"Serial" Case Developments
The developments continue in the case of Adnan Syed, the subject of the wildly popular podcast “Serial” which followed a journalist who tried to reconstruct the events that led up to Syed's conviction for killing his ex-girlfriend and classmate Hae Min Lee more than a decade ago.
Syed’s attorney, C. Justin Brown filed a motion Monday that said some of the cellphone records that prosecutors used to bolster their case were unreliable based on a fax cover sheet sent to police by AT&T and should not have been used in court.
Syed’s case gained international attention after it was profiled on “Serial,” a 12-episode podcast that raised questions about the conviction and investigation. A new podcast related to Syed’s case was launched in April. [Baltimore Sun]
Why Your 401K Is Probably Going to Be Okay
Traders had a moment Monday when the Dow fell almost 1,100 points at opening due to worries about China's economic stability. The dramatic fall had already partially corrected itself at closing Monday and continued to make gains Tuesday. Now plenty of articles have popped up explaining exactly how China's "Black Monday" will affect your investments and how to stay rational in the face of panicked headlines.
In the meantime, resist the urge to check your 401K by enjoying the revival of the Tumblr "Sad Guys on Trading Floors." [Gawker & Washington Post]
Americans Receive the Legion of Honor for Stopping a Terrorist Attack in France
Three Americans who jumped into action when a suspected terrorist with an AK-47 attacked a French train were honored for their bravery Monday. French President François Hollande awarded Airman First Class Spencer Stone, 23; Alek Skarlatos, 22, a specialist in the Oregon National Guard; and Anthony Sadler, 23, with the Legion of Honor. The men said in a press conference Sunday that they don't consider themselves heroes. [NY Times]
Why Was Jamaica High School Closed Down?
Jamaica High School was once the largest high school in the nation. Founded in 1892, its prominent graduates include President Richard Nixon's Attorney General John Mitchell, novelist Paul Bowles and three winners of the Pulitzer Prize. But last year, the school held its final graduation with the last class of just 24 students, after the city decided to shut it down citing safety concerns and low graduation rates.
In this week’s issue of The New Yorker, contributor Jelani Cobb, who graduated from the school in 1987, remembered his years at Jamaica high School and examined the demographic and social factors as well as city’s policies that led to its closure. [New Yorker]
Stephen Colbert's Move to Late Night
The Sept. 8 debut of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert is almost here, prompting a glut of think pieces about the funnyman. Is he too smart for late night? Why is he bringing Tesla's CEO on as one of his first guests? Are we finally seeing his serious side? Is he poised to become the Walter Cronkite of late night?
But, if you want to read just one article in the run up to Colbert's first show, we strongly recommend choosing GQ's sometimes raw, often introspective September cover story. [GQ]
Frida Kahlo Had A Lover In Greenwich Village
The Forward interviewed the daughter of a Hungarian-Jewish immigrant who took more than 50 photos of Frida Kahlo over the course of a decade, some of them in his Greenwich Village studio.
“It was an open secret during the time they were off-and-on intimate,” she told The Forward. “When Frida divorced Diego [Rivera] in 1939, my father thought Frida would marry him.” [The Forward]
