These days we all know that the Twitter-verse can be, umm… unpleasant, at times… so before you jump ship entirely to Mastodon, here is an eclectic list of (non-Tech) accounts to improve your feed. I’ve found them to be fun, funny, interesting, or educational (or some combination thereof). I guess its like the old #FollowFriday?
The Oregon Zoo: I’ve never been to the Oregon Zoo, but their social media team is on-point. Nothing cleanses the negativity of a social media feed like videos of beavers and otters, amirite?
We Rate Dogs: Yes, another animal account. This one is pretty self-explanatory.
Chris Arnade: Chris walks around the world with his camera, and documents his experiences on his substack. He visits the places and talks to the people that many ignore. He also has a book, “Dignity” that I read and recommend.
David Morrell: David created Rambo, in his first novel, “First Blood.” It is different than the movie, and a great read. He also has a Ph.D. in American Literature, and was a university professor. And if you enjoy spy novels as much as I do, you will like, “The Spy Who Came For Christmas.” I had a great little Twitter conversation with him about Santa Fe, which is his home and the location for the aforementioned novel. David, who happens to be a really nice guy, often tweets about films and books.
John C Bogle Center for Financial Literacy: This educational non-profit is named after John “Jack” Bogle, the founder of the Vanguard Group, and the inventor of the world’s first retail index mutual fund. I attended my first “Bogleheads” (as members of the community are called) conference recently, and met some terrific people. Through the forum, podcasts, meetings, articles, etc., there is a ton of great, free information to help you with your financial and retirement planning.
Christine Benz: Christine is the Director of Personal Finance and Retirement Planning at Morningstar. You can find a ton of her helpful articles and videos on their site, along with content by her colleagues (much of which is free). Christine has the trifecta of deep knowledge, the skill to communicate complicated topics clearly, and a real desire to help people. I had the pleasure of meeting her at the recent Bogleheads conference where she was a speaker (and coordinator, as a Bogleheads board member.)
FarnamStreet: FS has a blog that sends out a free newsletter on Sundays, with insights and ideas to challenge, and help you think more clearly. I’ve been reading their email every Sunday for awhile, and have gotten some terrific articles and book recommendations.
The Spy Museum: I do enjoy Museums, and I had a lot of fun when I visted this one in DC many years ago. They have since moved into a larger location. I’d say The Spy Museum, and @WWIImuseum (The National WWII Museum) have been two of my favorites. @WWIImuseum is a bonus account to check out if you love that history as much as I do. In addition to information about their programs, The Spy Museum tweets about espionage/spy and security matters.