Longread #431 -- Our Orgastic Future -- 12/31/13

What better way to ring in the new year than an article about our orgastic future.

HAPPY 2014!!!

"Our Orgastic Future" by Jack Hitt
Published in Lapham's Quarterly, Spring 2013

Eric

Longread #430 -- The Selling of ADD -- 12/30/13

"The Selling of Attention Deficit Disorder" by Alan Schwarz
Published in the New York Times, December 14, 2013

Eric

Longread #429 -- Schizophrenic. Killer. My Cousin. -- 12/27/13

"Schizophrenic. Killer. My Cousin." by Mac McClelland
Published in Mother Jones, May/June 2013

Eric

Longread #428 -- What Makes a Jewish Mother -- 12/26/13

"What Makes a Jewish Mother" by Caren Chesler
Published in the New York Times Well Blog, June 3, 2013

Eric

Longread #427 -- The Homeschool Apostates -- 12/24/13

This whole article is good, but I especially liked the part about the role of debate in influencing how homeschooled students saw the world around them.

"The Homeschool Apostates" by Kathryn Joyce
Published in the American Prospect, December 4, 2013

Eric

Longread #426 -- This Is Your Brain on Gluten -- 12/23/13

"This Is Your Brain on Gluten" by James Hamblin
Published in the Atlantic, December 20, 2013

Eric

Longread #425 -- Lady Bird Special -- 12/20/13

"Lady Bird Special" by Meredith Hindley
Published in Humanities, May/June 2013

Eric

Longread #424 -- Tax Reform -- 12/19/13

A good introduction to some important tax issues, possible solutions, and a key person driving discussion on these topics.

"Marty Sullivan figured out how the world’s biggest companies avoided billions in taxes. Here’s how he wants to stop them" by Steven Pearlstein
Published in the Washington Post WonkBlog, October 26, 2013

Eric

Longread #423 -- Tiny Titans Battle for the Bakery Aisle -- 12/18/13

"Twist-Ties vs. Plastic Clips: Tiny Titans Battle for the Bakery Aisle" by Paul Lukas
Published in BusinessWeek, March 13, 2013

Eric

Longread #422 -- Invisible Child -- 12/17/13

"Invisible Child" by Andrea Elliott
Published in the New York Times, December 9, 2013

Eric

Longread #421 -- The Triumph of New-Age Medicine -- 12/16/13

"The Triumph of New-Age Medicine" by David H. Freeman
Published in the Atlantic, July/August 2011

Eric

Longread #420 -- Where's the Male Pill? -- 12/13/13

"Where's the male Pill?" by Jalees Rehman
Published in Aeon Magazine, July 31, 2013

Eric

Longread #419 -- Good to the Last Drop -- 12/11/13

"Good to the Last Drop" by Jen. A. Miller
Published in the Magazine on Medium, December 5, 2013

Eric

Longread #418 -- The Exploited Laborers of the Liberal Media -- 12/10/13

"The Exploited Laborers of the Liberal Media" by Charles Davis
Published in VICE, December 2, 2013

Eric

Longread #417 -- Nelson Mandela -- 12/9/13

An excellent obituary written by Bill Keller, former Executive Editor for NYT.

"Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s Liberator as Prisoner and President, Dies at 95" by Bill Keller
Published in the New York Times, December 5, 2013

Eric

Longread #416 -- Value of Stolen Art -- 12/6/13

"What Is the Value of Stolen Art?" by Ed Caesar
Published in the New York Times, November 13, 2013

Eric

Longread #415 -- Russell Brand -- 12/5/13

Russell Brand's turn to radical politics has been interesting to see. What I liked about this op-ed piece by him is the distinction between being "trusted" and "trustworthy."

"The Sun on Sunday lied about me last week. Have they learned nothing?" by Russell Brand
Published in the Guardian, November 29, 2013

Eric

Longread #414 -- Healthcare Website Debacle -- 12/4/13

The failed rollout out healthcare.gov has been extremely disappointing to me and many others who strongly supported the law. This is a good look at some of the reasons why things went wrong.

"Inside the Race to Rescue a Health Care Site, and Obama" by Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Michael D. Shear
Published in the New York Times, November 30, 2013

Eric

Longread #413 -- Buzzkill -- 11/25/13

"Buzzkill" by Patrick Radden Keefe
Published in the New Yorker, November 18, 2013

Eric

Longread #412 -- Duane Allman Remembered -- 11/22/13

I stumbled on this recently and really loved reading it. For anyone who loves classic rock, Southern rock, and especially the Allman Brothers Band, it is a must read. I highly recommend putting on Live at the Fillmore East while you read it.

Happy Friday!

"Duane Allman Remembered" by Jas Obrecht
Published initially in Guitar Player, October 1981

Eric

Longread #411 -- The Nazi Anatomists -- 11/20/13

"The Nazi Anatomists" by Emily Bazelon
Published on Slate, November 6, 2013

Eric

Longread #410 -- Nick Brown Smelled Bull -- 11/19/13

"Nick Brown Smelled Bull" by Vinnie Rotondaro
Published in Narrative.ly, October 17, 2013

Eric

Longread #409 -- Almost Without Hope -- 11/18/13

An excerpt (emphasis mine):

"It’s well-documented that the government’s attempts to meet its obligations to the Native Americans have failed miserably; the primary cause is insufficient funding. Currently, prisoners receive significantly higher per capita health-care funding than Native Americans. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights reports the federal government spends about $5,000 per capita each year on health care for the general U.S. population, $3,803 on federal prisoners and $1,914 on Indian health care. 

One of the most pressing inequities of the federal government’s attempts to meet these obligations, according to advocates such as the National Indian Health Board, a nonprofit in Washington, D.C., is that while the biggest federal health and safety-net programs such as Medicare, Social Security and veterans’ health are protected from sequestration cuts, the IHS is not. It stands to lose 5 percent of its $4 billion budget this year, a percentage that is expected to increase next year if sequestration continues, IHS administration officials say. These cuts will be devastating for many tribes.

"Almost Without Hope: Seeking A Path to Health on the Rosebud Indian Reservation" by Tracie White
Published in Stanford Medicine, Fall 2013

Eric

Longread #408 -- Minimum Income -- 11/15/13

"Switzerland’s Proposal to Pay People for Being Alive" by Annie Lowrey
Published in the New York Times, November 12, 2013

Eric

Longread #407 -- Breathless and Burdened, Part 3 -- 11/14/13

"As experts recognize new form of black lung, coal industry follows familiar pattern of denial" by Chris Hamby
Published by the Center for Public Integrity, November 1, 2013

Eric

Longread #406 -- Breathless and Burdened, Part 2 -- 11/13/13

"Johns Hopkins medical unit rarely finds black lung, helping coal industry defeat miners' claims" by Chris Hamby
Published by the Center for Public Integrity, October 30, 2013

Eric

Longread #405 -- Breathless and Burdened, Part 1 -- 11/12/13

This is the first of a devastating three-part series about the exploitation of miners by coal mining companies, lawyers, and high-powered experts who all profited while sick miners wasted away with black lung. It's a remarkable reminder that even when a program exists -- such as the federal black lung compensation program -- that it can be manipulated by more powerful and resourceful interests to circumvent the program's true goals.

"Coal industry's go-to law firm withheld evidence of black lung, at expense of sick miners" by Chris Hamby
Published by the Center for Public Integrity, October 29, 2013

Eric

Longread #404 -- Stranger in a Strange Land -- 11/8/13

Meant to post this yesterday, but I forgot. So it goes...

Happy Friday!

"Stranger in a Strange Land" by Rany Jazayerli
Published on Grantland, November 1, 2013

Eric

Longread #403 -- The Man Who Would Teach Machines to Think -- 11/6/13

"The Man Who Would Teach Machines to Think" by James Somers
Published in the Atlantic, October 23, 2013

Eric

Longread #402 -- The Hell of American Day Care -- 11/5/13

"The Hell of American Day Care" by Jonathan Cohn
Published in the New Republic, April 15, 2013

Eric

Longread #401 -- The Decline of Wikipedia -- 11/4/13

"The Decline of Wikipedia" by Tom Simonite
Published in the MIT Technology Review, October 22, 2013

Eric

Longread #400 -- E-Cigarettes -- 11/1/13

"The E-Cigarette Industry, Waiting to Exhale" by Matt Richtel
Published in the New York Times, October 26, 2013

Eric

Longread #399 -- Women in Science -- 10/31/13

"Why Are There Still So Few Women in Science?" by Eileen Pollack
Published in the New York Times, October 3, 2013

Eric

Longread #398 -- Facebook Feminism -- 10/30/13

"Facebook Feminism, Like It or Not" by Susan Faludi
Published in the Baffler, Fall 2013

Eric

Longread #397 -- Mega Death -- 10/29/13

"Is Funeral Home Chain SCI's Growth Coming at the Expense of Mourners?" by Paul M. Barrett
Published in BusinessWeek, October 24, 2013

Eric

Longread #396 -- The End of Illth -- 10/28/13

A lot of the articles I've posted on this blog are about the transgressions caused by corporate greed or by the perverse incentives established by certain elements of our economic system. This article looks at some alternative ways of organizing production and labor to try to resolve the externalities of the free market system. While not a cure-all, it nevertheless seems like a great place to start.

"The End of Illth: In Search of an Economy That Won't Kill Us" by Erik Reece
Published in Harper's, October 4, 2013

Eric

Longread #395 -- Work Ethic: The 24/7 lab -- 10/25/13

"Work ethic: The 24/7 lab" by Heidi Ledford
Published in Nature, August 31, 2011

Eric

Longread #394 -- The Shadow Commander -- 10/24/13

"The Shadow Commander" by Dexter Filkins
Published in the New Yorker, September 30, 2013

Eric

Longread #393 -- When Domestic Violence Becomes a Mass Shooting -- 10/23/13

Back from two days of vacation...

"When Domestic Violence Becomes a Mass Shooting" by Anna Minard
Published in the Stranger, June 12, 2013

Eric

Longread #392 -- Cancer in Africa -- 10/18/13

WE'RE BACK!

The shutdown was fully of idiocy and partisanship and all sorts of other uselessness, but thankfully, we're back. Today's longread looks at the challenges of cancer in Africa and does so specifically through the lens of initiatives in Uganda. I highlight this article in large part because it shows some of the amazing efforts of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The Hutch is my employer and had our back throughout the furlough mess. Not only is the Hutch pushing forward in remarkable ways on reducing the burdens of cancer, they are also an organization that takes care of its employees.

"Uganda Fights Stigma and Poverty to Take On Breast Cancer" by Denise Grady
Published in the New York Times, October 15, 2013

Eric

Furloughed

My policy has always been to put up a blog post on any business day. Thanks to the government shutdown, both I and the blog are furloughed. I'll be back with new content once the US Congress gets it act together.

For news on the situation, you can check the New York Times fiscal crisis update page: http://www.nytimes.com/news/fiscal-crisis/

Eric

Longread #391 -- Intermediaries of Global Production -- 9/30/13

"Linking Factories to the Malls, Middleman Pushes Low Costs" by Ian Urbina and Keith Bradsher
Published in the New York Times, August 7, 2013

Eric

Longread #390 -- Gagged by Big Ag -- 9/26/13

No longread tomorrow as I'll be on vacation. Happy Friday to ya, you guys!

"Gagged by Big Ag" by Ted Genoways
Published in Mother Jones, August 1, 2013

Eric

Longread #389 -- Stopping Gang Violence -- 9/25/13

'What Does It Take to Stop Crips and Bloods From Killing Each Other?" by John Buntin
Published in the New York Times, July 10, 2013

Eric

Longread #388 -- Breakfast and Weight -- 9/24/13

My sincere apologies, dear readers, for the inconsistent posting of late. On Friday, I was out of the office taking part in a conference and did not post that there would be no longread. Yesterday, I just got distracted thinking about sports and forgot about posting a longread.

To be honest, I'm starting to lose the focus I need to maintain the blog. I'm also having problems with the programs that I use for reading longform articles, and that's certainly not helping. 

I keep a folder with articles for posting on the blog, but sometimes articles sit there for awhile before getting posted. As a result, I feel as though my write-ups or introductions are less specific or tailored even though I still think these are articles worth reading. Because of this, I'm going to just post links without much or any introduction. Hopefully after I've cleaned out the folder, I'll have my technical issues resolved and will be back to the more usual style. Thank you for your understanding (all 3 of you...).

"Myths Surround Breakfast and Weight" by Anahad O'Connor

Published in the New York Times Well Blog, September 10, 2013

Eric

Longread #387 -- Inside the National Suicide Hotline -- 9/19/13

As someone who works on a hotline dealing with difficult health and emotional issues, I found that this article resonated with me a great deal. Even for those without this background, though, I think it offers an interesting insight into this type of hotline as well as the broader debate about mental health and suicide prevention.

"Inside the National Suicide Hotline: Preventing the Next Tragedy" by Josh Sanburn
Published in Time, September 13, 2013

Eric

Longread #386 -- Leaving a Tip -- 9/18/13

Tipping at restaurants is such a customary practice in America that we often forget that it's not the only way to charge for service. In fact, as this article argues, it might be time for us to abandon the traditional practice of tipping altogether in order to better improve the restaurant experience for customers and to make pay more fair for restaurant employees.

"Leaving a Tip: A Custom in Need of Changing?" by Pete Wells
Published in the New York Times, September 3, 2013

Eric

Longread #385 -- They're Taking Over -- 9/17/13

I'll keep this introduction short: if you don't learn something about jellyfish and the oceans from this article, you should probably go on Jeopardy!

"They're Taking Over" by Tim Flannery
Published in the New York Review of Books, September 26, 2013

Eric

Longread #384 -- Drugstore Cowboy -- 9/12/13

Continuing on the issue of problems in drug production and distribution, this longread looks at how a con artist used Google to mass market illegal pharmaceuticals in the U.S.

"Drugstore Cowboy" by Jake Pearson
Published in Wired, May 2013

Eric

Longread #383 -- Dirty Medicine -- 9/11/13

When we pick up a prescription from a pharmacy, we assume that the pills were properly produced and are exactly what is listed on the label. This longread looks at how drug manufacturing and limited FDA intervention can cause dangerous substandard medications to become available despite abundant red flags.

"Dirty Medicine" by Katherine Eban
Published in Fortune, May 15, 2013

Eric

Longread #382 -- Co-Payments -- 9/10/13

This longread challenges conventional wisdom about how co-payments affect health decision-making. I think it makes a logical and reasonable case for a change to the way that pricing works for clearly-effective medications.

"When a Co-Pay Gets in the Way of Health" by Sendhil Mullainathan
Published in the New York Times, August 10, 2013

Eric

Longread #381 -- Special Deal -- 9/9/13

For this week, we'll look at some articles that address pressing issues in the medical field. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), aka Obamacare, has many major provisions going into effect over the next few months, which will raise these issues even more. Today's longread looks at the ways in which physician-based organizations and specialty societies work to influence their rates of reimbursement from Medicare.

"Special Deal" by Haley Sweetland Edwards
Published in Washington Monthly, July/August 2013

Eric

Longread #380 -- Män With a Vän -- 9/6/13

With a change in roommates, I find myself needing to buy some new furniture. I hate the idea of going to Ikea, but having everything under one roof does offer some appeal. Then I think about bringing it home and following their instructions to assemble the new furniture, and again, I abhor Ikea. This whole process reminded me of this article of a man with a unique, Ikea-oriented business model.

Happy Friday!

"Män With a Vän" by Kara Bloomgarden-Smoke
Published in narrative.ly, September 5, 2012

Eric

Longread #379 -- Not Even Silicon Valley Escapes History -- 9/5/13

I really enjoyed the premise of this article and how it takes a critical look at how a place's geography is constituted through its economic and social history. As it turns out, our understanding of Silicon Valley as the hub of high-tech innovation is only part of the story.

"Not Even Silicon Valley Escapes History" by Alexis Madrigal
Published in the Atlantic, July 23, 2013

Eric

Longread #378 -- Merchants of Meth -- 9/4/13

So in the fog of the long weekend, I forgot yesterday's longread, but we'll be back in business the rest of this week. Today's article looks at the amount of money the pharmaceutical industry has invested in lobbying against measures that would restrict access to drugs that are commonly-used to make meth. At one level, I understand that they are running a business and want to ensure market access for consumers who want their product. At another level, though, these lobbying sums are enormous, and certainly the industry must understand that much of this demand comes from illicit use.

"Merchants of Meth: How Big Pharma Keeps the Cooks in Business" by Jonah Eagle
Published in Mother Jones, July/August 2013

Eric

Longread #377 -- The Education of a Bomb Dog -- 8/30/13

In honor of the DAWGS of the University of Washington, who open their football season tomorrow, I present this longread looking at the amazing traits that make dogs so suitable for helping law enforcement.

Happy Friday!

"The Education of a Bomb Dog" by Joshua Levine
Published in Smithsonian Magazine, July-August 2013

Eric

Longread #376 -- The Weather God of Oklahoma City -- 8/29/13

On a day of heavy, driving rain in Seattle, I am thankful that we don't have to deal with tornado warnings and all the related weather chaos of my youth. Enjoy this story about a central figure in Oklahoma's world of weather.

"The Weather God of Oklahoma City" by Sam Anderson
Published in the New York Times, August 9, 2013

Eric

Longread #375 -- Bloodlines -- 8/28/13

Ok, it's another true crime story. Again, I think the angle on this one is unique as it provides context to better understand how money laundering -- a hidden but critical element of criminal organizations -- can happen. My thinking with this article was that if the money launderers had not brought so much attention to themselves with big spending, they likely would have been able to avoid capture.

"Bloodlines: How the Scion of a Texas Horse Racing Empire Became an Informant on Mexico’s Most Feared Cartel" by Melissa del Bosque and Jazmine Ulloa
Published in Texas Observer, August 7, 2013

Eric

Longread #374 -- Murder by Craigslist -- 8/27/13

When I first started thinking about this blog, I noticed that one popular genre of longread was the crime investigation story. Many of these were CSI-esque and focused on twisting tales of lawlessness and the detective's vigilant pursuits of the perpetrators. I quickly came to realize that, for me at least, these stories were a low priority on the reading list as they were typically one-off cases or felt like glorified crime TV.

Initially, I passed over this article because I figured it was just the latest in this line of longform journalism. But this article goes beyond just the details of the crime story to see what that story tells us about society. So while you won't find many crime story longreads on the blog, this one is worth your time.

"Murder by Craigslist" by Hanna Rosin
Published in the Atlantic, August 14, 2013

Eric

Longread #373 -- MSG -- 8/26/13

Misinformation about MSG still abounds. Read today's longread so that next time you hear it, you can set the record straight.

"The Notorious MSG’s Unlikely Formula For Succes" by John Mahoney
Published in BuzzFeed, August 16, 2013

Eric

Longread #372 -- China's Bad Earth -- 8/23/13

While China's pollution problems in major cities have received a great deal of attention, especially in connection to the Beijing Olympics, there are also abundant problems in the countryside. This article examines the extent of the problems and the challenges in addressing them.

"China's Bad Earth" by Josh Chin and Brian Spegele
Published in the Wall Street Journal, July 27, 2013

Eric

Longread #371 -- Taken -- 8/22/13

This article looks at another troubling law enforcement practice: asset forfeiture. Asset forfeiture laws designed to go after criminal syndicates are instead being deployed against innocent people depriving them of money, valuables, cars, homes, and more.

"Taken" by Sarah Stillman
Published in the New Yorker, August 12, 2013

Eric

Longread #370 -- Don't Talk to the Police -- 8/21/13

In case you'd forgotten this lesson from reruns of "Law & Order," here's another reminder -- even if you're innocent, don't talk to the police without a lawyer.

"How Sergey Aleynikov Learned Never to Talk to the Police" by Alex Mayyasi
Published on Priceonomics, August 8, 2013

Eric

Longread #369 -- James Patterson Inc. -- 8/20/13

I had no idea how big of an empire James Patterson had amassed in the world of publishing, but it's really kind of astonishing. This article sent to me by reader B. Bruce looks at the depth and breadth of his writing and how he has become a dominant figure in print publishing.

"James Patterson Inc." by Jonathan Mahler
Published in the New York Times, January 20, 2010

Eric

Longread #368 -- Are You Worth More Dead or Alive? -- 8/15/13

This longread looks at the secondary market for life insurance policies and the complicated underwriting that makes this market possible. While contradictory to how we usually think of life insurance working, for some patients, this represents a rational way to access short-term credit to help with medical bills or other costs.

Vacation tomorrow means another Friday with no longread. Enjoy the weekend!

"Are You Worth More Dead or Alive?" by James Vlahos
Published in the New York Times, August 10, 2013

Eric

Longread #367 -- A Life-or-Death Situation -- 8/14/13

There is a tendency in articles about the end-of-life that make everything seem so simple. While they often acknowledge how hard these situations are, they also usually wind up with a more matter-of-fact conclusion about how to become more compassionate toward people who are terminally ill. But in the heat of the moment and in the turmoil of difficult decisions, this matter-of-factness often melts away. This article highlights this contradiction beautifully and from the perspective of someone who has often led the charge in arguing against the "life at all costs" mentality.

"A Life-or-Death Situation" by Robin Marantz Henig
Published in the New York Times, July 17, 2013

Eric

Longread #366 -- A Life Worth Ending -- 8/13/13

Following on yesterday's theme, today offers another look at what long-term care and end-of-life care can really look like in practice. It is easy to say that we should do everything we can to prolong someone's life, but that can often mean agonizing and painful types of medical care. As mentioned by yesterday's article and by commenter MHE81, too often family members opt for care without truly understanding what that care involves.

"A Life Worth Ending" by Michael Wolff
Published in New York Magazine, May 20, 2012

Eric

Longread #365 -- How Not to Die -- 8/12/13

One of the most fascinating topics to me and also one that I believe is remarkably important is about care at the end of life. Unfortunately, this is a very difficult topic to have intelligent, reasoned discussion about. Not only are there the "death panel" type accusations that get in the way, but these discussions are also mediated by extremely personal and emotional experiences. I'm going to post a few articles on this topic this week, and I hope they offer some compelling food for thought.

On a programming note, today is the 365th longread, which means that we've now covered an entire calendar year! Thanks for reading!

"How Not to Die" by Jonathan Rauch
Published in the Atlantic, April 24, 2013

Eric

Longread #364 -- Pallets -- 8/8/13

As someone who is not actively involved in business logistics, it's easy to forget about all of the tools necessary to keep products on the shelves. This article looks at pallets, their role in the global economy, and the ways that they are being redesigned for optimal efficiency.

I'll be out of town again tomorrow, so no longread will be posted. Have a great weekend!

"Pallets: The Single Most Important Object in the Global Economy" by Tom Vanderbilt
Published in Slate, August 14, 2012

Eric

Longread #363 -- America's Worst Charities -- 8/7/13

Today's longread is part of a series done by the Tampa Bay Times in cooperation with the Center for Investigative Reporting. I highly encourage you to read the full series. The exploitative business practices of these charities is sickening, and the inability to regulate them under existing laws is alarming.

"America's 50 worst charities rake in nearly $1 billion for corporate fundraisers" by Kris Hundley and Kendall Taggart
Published in the Tampa Bay Times, June 6, 2013

Eric

Longread #362 -- Kindness -- 8/6/13

A friend sent this to me, and I really enjoyed reading it. I don't know that it's breaking any truly ground in the message to embrace kindness; nevertheless, it's a message that bears repeating. I also enjoy the format of the graduation speech as it usually involves humor and, at least in the instances of good speeches, forces the writer to be concise.

Happy Tuesday. Hope it's a day of high kindness.

"George Saunders’s Advice to Graduates" by Joel Lovell
Published in the New York Times, July 31, 2013

Eric

Longread #361 -- Bootleggers Ball -- 8/5/13

Having seen my fair share of shows by jambands, I have on many occasions experienced the desire to recreate the concert experience through recordings of live shows. This article looks at the die-hards of the world of concert taping and their adaption to changing technology.

"Bootleggers Ball" by Jessica Bal
Published in Narrative.ly, April 10, 2013

Eric

Longread #360 -- Making the Case for Eating Fruit -- 8/2/13

Over the past month or so, I've had a number of conversations with people about diet, carbs, fat, and weight loss. Many of the people that I spoke with had success with low-carb diets, and in general, I find the case for reducing most carbs to be compelling. However, several of the people I spoke with said that they had given up fruit in order to avoid the sugars present in fruits. At the time, I disagreed with this approach, but I was struggling to explain why. Thankfully, this article helps. Fruit is tasty, filling, full of other nutrients, and is quite different from other carbohydrate sources (especially ones with refined sugars). I think including fruit in one's diet can be immensely helpful in dietary adherence, and as such, the benefits dramatically outweigh the risks. There may be a small subset of the population so sensitive to carbs that even small amounts of fruit is enough to cause weight problems, but I think that for the vast majority of people, fruit should be a dietary staple.

"Making the Case for Eating Fruit" by Sophie Egan
Published in the New York Times Well Blog, July 31, 2013

Eric

Longread #359 -- The Undiluted Genius of Dr. Bronner's -- 8/1/13

I really enjoyed this longread both for its analysis of the business of Dr. Bronner's and also for providing detail on the quirky history that led to this product. It's a reminder that successful businesses can arise in unexpected ways and that a product's history can also profoundly affect its marketing and sales in the present.

"The Undiluted Genius of Dr. Bronner's" by Tom Foster
Published in Inc., April 3, 2012

Eric

Longread #358 -- Must Cats Die So Birds Can Live? -- 7/31/13

I'm kind of at a loss in terms of introducing this article. While the overall issues involved can be seen as important, the way in which this "cats vs. birds" issue has developed is startling. I wish this were harder to believe, but this attitude of taking it to the extremes seems to have become pervasive in our culture whether it's politics, youth sports, or how we deal with feral cats.

"Must Cats Die So Birds Can Live?" by Jessica Pressler
Published in New York Magazine, June 9, 2013

Eric

Longread #357 -- Rise of the Shuttlecock -- 7/30/13

This article from Seattle's alternative weekly newspaper looks at the often-overlooked sport of badminton. The description of the game's history and the dynamics that are driving its recent growth make this an interesting and enjoyable read.

"The Rise of the Shuttlecock" by Brandon Kiley
Published in the Stranger, July 24, 2013

Eric

Longread #356 -- Rise of the Warrior Cop -- 7/29/13

This article exposes a growing reliance on paramilitary policing strategies by police forces throughout the U.S. and the detrimental effect that these strategies have on public safety, personal liberties, and political dissent. While it is important for police to be prepared and protected, it seems clear that there needs to a more involved discussion about the proper use of SWAT teams and similar tactics by local police forces.

"'Why did you shoot me? I was reading a book': The new warrior cop is out of control" by Radley Balko
Published on Salon.com, July 7, 2013

Eric

Longread #355 -- Scalping Tickets -- 7/25/13

This is pretty short for a longread, but given that I'm going to a concert this weekend, I feel it is an appropriate article to share. It looks at the dynamics of concert ticket pricing and scalpers and the ways in which the current market for concert tickets is seriously broken.

No longread tomorrow -- have a great weekend!

"How Much Is Michael Bolton Worth to You?" by Adam Davidson
Published in the New York Times, June 4, 2013

Eric

Longread #354 -- A Filthy History -- 7/24/13

I'll be out camping this weekend, and one of the worst parts of this is always the need to use honey buckets (aka porta-potties or porta-johns). Reading this article, though, reminds me not to take the sanitation that we have in daily life (or even the honey buckets) for granted. While this article focuses more on trash collection than human waste, it nonetheless is a reminder of how significant the challenges of managing waste can be.

"A Filthy History: When New Yorkers Lived Knee-Deep in Trash" by Hunter Oatman-Stanford
Published in Collectors Weekly, June 24, 2013

Eric

Longread #353 -- The Song Decoders -- 7/23/13

There are a lot of ways to listen to and appreciate music, and this longread highlights an especially unique approach taken by Pandora. Pandora uses extremely-refined classifications in order to automate the process of music recommendations and thus create the optimal internet radio. While most of us have probably used Pandora at some point, we probably haven't thought in-depth about the engines powering that program, and this article gives this interesting background.

"The Song Decoders" by Rob Walker
Published in the New York Times Magazine, October 14, 2009

Eric

Longread #352 -- I Trusted 'Em -- 7/22/13

The NCAA system of amateur athletes is broken. Usually, the primary reason cited for why this is the case is the gap between the revenue that college players deliver (millions to universities and other organizations) and the reward that they receive (college scholarships). This article highlights another flaw in the system regarding how player injuries are handled and the lack of obligations that schools have to their players.

"'I Trusted 'Em': When NCAA Schools Abandon Their Injured Athletes" by Meghan Walsh
Published in the Atlantic, May 1, 2013

Eric

Longread #351 -- The Business of Phish -- 7/19/13

Phish kicks off a huge run of shows tonight with the first of three concerts in Chicago before heading west to Washington, California, and Colorado. This article explains the band's unique rise and how its touring-oriented approach allowed it to maintain the artistic freedom that many musicians yearn for.

Enjoy the article and the shows! A belated thank you to reader MHE81 for sending along this article.

"The Business of Phish" by Rohin Dhar
Published on Pricenomics, April 17, 2013

Eric

Longread #350 -- Unconventional Innovation -- 7/18/13

A lot has been written about the way that businesses in the U.S. have had to adapt in order to take on foreign competition, especially Chinese competition, in manufacturing. This article looks at the unconventional strategies for innovation that one company has taken to gain and maintain a competitive edge. While these sorts of adaptations won't be possible for many businesses, it does show that creative thinking and quality work can help some companies survive and thrive.

"The Road to Resilience: How Unscientific Innovation Saved Marlin Steel" by Charles Fishman
Published in Fast Company, June 17, 2013

Eric

Longread #349 -- The Father of Civilization -- 7/17/13

Reading this article was really a blast from the past. Civ I and Civ II were a big deal for my sister and I growing up. I also enjoyed reading about Meier's creative style and his business approach. His focus on fun is perhaps partially a function of his industry, but it seems to permeate his entire organization.

"Sid Meier: The Father of Civilization" by Jason Schreier
Published on Kotaku, June 26, 2013

Eric

Longread #348 -- Goodbye, Miami -- 7/16/13

If you've been planning a trip to South Beach, you might want to take it sooner rather than later. This article looks at the tremendous risks that climate change poses for Miami and at the predominately piecemeal planning to address those risks.

"Goodbye, Miami" by Jeff Goodell
Published in Rolling Stone, June 20, 2013

Eric

Longread #347 -- The Llama Is In -- 7/15/13

File this article under the "I had no idea this was a thing" header. A fun look at the world of llama owners in the U.S.

And in honor of regular reader MHE81, who will be attending several Phish shows later this week, I offer this video as a compliment:




"The Llama Is In" by Jennifer Kingson
Published in the New York Times, July 3, 2013

Eric

Longread #346 -- I Can Die Now -- 7/10/13

Just about two weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme Court's struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Just a few days after, I had the honor of attending the wedding of two friends, both of whom are women. It was amazing to be a part of after such a historic ruling and only reaffirmed my belief that "love is love," and that opposition to gay marriage is ill-founded. While the wedding touched on the emotional side of this issue for me, this article struck a nerve with my practical side. It made me realize the true, life-altering importance of this ruling for many, many families.

And on a programming note, I'll be on vacation yet again tomorrow and Friday. Sorry about the lack of longreads!

"I Can Die Now" by Dan Savage
Published in the Stranger, July 3, 2013

Eric

Longread #345 -- The Last Mystery of the Financial Crisis -- 7/9/13

This longread is another great piece of investigative journalism into the mechanics of the global financial crisis. To anyone who believes in free markets, it should be incredibly troublesome that companies whose business model is tied to their integrity became so caught up in the short-term profit-taking of the housing bubble.

"The Last Mystery of the Financial Crisis" by Matt Taibbi
Published in Rolling Stone, June 19, 2013

Eric

Longread #344 -- Trader Joe's -- 7/3/13

More about the food business is in today's longread about Trader Joe's which is reshaping the landscape of grocery stores in the U.S. This article examines the Trader Joe's business model and how it has changed the shopping experience and how it continues to manage the challenges of scale.

"Inside the secret world of Trader Joe's" by Beth Kowitt
Published in Fortune, August 23, 2010

Eric

Longread #343 -- Tastes Like Chicken -- 7/2/13

On the heels of yesterday's food history article about mince pie, today's longread looks at how chicken came to play a pivotal role in cuisines around the world.

"How the Chicken Conquered the World" by Jerry Adler and Andrew Lawler
Published in Smithsonian Magazine, June 2012

Eric

Longread #342 -- The Real American Pie -- 7/1/13

I think the history of cultural items like certain foods or dishes is fascinating and provides an alternate lens to understanding history outside of the traditional look at politics and major events. This article looks at the mince pie and includes the author's valiant attempts to recreate it.

"The Real American Pie" by Cliff Doerksen
Published in the Chicago Reader, December 17, 2009

Eric

Longread #341 -- Crush Point -- 6/27/13

The parade for the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks is tomorrow and is expected to bring hundreds of thousands if not millions of people to downtown. Crowd control will be an issue, and one that has more science involved than you might think. To all in attendance, be safe out there.

As with many prior (and upcoming) Fridays, I'll be on vacation, so no longread tomorrow. Happy weekend!

"Crush Point" by John Seabrook
Published in the New Yorker, February 7, 2011

Eric

Longread #340 -- Inside The Immortality Business -- 6/26/13

Ever wondered who pays to be cryogenically frozen? Or who it is that does the freezing? This article provides an interesting look into the business of immortality.

"Inside The Immortality Business" by Josh Dean
Published on BuzzFeed, June 6, 2013

Eric

Longread #339 -- Hawks Win! -- 6/25/13

HAWKS WIN!!!!!

"Beyond Belief: Hawks Make History With Comeback" by Joe Posnanski
Published on NBC Sports, June 25, 2013

Eric

Longread #338 -- Skymall -- 6/24/13

After spending a lot of time recently on airplanes, I couldn't help but love this article about Skymall. Skymall is one of the great joys of flying, and this story details its recent and somewhat bizarre financial dealings.

"SkyMall: The Strange Story of America's Most Delightfully Weird Catalogue" by Rohin Dhar
Published in the Atlantic, June 12, 2013

Eric

Longread #337 -- The Piano Mover -- 6/20/13

Continuing with this week's theme about work and labor is a feature about New York City's preeminent piano mover. I love stories like this that highlight a person (or place or occupation, etc.) that otherwise might never enter my mind.

"The Piano Mover" by Brendan Spiegel
Published on narrative.ly, September 4, 2012

Eric

Longread #336 -- Robot Bosses -- 6/19/13

When we think of robots or artificial intelligence (AI), many of us gravitate toward thoughts about the Terminator or other weapons. While that makes for better movies, this article goes into the very real, day-to-day effects that may come about as a result of greater robot functionality in the workplace. For American workers who are already struggling with myriad challenges including lack of education, overseas competition, dearth of adequate wages to name a few, this represents another significant issue that will need to be managed as technology moves forward.

"Welcome, Robot Overlords. Please Don't Fire Us?" by Kevin Drum
Published in Mother Jones, May/June 2013

Eric

Longread #335 -- Everyone Only Wants Temps -- 6/18/13

Yesterday's article dealt with white-collar workers and their choices in the direction of their careers. Today's article looks more at blue-collar workers and how the trend toward temp workers has changed their employment landscape.

"Everyone Only Wants Temps" by Gabriel Thompson
Published in Mother Jones, July 16, 2012

Eric

Longread #334 -- Letter To A Young Programmer Considering A Startup -- 6/17/13

I really enjoyed this article for its frankness in addressing some of the pitfalls of pursuing a career in a technology startup. I think the author does a good job of countering the glorification of these careers without demeaning their importance. Innovation and entrepreneurship are clearly values that should be encouraged, but their costs, too, must be understood. In general, I think this is a valuable read for anyone who thinks introspectively about direction to follow for a career, and obviously it is even more well-suited for someone in the technology field.

"Letter To A Young Programmer Considering A Startup" by Alex Payne
Published on http://al3x.net/, May 23, 2013

Eric

Longread #333 -- The Thin Red Line -- 6/14/13

Over the last few days, reports have come out of Syria that U.S. and international investigators have concluded that the Assad regime has used chemical weapons -- sarin gas, in particular -- against anti-government forces (and potentially civilians as well). The crossing of this so-called "red line" from the Obama administration raises again the questions about what the U.S. can and should do in Syria. This article from the New Yorker reviews the complex and challenging issues behind the "upward trajectory" of U.S. involvement in Syria.

"The Thin Red Line" by Dexter Filkins
Published in the New Yorker, May 13, 2013

Eric

Longread #332 -- Microbes -- 6/13/13

Continuing on this week's topic of health and scientific research, this longread looks at the emerging field of studying microbes. Microbes are gaining more and more attention for their role in human health although, as this article cautions, the field is still too young to start making significant conclusions about how this affects medicine or the daily practice of trying to be healthy.

"Microbes: The Trillions of Creatures Governing Your Health" by Richard Conniff
Published in Smithsonian Magazine, May 2013

Eric

Longread #331 -- The Girl Who Turned to Bone -- 6/12/13

This is another incredible medical story. It focuses on a rare disease (fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva) and the efforts to better understand and address the disease. It also uses this case as a lens into the general difficulty in studying rare diseases.

"The Girl Who Turned to Bone" by Carl Zimmer
Published in the Atlantic, May 22, 2013

Eric

Longread #330 -- Beyond Recognition -- 6/11/13

This article is fascinating in that it

a.) explains the incredible science behind face transplants
b.) also explores the psychological issues involved with such a procedure and
c.) does not mention the movie Face/Off.

"Beyond recognition: the incredible story of a face transplant" by Katie Drummond
Published in the Verge, June 4, 2013

Note: my apologies for missing several days of longreads recently. I was traveling for family issues, but I should be back to regularly posting every business day (at least when I'm not on vacation...).

Eric

Longread #329 -- How A War Hero Became A Serial Bank Robber -- 6/5/13

This is a follow-up to yesterday's article about the difficulties for veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan. It is tragic that someone with such commitment, loyalty, and ability was only able to find comfort in robbing banks. Even more tragic is that it may have been preventable had the mental health system not failed him miserably.

"How A War Hero Became A Serial Bank Robber" by Scott Johnson
Published on BuzzFeed, May 30, 2013

Eric

Longread #328 -- Veterans’ struggle -- 6/4/13

I first read this article well over a year ago, but for some reason, it has been continually pushed down in the queue for the blog. Sadly, it's largely with how Veterans' issues have been handled in our society. The tremendous challenge of supporting former soldiers is one that it appears our country will struggle with for many years to come.

"Veterans’ struggle" by Anna Fifield
Published in the Financial Times, January 20, 2012

Eric

Longread #327 -- How the NRA Ends -- 6/3/13

This article offers some resistance to the argument that the NRA has such a strong grip on gun politics in America that effective gun regulation is impossible. While the NRA is well-funded and vocal, it is also alienating many mainstream voters and is facing new challengers that are formidable and similarly deep-pocketed.

"This Is How the NRA Ends" by Alec MacGillis
Published in the New Republic, May 28, 2013

Eric

Longread #326 -- Depressed Sports Fans -- 5/31/13

This one is dedicated to fans of the Detroit Red Wings who lost a riveting Game 7 earlier this week against the Chicago Blackhawks. Though I was elated with that outcome, unfortunately, I can say that I've been the depressed sports fan many, many times and have shown traits of almost all of the 20 types listed here.

Enjoy this entertaining read and have a happy Friday!

"The 20 Types of Depressed Sports Fans" by Sean McIndoe
Published on Grantland, May 21, 2013

Eric

Longread #325 -- Urban Dictionary -- 5/30/12

This is a fascinating story about how the crowd-sourced website Urban Dictionary (on which I myself have two published entries) has come to be used in courts of law. While it seems like it may have a useful role in contributing to the understanding of particular cases, I can understand the concern about putting too much faith in this resource when determining the outcome court cases. Absent an increase in speed for additions to actual dictionaries, though, it is hard to see this role going away anytime soon for Urban Dictionary.

"For the Word on the Street, Courts Call Up an Online Witness" by Leslie Kaufman
Published in the New York Times, May 20, 2013

Eric

Longread #324 -- Lunch -- 5/29/13

I was on vacation over the Memorial Day weekend, so I apologize for not posting longreads on Friday or Tuesday. But we'll be back in full swing starting today.

A few months ago, I decided to take a different approach to lunch. Instead of eating a heavier meal in hopes of sustaining me through the day, I decided to simply eat an orange or an apple and grapple with some afternoon hunger. To many, this approach was completely ridiculous and defied everything about how we usually think of lunch. In light of that, I found this article to be revealing that our notions of lunch are not as longstanding as we've come to believe. As a recent exhibit at the New York Public Libraries demonstrated, the very definition of lunch has changed dramatically with urbanization and is a reminder of how meals and food become defined not by biology and hunger alone but by social and cultural context.

"Lunch: An Urban Invention" by Nicola Twilley
Published in Edible Geography, June 22, 2012

Eric

Longread #323 -- Facebook, One Year Later -- 5/23/13

Just over a year ago, I posted an article about the Facebook IPO process and how investment banks courted the company for lead position in in the IPO (Longread #73). This article from the Atlantic looks at the Facebook IPO after the fact and reveals how shady disclosure practices allowed the IPO to earn windfall profits for high-profile investors to make a killing on the backs of investors with less clout. It's a sad story although one that should come as no surprise to anyone who's been paying attention to how these things usually unfold.

"Facebook, One Year Later: What Really Happened in the Biggest IPO Flop Ever" by Khadeeja Safdar
Published in the Atlantic, May 20, 2013

Eric

Longread #322 -- The Genius of QVC -- 5/22/13

I post this article today in honor of my parents who I will be visiting soon. Growing up, it sometimes seemed like every day that I came home from school that there would be a new QVC box by the front door. While I'm sure there were some products that we used extensively (the Gorge Foreman Grill, for example), for the most part, these QVC goods ended up collecting dust. Nevertheless, it never turned my parents away from watching, especially "In the Kitchen With Bob." Frankly, I wouldn't mind one bit if I never saw another minute of QVC.

"The Genius of QVC" by Megan McArdle
Published in the Atlantic, May 11, 2010

Eric

Longread #321 -- Eyewitnesses -- 5/21/13

Given the importance of eyewitnesses to criminal investigations, their unreliability can be astounding. This article looks at new research investigating how to improve  the accuracy of eyewitnesses.

"Shuffling the Lineup: How One Man Is Redesigning the Witness ID Process" by Ben Paynter
Published in Good, March 13, 2012

Eric

Longread #320 -- Creative People Say No -- 5/20/13

There is a lot to be said about the position the author takes about creativity. Obviously, someone who is constantly getting diverted from his or her creative pursuits is unlikely to see that creativity produce much of anything. Focus and work ethic are clearly a tremendous boon to a creative mind. That said, I think this is horribly oversimplified. Creativity comes from many places, and to think that a person can only be creative if walled off from all distractions seems comical. In fact, many people find that sparks of creativity come from unsuspecting places or that breaking from an isolated routine is essential to shake conditions like writer's block. Creativity can also be valuable without having to result in something that is productive in the tangible sense mentioned by the author (such as a book or painting). I would argue that creative people are often "productive" in a different sense by enriching the lives of people around them. For example, maybe the author who takes a few minutes to interact with others ends up inspiring those people to be creative. That author's individual creative productivity may decline, but society's net creative production may increase.

This may take the headline too far, but I also think that this article misses the boat on something that to me is endemic to creativity, which is the inclination to find ways to make things possible (e.g., to find ways to say "yes"). Many of the world's most innovative and creative people were willing to ignore doubters and those who always said "no" or "this can't be done." Instead, they were creative precisely because the refused to take no for an answer.


My point here isn't that all of these people should have taken the interview request discussed in the article or that creative people should always say "yes." But I think it is dangerous to define creativity and its value in such a way as to encourage creative people to say no.

Thanks to my friend Ross for posting this article on Twitter. 

"Creative People Say No" by Kevin Ashton
Published in Medium, March 18, 2013

Eric

Longread #319 -- NACHOS! -- 5/17/13

Gotta love 'chos at the ballpark. Even if they are served out of a helmet or found discarded under someone's seat.

Happy Friday!

"The History of Baseball Stadium Nachos" by K. Annabelle Smith
Published in the Smithsonian Food & Think blog, May 7, 2013

Eric

Longread #318 -- The Next Pandemic -- 5/16/13

Keeping with yesterday's Outbreak theme, here's another good longread about zoonotic diseases and efforts to better understand and combat them.

"Where Will The Next Pandemic Come From? And How Can We Stop It?" by David Quammen
Published in Popular Science, October 15, 2012

Eric

Longread #317 -- The Hunt for Ebola -- 5/15/13

Whether it's because of the movie Outbreak or because of numerous situations talking about disease epidemics in debate, these articles almost always interest me. It's damn complicated research, and I don't envy the scientists who go out searching for ebola.

"The Hunt for Ebola" by Joshua Hammer

Published in Smithsonian Magazine, November 2012

Eric

Longread #316 -- Black Metal Troy -- 5/14/13

I'm going to take a few days to post articles that I read a long time ago and have been sitting in my "longreads to post" folder for way too long. Given the growing number of ways that life is now lived online, stories like this one shouldn't be that surprising. But it can always be jarring to read about a specific individual and in this case, how his life unfolded online. Ignore overarching tropes about how the internet makes us more or less isolated. As with most things in life, it is much more complicated as the internet can mediate all sorts of interactions that can connect, disconnect, inspire, despair, etc.

"BLACK METAL TROY or, How to Drink Online" by Robert Moor
Published in the Brooklyn Rail, April 2011

Eric

Longread #315 -- Truth and Consequences -- 5/13/13

This article gives the background of a case recently heard by the U.S. Supreme Court about the constitutionality of obtaining DNA samples. As this article outlines, the decision will have tremendous ramifications not only for police practices but also for one individual whose assailant was only identified through the DNA collection practices being challenged in the courts.

"Truth and Consequences" by Harry Jaffe

Published in the Washingtonian, April 30, 2013

Eric

Longread #314 -- Word Aversion -- 5/10/13

This probably shouldn't qualify as a longread, but because it's a Friday we can fudge the rules a little bit. This is a fun article from Gabe about word aversion. Feel free to post your most-hated words in the comments.

Happy Friday!

"Why Do We Hate Certain Words?" by Matthew J.X. Malady
Published in Slate, April 1, 2013

Eric

Longread #313 -- Who Killed The Deep Space Climate Observatory? -- 5/9/13

This is a remarkably frustrating story about how politics and bureaucracy can get in the way of science and also waste boatloads of taxpayer money. Recent news reports about Obama's proposed budget indicate that this might finally get funded for launch in 2014, but with all the budget uncertainty right now, it's hard to know if this will be for real.

"Who Killed The Deep Space Climate Observatory?" by Bill Donahue
Published in Popular Science, April 6, 2011

Eric

Longread #312 -- The KKK -- 5/8/13

I'm going back through my folder of good longreads, and this one caught my eye. For all the notoriety received by the KKK, this author found that, unsurprisingly, they're a pretty pathetic bunch. 

"My Kasual Kountry Weekend With the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan" by Hamilton Nolan

Published on Gawker, April 3, 2012

Eric

Longread #311 -- Trailer Parks -- 5/7/13

This was not something that I had ever thought about before, and while the headline is clearly hyperbolic, the idea nevertheless seems to hold a lot of water. It certainly seems like a revision of government policy toward mobile homes (vis-a-vis houses) would be worth discussing.

"How the Trailer Park Could Save Us All" by Lisa Margonelli
Published in Pacific Standard, April 22, 2013

Eric

Longread #310 -- Still Waiting -- 5/6/13

The numbers in this article are staggering. This type of simple but straightforward reform seems as though it would save a tremendous amount of time, money, and general suffering for people who are making their way through the legal system. While a large city like New York probably experiences this more acutely than most cities, I imagine that this type of reform could be utilized by many other medium-to-large cities across the country.

"Waiting and Waiting ... for Justice" by David Feige
Published in the New York Times, May 1, 2013

Eric

Longread #309 -- The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved -- 5/3/13

In honor of tomorrow's Kentucky Derby, here's Grantland's presentation of a classic article by Hunter S. Thompson about Derby weekend.

Happy Friday!

"Director's Cut: ‘The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved’ by Hunter S. Thompson" by Michael MacCambridge
Published on Grantland, May 4, 2012

Eric

Longread #308 -- Hearing the Voice of God -- 5/2/13

I don't believe in God, but I believe in nuance. This article, which looks at a researcher who has studied people who feel that God talks to them, adds nuance to our understanding of religion and spirituality. While I don't think that people are truly hearing an independent voice of God, I do think it is important to figure out what it is that they are hearing. What emerges from this research is that intense and focused spirituality and prayer can manifest in experiences that are interpreted as divine wisdom. While this is easy to ridicule, it is more valuable to actually understand and perhaps in some instances even [gasp] appreciate.

"Hearing the Voice of God" by Jill Wolfson
Published in Stanford Magazine, July/August 2012

Eric

Longread #307 -- Confessions of an Ex-Mormon -- 5/1/13

Religion is a complicated subject that all too often gets painted as simply black and white. I've not practiced religion since my mid-teens, but I try to remain open-minded about religious thought and what drives people to it. Especially in the sphere of public policy, it is easy to dismiss opinions or positions informed by religion as baseless or unsupported. That may be an accurate assessment in many situations, but it is useful to think more broadly about religion and the role that it can and does play in communities and the lives of millions of individuals. In this longread, the author explores his own personal history with Mormonism to portray a somewhat different account of the religion that the one often conveyed in mainstream media sources. I think there is a definite danger that this kind of account can become an apology for the worst abuses of religious organizations (such as the Mormons and Prop 8, as mentioned in this piece). It is important to hedge against that kind of apologism but that doesn't require completely disavowing some of the benefits that religious institutions can deliver.

"Confessions of an Ex-Mormon" by Walter Kirn
Published in the New Republic, July 13, 2012

Eric

Longread #306 -- Account of the Boston Carjacking Victim -- 4/30/13

This is a pretty incredible story telling the experience of the man carjacked by the Boston Marathon bombers. As it turns out, his careful planning and decision to flee helped considerably in identifying and tracking the suspects. It's easy to think in the abstract about what I'd do in this situation, and I can only hope that I would remain as calm and collected as this man.

"Carjacking victim describes harrowing night" by Eric Moskowitz
Published in the Boston Globe, April 26, 2013

Eric

Longread #305 -- Speeding Cops -- 4/29/13

This is part one of a three-part series that recently won a Pulitzer Prize for public service reporting. All three parts of the series are worth reading. The story probably doesn't shock anyone, which is part of why I think it was such a successful piece. The writers were able to quantify and clearly demonstrate just how commonplace this problem has become and to highlight the often tragic consequences that come with it.

"Above the Law: Speeding Cops" by Sally Kestin and John Maines
Published in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, February 11, 2012

Eric

Longread #304 -- Our Feel-Good War on Breast Cancer -- 4/26/13

As someone who talks about these types of issues on a daily basis, it is hard for me to summarize this article. Obviously, there are people who will feel offended by some of it -- that is inevitable with an issue that is so emotionally-charged. But overall I think this is a remarkably balanced, informed, and reasonable take on the fight against breast cancer and how in many ways it has gone astray.

"Our Feel-Good War on Breast Cancer" by Peggy Orenstein
Published in the New York Times, April 28, 2013

Eric

Longread #303 -- Food Aid -- 4/25/13

This article provides excellent context to how the U.S. can and should respond in providing aid during international crises. While direct food aid has long been a standard means of sending support, numerous examples have demonstrated that this aid is inefficient and often counterproductive. In its place, the author offers several other forms of assistance (including just cash) that could be far more useful.

Thanks to Lucy for sharing the article!

"When Food Isn’t the Answer to Hunger" by Tina Rosenberg
Published in the New York Times Opinionator Blog, April 24, 2013

Eric

Longread #302 -- Space Invaders -- 4/24/13

It's amazing how often I still see multiple spaces after a period, and it's maddening. One space, people. This longread should settle it.

"Space Invaders" by Farhad Manjoo
Published on Slate, January 12, 2013

Eric

Longread #301 -- How the Mormons Church Makes Money -- 4/23/13

I had no idea that the Mormon Church had such extensive financial assets and also didn't comprehend how the businesses of the church are affected by theology. As a result, I found this to be really interesting and presented in a generally non-judgmental way.

"How the Mormons Make Money" by Caroline Winter
Published in Business Week, July 18, 2012

Eric

Longread #300 -- Violence of the Lambs -- 4/22/13

I thoroughly enjoyed this longread and love its style, content, and readability. Sullivan nailed the tone -- the entire piece simultaneously irreverent and serious -- leading to numerous nuggets of humor and wisdom.

Thank you to my roommate and reader/commenter B. Bruce for sharing this article with me.

"Violence of the Lambs" by John Jeremiah Sullivan
Published in GQ, February 2008

Eric

Longread #299 -- Sports Reporting -- 4/19/13

The nature of sports journalism has changed a lot in recent years, but some elements stay the same including the fact that many athletes are, for lack of a better term, a pain-in-the-ass to deal with. Today's longread is about how one columnist turned the tables in a classic piece of sports writing.

Happy Friday!

"Director's Cut: ‘Oh, No! Not Another Boring Interview With Steve Carlton,’ by Diane K. Shah" by Michael MacCambridge
Published on Grantland, September 21, 2012

Eric

Longread #298 -- He Who Makes the Rules -- 4/18/13

Yesterday politics-as-usual in the U.S. Senate derailed a seemingly moderate and consensus-driven gun control bill. One of the saddest parts of this ordeal, though, is that even if the law had passed, it likely still would have faced continued erosion through the rulemaking process. While this article is in the context of financial reform, it nevertheless demonstrates how the process of formulating regulation can be manipulated to weaken or eliminate key elements of important legislation.

"He Who Makes the Rules" by Haley Sweetland Edwards
Published in the Washington Monthly, March/April 2013

Eric

Longread #297 -- The Warlord and the Basketball Star -- 4/17/13

An entertaining but also somewhat saddening story. You'll probably have several forehead-slapping moments while reading this and wondering "how could they be so dumb?"

"The Warlord and the Basketball Star: A Story of Congo's Corrupt Gold Trade" by Armin Rosen
Published in the Atlantic, March 2012

Eric

Longread #296 -- One of Us -- 4/16/13

There's a lot going on in this article as it takes on a pretty expansive topic regarding human and animal consciousness. I find this to be an extremely rich debate and probably for that reason have a hard time finding definitive answers. A good read worthy of much continued pondering.

"One of Us" by John Jeremiah Sullivan
Published in Lapham's Quarterly, Spring 2013

Eric

Longread #295 -- The Nature Cure -- 4/15/13

So much of this article just made perfect sense to me in terms of how people respond when they have time to get lost in true natural beauty. I live in an amazingly scenic city, but it still doesn't compare to the forests and lakes and mountains and incredible surrounds. I also love the term "soft fascination" -- I had never heard it before but knew exactly the feeling when it was described in this article While I support trying to understand and quantify the health benefits of nature, my only concern is that the scientific measurement part could overtake the simplicity of just getting outside. But in general, I found this to be really interesting and to align closely with my own experiences.

"Take Two Hours of Pine Forest and Call Me in the Morning" by Florence Williams
Published in Outside Magazine, December 2012

Eric

Longread #294 -- Kindle Spam -- 4/11/13

This is a relatively short article, but it comes with an activity!

Recently, I was stumbled across an author who seemed too weird to be real. Marshella Goodsworth had written a host of cookbooks on eclectic topics and food combinations. At first I thought it might be a joke, but then I found out that spam has been taking over the Kindle store. It's an interesting though unsurprising phenomenon and one that Amazon will likely need to control to help advance a bigger future for ebooks.

The activity: post a comment with a favorite title from Marshella Goodsworth's published catalog of books! My personal favorite: Christmas Nachos Recipes. It would really make my Christmas if I got a gift box like the one on the cover, but it was full of 'chos piled high with all the fixin's!

I'll be on vacation tomorrow, so no longread will be posted.

"Kindle e-book store slammed by spam “authors”" by Casey Johnston
Published in Ars Technica,  June 17, 2011

Eric

Longread #293 -- The Weeklies -- 4/10/13

Because of the scale of the housing market collapse and the subsequent economic downturn in the U.S., it is often easy to focus on the statistics and to lose sight of individuals. This article brings many of the individuals to the fore in showing how they cope with the loss of their homes and savings. It is a useful reminder of the way that major economic or financial events impact people on a day-to-day basis. The saddest part of it is that in many ways, these families are much better off than many who had even fewer options for housing or income.

"The Weeklies" by Monica Potts
Published in the American Prospect, March 26, 2013

Eric

Longread #292 -- Do You Know the Muffin Man? -- 4/9/13

I post a lot of longreads that look at the dirty deeds of corporate America, so today's longread is a nice change of pace. The Jiffy Mix company is one that appears to value the long view rather than focusing predominately on short-term profits. Taking this approach facilitates Jiffy being a more ethical and a more successful business.

"7 Reasons This Muffin Mix Can Save America" by Cory Suter
Published on PolicyMic, March 2013

Eric

Longread #291 -- Baseball -- 4/8/13

Today is the Kansas City Royals home opener, which always represents a certain level of excitement as a new season -- and new hope -- springs anew. However, with a team like the Royals, after so many years of disappointment, it's sometimes hard to remember why we get so fired up by the return of baseball. In this post from Jeff Sullivan, who writes largely about another flailing franchise (the Seattle Mariners), he explores the way that baseball's uncertainty lures us in and gives meaning to our lives as fans.

The part about Franklin Gutierrez refers to a player for the Mariners who several years ago was seen as the face of the franchise and then has missed extensive playing time as a result of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (no joke) and other largely fluke-y injuries.

"Franklin Gutierrez Is Baseball" by Jeff Sullivan
Published on USS Mariner, April 5, 2013

Eric

Longread #290 -- Roger Ebert -- 4/5/13

Roger Ebert, a man who profoundly shaped the way millions of people watch and enjoy movies, passed away yesterday after a long-running battle with cancer. In this article, which was written nearly three years ago, writer Will Leitch gives his personal reflections on Ebert. It is an engaging story that also shows a great deal about Ebert's character and how he interacted with his readers.

If you are interested in reading more about Ebert, I also greatly enjoyed the Esquire profile of him by Chris Jones called "Roger Ebert: The Essential Man." It was also published in 2010. That profile has several long quotes from Ebert's essay writings about death, which you can access here: "I do not fear death" by Roger Ebert.

"My Roger Ebert Story" by Will Leitch
Published on Deadspin, March 1, 2010

Eric

Longread #289 -- All of the Lights -- 4/4/13

I don't think I will ever read an entire book about the history of neon, but I really enjoyed this review of some of the books on the topic. Our associations with neon are pretty interesting ranging from the basic "Open" sign to the largess of Las Vegas to the cliche clothing of the 80s.

"Illuminated Manuscripts: On the History of Neon" by Ariana Kelly
Published in the Los Angeles Review of Books, March 14, 2013

Eric

Longread #288 -- Selling Out -- 4/3/13

So this is a story of a guy with a dumb idea that unfolded in predictably stupid ways. Nevertheless, it's a comical and ridiculous read.

"Meet the Man Who Sold His Fate to Investors at $1 a Share" by Joshua Davis
Published in Wired, March 28, 2013

Eric

Longread #287 -- Used Clothes -- 4/2/13

Last night, the Seattle Mariners hosted an event that included printing approximately ten to fifteen thousand t-shirts. It's common to find these shirts -- often still unworn -- when browsing the aisles of the local thrift shop. As someone who commonly donates old or unwanted clothes to thrift stores, I typically assumed that these clothes were predominately being sold by the thrift shop itself. Instead, it turns out, most of these used clothes wind up being re-sold over and over until they are worn by the poor in Africa. While I realized that this type of reselling occurred, I had no sense of its scope until reading this article.

"How Susie Bayer's T-Shirt Ended Up on Yusuf Mama's Back" by George Packer
Published in the New York Times, March 31, 2002

Eric

Longread #286 - Unfit for Work -- 4/1/13

This article represents excellent reporting by NPR, which identified how the federal disability program has changed since its inception and now unexpectedly serves as a growing safety net for both sick and unskilled workers across the U.S. In addition to the story itself, I also find it interesting that the states that have the highest rates of unemployment are also states that most strongly support the GOP and conservative budget politics (notably those in the Deep South). It sort of reinforces the idea that no one like government spending -- unless it's to their benefit.

"Unfit for Work" by Chana Joffe-Walt
Published by NPR Planet Money, March 22, 2013

Eric

Longread #285 -- The Open Mic -- 3/29/13

This article provides an entertaining glimpse into the world of stand-up comedy and open mic nights in particular. It focuses specifically on Seattle, and in profiling the open mic experience at different locations, examines the joys and perils that confront people who aspire to be stand-up comedians. A friend who attends many open mics and performs comedy shows in town was interviewed (although not quoted) for this piece. While the article itself takes on a very specific starting point, it uses that as a lens by which to view stand-up comedy more broadly.

Happy Friday!

"Fear & Laughing at the Open Mic" by Brett Hamil
Published in CityArts, March 25, 2013

Eric

Longread #284 -- You Owe Me -- 3/28/13

This is a touching essay that is also a reminder of how difficult it can be to try to help people in dire situations. I am thankful for everyone who takes on this type of challenge and am thankful that Miah Arnold chose to write about it so poignantly.

"You Owe Me" by Miah Arnold
Published in the Michigan Quarterly Review, April 5, 2012

Longread #283 -- Bringing Them Back to Life -- 3/27/13

While this is fascinating science, I couldn't agree more with this perspective from the article:

“There is clearly a terrible urgency to saving threatened species and habitats,” says John Wiens, an evolutionary biologist at Stony Brook University in New York. “As far as I can see, there is little urgency for bringing back extinct ones. Why invest millions of dollars in bringing a handful of species back from the dead, when there are millions still waiting to be discovered, described, and protected?”

While I hate to stifle scientific curiosity, the fact of the matter is that there are finite resources (in terms of money, time, laboratories, etc.), and de-extinction to me likely trades off with other approaches that could be far more meaningful.

"Bringing Them Back to Life" by Carl Zimmer
Published in National Geographic, April 2013

Eric

Longread #282 -- Prince Alwaleed -- 3/26/13

An interesting article that profiles one of the richest people in Saudi Arabia and his ego-driven desire to make himself appear richer.

"Prince Alwaleed And The Curious Case Of Kingdom Holding Stock" by Kerry Dolan
Published in Forbes, March 25, 2012

Eric

Longread #281 -- See No Evil -- 3/25/13

This is an excellent piece that provides quality reporting both on the small and highly-specialized industry of making "traps" for cars and on the case of one of the most well-regarded trapmakers, Alfred Anaya, who got caught up in the dirty business of the men who hired him.

It's a story that frustrates me for two reasons. First, I think the specific details of Anaya's case seem to demonstrate questionable judgement on the behalf of the federal prosecutors. However, this article doesn't deeply explore both sides, so perhaps there is more to the case than mentioned here. Second, and more important in my mind, is how this article shows the way that the current nature of the drug war warps the functioning of the criminal justice system.

"See No Evil: The Case of Alfred Anaya" by Brendan I. Koerner
Published in Wired, March 19, 2013

Eric

Longread #280 -- The Kalamazoo Promise -- 3/21/13

Though "the Kalamazoo Promise" sounds like an awful romantic comedy, it's actually a pretty awesome program to pay for college for nearly all students who graduate from high school in Kalamazoo. This article explains the program, its mysterious origins, and its profound effects on the community.

"Why These Kids Get a Free Ride to College" by Ted C. Fishman
Published in the New York Times, September 13, 2012

Eric

Longread #279 -- The Things You Love -- 3/21/13

Satire is an amazing communicative device. While I tend to thing that it is overused in our society, it nevertheless retains enormous persuasive power. While satire is intended to be funny, it can and should be so much more. The best satire uses humor as a vehicle to force the audience to rethink an assumption or reconsider a viewpoint.

This article from the Onion -- one of the foremost purveyors of satire -- hits this note remarkably well. While it is an extremely funny article, my hope is that people who read it don't stop just at the humor. Instead, this article should compel people to think about their priorities in life and how their day-to-day actions actually align with those priorities. While it's easy to brush this aside as just another funny article from the Onion, I hope that you take a few minutes to reflect after reading it. As a friend wrote after sharing this on Facebook, "the fact that 7 people have shared this in the past day makes me feel like we're all doing something wrong..."

"Find The Thing You're Most Passionate About, Then Do It On Nights And Weekends For The Rest Of Your Life" by David Ferguson
Published in the Onion, March 20, 2013

Eric

Longread #278 -- Rescuing Cesar Millan -- 3/20/13

Before I read this article, I had no idea that Cesar Millan had fallen from grace. I never watched much of his show and passively assumed that his "dog whispering" was mostly a gimmick. While there are certainly elements of his approach that sound awfully fuzzy to me (everything about how the dog senses "energy"), that doesn't mean he's wrong. Reading this profile of Millan gave me a lot more appreciation for his care for dogs and provided an interesting story of how he's ridden the roller coaster of fame.

"Rescuing Cesar Millan" by Jason Fine
Published in Men's Journal, March 2013

Eric

Longread #277 -- Sriracha -- 3/19/13

Today's longread is a profile of a leading company in one of the fastest-growing segments of the food industry. As a person who loves sriracha in soup, stir fries, and well, most things really, I enjoyed learning about the quirks of this now well-known company.

"Sriracha Hot Sauce Catches Fire, Yet 'There's Only One Rooster'" by Caleb Hannan
Published in BusinessWeek, February 21, 2013

Eric

Longread #276 -- Bitter Pill -- 3/18/13

Our health care system is seriously broken. Costs have been rising but without corresponding increases in the quality of care for most patients. Tens of millions of people are uninsured and receiving little to no care at all. While Obamacare attempts to address some of these challenges, even its most ardent supporters generally acknowledge that it doesn't go anywhere near far enough in addressing the fundamental problems of our health care system.

As with diagnosing a medical condition, determining what is wrong with our health care system requires looking at the symptoms and trying to identify their causes. In this detailed report, the author exposes an array of troubling practices in hospital administration that are driving up costs without helping to make us any healthier. It serves as an excellent starting point for discussions of how to revamp or reform the medical system.

Update -- 3/19: It has come to my attention that this article is now behind the Time Magazine subscriber paywall. I don't know any good way around it, but I had saved a copy to my Kindle before that. If I come across another full-text version, I will update here accordingly.

"Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us" by Steven Brill
Published in Time Magazine, March 4, 2013

Eric

Longread #275 -- A Rough Guide to Disney World -- 3/15/13

I'm not going to do much of a writeup today. This longread was one of the most well-regarded of 2011 and was one of the first I read when starting this longread project. The style of this longread is markedly different from my typical postings, but it's a great read for a Friday.

"You Blow My Mind. Hey, Mickey!" by John Jeremiah Sullivan
Published in the New York Times, June 8, 2011

Eric

Longread #274 -- Drug War Hypocrisy -- 3/14/13

There's a lot that's wrong about the way that our country conducts the "war on drugs." While anti-drug officials have increasingly talked about going after "big fish," this article demonstrates that they are spineless when it comes to actually shutting down the vital cogs in the machines that allow illicit, multinational drug trafficking continue. It's another read that will make your blood boil.

"Outrageous HSBC Settlement Proves the Drug War is a Joke" by Matt Taibbi
Published in Rolling Stone's TaibbiBlog, December 13, 2012

Eric

Longread #273 -- Hackers of Damascus -- 3/13/13

For civilians like myself, it's easy to think of war and combat in specific ways, many of which are framed by well-known war movies about World War II or Vietnam. But it is clear that the nature of the battlefield is changing, and cyberwar is becoming increasingly relevant to conflicts of all kinds. This article looks at how control of information and online communication has played a central role in the ongoing conflict in Syria.

"The Hackers of Damascus" by Stephan Faris
Published in Business Week, November 15, 2012

Eric

Longread #272 -- The Story of Steve Jobs -- 3/12/13

While the specter of Steve Jobs has largely faded, his legacy is one that still inspires controversy. In business and in his personal life, Jobs took an approach that could often fairly be labeled as both inspirational and bullying. This longread looks at the different ways of interpreting his leadership style and whether it can or should be applied by others.

"The Story of Steve Jobs: An Inspiration or a Cautionary Tale?" by Ben Austen
Published in Wired, July 23, 2012

Eric

Longread #271 -- The Force -- 3/11/13

Some of the largest effects of the budget sequestration are on the military. In light of these budget cuts, this longread felt especially relevant as it looks at the changing dynamics of military spending and the role of the U.S military in global politics.

"The Force" by Jill Lepore
Published in the New Yorker, January 28, 2013

Eric

Longread #270 -- Libor Rigging -- 3/7/13

The scope of this scandal is truly astounding, especially in the wake of all the other scandals and general malfeasance going on at banks. I'll let one high-level regulator summarize (emphasis mine)...

Sheila Bair, who served as acting chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission in the 1990s and as chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. from 2006 to 2011, says the scope of the scandal points to the flaws of light-touch regulation on both sides of the Atlantic. “When a bank can benefit financially from doing the wrong thing, it generally will,” Bair says. “The extent of the Libor manipulation was eye-popping.”

I'll be out of town tomorrow, so no longread will be posted. Hope you all have a great weekend!

"Libor Lies Revealed in Rigging of $300 Trillion Benchmark" by  Liam Vaughan & Gavin Finch
Published in Bloomberg Markets Magazine, January 28, 2013

Eric

Longread #269 -- Driving Bin Laden -- 3/6/13

As with many Supreme Court decisions, it is easy to forget how much time and effort went into building and arguing the cases themselves. For someone locked up at Guantanamo, the challenges in obtaining effective representation were enormous. This article examines the challenges faced by Hamdan and the dedication of his legal team to taking on an Administration waging a War on Terrorism.

"Driving Bin Laden: Salim Hamdan" by Rick Anderson
Published in Seattle Weekly, November 28, 2012

Eric

Longread #268 -- Brain Damage and Genius -- 3/5/13

Today's longread offers another intriguing look at unusual sources of creativity and genius. These are incredible stories of people who have suddenly "discovered" new abilities after traumatic brain injuries. It does make you wonder if we possess latent abilities that we simply can't access. Though I don't want to slam my head into a wall to do it, it would be pretty amazing to "unlock" my brain's ability to play a filthy blues guitar.

"When Brain Damage Unlocks The Genius Within" by Adam Piore
Published in Popular Science, February 19, 2013

Eric

Longread #267 -- The Electric Pencil -- 3/4/13

This story was interesting to me mostly because I had no idea that "outsider art" was so popular or valuable. The backstory behind the creation of this art is also pretty unique, which I guess is part of what makes it fall into the "outsider art" category. While it seems like the industry of buyers and sellers of this art may have commodified it (like most types of art), what is cool about "outsider art" to me is the idea that inspiring creations can come from anywhere and anyone.

"The Electric Pencil: A long-lost cache of sketches by a state mental hospital inmate finally yields up some of its secrets" by Aimee Levitt
Published in the Riverfront Times, September 14, 2012

Eric

Longread #266 -- Lost and Found in Siberia -- 3/1/13

This isn't the only story of its kind, but it is pretty remarkable how this family was able to survive under the conditions they found themselves in. It's also a crazy thought experiment to try to put yourself in theirs shoes and consider the profound changes in society that you would have to adapt to (or choose not to adapt to).

Happy Friday!

"For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact, Unaware of WWII" by Mike Dash
Published in Smithsonian Magazine, January 29, 2013

Eric