Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

The Kitchn

How to Make Kung Pao Chicken That Tastes Better Than Takeout

Time to fire up the wok.

The Conversation

What Parents Need to Know to Talk to Their Children About the Manosphere

What parents need to know about misogynistic communities online.

Mental Floss

What’s the Longest Word in English?

Despite what you might have heard, it’s not ‘antidisestablishmentarianism.’

The Conversation

Five Tips to Help You Get Your Children Reading for Pleasure

...with five books chosen by children.

Smithsonian Magazine

The Texas City Where Mermaids Inspire River Conservation

“Aquamaids” were once the stars at an amusement park in San Marcos. Now, they are making a comeback to help the environment.

Quanta Magazine

The Architect of Modern Algorithms

Barbara Liskov pioneered the modern approach to writing code. She warns that the challenges facing computer science today can’t be overcome with good design alone.

The Atlantic

The Mystery of Urban Psychosis

Why are paranoia and schizophrenia more common in cities?

BBC Travel

The Return of Aztec Floating Farms

In Mexico City, a 700-year-old Aztec farming technique is giving a sustainable edge to modern agriculture.

Inc.

A Little-Known Hack to Learn a New Skill in a Fraction of the Time

It’s called ‘deliberate practice’ and it’s a proven way for your staff to master a new skill in a fraction of the time.

Aeon

This Ancient Mnemonic Technique Builds a Palace of Memory

If you’re seeking better memory, this could be the secret.

Slate

There Once Was a Girl

Against the false narratives of anorexia.

Harvard Business Review

What the Best Mentors Do

Mentorship comes in many flavors. It doesn’t always work unless leaders bear in mind a few common principles.

Popular Collections

Curated guides to the best reads on the web

Pocket Collections

The Art of Navigating Thorny Office Politics

From bad bosses to gossipy colleagues and, of course, office refrigerator drama.

Today’s Pocket Hits

Friday, August 15

NPR

Why the Origin of the Word ‘Dog’ Remains a Mystery

They’re known as man’s best friends, fur babies, pooches. But the most widely used word for these beloved animals — “dog” — is also a great linguistic mystery.

The New Yorker

Why Hasn’t Medical Science Cured Chronic Headaches?

More than 1.2 billion people worldwide suffer from migraine and other debilitating conditions that are under-studied and often not taken seriously.

BBC

A Dating App, a Niqab and a 9mm Gun: How a US Woman Was Hired to End a UK Family Feud

The investigation into the Wisconsin native revealed her to be “fairly unexceptional” with virtually no “criminal footprint”. And it remains unclear why she became a would-be contract killer.

ESPN

The Predatory Web of Sextortion Increasingly Ensnares Young Athletes

A Michigan teen was goaded into sharing an intimate photo that scammers threatened to expose unless he paid up.

NPR

Recommendation: New Books Published This Week

A portrait of the lucrative drug-treatment industry; a memoir of a female firefighter; debut fiction from an Emmy-winning TV writer; and a brand new Karin Slaughter thriller.

The Guardian

Why Do I Feel So Much Worse After a Nap – and How Can I Avoid It?

Waking up from a nap feeling groggy, tired or ill? Experts say it’s common. Here’s what could be going wrong.

BBC

Why ‘Best Time to Visit’ No Longer Applies

Climate change is rewriting the rulebook for trip planning – and travellers need to adapt.

The Conversation

Can Air Conditioning Really Make You Sick? A Microbiologist Explains.

Air conditioning can feel heaven-sent on hot summer days. It keeps temperatures comfortable and controls humidity, making indoor environments tolerable even on the most brutally warm days.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

HuffPost

I’m a Lifelong Gamer and I Can’t Stop Playing Nintendo’s Switch 2

Don’t be fooled by the name – the new console offers a wealth of features that makes it a significant upgrade from its predecessor.

Defector

A Playlist of Pop That Sounds Like My Gamer Youth

When I listen to new music, one of the biggest influences I hear—both in the sound and the choices of samples—is video games. Specifically, the games and sounds I remember hearing constantly while I was growing up.

NBC News

Trump Administration Hits Hurdles As It Builds a Key Immigrant Detention Facility

A new detention facility at Fort Bliss is set to open this week after problems that may preview issues to come as ICE ramps up for mass deportation.

Inc. Magazine

Love Coffee? Science Says You Can Drink Coffee Whatever Time in the Morning You Want

Research shows coffee timing comes down to personal preference, not hard and fast rules.

The Associated Press

‘The Traitors’ Is Opening Its Doors to Everyday People. Here’s How You Can Join the TV Competition

NBC announced Thursday that “The Traitors” will open its doors to everyday people. The Peacock reality TV competition series had previously only cast celebrities for its first three seasons, the last of which aired early this year.

Essence

Your End-of-Summer Money Reset: How to Rebuild, Refocus, and Finish the Year Strong

From catching up on bills to planning for holiday expenses, here’s how to get your finances back on track before year’s end.

ABC News

Texas Democrats Get Boost From Obama for Blocking GOP Redistricting Plan

Former President Obama joined a virtual meeting with Texas House Democrats who left the state to deny GOP redistricting effort, cheering on their efforts.

Mental Floss

Map Shows the Most Popular Potato Chip Brands by State

Find out which chips people are snacking on across the country.

The Cut

The TikTokers Documenting Life After Deportation

Deportees are vlogging their search for new homes and jobs in unfamiliar countries.

USA TODAY

‘The Tooth Fairy Sticks to a Budget:’ Kids Are Finding Less Under Their Pillows for Lost Teeth

Times are tough, even for kids.

Vox

Are We Living in the Movie ‘Her’ yet?

AI will undoubtedly shape the next 25 years. We just don’t know how yet.

Polygon

Can Nintendo Ever Win Game of the Year Again?

Its standards are so high it would seem inevitable, but several factors are stacked against it.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

CNN

Mortgage Rates Fall to Lowest Level in 10 Months

Would-be home buyers and homeowners looking to refinance their mortgages got a rare break this week after months of stubbornly high borrowing costs.

CBS News

AT&T Customers Could Get up to $7,500 in a $177 Million Settlement. Here’s How to File a Claim.

AT&T customers whose data was compromised in either of two data breaches, or both, are eligible to file a claim that could provide up to $7,500.

The Cut

Are You Rude With Money?

Our readers share annoying financial scenarios to avoid when splitting the bill.

KFF Health News

AUDIO: A Wild Health Insurance Hustle

A couple in New York thought they bought insurance. Instead, they got fake “jobs.”

NPR

Counting Steps for Health? Here’s How Many You Really Need

Counting steps is easy using a phone, a wearable or fitness tracker. And scientists have lots of data to figure out how many daily steps you need to improve health. Here’s what they’ve found.

The Hustle

How Private Equity May Affect Your 401(k)

A new executive order allows employer retirement funds to be invested in private equity. Here’s what that could mean for your investments.

The Atlantic

The Logic of the ‘9 to 5’ Is Creeping Into the Rest of the Day

How free time gets conscripted into the service of work.

The Walrus

How to Trick Your Brain into Making Life Feel Longer and Richer

Forget anti-aging creams. The secret is living like you’re not in a hurry.

The Marginalian

Wonder, Play, and How to Be More Alive

We build our lives around structures of certainty — houses to live in, marriages to love in, ideologies to think in — and yet some primal part of us knows that none abides, knows that we pay for these comforting illusions with our very aliveness.

Yahoo Finance

4 Ways to Increase Cash Flow and Pay Off Debt Faster

Improving cash flow is key to aggressively paying down debt.

GQ

Buying Stuff Online Is About to Get a Lot More Expensive. Here’s Why.

The answer has to do with tariffs, synthetic opioids, and something called the de minimis exemption.

The Guardian

Ozempic Didn’t Work for Me. I Was Furious – and Ashamed

Everyone taking the ‘skinny shot’ was losing weight, but my scales didn’t change. My inner dialogue became toxic.