Donald, we love you just the way you are! Read Donald Trump Drives a Stake through the GOP’s Heart: ‘I Don’t Want To Pivot’ by Lauren Fox for TalkingPointsMemo.com for the back story. This man just keeps on giving, making it hard not to reach the conclusion that he is: (a) a D plant; (b) as dumb as a potted plant; or (c) not interested in the job. (Truth be told, the Curator and his alter ego think the guy must be the center of attention 24/7, and cannot fathom how that might work if he was civil, calm, and … a little bit boring.)*
For some deep thoughts about how safety—as opposed to the idiocy we get from the Trumpster—read Is America Any Safer? by Steven Brill for The Atlantic. The Curator’s alter ego saw Mr. Bill on Charlie Rose last week. Read the piece and watch the show. Lots to learn!
Sidhartha Mukherjee has written The Race for the Zika Vaccine for the New Yorker. Dr. Mukherjee is a great writer. (He wrote The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer and, more recently, The Gene: An Intimate History.) His reporting on the Zika virus provides a reminder about the importance of public health and just how poorly our institutions are failing us. With many trying to give us an “I’ve got mine, screw you” ethos on steroids, we must remember one thing about viruses, from the common cold to Zika: they don’t know from documented or undocumented, legal or illegal, or rich or poor. Public health depends on a recognition that we’re only as strong as our weakest link, and as we watch our institutions fail, we can expect the Zika story, redux!
The dog days of summer are upon us, so if you have some time, listen to Longform Podcast #204. It offers an interview with Malcolm Gladwell about Revisionist History.
And, in keeping with the summer theme, briefly, here’s The Definitive Oral History of The Lobster Roll. Brian Kevin wrote the article for Down East. Nina Gallant took the pictures, and Monica Mariano gets credit for the styling. If you long for cooler summers, water, and ocean side treats, this is a must-read.
*Did you get this far without letting Just the Way You Are into your head? If so, click on the link and blame the Curator. If not,