Hi Everyone,

Happy Friday! Thanks for spending part of it reading The Lake Street Journal.

I'll be in Silverthorne, CO for a wedding this weekend. If you've been, send me your recommendations!

Nobody Reads Anymore

I read this article a couple years ago, but I still think about it from time to time. It was surprising, sad, and interesting all at once.

College professors at elite universities are reporting that their students arrive unprepared to read books. We're not talking the local community college. We're talking Columbia.

The main issue is attention. Inundated with short form content and flashy alternatives, students lack the attention span required to read books, especially challenging books.

Part of the problem stems from high school curriculums. High school teachers are favoring shorter texts versus complete books because they're more useful in teaching to standardized tests. It's easy to measure how well a student can comprehend a short passage. Measuring how well they comprehend a book is a different story.

I found this quote to be crazy, and frankly, sad:

"A couple of professors told me that their students see reading books as akin to listening to vinyl records—something that a small subculture may still enjoy, but that’s mostly a relic of an earlier time."

If you're an LSJ reader, I know you're part of that small subculture. I hope you'll pass your love of reading along to your children. And if you've gotten away from it recently, use this as a nudge to pick up that book on your end table.

Because the more we read, the more perspective we have. The more kind and caring we are. The more informed our decisions will be.

Reading is a lot like exercise. It's often hard to get started, but you're always better off for having done it. I hope you'll spend some time this weekend enjoying a great book.

The Uber Killer

But if you're not in the mood for a book, check out this absolutely wild article. It's the true story of Jason Dalton—a seemingly normal man with a seemingly normal life—who went off the rails on a terrible night in 2016.

By the time he was arrested, Dalton had killed six people and wounded several others. He committed the murders between shuttling Uber passengers to and from their destinations.

One line in particular stood out to me:

"For now, this is what we do know. On each of the first 16,678 days of his life, Jason Dalton killed no one. The next day, he killed six people."

The author is an excellent storyteller, and he kept me captivated for the entire article. This is a good one to pull up with a cup of coffee on Sunday morning—it's a bit of a longer read.

Warpigs: Block to Block in Fallujah

This is an incredible documentary from Black Rifle Coffee Company.

It's the story of the 2004 battle of Fallujah, told from the perspective of Charlie Company “Warpigs,” 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion.

It includes interviews with everyone from the Colonel to the Lance Corporals. They talk about the bonds, the excitement, the terror, and the grief—both how they experienced it and how it has shaped their lives in the ensuing 20 years.

As somebody with no military service, this gave me great insight into what it means to be a Marine generally, and a warrior who fought in Iraq, specifically. These feel like particularly important insights as an American.

Workout of the Week

This is a fun workout with short rounds to keep you moving.

“Sour Patch Snatch”

10 rounds for time:

- 5 toes to bar

- 7 calories on the assault bike

- 9 alternating dumbbell snatches (50/35)

My best time is 16:23. Can you beat me?

Quote of the Week

"The present situation is to be regarded as opportunity for us and not disaster. There will be only cheerful faces at this conference table." - Dwight D Eisenhower

Have a question or a comment? Respond to this email.

Talk soon,

Joe