On the other hand, today is the first day of summer. I hear it’s hot on the mainland, so don’t worry too much. But not everything is doomed, or at least, it shouldn’t be. Gene Robinsonexamines the “heat domes” and other extreme weather events occurring around the country, and writes that climate pessimism is just as unhelpful as climate denial.
It’s true that the road to a warmer world has gotten rougher and faster than scientists expected, but that makes it all the more important that we step up and make the most of what’s left of it – rather than just settle for frying eggs on it.
Although a dip in cold water might do wonders for our attitudes, swimming in the Potomac has been banned for decades, at least in Washington state, because of its water quality. (A few years ago, I was scheduled to race a sanctioned triathlon on the river when a rainstorm came and released sewage into the river. A last-minute cancellation saved me and probably saved me from giardiasis.)
Marathon Swimmer Ana Little SanyaBut these days, she writes, water quality in many parts of the river is suitable for freestyling. She explains how the city could develop a Copenhagen-inspired policy “halfway between prohibition and permission.” Check out some historical photos of wading in the capital.
Or maybe you’re planning to get out of the city altogether. Edith Pritchett We’ve put together a handy comic guide to help you coordinate your holiday activity levels, packing lists, and basic foreign language knowledge.
Another preparation, now mandatory in about a dozen national parks, is to make timed reservations for entry. “Get a permit to experience the wonders of nature.” Editorial Committee “It seems counter to America’s spirit as a free nation and the reality that these natural wonders belong to our people,” he wrote.
But in reality, unlimited access puts the country’s flagship sites “at risk of being loved too much to die” and even a few tweaks would be an improvement, the committee said. The committee believes the National Park Service has done a good job of balancing the existing system.
Meanwhile, I’m writing from Denali National Park in Alaska. Jim Geraghty He is more worried about being turned into a moose to die than being loved to death. He and his family have been keeping company with the park’s many bears and so-called Killer Horsehe was on vacation and it was “the time of year when the animals were in an aggressive mood” (bears and moose, not his teenage ones), and his columns are a mix of great scientific fun and encounters with very large animals.
With apologies to the moose, the animal most closely associated with national parks is our national bird, the bald eagle. do not have Our national bird. have National bird.
The bison is our mammal, the oak is our tree, the rose is our flower, Professor History Jack Davis “Neither Congress nor a president has ever bestowed the honor of national bird on any other winged creature,” Davis writes. The eagle is our national bird because it appears on the U.S. Seal, just as we are a national landmark because we have pyramids. Recently, a resolution was introduced in Congress to give the eagle its rightful recognition. Davis says it’s about time.
Even if the heat, large animals, and freshwater bacteria have put you off the outdoors, at least go see a movie this summer, because next year your local movie theater may not even exist.
In the latest episode of the “Impromptu” podcast, culture writer Matt Belloni Join Alyssa Rosenberg and Chris Suellentrop Discussing cinemas in crisis, the trio predicts they will become “smaller, more boutique, more niche.” Those who truly care about movies will go to the cinema, while those who don’t will stay home.Megan McArdleMeanwhile, she sees a ray of hope in Sony’s acquisition of the Alamo Drafthouse movie theater chain.
So what will happen to us in the coming hot summer? Well, there’s always junk TV and speaking of national unity, Mark Fisher He writes that there may yet be one man who can bring this TV-watching nation together from its heat and tiredness to do anything else: Ryan Seacrest.
from George Wills George wrote a column paying tribute to the “Say Hey Kid,” who died Tuesday at age 93. But while Mays’ athleticism and energy “fostered the impression of a childlike man who could easily take on grown men,” he was no kid, George wrote.
George praises the effort, craftsmanship and deep intelligence that make players look like “naturals” — those qualities, not a lack of effort, are what got Mays into the Hall of Fame, no easy feat in a sport with as contentious a fanbase as baseball.
Chaser: Mays appeared on George’s Baseball Quiz of the Year. What was the answer? Find out.
A rematch between President Biden and President Donald Trump looks likely to be close and without much drama. Voters might say, “Relief.” Pundits might say, “Hold on to the beer.”
Jason Wyrick He predicts three variables that will shape the outcome of November’s election: a bitter irony in which Trump wins the popular vote but loses the Electoral College; a Trump presidency and a Democratic Senate; and, Jason’s favorite, a tie-breaking, Potomac-jumping disaster.
Chaser: Biden recently blasted the Supreme Court for being out of balance. Jen Rubin Now is the time for him to start a campaign for court reform.
- The US seems keen to involve Latin American countries in its efforts to counter its rival China. Eduardo Porter Latin America has no interest in becoming embroiled in a new Cold War, he writes.
- An unlikely alliance in South Africa’s new government is causing heads to explode for far-right parties. Keith Richburg I’ve written it down and it has great potential.
- Lee Hochsteder France is in crisis, with Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party expected to take power next month.
It’s goodbye. It’s a haiku. It’s… “goodbye.”
Crowded parks, huge moose —
The photo is smaller
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