Longread #185 -- Too Important to Fail -- 10/31/12

When I first heard about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) as part of Dodd-Frank, it sounded like one more government agency that would wind up toothless, a symbol of good intentions thwarted by harsh political realities. I doubted that any real power would be vested in the CFPB and figured it was being used for soundbites rather than meaningful reform. In this longread, the author argues that the CFPB can and should be more. He explains why the CFPB is distinct from other regulatory agencies and lays out a strong case for why its success is essential to protect the 99% and ultimately to advance the long-term interests of the financial sector as well.

"Too Important to Fail" by John Gravois
Published in the Washington Monthly, July/August 2012
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/julyaugust_2012/features/too_important_to_fail038413.php?page=all&print=true

Eric

Longread #184 -- The Last Tour -- 10/30/12

Despite being a few years old, today's longread still highlights a crucial challenge for a society that has spent over a decade involved in foreign conflicts. PTSD is increasingly being recognized as systemic problem for service members, and its impact can be devastating. This story of a highly-decorated soldier whose life was lost as a result of PTSD is a reminder of the gravity of this issue and is yet another cost of war that is often unaccounted for.

"The Last Tour" by William Finnegan
Published in the New Yorker, September 29, 2008
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/09/29/080929fa_fact_finnegan?currentPage=all

Eric

Longread #183 -- Chasing Armstrong With Truth -- 10/29/12

I've mostly stayed away from the Lance Armstrong story because I felt like there was little good that would come out of it. I'm not a cycling fan, so I didn't have a strong opinion about Lance or doping in the sport, and as a baseball fan, I feel somewhat desensitized to finger-pointing arguments about performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). Because of everything Armstrong came to represent with regard to his foundation and experience with cancer, I think I largely chose to focus on what had been accomplished outside of cycling. With the most recent reports of his doping and the loss of his Tour de France titles, I saw it as more of the same back-and-forth between Lance and his past competitors still bitter about his winnings (whether doped or not).

This article from David Carr changed my perspective on the issue in two ways. First, I learned that the people who have been working to expose Lance's doping are not angry former competitors. Instead, for the most part they are individuals with few resources and no real financial interest in the case. A few small voices who refused to tolerate cheating kept repeating their message and working to expose the truth. If anything, it was Armstrong's camp that used heavy-handed tactics to try to manipulate the way that the case was covered in the media. Second, I learned that, at least based on the information from the most recent reports  Armstrong was involved in more than just individual doping. He cheated systematically, conspired to keep it hidden, and also encouraged others to cheat with him. It is easy to argue that a PED user harms only him/herself, but it seems that this was not the case with Armstrong.

Even if you are sick of hearing of this whole case, I encourage you to read Carr's piece on the bloggers and non-traditional journalists who would not stand by while the traditional media ignored the evidence.

"Chasing Armstrong With Truth" by David Carr
Published in the New York Times, 10/28/12
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/29/business/media/chasing-lance-armstrongs-misdeeds-from-the-sidelines.html?pagewanted=2&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&_r=0&pagewanted=all

Eric

Longread #182 -- A Home at the End of Google Earth -- 10/26/12

This is a great story on many levels. It touches on a wide range of issues ranging from international poverty to  technology to how individual's form a sense of identity and place. In some ways, my biggest disappointment with the article itself is that it doesn't explore any of those elements with a lot of depth. That said, I'm not sure that was the author's intention, and given the magnitude of those issues, I can see why it would be hard to tackle those issues in this kind of article without distracting from the primary story. In any case, I hope you enjoy this piece as much as I did.

Happy Friday!

"A Home at the End of Google Earth" by David Kushner
Published in Vanity Fair, November 2012
http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2012/11/india-orphan-google-earth-journey?src=longreads

Eric

Longread #181 -- Holy Guacamole! -- 10/25/12

I'm changing the pace on the blog a bit today. This is obviously a very different subject matter and style than other things that I've posted, but I still think it qualifies as a truly interesting longread. As "foodie" culture in the U.S. has exploded, so too has an interest in the science of food. One of my favorite sources for this kind of information is a blog called Serious Eats that runs a feature called the "Food Lab." This series goes in-depth in identifying optimal cooking techniques and explaining the science behind them. After eating some awesome guacamole last night made using this recipe (thanks, Lucy!), I thought I'd share the background article.

"The Food Lab: The Best Guacamole (and the Science of Avocados)" by J. Kenji López-Alt

Published on Serious Eats, January 17, 2012

http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/01/the-food-lab-the-best-guacamole-avocados-science-browning-ripening.html

Eric

Longread #180 -- The Thin Blue Lie -- 10/24/12

One of the biggest issues facing local government in Seattle is reforming the police department. After numerous reports of egregious violations of the rights and dignity of citizens became public, a great deal of community pressure was focused on the SPD. In addition, the U.S. Department of Justice identified a range of systematic problems in SPD practices that failed to adequately prevent or punish these sorts of violations. It is often said that trust in the police is an essential element to an effective system of law and order, but I think that in most cases that is simply rhetoric. It seems rare to find police departments that take a systematic approach to truly building support in the community. Of course there are many individual officers who do a fantastic job of serving the public interest and trying to restore the image of the police. Unfortunately, it is also the case that police departments as a whole often drag their feet and allow bad apples to ruin the bunch. In today's longread, author David Noriega describes his experience as an investigator for the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board and uses this example to illustrate the challenges in creating a truly accountable police force in our current climate.

"The Thin Blue Lie" by David Noriega
Published in the New Inquiry, August 29, 2012
http://thenewinquiry.com/essays/the-thin-blue-lie/

Eric

Longread #179 -- Cosmo the Hacker God -- 10/23/12

Every now and again, I come across an article that reminds me of how vulnerable most of us really are when it comes to online security. We trust that a password requirement, some basic encryption, and a few other simple measures will allow us to avoid hackers and criminals who either want to create chaos or reap profits by undermining cybersecurity programs. This article demonstrates how a creative teenager was able to expose the security flaws of some of the world's most powerful, innovative, and successful companies. As a matter of principle, I try to err toward trusting other people, but articles like this are a reminder that sometimes even small pieces of information that you share can be compiled to enable malicious and extremely damaging acts. These are probably the sacrifices we make to get the benefits of technology, but it's scary sometimes how easily security loopholes can be exploited.

"Cosmo, the Hacker ‘God’ Who Fell to Earth" by Mat Honan
Published in Wired, September 11, 2012
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/09/cosmo-the-god-who-fell-to-earth/all

Eric