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Dispatches

Opinion and critical takes — where the evidence points, stated plainly.

Dispatch · Researched 2026-09-21

Rider-Waite-Smith: Still the Deck to Beat After 115 Years

Rider-Waite-Smith: Still the Deck to Beat After 115 Years If you're learning tarot in 2026, buy the Rider-Waite-Smith first and argue about the art later. That's not nostalgia talking — it's the most repeated advice in every beginner thread on the internet, and it's right. But buy it from a real shop, because the version that shows up on Amazon might be a fake, and even the genuine ones have gotten sloppy lately.

Dispatch · Researched 2026-09-21

The Copper Bracelet Placebo Problem

The Copper Bracelet Placebo Problem The most rigorous trial ever run on copper bracelets recruited 70 rheumatoid arthritis patients, blinded them in a double-blind crossover design, and measured their pain, inflammation, physical function, and disease activity. The bracelets did nothing. No better than placebo, on any measure.