This hasn't been a great week
Charles Krauthammer announced today that he has only a few weeks to live. The tributes have already started pouring in, and rightfully so. As I found out when I interviewed him back in 2011, he's a kind, humorous man who was generous with his time. (Check out the video here.)
This news comes at the end of a week that saw more than its share. Like many others, I was saddened to learn about the suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. Bourdain's book, Kitchen Confidential, helped inspire me as a writer. There isn't much original to say about this, except to repeat the fact that no amount of fame or fortune can satisfy.
Also, there's no shame in admitting that you need help. If you do, please seek it. We can't afford to lose any more amazing people.
Here's something a little more positive
At some point in my life, I went from being a tech utopian to a tech dystopian. The truth, though, is that both extremes are probably wrong. Technology is simultaneously horrible and glorious. It's morally neutral, though it probably widens the spectrum of possibilities.
This week, I was reminded of the upside of technology, when I started telling my kids about D-Day. They had questions--more questions than I could answer. So I found this surprisingly good cartoon video explainer on YouTube, which kept them mesmerized for ten minutes. The first one is about D-Day, and the second one is about how England kept the timing and location (which beaches we would land on) a secret.
Then, I stumbled on this guy who makes short animated video explainers, touching on everything from Stoicism to book reviews. If you want to have a quick, basic understanding of something (or teach your kids the basics) Fight Mediocrity page is essentially the 21st century version of Cliff's Notes.
Now, I realize that I may be late to the party. For whatever reason, I became obsessed with audio podcasts back in the late 2000s, and didn't pay as much attention to the resources available via YouTube. Still, I'm amazed by the amount of quality educational resources available to us--for free!--these days.
What an amazing time to be alive!
On the Podcast
This week, I talked to Courtney Carver, creator of the Minimalist Fashion Project 333 (featured in Oprah Magazine), about her new new book Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More.
I also talked to David Axelrod, who is, of course, the former Obama strategist. We had a great conversation about current events, as well as a surprisingly delightful discussion about how to hire good people--and treat them well!
Just a reminder to download this podcast discussion on iTunes or Stitcher - or better yet, subscribe, rate, and review. And please support the podcast on Patreon!
Speaking of David Axelrod, you should definitely listen to his Axe Files interview with Today Show co-host Savannah Guthrie. This was an incredibly intimate conversation, largely focused on how her Christian faith helped her overcome the death of her father, and guided her career.
This Week in Matt
Last week, I was on CNN's Reliable Sources where I talked about the controversy of MSNBC's Joy Reid, as well as the fact that there are "Two Americas" with starkly different takes on Donald Trump.
And over at Bloggingheads, I discussed the controversy over the canceled the Philadelphia Eagles' visit to the White House.
Meanwhile, over at the Daily Beast, I wrote about why conservatives should not fall in love with Rod Blagojevich, and why EPA Director Scott Pruitt should hit the bricks.
Finale Thoughts
The FX series The Americans ended last week. Like a lot of people, I loved this show (and not just because--in my opinion--it made Ronald Reagan look pretty great). If you didn't get into it, but are looking for something worth binge-watching, well, you know what to do.