February 15, 2017
American Girl Doll, the company that sells expensive dolls with biographies—originally historical, escaping slavery or surviving the Great Depression, they now tend to be more contemporary, doing things like going to art school—has just introduced a boy doll for the first time. / The New York Times, Mic
“The Green Angels, she tells me, are selling a fantasy of an attractive, well-educated, presentable young woman who wants to get you high—a slightly more risqué Avon lady.” New York pot dealer “Honey” explains the secret of her success: a former model, she only uses models to deliver weed. “The explanation is simple: Good-looking girls don’t get searched.” / GQ
As Brazil’s corruption scandal expands and encourages others throughout Latin America—Peru issued an arrest warrant for a former president; former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli is under investigation—the mind-numbingly expensive Olympics stadiums that were built largely on the taxpayer’s dime sit empty and vandalized. / The Washington Post, Quartz, The Guardian
“It’s all about the Korean. That it happened at all, it’s really that (which) pissed him off.” The Filipino defense secretary on why Duterte ordered the police to stop drug-related killings: Not thousands of dead innocent Filipinos, but the killing of a South Korean businessman. (Don’t worry, the country’s DEA and Army will keep up the killings.) / Reuters
Nathan Kensinger offers an overview of the Trump family’s most environmentally hazardous properties. / Curbed
Nigeria introduces a new cash-for-whistleblowing system to combat its endemic corruption problems. / Quartz, tradingeconomics.com
“My colleagues took huge amounts of money from selling graduation papers and grades, also taking homemade products from the ‘candidates,’ like cheese, alcoholic beverages, even eggs!” Tales of everyday corruption in Romania—constant bribery at hospitals, schools and public institutions. “Nepotism is just as natural as inheriting something from your parents, going to church on Sundays or watching the seasons go by.” / The New York Times
It’s easy to see the upside of a weak Trump; a strong one is difficult to stomach. But the reality is that a weak executive invites dominance by Congress and manipulation in foreign affairs—exactly what’s unfolding. / lawfareblog.com
The Northern Lights are maybe too spectacular right now: Iceland police are busting foreign drivers for gaping, or “driving under the influence of the Aurora.” / BBC, icelandmag.visir.is
Worldwide, musicians are threatened most often, while film is most commonly censored. / news.artnet.com
“We trained her like a puppy and took her to the vet after about a month. He took one look at her cropped tail and said, ‘I think you have a problem on your hands.’” “I accidentally bought a giant pig,” by Steve Jenkins, in which the writer gets a “mini-pig,” that later grows to hundreds of pounds—of intelligent, clean, and housebroken pet. / The Guardian
“What should we wear tonight? Sharp as possible!” Saxophonist Steve Lacy wrote down a list of advice he received from piano genius Theonious Monk. / Lists of Note
Buy this special ToB Memo Book for $2 and Field Notes will match your $2 and donate $4 to 826 National, which provides free educational programs to under-resourced youth. / Field Notes, 826national.org
She has no experience in defense. / Esquire
Born three-quarters of a century before Edward Tufte, W.E.B. DuBois was a boss at infographics long before Chartbuilder, InDesign, or Excel. / fastcodesign.com
“House Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, what are you thinking by looking away from this travesty? You both know that if the C.I.A., N.S.A. and F.B.I. had concluded that the Russians had intervened to help Hillary Clinton get elected you would have closed the government and demanded a new election. Now it’s all O.K.? So you can get some tax cuts?” We don’t always agree with Thomas Friedman, but when he’s right, he’s right. / New York Times