The Best Paragraph I've Read...

Which Societal Change is the Bigger Deal? No One Has A Nickname Anymore? Kosher Salt Became the Default Salt? Paper Straws Are Out & We Return to Plastic? Zac & Don Debate.

The Best Paragraph I've Read:When we use nicknames with people we don’t know—calling Eisenhower “Ike,” for example—it imports a fondness or intimacy to the relationship, as if they are part of the family. Boys, in particular, get nicknames from their teammates, their roommates, their fraternity brothers, their co-workers. They are a common aspect of close-knit, bonding culture: You can expect a nickname in a military unit, for example. Nicknames are, by default, affirming. For a nickname to be negative, it has to be explicitly so, designed to counter our positive expectations of nicknames: Tricky Dick Nixon, for instance.I am thus concerned about the disappearance of nicknames. As my five children have grown up—they span from age 6 to 18—I have noticed with regret that not one of them has been given a nickname. And they aren’t some sort of weird outliers: None of their friends have nicknames, either. Varsity jackets that, 30 years ago, would have been emblazoned with bespoke names indicating affection and belonging—Spike, Junior, Scooter, Cheech, Rocky, whatever—now have proper, unshortened Christian names: William, James, Kristen.This essay comes from the Wall Street Journal. The essay is titled: "Where Have All the Nicknames Gone?" The author is Mark Oppenheimer. You can read the full article here: Where Have All the Nicknames Gone? Zac & Don examine three recent changes that are happening in American society and wonder which is the bigger deal? The changes are: the lack of nicknames, Kosher salt becoming the default salt, and Paper Straws going away.Zac & Don reference the following articles when talking about Kosher Salt & Paper Straws:The Great Salt Shake Up (Atlantic)Under Attack Paper Straw Fans Fight Back (Wall Street Journal)

ABUNDANCE! We Read the Book. Why Doesn't America Build Anymore? Failed Housing & Infrastructure Policies? Afraid of Science & Health Risk? Regulations! Will Anyone Turn Abundance Into A Movement?

The Best Paragraph I've Read:Political movements succeed when they build a vision of the future that is imbued with the virtues of the past. Franklin D. Roosevelt pitched his expansive view of government as a sentinel for American freedoms: of speech, of worship, fromwant, from fear. Decades later, Ronald Reagan recast government as freedom’s nemesis rather than its protector. Abundance, too, is about redefining freedom for our own time. It is about the freedom to build in an age of blocking; the freedom to move and live where you want in an age of a stuck working class; the freedom from curable diseases that come from scientific breakthroughs.This paragraph comes from an essay in the Atlantic titled: The Political Fight of the Century. The author is Derek Thompson. You can read the full essay here:https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/03/abundance-americas-next-political-order/682069/?utm_source=feed Zac & Don are joined by their good friend Kevin Kopec. The three discuss some of the big ideas from the new book Abundance. They discuss past government failure on housing policy, large infrastructure projects, small thinking when it comes to science and more. They also wonder if the ideas of Abundance will actually be promoted by future politicians. You can find more information about Abundance here:https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Abundance/Derek-Thompson/9781668023488

Completing Daily Tasks Yourself! Is There Personal Value In It? Is It Better to Cook Your Own Food? Do Your Own Home Repairs? Rake Your Own Lawn? How Much Value Is Personal Pride from Projects Worth?

The Best Paragraph I've Read: Modern life often prizes prepackaged conveniences. We buyready made products, eat frozen pizzas and replace what’s broken instead of fixing it. The more successful we become, the more likely we are to outsource jobs that we might have once done ourselves. Yet the effort of involvement is what gives meaning to so much of life. This paragraph comes from an essay in the Wall Street Journal. The author is Moshe Bar. You can read the full essay here:Why I’ve Become More Mindful About What I Delegate - WSJZac & Don discuss the meaning behind doing things. They wonder if it is better to make your own repairs and cook your own food. They discuss whether there is value is not outsourcing the daily tasks you can do for yourself.

The Skills & Activities Young People are Better than Ever At! Sports? Math? Rubik Cube? Skateboarding? STEM? &More! Why are the BEST Young People Accelerating While the Averages Struggle Academically?

The Best Paragraph I've Read:"In which domains are elite practitioners celebrating the kids being better than ever before? Would love to read about a few instances."This paragraph comes from Patrick Collinson thread on X. You can read the full thread here:https://x.com/patrickc/status/1903957601274253747 Zac & Don talk about the skills and activities that young people are better than ever at. They wonder why young people are accelerating at certain things while the average young person worldwide is seeing drops in reading and math scores.

College Sports Recruitment! How Do High School Athletes Get Noticed? John Blackstock Explains Why You Need To Be An Active Participant With: Highlight Videos, Social Media, Being Realistic, & More!

Zac & Don are joined by varsity football coach John Blackstock. John is a cofounder of Coach's Suite, an organization focused on helping athletes navigate the realities and process of college sport's recruitment.The discussion focuses on how high school athletes should think about college recruitment. Instead of waiting for a college coach to find you, an athletes and their family must become an active participant in the process. Zac, Don, & John talk about how an athlete can get noticed by college coaches. They also talk about the major changes that are impacting college athletics and high school recruitment.You can learn more about Coach's Suite and find John's contact information at the link below.Coaching Resources | Coach's Suite Llc