We’re back! The week of November 9, 2020 was the second longest week of our life, following on the heels of last week. And yet here we are. This week was, aside from the obvious, full of swan rescues on the subway, cooking chickens in a hot spring in Yellowstone; bingeing this incredible new pod, Say Their Name; and reconstituting ourselves after falling into a black hole. It can be done!

Biden’s Transition Team Brings In Mashy Coalition Of Experts, At Least Half Of Whom Are Women

“I said from the outset I wanted a campaign that represented America, and I think we did that…Now, that’s what I want the administration to look like.”

Get to know our new transition team and while you’re at it, meet the very cool kids who call our VP “Momala.”

via 19th News

When The Virus Came For The American Dream

Atlanta’s Buford Highway, where thousands of immigrants built their American Dream, is now where thousands of businesses are trapped in the pandemic’s cycle of lockdowns, hospital bills, lease payments, and depleting life savings.

via NY Times

There’s Never Been A Story Like Britney Spears

“Free Britney” has become a slogan, a rallying cry that connects her with the public narrative and struggles of other female pop stars. But whether it’s freedom from her father, freedom from herself, or freedom from her fans, she’s never free from the eyes of the public.

via The Atlantic

Prehistoric Female Hunter Discovery Upends Gender Role Assumptions

The simple view of male hunters and female gatherers? Thanks to new findings, we’ve got even more data to challenge our modern day assumptions: 30-50% of big game hunters could have been biologically female.

via Nat Geo

The Forgotten Art Of Squatting Is A Revelation For Bodies Ruined By Sitting

Friendly Quarantine Reminder: Squat!

via QZ

Indians Love Cadbury Chocolate. These Rivals Would Love To Woo Them Away

Since its first import during British colonization, the sugary and creamy taste of Cadbury milk chocolate has been ingrained in Indian culture. Can the small businesses of small-batch dark chocolates undo the tastes of the last century?

via NY Times

The Disability System Is Failing People During The Pandemic

Chelsy has had to live with the uncertainty and bureaucracy of disability benefits for her entire adult life — none of that has prepared her for the traps and paradoxes exacerbated by the pandemic.

“We’re all on a trapeze and we believe that disability or unemployment or things like that are a safety net that’s just underneath us…But the net is not as high as we think. And it is going to hurt when you fall into it.”

via Buzzfeed News

Tokyo’s Tiny Noodle Bars Shut Down Rather Than Put Up Prices

The price of noodles in Tokyo has barely changed in a decade. So, when it comes to keeping staff paid and business profitable without passing the burden onto customers, many noodle shops aren’t left with many options.

 As San Francisco chef and restaurateur Pim Techamuanvivit would attest, a restaurant in a pandemic means impossible decisions, no right answers, and no end in sight.

via Bloomberg