Johnny Rotten, My Mom, and Me

Kimberly Mack recalls the ways in which rock music bonded her with her African American mom, and how those fierce sounds helped them cope with the poverty, violence, and despair both outside and inside their Brooklyn home.

Source: Longreads
Published: Feb 22, 2019
Length: 28 minutes (7,118 words)

Who Killed Tulum?

From unceasing development to contaminated cenotes, the problems continue to pile up in the Mayan paradise formerly known as Tulum.

Source: The Cut
Published: Feb 20, 2019
Length: 27 minutes (6,918 words)

The True Story Behind an Iconic Vietnam War Photo Was Nearly Erased — Until Now

In February 1968, John Olson took a famous photo of a wounded Marine named Alvin Grantham. Or was it actually of another Marine named James Blaine? Michael Shaw examines the evidence to discover the truth.

Published: Feb 19, 2019
Length: 24 minutes (6,054 words)

My Restaurant Was the Greatest Show of Excess You’d Ever Seen, and It Almost Killed Me

“I was never falling-down drunk. I was never belligerent. I always got my work done. I was never unkempt. I was always clean, I was always shaved, I always performed at work. I was always kind and gracious in the dining room. But I lived in hell.”

Published: Feb 21, 2019
Length: 7 minutes (1,856 words)

The Devastating Allure of Medical Miracles

Hand transplant patients at the University of Pittsburgh were given new hands — and hope. But the experimental technique has led to side effects.

Source: Wired
Published: Feb 18, 2019
Length: 34 minutes (8,550 words)

After Years of Inaction, Delta Teacher Shortage Reaches ‘Crisis’ Levels

“Low pay, few housing options, and a lack of job opportunities for teachers’ spouses are some of the obstacles that make recruiting educators a challenging task in many Mississippi communities, and particularly those in the Delta.”

Published: Feb 18, 2019
Length: 15 minutes (3,851 words)

How to Grant Your Child an Inner Life

From software that tracks children’s movements, to cars that only drive so far, American parents have many advanced ways to protect their children, but don’t kids deserve some privacy the way we did before the internet?

 

Author: Jess Row
Source: The New Yorker
Published: Feb 18, 2019
Length: 8 minutes (2,036 words)

Beaten, Then Silenced

Glen Mills school is the “Harvard of reform schools.” But like too many other “prestigious” institutions, it’s built on foundations of violence and secrecy, and the repercussions follow many grads for the rest of their lives.

Published: Feb 20, 2019
Length: 27 minutes (6,858 words)

Rare L.A. Mega-Storm Could Overwhelm Dam and Flood Dozens of Cities, Experts Say

Because southern California doesn’t have enough problems.

Published: Feb 18, 2019
Length: 5 minutes (1,399 words)

The Communal Mind

Patricia Lockwood travels through the internet in this piece, first delivered as a lecture at the British Museum in February 2019.

Published: Feb 13, 2019
Length: 27 minutes (6,896 words)