The week of January 25, 2020 was rereading everything about Song Kang-ho; washing our hands, a lot; screaming, crying, and adopting all the kids in Cheer; and huh, maybe we have been fever dreaming this whole time.

Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy New Year, fam! May the Year of the Rat be blessed.

How Much Racism Do You Face Every Day?

In the past two weeks, how many times were you: Followed around by security guards at a store? Mistaken for someone else of your same race? Answer the questions posed to 101 Black teenagers, and see how your experiences compare.

via NY Times

People In 43 US Cities Are Drinking Toxic “Forever Chemicals” In Their Tap Water

“PFAS in drinking water is not okay.” They found it in 43 out of 44 cities. Alright.

via Buzzfeed

Why We Ended Legacy Admissions At Johns Hopkins

10 years ago, one in eight students benefited Legacy admission. Plot twist: Those kids are almost always white and wealthy. Hear from the President of Johns Hopkins University about why we should end this whole legacy thing.

via The Atlantic

Google Suggests “Husband” After Women’s Names More Often Than “Wife” For Men

Auto-suggestions = self-fulfilling prophecies. But why would Google’s suggestions prioritize a woman’s personal life over her professional life?? Oh wait, you already know why.

via Buzzfeed News

China’s Birthrate Is At Its Lowest In Decades

Around the world, from Cuba, to Germany to Japan, birth rates are declining. With more pressure on working-age people, immigration could be the only solution.

via Washington Post

What It’s Like To Never Ever See Yourself On TV

Exceptions include characters: Doing kung fu, delivering food, speaking with grossly exaggerated accents, preceded (or followed) by a gong sound, or All. Of. The. Above.

Jokes at the expense of Asian Americans have long been seen as Racism Lite™ — but these jokes were never funny. And it’s time comedians admitted it. 

via TIME

Houston Is Now Less Affordable Than New York City

Yeah, this does not mean that NYC has gotten any cheaper. While Houston has NYC beat on space, they’ve lost on transportation (due to all that space they’ve got).

via Texas Monthly

Malaysia Sends Back Trash, Says Won’t Be World’s Waste Bin

Malaysia has sent back 150 containers of plastic waste to 13 mainly rich countries since the third quarter last year. You want to make Malaysia a rubbish bin of the world? Their environment minister says “no thanks.”

via AP News