Across the country, states are shelling out incentives ranging from free beer to $1 million lotteries to encourage residents to get their Covid-19 shots. But is the effort to boost vaccination rates working? And is it worth the cost? Photo composite: Adam Falk/The Wall Street Journal
Daily Archives: June 15, 2021
City Walks: Nördlingen – Bavaria, Germany (4K)
Nördlingen is a town in Bavaria, Germany. Its old town is encircled by well-preserved medieval walls with towers and covered parapet paths. The city center is anchored by the massive Gothic St. George’s Church. Its tower, called the Daniel, has views across town. The Rathaus (town hall), with its gabled roof and towers, is one of several medieval buildings, some half-timbered, on the main square.
Design: ‘HomeForest’ Wins Inaugural Davidson Prize
HomeForest wins inaugural Davidson Prize
A concept based on the restorative qualities of “forest-bathing” has been named the winner of the first Davidson Prize, an ideas competition asking entrants to consider the impact of the pandemic on how we live and work.
Literary: Virginia Woolf’s ‘A Room Of One’s Own’ Read By Natalie Dormer
Listen to the first chapter of Virginia Woolf’s classic A Room of One’s Own, read by Natalie Dormer.
Download the full audiobook here: https://adbl.co/3grA9PY
A Room of One’s Own, based on a lecture given at Girton College Cambridge, is one of the great feminist polemics. Woolf’s blazing writing on female creativity, the role of the writer, and the silent fate of Shakespeare’s imaginary sister remains a powerful reminder of a woman’s need for financial independence and intellectual freedom. This Penguin Classic is performed by Natalie Dormer, best known for her standout role as Queen Margaery in Game of Thrones, as well as her roles in The Hunger Games and Captain America: The First Avenger.
Astronomy: What’s Inside An Exoplanet? (Video)
Out in the vast universe, unknown billions of strange worlds drift around other stars. Many of them are quite unlike anything in our solar system. While astronomers hope to use immense upcoming observatories to get a better look at their outsides, Federica Coppari has been using the world’s largest laser to investigate their insides. Coppari compresses familiar substances, including rocks and water, into new forms. Her work has yielded insights into the inner workings of frozen giants such as Uranus and Neptune, as well as the potential habitability of super-Earths — rocky planets that dwarf our own. Read more at Quanta Magazine: https://www.quantamagazine.org/federi…
Walking Tour: Oxford – Southern England
Oxford, a city in central southern England, revolves around its prestigious university, established in the 12th century. The architecture of its 38 colleges in the city’s medieval center led poet Matthew Arnold to nickname it the ‘City of Dreaming Spires’. University College and Magdalen College are off the High Street, which runs from Carfax Tower (with city views) to the Botanic Garden on the River Cherwell.
Views: Denmark’s $34 Billion Energy Islands
The energy islands and the wind farms with a combined capacity of 5 GW are expected to be commissioned by 2030.
The North Sea energy island will have an initial capacity of 3 GW which could potentially be further scaled up to 10 GW offshore wind. This will be an artificial island.
Wildlife Photography: Amazing Scottish Photos
THE KINGFISHER HAS the poise of an Olympic diver. It catches food by plunging head-first into water, wings outstretched and beak pointed keenly at an unsuspecting minnow or stickleback swimming below. The bird dives in the blink of an eye, snatching its prey and flying away in a blur.
Alan McFadyen recently captured a kingfisher’s riveting dive in a gorgeous photo that shows the bird the moment before it nabs a fish, its body reflected as a mirror image in the water’s surface. The birds, which tend to be small, with large heads and dagger-like beaks, can dive at speeds up to 25 mph, making McFadyen’s photo a difficult shot. “The [kingfisher’s] speed is incredible and fascinating to watch,” he says. “Even at 10 frames per second, sometimes you get nothing in the [photograph]. It’s that fast.”
Morning News: Employers Requiring Covid-19 Shots, Inflation Data & Vermont
A.M. Edition for June 15. WSJ’s Chip Cutter discusses the latest moves by companies to encourage Covid-19 vaccinations for employees.
WSJ’s Quentin Webb on why the global chip shortage may affect May’s U.S. retail sales data. And, Vermont’s milestone amid the pandemic. Marc Stewart hosts.
Views: Zion National Park, Southwestern Utah (4K)
Zion National Park is a southwest Utah nature preserve distinguished by Zion Canyon’s steep red cliffs. Zion Canyon Scenic Drive cuts through its main section, leading to forest trails along the Virgin River. The river flows to the Emerald Pools, which have waterfalls and a hanging garden. Also along the river, partly through deep chasms, is Zion Narrows wading hike.
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