Meet the Incredible Professor Who Helped Uncover Flint, Michigan’s Water Crisis and Is Tasked With Fixing It
In April last year, a desperate mother from Flint contacted contacted Mar Edwards, a Virginia Tech environmental engineering professor, saying her children were being sickened by lead in the water and her concerns weren’t being taken seriously by local government. The Washington Post traced Edwards' previous battles and his efforts in Flint as he donned the hats of investigative reporter, scientist and activist. [Washington Post]
Read Up On Iowa Caucus Loser Donald Trump’s Decades of Weirdness
Before he was calling Mexicans rapists and calling for a blanket ban on Muslim immigrants, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was capturing headlines in New York tabloids and magazines. Here's a look back at New York magazine’s Trump coverage. [NY Magazine]
Big Pharma’s Worst Nightmare
Jamie Love has spent years battling massive drug companies — first fighting successfully to get HIV meds made for cheap. Now he’s tackling cancer medications, and hoping this time governments will join him, not just generic drug makers, to drastically reduce the cost of meds needed by millions. [The Guardian]
Here Are 9 Things You Need To Know About the Zika Virus
The mosquito-borne Zika virus has been declared a public health emergency by World Health Organization, and Vox has a solid explainer to help you understand the outbreak a bit better. You can also read up on Zika with DNAinfo's breakdown of the virus. [Vox]
As Al Jazeera America Closes, a Look at Their Best Work
The short-lived American branch of Al Jazeera is closing this spring and their team of digital reporters is doing what all out-of-work reporters do: putting their strongest work out there and hoping for the best. On this site, you can see the team’s incredible reporting, including an interactive photo essay of the first anniversaries of the deaths of Michael Brown and Freddie Gray, a series of visualizations on how closing abortion clinics in Texas would affect women seeking healthcare and a series on the relationship between Native American tribal leaders and payday lenders.
The Restaurant Industry’s 'Motherhood Trap'
The lack of structural support and protection for pregnant women and mothers is one of the reasons for the more women aren't chefs or running top restaurants, Amanda Kludt argues. Union Square Hospitality Group offers paid leave and is trying out offering even more, but in the majority of restaurants, family paid leave is unheard of and chefs and restaurant workers’ jobs aren’t held if they do take unpaid maternity leave. [Eater]
Cam Newton Explains Why He Wore $849 Zebra Pants for Trip to Super Bowl
Cam Newton caused quite a social media storm after he was seen stepping off a plane on his way to this year’s Super Bowl game, wearing a pair of $849 Versace pants with gold and zebra-print. Asked about the pants during Super Bowl Media Day Monday, the Carolina Panthers quarterback said he had a good reason to wear them. “The mantra of the colors are black and gold,” he explained. “The black-and-gold attire that I had in my closet was extremely limited.” [NY Post]
When you're Cam Newton, you can wear whatever you want to the Super Bowl. pic.twitter.com/P1kMgQYVu5
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 1, 2016
How Whitney Houston Made History at The Super Bowl
ESPN has a chills-inducing look back at Whitney Houston’s momentous performance of the national anthem at the Super Bowl — placing it in the unique historic context in which she had to perform. [ESPN]
Adele Trumps the Donald’s Campaign Trail
Trump was using Adele's top hits at rallies as warm-up music, but the award-winning singer said she didn’t give the campaign permission to use “Rolling in the Deep” and “Skyfall” to “pump up supporters,” New York Magazine reported. This isn’t the first time a music artist has stopped Trump from using their music. In 2014, Steven Tyler asked his campaign staff to stop playing Aerosmith’s songs at events as well. [NY Magazine]
Celebrate Groundhog’s Day with this Collection of Bill Murray Fan Art
What would Feb. 2 be without re-watching Bill Murray portray a crass weatherman living the same day over and over? Or you can scroll through this collection of Bill Murray fan art, compiled by the Daily Beast, depicting the legendary actor in some of his best-known roles. [The Daily Beast]
Pair Wine with Your Favorite Girl Scout Cookies
It’s that time of year again, when the Girl Scouts make us put our diets on hold and throw our savings at them for a few boxes of delicious cookies. The Vivino wine app has the right idea — why not cookies AND wine? The app created a wine pairing guide for your favorite Girl Scout Cookies, according to the Los Angeles Times. The guide pairs Thin Mints with Brunello and Do-Si-Dos with California zinfandels. [LA Times]
'Infinite Jest' is 20 Years Old
“Infinite Jest,” the roughly 1,000-page novel by the late David Foster Wallace, turns 20 this year, a milestone that author Tom Bissell has taken as an opportunity to revisit the book. He offers multiple theories as to why it still feels so alive, including that it is a “groundbreaking novel of language,” a “gripping novel of character” and “the novel of its generation.” One theory that does not get mentioned: it is a book almost guaranteed to impress strangers who see you reading it on the subway. [NYT]
This column has been compiled by DNAinfo reporters Jeanmarie Evelly, Emily Frost, Gwynne Hogan, Noah Hurowitz, Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska, Carolina Pichardo, Irene Plagianos, Eddie Small, Rachel Holliday Smith, Danielle Tcholakian, Shaye Weaver and Nikhita Venugopal.
