Saturday, March 11, 2017
General Jeff
From OZY -
THE 'MAYOR' OF SKID ROW WANTS TO BRING DOWN THE WHOLE SYSTEM
By Jemayel Khawaja
General Jeff, legally known as Jeff Page, was a three-sport athlete at Compton High School and a pioneering contributor to the West Coast hip-hop scene in the early 1990s, performing as a DJ and in pop-and-lock dance troupes, and mingling with the likes of Snoop Dogg and DJ Quik. After trying and failing to mediate peace between the Crips and Bloods in his hometown of South LA, Page fell upon hard times in 2006. “I was homeless in South Central Los Angeles, sleeping in abandoned houses, warehouses, outdoors,” he tells me. “Burnt out, down and out, I showed up on Skid Row rolling a suitcase with some clothes, an Akai drum machine and a thousand dollars in my sock.” He felt like Skid Row could use his help. “I know it was an extreme thing to do,” he says. “I have no idea where the impetus came from.”
Page moved to a single room occupancy building on Skid Row within months. In the meantime, he familiarized himself with “the lingo, the movements, the thought process” of his new neighbors, looking for a way to improve the lives of the people around him. He noticed streetlights were broken, which created a dark and dangerous atmosphere at night and paved the way for unsavory activities. After manually gathering data on the lights, Page ambushed the head of the Bureau of Street Lighting with his findings. Two days later, government trucks rolled up to repair the broken lights. “I felt really good that day,” Page recollects. “That night — lights! We could see! The drug dealers were pissed!”
http://www.ozy.com/rising-stars/the-mayor-of-skid-row-wants-to-bring-down-the-whole-system/70838
THE 'MAYOR' OF SKID ROW WANTS TO BRING DOWN THE WHOLE SYSTEM
By Jemayel Khawaja
General Jeff, legally known as Jeff Page, was a three-sport athlete at Compton High School and a pioneering contributor to the West Coast hip-hop scene in the early 1990s, performing as a DJ and in pop-and-lock dance troupes, and mingling with the likes of Snoop Dogg and DJ Quik. After trying and failing to mediate peace between the Crips and Bloods in his hometown of South LA, Page fell upon hard times in 2006. “I was homeless in South Central Los Angeles, sleeping in abandoned houses, warehouses, outdoors,” he tells me. “Burnt out, down and out, I showed up on Skid Row rolling a suitcase with some clothes, an Akai drum machine and a thousand dollars in my sock.” He felt like Skid Row could use his help. “I know it was an extreme thing to do,” he says. “I have no idea where the impetus came from.”
Page moved to a single room occupancy building on Skid Row within months. In the meantime, he familiarized himself with “the lingo, the movements, the thought process” of his new neighbors, looking for a way to improve the lives of the people around him. He noticed streetlights were broken, which created a dark and dangerous atmosphere at night and paved the way for unsavory activities. After manually gathering data on the lights, Page ambushed the head of the Bureau of Street Lighting with his findings. Two days later, government trucks rolled up to repair the broken lights. “I felt really good that day,” Page recollects. “That night — lights! We could see! The drug dealers were pissed!”
http://www.ozy.com/rising-stars/the-mayor-of-skid-row-wants-to-bring-down-the-whole-system/70838
Biracial Twins
From the Daily Kos -
Biracial twins are the universe's beautiful answer to white supremacists
By Walter Einenkel
http://m.dailykos.com/story/2017/3/10/1642217/-Biracial-twins-are-the-universe-s-beautiful-answer-to-white-supremacists?detail=email&link_id=1&can_id=8bda5eb174a253edad76f618fda958b7&source=email-biracial-twins-are-the-universes-beautiful-answer-to-white-supremacists-2&email_referrer=biracial-twins-are-the-universes-beautiful-answer-to-white-supremacists-2&email_subject=biracial-twins-are-the-universes-beautiful-answer-to-white-supremacists
Biracial twins are the universe's beautiful answer to white supremacists
By Walter Einenkel
 |
| Lucy and Maria Aylmer are twins, born at the same time from the same parents |
HBCU Rugby Team
Frankie, this one's for you.
From the Odyssey -
At Morehouse College
The Black Sabers: The First All-Male HBCU Rugby Team
The Black Sabers have become the first all-male HBCU rugby team. Beyond breaking barriers as an HBCU rugby team, the Black Sabers have established themselves as a serious threat on the field. Just within the past season the team has defeated Georgia Tech and Emory University. With these victories the team has laid claim as rugby’s “best in Atlanta”. The Black Sabers went on to finish 5-2 in division play. The team placed second in their division after only their second year in the National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO).
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/the-black-sabers-the-first-all-male-hbcu-rugby-team
From the Odyssey -
At Morehouse College
The Black Sabers: The First All-Male HBCU Rugby Team
The Black Sabers have become the first all-male HBCU rugby team. Beyond breaking barriers as an HBCU rugby team, the Black Sabers have established themselves as a serious threat on the field. Just within the past season the team has defeated Georgia Tech and Emory University. With these victories the team has laid claim as rugby’s “best in Atlanta”. The Black Sabers went on to finish 5-2 in division play. The team placed second in their division after only their second year in the National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO).
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/the-black-sabers-the-first-all-male-hbcu-rugby-team
Small Stars
From the Daily Mail -
The long and short of our biggest stars: Which British actors are big on talent but small of stature?
By Richard Price
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4302736/Which-actors-big-talent-small-stature.html#ixzz4b24o0E9e
The long and short of our biggest stars: Which British actors are big on talent but small of stature?
By Richard Price
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4302736/Which-actors-big-talent-small-stature.html#ixzz4b24o0E9e
Spring Forward
From Vox -
Daylight saving time begins Sunday: 6 things to know about “springing forward”
Why do we need to “save” daylight hours during the summer? — and 5 other burning questions about DST, answered.
By Brian Resnick
At 2 am on Sunday, March 12, we will push our clocks forward one hour to mark the start of daylight saving time. The change will push sunsets later into the evening hours, at the cost of temporarily disrupting the sleep of millions of Americans.
There’s a lot of confusion about daylight saving time.
http://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/3/10/14883576/daylight-saving-time-2017-start-spring-forward
Daylight saving time begins Sunday: 6 things to know about “springing forward”
Why do we need to “save” daylight hours during the summer? — and 5 other burning questions about DST, answered.
By Brian Resnick
At 2 am on Sunday, March 12, we will push our clocks forward one hour to mark the start of daylight saving time. The change will push sunsets later into the evening hours, at the cost of temporarily disrupting the sleep of millions of Americans.
There’s a lot of confusion about daylight saving time.
http://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/3/10/14883576/daylight-saving-time-2017-start-spring-forward
Friday, March 10, 2017
Prized Degree
From the Guardian -
PPE: the Oxford degree that runs Britain
Oxford University graduates in philosophy, politics, and economics make up an astonishing proportion of Britain’s elite. But has it produced an out-of-touch ruling class?
by Andy Beckett
Monday, 13 April 2015 was a typical day in modern British politics. An Oxford University graduate in philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE), Ed Miliband, launched the Labour party’s general election manifesto. It was examined by the BBC’s political editor, Oxford PPE graduate Nick Robinson, by the BBC’s economics editor, Oxford PPE graduate Robert Peston, and by the director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Oxford PPE graduate Paul Johnson. It was criticized by the prime minister, Oxford PPE graduate David Cameron. It was defended by the Labour shadow chancellor, Oxford PPE graduate Ed Balls.
~~~~~~~~~~
More than any other course at any other university, more than any revered or resented private school, and in a manner probably unmatched in any other democracy, Oxford PPE pervades British political life. From the right to the left, from the centre ground to the fringes, from analysts to protagonists, consensus-seekers to revolutionary activists, environmentalists to ultra-capitalists, statists to libertarians, elitists to populists, bureaucrats to spin doctors, bullies to charmers, successive networks of PPEists have been at work at all levels of British politics – sometimes prominently, sometimes more quietly – since the degree was established 97 years ago.
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/feb/23/ppe-oxford-university-degree-that-rules-britain
PPE: the Oxford degree that runs Britain
Oxford University graduates in philosophy, politics, and economics make up an astonishing proportion of Britain’s elite. But has it produced an out-of-touch ruling class?
by Andy Beckett
Monday, 13 April 2015 was a typical day in modern British politics. An Oxford University graduate in philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE), Ed Miliband, launched the Labour party’s general election manifesto. It was examined by the BBC’s political editor, Oxford PPE graduate Nick Robinson, by the BBC’s economics editor, Oxford PPE graduate Robert Peston, and by the director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Oxford PPE graduate Paul Johnson. It was criticized by the prime minister, Oxford PPE graduate David Cameron. It was defended by the Labour shadow chancellor, Oxford PPE graduate Ed Balls.
~~~~~~~~~~
More than any other course at any other university, more than any revered or resented private school, and in a manner probably unmatched in any other democracy, Oxford PPE pervades British political life. From the right to the left, from the centre ground to the fringes, from analysts to protagonists, consensus-seekers to revolutionary activists, environmentalists to ultra-capitalists, statists to libertarians, elitists to populists, bureaucrats to spin doctors, bullies to charmers, successive networks of PPEists have been at work at all levels of British politics – sometimes prominently, sometimes more quietly – since the degree was established 97 years ago.
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/feb/23/ppe-oxford-university-degree-that-rules-britain
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Tiny Homes for Vets
From Good -
Volunteers Constructed An Entire Community To House Homeless Veterans
by Penn Collins
Many veterans sacrifice comfortable, lucrative lives to protect the liberties of their home country—only to find nothing left of those former lives when they return. In the face of rising veteran homelessness rates, due in part to inadequate medical and psychological resources, Missouri volunteers pooled their creativity, time, and money to create a community that welcomes veterans, completely free of charge.
The Veterans Community Project created Veterans Village, which sits on four acres of land outside of Kansas City and consists of 50 tiny homes, complete with bathrooms, kitchens, sleeping, and living areas.
The community is strategically situated near an outreach center which provides social and medical services to the residents and other veterans. A community center intended for more socializing and recreation is also in the works.
https://www.good.is/articles/veteran-home-community
Volunteers Constructed An Entire Community To House Homeless Veterans
by Penn Collins
Many veterans sacrifice comfortable, lucrative lives to protect the liberties of their home country—only to find nothing left of those former lives when they return. In the face of rising veteran homelessness rates, due in part to inadequate medical and psychological resources, Missouri volunteers pooled their creativity, time, and money to create a community that welcomes veterans, completely free of charge.
The Veterans Community Project created Veterans Village, which sits on four acres of land outside of Kansas City and consists of 50 tiny homes, complete with bathrooms, kitchens, sleeping, and living areas.
The community is strategically situated near an outreach center which provides social and medical services to the residents and other veterans. A community center intended for more socializing and recreation is also in the works.
https://www.good.is/articles/veteran-home-community
LSAT Not Required
From the Washington Post -
Harvard Law School will no longer require the LSAT for admission
By Susan Svrluga
For 70 years, the LSAT has been a rite of passage to legal education, a test designed to gauge students’ ability to learn the law.
But its dominance could change. Beginning this fall, Harvard Law School will allow applicants to submit their scores from either the Graduate Record Examination or the Law School Admission Test.
The dramatic change in admissions, a pilot program at Harvard, is part of a broader strategy at the school to expand access. Because many students consider graduate school as well as law school, and because the GRE is offered often and in many places around the world, the decision could make it easier and less expensive for people to apply, school officials said.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2017/03/08/harvard-law-school-will-no-longer-require-the-lsat-for-admission/?hpid=hp_hp-cards_hp-card-national%3Ahomepage%2Fcard&utm_term=.f2300c2774d6
Harvard Law School will no longer require the LSAT for admission
By Susan Svrluga
For 70 years, the LSAT has been a rite of passage to legal education, a test designed to gauge students’ ability to learn the law.
But its dominance could change. Beginning this fall, Harvard Law School will allow applicants to submit their scores from either the Graduate Record Examination or the Law School Admission Test.
The dramatic change in admissions, a pilot program at Harvard, is part of a broader strategy at the school to expand access. Because many students consider graduate school as well as law school, and because the GRE is offered often and in many places around the world, the decision could make it easier and less expensive for people to apply, school officials said.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2017/03/08/harvard-law-school-will-no-longer-require-the-lsat-for-admission/?hpid=hp_hp-cards_hp-card-national%3Ahomepage%2Fcard&utm_term=.f2300c2774d6
Jihad Against Regulations
From Wired -
Want to Gut Emission Rules? Prepare for War With California
By Alex Davies
IN ITS ONGOING jihad against federal regulations, the Trump administration has indicated some interest in targeting the ones that attempt to fight climate change. First in its sights: a funky law that gives the state of California the right to make its own rules on automotive emissions. But because of the way laws and business work, the California exemption is one of the most powerful environmental tools in the world.
So California’s not going down without a fight.
A quick history lesson: When legislators wrote the 1963 Clean Air Act, they acknowledged that California already had pollution-fighting rules, and that its environmental situation was especially dire. So they gave the state the right to write its own, stricter standards.
“It’s hard to overstate how important the ability for California to set its standards has been to public health and clean air over the past 40 years,” says Don Anair, deputy director for the clean vehicles program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. “Time and again, California’s been willing and able to move forward.”
https://www.wired.com/2017/03/want-gut-emission-rules-prepare-war-california/
Want to Gut Emission Rules? Prepare for War With California
By Alex Davies
IN ITS ONGOING jihad against federal regulations, the Trump administration has indicated some interest in targeting the ones that attempt to fight climate change. First in its sights: a funky law that gives the state of California the right to make its own rules on automotive emissions. But because of the way laws and business work, the California exemption is one of the most powerful environmental tools in the world.
So California’s not going down without a fight.
A quick history lesson: When legislators wrote the 1963 Clean Air Act, they acknowledged that California already had pollution-fighting rules, and that its environmental situation was especially dire. So they gave the state the right to write its own, stricter standards.
“It’s hard to overstate how important the ability for California to set its standards has been to public health and clean air over the past 40 years,” says Don Anair, deputy director for the clean vehicles program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. “Time and again, California’s been willing and able to move forward.”
https://www.wired.com/2017/03/want-gut-emission-rules-prepare-war-california/
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