Monthly Archive: January 2021

‘Kulning’: A hypnotic Swedish singing tradition

Singers of this ancient form of Swedish herd-calling corral farm animals with haunting melodies, drawing in cows, goats, sheep and ducks with each hypnotic note. – By Justin Calderón 2021 Jan 07 – Skallskog is a secluded farm without running water or electricity …

A Brief History of Peanut Butter

The bizarre sanitarium staple that became a spreadable obsession. Veteran food critic Florence Fabricant has called peanut butter “the pâté of childhood.” (Dan Saelinger) – By Kate Wheeling Smithsonian Magazine 2021 Jan/Feb – North Americans weren’t the first to grind peanuts—the Inca beat …

 

The History of Violent Attacks on the U.S. Capitol

While the building has seen politically motivated mayhem in the past, never before has a mob of insurrectionists tried to overturn a presidential election. An illustration of the British burning Washington in 1814 (Library of Congress via Wikicommons) – By Nora McGreevy SmithsonianMag.Com …

As Understanding of Russian Hacking Grows, So Does Alarm

Those behind the widespread intrusion into government and corporate networks exploited seams in U.S. defenses and gave away nothing to American monitoring of their systems. Legal prohibitions on the National Security Agency bar it from surveilling networks inside the United States. Credit…T.J. Kirkpatrick …

‘Calvin and Hobbes’ said goodbye 25 years ago.

Here’s why Bill Watterson’s masterwork enchants us still. The final “Calvin and Hobbes” strip, by Bill Watterson, published 25 years ago this week — departing in peak form. (Bill Watterson/Andrews McMeel Syndication) – By Michael Cavna 2020 Dec 31 – “A new year…a …