Reading for Fun in U.S. Plunges 40% Over Two Decades, Study Finds

I’m definitely picking up some of the slack. I have to read something just to serve as a distraction for all of this *gestures broadly*

Half of Americans say journalists ‘losing influence’ on society: Study

I’m not sure if I buy that. Traditional journalistic institutions are definitely on the struggle bus right now for multiple reasons, but independent journalists are having a moment

More Stories Below, but first some new content in the News Sidequest Podcast Universe…

Auditory Anthology

SCI-FI SHORT STORIES - NARRATED BY DARREN MARLAR & PRODUCED BY KEITH CONRAD

Tales From the Blue Line: A skeptical woman who believes there’s no such thing as ghosts moves into an old apartment, where her bathroom mirror begins commenting on her daily life

Tales From the Blue Line - Mirror Ghost Keith Conrad / Darren Marlar Episode

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Colby Hall Unpacks Trump’s Alaska Fumble—and the MAGA Media Meltdown

AS I WAS SAYING WITH BIG JOHN HOWELL

John Howell is joined by Colby Hall, founding editor of Mediaite, to break down the strange spectacle of Donald Trump’s recent “peace summit” with Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

Colby Hall Unpacks Trump’s Alaska Fumble—and the MAGA Media Meltdown Big John Howell Episode

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The Mascot Distraction: Smoke, Fire, and Trump’s Culture War Playbook

THE CHICAGO SMOKEHOUSE WITH BIG JOHN HOWELL AND RICK TELANDER

Big John Howell and Rick Telander tackle everything from Trump’s resurrection of racist mascots to the enduring grift of American demagoguery.

The Mascot Distraction: Smoke, Fire, and Trump’s Culture War Playbook John Howell / Rick Telander Episode

Listen on Apple | Listen on iHeartMedia | Listen on Amazon | RSS Feed

Also Worth A Look…

• MIT Report Finds 95% of Generative AI Pilots Fail to Deliver Measurable Business Impact - That’s going to be a problem for all of the places that immediately fired a bunch of people assuming AI could do their jobs

• Texas Woman Reported Missing Found Living With 'Kingdom of Kubala' in Scottish Woods - There’s a lot to unpack there. An American woman living with an African tribe in Scotland

• A British restaurant is launching the U.K.’s first water menu - I mean.. my culinary preferences are so bland that doesn’t actually sound too bad. Although I’d always wonder if they were just using tap water and laughing at us in the kitchen… or would there even be a kitchen?

• 4-Year-Old Calls 911 to Talk About Swimming. Police Respond With Birthday Surprise - Not to be a wet blanket, but I hope there weren’t any murders during that time

• Rapid loss of Antarctic ice may be climate tipping point, scientists say - That seems less than ideal

• TSA: No Cordless Hair Tools in Checked Bags, but Lobsters OK - I feel like that’s useful information to have

• $300 lottery prize leads Michigan man to $714,891 progressive jackpot - That hardly seems fair

• Mile-deep underwater volcano off West Coast could erupt soon, scientists say - Gird your loins

• Astronauts get stuffy noses in space because of microgravity, scientists find - Wally Schirra is rolling his eyes in his grave (Reference)

• California resident tests positive for plague - Who had “The Plague” on their Bingo card for August?

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