British Islamic preacher says wearing make-up, perfume and tight clothes in public is prohibited. He says that women who sin in public, accumulate even more sins than women who sin privately. pic.twitter.com/uWgTrVWS0B
Public elementary school in KS is ending a program to distribute Bibles to students. The Wichita Eagle says a letter was sent to the school by the American Humanist Association demanding that they end the practice after receiving complaints from parents. https://t.co/pJdpY9D0mI
Looking back on the past year may not sound like a very uplifting activity, but when we finished compiling WNV’s top 10 most-read stories of 2017, we were actually feeling completely energized. That’s because the list isn’t merely a reminder of what’s wrong with the world (like the New York Times’ most-read stories). It’s a reminder of how people are confronting those wrongs and making serious advances toward justice.
What’s more, WNV’s list is a reflection of what excites and interests readers like you. And, more than anything, it’s a reflection of what you aren’t seeing elsewhere. Author and activist Bill McKibben recently shared with us the perfect explanation for why WNV is so vital:
“We have a thousand journalists and ten thousand novelists covering the art, science, and business of making war, and thus it has been for centuries. But though nonviolence is used in far more cases and can work much better, almost no one takes the time to seriously analyze how movements and campaigns work (or don’t). Waging Nonviolence is unique, critically useful — and conducted in the right spirit, equal parts rigor and love.”
8. How prisoners organized to elect a just DA in Philly
Thanks to an insurgent criminal justice reform campaign waged by prisoners, their families and community groups, Philadelphia elected an anti-incarceration district attorney.
6. Don’t feed the trolls — how to combat the alt-right
Using humor and creative tactics or overwhelming the alt-right with our sheer numbers is the best way to win, and for that nonviolent discipline is key.
4. The urgency of slowing down
We need to act, but addressing this crucial moment can’t come at the expense of strategy, process, intention and remembering to slow down enough to breathe.
2. Why Nazis are so afraid of these clowns
Clowns have an impressive track record of subverting Nazi ideology, de-escalating rallies and bringing communities together in creative resistance.
When New Orleans Saints footballer Alvin Kamara donned these Christmas-themed cleats, the NFL fined him $6079, as the shoes were in violation of NFL rules.
Here we go!!!! Donations will be made to Willie Hall playgrounds Recreational Department right here in New Orleans to buy cleats for their youth teams.https://t.co/mRC4NXRpac
Unfortunately The Grinch stole Christmas!! After the game I said that I would make a gofundme for the fine and donate the proceeds to charity sooooo…. here we are! A donation will be made to Willie Hall playgrounds recreational department to provide cleats for their youth football programs.
The Go Fund Me account is still actively accepting donations to reach its $6000 goal.
The Willie Hall Playground is a community park and recreation facility located in the city of New Orleans. The center serves the surrounding community with athletic programs such as basketball and football leagues for area youth.
Twas the week before Christmas when this Facebook post first appeared:
TeDera Dwayne Graves II reviewed Byram, MS – Police Department — 5 star
· December 17. 2017
This is an unusual post, but my 5 year old brother (wants to be a police officer) called Byram PD to tell them that the Grinch is stealing people’s Christmas and he didn’t want them to steal his. Instead of them ignoring the call, or being annoyed by, I’m sure another pointless phone call, they sent an officer out to our home to see him and speak with him. Officer Lauren Develle responded to the call and spoke with him for several minutes in regards to his phone call. It’s the little things like this that go unnoticed, especially in society today, with what police officers do. Thank you to Officer Develle and BPD for not only making my little brothers day but for showing him that being an officer isn’t just about stopping crime. Thank you for all that you do for the community; your hard work and dedication to the mission doesn’t go unnoticed.
Big brother Tedara posted these photos on his Facebook page:
PHOTO: Selected in 1959, the Mercury astronauts, all military pilots, stand beside a Convair 106-B jet. From the left are: Lt. Scott Carpenter, U.S. Navy.; Capt. Gordon Cooper Jr., U.S. Air Force; Lt. Col. John Glenn Jr., U. S. Marine Corps; Capt. Virgil “Gus” Grissom, U.S. Air Force; Lt. Cdr. Walter Schirra Jr., U.S. Navy; Lt. Cdr. Alan Shepard, U.S. Navy; and Capt. Donald K. Slayton, U.S. Air Force. Credits: NASA
European Southern Observatory (ESO) Telescopes Observe First Light from Gravitational Wave Source
Merging neutron stars scatter gold and platinum into space
For the first time ever, astronomers have observed both gravitational waves and light (electromagnetic radiation) from the same event, thanks to a global collaborative effort and the quick reactions of both ESO’s facilities and others around the world.
ESO is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world’s most productive ground-based astronomical observatory by far. It is supported by 16 countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, along with the host state of Chile and by Australia as a strategic partner.
Artist’s impression of merging neutron stars
This artist’s impression shows two tiny but very dense neutron stars at the point at which they merge and explode as a kilonova. Such a very rare event is expected to produce both gravitational waves and a short gamma-ray burst, both of which were observed on 17 August 2017 by LIGO–Virgo and Fermi/INTEGRAL respectively. Subsequent detailed observations with many ESO telescopes confirmed that this object, seen in the galaxy NGC 4993 about 130 million light-years from the Earth, is indeed a kilonova. Such objects are the main source of very heavy chemical elements, such as gold and platinum, in the Universe. Credit: ESO/L. Calçada/M. Kornmesser
Composite of images of NGC 4993 and kilonova from many ESO instruments
This composite shows images of the galaxy NGC 4993 from several different ESO telescopes and instruments. They all reveal a faint source of light close to the centre. This is a kilonova, the explosion resulting from the merger of two neutron stars. This merger produced both gravitational waves, detected by LIGO–Virgo, and gamma rays, detected by Fermi and INTEGRAL in space. Credit: VLT/VIMOS. VLT/MUSE, MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope/GROND, VISTA/VIRCAM, VST/OmegaCAM
Artist’s impression of a kilonova explosion
The merging of two neutron stars produces a violent explosion known as a kilonova. Such an event is expected to expel heavy chemical elements into space. This picture shows some of these elements, along with their atomic numbers. Credit: ESO/L. Calçada/M. Kornmesser
Artist’s impression of merging neutron stars
This artist’s impression shows two tiny but very dense neutron stars at the point at which they merge and explode as a kilonova. Such a very rare event is expected to produce both gravitational waves and a short gamma-ray burst, both of which were observed on 17 August 2017 by LIGO–Virgo and Fermi/INTEGRAL respectively. Subsequent detailed observations with many ESO telescopes confirmed that this object, seen in the galaxy NGC 4993 about 130 million light-years from the Earth, is indeed a kilonova. Such objects are the main source of very heavy chemical elements, such as gold and platinum, in the Universe. Credit: ESO/L. Calçada/M. Kornmesser
Artist’s impression of merging neutron stars
This artist’s impression shows two tiny but very dense neutron stars at the point at which they merge and explode as a kilonova. Such a very rare event is expected to produce both gravitational waves and a short gamma-ray burst, both of which were observed on 17 August 2017 by LIGO–Virgo and Fermi/INTEGRAL respectively. Subsequent detailed observations with many ESO telescopes confirmed that this object, seen in the galaxy NGC 4993 about 130 million light-years from the Earth, is indeed a kilonova. Such objects are the main source of very heavy chemical elements, such as gold and platinum, in the Universe. Credit: University of Warwick/Mark Garlick
Cataclysmic collision
Artist’s illustration of two merging neutron stars. The rippling space-time grid represents gravitational waves that travel out from the collision, while the narrow beams show the bursts of gamma rays that are shot out just seconds after the gravitational waves. Swirling clouds of material ejected from the merging stars are also depicted. The clouds glow with visible and other wavelengths of light. Credit: NSF/LIGO/Sonoma State University/A. Simonnet
Video Animation: Neutron star merger animation ending with kilonova explosion
This artist’s impression video shows how two tiny but very dense neutron stars merge and explode as a kilonova. Such a very rare event is expected to produce both gravitational waves and a short gamma-ray burst, both of which were observed on 17 August 2017 by LIGO–Virgo and Fermi/INTEGRAL respectively. Subsequent detailed observations with many ESO telescopes have confirmed that this object, seen in the galaxy NGC 4993 about 130 million light-years from the Earth, is indeed a kilonova. Such objects are the main source of very heavy chemical elements, such as gold and platinum in the Universe. Credit: ESO/L. Calçada. Music: Johan B. Monell (www.johanmonell.com)
The Sagan Series is an educational project working in the hopes of promoting scientific literacy in the general population. Created by @ReidGower http://twitter.com/reidgower
