📫 Happy 250th Birthday to the USPS
You've got mail. Grab a coffee and let's dive in to some American history, current American drama and fascinating conversation starters for your weekend.
The U.S. Postal Service celebrates 250 years of operation! On this day in 1775, just three months after the first battle of the American Revolution, the Second Continental Congress created a postal system – known as the Constitutional Post – to help ensure the secure exchange of information, particularly between Congress and the Continental Army.
One such communication sent via the Constitutional Post? This letter from Nathanael Greene after a long winter at Valley Forge, asking for materials needed to move the Continental Army to their next location. 👇🏽
Image Credit: National Postal Museum
Who did the Second Continental Congress choose as America’s first Postmaster General? Benjamin Franklin.
🗣️ Your Conversation Starters:
📰 What We're Reading: Despite an infinite number of reports and debates about Russia and the 2016 election, we still find ourselves wondering: What in the world actually happened? If you feel the same, we found these two reads helpful this week: Real Clear Politics offers an investigation that maps out one scenario. For balance, The New York Times has a different perspective.
📑 Early Recess: Speaker Johnson started summer recess a day early for the U.S. House of Representatives - he says he wants to avoid "political games" but his critics say he wants to avoid a vote on the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Need a refresher on the Epstein case? Jenna provides one in this podcast. We also found this recap from the BBC helpful.
🥩 Beefy Prices: Speaking of burgers, beef prices hit an all-time high, sky-rocketing more than 10% in June. One reason for this? A record low in cattle herd sizes. This begs the question: are beef prices the new egg prices? Jenna covers this in our weekly SCOOP broadcast.
🧠 We’re All Old(er): Living through the pandemic aged our brains 5.5 months, according to a study published in Nature Communications.
🌊 PSA: A rescue this week reminds us that July is the deadliest month for drowning deaths in America. Here are some SmartHER resources on water safety.
🍓 Pick Your Berries: From the frozen section. New science explains why.
💼 Forward to Your Boss: A 4-day work week “can lead to happier, more effective workers,” according to a new global study.
🧩 Giant Jigsaw: Archaeologists are piecing together a nearly 2,000-piece puzzle of ancient Roman frescoes discovered near the Thames River. Described as the “largest ever amassed in the English capital,” the painted plaster fragments offer a glimpse into the Roman occupation of London.
😡 “Angry Feelings”: New research shows that as women age, they feel more anger – but express it less. Here’s the full study.
🥵 “Definitely Don’t Do That”: An expert says turning down your AC in the summer hurts the unit and drains your electric budget – but won’t cool your house any faster. Instead, they recommend keeping most indoor temps between 71 and 77 degrees. Here’s a few of their other tips.
🎙️ This Week From Jenna:
A DEBRIEF: When old news becomes new news & the passing of a legend:
- Hulk Hogan passes away; cardiac arrest vs. heart attack
- Why headlines from 2016 and 2019 continue to dominate our news
- Congressional action on Epstein investigation; what to know about what’s next
- Record high housing prices (and falling sales)
- The “impending” fraud crisis
Link to Miami Herald article (2018): How a future Trump Cabinet member gave a serial sex abuser the deal of a lifetime
WATCH ABOVE OR BY CLICKING HERE. You can also listen on podcasting platforms everywhere (Apple, Spotify).
🎙️ SCOOP (approx. 50 minutes) Coldplay, Burger Prices & the Face-Off Over “Treasonous” Reports. Listen. (SCOOP Insiders can attend this live broadcast once a week and get their news questions answered; they also receive the special video report EXCLUSIVELY delivered to their inbox along with a "cheat sheet" for the week ahead — learn more HERE).
🙌🏽 What We Found SmartHER This Week:
One SmartHER water safety tip experts agree on? Bright-colored bathing suits for your kids: "People should avoid swimsuits in light blue, gray, or green as they can blend with the water and pool surroundings, making it difficult to spot a child. We recommend bright and contrasting colors such as neon yellow, orange, pink, and bright red. These colors are highly visible both underwater and on the surface," explained Bernard Fisher, director of health and safety for the American Lifeguard Association. Here's a few of our favorite finds.
🏡 On the Market:
You can soon own John Hancock’s 250-year-old home. And while recent data shows lower homes sales, and higher prices, this one stands out – as the only Revolutionary-era residence still standing in Boston that once belonged to a Founding Father.
Image Credit: Flylisted | LandVest
And that's The Weekend Digest!
❤️,
Jenna and the SHN Team
Daily news, interviews, our latest podcasts and more at www.SmartHERNews.com.
