Bob Gower

The Physics of Change — Bob Gower Hidden Levers of Transformation A cha nce encounter and a roun d of drin ks ch anged the course of history.

This story isn’t just about courage and friendship.

It’s about how small moments—leverage points—can trigger cascades of transformation in massive, complex systems.

Want to explore how? Read my latest article: The Physics of Change.

📖 www.bobgower.com/principia/th...

One of Ellsberg’s last acts as a free man—before he expected to spend life in prison—was to find Snyder and thank him.

“I didn’t show him any papers from the trunk… so as not to implicate him; but I hinted he was implicated anyway, in the process of my awakening.”

A decade later, Ellsberg released The Pentagon Papers—7,000 classified documents exposing U.S. government deception about the Vietnam War.

This act led Henry Kissinger to call him “The Most Dangerous Man in America.”

Years later, Ellsberg recalled:

“My memory of him stayed with me as a kind of touchstone—an image of an alternative way of living. But doing it his way—deciding on my own to speak truth to the world—still lay some years off for me.”

Ellsberg was visiting Kyoto, inspired by Jack Kerouac’s The Dharma Bums—where Snyder was a main character.

By chance, he walked into a bar where Snyder was drinking with friends.

The conversation that followed lasted two days… and helped end the Vietnam War.

In January 1960, two young Americans sat in a beer hall in Kyoto, Japan, talking about poetry and politics.

One was Gary Snyder, a beat poet and Zen student.
The other was Daniel Ellsberg, a military analyst researching for the US Air Force.

A chance encounter and a round of drinks changed the course of history.

This is a story about how small moments trigger massive change—and what it can teach us about transformation. 🧵👇

Current Events (a poem)

Scared assholes crave power and control.
They stoke fear and resentment,
feeding the neglected and the bitter.

It ends ugly for everyone—
even them.

🖐️

Saw a ship in the Brooklyn Navy Yard yesterday called the Sea Hawk — implying the existence of the Sea Tua.

I used to get lunch at that bar regularly. I always wonder if she ever served me

Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde to Trump: "I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender people in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives ... and the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals"

I want a bot that pre-scans messages to make sure I'm not sending someone the same meme twice.

Hooker’s Ball sounds fun, this looks scary as hell

Me: Good morning!

Disagree bot: I don't think it is.

Division bot: Way to ignore all those who are suffering.

Dipshit bot: It's not morning everywhere.

We've supported each other through loss, illness, surgeries, money / career challenges, parenthood and so much more.

Finding someone who helps me be my best self and gives me space to explore, struggle and succeed has been nothing short of a miracle and has made every aspect of my life better.

9 years ago today @deliciousalex.bsky.social and I married at City Hall.

Alex is my 4th wife. For years I struggled with relationships, I chose and behaved poorly. It wasn’t until I met Alex, at the age of 45 coming out of a particularly troubled period, that I got partnership close to right.

If I could give my younger self one piece of advice it’s this: choose people who support you (and allow you to support them).

In the old days we would burn a snowman alive in the forest as an offering to the Old Gods. Today we break an effigy and surround it with flames and greenery.

Make Yule Great Again

It's pretty much a pre-requisite at this point.

PS: RFK Jr. groped a friend of mine during a photo op 20 years ago.

Frost said: “Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice.” But it turns out it’ll be in preventable diseases & raw milk born pathogens.

I guess it is a country for old men after all ...

YouTube video by Miniminuteman Pseudoarchaeology and the Pseudoscience Pipeline - Milo Rossi LIVE at Virginia Tech

This gives me hope. The kids are alright.

I’ll have what she’s having

I’m going to start a disruptive company where AI readers read AI generated the books and rates them on an AI only Amazon / Goodreads.

Just blocked my first account on Bluesky — feels good.

Remind me to tell you my RFK Jr story next time we get together. He spoke at my grad school graduation and ... well ... let's just say his behavior was unbecoming.