This week at Cog #40
America's overmedication crisis, a Q&A with author of 'War Boys' and the fate of the beloved banana
Even as the World Cup narrows the playing field (Haaland! Haaland!) and tensions inevitably escalate, the Tartan Army is the gift that literally keeps on giving in New England. This week, they donated $15,000 to Massachusetts Child, an organization providing financial support to kids in need.
ICYMI, when a portion of the Tartan Army opted to stay in Providence, RI, rather than the pricer Boston digs, they chartered 21 yellow school buses to take them to Gillette Stadium, aka Boston Stadium in World Cup parlance. (Not only did Providence have cones on statues, but the Narragansett “Tallboy” handed out cases of lager to the Scots for their highway journey. Providence, don’t ever change.)
Giving back is part of the Tartan Army ethos. In June, they donated $10,000 to Hasbro Children’s Hospital. All-in, they donated $30,000 during their 10-day stay, supporting mental health and a kids’ soccer program. Providence returned the favor, raising and donating $10,500 to a children’s hospital in Glasgow.
Not everything about the World Cup is sunshine and roses, and this isn’t Madison Square Garden, but this is the kind of love story I’m here for. — SS
This week’s stories
Q & A with Jason Prokowiew, author of “War Boys: A Father and Son Memoir”
Jason Prokowiew’s “War Boys” braids the story of his father, Walter, who survived as a young boy taken in by a Nazi soldier in 1940s Belarus, and young Jason, who must navigate a childhood of fear and abuse in 1970s Massachusetts. In conversation with Alysia Abbott, Prokowiew reflects on how his father’s history intersects with his own ongoing story.
The overprescribing crisis is real. But the current debate overlooks the most vulnerable patients
The question worth asking is not whether Americans are overmedicated, writes Victor Petreca, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. “It is which Americans, with which medications, in which settings and with how much genuine choice and agency.”
The banana as we know it is in trouble
“If the banana-industrial complex that supplies banana addicts like me is bad for the people and the planet, what now?” asks Ethan Gilsdorf. “I want to say I would happily kick my banana habit. But I’m not sure I can.”
Bonus content
Don’t underestimate the kids who spend their summers in theater camp
“People say sports teach kids about responsibility, confidence and teamwork,” writes Amy Sokolow. “But so can theater camp. Behind the character shoes, pasted-on smiles and feather boas are some pretty badass kids.”
Ever wonder what it’s like to drive one of Boston’s iconic swan boats?
So has our colleague Sharon Brody. And last month, she got the opportunity of a lifetime. Robert Paget launched the Swan Boats in 1877, and today, his great-grandchildren run the business. Sharon convinced one of them, Phil, to let her drive.
This one goes out to all the Millennial women
If you’re a “girl” of a certain age, you were raised on the American Girl Doll books. And, boy, do we have good news for you: the American Girl Legacy Novels are coming soon. Fiona Davis, author of “The Lions of Fifth Avenue,” wrote “Samantha: The Next Chapter,” the first adult historical fiction novel from the American Girl universe, which will be released on October 13. The book is set in 1920s New York, and Samantha is now 25. The plot: “Searching for clues regarding the theft of her inheritance, she infiltrates the business of a notorious criminal in New York City. Determined as ever, Samantha will do whatever it takes to find answers and save her family’s legacy.”
