Arctic Espionage & Poppy Salad

Before we start, you will notice that today's newsletter is considerably longer than previous issues. I expect this to continue, even if not to this extent. There are two reasons behind this:

First, I used to try only to share one article per publication. There have been times when I included two, but even that has been quite rare. I don't plan to continue following this admittedly self-imposed rule in the future. For most publications, this is a non-issue, but there are a few like the New York Times, Atlantic, or New Yorker where this imposes an artificial limit, even though there are more than one or two articles I want to recommend from them. You will notice that today, I included more than a couple of pieces from NYT, all great reads.

Second, I wanted consistency in the number of articles I recommended, so I tried to keep it between eight and ten per day. That's because I won't have more than that on some days, and I didn't want to send six articles on one day while sending 16 on the next. That, I decided, is also an unnecessary rule because, at the end of the week, I ended up with many articles I wanted to recommend but didn't. I will still do some balancing across days when I can, but generally, I will send out all the articles I want to recommend on any given day without trying to keep the total number down.

As a result, you will get more articles in your inbox every day, with slightly less filtering due to these two reasons. If you have any feedback regarding these changes (or any other feedback, really), please reply to this email and drop me a line!

Featured Articles

Russia’s Espionage War in the Arctic

The New Yorker • 9 Sep 2024 • ~12750 words • Archive Link

This piece explores the quiet yet intense espionage activities unfolding in Kirkenes, a small Norwegian town on the edge of Russia’s nuclear stronghold. The article delves into how this isolated location has become a testing ground for Russian intelligence operations, revealing the complex interplay of local life and global power dynamics. It examines the challenges Norway and other NATO countries faced in responding to these covert Russian activities, which often fall below the threshold for a military response.

. . . here, at the point of contact between NATO and Russia’s nuclear stronghold, it seems that the Kremlin is quietly waging a parallel battle for public sentiment in a small fishing town, geographically isolated from the rest of Norway and the West. As Sun Tzu writes, the path to victory is to win first, and then go to war.

The Prince We Never Knew

New York Times • 8 Sep 2024 • ~9400 words • Archive Link

The article provides a preview of a revealing documentary on the life of music icon Prince, directed by Ezra Edelman. It highlights how the documentary attempts to unravel the layers of a man who was both a musical genius and deeply human, capturing moments of vulnerability that many fans may not be familiar with. The estate has objected to the film's content and tone, and it is currently in jeopardy of never being released to the public.

Does the whole world need to know about the very private, ugly torments of this genius? But then I registered the dominant sensation the film produced, which was awe. Whatever chaos was unfolding in the corners of Paisley Park, in public Prince alchemized it into singing that was majestic and generative and leapt over walls. The film shows, more movingly and convincingly than almost anything I’ve seen, how life can illuminate art, and yet how separate the two things really are.

Recommended Articles

She Ate a Poppy Seed Salad Just Before Giving Birth. Then They Took Her Baby Away.

Mother Jones • 9 Sep 2024 • ~4200 words

Imagine giving birth and discovering that a simple poppy seed salad could lead to your baby being taken away. This article explores the troubling reality of false drug tests in hospitals, where a single positive result can trigger a cascade of life-altering consequences for new mothers. The investigation reveals how easily families can become ensnared in a system that often overlooks the nuances of these tests and the lives they affect.

When workplace drug testing was introduced in the 1980s, unions and civil rights groups decried the error rates of drug screens and how companies were firing workers over false positive results. In response, federal authorities mandated safeguards for employees, including requiring confirmation tests and a review from a specially trained doctor to determine whether a food or medication could have caused a positive result . . . A federal medical advisory committee in 1993 urged health care providers who drug-test pregnant patients to adopt the same rigorous standards. But amid the “crack baby” panic, the idea of protecting mothers did not catch on.

How Inflation Breaks Our Brains

Reason.com • 7 Sep 2024 • ~4000 words

Inflation isn’t just about rising prices; it’s a psychological hurdle that shapes how we view the world around us. This piece delves into the historical connections between inflation, political unrest, and our societal mindset, reminding us that the complexities of this economic phenomenon extend far beyond mere numbers. It explores how inflation can trigger anger, irrationality, and scapegoating among the public, and how this can translate into poor policy decisions by elected officials.

Inflation, it turns out, is also a psychological phenomenon. It makes us angry. It makes us irrational. In any democratic system, that anger and irrationality can be quickly translated into poor policies—unless elected and unelected officials are prepared to withstand it, and to recognize that combating inflation often requires unpopular actions.

Land of the Flea

The New Yorker • 9 Sep 2024 • ~5100 words • Archive Link

The 127 Yard Sale in Tennessee is more than just a long stretch of bargain hunting; it’s a quirky reflection of American culture. This piece explores the eclectic mix of vendors and shoppers, revealing how this massive sale serves as a backdrop for stories of personal history, social commentary, and the ongoing search for treasures—both material and nostalgic. Dive in to see how a simple yard sale can encapsulate the complexities of contemporary life.

Another shopper’s tableau included retro yard furniture, a metal ice-cream bucket, corroded playground animals, a shamrock sign, a butter roller, a Hoosier cabinet, and, literally, a kitchen sink. She captioned the photo “Spending my kids’ inheritance one junk sale at a time.”

“I Don’t Want to Die”: Needing Mental Health Care, He Got Trapped in His Insurer’s Ghost Network

ProPublica • 8 Sep 2024 • ~3900 words

In this piece we follow Ravi's struggle to navigate the mental health care system while dealing with the challenges of his insurance provider, Ambetter. As he attempts to find a therapist, we see the frustrating and often heartbreaking realities many face when seeking help. This story sheds light on the systemic issues within mental health care access, making it a must-read for anyone concerned about the state of mental health services in America.

Ravi didn’t know it, but he, like millions of Americans, was trapped in a “ghost network.” As some of those people have discovered, the providers listed in an insurer’s network have either retired or died. Many other providers have stopped accepting insurance — often because the companies made it excessively difficult for them to do so. Some just aren’t taking new patients.

How pour-over coffee got good

worksinprogress.co • 3 Sep 2024 • ~4800 words

The article provides a detailed history of the evolution of pour-over coffee brewing, from its origins in the 1970s to the modern era. It explores the technical aspects of different brewing methods, the rise and fall of the Clover brewing machine, and the latest innovations in automated pour-over systems. The article also poses questions about the future of specialty coffee brewing and whether machines can match the quality and consistency of manual pour-over techniques.

And – despite the European allure of the espresso shot – a well-brewed cup of coffee is often the best way to appreciate complex, fruit-driven coffees that the coffee world was increasingly excited about.

Sailors, exiles, merchants and philosophers: how the ancient Greeks played with language to express a seaborne imagination

Aeon • 9 Sep 2024 • ~5000 words

Still want to read about languages after our weekend special? The piece explores how the ancient Greek language expresses a seaborne imagination through its rich vocabulary and metaphors related to the sea. It delves into the nuanced terminology used to describe various aspects of the sea, waves, and the shoreline, as well as the linguistic connections between the sea and concepts like laughter and calmness.

What made words of laughter suited to expressing wave-breaking, then? The onset of laughter can be felt as a wavelike build-up and release of tension. Both laughter and waves give us something to see and hear simultaneously. Loud laughter entails a sudden discomposure similar to the crash and splash of seawater, a snap moment of energy unleashed, which produces brightness and loud noise, as do faces engaged in bouts of laughter.

There Are Only Two Shakers Left. They’ve Still Got Utopia in Their Sights.

New York Times • 5 Sep 2024 • ~4950 words • Archive Link

This article dives into the lives of the last members of the Shaker community, particularly Brother Arnold Hadd. As he navigates the challenges of preserving a centuries-old way of life while welcoming new connections, the piece explores the balance between tradition and adaptation in a world that often overlooks such unique communities. It also examines how the Shakers' unique approach to community, work, and spirituality may offer insights for a world facing its own existential threats.

Since the 18th century, Shakers have believed that the body of the church isn’t only in its living members but also in its ideas and the spirits of their ancestors, which are eternal. The material things of Shaker life have always changed, decayed, disappeared, but the principles of the church remain. Someday, even a hundred years from now, people could find the oral histories, the writings and teaching, the songs, and pick up the thread.

In Rural China, ‘Sisterhoods’ Demand Justice, and Cash

New York Times • 8 Sep 2024 • ~2300 words • Archive Link

The article discusses the growing movement of rural Chinese women challenging a longstanding tradition that denies them village membership and the associated financial benefits, even if they continue to live in their villages after marrying someone from outside. It explores how these women are finding solidarity with each other and taking legal action to demand recognition of their land rights, despite facing pushback from local authorities.

. . . they are challenging centuries of tradition that have defined women as appendages to men: their fathers before marriage, their husbands after. That view has persisted even as the country has rapidly modernized, and women have gone to school and sometimes even become their families’ breadwinners.

Do Animals Know That They Will Die?

The Atlantic • 9 Sep 2024 • ~2400 words • Archive Link

The article explores the concept of death and how it is understood by various animals, particularly chimpanzees. It delves into the field of comparative thanatology, which studies how animals experience and react to death, and the challenges researchers face in studying this topic. The article raises questions about whether animals have a concept of death similar to humans, and how their behaviors and reactions can be interpreted in this context.

They can tell us that a chimp's conception of death is grander than a termite's, but much else is mysterious and maybe always will be. We can only hope that by continuing to watch chimps, we will notice new behaviors that betray a bit more of their interiority, or at least give us new grounds to speculate.

The Palace Coup at the Magic Kingdom

New York Times • 8 Sep 2024 • ~12850 words • Archive Link

The article provides an in-depth look at the power struggle and succession drama within The Walt Disney Company, as former CEO Bob Iger handed over the reins to his handpicked successor Bob Chapek, only to later return to the company amid growing turmoil. It explores the tensions between the two executives, the board's missteps in the transition, and the challenges Chapek faced in leading the company through a tumultuous period.

For a company that bills its theme parks as the “Happiest Place on Earth,” Disney’s corporate headquarters have long been anything but — a hotbed of intrigue and power struggles. Mr. Chapek’s former chief of staff told people the company’s sixth-floor executive suite was a “snake pit.”

On Fables and Nuanced Charts

Asimov Press • 8 Sep 2024 • ~2500 words

The piece discusses how data visualizations and charts can be misleading, even when the underlying data is accurate. It explores examples where charts have conveyed false narratives, either due to changes in definitions, incompatible measurements, or the inherent subjectivity of certain metrics. The article ultimately reminds us to approach charts with a critical eye, revealing the stories we might inadvertently accept as truth.

Charts are a concise way not only to show data but also to tell a story. Such stories, however, reflect the interpretations of a chart’s creators and are often accepted by the viewer without skepticism. As Noah Smith and many others have argued, charts contain hidden assumptions that can drastically change the story they tell.

Balancing Act: Pregnancy and Bipolar Disorder

Undark Magazine • 9 Sep 2024 • ~2200 words

The article discusses the challenges faced by women with bipolar disorder when planning for and navigating pregnancy. It explores the complex decision-making process around managing medications, the stigma and lack of access to specialized perinatal psychiatric care, and the personal experiences of women who have gone through this journey.

Still, in forums and discussion threads, women speak of choosing not to have children, concerned about managing their mental health along with a baby’s well-being. But Paola Dazzan, a professor of the neurobiology of psychosis . . . said her service has supported many women with bipolar disorder through the perinatal period, sometimes over the course of several pregnancies.

What incels get wrong about Fight Club

UnHerd • 7 Sep 2024 • ~3150 words

The article discusses the cult classic film "Fight Club" and how it is often misinterpreted by certain groups and particularly incels. It examines the film's portrayal of masculinity, the reasons behind the male characters' discontent, and how the film's themes resonate with the 90s zeitgeist. The article also questions whether the film should be viewed as a satire or a genuine exploration of the issues faced by men in that era.

Even when the film turns more violent, and the fighters of the fight club turn into a sort of insurgency, their acts of mayhem generally have an ironic, symbolic, theatrical character. They are countering the spectacle of capitalism with spectacular gestures of their own. Again, all this is very Nineties.

The Truth Is Out There, Part 1: The Will to Believe

filfre.net • 6 Sep 2024 • ~5900 words

The article discusses the 1995 "alien autopsy" hoax, which captivated the public's imagination and was widely covered in the media at the time. It examines how the hoax was perpetuated and spread, the cultural context that allowed it to gain traction, and the lasting impact it had on popular culture, particularly the TV series "The X-Files". I can’t wait to read part two.

Murdoch came out of a private screening of the alien-autopsy film knowing that he simply had to have it. He prepared a contract which made Santilli and his largely silent partner Volker Spielberg rich men overnight. Then he made plans to show the film to maximum advantage all over the world — including in the biggest media market of them all, the country of its alleged origin.

A Post-Google World

thebignewsletter.com • 7 Sep 2024 • ~3350 words

As another major antitrust trial looms for Google, this article dives into the complexities of its advertising empire and the potential for a post-Google landscape. It explores the implications of a possible breakup and what that could mean for innovation in the digital space. If you’re curious about the future of online advertising and the tech giant’s legal challenges, this piece offers some perspectives.

So how will we know when we reach a post-Google world? Well, when entrepreneurs start seeing opportunity to build businesses in a more open market for advertising, search, or journalism, we’ll be there. Right now, you don’t go near these spaces, because Google will crush you. But there are immense opportunities once you split apart this corporation.

Inside China’s race to lead the world in nuclear fusion

Nature • 28 Aug 2024 • ~2650 words • Archive Link

China is making significant strides in its pursuit of nuclear fusion, aiming to become a leader in clean energy. With ambitious plans for multiple fusion reactors and substantial government investment, the country is positioning itself at the forefront of this complex scientific challenge. This article delves into China's approaches and the race against other nations to unlock the potential of fusion power.

Although no one yet knows whether fusion power plants are possible, Chinese scientists have ambitious timelines. In the 2030s, before ITER will have begun its main experiments, the country aims to build the China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR), with the goal of producing up to 1 gigawatt of fusion power.