July 4, 2017
Catholic sues Catholicism, loses
Patrick Flynn, a Catholic, sued his children's Catholic school (Holy Spirit St. Augustine) when they demanded his children get vaccinated to attend; Flynn objected on religious grounds, and sued. The diocese defended on religious grounds, claiming vaccines promote the common good and are theologically required. (Others without ecclesiastical authority disagreed.) Neither the trial nor the appellate court wanted in on any of it (declaring it a theological matter rather than a legal one), leaving the ruling that private schools in Florida can deny religious vaccine exemptions (which public schools cannot). [more inside]
Like "To Tell The Truth" but without Peggy Cass
Factitious is a game that tests your news sense, and your ability to judge Fake News from Real Genuine Mostly Factual stuff. [more inside]
"I think you'll find that was more like three minutes…"
A preview of Baby Driver in 2:54 (from 14 years ago). How Edgar Wright’s ‘Baby Driver’ Was Inspired By One Catchy Song and a Music Video [more inside]
Smile! Things are getting better! Really.
SF/F by Emerging Writers via The White Review's 2017 Prize Shortlist
"The Critic of Tombs" by Ethan Davison: "Emilia came to Tombs in the twelfth year of the interregnum. It was the first time in history a critic had been assigned to the city. A chilly place split over the St. Laurent, it is very small as cities go, even in the north, and not much accustomed to visits by anyone important." "The Refugee" by Kristen Gleason (winning story for the US & Canada): "Brian Ed waited outside the ration house. Merlijn took his time coming to the door, and opened it slowly. Brian Ed raised his hand and waved. Merlijn smiled an embarrassed smile and held up four fingers. 'No rations until four o'clock, Brian Ed.'" The full list.
United Biscuits Network. The sound of '70s cookie baking.
Throughout the '70s in the UK, factory workers making Digestives, Jaffa Cakes, and other United Biscuits products did so to the sounds of the United Biscuits Network radio station. Inaugural broadcast, 1970. Final broadcast, 1979. Between songs, UBN aired worker service announcements like “Ever thought of the jolly things you could do with compressed air? Compressssssed air can kill!” [more inside]
The Canadian Senate rouses
The Canadian Senate has long been a sleepy place - an occasional expense account scandal aside - a retirement home for party fundraisers, losing candidates, and C-level celebrities. On the rare occasions when it has pushed back against Parliament, it has been easy enough to push over. But Prime Minister Trudeau removed all Liberal senators from the Liberal caucus in 2014 and said that he wanted the chamber of sober second thought to "provide a check and balance on the politically driven House of Commons." There are some signs that he is getting his wish, as the Liberal's agenda is now getting bogged down in two chambers instead of just one. [more inside]
In photography, the smallest thing can be a great subject
We have seen that Igor Siwanowicz (previously) can take beautiful macro photos of insects. He also takes beautiful micro photos of insects.
How Being Deaf Made the Difference in Space Research
In the 1950s, NASA needed test subjects who were immune from motion sickness to investigate the effects of space flight and weightlessness on the human body. So they looked to the Deaf community, recruiting 11 men who were students at Gallaudet University as volunteer test subjects. All but one of the volunteers lost their hearing from spinal meningitis, which can kill nerve and hair cells in the inner ear, essential elements of the vestibular system - the system that can trigger motion sickness. The volunteers, known as the "Gallaudet Eleven," are now being honoured in an exhibit hosted by Gallaudet University, entitled "Deaf Difference + Space Survival" (video here).
Toni Morrison In Conversation
You should obviously set your desktop background to "cat"
Need a break from needing a break from work? Spend a little time being productive in It Is As If You Were Doing Work, a free web-based game about doing work in an office job.
Augustus, dahling, save some room for later!
As Charlie and the Chocolate Factory opens on Broadway, there will be no Wonka Bars for sale in the lobby - because they no longer exist. In fact, Nestle is considering selling off its Wonka brand entirely, because Americans are eating less candy. Though we still eat plenty of it.
I'm 'a compel him to include women in the sequel!
Founding Mother [SLWaPo]:
This Fourth of July, look closely at one of those printed copies of the Declaration of Independence. See it? The woman’s name at the bottom?
« Previous day | Next day »