It Gets Better, the Lady Gaga music video [video]
Holy Kaw! 28 Jan 2012, 3:14 am CET
In collaboration with the LGBT community of Madison and the It Gets Better Project, Colton James Boettcher created this music video to reach out to all of you who feel you’re suffering, all alone, just for being who you are.
His words speak most clearly, so we’ll hand the stage over to Boettcher himself:
As most of us know, growing up isn't easy. Countless young people are faced with daily tormenting and bullying, causing them to feel isolated and alone. This is an especially harsh reality for LGBT kids and teens, who often hide their sexuality for fear of bullying. In many instances, gay and lesbian adolescents are taunted, sometimes even tortured, simply for being themselves.
Are you being bullied? Please reach out to someone to talk to, YOU are worth something! No one should tell you otherwise. If you need someone to talk to, you can find some contacts below, or just send ME a message! I would love to hear from you.
Full story at YouTube via Buzzfeed.
Trying to reach teens in need.
Mr. Tea offers up one tough beverage
Holy Kaw! 27 Jan 2012, 11:22 pm CET
Who says tea’s for wimps? Nobody, thanks to the Mr. Tea tea cup by Matt Jones, which comes complete with a cup sporting the requisite bling, golden sugar cubes and stirrer, and a cute Mr. Tea sticking out of the top. They’re currently sold out, but check back to the website if this is something you simply can’t live without.
Pity the fool who prefers coffee. (Aw, c’mon, you knew it was coming.)
Full story at Best Week Ever via The Mary Sue.
That’s some sweet tea.
See the world as a shrimp views it
Holy Kaw! 27 Jan 2012, 10:34 pm CET
Have you ever wondered how other animals view the world? A team of researchers from the University of Bristol has created a specialized camera that allows us to see things as reef-dwelling animals do.
Project leader Shelby Temple, a researcher at Bristol's Department of Biological Sciences, will take his colleagues to the Lizard Island Research Station off the coast of Queensland to capture images of the Great Barrier Reef and how critters there visually experience their environment.
Full story at Discovery News.
FBI wants to monitor social networks
Holy Kaw! 27 Jan 2012, 10:33 pm CET
Although posting an image onto Facebook of yourself swinging from a chandelier may not be a wise decision, I think we can all agree that posting photos of yourself with the $8,000 you just robbed from a convenience store is incredibly stupid.
There's certainly been no shortage of foolish criminals being nabbed after logging on to social media sites to boast of their crimes, so it's natural that law enforcement agencies have been upping their efforts to monitor these websites. But just in case state and local agencies don't spook criminals into wising up, maybe the feds can.
Full story at Discovery News.
Your privacy on Google: don't panic, do think
Holy Kaw! 27 Jan 2012, 10:30 pm CET
Alarming news arrived this week about your privacy online. Your Gmail messages, your YouTube viewing habits, the Google Maps directions your Android phone provides and numerous other online activities will get fed into a giant algorithm that shapes the search results you see on Google -- as if one company were seizing control of all those products!
Except that one company already owns all those products. You might expect "don't they already do that?" reactions to Google's announcement Tuesday that as of March 1 it would combine data collected through its separate apps to refine search and other services for Google Account users.
Full story at Discovery News.
Even in death, Egyptian birds were fed
Holy Kaw! 27 Jan 2012, 10:29 pm CET
Ancient Egyptians placed food in the mouths or stomachs of animal mummies, suggesting that animals were treated equally to humans in death and perhaps also in life.
In this case the mummies were sacred ibis birds In a study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, the findings are the first known examples of food placed directly in animal mummies. The primary organs were also removed, as was the practice for humans. It’s thought that the ancient Egyptians wished to preserve these organs for continued function in the afterlife.
Full story at Discovery News.
10 signs China is serious about space
Holy Kaw! 27 Jan 2012, 10:25 pm CET
Already boasting scores of satellite launches, a handful of crewed orbital missions and two lunar probes, Red China now stands poised to assume a leading role in the Big Black.
In this article, we'll add up the ways China has signaled the earnestness of its extraterrestrial aspirations. Our list includes:
- Bankrolling Breakthroughs: In 2005, China budgeted about $1.2 billion toward its space program, compared to NASA's $16.2 billion. Still, that apportionment is nothing to sneeze at. China -- with its bargain-basement labor costs and sky-high proportion of state-run enterprises -- can stretch each yuan further than the U.S..
- Bouncing off the Satellites: The country plans by 2020 to have established the Beidou global-positioning and navigation system, a web of 35 satellites akin to America's Global Positioning System.
- Establishing a Space Laboratory: On Sept. 29, 2011, China launched its Tiangong-1 ("Heavenly Palace 1") space laboratory -- the first piece of, and test bed for, its planned orbital space station.
Full list at HowStuffWorks.com.
Total aggregation of HowStuffWorks.com.
Photo credit: Fotolia
How asexuality works
Holy Kaw! 27 Jan 2012, 10:22 pm CET
You can't neatly slice the human population into heterosexual and homosexual camps. For people who identify as asexual, sex is a moot point.
According to the Asexuality Visibility and Education Network (AVEN), asexuality as a sexual orientation (distinct from the method of reproduction with the same name) is characterized by a lack of sexual attraction. But does that mean romantic relationships are completely out of the question?
Full article at HowStuffWorks.com.
Total aggregation of HowStuffWorks.com.
Photo credit: Fotolia
The super-hero-backstory quiz
Holy Kaw! 27 Jan 2012, 10:20 pm CET
You may have seen the latest versions of Batman, Spider-man, Captain America and their super-bretheren, but how much do you know about their backstories?
Test your super-knowledge with this quiz about the origins of some of these larger-than-life good guys (and a few bad ones, too). How well do you know your irradiated orphans from outer space?
Show what you know at HowStuffWorks.com.
Total aggregation of HowStuffWorks.com.
Photo credit: Fotolia
The ultimate Mel Brooks movies quiz
Holy Kaw! 27 Jan 2012, 10:17 pm CET
Mel Brooks is the master of satire and parody, mocking everything from wild westerns to wacky space flicks. All that comedy gold has won him Tonys, Emmys, Oscars, Grammys and the right to say "It is good to be the King."
Do you know which movie was Mel Brooks' highest-grossing box office hit? Then this is a quiz you'll do well on.
Show what you know at HowStuffWorks.com.
Total aggregation of HowStuffWorks.com.
Photo credit: Fotolia
Medical sensor powered by rap music?
Holy Kaw! 27 Jan 2012, 9:31 pm CET
The driving bass rhythm of rap can be used to power a new miniature medical sensor designed to be implanted in the body.
The heart of the sensor is a vibrating cantilever, a thin beam attached at one end like a miniature diving board. Music within a certain range of frequencies, from 200-500 hertz, causes the cantilever to vibrate, generating electricity and storing a charge in a capacitor, says Babak Ziaie, a Purdue University professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering.
“The music reaches the correct frequency only at certain times, for example, when there is a strong bass component. The acoustic energy from the music can pass through body tissue, causing the cantilever to vibrate.”
Full story at Futurity.
More research news from top universities.
Photo credit: Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University
How auto’s Big Three flunked Accounting 101
Holy Kaw! 27 Jan 2012, 9:03 pm CET
According to a new study, the Big Three automakers in the US overlooked basic accounting practices that could have guarded against long-term damage.
The researchers identify a culture of emphasizing short-term gain over long-term brand stability at General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co., and Chrysler Group LLC.
“I was surprised they were not following fundamental accounting practices like we teach in our introductory accounting classes,” says Karen Sedatole, associate professor of accounting at Michigan State University.
“They were basically fooling themselves into thinking that, by making more cars, the true cost of one car goes down. For the most part, it doesn’t.”
Full story at Futurity.
More research news from top universities.
How to build a truly great Facebook tab
Holy Kaw! 27 Jan 2012, 8:58 pm CET
Building an awesome Facebook tab is about more than just visual appeal, writes Chelsea Hejny. The best tabs have a clear purpose and viewpoint, and are timely and tie in branded design elements. "As much as aesthetics play a large role in whether a tab is great, the ... meaning behind a design and content can prove more important," Hejny writes.
Full story at SmartBlog on Social Media by SmartBrief.
More SmartBrief stories.
"Sense of mission" flavors list of food world's power 50
Holy Kaw! 27 Jan 2012, 8:38 pm CET
The people who made this year's list of the 50 Most Powerful People in Food come from diverse aspects of the food world, but most have a sense of mission in common, says The Daily Meal editorial director Colman Andrews. Andrews also shares insight on the tough decisions that went into creating the list and what the roster means to the food industry.
Full story at SmartBlog on Restaurants by SmartBrief.
More SmartBrief stories.
Gossip lowers stress & keeps cheats in check
Holy Kaw! 27 Jan 2012, 8:03 pm CET
Gossip can have positive outcomes such as helping us police bad behavior, prevent exploitation, and lower stress, say researchers.
“Gossip gets a bad rap, but we’re finding evidence that it plays a critical role in the maintenance of social order,” says University of California, Berkeley social psychologist Robb Willer.
The study focused on “prosocial” gossip that “has the function of warning others about untrustworthy or dishonest people,” says Willer, as opposed to the voyeuristic rumor-mongering about the ups and downs of tabloid celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Charlie Sheen.
Full story at Futurity.
More research news from top universities.
Super-wealthy presidential candidates: A visual history
Holy Kaw! 27 Jan 2012, 7:43 pm CET
Ross Perot may have been the only billionaire to run for president, but George Washington, who owned 8,000 acres of prime farmland, "would have made the Forbes 400 of his day." In fact, his wealth would have been more than $500 million in today's dollars. Incredible but true: "His salary was 2 percent of the total U.S. budget in 1789."
More of history's wealthiest candidates at The Week.
Photo: Reuters
All the top stories from The Week.
Thought SOPA and PIPA were bad? Check out ACTA. [video]
Holy Kaw! 27 Jan 2012, 7:42 pm CET
SOPA. PIPA. ACTA? If that last acronym doesn’t ring a bell, it’s probably because ACTA, or the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, has managed to wriggle its way through governments around the world without garnering much press attention.
All of the EU, the United States, Switzerland and Japan have already signed off or ratified the agreement and, according to Forbes, the provisions contained withing ACTA “appear quite similar to – and more expansive than – anything we saw in SOPA.”
Learn more at Forbes.
Raise a voice to fight censorship.
Calculation lowballs heart attack odds
Holy Kaw! 27 Jan 2012, 7:35 pm CET
Men and women may have a false sense of security about their chances of having a heart attack or stroke based on the current practice of calculating a patient’s risk 10 years into the future.
The research shows a young or middle-aged adult who is at low risk in the short term may be at very high risk in the long term—if he or she has just one or two risk factors such as higher than optimal cholesterol or blood pressure levels.
“We are giving incomplete and misleading risk information if we only focus on the next 10 years of someone’s life,” says principal investigator Donald Lloyd-Jones, associate professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University.
“With even just one risk factor, the likelihood is very large that someone will develop a major cardiovascular event that will kill them or substantially diminish their quality of life or health.”
Full story at Futurity.
More research news from top universities.
Years after Katrina, minds slow to recover
Holy Kaw! 27 Jan 2012, 7:32 pm CET
Survivors of Hurricane Katrina have struggled with poor mental health for years, according to a new study of low-income mothers in the New Orleans area.
The researchers were able to collect data on the participants before Katrina and nearly five years after the August 2005 storm, finding a persistence of poor mental health and gaining insights into how different types of hurricane-related stressors affect mental health.
“On average, people were not back to baseline mental health and they were showing pretty high levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms. There aren’t many studies that trace people for this long, but the very few that there are suggest faster recovery than what we’re finding here,” says Christina Paxson, an economics professor at Princeton University and the study’s lead author.
Full story at Futurity.
More research news from top universities.
About Arts & Letters Daily
Arts & Letters Daily - ideas, criticism, debate 14 May 2011, 6:00 am CEST
New material is added to Arts & Letters Daily six days a week. We continually test links for reliability. Despite our best efforts, links may fail (often only temporarily) without warning. We apologize for any inconvenience. Our motto, "Veritas odit moras," is from line 850 of Seneca's version of Oedipus. It means "Truth hates delay." Arts & Letters Daily is a service of The Chronicle of Higher Education.
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