Each week, members of the WFPL news team spotlight interesting stories we've read and enjoyed, for your weekend reading pleasure:Gabe Bullard: You may have missed this a few weeks ago: Adam Green profiled professional pickpocket Apollo Robbins. Robbins is a theatrical pickpocket (he performs on stage, he doesn't actually steal from people). Robbins is good. The article describes one instance of him secretly stealing a pen, removing the cartridge, then putting the pen back into the mark's pocket. Read Adam Green: The Spectacular Thefts of Apollo Robbins, Pickpocket.Bonus: If this isn't intriguing enough, watch this clipof Robbins going Artful Dodger on Green.Devin Katayama:"Gifted and Talented” programs help students who excel at certain levels and give them outlets increase their potential. But some argue the programs don’t give all students a fair shot at participation and the diversity in the programs is often lacking. This New York Times article explores changes to New York City’s GT programs and ways the city is trying to reach all students in all areas of the city. Read In One School, Students are Divided by Gifted Label.Joseph Lord:The long-elusive video of a giant squid has gotten plenty of news media attention, but few outlets have made the story of how it happened quite so visually appealing as The Verge. Read Giant Squid! To Catch a Monster, Bring Patience and Plenty of Cash.Bonus: The recent death of former McDonald's executive Fred Turner went largely unnoticed, and this paean from The Economist doesn't get into the health concerns and modern controversies that fast f00d brings. Instead, it focuses on a former grillman who rose to the top of a not-so-big company and through savvy and high standards made it a huge business and a cultural force. Worth reading. Read Fred Turner, the Man who Made McDonald's.
