#5SmartReads - August 30, 2022

Drones are sniffing out landmines in Ukraine (Axios)

Military use of drones is something I have some strong and very mixed feelings about, but this particular application - to identify landmines - is a worthy one, and one that should be scaled at a greater humanitarian level.

These drones are outfitted with a number of different sensors (with different cameras, radar, and other technology) to help identify landmines from “clutter”, and can help detect a number of different mines made from different materials.

Note that this doesn’t solve the issue of removing the landmines (which remains a dangerous and labor-intensive process), and scaling up how we demine land is something we need to address in parallel.

Given that this is very much a pilot program, time will tell just how successful it is. But it is very much promising.

Stacey Abrams’ New Book Mixes Romance With High-Stakes Suspense (Bustle)

We stan a multi-hyphenated queen, and Stacey Abrams is just that.

But we’re not here to talk about how she flipped Georgia blue two years ago, or about her second run to serve as Georgia’s next governor. No, we’re here to talk about books - specifically, her romantic suspense novels.

This excerpt moved the book to the top of my September reading list (just as soon as I get through some already committed to reads). If you haven’t pre-ordered your copy yet, you can reserve the book from your local library or purchase a copy via Bookshop.org, Amazon, or Libro.fm.

‘Artemis generation’: Nasa to launch first crew-rated rocket to moon since 1972 (The Guardian)

While yesterday’s launch of Artemis I was scrubbed (and rescheduled for Friday, in case you plan to wake up early and watch like I am), the significance of this mission is well worth paying attention to.

Because we are going back to the moon, folks (and landing the first woman on the moon)! And then, Mars.

This is a great summary of the Artemis program, and its goals eeriely mimics the plot of For All Mankind (one of the greatest shows, and my fellow ACOTAR fans will be pleased to know that its showrunner Ronald D. Moore is also executive producing the ACOTAR Hulu series).

And if you’d like some space book recommendations, you can find them on my I Need Some Space (Books) bookshelf on Copper, or shop them here.

Netflix’s ‘Partner Track’ star Arden Cho talks sexism and racism in big law (NBC News)

For me, August was basically Asian Excellence Month on Netflix - and I would love to have this level of representation for all underrepresented cultures on all the streaming platforms, all the time.

But I digress.

I really enjoyed Partner Track, both the book by Helen Wan (which I personally liked more than The Boys Club) and the show starring Arden Cho.

And this line from an interview with Arden hit me like a ton of bricks:

I think many women - and especially women of color - have been given this feedback during their career. The knife edge of being just enough and not too much or too little is a dangerous path we’ve had to tread while doing our jobs, and to see this experience get the beautifully messy portrayal it deserves means a lot.

That’s just one small sliver of what makes the show and this interview great. Most of the negative reviews I’ve been skew negative, but I’ve also noticed that they’ve largely been written by white writers who fail to empathize with this very American experience. Their criticisms miss the very point of the show, and miss the opportunity to immerse themselves in a different culture or experience with curiosity and to learn.

So skip those interviews and watch the show to escape but also to open your eyes to a different American experience (and also, please diversify your media choices to celebrate non-white joy and love and advancement, and not just the pain).

Inside the survival story of a Mississippi store fighting high inflation (NPR)

Despite the vast reporting on inflation, we too often miss how it impacts people and businesses specifically.

The Simmons-Wright Company - a store in Kewanee, MS - has endured some of the most tumultuous moments of recent history. It’s survived the Great Depression, multiple wars, the great Recession, and now this inflationary moment.

How? By pivoting and surviving.

The 100+ year old business began selling pork skins and fried catfish in store and delivered burgers to a truck line to survive the 2008 Great Recession, which became the 1884 Cafe and provided the majority of revenue in the past 10 years. Now, Gary Pickett is considering yet another pivot to help keep the business going so he can pass it down to his own son and daughter.

People are certainly resilient and creative, and the Picketts are just one example of that. But it also means that our government and private sector must also do what they can to help tamper the effects of inflation, both in the short and long-term. Because the loss of businesses like these is a loss to our identity.