The 2023 Oscar Nominations, and What Should Have Made the List

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The 2023 Oscar Nominations, and What Should Have Made the List If Oscar nominations bore a movie’s title, this year’s rundown would borrow one from Stanley Kubrick’s first feature, “Fear and Desire.” The movie-industry news of the past year has been the collapse of the box-office for almost everything but blockbusters, and the Academy’s response has been to put its mouth where its money is, by way of Best Picture nominations for the megahits “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “Elvis,” and “Top Gun: Maverick,” plus one for the power that be, Netflix, whose “All Quiet on the Western Front” had an almost undetectable theatrical release. The desire is found in the eleven nominations, more than any other film, for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” which represents the conjoined aspirations to weirdness and diversity; though its emotional realm isn’t weird at all (its facile sentimentality is its secret weapon), its surfaces are more idiosyncratic than almost anything else that Hollywood put out last year. The casting is its directors’ greatest achievement. Bringing together Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan, great actors whose talents have been underutilized because of the dearth of substantial roles for Asian performers, along with Jamie Lee Curtis (who has endured the ageism that most actresses confront) and the near-newcomer (to movies) Stephanie Hsu, deserves an Oscar in itself. (There’s no award for the technical category of casting, though.) Continued here

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You need to watch the most important superhero team-up series on HBO Max ASAP Once upon a time, it felt like the World’s Finest ruled the big and small screen. You couldn’t turn on a TV or walk into a movie theater without running into the next adventures of the Caped Crusader or the Man of Steel. Every weekend, Wonder Woman fought alongside Superman and Batman. Green Lantern was Black. The Justice League was a Saturday morning cartoon staple. But those halcyon days of DC are long gone, and Warner Bros. is preparing to start a new era under the watchful care of James Gunn and Peter Safran. Unfortunately, it seems this new era doesn’t have the affection for that golden age of early 2000s superhero cartoons that most millennials who grew up watching Justice League have. Continued here

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Body image campaigner Taryn Brumfitt is 2023 Australian of the Year Taryn Brumfitt, a body image campaigner whose work has been recognised internationally, is the 2023 Australian of the Year. A writer and film maker from Adelaide, Brumfitt’s 2016 documentary Embrace, about women’s body loathing and her path of accepting her own body, has been seen by millions of people in 190 countries. Continued here

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David Crosby Understood the Sharpness of Despair David Crosby, one of the most iconic and enduring voices of the nineteen-sixties, died last week, at the age of eighty-one. He was a founding member of the Byrds and of Crosby, Stills, and Nash (sometimes Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young), two deeply beloved and influential folk-rock outfits. For anyone who found solace or haven in Crosby’s singing, his death feels like the dimming of some golden light. Crosby was born in Los Angeles in 1941, and, by the late nineteen-sixties, he was a central figure in the art scene taking root in Laurel Canyon, a woodsy, bohemian enclave on the slopes of Lookout Mountain, in the West Hollywood Hills. At various times, Crosby’s Laurel Canyon cohort included Joni Mitchell (whom he consistently championed and very briefly dated), Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn, Linda Ronstadt, J. D. Souther, Judee Sill, Carole King, Frank Zappa, and members of the Mamas and the Papas and the Eagles. Back then, Laurel Canyon was a countercultural oasis in the midst of L.A.—imagine rustic cottages with wood-burning fireplaces and spider plants dripping out of hand-tossed pots, with plentiful weed and incense smoke drifting up from little brass holders, and all-night jam sessions—and Crosby, too, felt like an emissary for a different sort of American sound, more spectral, almost phosphorescent. His voice was sweet but vaguely spooky, as though it were emanating from the inner depths of a seashell you once held to your ear. As though it were not wholly of this world. Continued here

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Grassroots AIDS activists fought for and won affordable HIV treatments around the world - but PEPFAR didn't change governments and pharma The President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, has revolutionized the fight against global AIDS over the last 20 years. In that time, the U.S. program has brought antiretroviral treatment to nearly 19 million people living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS; prevented mother-to-child transmission of HIV for 2.8 million babies; and brought HIV testing and prevention services to millions of others. But this program would not be so successful – and might not even exist – without the work of grassroots AIDS activists around the world. Continued here

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'The Last of Us' didn't need spores -- the replacement is perfect for TV The Last of Us is being lauded for just how similar it is to the original video game. Maybe it’s the fact the game’s writer is billed as co-showrunner, or maybe it’s because of how cinematic the game was from the get-go, but even in just two episodes there are countless side-by-side comparisons we can make between the series and the game. There are still, however, some big differences. The reveal that the spores, a major element of the game that indicated infection, weren’t going to be in the HBO series caused some concern among fans. But Episode 2 revealed that what the show replaced spores with was even scarier and more suspenseful. Continued here

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The Last of Us: fungal infections really can kill - and they're getting more dangerous Millions have been tuning in every week to watch the highly anticipated TV adaptation of The Last of Us. The show depicts a post-apocalyptic world where society has collapsed due to the outbreak of a dangerous, brain-controlling fungal infection that turns humans into hostile, cannibalistic “zombies”. The fungus which causes the pandemic is based on the real-life Cordyceps zombie fungus that infects insects. Insects infected with Cordyceps have little control of their actions as the fungus takes over their nervous system, before eventually growing out of their bodies. Continued here

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Directors need limits to how many boards they sit on. Stretching their time too thinly is risky Experienced directors of companies are in high demand in countries around the world. For this reason, many hold multiple directorships. There’s an upside to this. Directors with multiple directorships are able to gain more knowledge, experience and access to social networks and resources, thus adding more value to the company. Continued here

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Yoga: Modern research shows a variety of benefits to both body and mind from the ancient practice The popularity of yoga has grown tremendously in the past decade. More than 10% of U.S. adults have practiced yoga at some point in their lives. Yoga practitioners spend on average US$90 a month, and the yoga industry is worth more than $80 billion worldwide. The name “yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit word “Yuj” meaning to unite, join or connect the mind, body and soul. The first text on yoga was written by the sage Patanjali over 2,000 years ago in India. Patanjali described yoga as “citta-vrtti-nirodhah,” or “stilling the mind.” This was achieved through a mix of breath work, meditation, physical movement and body purification practices, as well as ethical and moral codes for living a healthy and purposeful life. Continued here

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Food shortages: five ways to fix 'unfair' supply chains Adegboyega Oyedijo is a Chartered Member of both the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT). UK food prices soared by more than 16% in 2022 as record inflation pushed up the prices of everything from bread to beans. Continued here

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Dante was the founder of Italy's right-wing, claims culture minister - an expert explains why he's wrong “Dante was the founder of right-wing thinking in our country”. So proclaimed Italy’s culture minister, Gennaro Sangiuliano, at an electoral meeting of the prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s party, Fratelli d’Italia, in January. He went on to say that “Dante’s vision of mankind and relationships, as well as his political construction, are deeply right-wing”. Continued here

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Alcohol bans and law and order responses to crime in Alice Springs haven't worked in the past, and won't work now Since colonisation, “interventions” to curb Aboriginal “crime” and alcohol have been deployed to control and harm First Nations communities and people. Nowhere is this more true than in the Northern Territory. When these moral panics reach the national media and political stage, the response has typically been top-down policies by federal and territory governments to disempower First Nations people and deny equal rights. Continued here

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Ghana's domestic debt restructuring has stalled: four reasons why Theophilus Acheampong is affiliated with the IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, Accra, Ghana. Ghana is facing multiple financial and economic challenges and has requested a US$3 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help it restore macroeconomic stability. This will include bringing public debt down to more manageable levels from the currently estimated 105% of GDP to 55% in present value terms by 2028. Continued here

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Football and politics in Kinshasa: how DRC's elite use sport to build their reputations and hold on to power Football in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – as in much of the world – is intertwined with politics. In the central African country, football clubs have long been a way for the regime in power to build political capital. Many politicians involve themselves with clubs to bolster their image. On the other hand, football is also a space for political opposition. Continued here

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Possible link between Alzheimer's disease and gut microbiome found in mice - new study Researchers may have found an unlikely contributor to the development of Alzheimer’s disease: the bacteria in your gut. Their study, published in the journal Science, suggested that certain gut bacteria increase the brain damage seen in mice with an Alzheimer’s-like disease. In Alzheimer’s disease – the most common form of dementia – proteins build up abnormally in the brain. One of these proteins is called tau, and its build-up causes the death of brain cells that are involved in memory, causing forgetfulness and eventually permanent memory loss. Continued here

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Stella Chiweshe: Zimbabwe's mbira queen, rebel music star and pioneer Stella Rambisai Chiweshe, affectionately known in Zimbabwe as “the queen of mbira” or “Ambuya (grandmother) Chiweshe”, passed away on 20 January 2023. Chiweshe was born in July 1946 in the rural area of Mhondoro in the Mashonaland province of northern Zimbabwe. She began playing the mbira, an ancient thumb piano, in the early 1960s. At the time she was reproached by both men and women because she had dared to play an instrument that was ordinarily played by men. Continued here

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Why Italian cheesemakers buried their pecorino Loreto Pacitti was stumped. He was desperate. The pecorino producer couldn't sell one of Italy's most famous cheeses. No one could. Covid had closed restaurants and public markets, skyrocketed production costs and curbed public spending. Worried his cheese would spoil, he did what his ancestors did hundreds of years ago. "During the lockdown I lost almost everything," said Pacitti, owner of La Caciosteria di Casa Lawrence in the village of Picinisco in the Lazio region. "But then because of this system [of burying cheese] I recovered everything." Continued here

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Trump Angrily Orders Pence to Return All Classified Documents to Mar-a-Lago PALM BEACH (The Borowitz Report)—Minutes after it was revealed that classified documents were found at Mike Pence’s home in Indiana, Donald J. Trump demanded that his former Vice-President return all of the secret materials to Mar-a-Lago “at once.” An incandescently angry Trump addressed the media at his Palm Beach home and accused his former running mate of being “the lowest form of life” for taking documents “that were rightfully mine.” Continued here

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How the 'circus' became the metaphor of choice in political rhetoric In his 2023 New Year’s Speech, Labour leader Keir Starmer reiterated his criticism of the “Tory circus” as he lamented the apparently unbreakable but entirely avoidable cycle of crises at Westminster. “Nothing has changed,” Starmer said, “but the circus moves on. Rinse and repeat.” The performance metaphor has become one of Starmer’s stock insults of the Conservative party. He referred to his political opponent’s “ridiculous, chaotic circus” in an interview with Laura Kuenssberg in October 2022. Continued here

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Five New Yorker Films Receive 2023 Academy Award Nominations Nominations for the ninety-fifth Academy Awards were announced on Tuesday morning in Los Angeles, and included five nods for films released by The New Yorker. Among the magazine’s nominees are a pair of documentary shorts, along with a trio of films competing in the Best Animated and Live Action Short Film categories. The nominations raise the total number of Oscar nominations received by New Yorker films to fifteen, and mark a record for the magazine in a single year. The winning films will be honored at the Oscars ceremony on March 12th in Hollywood. Two New Yorker films will compete in the Best Documentary Short Film category. “Stranger at the Gate,” directed by Joshua Seftel, tells the story of Richard (Mac) McKinney, a former Marine from Indiana who returns to his home town after tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Struggling with P.T.S.D. and driven by Islamophobia, McKinney plans an attack on a local mosque—but, when he starts spending time with congregants, encounters a faith community that welcomes and profoundly changes him. Seftel, who has earned nominations for Emmy and Peabody Awards for an earlier project, “The Secret Life of Muslims,” told The New Yorker that the Afghan refugees in his latest film are “true, real-life heroes.” “At a time of division and hate, ‘Stranger at the Gate’ reminds us of our shared humanity,” he said. Continued here

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Discovery of book in Scottish castle reveals fascinating detail of Robert Burns's domestic life I have experienced a few eureka moments in my career – usually the result of sheer luck or serendipity. In late 2021, I was part of the Editing Burns in the 21st Century team working on the new Oxford University Press edition of the Complete Works of Robert Burns. I had been granted rare access to the collections of Barnbougle Castle on the Dalmeny Estate by the River Forth, near Edinburgh. Many will recognise the castle as the setting in the film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, starring Maggie Smith. The materials there had been assembled by former prime minister (1894-5) and Earl of Rosebery, Archibald Primrose, who was a formidable historian and leading expert on the Scottish bard. Continued here

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Device transmits radio waves with almost no power - without violating the laws of physics A new ultra-low-power method of communication at first glance seems to violate the laws of physics. It is possible to wirelessly transmit information simply by opening and closing a switch that connects a resistor to an antenna. No need to send power to the antenna. Our system, combined with techniques for harvesting energy from the environment, could lead to all manner of devices that transmit data, including tiny sensors and implanted medical devices, without needing batteries or other power sources. These include sensors for smart agriculture, electronics implanted in the body that never need battery changes, better contactless credit cards and maybe even new ways for satellites to communicate. Continued here

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The Bartender Behind the Blue Hawaii A successful tropical cocktail can have a million mothers. Take the mai tai. Vic Bergeron—the Vic of Trader Vic’s, the kitschy restaurant chain that helped popularize an imaginary rendering of Polynesian culture for wistful mainlanders—asserted that he had invented the rum drink. Any suggestion otherwise, Bergeron said, aggravated his ulcer, adding, “Anybody who says I didn’t create this drink is a dirty stinker.” On the opposing court, we have the tiki-bar progenitor Don the Beachcomber, who was born Ernest Gantt, but was so infatuated by his Don the Beachcomber persona that he legally changed his name to Donn Beach. Beach claimed that the mai tai was his brainstorm. We may never truly know who to thank/blame for the mai tai, especially since recipes can’t be copyrighted, and, in the mid-nineteen-forties, when it first appeared on bar menus, there was such a rage for anything that signalled the fantasy version of island culture (including cocktail glasses adorned with sacred cultural symbols) that bartenders all over were probably sloshing together rum and lime and coconut to catch the wave. On the other hand, it is an uncontested fact that, in 1957, Harry Yee (1918-2022) created the Blue Hawaii (rum, vodka, blue curaçao, pineapple juice, and sweet-and-sour mix). Yee was tending bar at the Hawaiian Village, which was larger than most hotels in the United States outside of Las Vegas. The Hawaiian Village, which had begun as a small collection of low-rise tourist huts, had been expanding to accommodate the new swell of tourism that was under way. At the time, it could still be a slog to get to Hawaii, but Americans were determined to see the paradise that servicemen returning from the South Pacific had raved about, and they wanted sweet, sultry cocktails to accompany the experience. Continued here

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Do You Have the Right Influencers? Now that everyone wants to sell via social media, you've got to up your game.Continued here S55 Should Australia let Kanye West in? Just one year after then-Immigration Minister Alex Hawke moved to expel tennis star Novak Djokovic from Australia on character grounds, his Labor successor, Andrew Giles, is faced with another controversial visitor in the form of Ye (formerly known as Kanye West). Although he’s both a musician and rapper, Ye may be best described as a social influencer – and one with very offensive views, especially when it comes to Jewish people and the Holocaust. Continued here S29 Combating antisemitism today: Holocaust education in the era of Twitter and TikTok In the era of social media, antisemitism and Holocaust denial are no longer hidden in the margins, spewed by fringe hate groups. From Ye – formerly known as Kanye West – and NBA player Kyrie Irving to members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, well-recognized personalities have echoed antisemitic ideas, often online. Beyond high-profile figures, there are clear signs that antisemitism is becoming more mainstream. In 2021, using the most recent data available, the Anti-Defamation League reported that antisemitic incidents in the U.S. reached an all-time high. Eighty-five percent of Americans believe at least one anti-Jewish trope, according to another ADL survey, and about 20% believe six or more tropes – a sharp increase from just four years before. In addition, Jewish college students increasingly report feeling unsafe, ostracized or harassed on campus. Continued here S35 Jacinda Ardern resignation has people wondering when to quit - but that's the wrong way to think about burnout Jacinda Ardern’s resignation as New Zealand prime minister has sparked discussions about burnout and when is the “right time” to leave a job. Some have written admiringly about Ardern’s decision to leave, saying she is being kind to herself and not overstaying her welcome – in contrast to many other world leaders. One of the youngest holders of public office, Ardern had become an international symbol for how to integrate work and personal life. She famously held her infant daughter while addressing the UN general assembly. But now this narrative is marking her departure with misogynistic headlines such as “Can women really have it all?”. Continued here S28 How some enslaved Black people stayed in Southern slaveholding states - and found freedom For generations, the Underground Railroad has been the quintessential story of resistance against oppression. What is far less known is that the majority of enslaved people who fled Southern slavery before the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation never crossed the Mason-Dixon line to freedom in the Northern states. Continued here S19 Solving period poverty is about more than just making products free Senior Fellow at the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham Upwards of 2.8 billion people do not have access to safe sanitation. A third of the world’s population doesn’t have a toilet. Continued here S23 Lots of people believe in Bigfoot and other pseudoscience claims - this course examines why Craig Foster is affiliated with facilitatedcommunication.org.Anything else to declare: I am a Committee for Skeptical Inquiry Fellow. Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching. Continued here S53 Big Tech is firing employees by the thousands. Why? And how worried should we be? Senior Director, Collaboration and Continuity Technologies, Duke Health, Duke University Tech companies are always in the news, usually touting the next big thing. However, the tech news cycle recently hasn’t been dominated by the latest gadget or innovation. Instead, layoffs are in the headlines. Continued here S7 Netflix's Cofounder Just Gave a 1 Sentence Master Class in How to Achieve Work Life Balance Netflix cofounder Marc Randolph's definition of success teaches a major lesson in priority setting. Continued here S5 When We Stop Trying to Make Heroes, Leadership Is a Beautiful Game He knew it, they knew it - it's time you knew what really turns leadership into championships. Continued here S14 8 of the world's best forest homes Dwellings that offer different takes on the archetypal forest refuge are featured in a new book – "flanked by towering pines, enveloped by the jungle, built into a shoreline, or perched on a mountainside". Many of the designers in Living in the Forest (Phaidon) "have drawn from the past to build homes for the future… inspired by folklore, indigenous culture, vernacular architecture or the land itself". In doing so, they have broken new ground in green construction, "reframing the way we live in nature". Circle Wood, Mobius Architekci, 2020, Izabelin, Poland (Credit: Paweł Ulatowski / Przemek Olczyk) Continued here S52 Labor maintains lead over Coalition in both federal and NSW Resolve polls Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A federal Resolve poll for Nine newspapers, conducted January 17-22 from a sample of 1,606 people, has given Labor 42% of the primary vote (steady since early December), the Coalition 29% (down one), the Greens 11% (steady), One Nation 6% (up two), the UAP 2% (steady), independents 8% (steady) and others 2% (down one). Continued here S36 Russia rekindles old friendship with South Africa, its ally against apartheid The recent announcement that the South African, Russian and Chinese navies will conduct joint exercises off the east coast of South Africa between February 17 and 27, has alarmed the United States. Washington has condemned the decision as the exercises would appear to compromise South African neutrality in the diplomatic controversies surrounding the war in Ukraine. The exercises will be in the Indian Ocean between Durban and Richards Bay on the country’s east coast. They will not amount to much in strict naval terms. The South African navy consists of three German-built submarines, about 15 years old, and four German-built ocean-going frigates of the same vintage. Continued here S3 After 10 Years, Amazon Is Shutting Down It's Charity Program That Gave Away $500 Million. The Reason Will Make You Mad Sometimes the impact isn't what you think. Continued here S43 Kids cause suffering (at least for parents) but do they make you unhappy? Some influential studies show that the decision to have kids leads to greater suffering — at least for parents. A famous study by Nobel prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman and collaborators showed that working women experienced more negative, and less positive, emotions while caring for kids than while engaged in almost any other activity (except cleaning the bathroom). Such findings have been interpreted in popular and scholarly discussions as implying that kids are not a great source of happiness. In his New York Times bestselling book, Stumbling on Happiness, leading Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert claims findings like Kahneman’s reveal that the idea that “children bring happiness” is a false “super-replicator”: a cultural myth designed to keep unsuspecting parents passing on their genes, even though it makes them miserable. The tagline on Gilbert’s book reads “Think you know what makes you happy?” Well, think again. Continued here S50 Typical mass shooters are in their 20s and 30s - suspects in California's latest killings are far from that average The two men who shot dead 18 people in separate incidents just days apart in California are the latest perpetrators in America’s long history of mass gun violence. But something about these public shootings, and the men held responsible, stands out. The median age of mass shooters in the United States is 32. Yet the man who is alleged to have shot dead 11 people in Monterey Park on Jan. 21, 2023, before turning the gun on himself was 72 years old – the oldest mass shooter in modern American history, our records show. Meanwhile, the gunman who took the lives of seven more in Half Moon Bay two days later was also older than most — 66, the third-oldest in history. Continued here S20 Veganism: why we should see it as a political movement rather than a dietary choice Mara-Daria Cojocaru is affiliated with PAN Works, a new ethics think tank dedicated to the wellbeing of animals https://panworks.io. The start of a new year these days signals the launch of Veganuary, a campaign which encourages people to give up animal products for the month of January. Continued here S48 Targeted policies can help decarbonize Canada one home at a time Be it through the food we eat, vehicle we use or way we live, we use fossil fuels and emit greenhouse gases in various activities in our daily lives. We need to reduce emissions across sectors, starting with our homes. This requires ambitious and quick action. As we face more and more climate change-induced weather extremes, we heavily rely on the use of home heating and cooling infrastructure. The emissions from space heating and cooling in homes represent almost one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions. Continued here S49 Escaped pet parrots threaten New Zealand's vulnerable native birds - why a ban is the best solution Birds sold in the pet trade are often colourful and charismatic creatures. Some can even be taught to talk, and they often provide owners with much-needed companionship. Concerns about the billion-dollar global pet industry have usually focused on issues associated with the trade in endangered species, but the industry also plays a critical role in moving invasive species around the globe. For birds, it is the primary source of invasive species. Continued here S11 Rethinking Hierarchy For all the hype and promise swirling around the idea of eliminating management to create agile, flat organizations, bosses and corporate hierarchies have remained extremely resilient. As we argued in the pages of MIT Sloan Management Review in 2014, under the right conditions, having such hierarchies in place is the best way to handle the coordination and cooperation problems that beset human interactions.1 They allow human intelligence and creativity to flourish on a larger scale. They provide a larger structure, with predictability and accountability, for specialists to do their work. But that doesn’t mean traditional, command-and-control organizations are right for today’s environment. We see a confluence of business and social trends influencing the development of new kinds of hierarchies. Rapid technological progress, instant communication, value creation based on knowledge rather than physical resources, globalization, and a more educated workforce require us to rethink how we wield managerial authority. Meanwhile, individual views on politics, religion, and culture also inform our attitudes toward hierarchies — such as whether we value autonomy or admire authoritarian figures. All of these factors point to a new, different role for hierarchy to play in meeting the challenges of the 21st century. The key challenge for designing and operating hierarchies today and tomorrow is to balance two opposing forces. The first is the desire, common to us all, for empowerment and autonomy, which helps companies mobilize employees’ creativity and exploit their unique knowledge and capabilities. The other is the need — particularly in environments characterized by rapid change and interdependent activities across the enterprise — to exercise managerial authority on a large scale. Continued here S18 We tested the wastewater from planes to detect COVID among travellers - here's what we found Small traces of many pathogens, such as viruses we may be infected with, are excreted when we go to the toilet. Ultimately, these agents find their way to municipal wastewater treatment plants where sewage samples can be taken and the levels of these pathogens measured. This field of science is called wastewater-based epidemiology and it may be a way to track the spread of COVID across the world via airports. It’s already a powerful tool to monitor the levels of infectious diseases circulating in a community. It’s also relatively simple, inexpensive, and, most importantly, provides a snapshot of the health of a whole community (not only those people who seek medical help). Continued here S46 The Australian National Anthem has a big problem - the average Aussie can't sing it in tune I have one prayer as I watch the Australian cricket team sing Advance Australia Fair patriotically before a match – “Please don’t turn on their microphone.” Like many Australians, their “joyful strains” of our anthem are … well, just strained. It’s not their fault they misspent their youth playing cricket instead of taking singing lessons. And it’s not their fault they got so good they now have to sing in front of thousands before they can play. Continued here S24 Parsing which foods are healthy and which are less so isn't always straightforward - a new rating system aims to demystify the process Many people aim to start the year off with healthier food choices. But how do you choose between seemingly similar foods, snacks or beverages? How does a bagel with cream cheese compare to toast topped with avocado, for instance? Or a protein-based shake compared to a smoothie packed with fruits? Or two chicken dishes, prepared in different ways? As nutrition scientists who have spent our entire careers studying how different foods influence health, our team at Tufts University has created a new food rating system, the Food Compass, that could help consumers and others make informed choices about these kinds of questions. Continued here S40 Monterey Park: A pioneering Asian American suburb shaken by the tragedy of a mass shooting For Americans of Asian descent, Monterey Park – a town near Los Angeles, located in the San Gabriel Valley – is a cultural center. It embodies the modern Asian American experience; that is, a place where Asians in America can access and practice a diverse array of traditions and cultural pursuits in an environment where they are the norm, as opposed to marginal. Continued here S22 New passport rankings show that the world is opening up - but not for everyone Salman Rushdie, the celebrated Anglo-Indian writer, once declared that the “most precious book” he possessed was his passport. Rushdie had already published dozens of works, including novels, short stories, essays and travelogues, to wide acclaim and considerable controversy. But he acknowledged that it was his British passport, doing “its stuff efficiently and unobtrusively,” that enabled him to pursue a literary career on the world stage. Continued here S45 War leaves a toxic legacy that lasts long after the guns go quiet. Can we stop it? Stacey Pizzino is affiliated with the Global Protection Cluster - Mine Action Area of Responsibility. Jo Durham is affiliated with is the Global Protection Cluster - Mine Action Area of Responsibility Continued here S12 The last fisherman of Monaco It's often just past midnight when Eric Rinaldi unties the mooring lines and carefully manoeuvres his fishing boat Diego out of Monaco's harbour, Port Hercules. Contemplating the hours of inky darkness in front of him, he'll steer past rows of superyachts as he heads out into the open sea, their polished hulls and elaborate designs a stark contrast to the simple practicality of his fibreglass workboat. Onboard Diego – named for his young son – Rinaldi's biggest luxury is an old Nespresso machine, one of the few comforts among the jumble of nets, hooks, bright orange buoys and other tools of his trade.  Continued here S17 Why forecasting snow is so difficult in the UK British people tend to approach weather forecasts of snow with a combination of excitement and trepidation. Who doesn’t like the sight of unspoilt snow glittering over the rooftops like a Christmas card? But not many people enjoy the aftermath – an ice slush nightmare, soaking up the dirt from our streets and roads. Forecasting snow is tricky in Britain though. And predictions tend to be uncertain. By the time British people reach adulthood, particularly those who live in southern England, a lot learn to treat forecasts of snow with cynicism. You might go to bed delighted by forecasts of snow only to wake the next day greeted by rain. Continued here S4 The Young Founder Who Fooled JPMorgan Fooled Me Too Reporters on young disruptors should take Skepticism 101. Continued here S16 Non-racial South Africa: book shows debate on nation building is still relevant today University of the Witwatersrand provides support as a hosting partner of The Conversation AFRICA. There has been much comment recently on the lack of representation of minorities in the leadership structures of South Africa’s governing party, the African National Congress (ANC). Continued here S21 Ghana's Nkrumahist parties keep splitting - a threat to their strength in the 2024 election Political parties are not always completely united, as most classical political scientists argue. Dissenting opinions and the scramble for party apparatus tend to trigger internal schisms and factions. If these aren’t managed well, parties can split. A notable example is the recent emergence of splinter parties from the Justice and Development Party in Turkey. In Ghana, all three of the country’s main political traditions have experienced internal conflicts and sometimes party splits. The Danquah-Busia-Dombo, Nkrumahist and Provisional National Defence Council/Rawlings traditions differ in terms of ideology. The Provisional National Defence Council/Rawlings tradition subscribes to social democracy while the Danquah-Busiasts hold property-owning democratic ideals. The Nkrumahist group is known for socialist beliefs grounded in Nkrumahism – the philosophy of Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah. This tradition focuses on self-reliance and pan-Africanism, and abhors neocolonialism. Continued here S2 3 Steps to Improve Your Sales Messaging Emotionally connect by being honest. Continued here S33 'The Whale' is a horror film that taps into our fear of fatness I knew before seeing “The Whale” that it was a movie about a man named Charlie who weighs over 600 pounds, is grief-stricken over the death of his partner, and is effectively trapped in his apartment due to his weight. I also knew that “The Whale” had attracted a great deal of criticism, provoking anger, disgust and accusations of exploitation. Despite the controversy, Brendan Fraser’s performance has been widely praised, and he’s been nominated for best actor at the 95th Academy Awards. Continued here S54 With inflation still rising, the RBA will almost certainly lift interest rates in February Interest rates are almost certain to rise again in February, after the latest Consumer Price Index figures showing inflation hit 7.8% in 2022 – its highest rate in 33 years. The data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows a 1.9% increase in the CPI in the December quarter. Combined with the strong increases in the first nine months of the year, inflation in 2022 was at the highest rate since March 1990. Continued here S15 Chutes de neige dans le d University of the Witwatersrand provides support as a hosting partner of The Conversation AFRICA. Une chute de neige dans un désert chaud peut sembler une contradiction, mais la neige a été enregistrée plusieurs fois dans le désert du Sahara au cours des dernières décennies. La plus récente date de janvier 2022. Ainsi, les chutes de neige peuvent être inhabituelles mais ne sont pas sans précédent dans la région. Continued here S37 Harry and William duke it out: Will sticks and stones topple thrones? Brotherly love turned to conflict and estrangement is not an uncommon story in families. That’s why so many people are fascinated with the British Royal Family and the current meltdown between Princes Harry and William. We want to know what happened. They seemed bonded in the dark days after their mother Princess Diana’s untimely death and funeral in 1997. Continued here S51 5 reasons to check on your elderly neighbour during a heatwave We all know someone who insists on wearing a cardigan in summer or refuses to turn on the air conditioning because “it’s not that hot”. Chances are this is an older person, and there’s a good reason for that. As we get older, we tend to not “feel” the heat as much even though our bodies are less able to handle the heat. This contradiction can have lethal consequences, especially during periods of extreme heat. Continued here S8 11 Worst Examples of Office Jargon, And What You Should Say Instead Time to replace office jargon that are not only outdated -- they're annoying. Continued here S10 3 Steps Leaders Can Take to Build a More Resilient, Emotionally Healthy Team Supporting employee mental health is no longer optional. Here's how to get started. Continued here S39 The cost of school uniforms is a barrier to education - but there are ways to level the playing field This year’s perennial back-to-school uniform discussion happens during a cost of living crisis. And we already know that the upfront and maintenance costs of school uniforms are a stress for families on lower incomes, in New Zealand and globally across rich and poor countries alike. The Human Rights Commission even publishes school uniform guidelines, setting out how school policies can help pupils’ physical and mental health. And while cost is outside the guidelines’ scope, the commission acknowledges this is a common problem and it encourages schools to make uniforms accessible. Continued here S9 'Slashers' Are on the Rise. That's Good News for Businesses Continued here S6 She Taught Yale's Most Popular Class Ever on Happiness. Then She Burnt Out How Yale psychologist Laurie Santos found her way back from burnout and how you can too. Continued here S38 Scottish elections: young people more likely to vote if they started at 16 - new study The data collection for this project was funded through a grant from the Scottish Government. The analyses presented were carried out independently by the authors of the study and all views expressed are solely the views of the authors. The data collection for this project was funded through a grant from the Scottish Government. Continued here S44 Is your child anxious about starting school? The approaches we use for children with disability can help all families Why does one child experience excitement at the thought of starting the school year while another experiences debilitating anxiety? It’s rarely one thing and is often a combination of factors, including a child’s temperament and self-confidence; their previous experiences at school, kinder or childcare; friendships they’ve already formed; and the types of transition activities they’ve undertaken. Continued here S42 Why loneliness is both an individual thing and a shared result of the cities we create If you’re feeling lonely, you’re not alone. Loneliness is an increasingly common experience, and it can have severe consequences. People who feel lonely are at higher risk of serious health issues, including heart disease, immune deficiency and depression. Traditionally, loneliness has been viewed as an individual problem requiring individual solutions, such as psychological therapy or medication. Yet loneliness is caused by feeling disconnected from society. It therefore makes sense that treatments for loneliness should focus on the things that help us make these broader connections. Continued here S47 ChatGPT: Chatbots can help us rediscover the rich history of dialogue It is time to take human-AI dialogue seriously again. With the release of sophisticated chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, effective human-AI dialogue has become interesting and accessible to everyone. Even to students writing essays, which has led to some academic concerns. How will we know if what we read was written by an AI and why is that important? Who are we responding to when we comment on an essay or article? By looking to the philosophical history of dialogue, we can reframe the question to ask how we might use these new chatbots in our learning. Continued here S41 Holocaust survivor stories are reminders of why we need to educate against antisemitism Carson Phillips is a Canadian delegate to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. “Home and Belonging” is this year’s theme for International Holocaust Remembrance Day, as designated by the United Nations, Jan. 27, the day Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated in 1945. Continued here Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom) Followers Blog Archive ►  2025 (7) ►  March (5) ►  January (2) ►  2024 (4) ►  December (4) ▼  2023 (542) ►  December (2) ►  November (33) ►  October (27) ►  September (37) ►  August (45) ►  July (30) ►  June (73) ►  May (3) ►  April (33) ►  March (17) ►  February (84) ▼  January (158) A Physical Theory For When the Brain Performs Best... January 31, 2023 - Strike action over Macron’s p... 'Tomb Raider' is Becoming a TV Series -- 'The Last... 9 Strategies to Improve Business Team Collaboratio... January 31, 2023 - Australia and France agree arms... 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