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

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

"The Distant Executioner" by William Langewiesche

Published in Vanity Fair, February 2010

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

Eric

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

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

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

Eric

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

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

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

Eric

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

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

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

Eric

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

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

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

Eric

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

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

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

Eric

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

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

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

Eric