Summer Bucket Lists [#53]
Hallo!
Hoping this finds you healthy and near a mini-fridge that you don't have to steal from your underlings in the dead of night. My summer challenge is increasing my bus ridership, because Seoul's buses are better air conditioned than cabs, ubiquitous and always on time. To date I haven't been able to use them very well because the signs are all in Korean and it takes me a humiliatingly long time to read Korean but finally, with the help of my ever-patient assistant, Jihye, and the Naver Map™ app (also all in Korean) I am DOING THIS, PEOPLE.
What I'm Reading
On Russia, it was always about the money. The sweeping influence of Samuel Huntington. This chart lets you see the asymmetric polarization of American politics. Is the thoughtfulness of Ben Sasse a waste? Never forget Liu Xiaobo. A "hail Mary" by American newspaper groups. No, the Times did not "foil" an attempt to catch the ISIS leader. A compilation of White House spelling errors. 22 ambassadors on the one book to read before visiting their country. Using Korean hotties as propaganda. A crazy story about the dean of the USC Medical School and his secret life (h/t Friend Stephen). Opioid addicted babies need their mommies, but treatment programs aren't designed for that. Dads who still call themselves "Oriental." A new book that's 17 years overdue. DJ Khaled is hip-hop's Jay Gatsby. Love for George Strait. What's it really like to work in a prison goat milk farm?
Work and Musings
That Pittsburgh girl's summer bucket list made my week. (BTW someone broke it into categories, because, reasons.) Baby Luna tries Elise Tries.
Watching/Listening
Slate's Summer Strut playlist
NYT's Still Processing podcast on Jay and Bey, the performative aspects of marriage and what it means to inherit, what it means to pass things on.
The new Atlantic podcast, Radio Atlantic, debuted with a conversation with David Frum about where things stand six months after his big cover story predicting an America under an authoritarian. This pod features the silky baritone of BFF Matt Thompson, who is a co-host of the program. Enjoy!