How rich companies block lawsuits; why light disrupts sleep; a flamingo on the run

Plus, a film director grapples with a prickly ethical question.

View this email online April 3, 2022 This week, we look at a tactic used by Johnson & Johnson to derail lawsuits, new research on the effects of artificial light on sleep, and a flamingo that's been on the run for nearly two decades. Plus, your guide to the Grammys. Scott’s weekly weigh-in   Paolo Nespoli - ESA/NASA via Getty Images A good weekend to you all. I find myself combing through the news for glints of hope. The return to Earth of American astronauts alongside Russian cosmonauts, with a ker-thunk and a cloud of dust, became that kind of story for me in this week’s essay.   Our producer Samantha Balaban has a fine series that delves into the creative partnerships between children’s authors and illustrators — and this week, artist Eric Wilkerson and author Colin Kaepernick talk about I Color Myself Different. The story might be especially resonant for families (like mine) that are blessed with interracial adoption.   The film Nitram has stirred controversy for telling the story of a man who killed 35 people in Australia in 1996. Caleb Landry Jones won best actor at Cannes for the title role. But we had to ask director Justin Kurzel: Does making a film about the mass murderer just give him the kind of attention he craves? I was delighted to interview Bonnie Garmus, who has written her debut novel. She has a lot to say about the ways in which women have suffered bias in their work lives.   And here’s a story that tickled me: An Indiana grade school posed students in front of a green screen for their class photos — but there was one issue. They scheduled the photo for St. Patrick’s Day. The results are charming. And speaking as the grade-schooler I still am at heart, I think it’s a photo they’ll always want to keep! Scott Simon Scott Simon is one of NPR's most renowned news anchors. He is the host of Weekend Edition Saturday and one of the hosts of the morning news podcast Up First. Be sure to listen to him every Saturday on your local NPR station, and follow him on Twitter. Newsletter continues after sponsor message Your weekend read   Jackie Molloy for NPR One of America’s richest companies is using bankruptcy to block lawsuits — and it’s not the only one. Johnson & Johnson, worth over $400 billion, faced a deluge of some 38,000 lawsuits that claimed asbestos contamination in its baby powder caused cancer — that is, until the company found a way to halt the legal process in its tracks. It involved a complex bankruptcy maneuver known in legal circles as the “Texas two-step.” One of those frozen lawsuits was filed by Hanna Wilt, a college athlete who used the powder daily to feel comfortable in the summer. Then, when she was 22, she began to feel sick. Wilt was diagnosed with mesothelioma — and even as she battled the rapidly advancing cancer, she was determined to have her day in court. But her bid for justice was cut short: She died in February at the age of 27. A growing number of wealthy companies are using similar bankruptcy tactics to derail lawsuits claiming wrongdoing, leaving plaintiffs baffled and outraged. "It's heartless, it's ruthless," Wilt’s mother, Hope, told NPR. "It's disgusting that for monetary gain they will stop at nothing." Read more about what critics have dubbed a separate justice system for "bankruptcy grifters." Before you go...    Craig Ruttle/AP Amazon fired a worker after he led a walkout in 2020. He went on to lead one of the most monumental union drives in recent history. Researchers have found that even just a night or two of exposure to faint, artificial light, like a TV, is enough to raise your pulse and increase insulin resistance. A toymaker created a Lego-based figurine of President Zelenskyy. They sold out within hours — and raised more than $145,000 for Ukraine. The Justice Thomas conundrum is the most vivid example of a court without a system of accountability when it comes to recusal, NPR’s Nina Totenberg writes. Here's a quick guide to the 7 key storylines to watch at the Grammys on Sunday. A flamingo named Pink Floyd who escaped a Kansas zoo in 2005 was recently spotted in Texas — after nearly 17 years on the run. Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WUFT 89.1 (edit station). 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 Best of NPR emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy