Month: August 2019

Why Binge-Watching Is Good for You

There’s a ton of research that suggests binge-watching is bad for you. I’m not a doctor, but I got a physical from one once, which qualifies me to reject the prevailing medical research. If you’re wondering whether you should slow down on the screen time, here are reasons why binge-watching could benefit you. You’ll learn…

By JohnValbyNation August 14, 2019 0

“Kochland” Examines the Koch Brothers’ Early, Crucial Role in Climate-Change Denial

If there is any lingering uncertainty that the Koch brothers are the primary sponsors of climate-change doubt in the United States, it ought to be put to rest by the publication of “Kochland: The Secret History of Koch Industries and Corporate Power in America,” by the business reporter Christopher Leonard. This seven-hundred-and-four-page tome doesn’t break…

By JohnValbyNation August 14, 2019 0

Toni Morrison and Nina Simone, United in Soul

Toni Morrison was such an exceptional talent, and seemed to float so high above the fray, that it’s easy to forget she was a product of her time. But she was profoundly influenced by the work of contemporary musicians. She wanted her writing to emulate, she told the scholar Paul Gilroy, “all of the intricacy,…

By JohnValbyNation August 12, 2019 0