Happy Sampler Saturday! This week we're hitting Culture, Science, New England Locals, and throwing in some book recommendations!
Culture:
Why Finland's Mail Carriers are Mowing People's Lawns by The Atlantic
This is almost too good to be true. As snail mail usage declines across the world, and the American Post Office continues to dig a giant financial hole each year, Finland is getting creative! Their postal delivery staff will be following their mail routes this summer, but on a day when they have lower mail volume, they'll be dabbling in tax deductible lawn mowing as well. And the best part is that because it's Finland, of course the mail carriers came up with the suggestion themselves. Love the ingenuity!
Instagram's White Barbie Savior by Quartz Africa
This article sizzles and bites in all the right ways! As anyone who has worked in the non-profit sector can tell you, keeping all of our constituents happy is a delicate balancing act. Which means that I bow down to the young women running the White Savior Barbie Instagram and parodying all the ways in which white, affluent Westerners use voluntourism to play white knight in the developing world.
A great breakdown from ESPN about the ongoing equal pay lawsuit filed by members of the US Women's National Soccer Team. These ladies are fierce competitors and are done being financially shafted. Cannot wait to see how this one plays out!
Science:
Maps Have Been Lying to You Your Entire Life by IFL Science
This is a bit silly and gimmicky of a video, but to be honest it's been years since I remembered that as a general rule, world maps are absurdly distorted. In this short little video, you watch the actual sizes of different continents and countries side by side to further confirm that areas close to the poles are insanely enlarged by mercator maps.
Local Doers & Makers:
Local Duo Producing Rhubarb Wine by Portland Press Herald
A local Maine duo is ready to go live with their rhubarb wine, using local sourced ingredients. I'm a big fan of local sourcing and I love that the craft beer scene has exploded in NH and Maine recently. What's interest there is that 1820 is specifically working with rhubarb wines only, instead of being a fruit wine business. This is a nice profile of the company and I'm looking forward to trying some of the 1820 next time I'm in town!
Pier to Plate by UNH Today
"Pier to Plate" is a great play on the good old "Farm to Table" slogan. A nice look at UNH's efforts to participate in the local aquaculture economy by offering more sustainable options that are good for both local fishermen and the local culinary audience.
Books:
Overwhelmed by Brigid Schulte
If you find yourself rushing through your days and weeks on overdrive, constantly feeling like you've forgotten half a dozen things yet never have any product to show for your days- this is the book for you! Shulte takes on America's face-time sucking work culture, our uneven gender contributions to household chores, the lack of parental leave, and ultimately consults experts to learn exactly what we can do to take back control of the hourglass in our own lives. It's well worth finding the time to read in your busy week!
Rook by Sharon Cameron
Oo la la this is a really, really pleasant surprise! As a History major, I've always been a big believer in cyclic history and the idea that many patterns are doomed to repeat themselves throughout the centuries. This look at a second French revolution hundreds of year into the future, when the use of technology has been outlawed and our satellites have fallen from the sky, is absolutely gripping.
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