Michael Brown’s Death, Five Years Later; Less Sex And Fewer Babies; The Ultimate Bessie Smith Playlist

Plus, how one man's toilet kits are bringing privacy to Seattle's homeless.

Stories You May Have Missed Carolina Hidalgo/St. Louis Public Radio Five years after Michael Brown's shooting death, residents say while there are some positive political signs, but much more needs to be done. His death ignited protests and a nationwide resurgence in civil rights efforts, and focused on how police treat African Americans. But critics say state and local lawmakers aren't focusing enough on areas that need further reform. For anyone struggling to use "they" as a singular pronoun, linguist Geoff Nunberg says: Just practice. He believes human language processing capacity is far more adaptable than people realize. Living with constant pain is difficult, especially for young children. But the Benioff Children's Hospital at the University of California, San Francisco is taking an aggressive and creative approach to treating pain in its youngest patients.  One man and his toilet kits are bringing privacy to Seattle’s homeless. About three years ago, tech worker Mark Lloyd began delivering basic toilet kits to homeless encampments. So far he’s assembled between 75 and 100 private toilets, each with a tent, bucket, seat, cat litter, toilet paper and sanitizer.  Music Highlights Of The Week NPR/Bob Boilen While Ty Dolla $ign visited NPR to record his own Tiny Desk concert, he also performed a special tribute to his friend, the late Mac Miller. There's a world of music you enter when you open the Bessie Smith door. This Turning The Tables playlist showcases some of Smith's best songs, as well as songs from the musical world she moved through and helped to create, including her influences (like her mentor Ma Rainey) and her inheritors (like Janis Joplin, who once said, "Bessie made me want to sing"). This Week’s Best Listens d3sign/Getty Images Less sex and fewer babies: Blame the Internet and career priorities. America's birthrate continues to decline, and young people are having less sex amid career pressures and a confusing online dating scene.  How the Jaws shark got his bite back. Bruce, the last replica shark from the 1975 classic blockbuster, Jaws, has gotten a facelift before the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences opens its much-anticipated movie museum in Los Angeles next year.  Our Picture Show Pick Claire Harbage/NPR Mongolia is changing. Rivers are dry. Pastureland is giving way to mines. And wintertime smog obscures the famed blue sky. Modern Mongolia is a story of internal migration and economic transformation in an era of climate change. 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