Russia may get Vladimir Putin for life: Referendums can have unpredictable risks and side-effects, as Vladimir Putin may yet discover. He has just had the people endorse changes to the constitution, as Christian F. Trippe writes. https://bit.ly/3eTxFqr
Israeli start-up Redefine Meat plans to launch 3D printers to produce plant-based steaks mimicking real beef next year in a bid for a slice of the fast-growing alternative meat market. Meat substitutes are increasingly popular with consumers concerned about animal welfare and the environment, boosting sales at Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, and Nestle. Redefine Meat, based in Rehovot, south of Tel Aviv, will first market test its “Alt-Steak” at high-end restaurants this year before rolling out its industrial-scale 3D printers to meat distributors in 2021. https://reut.rs/3gcLbFT
Automation in agriculture sector set to spike: The combination of worries over the spread of COVID-19 and higher operational costs will lead to a surge in demand for robots that grow and deliver food.
Norway’s $2.6 billion green bet could help the whole planet: A carbon capture project aims to make Norway the hub for other countries to bury their emissions. https://bloom.bg/31BlnPP
The clean car revolution is breaking old industrial towns: Automotive plants have long provided stable blue-collar incomes. Now they must adapt or die — and the workers may share their fate. https://bloom.bg/3dOlcDc
Democratic ad-makers think they’ve discovered Trump’s soft spot: After more than a year of polling, focus groups, and message testing against the president, there’s a growing consensus about what damages Trump — and what doesn’t. https://politi.co/31EueAi
Using Trump’s own words against him often tests well, as do charts and other graphics, which serve to highlight Trump’s distaste for science. Voters who swung from President Barack Obama to Trump in 2016 — and who regret it — are good messengers. And so is Joe Biden, whose voice is widely considered preferable to that of a professional narrator.
Life after lockdown: Virtual events could be here to stay: The coronavirus pandemic caused a halt to large events worldwide, so organizers looked to different ways of continuing business as usual. Their solution? Online gatherings — which could be here to stay. https://bit.ly/3dMaGMv
6:27 am: Average wake-up time of 300 high achievers interviewed by the New York Times
SOTD: Jimmy McGriff - Groove Grease https://bit.ly/2C0XnKU
Report: COVID-19 prompts colleges to invest in digital marketing: Admissions marketing spending has increased as higher ed institutions make a push, particularly via Facebook advertising, for online program enrollment. https://bit.ly/2ZrlMl4
Why four Connecticut colleges plan to share a campus: A group of Connecticut colleges, comprising Goodwin University, Sacred Heart University and Paier College of Art, have launched a one-of-its-kind plan to co-locate a wide range of programs on the University of Bridgeport’s campus. At a press conference Tuesday, the presidents of the institutions called the partnership a new model for higher education that will capitalize on each school’s strengths. https://bit.ly/38pvsk3
+ Students from each institution will chart individualized academic pathways by toggling among each schools' offerings
Airplane! at 40: the best spoof comedy ever made? The tirelessly joke-packed 1980 film might have dated in some ways but its relentless desire to amuse still makes it an undeniable winner. https://bit.ly/38nJt1v
Airplane (1980) movie trailer: https://bit.ly/2ZypkC7
Dr. Rumack: Can you fly this plane and land it?
Ted Striker: Surely you can't be serious?
Dr. Rumack: I am serious, and don't call me Shirley.
$28.12½: Amount Henry David Thoreau spent to build his own cabin at the Walden Pond State Reservation in 1845 (that’s $948.67 in today’s dollars)
Boardroom turmoil, troubling finances, and Messi's influence: why Barcelona are a mess https://bit.ly/31EpD0D
OTD: In 1994 Colombian footballer Andrés Escobar was shot dead in Medellin. His murder was suspected to be retaliation for the own goal he scored against the US in the 1994 Fifa World Cup.
Good documentary: The Two Escobars: The fascinating tragic stories of drug kingpin Pablo Escobar and soccer player Andres Escobar. Pablo Escobar was the richest, most powerful drug kingpin in the world, ruling the Medellín Cartel with an iron fist. Andres Escobar was the biggest soccer star in Colombia. The two were not related, but their fates were inextricably-and fatally-intertwined. Pablo's drug money had turned Andres' national team into South American champions, favored to win the 1994 World Cup in Los Angeles. It was there, in a game against the U.S., that Andres committed one of the most shocking mistakes in soccer history, scoring an "own goal" that eliminated his team from the competition and ultimately cost him his life. The Two Escobars is a riveting examination of the intersection of sports, crime, and politics. Trailer here: https://bit.ly/2VHdZyx
