Talking About Porn; The 10,000-Step Myth; One Word: Plastics

Plus, what can the justice system do to a suspect who is stopped before a school shooting?

Stories And Podcasts You May Have Missed  Meredith Rizzo/NPR The Camp Fire raced into the Northern California town of Paradise on Nov. 8, destroying nearly 19,000 structures — 90% of the town — and claiming 85 lives in the area. Once the town is rebuilt, it will be at high risk to burn again. Should the government still help pay for reconstruction? And if so, what's the wisest way to rebuild?  Millions of people in the United States watch pornography; many have grown up in a world where it has always been instantly, freely accessible. But even with so many watching, few talk about porn — or the misconceptions it can create. NPR spoke with younger adults, scholars and those in the industry about their experiences and concerns. Many pedometers and fitness tracking apps set a baseline goal of taking 10,000 steps a day. It's a nice, big round number — with zero basis in science. A recent study of older women found significant health benefits even below 5,000 steps — and no added benefit above 7,500. Just before Memorial Day, the U.S. Army asked veterans on Twitter to share how serving in the military had affected them. Many of the responses had no home in a recruitment ad, with numerous references to post-traumatic stress, sexual assault and suicide. Special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, and the actions of Donald Trump's campaign and administration in reaction to it and the probe itself, officially ended on Wednesday. In stepping down, Mueller reiterated the points made in his team's report and left plenty of room for ongoing partisan debate. Foreign investors own 30 million acres of U.S. farmland — twice as much as 20 years ago. More states are looking to restrict such purchases. Grab a small can of beans off the shelf at the grocery store, and you'll be holding something heavier than Baby Saybie was at birth. Born in an emergency C-section at 23 weeks, the San Diego girl is the smallest ever to have survived, having weighed just 8.6 ounces. After five months in the hospital, she's been discharged at a weight of 5 pounds. Podcasts Of The Week Chris Nickels for NPR In many ways, the system worked: Someone saw something, then said something, and police stopped a school shooting before it happened. But what crime had the mentally ill 18-year-old actually committed, and what should be the punishment? Should someone be allowed to think, "I want to shoot up my old school"? Or write it down in a journal? Or do that and then buy a gun? Vermont Public Radio investigates the case in its JOLTED podcast. NPR's Code Switch sits down with Samin Nosrat of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat fame to talk about being a woman of color in the food industry, holding the door open for others like her, and the best Persian dishes for summer. Mitch McConnell is one of the least popular — and most polarizing — politicians in the country. The Senate majority leader has been described as "opaque" "drab" and even "dull." So how has he won eight consecutive elections and become the leader of the Senate? Embedded looks into what makes the Kentuckian tick. Episode 3 of NPR's White Lies podcast looks at the defense's theory that civil rights activists were themselves responsible for the death of the Rev. James Reeb — and may even have killed him intentionally to create a white martyr to the cause.  Video Of The Week NPR A century ago, crude oil mostly was used to make kerosene, a process that left a lot of useless gunk behind. Then chemist Leo Baekeland found a way to turn that gunk into something useful. This is the story of how plastic was first made and how maybe we went too far with it. Doing It Live NPR Your editor made his Facebook Live debut this week, helping NPR newscaster Korva Coleman chat directly with the network's social audience. (Slight correction from that show — Alex Trebek says he's in near remission.) You can join Korva most weekday mornings on NPR's Facebook page at 10 a.m. ET. — Christopher Dean Hopkins, NPR engagement editor We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: bestofnpr@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to our Best of NPR emails. |  Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002