When a Swim in the Seine Isn't the Week's Zaniest News
Well. The last week has been a year, hasn't it. I will have much more to say on Silicon Valley's Veep candidate and his investment portfolio, along with the latest updates on AI in education in Monday's "The Extra Mile." Let's just talk sports and sports technology today, okay? It's Friday. We've earned a respite.
Anne Hidalgo donned a wetsuit and lowered herself into Paris's famously shit-filled river, all to prove that, as mayor of the city, her government's efforts to host the "greenest Olympics ever" were going to be a big success – the river would be clean enough for triathletes to swim in. Um, good luck, everyone. Speaking of triathletes, I am one now – and I can even see myself doing it again, although I have no desire to swim in the Seine or, closer to home, the Hudson, despite similar assertions locally that it's totally been cleaned up. And speaking of Olympics, my friend Rose Eveleth's new podcast is out – Tested: A Surprising History of Women's Sports. I listened to the first episode on my run yesterday. No surprise, it's timely, and it's great. Also relevant: "The Rise of the Middle-Age Athlete" in Marie Claire, featuring two of my favorite runners, Keira D'Amato and Des Linden, neither of whom I'd call "middle age" but whatever. People under age 42 are fully convinced they're senior citizens, aren't they. Allyson Felix has coordinated the first-ever Olympic Village nursery for this summer's games, just to remind you how – no matter our age – women are such a Problem in sports.
"Outliving Your Peers is Now a Competitive Sport," writes The Wall Street Journal on the Rejuvenation Olympics – Bryan Johnson's latest "thing." The Bar Method "stakes its claim to booming longevity space," says Athletech News. I'm not sure 1) there's a "space," and 2) that it's booming; but there is certainly a big hustle right now to get folks telling a particular story around aging, technology, and subscription services.
Is there a doctor on the plane?: "More people are turning to mental health AI chatbots," writes National Geographic. "What could go wrong?" "Fitbit making it easier to share AFib data with your doctor." Christine Yu interviews Julie Kliegman about her new book Mind Game: An Inside Look at the Mental Health Playbook of Elite Athletes. Bioniq, a British startup that claims it offers "AI-powered personalized supplements," has raised $15 million in venture funding. Big money for snake oil – evergreen headline, no doubt.
In health and food related news, Pete Wells announced he'd be leaving his role as The New York Times' restaurant critic. Wells, author of arguably the best restaurant review ever written (about Guy Fieri's American Kitchen & Bar in Times Square), notes the toll that being a food critic has had on his health. Honestly, if any restaurant critic would like to invite me along to test out big meals full of fatty, salty foods, I'm willing to take that risk.
RIP to two of the most influential health educators of the late 20th century: Dr. Ruth Westheimer and Richard Simmons.
And this last bit of news is like a Venn diagram of my interests: bad technology, birds, swimming, and the weird and awful policies of Mayor Eric Adams: apparently NYC has drones patrolling its beaches, looking for sharks. It doesn't work – or rather, not a single swimmer has been saved. But the drones have made some enemies in the skies, if not the waters: flocks of shorebirds have been repeatedly attacking them – as they should. Drones are loud; the birds are nesting. And surveillance technology is terrible; but cops (and Mayor Adams) will use any excuse in the world to buy expensive gadgetry, won't they.
Thanks for reading Second Breakfast. I've got my first "absolute beginner" ballet class on Saturday. If you're a paid subscriber, you'll get to hear more about that on Monday.
