Interesting Links for 29-05-2024

[andrewducker]

1. 'Absolute miracle' breakthrough provides recipe for zero-carbon cement

(tags:cement co2 globalwarming )

2. New male contraceptive is safe, effective and reversible (in mice so far, but looks hopeful)

(tags:contraception men mice )

3. Sophia is thoroughly enjoying me reading her "Harriet the Invincible", which inverts fairy tales in a fun way

(tags:children fairytale stories )

4. Labour's treatment of Diane Abbott is a great example of why I just don't trust the current leadership

(tags:labour politics uk )

5. The danger of convicting with statistics

(tags:statistics law crime viaDanielDWilliam )

Comments

[calimac]

3) B. is a big fan of this author and I've enjoyed some of her work too. I do wonder, when small children are exposed to work that undercuts or revamps standard tropes, how familiar they are with the standard tropes in the first place.

4) It's always seemed to me that Diane Abbott is guilty of nothing worse than extremely bad insensitivity to tone.

5) I've read the famously banned-in-the-UK Lucy Letby article, and as this site is not hosted in the UK, I will boldly venture to say that Letby's guilt was assumed on the basis of a statistical chart showing her to be the only nurse who was present at a large number of the deaths, with no consideration given to her being a highly skilled and well-regarded nurse who was likely to be called in when a patient was in trouble. That wasn't the only reason she was convicted, but it was the basis for the charge.

[andrewducker]

3) Sophia first watched Sleeping Beauty aged 3 (I think. Maybe 2.) And I've read her the story on several occasions too.

4) Agreed. She said a stupid thing, but she's not a terrible person.

5) That's my understanding. It bothers me deeply.

[calimac]

4) What's worse about the punishment is that Abbott's point was not really wrong: it was just ineptly and insultingly phrased. A professional politician ought to do better than that, and a slap on the wrist was deserved, but not a thunderbolt from Zeus.

[bens_dad]

I do wonder, when small children are exposed to work that undercuts or revamps standard tropes, how familiar they are with the standard tropes in the first place.

Especially important for boys. While they do need to learn that girls can be active, powerful and successful, we must not forget that they also need to see that boys can be, and are allowed to be, those things too.