The People We Know Best New York Review of Books
"States with Republican governors had highest Covid incidence and death rates, study finds."
Medieval ‘birthing girdle’ parchment was worn during labour, study suggests University of Cambridge
What Is the True Cost of Closing a Restaurant? Grub Street
The Pope-Sistani riddle Asia Times Pepe Escobar
Two teenagers placed in foster care after weight loss plan fails Guardian
Fukushima anniversary: Loss of life is still ‘unbearable’ Deutsche Welle
How Fukushima triggered Germany’s nuclear phaseout Deutsche Welle
The AFP is a political tool of government.
Parliamentarians and the public already know enough about the handling of the alleged sexual assault case in the office of the Minister for Defence to make judgments about how the political system treats victims….
We are can and must reverse the dramatic decline of trust in Parliament
Nearly half of all legislation is now delegated legislation, i.e. made by ministerial orders, and some of it cannot be disallowed by Parliament. Such an extraordinary accumulation of power in the hands of the federal government is dangerous for democracy. A recent Senate committee report proposes strengthening the parliamentary committee system to increase accountability….
Italian furniture designer Fabio Novembre calls his design "Adaptation." It urges users to adapt to the uncertainties of life. He explains:
Often we take the comfort acquired for granted, laying down as if it belonged to us forever. But this is a world where there is no revenue of a position, where is important to always find a new balance.
Adaptation is a seating system confronted with the uncertainties of our time, with the precariousness of the structures, suggesting that just a little adaptative [sic] capacity is needed to continue to live and to smile. History teaches us that those who cannot adapt are doomed to extinction.
I'd adapt by propping up one side with bricks.
-via The Awesomer
A tepid cry for change: Tanya Plibersek’s book “Upturn” and Labor’s prospects
In a world riven by crises, we need new ways of thinking, knowing, and relating. We also need courage. The challenge is huge. There will be no return to a pre-Covid-19 normal, which for many Australians meant poverty, hardship, and marginalization. This book had rich promise but is a missed opportunity. A comprehensive, coherent vision…
