Loyal Readers , hello and welcome to The Highlighter #144! Don’t tell anyone, but it’s almost summer, when the sun comes out, the days get longer, and reading becomes more expansive. Today’s lead article, about Las Vegas after last October’s mass shooting there, is worth every minute. The other piec
Loyal Readers, hello and welcome to The Highlighter #144! Don’t tell anyone, but it’s almost summer, when the sun comes out, the days get longer, and reading becomes more expansive. Today’s lead article, about Las Vegas after last October’s mass shooting there, is worth every minute. The other pieces are excellent, too, ranging from the effects of ride-sharing companies, to the inaccessibility of the foster care system, to the joys — and many dangers — of one of our country’s first water parks. Enjoy!
What Happened in Vegas
In Las Vegas last October, 58 people lost their lives in the worst mass shooting in American history. This outstanding piece by Amanda Fortini explores how the city has responded in the months since the massacre. You’ll learn about the creation of the #VegasStrong slogan, the popularity of Stop the Bleed training, the rise of conspiracy theories, and the archival process at Clark County Museum of the thousands of mementos that mourners have left to the dead. Most of all, you’ll see Las Vegas in a new way — less so the casinos and the Strip, and more so the diverse, working-class city that it is. (33 min)
Driven to Despair by Uber
Doug Schifter drove yellow cabs and Lincoln Town Cars in New York City for 44 years. He logged 4.5 million miles overall. When Uber threatened his livelihood, Mr. Schifter refused to work for them. Instead, he organized his colleagues. “Brothers and Sisters,” he wrote in Black Car News, “we will all be slaves to Uber. If we work together, then everyone will have a better life and the true American Dream.” (2o min)
A Tiny Scar, From Falling
Lara B. Sharp is 48 years old and ready to learn more about the scar on her knee and her experience as a child in the foster care system. The problem is, there’s no way to find out what happened. Her records either don’t exist or “protection laws” make them impossible to access. Ms. Sharp writes, “I was ready for Anything, when what I really needed to be prepared for was Nothing.” (14 min)
Traumatic License: An Oral History of the Most Dangerous Water Park
Indeed, summer is nearly here, which means it’s time to visit your favorite local water park! (Don’t worry about the possibility of drowning or the millions of gallons of water wasted.) Before you go, read this oral history of New Jersey’s Action Park, one of the earliest — and deadliest — water parks in the country. I particularly enjoyed learning about the “Cannonball Loop,” which on occasion knocked out its riders’ teeth. (15 min)
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