Special Informational Edition

Jim explains a few new features for the new people.

Rip’s Newsletter — Special Info Edition

June 27, 2026

Compiled and Edited

by

Jim Reynolds

Articles in This Issue

Jim Reynolds — What’s new in the newsletter.

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Some things changed, others stayed the same

Hello,

This is the second time I have sent this note out. There will be more as we continue to add 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 experimenting with these changes for about a month with our crack test team—which you are all now officially part of. Congratulations! You are among the first 2,000 subscribers we’ve imported into the new system. Many thousands more are waiting in the wings.

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 original article in its natural setting. 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.

Make sure you click the link! This will take you to the full 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 deliver far more information in the same amount of space. I had often wished Rip had used summaries because they allow us to cover more ground without making the newsletter longer. 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. It’s basic Internet navigation, but if anyone runs 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 it as a modern newspaper or magazine where individual 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 upper-right corner you’ll see a link that says “READ IN APP.” Clicking it takes you to rip.reynolds.com, where you can read on a larger screen, leave comments, share articles, browse previous editions, or send me a private message using the “Message Jim Reynolds” button.

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 I will too.

—Jim Reynolds