In The News: Department of English
The line between life and death is a fine one, and it is sometimes difficult to identify. Although one government has found it necessary to warn its citizens to refrain from playing doctor by trying to determine whether a family member has died, even physicians, nurses, paramedics, and other professionals sometimes have trouble pinpointing the cause of death or, indeed, even whether death has actually occurred. The thought that medical experts could pronounce living people dead may seem astounding, but this declaration actually happens much more often than we might think.
Even as hopes remain high that new federal coronavirus relief could buoy state coffers, concerns over expected 12 percent cuts came to the fore Wednesday as members of the joint budget subcommittee on K-12 and higher education met for an initial overview of higher education funding.
Last week, commotion broke out in North Ogden over Maria Montessori Academy’s decision allowing parents to opt out of a social studies unit spotlighting Black History Month. School director Micah Hirokawa “reluctantly” made this concession, yielding to parental pressure for exemption from the curriculum.
Anyone who’s had a pet dog, cat, or other animal is well aware of their amazing abilities. A dog can smell scents and odors imperceptible to people, and a cat’s fantastic balance and nimble coordination are greater than those of the most gifted acrobat or gymnast. Animals that aren’t usually kept as pets also exhibit incredible powers, such as hibernation, using sonar to navigate, walking on water, and delivering powerful electrical shocks to prey or threatening predators. These astonishing powers aren’t the only ones animals possess, though, as the 10 recently discovered awesome animal abilities on this list clearly attest.
Like most Americans, I watched the January 6 Capitol insurrection on television with a tortured mix of horror, disgust and awe. As a former Marine officer, my disgust grew, then eventually boiled over as I noticed that mingling in the throngs of malignant supposed super-patriots and frothing conspiracy junkies were serious-looking guys outfitted in tactical gear, wearing unit patches and insignia that I recognized.
Despite centuries of study, the universe remains largely mysterious, as does the planet we call home. The unknown inspires both wonder and curiosity, which, in turn, often prompt questions. Seeking answers, we gather facts, form hypotheses, and conduct observations or experiments. Sometimes, we remain puzzled. The causes of unlikely phenomena, of seemingly impossible developments, and of strange occurrences continue to mystify us.
Sirius XM | Top of Mind with Julie Rose: There’s a lot of questions about what impact video games have on people. But there’s a positive new trend: some video games are starting to portray deep and vulnerable male friendships. In the video game Final Fantasy XV there is a lot of emotional connection between characters. You wouldn’t expect that kind of emotional friendship from a video game, right?
When Felicia Campbell first saw what would become the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’s campus back in 1962, she said, “My God, it’s a gas station.”
Zitkála-Šá: Trailblazing American Indian Composer and Writer | Illuminating the stories of extraordinary American heroines from the early years of feminism, American Masters — Unladylike2020 is a multimedia series consisting of a one-hour special for broadcast (Unladylike2020: The Changemakers) and 26 digital short films featuring courageous, little-known and diverse female trailblazers from the turn of the 20th century. These women achieved many firsts, including earning an international pilot’s license, becoming a bank president, founding a hospital, fighting for the desegregation of public spaces, exploring the Arctic, opening a film studio, and singing opera at Carnegie Hall.
In January 2018, Ben Ehrenreich packed up his car and left his home in Joshua Tree to spend the next few months living in downtown Las Vegas on a fellowship with the Black Mountain Institute.
For some classes, taking a test requires setting up a webcam so artificial intelligence-driven software can keep a watchful eye and sniff out would-be cheaters. For others, the Socratic method lives on via Zoom calls and Google Hangouts.