Each week, BIV staff will share with you some of the interesting stories we have found from around the web.
Mark Falkenberg, deputy managing editor:
Last week, after leaked COVID-19 data proved the province had been withholding vital information from the public, the B.C. government doubled down on the bogus claim that it has been as transparent as other governments. Denying the obvious, says the Orca’s Maclean Kay, does neither the government nor the public any favours: “It’s one thing when the restaurant gets your order wrong. It’s quite another when they insist you’re mistaken, and the burger on your plate is actually the tacos you ordered.” – the Orca
https://theorca.ca/resident-pod/in-a-crisis-honesty-is-the-best-prescription/
The drought of small talk during the pandemic has done outsized harm to our mental health, says science writer Hannah Seo, who quotes behavioural scientist Jessica Methot on the “crucial social ritual” of everyday conversation:
“Every dialogue feels transactional because, now, our conversations are based on our work roles, says Methot. And, without chit-chat, there’s no relief. Small talk, it seems, is reenergizing: a palate-cleansing moment of respite when you can prime yourself for whatever’s next.” – the Walrus
https://thewalrus.ca/blah-blah-blah-the-lack-of-small-talk-is-breaking-our-brains/
Timothy Renshaw, managing editor:
Hankering for a Vancouver-to-New York travel option in the same time that it takes to cycle from Vancouver to the North Shore? Oblique wave detonation technology could be satisfying that hankering sooner than later. – New Atlas; University of Central Florida
https://newatlas.com/aircraft/oblique-wave-detonation-engine-hypersonic-ucf/
The interstellar adventures of Voyager 1 get more interesting and surreal the farther it gets from Earth. This dispatch comes from around the 14 billion mile marker somewhere on the outskirts of the heliopause. Spooky. – Vice
The story behind the surprising progress in reducing the costs and increasing the effectiveness of solar power, courtesy of Australia and China, two countries that are often not on each other's Christmas card mailing list. – The Guardian
Jeremy Hainsworth, reporter:
CEO, China: The Rise of Xi Jinping,
Author Kerry Brown examines the rise of one of the world’s most powerful men to the helm of the Chinese Communist Party, its influential committees and the powerbrokers in Xi’s shadow.
It’s a look at Xi’s relationship with his revolutionary father, expelled by Mao during the Cultural Revolution; his time as a regional leader; his business dealings and allegiances in power struggles; and his role in the internal battles raging between the old men of the Deng Xiaping era and the new, wealthy 'princelings'.
Nelson Bennett, Reporter
Mindreading device gives paralyzed man a voice. Using brain implants that detect brain activity, neuroscientists have given a paralyzed man the ability to write out his thoughts at a rate of 16 words per minute. By simply thinking about using his hand to write, the subject generates brain signals that can be translated into letters.-- Gizmodo
https://gizmodo.com/using-just-his-thoughts-paralyzed-man-texts-at-a-recor-1846877072
Make up your mind, Elon. Elon Musk, who has been personally bullish on cryptocurrencies, is doing an about-turn. Tesla itself bought $1.5 billion in bitcoin earlier this year and announced it would start accepting as payment from customers. But Musk is now saying Tesla will not accept bitcoin, citing environmental concerns. Bitcoin consumes a small-country’s worth of power to mine, so unless all of that electricity comes from renewables or nuclear power, it means bitcoin mining has a massive carbon footprint. -- CNBC
Glen Korstrom, reporter
Real estate marketing whiz, and art collector, Bob Rennie once took me on a personal tour of his art gallery in Chinatown, and I’m aware of his passion for collecting fine pieces. So, I was intrigued to read this interview about his art-buying habits, his first purchase, what he hangs above his sofa, what he thinks is his most expensive work etc. – artnet news
https://news.artnet.com/market/buy-bob-rennie-1966294
Markets were volatile this week, but plenty of evidence suggests the future is bright.
U.S. consumers’ net worth hit a record high of US$130.2 trillion at the end of 2020, up 23% from a couple years prior. Congress has approved another round of stimulus. Money strategists say they have never seen consumers emerge this strong from a recession.
There’s no telling the future, and the sell-in-May-and-go-away maxim may hold true this year, particularly given such a steep stock-market run-up in the past year, but, looking ahead a year, there’s reason for optimism. – Barron’s
Rising tensions in Israel and Gaza this week prompted columnist Nicholas Kristof to write about the truism that extremists on one side empower those on the other. That’s the case with a number of political issues. Middle ground is needed. – New York Times
