An excerpt from Slate -
In Praise of the Auntie
They’re the rule-breaking, adventure-taking, hug-dispensing women who make every family stronger.
Aunties are the rule-breakers. When they come over to babysit, the fancy dishes come out, the kitchen becomes a playground, and screen time and bedtime extend. They go on adventures, take my kids to slightly inappropriate movies and shows, and they expose them to new music. They are also the culture-keepers who can share family stories and the histories of our people. They are the oracles who answer questions children don’t want to ask their parents (sex! drugs!) and share knowledge about subjects children didn’t know existed. They see children as their own people, which enables them to talk to kids as whole individuals and understand what they are truly capable of. Parents say, “Let me help” and “That’s not safe.” Aunties just say, “Yes!” —maybe without even lifting their eyes up from the book they’re reading. They expand children’s internal and external boundaries.
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/family/2016/05/in_praise_of_the_auntie.html?sid=554654ea10defb39638b510d&wpsrc=newsletter_tis
Saturday, May 7, 2016
A love Letter to Nia
An excerpt from The Root -
When Nia Long Told Larry King That J. Cole Wasn’t Too Young, I Lost My Mind
Man, he had a shot.
To say that Nia Long is a national treasure is an understatement. Long has been a part of most of our lives since at least the mid-’90s, when she played Beulah “Lisa” Wilkes on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and when a visionary Ice Cube saw fit to cast her in cult classic Friday.
Thank you, Ice Cube.
And then there’s Love Jones. Because of course, Love Jones.
Since then, Long has been in movies, music videos, Target ... other stuff, basically. Nia Long needs no introduction. We all know who Nia Long is. Because she’s gorgeous and has been for a very long time and we love her, especially within the hip-hop community. Hip-hop loves Nia Long; I’d wear that as a T-shirt and use it as a bumper sticker for my car.
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2016/05/when_nia_long_told_larry_king_that_j_cole_wasn_t_too_young_i_lost_my_mind.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
When Nia Long Told Larry King That J. Cole Wasn’t Too Young, I Lost My Mind
Man, he had a shot.
 |
| Nia Long . . . Another example of "black don't crack." |
To say that Nia Long is a national treasure is an understatement. Long has been a part of most of our lives since at least the mid-’90s, when she played Beulah “Lisa” Wilkes on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and when a visionary Ice Cube saw fit to cast her in cult classic Friday.
Thank you, Ice Cube.
And then there’s Love Jones. Because of course, Love Jones.
Since then, Long has been in movies, music videos, Target ... other stuff, basically. Nia Long needs no introduction. We all know who Nia Long is. Because she’s gorgeous and has been for a very long time and we love her, especially within the hip-hop community. Hip-hop loves Nia Long; I’d wear that as a T-shirt and use it as a bumper sticker for my car.
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2016/05/when_nia_long_told_larry_king_that_j_cole_wasn_t_too_young_i_lost_my_mind.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
An Engineering Feat
http://www.wired.com/2016/05/fly-massive-tunnel-theyre-carving-seattle/?mbid=nl_5616
Friday, May 6, 2016
Quote
From Vox -
"If you had to choose a moment in human history to live — even if you didn’t know what gender or race, what nationality or sexual orientation you’d be — you’d choose now. There’s power in nostalgia, but the fact is the world is wealthier, healthier, better educated, less violent, more tolerant, more socially conscious and more attentive to the vulnerable than it has ever been." [Barack Obama to NYT / Philip Galanes]
http://www.vox.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/08/fashion/barack-obama-bryan-cranston-table-for-three.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Vox%20Sentences%205/6/16&utm_term=Vox%20Newsletter%20All&_r=0
Beautiful, Smart & Talented
http://nymag.com/thecut/2016/04/chloe-halle-bailey-beyonce-generation-c-v-r.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Vox%20Sentences%205/6/16&utm_term=Vox%20Newsletter%20All
Let's Here It For Cooking Grandmas
Grandmas Project – Teaser from Chaï Chaï Films on Vimeo.
(If the video clip is missing, you can find it in the article linked below.)
https://www.good.is/articles/grandmas-project-jonas-pariente-kickstarter?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailygood
~~~~~~~~~~
Side note - I can be described in many ways - loud, opinionated, someone who loves to laugh, but a good cook would not be listed. In fact, cooking is one of my least favorite things to do. Do I shy away from it because I'm not good at it, or am I not good at it because I don't do it much?
Who knows?
Who cares, right?
Anyway, heads up Ben and Frankie.
If you consider doing a project like this involving me, you'll have to come from a different angle.
But you knew that already, huh?
(If the video clip is missing, you can find it in the article linked below.)
https://www.good.is/articles/grandmas-project-jonas-pariente-kickstarter?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailygood
~~~~~~~~~~
Side note - I can be described in many ways - loud, opinionated, someone who loves to laugh, but a good cook would not be listed. In fact, cooking is one of my least favorite things to do. Do I shy away from it because I'm not good at it, or am I not good at it because I don't do it much?
Who knows?
Who cares, right?
Anyway, heads up Ben and Frankie.
If you consider doing a project like this involving me, you'll have to come from a different angle.
But you knew that already, huh?
More Mom Tributes
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/nba-players-mothers-day_us_572a2f81e4b016f378945d90
Message to His Mom
From The Root -
~~~~~~~~~~
This clip is from a couple of years ago, but its message is timeless. He begins talking about his Mom at 2:25.
The Real MVP: TV Movie About Wanda Durant’s Life Offers a Powerful Tribute to Single Moms
She was made famous by an emotional MVP speech given by her son, NBA star Kevin Durant. Now she’s the subject of a Lifetime TV movie.
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2016/05/the_real_mvp_tv_movie_about_wanda_durant_s_life_offers_a_powerful_tribute.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
~~~~~~~~~~
This clip is from a couple of years ago, but its message is timeless. He begins talking about his Mom at 2:25.
Mugs, Mugs, Mugs
From Atlas Obscura - A house covered in cups!
http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-house-of-mugs?utm_source=Atlas+Obscura&utm_campaign=15f427b1b7-Newsletter_5_6_20165_5_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_62ba9246c0-15f427b1b7-59905913&ct=t(Newsletter_5_6_20165_5_2016)&mc_cid=15f427b1b7&mc_eid=866176a63f
Reading Matters
An excerpt from Salon -
Why every parent should read to their kids
Why every parent should read to their kids
Research indicates shared reading can strengthen a child's vocabulary and listening skills, among other benefits
~~~~~~~~~~
British researcher Don Holdaway was the first to point out the benefits of shared reading. He noted that children found these moments to be some of their happiest. He also found that children developed positive and strong associations with spoken language and the physical book itself, during these moments.
Since then a number of studies have been conducted showing the value of shared reading in children’s language development, especially in vocabulary and concept development.
http://www.salon.com/2016/05/06/why_every_parent_should_read_to_their_child_partner/?source=newsletter
Not All Created Equal
Toilets around the world.
They are definitely not all created equal.
http://matadornetwork.com/life/infographic-heres-international-bathroom-guide-youve-waiting/?utm_source=Traverse&utm_campaign=6908aa1369-Thursday_April_14_Traverse&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c4e20459d5-6908aa1369-80146797
Thursday, May 5, 2016
Help Wanted: Lego Engineers
An excerpt from Atlas Obscura -
LEGO is the biggest toy brand in the world, thanks in part to its many licenses (Star Wars, Harry Potter, everything) and digital products, but their good old plastic building brick sets are still the core of the company. At any given time, the company website offers hundreds of jobs, at locations all over the world. If you’re looking for that new dream job with your favorite toy company, we sifted through the jobs available on their website right now, and picked out the coolest ones that you could apply for right now.
~~~~~~~~~~
Job: Head of Large Scale Model DesignWhere: Kladno, Czech Republic
5 Amazing LEGO Jobs Currently Open
If you're tired of your day job, there are hundreds of careers available with LEGO.
LEGO is the biggest toy brand in the world, thanks in part to its many licenses (Star Wars, Harry Potter, everything) and digital products, but their good old plastic building brick sets are still the core of the company. At any given time, the company website offers hundreds of jobs, at locations all over the world. If you’re looking for that new dream job with your favorite toy company, we sifted through the jobs available on their website right now, and picked out the coolest ones that you could apply for right now.
~~~~~~~~~~
Job: Head of Large Scale Model DesignWhere: Kladno, Czech Republic
In a nutshell: Ever see those large-scale LEGO models at malls or comic-cons that use an unfathomable amount of bricks to create a life-size Batman, or scale model of the Sphinx? Well this job lets you come up with, design, and implement such monumental, one of a kind builds. You would get to play with an infinite amount of LEGO to build things as large and crazy as you can imagine.
http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/5-amazing-lego-jobs-currently-open?utm_source=Atlas+Obscura&utm_campaign=e20c81fa08-Newsletter_5_5_20165_4_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_62ba9246c0-e20c81fa08-59905913&ct=t(Newsletter_5_5_20165_4_2016)&mc_cid=e20c81fa08&mc_eid=866176a63f
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
You Might Reconsider
An excerpt from Good -
Why Ugly Apples Taste Yummier—And May Be Better For You
Do you overlook scarred, pockmarked fruits and veggies while hunting for perfect produce? If so, you’re not alone, but new research suggests you might want to rethink your shopping strategy.
There is mounting evidence that when apples fight off disease, pests and other stressors—the cause of unsightly scabs, blisters and misshapen fruit—they develop more healthy antioxidants, including polyphenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins.
https://www.good.is/articles/ugly-apples-taste-better-less-waste?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailygood
Hounded by the FBI
Excerpts from The Root -
Director Steve McQueen’s Art Project Offers a Haunting Look at the FBI Surveillance of Paul Robeson
When director Steve McQueen was 14, a neighbor introduced him to the work of Paul Robeson. McQueen was initially intrigued by the legendary performer and activist’s commanding presence, and he began to research his career. He, like many others who have studied Robeson, was amazed. Of the level of inspiration, he said that “it was a like a whale rising from the sea.”
~~~~~~~~~~
About six years ago he embarked on a project about Robeson. Titled End Credits, like the final roll of a movie, McQueen’s project is plaintive, compelling and exhaustive. He takes reams of reports from FBI surveillance and scrolls them on a screen as male and female actors do voice-overs of the reports. Initially a three-hour installation, the current iteration is 11 hours long and is on view at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City until May 14 as part of its “Open Plan” exhibition series. The series offers pop-up exhibits to leading artists and musicians in its fifth-floor Neil Bluhm Family Gallery.
~~~~~~~~~~
It's absolutely astonishing,” said McQueen during the museum’s opening-night Q&A session Friday about the breadth and detail of the FBI monitoring of Robeson, noting that even leisure activities were reported on and that surveillance of the legend’s associates continued for two years after his death in 1976.
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2016/05/director_steve_mcqueen_s_art_project_offers_a_haunting_look_at_the_fbi_surveillance.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
Director Steve McQueen’s Art Project Offers a Haunting Look at the FBI Surveillance of Paul Robeson
Working on the project, now on display at the Whitney Museum in New York City, inspired the 12 Years a Slave filmmaker to begin making a biopic of the legendary performer and activist.
~~~~~~~~~~
When director Steve McQueen was 14, a neighbor introduced him to the work of Paul Robeson. McQueen was initially intrigued by the legendary performer and activist’s commanding presence, and he began to research his career. He, like many others who have studied Robeson, was amazed. Of the level of inspiration, he said that “it was a like a whale rising from the sea.”
~~~~~~~~~~
About six years ago he embarked on a project about Robeson. Titled End Credits, like the final roll of a movie, McQueen’s project is plaintive, compelling and exhaustive. He takes reams of reports from FBI surveillance and scrolls them on a screen as male and female actors do voice-overs of the reports. Initially a three-hour installation, the current iteration is 11 hours long and is on view at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City until May 14 as part of its “Open Plan” exhibition series. The series offers pop-up exhibits to leading artists and musicians in its fifth-floor Neil Bluhm Family Gallery.
~~~~~~~~~~
It's absolutely astonishing,” said McQueen during the museum’s opening-night Q&A session Friday about the breadth and detail of the FBI monitoring of Robeson, noting that even leisure activities were reported on and that surveillance of the legend’s associates continued for two years after his death in 1976.
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2016/05/director_steve_mcqueen_s_art_project_offers_a_haunting_look_at_the_fbi_surveillance.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
Where's the Love?
An excerpt from Salon -
More popular than Reagan: The press refuses to give Obama his due
The president's approval rating just hit a three-year high. Maybe America isn't really on the brink of disaster
~~~~~~~~~~
For a leader regularly written off by the press as a lame duck 18 months ago, President Obama has tallied some major wins during his second term, and voters have taken notice. He’s normalized relations with Cuba, implemented a historic Iranian nuclear deal, signed a global climate pact with nearly 200 nations, overseen the continued success of Obamacare, all while the economy has recorded 73 straight months of job growth.
No wonder that polls point toward a Democrat succeeding him in the White House.
So why isn’t there more media credit directed his way? Is the press making the mistake of reading off the Republican campaign script this year, which insists America is teetering on collapse? (Obama joked at the White House Correspondents Dinner: “The end of the Republic has never looked better.”)
http://www.salon.com/2016/05/04/more_popular_than_reagan_the_press_refuses_to_give_obama_his_due_partner/?source=newsletter
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
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