Random Acts of Canine Kindness

Cedric the Dog takes a well-deserved break after his failure to shut down a puppy mill in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog. – Harry S. Truman

Together in Spirit – The Best Friends Animal Society

At the core of Best Friends Animal Society’s work is the dream that one day animals will no longer be killed in America’s shelters.

The call of the walrus in remote Alaska

Story & Photographs courtesy of (Acacia Johnson Https://www.acaciajohnson.com/)

“The Indigenous Yup’ik people — who have hunted walruses here for over 5,700 years-call Round Island Qayassiq: ‘place to go in a kayak,'” writes Acacia. “Committing to the journey helps the walrus and the people who depend on them. It keeps the place staffed and protected. Walrus may not be an endangered species yet, but they are worthy of attention and conservation.”

Judges are ‘overwhelmingly’ upholding COVID-19 vaccine mandates in many states

Despite legal challenges from “a range of people” — judges have “overwhelmingly upheld” many state orders requiring health care workers, public employees, and government contractors to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or risk termination. T-Boy researches found: ”The exceptions to the mostly-failed challenges are limited, typically involving anti-science religious objectors.”

This Beer Is the Secret to Living 100 Years, 106-Year-Old Says

This centenarian says America’s oldest beer is a daily part of her diet.

It sounds like a long, healthy life might not be all about swearing off treats and forever avoiding alcohol. A nearly 107-year-old Pennsylvania woman reportedly credits one unexpected habit—a beer a day—with her longevity. But not just any beer!

Why “Don’t Let Me Down” Is the Whole Beatles Story in One Song

Courtesy Rob Sheffield, RollingStone

Of all the revelations on the Beatles’ new Let It Be box set, the biggest is the song that didn’t even make the original album. “Don’t Let Me Down” is John Lennon’s raw love ballad to Yoko Ono, much like “Two of Us,” Paul McCartney’s song for Linda. John sounds terrified of the emotional leaps he’s taking, but he leans on the other Beatles to back him up and carry him through the song. You can hear the band develop “Don’t Let Me Down” over the course of the box, until it comes to feel like the whole Beatles story in one song: a map to the long and winding road of their messy, doomed, inescapable friendship.

Facebook Oversight Board says the company must ‘urgently improve’ its transparency

Facebook’s independent Oversight Board is criticizing the company for a lack of transparency, finding it failed to be “fully forthcoming” regarding a policy for high-profile users.

CDC signs off on Moderna and Johnson & Johnson boosters and says people can get a shot different from their original one

Americans can now sign up for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson boosters after the nation’s top public health official endorsed recommendations from expert advisers that the shots are safe and effective at bolstering protection against the coronavirus.

The slaughter of Thomas Becket

When King Henry II’s knights arrived at Canterbury Cathedral in 1170 searching for Archbishop Thomas Becket, monks tried to block the door. But Becket forbade the effort, declaring that the church was “a house of prayer” and not “a fortress.”

As a result, Becket was hacked to death, practically at the foot of the church’s holiest spot, the altar.

Medieval Scandinavian and Germanic church architecture reflected that the covered porch abutting the church door was traditionally known as the vapenhus (“weapons house”), a place to store arms when entering a church. Even acts of violence committed within the vicinity of a church carried increasingly severe penalties.

Potato Pie and Tortelli Recipes, Nonna-Style

Mediglia is a small village in the countryside just outside Milan. Here, in an old renovated farmhouse, Margaret Dini welcomes us who, for the occasion, has organized a real gastronomic meeting. Her cousins Giusi and Silvana are there, “summoned” to help her cook the family dishes. For the occasion, they also brought along sbrisolona, a crumbly almond cake found in Mantova, a city in Lombardy.

‘Delinquent’ Matt Gaetz Currently Blocked from Practicing Law

Faced with an onslaught of accusations that he engaged in underage sex trafficking—and bracing for criminal charges— Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has allowed his license to practice law in his home state of Florida to lapse. This is one bar tab Gaetz may regret not paying.

10 Best Films of 1971

In Focus: MACBETH

• Director Roman Polanski’s wife, actress Sharon Tate, was murdered by members of Charles Manson’s Family two years before the making of the film. It is believed that due to this traumatic event, Polanski developed the story to be a more violent representation of Shakespeare’s play. For instance, the scene in which Macbeth murders King Duncan was not in the original play and was instead implied.
• The scene in which Macbeth’s thugs massacre Macduff’s household was based on Roman Polanski’s memory of Nazi SS officers ransacking his house as a child.
• Filming began with four grueling weeks in Snowdonia National Park. Richard Vetter’s TODD-AO 35 lenses won an Academy Award for reducing anamorphic distortion in close-ups.

Covid-19 Direct Relief

Covid-19 Direct Relief addresses the courage of health workers on the front lines, honoring them with meaningful support, and making sure that the people most at risk in this pandemic are cared for — regardless of politics, religion, or ability to pay.

Airlines Testing Touchless Technologies to Ease COVID-19 Concerns

Courtesy: Mina Kaji, Gio Benitez & Sam Sweeney

As air travel hits record numbers since the pandemic began, U.S. airlines are testing and implementing new technologies aimed at reducing contact — both with surfaces and with people.

Health Passports: The Future Of Travel?

Courtesy: Justin Hayward, Simple Flying