Sunday Reads...

An irregular roundup of thought-provoking reads. Most made me go “hmm…” — none should be mistaken for endorsement.

Quote of the Day: "If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one." - Latin Proverb.

• The Conclave menu, if you are interested.   And of course, a bio of Pope Leo here.

• 12 films to watch as a new Papacy launches.

• A list of big U.S. cities – from Detroit to Dallas – are sinking.

• The translator’s dilemma gets some attention.   Or is it attention-seeking translations that are the dilemma?

• Feeling proud?  Here’s a site to knock you down a peg or two.  Seriously, check it out.

• The oldest American domestic pet? A 1559 cat.

• Karaoke statistics.

• Travel:

  • A ranking of the “best bars” in North America.

  • Europe’s best beaches.  Yet not one beats Oval Beach, Saugatuck.

  • The best U.S. caves to visit errr splunk!

• The kids are not alright! According to this study, young people are under water, beyond the traditional angst.

• A deep dive into who Joseph Pulitzer was here and here.

• Eight ways literature makes us happier (and better).

• The “Cure for Poverty” belies the reality that all programs outside of an unfettered free market have failed:

The Cure for Poverty

• High School Juniors with a $70,000 a year job offer.

• The puritanical roots of the Graham Cracker.

• A new government report finds little evidence for pediatric transitioning in people with gender dysphoria.

• The most popular dog names in each state.

• Some inspiration for June 16th – get ready!

• What makes people flourish?

• Who owns the federal debt?  Here’s a breakdown.

• Forbes lists the richest person in every state.

• As the seasons chug towards warmer weather, listen here to learn the history of the seersucker fabric.

• Know yourself!

• The value of slacking!

• The history of Alexandria and its contribution to a thriving Western Civilization.

• The history of the term “Hillbilly,” one of the politically correct slang terms still in circulation.

• Here’s a visual map of states with government-mandated minimum wages.  You’ll see the obvious correlation – those with little to no mandates are growing in jobs and population.

• The study finds that in U.S. counties where Black Americans were historically subjected to high levels of racial violence, especially lynchings, communities today tend to show lasting mistrust in government and public institutions. This intergenerational effect is not observed in populations that were not historically victimized, suggesting that the legacy of state neglect or abuse shapes long-term attitudes toward policy and authority.

• Common sense confirmed:

  • Another study shows that mandatory minimum government wage laws kill unemployment opportunities.

  • People with narcissistic and grandiose egos are drawn to political activism.

  • Places with longer construction permitting processes have an inferior housing supply.  This also applies to so-called “new energy” regulations – they kill housing supply and affordability.

  • Spicy foods may be good for your health.

  • 50% of the world’s AI researchers are Chinese.

• For YouTube's birthday, a rundown of the most viewed music videos.

• Americans' savings account balances by state.

• The story behind how Holllywood makes those cool cars:

  The Story of Hollywood Cars

Sunday Reads