October 2020

by Don DeLillo,

[Letter from Minneapolis]

On Justice and Open Debate

by Harper’s Magazine,

Harper’s Magazine welcomes reader response.

Email us about articles in the magazine.

[Harper’s Index]

Maximum number of hours by which the irrational behavior of animals has been observed to predict a major earthquake : 20

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of registered U.S. voters who said in 2016 they would consider moving to Canada if Donald Trump were elected : 28

[Harper’s Index]

Number of Americans who have done so since then : 33,965

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage change in the win rate of professional soccer teams playing at home when the stadium is empty : -23

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum number of recording artists who have sent cease-and-desist letters to the Trump campaign for using their music at rallies : 9

[Harper’s Index]

Factor by which white players are more likely than black players to be praised for their hard work on European soccer broadcasts : 1.5

[Harper’s Index]

By which black players are more likely to be praised for their strength : 6.6

[Harper’s Index]

Estimated number of Americans who have participated in Black Lives Matter protests this year : 15,000,000

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which the annual number of people killed by U.S. police officers has fallen in rural areas since 2013 : 29

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum number of trademark applications for Black Lives Matter that were filed following George Floyd’s death : 26

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of white Americans who say the benefits of experimental medical treatments outweigh the risks : 2/3

[Harper’s Index]

Of black Americans who say the risks outweigh the benefits : 2/3

[Harper’s Index]

Date on which the FDA approved the first prescription video game, for the treatment of ADHD : 6/15/2020

[Harper’s Index]

Factor by which the portion of Americans who believe that polygamy is morally acceptable has increased since 2005 : 4

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans aged 20 to 31 who violated stay-at-home orders in April to have sex : 1/4

[Harper’s Index]

Number of countries whose governments have released contact-tracing apps : 47

[Harper’s Index]

Amount that Qataris are fined for failing to download their government’s app : $55,000

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum number of Colombians killed by drug cartels or paramilitary groups for failing to observe social distancing : 8

[Harper’s Index]

Amount Uzbekistan is offering to compensate foreigners who contract COVID-19 while visiting the country : $3,000

[Harper’s Index]

Amount the United States has received in coronavirus-related humanitarian aid from Lithuania : $113,690

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which the U.S. Mint has increased coin production since June in response to shortages : 65

[Harper’s Index]

Number of additional coins it is producing each month : 650,000,000

[Harper’s Index]

Chance that a packaged food, beverage, or household good is out of stock in a U.S. supermarket : 1 in 10

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which Dollar General’s stock price has increased since the start of the pandemic : 23

[Harper’s Index]

Chance that a U.S. household missed a rent or mortgage payment in July : 1 in 3

[Harper’s Index]

Estimated percentage decrease in the money that migrant workers from low- and middle-income countries will send home this year : 20

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum number of fossil-fuel companies that have received COVID-19 relief aid from the U.S. government : 7,283

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum value of stimulus checks sent to deceased Americans this spring : $1,600,000,000

[Harper’s Index]

Amount of those payments that the federal government has yet to recover : $600,000,000

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of American households that have spent their stimulus checks : 70

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of U.S. adults who have delayed or are considering delaying retirement because of the pandemic : 2/5

[Harper’s Index]

Of U.S. women aged 18 to 49 who plan to postpone or forgo pregnancy : 1/3

[Harper’s Index]

Estimated number of British smokers who have quit since the pandemic began : 1,000,000

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which someone with Neanderthal genes is more likely to suffer severe respiratory illness from COVID-19 : 70

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which unprovoked shark attacks on humans outnumbered provoked attacks last year : 56

[Harper’s Index]

Maximum number of hours by which the irrational behavior of animals has been observed to predict a major earthquake : 20

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of registered U.S. voters who said in 2016 they would consider moving to Canada if Donald Trump were elected : 28

[Harper’s Index]

Number of Americans who have done so since then : 33,965

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage change in the win rate of professional soccer teams playing at home when the stadium is empty : -23

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum number of recording artists who have sent cease-and-desist letters to the Trump campaign for using their music at rallies : 9

[Harper’s Index]

Factor by which white players are more likely than black players to be praised for their hard work on European soccer broadcasts : 1.5

[Harper’s Index]

By which black players are more likely to be praised for their strength : 6.6

[Harper’s Index]

Estimated number of Americans who have participated in Black Lives Matter protests this year : 15,000,000

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which the annual number of people killed by U.S. police officers has fallen in rural areas since 2013 : 29

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum number of trademark applications for Black Lives Matter that were filed following George Floyd’s death : 26

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of white Americans who say the benefits of experimental medical treatments outweigh the risks : 2/3

[Harper’s Index]

Of black Americans who say the risks outweigh the benefits : 2/3

[Harper’s Index]

Date on which the FDA approved the first prescription video game, for the treatment of ADHD : 6/15/2020

[Harper’s Index]

Factor by which the portion of Americans who believe that polygamy is morally acceptable has increased since 2005 : 4

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans aged 20 to 31 who violated stay-at-home orders in April to have sex : 1/4

[Harper’s Index]

Number of countries whose governments have released contact-tracing apps : 47

[Harper’s Index]

Amount that Qataris are fined for failing to download their government’s app : $55,000

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum number of Colombians killed by drug cartels or paramilitary groups for failing to observe social distancing : 8

[Harper’s Index]

Amount Uzbekistan is offering to compensate foreigners who contract COVID-19 while visiting the country : $3,000

[Harper’s Index]

Amount the United States has received in coronavirus-related humanitarian aid from Lithuania : $113,690

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which the U.S. Mint has increased coin production since June in response to shortages : 65

[Harper’s Index]

Number of additional coins it is producing each month : 650,000,000

[Harper’s Index]

Chance that a packaged food, beverage, or household good is out of stock in a U.S. supermarket : 1 in 10

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which Dollar General’s stock price has increased since the start of the pandemic : 23

[Harper’s Index]

Chance that a U.S. household missed a rent or mortgage payment in July : 1 in 3

[Harper’s Index]

Estimated percentage decrease in the money that migrant workers from low- and middle-income countries will send home this year : 20

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum number of fossil-fuel companies that have received COVID-19 relief aid from the U.S. government : 7,283

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum value of stimulus checks sent to deceased Americans this spring : $1,600,000,000

[Harper’s Index]

Amount of those payments that the federal government has yet to recover : $600,000,000

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of American households that have spent their stimulus checks : 70

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of U.S. adults who have delayed or are considering delaying retirement because of the pandemic : 2/5

[Harper’s Index]

Of U.S. women aged 18 to 49 who plan to postpone or forgo pregnancy : 1/3

[Harper’s Index]

Estimated number of British smokers who have quit since the pandemic began : 1,000,000

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which someone with Neanderthal genes is more likely to suffer severe respiratory illness from COVID-19 : 70

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which unprovoked shark attacks on humans outnumbered provoked attacks last year : 56

[Harper’s Index]

Maximum number of hours by which the irrational behavior of animals has been observed to predict a major earthquake : 20

Readings

[Essay]

B-Sighs

by Lucy Sante,

Area code, a painting by Ena Swansea, whose work was on view in January at Robilant + Voena Gallery, in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

A photograph of thermal blankets insulating an ice grotto tourist attraction in the Rhône Glacier, in Switzerland, by Simon Norfolk and Klaus Thymann. Their work is on view this month at BredaPhoto, in Breda, the Netherlands.

Roma, Testaccio, a painting by Los Bravú (the artists Dea Gómez and Diego Omil), whose work was on view in March at Volta New York.

“Valinda, Los Angeles 7/18/1981,” a photograph by Simone Kappeler, from her monograph Simone Kappeler–America 1981, which was published in August by Scheidegger and Spiess.

Area code, a painting by Ena Swansea, whose work was on view in January at Robilant + Voena Gallery, in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

Roma, Testaccio, a painting by Los Bravú (the artists Dea Gómez and Diego Omil), whose work was on view in March at Volta New York.

“Valinda, Los Angeles 7/18/1981,” a photograph by Simone Kappeler, from her monograph Simone Kappeler–America 1981, which was published in August by Scheidegger and Spiess.