“Organic material” & McDonald's Monopoly Fraud
A sewage crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. Also, the story of how fraudsters cheated McDonald's Monopoly.
Featured Articles
The California Beach Town Awash in Poop
The New Republic • 10 Aug 2024 • ~6100 words
The California beach town of Imperial Beach is facing a sewage crisis that has plagued the region for years, with devastating consequences for the local community. This in-depth article explores the complex web of political, environmental, infrastructure, and public health issues at the heart of this ongoing disaster along the U.S.-Mexico border.
By the time the spill stopped, at the end of February, up to 256 million gallons had flowed through a protected estuary and out to the ocean, leaving a dark residue in the sand that technical reports refer to vaguely as “organic material.”
How McDonald's Found Out Its Wildly Popular Monopoly Game Was a Fraud
CrimeReads • 12 Aug 2024 • ~4100 words
The McDonald's Monopoly game was a promotion loved by the public for years. But this article, an excerpt from the book McMillion$, reveals how the game led to a massive fraud that went undetected for over a decade. Dive into this sometimes absurd story of how the FBI uncovered this elaborate scam at the heart of one of America's most iconic brands.
Devereaux broke it with his kill shot. “The suspect game pieces go all the way back to 1989. That’s two years after you launched the Monopoly promotion. It’s entirely possible that the last twelve years of the game have been tainted by fraud.”
Recommended Articles
In Japanese You Need a Dictionary to Count Things
Aether Mug • 8 Aug 2024 • ~2200 words
Have you ever wondered why Japanese has such a complex system of words for counting? This fascinating article delves into the intricate world of Japanese numerals and counters, revealing a linguistic quirk that may seem baffling to outsiders but is deeply rooted in the language's evolution. Read on to learn more about this fascinating aspect of communication.
My favorite bonkers counter might be that for rabbits. Being small animals, you'd expect to count them with 匹 *hiki*, like cats, dogs, and raccoons. Instead, rabbits get 羽 *wa*, the bird counter (the *kanji* 羽 literally means "feather"). There are many wild theories for why bunnies ended up in the same bucket as pigeons . . .
When Home is a Shipping Lane—The Dilemma of an Endangered Orca
3 Quarks Daily • 11 Aug 2024 • ~4700 words
The Salish Sea, a vital habitat for the endangered southern resident orca, is facing a crisis. This article explores the complex web of threats - from declining salmon populations to noise pollution from shipping traffic - that have pushed these majestic whales to the brink of extinction.
The impact of a passing ship can be likened to a quiet conversation in a restaurant being suddenly and at length interrupted by a roomful of shouting people, drowning any attempt to converse.
From Orchard to Aisle: An Uncertain Path for Emerging Crops
Undark Magazine • 12 Aug 2024 • ~2300 words
The pawpaw fruit, native to North America, has gained a devoted following in recent years. However, as this article explores, the path from the orchard to the grocery store aisle is anything but certain for emerging crops like pawpaw.
As an emerging crop, pawpaws pose their fair share of challenges — namely, they’re difficult to store and ship. While processed products, which are more durable, seem promising, such techniques still need improvement. That work requires funding, though, which can be hard to procure for an unestablished crop.
The Spanish Reconquest and the Battle of Covadonga: When myths contaminate history
EL PAÍS English • 11 Aug 2024 • ~2700 words
The Spanish Reconquest is a complex and contentious period of history, full of myths and ideological agendas. This article delves into how the historical narrative of the Reconquest has been shaped and manipulated over time to serve nationalist interests, calling into question the term's validity. This is a very good introduction to a very complex topic.
But, if the verb reconquer is, also according to the RAE, “to conquer a place, province or kingdom that had been lost,” can you reconquer something that you never possessed, that was never in your power? Can the term be applied to the medieval peninsular period?
When the Cost of War Is Much More Than Lives
themontrealreview.com • 12 Aug 2024 • ~4100 words
This article explores how the recent conflict in Gaza has devastated the region's rich cultural heritage, destroying ancient sites, religious landmarks, and irreplaceable artifacts that have stood for centuries. The scale of this cultural destruction is a sobering reminder of the immense and lasting toll that war can take.
The Qarara Cultural Museum had been established in 2016 to house 3,000 ancient artifacts that recall the early Canaanites and the Bronze Age from the second century B.C. Yet it was the target of a missile strike in October, and almost nothing remains of the exhibits except splinters of glass and chips of pottery.
How Everything Became National Security
Foreign Affairs • 12 Aug 2024 • ~4600 words
The concept of "national security" in American politics has expanded dramatically in recent decades. This article explores how the ever-widening definition of national security has diluted its meaning and made it difficult for policymakers to prioritize genuine threats to the United States. Even if you are not interested in US policy, I think this is a good read on the evolution of political science in modern times.
But if everything is defined as national security, nothing is a national security priority.
