December 13, 2023

Engineered stone will be banned in Australia in world-first decision

Engineered stone will be banned in Australia in world-first decision. Australia's workplace ministers have agreed to implement a national ban on engineered stone (composite material used for granite-look kitchen benchtops), because its use has led to a surge in silicosis cases (painful, disabling and fatal lung disease) among workers. Safe Work found that while silicosis cases could emerge in several industries, the numbers were disproportionate among engineered stone workers. Engineered stone workers also suffered a faster disease progression and were more likely to die from it, the report said. The majority of engineered stone workers diagnosed with silicosis were under 35.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 8:17 PM PST - 84 comments

Throwing The Transfer Portal Wide Open

A federal judge has issued a 14 day temporary injunction against the NCAA enforcing limitations on players transferring to other schools, as part of a lawsuit filed by the attorneys general of several states asserting that said rules are an unlawful restraint of trade against the players. [more inside]
posted by NoxAeternum at 1:48 PM PST - 43 comments

The Soul Stirrers

The Soul Stirrers -- He's Been a Shelter to Me (Paul Foster)
As the ranking comment reads: Paul Foster is a fire breather! Period! [more inside]
posted by y2karl at 7:36 AM PST - 9 comments

Losing the Plot: The "Leftists" Who Turn Right

"You can only be ironic for so long — you can only post so many George Wallace memes — before you start thinking that two sets of water fountains aren’t a bad idea.” [more inside]
posted by Kitteh at 5:57 AM PST - 414 comments

An idol with feet of clay whose demolition is long overdue

It is tempting to think that a career as long and productive as Kundera’s would finally assume a distinctive unity. But looking closely at the life and work has the opposite effect: what stands out are various ruptures and intimations of underlying incongruence, from Kundera’s disavowal of most of his early work in poetry and drama to his vacillation over the wording of his later texts, as well as his initial refusal to allow his late, French texts – from La lenteur (1995) to La fête de l’insignifiance (2013) – to be translated into Czech. from The Two Milan Kunderas by Alena Dvořáková [more inside]
posted by chavenet at 2:31 AM PST - 5 comments

Why aren’t there any sushi rolls with pickles?

Your top complaints and grievances of 2023 The Tampa Bay Times asked for readers’ petty complaints, and they delivered once again. [archive]
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 1:39 AM PST - 115 comments

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