Longread #264 -- Postal Service -- 2/27/13

It's not uncommon that we hear about the ongoing decline of the US Postal Service. The typical refrain is that the Postal Service is an anachronistic institution doomed to failure by technology and the digitization of correspondence. What this article illustrates is that the problems of the USPS are largely political, and the organization's demise is not a foregone conclusion. Moreover, the importance of the Postal Service to American society, though difficult to quantify, is nonetheless extremely important, and private delivery carriers are unlikely to ever meet this need.

"Do We Really Want to Live Without the Post Office?" by Jesse Lichtenstein
Published in Esquire, February 2013

Eric

Longread #263 -- Bones of Contention -- 2/26/13

I guess it shouldn't come as a huge surprise, but I had no idea about the black market in dinosaur bones. This is a great story about the twists and turns in the trail fossils can take once they've been removed from the ground and helps to understand the significance of fossils beyond just their monetary value.

"Bones of Contention" by Paige Williams
Published in the New Yorker, January 28, 2013

Eric

PS -- I'm testing a new link format...let me know if you have any problems!

Longread #262 -- Guns and Suicides -- 2/25/13

This longread highlights an element of the gun control debate that is often overlooked: that readily-accessible guns significantly increase the U.S. suicide rate. This conclusion is supported both by logic and by some extremely compelling statistics, and I hope it remains part of the ongoing conversations about guns and their impacts on society.

Thanks to Daniel Goldman, Ph.D., for forwarding this article to me.

"McCready's death highlights role of guns in suicide" by Liz Szabo
Published in USA Today, February 18, 2013
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2013/02/18/mccreadys-death-highlights-role-of-guns-in-suicide/1927815/

Eric

Longread #261 -- The Honor System -- 2/22/13

Today's longread takes a look at the world of professional magic and the challenges that magicians face from those who copy and sell their illusions. A fun read for your Friday...

"The Honor System" by Chris Jones
Published in Esquire, October 2012
http://www.esquire.com/print-this/teller-magician-interview-1012?page=all

Eric

Longread #260 -- Reporting Poverty -- 2/21/13

I doubt I will find time to read this interviewee's book, but I really enjoyed her perspective on poverty and her role as a journalist reporting about poverty. As someone who has always benefited from significant privilege and relative wealth, it is easy to fall into certain patterns of thinking about poverty and to lose sight of the diversity of individuals living in poverty. I'm glad there are dedicated writers like Katherine Boo working to counteract those patterns of thinking.

"Reporting Poverty" by Emily Brennan with Katherine Boo
Published in Guernica, September 4, 2012
http://www.guernicamag.com/interviews/reporting-poverty/?src=longreads

Eric

Longread #259 -- For-Profit Colleges -- 2/20/13

I had heard rumblings about the perils of for-profit colleges, but I had no idea about the degree and the scope of those perils. For anyone who believes in higher education as a pathway to advancement (personally, in careers, etc.), this article will make your blood boil.

"For-Profit Colleges Only a Con Man Could Love" by Chris Parker
Published in the Village Voice, August 1, 2012
http://www.villagevoice.com/content/printVersion/3638912/

Eric

Longread #258 -- Art and Artists -- 2/19/13

Today's longread looks at the complicated relationship between art and artists. It's a fascinating case because to me there is no clear "right" answer to how to approach the situation described in the article. At one level, the meaning of a piece of art is determined by the viewer and renders the artist to be more of a footnote. But it also seems that an artist's intention (to the extent that it is known) also influences interpretation. Even if the author's intentions are irrelevant, are there moral issues with supporting an artist whose beliefs are troubling? There's a lot going on here, and I'd love to hear perspectives on possible responses.

"Charles Krafft Is a White Nationalist Who Believes the Holocaust Is a Deliberately Exaggerated Myth" by Jen Graves
Published in the Stranger, February 13, 2013
http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/charles-krafft-is-a-white-nationalist-who-believes-the-holocaust-is-a-deliberately-exaggerated-myth/Content?oid=15995245

Eric

Longread #257 -- The Bookstore Strikes Back -- 2/15/13

Though I read online and on a Kindle, I think local, independent bookstores can be a great thing. Here's a cool story about how one grew from nothing into a national phenomenon and how it may show a path for local bookstores to make a comeback.

"The Bookstore Strikes Back" by Ann Patchett
Published in the Atlantic, December 2012
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/12/the-bookstore-strikes-back/309164/?single_page=true

Eric

Longread #256 -- Secrets & Lies of the Bailout, Part II -- 2/14/13

In this supplement to yesterday's story, Taibbi outlines the very real effects of the bailout policies on the middle class. It's but one story of many and still is a heavy reminder of the perverse effects of the bailout's policies.

"Secrets and Lies of the Bailout: One Broker's Story" by Matt Taibbi
Published on Rolling Stone online, January 8, 2013
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/secrets-and-lies-of-the-bailout-one-brokers-story-20130108

Eric

Longread #255 -- Secrets & Lies of the Bailout -- 2/13/13

Today's longread is the newest piece from Matt Taibbi in which he documents the hidden story of how the bailout was a hideous example of corporate welfare that only furthered the system of corrupt, unsustainable banks in the U.S.

"Secrets and Lies of the Bailout" by Matt Taibbi
Published in Rolling Stone, January 17, 2013
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/secret-and-lies-of-the-bailout-20130104?print=true

Eric

Longread #254 -- Corporate Welfare -- 2/12/13

If someone says that the welfare system in America is broken, you should ask them "which one?" While people love to focus on the poor receiving handouts, the truly broken system is the one that hands out enormous payments to corporations with minimal oversight and little benefit to local, state, or national economies.

"As Companies Seek Tax Deals, Governments Pay High Price" by Louise Story
Published in the New York Times, December 1, 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/02/us/how-local-taxpayers-bankroll-corporations.html?smid=fb-share&_r=1&

Eric

Longread #253 -- Stopping Prison Rape -- 2/11/13

Here's an example of how improved oversight and collaborative analysis of a major problem in prisons has shown that meaningful reforms are possible. Hopefully these reforms are truly given the support needed to be successful.

"Prison Rape: Obama’s Program to Stop It" by David Kaiser and Lovisa Stannow
Published in the New York Review of Books, October 11, 2012
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2012/oct/11/prison-rape-obamas-program-stop-it/?pagination=false&src=longreads

Eric

Longread #252 -- Solitary Confinement -- 2/8/13

Yet another troubling and eye-opening article about the state of prisons in America (and more specifically, California) with this one specifically addressing solitary confinement. I promise a less depressing longread related to prisons is coming on Monday...

"Solitary in Iran Nearly Broke Me. Then I Went Inside America's Prisons" by Shane Bauer

Published in Mother Jones, November/December 2012

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/10/solitary-confinement-shane-bauer

Eric

Longread #251 -- Getting Into Your Exercise Groove -- 2/7/13

As someone who has done a lot of different types and styles of exercise and has also confronted the tendency to find ways to make it as easy as possible, I found this article extremely interesting. It's also another great reminder about the power of music to make us move even if we don't realize that it's having that effect.

"Getting Into Your Exercise Groove" by Gretchen Reynolds
Published on the New York Times Well Blog, February 6, 2013
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/06/getting-into-your-exercise-groove/

Eric

Longread #250 -- Excuse Me, Waiter... -- 2/6/13

This time last year, I was just departing the U.S. for my first international trip to Burma and Thailand. I ate a lot of things while I was there and generally didn't ask questions. Exploring the culinary delights of other cultures was one of my favorite parts of the trip even if I didn't eat anything crazy. Today's longread is in the same spirit of travel and new food experiences, and I hope you enjoy it.

"Excuse Me, Waiter, But Is That a Penis In My Wine?" by Tim Cahill
Published in Outside Magazine, January 2000
http://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/Excuse-Me-Waiter-but-Is-That-a-Penis-in-My-Wine.html?page=all

Eric

Longread #249 -- What's Inside America's Banks -- 2/5/13

Common sense would lead one to believe that a gigantic crisis followed by a bailout and then reform legislation would compel banks and major financial institutions to be more transparent. Yet again, common sense doesn't apply to the financial sector or to the bodies responsible for regulatory oversight.

"What's Inside America's Banks?" by Frank Partnoy and Jesse Eisinger
Published in the Atlantic, January/February 2013
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/01/whats-inside-americas-banks/309196/?single_page=true&src=longreads

Eric

Longread #248 -- The Operator -- 2/4/13

Today's longread is a profile of Dr. Oz, who has become famously ordained by Oprah as "America's Doctor." Frankly, I have some huge qualms with Dr. Oz's approach. To me, it is one thing to openly recognize what the traditional medical community doesn't know or understand and encourage patients to be aware of these limitations. It is another thing entirely to then open up the floodgates and essentially say "hey, because there are some things traditional medicine can't explain, which means that we can't discredit ANY of these other ridiculous claims." I don't see how Dr. Oz could call those elements of what he does legitimate medicine; instead, it's just great entertainment. And as some of the quoted doctors in this piece articulate, Dr. Oz should choose between whether his first priority is to be a doctor or an entertainer.

"The Operator" by Michael Specter
Published in the New Yorker, February 4, 2013
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2013/02/04/130204fa_fact_specter?currentPage=all

Eric

Longread #247 -- Hacking the President's DNA -- 2/1/13

Today's longread is another look at how evolving technology creates new threats. While I think there is certainly an argument for why this is a danger that should be considered, I also detected a distinct sense of paranoia among the analysts worried about this type of attack. I don't want to dismiss it completely, but it struck me as perhaps overstating the likelihood of a genetic bioweapon.

"Hacking the President’s DNA" by Andrew Hessel, Marc Goodman, and Steven Kotler
Published in the Atlantic, November 2012
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/11/hacking-the-presidents-dna/309147/?single_page=true

Eric