Street-Tough Racers Fight for Supremacy in L.A.’s Underground Cycling World

A look at LA’s vast underground cycling community, where intense training and occasional sponsorship meet drag racing and wild, late-night cycling escapades.

Source: LA Weekly
Published: Feb 4, 2015
Length: 17 minutes (4,390 words)

Meet the Man Who Finds Your Stolen Passwords

A profile of Alex Holden, a Ukrainian immigrant who lives in Milwaukee and runs a cyber security firm. His work often takes him deep into the so-called Dark Web.

Published: Feb 5, 2015
Length: 12 minutes (3,000 words)

Would You Befriend the Person Who Got You Fired?

A young, idealistic teacher is fired after accusations of shoving a then-seven-year-old student. A decade later, the men reconnect and form an unlikely friendship.

Source: Washington Post
Published: Jan 30, 2015
Length: 17 minutes (4,460 words)

Justice Deferred Is Justice Denied

Judge Jed S. Rakoff breaks down the failure of prosecuting corporate crime in the United States. Using “deferred prosecutions” to target companies, rather than individuals within a company, has led to few true punishments for anyone.

Published: Feb 6, 2015
Length: 11 minutes (2,937 words)

My Dad the Pornographer

Andrew Jefferson Offutt V published more than 400 pornographic novels using 17 different pseudonyms. After he died, his son Chris sorted through his belongings and learned more about his father’s private life.

Published: Feb 5, 2015
Length: 19 minutes (4,991 words)

The Billionaires at Burning Man

What happens when tech billionaires start bringing their private planes, chefs and staff to Burning Man? It’s not exactly class warfare, but it certainly raises larger questions about how a festival devoted to “radical inclusion” can adapt.

Source: Bloomberg
Published: Feb 5, 2015
Length: 11 minutes (2,879 words)

Plush Life

Looking at the psychology and economics of the Beanie Baby craze.

Source: Slate
Published: Feb 4, 2015
Length: 7 minutes (1,900 words)

The Books

An essay about our personal libraries and combining our bookshelves with our partners.

Published: Jan 30, 2015
Length: 13 minutes (3,272 words)

When Will We Stop Punishing Working Women for Having Babies?

Another strong argument for sane parental leave policy in the United States: “Women are now having babies smack in the middle of their peak earning periods and that their earnings are crucial to the economic stability of their families.”

Published: Feb 5, 2015
Length: 12 minutes (3,128 words)

A Target and a Threat: What It’s Like to Be a Black Cop in America

A profile of Officer Darren Sims, a rookie cop in San Bernardino, California.

Source: Bloomberg
Published: Feb 3, 2015
Length: 7 minutes (1,924 words)