December 16, 2022 - Why early Christians wouldn't have found the Christmas story's virgin birth so surprising

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Why early Christians wouldn't have found the Christmas story's virgin birth so surprising Every year on Christmas, Christians celebrate the birth of their religion’s founder, Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee. Part of this celebration includes the claim that Jesus was born from a virgin mother named Mary, which is fundamental to the Christian understanding that Jesus is the divine son of God. The virgin birth may seem strange to a modern audience – and not just because it runs counter to the science of reproduction. Even in the Bible itself, the idea is rarely mentioned. Continued here

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9 Words and Phrases You're Probably Using Wrong Many times, especially in business settings, people use words that they think they know — but don’t. Although they do this in an effort to sound intelligent and sophisticated, it backfires badly, because even one small slip-up can cause an audience to focus on only that, not the speaker’s ideas. Here’s a primer on how to use (or not use) nine words and phrases common in organizations: begs the question, impacts on, in regard(s) to, less/fewer, methodology, moot, statistically significant, unique, and utilize. Continued here

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How to Effectively Build Pre-Work into Meetings It’s no secret that the term “pre-work” inspires groans, eye-rolls, and even — during that all-too-familiar moment of realization that you haven’t done the pre-work — a sense of impending doom. Because of this, and because pre-work so often goes undone, many executives have given up on the practice. It doesn’t have to be this way. By embedding pre-work into meetings and carving out the first five to 20 minutes to have participants silently review a thoughtfully prepared, action-oriented document, leaders can reimagine not just the concept of pre-work, but the very nature of how teams gather. The author presents five tips for adopting the practice. Continued here

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50 years ago, NASA’s final Apollo mission left the Moon — are we ready to return? “The craters at about 10 to 15 meters in diameter seem to have somewhat more blocky material in their rims but they're not clear-cut blocky rim craters,” Harrison Schmitt, Apollo 17’s Lunar Module Pilot, reported over the radio. Schmitt was the first and only scientist – a geologist – to walk on the Moon. He later went on to become a senator in his home state of New Mexico. Continued here

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Russian Soyuz capsule sprung a coolant leak in space last night — here’s how serious that could be The Russian Soyuz MS-22 capsule leaked what looked like “a visible stream of flakes” on Wednesday, shortly before a spacewalk. A leak sprung from a Russian crew capsule in space on Wednesday at 7:45 p.m. Eastern, spraying coolant into low-Earth orbit. This happened less than two hours before a scheduled spacewalk. As of Thursday afternoon, an ongoing investigation by NASA and Russia has “indefinitely postponed” the next spacewalk. Continued here

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What causes stuttering? A speech pathology researcher explains the science and the misconceptions around this speech disorder What comes to mind when you think of someone who stutters? Is that person male or female? Are they weak and nervous, or powerful and heroic? If you have a choice, would you like to marry them, introduce them to your friends or recommend them for a job? I am a person who stutters and a doctoral candidate in speech, language and hearing sciences. Growing up, I tried my best to hide my stuttering and to pass as fluent. Continued here

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A Guide to Cold Emailing There isn’t much research on cold email, though Shane Snow did an interesting experiment for his book Smartcuts. He sent 1,000 cold emails to executives and got almost no response. So he tried again with a smaller slice of the same group and got better results by applying a few principles that line up with my extensive cold email experience and some great advice from people like Wharton psychology professor Adam Grant, and entrepreneurs Tim Ferriss and Heather Morgan. Continued here

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Is 'Warzone' Cup free? 3 tips to dominate in the Rocket League-inspired mode As part of the Season 1 Reloaded update, Warzone 2.0 has received a new mode called Warzone Cup, which plays almost exactly like Rocket League. This limited-time mode features ATVs and requires players to score goals using a massive soccer ball. It’s unlike anything we’ve ever seen in Warzone before, offering a nice change of pace from the standard run-and-gun gameplay. Warzone Cup is tricky to master, but we’ve spent some time with the mode to bring you tips and tricks to help you earn more wins. Yes, Warzone Cup is free. This means you only need to have access to Warzone 2.0 to play the Rocket League-like mode. No need to purchase Modern Warfare 2 or anything else. Continued here

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A Trump-era law used to restrict immigration is nearing its end despite GOP warnings of a looming crisis at the Southern border A key component of the Trump administration’s anti-immigration policies is currently set to expire on Dec. 21, 2022. Officially called Title 42 of the U.S. Code, the little-known law was established initially in 1944 to prevent the spread of influenza and allow authorities to bar entry to foreigners deemed to be at risk of spreading the disease. Continued here

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The 50 best books of the year 2022 Known as a modern master of the form, this is George Saunders' first short story collection since 2013's Tenth of December, which was a National Book Award finalist. Liberation Day's nine stories consider human connection, power, enslavement and oppression with Saunders' trademark deadpan humour and compassion. "These stories are not only perfectly pitched; they come with enough comedy to have you grinning and enough empathy to suddenly stop you in your tracks," writes The Guardian, while according to the Sydney Morning Herald, "Saunders is masterful, he illuminates with a fierce flame". (RL) Set in a drought-hit backwater of rural Florida, The Kingdom of Sand tells the story of a nameless narrator's existence of semi-solitude, as the memories of his other, previous life come and go. The Guardian said: "Holleran renders an elegiac and very funny contemplation of not just ageing but an age... A wistful, witty meditation on a gay man's twilight years and the twilight of America." The  novel is "all the more affecting and engaging", Colm Toíbín writes in the New York Times, because, in 1978, Holleran wrote the "quintessential novel of gay abandon", Dancer from the Dance. "Now at almost 80 years of age, he has produced a novel remarkable for its integrity, for its readiness to embrace difficult truths and for its complex way of paying homage to the passing of time." (LB) Continued here

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How to Follow Up with Someone Who's Not Getting Back to You We’ve all been there. You email someone asking for a conversation, information, input, or an introduction, and you get no response. Whether you are reaching out to a coworker, a client, a recruiter, a classmate, or even an old friend, not everyone will get back to you on your timeline — if at all. Continued here

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'Tis the season to be jolly: singing Christmas carols together isn't just a tradition, it's also good for you On a December night 50 years ago, Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashed in the Everglades, Florida. Miraculously, 77 people survived the initial impact but then endured a traumatic wait for rescue in the alligator infested swamp, surrounded by wreckage and jet fuel. What drove these survivors to sing in such distressing conditions? What is it about group singing that has the remarkable ability to bring people together, express deep emotions, and feel connected with each other? Continued here

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3 Ways to Stay Healthy This Cold and Flu Season How sleep duration, temperature control, and the gut microbiome Impact Illness. Continued here

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Don’t Be a Fool About Money Too many startups are happy to get money any way they can--but that can get them into big trouble. Continued here

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'Genshin Impact' Version 3.4 release date, trailer, banners, leaks, and events Genshin Impact just outdid itself as a multiple award-winning game. It might’ve made headlines as Mobile Game of the Year during the Game Awards 2021, but it’s since surpassed that, claiming victory in three different categories for the Game Awards 2022. In short, this train just keeps chugging along. The new year brings a few changes, including the swap back to the game’s standard update schedule, and even more expansions coming to its latest region, Sumeru. Time flies! Even Yaoyao, who leaked as far back as last year’s Lantern Rite Festival, is finally coming to the game. Continued here

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The Well of Loneliness: The book that could corrupt a nation When a book has been banned on grounds of obscenity, a reader may be forgiven for coming to it with certain expectations. In the case of Radclyffe Hall's The Well of Loneliness, those expectations are decidedly misleading. For all the clasping of hands and flushing of cheeks that fill its nearly 500 pages, this is no Lady Chatterley's Lover. Both were published in 1928 and subsequently banned, but whereas DH Lawrence described his protagonists' trysts in vocabulary that would still necessitate asterisks here, Hall stops at the bedchamber door. Aside from a kiss that is "full on the lips, as a lover", the coyly phrased "that night they were not divided" is as racy as The Well of Loneliness gets. Continued here

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COP15: A call to action for investors to help us meet vital biodiversity goals The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, opened the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) in Montréal with a stark message: “Without nature, we are nothing. Nature is our life-support system, and yet humanity seems hell bent on destruction.” The summit brought together delegates from over 190 countries to negotiate the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, the implementation of which will require a transformation in the way we produce, consume and trade goods and services that rely on and impact biodiversity. Continued here

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How to Design an Agenda for an Effective Meeting To prevent holding a meeting in which participants are unprepared, veer off-track, or waste the team’s time, you should create an effective meeting agenda that sets clear expectations for what needs to occur before and during the meeting. Seek input from your team members to ensure the agenda reflects their needs and keeps them engaged. If your entire team is meeting, then the issues discussed should affect everyone present and require the whole team’s effort to solve. Addressing topics that don’t impact everyone at the meeting wastes individuals’ valuable time. Another tactic for creating a better meeting agenda is listing topics as questions to be answered. Instead of writing “office space reallocation,” try “Under what conditions should we reallocate office space?” Let your team know if the purpose of the discussion is to share information, seek input on a decision, or make a decision. And indicate on the agenda who is leading each discussion so they can prepare. These tips, and five others, will help your team stay focused in meetings. Continued here

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How the James Webb Space Telescope has revealed a surprisingly bright, complex and element-filled early universe - Podcast Associate Science Editor & Co-Host of The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation If you want to know what happened in the earliest years of the universe, you are going to need a very big, very specialized telescope. Much to the joy of astronomers and space fans everywhere, the world has one – the James Webb Space Telescope. Continued here

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Budapest's graveyard for communist statues I gazed up in awe at a pair of giant bronze boots perched on a red-brick plinth atop a concrete platform. Stalin's Boots – a tribute to the enormous statue of the infamous Soviet dictator that once stood in the centre of Budapest, and which was torn down in anger in 1956, three years after Stalin's death – are the Ozymandian legacy of a communist regime that gripped Hungary for decades. Located outside a former sports arena in a Budapest suburb, the boots seemed in the unlikeliest of locations – but this was in fact the entrance to what might be one of the world's most curious tourist attractions. Describing itself as "Central Europe's first thematic museum that reminds people of a dictatorship and its fall", Memento Park is a graveyard for communist statues toppled during the country's transition to democracy. Continued here

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It Took Steve Jobs a Few Sentences to Offer the Best Leadership Advice You Will Hear Today Steve Jobs debated the best ideas before moving forward with a solution. Continued here

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What social media regulation could look like: Think of pipelines, not utilities Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, and his controversial statements and decisions as its owner, have fueled a new wave of calls for regulating social media companies. Elected officials and policy scholars have argued for years that companies like Twitter and Facebook – now Meta – have immense power over public discussions and can use that power to elevate some views and suppress others. Critics also accuse the companies of failing to protect users’ personal data and downplaying harmful impacts of using social media. As an economist who studies the regulation of utilities such as electricity, gas and water, I wonder what that regulation would look like. There are many regulatory models in use around the world, but few seem to fit the realities of social media. However, observing how these models work can provide valuable insights. Continued here

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Why are there still rodent plague outbreaks? New research hints at the answer Scientists may now know why the plague sometimes spikes — and sometimes doesn't — in rodent populations. Few diseases have been with us as long as the plague. We often talk about the deadly disease in the past tense, but the truth is that it never really went away — particularly in rodent populations. Continued here

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World Cup 2022: how a mid-season tournament could affect players psychologically For the first time, we have witnessed a mid-season men’s football world cup. As Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp put it, this is going to be a “really long season” for players. With previous world cups, players usually got two to three weeks off before starting their pre-season training for their respective clubs. This allowed for a cushion of several weeks before they started Premier League play. But this year, Premier League fixtures will resume on December 26, only eight days after the World Cup final. So for the teams who advance further in the competition, they will have very little time off before they return to Premier League play. Continued here

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HBO Max is deleting your favorite shows — but there’s a bright side The Warner Bros. Discovery merger isn’t the happy, Brady-Bunch-like blended family we hoped for. Months after the initial announcement, the cancellation of a nearly-finished Batgirl movie, a shakeup in the DC Universe, and numerous cancellations of already greenlit shows have rocked fans. Now, existing series are getting ousted from HBO Max, including some high-profile originals like Westworld, The Time Traveler’s Wife, and Raised by Wolves. But rest assured that you don’t need to run out and find a bunch of Blu-Ray box sets. These series will find new homes, and they may actually be better options. Continued here

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Is Agenda Theater Ruining Your Meetings? Like triaging our inboxes, clearing our Slack messages, or managing our to-do lists, preparing an agenda can make us feel like we’ve accomplished something. And when we go through our detailed, bulleted agendas with our colleagues before or during a meeting, it sure feels like productivity is happening. But research shows that these feelings may in fact be leading us into the trap of agenda theater: We sink time and effort into agendas that create the appearance of effective meetings, without actually improving how meetings are run (and potentially even leading to less effective, overly-structured meetings). To avoid falling into this trap, the authors argue that we should take an outcome-centric approach that’s focused on simply defining the goal of the meeting — what we want to achieve, and why — rather than attempting to create a detailed agenda that describes exactly how we’ll achieve that goal in advance. Continued here

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Anti-cancer CAR-T therapy reengineers T cells to kill tumors - and researchers are expanding the limited types of cancer it can target CAR-T cell therapy starts with doctors isolating a patient’s T cells from a sample of their blood. These T cells are then taken back to the lab, where they are genetically engineered to produce a chimeric antigen receptor, or CAR. CARs are synthetic receptors specifically designed to redirect T cells from their usual targets have them recognize and hone in on tumor cells. On the outside of a CAR is a binder that allows the T cell to stick to tumor cells. Binding to a tumor cell activates the engineered T cell to kill and produce inflammatory cytokines proteins that support T cell growth and function and boost their cancer-killing abilities. Continued here

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8 DC Studios movies still coming after 'Wonder Woman 3' cancellation James Gunn and Peter Safran’s time in charge of DC Studios is just starting, and with Wonder Woman already on the chopping block, it’s clear they’ve got big plans. Even with all the turmoil, there are a few upcoming projects that still look solid. Continued here

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Baba Yaga: The greatest 'wicked witch' of all? In fairy tales, women of a certain age usually take one of two roles: the wicked witch or the evil stepmother, and sometimes both. A key figure from Slavic folklore, Baba Yaga certainly fulfils the requirements of the wicked witch – she lives in a house that walks through the forest on chicken legs, and sometimes flies around (close to ground level) in a giant mortar and pestle. She usually appears as a hag or crone, and she is known in most witch-like fashion to feast upon children. Continued here

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Is Your Organization Inclusive of Deaf Employees? Talented deaf people are everywhere. They are CEOs, doctors, Fortune 500 executives, NASA engineers, mayors, lawyers, scientists, gaming champions, athletes, and Presidential appointees. Still, this minority remains largely overlooked by most employers today. The experiences of the deaf community build an abundance of innate skills that are invaluable to every workplace. They enhance communication and can also provide a competitive advantage by better understanding your market and customers. Deaf employees on your team, if embraced, supported, and empowered, can improve the quality of your products, services, and the overall customer and user experience. Equity and belonging are cornerstones of achieving inclusive excellence. These values foster environments where differences are embraced as catalysts for growth, learning, innovation, and competitive advantage. To hire and retain deaf and diverse talent, organizations must commit to a culture of belonging and inclusive excellence. Employers who open doors and engage with this sizable population will discover a deep pool of talent that will enhance and advance their organizations. Continued here

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Spain's new memory law dredges up a painful chapter of Spain's often forgotten ties to Nazis Walking down a tree-lined street in the Poble Sec neighborhood of Barcelona, one might easily miss a small bronze square set into the sidewalk. Stamped into the metal in the regional language of Catalan are the words: “Here lived Francesc Boix Campo, born 1920, exiled 1939, deported 1941, Mauthausen, liberated.” Holocaust memorials like this one – which honors a Spanish Nazi concentration camp survivor – are part of a project that started in Germany but has expanded over the past few years across Europe and the United States. Continued here

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Aboriginal people have spent centuries building in the Darling River. Now there are plans to demolish these important structures Apart from managing the land, Indigenous people have also managed waterways, including the Murray River and the Darling/Baaka River, for thousands of years. Like many Indigenous peoples of Australia, the Barkandji people of the Baaka manipulated and enhanced the river and floodplain ecosystems of their country. Continued here

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Despite government delays, food waste recycling bins are coming to your kitchen sooner than you think Only 24% of local councils in Australia separately collect household food organics and garden organics (FOGO) waste. Another 16% provide garden waste collection only. This limited progress has prompted the federal government to push back the target date, from 2023 to 2030, for all councils to collect food and garden waste separately from landfill waste. Most food waste currently goes into red bins as mixed waste bound for landfills. Kerbside collection of organic waste will become a standard service for all residents in New South Wales and Victoria by 2030, for metropolitan residents in South Australia and Western Australia by 2025 and for Canberra residents by 2023. Continued here

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Research: Simple Writing Pays Off (Literally) Financial writing is full of jargon and complexity. But a series of research suggests that investors are drawn to simple, clear writing with short sentences. The simple reason is that complex writing is off-putting — people tune out and find it dull, a fact confirmed by neuroscience research. The author reviews a series of studies on the financial value of good writing and offers a few tips to companies looking to communicate more clearly with investors, or with anyone else. Continued here

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Why James Gunn is recasting Superman for a rebooted DC Universe On Wednesday night, Cavill said on his Instagram account that he is no longer Superman in DC’s cinematic franchise. The bombshell was confirmed by DC Studios co-chair James Gunn, who elaborated on Twitter. In doing so, Gunn highlighted a new Superman film in the works centering on a younger Clark Kent. Cavill confirmed he had a meeting with DC Studios co-chairs James Gunn and Peter Safran, who assumed their roles on November 1, that delivered “sad news.” “I will, after all, not be returning as Superman,” Cavill said. Continued here

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The Humble Crossword Puzzle Is the Best Way to Improve Your Memory, New Columbia Study Finds No need to invest in "brain training" games. Old fashioned crossword puzzles are a better way to sharpen your memory. Continued here

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Avatar: The Way of Water is a 'damp squib' It's been 13 years since James Cameron's Avatar beat his previous blockbuster, Titanic, to become the highest grossing film ever released. But now at long last he has returned to the jungle moon of Pandora - and roughly 13 years have passed there, too. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), his mind now permanently installed in a blue alien Na'vi body, is the chief of his clan, and he and his wife Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) have four children. They spend their time lolling around in skimpy loincloths, thinking about how happy they are, but inevitably their Edenic and slightly risqué tranquility ends when spaceships from the planet Earth roar down from the skies. The invaders raze miles of jungle in a fiery apocalypse, much like the one at the start of Terminator 2. Then they stomp around in massive robotic exoskeletons, much like the ones in Aliens. It's clear pretty quickly, then, that Avatar: The Way of Water, is a James Cameron's Greatest Hits: as the "Water" in the subtitle might suggest, several sequences come straight from The Abyss and Titanic. Continued here

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'They don't expect a lot of me, they just want me to go to uni': first-in-family students show how we need a broader definition of 'success' in year 12 This week, year 12 results have been released in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania. Other states will follow next week. The Higher School Certificate and its equivalents are seen as the pinnacle of schooling in Australia – the culmination of years of hard work and anticipation. Yet each year, the same narrow narrative about “success” appears in the media. Continued here

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How to Grow Your Startup in 2023 10 tips that will help you grow your business and attract venture capital. Continued here

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How the ending of 'Avatar: The Way of Water' sets up 'Avatar 3' — and beyond James Cameron’s Avatar movies are not exactly complicated. But considering that The Way of Water comes in at over three hours long, this epic Pandora adventure might need a recap once the ending arrives and the credits have rolled. After 13 years, Avatar: The Way of Water continues the story of Cameron’s 2009 blockbuster Avatar. Back on Pandora, the greedy Resources Development Administration (RDA) return to mine more resources while seeking to stop the traitorous Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) from being a thorn in their operations. The hunt for the Sullys compels them to flee to a new corner of Pandora that is home to the Metkayina, a clan of Na’vi whose biology and culture are more attuned to the sea. Continued here

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Yes, the government's price cap is overly generous to gas producers. But it was necessary To tackle the energy crisis about to send our bills skywards, the Albanese government last week capped gas prices temporarily in the east coast market, proposing a figure of A$12 per gigajoule. A gigajoule of gas has the same energy as about 26 litres of petrol. But has the government been too generous to the three gas majors? After all, before the Ukraine war and sanctions on Russia jolted prices up, the average price gas producers were asking to supply gas next year was around $9.20 per GJ, with 96% of price offers under $12. Australia, of course, is the world leader in producing and exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG), so there’s no issue with supply. Continued here

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Dear Comrade President: book highlights ANC leader Oliver Tambo's role in preparing South Africa for democracy More than three decades have passed since the apartheid government in South Africa unbanned the African National Congress (ANC), the country’s leading liberation movement, and released its leader, Nelson Mandela, from prison. This launched four fraught years of negotiations and violence that led to South Africa’s first-ever democratic elections. The book Dear Comrade President: Oliver Tambo and the Foundations of South Africa’s Constitution, by South African historian Andre Odendaal, focuses on a dimension ignored in previous histories and memoirs of this period: the ANC’s constitution-framing process, which would help to shape the future democratic South Africa. Continued here

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Cumbria coal mine: how to understand local support for the new pit The UK government recently approved a new coal mine in Whitehaven, a small coastal town in Cumbria, northwest England. The first mine to be given the go-ahead in 30 years is expected to produce 2.8 million tonnes of coking coal a year for steelmaking, and provide 500 new jobs. The decision has provoked an outcry, particularly the project’s estimated 400,000 tonnes of CO₂ a year which will inflame the climate crisis. Media commentary has so far presented a partial account of why locals are generally in favour of the mine. Some suggest that deprivation is most responsible and that amid poverty, the mine’s promise of economic renewal is enticing. There is some truth to this account, but it overlooks the area’s complicated demography. Government data shows that wealth exists alongside deprivation in Whitehaven. Many of the community’s pro-mine voices are retired or otherwise comfortable. Continued here

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The Christmas tree is a tradition older than Christmas Why, every Christmas, do so many people endure the mess of dried pine needles, the risk of a fire hazard and impossibly tangled strings of lights? Strapping a fir tree to the hood of my car and worrying about the strength of the twine, I sometimes wonder if I should just buy an artificial tree and do away with all the hassle. Then my inner historian scolds me – I have to remind myself that I’m taking part in one of the world’s oldest religious traditions. To give up the tree would be to give up a ritual that predates Christmas itself. Continued here

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Eskom CEO quits: why finding a new head for South Africa's struggling power utility won't end the blackouts For a multitude of reasons, Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter’s resignation is a huge setback for the state-owned power utility and South Africa. It comes at a time when the utility, which produces 95% of the electricity used in the country, needs stable leadership. Stability is critical for success in the three key transitions Eskom needs to navigate. It needs to turn back the tide of state capture, and deliver a reliable electricity supply. It must reorganise the group into generation, distribution and transmission, and it must reduce its carbon footprint. Continued here

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Festive bulge: scientists offer advice on how to beat overeating Christmas and New Year are holidays with dietary excesses that many of us cannot control. This often leads to the “festive bulge”. As the holidays approach, could there be a recipe to contain this weight gain and pave the way to sustainable nutrition-based health at the same time? There’s a lot of focus on what we eat and how much we eat – but what about when we eat? Continued here

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Benin is building a themed park to remember slavery - is history up for sale? The Marina Project is a vast memorial and tourist complex under construction in Ouidah, a coastal town in the Republic of Benin in West Africa. The country hopes to market itself as a major destination for Afro-descendant tourists in the diaspora. Neighbouring Nigeria and its population of 220 million potential visitors also makes serene and diminutive Benin an enviable location for large scale tourist attractions. The waterfront development is located at what was the main slave port for the Bight of Benin. From this region almost two million enslaved Africans departed during the transatlantic slave trade. At its height – from the 1790s to the 1860s – Ouidah was controlled by the kingdom of Dahomey. Continued here

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There is only one person who can play Kratos in Amazon’s 'God of War' series God of War is coming to the small screen. In the spirit of Sony’s push to adapt its most popular franchises into television series, like the upcoming Last of Us show on HBO, Sony Santa Monica’s gruff god killer will be coming to Amazon. Fans have many questions about this show, like what part of the story it will tell. Perhaps the biggest question, though, is who will play Kratos. But there is really only one answer — Christopher Judge. Christopher Judge wasn’t the first voice of Kratos — that honor goes to Terrence C. Carson who voiced the character through the entire original trilogy. Yet Christopher Judge quickly showed he could expertly embody Kratos, especially the more solemn version seen in God of War (2018) and its sequel Ragnarok. Continued here

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Innovative products lead to a boom in imitation and often a bust - just look at Atari and Bitcoin Buried in a dusty landfill in Alamogordo, New Mexico, are more than 700,000 discarded Atari game cartridges, including E.T., the 1982 Atari game based on the blockbuster film. This bleak trove of artifacts symbolizes the video game crash of 1983, when consumer demand plummeted and companies like Atari literally dumped their cartridges in the trash. Why did the popularity of Atari video games rise exponentially only to collapse seemingly overnight? As soon as creative original Atari games like Centipede and Space Invaders hit store shelves, many, many imitations flooded the market. Continued here

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Is South Africa better off with or without Cyril Ramaphosa? President Cyril Ramaphosa came to the helm of South Africa’s governing party, the African National Congress (ANC) in 2017 on an anti-corruption, or anti-state capture, platform. The ANC’s 54th elective conference gave him a mandate of renewing the party, and simultaneously reversing the state capture phenomenon that had characterised much of the country 10 years under his predecessor Jacob Zuma. But, now, he himself has been caught up in controversy over the theft of thousands of American dollars allegedly kept in contravention of foreign exchange rules at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo in 2020. He also allegedly failed to properly report the theft to the police. Continued here

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Fungal toxins are widespread in European wheat - threatening human health and the economy Louise Johns is a PhD student at the University of Bath. Louise Johns was funded by a University of Bath URSA studentship and a British Society for Plant Pathology Covid-19 PhD student support grant. Wheat provides 19% of the calories and 21% of the protein consumed by humans globally. But a fungal disease called fusarium head blight (FHB), which can infect wheat crops and contaminate the grain with toxins, is on the rise. Continued here

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How to Write a Goodbye Email to Your Colleagues Leaving a job is hard. Despite the “not-so-good” parts, you likely had good moments as well. How do you gracefully say your goodbyes and exit? A farewell email is not only a way to acknowledge and thank your team before you go, but it is a best practice that most people send around their last day of work. Continued here S26 Three charts that explain why falling living standards could deepen the UK's north-south divide Living standards are set to fall by 7% in the UK over the next two years, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) – the government’s independent economic forecaster – but some areas will be hit harder than others. Generally, when living standards fall it means people can afford fewer (or less expensive) goods and services. It is happening now because real household disposable income (the money you have left after taxes and inflation adjustments) is dropping, due to an expected decline in the UK’s real GDP per capita. Continued here S59 Hair-thin solar cells could turn any surface into a power source At a fraction of the weight, these cells can generate 18 times more energy than traditional panels. Solar energy is one of the most plentiful clean energy sources on the planet, but harvesting that sunny power often requires heavy, stationary panels built onto roofs or laid out in fields. Continued here S39 What do politicians really think of economists? Our new research explains why relations fell apart after 2008 As countries across Europe and around the world grapple with high living costs and impending recession, voters are concerned about the economy and how their elected representatives will fix it. For many, it’s tempting to call on politicians to cede some of their power to economic experts. Politicians might be more able to make difficult or unpopular (but necessary) decisions if they could argue they were following expert advice, as they did during the pandemic. Continued here S32 Ukraine recap: drones strike inside Russia while western sanctions get smarter If you expected things to come to a grinding halt for a few months as winter takes hold in Ukraine and Russia, it looks as if you may need to think again. Military analysts are confidently predicting that Ukraine will intensify its counteroffensive in the south to drive through Russian forces and isolate Crimea ahead of a possible attempt to regain the territory it lost in 2014. Now the commander of Ukraine’s armed forces, General Valeriy Zaluzhny, has said he believes Russia may be gearing up for a fresh attempt at Kyiv, after its failure to take Ukraine’s capital in the early months of the invasion. “The Russians are preparing some 200,000 fresh troops. I have no doubt they will have another go at Kyiv,” he said in an interview with The Economist. Continued here S66 Hideo Kojima is making a 'Death Stranding' movie — everything we know Video game adaptations are all the rage these days. The Game Awards created an entire category for them in 2022 due to the sheer number of projects like the Sonic movies or Sony’s many TV adaptations of their most popular franchises. The latest critically acclaimed game to get the adaptation treatment is Hideo Kojima’s AAA walking simulator Death Stranding. The film will the first from the prolific game developer. Here is everything we know so far about the upcoming Death Stranding movie. Considering the project was just announced it is unlikely the movie will be coming to theaters anytime soon. Film production can take a while so the Death Stranding movie could be over three years out. However, according to Deadline, who broke the news, the movie is “on the fast track, with development underway.” Continued here S34 Canada delays expanding medical assistance in dying to include mental illness, but it's still a policy built on quicksand Karandeep Sonu Gaind is Chief of Psychiatry and physician chair of the Humber River Hospital MAiD team, a former president of the Canadian Psychiatric Association and a founding director of the nascent Society of Canadian Psychiatry, and was retained as an expert by the former Attorney General of Canada in the Truchon and Lamb cases. The federal government admitted Thursday it needs more time before expanding Canada’s controversial medical assistance in dying (MAID) policy to include mentally ill people. Continued here S61 'Crisis Core Reunion' Buster Sword Proficiency and leveling up, explained There are few video game weapons more iconic than Final Fantasy VII’s Buster Sword, the absurdly oversized blade of Cloud Strife. As you might expect, the blade plays a central role in Crisis Core Reunion as well, even divulging the surprisingly humble origins of the weapon. There’s even a brand-new mechanic that revolves around the Buster Sword, giving Zack a new “Battle Stance” for more powerful attacks, as well as a new stat called Buster Sword Proficiency. Leveling and powering up Zack has always been confusing, so here’s a detailed explanation of how to level up and increase Buster Sword Proficiency in Crisis Core Reunion. The most obvious way of powering up Zack is through raising his level, and while leveling might initially seem random that’s not actually the case. Zack will only gain a level whenever the slots in the DMW line up with three 7s (7-7-7), but the game actually has an invisible experience meter. Zack gains experience from every enemy he defeats, but unfortunately, there’s no way to know what your experience is at, and if you’re speeding through battles super quick, you might not have a chance to level up. This can lead to cases where you level up two or three times in the same battle. Continued here S33 World Cup 2022: how injuries could affect the rest of the domestic and Champions League season The World Cup in Qatar has seen many injuries. Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus had to have surgery on his right knee after being forced off during Brazil’s group stage match against Cameroon. And Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) players and Portugal teammates Danilo and Nuno Mendes were both unable to continue playing in the tournament after the former fractured three ribs and the latter injured his thigh. There were even some fears that Argentina’s Lionel Messi (also a PSG player) might not appear in the World Cup final after he was seen clutching his hamstring during the semi-final against Croatia – but he has since confirmed he is fine. Continued here S37 Nuclear fusion may still be decades away, but the latest breakthrough could speed up its development Nuclear fusion holds huge promise as a source of clean, abundant energy that could power the world. But just how close are we to producing energy from fusion that can power people’s homes? While ignition is only a proof of principle and a first step in a very long process, other developments are also in the works and together they could spark renewed enthusiasm for making fusion a practical reality. Continued here S51 Your tendency to overindulge these holidays could relate to your 'eating personality'. Which type are you? Georgie Russell is affiliated with the Nutrition Society of Australia and the Australian and New Zealand Obesity Society. Holidays are a time when lots of us tend to overindulge in food and drink, and many people gain weight. Once gained, weight is difficult to lose, and it is likely that much of the holiday weight gain will stay with us. Continued here S27 Quentin Blake at 90: celebrating the joy and magic of the illustrator of Matilda, The BFG and beyond The expression “national treasure” could have been invented for Sir Quentin Blake who celebrates his 90th birthday on December 16 – and we might also celebrate his considerable impact on the status and understanding of the art of illustration. This is not just based on his prolific creative output, spanning a staggering eight decades (so far), but also through his tireless work in promoting and preserving our rich graphic arts heritage in the UK. Continued here S55 Land is a heated issue in South Africa - the print media are presenting only one side of the story Mandla J. Radebe is affiliated with the South African Communist Party and the African National Congress. University of Johannesburg provides support as an endorsing partner of The Conversation AFRICA. Continued here S53 Politics with Michelle Grattan: Albanese flags new progress in China relationship 'in coming weeks' In this, our last podcast for 2022, we talk with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. We spoke to each of them on the day the parliament was back to pass the energy package. Albanese, who met Chinese President Xi Jinping during the recent summit season, reveals he anticipates a further positive development in China’s relationship with Australia within weeks. Continued here S36 Punk hairstyles and pirouettes: why there's more to spiders than people think Spiders have a reputation for inspiring fear. But working with them puts me in a good mood, given how much scientists have learned from their study. Fellow spiders from other parts of this 400 million-year-old family tree have provided blueprints for useful materials such as silk. Synthetic silks inspired by spiders have medical uses. They can be chemically decorated with antibiotics, designed to detach from the silk only when bacteria are active. In the future, antibiotic silk could be used for wound healing. Other useful substances that can be bolted on to the silk include proteins that direct human cells to grow, a bit like molecular traffic lights, directing cell growth and guiding repair. Continued here S56 Bad hangovers? Why genetics, personality and coping mechanisms can make a difference After a good night out you may not be surprised when you wake up feeling rough the next morning. But what may surprise you is if your friends aren’t feeling the same way. Some may feel worse, some better and some (if they’re lucky) may not feel any of the negative consequences at all. When we consume alcohol, it’s broken down by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase into acetaldehyde – a protein important for the emergence of hangover symptoms. However, the ALDH2 gene variant limits the breakdown of acetaldehyde, leading to a greater buildup of the protein – thus greater hangover symptoms. Continued here S35 Shopping: how retailers are using the latest technology to boost in-store spending Your online world is probably full of adverts persuading you to buy something with a simple touch of your phone. But away from those personal screens, UK retailers are actually spending most of their digital budgets inside their traditional bricks and mortar shops. For in-store marketing tools have moved far beyond brightly coloured signs and piped music towards a rapidly developing set of technological techniques designed to help you spend. Continued here S38 Number of Welsh speakers has declined - pandemic disruption to education may be a cause The recent 2022 census held unexpected news for Wales. It found the number of Welsh speakers in the country had decreased by 1.2% since the previous 2011 census, from 19% to 17.8%. This represents an estimated loss of almost 24,000 Welsh speakers between 2011 (562,000) and 2021 (538,300). Despite the introduction of the Welsh government’s language strategy, the number of Welsh speakers in Wales has continued a downward trajectory begun in 2001. Continued here S40 Glaciers have existed on Earth for at least 60 million years - far longer than previously thought It may not feel like it due to profound recent warming, but Earth is currently in an “icehouse phase” – at least, relative to its long-term geological history. Even after a century of global warming and many glaciers shrinking or disappearing, conditions are still cold enough to support permanent ice sheets at both poles and more than 200,000 glaciers at high and low elevations and latitudes across the planet. This has not always been the case. In the geological past Earth was much warmer and glaciers were almost certainly absent even from the very highest and coldest mountains. This is perhaps best demonstrated by the Late Cretaceous period (some 100 million to 66  million years ago), when dinosaurs roamed much of the planet and the climate was up to 20°C warmer than present. Then, the sort of “sub-tropical” forests you might find today in Mexico or India covered most of Antarctica. Continued here Contributors Dharmendra Kumar Priya Ranjan Powered by Blogger.