TouchStone Reads - August 21st, 2026

We often set aside articles that are longer, deserve a re-read, are broader in scope…or just for fun - for weekend reading. Below are some from this week - pour yourself a hot cup of coffee & enjoy... 

Tree planting started as a summer job, but it also taught me what it means to be Canadian (CBC)

Neal Stephenson makes the case that writing things down engages more of your brain than typing ever will

What Was the Internet? As AI overtakes the web, five writers reflect on how far it’s fallen and what comes next. (Boston Review)

RIP Tony Bourdain, You Would Have Hated All This Discourse (Bon Appetit)

The Biggest Incinerator in Canada (The Local)

“Vibe Chipping”, Vanishing Moats, & Future Semiconductors: The changes that AI is driving are truly breathtaking.” Cadence says its new AI agents can run hundreds of simulations simultaneously. This reduces a typical five-week verification cycle to less than a day.” (Paul Kedrosky)

The Enshittification of Big Food: Why the food on your shelf keeps getting worse (The Future Market)

Why We Think We Know More Than We Do: Matthew Hutson took up house-dance classes after two decades of being complimented at raves and parties. The studio supplied a rapid education in the gap between feeling competent and being competent. Breaking down the famous “Dunning-Kruger effect” with David Dunning himself (Nautilus)

The U.S. Healthcare System is Already Mostly Socialized: Paul Krugman on the framing fight in Michigan’s Senate race, and why “socialized medicine” is an odd attack line against a system that already is. (Paul Krugman)

Video of the day: The Ultimate Guide To Absolutely Everything In The Universe

R.I.P. Columbia House: Here’s How It Improbably Survived (Gizmodo)

Tariff Refunds Are Here—and Turbocharging Earnings 


What are you reading or listening to?