Aerial view of the Golden Gate Bridge in dark fog
Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images

This week, we’re sharing stories from Emily Chang, Kiera Feldman, Motoko Rich, David J. Unger, and Nicole Chung.

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1. “Oh My God, This Is So F—ed Up”: Inside Silicon Valley’s Secretive, Orgiastic Dark Side

Emily Chang | Vanity Fair | January 2, 2018 | 19 minutes (4,775 words)

While the guys get laid, the women get screwed.

2. Trashed: Inside the Deadly World of Private Garbage Collection

Kiera Feldman | ProPublica | January 4, 2018 | 39 minutes (9,800 words)

The world of garbage collecting in New York City is split into night and day. By day, the 7,200 workers from the city’s Department of Sanitation collect the trash from residences, following a set number of routes for a set number of hours, “with a median base pay of $69,000 plus health care, a pension, almost four weeks of paid vacation.” By night, the private companies take over to collect the commercial garbage. For these workers the pay is low, the danger is high, and the darkness is neverending.

3. She Broke Japan’s Silence on Rape

Motoko Rich | New York Times | December 29, 2017 | 10 minutes (2,643 words)

Shiori Ito reported her rape to the police, who were prepared to arrest her alleged assailant, a journalist named Noriyuki Yamaguchi, after conducting a two-month investigation. Then prosecutors suddenly dropped the case.

4. American Reams: Why a ‘Paperless World’ Still Hasn’t Happened

David J. Unger | The Guardian | December 29, 2017 | 15 minutes (3,854 words)

In a world full of smartphones, laptops, and tablets, the paper industry is showing surprising resiliency.

5. Kristi Yamaguchi, Unlaced

Nicole Chung | Shondaland | January 3, 2018 | 13 minutes (3,406 words)

Nicole Chung interviews figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi about her life after winning at the 1992 Olympics, being the only Asian-American Olympic medalist in figure skating, representation in sports and the media, and the Always Dream Foundation — the early childhood literacy organization she founded.