Why it still takes days for banks to give you your money
If it’s not obvious, I’m a member of Gen Z. I do remember the days where I helped my mom balance her checkbook, but I also grew up when money became essentially digital. It always confused me when my automated savings deposits from one bank to another would take at least three days to clear, or when I wouldn’t see money from a return until a week later. What gives? My colleague Dylan Matthews explains why the US is so behind when it comes to fast transfers.
How worried should legal immigrants be about Trump’s deportations?
Sigh. I’m the daughter of a Mexican immigrant-turned-US citizen. Not much more to say other than I hate having to call my father and hear anxiety in his voice, even though there should be nothing to worry about. These tips are actionable and helpful for those in a similar boat.
Zero-sum politics is destroying America. We can build a way out.
Speaking of bleak things, let’s talk about how the US is in a desperate race to the bottom. (See last two recs.) BUT!!!! We can do something about it! You’ve probably heard of Vox co-founder Ezra Klein's new book Abundance, co-written with Derek Thompson. The book argues about the ways Democrats lost the plot and became mired in bureaucracy and regulations that have created a world of artificial scarcity. But, as editorial director Bryan Walsh points out, both parties can — and should — let go of “fighting endlessly over who gets what piece of a shrinking pie.”
🎧 How to talk to aliens
Easy: don’t. Okay, I’m being facetious here. (I am someone who firmly believes that we should not answer if ET phones home, lest we open ourselves up to some crazy sci-fi existential risk.) That said, we should probably learn how to communicate with said extraterrestrial life in the event the need arises. I loved this episode from Unexplainable, diving into the science of how we’d actually do that. (Or if we even can.)
Don’t get surgery on a Friday
Vindication! My partner got wisdom tooth surgery last week. Before he scheduled it though, I told him he should aim for earlier in the week, mainly because I wanted to be able to take care of him (and because I wanted him to be better so we could have a fun Sunday at the museum). But then one of my colleagues found a paper that indicated a higher complication rate for those scheduled ahead of the weekend. And no, I didn’t plant this story for my own nefarious ends.
The realist’s guide to spring cleaning
I’m a sicko — my favorite holiday of the year is New Years (yes, that also includes Lunar New Year, Persian New Year, and any astrological instance that indicates new beginnings). I love the idea of shedding old habits in the form of some kind of ritual. So, of course, spring cleaning takes over my brain like one of those zombie mushrooms from The Last of Us. The problem is, I’m over-ambitious. I want to change the blinds. Paint the bathroom. Scrub the floors until my nail polish peels off. Sort through every piece of paper or clothing until I’ve reached a new state of Marie Kondo godhood. But I don’t need to do all that to experience the benefits of spring cleaning, Even Better’s Allie Volpe explains.
