Longread #62 -- Noise Pollution -- 4/30/12

Of all the different types of pollution and environmental degradation going in the world, it's easy to forget about noise pollution. With the massive expansion of roads and a huge increase in air traffic, the number of places unaffected by human-created noise are disappearing. This article profiles Gordon Hempton, who is leading a charge to reduce noise pollution and preserve truly quiet spaces. Based on the profile, it seems like Hempton believes in a "pristine" vision of nature that I'm not sure is productive as a starting point for environmental politics, but nevertheless, he raises a number of very intriguing issues about an oft-ignored type of human impact on our surroundings.

"Gordon Hempton Wants You to Shut Up" by Bryan Schatz
Published in the Seattle Weekly, April 25, 2012
http://www.seattleweekly.com/content/printVersion/1731905/

Longread #61 -- How Doctors Die -- 4/27/12

Dealing with terminal illness is one of the toughest issues confronting the field of medicine and health in America today. Almost every day in my job I interact with people who have been told that there is "nothing more that can be done" and are forced to face mortality head-on. However, there is also great resistance to this idea that treatment be stopped. This resistance can come not only from patients but also from family and friends who believe that to stop aggressive treatment is to "give up hope."

One of the ways we address this idea is to say that there is difference between "giving up hope" and "changing what you are hoping for." This article is largely about this change in perspective and how it is embraced by doctors -- who are centrally involved in difficult decisions about when to discontinue aggressive medical interventions -- in their own personal lives. It is a meaningful and thought-provoking piece about mortality, medicine, and quality of life.

"How Doctors Die" by Ken Murray
Published on Zócalo Public Square, November 30, 2011
http://zocalopublicsquare.org/thepublicsquare/2011/11/30/how-doctors-die/read/nexus/

Eric

Longread #60 -- Prognosis in Medicine -- 4/26/12

One very common question that we receive on the cancer hotline is about prognosis -- the likely course our outcome of a disease. Prognosis is important because it informs the potential benefits and risks or different treatments. Unfortunately, there is a disconnect between what information about prognosis people expect to be available and what doctors can actually offer. This relates not only to a lack of information available to doctors about prognosis in general but also to the simple fact that estimating someone's life expectancy is a complex and difficult task. To do that in an emotionally-charged situation (such as with a diagnosis of cancer or another life-threatening condition) is even harder. This article talks about the importance of prognosis and its relative lack of development in the medical research and literature.

"Why Doctors Can't Predict How Long a Patient Will Live" by Pauline Chen
Published in the New York Times, January 19, 2012
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/19/why-doctors-cant-predict-how-long-a-patient-will-live/

Eric

Longread #59 -- The Stats of Life -- 4/25/12

Several years ago, one of my good friends called my attention to a baseball blog called USSMariner. The site was a small-scale operation dedicated to the Seattle Mariners, but it featured a blogger with powerful opinions, caustic wit, and an entirely different take on baseball analysis than I had ever really confronted. Dave Cameron used USSMariner as a soapbox at first and eventually as a sprinboard to writing for ESPN, the Wall Street Journal, and Fangraphs (one of the most highly-regarded baseball sites). More importantly, Cameron brought sabermetric baseball analysis to the mainstream persuading even many of his most ardent doubters in the process.

Last year, Cameron announced on the blog that he had been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) -- a shocking diagnosis for someone of his age (29). This article provides background about Cameron's rise to prominence as a baseball analyst as well as his fight with cancer.

"The Stats of Life" by Doug Miller
Published on MLB.com, April 17, 2012
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120416&content_id=28844170&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

Eric

Longread #58 -- Cancer Drug Development -- 4/24/12

In this article, Malcolm Gladwell looks at some of the different methods for cancer drug development and the significant challenges that stand in the way of even the most promising research. Unfortunately, there are a lot of logistical, scientific, regulatory, and financial obstacles to overcome before a drug can even be tried on patients (let alone approved by the FDA). This is a very engaging read for anyone interested in the science of medicine and how it is applied in a very high-stakes context.

"The Treatment" by Malcolm Gladwell
Published in the New Yorker, May 17, 2010
http://www.gladwell.com/2010/2010_05_17_a_treatment.html

Eric

Longread #57 -- Breast Cancer Scams -- 4/23/12

A great deal of amazing work is done by nonprofit groups in the fields of cancer research as well as patient and family support, and it takes huge sums of money to make this possible. Thankfully, people are often very willing to support these causes either by direct donation or through other fundraising efforts (like 5Ks or other events). However, as is so often the case, there are people who conspire to take advantage of kindness and generosity for their personal gain. A lot of people want to help but don't have the time or ability to research fundraising organizations, and many of the shadiest fundraisers do what they can to confuse or deceive even well-meaning contributors. This article exposes a number of these scams as they pertain to breast cancer. It's an important reminder to know where our donations go. I want my money to help patients and families and not lining the pocket of the vile people who run these sham charities for personal profit.

"The Big Business of Breast Cancer" by Lea Goldman
Published in Marie Claire, September 14, 2011
http://www.marieclaire.com/world-reports/news/breast-cancer-business-scams

Additional resource about choosing cancer fundraising organizations -- from the U.S. Federal Government's National Cancer Institute (NCI). Full disclosure: I work as a subcontractor for NCI.
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Information/organizations

Eric

Longread #56 -- Final Dispatch from Syria -- 4/20/12

This article is the last one written by journalist Marie Colvin, who died soon after in the midst of fighting inside Syria. The article illustrates the dire situation in the country and the ways in which thousands of civilians have been killed, injured, or displaced by the fighting. I saw a documentary last year about the newspaper business, and I thought one of the more compelling points was that alternative media sources (like blogs or twitter) would have a difficult time filling the void on things like conflict reporting if major newspapers continued to die off. Reading an article like this one is a compelling reminder of the importance of this type of journalism and the sacrifices that journalists make in producing it.

"Final dispatch from Holms, the battered city" by Marie Colvin
Published in the Sunday Times, February 19, 2012
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/public/news/article874796.ece

Eric

Longread #55 -- Drones -- 4/19/12

U.S. military operations abroad have increasingly incorporated the use of drone aircraft. As drones have become more sophisticated, some have envisioned a future in which drones completely replace human-operated fighter jets. This article outlines a number of reasons why drones continue to be limited and are unlikely to overcome those limitations to displace the role of human pilots. It is a reassuring article for those of us who were big fans of the Terminator movies.

"Drones Won't Be Taking Over Our Wars Anytime Soon" by C.J. Chivers
Published in Popular Science, April 3, 2012
http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-04/human-element

Eric

Longread #54 -- Shark in the Kiddie Pool -- 4/18/12

This is an intriguing story from Vanity Fair about "the most hated 21-year-old" in Hollywood -- a child talent agent who has stirred up a number of complaints about questionable promotional practices. It seems that there's a lot of exploitation going on in Hollywood (shocking!), and this particular agent not only took things a bit too far but also drew attention to himself unnecessarily. This is a good read for anyone interested in the entertainment business and knowing more about some of its darker elements.

"Shark in the Kiddie Pool" by Ned Zeman
Published in Vanity Fair, March 2012
http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2012/03/baby-agent-201203.print

Eric

Longread #53 -- Inside Scientology -- 4/17/12

This is a seriously long longread. You could almost argue that it’s a short book, so reading it is a serious commitment. Nevertheless, it provides a lot of background on Scientology from a critical but non-polemical lens. There is no doubt that some people feel helped and empowered by Scientology, but this article also makes clear that in other cases create personal and family discord and other ills that are papered over by the highly-regulated leadership style. 

“Paul Haggis Vs. The Church of Scientology”
Published in the New Yorker, February 14, 2011
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/02/14/110214fa_fact_wright?currentPage=all

Eric

Longread #52 -- In Sickness and In Health -- 4/16/12

The meaning of marriage has become a highly-contested political issue as many states move to legalize same-sex marriages. This article takes a different angle but examines similar questions about the importance of marriage and the bond that it creates. I thought I knew what this article was going to be about based simply on the headline and was really surprised at its actual direction. As such, I won't give any spoilers here...

"A family learns the true meaning of the vow 'in sickness and in health' " by Susan Baer

Published in the Washington Post, January 5, 2012

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/a-family-learns-the-true-meaning-of-the-vow-in-sickness-and-in-health/2011/11/04/gIQAahyAdP_print.html

Eric

Longread #51 -- Online Poker -- 4/13/12

This article documents the effects of the U.S. government's crackdown on online poker on people who made a living playing cards online. The government's efforts to prevent anyone in the U.S. from playing online has cost many people a livelihood and, arguably more importantly, has cost the government huge sums in lost potential revenue.

"They Were Kings" by Chris Parker
Published in the Seattle Weekly, February 29, 2012
http://www.seattleweekly.com/content/printVersion/1701677/

Eric

Longread #50 -- Captain Serious and Lord Stanley's Cup -- 4/12/12

Today's longread is posted in celebration of the start of the NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Chicago Blackhawks begin their first round series tonight, and I will be glued to the TV. One of the main storylines for the Hawks is whether their team captain -- Jonathan Toews (#19) -- will play after missing more than a month of the season with a concussion. All signs point to him playing tonight, and as one of the best players in the world, this could have a huge effect on the series. In addition to his skills on the ice, though, Toews also brings a focused and determined mentality that has led him to be known as Captain Serious. This article profiles Toews shortly after the Hawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010.

"Captain Serious" by Michael Farber
Published by Sports Illustrated, June 17, 2010
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1171139/1/index.htm

LET'S GO HAWKS!

Eric

Longread #49 -- Brainstorming -- 4/11/12

My favorite science writer, Jonah Lehrer, recently released a book about creativity. As part of his book tour, he came through Seattle, and I saw him present on Monday night. It was one of the better Town Hall talks that I've seen in large part because Lehrer possesses the same qualities in his speaking as he does in his writing -- he picks interesting topics and discusses them in an engaging, concise, and often humorous way. One of the reasons I enjoy reading articles by writers like Lehrer is that they are willing to take on conventional wisdom. For example, this longread stems from his research on creativity and debunks the long-held assumption that brainstorming is the best way to generate ideas from a group.

"Groupthink" by Jonah Lehrer
Published in the New Yorker, January 30, 2012
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/01/30/120130fa_fact_lehrer?currentPage=all

Eric

Longread #48 -- The Art of an Airline Merger -- 4/10/12

This is an interesting look inside all of the logistics of managing a massive airline merger. United and Continental had a variety of different practices and procedures ranging from the obvious (air traffic monitoring) to the not-so-obvious (in-flight coffee-making), and the merger required that these issues be identified, managed, and optimized. For those interested in business operations, this is a great read!

"Making the World's Largest Airline Fly" by Drake Bennett

Published in Business Week, February 2, 2012

http://www.businessweek.com/printer/magazine/united-continental-making-the-worlds-largest-airline-fly-02022012.html

Eric

Longread #47 -- Tubing in Laos -- 4/9/12

As I was planning to travel to Southeast Asia, I heard people talk about tubing in Laos. From what I was told, a small stretch of river in Laos is a haven for debauchery with hundreds of backpackers drinking, floating the river, and diving in from riverside bars. I'm not going to lie -- there's a lot of this that sounds pretty damn fun to me. But this article puts it into a bit more perspective as the tubing industry has blown up and created conditions that are both dangerous to those involved and potentially destructive to local communities in Laos.

"Vang Vieng, Laos: The World's Most Unlikely Party Town" by Abigail Haworth
Published in the Guardian, April 7, 2012
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/07/vang-vieng-laos-party-town?fb=optOut

Thanks to my friend Cole who shared this article on Facebook!

Eric

Longread #46 -- What Isn't For Sale -- 4/6/12

This is a thought-provoking piece by Michael Sandel about the appropriate role of markets in our society. While a lot of this will sound familiar to many people, I think the one concept that he introduces that is really interesting is the idea of the difference between a "market economy" and a "market society." I also like that he encourages a full-spectrum discussion and debate about the kind of society we want. While he admits (and I sadly agree) that this conversation might go nowhere in the context of today's polarized political environment, I still think it is useful to think about the type of conversations we must have to better determine what our socieity should look like.

"What Isn't For Sale?" by Michael Sandel
Published in the Atlantic, April 2012
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/print/2012/04/what-isn-8217-t-for-sale/8902/

Eric

Longread #45 -- Libraries: The Not-So-Dismal Science -- 4/5/12

In honor of my sister, who attends a multitude of conferences for librarians, I'm posting this fun, tongue-in-cheek longread about the 2012 Public Library Association conference in Philadelphia. The author attends the conference in order to document the malaise surrounding libraries and instead finds a very different scene.

"Book Report" by Jessa Crispin
Published in the Smart Set, March 27, 2012
http://www.thesmartset.com/article/article03271201.aspx

Eric

Longread #44 -- Quinoa -- 4/4/12

If you follow food trends at all, you've probably heard people talking about quinoa. Quinoa has some amazing nutritional properties and has been rapidly growing in popularity, especially among the higher-end "health nut" (formerly your "granola") crowd. This article looks into some of the ramifications of the quinoa boom in Bolivia, where a huge percentage of the world's quinoa is grown. While it seems like many of these problems could be manageable, the pace of the industry's growth certainly creates significant risks to society, the economy, and the environment in growing regions.

"Quinoa: The Dark Side of an Andean Superfood" by Jean Friedman-Rudovsky
Published in Time, April 3, 2012
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2110890,00.html?xid=rss-topstories

Eric

Longread #43 -- The Return of Young Jeezy -- 4/3/12

Today is kind of a crazy day as my work is going through a big systems transition, so I feel that a lighter, fluffier longread is appropriate. To fill this role, I offer up an article from Grantland about the rapper Young Jeezy (aka Da Snowman). The author follows Jeezy around for awhile and basically documents what he's like when he knows he's being observed by a reporter. I don't want anyone to read this thinking it's hard-hitting journalism because it's not. But it's a fun read, and what the hell -- I love Da Snowman!

"The Return of Young Jeezy" by Amos Barshad
Published on Grantland, January 26, 2012
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7503780/the-return-young-jeezy

Eric

Longread #42 -- Coaching A Surgeon -- 4/2/12

Tonight is the NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship, and the matchup between Kansas and Kentucky features not only two storied programs but also two high-profile coaches. The performance of a team in sports is often related back to the coach, and it is more or less accepted as fact in our society that athletes with coaches perform better than those without. However, we rarely ask how this principle might apply in other settings. In this article, Atul Gawande looks into the topic of coaching and even takes on his own coach for his surgical performance. Even a top-notch surgeon like Gawande found that there were many ways that he could improve, but for coaching to work, the person being coaches has to be truly welcoming of the feedback. This is a good reminder of the need to be humble about what we know and think we can do, which isn't always easy, especially in many of the most demanding and highly-competitive professions.

"Personal Best" by Atul Gawande
Published in the New Yorker, October 3, 2011
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/10/03/111003fa_fact_gawande

Eric