The New Old Sound of Motor City

How Detroit techno was born — and continued to thrive — amid financial and social strife.

Published: Sep 25, 2017
Length: 11 minutes (2,801 words)

Two Brothers, Two Earthquakes

On Sept. 19, 2017 a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Mexico, sending panicked residents fleeing into the streets. For two brothers the fear was familiar—they had experienced this exactly 32 years before.

Source: Longreads
Published: Oct 12, 2017
Length: 12 minutes (3,155 words)

In Defense of Hair Metal

For some people who grew up in the late 1980s, hair metal has no defense, which makes this metalhead’s argument even more pressing.
Source: March Shredness
Published: Oct 11, 2017
Length: 21 minutes (5,290 words)

Russia’s House of Shadows

Moscow’s House on the Embankment, built to house the Soviet élite, became purge central. They were the new nobility, until suddenly they weren’t.

Source: The New Yorker
Published: Oct 10, 2017
Length: 24 minutes (6,120 words)

I Couldn’t Tell My Parents That This Country Made Me Sick

“After a lifetime of lying to my parents about the racism I’ve faced in this country and my anxiety disorder, I’m finally being honest with them and with myself.”

Author: Wendy Xu
Source: BuzzFeed
Published: Oct 5, 2017
Length: 12 minutes (3,238 words)

The Mother of All Swipes

In 1964, a London woman named Joan Ball launched the world’s first computer dating system, so why have Harvard men been credited with this achievement?

Source: Logic
Published: Sep 18, 2017
Length: 18 minutes (4,508 words)

From Aggressive Overtures to Sexual Assault: Harvey Weinstein’s Accusers Tell Their Stories

The culmination of a 10-month investigation, Ronan Farrow’s piece in The New Yorker tells the stories of 13 women accusing Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment or assault, including three who said he raped them. Their stories are supported by interviews with 16 current and former executives and assistants at Weinstein’s companies.

Source: The New Yorker
Published: Oct 10, 2017
Length: 31 minutes (7,850 words)

‘Our Minds Can Be Hijacked’: The Tech Insiders Who Fear a Smartphone Dystopia

After having epiphanies about the downsides of persuasive design, several young creators of addictive smartphone technology abandon their posts at Google, Twitter, and Facebook to try to become part of the solution.

Author: Paul Lewis
Source: The Guardian
Published: Oct 6, 2017
Length: 18 minutes (4,500 words)

The Strange Political Afterlife of Arnold Schwarzenegger

After serving two terms as California’s governor, The Governator now flies around the world indulging in carbs and enjoying photo ops, and working on favorite political issues such as gerrymandering and climate change. One thing he can’t stop fighting is the reign of Donald Trump.

Source: Politico
Published: Oct 6, 2017
Length: 11 minutes (2,844 words)

A Life on the Line

Over the course of nine hours, Cecilia Lam called the police eight times to report an “escalating domestic violence” situation. Officers showed up at her apartment multiple times. So why did she die so senselessly?

Author: Vivian Ho
Published: Oct 5, 2017
Length: 24 minutes (6,000 words)