I actually really like the mesh in men’s swimsuits — don’t @ me. There’s something comforting about that airy, breathable support it provides, and I wish more suits had it. Unfortunately, it looks like I might be in the minority, as Miles Klee writes. You mesh-haters are entitled to your opinion — even if it’s the wrong one.
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“For Young Men in the Slums of Nairobi, Getting Buff Is One of the Few Paths out of Poverty”
In most Western countries, young men start lifting weights in pursuit of some combination of better health, athletic improvement and the ever-elusive perfect aesthetic. In the poorer neighborhoods of Kenya, though, getting buff represents something else entirely: a chance to escape the crime and poverty of the slums through a lucrative career in the country’s booming private-security industry. READ MORE
More From Our Gigantic Summer Package
An All-Inclusive History
Vacationing in a foreign country can put some travelers at a disadvantage. Language barriers, mysterious cuisine and other cultural differences often make venturing too far from the familiar feel a bit scary. Enter the all-inclusive resort, the decade’s fastest-growing segment of the “leisure travel” industry, designed for you to never have to leave. Here’s a look at the surprisingly un-American origins and appeal of the all-inclusive resort, past and present.
All About That Mesh
What’s the deal with mesh netting in some men’s bathing suits? Is it there to prevent creatures from swimming up your peehole, as one redditor recently surmised? Is it there for ball support, like a fast-drying version of underwear? Miles Klee investigates.
Yo honestly who invented men’s bathing suits. What was the idea behind the netting????? Like yess I love my balls being treated like freshly purchased produce???
— Sean (@Seanmueller91) June 30, 2018
The ‘July Effect’
Urban legend has it that July is the worst time of year to end up in the hospital, because of the supposed increase in medical mishaps accompanying the influx of new interns and less experienced residents into teaching hospitals in midsummer. But is the “July Effect” based in fact? Isabelle Kohn gloves up, scrubs in and performs surgery on this widespread myth.
Nudists ?Mosquitos
Nudists can teach us a ton about living in tune with nature, but nowhere are their skills more on display than when it comes to fending off the dreaded mosquito. It’s true: A life spent with your junk exposed to the elements forces you to become an expert on dealing with the little bloodsuckers. So how do they do it? What do nudists and naturists know that the rest of the clothed population doesn’t, when it comes to bug bites? Well, they don’t spray repellant on their dicks, if that’s what you’re thinking.
A Film Critic On… ‘Yesterday’
On what it is: “Yesterday is about an aspiring songwriter who wakes up one morning to discover that he’s the only person who remembers the Fab Four. Sounds like the dream scenario of so many wannabe musicians: If I could pawn off the Beatles’ hits as my own, I’d be a superstar.”
Why his newfound ‘talent’ is more a curse than a blessing: “This fluke turns out only to reveal something depressing about himself: Deep down, maybe he never was that talented. His fate is to suffer from history’s worst case of imposter syndrome.”
On the film’s one drawback: “Yesterday isn’t sharp enough to let [its central] irony really draw blood.”
On ‘Yesterday’ being surprisingly relatable: “The movie deftly articulates what imposter syndrome feels like when it’s just you and your warped brain having a conversation about how undeserving you are of being recognized for your gifts.”
On the spoiler that the film was written by the ‘Love, Actually’ guy: “Things don’t get incredibly bleak. This is a feel-good love story through and through, with the Beatles’ transcendently optimistic songs guiding our path.”
Read more from Tim Grierson’s review of Yesterday, here — including a primer on how expensive it is to put Beatles songs in your movie; a reminder that Steve Martin once sang Abbey Road’s “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” in a major motion picture; and the reason the best film about a struggling singer-songwriter is, and always will be, Inside Llewyn Davis.
The YangGang Train Keeps A-Rollin’
Andrew Yang, presidential hopeful and promiser of $1,000 in basic income yeeted straight to your bank account, did not do very well at the first Democratic debate — or so the powers-that-be would have you believe. Because according to his devoted #YangGang posse, Yang got jobbed. And now, Yang fans are mad, opinionated — and ready to meme.
Frozen, But Not Forgotten
Ian Lecklitner recently reported that frozen fruits and vegetables are actually better for you than “fresh,” mainly because the flash freezing process prevents nutrient loss. But what about frozen meat?
Cute Pic, Should Delete Later
What does your chosen dating-app profile pic reveal about you? Should you go with the candid shot your friend took of you at the bar? Should you try to squeeze another year out of that groomsmen pic from your brother’s 2015 wedding? Does it matter if your Tinder, LinkedIn and Facebook photos feature the same polo-khaki combo? (Uh, yeah.) To bring you the clarity you crave, Magdalene Taylor consulted with an etiquette expert and, most importantly, several women of the internet. Here’s what they said.
Jeff Gross
Jeff Gross is MEL’s senior editor for social media and content marketing. His daily ICYMI column, which chronicles all things meta on the site, is the quickest way to catch up on MEL, and the funniest thing you’ll read all day. Follow him on Twitter.
