Plus: How to sleep better and Noah Kahan's apology
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September 30, 2024
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🧩 5 ACROSS Polished ([link removed]) | ☁️ 63° A cloudy week ([link removed]) | 🐈 Cat adoption fees waived ([link removed]) !
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Diamond Naga Siu
Starting Point writer
X: @diamondnagasiu ([link removed])

Hope you had a lovely weekend, Starting Pointers. I’m excited to ride the Red Line to Braintree again — and eager to see if it actually feels faster.

Today, we’re looking at the mysteries of sleep ([link removed]) , Korean adoption fraud ([link removed]) , and free things to do this week in Boston ([link removed]) .

But first, I’m handing today’s Starting Point to my colleague Erin Douglas ([link removed]) , who explains what Hurricane Helene can tell us about climate change.
TODAY'S STARTING POINT
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Destroyed homes in the small community of Dekle Beach, which was devastated by Hurricane Helene near Keaton Beach, Fla. PAUL RATJE/NYT

I’m Erin, a climate reporter for The Boston Globe. I don’t know about you all, but I spent most of the weekend glued to my phone and TV watching updates about Hurricane Helene’s devastating path across the Southeast.

As of this morning, nearly 100 people had died in the storm, the Associated Press reported ([link removed]) . Helene made landfall near Perry, Fla., then took a destructive path across several states, where it brought catastrophic floods, caused landslides, and knocked out power for millions of people. Many communities are still flooded or isolated after roads collapsed.

Climate change can make hurricanes like Helene stronger than they otherwise would have been. Hot ocean temperatures add power to hurricanes, while warmer air temperatures increase the amount of rain they can carry.

Helene in particular is a prime example of “rapid intensification,” an extremely dangerous phenomenon in which storms get stronger right before making landfall — the worst case scenario. And emerging science suggests that rapid intensification of storms is getting more common ([link removed]) as climate change worsens.

When Helene came into the Gulf, it crossed abnormally warm water ([link removed]) ; rapid intensification of storms is 50 percent more likely during marine heatwaves, a recent study by University of Alabama researchers found ([link removed]) .

For me, Helene was personal. My paternal grandparents live in a small town in western North Carolina, and my mom’s family lives on the other side of the mountains, in East Tennessee. Some communities in North Carolina have been without power, running water, or cell service ([link removed]) for days, and many families, including mine, still have not been able to reach our relatives to find out if they are okay. Saturday afternoon, we heard from a neighbor that although my grandparents cannot communicate with us, they are safe at home – a huge relief.

Hurricane season will come to a close at the end of November, but in Boston, that’s typically when flood season begins ([link removed]) . If you haven’t already, create a communications plan with your relatives and friends and update your emergency kits ([link removed]) . Stay safe, everyone.

– Erin Douglas
POINTS OF INTEREST
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The 2024 edition of the HONK! Festival comes to Somerville and Cambridge Oct. 4-6. Pictured: Attendees watch a performer at the 2023 edition of the outdoor performance weekend. PAT GREENHOUSE/GLOBE STAFF

BOSTON The city has many free things to do this week: coffee samples, a music festival, design panels, workout classes, and more ([link removed]) . (The Boston Globe)

NEW YORK CITY Ohio Senator JD Vance and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz are set to meet for their first and only VP debate Tuesday night. They both are already taking swings at each other. ([link removed]) (Politico)

NEW ENGLAND From library books to gender identity, "parents’ rights" activists across the region are ready for a fight. And they are taking those fights to court ([link removed]) . (The Boston Globe)

SOUTH KOREA Many Korean adoptees believe they were stolen to keep up with Western families’ demand for Korean babies, And those governments — in the US, Europe, and Australia — turned a blind eye to the situation ([link removed]) . (Associated Press)

FENWAY PARK Red Sox play-by-play radio announcer Joe Castiglione, a Connecticut native, retired yesterday after 42 years — a tenure that included calling the final out for three of the team’s last four World Series wins. He had some memorable calls ([link removed]) . (Boston.com)

PORTLAND, Maine Attracted by low costs, proximity to Boston, and abundant natural resources, entrepreneurs could make Portland the latest climate tech hub. More and more people are investing there ([link removed]) . (The Boston Globe)

BOSTON Former Hollywood actress Eliza Dushku says she turned her life around with the help of psychedelic therapy. Now she’s working to transform trauma treatment in Boston and beyond ([link removed]) . (Boston Magazine)

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. During the Soundside music festival, singer-songwriter Noah Kahan apologized for previously insulting the state, including a comment about how Connecticut “doesn’t count” in New England ([link removed]) . (CTPost)

IN BED Experts are studying the mysteries of sleep. These five findings could help you feel more rested ([link removed]) . (The Boston Globe)

BLOTTER TALES A truck rolling away. A goat on the loose. Neighbors going to battle. My colleague Emily Sweeney collects lesser-known incidents from police log books — most of which never make the news ([link removed]) . (The Boston Globe)
ELECTION INSIGHTS | 35 days until the presidential election

Can you guide Kamala Harris or Donald Trump to victory in the Electoral College?

That’s the point of the interactive Election Game from the Financial Times ([link removed]) in which readers allocate resources to compete for a spot in the White House.

You get 100 credits (symbolizing resources such as money, staff, and time) to split among 10 tight races: Arizona, Georgia, Maine, Michigan, Nebraska-CD2, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

If you dedicate more resources than your opponents (other FT readers) to a certain race, you win.

Let me know how you did — and how you allocated the resources — at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Starting%20Point%3A%20Election%20Game) .

Spoiler alert: In my first try, I beat out only 34 percent of other players. I spent 11 credits on Pennsylvania, 15 on Georgia, 14 on North Carolina, 14 on Michigan, 12 on Arizona, 13 on Wisconsin, 11 on Nevada, 7 on New Hampshire, 2 on Maine, and 1 on Nebraska-CD2.

After a few minutes of adjusting the numbers, I got up to 70 percent and then gave up. Good thing I’m not a political strategist!

P.S. Maya Rudolph, check. Jim Gaffigan, check. See who else is playing key figures in the presidential race during SNL’s 50th season, which kicked off Saturday night ([link removed]) .
POLAROID DIARIES
Where we share our adventures around New England and rate them for Starting Point readers.
Rating: Bagged (💰) | Tagged (🏷️) | Dragged (❌)
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Luxor Cafe ([link removed]) | Cambridge

This Egyptian cafe/deli has delicious brunch options and is a great place to meet up and hang out with friends. I would make a special trip just for the Um Ali French Toast (pictured). But the portions are a bit small, especially the shakshuka (pictured). The churro latte was delicious, but the baklava latte disappointed a bit in flavor.

Rating: Bagged 8/10 (💰)

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Cafe Sauvage ([link removed]) | Boston


I’m a big brunch/breakfast person. The vibes and food are both great here (though as much as I love outdoor dining, I personally wouldn’t want to sit next to such a busy street). The duck Benedict is fantastic and so are the truffle fries. The steak is fine, but not special. And the espresso frappe was a perfect bev for the meal.

Rating: Bagged 8/10 (💰)

HEADLINES IN THE CLOUDS
Guess the headline from three choices based on words that appear in the story.
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Thanks for reading Starting Point. We'll have a guest writer on Wednesday 🤫 – Diamond Naga Siu

This email was written by Diamond Naga Siu ([link removed]) + Erin Douglas ([link removed]) and edited by Teresa Hanafin ([link removed]) .

Have a question for the team? Email us at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Question%2Fsuggestion) .

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Sign up for your own copy ([link removed]) . Delivered Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

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