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"Roman J. Israel, Esq." Review – Denzel Washington Captivates In Unusual Legal Drama

Benjamin Lee The Guardian
The film is a haunting and timeless American tragedy that feels ever prescient given the current administration’s foggy understanding of morality. It might prove to be a tough sell thanks to an awkward title and a strange plot trajectory, but Roman J. Israel, Esq. is a richly rewarding drama blessed with one of the best, most lived-in performances of the year. 

Rereading "Grapes of Wrath"

Barbara Nimri Aziz Portside
This is not the history of a climate refugee family. It is the history of capitalism in America—disaster capitalism-- with an alliance of police force and wealth, where machinery is supreme, where honest labor is not enough, and where the family is secondary--a worthy reread in modern American times.

#RenterWeekOfAction

Right To The City Right To The City
September's #RenterWeekOfAction made clear that the new 21st century renter movement is organized, coordinated & visionary. As renters from small rural towns to large urban centers continue to be squeezed by rising rents and low wages as resurgent renter-led movement is uniting around a city and state strategy to build power from below, win universal rent control, and advance a vision of community control over land, housing and development.

How Military Outsourcing Turned Toxic

Abrahm Lustgarten ProPublica
The military is one of the country’s largest polluters, with an inventory of toxic sites on American soil that once topped 39,000. At many locations, the Pentagon has relied on contractors like U.S. Technology to assist in cleaning and restoring land, removing waste, clearing unexploded bombs, and decontaminating buildings, streams and soil.

Israeli Arms Maker Picked to Build Prototype of Trump’s Border Wall

Ali Abunimah Electronic Intifada
Here are two articles about the Wall. An Israeli arms maker has been picked by the US Department of Homeland Security to build a prototype of the wall President Donald Trump has vowed to build along the full length of the US-Mexico border. After delays — due in part to contractor battles — preliminary work on construction has begun in California, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas, leading to concerns ranging from states’ rights to environmental destruction.

Shh! These Quiet Food Videos Will Get Your Senses Tingling

Clare Leschin-Hoar The Salt
A whole new genre of food videos, focusing on specific intense sounds like crinkling, chopping, sautéing and stirring, is becoming popular. These eating sounds trigger pleasing tingling sensations in the brains of viewers who experience ASMR, which stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.

Black Lawmakers Hold a Particular Grievance With Facebook: Racial Exploitation

Yamiche Alcindor The New York Times
Rep. Barbara Lee: “Now look at Facebook allowing ads by the Russian government to create this kind of environment. That’s a problem. I don’t know if they’re even aware of the history and how dangerous allowing the promotion of division and racial animosity and racial hatred can be.”