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74 Seconds


Four years ago this July, protesters were on the streets of Minnesota as they are today. They were demanding justice for Philando Castile, an African-American man, who was killed in the driver’s seat of his car by Officer Jeronimo Yanez. Only 74 seconds elapsed between Yanez pulling Castile over and shooting him seven times. Castile’s girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, while sitting in the passenger seat with her four-year-old daughter in the back, livestreamed the immediate aftermath of the shooting to the nation over Facebook, a video that led to calls for, and eventually, Yanez’s arrest and indictment. From Minnesota Public Radio, 74 Seconds is named for Castile’s last moments, but over 22 episodes it explores every detail of what came before and after, from family histories to the protests and, finally, to the verdict, on June 16, 2017, in the state’s first case of an officer charged in a fatal shooting while on duty. The podcast is distressing yet totally addictive, and it delivers a timely warning for those who think the charges against Derek Chauvin and the other three officers involved in the death of George Floyd are cut-and-dried—the jury found Yanez not guilty. (podcasts.apple.com) —Alessandra Stanley

Aston Martin DB5
Drive

Aston Martin DB5


The Aston Martin DB5, which James Bond drove in Goldfinger and Skyfall, might be the most coveted of all his cars. Now 25 people, having all shelled out $3.5 million, will each own one newly built replica from Aston Martin—complete with smoke emitters, oil-slick sprayers, and bulletproof shields. The only drag? The cars are not up to modern safety standards, so they are approved only for closed roads. Maybe just as well. Though they are finished in the classic “silver birch” paint from the Bond films, they lack working ejector seats and nail spreaders. (Designers could not figure out a “non-mischievous” use for them.) There are, however, concealed machine guns. Except they don’t shoot. Instead, they flicker and produce sound as if firing, leaving those who hear it … shaken and stirred. (hemmings.com) —Michael Hainey

Drink

Breville Barista Express


After lockdown began, I was hard-pressed to get a decent cup of coffee. Thankfully that changed when my Breville Barista Express arrived. With a built-in burr grinder, multiple filter sizes, and a “precision dosage tool” dubbed the Razor, it will impress even the most particular of coffee connoisseurs. Though the machine isn’t cheap, it’s proved to be well worth the investment, entirely elevating my morning routine. When cafés reopen, I may pass up a $6 cup of foamed milk in favor of my home-brewed alternative. ($696, amazon.com) —Gasper Tringale-White

Burn

Diptyque


I was never a candle guy. In our house, that was always my wife’s beat, filling our rooms with scents that I noticed but didn’t always appreciate. Then came Lockdown Days. Somewhere in the third week, she gave me a Diptyque candle with a rose scent and told me to light it each morning, while I am writing. She said it’d set the day right. As always, she was correct. If you can’t go outside to smell the roses, at least you can bring them inside. God knows these days you have time to stop and smell them. ($68, diptyqueparis.com) —Michael Hainey

Issue No. 47
June 6, 2020
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Issue No. 47
June 6, 2020