Hillary hits inbox zero, what you think is good for you probably isn't, plus the bottom of the news.
“Although there is evidence of potential violations of the statutes regarding the handling of classified information, our judgment is that no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case.” And with that statement, FBI Director James Comey announced there would be no criminal charges in the Hillary Clinton email probe. (Now that they’re done with Hillary, the FBI should go after parents who hit reply-all on school related emails.) Will this be the final chapter in an email saga that made our own stuffed inbox problems seem like a pleasant refuge? Not likely. I heard MSNBC and Fox News just ordered season two of Inbox.
Bar Exam
The NYT Upshot surveyed the public and nutritional experts about what foods they consider healthy. Unsurprisingly, there was a lot of disagreement. What food had the most discrepancy? Granola bars. I suggest pairing this article with a nice can of coconut water.
+ How are cereal makers trying to make their breakfast product hip with the hipsters? They’re making it less affordable and more ridiculous. (That actually sounds like a recipe for success.)
Coordinated Assault
We’ve reached the conclusion of a difficult Ramadan as ISIS has launched what appears to be a “coordinated campaign of worldwide bombings coinciding with the Muslim holy month.” Saudi Arabia has been hit by three suicide attacks. And the death toll related to a Baghdad bombing has risen to 175 people.
+ The attackers … were reportedly members of Bangladesh’s elite. Most of them are said to have attended prestigious English-language private schools, and gone to universities in the country and abroad. They were the sons of educated parents, businessmen and even one politician.” PRI on the surprising backgrounds of some of the Bangladesh attackers.
NASA Drops a New (Photo) Album
“And now the fun begins. The science.” So said Scott Bolton as NASA’s solar-powered Juno spacecraft capped off a five year journey and entered Jupiter’s orbit. It’s another reminder of the power of human ingenuity and of just how hard it is to get the song Drops of Jupiter out of one’s head.
+ Quartz: The incredible things that had to go just right for Juno to reach Jupiter.
Gov Means Never Having to Say You’re Sorry
Over the weekend, Trump tweeted a message about how corrupt Hillary Clinton is. That part we’ve seen. But this tweet featured a Star of David superimposed on a bed of money. Trump insisted that the star was merely a plain star or a sheriff’s star. (Yeah, and I just saw a guy walk by wearing a Sheriff’s yarmulke.)
+ “You went to Harvard, and hold two graduate degrees. Please do not condescend to me and pretend you don’t understand the imagery of a six-sided star when juxtaposed with money and accusations of financial dishonesty.” The Observer’s Dana Schwartz with a this pretty incredible Open Letter to Jared Kushner, From One of Your Jewish Employees.
+ “If you are, as I am, a sentimental middle-aged person who cherishes certain Coplandian notions about the essential goodness of the nation, seeing this kind of thing in person — adults shouting wrathfully at one another with no intention of persuasion, invested only in escalating spite — will inject a palpable sadness into your thinning, under-exercised legs, and you may find yourself collapsing, post-rally, against a tree in a public park, feeling hopeless.” In other words, yes, of course, you want to read George Saunders’ New Yorker piece: Who Are All These Trump Supporters?
Match Game
Is Spain’s job market conundrum a sign of things to come around the world? Consider this: According to a lot of companies, Spain has essentially run out of workers. Yet, the country also has five million unemployed people. Welcome to the skills gap.
The Last One Up
“The president also watches ESPN, reads novels or plays Words With Friends on his iPad.” The NYT’s Michael D. Shear with a really interesting look at how the president spends his evenings, mostly alone. Obama After Dark. (I wonder if the NYT is now hiring headline writers from Cinemax?)
You Can’t Download it With You
“The option to enroll in the national donor registry will be available on all iPhone preloaded Health apps once the iOS update rolls out this fall.” In a move that is particularly personal to many execs at the company, Apple is integrating organ donation into its next version of iOS. (I’ll give up my organs. As long as I get to keep my iPhone.)
Snap, Crackle, Fizzzz
After years of wondering what all the kids are doing on Snapchat, older folks did what they always do. They got on Snapchat too. From the WSJ: Snapchat’s Teen Fans Wince as App Catches On With Their Folks. (Full disclosure: I’m pretty sure my latest video cured my seven-year old daughter of her Musical.ly addiction.)
Bottom of the News
“I even considered reacting with negative emoji (social media’s nuclear option), but I just couldn’t make a case for expending the energy it would require to press the outer edge of my right thumb against a metal trackpad that’s never more than a few cenitmeters away.” I think you’ll enjoy my latest post: I Hate Your Facebook Status Update.
+ Nine Musically Talented Game Of Thrones Stars. (There are some show spoilers in here, including the fact that Ramsay is a singer-songwriter.)
+ Speaking of spoilers, here’s one: Aloe Vera is a lie.
+ How PBS created “the Milli Vanilli of fireworks.”
+ Gizmodo: Seeing how sex dolls are made is hauntingly eerie. (And unnervingly enjoyable.)
+ During a Dodger 4th of July celebration, a Bald Eagle was released into the stadium. And then flew out of it. And just kept on flying. (Proving once again that everyone leaves Dodgers games early.)
+ And if you missed Friday’s What Tos — picks for music, books, TV, longreads — it’s right here.
