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