The Navigator, Saturday, October 5, 2024
Immigrant pizza, China's housing glut, sexy insurance commissioners, the case for having lots of kids and much more
Happy weekend, subscribers, and welcome to Fall!
Weeks like this remind us of Billy Joel’s hit, We Didn’t Start the Fire. If you haven’t heard it, it’s a fast-paced song that details global events, cultural milestones, and influential figures from 1949 to 1989, emphasizing societal change and turmoil's persistent and unending nature. From the escalation in the Middle East to the U.S. vice presidential debate, the rise of the authoritarian right in Austria’s parliamentary elections to the International Longshoreman’s Association’s strike at East Coast ports in the U.S., and rescue and recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene, Billy Joel might have enough material from this week alone to write a brand new song.
Rather than giving you a rundown of everything that happened this week, which arguably would be exhausting (and maybe a bit traumatic), we focused on uncovering the stories that matter to you in the long run for our weekly roundup, highlighting change, resilience, and innovation worldwide. And, just in case you missed them or would like another read, you can check out our reporting this week on The New Voter Vibe and Foreclosure Flood.
As always, thank you for including us in your regular reads. Please keep the conversation going by leaving a comment below, and let us know the subjects you’d like us to cover next.
From dishwasher to co-owner: Immigrant rises to lead D.C. pizzerias (The Washington Post)
“Everything that he does, he succeeds,” Pizzeria Paradiso founder Ruth Gresser says about Carlos Gonzalez.
China’s Housing Glut Collides With Its Shrinking Population (The Wall Street Journal)
Many cities are stuck with empty homes that they will likely never fill, adding to the country’s economic woes
‘The sexiest race on the ballot’: Why the role of insurance commissioner is suddenly in the spotlight (FastCompany)
As climate change causes premiums to skyrocket, voters are starting to pay attention to one of the most obscure positions on the ballot.
Waiting for a flight at LAX? Try reading a banned book (The Los Angeles Times)
Screens throughout the airport will soon invite people to read a banned book by using a QR code to get a temporary library card.
The Case for Having Lots of Kids (The New Yorker)
In “Hannah’s Children,” an economist and mother of eight interviews highly educated women with large families—and examines the reasons for America’s declining fertility rate.
Climate change is destroying American homes. Who should have to move? (Grist)
It’s unfair to force people out of their homes. We have to do it anyway.
Hurricane Helene Will Send Shockwaves Through the Semiconductor Industry (WIRED)
Downpours at Spruce Pine, North Carolina, have taken the biggest known deposit of high-purity quartz offline, leaving the global tech supply chain potentially starved of an ingredient vital for making microchips.
When Hurricane Helene hit, this disaster-proof Florida neighborhood kept the lights on (FastCompany)
A new development on Florida’s coast was designed to be as hurricane-proof as possible. So far, it’s working.
Tokyo expands underground 'temple' complex to counter climate change rains (Reuters)
'Stunningly lifelike' AI podcasts are here (The Week)
Users are amazed – and creators unnerved – by Google tool that generates 'human' conversation from text in moments