5 Things: Poignant Podcast Edition

Happy Friday! Hope you all had a great week or at least you were able to find some little things to brighten these dark times. Perhaps your coworkers called you for a social chat or maybe you were so inspired by the SpaceX launch that you decided to try Ben and Jerry\’s new flavor to celebrate. (The ice cream video was so cute that I had to work it in!)

I sigh as I type this because the riots have now touched my home town as well. You can only imagine the perfect storm of frustrating social isolation wrapped up with the summer temperatures. Not a great combo. While we (the country, the world) are trying to \”rebuild\” life as well know it after coronavirus, now families and business owners are literally having to rebuild from the ground up. Please keep the family of George Floyd who no doubt is beyond horrified as their grief is national news and exploited by those who seek to do harm. Also, please keep those who have lost their homes and livelihoods in your prayers.

This week I was reminded of a quote from Ted Kaczynski\’s brother David: \”Love is powerful and violence is weak.\” (If interested, you can listen to his interview about his brother here.) Let\’s make that our credo this summer. Spread the love and not hate or violence. We\’ve had far more than we need of the latter.

Well, it is, fortunately, Friday!! Here are 5 Things that I found really interesting (and in some cases, really adorable) this week. Please enjoy! 💖

1) In light of the George Floyd tragedy, it was good to hear two seasoned police officers speak on the topic. Dan and Dave of the Small Town Dicks podcast are worth listening to. They bring their experience to the table and raise some valid concerns about the social climate going forward. I especially like the suggestion that officers wear black armbands in George\’s honor. The meaning behind it as a tragedy for law enforcement everywhere as well as society in general would not be lost. 

2) I am so immensely proud of some 8th graders who used their funds from a (canceled) trip to aid the Navajo Nation. The Navajo community was hit hard by the COVID-19 epidemic. It is estimated that they suffered 5,479 cases and 248 resulting deaths. That\’s an astronomical percentage. To make matters more complicated, the tribal lands are remote. No doubt obtaining food and other supplies is even more complex than usual. Please keep your Native brothers and sisters in your prayers during this time. P.S. If you too feel led to support the Navajo Nation, Western Indian Ministries is a very cool organization to partner with. 

3) The NPR show Hidden Brain delved into a controversial topic \”Justifying The Means: What It Means To Treat All Suffering Equally.\” Prepare for a brain trip regardless of whether or not you also espouse the beliefs/ethics of Australian philosopher Peter Singer. Although I don\’t happen to agree with his conclusions entirely, Singer is extremely learned and well-spoken. I\’d definitely enjoy sitting in one of his classes.  

4) Just when you needed a mega-dose of cuteness, here come a bunch of puppies who apparently also like storytime (from their dino friend). Holy moly these guys are cute and strangely attentive! Who else wants to cuddle some puppies right about now? 

5) Your cuteness overload deserves a funny video chaser. Check out this Pepsi commercial that definitely takes the cake… er… can. The narrative is very clever and I dare you not to chuckle!

Okay, that\’s all for now. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!