Iserotope Extras #59: Looking for the Truth

2016 has not been a kind year, nor has this year made sense. This week’s edition highlights articles that look for the truth that exists somewhere hidden amidst all the conspiracy theories, racist ignorance, lack of vision, and narcissistic self-importance plaguing our society today. Please enjoy!

Looking for the Truth: The Death of ‘He Said, She Said’ Journalism

Last Saturday, after Donald Trump lied about birtherism, the New York Times wrote a watershed article that called the lie a lie—not a falsehood, but a lie. Instead of prioritizing objectivity, the newspaper prioritized the truth. It’s a big deal. This concise article analyzes the Times’ decision. Also, check out the Run-Up podcast, which discusses the article as a turning point in journalism.

If you don’t understand Black Lives Matter after Terence Crutcher’s death, you never will

Following the police shooting of Terence Crutcher in Tulsa this week, Vox included this article, another example of the media looking for the truth rather than emphasizing objectivity. “[T]he topic of unarmed black people being killed by law enforcement officers at wildly disproportionate rates is often dubbed ‘controversial,’ and is framed as an issue about which reasonable people can disagree. It’s not.”

My mom and I went to the Giants game last Sunday. AT&T Park was beautiful, as usual. The Giants, not so much.

Black Teachers Matter

Over the past 10+ years, we have closed low-performing schools in urban areas, which has displaced 26,000 African American teachers nationwide. Now only 6.8 percent of teachers are Black. This hurts kids of color, Kristina Rizga argues, and the villain is the charter school movement. (Ms. Rizga’s Mission High develops her case that neighborhood public schools can fix themselves.) (I have strong feelings about this article, but I will contain myself.)

I Used to Be a Human Being: My Distraction Sickness, and Yours

In this brilliant essay, Andrew Sullivan confronts his addiction to technology, pursuing meditation to “live in reality.” Along the way, he reminds us that we’re dying by distraction. We’ve read these kinds of articles before — how we’re overstimulated by the Internet and our devices, how we need to get back to our roots before the information overload takes all of our humanity away. But this piece is particularly well written and entirely worth your time (despite all your various demands).

My deep thanks to you for taking the time to read this week’s Iserotope Extras. If you’re moved, please send me an email with your thoughts. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am!

Iserotope Extras #58: Restorative Justice

Hi there! This week, the rest of the country has decided that school is back in session, so there are two excellent articles about education. The first considers restorative justice as an alternative to traditional discipline systems, and the last regards voluntary school desegregation as unlikely, nearly impossible. In between are two deep and important pieces — about the importance of remembering Sandy Hook and 9/11.

An Alternative to High-School Suspensions

Most people believe that when young people misbehave, we should punish them. Let’s teach them a lesson. The problem is, punishment doesn’t work. Instead, it pushes students out of school and into the prison system. This article is about restorative justice, a different way to demonstrate to young people how to be better.

Fighting Back Against Sandy Hook Deniers

Yes, there are people out there who think that the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary did not happen. This is the story of a dad who lost his 6-year-old son, who decided to fight back against the conspiracy theorists. It might be very American to say that 9/11 and Sandy Hook and the Orlando Massacre were “inside jobs,” but this silliness hurts people.

Ms. Jennifer Gerosa's 11th graders in San Francisco are reading Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World in Me in their English class. Excellent choice.

The Falling Man

I observed a colleague on Monday teach a responsible lesson on 9/11 to her sophomores, who were born in 2001. Our young people are very much affected by the events of September 11, but they do not know much about it. This essay, about people who jumped from the World Trade Center, is not for the faint of heart. But it is beautifully written, and it will take you back to that day 15 years ago.

How Parents Can Help Desegregate Schools

White people like desegregation, so long as their own children get to attend white schools. A typical white student goes to a school that is 75 percent white; a typical African American or Latino student goes to a school that is 90 percent of color. The way to integrate schools is to encourage white parents to send their kids to racially diverse schools. But that’s unlikely to happen without force.

Issue #58 is in the books! I still want to see what happens when someone clicks on the discussion bubble and makes a comment. Why not try it? It may spark an elucidating conversation! Go ahead. If not, email me your thoughts, and I’ll see you back here next Thursday at 9:10 am!

Iserotope Extras #57: Bike Batman

Glorious Thursday to you! Thank you for opening up Iserotope Extras! This edition begins with Bike Batman in Seattle, follows with Child Protective Services outside of Los Angeles, keeps going with the death penalty across the country, and finishes with school segregation in Oakland. Click one, click all, and please enjoy.

Bike Batman: The Real-Life Superhero Who Beats the Cops to Bike Thieves

Bike Batman was just an average-seeming guy in Seattle who liked to ride his bicycle. He had no inkling of becoming a vigilante who would face off against criminals while armed with little more than a smartphone, some spare time, and a large amount of courage. But sometimes in life, the cape finds you.

A Family Matter

One afternoon, Danyelle and Randy Branning’s three children are taken away by Child Protective Services after their teenage daughter accuses her father of abuse. The children are placed in foster care, where the youngest boy becomes a victim of sexual abuse. The Brannings hire an attorney, who charges CPS with removing children from their parents without a warrant. You want there to be a hero in this story — maybe the lawyer, who fights for what is right, or the parents, for fighting for their children — but everyone, sadly, is messed up.

First game at Wrigley this past weekend. Cubs fans are great. (Too bad the Giants choked, again.)

Where the Death Penalty Still Lives

I got to see Bryan Stevenson last night at Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, and as usual, he was captivating. He reminded the audience that California, though it hasn’t executed anyone since 2006, has the largest death row in the country. While the death penalty has declined nationwide, a small percentage of counties carry out the bulk of capital punishment. This article explains why.

Two Moms Choose Between Separate and Unequal Schools in Oakland

Oakland does a much better job being a racially diverse city than its more-famous counterpart across the Bay. But like most cities in America, its public schools are largely segregated by race and poverty. Two moms wrestled with this problem and came to very different approaches.

Hey, that’s the end of Issue #57. Congratulations! Please send this issue to a friend or family member, encouraging them to join. I’ll see you back here next Thursday at 9:10 am!

Iserotope Extras #56: The Beta Rebellion

Blockbuster of an issue this week! The first article excoriates “All Lives Matter,” the second explains Snapchat, the third uncovers “beta males,” and the fourth leaves you numb. Please enjoy, please share Extras with your friends, and please let me know which article moved you the most.

The Real Reason White People Say “All Lives Matter”

All white people should read this. Using plain language, John Halstead explores the origins and problems of “All Lives Matter,” a product of fear, (un)conscious bias, and overt racism. More than anything else, white people seek comfort, which explains “colorblindness.” The piece ends with some common-sense strategies to combat white privilege. (Subscribers of color may say, “Um, yes, this is just a start.”)

Like. Flirt. Ghost: A Journey Into the Social Media Lives of Teens

This is a nice and easy profile of five teenagers and their lives on social media. This is the place to go if you need a primer on Snapchat. Also, as a member of the #olds, I was surprised that many teenagers heavily curate their Instagram profiles, keeping just 8-20 photographs, deleting those that don’t hit a high threshold of likes.

I like posting photos of places I’d like to be. This is Kauai.

The Beta Rebellion: The New Man of 4chan

It’s not just straight middle-aged white men who feel marginalized in this Time of Trump. It’s also young, mostly white men who are socially and sexually awkward. They call themselves “beta males,” fighting against “macho men” and other “normies” who attract “beautiful women,” whom they despise — yet covet. (Many are “incel,” or “involuntarily celibate.”) With Pepe the Frog as their mascot, these beta males have formed a misogynistic online community that promotes racism and violence, which has spurred vengeful mass shootings.

This Is Meant To Hurt You

A sad and beautifully written memoir by a woman whose husband is dying from a disease that his doctors think isn’t real. (She thinks this sometimes, too.) “ ‘Of course it isn’t in your head, babe,’ I say, because I can’t tell him I’ve been wondering the same thing all along. When you love someone, there are certain things you just can’t say.”

Congratulations, you have completed another issue! Now comes a new, exciting feature to try. Do you see the bubbles next to each article headline? That’s your cue to add your thoughts and comments about the article. Take your pick, choose an article to write about, and leave a short message! Hey, maybe you’ll get a conversation going! See you next Thursday at 9:10 am!

Iserotope Extras - Issue #55

We’re nearing the end of August, which means the completion of my birthday month. Big thanks to my mom and goddaughter; between them, I enjoyed two tasty cakes and dozens of cookies. (If you don’t know me, I can eat cookies.) This week, enjoy articles that explore poor white Americans, creepy straight white journalists, well-meaning English teachers, and politically minded librarians. There’s something for everyone in this week’s Extras!

The Despair of Poor White Americans

This year’s presidential election has shined a light on poor white Americans, their plight, and their interest in Donald Trump. This excellent ProPublica article explores the history and current standing of poor white people through the lens of two excellent books, White Trash and Hillbilly Elegy, both of which I highly recommend.

Outing gay men on Grindr isn't journalism. It's homophobic and dangerous

After Nico Hines, a married straight man, wrote an article for Daily Beast about Grindr use among gay athletes in Rio, there was an outcry from the gay community, which led to the article’s retraction. This piece offers a good explanation about why so many people were angry. (Here’s an opposing view.)

The Little Free Library of Leadership High School, San Francisco, thanks to Extras subscriber Michele.

You’re Probably Misreading Robert Frost’s Most Famous Poem

“The Road Not Taken” is Robert Frost’s most famous poem, taught in high school English classes across the country. The problem is, most English teachers are missing the point, getting the poem entirely wrong. Here’s a thorough analysis.

Libraries Are Not Neutral

The public likes its librarians like it likes its teachers: neutral. But librarians have never been neutral, and that’s good, argues Cory Eckert. “Public libraries have throughout their history shown bias in explicit and subtle ways—from material selection and categorization of books to strident support of anti-censorship and privacy legislation.”

Thank you for checking out this week’s Extras! If you know someone who may like to subscribe, feel free to forward this issue to them. (If they can’t get enough, here are all 55 Extras.) Have a great week, and see you next Thursday at 9:10 am!

Iserotope Extras - Issue #54

There was a small brouhaha last week when Extras didn’t materialize (due to a massive Kindle deployment in Oakland). My apologies for the anxiety it caused. But all is well now! This issue, please enjoy articles on Bryan Stevenson (again and again), snopes.com, artificial intelligence, and Sandra Day O’Connor. And while you’re at it, wish happy thoughts to the nation’s teachers and students, who began going back to school this week.

The Legacy of Lynching, on Death Row

Extras is a huge fan of Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, which provides legal representation for defendants on death row. This article by Jeffrey Toobin focuses on Mr. Stevenson’s stance that the death penalty in Southern states is an extension of slavery and Jim Crow. It also highlights EJI’s plan to build a national lynching memorial, the country’s first, in Montgomery. (Mr. Stevenson speaks in Berkeley on 9/7. If you’d like to join me, let me know!)

Can mythbusters like Snopes.com keep up in a post-truth era?

Everyone likes to check snopes.com to see if something we find online is true. But the website was founded in more honest times, and now, particularly after 9/11 and years of burgeoning “truthiness,” there is too much work to do, says co-founder David Mikkelson. My favorite part of this article analyzes the four main sources of misinformation: satire, regurgitation, distortion, and fabrication.

High up in the sky. Sonoma, CA.

Will Reading Romance Novels Make Artificial Intelligence More Human?

I keep reading this article over and over, and I still don’t quite get it, but it’s still fascinating. It’s about the latest trends in artificial intelligence, moving computers away from “making decisions” and encouraging them to “be more human.” The answer, apparently, is to feed them thousands of romance novels. After all, when the robots take over, we want them to know Harlequin.

When Sandra Day O’Connor Broke Into the Men’s Club

Three reasons to read this excellent article: (1) It’s about the Supreme Court, (2) it’s about Sandra Day O’Connor, who is an inspiration (plus I got to meet her!), (3) it’s written by Linda Greenhouse, my favorite Court reporter. Rule of life: One must read everything by Ms. Greenhouse.

Which article was your favorite? Email me with your answer, or share your thoughts over at the FB Iserotope page! As always, thank you very much for being a loyal Extras reader! See you next Thursday.

Iserotope Extras - Issue #53

Welcome to August: the tail end of summer, the start of a new school year, and most important, my birthday month! In this week’s issue, read about drug addiction, the racist history of Portland, the allure of Donald Trump among poor white people, and the ways that newspapers are trying to keep from going bankrupt. Hope you like it!

‘How’s Amanda?’ A story of truth, lies and an American addiction

Amanda is 31 and is trying to get off heroin. She lives at home with her mom and stepdad, and she is trying to stay clean for two weeks in preparation for her first shot of naltrexone, a new treatment that blocks the effects of opiates on the brain. This article, brilliantly reported and well written, takes you through those last few days before Amanda can gain a chance at hope.

The Racist History of Portland, the Whitest City in America

Portland is a WPP — a white person’s paradise, filled with well-meaning white progressives who hang out on sidewalks, calling for the protection of the Indonesian rain forest (true story), among other things. This article tells a different story of Portland, one that is not welcoming to people of color, particularly African Americans. My first thought: Hmm, this sounds like San Francisco.

The Charles River, Cambridge. Photo by Extras subscriber Jacqueline.

Trump: Tribune Of Poor White People

This interview with J.D. Vance, author of Hillbilly Elegy, which I hope to read soon, does a great job explaining why poor, non-college-educated white people like Donald Trump. Remember when President Obama made his comment about people clinging to guns and religion? Yep, same people. They’re tired of being jobless, of feeling desperate, of suffering from drug addiction. Most of all, they’re tired of snobby elite urbanites with their noses in the air.

The New York Times is trying to narrow the distance between reporters and analytics data

We know that journalism is at a crossroads, so I’m particularly happy that The New York Times is leading the way to ensure its continued existence. Stela is the newspaper’s analytics dashboard that helps writers and editors find out how readers are responding to articles. A few key tips: (1) Headlines really do matter, (2) The vast majority of news reading is now done on phones, (3) People like breaking stories even though they say they don’t.

My experiment over at Google Spaces didn’t go so well (thanks for trying!), so check out the Iserotope page on Facebook, especially if you want to share your thoughts about any of the articles in this issue. Also, be ready for next Thursday at 9:10 am for another Extras! Have a great week.

Iserotope Extras - Issue #52

Happy Thursday, Extras subscribers! I hope you’re doing well. This week, check out articles about the dangers of white microvalidations, the health benefits of silence, the problems of the trucking industry, and the importance of hospice nurses. Enjoy your last days of July!

White People: Stop Microvalidating Each Other

I like this short post, which adds more terms that all white people should know and explore. In addition to “white privilege,” consider “white fragility,” “white fog,” and “appropriate whiteness.” Most important, the author points out, is that white people should attack each other’s “microvalidations.” In other words, if you’re white, and another white person says something stupid, make sure to say something back.

This Is Your Brain on Silence

In my last years of teaching, I wore enormous ear muffs (like these, like the ones airport workers wear) in between classes to focus my attention away from the sounds of school. It turns out that the word “noise” comes from a Latin root meaning “pain” and that silence (more than music?) makes our bodies feel better.

10 Kindles for Oakland students. The KCP is up to 825 Kindles in all.

Surviving the Long Haul

Being a truck driver is hard: long days, tough working conditions, health problems—and if you’re a woman, unchecked sexual harassment. This well-researched article uncovers the dark underbelly of the male-dominated trucking industry.

The Threshold

Hospice nurse Heather Meyerend takes care of people who are on the brink of death. In this profile, we get to know Heather and her patients, and we are reminded of the importance of human connection at the end of our lives.

Have a wonderful week! Email me with your thoughts about this issue, and I’ll see you back again next Thursday at 9:10 am.

Iserotope Extras - Issue #51

This week, you won’t find anything about Melania Trump, though I do like following plagiarists. Instead, enjoy articles on the ills of gentrification, the history of the N.R.A., the joys of decluttering, and the power of public libraries. Hope you make it through both national conventions!

Sleeping with a Gentrifier

White people never think they’re responsible for gentrification. A woman who lived in The Mission in her 20s decides to move back with her techie boyfriend 10 years later. This leads to tons of introspection, rationalization, and defensiveness. One thing is for sure, though: She is infatuated with her boyfriend. (This makes everything else all right.)

The Civil War that Could Doom the N.R.A.

This is a great (though slightly biased) article that clearly explains the history of the National Rifle Association (that is to say, it wasn’t always as crazy as it is now). The piece also suggests that the N.R.A. is not as strong as we may think — that there are internal divisions that jeopardize its clout. Also interesting: There are gun-rights organizations that say that the current N.R.A. doesn’t go far enough. Wow.

The cool waters of Clear Creek in Golden, Colorado. Thanks for the visit, Fifi!

Marie Kondo and the Ruthless War on Stuff

Americans amass way too much stuff. To the rescue is Marie Kondo, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Ms. Kondo is everywhere right now, and her method — holding items we own in our hands, asking each whether it sparks joy, and tossing it if the answer is no — is revered by some and spurned by others. This profile explores the xenophobia of white American professional organizers who say that Ms. Kondo’s system doesn’t work for this country.

The Power of Public Libraries

The public is being attacked. Our public schools are deemed inferior. Our police departments are deemed corrupt. Our public transportation is deemed broken. There is some good news, though: Public libraries are experiencing a renaissance. Please enjoy these 11 2-minute feel-good videos of award-worthy libraries in New York City. My favorites: Arverne Library and Glen Oaks Library.

You have made it all the way through Issue #51. Good work, you! As always, please let me know your thoughts. I’ll see you back here next Thursday at 9:10 am. Have a great week!

Iserotope Extras - Issue #50

This week’s edition is dedicated to Anton Sterling, Philando Castile, and the five police officers killed in Dallas. So far, what I’ve read from major publications has seemed scattered, incomplete, inauthentic. Then there is what I’ve read on FB and other social media — deep personal reflections plus silly (and hurtful) “All Lives Matter” ridiculousness. I hope you find these four pieces true and helpful — not just to begin to heal, but also to improve, to do something, to challenge.

Black Lives Matter: A Fairy Tale

“I am tired of writing about dead Black bodies,” Joel Leon writes. “I am tired of talking about talking; tired of marching, tired of yelling, voice hoarse. I am tired of being ‘conscious’, ‘woke’, awake, alive…I want to shoot shit, burn shit to ground floor levels. I am tired of the need for survival, I am tired of asking ‘what do we do now?’, ‘where do we go from here?’, ‘how do we cope?’.”

I Need Justice, I Need Peace

Autostraddle promotes the voices of queer and trans women of color. This piece offers six accounts, reflections, and opinions on the shootings of Anton Sterling and Philando Castile. Layla says, “I would feel more supported if I felt like white allies were trying harder. Don’t tell POC how sad you are or only post about your sadness on social media. Go put yourself in those uncomfortable places you don’t want to be in and do real work if you are really sad. White supremacy must be wiped out of our country.”

Iesha L. Evins, arrested in Baton Rouge. Photo by Jonathan Bachman, Reuters.

Something more is required of us now. What?

Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow, argues that our country cannot be “fixed.” It is not up to President Obama to make speeches or police departments to make reforms. After all, she writes, “This nation was founded on the idea that some lives don’t matter. Freedom and justice for some, not all. That’s the foundation. Yes, progress has been made in some respects, but it hasn’t come easy. There’s an unfinished revolution waiting to be won.”

Librarian Creates #BlackLivesMatter Booklist for Teens

Listening helps us understand; reading does, too. Minnesota librarian Chelsea Couillard-Smith has built a booklist to build background knowledge about the Black Lives Matter movement. It’s not perfect, but I’ve read most of the titles and can vouch for them. Just don’t get too lost in reading (as I sometimes do), rendering yourself immobile.

Thank you for reading Extras #50. I welcome your thoughts on this issue, and I encourage you to take what you’ve read and turn it into a positive action. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am!