Protocol Thresholds and The Days of Two Noons

This is a newsletter-style collection of notes rather than a single argument, and its central thread is that small, seemingly incremental changes can produce large second-order effects, illustrated by the 1883 adoption of standard time in the US. The author describes the Day of Two Noons on November 18, 1883, when clocks were reset across the country and the USA was divided into four time zones. The post also draws parallels to the spread of the like button as a 1-bit form of communication and to the use of standard time in rail scheduling. Other sections cover housing supply, with Steve Randy Waldman's argument that the state may need to build when private builders won't, and the decline of arena tour ticket sales.