The Real Men South of Richmond

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The Real Men South of Richmond     In an era of artificial wonders, authenticity—or at least the illusion of it—is only going to become a more coveted commodity. Perhaps that’s one reason country music has ruled the highest reaches of the Billboard Hot 100 for most of the summer. And no one is selling authenticity like Oliver Anthony, a former factory worker from Virginia who was totally unknown until his song “Rich Men North of Richmond” hit No. 1 two weeks ago. His rise is surprising, but it also fits with a long pattern of audiences cherishing—and power brokers exploiting—figures who seem like the real deal.Sporting a beard and voice of comparable wildness, Anthony yowls a blend of working-class angst, complaints about the welfare state, and references to child trafficking by elites on “Richmond.” The power of his performance is straightforward; the reaction has not been. While right-wing figures such as Marjorie Taylor Greene evangelized for the song days after its release, music-industry experts wondered if an astroturfed campaign was unfolding: Digital downloads, an outdated and easily manipulated format that receives outsize weight in how the charts are calculated, drove the song’s initial ascent. Such suspicions—as well as liberal criticisms that Anthony’s lyrics dissed poor and obese people—spurred indignation from political pundits for whom Anthony’s success confirmed various pet narratives. At the GOP presidential debate, the very first question was about Anthony: “Why is this song striking such a nerve in this country right now?” Continued here

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Giraffes range across diverse African habitats - we're using GPS, satellites and statistics to track and protect them     Nearly 6,000 years ago, our ancestors climbed arid rocky outcrops in what is now the Nigerian Sahara and carved spectacularly intricate, larger-than-life renditions of giraffes into the exposed sandstone. The remarkably detailed Dabous giraffe rock art petroglyphs are among many ancient petroglyphs featuring giraffes across Africa – a testament to early humans’ fascination with these unique creatures. We are still captivated by giraffes today, but many of these animals are at risk, largely due to habitat loss and illegal hunting. Some are critically endangered. Continued here

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Why 'Hot Springs' Draw the World's Largest Gathering of Deep-Sea Octopuses     Some 20,000 octopuses congregate near an inactive underwater volcano off California’s coast, using heat from thermal springs to hatch their eggs fasterShimmering water intrigued scientists at a spot off the coast of California in 2018, where they made a staggering discovery: Far below the surface, a legion of an estimated 20,000 deep-sea octopuses had gathered, the largest congregation of the cephalopods ever found. Continued here

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Venice Film Festival: Is Hollywood self-destructing?     Returning to the Venice Film Festival towards the tail-end of the pandemic in September 2021, a group of newly vaxxed, tested and masked film journalists journeyed to the Lido to see a brilliant slate of films, including sci-fi epic Dune, Campion's homoerotic western The Power Of The Dog and harrowing feminist autobiographical tale Happening. It felt at the time that, gratifyingly, cinema had weathered the terrible storm of the previous 18 months, and only better days could lie ahead. Two years on, however, and as the industry hits the Lido once more from today, unfortunately an altogether different crisis has left it reeling.At present, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike has lasted since early May, and negotiations to end it are still ongoing, but both sides are accusing the other of being unreasonable. To make matters more tense, on 14 July SAG-AFTRA (the Screen Actors Guild) joined the strike, and now labour disputes involving both actors and writers have brought Hollywood to its knees, with production suspended on the majority of its films and television programmes. Continued here

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Take a Wife ... Please!     This article was featured in One Story to Read Today, a newsletter in which our editors recommend a single must-read from The Atlantic, Monday through Friday. Sign up for it here.In the year 2000, having narrowly escaped the Y2K computer glitch, Americans should have been poised to party. The bendy riff of the Santana–Rob Thomas joint “Smooth” wailed from Top 40 stations everywhere. Survivor beckoned us to watch people eat grubs for a chance at $1 million. Brad and Jen got married, and the gladiator Maximus Decimus Meridius asked acerbically, “Are you not entertained?” Continued here

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Iran's street art shows defiance, resistance and resilience     A recent rise in activism in Iran has added a new chapter to the country’s long-standing history of murals and other public art. But as the sentiments being expressed in those works have changed, the government’s view of them has shifted, too.The ancient Persians, who lived in what is now Iran, adorned their palaces, temples and tombs with intricate wall paintings, showcasing scenes of royal court life, religious rituals and epic tales. Following the 1979 revolution and the Iran-Iraq war, murals in Iran took on a new significance and played a crucial role in shaping the national narrative. These murals became powerful visual representations of the ideals and values of the Islamic Republic. They were used to depict scenes of heroism, martyrdom and religious devotion, aiming to inspire national unity and pride among Iranians. Continued here

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London Zoo Weighs All 14,000 of Its Animals, 'From the Tallest Giraffe to the Tiniest Tadpole'     Last week marked the start of the London Zoo’s annual weigh-in, a near-herculean effort in which keepers weigh and measure each of the zoo’s more than 14,000 animals.“We record the vital statistics of every animal at the zoo—from the tallest giraffe to the tiniest tadpole,” says Angela Ryan, head of zoological operations, in a statement. “Having this data helps to ensure that every animal we care for is healthy, eating well and growing at the rate they should—a key indicator of health and wellbeing.” Continued here

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View from The Hill: Australians go into the referendum divided - can the country emerge united?     The stakes in the October referendum are high. For Anthony Albanese, who has made the Voice his great social cause of his first term. For Peter Dutton, who has defied those who say he is on the “wrong side of history”. For those Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who look to the referendum for affirmation of their special place in our society, as well as giving them a chance for some tangible improvements in their lives and opportunities. Continued here

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Year-round school: Difference-maker or waste of time?     Contrary to how it sounds, “year-round” school usually doesn’t mean students going to school throughout the year – or for more days than other students. Often it just means switching up the calendar so that there’s not such a long summer break. Below, two education experts – Nicole Miller and Daniel H. Robinson – answer five questions about the modified school calendars known as year-round school.The first is the “single-track” modified calendar, also known as a “balanced calendar.” The second is the “multi-track calendar.” Neither one is typically an extended year. Instead, both calendars involve moving the 180 school days around so that there are multiple short breaks as opposed to the typical long summer break. Continued here

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Federal health dept. says marijuana should be downgraded to Schedule 3 drug     As dozens of states have legalized recreational and medicinal use of marijuana in recent years, the federal government has maintained its classification as a Schedule 1 controlled substance—keeping marijuana in a group defined as having "no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse," which includes heroin and LSD. Continued here

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50 years after the Bunker Hill mine fire caused one of the largest lead-poisoning cases in US history, Idaho's Silver Valley is still at risk     On Sept. 3, 1973, a fire swept through the baghouse of the Bunker Hill mine in Idaho’s Silver Valley. The building was designed to filter pollutants produced by smelting, the melting of rocks that separates metal from its ore. The gases produced in this process carried poisons, including lead.At the time, the prices of lead and silver were climbing toward all-time highs. Rather than wait for new filters and repairs, company officials kept the mine running. They increased production, bypassed the filtration steps and, for eleven months, dumped noxious gases directly into the surrounding area. Continued here

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First Qi2 chargers look to expand MagSafe-like wireless charging beyond Apple     The first wireless charging devices that support the Wireless Power Consortium's (WPC) Qi2 wireless charging standard were detailed today. The chargers and subsequent Qi2 products will feature Apple MagSafe-like technology and promise a secure, more efficient wireless charge with the help of magnets. We don't know which smartphones will support Qi2, but there's hope that with the right compatibility, it will be easier to charge an Android phone with a secure magnetic connection. The new charging standard will also expand the number of chargers that can power Android and iOS devices wirelessly. Continued here

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A Country Shaped by Love and Fear     Popular sentiment has a role in the political life of all nations, but the Jewish state, born after two millennia of persecution and yearning, offers a particularly strong case study in how emotion can affect politics—underlying everything from ideology to the drawing of lines on a map. The last six months alone has seen a surge of strong sentiment, ironically, over the question of who gets to decide whether a particular law is “reasonable.” The streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have filled with passionate protestors, their faces distorted by crying or yelling, waving giant flags as water cannons force them off their feet. And the debate has been colored as much by argument as by resentment, anxiety, pride, and a plethora of other potent feelings.Two new books, Eva Illouz’s The Emotional Life of Populism and Derek Penslar’s Zionism: An Emotional State, zero in on those emotions, like love and fear, which are so seldom acknowledged for what they are but play an outsize role in shaping politics. Continued here

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Tackling the Problem of Subscribers Who Binge...Then Bail     Consumers love to binge-watch streaming video. But as the number of streaming services has grown, more subscribers are scrutinizing subscription expenses and deciding to cancel. People who do this too frequently — “serial churners” — pose a special challenge to companies like Netflix. This article presents three ways companies can seek to reduce the problem of serial churn. Continued here

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The Problem with Setting Goals: Our Favorite Reads     Kathak is one of the eight major forms of Indian classical dance, and it’s specific to the region I grew up in. As an amalgamation of three art forms — music, dance, and drama — Kathak performances are a delight to watch. I had learned it for a couple of years as a child, given up, and come back to it a few times, but it never stuck. It never became a thing I consistently wanted to practice. “Maybe I just like to watch it? I must not be that great,” I’d think to myself. Continued here

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How to Get Comfortable "Being Yourself" at Work     “Being yourself” at work while “being taken seriously” is easier said than done. This is especially true when you’re just starting out, or when you’re seasoned but new to an organization. If this is the case for you, don’t feel pressured by the things you read online about “why first impressions matter,” or why you have “90 days” to establish your entire reputation. Authenticity is more about how you feel in this moment of your life, and what you’ll do to honor that identity. Here’s what you can do to get more comfortable showing up authentically with your colleagues right now: Continued here

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Tap Into Your Creative Genius     Simply put, to be creative is to use our imaginations, which most of us do every single day. At work, we use creative shortcuts to manage our time and productivity, design engaging presentations, and strategize plans for the future. At home, we are creative every time we try a new hobby, cook a new meal, or improvise dance moves to our favorite songs. Continued here

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How to Prepare for a GenAI Future You Can't Predict     Given the staggering pace of generative AI development, it’s no wonder that so many executives are tempted by the possibilities of AI, concerned about finding and retaining qualified workers, and humbled by recent market corrections or missed analyst expectations. They envision a future of work without nearly as many people as today. But this is a miscalculation. Leaders, understandably concerned about missing out on the next wave of technology, are unwittingly making risky bets on their companies’ futures. Here are steps every leader should take to prepare for an uncertain world where generative AI and human workforces coexist but will evolve in ways that are unknowable. Continued here

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Are Collaboration Tools Overwhelming Your Team?     Today’s workers feel numbed by a fragmented, unpredictable, and overwhelming collection of collaboration tools — the very things advertised to boost their productivity. They know they’re overloaded and feel exhausted but believe there is little or nothing they can do to slow the onslaught of communication. The authors explored how collaboration technology bloat impacts employees and tried to help people take control over their work. They called their intervention the “collaboration cleanse.” Here are their findings, as well as strategies for leaders to simplify employees’ collaboration tool use. Continued here

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What is the best clothing to keep you cool in a heatwave?     As the world continues to grapple with extreme heatwaves, which are becoming ever more regular thanks to climate change, the clothing we wear is a vital component in how we stay cool. Researchers have found that by wearing appropriate clothes, it is possible to turn the air-conditioning up by 2C (3.6F) – which over the long term would save considerable energy, both saving money and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.When it comes to colour, most people wear white in the summer – because white reflects the sun's rays, rather than absorbing the light like black does. Continued here

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The Emptiness of the Ramaswamy Doctrine     Vivek Ramaswamy, the 38-year-old entrepreneur running for the Republican presidential nomination, has initiated a war against what he views as an outdated, establishment foreign policy. He is deeply skeptical of NATO. He wants to swiftly end the war in Ukraine, detach Russia from China, and compel Taiwan to defend itself without America. He also proposed reducing American financial aid to Israel, a stance long considered politically impossible on the right, before saying he would do so only with Israel’s approval. This week, Ramaswamy attempted to justify such stands with an essay in The American Conservative called “A Viable Realism and Revival Doctrine.”Invoking Presidents George Washington, James Monroe, and Richard Nixon—whom Ramaswamy has called “the most underappreciated president of our modern history in this country, probably in all of American history”—the article appears to be an effort to lend coherence and gravitas to Ramaswamy’s worldview. It also seems to be an attempt to counter the attack by former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley that he has “no foreign policy experience, and it shows.” In the article, Ramaswamy promises to restore American national pride and identity after decades of feckless liberal internationalist and neoconservative policies. “We will be Uncle Sucker no more,” he writes. Continued here

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How to Pick the Right Sort of Vacation for You     Want to stay current with Arthur’s writing? Sign up to get an email every time a new column comes out.Although I don’t know exactly what you were hoping for in your summer vacation this year, I can make an educated guess based on data. The travel company Expedia, in a survey of more than 12,000 travelers, found that 38 percent of them primarily value relaxation, and 37 percent are searching for “contentment and mental well-being.” Meanwhile, no research I have ever seen finds that vacationers are looking for an increase in their stress and aggravation. Continued here

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Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023: Highly Commended     The organizers of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest have been kind enough to share a preview of some of this year’s Highly Commended images. The full list of competition winners, and the Grand Title and Young Grand Title Awards, will be announced in October. Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum in London. Captions are provided by the photographers and WPY organizers, and are lightly edited for style. Snow Bison. Waugh caught sight of a plains bison kicking up flurries of snow over its bulky frame. From his vehicle, he saw the bison start to head downhill toward the road, gathering momentum, and he drew up to give it space to cross. Location: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. # Continued here

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Workers like it when their employers talk about diversity and inclusion     Many companies have made commitments toward diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in recent years, particularly since the murder of George Floyd sparked weeks of racial justice riots in 2020. But some of those efforts, such as hiring diversity leaders and creating policies to address racial inequality, have stalled or reversed at the same time as a growing conservative backlash is threatening to further undermine such initiatives. Continued here

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The federal government turns to local communities to help refugees settle into the US, but community-based programs bring both possibilities and challenges     In the most significant change to U.S. refugee resettlement in 40 years, the federal government is turning to the public and the private sector to help settle people who have fled their home countries because of war, persecution and ongoing armed conflicts. Today, there are more than 110 million people who have been forced from their homes and countries, the highest number on record. But despite this increased need for immigrants and refugees to find homes, they are often blocked from entering many countries because of security concerns, rising xenophobia and nativism. Continued here

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Gig economy workers set for new protections in Albanese government's legislation introduced next week     A suite of protections for gig workers will be contained in legislation to be introduced into parliament by Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke next week.The government argues the changes balance protections with work flexibility. The new regime will begin from July 1. Continued here

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India's accomplishments in space are getting more impressive     It's been more than a week since India's Chandrayaan 3 mission landed on the Moon, and it's a good time to assess where the world's most populous nation stands relative to other global other space powers. Continued here

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When the State Has a Problem With Your Identity     Inside one family’s decision to move from Texas to California to protect their transgender teenagerThis week Texas will join the 20 or so other states that have passed laws restricting access to medical therapies and procedures for transgender children. The new law is a triumph for Governor Greg Abbott, who has tried a couple of different strategies to restrict gender transitions, first threatening to investigate parents and caregivers for child abuse and now, in the latest bill, threatening doctors with prosecution. Civil-rights groups challenged the bills, and some medical providers who oversee the treatments have already quit or left the state. The estimated tens of thousands of young people in Texas who identify as trans—roughly 1 percent of the state’s population of kids between ages 13 and 17, according to one count—and their families, must grapple with a new political reality. Continued here

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Right to repair's unlikely new adversary: Scientologists     The right-to-repair movement has had its share of adversaries. From Big Tech to politicians and individuals who don't think product repairability should be government-mandated, it's been a tedious battle for a movement that has seen major wins lately. One of the most recent wins came from Apple, a former DIY repair combatant, supporting repairability legislation. But taking Apple's place is a new entity looking to limit right-to-repair legislation: Scientologists. Continued here

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When Sci-Fi Anticipates Reality     This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.The relationship between tech and sci-fi is closer—and messier—than observers might think. Continued here