What are you really into? We want to celebrate what brings you joy.

Plus, how social media fuels gun violence among teens.

View this email online by Suzanne Nuyen August 27, 2023 Good morning. This week, Hurricane Hilary brought floods to California, a kiss stirred controversy at the Women's World Cup, and a rare spotless giraffe was born in a Tennessee zoo. Plus, Scott Simon looks at several famous mug shots following former President Trump's booking in Atlanta.    Best of NPR I am a woman of many hobbies. I've been playing piano since age 5, I knit, I'm in three book clubs (two of which I run) and I develop recipes for my food blog, Bun Bo Bae.  I'm not alone — many of NPR's employees boast multiple talents, and one of my favorite things about working at NPR is the emphasis it puts on celebrating joy. It's why growth editor Arielle Retting began NPR's I'm Really Into project. The series features essays from NPR employees and listeners about the deeper meanings behind the hobbies that make them happy.  Josie Norton Retting says she wanted the series to give people space to share joyful stories and "hopefully inspire others to pursue a new hobby or restart an old one." It helped her feel less alone during the pandemic and gave her the boost she needed to restart tennis lessons and pottery classes.  "People come to NPR for news and vital information," Retting says. "But it’s important to also give them a break from the news and create a sense of wonder and community." The series also redefines what it means to have a hobby. Here are some things NPR has been really into:  🛒 Grocery trips don't have to be tedious. In fact, Fiona Geiran thinks they make great dates.  🎪 Jack Lepiarz left his job as an anchor for WBUR to join the circus. Really! I'm seeing him at the Maryland Renaissance Festival this weekend. 🎢 Brigit Benestante thinks there's something fascinating about exploring abandoned theme parks, from the familiar taste of nostalgia to the fact that everything has an end.  💡 From break dancing to blindfolded Rubik's cube solving, NPR listeners shared a plethora of hobbies. You can read all of the I'm Really Into essays here. And it's not too late to contribute! More than 2,500 listeners have submitted their stories. You can submit yours by filling out this form. Newsletter continues after sponsor message The Week That Was Oona Tempest/KFF Health News Juan Campos has been working for 16 years to help teens at risk of gun violence. He's seen the pull and power of gangs firsthand, but he says no force is as formidable as social media in driving gun violence. When posts showing teens casually waving a gun, fanning wads of cash or calling out rivals go viral, the danger can be hard to contain.  Japan began releasing treated radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday.  Local fishermen have criticized the decision. The area is known for its seafood, and many locals feel the government has abandoned them. Some are suing the government to stop the release of the treated radioactive water.  Here are five things to know about the water release plan. More than 6,000 octopuses have been found huddling around an extinct volcano deep in the Pacific Ocean near California. The "octopus garden" is the largest congregation of deep-sea octopuses ever discovered on Earth. Researchers think the warm water seeping from the sea floor helps their babies grow. Climate change isn't just making us hotter — it can make us itchier too. Scientists predict warmer temperatures and rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels will allow poison ivy to grow faster and bigger — and become even more toxic. 🌿 How good are you at identifying poison ivy? Test yourself with WBUR's quiz. Podcast Picks Antonio M. Johnson It's Been a Minute: Host Brittany Luse wants to give you new ways to think about the things everyone's talking about — beyond the obvious takes.  🎧 Luse talks to author Donovan X. Ramsey about how pop culture's "crack fiend" and drug-dealing anti-hero tropes miss the mark, where the stereotypes came from and who tried to set the record straight.  Tapped, from Arizona Public Media: Hear stories of people living with the cost of drought in the Southwest and what we can do to mitigate it. 🎧 Though dams are a key part of Arizona's water infrastructure, experts say they are often ignored. This episode looks at two extreme results of a dam failure. Narrative Edge, from Georgia Public Broadcasting: Hosts Peter Biello and Orlando Montoya highlight books with Georgia connections by talking to authors about their writings and the insights behind their stories.  🎧 In the latest episode, Biello and Montoya discuss Jonathan Eig's King: A Life, the first major biography of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in decades. You Make Public Media Possible Your financial support is the NPR Network's greatest strength. You keep the facts flowing. You bring more stories to more ears. You make a real difference when you contribute to independent, trustworthy media. We're counting on your support to make sure the independent reporting and programs you depend on thrive. It takes all of us. Help today.  Donate Now Scott's Thoughts Fulton County Sheriff's Office This week, we saw mug shots of Donald Trump and codefendants after they were booked in Fulton County, Ga. I wrote about mug shots in my essay on Weekend Edition Saturday.  Almost everyone booked gets that close-up. It reminds us that our criminal justice system applies to everyone. I remembered several other famous mug shots:   📷 Bill Gates was booked in New Mexico in 1977 for driving without a license. Didn’t he send himself a reminder to renew it? 📷 Frank Sinatra was booked in Hoboken in 1938 and charged with seduction (relations with a married woman, not his rendition of "I’ve Got You Under My Skin"). Charges were dropped. 📷 Elvis Presley’s mug shot is widely misunderstood. He met President Nixon in 1970 and asked to be made “'Federal Agent-at-Large in the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.” Nixon obliged. Elvis would die in 1977 with a 10-drug cocktail — codeine, morphine, and more — in his system. He was just 42. 📷 John Gotti’s 1990 mug shot makes you wonder: Why is this man smiling? This booking would lead to his conviction for murder, racketeering, and tax evasion. The crime boss would die in prison.  📷 Rosa Parks was 43 when she had a mug shot taken during the Montgomery bus boycott she inspired by refusing to give up her seat. That boycott began a social and political movement that brought down the structure of legal segregation in the United States. You don’t get much of a chance to look your best in a mug shot. But Rosa Park’s courage and grace shine through. Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WUFT 89.1 (edit station). This newsletter was edited by Carol Ritchie. Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Up First emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy