Two of our entries this week stem from this week’s Pulitzer Prize announcements. We strongly believe in the principles of journalism, so important reporting is something we like to honor and celebrate. Also, check out what Greentarget Founding Partner Aaron Schoenherr had to say about the still-unfolding situation at United Airlines – which (we think) barely beat out White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer for having the worst week ever. With that, here’s Recent Reads. The Fighter – CJ Chivers just won a Pulitzer Prize for this story about a young Marine veteran struggling with PTSD after his return from Afghanistan. Chivers chronicles Sam Siatta’s felony arrest in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois, after breaking into someone’s home. The arrest reveals the seriousness of Siatta’s PTSD, anxiety and alcoholism. Lawyers worked for over a year to appeal his conviction and, in turn, get him the help he needs. This hit close to home for me as it’s semi-local, and he also attended Illinois State. – Erin Wojcicki The journalist who won the Charleston Gazette-Mail’s first Pulitzer still does a monthly night cops shift – Full disclosure: I worked with the journalist mentioned in the headline. But even if that wasn’t the case, the story of Eric Eyre is important in an era of shrinking newsrooms and pressing local issues that would go uncovered without dogged, old-fashioned reporting. You’ll have a difficult time picking your jaw off the floor after reading his 2016 coverage of West Virginia’s opioid crisis. Eric did that while writing around 250 stories a year, covering the statehouse … and still manning the police scanner one night a month. Incredible. – Paul Wilson How Stephen Colbert Finally Found His Elusive Groove – Calling all of my fellow control freaks! This article provides a glimpse into the benefits of letting go and, more importantly, trusting your team. I admittedly don’t watch a lot of Stephen Colbert, but it’s interesting to think that his willingness to be vulnerable, to give up a little control, boosted his show’s ratings. That extra touch of humanity clearly resonated with his audience. It makes me think that maybe we all need to let go a little more. – Megan Duero Is Instagram Ruining the Great Outdoors? – At the risk of imploding if I see one more social media post with a sepia filter accompanied by #nature #outdoors, here’s an interesting article on Instagram’s impact on distant places and the increasingly fragile world we live in. On the plus side, driving foot traffic (literally) to some of the most remote locations on the planet, to the point where rangers “began asking backcountry hikers not to post precise maps or GPS coordinates of their adventures on the web,” isn’t a bad thing. – Christian Erard Smartwatch-making company CEO: Smartwatches are pointless – The other morning, I was admiring my roommate’s Apple Watch and explaining to her how much I wanted my own smartwatch – something to monitor my heartbeat, track calories burned and remind me of appointments. But is it really necessary? As explained by Huawei CEO Eric Xu Zhijum, “when the smartwatch team in Huawei presents their ideas to me with great excitement, I keep reminding them to consider whether there are tangible needs [for these products] in the market.” While he’s right in saying smartwatches are NOT a necessity, his comments make me wonder if Huawei is greasing the skids for something revolutionary. – Sarah Rocca GT Podcast Recommendation S-Town – It’s from the makers of Serial and This American Life, so you know it’s well-executed and delivers the expected twists and turns. It begins with the story of a clock repairer, John McLemore, who hates his small hometown in Alabama. John is obsessed with climate change and meticulously cares for his backyard maze, among other eccentric behaviors. From there it takes you down a rabbit hole of Deep South poverty, mental health, drug abuse and murder. – Agatha Howland

Grit is a concept we talk about a lot at Greentarget. So we were especially taken this week by a story of Doctors Without Borders health workers in South Sudan who have been forced to establish mobile clinics to serve war-torn areas. It kind of makes the struggles of modern office life pale in comparison. Now, who took my stapler? We’ve also been reading about really, really bad dreams, efforts to bring back the woolly mammoth (you read that right) and Facebook’s attempt to be a positive force in politics (you read that right, too). With that, here’s Recent Reads. When Bullets Fly, These Medics Grab Their Packs And Treat Patients On The Run – In civil-war-torn areas, such as South Sudan, members of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) are often forced to flee from their hospitals as a result of bombings, gunmen, intruders and other threats. Talk about having the strength of character to persevere when faced with adversity. These brave people are a humbling example of the importance of grit and why everyone needs to strive for it. – Kyerstin Hill The strange case of the phantom Pokemon – If you ever woke up to find yourself pinned down by a Pokemon, or a New England witch, or a Scandinavian elf, you’re not alone. According to sleep scientists this is a common type of nightmare known as sleep paralysis, where you’re actually awake but still dreaming and unable to move. It’s a fascinating story about nightmares that will also cause them. Especially if you’re sleeping in Norway, which is apparently crawling with evil elves who shoot sleeping Norwegians with poison arrows, then perch on their chests. Tough way to start the day. – Brandon Copple Welcome to Pleistocene Park – When I think of the word “extinct,” the first animal that comes to mind is a woolly mammoth, but that may soon change. This article took me on a journey to Eastern Siberia to follow a pair of scientists in their quest to bring back the mammoth from extinction and bolster an ecosystem threatened by climate change. Although their plan is eccentric, and maybe even impossible, I couldn’t help but admire their bold vision for a future where humans own their creative capabilities to counteract years of destruction. – Scarlett Waldrop A Positive Outlook May be Good for Your Health – This article points to numerous studies that show those who suffer from chronic illnesses live longer if they demonstrate positive emotions – and separately, specific skills that lead to positive emotions can impact how well people manage stress and their physical health. I believe in the power of positivity and feel that I achieve peace of mind and balance when I maintain a positive mindset. Professionally, I’m able to extend this positive thinking in the work we do at Greentarget. We are tasked with protecting and promoting one of our clients’ most valuable assets – their reputation. We dig deep to get a better understanding of what makes our clients unique and what they do better than anyone else – and from there, share these positive attributes to their current and future stakeholders. – Lisa Seidenberg Why I’m Moving Home – The mid-2016 publication of J.D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis has been described as required reading for those who seek to understand President Trump’s popularity. Now, the former U.S. Marine and Yale Law School grad is returning home (to what he calls “flyover country,” specifically, Ohio) to devote himself to economic development. His book is on my bedside table right now, and International Trade Commission Vice Chair Dean Pinkert gave a nod to the book in a recent interview. – Steve DiMattia Google’s Plan to Engineer the Next Silicon Valleys – A fascinating look at how Google’s new Launchpad Accelerator, meant to generate successful startups in emerging markets, is a “strategic philanthropy” play to get more people living, working and playing online where Google has mastered an ecosystem of top experts across digital and business areas. Current geopolitical environment be damned, Google has the freedom to “pursue rising stars in The Rest of the World,” meaning outside of Silicon Valley and the U.S., and mentor anyone, anywhere to engender a treasure trove of data for its own benefit. – Pam Munoz Facebook’s Newest Feature Could Revolutionize Politics – Social media has taken a lot of hits in the past several months over its perceived negative effect on the 2016 election. To its credit, Facebook listened and just launched functionality that could take activism on social media to new heights. With the new Town Hall functionality, individuals can find contact information for their elected representatives pretty easily. As the article says, the idea is to “make calling your legislator as easy as hitting ‘like.’” – Paul Wilson