5SR - October 16, 2023

Today’s curator is the founder of #5SmartReads, Hitha Palepu. She’s a consummate multihyphenate - CEO of Rhoshan Pharmaceuticals, author of WE’RE SPEAKING: The Life Lessons of Kamala Harris and How to Pack: Travel Smart for Any Trip, and professional speaker. Hitha is an unabashed fan of Taco Bell, Philadelphia sports teams & F1, romance novels, and is a mediocre crafter. She lives in NYC with her husband and two sons.

The referendum did not divide this country: it exposed it. Now the racism and ignorance must be urgently addressed (The Guardian)

The fact that this headline could be written about so many countries is depressing and its own issue.

But in the case of this article, it’s about the recent referendum to amend the Australian constitution to formally recognize the First Nations members in the document and create an Indigenous body to advise government on policies that affect them.

The bar for passage was almost impossibly high, requiring a majority vote in an election and for four out of six states to pass it as well (quite similar to amending the US Constitution). For many of my Australian friends, the results of the vote came as a shock.

But as I wrote in yesterday’s newsletter, there are always seeds of hope planted in the sadness. Certain states in Australia are moving forward with treaty proposals with First Nations leaders, and those leaders have a larger platform and alliances to continue working together for change.

The Queenmaker (Bustle)

You know that icebreaker question “if you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be?”

I’m changing my answer to Felicity Blunt.

Her name may be familiar to you because of her family (married to Stanley Tucci, her sister is Emily Blunt), but I want to have a long conversation about spotting new literary talent, adapting books to television, and the magic of stories while eating cacio e pepe and a Negroni prepared by her husband.

Yes, I’ve thought a lot about it. And this interview further validates it, especially her parenting philosophy:

New brain map reveals thousands of cell types (Axios)

Outlive gave me a greater appreciation of just how complex our brain is, and thus how difficult it is to understand the mechanism of action of neurodegenerative disorders (and developing therapeutics for them).

But this newest announcement - a more detailed map revealing more than 3,300 different cell types in 461 clusters - may accelerate this research.

Creating a comprehensive map of the brain will be even more complex than expected, but that hasn’t stopped the most brilliant scientists who have helped us get to this stage.

Finding your place in the galaxy with the help of Star Trek (NPR)

I’ve often tried to find the words of what Star Trek means to me and how it’s contributed to what little optimism I have about the future, but have always failed to write what I really mean.

I’m grateful for Regina Barber for writing how I feel about this incredible universe.

Voyager was the Trek that brought me into this fandom, but I’ve now watched all of Next Generation and the new series that Paramount has brought to life (and love all of them, but I would start with Strange New Worlds).

If you’re feeling dejected about the state of the world, it’s a sign that you still are holding onto your humanity. But if you want to feel hopeful about the future, I do encourage you to give Trek a try - it’s hopeful, smart, and reminds me of the potential we have together.

What My Viral Post on Israel-Hamas Propaganda Really Means (The Daily Beast)

There’s a good chance you’ve seen (and probably shared or saved) Ben Sheehan’s post on Instagram about propaganda:

The post alone is incredibly impactful. This essay - even more so.

Please take the time to read it in full - no summary or commentary will do it justice (and that’s the point).