Wild Eats

Alabama’s wild eats: Foraging for your grub: Alabama’s Newscenter – Aug. 11

Believe it or not, food isn’t found only on grocery store shelves and farms. It’s all around, even in the average backyard. In Alabama, there are numerous types of edible plants and fungi growing wild. Dr. Michael R. McKain, assistant professor of biological sciences and curator of The University of Alabama Herbarium, said Alabama is one of the most biodiverse states in the nation, and with that comes a plethora of wild eats.

Deviations

Special release: Deviations from the norm: AGU100: Third Pod from the Sun – Aug. 12

In this special episode of Third Pod from the Sun, five scientists share their stories of “deviations from the mean” – when their fieldwork went awry on the account of everything from uncooperative arctic mollusks, inaccessible food supplies buried in snows of Greenland, overfilled stoves and flammable tents, wayward Turkish donkeys, and inoperative rifles in polar bear country. Josh Speiser: First, our first fail … Well, our first mishap comes from Christine Bassett, a PhD candidate at The University of Alabama. Christine Bassett: My name is Christine Bassett, and I’m a PhD candidate at The University of Alabama. I use the chemistry of seashells to tell me about the environment that they were living in, what the salinity of the water was, the temperature of the water and sometimes even the nutrient flux.

American Capitalism

In order to understand the brutality of American capitalism, you have to start on the plantation: The New York Times Magazine – Aug. 14

This is a capitalist society. It’s a fatalistic mantra that seems to get repeated to anyone who questions why America can’t be more fair or equal. But around the world, there are many types of capitalist societies, ranging from liberating to exploitative, protective to abusive, democratic to unregulated. Many Americans were first exposed to the concept of a mortgage by trafficking in enslaved people, not real estate, and “the extension of mortgages to slave property helped fuel the development of American (and global) capitalism,” the historian Joshua Rothman told me.

Political Rhetoric

ICE blames ‘political rhetoric’ for violence against offices as immigration tensions rise: NBC (Cranston, R.I.) – Aug. 14

Although authorities have not yet determined who fired gunshots at two Immigrations and Customs Enforcement offices in San Antonio, ICE officials are already assigning some blame to the activists and politicians who have stirred up outrage at the agency for its role in implementing President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda. “The Global Terrorism Database and Southern Poverty Law Center data do indicate upticks in terrorism and hate crimes respectively,” said Erin Kearns, an assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice at The University of Alabama.
Fox (Baltimore)
CBS (Yakima, Wash.)
NBC (San Antonio, Texas)
Fox (Nashville)
CBS (Kalamazoo, MI)
ABC (Arlington, VA)
CBS (Harrisburg, PA)
Fox (Omaha, Neb.) 

Fort Henderson

Historian shares some Fort Henderson history: The News Courier – Aug. 15

Historian Daniel Davis said he’s learned two things over the years.  First, he believes any day on a battlefield is better than a day in the office. He and other members of the community recently had the opportunity to visit the Civil War battlefield at Fort Henderson in Athens … It is also working with The University of Alabama and the ALCA to designate a conservation easement on the Trinity-Fort Henderson Complex to prevent development that would be detrimental to the historic area.

Domestic Terror Act

Cuomo proposes domestic terror act, asks Congress to do the same: Newsday – Aug. 15

Other local and state governments nationwide are increasing their focus on domestic terrorism as data shows these attacks are growing more prevalent, said Erin M. Kearns, an assistant professor of criminology at The University of Alabama. “Gov. Cuomo’s focus on terrorism within the U.S. is a positive thing,” Kearns said. “His proposed definition, however, is too narrow. Some terrorism is not ‘hate-inspired’ and most terrorist attacks do not have any fatalities. By requiring these two elements, attacks with other political, religious, social, or economic goals and attacks that do not involve at least four fatalities will be excluded.”

Heat Waves

UA research examining how heat waves are getting bigger: Fox 6 – Aug. 15

A researcher at The University of Alabama is getting a boost to study heat waves like the one we’ve been experiencing recently. Research from Dr. David Keellings shows heatwaves are getting bigger. That also makes them more dangerous.
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 17
NBC – Aug. 18

American Jews

Trump’s transparent attempt to manipulate American Jews: Vox – Aug. 15

One study of 75 far-right radicals found that many of them “credit his candidacy as the start of their awakening.” In his book “The Alt-Right: What Everyone Needs to Know,” University of Alabama professor George Hawley writes that “Trump’s presidential campaign energized the alt-right and helped the movement reach a new audience,” adding that “had Trump never entered the GOP presidential primaries … the alt-right would not have shown much interest in the 2016 presidential election.”

Million Dollar Band

Million Dollar Band prepares for football season: WVUA – Aug. 15

Well, it may not sound like it, but that’s the Million Dollar Band getting ready for football season. The MDB did not have their instruments today. Instead of practicing their music, they worked on their steps and formations. Fortunately for them, it is not nearly as hot today as it was earlier this week, but it is still plenty hot for these young musicians.