Sure, We Gained Our Independence, But We Lost The Ability To Make Anything As Good As ‘Taskmaster’ by Ray Ratto

Our household’s respite from the pure misery of the news these past few weeks has been the nineteenth series of Taskmaster, the ingenious creation of Alex Horne that airs on Channel 4 in the U.K. This appreciation, written by Ray Ratto for Defector, astutely captures that the magic formula behind the show that makes it an addictive delight. This latest series was especially strong because of the chemistry and seemingly genuine camaraderie among the five latest contestants. Javie Martzoukas forever!

Ketanji Brown Jackson Is Telling the Truth About the Supreme Court by Jay Willis

Okay, back to the misery, albeit tinged with a bit of hope in this article. The Supreme Court of the United States is operating in precisely the way conservatives intended when they commandeered it after years of plotting. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson can’t prevent the legal malpractice of her colleagues, but she can use her formidable skills as a writer to plainly call out what they’re up to. Jay Willis writes about it for Balls & Strikes.

Her Patients Were Gazans ‘Prepared to Die for a Bagful of Rice’ by Lizzie Dearden

I wonder if there will be a much-needed reckoning for ways in which Israeli forces have ravaged innocent human beings the past couple years. Lizzie Dearden reports for The New York Times on the experience of Dr. Victoria Rose, a British plastic surgeon who volunteered in Gaza this spring. Dr. Rose provides an account of the damaged bodies — including those of many children — that she helped mend. She also continues to address the crisis effectively on her Instagram account.