Every few years, without any schedule or planning, officials at the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service will add an extra second to the year.
The reason why this is done does make sense, but adding an extra second to a year can cause a host of problems, and many are wondering if it is a practice that should be continued.
Learn more about Leap Seconds, why they exist, when they happen, and if they should continue to exist on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
In U2's The Joshua Tree: Planting Roots in Mythic America(Backbeat, 2021) Bradley Morgan examines U2's iconic album and their critique of America as a symbol of hope. Through analysis of each track on The Joshua Tree, Morgan examines the 1987 release, the subsequent 2017 30th anniversary tour, and his own connection with the band and his Irish heritage.
U2 planted the seeds for The Joshua Tree during an existential journey through America. As Irishmen in the 1970s, the band grew up with the belief that America was a place of freedom and prosperity, a symbol of hope and a refuge for all people. However, global politics of the 1980s undermined that impression and fostered hypocritical policies that manipulated Americans and devastated people around the world.
Originally conceived as "The Two Americas," The Joshua Tree was U2's critique of America. Rather than living up to the ideal that the country was "an idea that belongs to people who need it most," the band found that America sacrificed equality and justice for populism and fascism. This book explores the political, social, and cultural themes rooted in The Joshua Tree when it was originally released in 1987 and how those themes resonated as a response to the election of Donald Trump when U2 toured for the album's 30th anniversary.
Amanda Furiasse received her PhD in Religion and Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies from Florida State University in 2018. Her research unfolds at the convergence of religion, health, and technology and explores how African communities use religious ritual as a mechanism to heal from violence and trauma. She is Co-Founder and Curator at the Religion, Art, and Technology Lab where she produces multi-sensory exhibitions for the public on the relationship between faith, aesthetics, and innovation.
Whether we like it or not, the 2024 campaign season has officially kicked off, after Donald Trump announced he’s running for president for the third time. But many of his allies are already eyeing the exits.
Tensions have eased after NATO officials said a missile that killed two people in Poland came from neighboring Ukraine – not from Russia as originally suspected, though world leaders say the Kremlin is still to blame for the deadly explosion.
And in headlines: a Senate bill to protect same-sex marriage cleared a major legislative hurdle, a federal judge struck down the controversial Trump-era border policy known as Title 42, and NASA finally launched its Artemis 1 moon mission.
Crooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffee
We have more election results that cement the balance of Congress for the next two years. We'll tell you what's changing and what's staying the same on Capitol Hill.
Also, what NATO determined about the missile strike in Poland and what it means for Russia's war on Ukraine.
Plus, what areas of the U.S. are facing an intense snowstorm, what new type of meat the FDA just approved, and what to expect from the newly-released sequel to a classic holiday movie.
Those stories and more news to know in around 10 minutes!
It’s been a little more than a week since the 2022 midterm elections.
The Republican Party is projected to win a narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, while the final partisan split of the U.S. Senate remains up in the air after the Georgia Senate race advanced to a runoff election, to be held on Dec. 6.
The 118th Congress is set to convene on Jan. 3, and a trio of incoming freshmen—Reps.-elect Laurel Lee, R-Fla.; Josh Brecheen, R-Okla.; and Erin Houchin, R-Ind.—shared with The Daily Signal what they are most hopeful for as they prepare to head to Washington, D.C.
Paris Marx is joined by Julie Turnock to discuss the history of the visual effects industry, the role that George Lucas’ Industrial Light and Magic played in setting industry standards, and what its current form dominated by Disney means for visual effects workers.
Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Follow the podcast (@techwontsaveus) and host Paris Marx (@parismarx) on Twitter, and support the show on Patreon.
Paris will be speaking at Marxism Festival in Dublin on November 19, the Lighthouse Bookshop on November 24, and details on an event in London on November 25 are coming soon.
In a series of recentarticles, visual effects workers have been speaking out about conditions in the industry.
The Mandalorianintroduced ILM and Disney’s new visual effect technology dubbed “Stagecraft” that uses LED video walls instead of green screens.
The declining quality of effects in major films is forcing people to look at labor and production practices.
On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by author Gabrielle Blair. Blair’s new book Ejaculate Responsibly presents the radical idea that men should take control of the fertility conversation by better managing their sperm. After all, they're fertile 24-hours a day compared to women’s 24-hours a month. Cheyna and Gabrielle also talk about the problem with not prioritizing women’s pain, Gabrielle’s history as a “Design Mom” and how even Mormons seem to agree with Gabrielle’s book.
In Slate Plus: How the pope got involved in your birth control.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com
State supreme court elections, for a long time, were an afterthought; filler for the ballot’s second page. But with questions of abortion rights on the line, this year both parties started pouring money and attention on the races across the country. Even where the races are explicitly “non-partisan,” the partisan political machine has arrived.
Guest: Erik Ortiz, staff writer for NBC News focusing on racial injustice and social inequality.
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