Should a citizen need some knowledge to earn the right to vote? Can colleges cure their drinking problem. And the election is tight.
As election day approaches, countless politicians, celebrities, and PSAs will encourage you to get out and vote. But should we be spending more time explaining the issues that people will be voting on, and less time merely telling them to check a box? If voters don’t know what’s going on, do their votes still provide a national benefit? The New Yorker’s Caleb Crain sets up the issue in The Case Against Democracy: “Roughly a third of American voters … are incapable of naming even one of the three branches of the United States government. Fewer than a quarter know who their senators are, and only half are aware that their state has two of them.” The question of whether everyone should have an equal voice has been around for a long time. Even Plato wondered whether the decisions of the state should be left in the hands of the average person: “Sometimes he drinks heavily while listening to the flute.” Looking back, I wish that’s how I had spent my time during this election season.
+ The Atlantic on another election tradition that has deep roots in history: When National Turmoil Becomes Personal Anxiety.
+ Part of the anxiety many feel is due to the fact that everything you thought you knew about American politics is dead. Win or lose, Donald Trump beat the system. With what seemed like almost no effort, he made complete mockeries of pundits, prognosticators, and campaign strategists. Entire fields, obliterated. You probably know I’m not a fan, but I Gotta Give Props to Donald Trump.
Peaceless Pipeline
Certain environmental stories seem to grab and hold our collective attention. Keystone was such a story. And the Dakota Access pipeline is the latest example. The LA Times looks at some of the numbers behind a protest that has been going on for a couple years, but has been picking up steam in recent weeks. “2 years of opposition, 1,172 miles of pipe, 1.3 million Facebook check-ins. The numbers to know about the Standing Rock protests.
Mosul or Bust
“There is no way to escape, either surrender or die.” That was the message Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi delivered to the estimated 5,000 ISIS militants still in Mosul. As troops close in on the city and prepare for fierce fighting, there are also as many as 20,000 civilians being used as human shields.
+ Vox: In Iraq, the environment itself has once again become a weapon of war. (Go for the story, stay for the photo.)
Taking a Stand Against Kegs
Higher education is about learning. But when you look at the numbers and the issues on many campuses, it’s clear that college is also about drinking. A lot. But now, due in part to increased awareness about sexual assaults on campus, dozens of schools are trying to turn the tide. The NYT takes a look at how the efforts are going: No Kegs, No Liquor. No problems?
When the Ship Hits the Fan
Free shipping. Those are the two words internet consumers have come to expect from online stores. But the shipping is not ultimately free. And your savings are putting extreme pressure on the bottom lines of even the largest ecommerce players. And your expectation that everyone will ship for free is crushing small e-tailers. From FastCo: Free Shipping Is A Lie.
+ Shoplifters’ 10 Favorite Things To Steal During The Holidays.
American Dream Interpretation
“By many measures, Chobani embodies the classic American immigrant success story.” And that could be the problem. The company’s founder Hamdi Ulukaya has made an effort to hire a lot refugees. And the backlash has been considerable. “Fringe websites have published false stories claiming Mr. Ulukaya wants ‘to drown the United States in Muslims.’ And the mayor of Twin Falls has received death threats, partly as a result of his support for Chobani.” From the NYT: For Helping Immigrants, Chobani’s Founder Draws Threats.
Winter is Comey
The Justice Department is racing to give the public some answers on Hillary’s email saga, Donald Trump is facing some new allegations of his own, and the race is getting tight. And according to FiveThirtyEight, The Odds Of An Electoral College-Popular Vote Split Are Increasing.
+ A close election means an election that — at least in the minds of some — won’t end on November 8th. And “both sides are now gearing up in a serious way for the possibility of a legally contested outcome.” From WaPo: Here’s the Election Day nightmare scenario that should terrify you.
+ How weird is this election? Orange County might go blue.
+ Esquire: A Poker Champ Identifies Clinton and Trump’s Tells.
+ Quartz: Donald Trump has the same odds of winning as Jon Snow ruling Westeros, according to betting markets. (Insert White Walker joke here.)
New Power Generation
“This fast pace of growth suggests that, if sustained, off-grid connections will within a few years outstrip the rate at which people are being connected to the grid, leapfrogging power lines in much the same way that mobile phones bypassed fixed-line telephone networks.” Using small-scale solar power, Africa is getting in the game while remaining off the grid. And it’s been a long wait on “a continent in which two of every three people have no access to power.” From The Economist: Africa unplugged.
Heeling Process
MLB players don’t have a lot of wiggle-room when it comes to their attire. The one place where they can express themselves (aside from the scourge of big beards) is on their feet. And that’s opened up a niche market for makers of custom cleats. The NYT introduces you to a shoe customizer who has some big league deals. He’s also fifteen.
Bottom of the News
“I’ve accomplished a lot of running goals in my life, but not even in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would win a world championship.” Aaron Yoder explains how he came to be a world champion at running backwards. (That’s pretty much how I describe most of my endeavors.)
+ Want something else to blame Millennials for? They’re drinking up all the coffee.
+ The viral proposal trend has trickled down to high school where teens are going to extremes for viral promposals. (Going viral feels so good, they might not even care about getting the date…)
