Welcome to Pirate Wires, an American media company writing at the intersection of technology, politics, and culture. Today, we launch our website, an independent home for our community and work. A few thoughts.

This company began as a single newsletter in the batshit crazy summer of 2020, back when rioting was effectively legalized, and the country lost its mind. Locked in my home by fools and maniacs, I watched San Francisco crumble, and read about it all in horror from prominent writers throughout the press who considered this not only normal, but necessary. I disagreed, and I realized fairly quickly I was not alone. As Pirate Wires picked up a large, loyal audience of smart readers, I hired a team of talented, courageous writers and editors to help me cover the stories I found interesting and necessary, and we launched a few more letters. Today, the company’s comprised of four unique verticals, spanning everything from business and science to local politics, with several more to come this year.

My decision to leave Substack wasn’t made easy. Their team not only built a fantastic publishing tool, but managed the incredible feat of maintaining a commitment to free expression in a world more hostile to the concept than at any other point in American history. I’m an investor in the company. I believe in what their team is doing, and I think their work is necessary. Still, my ambition for Pirate Wires is great, and strange, and very much my own. It was time to grow. Practically speaking, for everyone who first found us on Substack, not much has changed. If you’re a free subscriber, you’ll continue to receive each newsletter you’ve opted into on schedule, and if you’re a paid subscriber, your subscription will continue with no change in pricing. To manage your account, just sign into Pirate Wires with your email address, follow the instructions, and give us a shout if you have any further questions.