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What are we reading? January 14, 2021

Each week, BIV staff will share with you some of the interesting stories we have found from around the web Kirk LaPointe, publisher and editor-in-chief: Historian Jill Lepore explores how work became a thing. It didn’t used to be our identity.
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Each week, BIV staff will share with you some of the interesting stories we have found from around the web

Kirk LaPointe, publisher and editor-in-chief:

Historian Jill Lepore explores how work became a thing. It didn’t used to be our identity. It didn’t used to be this difficult. In America, at least, it hardly gives back what you give it. - The New Yorker

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/01/18/whats-wrong-with-the-way-we-work

Historian Timothy Snyder examines the gamers and breakers of the political system in exploring the origins and consequences of Trumpism. - The New York Times Magazine

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/09/magazine/trump-coup.html

It sometimes takes an international outlet to nicely describe a hometown issue, so this take (by a Canadian, mind you) summarizes the value we place in medicare. Perhaps more Americans will read it. - The New York Review of Books

https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2020/11/19/canada-where-health-care-is-a-human-right/

Jeremy Hainsworth, reporter:

The Night Fire by Michael Connelly. A further murder thriller from the prolific former crime reporter in which detectives Harry Bosch and Renée Ballard investigate the death of a homeless man burned to death in his tent. Meanwhile, Bosch works through the murder file his mentor kept until his death involving the death of a young man in an alley 30 years earlier. Connelly spins a good yarn.

Hayley Woodin, reporter:

Bitcoin has made a lot of believers rich, but some of them – now multi-millionaires – are unable to access their wealth. The New York Times estimates that around US$140 billion in Bitcoin is “lost” – locked in wallets that were stolen or are inaccessible. In some cases, investors simply forgot their passwords. – The New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/12/technology/bitcoin-passwords-wallets-fortunes.html 

B.C.’s Ministry of Children and Family Development was warned that the controversial practice of birth alerts was “illegal and unconstitutional” months before the practice was banned. IndigiNews learned this through a freedom of information request. The provincial government sent them records, then asked for them back and asked the site not to share them. They proceeded with the story in the public interest. – IndigiNews

https://indiginews.com/vancouver-island/birth-alerts 

Glen Korstrom, reporter:

It’s no secret that the restaurant sector is hurting during this pandemic, as are its workers, but what makes work even more unsafe, and burdensome for those in the sector are entitled customers. This article challenges the industry gospel that the customer is always right. – Food and Wine

https://www.foodandwine.com/fwpro/customer-is-not-always-right

Stock markets saw a major rotation after the Georgia Senate run-off elections, which elected two Democrats, which was sufficient for the party to control the U.S. Senate in addition to having a majority in the House of Representatives and, soon, having Joe Biden in the White House. 

Clean energy, cannabis and infrastructure stocks were some of the ones that found new traction. Here’s a look at opportunities and risks for investors as the Democrats take power. – Barron’s 

https://www.barrons.com/articles/new-opportunities-risks-arise-for-stocks-as-democrats-take-reins-51610142397?st=gffvh90s455323g

Timothy Renshaw, managing editor:

What's this: something positive from the U.S. in the waning desperate days of the Trump regime? Yes, finally, legislation aimed at prohibiting the use of anonymous shell companies – the favoured vehicles for scams, flim-flam and all manner of chicanery. Canada should take note. Its anti-corruption efforts are still mediocre at best. – Transparency International

https://us.transparency.org/news/historic-anti-corruption-measures-become-law/

Mark this on your calendar for next week: National Popcorn Day [January 19]. Americans take this one very seriously – 15 billion quarts seriously. – United States Census

https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/popcorn-day.html

Prehistoric pornography speculations courtesy of BBC investigative reporting.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210112-heres-what-sex-with-neanderthals-was-like

From the silver-linings-in-dark-pandemic-clouds file: U.S. greenhouse gas emissions down a record 10% in 2020, primarily the result of forced reductions in travel and industrial activity. – The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/12/us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-fell-2020-covid-curbed-travel?

Mark Falkenberg, deputy managing editor:

With mainstream social media platforms finally closing their doors to white supremacists and lunatic conspiracy theorists, extremists are flailing to find new safe havens for hate online – CNN

https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2021/01/12/online-extremism-donie-osullivan-ebof-pkg.cnn

Great snakes! An original ink, watercolour and gouache illustration by Belgian cartoonist Hergé has smashed price records for original comic book art. The 1936 work, created for the cover of his Tintin adventure The Blue Lotus sold at auction for 2.6 million euros ($3.99 million). – AP

https://www.mail.com/int/entertainment/lifestyle/10458836-tintin-comic-book-art-breaks-auction-record-31.html#.1272-stage-ss1-1