A great and unexpected treat. Staying at friends, not so old New Yorkers. And in one of them, volume six of personal histories by John McPhee, “95 at this writing”. Absolutely my favourite writer of non-fiction, and these brief glimpses are simply wonderful.
Not ‘western civ. doesn’t exist’ nor ‘western civ. is bad’. Rather, “western civilization is real & good, captured in writing & song and we are killing it with our violence, cruelty and greed, we have become the barbarians at our own gates.”
Bret Deveraux but not going to link to his X
Latest newsletter looks at the various ways consolidation in farming and food ends up having bad consequences, and they’re not even unforeseen, they’re the point.
Also, why we won’t eat the bugs; it’s not in our DNA.
And, MAHA turns on a friend.
A particularly plucky tomato plant. No flowers. Yet.
Location check in 🗺 — La Bettola
Twenty years and a day ago, I wrote about the spurious need for balance in the media. Not much — perhaps nothing — has changed since then. I do wonder whether Andrew Revkin still thinks the effects of climate change “could take centuries to materialize”.
Eat This Newsletter: Wakelyns needs supporters to become a fitting remembrance for Martin Wolfe, a great pioneer of agricultural biodiversity. Plus “wasted” calories, ultra-proccessed foods, and cyclosporiasis so far.
Top Albums from last.fm on 12/07/26 1, Jenny Scheinman, Here on Earth, (15); 2, Various Artists, Till The Night Is Gone: A Tribute To Doc Pomus, (14); 3, Various Artists, Tamla Motown Gold, (2);
Location check in 🗺 — A Beirut
Latest Eat this Newsletter offers insights into a cool museum, restrictive plant varieties, and better breeding that is not restrictive.
Get it at https://buttondown.com/jeremycherfas/archive/etn-307-free/ and consider subscribing while you’re there.