the only good coffee is bad coffee by Helena Fitzgerald

Although I am also a devotee of brews of high quality, my belief system is also aligned with the gospel truth about the considerable pleasures of bad coffee detailed by Helena Fitzgerald. I have quaffed every one of the variants she describes, always with satisfied gratitude. This piece is published in Fitzgerald’s own newsletter, griefbacon.

The New York Times Is Failing Trans People by Danielle Tcholakian

Our household subscribes to the daily print edition of The New York Times, and I’ll maintain that the majority of their journalistic efforts are laudable and vital, especially in an era when the top-rated cable news network is a nothing more than a right-wing propaganda machines and local outlets are an endangered species. However, the publication’s coverage of issues related to transgendered individuals has been deplorable, particularly on the editorial page. Writing for Jezebel, Danielle Tcholakian makes plain the level of egregious information malpractice.

Railroad Profit Rose Recently, As Did Crashes by Peter Eavis and Mark Walker

But here’s The New York Times making a positive contribution by drawing straight lines between recent rail accidents — most notably the disaster that’s beset East Palestine, Ohio and the surrounding area — and industry efforts to beat back regulatory oversight and eschew investments in safety in the name of becoming obscenely wealthy instead of merely wealthy. Peter Eavis and Mark Walker do the reporting.