Before we delve into the posts we’re reading and loving elsewhere on the internet, don’t miss E. Young on the inclusivity, and quality, of Pose on FX.
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‘Here’s What Happened When The Government Lost Control Of The Biggest Nuclear Cleanup In The US‘ (Zahra Hirji for Buzzfeed)
Military pollution is a pernicious problem across the United States, where poorly managed sites are falling into decay and the government is struggling to clean them up. The stakes are particularly high at nuclear sites, and some workers are paying the price.
Many workers are scared and fed up. At least one contaminated employee quit Hanford and moved to another state. The owner of a hot car doesn’t want it back and is fighting to get reimbursed for the loss. About a dozen others are so suspicious of the government’s tests that they’ve bagged their own car filters — and even one home vacuum filter — and sent them to a scientist in Massachusetts, who’s been live-tweeting the data. Those independent tests suggest that workers’ exposure was worse than what they were told by the government.
‘I Love Performing Those Songs. But What About the Gender Politics?‘ (Melissa Errico for the New York Times)
It’s easy to dismiss many women’s roles in classic musicals as outdated, clunky, and awkwardly misogynistic. This musical theatre actress, however, thinks they’re redeemable, and in some cases even transformative.
But experience tells me that, like controversial but classic parts in the straight theater, the best women’s roles in classic musicals are rich and still worth exploring. They can respond to new kinds of energy informed by our new wisdoms.
‘Aly Raisman Takes the Floor‘ (Mina Kimes for ESPN)
Aly Raisman has a potent symbolic power as an incredibly talented gymnast who took on the person who breached her trust and violated her, but she’s more than just a symbol. She’s a real person, and this is a sensitive, thoughtful profile of her.
Her statement began quietly. Raisman walked to the podium, smiled at the judge, spelled her name, then rocked back on her heels for a moment, steadying her face. (She often made the same expression before her floor routines, right before the music kicked in.) Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and she wore a hot-pink blazer that matched her blush and lipstick; the effect was one of glowing, unapologetic femininity.
‘Bourdain Confidential‘ (Maria Bustillos for Popula)
This should be a delightful profile about a vibrant, free-wheeling chef who’s built a remarkable career for himself. Instead, it’s a sobering final interview with a man who struggle with inner demons and ultimately killed himself.
Instead he spent two and a half hours with me in the comfy Irish bar, blabbing about everything under the sun. The transcript of this conversation is in excess of 20,000 words. And nobody bothered us in all that time, it was like there was a force field around him.
‘In 1982, a Family Disappeared From Their Valley Home—What Happened to the Salomons?‘ (Stacy Perman for LA Magazine)
This is our favourite kind of true crime: A rich and deeply reported feature that also has a personal angle, fulfilling the dreams of so many of us who struggle with mysteries from our childhoods.
It wasn’t long before news of the family’s disappearance blew up. Reporters descended upon our block, knocking on doors. The local news teased out nuggets, leading with the story at 4, 5, 6, and 11. The story made global headlines. What had become of this nice, suburban family that seemed to vanish without a trace?
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Photo: Solly Markovitch/Creative Commons