Case Closed
More than 38 years ago, a church bombing marked one of the lowest moments of the civil rights movement. Four girls were killed in an act about which Martin Luther King said: "This tragic event may cause the white South to come to terms with its conscience." Finally, after nearly four decades, all of those responsible are either in jail or dead.

Severin Roesen, Still life with fruit, 1850, sold for $130,500 (est. $50,000-$70,000), at Sotheby's American Paintings, Drawings & Sculpture sale, May 22, 2002. via Artnet.com

"Cats are domesticated animals that have learned what levers to push, what sounds to make to manage our emotions," Nicastro says. "And when we respond, we too are domesticated animals." [more]

Bulletin:
Married men have less testosterone
Scientists have discovered that married men who spend time with their wives and kids have lower testosterone levels than bachelors. The discovery suggests that having less of the hormone could play a part in encouraging men to devote their energies to the family rather than looking for another partner.

Harvard University votes to change a grading system that led to 90% of students graduating with honors. The other 10% are screwed, I'd say.

Credit to David Horsey

Indian Country: Indigenous peoples establish permanent presence at the UN

Many events are called historical but when the United Nations, after eight decades of exclusion and a quarter century of intense lobbying by indigenous peoples, inaugurates a Permanent Forum for the Indigenous or Native peoples of the world, perhaps we can say that history’s door has opened just a bit.

It happened May 13 in New York City, at the United Nations headquarters. Nearly 1000 indigenous representatives from hundreds of Native nations throughout the world gathered to witness the opening of a recognition that will be permanent. And this is the operative principle: permanence. It says that indigenous peoples will not be disappearing; they will not be vanishing; they are here to stay.

Reading Writing and Superman
Comic books used to be unwelcome in schools. Now some educators are using comic books to encourage reading, drawing and writing. Not a bad Idea.

Making Dirty Dancing Less Dirty

The recent thong-checking scandal that cost a vice principal her job has put a brighter spotlight on school dances where many educators worry the sexuality has gotten out of hand. Included in the list of rules at this year's prom for an Oakland high school are: no grinding, no doggy dancing, and no front piggy-backing.