Extra, Extra
College Station: “I go through all of that in the service of the obvious, which — sadly — needs constant stating and restating: Highly selective colleges are hardly a prerequisite for, and have no monopoly on, lofty careers.” Frank Bruni with a timely reminder in the NYT (Gift Article): The Real, Hidden Truth About College Admissions. (This would be a great piece for my college-applying son to read. Too bad I can’t convince either of my kids to subscribe…)
+ Minefield: “Here in this city on the frontlines of Yemen’s long-running civil war, Shaimaa is just one of the civilians who will be living with the war’s fallout for the rest of their lives. As the nearly decade-long conflict appears to be slowing down, places like this prosthetics clinic offer a glimpse at the challenge that awaits them.” At Yemeni prosthetics clinic, the patients keep coming even though the war has slowed.
+ Thirst Trap: “Meta expects the facility to use about (176 million gallons) of water a year, and up to 195 liters per second during ‘peak water flow,’ according to a technical report. Enthusiasm about the jobs the project is expected to create … is now being weighed against heightened concerns over water.” Bloomberg (Gift Article): Thirsty Data Centers Are Making Hot Summers Even Scarier.
+ Pac Rats: “Capping a week of wild swings and manic backroom maneuvering, Oregon and Washington dealt a potential death blow to the Pac-12 Conference by finalizing plans to join the Big Ten.” For years, I haven’t been able to watch Cal games on any of the TV services to which I subscribe. The pathetic leadership that led to that has now led to this.
+ Damned: “As the flooding emergency in western Beijing turned deadlier at the beginning of this week, taking out bridges, washing away dozens of cars at a time, and wreaking havoc on the city, the decision was made to divert the raging waters.
The effect was almost immediate. The pressure came off in the capital, but the water had to go somewhere.” The Chinese town engulfed by a flood to save Beijing.
+ Slave Knave: “An appointee by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to an oversight board of Disney’s special tax district taught a seminar in 2021 falsely claiming ‘Whites were also slaves in America,’ using discredited research to say there was an ‘Irish slave trade.'” We are increasingly being led by imbeciles and lunatics. (And by we, I mean Florida.)
+ Voting Twice: “The two Democratic state representatives in Tennessee who were expelled by Republicans in April for protesting in support of gun safety on the chamber floor won elections Thursday night for their old seats.”
+ Pressure Snooker: “Exercises that engage muscles without movement — such as wall squats and planks — may be best for lowering blood pressure.” Blood pressure is best lowered by 2 exercises.
