LongReads Round-Up Volume Twenty Two

The continuing conversation about the cost of a degree in college, and new methods for giving credit to students
Http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/03/education/edlife/degrees-based-on-what-you-can-do-not-how-long-you-went.html?

Slate reviews the 130+ page interview of Susan Sontag from a 1978 issue of Rolling Stone.
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2013/11/susan_sontag_s_complete_rolling_stone_interview_reviewed.html

An oral history of the revamping of Vanity Fair, complete with Truman Capote's histrionics.
http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2013/10/birth-modern-vanity-fair?

Real talk, I don't really care for the quality of Thought Catalog pieces, so it makes sense this is actually an aggregate of posts from Quora, about people's expectations of America and their actual experiences.
http://thoughtcatalog.com/michael-koh/2013/11/16-people-on-things-they-couldnt-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/

This story of the journey refugees make from the Middle East, through Indonesia to Australia, is heartbreaking. A life with no options is no life at all.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/17/magazine/the-impossible-refugee-boat-lift-to-christmas-island.html?

Marvel announces that the new Ms Marvel will be a 16 year old Pakistinian-American girl.
www.nytimes.com/2013/11/06/books-marvel-comics-introducing-a-muslim-girl-superhero.html

This OkCupid couple booked a trip across Europe with literally nothing but the clothes on their backs.
http://www.salon.com/2013/11/12/the_craziest_okcupid_date_ever/

A deep review of America's foreign policy in the Middle East.
http://www.thenation.com/article/177002/field-guide-losing-friends-influencing-no-one-and-alienating-middle-east#

This transcript of an interview between Nia King and Virgie Tovar from the podcast We Want the Airwaves covers body image, women in advanced degree programs, and how self presentation is part of personhood. http://www.scribd.com/mobile/doc/152485506#fullscreen

LongReads Round-Up Volume Twenty

"It Was Nice While It Lasted," by Rosa Brooks for Foreign Policy. This charming piece of dystopian satire comes from the year 2060. America is now a lawless land, bereft of government since the Tea Party shutdown of 2013. Canada has built a wall to keep out the hungry, uneducated Americans, as the wealthiest fled the country long ago. Hardworking American laborers in major cities can still find work at Chinese military bases, at least.  "In 2013, the new Tea Party wanted to put a stop to a government run by their own fellow citizens. Well, they got what they wanted: Now it's the Chinese who make the rules for Americans."

"White Girls," by Hilton Als for Guernica. Excerpted from Als's new essay collection on media and literature, race and relationships, this piece follows the story of a friendship he formed with another black man. Its a sprawling meditation on the intersections of race, privilege, and art. Als reflects on the character of a man he deeply loved and admired, and the lessons he learned from their friendship."Standing above me and around me I see how we are all the same, that none of us are white women or black men; rather, we’re a series of mouths, and that every mouth needs filling: with something wet or dry, like love, or unfamiliar and savory, like love."

"Den of the Dominatrix," by Maria Smilios for Narratively. Fascinating account of a woman's work as a fetish dominatrix in New York. From Catholic school girl to vegan activist to dominatrix, "Mistress Josie," as she is called in the article, has blasted boundaries and taboos from her childhood. Not for the squeamish, this article features some of the stranger kinks Mistress Josie deals out to her clients. "Everyone deserves kindness and nurturing, even the person with a most extreme or unusual fantasy."

"Jezebel Founding Editor Anna Holmes On Her New Book -- And How She Changed Women's Media," by Lori Leibovich for The Huffington Post. The pop culture and feminist politics website Jezebel has shaped the way women engage with the news over the past six years. With its range of subject matter, from celebrity gossip to serious reporting on issues such as rape culture and racism, Jezebel has pushed feminist discourse into the mainstream. In this interview Anna Holmes reveals some of the biggest challenges she faced as the editor, including the life-suck that working in social media causes. "We talked about feminism in a very matter-of-fact way, without apology, and hoped that the readers who were kind of like “eh” about it would come to regard it as a un-scary thing."

"Why I Stopped Writing Recommendation Letters for Teach for America," by Catherine Michna for Slate. Humanities professor Michna writes a scathing reproach of Teach for America and untrained young teachers entering underprivileged classrooms. Her critique of the program is similar in many ways to critiques of Peace Corps- how effective can it be to send generally young and inexperienced adults to a disenfranchised area for relatively short term work? She also explores the effects of charter schools on the education quality, and the way TFA furthers those negative aspects of charter schools. For once, I recommend reading the comments, which were overall insightful and provided a variety of viewpoints. "[TFA teachers] work in service of a corporate reform agenda that rids communities of veteran teachers, privatizes public schools, and forces a corporatized, data-driven culture upon unique low-income communities with unique dynamics and unique challenges."

"Love in the Gardens," by Zadie Smith for The New York Review of Books. Smith writes this beautiful essay on her love of public gardens for NYRB, that follows a parallel of her relationship with her father and his passing. Seeking the public gardens in Italy and France let her escape from some of the cross cultural confusions and conflicts faced during travel. A public garden offers a chance for a peaceful experience of space. "In Italy, where so many kinds of gates are closed to so many people, there is something especially beautiful in the freedom of a garden."

"Two-Hit Wonder," by D.T. Max for The New Yorker. This profile on Jack Dorsey, a co-founder of Twitter, tracks the rise of the social media tech maven since 2006. The particular and at times peculiar personalities of tech geniuses is a modern fascination. Dorsey does not disappoint, with his love of bare minimalism and public transportation. Charting Dorsey's interests and talents, with the knowledge that they will ultimately result in Twitter, is an intriguing game of foreshadowing. "Twitter—inspired by the text message—is all about immediacy and mobility, and so is Dorsey. "

"The Facebook divorce," by Amanda Fortini for Salon. Social media has impacted the way we express ourselves in all kinds of situations, including the end of relationships. Fortini explores the way divorcées rant, rave, and regret their dissolving marriages on the internet. She also discusses how Facebook and social media can affect legalities during divorce proceedings."Facebook is not like Las Vegas: What happens there rarely stays there."

"Meet the Fantasically Bejeweled Skeletons of Catholicism's Forgotten Martyrs," by Rachel Nuwer for Smithsonian's Past Imperfect blog. Just in time to inspire your glamorous Halloween dreams, this post on the new book Heavenly Bodies offers plenty of bejeweled skeletons that would be an excellent addition to a fabulous haunted house. Paul Koudounaris discovered the practice of bedazzling deceased Catholic saints while he was travelling in Germany. As a historian and photographer, the subject was fascinating, and he began to hunt down the catacombs and shrines that held these blinged out remains. "Each martyr’s skeleton represented the splendors that awaited the faithful in the afterlife."

LongReads Round-Up Volume Nineteen

"The 10 Best First Crush Stories," introduced by Jessica Coen for Jezebel. Coen put out a call for readers to submit their first crush stories, and what we got is a frank, intimate selection of pieces to which I think everyone can relate. One had me sniffling and crying, while others made me laugh and a little embarrassed at memories of fourteen year old Emily, who really, really related to Some Kind of Wonderful too. What's probably my favorite part of this collection is just how fresh and unvarnished some of the stories read- because they were submitted via the comments section, and not collected and polished and edited, they felt more valuable and accessible. "In my fantasy he would hand it back to me and his message would read: You are stunning. I want to 1) kiss you on the mouth 2) do all the sex stuff 3) marry you and make attractive, intelligent, artistic, musical genius superhero babies 4) play Nintendo with you forever until we grow old and can no longer hold the controllers anymore because of arthritis."

"The Secret of Bezos: How Amazon Became the Everything Store," by Brad Stone for Bloomberg BusinessWeek. I gave up my soul and first born son to Amazon long ago, probably around the same time I was offered a free Prime account for a year. Stone investigated the rise of Amazon, and its driven CEO, in a new book, which is here excerpted in Bloomberg. The excerpt covers CEO Jeff Bezos's intense boardroom manner, provides anecdotes of Amazon's ruthless tactics in company takeovers, and reveals a little known story of Bezos's past. Also, did you know Bezos has a rocket ship company? No big deal, just Amazon in Space. "Some employees love this confrontational culture and find they can’t work effectively anywhere else...But other alumni call Amazon’s internal environment a “gladiator culture” and wouldn’t think of returning."

"'Afghan Americans': A Study in Duality," by Elissa Curtis for The New Yorker. This slide show and brief interview with photographer Andrea Bruce captures the experiences of Afghan Americans seeking balance and identity between the two countries they call home. Bruce, who was also an embedded photojournalist during the Iraq War, wanted to expose Americans to the realities of war and its effects on citizens. Her series combines portraits, landscapes, and images important to her subjects, pairing them with sentiments about their identity and countries. "'Because I am Afghan American... I can see it in the eyes of the young people. They are craving to be a part of the world society ... They are the ones that give me a lot of hope.'"—Mustafa Ali Nouri

"Portrait of an Iranian Witch," by Alireza Doostdar for The New Inquiry. Just in time for Halloween! Doostdar follows a young, trendy woman in Tehran and her attempts to carve into the middle class with a career as a witch. Mersedeh the witch, with her makeup and chic apartment, differs from other wizards and occultists Doostdar met during his time researching superstition and magic practices in Iran. She reworks the traditions of witches to fit into the upwardly mobile young adults of Iran, practicing ancient arts with a fusion of modern spirituality, including The Secret. Doostdar also explores the perception of class differences between native Tehrani and newcomers to the city such as Mersedeh. "Rare is the analysis that places modern witchcraft in the context of individualistic aspiration, set against more than two decades of economic privatization and the increasing valorization of personal responsibility and agency."

"With New Abortion Restrictions, Ohio Walks a Narrow Legal Line," by Erik Eckholm for The New York Times. Laws in Ohio make abortion seekers jump through hoops, including a rule that providers must offer women a chance to view fetuses on an ultrasound and listen to the fetal heart beat. As an attempt to limit women's access to abortion procedures, conservative law makers and activist groups support laws that complicate women's Supreme Court supported right to abortion procedures - Catch22s that include forcing abortion providers to have partnerships with hospitals, but outlawing public hospitals from signing such agreements, and legalizing only outdated methods of medical abortions. Here's what I have to say to anti-abortionists: when you outlaw abortions, only outlaws will provide abortions, and those abortions will be dangerous and decrease the quality of health in women. "...the annual number of nonsurgical abortions plummeted to 90 in 2012 from more than 600 in earlier years. But “there’s no evidence that this cut down on abortion,” said Ms. France, the clinic director. “Women just said, ‘Never mind, I’ll get a surgical abortion.’ ”"

"The Naked Man," by Michael Thomsen for Guernica. The fragility of masculinity in modern America is one of my favorite topics. Thomsen tackles the vulnerability of male nudity head-on (pun... intended?). In his efforts to pose nude for a series of portraits, he faces struggles with issues of patriarchy and the male egoism that is the "dick pic" sext, and also his own personal qualms about the intimacy of getting naked in front of the camera. He ends with a reflection on our modern culture's love of oversharing and shredding the veil of intimacy. Is worrying about naked photos on the internet passé? "Penis is patriarchy, and patriarchy is violence. To show one’s penis is to endorse its metaphorical power and the historical privileges that have come with it."

"Ebony Bones: 'When Did We Stop Asking These Questions?'" by Coral Williamson for DIY. Ebony Bones' new album, "Behold, A Pale Horse" isn't a political album, per se, but it is an album about political issues. Bones uses her music as a medium to convey questions and skepticism about the current state of affairs, in a time when little popular music is political or controversial. The riots that have taken place around the world - from London to the Arab Spring - inspired her to push her audience towards questioning the ethics of society. Bones asks, "What is this fear-based society which crucifies people who dare question or speak the truth?"

"A Question of Silence: Why We Don't Read or Write About Education," by Houman Harouni for The American Reader. What Harouni offers here is a scathing call to arms about the state of education in America, distributing blame for its sorry state on many. He proposes that the real purpose of education is rarely discussed, and that critical discourse about education has been largely ignored. Radical theory about education has largely died out as Americans became complacent with a system run by educationalists. This essay is assuredly aggressive and provocative. "Schooling, in its current form, is primarily neither a science nor an art. It’s a public service industry, and a traditional one to boot. "

Two for One! "Why "Sex Positive" Feminism is Negative For Me," by Kelly Rose Pflug-Back, for Huffington Post Canada, and a response "Semi Serious Thoughts On Feminism: Sex Positive Feminism vs Negative, or, I'm Sorry, Kelly Rose Pflug-Back," by yours truly. Pflug-Back wrote an article for HuffPo about her problems with "sex positive feminism," which could be considered one of the more popular schools of thought in this current wave of radical feminism. Sadly, in my opinion, Pflug-Back sees sex positive feminism in a limited, ill presented view, one that doesn't support survivors of sexual assault and caters only to white cis women, where my experiences have always been radically different.

LongReads Round-Up Volume Eighteen: Extra Long Weekend Edition

"Obamacare and the Conscience of a Radical," by Ta-Nehisi Coates for The Atlantic. Senior Editor and resident The Atlantic radical TNC writes about his frustrations with Obamacare and its limitations in reaching our county's most vulnerable and disenfranchised, in part because of systemic prejudice and oppression towards poor black Americans. TNC questions if Obamacare is essentially immoral because it doesn't provide services to those who need it the most. "...leaving the majority of the most vulnerable class of Americans uncovered, while the rest of the country enjoys the expanded safety net... is actively harmful. "

"Why the Agriculture Industry Hates Chipotle," by Tarini Parti and Helena Bottemiller Evich for Politico. Leaders of the agriculture industry in America resent the beloved burrito artistry that is Chipotle for its new non-advertisement advertisement, a short video bemoaning industrial farming tactics (GMO, hormone injections, etc). For the Ag industry, its nothing short of propaganda. Industry officials fear backlash in the form of new legislation, or worse, Americans taking their purchasing power elsewhere. "The agriculture industry fears that Chipotle, more than just influencing consumer behavior, could ultimately help drive policy either by bolstering the grass-roots good-food movement or by having the ear of members of Congress."

"You're a Fiction Writing Professor," by Justin Kramon for Glimmer Train. A short piece by Kramon that is better read than unnecessarily explained. "You think of your writing resume as one of the most creative pieces of fiction you've written. "

"In Praise of Idleness," by Bertrand Russel. In 1932, philosopher Bertrand Russell was pretty convinced we were working too hard. Its been eighty years, and America lags behind other countries in both amount of vacation and personal days, and productivity. Correlation? Russell provides a break down of work and morality that calls for a revolution in the workplace. "I want to say, in all seriousness, that a great deal of harm is being done in the modern world by belief in the virtuousness of work, and that the road to happiness and prosperity lies in an organized diminution of work."

"A Breaking Bad (and Beyond) Reading List," by Lauren Eggert-Crowe for The Millions. I'll probably never have children, because how could I punish them by bringing them into a world without new Breaking Bad episodes? As the world mourns the void left by the morally bankrupt Walter White, Eggert-Crowe offers some reads that will give us the dark, conflicted feelings we crave. From classic literature to memoirs and true crime, there's a little on here for everyone. "The books on this list range from the personal to the mythological to the journalistic, and some intertwine all three. "

"There's No God in Antarctica," by Jo Stewart for Vice. Stewart's travel essay and photo journal of a trip to Antarctica is brief, but the photos are stunning. Ranging from shots of massive icebergs to 1950s painted pinups on the walls of bases, Stewart captures scenes that aren't usually featured in National Geographic. "The lows are subterranean—sometimes it feels like you’ve arrived at the watery gates of hell. But the highs are stratospheric."

"Miley Cyrus: Confessions of Pop's Wildest Child," by Josh Eells for Rolling Stone. YES! Year of Miley! America's current "Hot Mess of the Year," Cyrus has been spinning heads with her love of weed, twerking, and bad hair cuts. Eells spent several days with Cyrus, observing her get tattooed, partying, even joining her for a skydiving trip. Cyrus displays an uncredited-by-bloggers insight into her public persona and calculated steps in progressing her career. Released in timing with her new album, Bangerz, the article gives a seemingly unvarnished look into the Twerk Seen 'Round the World. "Miley thinks people will be shocked when the ["Wrecking Ball"] video comes out, because it's the last thing they expect from her: real art."

"An Open Letter to Sinead O'Connor," by Amanda Palmer. Miley is so polarizing, she even has questionably culturally relevant Sinead O'Connor writing disses on her website. Palmer wrote a Defense of the Twerk on her own site, defending Miley's right to expression and the overall diversity of female performance and expression. "...we gotta give Miley (and every female) space to try on her artist’s uniform. It’s like a game of cosmic dress-up, but the stakes are high. If we’re allowed to play it, we’re empowered. If we’re not, we’re still in a cage."

"I'm 25... and I've wasted my life," by Cary Tennis for Salon. Tennis offers advice to a young adult who feels dissatisfied with life - he's worked hard, never "messed up," yet he feels unfulfilled and resentful of his flaky peers. Tennis makes me feel normal and validated as a rudderless young adult with his spirited cheers for taking the time to screw up. "The way you feel is completely normal. You’re not stupid. But you feel stupid because you’ve been taken in by a sucker’s system."

"America Has a Long Way to Go Before It's Fully 'Clitorate,'" by Anna Lekas Miller for Alternet. Sophia Wallace is a visual artist whose newest project is spreading "cliteracy," that is, knowledge about the human clitoris, to the masses. While the female body is sexualized in everything from advertising to porn, knowledge of female sexuality and female sex organs is still in infancy. After researching the misinformation and misunderstandings the average person has about the clitoris, Wallace was inspired to increase cliteracy through installations, street art, and internet campaigns. "Right now, you can’t even say the word clit, it’s too obscene and profane, but you can show the nude female body everywhere."

"My embarrassing picture went viral," by Caitlin Seida for Salon. After a Halloween photo of Seida as Lara Croft became part of a viral mockery meme, she fought back with copyright infringement warnings and calling out people for their hurtful comments. Her security and enjoyment of her body is really badass and patriarchy smashing, as is this quote: "But I refuse to disappear. I still go jogging in public. I don’t hide my flabby arms or chubby ankles for fear of offending someone else’s delicate sensibilities. "

"23 Dogs Who Really Love Their Best Friend," by Arielle Calderon for BuzzFeed. Babies + Dogs. That's all you need to know.

LongReads Round-Up Volume Seventeen

"Gone Home: A Brilliant Example of How Less Can Be More in Video Games," by Leigh Alexander for The Atlantic. A new, quiet paced computer game is garnering critical acclaim. The small budget, narrative based game is being hailed as a step in a new frontier of popular gaming, focused on story telling and world building instead of extensive graphics or action. "Many developers have longed to incorporate literary storytelling elements into video games for a while now—but they often stick to the formulas of commercial action thrillers anyway." http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/09/-em-gone-home-em-a-brilliant-example-of-how-less-can-be-more-in-video-games/279464/

"America's Most Popular Podcast: What the Internet Did to Welcome to Night Vale," by Adam Carlson for The Awl. The strangest little podcast on the web exploded in popularity thanks to fervent fans on Tumblr spreading the viral word. The creators of 'Welcome to Night Vale' talk about the rise to being the number one podcast on iTunes, and if it fills The Void. "The "Night Vale" fan community is, as Cecil once described the condition of life itself, both 'proud and terrified.'" http://www.theawl.com/2013/07/americas-most-popular-podcast-what-the-internet-did-to-welcome-to-night-vale

"Anti-Rape Activist Group FORCE Was Behind the Fake Playboy Party List," by Tyler Kingkade for The Huffington Post. FORCE is doing modern age grassroot activism right. Last year they were leaving Consent Panties in drawers at Victoria's Secret and making a fake VS Pink website, and earlier this year they used Kickstarter to fund a memorial quilt (to cover the National Mall) for rape survivors. Check out the fake Playboy website they hosted to spread the word about consensual sex on college campuses. "'The world is safe for bros to be feminists too,' wrote BroBible's Andy Moore after the hoax was uncovered."  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/18/force-anti-rape-playboy-party_n_3944751.html

"Eat, Pray, Love, Get Rich, Write a Novel No One Expects," by Steve Almond for The New York Times. Elizabeth Gilbert criticizes the "chick lit ghetto" mentality, proves how hard she's hustled for her position as one of the best known American writers of the day, and takes us gardening. While she has written novels in the past, Gilbert is navigating the transition from blockbuster memoirs to historical adventure fiction. "The challenge she faces now is how to sell the pleasures of old-fashioned storytelling to masses who hunger for more personal disclosure. Millions of readers love Elizabeth Gilbert. The question is: Will they love her imagination?" http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/22/magazine/eat-pray-love-get-rich-write-a-novel-no-one-expects.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&

"CrossFit's Dirty Little Secret," by Eric Robertson for Medium. CrossFit is not just an exercise and fitness regime, its also an ethos and lifestyle. Sometimes, trying to meet the "maxed out" exercise goals runs intense physical risks to trainers' health. A physical therapist reviews the dangers of rhabdomyolysis caused by excessive CrossFit activities. "Still entrenched in the CrossFit culture of deplete, endure, repeat, she quieted the alarms and stoically pressed on to go to work. It didn’t take long to realize she not only couldn’t bend her arms, they also had no strength." https://medium.com/health-fitness-1/97bcce70356d

"How Much Are They Paying You for This Shit," by Alice Hines for n + 1. Hines sits through Wal-Mart's annual Shareholders Meeting, where fourteen thousand employees of the corporation gather for a healthy dose of company indoctrination. She captures the heady loyalty the employees hold for the company, while illuminating some of the less savory aspects of the Wal-Mart culture. "Given the world outside their stores, it’s likely that associates aren’t so much brainwashed by Walmart as they are grateful to have any job, whether or not it includes a free vacation."  http://nplusonemag.com/how-much-are-they-paying-you-for-this-shit

"Sex trade victims struggle to reintegrate," by Maher Sattar for Al Jazeera. Truly heartbreaking, this brief article offers the difficulties so many child victims encounter trying to reenter normal life after escaping sex trafficking in South East Asia. The sad reality is that for many victims, sex trafficking is a vicious circle perpetuated by family members, poverty, and lack of resources to successfully rehabilitate and assist those most vulnerable."[Victims] face a massive struggle to reintegrate into a social structure that stigmatises them, and in many cases treats them like criminals and illegal immigrants." http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/09/2013918102223875988.html

"Angie the Revolutionary," by Paul Hockenos for Foreign Policy. Surveying Chancellor Angela Merkel's rise to power in Germany, and how she has shaped and steered the country into new frontiers. Her contributions to family and work policies are nothing short of revolutionary, especially coming from Germany's conservative party, while she has managed to insulate the country during a massive economic crash. Entering a third term on the wave of a rapidly mordernizing CDU party, Merkel is being observed around the world. " A woman in the chancellery, taking over from a daunting pantheon of ego-driven alpha males, was a coup of vast proportions and one that resonated positively with the German public -- especially women." http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/09/18/angie_the_revolutionary_germany_angela_merkel?page=full

"A Big Heart Open to God," by Antionio Spadaro for America. Pope Francis has been making headlines around the world with his open, progressive views of humanity. As the first Jesuit priest ever to be made Pope, he gave an exclusive interview to Jesuit publications, including America magazine. He speaks about the influence of the Jesuit Society in his theology, his thoughts on the future of the church, and mentions loving the films of Fellini and corresponding with Borges. "I have a dogmatic certainty: God is in every person’s life... You can, you must try to seek God in every human life."  http://www.americamagazine.org/pope-interview 

Expanding Words Volume Five

Alembic (n) an apparatus consisting of two vessels connected by a tube, formerly used for distilling liquids.

Anchoritic (adj) characterized by ascetic solitude

Aposteme (n) an abscess; a swelling filled with purulent matter

Arteriosclerosis (n) the thickening and hardening of the walls of the arteries, occurring typically in old age.

Ataxic (adj) lacking motor coordination

Bonze (n) Buddhist monk

Catafalque (n) a decorated wooden framework supporting the coffin of a distinguished person during a funeral or while lying in state.

Cibation (n) the process or operation of feeding the contents of the crucible with fresh material in alchemy

Corium (n) dermis

Coterminous (adj) having the same boundaries or extent in space, time, or meaning.

Decumbiture (n) confinement to a sick bed, or time of taking to one's bed from sickness

Dorcus (n) stag beetle

Electuary (n) a medicinal substance mixed with honey or another sweet substance.

Eschatology (n) the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of  humankind

Fossorial (adj) adapted for or used in burrowing or digging

Fremescent (adj)  becoming murmurous, roaring

Fustian (n) 1. thick, durable twilled cloth with a short nap, usually dyed in dark colors. 2. pompous or pretentious speech or writing

Hagioscope (n) in architecture, an opening through the wall of a church in an oblique direction

Hebetude (n) the state of being dull or lethargic.

Helicoids (n) an object of spiral or helical shape.

Imbroccata (n) a thrust with the hand pronated

Imprimatur (n) an official license by the Roman Catholic Church to print an ecclesiastical or religious book.

Insalubrious (adj) Not promoting health; unwholesome

Internecine (adj) destructive to both sides in a conflict.

Lachrymose (adj) tearful or given to weeping.

Lambent (adj) glowing, gleaming, or flickering with a soft radiance.

Majolica (n) earthenware covered with an opaque tin glaze and decorated on the glaze before firing

Malaprop (n) the mistaken use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one

Mystagogue (n) a teacher or propounder of mystical doctrines

Opprobrium (n) harsh criticism or censure

Parure (n) a set of jewels intended to be worn together.

Peripetia (n) a sudden reversal of fortune or change in circumstances

Pluperfect (adj) more than perfect; supremely accomplished; ideal

Predicant (adj) of or relating to preaching

Prevaricate (v) speak or act in an evasive way.

Primogeniture (n) the firstborn child

Proboscidean (n) order of large mammals including the elephants and mastodons

Satrap (n) a provincial governor in the ancient Persian empire.

Self-abnegation (n) the denial or abasement of oneself.

Somatization (n) the production of recurrent and multiple medical symptoms with no discernible organic cause.

Sonorous (adj) imposingly deep and full.

Stultify (v) cause to lose enthusiasm and initiative, esp. as a result of a tedious or restrictive routine.

Suzerainty (n) occurs where a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which controls its foreign affairs

LongReads Round-Up, Sweet Sixteen

"This Man Moved to a Desert Island to Disappear. Here's What Happened," Kent Russell for New Republic. When escaping to a desert island, just what are you escaping from? Russell writes about Dave the one time multi millionaire who now lives beach side on a remote island. "All desert-island stories are in some sense about waiting." http://www.newrepublic.com/article/114549/dave-glasheen-lost-boy-restoration-island

"Harvard Business School Case Study: Gender Equality," by Jodi Kantor for The New York Times. After observing a vast, decades long discrepancy between the performance of the genders at HBS, administrators implemented a series of new programs to empower and promote success amongst female students. "Ms. Navab feared that seeming too ambitious could hurt what she half-jokingly called her “social cap,” referring to capitalization. 'I had no idea who, as a single woman, I was meant to be on campus.'" http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/08/education/harvard-case-study-gender-equity.html?pagewanted=all&_r=2&

"The Feminist Power of Female Ghosts," by Andi Ziesler for Bitch Media. Read (and listen to the Popaganda podcast) the survey of the terrifying power of female ghosts in film. From vengeance to unending obsessions, the female ghost is a reminder that there is no greater fury than a woman scorned. "[You]realize that not only are these women sympathetic characters, but they’re all the more terrifying because they have every bit of anger that makes living women sources of fear, but none of the societal restriction." http://bitchmagazine.org/post/the-feminist-power-of-female-ghosts

"Shrinking Women," by Lily Myers at the 2013 College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational. I've listened to this poem, about women and eating, and the power (or fear) to claim place, repeatedly. The text is included in the description of the video, but watching Myers perform and hearing the responses of the crowd is worth the three minutes. "I asked five questions in genetics class today and all of them started with the word 'sorry'." www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQucWXWXp3k#t=12

"23 Things Every Woman Should Stop Doing," by Emma Gray for The Huffington Post. Basically, a round up of all the social anxieties and concerns that are HOLDING US BACK, women! Every paragraph in this list had me "mmhm"ing and waving my hands, church lady style. "There is no easier way to discredit a woman’s opinion or feelings than to accuse her of being overly emotional."  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/11/23-things-every-woman-should-stop-doing_n_3908151.html

"Finding Molly: Drugs, dancing and death," by Shane Morris for Bro Jackson. Talking about the EDM (Electronic Dance Music) scene always seems to go hand in hand with drug use. Morris, a promoter and manager, writes specifically about the dangers of Molly and his own experiences using and dealing. "This was a real person, dying in the back of my Honda, on my friend Brandon’s lap." http://brojackson.com/long-reads/finding-molly-drugs-dancing-and-death?

"A Good Angle is Hard to Find," by Sarah Hepola for The Morning News. Charting the modern phenomena of the "selfie," fears of feminine narcissism, and personal documentation. I love The Selfie, and I love this article. Cheers to Emily Perper's Longreads post for sending me this way. "It gives you all the controls to the story you are telling."  http://www.themorningnews.org/article/a-good-angle-is-hard-to-find?