Smashing Serves and Stealing Smiles

  In Far Middle episode 186, Nick begins by honoring tennis icon Arthur Ashe. Nick uses the episode’s December 11 premiere date to connect to December 12, 1968, when the Richmond native would become the first black men's player to be ranked number one by the United States Lawn Tennis Association. Nick recounts Ashe's remarkable life story, from his beginnings in segregated Richmond to his tennis achievements, military service, and advocacy work. He highlights Ashe's contributions beyond tennis, including his writing and efforts to educate others about AIDS. “Human beings don’t come much better than Arthur Ashe,” reflects Nick. Transitioning from Ashe, Nick embarks on a series of connections, starting with “perhaps America’s ultimate master of words, H.L. Mencken.” Nick discusses Mencken’s “inter-episode connections” to past Far Middle episodes, and spotlights Mencken’s critique of representative government. This leads to a quote from libertarian Dr. Ron Paul on the ideal role of government. The discussion then shifts to investing, featuring advice from Peter Lynch on the importance of investing in what you know, and understanding market history and volatility. From Lynch’s advice to invest in what you know, Nick offers a variation regarding the media: “Know where your news is coming from.” Nick reveals the concerning relationship between Jeff Bezos, the World Weather Attribution group, and the Washington Post. He questions potential conflicts of interest and the objectivity of climate change reporting. The conversation moves to a Supreme Court case involving Richard Glossip, an Oklahoma death row inmate. Nick explains the potential implications of this case on the future of capital punishment in the United States, regardless of the court's decision. Nick applies the final strokes to the episode’s composition by offering an interesting historical connection to the theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911, which paradoxically led to the painting becoming world-famous. The painting was returned to the Louvre on December 11, 1913, coinciding with the release date of the episode.