#5SmartReads - May 29, 2023

Analysis: How Memorial Day came to have a history of contentious meanings (PBS News Hour)

Today is meant to be a day of appreciation and reflection on those who lost their lives in the service of our country.

It’s also one of the biggest commercial weekends of the year. And for much of the United States, it marks the beginning of summer (complete with weekend grill sessions, parties, and a lot of travel).

And all of these are individually and collectively very American, as much as we may decry the latter commercial aspects of this day.

I appreciate the thoughtful analysis of Memorial Day’s original purpose and how these latter hallmarks came to be over the past century.

And I hope each of us spares some time today to give thanks to the individuals who gave their lives for our country, and to their loved ones who still miss them deeply.

Every time I read one of Anne Helen Petersen’s essays, I have to give myself a few minutes to reflect on and process what I’ve read. Anne Helen has a way of exploring various narratives or widely accepted norms with care and a critical eye, and leaves us questioning whatever she’s unpacked and also the other norms we’ve previously accepted without question.

I have a running list of things I plan to change or zhush in our home (and this list only continues to grow longer as we spend more time here). But after reading this piece, I looked at my couch and felt grateful for the movie nights, sick days, and my postpartum binge TV viewing sessions with Rhaki snuggled up on me I spent there. The stubborn turmeric stains lingering on my counter brings the memories of the home cooked meals my mom, my Amma, and our caregiver have prepared in this kitchen.

It may not be good for the private sector to pause and simply enjoy the things you already own. But this reframe is soothing for my soul and heart (and better for my own bank account).

Debt ceiling deal: What’s in, what’s out of the agreement to avert US default (Associated Press)

The debt ceiling agreement hammered out by President Biden and Speaker McCarthy is getting spun a million different ways. In principle, it’s a solid compromise that will see us through 2024, and it’s far from a done deal (it still needs to be passed in both chambers of Congress).

Here are some of the provisions that I found important:

• while the age for existing work requirements for SNAP has been raised to 54 years old (and it expires in 2030), SNAP benefits are also extended to people who are currently homeless and for veterans (with no work requirements).

• any non-defense budget increase was never going to pass the House (and would’ve had a hard time getting Manchin or Sinema onboard), so keeping it at the same level as 2022 was as good as it would going to get.

• preserved the current status of student debt relief (including the pause on payments through September and income-driven repayment expansion), and protected the Department of Education’s future ability to pause payments.

• the hundreds of billions allocated in the Inflation Reduction Act for clean energy projects remains in place.

And if President Biden could negotiate this with a chaotic Republican caucus, imagine what he could do if the Democrats increased their seats in the Senate and took back the House. Like do away with the debt ceiling, once and for all?

How Diipa Büller-Khosla Got to Cannes — And Brought Her Brand (The Juggernaut)

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a film scholar or expert. My tastes are capital-B basic - superhero/Star Wars/sci-fi films, a witty rom-com with explosive chemistry, “aggressively feminist” (my husband’s words).

What I lack in knowledge and interest in film, I make up for my fascination with red carpet looks. And Cannes is one of the best red carpets of the year - and the most mysterious.

But leave it to my brilliant friend Diipa to bring us along and lift the veil of mystery behind Cannes. In addition to being the first South Asian influencer to walk this storied carpet (and one of the first influencers, if I’m not mistaken), she invited other remarkable South Asian women to walk the carpet with her - AND got her beauty brand red carpet accreditation (the first South Asian beauty brand, at that).

If there’s one thing I know to be true about Diipa, it’s that she exudes “you CAN sit with us” energy in everything she does.

I’m also a fan of her brand indē wild - those serums are POWERFUL, the sunscreen is fantastic, and her hair oil is *chef’s kiss*. Give them a try (for the serums, start with once a week and apply a light face oil BEFORE you apply the serum if you have sensitive skin - they’ve packed with actives and this technique helped my skin adjust to them).

Disclosure - I am an investor in The Juggernaut, the publisher of this article.

God, money and Dairy Queen: How Texas House investigators secured the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton (The Texas Tribune)

If you’re in drama withdrawals with the end of Succession…well, have I got a story for you.

I don’t think anyone could’ve written the true story of Texas’ Attorney General’s impeachment. We’ve got affairs, misappropriation of funds in a number of areas, and even Dairy Queen.

There is no way of summarizing this piece, so please just read it (and carve out a little bit of time - it’s a long one, but you also won’t be able to stop reading because it’s that salacious).