Hey folks,
We made it to December. One more month to go in what has been, by all accounts, a weird year. I hope you and your loved ones are healthy, safe, and happy. And I hope you can take a few minutes to enjoy some fun little corners of the internet throughout your day.
I sometimes like to imagine what you’re doing and where you are when you open this email, and then I realize that you’re likely sitting on the toilet.
Anyway…here are your links:
Arab - Read about the “Last of the Marsh Arabs” who have been living in Iraq for thousands of years, and are seeing their land literally dry up in front of their eyes.
Bathrooms - You’re just trying to enjoy your visit to a new city when nature calls. But…where did all the public restrooms go?
Cover - Why every book cover looks the same.
Death Penalty - On the other side of the glass is someone with their hand on the button that will take a life. Here, three men discuss their experiences with the death chamber and how it has affected their lives.
Eggplant - Do you really have to salt your eggplant before cooking it?
Freeze - A flat-folding picnic cooler insulated with coconut husks.
Garbage - Do plastic bag bans work? Kinda…sorta…not really.
Her Majesty’s Secret Service - The Royal Navy makes Daniel Craig an honorary commander.
Is It Worth It - What is political writing for, and does it actually change minds?
Jimmies - A British bakery was temporarily closed because they were using *gasp* American sprinkles.
Kuril Islands - Japan and Russia have still not signed a peace treaty since WWII, primarily over a dispute regarding the ownership of a small chain of islands.
Light Speed - See the speed of light. In real-time.
Microscopic - Sad tears. Happy tears. Onion tears. This is what they look like under a microscope.
Newfound Freedom - “Wielding the cane…made me feel powerful and in control, but I recalled a time when that was not the case. I remembered when pulling out the white cane filled me with shame. It was the symbol of my failure to be sighted.”
Obituary - RIP, Stephen Sondheim. (NYT, possible paywall)
Pronunciation - I kept seeing the word “inchoate” and had no idea how to pronounce it. Luckily there’s this pronunciation dictionary to help us all out. (In-ko-it)
Q & A - Tom Hanks ranks his three favorite Tom Hanks movies.
Revved Up - This car plays jazz. Er…a guy makes jazz using his car.
Surprise! - Spanx CEO gives every employee two first-class plane tickets and $10,000. That’s what I call support! (sorry)
True Crime - This article is titled “true crime is rotting our brains” and that alone was enough to make me include it here.
Up & Coming - Twenty years ago you thought you were the only one who loved a song. But now TikTok went and turned it into a viral hit.
Vacuum - If you’re in the market for tiny things, you might get a kick out of this.
Write - Write no matter what. This one might just be for me, but I think it applies to just about everything.
X - You get five tries to solve this word puzzle. It refreshes once a day. It’s now my favorite thing to do before work.
Yes Please - This jacket is 100% up my alley.
Zach Woods - Gabe from ‘The Office’ made a short film with Will Ferrell and it’s weird and funny and also kind of touching?
Have a suggestion for the next issue? I want to hear it! Reach out to me by replying to this email. And if you enjoyed this edition, go ahead and forward it to a friend and tap the heart at the top of the page.
See you in a month,
-Brady