Longread #20 -- Why We Travel -- 1/31/12

I'm leaving the country for a few weeks, so there will be a hiatus on daily longreads. I know this is disappointing for the zero regular readers out there, but the logistics of posting daily while in SE Asia are just too daunting. A timely longread about why we travel from Jonah Lehrer is posted below. Hope to find some of these benefits over the next few weeks. See you on the flip side.

"Why We Travel" by Jonah Lehrer

Published in The Guardian, March 13, 2010

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2010/mar/14/why-travel-makes-you-smarter

Eric

Longread #19 -- Waldorf Schools -- 1/30/12

This is an interesting article about Waldorf Schools, which avoid using technology in their classrooms. This is in stark contrast to most other schools, which are rapidly working to incorporate new technologies into curriculum. This article plays on the seeming contradiction that exists of having a Waldorf School in the Silicon Valley where its students largely come from families of big-time technology executives. As the article states, it is extremely difficult to formulate clear comparisons about educational quality between Waldorf Schools and more conventional classrooms. I think that nostalgia for the past (before everything was so plugged in) has a tendency to bias a lot of impressions about things like this (whether it be schools or the article on social relationships I posted a few days ago), but it does seem there may be some definite ways that a more interactive and engaged classroom can benefit students.

"A Silicon Valley School That Doesn't Compute" by Matt Richtel
Published in the New York Times, October 22, 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/23/technology/at-waldorf-school-in-silicon-valley-technology-can-wait.html?_r=2

Eric

Longread #18 -- Civil Commitment of Sex Offenders in Washington -- 1/27-12

Today's longread is a recent piece published by the Seattle Times. Washington was the first state in the U.S. to authorize civil commitment for sex offenders, which keeps people deemed to be at high-risk of recidivism detained rather than released into society. Keeping someone in civil commitment, however, requires due process, and the Seattle Times did an excellent job of delving into what that entails in practice. It turns out that the state is expending huge sums to maintain this program, and many of those funds go to experts who testify about the offenders risk to society. This article raises a lot of interesting issues about how to balance individual rights versus the public good, especially in the context of cash-strapped state government.

"State wastes millions helping sex predators avoid lockup" by Christine Willmsen
Published in the Seattle Times, January 21, 2012
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017301107_civilcomm22.html

One interesting point in that article is the fact that most attempts to reform the civil commitment process to reduce costs generate huge uproars that largely are based on claims that due process is being denied. This follow-up article, which talks about some specific proposed steps to control costs, seems to illustrate this point very clearly. This is a tough issue with a lot of shades of gray.

"Tiny office says it can save state money on sex-offender defense" by Christine Willmsen
Published in the Seattle Times, January 24, 2012
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017323669_civilcomm25.html

Eric

Longread #17 -- How Bain Makes Money -- 1/26/12

A lot of debate has been going on recently about private equity firms and whether they are job creators or job destroyers. This article provides a concise and persuasive argument about how PE firms use debt and exploit the tax system to reap large profits at considerable expense to taxpayers and many employees. Refreshingly, it also offers some simple policy solutions that could limit the opportunities for exploitative profit by PE.

"Private Inequity" by James Surowiecki
Published in the New Yorker, January 30, 2012
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2012/01/30/120130ta_talk_surowiecki

Eric

Longread #16 -- Apple, America, and a Squeezed Middle Class -- 1/25/12

This is an eye-opening report about how the manufacturing and supply chain operations for building the iPhone (and tech products more generally) have migrated internationally. While some might argue that this article is an attack on Apple, I actually think it does a pretty good job of laying out the rationale for why so many of these jobs have been relocated out of the U.S. (and aren't coming back). Most of us probably realize at a very superficial level what's involved when our tech products say "made in China," but this article does an amazing job of casting some light on how that really comes to be. The implications of this transition for the global economy and workers has been profound, and that is also a focal point of this piece (especially as it pertains to the middle class in the U.S.).

"How the U.S. Lost Out on iPhone Work" by Charles Duhigg and Keith Bradsher
Published in the New York Times, January 21, 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/business/apple-america-and-a-squeezed-middle-class.html?_r=3&pagewanted=all

Eric

Longread #15 -- The Joy of Quiet -- 1/24/11

Maybe it's just me, but this criticism of the disconnectedness caused by modern society and technology seems really banal and played-out. Of course it's annoying when people you are hanging out with are constantly checking their phones and seem completely disengaged from the present company. But is that really unique to this moment in technology? Sure, smartphones and tablets enable a level of being always plugged into everything that didn't exist before, but in the past someone might have been disengaged because he/she was daydreaming or thinking about what he/she would write if in constant contact with someone remote.

If anything, I think the biggest interpersonal impact of new technologies does not stem primarily from their social purposes (e.g. texting friends or checking in somewhere on Facebook). Instead, I think it comes from the fact that new technology has enabled many employers to expect employees to be "on call" 24/7. E-mail from a client or boss could come at any time, which makes ignoring that phone buzzing in your pocket impossible. Even if, upon investigating the buzzing phone, it turns out to be a purely social contact, the fact that it could have been work-related makes it hard to be completely unplugged or unaware of incoming messages. As a result, many people have become conditioned to having a phone or tablet in hand at all times, which then ups the temptation to stay constantly engaged in Words With Friends or Angry Birds or the latest celebrity tweet war.

In my mind what has changed is not our level of distraction (at least not to a huge degree) but rather the means by which we are distracted. All that means is that everyone should find people with whom they can truly engage. In other words, don't hang out with people who act like they don't want to be hanging out. The best conversations are not the ones that stem from when you have intentionally left your phone behind; they are the ones that you are fully devoted to and rapt by even if you know your phone is ringing.

I've written enough already but all of that is without even going into the ways that new technologies and media can enable new types of social relationships. Are these social relationship different? Yes. Does that mean they are necessarily worse or less valuable? No. Maybe we'll get into some longreads that address this topic another time. Until then, read this piece by Pico Iyer and let me know what you think!

"The Joy of Quiet" by Pico Iyer
Published in the New York Times, December 29, 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/opinion/sunday/the-joy-of-quiet.html?_r=1&ref=general&src=me&pagewanted=all

Longread #14 -- Leaving Reality -- 1/23/11

I think this article will resonate with anyone who has ever been sucked in to a reality TV show. Sullivan does an amazing job of capturing the feeling of guilty pleasure for the reality TV viewer (oh, Jersey Shore...). At the same time, he provides a fresh perspective on the lives of some of reality TV's most popular actors and actresses. I loved reading this one -- it's a great subject written in a fun and honest voice.

"Leaving Reality" by John Jeremiah Sullivan
Published in GQ, July 2005
http://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/200507/john-jeremiah-sullivan-leavin-reality-gq-july-2005-reality-tv-star-future?printable=true

Eric

Longread #13 -- The Quake Killer -- 1/20/12

Growing up in the Midwest, I always heard stories about the New Madrid fault and how it could bring the "big one" that would dwarf earthquakes from the well-known San Andreas fault in California. There was a certain level of intrigue associated with the New Madrid fault (or the Reelfoot as it is more accurately known -- New Madrid is the nearby town). I think this had to do with the fact that floods and tornadoes were well-established natural disasters in the region, but an earthquake seemed truly exotic.

This article describes the scientific debate over the Reelfoot. For years, it has been defined as a high-risk fault for a massive earthquake that could threaten thousands of lives and billions in damage. However, one seismologist, Seth Stein, has led a campaign to reevaluate the true risk of the fault and the cost-benefit analysis associated with preparing for a posible "big one" in the future. Stein is profiled in this article, which is an especially interesting read for anyone familiar with the legend of the New Madrid (and people who are new to it, too!).

"Seth Stein: The Quake Killer" by Richard Monastersky
Published in Nature, November 9, 2011
http://www.nature.com/news/2011/111109/full/479166a.html

For another interesting longread about earthquakes and the role of scientists in warning of their risks, check out this other article from Nature: http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110914/full/477264a.html

I hope you have a great weekend, and check back next week for more longreads!

Eric

Longread #12 -- Mind vs. Machine -- 1/19/12

This article describes the annual Turing Test, which challenges human judges to identify whether IM conversations they are having are with a computer or a live human. Teams submit AI machines with the goal of winning "Most Human Computer," and the author is one of four humans who compete against them (and one of which is named "Most Human Human"). This is a fun story that also pushes you to think about humans, technology, and our overall sense of self.

"Mind vs. Machine" by Brian Christian
Published in The Atlantic, March 2011
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/print/1969/12/mind-vs-machine/8386/

Eric

Longread #11 -- The Decline Effect -- 1/18/12

Science Week continues with this longread from Jonah Lehrer. It's about the "decline effect," which is the tendency for outcomes in scientific studies to get smaller over time. Replicability is a hallmark of empiricism, and in this article, Lehrer examines a host of reasons -- ranging from research and publication biases to sheer randomness --  for why so many studies confront less powerful results when replicated. This is an awesome article for anyone interested in the scientific process and how we come to know what is true and what is proven.

"The Truth Wears Off" by Jonah Lehrer

Published in the New Yorker, December 13, 2010

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/12/13/101213fa_fact_lehrer?currentPage=all

Another great science longread coming tomorrow...

Eric

Longread #10 -- "The Mouse Trap" -- 1/17/12

Now that we're back from the holiday weekend, it's time for a new longread. Last week was sports week, and this week is SCIENCE WEEK! To kick things off is an article about how one of the most essential elements of scientific research -- the lab mouse -- may be leading us astray. The author goes into detail about how the industry of lab mouse mass production has created a mouse with characteristics that may be warping the outcomes of thousands of experiments. We tend to think so much about all the new things we can discover and test that we may be ignoring the problems with our test subjects.

"The Mouse Trap" by Daniel Engber

Published by Slate, November 16, 2011

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/the_mouse_trap/2011/11/lab_mice_are_they_limiting_our_understanding_of_human_disease_.html

Check back tomorrow and all next week for more science longreads!

Eric

Longread #9 -- The Making of a Goon -- 1/13/12

Wrapping up this week's sports-themed longreads is a great article about hockey "goons.". While the hockey goon is often celebrated as the one-dimensional brawler who protects a team's star players, it turns out there's a lot more to the story. This article, originally published in 1990, provides a much deeper look into the complex life of the hockey goon and of fighting in the sport more generally. After the recent deaths of several former hockey strongmen, this topic has come up again, especially given the growing realization of the dangers of head injuries in the sport. This is a really great read, so thanks to Grantland for republishing it earlier this year!

The Making of a Goon by Johnette Howard

Originally published in The National Sports Daily, February 18, 1990

Republished on Grantland, December 7, 2011

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7326632/making-goon

Happy Friday!

Eric

Longread #8 -- Pearl Jam & The Sonics -- 1/12/12

Sports week marches on with today's article that is near and dear to my heart. It chronicles the parallel risings of the Seattle SuperSonics and the band Pearl Jam. Both were Seattle upstarts with a certain swagger and style that gave them widespread popular appeal. It's a pretty quick and entertaining article and a must read especially for any PJ or Seattle sports fan.

"I Bought My Ticket But The Game Was Gone" by Seth Kolloen

Published on Deadspin, September 21, 2011

http://deadspin.com/5842600/i-bought-my-ticket-but-the-game-was-gone-pearl-jam-and-the-supersonics-1990+2008

Eric

Longread #7 -- "The College Connection" -- 1/11/12

Continuing again on this week's sports theme, today's longread is from Joe Posnanski, a senior writer at Sports Illustrated. JoePo was a columnist for the Kansas City Star when I was growing up, so I've read a lot of his writing over the years. He's a great writer who does an amazing job of providing perspective on major stories. In this case, he writes about the issue of paying college football and basketball players who are responsible for huge revenues into their universities. I think this column nails it in terms of explaining why it's not so simple as to just say "the players deserve to get paid."

"The College Connection" by Joe Posnanski

Published on Joe's SI blog, July 28, 2011

http://joeposnanski.si.com/2011/07/28/the-college-connection/

Eric

Longread #6 -- High School Football & Concussions -- 1/10/12

Continuing with the sports theme from yesterday is today's longread from Jonah Lehrer. Lehrer is one of my favorite science writers, and today he tackles the issue of concussions in high school football. We tend to think about concussions in the NFL game, but this is an even bigger issue at the high school level. Even the most advanced teams in the country can't eliminate the problem, and new helmets are unlikely to address it either. Lehrer argues that more than almost any other issue (including labor disputes), the prevalence of concussions in young players threatens the long-term future of the NFL.

"The Fragile Teenage Brain: An In-Depth Look at Concussions in High School Football" by Jonah Lehrer

Published on Grantland, January 10, 2012

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7443714/jonah-lehrer-concussions-adolescents-future-football

Eric

Longread #5 -- Bowling for Chumps -- 1/9/12

This article is a painful reminder of how easy it is for powerful financial interests to use sports to line their pockets. In this case, it's at the expense of universities, many of which are publicly-funded and facing massive budget cuts. It would be one thing if the money was going toward laudable ends (as the bowl organizations try to make it appear), but it's just unacceptable to have these bowl games draining money from universities to pay for tropical vacations for a lucky few. At the least, this is a strong reason to overhaul the BCS bowl system. At the most, it's a reason to do some much more serious evaluation and reform of how money works in college sports more generally.

"Bowling for Chumps" by Pete Kotz

Published in The Seattle Weekly, 12/14/11

http://www.seattleweekly.com/content/printVersion/1661012/

Eric

Longread #4 -- Junk Food Carrots -- 1/6/12

This one is for all the baby carrot eaters out there. This article focuses on how the baby carrot was re-branded as a snack food and not simply as a "health" food in a new marketing blitz led by a former marketing exec from Coca-Cola.

While on a general level, we all know that how we classify and think about certain foods(including how that is shaped by messages from the media) affects our food choices, I think this article provides a fun take on how that applies to one specific and now very popular example.

"How Carrots Became The New Junk Food" by Douglas McGray

Published in Fast Company, March 22, 2011

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/154/the-new-junk-food.html

Special themed article coming up on Monday. Have a great weekend!

Eric

Longread #3 -- "$100 Hand of Blackjack, Foxwoods Casino" -- 1/5/12

I found this article to be really unique, although I have to be honest and say that I'm not sure I know what to make of it. I think you will find the interwoven stories to be very engaging, and I'd love to hear your comments about the takeaway from this article -- either in terms of the author's intended message or the one that you derived.

"$100 Hand of Blackjack, Foxwoods Casino." by David Hill

Published in McSweeneys, December, 7, 2011

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/100-hand-of-blackjack-foxwoods-casino

An especially timely longread is coming up tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Eric

Longread #2 -- A Murder Foretold -- 1/4/12

Today's longread tells an incredible story of a political killing in Guatemala. The details of the case read like a spy thriller with continued twists, turns, and intrigue. And ultimately, the entire situation reveals how hard it is to find justice on any level when corruption is systemic and violence is pervasive.

"A Murder Foretold" by David Grann

Published in The New Yorker, April 4, 2011

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/04/04/110404fa_fact_grann?currentPage=all

Happy reading -- more tomorrow!

Eric

Longread #1 -- Hacked! -- 1/3/12

Happy New Year!

In the interest of sharing good reading, here's your first ever dose of Eric's Daily Longread.

"Hacked" by James Fallows

Published in The Atlantic, November 2011

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/11/hacked/8673/

This is an eye-opening account of what can happen when a hacker gets control of someone's GMail account. For those of us who rely heavily on the cloud for email and other services, it's a real wake-up call. Since an ounce of prevention goes a long way, one of my big goals for 2012 is to do a better job of adhering to simple, commonsense ways of protecting my important info online. I think after reading this article, you'll want to do the same.

Check back tomorrow (and every business day) for a new daily longread!

Eric