vox--2020-05-27--Germany, Vietnam, and New Zealand have reopened schools. Here’s what the US can learn.

After the coronavirus interrupted schooling for more than 1.5 billion children worldwide , some of them are heading back to the classroom — and offering lessons for American students and educators .
In Germany , students administer coronavirus tests on themselves to track if they have the disease or not .
In Vietnam , children and adults get their temperatures checked before entering the school building and wear masks once inside .
And in New Zealand , parents or students worried about returning too soon can delay returning until they feel comfortable .
These and other policies aim to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of disruptions that experts say hurt students and caused excess stress for teachers worldwide .
Some experts consider school restarts worth the risk , since young people aren ’ t as vulnerable to the disease as older people , though the data on whether or not kids can spread the virus much remains inconclusive .
There ’ s no one-size-fits-all solution , and not every idea has worked perfectly .
But if there ’ s one silver lining from the United States reopening schools later than other countries due to its large coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now has time to learn from their attempts .
“ It ’ s a huge opportunity to rethink how we deliver these services , ” said Robert Schwartz of the Harvard Graduate School of Education .
“ The old American exceptionalism in education is breaking down a bit , so maybe leaders will look abroad at how others are bringing kids back to school.
” Here are three countries ’ methods that should have American educational leaders taking notes .
In mid-May , the New York Times told the story of Lea Hammermeister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the small northern German town of Neustrelitz .
Before going to class , she grabbed a coronavirus test kit , swabbed her throat , and then properly prepared the device for evaluation .
Later that night , she received the result in her email : negative .
That allowed her to wear a green sticker , which means she can walk freely about the school without a mask .
It ’ s a procedure Hammermeister and her classmates follow every four days to keep tabs on Covid-19 ’ s spread within her school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they appreciate the program , as it helps students feel safe in the classroom and allows parents and other caregivers to work without having to also care for their children during the workday .
“ Schools are the spine of our societies and economies , ” Henry Tesch , the school ’ s headmaster , told the New York Times .
“ Without schools , parents can ’ t work and children are being robbed of precious learning time and , ultimately , a piece of their future.
” Such a testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school , but it ’ s one that many others might adopt in the near future .
In the meantime , schools in Germany continue to follow new directives for reopening schools : Hallways are now one-way avenues , masks must be worn in classrooms , seats are assigned and spaced far apart , and everyone is encouraged to wear heavier clothing as windows must be kept open to improve air circulation .
All of that is in addition to already common practices such as keeping a 6-foot distance between students when standing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has come with challenges .
For example , some schools simply can ’ t fit every student inside the building if they are to maintain social distancing .
In the Neustrelitz high school , only about a third of the student body can be in class at a time — and even then , a teacher might have to teach two groups in two classrooms at once .
Still , keeping tabs on the disease through testing and minimizing exposure is one of the better ways to keep the lessons going .
Vietnam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early and aggressively to get a handle on its outbreak , continues to use similar methods to reopen schools .
After a three-month hiatus , Vietnam ’ s 22 million school-age students were allowed to return to their classrooms this month after first passing a mandatory temperature check at their school ’ s entrance .
If a child doesn ’ t have a fever , they ’ re allowed to attend classes , but they must wear a mask throughout the entire school day .
One school in Hanoi , the capital , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough for students to use .
Some may find wearing a mask for hours cumbersome , but 11-year-old Pham Anh Kiet , who attends a western Hanoi school , doesn ’ t mind .
“ I feel safe when I wear a mask and have my temperature checked , I am not afraid of being infected with the virus , ” he told Agence France-Presse ( AFP ) on May 4 .
As in Germany , Vietnam ’ s schools are also enforcing social distancing measures .
However , Nguyen Xuan Khang , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AFP that maintaining separation could pose a challenge for younger students .
“ They are very active , ” he said .
Another challenge will be sanitation : About 30 percent of Vietnamese schools don ’ t have access to running water or soap , according to the government ’ s own data .
That means hand-washing for 20 seconds won ’ t be a ubiquitous practice among students , increasing the chances of a possible outbreak .
Still , the widespread use of masks in Vietnamese schools may minimize that risk .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to return to school .
New Zealand ’ s government recognizes that and has offered a pathway to allow parents to send their kids to school only when they feel comfortable doing so .
New Zealand ’ s schools resumed classes on May 14 , but students and parents who thought that date was too soon were allowed to opt for a “ transition arrangement ” with their school .
“ We also know that children and young people ’ s wellbeing is important and there may be students whose parents are anxious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indeed the students themselves may be .
In these instances , we can help you work through a transition arrangement that will take longer than the period of time talked about here , ” New Zealand ’ s Ministry of Education stated this month .
However , the government provided no real clarity on what such an arrangement would look like or for how long it should last .
Those details were left up to the schools , all but assuring a lack of uniformity in the kind of “ arrangements ” agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say the government ’ s decision to allow for some flexibility and individual decision-making by families will help with promoting mental health in the pandemic , not just physical well-being .
Schwartz , the Harvard education expert , doesn ’ t believe all these ideas are foolproof but offered some of his own , mainly having schools invest lots of money in developing teachers into better online educators .
He thinks having US officials learn from other countries ’ experiences with reopening schools is a worthwhile endeavor .
“ The US is notorious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world , but it should be in this case , ” he told me .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

After the coronavirus interrupted schooling for more than 1.5 billion children worldwide, some of them are heading back to the classroom — and offering lessons for American students and educators.
In Germany, students administer coronavirus tests on themselves to track if they have the disease or not. In Vietnam, children and adults get their temperatures checked before entering the school building and wear masks once inside. And in New Zealand, parents or students worried about returning too soon can delay returning until they feel comfortable.
These and other policies aim to help resume schooling safely and end the months of disruptions that experts say hurt students and caused excess stress for teachers worldwide. Some experts consider school restarts worth the risk, since young people aren’t as vulnerable to the disease as older people, though the data on whether or not kids can spread the virus much remains inconclusive.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, and not every idea has worked perfectly. But if there’s one silver lining from the United States reopening schools later than other countries due to its large coronavirus outbreak, it’s that it now has time to learn from their attempts.
“It’s a huge opportunity to rethink how we deliver these services,” said Robert Schwartz of the Harvard Graduate School of Education. “The old American exceptionalism in education is breaking down a bit, so maybe leaders will look abroad at how others are bringing kids back to school.”
Here are three countries’ methods that should have American educational leaders taking notes.
Germany has coronavirus testing in schools
In mid-May, the New York Times told the story of Lea Hammermeister, a 17-year-old high school junior in the small northern German town of Neustrelitz. Before going to class, she grabbed a coronavirus test kit, swabbed her throat, and then properly prepared the device for evaluation. Later that night, she received the result in her email: negative. That allowed her to wear a green sticker, which means she can walk freely about the school without a mask.
It’s a procedure Hammermeister and her classmates follow every four days to keep tabs on Covid-19’s spread within her school. She and others told the Times that they appreciate the program, as it helps students feel safe in the classroom and allows parents and other caregivers to work without having to also care for their children during the workday.
“Schools are the spine of our societies and economies,” Henry Tesch, the school’s headmaster, told the New York Times. “Without schools, parents can’t work and children are being robbed of precious learning time and, ultimately, a piece of their future.”
Such a testing program isn’t in every German school, but it’s one that many others might adopt in the near future.
In the meantime, schools in Germany continue to follow new directives for reopening schools: Hallways are now one-way avenues, masks must be worn in classrooms, seats are assigned and spaced far apart, and everyone is encouraged to wear heavier clothing as windows must be kept open to improve air circulation. All of that is in addition to already common practices such as keeping a 6-foot distance between students when standing in line.
But implementing these measures has come with challenges. For example, some schools simply can’t fit every student inside the building if they are to maintain social distancing. In the Neustrelitz high school, only about a third of the student body can be in class at a time — and even then, a teacher might have to teach two groups in two classrooms at once.
Still, keeping tabs on the disease through testing and minimizing exposure is one of the better ways to keep the lessons going.
Vietnam requires mandatory masks and temperature checks
Vietnam, which used testing and contact tracing early and aggressively to get a handle on its outbreak, continues to use similar methods to reopen schools.
After a three-month hiatus, Vietnam’s 22 million school-age students were allowed to return to their classrooms this month after first passing a mandatory temperature check at their school’s entrance. If a child doesn’t have a fever, they’re allowed to attend classes, but they must wear a mask throughout the entire school day. One school in Hanoi, the capital, bought 10,000 masks to ensure it had enough for students to use.
Some may find wearing a mask for hours cumbersome, but 11-year-old Pham Anh Kiet, who attends a western Hanoi school, doesn’t mind. “I feel safe when I wear a mask and have my temperature checked, I am not afraid of being infected with the virus,” he told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on May 4.
As in Germany, Vietnam’s schools are also enforcing social distancing measures. However, Nguyen Xuan Khang, a head teacher in Hanoi, told AFP that maintaining separation could pose a challenge for younger students. “They are very active,” he said.
Another challenge will be sanitation: About 30 percent of Vietnamese schools don’t have access to running water or soap, according to the government’s own data. That means hand-washing for 20 seconds won’t be a ubiquitous practice among students, increasing the chances of a possible outbreak.
Still, the widespread use of masks in Vietnamese schools may minimize that risk.
New Zealand has a “transition arrangement” option
Not everyone, though, is ready to return to school. New Zealand’s government recognizes that and has offered a pathway to allow parents to send their kids to school only when they feel comfortable doing so.
New Zealand’s schools resumed classes on May 14, but students and parents who thought that date was too soon were allowed to opt for a “transition arrangement” with their school.
“We also know that children and young people’s wellbeing is important and there may be students whose parents are anxious about their return to school, as indeed the students themselves may be. In these instances, we can help you work through a transition arrangement that will take longer than the period of time talked about here,” New Zealand’s Ministry of Education stated this month.
However, the government provided no real clarity on what such an arrangement would look like or for how long it should last. Those details were left up to the schools, all but assuring a lack of uniformity in the kind of “arrangements” agreed to throughout the country.
Yet experts say the government’s decision to allow for some flexibility and individual decision-making by families will help with promoting mental health in the pandemic, not just physical well-being.
Schwartz, the Harvard education expert, doesn’t believe all these ideas are foolproof but offered some of his own, mainly having schools invest lots of money in developing teachers into better online educators. He thinks having US officials learn from other countries’ experiences with reopening schools is a worthwhile endeavor.
“The US is notorious for not thinking it can learn from the world, but it should be in this case,” he told me.


vox--2020-05-27--How yogurt took over the dairy aisle

How yogurt took over the dairy aisle

Once upon a time , yogurt occupied a thin sliver of the dairy aisle .
Now it ’ s an entirely separate section of the grocery store .
There are at least a dozen brands of plain yogurt , but wait !
There ’ s more !
Yogurt comes with fruit on the bottom , sprinkles on top , M & Ms mixed in , and almond butter swirled over .
The choice is overwhelming , but it ’ s also what consumers have come to expect .
For many Americans , yogurt is a staple snack food .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a marinade , a dip , a base for a soup , a drink .
Indians stir it with chickpea flour and turmeric to make a warming , bright yellow dish called kadhi .
Persians use strained yogurt as an aromatic side dish called mast o khiar , with cucumbers , rose petals , raisins , herbs , and garlic .
In Turkey and Lebanon , meat dumplings are bathed in a tangy yogurt sauce to make shish barak .
In the US , in spite of all the years yogurt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re still stuck on fruit and granola .
Go figure .
But despite the more narrow American views of yogurt , it has managed to occupy a unique role in the country ’ s food culture — its evolution on grocery shelves has mirrored that of eating habits and cultural touchpoints .
There have been distinct eras in yogurt tastes , from Greek to Icelandic to nondairy , and each one offers a glimpse into the ingredients , diets , and narratives people were buying into at the time .
Sure , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sea of groceries .
But it tells a compelling , complete story about the American diet .
Yogurt showed up in America from Europe as early as the mid-20th century , in the wake of World War II .
In Europe , it was a fridge staple meant for snacking or eating for breakfast — plain , tart , and creamy , often adorned with some berries .
In the US , though , it would be a while before yogurt achieved that same staple status .
The problem , says Frank Palantoni @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Dannon from 1987 to 1991 , is that in its pure , unsweetened form , “ yogurt tasted terrible to the American palate.
” Americans associated dairy products with ice cream and milkshakes , and therefore a lot of sugar .
“ Everyone was brought up such that if it smells tart , you throw it away , ” he says .
In the post-World War II era of rations and cans and boxed mixes and TV dinners , people had a predisposition for foods that were convenient , easily consumed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t want to spend all day in the kitchen .
They didn ’ t care as much about splurging on higher quality ingredients .
Owing in part to a popular Dannon ad campaign from 1977 featuring older people saying the secret to their vitality was yogurt , Americans gradually began to regard it as a health food .
Dannon ’ s big breakthrough was fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt , released in the late 1980s , which was packaged as single-serve cups , and had the candy-like strawberry and blueberry flavors people were used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being marketed to kids in the form of products like sprinkle-topped Sprinklins , which Palantoni helped pioneer .
He says sugar wasn ’ t as much of a concern for people back then .
“ The thought was , kids run around , they need sugar , ” he says .
“ The basic concept is that we are giving kids milk , and it is high protein , so if there is sugar it is okay.
” Yogurt was marketed equally aggressively to women , because they were seen not only as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but also as diet-conscious .
Advertisements showed women eating spoonfuls of yogurt at the spa bedecked in plush white robes , and ogling at a raspberry cheesecake before realizing excitedly that there was a raspberry cheesecake flavored yogurt .
( Spoiler alert : It tastes nothing like raspberry cheesecake . )
As a result of all this , the yogurt business suddenly exploded .
Everyone from kids to adults was eating it .
Got Milk ads were in full swing , which only bolstered the appeal .
In 1992 , the yogurt market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A single word can define American dietary preferences of the early 2000s : protein .
It was the magical nutrient that could keep you both satisfied and trim .
Meal replacement bars suggesting they had enough protein to keep you full all day were getting big .
Muscle Milk was a body-building staple .
It was in this protein-obsessed environment that Greek yogurt — a thick , strained version of the original — was able to not just succeed but completely dominate the yogurt market .
There had been attempts at introducing Greek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dannon introduced a product called Mini Moos around 1990 that was meant to be a high-protein snack for kids , but it tanked because it was marketed as “ fromage frais , ” or fresh cheese .
Fage , with its ultra-thick Greek yogurt , was gaining popularity , but it was pricey , and it had a tart taste .
Americans still loved sugar — the protein shakes and protein bars were loaded with it .
The brand that was able to break through was Chobani , started by Hamdi Ulukaya , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farmers in Turkey .
Chobani ’ s offerings were affordable and had less sugar , but still enough to satisfy American tastes .
But most importantly , Chobani pushed the protein messaging hard , and became seen as a healthier choice than all the other sugar-laden yogurt brands .
Because of the protein angle , Greek yogurt prompted advertising to finally shift away from focusing exclusively on women .
The containers were now shaped like six-packs , the branding was black ( because masculinity ! )
, and the marketing sold it as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all-natural version of protein powder , essentially .
Greek yogurt occupied 1 percent of the yogurt market in 2007 ; that jumped to 44 percent by 2013 .
“ Once Greek became accessibly priced and broadly distributed and people understood Greek means high protein , they snapped it up , ” says Peter McGuinness , president of Chobani .
“ There was this total Greekwashing , ” with every major yogurt brand coming out with its own version of Greek yogurt .
Greek yogurt walked so all the other country-specific yogurts could run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food became a hit , consumers started looking to see what else was out there .
Suddenly , Icelandic , Australian , and French yogurts were crowding grocery aisles , marketing themselves as more curated choices for food lovers .
This was at a time when food and restaurant culture was starting to feel more mainstream thanks to publications like Bon Appétit and Lucky Peach , and shows like No Reservations .
Chefs like David Chang and Alice Waters were household names .
People were traveling not just to see sights , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Greek yogurt did a lot of educating people about the importance of protein so we didn ’ t have to talk about those things , ” says John Heath , the chief innovation officer at Icelandic Provisions .
“ We were focused on this X factor of having a story .
Creating a premium product for someone who has a bit more of a food IQ and an appreciation for where the food comes from.
” Greek yogurt walked so all the other country-specific yogurts could run Icelandic yogurt , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Viking heritage of Iceland , and stories of heirloom yogurt cultures .
In the 2010s , Iceland became a more popular place to travel and was ranked as home to some of the world ’ s happiest people .
“ This destination was aspirational , ” Heath says .
Siggi Hilmarsson , who founded Siggi ’ s , another Icelandic-style yogurt , also marketed his product as more premium than Greek .
But he decided to focus less on the narrative , and more on the lack of sugar — an ingredient that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tagline that promised “ more protein than sugar , ” while still offering customers familiar flavors like blueberry and vanilla , from 2013 to 2019 , Siggi ’ s quickly caught the attention of mainstream grocers , trainers , and doctors .
“ The story was important , ” he says .
“ But they were primarily buying into the narrative of , wow , I didn ’ t realize there was this much sugar in yogurt in America .
This brand is telling me there is something better.
” Nondairy yogurt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was long associated with a chalky , unpleasant texture , bitter taste , and loads of additives .
A few years ago , the tide started to turn in two key ways : First , nondairy milk was becoming standard in coffee shops and in fridges , as people increasingly believed that dairy was bad for the environment , and that lactose was upsetting their digestive systems .
Second , the nondairy yogurt market finally had options that mimicked the creamy texture of yogurt and the rich , full flavor .
Anita @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , offered yogurt made out of coconut milk .
Kite Hill , founded in 2010 , popularized almond milk yogurt .
Liz Fisher started Lavva in 2018 after discovering that pili nuts became buttery and creamy once blended .
Fisher and others started a movement toward branding their yogurt not as “ nondairy ” but as “ plant-based ” — shifting the focus away from what their yogurt didn ’ t have .
Most importantly , when it seemed like yogurt had been modified and flavored in every possible way , nondairy milk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even more permutations to try .
For a lot of people , the appeal of nondairy wasn ’ t necessarily that they wanted to stop consuming milk products .
They just wanted to try something new , and the environmental and health-angled marketing made that decision feel even better .
Fisher says Lavva ’ s sales are up 300 percent from last year .
Brands like Chobani and Siggi ’ s have both released nondairy offerings .
Still , Fisher adds , while health food grocers can ’ t get enough of nondairy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growing all that much among larger retailers .
“ They are focused on the percentage of the business that anchors the category , which is cow ’ s milk yogurt , ” she says .
As popular as nondairy yogurt may seem to be , it ’ s not a replacement .
“ Dairy yogurt is here to stay.
” With dairy still occupying the lion ’ s share of the market , there are plenty more innovations to be had .
Previously , every brand of dairy yogurt was putting out low-fat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the steady concern of Americans with fats .
Now , with the rise of low-carb , high-fat diets like ketogenic , and increased awareness of the idea of good versus bad fats , yogurt companies are now leaning into fat .
There ’ s Siggi ’ s triple-cream yogurt , Iceland Provisions whole milk yogurt , Chobani Greek yogurt with almond butter , and Peak , a product whose 17 percent milk fat is displayed right on the package .
It ’ s a full circle moment : These companies are reclaiming the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies like Dannon that yogurt could be an indulgence , and a legitimate replacement for dessert , while still being good for you .
With yogurt occupying more and more shelf space in grocery stores — and tracking so closely with American diet habits — companies are constantly trying to figure out what ’ s going to be big in yogurt .
Heath says Icelandic Provisions is making a big bet on cold brew , having recently released a coffee flavored yogurt flavored with cold brew concentrate .
Hilmarsson , meanwhile , believes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Impossible Burger , and people will develop synthetic proteins that work in yogurt .
Palantini compares what has happened with American consumers and yogurt to what happened with wine .
“ Americans have a very limited receptivity of their palate to new flavors , ” he says .
But once given options , with different tastes and textures , “ you will eventually develop your palate and it will get more sophisticated.
” The variety in yogurt has made many people more adventurous eaters .
As packed as the yogurt aisle seems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming years .
And that , he adds , is a good thing .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

Once upon a time, yogurt occupied a thin sliver of the dairy aisle. Now it’s an entirely separate section of the grocery store. There are at least a dozen brands of plain yogurt, but wait! There’s more! Yogurt comes with fruit on the bottom, sprinkles on top, M&Ms mixed in, and almond butter swirled over. The choice is overwhelming, but it’s also what consumers have come to expect.
For many Americans, yogurt is a staple snack food. In other parts of the world, it’s a marinade, a dip, a base for a soup, a drink. Indians stir it with chickpea flour and turmeric to make a warming, bright yellow dish called kadhi. Persians use strained yogurt as an aromatic side dish called mast o khiar, with cucumbers, rose petals, raisins, herbs, and garlic. In Turkey and Lebanon, meat dumplings are bathed in a tangy yogurt sauce to make shish barak. In the US, in spite of all the years yogurt has been a fridge mainstay, we’re still stuck on fruit and granola. Go figure.
But despite the more narrow American views of yogurt, it has managed to occupy a unique role in the country’s food culture — its evolution on grocery shelves has mirrored that of eating habits and cultural touchpoints. There have been distinct eras in yogurt tastes, from Greek to Icelandic to nondairy, and each one offers a glimpse into the ingredients, diets, and narratives people were buying into at the time. Sure, yogurt is just one product in a sea of groceries. But it tells a compelling, complete story about the American diet.
1980s and 1990s: The sugary yogurt era
Yogurt showed up in America from Europe as early as the mid-20th century, in the wake of World War II. In Europe, it was a fridge staple meant for snacking or eating for breakfast — plain, tart, and creamy, often adorned with some berries. In the US, though, it would be a while before yogurt achieved that same staple status.
The problem, says Frank Palantoni, who was vice president of marketing for Dannon from 1987 to 1991, is that in its pure, unsweetened form, “yogurt tasted terrible to the American palate.” Americans associated dairy products with ice cream and milkshakes, and therefore a lot of sugar. “Everyone was brought up such that if it smells tart, you throw it away,” he says. In the post-World War II era of rations and cans and boxed mixes and TV dinners, people had a predisposition for foods that were convenient, easily consumed, and often high in sugar. They didn’t want to spend all day in the kitchen. They didn’t care as much about splurging on higher quality ingredients.
Owing in part to a popular Dannon ad campaign from 1977 featuring older people saying the secret to their vitality was yogurt, Americans gradually began to regard it as a health food.
Dannon’s big breakthrough was fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt, released in the late 1980s, which was packaged as single-serve cups, and had the candy-like strawberry and blueberry flavors people were used to. In 1992, yogurt was being marketed to kids in the form of products like sprinkle-topped Sprinklins, which Palantoni helped pioneer. He says sugar wasn’t as much of a concern for people back then. “The thought was, kids run around, they need sugar,” he says. “The basic concept is that we are giving kids milk, and it is high protein, so if there is sugar it is okay.”
Yogurt was marketed equally aggressively to women, because they were seen not only as the primary shoppers in the house, but also as diet-conscious. Advertisements showed women eating spoonfuls of yogurt at the spa bedecked in plush white robes, and ogling at a raspberry cheesecake before realizing excitedly that there was a raspberry cheesecake flavored yogurt. (Spoiler alert: It tastes nothing like raspberry cheesecake.)
As a result of all this, the yogurt business suddenly exploded. Everyone from kids to adults was eating it. Got Milk ads were in full swing, which only bolstered the appeal. In 1992, the yogurt market was valued at $1.135 billion.
Early 2000s: The Greek yogurt era
A single word can define American dietary preferences of the early 2000s: protein. It was the magical nutrient that could keep you both satisfied and trim. Meal replacement bars suggesting they had enough protein to keep you full all day were getting big. Muscle Milk was a body-building staple. It was in this protein-obsessed environment that Greek yogurt — a thick, strained version of the original — was able to not just succeed but completely dominate the yogurt market.
There had been attempts at introducing Greek to the broader market. Palantini says Dannon introduced a product called Mini Moos around 1990 that was meant to be a high-protein snack for kids, but it tanked because it was marketed as “fromage frais,” or fresh cheese. Fage, with its ultra-thick Greek yogurt, was gaining popularity, but it was pricey, and it had a tart taste. Americans still loved sugar — the protein shakes and protein bars were loaded with it.
The brand that was able to break through was Chobani, started by Hamdi Ulukaya, who came from a family of dairy farmers in Turkey. Chobani’s offerings were affordable and had less sugar, but still enough to satisfy American tastes. But most importantly, Chobani pushed the protein messaging hard, and became seen as a healthier choice than all the other sugar-laden yogurt brands.
Because of the protein angle, Greek yogurt prompted advertising to finally shift away from focusing exclusively on women. The containers were now shaped like six-packs, the branding was black (because masculinity!), and the marketing sold it as post-gym fuel for bros — a more all-natural version of protein powder, essentially.
Greek yogurt occupied 1 percent of the yogurt market in 2007; that jumped to 44 percent by 2013. “Once Greek became accessibly priced and broadly distributed and people understood Greek means high protein, they snapped it up,” says Peter McGuinness, president of Chobani. “There was this total Greekwashing,” with every major yogurt brand coming out with its own version of Greek yogurt.
Early 2010s: The artisanal yogurt era
Greek yogurt walked so all the other country-specific yogurts could run. Almost as soon as this once-foreign food became a hit, consumers started looking to see what else was out there. Suddenly, Icelandic, Australian, and French yogurts were crowding grocery aisles, marketing themselves as more curated choices for food lovers. This was at a time when food and restaurant culture was starting to feel more mainstream thanks to publications like Bon Appétit and Lucky Peach, and shows like No Reservations. Chefs like David Chang and Alice Waters were household names. People were traveling not just to see sights, but to eat specific dishes at famous restaurants.
“Greek yogurt did a lot of educating people about the importance of protein so we didn’t have to talk about those things,” says John Heath, the chief innovation officer at Icelandic Provisions. “We were focused on this X factor of having a story. Creating a premium product for someone who has a bit more of a food IQ and an appreciation for where the food comes from.”
Greek yogurt walked so all the other country-specific yogurts could run
Icelandic yogurt, or skyr, was being sold alongside this Viking heritage of Iceland, and stories of heirloom yogurt cultures. In the 2010s, Iceland became a more popular place to travel and was ranked as home to some of the world’s happiest people. “This destination was aspirational,” Heath says.
Siggi Hilmarsson, who founded Siggi’s, another Icelandic-style yogurt, also marketed his product as more premium than Greek. But he decided to focus less on the narrative, and more on the lack of sugar — an ingredient that was vilified in the media. With a tagline that promised “more protein than sugar,” while still offering customers familiar flavors like blueberry and vanilla, from 2013 to 2019, Siggi’s quickly caught the attention of mainstream grocers, trainers, and doctors.
“The story was important,” he says. “But they were primarily buying into the narrative of, wow, I didn’t realize there was this much sugar in yogurt in America. This brand is telling me there is something better.”
Mid-2010s: The nondairy yogurt era
Nondairy yogurt has existed since the 1990s, but it was long associated with a chalky, unpleasant texture, bitter taste, and loads of additives. A few years ago, the tide started to turn in two key ways: First, nondairy milk was becoming standard in coffee shops and in fridges, as people increasingly believed that dairy was bad for the environment, and that lactose was upsetting their digestive systems.
Second, the nondairy yogurt market finally had options that mimicked the creamy texture of yogurt and the rich, full flavor. Anita’s Yogurt, started in 2013, offered yogurt made out of coconut milk. Kite Hill, founded in 2010, popularized almond milk yogurt. Liz Fisher started Lavva in 2018 after discovering that pili nuts became buttery and creamy once blended. Fisher and others started a movement toward branding their yogurt not as “nondairy” but as “plant-based” — shifting the focus away from what their yogurt didn’t have.
Most importantly, when it seemed like yogurt had been modified and flavored in every possible way, nondairy milk gave consumers even more choice, and even more permutations to try. For a lot of people, the appeal of nondairy wasn’t necessarily that they wanted to stop consuming milk products. They just wanted to try something new, and the environmental and health-angled marketing made that decision feel even better.
Fisher says Lavva’s sales are up 300 percent from last year. Brands like Chobani and Siggi’s have both released nondairy offerings. Still, Fisher adds, while health food grocers can’t get enough of nondairy yogurt, the category is still not growing all that much among larger retailers.
“They are focused on the percentage of the business that anchors the category, which is cow’s milk yogurt,” she says. As popular as nondairy yogurt may seem to be, it’s not a replacement. “Dairy yogurt is here to stay.”
2020: The high-fat yogurt era
With dairy still occupying the lion’s share of the market, there are plenty more innovations to be had. Previously, every brand of dairy yogurt was putting out low-fat or fat-free offerings, to track with the steady concern of Americans with fats. Now, with the rise of low-carb, high-fat diets like ketogenic, and increased awareness of the idea of good versus bad fats, yogurt companies are now leaning into fat.
There’s Siggi’s triple-cream yogurt, Iceland Provisions whole milk yogurt, Chobani Greek yogurt with almond butter, and Peak, a product whose 17 percent milk fat is displayed right on the package. It’s a full-circle moment: These companies are reclaiming the notion perpetuated so long ago by early companies like Dannon that yogurt could be an indulgence, and a legitimate replacement for dessert, while still being good for you.
Next in yogurt?
With yogurt occupying more and more shelf space in grocery stores — and tracking so closely with American diet habits — companies are constantly trying to figure out what’s going to be big in yogurt. Heath says Icelandic Provisions is making a big bet on cold brew, having recently released a coffee-flavored yogurt made with cold brew concentrate. Hilmarsson, meanwhile, believes the business will go the way of the Impossible Burger, and people will develop synthetic proteins that work in yogurt.
Palantini compares what has happened with American consumers and yogurt to what happened with wine. “Americans have a very limited receptivity of their palate to new flavors,” he says. But once given options, with different tastes and textures, “you will eventually develop your palate and it will get more sophisticated.” The variety in yogurt has made many people more adventurous eaters. As packed as the yogurt aisle seems, expect even more wide-ranging offerings in coming years. And that, he adds, is a good thing.


vox--2020-05-27--Why more Republican women are running for the House than ever before

Like the 2018 midterms , the 2020 elections feature a record number of women running for the House of Representatives , with one very notable difference : This year , there ’ s been a major uptick in the number of Republican as well as Democratic women candidates .
In 2018 , 356 Democratic women pursued House seats , while 120 Republicans did , a huge increase over 2016 , when 178 Democratic women and 95 Republican women ran .
So far this year , both parties have seen this surge continue : 303 Democratic women have filed to run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Rutgers University ’ s Center for American Women and Politics .
In fact , this cycle has seen the largest number of Republican women filing ever , surpassing the previous record of 133 that was set in 2010 .
There are a couple of reasons for this uptick , according to experts .
Among them : The infrastructure for recruiting Republican women has improved significantly , and the wave of Democratic women who won in 2018 was a key motivating factor .
“ It was very much the year of the women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do it , so can we , ” says Olivia Perez-Cubas , a spokesperson for Winning for Women , an organization dedicated to electing more Republican women .
Beyond the momentum prompted by Democrats ’ success , Perez-Cubas emphasizes that Republicans also want to reverse a worrying trend .
During the midterms , the number of Republican women in the House actually went down , from 23 to 13 .
Meanwhile , the number of Democrats increased from 64 to 89 .
“ It all came to a head last cycle , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just so bad.
” Relative to recent cycles , this year ’ s increase in candidate filings — even if it doesn ’ t result in the same degree of seat gains Democrats saw in 2018 — is significant for the Republican Party , which has historically struggled to bolster representation .
In the past , gender parity has been a much greater focus for Democrats , while the GOP has shied away from efforts that have even a hint of identity politics .
“ We ’ ve always had this challenge for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women ?
” says Patti Russo , the director of the Women ’ s Campaign School at Yale , a nonpartisan organization that provides election training .
This year has felt different , however , she notes — and if this trend continues , it could mark an important shift in how representative the party is down the line .
A key factor that ’ s led to the surge of Republican women candidates this year is the investment in recruitment .
In the wake of the 2018 election — when the numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declined — prominent GOP lawmakers , including New York Rep. Elise Stefanik , made such efforts a top priority .
“ We ’ re facing a crisis level of Republican women in Congress , ” Stefanik said during an event in 2019 .
To address this crisis , Stefanik ’ s Elevate PAC , along with other groups like VIEW PAC , Winning for Women , and Maggie ’ s List , have dedicated growing resources to this specific goal .
For Winning for Women , this year ’ s target is specific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a total of 20 Republican women , an initiative it calls “ 20 in 20.
” Much like how Emily ’ s List has operated on the left , these organizations are involved in recruitment and fundraising — providing endorsements in competitive primary races .
In the years to come , they hope to bolster such infrastructure to rival what Democrats have established in the last few decades .
“ In the 1980s , Democratic women looked around and said we ’ re really not being well represented in the party , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican Women for Progress .
“ We ’ ve realized that we have to build the same kind of tools ” as Emily ’ s List .
To do so , these organizations have worked to involve themselves at the primary level ; several say this has been key because that ’ s the point when women candidates have faced some of their biggest challenges , when it comes to both fundraising and garnering a broad base of support .
“ It has been harder for Republican women to make it through their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ideological biases of voters , ” says Rutgers University political science professor Kelly Dittmar .
Historically , voters tend to view women candidates as more moderate , a perception that can be detrimental in Republican primaries , which are more likely to attract more conservative voters on average .
This cycle , the groups have seen at least one victory : In Illinois ’ s 15th District , Mary Miller , who had the backing of Maggie ’ s List and the House Freedom Fund , won her primary earlier this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Rep. John Shimkus ’ s seat in the general election , which is considered safely Republican .
And according to Winning for Women , in a slew of other Republican primaries scheduled for later this year — including in New York ’ s 22nd District , Minnesota ’ s Seventh , and Texas ’ s 17th — a woman is viewed as a top contender .
A surge of women interested in running for office As groups have dialed up recruitment , there ’ s also been an influx of interest from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russo told NBC News that the Yale Campaign School saw triple the number of Republican women applying this year compared to the previous one .
Candidates have cited a few reasons for being motivated to run .
One is having been inspired by the surge of Democratic women candidates in 2018 ; another is feeling that their perspectives are not fully represented by current elected officials , something a group of Republican women candidates told NBC News last summer .
“ When I looked at our elected officials , I said too many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Valerie Ramirez Mukherjee , a business leader who ’ s running for a House seat in Illinois .
“ And they don ’ t have a background like mine , or a voice like mine , so I think this is the time.
” President Donald Trump has also played a role : Some candidates have said they are running because they ’ re interested in building on his legacy , while others hope to push back on it .
“ Some of them are aligned with the president , and some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ There are women from various states who feel very strongly about this administration , that they are headed in the right direction .
...
The other group is the complete opposite : ‘ I want my party back , and this administration does not represent my principles.
’ ‘ I ’ m a pro-choice Republican , and there ’ s no room for me.
’ ” Trump ’ s candidacy has complicated elections for some Republican women in the past .
And some who have vocalized their opposition to Trump have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roby was forced into a runoff election in 2018 , after she declined to support the president ’ s election in 2016 , for example .
And this year , she ’ s not running for reelection .
Former New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte also experienced backlash after she withdrew her Trump support in 2016 .
Conversely , some Republicans who have stood by the president , including Minnesota candidate Michelle Fischbach , have gone on to garner his backing in the process .
Depending on the district , this endorsement can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was evident in South Carolina ’ s First Congressional District , when Trump backed Katie Arrington over Rep. Mark Sanford in 2018 .
This cycle overall could feature better prospects for Republican candidates than the 2018 midterms ; multiple lawmakers are retiring , leaving some open Republican seats in contention .
“ We have more retirements this cycle on the Republican side than we have seen in an exceptionally long time , ” Julie Conway , the head of VIEW PAC , said .
“ Which means there are opportunities for Republican women.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roll Call , though , many Republican women candidates are also competing in tight battleground races that aren ’ t safely Republican .
Additionally , for multiple secure Republican seats , Gonzales notes , men are slated to be the GOP nominee .
The party ’ s approach to gender diversity is still lagging Ultimately , the push for advancing more women is existential for the GOP both because it needs more diversity in its policy perspectives , and because some women voters have been distancing themselves from the party in recent years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lagging in their efforts to be more inclusive .
This tension has been evident as members of the party have worked to change its messaging .
In 2018 , when Stefanik emphasized the need to recruit more women , she got pushback .
Initially , National Republican Congressional Committee ( NRCC ) Chair Tom Emmer noted that her move to engage in primaries and promote women candidates was “ a mistake , ” though he ’ s since backed this effort .
And as NBC News reports , Republican women continue to face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their candidacies , in ways that Democratic women do not .
For instance , Russo noted that many Republicans she ’ d work with for regional races would say , “ I ’ m not getting any kind of support from my local party.
” According to Republican Women for Progress , some of the people they ’ ve worked with haven ’ t been included in key debates or informed about endorsement decisions — and that in some races , the white male candidate is just assumed as the default party pick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chosen their favorite Greg or Mike , how are you supposed to raise enough money to get on everyone ’ s radar ?
” said Hill-Davis .
The rise of Republican women in leadership roles — and their decision to speak out on this subject — has contributed to changing attitudes , but the process is ongoing .
This has led some to feel the solution is to work independently of the party .
“ There are groups like ours who have realized we have to go outside the party structure ; I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at actually putting actions behind their tepid support , ” said Republican Women for Progress ’ s Jennifer Pierotti Lim .
Overall , advocates for expanding the roster of Republican women in Congress argue that the lack of representation in the party makes the GOP appear increasingly out of touch with a diverse electorate .
An inability to solve this issue could lead to a growing number of electoral losses , threatening potential Republican gains in Congress .
Promoting women within the party would not only add to the range of experiences that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could also give the GOP a big electoral boost with voters , especially women .
While the spike in candidate filings won ’ t necessarily translate to a massive increase in more women in Congress this fall , the interest it signals suggests there ’ s momentum the GOP could build on .
Doing so will require increased buy-in from party officials , but many organizations are hopeful that will come in time .
“ We were looking at trying to break down systems , ” says Hill-Davis .
“ This is lifetime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

Like the 2018 midterms, the 2020 elections feature a record number of women running for the House of Representatives, with one very notable difference: This year, there’s been a major uptick in the number of Republican as well as Democratic women candidates.
In 2018, 356 Democratic women pursued House seats, while 120 Republicans did, a huge increase over 2016, when 178 Democratic women and 95 Republican women ran. So far this year, both parties have seen this surge continue: 303 Democratic women have filed to run and 202 Republican women have, according to Rutgers University’s Center for American Women and Politics.
In fact, this cycle has seen the largest number of Republican women filing ever, surpassing the previous record of 133 that was set in 2010.
There are a couple of reasons for this uptick, according to experts. Among them: The infrastructure for recruiting Republican women has improved significantly, and the wave of Democratic women who won in 2018 was a key motivating factor.
“It was very much the year of the women on the left. If they can do it, so can we,” says Olivia Perez-Cubas, a spokesperson for Winning for Women, an organization dedicated to electing more Republican women.
Beyond the momentum prompted by Democrats’ success, Perez-Cubas emphasizes that Republicans also want to reverse a worrying trend. During the midterms, the number of Republican women in the House actually went down, from 23 to 13. Meanwhile, the number of Democrats increased from 64 to 89. “It all came to a head last cycle,” Perez-Cubas said. “Our numbers were just so bad.”
Relative to recent cycles, this year’s increase in candidate filings — even if it doesn’t result in the same degree of seat gains Democrats saw in 2018 — is significant for the Republican Party, which has historically struggled to bolster representation. In the past, gender parity has been a much greater focus for Democrats, while the GOP has shied away from efforts that have even a hint of identity politics.
“We’ve always had this challenge for 25 years — where are the Republican women?” says Patti Russo, the director of the Women’s Campaign School at Yale, a nonpartisan organization that provides election training. This year has felt different, however, she notes — and if this trend continues, it could mark an important shift in how representative the party is down the line.
A focus on recruiting more Republican women
A key factor that’s led to the surge of Republican women candidates this year is the investment in recruitment. In the wake of the 2018 election — when the numbers of Republican women in the House dramatically declined — prominent GOP lawmakers, including New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, made such efforts a top priority.
“We’re facing a crisis level of Republican women in Congress,” Stefanik said during an event in 2019.
To address this crisis, Stefanik’s Elevate PAC, along with other groups like VIEW PAC, Winning for Women, and Maggie’s List, have dedicated growing resources to this specific goal. For Winning for Women, this year’s target is specific: The group would like to elect a total of 20 Republican women, an initiative it calls “20 in 20.”
Much like how Emily’s List has operated on the left, these organizations are involved in recruitment and fundraising — providing endorsements in competitive primary races. In the years to come, they hope to bolster such infrastructure to rival what Democrats have established in the last few decades.
“In the 1980s, Democratic women looked around and said we’re really not being well represented in the party,” says Kodiak Hill-Davis, political director of Republican Women for Progress. “We’ve realized that we have to build the same kind of tools” as Emily’s List.
To do so, these organizations have worked to involve themselves at the primary level; several say this has been key because that’s the point when women candidates have faced some of their biggest challenges, when it comes to both fundraising and garnering a broad base of support.
“It has been harder for Republican women to make it through their primaries, and that goes back to the ideological biases of voters,” says Rutgers University political science professor Kelly Dittmar. Historically, voters tend to view women candidates as more moderate, a perception that can be detrimental in Republican primaries, which are more likely to attract more conservative voters on average.
This cycle, the groups have seen at least one victory: In Illinois’s 15th District, Mary Miller, who had the backing of Maggie’s List and the House Freedom Fund, won her primary earlier this year. She’s set to run for Rep. John Shimkus’s seat in the general election, which is considered safely Republican. And according to Winning for Women, in a slew of other Republican primaries scheduled for later this year — including in New York’s 22nd District, Minnesota’s Seventh, and Texas’s 17th — a woman is viewed as a top contender.
A surge of women interested in running for office
As groups have dialed up recruitment, there’s also been an influx of interest from Republican women in pursuing potential campaigns. Russo told NBC News that the Yale Campaign School saw triple the number of Republican women applying this year compared to the previous one.
Candidates have cited a few reasons for being motivated to run. One is having been inspired by the surge of Democratic women candidates in 2018; another is feeling that their perspectives are not fully represented by current elected officials, something a group of Republican women candidates told NBC News last summer.
“When I looked at our elected officials, I said too many people looked the same,” said Valerie Ramirez Mukherjee, a business leader who’s running for a House seat in Illinois. “And they don’t have a background like mine, or a voice like mine, so I think this is the time.”
President Donald Trump has also played a role: Some candidates have said they are running because they’re interested in building on his legacy, while others hope to push back on it.
“Some of them are aligned with the president, and some of them are not,” says Russo. “There are women from various states who feel very strongly about this administration, that they are headed in the right direction. ... The other group is the complete opposite: ‘I want my party back, and this administration does not represent my principles.’ ‘I’m a pro-choice Republican, and there’s no room for me.’”
Trump’s candidacy has complicated elections for some Republican women in the past. And some who have vocalized their opposition to Trump have faced difficult consequences: Alabama Rep. Martha Roby was forced into a runoff election in 2018, after she declined to support the president’s election in 2016, for example. And this year, she’s not running for reelection. Former New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte also experienced backlash after she withdrew her Trump support in 2016.
Conversely, some Republicans who have stood by the president, including Minnesota candidate Michelle Fischbach, have gone on to garner his backing in the process. Depending on the district, this endorsement can be extremely helpful during a primary, as was evident in South Carolina’s First Congressional District, when Trump backed Katie Arrington over Rep. Mark Sanford in 2018.
This cycle overall could feature better prospects for Republican candidates than the 2018 midterms; multiple lawmakers are retiring, leaving some open Republican seats in contention.
“We have more retirements this cycle on the Republican side than we have seen in an exceptionally long time,” Julie Conway, the head of VIEW PAC, said. “Which means there are opportunities for Republican women.”
As Nathan Gonzales has written for Roll Call, though, many Republican women candidates are also competing in tight battleground races that aren’t safely Republican. Additionally, for multiple secure Republican seats, Gonzales notes, men are slated to be the GOP nominee.
The party’s approach to gender diversity is still lagging
Ultimately, the push for advancing more women is existential for the GOP both because it needs more diversity in its policy perspectives, and because some women voters have been distancing themselves from the party in recent years. Republicans, however, are still lagging in their efforts to be more inclusive.
This tension has been evident as members of the party have worked to change its messaging. In 2018, when Stefanik emphasized the need to recruit more women, she got pushback. Initially, National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chair Tom Emmer noted that her move to engage in primaries and promote women candidates was “a mistake,” though he’s since backed this effort.
But NEWSFLASH I wasn’t asking for permission.
—>”If that’s what Elise wants to do, then that’s her call, her right...But I think that’s a mistake.” — Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) December 4, 2018
And as NBC News reports, Republican women continue to face institutional obstacles when it comes to elevating their candidacies, in ways that Democratic women do not. For instance, Russo noted that many Republicans she’d work with for regional races would say, “I’m not getting any kind of support from my local party.”
According to Republican Women for Progress, some of the people they’ve worked with haven’t been included in key debates or informed about endorsement decisions — and that in some races, the white male candidate is just assumed as the default party pick.
“If they’ve already chosen their favorite Greg or Mike, how are you supposed to raise enough money to get on everyone’s radar?” said Hill-Davis.
The rise of Republican women in leadership roles — and their decision to speak out on this subject — has contributed to changing attitudes, but the process is ongoing. This has led some to feel the solution is to work independently of the party.
“There are groups like ours who have realized we have to go outside the party structure; I think the party is still sorely lagging at actually putting actions behind their tepid support,” said Republican Women for Progress’s Jennifer Pierotti Lim.
Overall, advocates for expanding the roster of Republican women in Congress argue that the lack of representation in the party makes the GOP appear increasingly out of touch with a diverse electorate.
An inability to solve this issue could lead to a growing number of electoral losses, threatening potential Republican gains in Congress. Promoting women within the party would not only add to the range of experiences that are represented by its leaders — it could also give the GOP a big electoral boost with voters, especially women.
While the spike in candidate filings won’t necessarily translate to a massive increase in more women in Congress this fall, the interest it signals suggests there’s momentum the GOP could build on. Doing so will require increased buy-in from party officials, but many organizations are hopeful that will come in time.
“We were looking at trying to break down systems,” says Hill-Davis. “This is lifetime work.”


What day is it today?

Today is Wednesday , May 27 , 2020 , at least in the continental United States .
It is already Thursday , May 28 , in some parts of the world .
“ What Day Is It Today ?
” is two months old today !
Happy birthday , “ What Day Is It Today ?
” Accept no substitutes .
To some degree , time is an illusion .
We are bound by its forward passage , being the third-dimensional creatures we are , but the perceptions we have placed upon time have been invented .
Humans invented the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Humans invented the day , the hour , the minute , the second .
These distinctions are not arbitrary — it really does take about 365 days for the Earth to orbit the sun — but their creation was not inevitable .
Our numerical system is likely base-10 because we have 10 fingers ; the way we understand time is almost entirely dependent on the fact that we evolved on this planet , circling this sun .
Time , at least as we understand it , is also a byproduct of capitalism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Work-Discipline and Industrial Capitalism , ” E. P. Thompson notes that in early human cultures , delineations of time were broad understandings of when the sun came up and went down , when the seasons changed .
But as industrialization became the norm , time became a mechanized system that no longer served those who ’ d invented it .
We increasingly served at the beck and call of time , for that is how those who possessed capital could best regulate those who performed the labor .
For we are now at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ problem ” of leisure .
And a part of the problem is : how did it come to be a problem ?
Puritanism , in its marriage of convenience with industrial capitalism , was the agent which converted men to new valuations of time ; which taught children even in their infancy to improve each shining hour ; and which saturated men ’ s minds with the equation , time is money .
One recurrent form of revolt within Western industrial capitalism , whether bohemian or beatnik , has often taken the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ timevalues .
And the interesting question arises : if Puritanism was a necessary part of the work-ethos which enabled the industrialized world to break out of the poverty-stricken economies of the past , will the Puritan valuation of time begin to decompose as the pressures of poverty relax ?
Is it decomposing already ?
Will men begin to lose that restless urgency , that desire to consume time purposively , which most people carry just as they carry a watch on their wrists ?
But it remains that on some base level , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sun comes up , the sun goes down .
Though we might be inside , where that process is more difficult to witness , the fact of our insideness does not obscure the day and night cycle .
What is lost , as each day blends into the next , in vaguely similar ways , is the mechanistic definition of time , the capitalist definition of time , the industrial definition of time .
We do not know what day it is , but we do know when there is a new day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distinction .
There is a numbing effect that occurs when each day is the same , when our schedules are subsumed by what feels like an endless gulf of undifferentiated time .
And yet isn ’ t this how so many of the less privileged around the world , forced to work jobs involving menial labor , day after day after day , already live ?
Isn ’ t this why we invented the weekend ?
Has this quarantine simply shown to those of us with more economic privilege that our “ free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which could disappear before our eyes , by giving us so much “ free ” time ?
I have a wall calendar hanging above my desk , and when I need to orient myself in time , I look at it .
But even the usefulness of my calendar has started to fray around the edges .
I began writing this story because I couldn ’ t quite believe it was a Thursday , even as I knew it had to be a Thursday .
But it might as well not be .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ our sky until it sets in the west is a reality ; “ Thursday ” is an invention .
Is it still necessary ?
I don ’ t know .
I will update this article daily until we don ’ t need it anymore .
I hope there is a time when we know it is Thursday or Tuesday or June 17 without having to look at a calendar or ask each other or Google .
I hope there is a time when going outside to see the sun doesn ’ t feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radiation .
( I know I should be taking walks ; every time , I feel like I ’ m risking everything . )
I hope there is a time in which all this “ free ” time no longer feels like a period we must exploit for maximum value .
I hope there is a time when I remember what it ’ s like to grab lunch with a friend , to watch dogs play in the surf , to breathe in the air and just be .
Until then , find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for you .
Read a long book .
Cook an elaborate meal .
Take up knitting .
Write an epic poem .
Watch a TV show you ’ ve always meant to get to .
Sleep .
Remember that time doesn ’ t own you , and that you own time .
This will be over someday , a part of the past .
It will someday be a memory .
Hang on to that .
I ’ ll see you outside again .
For now , it is Wednesday , May 27 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world , it is Thursday , May 28 , 2020 .
Are you a “ What day is it today ?
” superfan ?
Check out our official theme song .
It ’ s written by composer Laura Stratford , and it is wonderful .

Today is Wednesday, July 1, 2020, at least in the continental United States. It is already Thursday, July 2, 2020, in some parts of the world. Life isn’t resuming gracefully, but the herky jerky train wreck of America’s reopening certainly speaks to some desire to exit this quarantine period. And so “What Day Is It Today” will exit the stage, too. For now, at least.
To some degree, time is an illusion. We are bound by its forward passage, being the third-dimensional creatures we are, but the perceptions we have placed upon time have been invented. Humans invented the year. Humans invented the month. Humans invented the day, the hour, the minute, the second.
These distinctions are not arbitrary — it really does take about 365 days for the Earth to orbit the sun — but their creation was not inevitable. Our numerical system is likely base-10 because we have 10 fingers; the way we understand time is almost entirely dependent on the fact that we evolved on this planet, circling this sun.
Time, at least as we understand it, is also a byproduct of capitalism. In his seminal 1967 economic paper “Work-Discipline and Industrial Capitalism,” E. P. Thompson notes that in early human cultures, delineations of time were broad understandings of when the sun came up and went down, when the seasons changed. But as industrialization became the norm, time became a mechanized system that no longer served those who’d invented it. We increasingly served at the beck and call of time, for that is how those who possessed capital could best regulate those who performed the labor.
Thompson writes:
For we are now at a point where sociologists are discussing the “problem” of leisure. And a part of the problem is: how did it come to be a problem ? Puritanism, in its marriage of convenience with industrial capitalism, was the agent which converted men to new valuations of time; which taught children even in their infancy to improve each shining hour; and which saturated men’s minds with the equation, time is money. One recurrent form of revolt within Western industrial capitalism, whether bohemian or beatnik, has often taken the form of flouting the urgency of respectable timevalues. And the interesting question arises: if Puritanism was a necessary part of the work-ethos which enabled the industrialized world to break out of the poverty-stricken economies of the past, will the Puritan valuation of time begin to decompose as the pressures of poverty relax? Is it decomposing already? Will men begin to lose that restless urgency, that desire to consume time purposively, which most people carry just as they carry a watch on their wrists?
But it remains that on some base level, we will always understand time. The sun comes up, the sun goes down. Though we might be inside, where that process is more difficult to witness, the fact of our insideness does not obscure the day and night cycle. What is lost, as each day blends into the next, in vaguely similar ways, is the mechanistic definition of time, the capitalist definition of time, the industrial definition of time. We do not know what day it is, but we do know when there is a new day.
To live inside is to lose distinction. There is a numbing effect that occurs when each day is the same, when our schedules are subsumed by what feels like an endless gulf of undifferentiated time. And yet isn’t this how so many of the less privileged around the world, forced to work jobs involving menial labor, day after day after day, already live? Isn’t this why we invented the weekend? Has this quarantine simply shown to those of us with more economic privilege that our “free time” was always a mirage, which could disappear before our eyes, by giving us so much “free” time?
I have a wall calendar hanging above my desk, and when I need to orient myself in time, I look at it. But even the usefulness of my calendar has started to fray around the edges. I began writing this story because I couldn’t quite believe it was a Thursday, even as I knew it had to be a Thursday. But it might as well not be. A cycle that bears the sun across our sky until it sets in the west is a reality; “Thursday” is an invention. Is it still necessary? I don’t know.
What’s important to remember is that time doesn’t own you. You own time. This will be over someday, a part of the past. It will someday be a memory. Hang on to that. I’ll see you outside again.
This story was originally published Friday, March 27, 2020.
Are you a “What day is it today?” superfan? Check out our official theme song. It’s written by composer Laura Stratford, and it is wonderful.