2025 Annual Best of Lists #3: Best Photography, Dan Wang 2025 Letter, Best Journalism, Best Travel Books, Best Video Games and more

Every year around this time of the year I collect and post annual Best Of lists and this is the third edition featuring the absolute best photography, Dan Wang 2025 letter, the best lessons for investors, the best stories in journalism, the best travel books, the best video games, the best recipes, the airlines we lost,  and many more. See you next week!

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Dan Wang’s 2025 Letter

One of my favorite reads every year. Expanding from living in the tech world inside China to returning to the US and moving to Silicon Valley and AI and books and food, enjoy!

8 Lessons for Investors From Market Turbulence in 2025

Best Journalism of 2025

Ten People Who Shaped Science in 2025

The Best Video Games of 2025

The Most Unmissable Art Exhibitions of 2025

The Best Video Essays of 2025

The Five New Species Discovered in 2025

The Ten Best Books About Travel of 2025

The Airlines We Lost in 2025

The Ten Most Popular Recipes of 2025

2025 Nature Photographer of the Year Awards

-a bird flies in front of the sun
“Sundance” Category, Birds. Overall winner. Credit: Asmund Keilen / Nature Photographer of the Year 2025 –

2025 in Reuters Pictures

Wong, 71, reacts after saying his wife is trapped inside Wang Fuk Court during a major fire, in Tai Po, Hong Kong, China, November 26, 2025. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

Top 25 News Photos of 2025

A protester wearing a traditional outfit and gas mask stands in front of a line of riot police, being sprayed in the face with pepper spray.
Umit Bektas / Reuters Police officers use pepper spray on a demonstrator who wears dervish clothes, during a protest on the day that Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was jailed as part of a corruption investigation, in Istanbul, on March 23, 2025.

2025 International Landscape Photographer of the Year

A huge, dark, cylindrical storm cloud swirls above a rural area.
Dennis Hualong Zhang / The 12th International Landscape Photographer of the Year Supercell. Winner, Stormy Sky Award. New Mexico.

And a bonus entry:

The 2025 Northern Lights Photographer of the Year

Jeff Cullen 2025 Northern Lights Photographer of the Year

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Comments (8)

C
Carl Pietrantonio January 9, 2026

Oh boy! I always like the photos lists! Hello from Laredo, TX! Here for 4 nights to see old friends and go to a party with folks I worked with. Not a bad deal. 4 nights IHG stay, rental car w/upgrade, airplane main economy with window seat round trip and the airporter shuttle to and from Bellingham to Seattle. $222 out of pocket. I know it could be better but it suited a last minute trip plan!

And….. Gold! For the Pacific Northwest AND Texas!

D
DML January 9, 2026

Good for Carl!

Thanks for the great photos! I might even travel to the Library of Congress
on the Metro in the next couple days!

T
TheResistance January 9, 2026

https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/what-youre-watching-isnt-what-youre-really-watching

You think you’re watching an innocent woman being shot and killed in cold blood by the federal government, but what you’re really watching is the death of the United States of America.

N
Nick @ PFD January 9, 2026

Cell phone footage from the officer was just released: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DTTHIi7isL4/

N
Nick @ PFD January 9, 2026

Belated happy new year George! Wife and daughters are using some of our AA stash and the rest of our Hilton stash to fly to TX for a family reunion for some of her relatives. Currently thinking about a spring break trip to the SC/GA coast.

Man, Trump is going to run those printing presses hot…

G
GeorgeTBB Author January 10, 2026

Hey guys, real job has been on a tear…of just one time events. First time I am going to deal with the death of a beneficiary of a client who recently died while everything was in process. In addition, another client’s elderly mother has entered a facility and trying to sort out an incredible mess left behind, scamming likely involved. And another one is in the process of moving to a place that can provide the medical care she needs. And many are having the flu.

This blog is taking a back seat. Seeing no cc conversions credited since December 11 has beaten the records of a dry streak here…by far. Plus, lost another subscriber. So, the motivation is just not there anymore. Going to post when I find time.

Many protests here in Ann Arbor about the ICE murder. This country must find a way to survive the lunatic in charge, brace yourselves.

Thanks for taking the time to comment.

Also, many new cc offers. Email me 😉

G
GeorgeTBB Author January 12, 2026

Thank you Mr. Powell at the Fed for standing up to the lunatics #respect

G
GeorgeTBB Author January 12, 2026

There WILL be a post here tomorrow Tuesday January 13. It will be the usual Friday type post catching up on everything and there is so much going on.

Enjoy it while it lasts #theendisnear

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