Longread #84 -- What Your Phone Knows -- 5/31/12

As mobile phones add more and more capabilities, they also become hubs of increased information about the person using the phone and the people he or she interacts with. By combining data about contacts, browsing, and location, a mobile phone offers a trove of private personal information. However, because the world of mobile phones has evolved so quickly, there are strong concerns that this private information may not be adequately protected. This is another eye-opening look at ways in which we are willfully turning over privacy in exchange for convenience. The convenience benefits are huge, but once privacy is given up, can it ever truly be reclaimed?

For anyone who has read Orwell's 1984, it isn't hard to conjure up an image of Big Brother and a loss of privacy at the hands of technology. However, especially in the U.S., I think most people assume that radical steps like installing cameras and video screens in all homes would be such a worrying and visible step that could and would be easily squashed by privacy advocates. When big, flat-panel TVs started to become affordable and more and more common in American homes, I started thinking about how the government might never need to force us to install the technology necessary for a surveillance state; instead, we would willfully put it into place ourselves in the name of entertainment.

Don't get me wrong -- I'm not proposing any conspiracy theories. But we have basically brought the equipment of a surveillance society into our own lives in the form of huge TVs, webcams, mobile phones (with cameras and video), and social networks that thrive on more and more information divulged online. I wish I could say that I trust the government or corporations to handle this information both securely and responsibly, but in reality, I think that is a naive position. The government faces its own cybersecurity difficulties (seen with things like Wikileaks or hacking by Anonymous), and its track record on privacy protections (for example, the Patriot Act or COINTELPRO) is dubious at best. Corporations face the same cybersecurity problems as well as the challenge of short-term, profit-oriented opportunities clouding wiser, long-term decision-making (for example, the type of financial wheeling and dealing that spurred our current economic crisis). When I think about the wealth of information I've provided to "the cloud" or that is easily accessible on my phone or computer, it honestly frightens me. I'm not sure what exactly it is that I'm afraid of, but the potential for misuse -- whether accidental or malicious -- is enormous.

"What Does Your Phone Know About You? More Than You Think" by Alexis Madrigal
Published in the Atlantic, April 25, 2011
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/04/what-does-your-phone-know-about-you-more-than-you-think/237786/

Eric

Longread #83 -- Shopping Habits -- 5/30/12

This article about how corporations track shopping habits is about privacy more broadly than just in the context of the internet; however, it is undeniable that the internet opens up a wealth of new information about consumers and ways to target them with advertisements. The fact that so much of this information is compiled and sold makes the nature of internet activity inherently tied to other activities that threaten privacy (such as detailed tracking by major corporations). I want to be clear in saying that I don't think all this information and targeted advertising is necessarily a bad thing, but the potential for abuse seems rampant.

"How Companies Learn Your Secrets" by Charles Duhigg
Published in the New York Times, February 16, 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html?_r=3&hp=&pagewanted=all

Eric

Longread #82 -- Battle for the Internet -- 5/29/12

The recent battles in the U.S. over the SOPA, PIPA, and other internet regulations only presage a much larger global fight about controlling the internet. This is a fight filled with many competing interest groups many of which may be completely uninterested in compromise. The challenge of controlling the internet is a nightmare not only for building consensus but also for effectively enforcing any consensus-based regulation. Reading this article made me realize how much is truly in flux in terms of how the internet is organized and accessed, and this realization is very concerning for anyone who values privacy and free speech.

"World War 3.0" by Michael Joseph Gross
Published in Vanity Fair, May 2012
http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2012/05/internet-regulation-war-sopa-pipa-defcon-hacking

Eric

Longread #81 -- A Fish Story -- 5/25/12

This is another article about the politics of regulation and the influence of special economic interests on government policy. In this case, what is supposed to be science-based regulation has been manipulated to serve the interests of one company with serious social, economic, and environmental side effects.

"A Fish Story" by Alison Fairbrother

Published in the Washington Monthly, May/June 2012

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/mayjune_2012/features/a_fish_story037074.php

Eric

Longread #80 -- The Hunter Becomes the Hunted -- 5/24/12

This article is an in-depth profile of one of the most important people for the U.S. military operation in Iraq -- a man given the fake name Omar, who is a senior officer in the Iraq Counterterrorism Unit. This is a valuable piece for anyone interested in better understanding the challenges of counterterrorism and the people who take on those challenges.

"The Hunter Becomes the Hunted" by Daniel Voll
Published in Esquire, February 17, 2011
http://www.esquire.com/print-this/iraq-terrorist-hunter-0311?page=all

Eric

Longread #79 -- The New French Hacker-Artist Underground -- 5/23/12

Sometimes when I find these articles to read, I assume from the title that I know what the article will be about or how I will respond to it. This is an instance in which my predictions were completely off-base. On general principle, if you put "French" and "Hacker-Artist" in a story headline, I'm inclined to think I'll hate the article and probably everyone profiled in it. So it was a wonderful surprise to read this story about a group of people in France who utilize the city's underground tunnel system to create artistic spaces and conduct "hacking" projects that essentially amount to sophisticated public works. Reading about some of their exploits was fascinating, adn the off-putting reaction of the French government only makes the story that much more interesting.

"The New French Hacker-Artist Underground" by Jon Lackman
Published in Wired, January 20, 2012
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2012/01/ff_ux/all/1

Eric

Longread #78 -- Fear Fans Flames For Chemical Makers -- 5/22/12

This article is a troubling expose of the way in which a specific industry (that makes chemicals designed to limit fires) has utilized unsubstantiated fear to influence regulations in a way that maintains a market for their product. Some might just call this a typical form of marketing, but there is much more at play here that makes this troubling. Part of that is the way in which they manipulate information to sound science-based when in fact no objective science has been conducted. On a more general level, though, I think these practices are so frustrating because they demonstrate how far we are from any real sense of corporate responsibility.

"Fear fans flames for chemical makers" by Patricia Callahan and Sam Roe
Published in the Chicago Tribune, May 6, 2012
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/flames/ct-met-flame-retardants-20120506,0,1627036.story

Eric

Longread #77 -- Jon Kitna's Greatest Play -- 5/21/12

Jon Kitna's story of going from teacher-to-be to NFL quarterback to actually being a teacher is both touching and remarkable. I love that even though he could live comfortably without working again in his life, he stayed true to what was important to him and followed through on something he was passionate about. Read this one and smile.

"Jon Kitna's Greatest Play" by Danny O'Neill
Published in the Seattle Times, May 19, 2012
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/seahawks/2018240060_kitna20.html?cmpid=2628

Eric

Longread #76 -- Who Pinched My Ride? -- 5/18/12

Today is National Bike to Work Day, which, in Seattle at least, is an important event. In an effort to promote bike commuting, many cities have taken on initiatives ranging from improving bike safety on roads (through bike lanes and bike boxes) to driver education to incentive programs for employers to support commuters who leave their cars at home. While these are all positive steps, one fact remains -- you can't bike to work (or anywhere) if you don't have a bike. Unfortunately, bikes are a common target of theft, and most bike owners seem to have a story of the time when their bike (or parts of it) were stolen. In many cases, this happens despite diligent attempts to protect the bike from theft. Through its first person style, this longread expresses the frustration of being a victim of bike theft and follows along as the author tries to take matters into his own hands.

"Who Pinches My Ride?" by Patrick Symmes
Published in Outside Online, January 11, 2012
http://www.outsideonline.com/templates/Outside_Print_Template?content=136960903

Longread #75 -- Don't Call It Ping Pong -- 5/17/12

Did you have any idea that there were people who drop out of school to play table tennis? If the answer is yes, then you know far more about this niche professional sport than me or most anyone that I know. While there are points where it arguably goes astray, in general I thought the author did an excellent job of taking the subject matter seriously without removing the novelty of the topic. It seems like table tennis as a sport struggles with walking this line of playing up the fun of the game (that so many people have nostalgia for) without downplaying the skill and effort involved (and thus reducing the credibility of the sport itself).

"Please Don’t Call It ‘Ping-Pong’ " by Michael Weinreb
Published on Grantland, May 16, 2012
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7936293/barney-reed-michael-landers-american-olympic-table-tennis-team

Eric

Longread #74 -- The Wrong Carlos -- 5/16/12

I'm not sure how much really needs to be said about this. An innocent man was executed as a result of a combination of laziness, ignorance, and general failure of the justice system. Were Carlos DeLuna sentenced to life in prison, he would have a chance today to have his case reviewed and to live the remainder of his life outside of prison walls. But with the death penalty, there is no way to try to correct the mistake. Instead, everyone involved in the case, and we as a society that permits this punishment to continue, has to live with the knowledge that an innocent man was murdered by the state of Texas.

Abolish the death penalty. Don't kill in my name.

"The wrong Carlos: how Texas sent an innocent man to his death" by Ed Pilkington
Published in the Guardian, May 14, 2012
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/15/carlos-texas-innocent-man-death

Eric

Longread #73 -- In Bed With the Vampire Squid -- 5/15/12

Following up on yesterday's article about Wall Street, today's longread looks at the role of investment banks and financial institutions in the IPO process. In particular, it focuses on the Facebook IPO because it was destined to be a tremendous money-maker for whoever took the lead. I didn't realize how profitable an IPO was for an investment bank and how much effort is invested into business development in that field. While this article relies on a lot of insider sources and unnamed interviews, I still think it provides a valuable introduction to the battles for dominance in the technology IPO business.

"Oh My God -- We're In Bed With the Vampire Squid!" by Henry Blodget
Published in Business Insider, May 9, 2012
http://www.businessinsider.com/oh-my-god-were-in-bed-with-the-vampire-squid

Eric

Longread #72 -- How Wall Street Killed Financial Reform -- 5/14/12

Effectively regulating powerful industries is one of the single-biggest challenges facing our government. In particular, the financial industry has proven especially difficult to regulate given its international structure, its technical complexity, and its massive concentration of wealth. Over and over again, financial crises have recurred with many seemingly similar causes -- for example, asset bubbles built on rampant and dangerous speculation. After each crisis, there is an uproar and demands for change; nevertheless, efforts to reform the financial system have seemed unable to keep the industry in check. This longread helps to explain how Wall Street managed to first weaken the legislation that was passed (Dodd-Frank) and then blunt its effects once implemented. Again and again, the money in politics distorts the intended outcomes of regulation, and it is important to note that the influence is not just on politicians but also on the ability to afford an army of lawyers to delay and contest at each step of the process.

"How Wall Street Killed Financial Reform" by Matt Taibbi

Published in Rolling Stone, May 24, 2012

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-wall-street-killed-financial-reform-20120510?print=true

Eric

Longread #71 -- Madden: It's In The Game -- 5/11/12

I found the introduction to this article about video games as a type of art to be superfluous and a bit pretentious. However, the rest of the article provides an in-depth look at the way that Madden is made and the future of this feature title in the EA Sports franchise. It's pretty amazing to think how far these games have come from the days of Madden '94, which was the first in the series to get me hooked.

"Kickoff: Madden NFL and the Future of Video Game Sports" by Tom Bissell
Published on Grantland, January 17, 2012
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7473139/tom-bissell-making-madden-nfl

Eric

Longread #70 -- Anarchy is Boring -- 5/10/12

On May Day in Seattle, large protests downtown drew ire as a group of protesters were involved in significant property damage primarily to the windows of banks and large retail stores. These actions were generally attributed to a group referred to as black-bloc anarchists, and criticism of this group has spread to anarchists in general. In this article, author Brendan Kiley of Seattle's alternative weekly paper The Stranger argues that anarchism is not rooted in single protest actions like those of the black bloc. Instead, he argues that anarchy is most often found in the nitty-gritty of day-to-day living and can be incredibly productive. I found this to be a refreshingly reasonable take on an issue that can be extremely politicized and polemical.

"Anarchy Is Boring" by Brendan Kiley
Published in the Stranger, May 8, 2012
http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/anarchy-is-boring/Content?oid=13597692

Eric

Longread #69 -- Snipers -- 5/9/12

Snipers, who are typically portrayed as hyper-efficient killing machines, are a central character in many combat films. However, these stories of snipers rarely delve deeper into the psyche of the people behind the rifles. This story tries to fill in the gaps and discusses the difficult emotional challenge of serving as a sniper. While at times I feel that this article itself delves into the glorification of the sniper through its tone, it nevertheless raises important questions and helps to bring light to the sniper as a person and not simply as a robotic killing machine.

"The Distant Executioner" by William Langewiesche

Published in Vanity Fair, February 2010

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2010/02/sniper-201002?printable=true

Eric

Longread #68 -- Casinos in Macau -- 5/8/12

This is a fascinating article about the growth of the gambling business in Macau, which has become a booming gambling mecca. With such rapid growth has come attendant issues of corruption, organized crime, and other types of economic exploitation. This is not only an interesting story about what's going on in Macau but is also a different angle by which to see much of the economic boom going on in China.

"The God of Gamblers" by Evan Osnos
Published in the New Yorker, April 9, 2012
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/04/09/120409fa_fact_osnos?currentPage=all

Eric

Longread #67 -- Foxwoods Casino -- 5/7/12

There aren't many places more interesting than an American casino. Casinos come in all shapes, sizes, and styles ranging mega-casino complexes to dingy, run-down casinos to little card rooms in towns across the country. Offering all sorts of debauchery and ample people-watching opportunities, going to the casino can be incredible entertainment. This longread details the rise and fall of the Foxwoods, a massive casino complex in the Northeast. It's an insightful read not only for the specific story of the Foxwoods but also for the broader perspective it gives on the gaming industry.

"Foxwoods Casino Is Fighting For Its Life" by Michael Sokolove
Published in the New York Times, March 14, 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/magazine/mike-sokolove-foxwood-casinos.html?_r=2&hpw

Eric

Longread #66 -- Environmental Law and Ecuador -- 5/4/12

This longread is a wild ride. It documents the attempts of people in Ecuador to go after Chevron in U.S. court for environmental damage to Ecuador's rain forest. The story takes a host of twists and turns and demonstrates how aggressive a major multinational corporation will be in defending against environmental litigation. It also is a reminder that for environmental laws to be effective in any country, they require a legal system that can effectively adjudicate cases and impose sufficient penalties. It also illustrates the missteps taken by the lawyers representing the Ecuadorian citizens and how easily they got carried away in pursuing the cause.

"Reversal of Fortune" by Patrick Radden Keefe
Published in the New Yorker, January 9, 2012
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/01/09/120109fa_fact_keefe?currentPage=all

Eric

Longread #65 -- The Grizzly Bear Criminal Justice System -- 5/3/12

This longread provides a detailed look inside America's grizzly bear criminal justice system in Yellowstone Park. Park managers balance competing imperatives of maintaining the population of grizzly bears and also protecting human visitor so the park. When bear attacks happen, a CSI-style team gathers and analyzes evidence to try to find out the specific bear responsible and the circumstances of the attack. A group of experts then tries to determine whether such actions by the bear were "natural" or "unnatural" to determine if the bear should be removed from the wild population. I found this article to be particularly interesting in light of earlier articles posted this week about how dynamic the human relationship with nature can be.

"A Death in Yellowstone" by Jessica Grose
Published in Slate, April 2, 2012
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/death_in_yellowstone/2012/04/grizzly_bear_attacks_how_wildlife_investigators_found_a_killer_grizzly_in_yellowstone_.single.html

Eric

Longread #64 -- Agony and Ivory -- 5/2/12

Continuing with this week's environment-themed longreads, today's article is an investigative report from Vanity Fair about the rise of the illegal ivory trade and its effect on elephants in Africa. The article gives tremendous insight into the key drivers of the illegal ivory trade and why it is difficult to even estimate the true scope of the problem. It also profiles many of the people who are working diligently to try to mitigate the impact of this trade on Africa's elephant population.

"Agony and Ivory" by Alex Shoumatoff
Published in Vanity Fair, August 2011
http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2011/08/elephants-201108.print

Eric

Longread #63 -- A New View of Conservation -- 5/1/12

In discussing yesterday's article about noise pollution, I mentioned my concerns about Gordon Hempton's views of unspoiled or pristine natural environments. This article provides more context for these concerns. In the article, the authors advocate for an updated view of conservation that is less about maintaining unaffected areas (like nature preserves, parks, etc.) and instead tries to establish ways for humans and their surroundings to interact in dynamic and positive ways. While this view of conservation may be unsettling for many, I believe it to be a far more pragmatic, holistic, and ultimately more sustainable way of conceptualizing how we can and should shape our environment.

"Conservation in the Anthropocene" by Peter Kareiva, Robert Lalasz, and Michelle Marvier
Published in Breakthrough Journal, Fall 2011
http://breakthroughjournal.org/content/authors/peter-kareiva-robert-lalasz-an-1/conservation-in-the-anthropoce.shtml

Eric