All posts by She Seeks Serene

My Journey of Reimagining Life, Love and Education

Morning News: China’s Stance On Russia, Covid-Death Tallies, Corruption

After backing Russia’s grievances against NATO, China now finds itself treading a very fine line on Ukraine. 

There are often reasons to be suspicious of a country’s covid-death tally; we examine research showing how fraud can be spotted mathematically. And why women are less likely than men to be corrupt.

Wilderness: Yellowstone National Park Celebrates 150 Year Anniversary

Yellowstone National Park is a nearly 3,500-sq.-mile wilderness recreation area atop a volcanic hot spot. Mostly in Wyoming, the park spreads into parts of Montana and Idaho too. Yellowstone features dramatic canyons, alpine rivers, lush forests, hot springs and gushing geysers, including its most famous, Old Faithful. It’s also home to hundreds of animal species, including bears, wolves, bison, elk and antelope. 

Walking Tours: De Pijp In Amsterdam, Netherlands

Bohemian De Pijp’s narrow streets are lined with Middle Eastern eateries, old-school pubs and cafes with sidewalk terraces. Gregarious stallholders at Albert Cuypmarkt sell Dutch specialties like herrings and waffles. In a former brewery, the multimedia Heineken Experience chronicles the history of beer making and offers tastings. Also in the area, Sarphatipark features English-style gardens with ponds and meadows. 

Political Analysis: Putin’s War, Economic Fallout From Invasion, Taiwan

A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, where will Vladimir Putin stop? Plus, the economic consequences of the war in Ukraine (10:35) and how parallels with Taiwan are shaping Asian views of the conflict (16:35).

Museum Exhibit Tours: Jacques Louis David – ‘Radical Draftsman’

Join Perrin Stein, Curator, in the Department of Drawings and Prints, for a virtual tour of Jacques Louis David: Radical Draftsman, the first exhibition devoted to works on paper by the celebrated French artist.

David navigated vast artistic and political divides throughout his life—from his birth in Paris in 1748 to his death in exile in Brussels in 1825—and his iconic works captured the aspirations and suffering of a nation, while addressing timeless themes that continue to resonate today. Through the lens of his preparatory studies, the exhibition looks beyond his public successes to chart the moments of inspiration and the progress of ideas.

Visitors will follow the artist’s process as he gave form to the neoclassical style and created major canvases that shaped the public’s perceptions of historical events in the years before, during, and after the French Revolution. Organized chronologically, the exhibition will feature more than eighty drawings and oil sketches—including rarely loaned or newly discovered works—drawn from the collections of The Met and dozens of institutional and private lenders.

Learn more about the exhibition: https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions…

Morning News: Russia Intensifies War In Ukraine, Companies Exit Country

A.M. Edition for March 1. Russia intensifies its war in Ukraine, pummeling civilian centers and setting the stage for a major assault on the capital, Kyiv. 

WSJ national-security reporter Brett Forrest is in Lviv in western Ukraine and he says we may be seeing a regression to more traditional tactics from Moscow, as Russian forces struggle with fierce Ukrainian resistance. Luke Vargas hosts.

Tours: Venice Carnival 2022 In Piazza San Marco

Venice Carnival is one of the most famous carnival celebrations in the world. Every year 3 million people descend upon this floating city to soak up the iconic scenery, admire the extravagant costumes and masks, and be part of an electric atmosphere.

There is no other place in the world that celebrates carnival like Venice, and everyone must experience it at least once in their lifetime!

The 2022 Venice Carnival dates will run Saturday, 12th February 2022 – Tuesday 1st March 2022. 

Venice Carnival always finishes on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday which is the last allowed day when one can indulge in gluttony, excess and debauchery, before the 40 days of Lent will begin.

The final weekend of Venice Carnival is said to be the best time to attend. So, from Fat Thursday (Giovedì Grasso) until Shrove Tuesday (Martedì Grasso), is when the best events occur. It is also the busiest time to be in Venice for Carnival.