Bharat’s Pocket Scraps July 7
Eagles raised by Hawks, Orca, and more
Commentary: Cultural Appropriation Is, In Fact, Indefensible
Last week, the New York Times published an op-ed titled “In Defense of Cultural Appropriation” in which writer Kenan Malik attempted to extol the virtues of artistic appropriation and chastise those who would stand in the way of necessary “cultural engagement.
I have a hard time articulating my thoughts on cultural appropriation. The article and links in it are a good place to start. I have longer and more complicated thoughts about the debate that I guess I should write about at some point in time.
Read Commentary: Cultural Appropriation Is, In Fact, Indefensible
Genome sequencing raises alarms while offering patients few benefits
or all the promises of genomics ushering in a new era in medicine, with scientists regularly urging people to get their DNA sequenced, it appears that the revolution will be postponed: A first-of-its-kind study published Monday found that most of the adults who underwent genome sequencing and were to they had a disease-causing DNA variant did not in fact have that disease. And few of them got information that improved their health.
A good reminder is the genome is just the first step in the “omics cascade” (one of my day jobs). All your genome tells you is what might happen, genome data is not preordained fate, so, stay put on that genome sequencing. There’s so much money to be made, though, so some regulation is needed here.
Read Genome sequencing raises alarms while offering patients few benefits
Nine Things the Real Estate Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know
You’ve heard it a million times. The reason so few of us can afford Vancouver is because there aren’t enough new homes being built. This is the version of reality that real estate industry leaders and their political allies want us to believe.
Many of these are consequences of treating homes and housing as a market, great article by the Tyee which has been doing an in-depth series on urban BC housing
Read Nine Things the Real Estate Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know
Colombian rebels have a new plan for the country, and it’s called ‘insurgent feminism’
Women began pushing the leadership to include feminism in its future political platform. They weren’t talking about traditional third-wave feminism (sometimes dubbed White Women’s Feminism), nor had they exactly adopted the language of intersectional feminism, with its focus on race and privilege.Insurgent feminism draws on the FARC’s anti-capitalist ideology, linking women’s emancipation to the class struggle
Hope they succeed!
Read Colombian rebels have a new plan for the country, and it’s called ‘insurgent feminism’
Study: Orcas’ failed pregnancies linked to scarce food
Improving salmon runs could help the endangered killer whales that frequent the inland waters of Washington state, according to a new study that found the orcas cannot find enough fish to eat and that’s causing them to have pregnancy problems.
The Salish Sea’s resident orca are dear to my heart, and this is more proof that warming waters, habitat destruction, open net Atlantic salmon farming, pollution have reduced our salmon runs enough to endanger the orca.
Read Study: Orcas’ failed pregnancies linked to scarce food
This is the Muslim tradition of sci-fi and speculative fiction
Think invisible men, time travel, flying machines and journeys to other planets are the product of the European or ‘Western’ imagination? Open One Thousand and One Nights – a collection of folk tales compiled during the Islamic Golden Age, from the 8th to the 13th centuries CE – a
Yes indeed, even the crappy “orientalist” translations of One Thousand and One Nights (we called them Arabian Nights) were great reads from my childhood.
Read This is the Muslim tradition of sci-fi and speculative fiction
Ruby Smith Díaz
When people ask me what motivates me to ‘get involved’ with ‘social justice’, I never quite understand the question.
It’s lovely to see a friend talk passionately about their work and what drives them, way to go Ruby!
Read Ruby Smith Díaz
Scientists are about to change what a kilogram is. That’s massive.
If Jon Pratt were an international criminal mastermind, he would fly to Paris, don an all-black suit and ski mask and sneak into the elegant French baroque building that serves as headquarters for the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures.
I have forgotten so much physics over my life, this story reminded me of science fun from my pre-teen years
Read Scientists are about to change what a kilogram is. That’s massive.
Hawk raised by eagles makes its first flight
The young red-tailed hawk that appears to have been fostered by a family of five bald eagles in Sidney took its first short flight Friday.
Awww, I can’t believe I have not gone to see this amazing blended family yet, right in my work backyard!