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Why the Guardian is publishing its elephant reporting in Chinese

A new partnership with chinadialogue will bring a year of in-depth reporting, expert opinion and features to a crucial audience of consumers and readers China

Wave after wave of elephant slaughter, driven first by European and US ivory collectors and more recently by demand in Asia, has brought the African elephant to its knees. A catastrophic decline in the past decade is primarily due to poaching to feed a continuing passion for ivory.

The poachers are mainly Africans, but their clients are often criminal gangs based in Asia who smuggle the tusks on planes and ships to countries where demand for ivory continues to grow. The largest of these is China.

Related: 《卫报》为何要用中文报道大象的生存危机？

Related: 事实上，大象已经濒临灭绝

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事实上，大象已经濒临灭绝

目前全球大象种群处境危急。卡尔·马蒂森就将向我们解释，为何大象即将迎来前所未有的生死攸关时刻。

翻译: Estelle/中外对话/chinadialogue

作为陆地上体积最大的野生动物，声音如雷、体重可达六吨的大象可谓是生物演化史上的一个奇迹。除了它们那有着10万块肌肉的灵活无比的鼻子，和能帮助它们驱走热量的特大号耳朵之外，大象族群还有着复杂的母系社会结构，它们甚至还会在同伴逝去之后恸哭哀痛。而大象的另外一个特征就是长长的象牙，这本来应该是它们保护自己的防卫武器，然而却最终成为了族群濒危的导火索。

Related: 《卫报》为何要用中文报道大象的生存危机？

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Whale Sushi and Overpriced Fish: New Report Shows Need for Strong Policies to Fight Seafood Fraud

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The U.S. imports as much as 90 percent of its seafood, and it is vital for consumers to know where all this food is coming from. Seafood fraud - the mislabeling or species substitution of seafood products - is a global problem that cheats customers, poses a threat to consumer health, and hinders conservation efforts around the world. This week, a new report released by Oceana (Deceptive Dishes: Seafood Swaps Found Worldwide, Sept. 7) illustrates just how common seafood fraud is; a review of more than 200 published studies across 55 countries found that, on average, one in every five samples of seafood tested was mislabeled. This finding underscores the need for concrete action to put in place full boat to plate traceability for all U.S. seafood (whether domestic or imported) to protect U.S. consumers and businesses from seafood fraud.

The study found that, as in the U.S., seafood fraud globally is frequently driven by economic incentives, including the sale of illegally caught fish as well as driving up the price of cheap fish through dishonest labeling. For example, researchers found that farmed Asian catfish - a common, inexpensive fish - was dishonestly sold as 18 different types of fish that are typically sold at higher prices.

In addition, Oceana's report found that the global prevalence of seafood fraud is undermining the efforts of consumers who want to make responsible seafood choices. Without strict traceability rules and informative consumer labeling in place, protected or even endangered species may be unknowingly purchased by consumers. A study of Italian seafood products found that 82 percent of the 200 grouper, perch and swordfish samples tested were mislabeled. Of those samples, almost half of the substituted fish were species that are considered threatened with extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In California, a since-closed sushi restaurant was caught selling whale sushi - including meat from the endangered sei whale - which had been labeled as "fatty tuna" to illegally import it. Consumers will only be able to eat seafood responsibly if they are provided with the information they need to make informed choices at the seafood counter and in restaurants.

Fortunately, it is possible to effectively combat the problem of seafood fraud. For example, the European Union has moved to implement new policies designed to limit illegal fishing and improve transparency and accountability in the seafood supply chain. Oceana's research suggests that these measures are working, showing a steady decrease in EU seafood mislabeling rates, particularly in those species and sectors of the seafood supply chain covered by regulations. The 2015 fraud rate was found to be 8 percent - less than half what it was during the 2003-2011 time period.

The U.S. should follow the example of the European Union and put in place policies that will ensure that the seafood Americans eat is safe, legally caught and honestly labeled. The Obama administration's Presidential Task Force on Combating IUU Fishing and Seafood Fraud released a proposed rule earlier this year that would require traceability to the first point of entry into U.S. commerce for certain species considered "at risk" of seafood fraud. This is an encouraging first step, but the final rule needs to go further. As world leaders head to Washington for the Our Ocean conference next week, the administration should take this opportunity to create the strongest rule possible by expanding the documentation requirements to all seafood and extending traceability throughout the entire seafood supply chain. Such a rule will protect American consumers and promote responsible stewardship of the oceans worldwide.

You can read more about Oceana's research at www.oceana.org/seafoodfraud, and an interactive map of global seafood fraud cases and studies compiled by Oceana can be found at www.oceana.org/seafoodfraudmap.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

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World's loneliest snail lives in Hawaii but can't get a date
Only a single individual of a Hawaiian snail species is known, and most of archipelago's 50 other remaining snail species may go extinct soon
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Robert Fludd Scientist of the DayRobert Fludd, an English...

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Robert Fludd Scientist of the Day

Robert Fludd, an English physician and Hermetic philosopher, died Sep. 8, 1637, at age 63.

Humpbacks From Above - 1 by Simon Svensson

Got the opportunity to go up in a spotter plane (to locate whales, whale sharks, sharks and manta rays for the tour boats) in Coral Bay, and was lucky enough to see a mother and her calf on the inside of the reef. Such amazing animals!

Simon Svensson: Photos

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Renewables Trump Fossil Fuels
Let me get this out right up front: I'm not a fan of Donald Trump and I won't be voting for him. Over the past year, I've been both captivated and repulsed by the Republican presidential candidate's bullying tactics, outlandish lies, and seeming joy in stirring up deep-seated hatred and fear. And when it comes to my area of professional expertise, clean tech, I've been equally frustrated and confounded. As a firm believer in the need to apply advanced technologies and smart policies in the battle against human-caused pollution and climate change, I am dismayed (though not surprised) that Trump, and the Republican Party's national platform, would take such an oppositional stance toward clean-energy solutions.

In an atmosphere of record-setting global temperatures, uncontrollable flooding and fires, and a growing chorus of business, religious, policymaker, and public support for a clean-energy transition, it makes the Republicans (at the presidential and national level at least) look antiquated and deeply out of touch.

Here are some highlights of the two major party candidates and their respective platforms on clean energy and climate change.

Hillary Clinton

Like the vast majority of scientists, believes that climate change is real and that humans are having an impact on the global climate
Supports the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Power Plan to reduce greenhouse gases
Embraces solar and wind energy and wants to turn the U.S. into a "renewable energy superpower"
Proposes the expansion of solar power by 700% by the end of her first term
Calls on the U.S. to generate enough electricity from renewable sources to power every American home within ten years of taking office
Has suggested the creation of a60 billion competitive grant program to incentivize states, cities and rural communities to become clean-energy leaders
Calls for the elimination of billions of dollars in tax subsidies to oil and gas companies and to instead invest in clean energy

Donald Trump

Doesn't believe in climate change, has called it a hoax
Plans to rescind many of Obama's executive actions including the Climate Action Plan
Claims he will save the coal industry if he's president
Has attacked the wind industry for bird deaths, without acknowledging that buildings (like the ones with his name on them) are responsible for far more bird deaths than the wind industry
Promises to ask TransCanada to renew its permit application for the Keystone pipeline
Says he will cancel the Paris Climate Agreement and stop all payments of U.S. tax dollars to U.N. programs addressing global warming
Repeatedly talks about how "expensive" solar and wind power are, seemingly unaware of the fact that these technologies have reached cost parity across diverse geographies

Talk about an ideological chasm.

Back in 2012, Clint Wilder and I published our second book, Clean Tech Nation, which focused on how the U.S. could remain competitive in the global race toward a clean-tech future, and in which we outlined a Seven-Point Action Plan for the country. At the time, we reached out to a diverse group of politicians, businesspeople, investors, and others to provide early reviews, including those on the left, right, and in between. We were thrilled when former President Bill Clinton offered up the following assessment: "Clean Tech Nation dares to imagine a country in which bipartisanship reigns, green energy is our nation's greatest national resource, and our competitive edge in the global economy is restored."

Clinton's quote perfectly reflected some of the key themes and aspirations in our book:

Bipartisanship:
Clean energy should be treated not as a partisan divide, but as the unifying force that it is. In my June column, I highlighted the fact that red and blue states equally comprised the Top 10 states for solar and wind deployment in 2015. In polling, Americans of all political stripes and affiliations overwhelmingly support renewables. It's time that our political parties caught up with the rest of the nation.

National Resource:
The U.S. possesses a rich and diverse clean-energy resource base, spanning solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, biomass, and more. Last year, for example, solar and wind represented more than 60% of new electricity capacity additions. And for 2016, the EIA projects that utility-scale solar (not including distributed on-site solar generation) will outpace both natural gas and wind power in terms of total capacity additions, with a projected 9 GW installed. Talk about a national resource!

Economic Competitiveness:
At Clean Edge, we firmly believe that the U.S. economy remains intricately linked to breakthroughs and deployment in green buildings, renewable energy, energy storage, advanced agriculture, electrified transportation, and other emerging clean-tech sectors. China, Germany, Japan, and other nations are aggressively pursuing these industries as well, and we ignore these opportunities, from an economic perspective, at our peril.

Below is a slightly updated Seven-Point Action Plan from our 2012 book. I believe this plan still offers a strong blueprint (and insights) for a potential national clean-energy strategy.

1. Enact a National Renewable Electricity Standard of 50% by 2040
2. Create and Fund a National Smart Infrastructure Bank
3. Leverage Proven Investment Tools from Oil, Gas, and Real Estate Sectors (such as MLPs, REITs, etc.)
4. Phase out all Energy Subsidies within 10 Years (to Level the Playing Field)
5. Foster Open-Source Collaboration to Set Clean-Tech Standards
6. Fund Military Initiatives on Energy and Water Security
7. Launch Federally Backed Prizes for Clean-Tech and Climate Innovation

Based on their statements and positions, it's obvious which of the current major party candidates will support the clean-energy aspirations of the majority of Americans - Democratic, Republican, Independent, Libertarian, Green, or other. My advice: if you want to ensure that renewables continue to trump fossil fuels, vote for Hillary Clinton.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

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Red Panda

Mathias Appel posted a photo:

Jang is a very photogenic panda!

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Get inside the collective mind of a genius superorganism
The amazing bridges and scaffolds that ants build using their own bodies can teach us a thing or two about robotics, engineering and cooperation
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Public masturbation not a crime declares Italy's top court

Though tossing more than coins in the Trevi fountain could still merit a fine

A 61-year-old Italian convicted of public masturbation has had the threat of hard time lifted, after judges declared the dirty old goat's favoured pastime isn't actually a crime in the country.…

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Child Soldiers in Mali: A Skinny Boy with a Kalashnikov

The war robbed him of a homeland but in the refugee camp there was no future. That's why Abdallah and his friends returned -- to fight as child soldiers against Mali's hated government.
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Early evening, View from the Shard

littlestschnauzer posted a photo:

This was taken roughly 8pm, end of August 2016....it's not fully dark yet, so whilst the contrast isn't yet at it's fullest, you can pick out everything that is still going on across the City Of London.
I was lucky enough to have dinner on Floor 31 of the Shard, in a restaurant called the AquaShard, where we had a window table and for a few hours had amazing views across London.

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Crab from the Chinese pet market turns out to be a new species of a new genus
Shimmering carapaces make crabs attractive to pet owners. To answer the growing demand, fishermen collect and trade crustaceans, often not knowing what exactly they have handed over to their clients. Luckily for science and nature alike, however, the authors of a new article have spotted such a crab and recognized its peculiarities to prove it as a new species and even a new genus from southern China.
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How A Dog In An MRI Scanner Is Like Your Grandma At A Disco

To study dogs' brain activity, scientists had to train canines to hold absolutely still for eight minutes without restraint. But how do you get a dog to freeze that long inside a clanging MRI scanner?

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High Flux Isotope Reactor

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The High Flux Isotope Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the highest flux reactor-based source of neutrons for research in the United States, and it provides one of the highest steady-state neutron fluxes of any research reactor in the world. The reactor underwent routine refueling in July 2015, as seen in this photo. While submersed, the spent fuel emits a luminescent blue glow due to Cherenkov radiation, in which shedding electrons move through the water faster than the speed of light. Once removed from the reactor, spent fuel is then relocated into an adjacent holding pool for interim storage.

Image credit: Genevieve Martin/ORNL

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How long before its goes on the CITES endangered species list? ;)) https://t.co/GsQaHgPH1M
https://t.co/GsQaHgPH1M

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Apple Nixes Headphone Jack In iPhone 7, Reveals Cordless AirPods

Why is Apple pushing users toward wireless earbuds? "Courage," says an Apple executive. Other news from the Apple event involved Super Mario, Pokemon Go and water-resistant features.

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Hit The Road, Headphone Jack: New iPhone Goes Wireless

In light of the news that Apple is eliminating a headphone jack from its newest iPhone, NPR's Audie Cornish explores the history of the headphone jack with Jonathan Sterne, author of the book, The Audible Past: Cultural Origins of Sound Reproduction.

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Facebook And Mortality: Why Your Incessant Joy Gives Me The Blues

Has the social media site been good for our mental health or not? The evidence isn't straightforward, researchers say, despite lots of study. How Facebook makes you feel may depend on how you use it.

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New breed of optical soliton wave discovered

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Solitons are localized waves that act like particles: as they travel across space, they hold their shape and form rather than dispersing as other waves do. Under normal conditions, waves tend to dissipate as they travel through space. Toss a stone into a pond, and the ripples will slowly die down as they spread out away from the point of impact. Solitons, on the other hand, do not. National Science Foundation-funded scientists have discovered a new type of optical soliton wave that travels in the wake of other soliton waves, hitching a ride on and feeding off of the energy of the other wave.

Image credit: Qi-Fan Yang/Caltech

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We're counting down to the CITES CoP! The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna... https://t.co/XC9locG7L8
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Boarding Land

Kieran Williams Photography posted a photo:

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The Kingdom of Speech by Tom Wolfe a bonfire of facts, reeking of vanity
The celebrated author challenges Darwin and Chomsky on the origin of human language in an irresponsibly partial account, riddled with falsehoods

What separates us from the other animals? The list of proposed answers is as long as your arm: rationality; cooking; religion; pointless games; making stuff; and so forth. But one popular answer has always been our power of language. The exact process by which we acquired it is mysterious. So here is Tom Wolfe to tell us why everyone to date has got it wrong.

The book tells the story of two little guys up against two establishment bullies. The hard-grafting Alfred Russel Wallace, who independently co-discovered the principle of evolution by natural selection, didn't stand a chance against Charles Darwin, who enjoyed “the eternally Daddy-paid-for life of a British Gentleman”. Darwin imagined his theory could explain everything, but Wallace eventually decided that it couldn't explain language, which must after all have been God-given.

Wolfe tells his stories with the kind of free-wheeling vim familiar from The Right Stuff and The Bonfire of the Vanities

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<i>Star Trek</i>'s Enterprise turns 50 and still no sign of a warp drive. Sigh

Realistic tech or lazy plot device what do you think?

Star Trek @ 50 Zooming through space faster than the speed of light is integral in science fiction if the story unfolds over different planets, galaxies and universes.…

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A nice long pub crawl is good for your health, if you stay on your feet

BJM reckons striding out every week beats the booze risks

It's probably just as well as the walk to the fifth pub takes a lot longer than the first four, because according to a four-country collaboration of sports boffins, exercise helps offset ethanol.…

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Old, new and under construction....

Aleem Yousaf posted a photo:

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The Non-Stop Life of a Heavy Metal Roadie
"Say the wrong thing about a band member, and you're fucking drummed out of the business."
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The Lawyer Protecting Your First Amendment Rights
Nabiha Syed is emerging as a visionary free speech lawyer in America, defending news organizations against their many challengers.
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Cage-Free, Free-Range, Pasture-Raised or Organic Eggs: An Egg-ucation

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My son Alex and his girlfriend Natalie have been raising chickens in their backyard for the past five years. So I know that depending on the breed of the hen, the color of a farm (backyard) fresh egg can naturally be white, brown, blue or even green. Alex has also taught me the colors of the egg says a lot. Eggs that are the freshest and most full of nutrients will have a bright orange and plump yolk with perfectly clear whites, while those that are not will be a pale yellow with dull, speckled whites. With such inside information and access to the freshest eggs possible, you would think I wouldn't have needed the egg-ucation I received when my friend Charli and her adorable ten-month-old baby Vivien came to visit me.

We were in the kitchen, and I was preparing breakfast. At her direction, I carefully separated the yolk from the whites. Apparently, the newest research advises that a baby not eat the egg white until they are at least a year old. While the egg yolk is loaded with nutrients, the egg white is a source of allergens.

Charli has always been organically conscientious, but even more so as a new mom. So she asked me what kinds of eggs I was using. I told her that when not gifted with those my son brings me from his chickens; I generally bought organic free-range eggs. As I cooked, Charli proceeded to tell me why that was not as good a choice as it sounded. Here's what I learned:

Cage-free and free-range sound better than they are
Cage-free and free-range might sound like the hens are free to roam but that is not necessarily so. Instead of cages, many are kept in multi-level aviaries which might allow them to spread their wings but hardly roam free. This label also does not preclude the use of antibiotics in feeding. In addition, these types of houses are much more expensive - a cost that gets passed on to the consumer. The USDA defines free-range or free-roaming as, "Producers must demonstrate to the Agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside." Little information is provided about living conditions, (stocking density) and standard industry practices which keeps the consumer and chickens in the dark, literally.

Brown eggs are no healthier than any other color egg
Brown rice might be better for us than white rice, but not so with eggs. The color of the eggs, as I already knew, depends on the breed of the hen. How nutritious the egg depends on what the hens are fed and how they are raised.

Organic is open to interpretation
The USDA has created guidelines for Organic Certification so if a food product is not labeled as certified the word organic is open for interpretation. In the case of eggs, in order to meet the USDA Organic certification they must come "from uncaged hens, free to roam in their houses and have access to the outdoors." They should also be "fed an organic diet of feed produced without conventional pesticides or fertilizers." What I learned is that the tricky part here is how "access to the outdoors" is interpreted.

Pasture-raised at the grocery store is best
By the end of my egg-ucation, Charli had convinced me that the freshest, healthiest eggs came from hens raised in the most humane of conditions; such as from backyards like my son Alex and Natalie's, and local small farmers, but when those are not an option, reach for pasture-raised. According to a study by Mother Earth News, pasture-raised are the only truly free-range eggs available and also the most healthful with one-third less cholesterol, one-quarter less saturated fat, two-thirds more vitamin A, twice as many omega-3 fatty acids, three times as much Vitamin E and seven times as much beta-carotene as commercial eggs!

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It's about more than reading labels
What I think is the most important part of the lessons Charli taught me about the best kinds of eggs to buy is that even when we are reading labels.

As I grew my company Greenopia, I became acquainted with the term LOHAS, which stands for Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability. This market which includes brands, products and services from organic food to fuel efficient cars is now estimated to be over $209 billion in the US alone. It's understandable that many people want to tap into that. I also learned of a rather deceptive practice known as greenwashing - in which a consumer will be led to think the product or service is truly green, but when you look deeper into it - as in the case of cage-free eggs - that is not the case.

Don't be greenwashed
So it's about more than reading labels. It's about being a conscious consumer and educating yourself, so you know what the labels mean - whether it's from some of my favorite resources like EWG, TreeHugger, and Mother Nature Network or good friends like Charli whose only vested interest is in raising a healthy, toxin free child. The key is always to be living with a green heart - especially in our own kitchen.

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-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

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Biocompatible piezoelectric generator is made from fish scales
Non-toxic device could be used in battery-free electronics

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Fruit flies yield clues on cancerous tumor hotspots
Scientists have found that the epithelial tissues that line the surfaces of organs throughout the body intrinsically have hot spots for cancerous tumors.They discovered this by examining a common household pest -- the fruit fly.
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Probing a mosquito protein for clues in the fight against Zika
As health departments around the United States boost efforts to combat Zika, scientists are working on new ways to kill the mosquitoes that carry the virus. One approach involves understanding the molecular mechanisms that keep the bugs alive so we can then undermine them. Scientists report that they have revealed new structural insights on a key protein from Aedes aegypti, the mosquito species most often linked to the spread of Zika.
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Snake eats lizard eats beetle: Fossil food chain from the Messel Pit examined
Scientists have examined a spectacular discovery from the UNESCO World Heritage site Messel Pit: A fossil snake in whose stomach a lizard can be seen, which in turn had consumed a beetle. The discovery of the approximately 48-million-year-old tripartite fossil food chain is unique for Messel; worldwide, only one single comparable piece exists.
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Great Fire of London

Jerry Fryer posted a photo:

An old shot I've just got round to processing - (I'm very slow)
This week is the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London so this one seemed appropriate - I've posted a wider shot of this evening before with the old wooden posts in the foreground.
Here I'd zoomed in to 55mm to get more detail in Tower Bridge & the City but had to create a pano to include the Shard & Tower 42.
I particularly liked the burning red reflections in the windows of the Thames Clipper & Tower 42 in this one.
One of those grey overcast days where I wasn't expecting any colour but the Sun broke under the cloud right at the end.
The sky colour was so intense that the raw file was too saturated to need any increase.

The Great Fire of London was started in Pudding Lane by the Royal Baker (inadvertently) in 1666 - so they say.
Luckily very few people were thought to have been hurt & the fire succeeded in sterilising most of the run down slum filled bits of London that had been ravaged by the Great Plague.
For some reason Great Fires, Puddings & Bakers brought 'The Great British Bake Off' to mind.
If you're a fan of the show like my wife - (although I suspect the real reason she watches it is to see the steely eyed scouser - Paul Hollywood) - & you're a serious baker - be sure to turn off the oven before going to bed :))

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Goodnight London

tanyalinskey posted a photo:

Sunset at Big Ben, London

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Expedition 48 Crew Returns Home
The Soyuz TMA-20M spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 48 crew members NASA astronaut Jeff Williams, Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, and Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016(Kazakh time). Williams, Ovchinin, and Skripochka are returning after 172 days in space.
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Expedition 48 Crew Lands Safely on Earth
The Soyuz TMA-20M spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 48 crew members NASA astronaut Jeff Williams, Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, and Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016 (Kazakh time).
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Sci-fi socialism and Soviet snowmobiles: the best of the London Design Biennale

Its presentation may seem hurried and chaotic, but the inaugural edition of this design gala brings eye-opening visions of utopia from all corners of the globe

A battered orange pickup truck stands on the stately stone terrace of London's Somerset House, parked askew like a getaway car hastily abandoned. Behind it stretches a shanty village of shawarma-sellers and juice-squeezers, backgammon players and shisha smokers, along with a barber sharpening his cutthroat razor with alarming enthusiasm.

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emmanuelle moureaux layers 18,000 paper silhouettes in 100 different colors

for 'I am here', the paper pieces express the non-stop flow of pedestrians that occupy the bustling district of ginza in japan.

The post emmanuelle moureaux layers 18,000 paper silhouettes in 100 different colors appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

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The Infinite Mix review video-art medley dances madly with big ideas

The Store, London
The Hayward's new offsite show is a weird, wonderful assortment of installations featuring ghostly opera stars, dancing plant-life and a bullet-riddled tour of Kendrick Lamar's home town

Maria Callas stands in a narrow alcove beyond a barrier in a dark and resounding space. A holographic apparition, Callas is a woman in red, played by artist Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, lip-synching the diva's voice as she sings arias from Cherubini's Medea, Verdi's La Traviata and Ponchielli's La Gioconda.

We are in a cavernous concrete floor of Store, a brutalist office block on London's Strand, now occupied by the Hayward's The Infinite Mix, an offsite exhibition (the Hayward gallery itself is closed for a two-year refurbishment) devoted to sound and image, video and music. As well as the holographic ghost of Maria Callas, Gonzalez-Foerster gives us an aural apparition of the opera house itself, with recorded whispers from the audience and the echoey background noise of an auditorium whose volume is larger than the space we are in. There is a yearning for something always beyond reach in Gonzalez-Foerster's work that I like very much.

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yayoi kusama dots philip johnson's glass house in a red polka pattern

the installation offers visitors the unique experience of simultaneously seeing the world through the eyes of both philip johnson and kusama herself.

The post yayoi kusama dots philip johnson's glass house in a red polka pattern appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

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How Roger Goodell And The NFL Ended Up Stronger Than Ever
The PR gauntlet the NFL has survived wasn't just about concussions. The league has stared down an extraordinary number of PR nightmares over the past few years, almost all of its own making. But the NFL just bulldozed right through them.
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Floating Dreams by Ik-Joong Kang, London, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016.

olliepix posted a photo:

A major installation by Ik-Joong Kang, one of South Korea's most renowned and celebrated multimedia artists, “Floating Dreams” sits on a barge on London's River Thames, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, against a backdrop of the BT Tower and the Millennium Bridge, top, at sunset. Floating Dreams, is a compelling, large-scale installation situated in the centre of the River Thames by Millennium Bridge. Constructed from 500 drawings and illuminated from within, the three-storey-high lantern structure acts as a memorial to the millions displaced and divided during the Korean War (1950-53), and a poignant symbol of hope for the reunification of North and South Korea. IMG2406

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Bankside lamps, London, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016.

olliepix posted a photo:

The setting sun lights up the glass bowls of two lamps on the Bankside embankment, London, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. IMG2291

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Floating Dreams by Ik-Joong Kang, London, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016.

olliepix posted a photo:

A major installation by Ik-Joong Kang, one of South Korea's most renowned and celebrated multimedia artists, “Floating Dreams” sits on a barge on London's River Thames, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, against a backdrop the Millennium Bridge, and a Bankside embankment lamp at sunset. Floating Dreams, is a compelling, large-scale installation situated in the centre of the River Thames by Millennium Bridge. Constructed from 500 drawings and illuminated from within, the three-storey-high lantern structure acts as a memorial to the millions displaced and divided during the Korean War (1950-53), and a poignant symbol of hope for the reunification of North and South Korea. MG1195

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%feed
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/sep/07/london-design-biennale-review-utopia
Sci-fi socialism and Soviet snowmobiles: the best of the London Design Biennale

Its presentation may seem hurried and chaotic, but the inaugural edition of this design gala brings eye-opening visions of utopia from all corners of the globe

Continue reading...
design

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https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/sep/07/melbourne-australia-first-skyscraper-ici-orica-house
Melbourne's bold leap upwards: the inside story of Australia's first skyscraper

ICI (now Orica) House helped Melbourne throw off its Victorian dowdiness and become a modern city. Gideon Haigh tells the forgotten story of its creation

In a land boasting more skyscrapers per capita than any other country, Australians today would be pardoned for missing their first, a quarter the height of what's now the tallest. Yet no building has exerted such influence on Australian cityscapes as Orica House on Melbourne's Eastern Hill its everyday inconspicuousness attests to the ubiquity of the form it pioneered.

Stand closer to what was originally ICI House and the view changes. “I tell people I'm showing round that this was the iPhone of Australian architecture,” says Tim Leslie, a studio director at Bates Smart McCutcheon (BSM), which not only designed the building but, in a form of architectural ancestor worship, have since made it their headquarters. “It was so different to everything that had gone before.”

I tell people this was the iPhone of Australian architecture

The building swayed slightly. In the fish tank on the executive floor … the water lapped gently from side to side

Not only can you see out both sides of Orica House, but the views are … well, they're to die for

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What Kind of Person Still Traps Wild Animals?
What kind of person purposely destroys a beaver dam and sets a "wall of death" of Conibear traps, knowing that the unsuspecting beavers will return to repair their handiwork--only to be possibly smashed across their abdomens and drowned?

What kind of person watches a tethered and helpless coyote writhe in pain and distress, unable to move because of the intensely unforgiving steel jaws clamped to her paw, kicks her in the side, and then finally shoots her in the chest so that her lungs fill with blood, and she dies a miserable, suffocating death?

What kind of person knows that these atrocities occur regularly across America--still, in 2016--and does nothing?

Today, Born Free USA has revealed our second undercover investigation, Victims of Vanity II, which delves into the brutal trapping industry and fur trade in an effort to expose these grotesque and indefensible industries. Trapping, like hunting, is dominated by people engaged in "sport" and "recreation," not necessity. And, even if there is some commercial by-product--selling the furs--trapping is about vicious slaughter, not gainful employment.

Our investigator hit the traplines in New York and Iowa, and discovered beaver dams destroyed; traps and bait set illegally; traps set close to public bridges, roads, and trails; horrific drown poles deployed; trapping in protected areas; prolonged suffering; and brutal death.

What kind of person does this? A man looking for power over helpless animals to feel more manly? A small-minded person who resorts to archaic cruelty to sell a few furs and make a few dollars? A killer? A torturer?

I remember when I first started working in the animal protection movement in Washington, D.C. in 1991. For the first time, I was exposed to the horrors of trapping. "What kind of person does this?," I thought. And, how can it still be legal? Here I am, 25 years later, asking the same questions.

Thankfully, change can come. Congress has multiple means by which to tackle trapping. It could end trapping on national wildlife refuges; eliminate the interstate commerce in the most commonly used traps; and stop federal employees from using traps on federal lands.

U.S. Senator Cory Booker had it exactly right when he said that these "traps operate by slamming shut with bone-crushing force on any animal that trips the device. Terrified animals break legs, chew off limbs, dislocate shoulders, and tear muscles as they try to break free of these traps."

We need federal action and state action (and not just in New York and Iowa). We need consumer action to stop buying furs and corporate action to stop selling them. We need to abandon the concept that trapping has a place in modern society and that trapping with a device like the steel-jaw leghold trap--which has remained relatively unchanged for 400 years--is okay. We need to stop defending the indefensible.

I'm proud that we can offer this eye-opening insight into what happens on the trapline. Some people won't be able to watch it. Some in the media will think that it is too painful to show on television. I get it.

What kind of person traps? What kind of legislator or department store owner can watch just 60 seconds of a tethered, tortured, dying coyote and do nothing? You be the judge.

No more excuses. Either you defend wild furbearer torture or you work to end it. I know which side I'm on. I know what kind of person I am.

Keep Wildlife in the Wild,

Adam

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

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Feeding The People, Saving The Planet
If we want to save species, stop deforestation, and preserve nature for the good of biodiversity and humans, there's one thing we've got to get right above all else: where and how we produce food.

Local products in La Cocha, Colombia. Photo Credit: © Diego M. Garces / WWF

Producing food has had the biggest impact on the planet for the longest period of time than any other human activity. Food has the unique distinction of both contributing to climate change and being profoundly affected by it. And unlike any other issue conservationists work on, we've got 7.4 billion food experts on this planet, each with strong opinions and very few using science to inform their views.

Today, these 7.4 billion people are already consuming Earth's resources at a rate that is not renewable. Humanity's inexhaustible demand for certain foods drives deforestation, habitat conversion, water degradation, human rights violations, and a host of illegal activities. If this is happening today, imagine what the planet will look like in 40 years when the population is expected to be nearly 10 billion.

But this isn't just a numbers game. As important as the additional mouths to feed are what they will be eating. Incomes are on the rise, especially in developing countries, and Western diets are becoming increasingly common. Per capita consumption of animal protein, calorie-dense foods, off-season food and more fresh fruits and vegetables will increase dramatically. This increasing and shifting demand will place an even greater burden on food production and on our finite planet's dwindling resources.

On Sept. 6 at the World Conservation Congress in Hawaii, I discussed the link between biodiversity and food production, and how in order to make a real impact conserving biodiversity, we have to change how our food is produced. The link is an obvious one--at least once people remember that food isn't actually produced in the supermarket. Every calorie we consume, from fresh food to junk food, comes from ingredients that have to be grown, raised, hunted, or caught. And that all takes resources.

Food production is the largest cause of habitat conversion (including deforestation), biodiversity loss, and, depending on the source, the number one or two cause of greenhouse gas emissions. It also is the largest user of chemicals and of freshwater. In fact, producing food uses twice as much water as all other human activities combined.

The bottom line is: can we feed everyone and still have a planet? The short answer is "yes," definitely. The long answer is very long. And very complicated.

There is no silver bullet, no single strategy that will work--we will need to focus on productivity and efficiency as well as waste and consumption. And we will need everyone to pitch in. The world won't be saved by a few forward-thinking consumers, brands, NGOs or even governments.

In the last 10 years especially, food sustainability has become a marketing issue. That's the wrong approach. Sustainability needs to be considered at the beginning, with the production or raw materials. Major players in every industry need to take action to make sure that its raw materials are produced legally and sustainably.

For every crop, better producers globally are 100 times more productive than worse ones. Even within a country or region, producers can be 10 times more efficient than their neighbors. So conservation groups have to get beyond just working with the groups that are interested in sustainability or devising systems that reward the best producers. This will not make the change happen that we need either at speed or at the scale needed. The biggest impacts and the least production happen with the bad actors, the poorer performers. We gain most--in production, income and reduced impacts--by improving the poorest-performing producers not by rewarding the best.

On the consumption side, no one is able to tell 7.4 billion people what they should and shouldn't eat. But, we can make people aware of the impacts of their choices--what it means to the planet when we throw away 1 of every 3 calories produced. Even around what people eat the issue is about making informed choices and shifting your lifestyle in other ways to accommodate those choices that are the most demanding on the planet.

In addition to what we consume and what we do directly or through market signals to make our diets more sustainable, many on the planet do not have our choices. While we have enough food at the level of the planet, many do not have enough food on their plate. There are 800 million people who don't have enough to eat. The irony is that the bulk of them are from farm families. This problem can be solved but it is not just about producing more food or reducing waste. It's about inequality.

And, throw in the wrench of climate change and weather variability and we've definitely got our work cut out for us.

Feeding everyone -- while still making sure we have a planet that can sustain life -- will not be easy, but it is possible. And, we don't really have a choice. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something. Think about it, and then act on it--every day.

This post is part of a series on the World Conservation Congress taking place this week. Held every four years, it brings together about 6,000 people, including heads of state, government officials, business leaders, representatives from indigenous groups, scientists, academics, influencers, educators, artists and NGOs, from all over the world to discuss and decide on solutions to the world's most pressing environmental challenges. To read all the posts in this series click here.

Aerial view of palm oil plantation on deforested land, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia. Photo Credit: © naturepl.com / Juan Carlos Munoz / WWF

Aerial view of oil palm plantation. Sungai Petani vicinity, Kedah, Malaysia. Photo Credit: © naturepl.com / Tim Laman / WWF

Deforestation in southern Scotland near Edinburgh, UK. Photo Credit: © Edward Parker / WWF

A farmer carrying rice to be planted in Bandung, Java, Indonesia. Photo Credit: © Rob Webster / WWF

A cereal crop growing near Jumilla in Murcia, Spain. Photo Credit: © Global Warming Images / WWF

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

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Standing With Standing Rock and the Right to Clean Water

By Jon Waterhouse and Mary Marshall

Examine the protests over construction of the Dakota Access pipeline with an objective mind (links below, basic facts here) and you'll arrive at the conclusion that the Native Americans gathered at Standing Rock care—and shouldn't we all.

The threat at Standing Rock is not lack of oil or loss of jobs.

The threat is to the one element that none—yes, none—of us can live without: WATER.

"(Photo — Protecting clean water isn't about scenery. It's about basic human rights. (Photo by Mary Marshall)

I realize that for most readers this is not “in your backyard,” but shouldn't you care enough to support those at Standing Rock to protect something this vital, this important to us all?

The United Nations has recognized the human right to clean water.

Ask yourself what will it take for you to engage in the protection of this resource that makes your latte, fills your pool, allows for fishing and your morning shower, is a major ingredient in beer and wine, beauty products, your supplements and medications, vital to agriculture and many forms of manufacturing … and on and on?

What will it take?

Don't leave the Native Americans to carry this by themselves.

Look around, ask yourself, ask your friends: What will it take and when will we engage?

Standing Rock Coverage From Across the Web

Dakota Access Pipeline: What You Need to Know (Nat Geo Education Blog)

Topic Page From Indian Country Today

Why is the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe trying to stop a pipeline? (Christian Science Monitor)

Showdown over oil pipeline becomes a national movement for Native Americans (Washington Post)

A Pipeline Fight and America's Dark Past (New Yorker)

Taking a Stand at Standing Rock (New York Times)

MSNBC:

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APEC Blue And G20 Green

In advance of last week's G20 economic summit, the skies over the city of Hangzhou, China, turned “APEC Blue” ― a phrase that was coined by residents of Beijing when the Asian Pacific Economic Conference was held there eight years ago. Factories were closed, traffic was restricted, and air pollution ― temporarily ― vanished. President Obama and the leaders of 19 other major global economies got to see one of China's most beautiful cities at its sparkling best.

Now that the summit is over, the pollution will return. If it's ever going to disappear for good, then the G20 leaders who met in Hangzhou will need to follow through on a commitment they made seven years ago: to stop providing subsidies for fossil fuel development.

Together, the nations that are part of the G20 are currently responsible for more than $440 billion in fossil fuel subsidies annually and account for 74 percent of global carbon pollution. To put that into perspective, the annual total of G20 subsidies to support fossil fuels is more than four times what the entire global economy is currently investing in clean energy. Given the urgency of transitioning the global economy awayfrom fossil fuels, that's counterproductive, to say the least.

Internationally, we've seen historic climate progress lately ― from the agreement between the U.S. and China to limit carbon pollution to the adoption of the Paris Agreement, which China and the U.S. both formally joined last week. But while the world moves forward toward a 100 percent clean energy economy, the G20 leaders have been all talk and no walk on ending fossil-fuel subsidies for seven years now.

That's got to stop. For our part, the Sierra Club has launched a new international campaign called Fossil-Free Finance. Our goal is to get all of the G20 countries, the World Bank, and other key international financial institutions to eliminate all fossil fuel subsidies by 2020.

This year's G20 has come and gone, but this issue isn't going anywhere. Send a message to President Obama and the other G20 leaders to let them know that the only way we'll see blue skies everywhere, all the time, is to stop investing in the dirty fuels of the past.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

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This Trump Aide Stands To Profit From The Dakota Access Pipeline

Cross-Posted from DeSmogBlog

Continental Resources — the company founded and led by CEO Harold Hamm, energy adviser to Donald Trump's presidential campaign and potential U.S. Secretary of Energy under a Trump presidency — has announced to investors that oil it obtains via hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) from North Dakota's Bakken Shale basin is destined for transport through the hotly-contested Dakota Access pipeline.

Image Credit: Continental Resources

The company's 37-page September 2016 Investor Update presentation walks investors in the publicly-traded company through various capital expenditure and profit-margin earning scenarios. It also features five slides on the Bakken Shale, with the fifth one named “CLR Bakken Differentials Decreasing Through Increased Pipeline Capacity” honing in on Dakota Access, ETCOP and how the interconnected lines relate to Continental's marketing plans going forward.

In a section of that slide titled, “Bakken Takeaway Capacity” a bar graph points out that the opening of Dakota Access would allow more barrels of Continental's Bakken fracked oil to flow through pipelines.

Dakota Access is slated to carry the fracked Bakken oil across South Dakota, Iowa and into Patoka, Illinois. From there, it will connect to the company's Energy Transfer Crude Oil Pipeline (ETCOP ) line, which terminates in Nederland, Texas at the Sunoco Logistics-owned refinery.

From Keystone XL to Dakota Access

Previously, Harold Hamm was as an outspoken supporter of TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline, deploying the lobbying group he founded named the Domestic Energy Producers Alliance to advocate for KXL and a Bakken on-ramp which would connect to it. Once he realized the northern leg was doomed politically, Hamm began singing a different tune on Keystone.

“We're supporting other pipelines out there, we're not waiting on Keystone. Nobody is,” Hamm, also an energy adviser to Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign, told Politico in November 2014. “That thing … needed action on it six years ago. I just think it's too late and we need to move on.”

One of those ‘other pipelines' Hamm appears to have taken an interest in is Dakota Access (DAPL). Although to date, neither Hamm nor Trump have commented publicly on the DAPL project. Continental Resources told DeSmog that it does not comment on pipeline shipping contracts.

As The Intercept's Lee Fang pointed out in a recent article, some oil from Dakota Access could feed export markets, despite Energy Transfer's claims in a presentation that it will feature “100% Domestic produced crude” that “supports 100% domestic consumption.”

Hamm's Domestic Energy Producers Alliance, as revealed in a December 2015 DeSmog investigation, led the successful public relations and lobbying campaign charge for lifting the crude oil export ban.

The battle over the fate of Dakota Access has pitted Native American Tribes, environmentalists and libertarian private property rights supporters against Energy Transfer Partners and state- and federal-level agencies which have permitted the project.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe awaits a decision by a Judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in its lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, set for September 9.

“Hamm is an oil profiteer exploiting the health of the water, farmland, and communities in the Dakotas and all downstream,” Angie Carter of the Women, Food and Agriculture Network — one of the over 30 groups comprising the Iowa-based Bakken Pipeline Resistance Coalition — told DeSmog. “In Iowa, we've called upon both Trump and Clinton to speak out against the pipeline.”

Like Trump, Clinton has yet to comment on the pipeline.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

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For Arthritic Elephant, National Zoo Turns To Pachyderm Pedicures And Giant Tevas

Veterinarians at Smithsonian's National Zoo have turned to an unconventional therapy for an arthritic 41-year-old Asian elephant shoes. The talented animal also knows how to play the harmonica.

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Steel HR 40mm black

Steel HR 40mm black

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Ecomo - Water You Kn

Ecomo - Water You Know, Water You Trust

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Estetica industriale e anima domestica unite sapientemente in un radiatore dal…

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Coastal Spain seen from the International Space Station (© Scott Kelly/NASA/Alamy) 2016-09-07 [www.bing.com/search]
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Apple's set to drop macOS ‘Sierra' on the world later this month

Apple's latest operating system, ‘Sierra' is set to drop September 20. Back in June, Apple dropped the OS X naming convention in favor of keeping with the naming schemes of other operating systems within its ecosystem, like watchOS and tvOS. The retirement of a name, however, didn't keep Apple from sticking with its mountain naming system, as ‘Sierra' follows its last release ‘El Capitan.' The big additions include Siri, improved iCloud performance and a universal clipboard that lets Apple users share copied items across any device in an Apple ecosystem. We'll see a handful of other updates — like ‘Continuity,'…

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Apple Pay is coming to Japan with support for Transit payments next month

At its iPhone 7 keynote today, Apple announced that it will bring Felica, the Japanese version of NFC, to its iPhone 7 and 7 Plus handsets, as well as to the Apple Watch Series 2. That will enable Apple Pay to work with payment terminals in Japan, as well as with Transit terminals like those for metro trains. These features will become available late in October. Follow our coverage of Apple's iPhone 7 keynote and find the latest stories about it here.
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Nine years later, there's still something magical about an iPhone launch

In a few hours, Apple will launch the iPhone 7. It's an event that many of us, both from the journalistic side of the fence, and those who merely have an enthusiasm for Apple products, have been waiting for. There have been so many rumors that seem incredibly plausible, I'm not sure there's going to be any surprises. I don't want to add any more fuel to the flames of speculation god knows I've done that already. Instead, I want to take you back to 2007, when Steve Jobs first launched the iPhone, and changed the world. I've watched the video of…

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Google is turning its search engine into the ultimate lookbook for fashionistas

Google's search engine is already a handy tool to find inspiration and ideas for your next great outfit. Now, it's looking to make it easier to shop for finds with an interesting new feature. The company describes its new Shop the Look experience as follows: When you search for an outfit with query like ‘cocktail attire', Google will surface a photo of a fashion blogger wearing a cocktail dress and accessories to go with it; you can then check out those exact products, or similar looking ones through relevant Shopping ads. Google says that the images it will feature in its…

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Freemium phishing service makes stealing passwords dead simple

Stealing passwords isn't hard: just set up a fake login page and ask people to sign in. It's called phishing, and its big business in the cybercrime world. Big enough that some “entrepreneurs” in Russia are offering phishing as a freemium service. It's called “Fake-Game,” and security researchers at Fortinet point out it's been online for over a year. Over 60,000 active users have stolen nearly 700,000 passwords using the “service,” which makes stealing passwords as simple as sharing a link. Instead of creating and hosting a fake login page themselves, users can simply select a service they'd like to…

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Creepy software startup attempts to algorithmically score happiness at your current job

Job searches are often done under the radar and out of the view of your current boss. A new startup wants to make your career search a bit more public, often at the detriment of current employment. The startup, Joberate, scrapes publicly available information from millions of social signals — or buys it from other parties. If a job seeker starts following company Twitter or Facebook accounts, clicks through on articles about resume writing, or even starts making professional connections outside their current employer — Joberate knows. Once Joberate builds a profile on an individual, it starts assigning it a ‘J-Score'…

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Gerkin in Blue

Florian Bütow posted a photo:

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Inside the Canyon

Florian Bütow posted a photo:

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魔幻 by 肚皮小

魔幻 by 肚皮小

魔幻

肚皮小: Photos

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Blackpool illuminations: neon art lights up the seaside in pictures

From jagged geometric patterns to an anxious Snoopy, neon works by artists including Gavin Turk and Tracey Emin buzz with static in The Charged Line

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From jagged geometric patterns to an anxious Snoopy, neon works by artists including Gavin Turk and Tracey Emin buzz with static in The Charged Line

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shrbrrpxr: Johan Perjus

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Johan Perjus

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You Say You Want a Revolution review: a dizzying trip to the heart of the 1960s

V&A, London
From CIA leaflets to Twiggy coathangers, the details matter in this sensory bombardment of a show, jam-packed with music, style and rebellious history

You might be forgiven for heaving a sigh at the subject of the V&A's attempt to come up with a blockbuster pop culture follow-up to 2013's wildly successful David Bowie Is, an exhibition still touring the world three years on. It's not that the late 1960s and their attendant counterculture represent an unfertile area for exploration. You'd have a hard time arguing the era didn't feature sufficient fantastic music, social upheaval and blue-sky fashion choices to support a major exhibition. It's that the people involved have barely shut up about it since the decade ended.

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jimlovesart: A Stone Head of a Deity, Lepinski Vir Culture,...

jimlovesart:

A Stone Head of a Deity, Lepinski Vir Culture, Middle Danube Region, Mesolithic Period, 7th/6th Millennium B.C.

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Steve Bell's If ... Supernormal Owen Smith spots a daunting obstacle ahead
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Steve Bell on Theresa May and grammar schools cartoon
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US Politics: As Low as It Gets

The story of the summer, and perhaps of the last year, has been the long wait for Donald Trump to go too far. Within weeks of the announcement of his candidacy in June 2015, seasoned observers of the political game were regularly declaring that the reality TV star had crossed the line that separates viability from oblivion, that he had broken this or that unbreakable rule and was therefore doomed.

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Hillary vs. Donald: The Benefit of the Doubt

As the months wore on, Trump went from showing tendencies toward demagogy to practicing it on a daily basis. The absence of restraint seemed part of the attraction for followers soon numbering in the millions.

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How one college student scored a design commission from the director of Broadway's hottest show

There is a fine line between perseverance and stalking in chasing what you hope to achieve in your career. Those who keep going after they've been turned down run the risk of continued rejection, but something compels them to carry on until they reach their prize. Often, the stories that end in success involve someone going nearly overboard in their pursuit: These ambitious souls just don't pitch an idea to a client they physically make the product and then send it to everyone at that company for consideration.

And that is where Dominic Grijalva's story begins. The 24-year-old Fresno State graphic design student and self-professed theater geek has been enamored with Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, so much so that he has followed Miranda's every move on social media and decided to do a personal project that paid homage to Miranda's shows. While most people would stop at completing the project, Grijalva went one step further by simultaneously connecting with Miranda on social media and sending Miranda and 50 members of his cast the final work.

The perseverance has paid off for Grijalva. He can now add freelance designer for Miranda's official artist merchandise site, Tee-Rico, to his resume.

We recently asked Grijalva about how he got Miranda's attention, the process behind this major commission, and how he balances being a full-time student with an exciting freelance design career.

How did you develop a banter with Miranda?

When I watched the 2008 Tony performance of his earlier show In the Heights, I became a Lin-Manuel Miranda fan. As a fellow Latino actor, I was inspired by his work and excited to see what he'd do next. I really liked that Miranda engaged with his social media followers, and would reply or comment to posts on Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr. Occasionally, he would respond to me, and I always wondered if he knew who I was.

At the end of summer 2014, Miranda reached 96,000 followers — an inside reference from In the Heights — and asked fans what he should do to mark this milestone. I Tweeted that he should do a one-man show of In the Heights and post it to YouTube. Miranda responded that he was going to follow some of his favorite fans, and the next morning I received an alert that he was following me.

A few months later, I was going to produce In the Heights in my hometown of Selma, California, and I jumped at the opportunity to tweet Miranda this question: “What's a piece of advice for someone who wants to produce In the Heights?” Miranda responded: “Cast team players. The play is about community and themes of the show need to translate into the cast.”

I took this advice to heart, and it worked. Coincidentally, my summer 2015 opening of In the Heights overlapped with the opening previews of Hamilton, and it felt very special. I had never seen Miranda perform live and hadn't been to New York in 10 years, so a friend and I bought $100 tickets to see Hamilton in the summer 2016. As Hamilton started attracting buzz, I continued to interact sporadically with Miranda on Twitter.

What inspired you to create a Dueler Eye Chart holiday card, a play on an eye chart found at an optometrist's office with references to the Hamilton song “Ten Duel Commandments” for their cast and crew?

In November 2015, I was taking a printmaking course and our assignment was to create a design to etch in metal. I was struggling for ideas, and, while listening to Hamilton's soundtrack, a lightbulb went off. An eye chart popped into my head, and I immediately went on InDesign to work on my idea for four straight hours until I was done because I didn't want to lose momentum. I ended up being terrible at working on metal, so embarrassingly enough, I failed the course — sometimes the execution doesn't work, but the idea does.

“Sometimes the execution doesn't work, but the idea does.”

I still thought the image could be something bigger, so I decided to turn the Dueler Eye Chart into a holiday card for friends and family. A close friend advised me to send the card to Hamilton's cast and crew as a thank you, and I figured I'd get a Twitter mention at most. I sent 50 copies to friends and family and 50 copies to Hamilton's cast and crew. I included a personal 4×5 placard stating my appreciation for Hamilton and what it meant to me as an artist.

College student Dominic Grijalva meets his creative hero Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Did you receive any feedback from Hamilton's cast and crew?

Mid-December, I received a Tweet from an ensemble member encouraging me on my journey to make a living as a designer. They noted that it can be difficult to have a sustainable career in the arts, so all artists must work hard to remain relevant — especially if you depend on your body as your instrument. A few days later, I watched Star Wars on opening day and took a picture of Miranda's name in the closing credits for writing the Cantina Band music. I Tweeted Miranda the picture, congratulating him, and he replied, “Hey, we love your eye chart — thanks so much!”

At this moment, I realized he actually knew who I was. In January, I started seeing pictures on social media of my eye chart popping up in dressing rooms. It was surreal.

It can be difficult to have a sustaining career in the arts, so all artists must work hard to remain relevant.

How did the commission come to be?

In March, I randomly noticed that Miranda had fiddled with his Twitter page, and it was doing something funky to his Facebook page. I took screenshots of how to correct the issue and sent Miranda a direct message with this information. A few hours later, he Tweeted, “Thanks to Dominic who helped fix this issue!” Two days later, I woke up to a barrage of Facebook and text messages, and didn't know what happened. Miranda had accidentally publicly Tweeted me when he meant to send this direct message, “Hey, I have this idea and I would like to get your brain involved. Please send me your email.”

In the middle of a two-show-day, Miranda had been brainstorming how to give back to fans and artists who were creating amazing Hamilton-inspired artwork, while expanding his brand into merchandising.

After a few email exchanges and calls with Miranda's brother-in-law, who represents him and handles merchandising, I received a proposal to create some sketches for In the Heights-inspired T-shirts.

You followed Miranda closely. At any point did it ever feel like borderline stalking?

(Laughs) I never felt like a stalker. In the past, if a celebrity favorited one of my Tweets, I would reply in all caps, “OMG!” But, that doesn't add any substance, and it's the equivalent of screaming at someone. With Miranda, I just tried to be intentional and tactful with my interactions. I was such a fan and reminded myself that I'm doing this because I respect him, and would love the opportunity to work with him someday.

“With Miranda, I just tried to be intentional and tactful with my interactions.”

What were the specific objectives of the commission?

Based upon the number of characters in the play, songs, and inside jokes and references, I was tasked to create a few sketches, which would work on apparel and could be expandable. In all, I submitted a handful of sketches and over 100 ideas. This exceeded his team's expectations, and Miranda and his team narrowed the field to seven sketches. All seven designs made the cut, and are available for purchase online.

How did you negotiate with Miranda, and what was this like?

I negotiated terms of the commission with Miranda's brother-in-law, Luis, and the process felt very natural. I receive royalties per item sold. Tee-Rico is big on promoting their artists' work, and they always include our Twitter handles and websites on their site, and tag us when customers send pictures wearing our designs. Family is very important to Miranda, and his family members work with him and help run Tee-Rico. Now, I am part of the Tee-Rico family, and it reminds me of my family. I feel safe and cared for, and it has been great connecting with other Tee-Rico artists. I know that my creative ideas are heard and valued, and I feel fortunate to work with someone I respect and admire.

“I am currently using revenue earned from Tee-Rico to pay off my student loans.”

How does this work as a business?

I am still a full-time college student and will be graduating in December 2017. Tee-Rico is understanding of my responsibilities, and I'm able to manage my course load, theater schedule, and juggle freelance projects. I am currently using revenue earned from Tee-Rico to pay off my student loans.

Walk us through a typical school week. How much time do you devote to school work and how much to your freelance design work?

Typically, I try to schedule all day classes or evening classes to block my time. All of my clients know that I'm a student, so my schoolwork comes first. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I have afternoon classes, so I'll crank out my freelance work in the evenings. On Tuesdays, and Thursdays, I take night classes, so I'll work on my freelance projects earlier in the day. At times, everything overlaps, so making lists allows me to prioritize my deliverables. I always have my laptop on me, so that I can work from anywhere! On weekends, I might catch up on some freelance work, but I spend a lot of time at the theater.

Have you ever had to juggle the deadline of a Tee-Rico project with a school project? If so, how did you deliver both on time?

I'm actually doing this right now! I just opened a show and it's consuming a lot of my time, in addition to my classes. However, on my first call with Tee-Rico, Luis said, “I know you're a student, so your schooling comes first. Work on Tee-Rico projects when you have the time.” I owe him some concepts, so I'm keeping in touch via email and phone to provide frequent updates. Open communication is key.

What's your advice to young designers looking to get their foot in the door somewhere?

If you're approachable and voice your opinion, it's easier to get noticed. Relationships and connections help as well. It's random, but I have a good friend in New York who was babysitting for the director of marketing at licensing agency, Musical Theater International. I told her I was coming to New York in June, and asked if she'd put in a good word for me, and share my website. She did, and the director of marketing agreed to meet with me while I was in town. He literally pulled up my portfolio on the spot, and I walked him through projects in my portfolio.

When he asked what my dream job would be, I named the advertising firm SpotCo, which handles marketing and branding for Broadway's hottest shows. I don't have any contacts there, so he offered to connect me with a guy who works there. We scheduled an informational call when I returned to California, and he too requested an overview of projects in my portfolio.

After graduation, I'm planning to move to New York, and the Musical Theater International director of marketing asked me to call him when I arrive. I've at least planted a seed at SpotCo., and when I do move to New York, I want to be absolutely ready.

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Lessons From a Life in Two Genders

Twelve years into her marriage with her partner, Jennifer Finney Boylan transitioned to womanhood. In this interview filmed at the Aspen Ideas Festival, the author, trans advocate, and Barnard College professor discusses identity and which ones are fixed. “The thing that may have changed about me as a trans person most visibly is...how I look,” she says. “But in some ways for me the big difference in transition wasn't going from male to female, it was going from someone who had a secret to someone who didn't have a secret.”

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Root-maggot fly (Bot

Root-maggot fly (Botanophila sp.) collected in Prince Edward Island National Park, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and photographed at the Centre for Biodiversity Genomics (sample ID: BIOUG10394-F04; specimen record: http://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Public_RecordView?processid=CNPED1574-14; BIN: http://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Public_BarcodeCluster?clusteruri=BOLD:ACL7928)

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Ancient Milky-Way Star Cluster Fossil Revealed --"Unlike Any Other Known"

A fossilized remnant of the early Milky Way harboring stars of hugely different ages has been revealed by an international team of astronomers. This stellar system resembles a globular cluster, but is like no other cluster known. It contains stars remarkably similar to the most ancient stars in the Milky Way and bridges the gap in understanding between our galaxy's past and its present.

Terzan 5, 19 000 light-years from Earth, has been classified as a globular cluster for the forty-odd years since its detection. Now, an Italian-led team of astronomers have discovered that Terzan 5 is like no other globular cluster known.

The team scoured data from the Advanced Camera for Surveys and the Wide Field Camera 3 on board Hubble, as well as from a suite of other ground-based telescopes. They found compelling evidence that there are two distinct kinds of stars in Terzan 5 which not only differ in the elements they contain, but have an age-gap of roughly 7 billion years.

The ages of the two populations indicate that the star formation process in Terzan 5 was not continuous, but was dominated by two distinct bursts of star formation. "This requires the Terzan 5 ancestor to have large amounts of gas for a second generation of stars and to be quite massive. At least 100 million times the mass of the Sun," explains Davide Massari, co-author of the study, from INAF, Italy, and the University of Gröningen, Netherlands.

Its unusual properties make Terzan 5 the ideal candidate for a living fossil from the early days of the Milky Way. Current theories on galaxy formation assume that vast clumps of gas and stars interacted to form the primordial bulge of the Milky Way, merging and dissolving in the process.

"We think that some remnants of these gaseous clumps could remain relatively undisrupted and keep existing embedded within the galaxy," explains Francesco Ferraro from the University of Bologna, Italy, and lead author of the study. "Such galactic fossils allow astronomers to reconstruct an important piece of the history of our Milky Way."

While the properties of Terzan 5 are uncommon for a globular cluster, they are very similar to the stellar population which can be found in the galactic bulge, the tightly packed central region of the Milky Way. These similarities could make Terzan 5 a fossilised relic of galaxy formation, representing one of the earliest building blocks of the Milky Way.

This assumption is strengthened by the original mass of Terzan 5 necessary to create two stellar populations: a mass similar to the huge clumps which are assumed to have formed the bulge during galaxy assembly around 12 billion years ago. Somehow Terzan 5 has managed to survive being disrupted for billions of years, and has been preserved as a remnant of the distant past of the Milky Way.

"Some characteristics of Terzan 5 resemble those detected in the giant clumps we see in star-forming galaxies at high-redshift, suggesting that similar assembling processes occurred in the local and in the distant Universe at the epoch of galaxy formation," continues Ferraro.

"Terzan 5 could represent an intriguing link between the local and the distant Universe, a surviving witness of the Galactic bulge assembly process," explains Ferraro while commenting on the importance of the discovery. The research presents a possible route for astronomers to unravel the mysteries of galaxy formation, and offers an unrivaled view into the complicated history of the Milky Way.

The Daily Galaxy via ESO/Hubble

Star Streams of the Milky Way --"Trace of the Orbits of Ancient Globular Clusters"

Found! "The Missing Piece in a Long-Standing Milky Way Puzzle"

Six Million Years Ago Milky Way's Central Black Hole Erupted --"When First Humanoids Walked the Earth"

The Milky Way's Monster Black Hole Awakes! Fired Out a Massive Flare 300 Years Ago (Weekend Feature) - The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel

"Biggest Explosion Since the Big Bang" --From a Supermassive Black Hole a Billion Times the Mass of Our Sun

Monster Infant Star Discovered in Milky Way --"Thirty Times the Size of Our Sun"

The Milky Way's Globular Star Clusters --"Relics from the Early Universe"

Alien Invaders of the Milky Way - The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel

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"Far, Silent Side of the Moon" --Upcoming NASA and China Missions to "Fill a Void" in Our Knowledge of the Universe

China's increasingly ambitious space program plans to attempt the first-ever landing of a lunar probe on the moon's far side. Radio transmissions from Earth are unable to reach the moon's far side, making it an excellent location for sensitive instruments.The Chang'e 4 mission is planned for sometime before 2020, according to Zou Yongliao from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' in an interview with China's state broadcaster CCTV.

Zou said the mission's objective would be to study geological conditions on the moon's far side, also known as the dark side. That could eventually lead to the placement of a radio telescope for use by astronomers, something that would help "fill a void" in man's knowledge of the universe, Zou said.

China's next lunar mission is scheduled for 2017, when it will attempt to land an unmanned spaceship on the moon before returning to Earth with samples. If successful, that would make China only the third country after the United States and Russia to have carried out such a maneuver.

China's lunar exploration program, named Chang'e after a mythical goddess, has already launched a pair of orbiting lunar probes, and in 2013 landed a craft on the moon with a rover onboard.

China has also hinted at a possible crewed mission to the moon. China sent its first astronaut into space in 2003 and has powered ahead with a series of methodically timed steps, including the deploying of an experimental space station.

This July, NASA announced that a University of Colorado Boulder research team — led by Jack Burns of the Lunar University Network for Astrophysics Research (LUNAR) — is working on a radio telescope array that would be unfurled on the far side of the moon by an unmanned rover operated by astronauts in NASA's Orion spacecraft, which would be hovering in a gravitationally stable spot near the lunar far side called Earth-moon Lagrange Point 2.

Burn's team is evaluating how a small rover can spool out lengthy pieces of Kapton film on the lunar far side that would serve serve as a lightweight backbone for an array of low-frequency antennas that could be deployed by a simple rover, Burns said. The "arms" would be stretched out, free of the constant radio-frequency interference coming from Earth, allowing NASA scientists to study the formation of the first stars and black holes, among other cosmic phenomena.

The moon rover plans were presented during the NASA Exploration Science Forum, which was held July 21 through July 23 at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California. The conference was organized by the Ames-based Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI).

The Daily Galaxy via BEIJING (AP), space.com and cbsnews.com

NASA Observes Pluto's 'Tail' --"A Complex and Fascinating World"

NASA: "We've Only Scratched the Surface of Our Pluto Exploration"

"We're Losing Control" --Chinese AI Program Defeats World Masters at Planet's Oldest Most Difficult Board Game

NASA Scientists --"Vast Ocean of Saturn's Moon Enceladus Could Be the Site of a Second Genesis"

Maven Mission Nearing Mars Orbit in Search for Clues to Fate of Ancient Oceans

NASA: Earth is Vulnerable to Invisible, Microscopic Black Holes --"Universe is Filled with Primordial Black Holes Speeding Through Space Like Bullets"

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"Gigantic Compared to Our Solar System" --Two Massive Holes Caused by Dark Matter Observed Just Outside Milky Way"

The discovery of two massive holes punched through a stream of stars could help answer questions about the nature of dark matter, the mysterious substance holding galaxies together. Researchers have detected two massive holes which have been ‘punched' through a stream of stars just outside the Milky Way, and found that they were likely caused by clumps of dark matter, the invisible substance which holds galaxies together and makes up a quarter of all matter and energy in the universe.

The scientists, from the University of Cambridge, found the holes by studying the distribution of stars in the Milky Way. While the clumps of dark matter that likely made the holes are gigantic in comparison to our Solar System with a mass between one million and 100 million times that of the Sun they are actually the tiniest clumps of dark matter detected to date.

“While we do not yet understand what dark matter is formed of, we know that it is everywhere,” said Dr Denis Erkal from Cambridge's Institute of Astronomy, the paper's lead author. “It permeates the universe and acts as scaffolding around which astrophysical objects made of ordinary matter such as galaxies are assembled.”

The results, which have been submitted to the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, could help researchers understand the properties of dark matter, by inferring what type of particle this mysterious substance could be made of. According to their calculations and simulations, dark matter is likely made up of particles more massive and more sluggish than previously thought, although such a particle has yet to be discovered.

Current theory on how the universe was formed predicts that many of these dark matter building blocks have been left unused, and there are possibly tens of thousands of small clumps of dark matter swarming in and around the Milky Way. These small clumps, known as dark matter sub-haloes, are completely dark, and don't contain any stars, gas or dust.

Dark matter cannot be directly measured, and so its existence is usually inferred by the gravitational pull it exerts on other objects, such as by observing the movement of stars in a galaxy. But since sub-haloes don't contain any ordinary matter, researchers need to develop alternative techniques in order to observe them.

The technique the Cambridge researchers developed was to essentially look for giant holes punched through a stream of stars. These streams are the remnants of small satellites, either dwarf galaxies or globular clusters, which were once in orbit around our own galaxy, but the strong tidal forces of the Milky Way have torn them apart. The remnants of these former satellites are often stretched out into long and narrow tails of stars, known as stellar streams.

“Stellar streams are actually simple and fragile structures,” said co-author Dr Sergey Koposov. “The stars in a stellar stream closely follow one another since their orbits all started from the same place. But they don't actually feel each other's presence, and so the apparent coherence of the stream can be fractured if a massive body passes nearby. If a dark matter sub-halo passes through a stellar stream, the result will be a gap in the stream which is proportional to the mass of the body that created it.”

The researchers used data from the stellar streams in the Palomar 5 globular cluster to look for evidence of a sub-halo fly-by. Using a new modelling technique, they were able to observe the stream with greater precision than ever before. What they found was a pair of wrinkled tidal tails, with two gaps of different widths.

By running thousands of computer simulations, the researchers determined that the gaps were consistent with a fly-by of a dark matter sub-halo. If confirmed, these would be the smallest dark matter clumps detected to date.

“If dark matter can exist in clumps smaller than the smallest dwarf galaxy, then it also tells us something about the nature of the particles which dark matter is made of namely that it must be made of very massive particles,” said co-author Dr Vasily Belokurov. “This would be a breakthrough in our understanding of dark matter.”

The reason that researchers can make this connection is that the mass of the smallest clump of dark matter is closely linked to the mass of the yet unknown particle that dark matter is composed of. More precisely, the smaller the clumps of dark matter, the higher the mass of the particle.

Since we do not yet know what dark matter is made of, the simplest way to characterise the particles is to assign them a particular energy or mass. If the particles are very light, then they can move and disperse into very large clumps. But if the particles are very massive, then they can't move very fast, causing them to condense in the first instance into very small clumps.

“Mass is related to how fast these particles can move, and how fast they can move tells you about their size,” said Belokurov. “So that's why it's so interesting to detect very small clumps of dark matter, because it tells you that the dark matter particle itself must be very massive.”

“If our technique works as predicted, in the near future we will be able to use it to discover even smaller clumps of dark matter,” said Erkal. “It's like putting dark matter goggles on and seeing thousands of dark clumps each more massive than a million suns whizzing around.”

The Daily Galaxy via University of Cambridge

"Cloud D" in Nearby Dwarf Galaxy --Obscures Spectacular Cluster of Massive Stars Billion Xs Brighter Than Our Sun

"Large Chunk of Milky Way's 1st Generation Stars are Missing"

Alien Invaders of the Milky Way - The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel

NASA/Hubble: "For Far-Future Milky Way Civilizations Evidence of Big Bang and Evolution Will be Erased"

Mystery Star Clusters of Elliptical Galaxy Centaurus A --"Something Dark, Hidden and Massive"

"Milky Way Danger Zone" --Solar-System Devouring Mini Black Holes (Today's Most Popular) - The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel

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Aeolus launch contract

europeanspaceagency posted a photo:

The contract between ESA and Arianespace to launch the ADM-Aeolus satellite was signed on 22 July 2016 by ESA's Director of Earth Observation Programmes, Josef Aschbacher, (left) and CEO of Arianespace, Stéphane Israël, (right) in the presence of Jan Woerner, ESA Director General, (centre), at ESA headquarters in Paris, France. Aeolus will be launched on a Vega rocket from Europe's Spaceport near Kourou in French Guiana at the end of 2017. Using novel laser technology, this new mission will provide profiles of wind, aerosols and clouds to advance our understanding of atmospheric dynamics and to improve weather forecasts.

Read more: Vega to launch ESA's wind mission

Credit: ESANadia Imbert-Vier, 2016

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Sit! Stay! Spell!

“Alphabet” border, designed by William Wegman, distributed by A/D Gallery, New York, 1993.
Gift of A/D Gallery. 1997-108-1

William Wegman's 1993 “Alphabet” border is a charming representative of the vast body of children's wallpaper that has been around since the 19th century.

Wegman began photographing his Weimaraners in 1970, and his photographs became a favorite with adults and children alike. After all, what's not to like about a beautiful dog holding a goofy pose?

The border elevates Wegman's dogs from cute to educational by arranging them into letters of the alphabet from A to Z. It was available in white, blue and rust and each color was printed in a limited edition of 1,500, each signed and numbered by the artist.

The Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum contains children's wallpapers dating back to the 1870s. While early children's wallpaper was designed to be instructional, it didn't capture the whimsy exuded by this border, for which Wegman also designed a complementary sidewall paper.

Wegman started out as a painter, receiving degrees from the Massachusetts College of Art, Boston and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 1970, he moved to southern California to teach at California State College, Long Beach. That's when he purchased his Weimaraner, Man Ray, and began photographing him in unusual poses. This photography continued in 1986 with the addition of Fay Ray, another Weimaraner, and then with her offspring. Wegman has created numerous books for children and adults, and film and video for such companies as Saturday Night Live, Nickelodeon and Sesame Street.

The post Sit! Stay! Spell! appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

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Hungarian poster for ZABRISKIE POINT (Michelangelo Antonioni,...

Hungarian poster for ZABRISKIE POINT (Michelangelo Antonioni, USA, 1970)

Designer: Laszlo Lakner

Poster source: Film/Art Gallery

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On Hirshhorn plaza, demolished '92 Dodge keeps pulling in the curious

Visitors to the Hirshhorn plaza encounter “Still Life with Spirit and Xitle.” (Photo by John Barrat)

Although it has no magnetic properties, the 9-ton red volcanic boulder on the plaza of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden keeps pulling people in from the nearby sidewalk on Independence Avenue. Perhaps it is the boulder's painted-on smirk or the fact that it sits atop a 1992 Dodge Spirit, creating, as a recent press expounds: “a slapstick disaster scene… part performance, part sculpture.”

“Joyful and cathartic,” is how Hirshhorn Chief Curator Stéphane Aquin described the sculpture “Still Life with Spirit and Xitle” on a recent August morning as he watched person after person curiously approach and then examine the artwork. Many took selfies with the smashed car and rock.

“On a very simple level, people just see a rock on a car and they say, ‘God this is fantastic,' because they wouldn't dream of wanting to see that on their car,” Aquin says. “And then some would, because they hate their car.”

Created by expatriate American artist Jimmy Durham in 2007, the Hirshhorn recently acquired the sculpture following its appearance in the 2015 Art Basel exhibition in Miami Beach. “It was truly the star of the art fair,” Aquin recalls. “I don't know if it is a sign of the quality of a work, but definitely of its public appeal, it blew up on Instagram. It was really the most spectacular thing in the fair.”

Durham's name for the sculpture refers to the ancient Mexican volcano Xitle (shy-tuhl) which means, “Spirit.” It erupted around 245-315 AD and engulfed the then-prominent city of Cuicuilco in lava. Durham had a 9-ton boulder quarried from near the buried city which was then placed by crane upon the roof of the Dodge Spirit. As a finishing touch, Durham painted a smug, cartoon-like face on the boulder.

Still Life with Spirit and Xitle” on the Hirshhorn plaza (Photo by John Barrat)

“It's sort of an open metaphor of the revenge of nature over culture,” Aquin explains. “It represents the encounter of two forms of spirit, one ancient, mythological and physical and the other—a Dodge Spirit—a car produced in Mexico.

Durham, who had lived in Mexico between 1987 and 1994, was aware of other associations with the car, Aquin says. “Because it was a powerful car undercover police would use them, as well as drug dealers…so it has associations of shady, nefarious government force.”

Although the volcanic rock appears to have landed violently upon the car, Hirshhorn staff placed it gently down with a crane. The boulder's weight had already bent the car's frame, pushing it down to the ground. “There is no car that's going to take 9 tons,” Aquin says.

Its placement on the plaza in front of the Hirshhorn's main entrance is not arbitrary, Aquin adds. Car and rock sit atop the only concrete pillar that supports the plaza from below. “We had X-rays done to locate the plaza pillar and determine the exact position where we could safely place it,” Aquin explains. “Anywhere else and it may have dropped straight down,” into the Hirshhorn's basement.

A crew of Smithsonian staff use a crane to install Jimmy Durham's sculpture “Still Life with Spirit and Xitle” on the Hirshhorn Plaza.

After numerous walks around the museum while observing the constant flow of pedestrians in the vicinity, Aquin and other HMSG staff determined that a large percentage of the Hirshhorn's visitors travel to the museum from the Air and Space Museum and L'Enfant Plaza Metro, walking west along Independence Avenue. With this in mind, the Dodge is aimed at an angle with its headlights pointing at these walkers as they approach the Hirshhorn's south plaza entrance. The sculpture is “a show stopper,” Aquin says. “Everyone stops. It's just a simple thing but no one gets over it.”

How does one preserve a demolished car? “It's complicated,” Aquin observes. As per Durham's wishes the elements will be allowed to take their toll upon the car. “We know the car is going to dilapidate over time. In 60 years it will be totally different and down the line it will disappear. Durham suggested at some point we replace the car with a typical Washington, D.C. diplomatic limousine…something like a Cadillac Escalade, a motorcade car,” Aquin says. “But if we do that then the question arises what do we do about the sculpture's title? We lose the Dodge Spirit.”

For the rock, geologists and volcanologists have been invited to assess the cracks in the rock and, as a few plants have grown on its top, a botanist also is being consulted.

“Still Life with Spirit and Xitle,” signals a new direction for the Hirshhorn more than anything else, Aquin says. “It's only one work but it has transformed the plaza and the whole look of the building. Little by little that's what we are trying to do.”

The post On Hirshhorn plaza, demolished '92 Dodge keeps pulling in the curious appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

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Three New books mark museum opening

To commemorate the opening of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture three new books have been released by Smithsonian Books: Dream a World Anew: The African American Experience and the Shaping of America; Begin with the Past: Building the National Museum of African American History and Culture; and National Museum of African American History and Culture: A Souvenir Book. Each book will be available in the museum store beginning with the museum's opening on Sept. 24. On Sept. 27 the books will be widely available elsewhere.

Dream a World Anew: The African American Experience and the Shaping of America uses objects and stories from the museum to examine the African American experience. It presents a sweeping history that includes the path from slavery to freedom, the struggle during Reconstruction and the civil rights movement, and the swell of major social, political and economic changes since 1968. The book also celebrates the achievements of extraordinary black musicians, writers, performers, athletes and artists who influenced American cultural identity.

Begin with the Past: Building the National Museum of African American History and Culture presents the long history of efforts to build a permanent place to collect, study and present African American history and culture. It traces the appointment of the director, the selection of the site and the process of conceiving, designing and constructing a public monument to the achievements and contributions of African Americans.

National Museum of African American History and Culture: A Souvenir Book showcases the treasures of the museum's collections. Highlights include a silk lace-and-linen shawl given to Harriet Tubman by Queen Victoria, Pullman Porter train cars and uniforms, the jacket and skirt worn by Marian Anderson for her 1939 Lincoln Memorial concert, Negro League baseball banners and jerseys, a Tuskegee Airman flight jacket and Chuck Berry's Cadillac. All of these objects and many more are accompanied by captions explaining their significance and role in the nation's history.

The post Three New books mark museum opening appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

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Supple Studio gives D.R.A.W interlocking “D” identity

Supple Studio has designed an identity system for D.R.A.W Recruitment using an interlocking “D' device and the strapline “The Art of the Perfect Fit”.

The new company was formed from the merger of Drummond Read Recruitment and Art//Work and specialises in sourcing talent from the fine arts, antiques and luxury markets.

Supple creative director Jamie Ellul, who was invited to tender, says: “The client had already spotted that their existing company names formed the acronym D.R.A.W; it felt like a gift of a name with a genuine back story.

“But we wanted to avoid the obvious solution of drawing things or sketching, so we took the angle of people being ‘drawn together' which led to ‘the perfect fit'.”

An interlocking D monogram was also created and Ellul says he “worked with the client to choose a range of materials that got across D.R.A.W.'s diverse client base and candidates from classic to contemporary.”

The main points of interaction for service users are the website and jobs board. Ellul, who also worked on these, says: “We've kept the design very classic using black and white throughout, with the only ping of colour being the monogram logos.

We were conscious of the fact it's a very discerning audience, so a neutral classic approach seemed to make sense. The typeface we've used is Value by Colophon, which lends a little quirkiness to the design, but still feels in keeping with the classic feel.”

The post Supple Studio gives D.R.A.W interlocking “D” identity appeared first on Design Week.

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Moves & changes industry news

People

Rebecca Kirrane has joined Decibel Digital as a UX/UI designer, moving from commerce consultancy, Salmon.

Bentley has appointed John Paul Gregory to lead its exterior design division. Gregory's first production car is likely to be the new Bentley Continental GT.

Manchester-based studio Code Computerlove has announced the appointment of Amy Robinson as customer experience consultant. The role will see Robinson help bolster the studio's content, acquisition and conversion teams.

CloudTag has appointed Peter Griffith as chief creative officer to oversee the design, aesthetics and brand messaging of Cloudtag products. Griffith was formerly head of mobile phones design at Microsoft.

Consultancies

Jaywing has announced its acquisition of Leeds-based consultancy, Bloom. The consultancy hopes to grow the development and distribution of its data science-led products.

A new consultancy has been launched after the founder of Sumo Design, Jim Richardson, closed the business to focus on a new start-up. The creative team behind Sumo Sarah Tempest and Michael Sutton have launched their own consultancy in Newcastle, called Altogether.

Contact aimee.mclaughlin@centaurmedia.com if there have been any moves and changes in your consultancy.

The post Moves & changes industry news appeared first on Design Week.

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Gordon's gin reveals new packaging design

Design Bridge and Diageo have worked together on the new packaging design for Gordon's gin, almost 15 years after the consultancy previously redesigned the gin brand's bottle.

Design Bridge's brief was to respond to the huge boom in interest in gin over the last few years, and “reassert Gordon's position as the top selling gin brand”, according to chief creative officer at Design Bridge, Graham Shearsby.

“We saw it as an opportunity to guide the packaging onto the next part of its journey,” says Shearsby. “It's always been quite a functional bottle, part of what we tried to do was bring more life to it.”

Taller, slimmer bottle

The new bottle is slightly slimmer and taller than previously, while the label has been applied to the D-shaped curved side of the bottle instead of the flat side like before.

“It was to get a bit more movement across the front label,” says Shearsby. “The bottle was a little bit too flat on the front, so this way it projects itself and will stand out on the shelf.”

Inspired by a trip to the brand's archives, which revealed an old advertising campaign with the tagline “the heart of a good cocktail”, along with heart-shaped labels from 1920s bottles, the heart symbol has become the focal point of the new design.

Hand drawn wordmark

The glass bottle itself has a heart shape with “botanical flourishes” embossed onto it, encircling the words “Estd. London 1769”.

Meanwhile, the Gordon's wordmark on the label has been redrawn by hand, and the brand's original boar logo has been made more visible, moving from the bottom to the front of the bottle.

The new design has also been introduced to Gordon's collection of flavoured gins, sloe, elderflower and cucumber, and to Gordon's Export gin. The newly designed packaging will roll out globally this month.

The post Gordon's gin reveals new packaging design appeared first on Design Week.

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Ragged Edge refreshes Deliciously Ella branding

"Deliciously-Ella-Energy-Balls-Hazelnut-and-Raisin"

Ragged Edge has redesigned the visual identity for food blogger Ella Mills, commonly known as Deliciously Ella.

The rebrand includes a new design system and updated logo shared with health food restaurant Mae Deli, co-founded by Mills and her husband as well as the packaging for the blogger's first retail product, Deliciously Ella's Energy Balls.

“Reinforce personal connection with her followers”

Based on Mills' own signature, the logo features a hand drawn typeface and a “sunburst” shape that seeks to “reinforce her personal connection with her followers”, according to Ragged Edge.

The consultancy chose a hand drawn typeface Naive Line Sans for headlines and the monospaced Elementa Regular for body copy. Ragged Edge cofounder Max Ottignon says: “Used together, these feel approachable, warm and human.”

“Natural, simple and honest”

Meanwhile, the packaging for the energy balls has been designed to reflect Mills' three core values: “natural, simple and honest”. It combines bright colours designed to make it stand out on the shelf compared to other similar products and comes in a matte texture.

Ottignon says: “Much of Ella's popularity stems from her open and honest relationship with her followers. Maintaining that level of trust as her brand grows into new areas was crucial.”

“Our strategy set out to build on her core values and create a beautifully crafted design, with substance and weight.”

The Deliciously Ella Energy Balls launched at Whole Foods this month and will also be rolled out to selected supermarkets.

The post Ragged Edge refreshes Deliciously Ella branding appeared first on Design Week.

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This new tampon brand hopes to empower women in China

Consultancy Pearlfisher has created the visual identity and packaging for a new tampon brand which looks to empower women in China.

Fémme is a new product from Chinese company Yoai, which aims to increase the presence of and education about tampons in China, and change a “patronising” tone around tampons to associations with “confidence and positivity”.

2% of Chinese women use tampons

Recent research found that only 2% of women in China use tampons, with the majority citing the reason as inexperience with the product.

The new brand aims to shift shake conservative, traditional associations with feminine hygiene care in China, says Pearlfisher creative director Natalie Chung, through a “stylish and discreet” design.

Chinese characters used in branding

The logo is composed of a Chinese character symbolising womanhood encased with a circle, within a circle, all created in a “bold” red to symbolise menstruation.

A simple, sans-serif wordmark has been used, which aims to “elevate the product from basic pharmacy to high-end premium”, says Chung.

The packaging also aims to be “elegant” through embossing, the use of a foil logo and card inserts of line-drawn female forms which replicate Chinese characters.

Pastel colour code

Packs use a pastel colour scheme of blue, pink and green to indicate different product sizes, and there is educational information included on the back which aims to “dispel cultural misconceptions” and teach women how to use tampons.

Victoria Li at Yoai says the new brand identity is “based on a modern interpretation of Chinese values” rather than something “overtly westernised”, and hopes the product will help to “liberate” and offer more choice to women in China.

The post This new tampon brand hopes to empower women in China appeared first on Design Week.

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September sunset

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September sky over London

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Evening falls

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Golden Sunset clouds

Sculptor Lil posted a photo:

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Sunset 7 Sept 2016

Sculptor Lil posted a photo:

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Spires

Howard Ferrier posted a photo:

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1666 London

Tedz Duran posted a photo:

A 120m long wooden replica of 1666 London was floated down the River Thames between Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge at sunset before it was set ablaze to mark 350 years since the Great Fire.

#a7rII #batis1885 #carlzeiss

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‘Things Shouldn't Be Like This': Lingering Effects of Peru's Jungle Oil Spills

"Jusoe — Jusoe Esash Unum holds leaves covered in oil near the banks of the Marañon River, months after the January Chiriaco spill. (Photo by Brett Monroe Garner)

By Rebecca Wolff, National Geographic Young Explorer Grantee

I hadn't grasped the true human consequences of oil spills until we immersed ourselves in the situation going on in Peru.

The stories our team heard of lingering illness and food insecurity were heartbreaking. “When the oil spill happened, [the doctors] arrived in the community and gave out a few medicines, and then they never came back. Things shouldn't be like this,” we were told.

By June 2016, 8000 individuals and at least 30 indigenous communities were affected. I never thought it could possibly get worse.

On August 10, the fourth oil spill since the start of 2016 was reported in the Peruvian Amazon.

At least 10 indigenous communities are impacted by the newest spill in the province of Condorcanqui, department of Amazonas. More than 20 similar spills have crippled the region over the past five years.

This latest spill has the potential to impact the Marañon River and the indigenous groups living there, including the Awajún who were affected by the January 25 spill in Chiriaco and the June 24 spill in Barranca. The Marañon is one of the most important rivers in Peru, starting in the Andes and eventually becoming a major tributary of the Amazon River.

Anger and frustration are reaching all-time highs across Peru. In February, after two spills saw over 3,000 barrels of crude oil flow into the Chiriaco and Morona Rivers, state-owned oil company Petroperú was told to cease pumping oil on their Nor Peruano pipeline. The 40-year-old pipeline is in a state of disrepair, the believed cause of the multiple spills this year.

A third oil spill in late June raised questions as to whether Petroperú had followed state orders to stop pumping oil and indicated the company had in fact been continuing to operate their faulty pipeline. One week after the June 24 spill, the Peruvian Supervisory Agency for Investment in Energy and Mining sanctioned Petroperú for pumping oil without permission. The company's president resigned during the controversy.

"Petroperuì — A Petroperuì oil cleanup crew works at site of the January Chiriaco Spill. (Photo by Brett Monroe Garner)

The cause of the newest spill has not been verified. The Agency for Environmental Assessment and Enforcement (OEFA) released a statement on August 11 saying the spill may have resulted from an intentional cut to the pipeline. However, advocates I work with in Peru feel that unconfirmed accusations like this only help shift the blame and responsibility for the spill away from Petroperú. It also remains unclear whether Petroperú ever received permission, after the June sanction, to pump oil again. People are demanding to know if Petroperú was operating illegally, once again putting the Amazon at risk.

Communities and indigenous organizations are often the first to report oil spills on their territories, yet they are not seeing swift legal action or recognition of their rights and needs in wake of these environmental disasters.

“Legal processes are often partial and incomplete. There is a major disconnect between the process and the expectations of affected communities,” anthropologist Rodrigo Lazo, one of our Peruvian collaborators told me. In the Amazon, many individuals simply feel that not enough is being done to help.

"Levitia, — Levitia, a mother affected by the Chiriaco spill stands in a field that was ruined by the oil spill. (Photo by Brett Monroe Garner)

For the past six months, my team and I have interviewed lawyers, community members, indigenous leaders, and advocates across Peru. The testimonies of those afflicted by the spills and those fighting on behalf of communities never waver. Oil spills have abruptly impacted livelihoods and health while polluting the land and rivers of the Amazon.

One mother worried about how she would feed her children when her farmland remained covered in oil, never cleaned up by Petroperú. A community leader explained the health and emergency food supplies provided in his area were not enough for the vast amount of people seeking support.

The number of oil spills occurring in the Peruvian Amazon is increasing at an alarming rate. As we wait to learn just how bad this fourth spill will be, I wonder about the countless stories never told of how oil spills impact human lives. I can only hope the inspiring indigenous leaders, communities, and organizations our team has met will keep fighting to make sure that a fair legal and social resolution is achieved for all those stricken by these tragic oil spills.

More by Rebecca Wolff and Team Member Kevin Floerke

Indigenous Amazonians Reeling From Oil Spills in the Jungle

Health Concerns, Food Insecurity Linger Months After Peruvian Oil Spills

Peru's Oil Spills Deserve the World's Attention

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Big Sunset

Alex Chilli posted a photo:

Somewhat exhausted view of Big Ben and Westminster Bridge - but couldn't resist as the sun was setting. Now for some less touristy shots I think...

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Wicked when Wet by George Benson

Wicked when Wet by George Benson

George Benson: Photos

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Photos of the Day: Sept. 7, 2016

Explore the news of the day with these images from around the world.
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Flowers+Black tea by Parag Bhagat

Flowers+Black tea by Parag Bhagat

Parag Bhagat: Photos

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Eclairs by T_Hilal

Eclairs by T_Hilal

My tiny happiness after a long&hard day.

T_Hilal: Photos

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Made With Your Values by BRXSON

Made With Your Values by BRXSON

Way, way, way above Times Square...

BRXSON: Photos

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Skiathos, Greece by Thom Graham-Wood

Skiathos, Greece by Thom Graham-Wood

Thom Graham-Wood: Photos

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Boom time for whales in the Arctic driven by the loss of sea ice
The unprecedented loss of sea ice at high latitudes has one benefit it has created ideal conditions for baleen whales
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色达清晨 by 曦哥很忙

色达清晨 by 曦哥很忙

曦哥很忙: Photos

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surviving ... by patrick verweire

surviving ... by patrick verweire

patrick verweire: Photos

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AGR by Lucas Chien

AGR by Lucas Chien

Lucas Chien: Photos

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The Space Shuttle Challenger rises through the skies above...

The Space Shuttle Challenger rises through the skies above Florida on February 3, 1984.

With the first release of my book tomorrow in the United Kingdom, I have been doing a lot of thinking about why I started this project in the first place. To sum it up in one word, it has always been about perspective. Through space travel or satellites or simply bringing ourselves to a more elevated viewpoint, we can discover new ways to see our world like never before. I think that exercise can be healthy, it can be challenging, and ultimately, it can be beautiful. For me, it has been such an amazing adventure to work on this project and this book and I can't wait to see where it will take us next. Photo courtesy of NASA

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Venezuelan Food Shortages Force Many to Abandon Their Pets (19 photos)

In recent years, triple-digit inflation, massive food shortages, rising crime rates, and failing public services in Venezuela have forced many families into difficult decisions. The lack of available and affordable food has led to an increasing number of pets being dropped off at shelters, or simply abandoned in the streets. The Associated Press reports that “Pet owners say the price of dog food has more than doubled in recent months to $2 a pound, more than a day's pay for those earning the minimum wage.” Reuters photographer Carlos Garcia Rawlins and AP photographer Fernando Llano recently documented the growing number of abandoned dogs and cats in Venezuela's parks, shelters, and private clinics.

Sonrisa is pictured at the Famproa dog shelter in Los Teques, Venezuela, on August 16, 2016. "Sonrisa (smile), was given that name, because when someone approached her, she was frightened as if she were being beaten, but showing her teeth as if were smiling," said Maria Silva who takes care of dogs at the shelter. Sonrisa died the following week after the photo was taken. (Carlos Garcia Rawlins / Reuters)

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Green way by Fabio Antenore

Green way by Fabio Antenore

For more of my Works, Prints, Workshops ore personal Coaching follow me on: FACEBOOK HOMEPAGE

Fabio Antenore: Photos

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Abandoned by Raed Ammari

Abandoned by Raed Ammari

Raed Ammari: Photos

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Breakout by Michael Bollino

Breakout by Michael Bollino

Atmosphere was the name of the game during my recent trip to the Canadian Rockies. Rain, fog, clouds, wind all accompanied me on the day I entered the park. Awful conditions for the tourists yearning for mountain views but incredibly exciting for any photographers driving the Icefields Parkway that day. As hoped, the afternoon brought a stop to the rain as well as a breaking in the clouds obscuring the high peaks. This image is from the first series I shot during the trip. I've added a handful more to my New Releases gallery on my website if anyone feels like clicking over.

Michael Bollino: Photos

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Forces of Mountains by Adnan Bubalo

Forces of Mountains by Adnan Bubalo

The Matterhorn is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the main watershed and border between Switzerland and Italy. It is a huge and near-symmetrical pyramidal peak in the Monte Rosa area of the Pennine Alps, whose summit is 4,478 metres (14,692 ft) high, making it one of the highest summits in the Alps and Europe. It is estimated that over 500 alpinists have died on the Matterhorn since the first climb in 1865, making it one of the deadliest peaks in the world From my last expedition to Alps

Adnan Bubalo: Photos

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At the end of the day... by Marcel Bressers

At the end of the day... by Marcel Bressers

When I was making my way back at the end of the day, I suddenly discovered him standing there in the last light of day. So I raised y camera and took the shot. Enjoy!

Marcel Bressers: Photos

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Aline by Manfred Karisch

Aline by Manfred Karisch

Manfred Karisch: Photos

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Montreal Is About To Kill A Lot Of Dogs, Based On Quack Science
A dog registered as a boxer has killed a woman in Montreal, so the mayor is calling for a ban on pit bulls. This would be amusing, if it weren't so predictable and depressing: in few areas of public policy do you encounter thinking this routinely deranged. And it all starts with contempt for science.

Consider the National Post's Barbara Kay, almost certainly Canada's most prominent enemy of this ill-defined category of dog: the "pit bull." Kay is one of the saner voices on her side of the debate, and I sense she genuinely believes that she is acting on behalf of dog bite victims. For years she has written screeds calling for the ban of these dogs, based on what she considers solid scientific evidence. It would help, however, if she actually knew what a scientist was, and how they can be identified in the wild. I've never dealt with a journalist so distressingly lax when it comes to vetting her sources: she does not so much cherry-pick experts as pick diseased cherries and pronounce them epidemiologists.

In particular, Barbara Kay relies upon two crusaders who stress that they were personally bitten by pit bulls. I have written before about Merritt Clifton, the alleged statistician she describes as "her primary source." I addressed his claim that he had "more than a hundred peer-reviewed publications." I found only one -- unrelated to pit bulls -- in a marginal Asian journal. Since then an immaculately researched book has emerged -- Pit Bull: the Battle Over an American Icon (Knopf) -- and the author, Bronwen Dickey, is a more intrepid detective than I am: she managed to find two. Both in this same comically obscure journal. "In one of them, he cites his own newsletter twelve times. The rest of the citations came mainly from Web sites, news reports, and press releases." Dickey is clear on Clifton's credibility as a scientist: he "possesses no relevant credentials."

The woman Barbara Kay describes as her "other primary source" is Colleen Lynn. Here, Bronwen Dickey's revelations are priceless: "Before her bite injury, Lynn maintained a fortune-telling Web site called DivineLady.com, on which she referred to herself as 'Divine Lady, Beholder of the Soul.' In 2011, she self-published the third edition of Divine Lady's Guide to the Runes."

And the Divine Lady now runs DogsBite -- a sober, professional looking website, as long as you don't click on the links to drooling hate groups -- which credulous journalists consider a primary source for scientific information about pit bulls. Bronwen Dickey reminds us: "Lynn has no professional credentials in statistics, epidemiology, or animal behaviour; neither do the sources she relies upon most frequently."

These are the experts, peddled by Barbara Kay, who are informing Mayor Denis Coderre's decision to introduce a breed ban. Their favoured legislation is strongly rejected by every expert organization on the continent, including the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Bar Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.

When it comes to Breed Specific Legislation, it is not a question of two worthy opinions to be carefully considered and weighed against each other. It is a matter of science versus the worst kind of quackery: rune-throwing fortune tellers, wildly unqualified statisticians, and a posse of foul-mouthed trolls. There is no argument here, any more than there is in the sorry vaccine debate: it's simply knowledge versus willful, howling ignorance.

Barbara Kay's third vaunted source -- her "bible" -- is a book by Alexandra Semyonova, a former welfare inspector for the Dutch SPCA. Despite having spent time at good schools -- Johns Hopkins and University College London -- Semyonova likes to talk about "science whores": these are trained scientists with peer-reviewed publications, who come to radically different conclusions from hers, and therefore must be in it for the money.

I read Kay's bible after some urging. Semyonova's book is called The 100 Silliest Things People Say About Dogs. Which doesn't have quite the same ring to it as "The Old Testament." Still, it's not a bad book. Sure, she cites Merritt Clifton, so her statistics can be safely ignored, but it's not a dreadful book, really, until you come to the end -- the section entitled: "Myth 99: Scientists know what they are talking about because they study animals in an objective way."

Here the counterfactual statements are truly special. "The scientists who have studied dogs have done it either in highly unnatural circumstances (the lab), or they've only watched the dogs for short intervals." If you believe this silliness, I suggest you look up Dr. Ian Dunbar, a scientist with stellar academic qualifications -- a veterinary degree, a doctorate in animal behaviour from Berkeley, a Special Honours degree in Physiology and Biochemistry -- who has become famous for training dogs through decades of experience in the field. (He oppose BSL, of course, calling it "frankly stupid".)

I urge you to read "Myth 99" in its ridiculous entirety. Semyonova writes: "We now know that science often attracts people who have various, more or less serious, autism related disorders, perhaps in particular Asperger's syndrome." She laments science's "obsession with measurement and quantification." She suggests it might be a result of autism.

In short: rigorous science is overrated. Perhaps a kind of illness.

Barbara Kay seems to have come to her own self-serving conclusion: rigorous science reporting is overrated. I read her quirky bible, but despite my insistence, she has declined to read Bronwen Dickey's book, an exhaustive and likely definitive study representing seven years of research. Which didn't prevent Kay from tweeting this bit of non-libel, based on her profound insight into a book she hasn't read: "Why does @BronwenDickey hate kids?"

Let's take a look at what happened in Ontario when those evil "science whores" failed to prevent Breed Specific Legislation in 2005. For a short time it looked good: "A total of 486 bites were recorded in 2005. That number fell generally in the six years following, to 379 in 2010." And then -- when pit bulls were finally getting thin on the ground -- the numbers began to rise: "Toronto's reported dog bites have been rising since 2012, and in 2013 and 2014 reached their highest levels this century."

How could this be? Simple: other dogs stepped in to fill the gap. Irresponsible owners remained irresponsible -- since the laws did not apply to them, simply to maligned breeds -- and their dogs continued to bite. In 2014, pit bulls didn't even make the top ten list; the top biter in Ontario was the German Shepherd (a perennial), followed distantly by the Labrador retriever. Of course, had the wise rulers of Ontario listened to the science whores, they would have known to expect this: Breed Specific Legislation has been a disaster worldwide. Not one respectable study supports breed bans.

Oh, and if you care about dogs at all: "By 2012, the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association estimated that the law had led to over 1,000 dogs and puppies in Ontario having been needlessly put down."

Perhaps you don't care about dogs, but you value fiscal responsibility? Ontario's worthless Breed Specific Legislation -- while killing dogs, and doing nothing to make humans safer -- has certainly cost a whole lot of money. The precise figure hasn't been released, despite numerous requests, but we can infer how much from a study of Prince George County, Maryland (whose BSL costs are considered on the low side, relatively speaking): "The average cost to seize, detain, test, and euthanize a single pit bull was $68,000. In the fiscal year of 2001-2002, the total cost of pit bull confiscations was $560,000." Needless to say, this half million dollars purchased precisely zilch: "Studies proved that the community had no measurable safety benefit from the ban, and lost out on thousands of dollars from cancelled dog shows, tourism, and consistent 'pit bull' report calls from concerned citizens."

You'd think that Barbara Kay, a political conservative, would have strong ideas about fiscal restraint. But no, saving money has the unbearable consequence of saving pit bulls from the needle. Which is the only reason I can imagine Ms. Kay so greatly favours the failed Ontario legislation over the much less expensive program introduced in Alberta, which happens to actually work.

You see, Mayor Coderre need not look south of the border for relevant expertise here. By coincidence, the most lauded urban experiment in the containment of dog bites -- studied across the world -- is the Calgary Model. It's a remarkable success, and it's much cheaper than Breed Specific Legislation. The downside? It's a lot of work, and -- this really hurts -- it requires humans to be responsible. Calgary's bylaws governing dog ownership, described in depth here, are some of the strictest you'll encounter: yes, leashes are mandatory, as are licences. The legislation happens to be breed neutral, meaning that if your German Shepherd or your Dalmatian bites someone, you won't be off the hook. The program stresses education -- as opposed to BSL, whose fertilizer is ignorance -- which means even more in the way of human responsibility. So, it's a bit onerous. On the plus side it saves money, dogs, and humans.

Mayor Coderre has a genuine opportunity here: he could set an example, internationally, by introducing this groundbreaking legislation to a city twice the size of Calgary. This is personal: I lived in Montreal off and on for years -- one of my favorite cities -- and it would be thrilling to see it celebrated for a major contribution to the history of animal welfare.

The Calgary Model is not perfect, of course; nothing involving dogs and humans ever is. It requires constant vigilance and enforcement, and these have waned somewhat in recent years -- in 2011, for instance, Calgary experienced a distressing uptick in biting incidents. (Although not that distressing: the city retained "the lowest bite-per-population ratio in North America.") When the legislation is properly enforced, however, the results are peerless: Calgary "saw a five-fold reduction over 20 years -- from 10 bites per 10,000 people in 1986 to two in 2006."

Pardon my obsession with measurement and quantification. It's an illness I share with rational people who care about dog-bite victims.

NOTE: regarding the boxer I refer to at the top -- to be honest, we have no idea what kind of dog killed Christiane Vadnais. It was identified as a pit bull by the press, who are always quick to jump to this headline-friendly conclusion; then we discovered that it was registered as a boxer. Even this could be wrong; until we have DNA tests, we're simply throwing runes. All sorts of mixes can look like pit bulls. Alanna Devine, SPCA Montreal's director of animal advocacy, has the right approach: "The information that I think is pertinent here is that the dog was unsterilized, the dog was named Lucifer, and the dog had previously been involved in an attack against a human." In short, the owner would have been properly dealt with under the Calgary Model, and this tragedy would likely have been averted.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

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A wall of trees across the Sahara is cool but we don't need it
The African Union is planning an 8000 kilometre stretch of trees across the entire continent, but the Great Green Wall isn't the best way to halt desertification
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Saving Africa's elephants isn't just a 'white man's job'

Kenyan conservationist Paula Kahumbu leads a new generation of Africans who are taking control of their environmental future

In the cool and serene area of Karen, near Nairobi, in the offices of the conservation organisation she has built, Paula Kahumbu eats chicken and rice and talks about a revolution.

The results of the wars we in conservation fight and win are not instant. They will be felt by generations to come

Continue reading...
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Never mind the pandas. What about the endangered geometric tortoise? | Jules Howard
Every year a list of the world's most endangered species is published. It's vital that the media looks beyond the great apes and fluffy bears

Look carefully at the most uppermost branches upon the great family tree of life on Earth, and near the top you will see a tiny twig labelled “panda”. It is re-growing. Slowly, it is getting sturdier.

Pandas are doing better than they were. In fact, this week, they have been officially downgraded in their conservation status from “endangered” to “vulnerable”, in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's latest “red list” update. The IUCN's annual announcement details the survival fortunes of every leaf upon life's great tree. It is nature's version of the FTSE 100, turned on its head.

Where was coverage of the nubian flapshell turtle?

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Montreal Is About To Kill A Lot Of Dogs, Based On Quack Science
A dog registered as a boxer has killed a woman in Montreal, so the mayor is calling for a ban on pit bulls. This would be amusing, if it weren't so predictable and depressing: in few areas of public policy do you encounter thinking this routinely deranged. And it all starts with contempt for science.

Consider the National Post's Barbara Kay, almost certainly Canada's most prominent enemy of this ill-defined category of dog: the "pit bull." Kay is one of the saner voices on her side of the debate, and I sense she genuinely believes that she is acting on behalf of dog bite victims. For years she has written screeds calling for the ban of these dogs, based on what she considers solid scientific evidence. It would help, however, if she actually knew what a scientist was, and how they can be identified in the wild. I've never dealt with a journalist so distressingly lax when it comes to vetting her sources: she does not so much cherry-pick experts as pick diseased cherries and pronounce them epidemiologists.

In particular, Barbara Kay relies upon two crusaders who stress that they were personally bitten by pit bulls. I have written before about Merritt Clifton, the alleged statistician she describes as "her primary source." I addressed his claim that he had "more than a hundred peer-reviewed publications." I found only one -- unrelated to pit bulls -- in a marginal Asian journal. Since then an immaculately researched book has emerged -- Pit Bull: the Battle Over an American Icon (Knopf) -- and the author, Bronwen Dickey, is a more intrepid detective than I am: she managed to find two. Both in this same comically obscure journal. "In one of them, he cites his own newsletter twelve times. The rest of the citations came mainly from Web sites, news reports, and press releases." Dickey is clear on Clifton's credibility as a scientist: he "possesses no relevant credentials."

The woman Barbara Kay describes as her "other primary source" is Colleen Lynn. Here, Bronwen Dickey's revelations are priceless: "Before her bite injury, Lynn maintained a fortune-telling Web site called DivineLady.com, on which she referred to herself as 'Divine Lady, Beholder of the Soul.' In 2011, she self-published the third edition of Divine Lady's Guide to the Runes."

And the Divine Lady now runs DogsBite -- a sober, professional looking website, as long as you don't click on the links to drooling hate groups -- which credulous journalists consider a primary source for scientific information about pit bulls. Bronwen Dickey reminds us: "Lynn has no professional credentials in statistics, epidemiology, or animal behaviour; neither do the sources she relies upon most frequently."

These are the experts, peddled by Barbara Kay, who are informing Mayor Denis Coderre's decision to introduce a breed ban. Their favoured legislation is strongly rejected by every expert organization on the continent, including the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Bar Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.

When it comes to Breed Specific Legislation, it is not a question of two worthy opinions to be carefully considered and weighed against each other. It is a matter of science versus the worst kind of quackery: rune-throwing fortune tellers, wildly unqualified statisticians, and a posse of foul-mouthed trolls. There is no argument here, any more than there is in the sorry vaccine debate: it's simply knowledge versus willful, howling ignorance.

Barbara Kay's third vaunted source -- her "bible" -- is a book by Alexandra Semyonova, a former welfare inspector for the Dutch SPCA. Despite having spent time at good schools -- Johns Hopkins and University College London -- Semyonova likes to talk about "science whores": these are trained scientists with peer-reviewed publications, who come to radically different conclusions from hers, and therefore must be in it for the money.

I read Kay's bible after some urging. Semyonova's book is called The 100 Silliest Things People Say About Dogs. Which doesn't have quite the same ring to it as "The Old Testament." Still, it's not a bad book. Sure, she cites Merritt Clifton, so her statistics can be safely ignored, but it's not a dreadful book, really, until you come to the end -- the section entitled: "Myth 99: Scientists know what they are talking about because they study animals in an objective way."

Here the counterfactual statements are truly special. "The scientists who have studied dogs have done it either in highly unnatural circumstances (the lab), or they've only watched the dogs for short intervals." If you believe this silliness, I suggest you look up Dr. Ian Dunbar, a scientist with stellar academic qualifications -- a veterinary degree, a doctorate in animal behaviour from Berkeley, a Special Honours degree in Physiology and Biochemistry -- who has become famous for training dogs through decades of experience in the field. (He oppose BSL, of course, calling it "frankly stupid".)

I urge you to read "Myth 99" in its ridiculous entirety. Semyonova writes: "We now know that science often attracts people who have various, more or less serious, autism related disorders, perhaps in particular Asperger's syndrome." She laments science's "obsession with measurement and quantification." She suggests it might be a result of autism.

In short: rigorous science is overrated. Perhaps a kind of illness.

Barbara Kay seems to have come to her own self-serving conclusion: rigorous science reporting is overrated. I read her quirky bible, but despite my insistence, she has declined to read Bronwen Dickey's book, an exhaustive and likely definitive study representing seven years of research. Which didn't prevent Kay from tweeting this bit of non-libel, based on her profound insight into a book she hasn't read: "Why does @BronwenDickey hate kids?"

Let's take a look at what happened in Ontario when those evil "science whores" failed to prevent Breed Specific Legislation in 2005. For a short time it looked good: "A total of 486 bites were recorded in 2005. That number fell generally in the six years following, to 379 in 2010." And then -- when pit bulls were finally getting thin on the ground -- the numbers began to rise: "Toronto's reported dog bites have been rising since 2012, and in 2013 and 2014 reached their highest levels this century."

How could this be? Simple: other dogs stepped in to fill the gap. Irresponsible owners remained irresponsible -- since the laws did not apply to them, simply to maligned breeds -- and their dogs continued to bite. In 2014, pit bulls didn't even make the top ten list; the top biter in Ontario was the German Shepherd (a perennial), followed distantly by the Labrador retriever. Of course, had the wise rulers of Ontario listened to the science whores, they would have known to expect this: Breed Specific Legislation has been a disaster worldwide. Not one respectable study supports breed bans.

Oh, and if you care about dogs at all: "By 2012, the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association estimated that the law had led to over 1,000 dogs and puppies in Ontario having been needlessly put down."

Perhaps you don't care about dogs, but you value fiscal responsibility? Ontario's worthless Breed Specific Legislation -- while killing dogs, and doing nothing to make humans safer -- has certainly cost a whole lot of money. The precise figure hasn't been released, despite numerous requests, but we can infer how much from a study of Prince George County, Maryland (whose BSL costs are considered on the low side, relatively speaking): "The average cost to seize, detain, test, and euthanize a single pit bull was $68,000. In the fiscal year of 2001-2002, the total cost of pit bull confiscations was $560,000." Needless to say, this half million dollars purchased precisely zilch: "Studies proved that the community had no measurable safety benefit from the ban, and lost out on thousands of dollars from cancelled dog shows, tourism, and consistent 'pit bull' report calls from concerned citizens."

You'd think that Barbara Kay, a political conservative, would have strong ideas about fiscal restraint. But no, saving money has the unbearable consequence of saving pit bulls from the needle. Which is the only reason I can imagine Ms. Kay so greatly favours the failed Ontario legislation over the much less expensive program introduced in Alberta, which happens to actually work.

You see, Mayor Coderre need not look south of the border for relevant expertise here. By coincidence, the most lauded urban experiment in the containment of dog bites -- studied across the world -- is the Calgary Model. It's a remarkable success, and it's much cheaper than Breed Specific Legislation. The downside? It's a lot of work, and -- this really hurts -- it requires humans to be responsible. Calgary's bylaws governing dog ownership, described in depth here, are some of the strictest you'll encounter: yes, leashes are mandatory, as are licences. The legislation happens to be breed neutral, meaning that if your German Shepherd or your Dalmatian bites someone, you won't be off the hook. The program stresses education -- as opposed to BSL, whose fertilizer is ignorance -- which means even more in the way of human responsibility. So, it's a bit onerous. On the plus side it saves money, dogs, and humans.

Mayor Coderre has a genuine opportunity here: he could set an example, internationally, by introducing this groundbreaking legislation to a city twice the size of Calgary. This is personal: I lived in Montreal off and on for years -- one of my favorite cities -- and it would be thrilling to see it celebrated for a major contribution to the history of animal welfare.

The Calgary Model is not perfect, of course; nothing involving dogs and humans ever is. It requires constant vigilance and enforcement, and these have waned somewhat in recent years -- in 2011, for instance, Calgary experienced a distressing uptick in biting incidents. (Although not that distressing: the city retained "the lowest bite-per-population ratio in North America.") When the legislation is properly enforced, however, the results are peerless: Calgary "saw a five-fold reduction over 20 years -- from 10 bites per 10,000 people in 1986 to two in 2006."

Pardon my obsession with measurement and quantification. It's an illness I share with rational people who care about dog-bite victims.

NOTE: regarding the boxer I refer to at the top -- to be honest, we have no idea what kind of dog killed Christiane Vadnais. It was identified as a pit bull by the press, who are always quick to jump to this headline-friendly conclusion; then we discovered that it was registered as a boxer. Even this could be wrong; until we have DNA tests, we're simply throwing runes. All sorts of mixes can look like pit bulls. Alanna Devine, SPCA Montreal's director of animal advocacy, has the right approach: "The information that I think is pertinent here is that the dog was unsterilized, the dog was named Lucifer, and the dog had previously been involved in an attack against a human." In short, the owner would have been properly dealt with under the Calgary Model, and this tragedy would likely have been averted.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

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Facebook And Mortality: Why Your Incessant Joy Gives Me The Blues

Has the social media site been good for our mental health or not? The evidence isn't straightforward, researchers say, despite lots of study. How Facebook makes you feel may depend on how you use it.

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Can School Integration Make a Comeback?

In 1954, Brown v. Board of Education declared that separate schools for black students and white students should be dismantled with “all deliberate speed.” However, in recent decades, schools have re-segregated to the levels they were just after Brown. In this video, Atlantic education editor Alia Wong speaks to the U.S. Secretary of Education John King, Jr. about his new plan to integrate schools. King's policy changes will expand a system known as “school choice” that permits students to go to schools outside their neighborhoods and theoretically allows parents to voluntarily integrate schools. But, D.C. parent Natalie Hopkinson argues that schools will continue to re-segregate if the federal government does not intervene more forcefully. “As long as we rely on [parental] choice, we will continue to have the same result,” she says. “White parents will not send their kids to schools unless they are already white.”

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Deer in Woods III

Philbo24 posted a photo:

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Typo made Air Asia X flight land at Melbourne instead of Malaysia

Co-ords cockup causes confusion but not calamity

Finger trouble with onboard navigation systems led to an Air Asia flight making a two-hour internal hop in Australia before its scheduled journey to Malaysia.…

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