June 27th – The Day’s Most Fascinating News

Supremes overturn Texas abortion laws, Brexit goes bonkers, and adults go to summer camp.

“We conclude that neither of these provisions offers medical benefits sufficient to justify the burdens upon access that each imposes. Each places a substantial obstacle in the path of women seeking a previability abortion, each constitutes an undue burden on abortion access, and each violates the Federal Constitution.” So wrote Justice Stephen Breyer as the Supreme Court struck down the Texas abortion clinic restrictions that had resulted in closed facilities there — as well as in several other states where the Texas laws were duplicated.

+ Vox: Pro-choice advocates just won the biggest Supreme Court abortion case in decades.

+ WaPo: How restrictive are abortion regulations in your state? (And how this case might change that reality.)

2

Life is Shorted

“In emergency care and firefighting, this approach creates a fundamental tension: the push to turn a profit while caring for people in their most vulnerable moments.” Since the economic downturn in 2008, private equity investors have been moving money into critical public services. What does that mean for the future of those services? From the NYT: When You Dial 911 and Wall Street Answers. (“We’ll hit you with these defibrillation paddles just as soon as we take a quick look at your quarterly projections…”)

+ “The law will allow first responders to, without fear of liability, provide oxygen, perform mouth-to-snout resuscitation, try to stem bleeding, bandage and even administer the overdose antidote naloxone to dogs or cats that have ingested opiates.” AP: New law supports first responders who treat injured pets.

3

Article 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover

The story of Brexit has so many characters and plot twists that even George RR Martin is lost. Now that you’ve had an entire weekend to further confuse yourself about what the hell just happened in the UK, let’s catch up, starting with this fun fact from Vox: The United Kingdom’s narrow vote to exit the European Union, is not actually legally binding. It all comes down to Article 50.

+ The quote heard round the world: “The people have had enough of experts.” From The Economist: After the vote, chaos.

+ WaPo’s Rick Noack visits a town that voted strongly in favor of leaving the EU, but is already wondering if it was the right move. Better decide quickly. Brexit has wiped $2 trillion (and counting) off global stock markets.

+ CityLab: What’s the British equivalent of threatening to move to Canada?

+ The Guardian is tracking the latest, and there’s a lot of it. I still remember when the biggest fight in England was whether or not to let Uber come in.

4

Better Off Ed

“Edward Snowden lay on his back in the rear of a Ford Escape, hidden from view and momentarily unconscious, as I drove him to the Whitney museum one recent morning to meet some friends from the art world.” No, Snowden isn’t free to move about the globe. At least not physically. But it turns out he makes a whole lot of appearances. NY Mag’s Andrew Rice on Edward Snowden’s Strangely Free Life — As a Robot. (This is how I wish I could attend every social event.)

5

11,430 to Go

“Ardelia Ali was raped in 1995. Twenty years later, her rapist was convicted thanks to the tireless efforts of prosecutor Kym Worthy” From Elle 11,431 Rape kits were collected and forgotten in Detroit. This is the story of one of them.

6

Bullet the Blue Sky

When you listen to the NRA and gun control advocates argue in the media, the situation seems utterly hopeless. When you listen to gun owners and non-owners debate the issue in private, there’s a lot more common ground. In Vanity Fair, Sarah Ellison provides a look at the growing divide between the NRA’s leadership and its sportsman rank-and-file.

7

She Cried S’more, S’more, S’more

The Guardian takes a trip to adult camp: “With adults searching for new ways to achieve work-life balance and make friends, adult camps have become a million-dollar industry. This year, weeks before kids across the nation finished off the school year, adults got first dibs on cabins and campgrounds in the hopes of reliving some of their happy childhood memories.” If I want to relive my childhood camp memories, then I’ll spend 3 weeks crying myself to sleep in a wet sleeping bag and waking up to an old guy named Irv who insists everyone has to be thoroughly checked for ticks.

8

Bet on It

The B.E.T. Awards featured a memorable speech by actor Jesse Williams, a remarkable perfomance by Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar, and a lot of tributes to Prince. Like, a lot. Here are 10 things you missed from the show.

9

Love Thyself

“Narcissists are good-looking. Or, perhaps more importantly, they believe that they are — and this belief plays a role in how they move through the world: confident in their ability to make other people want to have sex with them.” Jean Hannah Edelstein on the appeal of Narcissists. Why do we love people who’d rather love themselves?

10

Bottom of the News

“The question — for one prosecutor, at least — is whether the bird, which may have witnessed a brutal killing, should be allowed to sing like a canary.” WaPo on the foul-mouthed parrot that may be used as evidence in murder trial.

+ Barnes and Noble is opening up concept stores that will sell beer and wine. (Good, I’m sick of having to get drunk in the parking lot.)

+ Who wrote it? A person or an algorithm?

+ And if you missed Friday’s What Tos — picks for music, books, TV, longreads — it’s right here.

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