defunding police

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Oct 25-31, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

This is your last opportunity to get your mental corn popping until December. Enjoy!

Paulina Jayne Isaac explains where Amy Coney Barrett stands on upcoming important SCOTUS topics. Important for understanding how her influence will affect various marginalized and racialized people. Bustle

Breonna Taylor grand jurors say that Louisville police actions before her death were negligent and criminal. Apparently neither murder nor manslaughter were even on the table. NBC News

Tim Elfrink: Texas cop who killed Jonathan Price, a Black “pillar of the community” charged with murder. The Washington Post

John Philip Santos reveals the secret history of the Texas Rangers. Mass murder of Indigenous and Mexican peoples and bounty hunting escaped slaves were part of their assigned duties. Texas Monthly

Josh Wood introduces us to the US police department that hired social workers. The Guardian

Arne Delfs and Raymond Colitt: Merkel imposes toughest German restrictions since the lockdown. Bloomberg

Sophie Lewis reports that even Vladimir Putin is instituting a national mask mandate. CBS News

Rebecca Sohn reports that covid-19 patients are developing “brain fog,” but what does that mean? Mashable

Lina Zeldovich: what bats can teach us about coronavirus immunity. JSTOR Daily

Just because Halloween was last week doesn’t mean you have to stop with the spooky!

Jill Beatty considers Vardø’s witch trials: the evil north. An oldie-but-goodie? The Norwegian American

Tai Gooden reveals the history (both pure and evil) of the Ouija board. Also, check out the linked video on the Fox sisters. Nerdist

The editors at JSTOR Daily curate a list of Halloween-related articles. Perfect for this time of year!

Henri, le chat noir. L’haunting

Here are some spooky musical suggestions from the New York Public Library.

Emily Zarka presents modern zombies, a rebirth. Monstrum | PBS Storied

The Bakemono Zukishi “Monster” scrolls (18th – 19th centuries). Let these weirdos inspire your own twisted creations. The Public Domain Review

SciShow considers what Earth’s next supercontinent might look like.

NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) finds water on the moon.

SciShow Space news also features the lunar water discovery.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you took away something to inspire your next creative project.

I will not be abandoning you entirely in November. I’ll have weekly updates on the progress of my NaNo project.

Until my next update, be well and stay safe, be kind, and stay strong. The world needs your stories.

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, June 7-13, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

Once again, I’m offering a cross section of relevant articles, posts, and videos that have helped me learn about anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism here in Canada and in the US.

An African Canadian response to the pandemic and international uprisings.

Neil DeGrasse Tyson: reflections on the colour of my skin. Star Talk

Google now has a “streetview” of the International Space Station.

Chris Wright: the remarkable stuff scientists get done as they work from home. Wired

Amanda Mull writes about the end of minimalism (or, the triumph of clutter). The Atlantic

Sarah Gibbens: the Bajao are the first known humans to be genetically adapted to diving. National Geographic

Eve Conant looks at lucky charms around the world: from evil eyes to sacred hearts. National Geographic

Dr. Emily Zarka introduces us to the Jorōgumo, the deadly spider woman from Yokai lore. Monstrum

Sarah Prager reveals that in Han Dynasty China, bisexuality was the norm. JSTOR Daily

Luke Fater introduces us to six comfort foods born of historic times of discomfort. Atlas Obscura

David Klein: how eggshells and coffee grounds can make your garden grow. I’ve since been informed that coffee grounds are toxic to insects, birds, and animals. Maybe do your research. Chowhound

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you’re able to take away something to inspire your next creative project.

Until next tipsday, be well and stay safe. Be kind, be willing to listen, learn, and do better, and stay strong. The world needs your stories, now more than ever.

ThoughtyThursday2019