The Troll Taunter

Andrew McMillen writes on how one young Wikipedia admin fights back at trolls by raising the profile of notable women in science, one new Wikipedia page at a time.

Source: Backchannel
Published: Feb 6, 2017
Length: 8 minutes (2,064 words)

Go to Jail. Die From Drug Withdrawal. Welcome to the Criminal Justice System.

Julia Lurie reports on a rising trend: death by opioid withdrawal in jail. Read about how addict shame and silence, jail short-staffing, scant medical equipment, and a general apathy toward inmates can make a deadly combination.

Source: Mother Jones
Published: Feb 5, 2017
Length: 8 minutes (2,113 words)

What Can Ivanka Trump Possibly Do for Women Who Work?

For insight into how the first daughter will manage her signature issue, look no further than her brand’s website.

Source: The Nation
Published: Feb 1, 2017
Length: 17 minutes (4,291 words)

When Political Commentary Is a Case of Life or Death

Jennifer Keishin Armstrong recalls Saddam Hussein, Silvio Berlusconi, Vladimir Putin, and Muammar Gaddafi as she explores the history of comedy as not only a relief valve but also as a formidable resistance tactic against oppressive regimes.

Source: BBC
Published: Feb 6, 2017
Length: 7 minutes (1,779 words)

Writing Our America

“This is our America. It’s our America to write in, and our America to write.” Korb’s essay is adapted from a talk he presented at Pacific University’s MFA in Writing Program. It includes advice from writers of “YA fiction, writers for television and stage, of novels and essays, investigative journalism, and criticism” on how we might produce meaningful work in the next four years.

Author: Scott Korb
Source: Longreads
Published: Feb 9, 2017
Length: 32 minutes (8,200 words)

Below Deck

Lizzie Presser reports on the Dickensian treatment of Filipino workers aboard Carnival Cruise Line ships — where the routine involves 12 and 14-hour days, seven-days a week for paltry pay and zero overtime — just to be able to provide better lives for families they rarely get to see.

Published: Feb 2, 2017
Length: 25 minutes (6,371 words)

A Shot in the Arm

Why would a tenure-track professor find himself selling his plasma to make rent? A story about debt in the academic world.

Source: Longreads
Published: Feb 9, 2017
Length: 14 minutes (3,710 words)

Against Willpower

It’s a concept that has shaped ethical debates for centuries. A clinical psychiatrist now thinks it’s time we got rid of it.

Source: Nautilus
Published: Feb 2, 2017
Length: 9 minutes (2,489 words)

The Jellyfish Are Coming: Brace Yourself for Goo-mageddon

Endless streams of jellyfish are taking a bite out of fish stocks, clogging water pipes, and scuppering seaside vacations. What to do: destroy them, control them, or just leave them be?

Published: Aug 4, 2016
Length: 10 minutes (2,591 words)

The Joker: Nikola Jokic Gets Serious In Denver

Nikola Jokic has been in the NBA for just two seasons, but the Serbian center, who plays for the Denver Nuggets, has in that short time managed to completely revolutionize how the position (perhaps) should be played. Though Jokic stands 6-foot-10, he plays with a flash and style that seem suited for someone much smaller, and Sports Illustrated’s Lee Jenkins perfectly illustrates the illusion that Jokic represents—at a time when the NBA is skewing towards hybrids that can stretch the floor while still crashing the glass, Jokic is perfectly comfortable skewering opposing defenses with his deft touch, smoothly disjointed post moves, and absurdly beautiful no look passes.

Published: Feb 8, 2017
Length: 11 minutes (2,872 words)