#89: Going It Alone

Welcome, Loyal Subscribers, to Issue #89! There’s never a dull moment at The Highlighter. This week, as is becoming customary, you get a bit of everything: hiking the Appalachian Trail, the unfortunate return of Rachel Dolezal, the horrors of private prisons, how Americans love perpetual war, and the verisimilitude of Girls. (It’s always a good day when you can sneak in the word verisimilitude.) Plus, I’m pleased to announce that pet photographs are back (by overwhelming popular demand), so please enjoy, and keep those photos coming. Happy reading!

Going It Alone

Last year Rahawa Haile trekked the 2,190-mile Appalachian Trail, and it wasn’t just a physical accomplishment. As a queer Black woman, Ms. Haile found that the people she met, mostly in the pro-Trump towns off the Trail, sparked more fear in her than the possibility of wild animals or treacherous terrain. In this piece, Ms. Haile raises the question of who the wilderness is for, and whether it’s possible that the Trail is a source of freedom for white people, and the opposite for people of color.

The Heart of Whiteness: Ijeoma Oluo Interviews Rachel Dolezal, the White Woman Who Identifies as Black

This article by the talented Ijeoma Oluo so entirely eviscerates the ridiculousness that is Rachel Dolezal that Jezebel says we will never have to think about her again. Ms. Oluo is scathing and relentless in her criticism of Ms. Dolezal. But it’s bigger than that. She writes, “It is white supremacy that told an unhappy and outcast white woman that black identity was hers for the taking. It is white supremacy that then elevated this display of privilege into the dominating conversation on black female identity in America. It is white supremacy that decided that it was worth a book deal, national news coverage, and yes—even this interview.”

For Young Man Convicted of a Crime in Hawaii, a Death at a Private Prison in Arizona

Private prisons infuriate me (also #48). This article is about how a young man from Hawaii — with an arson conviction, an IQ of 70, a 1st grade reading level, an ADHD diagnosis, and a drug addiction — got reassigned to a private prison 3,000 miles away in Arizona, where later he died. It turns out that due to limited correctional facilities and prison overcrowding, Hawaii sends nearly half its felons to a prison in the Sonoran Desert, run by CoreCivic (formerly Corrections Corporation of America), the nation’s largest network of for-profit prisons. (CoreCivic has a promo video, ugh.)

Loretta, who belongs to loyal subscribers Abby and Kester, enjoys good literature. If you would like your pet to be featured in The Highlighter, please send me a photo!

In America, We Are Addicted to War, And We Are Afraid of Peace

Like Oceania in George Orwell’s 1984, our country is in a state of perpetual war. Our young people have not lived a day of their lives with their country at peace. Just last week, we fired 59 missiles at Syria; we dropped an enormous bomb on Afghanistan; we threatened North Korea with an armada. This article, from two years ago, explains our country’s fascination with war. The author, a U.S. Army colonel, quotes Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried (which gets him some points) and then writes, “Perhaps it is fear and cowardice, not courage, which promote conflict.”

On Finally Watching ‘Girls,’ a Better Show Than I’d Been Led to Imagine

I watch very little TV, so sometimes I find myself entirely isolated from normal conversations about, say, Lena Dunham. Good thing then that I caught the last few episodes of Girls, which ended last week. But really the reason I’m including this piece is that Jia Tolentino wrote it, and Ms. Tolentino is pretty rad. (She wrote one of my favorite articles of 2016, about how she helped privileged white girls get into college.) About Girls, Ms. Tolentino writes: “The show was so well-written, so carefully directed, and so attuned to a narrow type of rarely-seen-before verisimilitude that some portion of its audience simply lost the ability to distinguish it from real life.”

Thank you very much for reading #89. Let’s please welcome new subscribers Laura and Viray — glad you’re here! More and more people are signing up to receive The Highlighter because loyal subscribers are getting the word out. Thank you, and I’ll see you next Thursday at 9:10 am!

#88: Poor, Gifted, and Black

Hi there, loyal subscribers! I’m feeling pretty good about this issue. It includes 7 articles from various publications, covering new topics (e.g., education in South Africa, hot chicken in Nashville, disability in rural America) and following up on topics I’ve highlighted in the past (e.g., transphobia, fake news, S-Town, Ruth Bader Ginsburg). My hope is that you find that some of the topics I follow are ones you care about, too. Please enjoy!

Poor, Gifted, and Black

Though apartheid ended 23 years ago in South Africa, its legacy is alive and well. This article by Monica Mark profiles three black and colored college students who attend the elite and prestigious University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. They protest against rising tuition that further marginalizes black students, arguing for a “free and decolonized” education. Just because the university is open to students of color does not make it a place for liberation. There are obvious parallels to education in the United States. Also, if you haven’t read it yet, please check out Trevor Noah’s book, Born a Crime (#82), which is hot right now among KCP students in Oakland.

The Burning Desire for Hot Chicken

No fruit this week, but we’ve got hot chicken. I ate hot chicken for the first time last Fall when I visited Nashville for the wedding of loyal subscriber Tess. Very delicious! This piece tells the origin story of hot chicken, reviews three restaurants, and explains the science behind spicy foods (e.g., the interaction between the capsaicin in chilis and the receptor TRPV1 in our bodies). The point of this piece: We love things that hurt us.

Disabled or just desperate? Rural white Americans turn to disability

The number of people on disability has risen sharply over the past 20 years. Now 13 million — mostly rural white people — receive benefits. This article profiles Desmond Spencer, 39, who hasn’t had a job in more than a year, and whose family encourages him to apply for disability, because all of them are already on it.

Another reason I miss teaching is seeing my former students graduate from college. Here is Ramir at Sacramento State.

Can schools help Americans do a better job separating fact from fake news?

Since the election, people have decried fake news and complained that public schools need to do a better job helping young people sift fact from fiction. (When in doubt, blame public schools.) This piece by education reporter Dana Goldstein (author of The Teacher Wars) is not your typical screed. It thoughtfully chronicles the history of civics education and media literacy, making the point that both have always been political and ideological. No matter our commitment to neutrality, what is considered fact is fraught. Want more? Here’s a good one from Pacific Standard.

The Practice of ‘Deadnaming’ Trans People: Why Does The Media Do It?

Some trans people have good relationships with the names they were given at birth. Others do not. Either way, why do so many media outlets publish trans people’s “deadnames” in their stories? Sam Riedel points out that the reason might be ignorance, or more likely, it’s malicious, positioning the practice as “just a difference of opinion” or “simply a disagreement.”

If you like YA, please check out The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas.

Longform Podcast: Brian Reed

Last week I recommended S-Town, the seven-part podcast “novel” narrated by Brian Reed. If you’ve already devoured S-Town, listen to this Longform podcast episode, where host Max Linsky interviews Mr. Reed. Warning: Major spoilers. On what S-Town is really about, Mr. Reed says, “It’s a story about the remarkableness of what could be called an unremarkable life.” Some people disagree, arguing that Mr. Reed’s reporting is inappropriate and invasive.

Want to Raise a Trail-Blazing Daughter? The Notorious RBG Says Do These 7 Things

This is the first listicle that has ever appeared in The Highlighter. It’s appropriate that this listicle involves Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Here she offers 7 tips for parents who want to ensure their daughters grow up strong like The Notorious RBG. And when I mean strong, I don’t mean physically. For that please see RBG’s workout in #83.

Hope you enjoyed today’s issue. If something caught your eye, or elicited an emotion, share your thoughts by pressing R. Also, please welcome new subscriber Selina (via loyal subscribers Monica & Niki)! This week’s homework: Copy and paste this URL — j.mp/thehighlighter88 — and send it to a friend, letting them know they must read every article and must get back to you with their thoughts, and by the way, why don’t they subscribe, too? Thank you, and see you next Thursday at 9:10 am!

#87: Get Rid of Homework?

Last week’s issue was really heavy, so today, I decided to lighten things up a bit. You’ll note that I’m featuring two of my favorite podcasts. (You won’t regret checking them out.) In terms of articles, it’s time that The Highlighter wades into the Great Homework Debate (always a favorite topic of mine). Plus please enjoy pieces on the history of the banana and on a mysterious illness in Sweden. Have a great week!

On the Need for Getting Rid of Homework

The homework debate is a contentious one. Though evidence suggests that it doesn’t help (only effect: widening the achievement gap), I’m still a proponent. Pernille Ripp teaches seventh grade English, and for the last several years, she has not assigned homework. Rather, she asks her students to read every night for 20 minutes. Do you find Ms. Ripp’s argument convincing? (Press R to share your response!)

Humans Made the Banana Perfect. But Soon, It’ll Be Gone.

Fruit lives on at The Highlighter. Last week it was muskmelons. This week, it’s bananas. When I taught U.S. History, my students loved learning about the (sordid, nasty, imperialist) history of the “American” banana. This article, an ode to biodiversity and an attack on consumer preferences, predicts its doom.

The Trauma of Facing Deportation

Over the past 15 years, hundreds of refugee children in Sweden — many of them Roma or Uyghur — have fallen into coma-like states, often for long periods of time, when finding out their families faced deportation. Called uppgivenhetssyndrom, or resignation syndrome (or, more loosely, apathy), this illness is specific to Sweden. Writer Rachel Aviv (also featured in #76) is excellent again in this haunting piece.

I think I like lakes. Greenwood Lake, New York.

S-Town

If you loved the first season of Serial but thought the second lost its way, and if you like This American Life, please check out S-Town, a 7-part podcast by Brian Reed. There’s a bit of everything in this: murder, gossip, intrigue, retribution, loneliness, mental illness, climate change, hidden treasure, Southern accents, and small-town America. (If you want more background, here’s a smart review, and another one.)

The Daily

Many of you may already subscribe to The Daily, starring Michael Barbaro at the New York Times. If you don’t, I highly recommend it. It’s how I start my day. Published weekdays, each episode lasts 20 minutes, during which Mr. Barbaro takes a key news story and adds background or color, either by interviewing a Times reporter or a regular American. (Mr. Barbaro makes sure you know how to pronounce his last name correctly.)

And that’s a wrap on #87! Hope you enjoyed it. As always, feel free to let me know what you liked and didn’t like. For example, since The Highlighter is mostly a place for articles, should podcast recommendations be prohibited? Are there publications that I should be considering? Please let me know! Have a wonderful week, and see you next Thursday at 9:10 am.

#86: Very Expensive Melons

Welcome to The Highlighter #86, where good thing we have muskmelons to start off, because the rest of today’s issue is a little heavy (yet important). After a delightful piece about Japan and its passion for high-quality fruit, prepare yourself for articles on abusive relationships, modern-day slavery, and the challenges of sponsoring Syrian refugees. Don’t feel like you need to read all four articles in one sitting. Take things slowly. (You have all week.)

Very Expensive Melons

I like fruit very much (peaches and cherries lead my list), but it seems like Japanese people like fruit even more than I do. Fruit is big in Japan. Particularly muskmelons, apparently, which are similar to cantaloupe, and which can sell for $27,000 a pair. Why so expensive? One theory: An obsession with quality. Another: Hundreds of years of fruit-gifting culture. Either way, in Japan, it is not uncommon to say, “I think only about melons.”

“How do you know if you’re being abused?” I already knew the answer.

This is a raw and disturbing piece about the effects of an abusive man and an abusive relationship on a young woman. Katherine Laidlaw writes, “No one tells you that the most complicated part isn’t moving on, it’s starting over. I think, on average, once every minute, about whether I am smart or pretty or skinny or compelling or captivating or charming enough—1,440 times a day. I am infected. Who is the arbiter of enough, anyway?”

Loyal subscribers Marni and Jennifer took 23 of their students to the National Museum of African American History and Culture yesterday. “It is unlike anything I've ever seen,” Marni wrote.

What Slavery Looks Like Today

Slavery is alive and well in the world, especially in India. The practice persists because the caste system endures and the credit system is weak. In some parts of India, if you owe money, you can pay off that debt by sending someone (like your child) to work for the creditor. This piece focuses on the slaveholders, who see little reason for change, because now, “everyone knows their place.”

Canadians Adopted Refugee Families for a Year. Then Came Month 13.

Here is the fourth installment in the brilliant New York Times series about how regular Canadians have sponsored and supported Syrian refugees for a year (also see #72). Now that time is up. Was the program a success? More important, what happens now? This article, which uncovers the co-dependency the resettlement project has developed, does not sugarcoat.

Thank you reading #86, and thank you for subscribing to The Highlighter! There has been a drop-off in new subscribers the past couple weeks, so you know what that means! Help spread the word about the digest and pester your favorite non-subscribers to change their stubborn ways. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am!

#85: Fighting to Get into Bathrooms

Hi there and good morning! How are you? This 85th issue of The Highlighter is filled with six articles that I’m confident you’ll enjoy. It’s all here — the right to use a public bathroom, the fight against an oil pipeline, the role of reading in our society, the way we see the world, and why people do not email us back. If you’re advanced and adventurous, read all six articles, and you’ll receive a prize!

I’m Trans, Disabled, And Tired of Fighting To Get Into Bathrooms

Christian McMahon, who grew up disabled before the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, thought it was normal not to be able to use the bathroom when other kids could. Now as a trans adult, again he is finding that he is not welcome in bathrooms, a public space. He writes: “I am tired of people in positions of authority excluding other people because they seem too disabled or too queer to be considered fully human. I am tired of having to know when to hide my gender identity or de-emphasize my disability. I am tired of the idea that going about my life fully hydrated is an unreasonable expectation.”

The Gentrification of Standing Rock

Where’s the line between being an ally and being a colonizer? Author Jake Friedler, a white man who went to Standing Rock to protest the Dakota Access pipeline, noticed how white people tried to “improve the protest” through domination and control. He writes: “White people had arrived in a space that was not our own and tried to improve it according to our standards. We ate foods cooked by our poorer, browner neighbors and learned a few words in their language. We improved the housing stock and brought newer, greener technologies. But as we tried to help, we simply got in the way.”

Bulletin board at City Arts and Technology High School, San Francisco.

The Rising Tide of Educated Aliteracy

Alex Good argues that the problem of our time is not illiteracy but rather aliteracy — in other words, people know how to read but choose not to. Mr. Good, who is Canadian, focuses mostly on the reading of fiction — and whether “distant reading” (snippets from tons of books) or “close reading” (deep study of fewer books) is preferable. My take is that the issue not illiteracy vs. aliteracy but rather different literacies based on social inequities.

Books N Bros’ 11-year-old founder wants to help boys love reading at an age when they often don’t

Following in the footsteps of Marley Davis, the 12-year-old girl who last year founded 1,000 Black Girl Books, here is 11-year-old Sidney Keys III, who started Book N Bros, a book club in St. Louis dedicated to boys and African American literature. Recent books include Hidden Figures and The News Crew, by Walter Dean Myers. This article comes with an 18-minute podcast.

Boo, who belongs to loyal subscriber Jessica, likes Ta-Nehisi Coates, too.

Boston Public Schools Map Switch Aims to Amend 500 Years of Distortion

I like this move from the Boston public schools to replace the traditional (and Eurocentric) Mercator projection, whose map distorts the size of Europe and the United States, with the Peters projection, which more accurately sizes South America and Africa. “This is the start of a three-year effort to decolonize the curriculum in our public schools,” said Colin Rose, assistant superintendent of opportunity and achievement gaps. Thank you to loyal subscriber Heidi for submitting this article.

Sorry for the Delayed Response

Since I’ve left teaching, I’ve spent way too much time worrying needlessly about inconsequential things, like why some people do not respond to my (brilliant, clever, important) email. In this hilarious piece, Susannah Wolff talks me down from the ledge and reminds me to get over myself. After all, there are many reasons people fail to answer email.

Thank you for reading The Highlighter #85, and thank you for being a loyal subscriber. Please welcome new subscriber Tyler! As always, feel free to let me know what you think of the digest by replying to this email. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am!

#84: Let’s Bring Back Mammoths

Welcome to The Highlighter #84 — and if you’re not on the East coast, welcome to Spring! (My apologies for daylight saving last weekend, which loyal subscriber L. calls “the worst day of the year.”) This week, as our country figures out health care, false claims of wiretapping, and the President’s tax returns, I bring you woolly mammoths, segregation, virtual reality, and Justice Sotomayor on the loose. Please enjoy!

Pleistocene Park: Let’s Bring Back Mammoths

Here is another irresistible science article that explains how Russian scientists in Siberia hope to stave off global warming by re-introducing an Ice Age biome, complete with grasslands that will protect the permafrost from melting — and, by de-extincting woolly mammoths, too, while they’re at it, using the genome-editing tool CRISPR. (From the article: The first lab-created mammoth will be extremely lonely.) Be ready for a wild ride!

Soon, baseball will be back! Here’s a photo from Wrigley Field last season.

Contract Selling Is Back in Chicago

I learned about the history of contract selling in Chicago by reading A Raisin in the Sun in high school, then got a refresher via “The Case for Reparations,” by Ta-Nehisi Coates (also: #48, #71). Prominent in the 1950s as a result of redlining, the practice mostly waned after the 1968 Fair Housing Act. Fifty years later, and a decade after predatory lending and subprime mortgages, contract selling is back, benefiting out-of-state companies and hurting poor African Americans.

In Michigan, School Choice Is Becoming Code for Segregation

Charter schools are more vilified now than ever with the ascension of Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. One problem is that there are very different kinds of charter schools. In Michigan, where Ms. DeVos is from, many charters are for-profit and help white parents flee from schools where their children are a minority.

This is chicken from The Chicken Dinner III, Oakland 2016. Executive Chef: Loyal subscriber Barbara.

First They Got Sick, Then They Moved Into a Virtual Utopia

Second Life, an online virtual world where people can interact in real time, began in 2002 and plateaued in 2006, with 1.1 million users. Now mostly a relic, this precursor to virtual reality is very popular among people with disabilities, including Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and PTSD. Where the physical world is limiting, Second Life offers another chance. Thank you to loyal subscriber Peter for submitting this article.

U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor at UC Berkeley

Pull up a chair or sofa, grab some popcorn, and watch this 70-minute interview with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor at UC Berkeley. After an introduction and about 20 minutes of poor audio up on stage (the result of big earrings), Justice Sotomayor goes rogue, abandons her interviewer, and decides to walk the aisles of Zellerbach Hall, shaking hands and hugging students as she answers questions. Her message (similar to what she wrote about in My Beloved World): Have energy, break through obstacles, and live, live, live.

That’s it for this week! Thank you very much for reading this issue. Please welcome new subscribers HeyKite and Revoice! Care to respond to an article or two? Press R and write me something! This week’s get-the-word-out challenge: If you have Twitter, share this issue and a few kind words! Have a great week, and I’ll see you next Thursday at 9:10 am.

#83: Together Alone

Welcome to The Highlighter #83! The first two articles this week aim to build empathy and understanding across difference. If you’re not LGBTQ, please read the first article, and if you’re not Mexican American, please read the second. Then, after the photo break, it’s time to upgrade your exercise regimen (with the help of Notorious RBG) before feeling disgusted by the history of the death penalty. Please enjoy!

Together Alone

Particularly in the blue states, along the coasts, gay rights have advanced, and things seem to be going very well. So why all the pain and anguish? Why do gay people suffer from worse health problems even after coming out? This article suggests that gay people experience chronic stress that they do not realize is abnormal, and over time, this stress takes a toll on their bodies.

The Making of a Mexican American Dream

This is an outstanding piece. It’s really two articles in one. The first is a delightful profile of Vianney Bernabé and her experience as a second-generation Mexican American. The second is an astute reconsideration of the “American Dream.” Author Sarah Menkedick reminds us: “Any conversation about Mexican immigrants in the U.S. must acknowledge that it’s absurd to talk about many of them as immigrants at all.”

Say hi to Jack. He belongs to loyal subscriber Erin.

I Did Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Workout. It Nearly Broke Me.

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (aka Notorious RBG) turns 84 this month. Will Justice Ginsburg survive the Trump presidency? She has told people she’ll continue to serve as long as she is physically and mentally able. Good thing Justice Ginsburg works out twice a week with a personal trainer. Her workout is no joke.

He Killed 140 Men in the Electric Chair. Then He Took His Own Life.

The death penalty is gruesome and inhumane. (I’ve known this since delivering an excoriating speech in my ninth grade Oral Composition class.) Here is the story of the electric chair at the height of its popularity 100 years ago. It is also the story of an executioner, John Hurlburt, who killed himself after putting more than 100 people to death.

From loyal subscriber Abby, a Math instructional coach, in response to last week’s article, “Conversations Aren’t Enough,” by Nikole Hannah-Jones:

My kids go to Berkeley Public Schools, and the elementary schools are consciously integrated through a complicated busing and lottery system. There are still many problems, and the achievement gap is large. I wonder what Ms. Hannah-Jones would say the next step is after desegregation. How do we leverage desegregation to increase educational opportunity?

Thank you, Abby, for your thoughtful annotation! I welcome reader annotations, so when you feel moved, please press R to reply to this email digest, and you can send me your thoughts. (I won’t publish anything without your consent.)

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That’s it for this week! I hope you enjoyed today’s issue. Also, please welcome new subscribers Carl and Donna! Keep getting the word out about The Highlighter, and have a great week. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am!

#82: Conversations Aren’t Enough

Hello, loyal subscribers, and welcome to The Highlighter! It’s a big issue this week with tons of great articles. The first section features Nikole Hannah-Jones and Roxane Gay, two totally great people whose work you should be following. The second section focuses on economic issues and the division between the rich and the poor. The last section centers on politics from two seemingly unrelated vantage points: Milo Yiannopoulos and social studies textbooks. Please enjoy all these articles plus the breaks in between (another dog! another book!) — and have a great week!

“Conversations Aren’t Enough”

Since the presidency of Bill Clinton, our country has engaged from time to time in “conversations about race.” Nikole Hannah-Jones, my favorite education reporter (#18, #22, #46, #47, #65), argues in this Teaching Tolerance interview that dialogue is never enough. Segregation was easy, she says, and integration is possible, but there is a lack of will. If you’re interested in Ms. Hannah-Jones’s thoughts on the notion of “public,” please read her latest piece in the New York Times.

The Rise of Roxane Gay

Many of you love Roxane Gay, but I must confess, I have read only a little of her work. That needs to change! She’s excellent. Here’s a well-written profile that chronicles her writing career, which has focused on gender, power, sex, and bodies. Little-known fact: As a kid, Ms. Gay loved reading the Little House and the Sweet Valley High series. According to a couple very close friends of mine (and loyal subscribers), this means that Ms. Gay has great taste.

This is Reggie. She belongs to loyal subscriber Monica (and the Universe).

The High Cost of Cheap Labor

Author Brian Barth wastes no time. His first paragraph: “At least half of all farmworkers in the United States are undocumented Mexican immigrants. And ‘documentation’ often dictates inclusion in a guest-worker program that’s been compared to slavery. Americans avoid these jobs, yet elected a president who promised mass deportation. There’s a crisis brewing in our fields, and it’s about to get much, much worse.” Please read this important article.

At San Francisco's Glide Church, Wealthy Tech Workers Learn to Care About Someone Other Than Themselves

Loyal subscriber Thuy forwarded me this article, which features San Francisco’s Tenderloin district, the history of the neighborhood, its neediest residents, and the new tech elite. Usually, these articles are about how the divisions between the rich and the poor are intractable. With the leadership of Reverend Cecil Williams and Glide Memorial Church, however, maybe there’s a non-naive way to heal this chasm.

First great book of the year. Even better in audio, with Trevor Noah as the narrator. Everybody, go and read it or listen to it now!

On the Milo Bus With the Lost Boys of America’s New Right

I’m on a Milo kick, I know. (See last issue.) In this extremely well-written piece, author Laurie Penny hangs out with the mostly young white men and captures their sentiments perfectly. Ms. Penny’s reporting isn’t charitable — she characterizes the men as selfish and ignorant — but her main criticism is directed at Milo for being a horrible, disgusting person. Enjoy!

The Eurocentric Influence on History Textbooks and Classrooms

There are many problems with high school history textbooks. One is that they’re biased; another is that they’re Eurocentric. The answer isn’t to shun textbooks, this article argues. Rather, teachers should focus on historiography, or how historians interpret and debate the past, and challenge their students to become historians themselves, analyzing primary documents to make their own meaning. Thank you to loyal subscriber Clare, an excellent U.S. History teacher in Hayward, who suggested this article.

Thank you for reading The Highlighter #82! The digest keeps growing and growing, thanks to your reputable word of mouth. Let’s welcome new subscribers Sarah, Peter, Jenny, and Natalia! If you liked today’s issue, get it out there! One great way is to share The Highlighter via Facebook or Twitter (see below). Why not try it? I appreciate that you’re a subscriber, and I’ll see you next Thursday at 9:10 am!

#81: The Graffiti Kids

Happy Thursday! Thank you for your overwhelmingly enthusiastic response to The Highlighter’s rebranding. Also, credit goes to loyal subscriber Peter, who created the nameplate. This digest is flourishing because of the support and curiosity of its readers. (Here’s my announcement of The Highlighter over at Iserotope.)

This week’s issue is all about building your background knowledge. The articles are meaty, informative, sometimes disturbing, and always important. The lead story, “The Graffiti Kids,” which tells the story of the conflict in Syria, may take you an hour to read, but it’s entirely worth the commitment. Two articles this week (“4chan,” “Love Lives in Whitefish”) help us understand our country’s shift toward (or solidification of) unabashed white supremacy. Finally, read about reading — specifically, how poor communities have drastically low access to books, which hamper children’s reading skills and academic opportunities. Please enjoy!

The Graffiti Kids: How Teenage Rebellion Sparked the Syrian War

Naief Abazid was 14 years old when he spray painted the message, “It’s your turn, Dr. Bashar al-Assad,” on the wall of his school in Daraa, Syria. He was soon arrested and tortured, which prompted protests against the Syrian leader. Six years later, Naief’s country is still in the middle of a civil war, millions of refugees have fled, and the world has gotten meaner and scarier.

4chan: The Skeleton Key to the Rise of Donald Trump

This short history of 4chan, an online bulletin board, will make you feel sick to your stomach. You’ll learn how 4chan got started, how it popularized memes, and how it members — a self-described group of losers living in their mothers’ basements — gave rise to Anonymous, Gamergate, Milo Yiannopoulos, Pepe the Frog, and Donald Trump, “the loser who won.”

Say hi to MJ. He belongs to loyal subscribers Angelina and Clem.

Book Deserts: The Consequences of Income Segregation on Children’s Access to Print

One important reason that many young people do not read is that they lack access to good books. This study looked at six neighborhoods in Washington D.C., Detroit, and Los Angeles, concluding that poor neighborhoods have fewer print materials available to purchase, which means there are fewer books in the home, which lowers children’s reading skills and academic performance. Not studied here: E-books.

Love Lives In Whitefish, Montana, But So Do Neo-Nazis

Our country is a big place, and our racists don’t believe they’re racists. They say they just want to live far away (with their guns) from “the drama” of people who do not look like them. This piece is about Whitefish, Montana, where white supremacist Richard Spencer (#67) lives, and where its residents recently fought back against the town’s neo-Nazi trolls.

Congratulations, you made it through The Highlighter #81! If you’d like to respond to an article, press r to reply and let me know your thoughts. Or press f to forward this issue to a friend. Maybe they’ll subscribe! (Word of mouth is always best.) Also, please welcome new subscribers Mark, Marna, James, Linda, Claire, I., Morenike, and Omar! The digest’s community is growing quickly! Have a great week, and see you next Thursday at 9:10 am.

#80: When Things Go Missing

Iserotope Extras is now The Highlighter! I’m very excited about the digest’s new name, and I thank you all for your support as I ruminated (and ruminated) over this gargantuan decision. (Press R to let me know what you think!)

To celebrate its new name, The Highlighter #80 is big and bold, with six articles, two photographs, and a new feature called Reader Annotations. There’s something for everyone!

This week, enjoy razor-sharp writing (“When Things Go Missing” and “A Shot in the Arm”), two articles on juvenile justice (including punishment that involves reading), a piece that will make you think twice about going on a cruise, and a health warning (to get a grip).

I’m also hoping you’ll make time to read the digest’s first contribution to Reader Annotations, where loyal subscribers respond to last week’s issue. Hope you enjoy!

When Things Go Missing

Kathryn Schulz (author of “The Really Big One,” about the catastrophic earthquake destined to hit the Pacific Northwest) begins this astounding piece with anecdotes about losing things — her keys, her wallet, her car. Then Ms. Schulz turns to the loss of her father, who died last year. Her writing is exquisite, and her thesis—that living is losing—will bring you pause, even if reading about death is something you’d rather not do.

America Is Losing Its Grip

Another science article! This one is about grip strength, and how we’re losing it, and how that may mean really bad things for our health and lifespan. It turns out that humans are meant to brachiate (swing through trees) and to make tools (thank you, opposable thumb), except we do neither anymore. Should this concern us? The early evidence suggests maybe.

Meet Bacon. He is the new dog of loyal subscriber Nick.

What’s Justice for Kids Who Kill?

As many of you know, I’m very interested in juvenile justice, particularly when it comes to youth under age 18 who commit violent crimes (e.g., this Texas Monthly article from #75). This piece is about Kahton Anderson, who at age 13 killed an innocent man on a New York City bus, claiming he was defending himself against a rival neighborhood crew. Is there a way to acknowledge a young defendant’s immaturity and potential to change while simultaneously holding him accountable for a terrible act?

Teenagers Who Vandalized Historic Black Schoolhouse Are Ordered to Read Books

After teenagers in Virginia pleaded guilty to vandalizing an historic black schoolhouse, the judge sentenced them to read 12 books geared to build their background knowledge on African American history, the Holocaust, and the history of discrimination. My first two reactions: (1) It’s great to treat this as a learning opportunity, (2) Reading for punishment isn’t great. (At least the reading list involves choice.)

Always a good choice: The Awakening, by Kate Chopin.

A Shot in the Arm: Donating Plasma to Pay the Bills

Journalism professor Josh Roiland, who makes $52,000 a year at the University of Maine, is $200,000 in debt from student loans. He makes ends meet by traveling two hours to donate plasma at $50 a pop. (The gas he puts on a credit card.) In this first-person piece, Prof. Roiland argues that, with 40 percent of new Ph.Ds in 2014 unable to find tenure-track positions, it may no longer be true what his undergraduate adviser said: “If there’s anything worth going big-time in debt for, it’s education.”

Below Deck

Have you ever been on a cruise? Several friends tell me how wonderful and relaxing they are, how it’s great to get away. If you agree, you may want to skip this article, which exposes the dark side of the cruise ship industry. Particularly for Filipinos, who make up 1/3 of the worldwide workforce, a job on a cruise ship is horrific, with long hours without breaks, meager pay, and insufficient medical care. You’ll also learn how the big cruise ship companies avoid American regulations by registering in other countries, “flying a flag of convenience.”

From loyal subscriber Phoebe, an oceanographer, on last week’s article, “Cancer Studies Are Fatally Flawed. Meet the Young Billionaire Who’s Exposing the Truth About Bad Science.”

It’s true there is a lot of bad science that gets reported (especially in nutrition and wellness), and it pains me that the whole enterprise suffers as a result. You know that science is in big trouble when its validity gets made fun of on even the most liberal of outlets (e.g., John Oliver, Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, Harpers). If the Right doesn’t believe in facts, and the Left is led to think that all science is silly, there’s no escaping a post-factual world.

The thing I love about science is the philosophy underlying it: There’s a requirement that you change your conclusions in the face of new, conflicting information. And for it to be useful, you have to place your new, conflicting information in the context of studies that came before. Science isn’t about being good at math, or having special skills; it’s a way of approaching and evaluating information.

I agree there can be perverse incentives in academia to publish sensational things. That is exacerbated by journalists who only want to report the most sensational implication, so even a thoughtful study is frequently misrepresented in the media. (I have personal experience with this.) But I have also had very good experiences in academia, where I or my colleagues are rewarded for doing thoughtful work, not for doing flashy, sensational work. I think it depends on the culture of the field and institution that you’re in.

I can’t decide whether I liked or hated the article. I support the rooting out of bad science, but as bad science gets more press, I worry that there is not enough science literacy for people to understand what that means, and that all of science gets tarnished as a result.

Thank you, Phoebe, for your thoughtful response! I welcome reader annotations, so when you feel moved, please press R to reply to this email digest, and you can send me your thoughts. (I won’t publish anything without your consent.)

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Thank you for opening up and reading The Highlighter #80! Also, I’m proud to report that this digest is getting a ton of readership. We’re up to 116 subscribers now! Thank you for getting the word out. (But don’t force people!) This week, I’d love to receive more Reader Annotations, and I’d love the digest to gain more subscribers. If you’d like to help out with that, please go ahead, that would be very kind! As always, have a great week, and see you next Thursday at 9:10 am.