Saturday, December 6

POP CULTURE & TRENDS

A Climate Action for Every Type of Activist
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POP CULTURE & TRENDS

A Climate Action for Every Type of Activist

No matter your age, gender, race, or political ideology, there are ways to fight climate change that fit your life and values. Most of us have heard about U.N. researchers warning that we need to make dramatic changes in the next 12 years to limit our risk of extreme heat, drought, floods, and poverty caused by climate change. Report after report about a bleak climate future can leave people in despair.   But another option is good for you and the planet. Susan Clayton, a professor of psychology and environmental studies at the College of Wooster, says getting involved with a group can help lift your climate-related anxiety and depression in three ways. Working with like-minded folks can validate your concerns, give you needed social support, and help you move...
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How to become more optimistic
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POP CULTURE & TRENDS

How to become more optimistic

Optimism is an inheritable trait in about 25 percent of individuals; yet, there are many factors such as socioeconomic status that have a bearing on positivity as well. NBC News in August 2017 reported that optimism is an inheritable trait in about 25 percent of individuals; yet, there are many factors such as socioeconomic status that have a bearing on positivity as well. Regardless, glass-half-empty individuals can practice optimism habits to develop a cheerier outlook. Consider these four from the report: 1. Stop equating optimism with happiness. While viewing hardships through rose-colored glasses may result in a joyful lifestyle, cultivating an optimistic disposition does not automatically lead to a rosy existence. 2. Approach life’s stressors in a positive way by investigating alter...
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Can Your Burger Really Save the Planet?
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POP CULTURE & TRENDS

Can Your Burger Really Save the Planet?

Choosing a veggie burger won’t stop climate disaster, but here’s why you should do it anyway. Burgers have recently become a main course on the menu of climate action. Whether it’s the Impossible Whopper, the promise of cell-based meat, or the debate over grass-fed beef, hamburgers—and how they’re made—are being served as a symbol of how we can disrupt and reduce one of our greatest impacts on the planet. But that doesn’t mean the solution is as simple as changing what’s on your grill. Agriculture is responsible for up to 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. About half of that comes from livestock production, and the biggest culprit, by far, is beef production. Researchers say that countries like the United States will need to cut beef consumption by 90 percent to...
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POP CULTURE & TRENDS

Get to know Niksen: The art of doing nothing

Niksen means doing nothing or, more specifically, performing an action without a clear purpose or a deadline There is the Japanese way to organize - KonMari - the Danish way to establish a cozy home - hygge - and the Swedish way to live a balanced life - lagom. Apparently, there is also the right way to do nothing, thanks to the Dutch and niksen. Interglot.com’s Dutch to English translation of niksen is: “idle; lounge around; sit around; do nothing much ...” In essence, according to dutchreview.com in 2018: “Niksen means doing nothing or, more specifically, performing an action without a clear purpose or a deadline. For instance, for the Dutchies, looking out the window as people pass or going to the beach to stare at the waves for a while is considered niksen. And by doing so, they obtain...
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POP CULTURE & TRENDS

Fifty Years After Stonewall, the Real Fight for LBGTQ Rights Is Local

As legislation has languished in Congress, many cities and states are moving forward with their own non-discrimination bills. The U.S. House of Representatives last month passed the Equality Act—more than four decades after it was first introduced—extending civil rights protections to LGBTQ+ people. This vote should give us some hope. Its passage—236-173—was bipartisan, a rare feat these days; its provisions are expansive, granting protection in the areas of employment, housing and public accommodations; and its language includes both sexual orientation as well as gender identity, allowing for explicit inclusion of transgender individuals. Yet to each hopeful sign, there’s a caveat. Only eight Republicans supported the Equality Act, and it’s unlikely to ever be brought to vote ...
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Journalism, POP CULTURE & TRENDS

More ideas for that ‘to-read’ list

The flurry of summer book releases has begun. The flurry of summer book releases has begun. Goodhousekeeping.com’s “The 25 Best New Books to Add to Your Summer Reading List” includes: - “The Bride Test” by Helen Hoang - “Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors” by Sonali Dev - “City of Girls” by Elizabeth Gilbert - “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” by Ocean Vuong - “Mrs. Everything” by Jennifer Weiner - “The Friend Zone” by Abby Jimenez - “Three Women” by Lisa Taddeo “The Most Fun We Ever Had” by Claire Lombardo has already received 4.5 stars by goodreads.com and it does not release until June 25. The preview/review book site conveyed recently a short synopsis: “A dazzling, multigenerational novel in which the four adult daughters of a Chicago couple — still madly in love after 40 years — r...
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POP CULTURE & TRENDS

Backyard hacks you can try this spring

Whether you’re already stocking up on new flowers to plant or you’re just now dusting off the lawn mower, it’s about time to start getting that yard in tip-top shape for the season. And if you’re looking for some tips and tricks, we’ve got you covered — here are some seven hacks you can try in your yard this spring, whether you’re gardening, grilling or getting some sun. 1. Nature’s own table and chairs: Have some fallen trees in your backyard that you’re looking to get rid of? If they’re not too rotten, cut out some of the heftier parts of the trunk to make some rugged seating. If you’re feeling really crafty, make a table, too. Treat the wood to smooth and seal it. 2. Poolside movie: Here’s a fun one, even if you don’t have a pool: run a rope or wire between two poles, trees, or someth...
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POP CULTURE & TRENDS

“What Does the World Beyond Jails and Prisons Look Like?”

Detroit Justice Center helps returning citizens navigate the red tape that comes with re-entry and avoid landing back in jail. Roger Stone was just released on a $250,000 personal assurance bond. He does not have to put up one penny. Just to promise to pay that amount if he does not return to court. Meanwhile, my clients are held in jail on $500 bail they cannot afford for stealing a bar of soap. —Rebecca J. Kavanagh @DrRJKavanagh Talking to Damian Black under any other circumstance, you’d have no reason to believe he was only three months out of prison after serving more than 20 years. His smile is infectious. And as he shares his story—including his time and experience in solitary confinement—the smile and the brightness in his eyes overshadow what he’s saying. “I’m ...
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Becoming Your Own Celebrity
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POP CULTURE & TRENDS

Becoming Your Own Celebrity

Since we have become such a celebrity driven culture, I thought it might be amusing to imagine what it might be like to be a celebrity. Consider this like taking a vacation from your everyday life. This is not to advocate that you become a celebrity or pursue a lifestyle of glamour and fame, when simplifying your life may lead to more satisfying long term benefits in difficult economic times. Rather it is to enjoy thinking about being a celebrity, much as you might add an occasional celebration or fantasy experience into your life. It is like putting on a costume or mask so you become someone else on Halloween. Well, this is an experience of imagining yourself as any celebrity you want to be. To do so, you create or imagine events and activities to experience the celebrity lifestyle by yo...
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