Feel Good Friday

“At The Yard, elementary school children play with hammers, saws and knives. They climb ladders, romp in mud and push each other around in secondhand wheelchairs. No parents are allowed. Adult staffers called ‘playworkers’ watch, but try to avoid telling kids to be careful unnecessarily.” WSJ (Gift Article): Don’t Call Me a Helicopter Parent. My Kid’s in a Junkyard Playing With a Saw.

+ Yung Lean and GENER8ION recreated their viral video “Storm” with a live performance at the VMAs. So great. As is this version from Laerskool Vredekloof Primary School.

+ MacArthur Foundation Announces 2026 ‘Genius Grant’ Winners.

+ “I will never do that. Honestly, I think it’s very sad to see some players promote it. Everybody does whatever they want, but without me.” Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama not interested in promoting betting sites. Talk about an outlier…

+ British chess prodigy, 11, is the youngest ever woman grandmaster.

+ My favorite baseball writer on my favorite baseball commentator (and baseball, in general). Grant Brisbee: Mike Krukow made Giants fans appreciate the future, even one without him behind the mic.

+ Hitting the sweet spot: bear treats itself to baked goods at Colorado farmers’ market. (The best thing about being a bear is that a glucose monitor can’t stick to fur.)

+ Barking beautiful: the 2026 Dog Photography awards.