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Hola! We’re back from summer break and deep in back to school mode. First up, is an upcoming interview with Jessica Tarlov. If you have any questions you want to ask Jessica during our upcoming interview, send us an email: contact@meantfort.com
If you missed our last podcast with Jessica, get to it before we post the next one!
Jessica Tarlov is the co-host of Fox News Channel’s The Five, cable’s highest-rated program. As the lone, democratic voice on The Five, Jessica shares how she handles the daily debates and how she decides to pick her battles. Given our upcoming elections, Jessica stares her thoughts on our political landscape. Can you imagine being the lone democrat on a Fox talkshow? It may seem daunting, but Jessica loves her job on The Five and feels fortunate for the opportunity to bring alternative opinions and analysis to the most important news stories.
And, if you want a nudge to start planing a future trip to Portugal, here it is. The streets of Lisbon and Porto, are a feast for your eyes. On each block, you can sense its 1000 years of rich history and its warm, seductive culture. The food and the generosity of the people in Portugal is perfectly overwhelming.
PS: Here is a fun recap of the Olympics from the Holderness family. We’ll miss the daily display of beauty and excellence, and daydreaming about what it would be like to achieve such greatness.
Things we read and loved in the last two weeks:
-Polina, Yelena and Amber
Our Bodies
Ladies, are you ready to talk about the things we feel uncomfortable talking about? Don’t miss this episode with Caroline Baudino:
“You're not telling anybody because you don't want anybody to know that maybe you're getting older, or that you want to admit your age, or that you're having a hard time, because again, women don't talk about things. We keep everything secret, we keep everything hidden. I don't know a single woman that talks about her credit card bill, talks about finances, or talks about menopause, or their health, or their real marriage.” - Caroline Baudino
From Coming In Hot: THE M WORD, Aug 12, 2024
The World
This is one of the most informative and important articles about the root cause of global anti-semitism. Absolute must-read.
The left’s addiction to warmed-over Soviet anti-Zionist propaganda from half a century ago proves that its criticism of Israel has nothing to do with facts on the ground in Gaza” - Izabella Tabarovsky
From Sharon McMahon’s newsletter about propaganda. Here we are living our lives, worrying about bills, relationships, parenting and across the world, so many are suffering in Russia and Ukraine. It’s hard to comprehend how it’s 2024 and there are still wars raging. What can you do. What can any of us do other than stay informed and civically engaged? We follow Sharon’s blog religiously.
Nearly three years into the invasion, a majority of Russians still support the war in Ukraine, believing Ukraine wants them there, and the army is fighting “extremists,” despite the fact that in May, 1,000 Russian soldiers died each day in Ukraine.
Here is Incredible reporting on what people will do in search of a better life From The Atlantic, What I Saw in the Darien Gap
Migrants Risking it all in the Treacherous Darien Gap - Fresh Air Podcast
Mental Health
If you are not talking to a family member, here are a few stats to show that you are not alone, nearly half the country is in the same boat.
“Despite the stigma, going no contact is extremely common: About 30 percent of Americans are currently estranged from a family member, with up to 40 percent of Americans having experienced it at some point. Though hard data is difficult to come by, anecdotes suggest that family splits are becoming more frequent.” - Emi Neitfeld
If you are doing everything you can and still feeling something is missing in your life, it could be cultural.
“And so I think when we start looking at those cultural differences, one thing we can say is like, hang on, maybe the values that we have in the US, this kind of super individualism and capitalism at all costs, maybe we're kind of missing something that really does matter for our actual happiness. And so I think these kinds of comparisons across countries can be really powerful.” - Dr. Laurie Santos
From The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos: "Happiness Is Like A Leaky Tire" from Immigrantly, Aug 5, 2024
Money
The rise of the blue collar job is upon us:
He Skipped College to Become a Repairman. He’s On His Way to $175,000 a Year from the Wall Street Journal
Barbara Corcoran says you should buy real estate now before the next rate cut.
Careers
We are enjoying the podcast, “What it’s like to be”. In this episode, they discuss what it’s really like to be a lifeguard. You will be pulled in immediately and moved by the description of the camaraderie, the devotion to service, the day-to-day, and the technical details about the ocean and currents.
“We were swimmers, most of us were surfers, and we stood on podiums and we garnered awards and we were recognized for our athletic achievement. But as a lifeguard, when a new person comes up, we don't care about any of that. When you now use your God-given skills to rescue people, to serve your community now, now you become valuable.”
From What It's Like To Be...: An Ocean Lifeguard, Jul 16, 2024
Laugh with us
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Quote of the Week
What We Are Reading
The End of Race Politics by Coleman Hughes
Second Class by Batya Unger-Sargon