add value for their money.
Finally, I'll give a personal shout to the first reader who can identify the significance of "ii-V-I" in the name of this Substack. Just respond in the comments below.
Cheers all. And I really appreciate each and every one of you.
Martin Hackworth is one of my oldest friends. I met him in Chemistry 101 at the University of Kentucky in the fall of 1974. We became climbing partners and summited three of the "50 Classic Climbs in North American Mountaineering"...the Diamond on Long's Peak, Devil's Tower and Half Dome in Yosemite Valley...three months after I graduated from Veterinary School. We were roommates for a semester at UK and I witnessed the start of his writing career when we took an English Composition class. He had a great story of how we rigged a long rope, opened one of the observation deck windows and then he rappelled down the 23 stories of the Kirwan Tower.
I regret that we live a few thousand miles apart. Our friendship has evolved into mostly birthday messages but for me I have the luxury of reading his Howlin' at the Moon column. I describe him to my friends as a Renaissance man...that should be evident when you read his commentary.
Keep up the good work Martin.
Cheers
Bob Baker
Hi Martin.
I’ll be one of those people you don’t know so here’s an intro of sorts! And, to be honest, I don’t know how I came to follow your Substack either. I don’t follow many, but they tend to be anti-woke with a science bent. Which is how I’d describe myself in five words! I’m an anaesthetist from West Australia, originally hailing from Wales. Two young boys take up much of my time, otherwise I’m reading, cycling (MAMIL - yikes), or supporting Liverpool FC. Big fan of your fine country...we apply for green cards every year, or rather my wife does as you’ve already met your quota for those born in UK apparently! We’d spend a year or two in Boston given the opportunity.
I like your writing style and takes on some of the current madness of our world.
I think it was Philip Goff in his book “Galileo’s Error”, on consciousness, who commented that the driver of the anti-science movement in Galileo’s day wasn’t religion, it was human nature. Those same impulses continue exist today, even as religiosity declines, but represent the “religion” of the left. Reality needs to conform to the current moral climes.
I joined Substack for some of the independent writers here, Bari Weiss at the Free Press mainly. I started writing my own, but it’s mainly for my boys as a form of insurance in case anything happens to me. A little morbid, but in this tech day and age I think it’s hard to defend not leaving something by which your kids could get to know you in your absence. And I’ll be damned if I let my wife do all the talking about me! 😉
Returning to your Substack, I’d have been sent through to it from somewhere I reckon and I don’t read a wide variety of likely sources. Any reason Jerry Coyne on Why Evolution is True would have linked you? That’s my best guess!
I try to rotate my subscriptions here; they soon mount up otherwise! They’re hard to justify when Apple News gives you The Times, Popular Mechanics, The Atlantic, Nat Geo, and dozens of others for the same price as one subscription to The Free Press, but I do think it’s important to reward work that you consume. It’d be great if Substack could do some sort of overall subscription package, but working out who gets what would be tricky I imagine.
Anyway, I will contribute to your retirement coffers as I think you put valuable, interesting, and entertaining work out there.
Warmest regards from the south!
Craig