An excerpt from The New York Times -
What Was the Greatest Era for Innovation? A Brief Guided Tour
Which was a more important innovation: indoor
plumbing, jet air travel or mobile phones?
By NEIL IRWIN MAY 13, 2016
We’re in the golden age of innovation, an era in which digital technology is transforming the underpinnings of human existence. Or so a techno-optimist might argue.
We’re in a depressing era in which innovation has slowed and living standards are barely rising. That’s what some skeptical economists believe.
The truth is, this isn’t a debate that can be settled objectively. Which was a more important innovation: indoor plumbing, jet air travel or mobile phones? You could argue for any of them, and data can tell plenty of different stories depending on how you look at it. Productivity statistics or information on inflation-adjusted incomes is helpful, but can’t really tell you whether the advent of air-conditioning or the Internet did more to improve humanity’s quality of life.
We thought a better way to understand the significance of technological change would be to walk through how Americans lived, ate, traveled, and clothed and entertained themselves in 1870, 1920, 1970 and the present. This tour is both inspired by and reliant on Robert J. Gordon’s authoritative examination of innovation through the ages, “The Rise and Fall of American Growth,” published this year. These are portraits of each point in time, culled from Mr. Gordon’s research; you can decide for yourself which era is truly most transformative.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/15/upshot/what-was-the-greatest-era-for-american-innovation-a-brief-guided-tour.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage®ion=CColumn&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&src=me&WT.nav=MostEmailed&_r=0
Saturday, May 14, 2016
When Schools Allow Creativity & Innovation
From Stanford Magazine -
IMAGINE WALKING INTO A HIGH SCHOOL classroom and, instead of rows of desks and chairs facing a whiteboard, you see workbenches. Stationed around the room is an array of machines: a 3-D printer, a laser cutter, a vinyl cutter and a milling machine. Metal drawers and storage shelves are stocked with wood, resins, burlap, glue, machinable wax, acrylic and dozens of other supplies.
You have entered a fab lab.
What’s that? Short for “fabrication laboratory,” the concept—born at MIT in 2001—was to create an environment full of multipurpose tools where one could build nearly anything. The idea caught on, and now there are close to 600 fab labs worldwide, according to fablabs.io, a website that supports and organizes the fab lab movement. The underlying goal is to provide broad access to modern means of invention.
http://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/magazine/article/?article_id=86044&utm_medium=Email&GenwiShareGUID=E6F0A8E4-4D3E-4D11-AE82-657C0E75D103
 |
| FAB FEATS: Juliana Cook, ’15 (above), works in Blikstein's lab, where creations range from sculptures to 3-D printing projects. Photo: Tamer Shabani, '14 |
IMAGINE WALKING INTO A HIGH SCHOOL classroom and, instead of rows of desks and chairs facing a whiteboard, you see workbenches. Stationed around the room is an array of machines: a 3-D printer, a laser cutter, a vinyl cutter and a milling machine. Metal drawers and storage shelves are stocked with wood, resins, burlap, glue, machinable wax, acrylic and dozens of other supplies.
You have entered a fab lab.
What’s that? Short for “fabrication laboratory,” the concept—born at MIT in 2001—was to create an environment full of multipurpose tools where one could build nearly anything. The idea caught on, and now there are close to 600 fab labs worldwide, according to fablabs.io, a website that supports and organizes the fab lab movement. The underlying goal is to provide broad access to modern means of invention.
http://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/magazine/article/?article_id=86044&utm_medium=Email&GenwiShareGUID=E6F0A8E4-4D3E-4D11-AE82-657C0E75D103
A Black Golfer We Can Be Proud Of
Excerpts from Stanford Magazine -
MARIAH STACKHOUSE has never been known to shrink from the spotlight. Not when students and faculty flocked to her gallery to watch her complete the best round in the history of women’s collegiate golf—a 10-under-par 61 in her first tournament at the Stanford Golf Course as a freshman. Not when she was asked to give a speech introducing former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to a packed banquet hall in 2014. And not when the Cardinal’s season depended on her overcoming a two-stroke deficit with two holes to play against Baylor at the NCAA championships last May.
~~~~~~~~~~
The young fans who flock to her tournaments find a similarly magnetic role model in Stackhouse, who is personable, quick to laugh and, at 5-foot-2, close to their size. (Among the things her young fans don’t know about her but would no doubt admire: She has a nearly encyclopedic memory for song lyrics.) Says Stackhouse of her pint-size acolytes, “I love it when little black girls tweet me or come up to me at tournaments to say, ‘I want to go to Stanford!’”
http://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/magazine/article/?article_id=86084&utm_medium=Email&GenwiShareGUID=ABDBABB2-E56D-4C81-A749-A69CD9EC0FEC
 |
| PRECOCIOUS: Stackhouse has been winning tournaments since she was 6. Photo: Casey Valentine/Isiphotos.com |
MARIAH STACKHOUSE has never been known to shrink from the spotlight. Not when students and faculty flocked to her gallery to watch her complete the best round in the history of women’s collegiate golf—a 10-under-par 61 in her first tournament at the Stanford Golf Course as a freshman. Not when she was asked to give a speech introducing former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to a packed banquet hall in 2014. And not when the Cardinal’s season depended on her overcoming a two-stroke deficit with two holes to play against Baylor at the NCAA championships last May.
~~~~~~~~~~
The young fans who flock to her tournaments find a similarly magnetic role model in Stackhouse, who is personable, quick to laugh and, at 5-foot-2, close to their size. (Among the things her young fans don’t know about her but would no doubt admire: She has a nearly encyclopedic memory for song lyrics.) Says Stackhouse of her pint-size acolytes, “I love it when little black girls tweet me or come up to me at tournaments to say, ‘I want to go to Stanford!’”
http://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/magazine/article/?article_id=86084&utm_medium=Email&GenwiShareGUID=ABDBABB2-E56D-4C81-A749-A69CD9EC0FEC
Patterns in Our World
From The Smithsonian -
The Science Behind Nature's Patterns
A new book explores the physical and chemical reasons behind incredible visual structures in the living and non-living world
 |
| A furled chameleon tail obviously takes its shape from the rolling of a tube, but its pattern is distinct from that created by rolling an even tube, such as that of a garden hose. The gentle taper of the tail produces a logarithmic spiral—one that gets smaller, yet the small parts look like the large parts. (Michal Filip Gmerek/Shutterstock.com) |
 |
| The undulations of a sand dune reveal a pattern in time as well as space. Sinuous waves arise from a pulse, an ebb and flow, as grains of sand are blown in the wind. (Denis Burdin/Shutterstock.com) |
Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/science-behind-natures-patterns-180959033/#HmG7CfIdXah4fwCG.99
Friday, May 13, 2016
Google Needs You
An excerpt from PC Magazine -
Google Will Pay You to Drive Around in Its Self-Driving Cars
BY ANGELA MOSCARITOLO
The Web giant is looking to hire "vehicle safety specialists" in Arizona to be part of its self-driving car project.
Calling all college graduates in Arizona with a clean driving record and no criminal history: Google wants your help.
The Web giant is looking to hire "vehicle safety specialists" in the state to be part of its self-driving car project. As per the job description, those selected will be tasked with driving an autonomous vehicle around the state for six to eight hours per day, five days per week, collecting data for Google's engineering team. Drivers will earn $20 per hour, according to The Arizona Republic.
"Test drivers play an important role in developing our self-driving technology," Brian Torcellini, head of operations for Google's Self-Driving Car testing program, told the paper. "They give our engineers feedback about how our cars are driving and interacting with others on the road, and can take control of the vehicle if needed."
http://www.pcmag.com/news/344438/google-will-pay-you-to-drive-around-in-its-self-driving-cars
Google Will Pay You to Drive Around in Its Self-Driving Cars
BY ANGELA MOSCARITOLO
The Web giant is looking to hire "vehicle safety specialists" in Arizona to be part of its self-driving car project.
Calling all college graduates in Arizona with a clean driving record and no criminal history: Google wants your help.
The Web giant is looking to hire "vehicle safety specialists" in the state to be part of its self-driving car project. As per the job description, those selected will be tasked with driving an autonomous vehicle around the state for six to eight hours per day, five days per week, collecting data for Google's engineering team. Drivers will earn $20 per hour, according to The Arizona Republic.
"Test drivers play an important role in developing our self-driving technology," Brian Torcellini, head of operations for Google's Self-Driving Car testing program, told the paper. "They give our engineers feedback about how our cars are driving and interacting with others on the road, and can take control of the vehicle if needed."
http://www.pcmag.com/news/344438/google-will-pay-you-to-drive-around-in-its-self-driving-cars
Trump and the Holy Ones
An excerpt from The New Republic -
Why Evangelicals Like Trump
Fundamentalist approaches to evangelicalism have long fostered anti-intellectual and authoritarian mindsets.
BY MUGAMBI JOUET
The support that Donald Trump has received from legions of evangelicals has puzzled and “surprised” many people. After all, the presumptive Republican nominee is exceptionally vulgar and, despite claiming to be a devout Christian whose favorite book is the Bible, knows little about scripture and has emphasized, “I don’t like to have to ask for forgiveness” from God. One common explanation for this apparent contradiction is that numerous evangelicals embrace Trump’s agenda, from eviscerating Obamacare to cracking down on undocumented immigrants and barring Muslims from entering America. But Trump and his evangelical supporters think alike in more ways than people realize. Fundamentalist approaches to evangelicalism have long fostered anti-intellectual, anti-rational, black-and-white, and authoritarian mindsets—the very traits that define Trump.
The historian Richard Hofstadter explored the roots of the issue in his 1966 book Anti-Intellectualism in American Life, which described how the spread of evangelicalism since the eighteenth century fostered the notion that education is an obstacle to faith. Not all evangelicals thought alike, although many were convinced that people need not read any book except the Bible. As the influential preacher Dwight L. Moody (1837-99) proclaimed, “I do not read any book, unless it will help me to understand the book.” Hofstadter concluded that this anti-intellectual conception of religion extended to life outside the church. Hardline evangelicals became particularly disdainful of reflection and refined ideas, leading some to be drawn to “men of emotional power or manipulative skill.”
https://newrepublic.com/article/133488/evangelicals-like-trump?utm_source=New+Republic&utm_campaign=7710bae9ba-Daily_Newsletter_5_13_20165_13_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c4ad0aba7e-7710bae9ba-59581889
Why Evangelicals Like Trump
Fundamentalist approaches to evangelicalism have long fostered anti-intellectual and authoritarian mindsets.
BY MUGAMBI JOUET
The support that Donald Trump has received from legions of evangelicals has puzzled and “surprised” many people. After all, the presumptive Republican nominee is exceptionally vulgar and, despite claiming to be a devout Christian whose favorite book is the Bible, knows little about scripture and has emphasized, “I don’t like to have to ask for forgiveness” from God. One common explanation for this apparent contradiction is that numerous evangelicals embrace Trump’s agenda, from eviscerating Obamacare to cracking down on undocumented immigrants and barring Muslims from entering America. But Trump and his evangelical supporters think alike in more ways than people realize. Fundamentalist approaches to evangelicalism have long fostered anti-intellectual, anti-rational, black-and-white, and authoritarian mindsets—the very traits that define Trump.
The historian Richard Hofstadter explored the roots of the issue in his 1966 book Anti-Intellectualism in American Life, which described how the spread of evangelicalism since the eighteenth century fostered the notion that education is an obstacle to faith. Not all evangelicals thought alike, although many were convinced that people need not read any book except the Bible. As the influential preacher Dwight L. Moody (1837-99) proclaimed, “I do not read any book, unless it will help me to understand the book.” Hofstadter concluded that this anti-intellectual conception of religion extended to life outside the church. Hardline evangelicals became particularly disdainful of reflection and refined ideas, leading some to be drawn to “men of emotional power or manipulative skill.”
https://newrepublic.com/article/133488/evangelicals-like-trump?utm_source=New+Republic&utm_campaign=7710bae9ba-Daily_Newsletter_5_13_20165_13_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c4ad0aba7e-7710bae9ba-59581889
Can We Pay Some More Folks?
A tweet from Patrick Stewart as seen on The Huffington Post -
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-patrick-stewart-tweet_us_5735799ce4b077d4d6f2b8d3
Made me forget the humidity for a moment.
Worth 5 bucks.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-patrick-stewart-tweet_us_5735799ce4b077d4d6f2b8d3
Thursday, May 12, 2016
Meet Gboard
Once you add the keyboard, you'll need to hold down the GLOBE on the left of the space bar and select Gboard to activate it.
Being able to search within apps is a super cool feature.
Enjoy!
He's a Nasty, Slimy, Sleaze-bag
An excerpt from Salon -
Hollywood’s unforgivable Woody Allen cowardice: What the controversy at Cannes really proves
The latest Allen imbroglio is a powerful reminder of the entertainment press's deference to powerful men
JACK MIRKINSON
~~~~~~~~~~
Over the past two days, Woody Allen has found his attempts to publicize his new movie somewhat hampered. Instead of his latest directorial effort, everyone is talking about the decades-old allegations that he sexually molested his daughter, Dylan Farrow, when she was a little girl.
The timeline goes something like this: The Hollywood Reporter recently ran a cover story about Allen in which it not only avoided asking him directly about his daughter’s allegations against him, but also allowed him to portray his marriage to Soon-Yi Previn—who, lest we forget, was his stepdaughter before becoming his wife—in what can only be described as extremely questionable terms.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am sympathetic to the pressures that journalists face when dealing with aggressive publicists who threaten to torpedo a story if certain questions are raised. These are not easy things to contend with. It’s also no simple task to ask a legendary figure about highly sensitive portions of his personal life. But sometimes you just have to suck it up and do your job. What good is it to be allowed in a room with Woody Allen if you can only do it in a compromised, grossly tainted way?
The question of whether people should continue watching Woody Allen’s movies is something that everyone has to answer for themselves. The question of how major stars and production companies can still work with him is another, separate minefield. The question of whether or not the allegations that his own children have leveled against him should occupy a central part of how we think about him—and, crucially, how journalists approach him—is something that requires no such introspection. The charges against Allen should never be allowed to stray from our collective consciousness again. Hopefully The Hollywood Reporter and the rest of the entertainment press will remember that in the future.
http://www.salon.com/2016/05/12/hollywoods_unforgivable_woody_allen_cowardice_what_the_controversy_at_cannes_really_proves/?source=newsletter
A Grocery Store With No Staff
An excerpt from Good -
The Future Of Shopping Just Opened In This Tiny Midwestern Town
by Jesse Hirsch & Alicia Kennedy
When Sweden’s first unstaffed grocery store opened earlier this year, it received a flood of breathless global coverage—it’s a concept both novel and posh, a natural advancement of our quest for eternal convenience. The store was the brain-child of tech guy Robert Ilijason, whose origin myth centers on dropping his last jar of baby food in the wee hours and not knowing where to go. Customers in Viken can now register with an app on their phone that will allow them to swipe into the store and pay for purchases without speaking to another human being—peak modern luxury.
The concept of the unstaffed store has broader implications than 3 a.m. munchies for the tech-bro set, though. For real disruption, look no farther than Farmhouse Market, posted up in humble New Prague, Minnesota (population 7,800.) Farmhouse, the first American iteration of the 24/7 supermarket, was opened by the husband and wife team of Paul and Kendra Rasmusson. The goal is simple: provide healthful, local food at affordable rates. By cutting the cost of staffing—an issue that might not immediately come to mind when considering how to fix food deserts—they’re able to offer better prices to rural, non-affluent customers.
https://www.good.is/articles/farmhouse-market?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailygood
The Future Of Shopping Just Opened In This Tiny Midwestern Town
by Jesse Hirsch & Alicia Kennedy
When Sweden’s first unstaffed grocery store opened earlier this year, it received a flood of breathless global coverage—it’s a concept both novel and posh, a natural advancement of our quest for eternal convenience. The store was the brain-child of tech guy Robert Ilijason, whose origin myth centers on dropping his last jar of baby food in the wee hours and not knowing where to go. Customers in Viken can now register with an app on their phone that will allow them to swipe into the store and pay for purchases without speaking to another human being—peak modern luxury.
The concept of the unstaffed store has broader implications than 3 a.m. munchies for the tech-bro set, though. For real disruption, look no farther than Farmhouse Market, posted up in humble New Prague, Minnesota (population 7,800.) Farmhouse, the first American iteration of the 24/7 supermarket, was opened by the husband and wife team of Paul and Kendra Rasmusson. The goal is simple: provide healthful, local food at affordable rates. By cutting the cost of staffing—an issue that might not immediately come to mind when considering how to fix food deserts—they’re able to offer better prices to rural, non-affluent customers.
https://www.good.is/articles/farmhouse-market?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailygood
Black Baseball
An excerpt from The New Yorker -
The Mission of a Black Baseball Team
BY JOHN FLORIO AND OUISIE SHAPIRO
Sports fans know that black participation in Major League Baseball has dropped precipitously in the past few decades. According to a report published last year by USA Today, less than eight per cent of major-league players in 2015 were African-American; that figure was nineteen per cent in 1986. And the decline can be seen at every level of the game: Little League, the minors, high school, college—even H.B.C.U.s. Thirty years ago, it was virtually impossible to find a white player on an H.B.C.U. team. Today, Winston-Salem State, Florida A&M, Prairie View A&M, and North Carolina Central all field teams in which the majority of players are not black. Only a few schools—Clark Atlanta, Morehouse College, and Lane College—regularly fill their rosters entirely with black players.
http://www.newyorker.com/news/sporting-scene/the-mission-of-a-black-baseball-team?mbid=nl_160512_Daily&CNDID=27124505&spMailingID=8914754&spUserID=MTE0MzE0NDEyNDUyS0&spJobID=921243805&spReportId=OTIxMjQzODA1S0
The Mission of a Black Baseball Team
BY JOHN FLORIO AND OUISIE SHAPIRO
Sports fans know that black participation in Major League Baseball has dropped precipitously in the past few decades. According to a report published last year by USA Today, less than eight per cent of major-league players in 2015 were African-American; that figure was nineteen per cent in 1986. And the decline can be seen at every level of the game: Little League, the minors, high school, college—even H.B.C.U.s. Thirty years ago, it was virtually impossible to find a white player on an H.B.C.U. team. Today, Winston-Salem State, Florida A&M, Prairie View A&M, and North Carolina Central all field teams in which the majority of players are not black. Only a few schools—Clark Atlanta, Morehouse College, and Lane College—regularly fill their rosters entirely with black players.
http://www.newyorker.com/news/sporting-scene/the-mission-of-a-black-baseball-team?mbid=nl_160512_Daily&CNDID=27124505&spMailingID=8914754&spUserID=MTE0MzE0NDEyNDUyS0&spJobID=921243805&spReportId=OTIxMjQzODA1S0
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Wanting to Go Home Again
It's easy to understand why Ta-Nehisi Coates is the celebrated author that he is.
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/05/on-homecomings/481818/?utm_source=nl-atlantic-daily-051016
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/05/on-homecomings/481818/?utm_source=nl-atlantic-daily-051016
New Titles
An excerpt from The Atlantic -
U.S. Laws Will No Longer Sound Like a Vaguely Racist Uncle
Congress removed the last uses of “Oriental” and “Negro” from federal statutes on Monday.
Congress unanimously passed a bill Monday to remove the last pockets of archaic racial terminology such as “Oriental” or “Negro” from federal law, replacing them instead with more modern terms.
The law targeted two anti-discrimination subsections of the U.S. Code that used outdated language to describe racial groups. In one section of the Department of Energy Organization Act, “a Negro, Puerto Rican, American Indian, Eskimo, Oriental, or Aleut or is a Spanish speaking individual of Spanish descent” will be replaced with “Asian American, Native Hawaiian, a Pacific Islander, African American, Hispanic, Puerto Rican, Native American, or an Alaska Native.”
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/05/congress-race-oriental-negro/482238/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Vox%20Sentences%205/11/16&utm_term=Vox%20Newsletter%20All
U.S. Laws Will No Longer Sound Like a Vaguely Racist Uncle
Congress removed the last uses of “Oriental” and “Negro” from federal statutes on Monday.
Congress unanimously passed a bill Monday to remove the last pockets of archaic racial terminology such as “Oriental” or “Negro” from federal law, replacing them instead with more modern terms.
The law targeted two anti-discrimination subsections of the U.S. Code that used outdated language to describe racial groups. In one section of the Department of Energy Organization Act, “a Negro, Puerto Rican, American Indian, Eskimo, Oriental, or Aleut or is a Spanish speaking individual of Spanish descent” will be replaced with “Asian American, Native Hawaiian, a Pacific Islander, African American, Hispanic, Puerto Rican, Native American, or an Alaska Native.”
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/05/congress-race-oriental-negro/482238/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Vox%20Sentences%205/11/16&utm_term=Vox%20Newsletter%20All
Check Out the New Smithsonian Museum
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/a-first-look-inside-the-smithsonians-african-american-museum-stunning-views-grand-scale/2016/05/10/80ac784e-160e-11e6-9e16-2e5a123aac62_story.html?hpid=hp_no-name_aahmc-7pm_1%3Ahomepage%2Fstory
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Stranger Than Fiction
From The Guardian -
The day we discovered our parents were Russian spies
For years Donald Heathfield, Tracey Foley and their two children lived the American dream. Then an FBI raid revealed the truth: they were agents of Putin’s Russia. Their sons tell their story
by Shaun Walker
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/07/discovered-our-parents-were-russian-spies-tim-alex-foley
The day we discovered our parents were Russian spies
For years Donald Heathfield, Tracey Foley and their two children lived the American dream. Then an FBI raid revealed the truth: they were agents of Putin’s Russia. Their sons tell their story
by Shaun Walker
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/07/discovered-our-parents-were-russian-spies-tim-alex-foley
Not Sure Why We Care
From Wired -
No, Jose Ramirez’s Helmet Doesn’t Defy the Laws of Physics
http://www.wired.com/2016/05/no-jose-ramirezs-helmet-doesnt-defy-laws-physics/?mbid=nl_51016
No, Jose Ramirez’s Helmet Doesn’t Defy the Laws of Physics
http://www.wired.com/2016/05/no-jose-ramirezs-helmet-doesnt-defy-laws-physics/?mbid=nl_51016
A Toy That Teaches Coding
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/05/16/sphero-teaches-kids-to-code?mbid=nl_160510_Daily&CNDID=27124505&spMailingID=8902853&spUserID=MTE0MzE0NDEyNDUyS0&spJobID=921027606&spReportId=OTIxMDI3NjA2S0
Hmmmm
An excerpt from The New Yorker -
There is no more room on the subway, yet at every stop additional passengers keep boarding the train.
If you don’t tell your mother about your new tattoo, does it exist for her?
How many people need to show up to your party before it can actually be considered a party? How many people need to leave before the party is over? Why is Mark still here?
http://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/modern-philosophical-paradoxes-and-conundrums?mbid=nl_160510_Daily&CNDID=27124505&spMailingID=8902853&spUserID=MTE0MzE0NDEyNDUyS0&spJobID=921027606&spReportId=OTIxMDI3NjA2S0
Modern Philosophical Paradoxes and Conundrums
BY JASON ADAM KATZENSTEIN
There is no more room on the subway, yet at every stop additional passengers keep boarding the train.
If you don’t tell your mother about your new tattoo, does it exist for her?
How many people need to show up to your party before it can actually be considered a party? How many people need to leave before the party is over? Why is Mark still here?
http://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/modern-philosophical-paradoxes-and-conundrums?mbid=nl_160510_Daily&CNDID=27124505&spMailingID=8902853&spUserID=MTE0MzE0NDEyNDUyS0&spJobID=921027606&spReportId=OTIxMDI3NjA2S0
What is a Superdelegate?
An excerpt from The Wrap -
But what in the world is a superdelegate anyway? It’s a fancy term for major elected officials, notable party members (including former presidents) and some members of the Democratic National Committee who can support any candidate they choose and can switch their support at any time, right up to the actual nomination.
These elite party members represent 712 of the 4,763 delegates who will attend July’s Democratic convention in Philadelphia — and therefore hold serious sway in determining the party’s presidential nominee.
http://www.thewrap.com/what-is-superdelegate-short-explainer-democrat-hillary-clinton/
But what in the world is a superdelegate anyway? It’s a fancy term for major elected officials, notable party members (including former presidents) and some members of the Democratic National Committee who can support any candidate they choose and can switch their support at any time, right up to the actual nomination.
These elite party members represent 712 of the 4,763 delegates who will attend July’s Democratic convention in Philadelphia — and therefore hold serious sway in determining the party’s presidential nominee.
http://www.thewrap.com/what-is-superdelegate-short-explainer-democrat-hillary-clinton/
YES to Early Bedtimes
I have always been a proponent of early bedtimes for kids.
When Ben and Frankie complained about going to bed at 8:00 (in California), I reminded them that on the East Coast, it was 11:00, so they should be grateful for the chance to stay up so late.
They didn't fall for this rationale long, but it worked great for a while.
~~~~~~~~~~
An excerpt from Slate -
In Defense of Absurdly Early Bedtimes
I make my kids go to sleep by 7:30 p.m., without exception. They’re happier and might even be smarter and healthier because of it.
By Melinda Wenner Moyer
Summer is right around the corner, which means I’ll soon undergo my annual metamorphosis into the monster of a parent who drags her kids away from barbecues and outdoor concerts an hour before other parents do. Yup, I make my almost 2-year-old and 5-year-old go to bed at 7 and 7:30 p.m., respectively. I know—you think I’m rigid, no fun, that I’m denying my kids a joyful childhood because they rarely get to frolic outside at dusk. I get a lot of crap for it. “Can’t you just … ?” My friends ask. No. I’m sorry, no, I can’t.
That’s because my kids are happier and more fun to be around when I stick with a consistent and early bedtime. And ever since I’ve started looking at the science, I’ve become only more convinced that the earlier you say night-night, the better. Research consistently shows that putting kids to bed early is beneficial for their physical, emotional, and cognitive development. Not only do kids tend to sleep more when the lights go out sooner, but they also may get a greater proportion of restorative sleep, too. Early kid bedtimes are also great for parental sanity. Sipping a glass of wine in silence? Snuggling up with your spouse to watch a grown-up movie for once? It’s really quite lovely.
http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/the_kids/2016/05/put_your_kids_to_bed_early_to_make_them_smarter_happier_and_fitter.html
When Ben and Frankie complained about going to bed at 8:00 (in California), I reminded them that on the East Coast, it was 11:00, so they should be grateful for the chance to stay up so late.
They didn't fall for this rationale long, but it worked great for a while.
~~~~~~~~~~
An excerpt from Slate -
In Defense of Absurdly Early Bedtimes
I make my kids go to sleep by 7:30 p.m., without exception. They’re happier and might even be smarter and healthier because of it.
By Melinda Wenner Moyer
Summer is right around the corner, which means I’ll soon undergo my annual metamorphosis into the monster of a parent who drags her kids away from barbecues and outdoor concerts an hour before other parents do. Yup, I make my almost 2-year-old and 5-year-old go to bed at 7 and 7:30 p.m., respectively. I know—you think I’m rigid, no fun, that I’m denying my kids a joyful childhood because they rarely get to frolic outside at dusk. I get a lot of crap for it. “Can’t you just … ?” My friends ask. No. I’m sorry, no, I can’t.
That’s because my kids are happier and more fun to be around when I stick with a consistent and early bedtime. And ever since I’ve started looking at the science, I’ve become only more convinced that the earlier you say night-night, the better. Research consistently shows that putting kids to bed early is beneficial for their physical, emotional, and cognitive development. Not only do kids tend to sleep more when the lights go out sooner, but they also may get a greater proportion of restorative sleep, too. Early kid bedtimes are also great for parental sanity. Sipping a glass of wine in silence? Snuggling up with your spouse to watch a grown-up movie for once? It’s really quite lovely.
http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/the_kids/2016/05/put_your_kids_to_bed_early_to_make_them_smarter_happier_and_fitter.html
Preparing to Give a Speech?
This app can help.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ummo/id1102924965?mt=8
From the iTunes Description:
Ummo is your personal speech coach. Whether you are practicing for a presentation or looking to improve your day-to-day communication, use Ummo to track your filler words ("Umms" and "Uhhs", "like", "You know"), pace, word power, clarity, and more.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ummo/id1102924965?mt=8
From the iTunes Description:
Ummo is your personal speech coach. Whether you are practicing for a presentation or looking to improve your day-to-day communication, use Ummo to track your filler words ("Umms" and "Uhhs", "like", "You know"), pace, word power, clarity, and more.
Monday, May 9, 2016
He Should Be Hanged by His Balls
An excerpt from USA Today -
Detroit priest removed for abusing girl now works with pregnant teens
A Catholic priest removed from churches in metro Detroit after he was accused of sexually abusing a teenager is now the development director of a new Catholic center in Eastpointe he cofounded that counsels pregnant teenagers, prompting calls for him to step down.
The Rev. Kenneth Kaucheck, 69, was banned from public ministry by the Archdiocese of Detroit in 2009 after church officials determined he had sexual misconduct in the 1970s with a 16-year-old girl he was counseling as a priest.
Kaucheck is now a director at the Gianna House Pregnancy and Parenting Residence, next to St. Veronica Catholic Church in Eastpointe. Opened last year in a former convent, the center takes in teenagers and young women who are pregnant, assisting them and any children they might later have.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/05/09/detroit-priest-removed-abusing-girl-now-works-pregnant-teens/84158910/
Detroit priest removed for abusing girl now works with pregnant teens
A Catholic priest removed from churches in metro Detroit after he was accused of sexually abusing a teenager is now the development director of a new Catholic center in Eastpointe he cofounded that counsels pregnant teenagers, prompting calls for him to step down.
The Rev. Kenneth Kaucheck, 69, was banned from public ministry by the Archdiocese of Detroit in 2009 after church officials determined he had sexual misconduct in the 1970s with a 16-year-old girl he was counseling as a priest.
Kaucheck is now a director at the Gianna House Pregnancy and Parenting Residence, next to St. Veronica Catholic Church in Eastpointe. Opened last year in a former convent, the center takes in teenagers and young women who are pregnant, assisting them and any children they might later have.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/05/09/detroit-priest-removed-abusing-girl-now-works-pregnant-teens/84158910/
Heaven Help Us
From USA Today -
In a new survey of American military personnel, Donald Trump emerged as active-duty service members' preference to become the next U.S. president, topping Hillary Clinton by more than a 2-to-1 margin. However, in the latest Military Times election survey, more than one in five troops said they’d rather not vote in November if they have to choose between just those two candidates.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/05/09/troops-prefer-trump/84157670/
In a new survey of American military personnel, Donald Trump emerged as active-duty service members' preference to become the next U.S. president, topping Hillary Clinton by more than a 2-to-1 margin. However, in the latest Military Times election survey, more than one in five troops said they’d rather not vote in November if they have to choose between just those two candidates.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/05/09/troops-prefer-trump/84157670/
Shocking, But It Shouldn't Be
An excerpt from The New York Times -
The last time a white person in Louisiana was executed for a crime against a black person was in 1752, when a soldier named Pierre Antoine Dochenet was hanged after attempting to stab two enslaved black women to death with his bayonet.
This is just one of many grim facts in a new report describing the history of capital punishment in Louisiana and analyzing the outcome of every death sentence imposed in that state since 1976, when the Supreme Court reversed its brief moratorium on executions and allowed them to resume.
Racism has always been at the heart of the American death penalty. But the report, in the current issue of The Journal of Race, Gender, and Poverty, drives home the extent to which capital punishment, supposedly reserved for the “worst of the worst,” is governed by skin color.
In Louisiana, a black man is 30 times as likely to be sentenced to death for killing a white woman as for killing a black man. Regardless of the offender’s race, death sentences are six times as likely — and executions 14 times as likely — when the victim is white rather than black.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/09/opinion/louisianas-color-coded-death-penalty.html?ribbon-ad-idx=6&rref=opinion&module=Ribbon&version=context®ion=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Opinion&pgtype=article
Louisiana’s Color-Coded Death Penalty
The last time a white person in Louisiana was executed for a crime against a black person was in 1752, when a soldier named Pierre Antoine Dochenet was hanged after attempting to stab two enslaved black women to death with his bayonet.
This is just one of many grim facts in a new report describing the history of capital punishment in Louisiana and analyzing the outcome of every death sentence imposed in that state since 1976, when the Supreme Court reversed its brief moratorium on executions and allowed them to resume.
Racism has always been at the heart of the American death penalty. But the report, in the current issue of The Journal of Race, Gender, and Poverty, drives home the extent to which capital punishment, supposedly reserved for the “worst of the worst,” is governed by skin color.
In Louisiana, a black man is 30 times as likely to be sentenced to death for killing a white woman as for killing a black man. Regardless of the offender’s race, death sentences are six times as likely — and executions 14 times as likely — when the victim is white rather than black.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/09/opinion/louisianas-color-coded-death-penalty.html?ribbon-ad-idx=6&rref=opinion&module=Ribbon&version=context®ion=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Opinion&pgtype=article
What Have They Done?
An excerpt from The New York Times -
G.O.P. Has Only Itself to Blame
Charles M. Blow
The Republican Party is trapped between a rock and huckster.
Now that all of their other presidential candidates have dropped out of the race, Donald Trump is the last demagogue standing. He is their presumptive nominee. Their party belongs to him. It’s a YUUGE … disaster.
Now the few remaining serious folks in that party have to make a decision: support this man who, if current trends in polling hold, is likely to lose the general election by an overwhelming margin (and likely do even more damage to the party brand and hurt the chances of down-ballot candidates), or they can … wait, they don’t really have another option other than to sit out this cycle and pretend that their party hasn’t gone stark raving mad.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/09/opinion/gop-has-only-itself-to-blame.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region®ion=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region
G.O.P. Has Only Itself to Blame
Charles M. Blow
The Republican Party is trapped between a rock and huckster.
Now that all of their other presidential candidates have dropped out of the race, Donald Trump is the last demagogue standing. He is their presumptive nominee. Their party belongs to him. It’s a YUUGE … disaster.
Now the few remaining serious folks in that party have to make a decision: support this man who, if current trends in polling hold, is likely to lose the general election by an overwhelming margin (and likely do even more damage to the party brand and hurt the chances of down-ballot candidates), or they can … wait, they don’t really have another option other than to sit out this cycle and pretend that their party hasn’t gone stark raving mad.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/09/opinion/gop-has-only-itself-to-blame.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region®ion=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region
A 6'8" Superstar in the Water
An excerpt from The New York Times -
At 16, Reece Whitley Stands Tall in and Out of Water
Whitley will compete this week at the Atlanta Classic at Georgia Tech, a three-day competition starting Friday that is akin to a midterm. It will give Whitley a better idea of where his swimming stands heading into the United States Olympic trials in late June in Omaha.
There is so much more than meets the eye to the 6-foot-8 Whitley, an African-American in a sport that is becoming more diverse. The 2012 United States Olympic swim team included three black swimmers — Anthony Ervin, Cullen Jones and Lia Neal — all of whom will vie for spots on the 2016 squad. Last year, Neal helped make N.C.A.A. history in the 100-yard freestyle at the Division I championships, finishing second behind her Stanford teammate Simone Manuel and ahead of Florida’s Natalie Hinds in the first 1-2-3 finish by black competitors.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/10/sports/at-16-reece-whitley-stands-tall-in-and-out-of-water.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=photo-spot-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0
At 16, Reece Whitley Stands Tall in and Out of Water
 |
There is so much more than meets the eye to the 6-foot-8 Whitley, an African-American in a sport that is becoming more diverse. The 2012 United States Olympic swim team included three black swimmers — Anthony Ervin, Cullen Jones and Lia Neal — all of whom will vie for spots on the 2016 squad. Last year, Neal helped make N.C.A.A. history in the 100-yard freestyle at the Division I championships, finishing second behind her Stanford teammate Simone Manuel and ahead of Florida’s Natalie Hinds in the first 1-2-3 finish by black competitors.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/10/sports/at-16-reece-whitley-stands-tall-in-and-out-of-water.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=photo-spot-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0
Another View
An excerpt from Very Smart Brothas -
http://verysmartbrothas.com/darth-becky-with-the-good-hair-and-the-not-so-good-understanding-of-math-is-the-real-terrorist/
~~~~~~~~~~~
This references an earlier post entitled, "Profiling Gone Wrong . . . Again."
FEATURED, RACE & POLITICS
DARTH BECKY WITH THE GOOD HAIR AND THE NOT-SO-GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF MATH IS THE REAL TERRORIST
Last week, when explaining the history, etymology, and context behind “Becky,” I referred to Iggy Azelea as Darth Becky. Which A) she is (duh) and B) was one of those jokes that wasn’t really a joke. Because she’s not the only one. There really are swarms of Darth-ass Beckys out there — stealing swag, taking up sidewalk space, sabotaging conversations with strategic tears, ruining office potlucks with cucumber casseroles, and tattle telling to human resources because you put a period after the “Good morning” you replied to her “Good morning!” email instead of an exclamation point and she was hurt and threatened by that — and they really do need to be stopped. And they need to be acknowledged as what they are. Terrorists.
Perhaps this characterization seems harsh, but there’s no other way to describe their knack of using their Whitewomanness — and the sympathy and consideration they’re often given for merely possessing it — as a means to infiltrate, disrupt, and manipulate. For instance, let’s consider what happened to University of Pennsylvania economics professor Guido Menzio for having the misfortune of sitting next to the Darthest of Beckys on a plane.
http://verysmartbrothas.com/darth-becky-with-the-good-hair-and-the-not-so-good-understanding-of-math-is-the-real-terrorist/
~~~~~~~~~~~
This references an earlier post entitled, "Profiling Gone Wrong . . . Again."
Hide & Seek Kitties
From Mashable -
16 cats that are absolutely terrible at hide-and-seek
Number 10 is my favorite.
Can you find Number 16?
http://mashable.com/2016/05/08/cats-hide-and-seek/?utm_cid=mash-com-social-huffpo-partner#VSYQO3xFZEq2
16 cats that are absolutely terrible at hide-and-seek
Number 10 is my favorite.
Can you find Number 16?
http://mashable.com/2016/05/08/cats-hide-and-seek/?utm_cid=mash-com-social-huffpo-partner#VSYQO3xFZEq2
Catching Up
With the cast of The Wire.
From The Root -
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2016/05/the_wire_the_ultimate_where_are_they_now.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
~~~~~~~~~~
Season 4 is hands down the most accurate portrayal of many inner city educational systems in America.
From The Root -
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2016/05/the_wire_the_ultimate_where_are_they_now.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
~~~~~~~~~~
Season 4 is hands down the most accurate portrayal of many inner city educational systems in America.
Sunday, May 8, 2016
Diva?
From the Root -
Lauryn Hill Shows Up Late For Concert Again, Dragged (and Defended) on Twitter
The hip-hop icon started her Atlanta show more than two hours late on Friday and set off a conversation on the merits of her career the next day.
http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2016/05/lauryn_hill_shows_up_late_for_concert_again_dragged_on_twitter.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
~~~~~~~~~~
This is me y'all.
Over two hours late?
Who does she think she is?
This behavior screams, "I'm more important than you. My time is more valuable than yours."
But mostly it screams, "What the heck?" (Not my first choice of words here).
Some folks are giving her a pass by saying she's an artist, and her artistic expressions can't be rushed or be bothered by the constraints of time.
No, what this is, more than anything, is business; or in this case, bad business.
Although this behavior is not new for her, it certainly doesn't excuse it. The fans that remain in her corner should know that by now.
They've got to be asking themselves, "Is she worth it?"
And I'm guessing many are thinking . . .
Oh hell no!
Lauryn Hill Shows Up Late For Concert Again, Dragged (and Defended) on Twitter
The hip-hop icon started her Atlanta show more than two hours late on Friday and set off a conversation on the merits of her career the next day.
http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2016/05/lauryn_hill_shows_up_late_for_concert_again_dragged_on_twitter.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
~~~~~~~~~~
This is me y'all.
Over two hours late?
Who does she think she is?
This behavior screams, "I'm more important than you. My time is more valuable than yours."
But mostly it screams, "What the heck?" (Not my first choice of words here).
Some folks are giving her a pass by saying she's an artist, and her artistic expressions can't be rushed or be bothered by the constraints of time.
No, what this is, more than anything, is business; or in this case, bad business.
Although this behavior is not new for her, it certainly doesn't excuse it. The fans that remain in her corner should know that by now.
They've got to be asking themselves, "Is she worth it?"
And I'm guessing many are thinking . . .
Oh hell no!
Kudos!
An excerpt from The Root -
15-Year-Old Memphis Student Gets Perfect ACT Score
 |
| Dwight Moore, Jr Christian Brothers High School |
A 15-year-old high school sophomore got a perfect score on the ACT (American College Testing) exam, reports Blavity.com.
Dwight Moore, a student at Christian Brothers High School in Memphis scored a 36 out of 36 on the college entrance exam putting him in rare company—less than one percent of the 1.9 million test takers received a perfect score in 2015.
http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2016/05/_15_year_old_tenn_students_gets_perfect_act_score.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
Happy Mother's Day!
As we celebrate this day, my thoughts always turn to my mom, as I'm sure is true for most of you.
I wish I had appreciated her more while she was alive.
She had a third-grade education, but a Ph.D. in common sense.
For years, I thought she was old and crazy. What she said went in one ear and out the other.
When I finally had sense enough to realize the treasure that she was (when I became a mom), I couldn't get enough of conversations with her. I didn't want them to end.
She had a tough life.
Her mom died when she was seven, and she went to live with her grandmother, who died when she was thirteen. From that time until she got married, she moved from pillar to post, from one relative to the next, working as their maid for her room and board. No wonder she married one of the first guys who showed an interest in her, anything to escape life as she knew it.
The thing is though; she went from the frying pan into the fire. The good life she was hoping for did not materialize. She was now the wife of a drunk, a mean one to boot.
Once my brothers and I came along, we were her absolute focus. She was bound and determined that we would have a better life than she did, in spite of the alcoholism that permeated our upbringing.
I asked her why she put up with my father and the hardships that entailed, and she said she stayed for us (her kids). I remember thinking then that I would NEVER do that.
Never say never . . .
Because that's exactly what I did.
I stayed in a marriage long after its expiration date because I wanted my boys to have their father in their lives for as long as possible.
Her example helped me to get through that.
She was the strongest, kindest woman I have ever known.
God knows we didn't have much, but if she knew of someone in need, she lent a hand, every single time.
Was she perfect?
Far from it, but I know now that everything she did was from a good place, a good heart.
If you're lucky enough to still have your mom in your life, appreciate her, and not just on Mother's Day.
She may not be perfect, but if she's there, active in your life, she's trying to be.
Thank her while you can.
I wish I had appreciated her more while she was alive.
She had a third-grade education, but a Ph.D. in common sense.
For years, I thought she was old and crazy. What she said went in one ear and out the other.
When I finally had sense enough to realize the treasure that she was (when I became a mom), I couldn't get enough of conversations with her. I didn't want them to end.
She had a tough life.
Her mom died when she was seven, and she went to live with her grandmother, who died when she was thirteen. From that time until she got married, she moved from pillar to post, from one relative to the next, working as their maid for her room and board. No wonder she married one of the first guys who showed an interest in her, anything to escape life as she knew it.
The thing is though; she went from the frying pan into the fire. The good life she was hoping for did not materialize. She was now the wife of a drunk, a mean one to boot.
Once my brothers and I came along, we were her absolute focus. She was bound and determined that we would have a better life than she did, in spite of the alcoholism that permeated our upbringing.
I asked her why she put up with my father and the hardships that entailed, and she said she stayed for us (her kids). I remember thinking then that I would NEVER do that.
Never say never . . .
Because that's exactly what I did.
I stayed in a marriage long after its expiration date because I wanted my boys to have their father in their lives for as long as possible.
Her example helped me to get through that.
She was the strongest, kindest woman I have ever known.
God knows we didn't have much, but if she knew of someone in need, she lent a hand, every single time.
Was she perfect?
Far from it, but I know now that everything she did was from a good place, a good heart.
If you're lucky enough to still have your mom in your life, appreciate her, and not just on Mother's Day.
She may not be perfect, but if she's there, active in your life, she's trying to be.
Thank her while you can.
Saturday, May 7, 2016
Texas
An excerpt from The New York Times -
What Makes Texas Texas
People in this rapidly changing state believe their way of life is under
attack, and they are making a kind of last stand by simply being Texan.
~~~~~~~~~~
I was born and raised in Central California, and I moved to Houston from Brooklyn in June 2011 to cover Texas for The New York Times. I live here with my wife, my 7-year-old son and my 3-year-old daughter, who keeps a pair of pink cowboy boots outside on the porch or inside by the front door. I have covered stories in the South, the Midwest and other parts of the country. People in those places identified with their political party, their job, their cause, their sexual orientation, their city, their race. Almost no one identified with their state the way Texans do.
Who are these people, these Texans? What do they tell us about America? What to make of a state that is so focused on itself? I wrestle with these questions all the time.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/08/us/what-makes-texas-texas.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage®ion=CColumn&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&src=me&WT.nav=MostEmailed
What Makes Texas Texas
People in this rapidly changing state believe their way of life is under
attack, and they are making a kind of last stand by simply being Texan.
~~~~~~~~~~
I was born and raised in Central California, and I moved to Houston from Brooklyn in June 2011 to cover Texas for The New York Times. I live here with my wife, my 7-year-old son and my 3-year-old daughter, who keeps a pair of pink cowboy boots outside on the porch or inside by the front door. I have covered stories in the South, the Midwest and other parts of the country. People in those places identified with their political party, their job, their cause, their sexual orientation, their city, their race. Almost no one identified with their state the way Texans do.
Who are these people, these Texans? What do they tell us about America? What to make of a state that is so focused on itself? I wrestle with these questions all the time.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/08/us/what-makes-texas-texas.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage®ion=CColumn&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&src=me&WT.nav=MostEmailed
Profiling Gone Wrong . . . Again
From The Washington Post -
Ivy League economist ethnically profiled, interrogated for doing math on American Airlines flight
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/rampage/wp/2016/05/07/ivy-league-economist-interrogated-for-doing-math-on-american-airlines-flight/
~~~~~~~~~~
Yes, it has come to this.
Sad.
Ivy League economist ethnically profiled, interrogated for doing math on American Airlines flight
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/rampage/wp/2016/05/07/ivy-league-economist-interrogated-for-doing-math-on-american-airlines-flight/
~~~~~~~~~~
Yes, it has come to this.
Sad.
Forgiveness Quotes
Remember, forgiveness is not about them, it's about you.
http://www.oprah.com/quote/Iyanla-Vanzant-Quotes-Forgiveness
http://www.oprah.com/quote/Iyanla-Vanzant-Quotes-Forgiveness
Super Long Lasting Clothes
From News 360 -
What if you didn’t have to buy another jacket, sweatshirt, or T-shirt until the year 2046?
Thomas Cridland, a young UK designer, is hoping to make that possible with clothing designed to last and backed by a 30-year guarantee, promising to repair any rips or tears.
http://news360.com/digestarticle/ywJdgLvWq0iTKA3wTrAe-w
What if you didn’t have to buy another jacket, sweatshirt, or T-shirt until the year 2046?
Thomas Cridland, a young UK designer, is hoping to make that possible with clothing designed to last and backed by a 30-year guarantee, promising to repair any rips or tears.
http://news360.com/digestarticle/ywJdgLvWq0iTKA3wTrAe-w
Baffling Medical Mystery
An excerpt from CBS News -
ISLAMABAD -- The two brothers have come to be known as the "solar kids" and their case has completely mystified Pakistani doctors.
Aged nine and 13, the boys are normal active children during the day. But once the sun goes down, they both lapse into a vegetative state -- unable to move or talk. Javed Akram, a professor of medicine at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, told The Associated Press on Thursday that he had no idea what was causing the symptoms.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pakistan-solar-kids-medical-mystery-doctors-baffled-brothers-vegetative-night/?google_editors_picks=true
Aunties
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
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
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
Monday, May 2, 2016
Sunday, May 1, 2016
The Coolest One in the Room
From The Huffington Post -
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/obama-white-house-correspondents-dinner-2016_us_57226a0ee4b0b49df6aab899
 |
| President Obama blows a kiss & drops the mic at his final White House Correspondents Dinner - April 30, 2016 |
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/obama-white-house-correspondents-dinner-2016_us_57226a0ee4b0b49df6aab899
He Said WHAT?
HOW THE REACTION TO LARRY WILMORE’S “NIGGA” DROP AT THE WHCD WAS PEAK WHITE TEARS, EXPLAINED
http://verysmartbrothas.com/how-the-reaction-to-larry-wilmores-nigga-drop-at-the-whcd-was-peak-white-tears-explained/
Quote
From The Root -
Professor’s Op-Ed Is Final Blow for Confederate Statue
"For 20 years, I have walked by that towering granite and bronze eyesore glorifying the nadir of America’s past. For 20 years, I have listened to cries for its removal. For 20 years, we have been plagued by confusion, compromises, excuses and half measures. One hundred twenty-one years is too long. Twenty years is too long. Twenty more weeks is too long. We’ve waited long enough. It's time for the statue to go. . . ."
Ricky L. Jones, chair of Pan-African Studies at the University of Louisville on the 121-year-old Confederate monument.
http://www.theroot.com/blogs/journalisms/2016/04/op_ed_is_final_blow_for_confederate_statue.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
Professor’s Op-Ed Is Final Blow for Confederate Statue
The 121-year-old monument at the University of Louisville is coming down in part because of the words of an African-American academic.
"For 20 years, I have walked by that towering granite and bronze eyesore glorifying the nadir of America’s past. For 20 years, I have listened to cries for its removal. For 20 years, we have been plagued by confusion, compromises, excuses and half measures. One hundred twenty-one years is too long. Twenty years is too long. Twenty more weeks is too long. We’ve waited long enough. It's time for the statue to go. . . ."
Ricky L. Jones, chair of Pan-African Studies at the University of Louisville on the 121-year-old Confederate monument.
http://www.theroot.com/blogs/journalisms/2016/04/op_ed_is_final_blow_for_confederate_statue.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
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