In brief:
* As fires rage across Australia, fears grow for rare species (2019-Dec-17) [Science Mag]
❝ Researchers say even animals that survive the fires are likely to face long-term challenges. Some silver-headed antechinus, for instance, might have escaped the heat by squeezing into rock crevices, Fisher says. But they may emerge to find little shelter or food. “If they lose all of their leaf litter and ground cover, then they’re not going to persist,” she says. In the past, antechinus from other areas might have repopulated vacated territories, she adds, but habitat fragmentation now makes that nearly impossible. ❞
* Elf on the Shelf is a fun and festive way to teach your child to submit to the surveillance state (2019-Dec-15) [The Guardian]
❝ This isn’t necessarily a reason to ditch the tradition, but we can do away with the creepiness – especially as the myth becomes more and more like reality. It’s entirely possible to have an Elf on the Shelf and not play this game. Maybe the elf is just waiting for Santa to come and deliver the presents – and helps him unload the gifts. Perhaps you don’t use the elf as a tool for discipline but as a game and a story that’s played together. ❞
* This Is Your Brain on Adventure (2009-Mar-19) [Outside Online]
❝ What Zuckerman and subsequent researchers discovered was that roughly 10 percent of us fall into the high-risk-taking end of a bell curve, with the Ted Davenports representing a small percentage of that. Thrill seekers tend to be open-minded, intelligent, and curious. They invent new sports, run for office, work on Wall Street, and perform high-stakes surgery. They’re also more likely to bust their skulls open or get hooked on crack. ❞
Some reading/listening:
* 📻 Old Time Radio – Big Story – Single Episodes [archive.org]
by Old Time Radio Researchers Group
Based on real life news stories, Big Story featured murder and other violent crime cases from the point of view of a newspaper reporter. A unique and exciting format, Big Story dramatized a different news reporter and their heroic deed each week. According to the ads of the day, this program starred “a reporter who has solved a crime, exposed a corrupt political administration, smashed a racket, or performed some other notable public service. At the end of each program the real news reporter was brought on the air and given a $500 reward by the sponsor of the show, Pall Mall. …
Visible Procrastinations 