Here’s a really interesting piece, courtesy of my friend Robert Fleming, about a corporate battle in the supermarket industry. The story, The Last Stand for the Middle Class Is Taking Place in a Parking Lot in Massachusetts, was written by Chris Faraone for the online edition of Esquire and posted on July 29. It’s one more “doing well by doing good” story. I will be watching this one to see how it ends.

Rick Perlstein is a terrific historian/writer. The Invisible Bridge:  The Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan, was published today. (A copy is on its way to me.) Frank Rich’s review, A Distant Mirror (from the Sunday New York Times) has me ready to the book, and re-read its two predecessors volumes. (Here also are:  Reagan Book Sets Off Debate by Alexandra Alter from the Times, about upset with the book; and, by David Daylen for Salon on July 30, Rick Perlstein: “Ronald Reagan absolved America almost in a priestly role not to have to contend with sin. The consequences are all around us today.”)

For clear information on health care costs—and why they are higher in the United States of America than in any other first world country—read Why Do Other Rich Nations Spend So Much Less on Health Care by Victor Fuchs, posted at The Atlantic on July 23. Nothing super-surprising, but the piece provides a thorough overview.

Math challenged? Listen to The Magic of Fibonacci Numbers, a TED talk by Arthur Benjamin. Short and delightful!

Two for the foodies. First, here’s The Kitchn’s One-Ingredient Ice Cream, written by Kristen Miglore and first seen by me a day or so ago—it was first posted in August 2012—at Food52. It describes a simple method for making ice cream with frozen bananas and a blender. Amazingly good, truly, although I had my sister Pam’s version, which included coconut milk. (I’ll see if I can get the recipe from her.) Second, and also from the past, FoodRepublic.com offers Julia Child’s 100 Favorite Recipes Revealed. Poor headline, actually, as a panel, not Ms. Child, selected the recipes. (I just saw the post in the last week or so.)

P.S.  Kudos to Jane Rodda for noting the 40th anniversary of President Richard Nixon’s resignation this Saturday. Comments later in the week.