Back in the 1980s, there was a popular antidrug commercial that showed a guy holding up an egg and saying, This is your brain, then pointing to a heated pan and explaining, This is drugs. The guy then cracks the egg into the pan and as it fries, he warns, "This is your brain on drugs." The metaphor served up by the Partnership For A Drug Free America always struck me as being a few eggs short of a dozen, after all, turning an uncracked egg into a popular breakfast treat hardly seems like a negative outcome. Forget my anxiety and borderline depression, give me my brain on drugs with a side of rye. Our attitudes toward some drugs has changed. So has our brain imaging technology. These days, when someone says, "This is your brain on drugs," they're likely pointing to images captured from a functional M.R.I. scanner. It's a lot less tasty than the brain on drugs they served in the 80s, but it's a lot more accurate. NYT (Gift Article): This Is Literally Your Brain on Drugs. My neuroscience chops are a little rusty, but it seems pretty clear you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet.

2

Don't Bogart That Torch My Friend

As the RNC's hero-worship week draws big ratings, the Dems remain divided over the most basic of matters: Who their presidential candidate should be. The Dems have cult heroes of their own and one of them is Adam Schiff. So it's pretty big news when he calls for Biden to "Pass the torch."

+ Biden "is relying on members of his family — a tight-knit clan that includes his son, Hunter, and the first lady, Jill Biden — along with a tiny group of loyalists to steer him through a self-created crisis and quell a rising rebellion against his candidacy from within his own party." Biden Circle Shrinks as Democrats Fear Election Wipeout.

+ Nearly two-thirds of Democrats want Biden to withdraw, a new AP-NORC poll finds. (This is partly self-fulfilling. The polls show warning signs. Leading party members express concern. Those being polled react to that concern. And so on and so on.)

+ Polls are fickle and often wrong. Let's look at what the market is telling us. "Global chip stocks fell sharply ... posting declines amid reports of tighter export restrictions from the U.S. and a ramp-up of geopolitical tensions fueled by comments from former U.S. President Donald Trump." That's just one of the reasons the chips are down (Biden's moves play a big role), but if investors are reacting to comments by Trump, you know they think there's a very good chance he'll be back in the Oval Office. This is not to suggest it's over or that the election isn't close. But it does suggest that you repeatedly waking up in the middle of the night with a sense of dread is not entirely unwarranted.

+ Meanwhile, back at the convention: Ex-Trump aide Peter Navarro to speak at RNC hours after leaving jail.

3

Seine Master

"It has been the dream and promise of Paris mayors for decades and a nightmare for Olympic organisers: could the Seine be cleaned up enough to swim in and hold triathlon and other events? For the last 100 years and up until a few days ago, the answer seemed to be no. On Wednesday, however, the city’s mayor, Anne Hidalgo, kept her promise that it would be and she would be one of the first in." Paris mayor swims in Seine as river is cleaned up just in time for Olympics. (This cleanup and the general idea of using the Seine for watersports has been a major controversy. As political fights go, arguments over how much shit is in the water sure beat debates about whether we should remain a democracy.)

4

Joint Effort

Herbert Hoelter recently passed away at the age of 73. If you've never heard the name, then it's quite likely you've never been a wealthy celebrity who found yourself headed for the slammer. NYT (Gift Article): Herbert Hoelter, Prison Consultant to the Rich and Infamous, Dies at 73. "He helped Martha Stewart, Leona Helmsley, Michael Milken and other white-collar criminals win lighter sentences, and prepared them for life in prison."

5

Extra, Extra

Thick Around the Middle: "As polar and glacial ice melts because of global warming, water that was once concentrated at the top and the bottom of the globe is getting redistributed toward the equator." Melting ice is slowing Earth's spin, shifting its axis and even influencing its inner core. For most people, there's a more immediate climate crisis. Their vacations are being ruined. 'Hellishly hot' southern Europe bakes under temperatures topping 104 F. And yes, unfortunately, there's an election angle to this, too. The MAGA Plan to End Free Weather Reports.

+ Call For Help: "Two years after the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline launched, the service has answered over 10 million texts, calls and chats, according to new data from the US Department of Health and Human Services."

+ Bullet Points: "An AR-15 was used in the shooting of Donald Trump. This was the assault weapon that killed so many others, including children. It’s time to outlaw them." Biden calls for ban on gun used to shoot Trump. We live in weird times, folks.

+ Emmygods: "'Shogun' leads the nominations, which were unveiled Wednesday morning. Other top nominees include 'The Bear,' 'Only Murders in the Building,' 'True Detective: Night Country' and 'The Crown.'" Here are your 2024 Emmy Nominees. (It still strikes me as so off that The Bear is in the comedy category. Consider that Jeremy Allen White is in an acting category with Larry David.) Here are some snubs and surprises.

+ Sticking the Landing and the Branding: "Like all great artists, the 27-year-old has influenced a generation. She's altered the archetype of an elite gymnast simply by being herself. By giggling at practice. By sharing photos on social media of family vacations and pizza parties. By speaking truth to power. By choosing her well-being over medals. By competing at the highest level into her late 20s. And by showcasing a positive, healthy way to win. Because of her longevity, Biles is also the rare gymnast with eras -- and a relationship with fans built over time. Ahead of her third Olympics, we take you on the Eras Tour, Simone's Version. Are you ready for it?." (One of Biles' first revolutionary acts was to insist that gymnasts could enjoy an occasional slice of pizza.)

+ Lobster Roll: "At 104 years old, Virginia Oliver plans to set sail and continue doing the job she’s loved for over 90 years: catching lobsters." (Inspiring, but still, at 104, I'm switching NextDraft to weekly.)

6

Bottom of the News

"The seasoning garnishes everything from bagels and scrambled eggs to fried chicken in many countries. But in South Korea, it tops something else: a list of unexpected goods travelers are banned from bringing into the country." Why Everything Bagel Seasoning Was Banned in South Korea. (It's all about the poppy seeds.)