{"id":538,"date":"2018-03-20T07:00:43","date_gmt":"2018-03-20T11:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aligncenter.org\/?p=538"},"modified":"2018-03-20T22:19:03","modified_gmt":"2018-03-21T05:19:03","slug":"newsletter-26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aligncenter.org\/newsletter-26\/","title":{"rendered":"Align Center Newsletter #26"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"\"Today is the Vernal Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, and we welcome Spring with a look into the ways different animals emerge from hibernation, then shift focus to diverting waste via repair caf\u00e9s. Then we have two articles from CityLab on the rapid decline of retail and the challenges and opportunities it creates for city planners, a $4,000 tiny home, a satirical look at one of my favorite forms of journalism, and a long read on detoxifying the Internet. We’re also recommending a new, lighter podcast by On Being Studios, and finish with no less than six things I’m digging this week, including a positive sign from one of my most-used reading apps.<\/p>\n

\u25e6 selected words<\/h1>\n

How Bears, Bees, Bats, and Squirrels Wake from Hibernation<\/a><\/h2>\n

It’s the Spring Equinox and while some of us are lamenting that gym membership we’re not making the most of, the hard work begins for many animals after a long winter hibernation. Bears move slowly as their metabolism catches up, bees have been shivering to keep their hives warm, bats reproduce, and squirrels emerge after up to 270 days underground. Now that’s a long winter.
\nThe New York Times (5min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The Repair Cafes Waging War on Throwaway Culture<\/a><\/h2>\n

A blender, e-reader, a dining-room chair, and a pair of jeans. These are a small sample of the broken items brought to the Reading Repair Caf\u00e9 in England, a volunteer-run group working against disposable culture. But it’s not just volunteers doing the work. The Remakery, with locations in Brixton and Edinburgh, is a profitable business with a staff of 11 and 10 freelancers. Since opening in 2012, they\u2019ve diverted 205 tons of waste destined for the landfill and their success has resulted in interest from around the world. Remakery has created a toolkit and a network to provide advice for those looking to replicate their business model.
\nThe Guardian (4min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

A Ticking Time Bomb for Suburban Retail<\/a><\/h2>\n

With the rapid fall of Toys \u201cR\u201d US and other major retailers shutting down stores across the continent, the future of retail is unfolding faster than predicted. Will the future be Amazon, everywhere? With over 5,000 stores in the U.S., Walmart is in a unique position to battle the online behemoth, particularly with their presence in rural areas. Then there’s CVS, with 11,000 locations, 82% of the U.S. population lives within a 15-minute drive of their pharmacies. Consolidation, automated delivery, and mobile showrooms are on the way faster than you can say Amazon Prime.
\nCityLab by The Atlantic (6min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The Great Retail Retrofit<\/a><\/h2>\n

The death of retail doesn’t have to be ominous \u2014 there can be positive outcomes for communities. It\u2019s estimated that as many as 650 mall retrofit projects are in progress across the United States. This article, again by The Atlantic\u2019s CityLab, looks at how large retail stores and malls are being retrofitted for alternative uses like community spaces, education and health care centers.
\nCityLab by The Atlantic (6min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Building Tiny Houses in 12 Hours for $4,000<\/a><\/h2>\n

It sounds impossible, but last week at SXSW Austin-based startup ICON showed off it’s a low-cost 650 square foot (60 meter) concrete tiny home to address housing shortages in vulnerable populations. The house has a bedroom, bathroom, and even a wraparound porch. The 3D-printing process allows for greater thermal regulation and is close to zero waste. ICON has partnered with New Story, a Y Combinator backed charity, to build a commuity of 100 homes in El Salvador within 18 months.
\nQuartz (3min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 listen in<\/h1>\n

This Movie Changed Me<\/a><\/h2>\n

From On Being Studios’, this new podcast hosted by Lily Percy talks to a one fan about the transformative power of one movie. The first four episodes discuss Star Wars, The Nightmare Before Christmas, You’ve Got Mail, and one of my favorites (and due for a rewatch), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
\nThis Movie Changed Me (21min podcast)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 eat well<\/h1>\n

Carrot Apple Ginger Soup<\/a><\/h2>\n

I’ve been on a liquid diet due to minor dental surgery, so in addition to plant-based Vega One All-in-One shakes, I’ve been refueling with copious amounts of soup. I’m not quite at the stage of making my own stock yet, so I made this vegan recipe with my the MSG-free Anna’s Country Kitchen Bouillon Cubes, which I prefer over Tetra Paks. To get more nutrients, I sprinkled in hemp hearts and flax seed before blending. Mix it up with a dash of cinnamon, cumin, or curry, to your preference.
\nOh She Glows<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 read slow<\/h1>\n

I am the Very Important Long Read Everyone is Talking About<\/a><\/h2>\n

Summoning the classic Portlandia sketch, \u201cDid You Read It\u201d, the satirists at McSweeney\u2019s poke fun at the culture around long form writing.
\nMcSweeney\u2019s Internet Tendency (4min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Reddit and the Struggle to Detoxify the Internet<\/a><\/h2>\n

Now for the actual long read recommendation this issue! The New Yorker (surprise!) gives the 4th most popular Web site in the United States the long form analysis. Probably the most popular Web site that a lot of people haven\u2019t heard of, Reddit is an online news and culture ranked discussion site some see as anarchist despite its democratic voting system. Founded in 2005, Reddit attracted young men in tech with interests in video games and edgy humor, but now has a 60\/40 male\/female ratio and subreddits (topics) on every obscure interest imaginable. With the return of CEO Steve Huffman in 2015, nine years after Cond\u00e9 Nast purchased the site, Reddit has a renewed focus on being the Internet\u2019s mirror of popular culture. And like mainstream news organizations, they\u2019re having to navigate issues of race, political polarization, and censorship with a constantly evolving user base estimated at 234 million.
\nThe New Yorker (35min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 current read<\/h1>\n

A Dream of Eagles \/ The Camulod Chronicles<\/a><\/h2>\n

King Arthur and the Camelot story has been made and re-made, but none better than by Canadian author Jack Whyte. Weaving in the Roman Empire in Britain, medieval technology, and a sprinkling of sex, the series depicts in unusual detail life in 4th century Britain. One of those series people warn you will suck you in, this is historical fiction at its best (as the 4.2+ ratings on Goodreads reflect).
\nA Dream of Eagles by Jack Whyte (494p book)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 dig this<\/h1>\n

Six things I’m diggin’ this issue:<\/p>\n