Vicious beatings. Rape. Cults. Methamphetamines. Runaways. Enforcers. Kidnappings. Guns. And…magazine subscriptions? It’s a bit of a long story, but The New York Times has a surreal article diving into the world of magazine crew, which hire runaways and delinquents to go door-to-door selling subscriptions, force them to do push-ups and sit-ups when they miss quota, and beat them when they try and leave. These crews are totally unregulated and basically off-the-radar, so little is known or seen until blood or bodies are left behind. And all this so Grandpa renews his subscription to Trout Fisher’s Monthly.

Ezra Klein is a former Prospect writer and current editor-in-chief at Vox. His work has appeared in the LA Times, The Guardian, The Washington Monthly, The New Republic, Slate, and The Columbia Journalism Review. He’s been a commentator on MSNBC, CNN, NPR, and more.