NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest political news, including the opening night of the Democratic National Convention, President Trump’s counter-programming during a big week for former Vice President Joe Biden, Trump’s efforts to undermine the U.S. Postal Service and how Congress might intervene in response.
Daily Archives: August 17, 2020
Artists: Ceramicist Raina Lee – “Glaze Chemistry In Her Treehouse Studio”
THE MODERN HOUSE (AUG 2020): “I like to make things with unusual textures and I use a lot of heavy glazes, which either bubble or foam up, and I’m interested in the ways the glaze chemistry can make different textures. I’ve been making pieces with a sort of volcanic surface a lot recently, which is achieved by an element in the glaze recipe making tiny explosions in kiln, and then cooling it down very quickly so they set.”
In the first of a new series, Studio Visits, in which we’ll be meeting artists, designers and makers in their place of work, LA-based ceramist Raina Lee invites us into her treehouse studio and gallery space for a talk about her creative process.
Raina, how did you get into ceramics?
“I was a journalist in the tech and video game industry, and I still do some writing now. I happened to be living near a ceramics studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and I decided to take a class. I was enthralled.
“It was so exciting to do something physical and work the clay with my hands – I just fell in love with it. Writing is very abstract and a lot of the time you work on something or pitch an idea and it doesn’t work out, by there’s always a physical end result when making ceramics.”
Top New Travel Videos: “Flight Over Russia” (2020)
Filmed and Edited by: DiamondSky Production
It’s a short video about Russian nature. The places shown in video are Dombay, North Osetia, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Altay, Kola Peninsula, lake Baikal, Karelia.
Space Exploration Video: “Oceans Beyond Earth”
Our planet is a beautiful water-filled world, teeming with life. But did you know that Earth is not the only world in our solar system with an ocean? Here’s what you need to know about Ocean Worlds.
Clothing & Fashion: “The Rise And Fall Of Brooks Brothers” (WSJ Video)
Brooks Brothers — the self-proclaimed oldest clothier in the U.S. — filed for bankruptcy in July. Analysts say the suit dealer wasn’t able to keep up with modern men who often wanted styles that were cheaper and more functional.
Telehealth: Older Adults’ “Telemedicine Visits” Rise From 4% To 26% In 2020
From 2019 to 2020, there was a substantial increase in the proportion of older adults who reported that their health care providers offered telehealth visits. In May 2019, 14% of older adults said that their health care providers offered telehealth visits, compared to 62% in June 2020.
Similarly, the percentage of older adults who had ever participated in a telehealth visit rose sharply from 4% in May 2019 to 30% in June 2020. Of those surveyed in 2020, 6% reported having a telehealth visit prior to March 2020, while 26% reported having a telehealth visit in the period from March to June 2020.
Over the past year, some concerns about telehealth visits decreased among adults age 50–80 whether or not they had a telehealth visit. Older adults’ concerns about privacy in telehealth visits decreased from 49% in May 2019 to 24% in June 2020, and concerns about having difficulty seeing or hearing health care providers in telehealth visits decreased from 39% in May 2019 to 25% in June 2020. Concerns about not feeling personally connected to the health care provider decreased slightly (49% to 45%).
Travel: “Zürich’s Lakeside Public Baths – Badis”
“Monocle 24 – The Urbanist” Fernando Augusto Pacheco takes the plunge into one of Zürich’s lakeside public baths.
Badis are essentially public “baths” or “swimming areas”, where you can come to swim in the lake or the river, and then cool off on the wooden docks or grass, grab something to eat or drink, socialize and pass the hours reading, sleeping, tanning or just enjoying the sun. Most badis in Zürich cost 8 Francs to enter, though some are free.
New Podcast Interviews: “Crunch Fitness” CEO Jim Rowley – Reopening Gyms
Bloomberg Businessweek talks with Jim Rowley, Chief Executive Officer at Crunch Fitness discusses how gyms can safely reopen amid the pandemic.
Crunch Fitness is a chain of over 300 franchised fitness clubs located in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Aerial Timelapse Video: “Nagorno-Karabakh – Artsakh”, South Caucasus
Filmed and Directed by: Joerg Daiber
The landlocked mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh is the subject of an unresolved dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The territory is internationally considered to be part of Azerbaijan, but mostly governed by the Republic of Artsakh (formerly named Nagorno-Karabakh Republic), a de facto independent state with an Armenian ethnic majority.
Shooting locations: Stepanakert, Sushi, Gandzsar Monastery, Askeran Fortress, Zontik waterfall, Zuar Hot Springs
Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Artsakh, is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, within the mountainous range of Karabakh, lying between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur, and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains. The region is mostly mountainous and forested.
Best New Electric Bikes: “Ducati Urban-e Foldable E-Bike” – Top Italian Design
Urban-E, available in black or gray version, is built around the special aluminum frame, designed by the designers of the Ducati Style Center in collaboration with colleagues from the Industrial Design division of Italdesign, with an easy folding system that allows you to fold the e-bike in a few simple steps.
The foldable frame is made of lightweight aluminum and the battery is fully integrated into the frame. It was born from a totally custom development project with Ducati Style Center and Italdesign as protagonists. The LED lights and the display are integrated into the frame becoming a real design element, one of a kind.
The handlebar has a fully integrated LCD display in the stem that allows you to check all the assistance functions, check the remaining battery charge and turn the LED lights on and off. Designers and planners have worked to create an e-bike with a clean and linear style. The 378 Wh battery is integrated into the frame and itself becomes an element of style, recalling the motorcycle tanks in the typical Ducati red color and arched shape.
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