Hi 👋 

Boy have I got a list for you this week.

Not to brag or anything, but I’ve been reading so much more since I started writing TLR. I’m not sure if I’m reading faster, though. It’s more that I’ve replaced other time sinks (TikTok, doomscrolling, etc) with reading.

I’ve even gone back to reading books now, too! I’ve been averaging one book a month, which is not a lot, I know, but it’s definitely leagues better than where I was last year.

Next goal: Keep the habit up until it becomes second nature to me, then push it further. 💪

Also: I’m implementing something new again. There will be a quick poll toward the bottom of the newsletter, and if you could, please vote. 🙏 It’ll help me know if I’m on the right track, or I i need to improve on some things.

On that note, definitely feel free to email me your feedback or suggestions. I read and reply to every single one of them, and it really does help a lot.

And if you like the newsletter, please consider helping me grow by sharing it to your friends, colleagues and family! 🫶

Happy reading and see you again next Monday!

One long read…

Quick warning: This story describes several instances of physical and sexual abuse, as well as intimidation and torment.

As someone who took up a “hard science” degree in uni, I’m not surprised by all these allegations of sexual harassment. And I don’t for a second doubt the victims.

The power structure and the extremely insular nature of scientific work make it so easy for superiors to do whatever the hell they want and threaten their victims into silence. I imagine being out in the most secluded reaches of Antarctica only makes this dynamic worse.

And then there’s the question of institutional and systemic skepticism. For whatever reason, most faculty boards and scientific organizations are always so quick to take the side of the tenured abuser instead of the up-and-coming victims.

The result is years (maybe even decades) of inaction and even more women abused and harassed. And even when issues like these blow up, predators only often get a quick reprimand or are quietly removed or transferred.

Some even get to keep their positions.

I know this isn’t just a problem in the science field—far from it—but it makes me feel good that, at least, that one discipline is reckoning with its sexual abuse problem.

It just sucks that so many women have had to suffer for it.

🕓 A long and difficult story to read. Easily two hours. Can become much more if you’re distracted or need to take a lot of rage breaks in between.

… and then some

1 - How a Big Pharma Company Stalled a Potentially Lifesaving Vaccine in Pursuit of Bigger Profits | ProPublica, Free

If you’re a sharp-eyed reader of TLR, then you’ll know that I work in biotech (if not, that’s fine; I’m nearly legally blind myself). So this story really resonated with me. I know many of the players in this and share the years-long frustration that the researchers in the story describe. It’s probably worse for me, too, because I see so many people on a daily basis praising Big Pharma for their work in drug development.

🕓 This is long, but I blew through it. I took maybe 1 hour at most.

2 - Gmail Revolutionized Email 20 Years Ago. People Thought it was Google’s April Fools’ Day Joke | AP, Free

I know I’m a week late but happy April Fools’ to those who celebrate! This one is a cute story about tech CEOs (definitely not something I thought I’d ever write), but also about the wonder of technological development. It’s fascinating to see how something that’s such a routine part of internet life today was once deemed too outlandish.

🕓 Not a long story at all. Maybe 30 minutes if you stay focused.

3 - OpenAI’s GPT is a Recruiter’s Dream Tool. Tests Show There’s Racial Bias | Bloomberg, $

AI has been on my mind so much lately it’s unreal. I’ve been forcing myself to be a bit less doomsday-y about it (and find some unique opportunities for me as an online writer), but all the best stories online seem to point at just how flawed the entire thing is. This story, in particular, looks at how the tool was once touted to level the job-hunting playing field but is apparently just regurgitating our old biases.

🕓 Definitely a massive story. At least 1 hour and 30 minutes long, maybe more if you’re distracted.

4 - How Child Labour in India Makes the Paving Stones Beneath Our Feet | The Guardian, Free

This is one of those heavy stories that leave you angry and sad. And hopeless, because even if governments and businesses put some effort (although through admittedly very weak initiatives) into curbing modern-day slavery, syndicates still find ways to exploit the poor and desperate. They won’t even spare the kids 😡

🕓 This is also a long story. Maybe 1 hour and 15 minutes.

5 - The Doctor, the Dentist, and the Killer | Texas Monthly, $ (if you’ve used up your monthly limit) 

I’m convinced all great and exhaustive crime stories are, at some point, stories about the human psyche. I’ve done no research to substantiate my claim, but this story definitely fits the bill. At every turn, it questions how one person can be essentially two different characters at the same time—and how heartbreak can warp even the best among us to commit incredible violence.

🕓 Long but riveting. It took me 2 hours to finish this because I was distracted.

6 - The Plight of Japan’s Ama Divers | Nautilus, Free

This is a fascinating peek into a world that I had no idea exists. And it’s also sort of an ode to a dying cultural practice, thanks to the rapid technological progress and urbanization in Japan—as well as environmental destruction.

🕓 Not a particularly long story. Maybe 30 minutes tops.

7 - There is No Such Thing as Western Civilisation | The Guardian, Free

Dug this up from my archives. It was published seven years ago, but it still rings so true for me today. In fact, I’d say it’s even more apt these days, with the rising geopolitical tensions tearing the world apart. The writer makes very clear historical arguments, and makes a case for culture as one lives, as opposed to culture as a birthright.

🕓 This is very long and can be a tough read because it gets winding and technical at times. But I’d say it’s very worth it. Might take you 2 hours though.

8 - The Artists Digitally Liberating Colonial Plunder | NOÉMA Magazine, Free

This is fascinating. If you’re interested in colonial reparations like I am, you’re probably going to love this story. It’s easy to get caught up in the use of NFTs in the first few paragraphs (which I don’t endorse, to be clear), but stick with it. The initiatives that the writer looks at are very impressive, and at every turn, you’ll see how they get frustratingly blocked by institutions.

🕓 A pretty long story, but if you’re driven by frustration like I am, then this will be a quick read. It took me at most an hour.

9 - A Ghost Ship’s Doomed Journey Through the Gate of Tears | WIRED, $

Impressive work from the writer to painstakingly detail out every movement of a doomed ship. But I’d say that I think this one got a little too lost in the details. There were points in the article where it could have been better to zoom out and tell a more social or person-centric story. I get that that’s not what the pitch is, but then maybe that’s the issue with it.

🕓 Long story, but it’s not too difficult to read. Maybe 35 minutes.

10 - The Rise Of The Bee Bandits | NOÉMA Magazine, Free

For a few years while I was still an undergrad, I had an unreasonable fascination with bees. This story was a great callback to that time, and melds it pretty well with my current interest in crime and the environment. Who knew that people actually stole bees? But I guess it makes sense given how big the pollination industry is becoming.

🕓 Also a long story, but it pulls you along. An hour, tops.

11 - Airing Out the Mystery of the Mad Gasser of Mattoon | Atlas Obscura, Free

There’s something about niche historical stories that really get me going, and this one is a perfect example. It zeroes in on a very specific event in a very specific place at a very specific point in time, but then it also zooms out and looks at the entire psychology of the country at the time. Wish it were longer.

🕓 Not a particularly long piece. Maybe 45 minutes at most.

Bonus reco!

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Around the world

Here are some of the most important/interesting/infuriating news bits from around the world this week:

1 - A massive earthquake rips through Taiwan.

2 - Several States in the U.S. also get hit by an earthquake. Not as massive, though, thankfully.

3 - Man in the Philippines falls for an April Fools’ prank and gets a tattoo on his forehead.
+ The man gets so much support from other brands.
+ But others are skeptical that even the tattoo has been staged. Such a convoluted prank.

4 - A bullet train in Japan had to stop because someone was bored (or twisted) and threw cup noodles at it.

5 - Israel bombs and kills seven aid workers from the World Central Kitchen.
+ The same day, the U.S. approved sending more bombs to Israel.

Thanks for reading! Please, please reach out if you have feedback, suggestions, or questions. I know some of the stories I recommend might be behind paywalls, and maybe I can help you with access to those, too!

Also, I’d appreciate it so much if you help me grow by sharing The Lazy Reader with friends or family who you think might also enjoy a good longform story 🫶

Until next Monday! 👋