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 #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 #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 #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 #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 #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 #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 #233 -- Disaster Movie -- 1/14/13

Most people have probably heard of "The Innocence of Muslims," the inflammatory film that sparked protests from many Muslims in 2012. While the majority of coverage has focused on the impact of the reaction to the film, this article investigates the actors who were involved in the film's production. It is a story that is telling -- in a sad way -- about the state of the film industry for broke actors who are low on the totem pole.

"Disaster Movie" by Michael Joseph Gross
Published in Vanity Fair, December 27, 2012
http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2012/12/making-of-innocence-of-muslims.print

Eric

Longread #228 -- Who Killed Knut? -- 1/7/13

Today's longread delves into a number of important ethical and practical questions about zoos and keeping animals in captivity. Based around the story of Knut, a polar bear in Germany, this article examines the competing viewpoints about whether zoos advance or hinder the goal of creating a more harmonious relationship between humans and our environment. While I would love to share the optimism of proponents of zoos -- and to some extent I do because I think there are people who are truly inspired by zoos -- on the whole, I think they may be flawed in ways that do more harm than good.

"Who Killed Knut?" by Stephen Cave
Published in Aeon Magazine, November 13, 2012
http://www.aeonmagazine.com/nature-and-cosmos/stephen-cave-zoos-conservation/

Eric

Longread #227 -- A Reddit Screenwriter -- 1/4/13

With so many avenues for user-generated content on the internet, it's kind of surprising that we don't hear more stories like this one. Nevertheless, it's interesting to read about the ways that traditional sources of entertainment media (like movie producers) are tapping into the power of online networks to create new productions.

"How One Response to a Reddit Query Became a Big-Budget Flick" by Jason Fagone
Published in Wired, March 20, 2012
http://www.wired.com/underwire/2012/03/ff_reddit/all/

Eric

Longread #196 -- Paradise With An Asterisk -- 11/15/12

As short days and cold, rainy weather descends on Seattle, I have found myself daydreaming a lot recently about finding a tropical beach and relaxing in the sunshine. In some ways, Bikini Atoll is the exact type of place where I would want to be. Unfortunately, this tropical paradise was subject to years of American nuclear testing with substantial impacts on the local environment. More problematic than the environmental problems, though, is how the people native to Bikini Atoll were treated during this period. In some ways reminiscent of the transgressions made in the name of "Manifest Destiny" in the colonization of the American west, native Bikinians were relocated on multiple occasions, permanently altering the social and cultural fabric of the Bikinian people. This longread examines how the U.S. quest for nuclear weapon supremacy turned Bikini Atoll into a paradise with an asterisk.

"Paradise With An Asterisk" by S.C. Gwynne
Published in Outside Magazine, October 17, 2012
http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/nature/Paradise-With-An-Asterisk.html?page=all

Eric

Longread #89 -- The Angriest Man in Television -- 6/8/12

HBO's The Wire has been getting a lot of love this week as this month marks the show's 10-Year Anniversary, and a hilarious mock-musical version of The Wire video was posted online. This longread, published between the show's fourth and fifth seasons, profiles the show's creator, David Simon. There are a lot of great profile-style longreads out there, and what sets the best ones apart is an ability to use the profile to analyze something in a new way or to make a broader point. 

In this case, I think the author makes a number of interesting arguments about the contrasts between journalism and the "reality-driven" drama of a show like The Wire. Many people, including the author, have praised the show for its commitment to trying to faithfully represent Baltimore and cast a light on the range of social, economic, racial, and other challenges there. However, it does seem that people can get carried away with the belief in the show's authenticity and let the lines of fiction and reality blur. This contrast of journalism and drama is especially intriguing given Simon's background at The Baltimore Sun. I've always thought that The Wire had a weak final season, which, is much less surprising to me given the personal context for Simon explained in this profile. 

Simon clearly has remarkable talent, and this profile provides valuable context to understand and interpret his most well-known and celebrated work.

"The Angriest Man in Television" by Mark Bowden

Published in the Atlantic, January/February 2008

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/print/2008/01/the-angriest-man-in-television/6581/

Eric

Longread #88 -- The Gamble to Save Netflix -- 6/6/12

Like YouTube, Netflix is taking on an ambitious project to add value to its business through original content. After a handful of high-profile failed attempts to change the company's business model, Netflix has bet big on its ability to create high-quality programming that will be available exclusively through its subscriptions. Today's longread profiles Ted Sarandos, the executive responsible for orchestrating this initiative that many believe will make or break the company.

"Ted Sarandos’ High-Stakes Gamble to Save Netflix" by Nick Summers

Published in Newsweek (and the Daily Beast), May 14, 2012

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/05/13/ted-sarandos-high-stakes-gamble-to-save-netflix.html

Eric

Longread #87 -- Streaming Dreams -- 6/5/12

As yesterday's longread mentioned, this is a dynamic time for the television industry. Innovative entertainment video content is driven by advertising dollars, but the traditional model of building programs with huge popular appeal as a vehicle for mass ad buys is undergoing a sea change. YouTube and online streaming is one of the key catalysts of this change. This longread provides an insightful look into YouTube's creation as well as its attempt to evolve into something more than a clearinghouse of mostly unsophisticated user uploads. For anyone interested in how the landscape of online video may change over the coming months and years, this is definitely an interesting read.

"Streaming Dreams" by John Seabrook
Published in the New Yorker, January 16, 2012
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/01/16/120116fa_fact_seabrook?currentPage=all

Eric

Longread #86 -- The Changing World of TV -- 6/4/12

As a columnist for the NYT's Media Desk, which was initially formed largely to cover the newspaper industry, David Carr has dedicated boatloads of column inches to the way that major media industries are changing. The TV industry has always been based on building shows with huge ratings that can deliver advertising to the largest possible audiences. That foundation is shifting, though, as viewers have more and more control over how they take in programming, often allowing them to avoid ads altogether by using DVR or by streaming video online. With viewers turning away from  live TV watching, Carr argues that it is inevitable that advertising dollars will fall and fundamentally change the industry.

Stay tuned as I'll be posting TV-themed longreads each day this week...television rules the nation!

"A TV Schedule in the Hands of Whoever Holds the Remote" by David Carr
Published in the New York Times, May 13, 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/14/business/media/audiences-now-rarely-drawn-to-live-television.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

Eric

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

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

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

Eric

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

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

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

Eric

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

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

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

Eric