Rip’s Newsletter — Informational Edition #3

Rip’s Newsletter — Special Info Edition #3

June 30, 2026

Compiled and Edited

by

Jim Reynolds

Articles in This Issue

Jim Reynolds — What’s new in the newsletter.

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[Note: If you have seen this informational message already, please stop reading and go about your business. This is for brand new subscribers as of today, June 30, 2026. Thousands have been brought aboard earlier today and I want to make that experience as painless as possible.]

Some things changed, others stayed the same

Hello,

This is the third time I’ve sent this note, and there will be more as we continue adding thousands of subscribers.

Today I’d like to explain how Rip’s newsletter has been gently transformed into a modern Substack publication.

Although I’ve preserved many of Rip’s familiar touches—including his sunny logo, the little scrolly dividers, and his famous Plato quote—we’ve also added a few new wrinkles.

We’ve been quietly testing these changes for about a month with our crack test team—which, as of today, you are now officially part of. Congratulations! You are among many thousands of subscribers we’ve imported into the new system.

In terms of format, the first thing you’ll notice is a short overview at the beginning of each newsletter. It ties the featured articles together and explains why they were selected. Most readers seem to appreciate it, although a few are still deciding. Let me know what you think in the comments.

The biggest change is that, instead of including four complete articles inside the email, I now provide a concise summary of each story along with a link to the full article. I try to choose sites with as little clutter as possible, although the occasional popup can’t be avoided. To help, I include a star-rated readability score so you’ll know what to expect before clicking.

Be sure to click the link—it takes you to the complete article.

I’ve always liked summaries because they let me decide quickly whether I want to read the entire article. I try to make each summary informative enough to stand on its own while giving you a good reason to continue if the subject interests you.

Summaries also let us cover far more news without making the newsletter any longer. I often wished Rip had used them because they let us cover more ground while respecting our readers’ time. If readers like the format, we can include additional stories without overwhelming anyone.

When you finish reading an article, simply click your browser’s Back button to return to the newsletter. If you ever run into problems, I’ll be happy to help. So far, the issues have been minor and the fixes have been easy.

As I’ve mentioned before, Rip and I had talked about eventually moving the newsletter to a more modern publishing platform. He felt the time would come when it made sense.

So, what exactly is Substack?

Think of Substack as a modern newspaper or magazine where independent writers publish directly to readers instead of through large media companies. Articles are delivered to your email inbox just as they always have been, but readers can also browse the archive, leave comments, share articles, exchange messages with the author, and—if they wish—support the publication through an optional paid subscription. Most readers simply enjoy the free version.

I’ve been using Substack for my own website, www.reynolds.com, for the past year. I’d publish an essay there and then send the same article to Rip in Microsoft Word—his preferred delivery format.

The email you’re reading is only one part of the system.

Near the top of each newsletter you’ll see a READ IN APP link. Clicking it opens rip.reynolds.com, where you can read on a larger screen, browse previous editions, leave comments, or send me a private message.

If you ever get lost, simply type rip.reynolds.com into your browser. To see every previous newsletter, visit rip.reynolds.com/archive.

At the bottom of each newsletter you’ll also find several buttons. “Share” lets you recommend an article to others. “Like” is a simple way to let us know you enjoyed something. I’m told those Likes help with the mysterious online algorithm, so feel free to click whenever inspiration strikes.

I hope this explanation clears up a few of the changes.

The good news is that you really don’t have to do anything differently. Simply wait for the newsletter to arrive three days a week and enjoy it, just as you always have.

But I hope you’ll also take advantage of some of the new features. Leave a comment. Send me a message. Click “Like” if an article resonates with you. Share something you think a friend would enjoy.

One of the nicest things about this new system is that it allows a conversation instead of a one-way mailing.

Rip always enjoyed hearing from his readers.

I hope you’ll make a habit of writing.

I’d love to hear from you.

—Jim Reynolds