Month: <span>August 2023</span>

Inside the Most Expensive ZIP Code in America

By Jay Torres

The small coastal enclave of Newport Coast, Calif., and its 92657 ZIP Code, located in Newport Beach in Orange County, had the priciest median residential listing price in the U.S. in July 2023, according to data from Realtor.com. Situated between the Newport Beach community of Corona del Mar and the city of Laguna Beach, Newport Coast is roughly 3 miles wide and long, stretching from the Pacific Ocean northwest up into the hillside.

We live next to this town and visit Crystal Cove, the original “Shake Shack”, and I’ve been lucky to visit some of the homes in the neighborhood for my work.

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Cooking with Gas

By Jay Torres

From Roman Mars’ podcast, 99% Invisible:

The level of emotion generated by this common household appliance was surprising. But it turns out there is a long and well-documented history that explains our current moment. The natural gas industry has spent the past hundred years selling Americans on the gas stove and trying to convince us that it’s superior to the electric alternative. That it’s classier, more functional, and that it just cooks our food better.

A truly fascinating look at how the natural gas industry (can we start calling it methane gas?) effectively brainwashed generations of Americans thinking that cooking with gas is better.

As far as other appliances that use gas, switching out the stove looks like to be the hardest one to convince the public to switching.

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