arlene
@fal34.bsky.social
Not a content creator, but an enthusiastic consumer and occasional reposter.
Reposted by arlene
A small and exotic Buddha found far from home in #VikingAge buildings on the Swedish lake island of Helgö.
Probably made in the Swat Valley, the Buddha travelled some 5,000 km from its place of origin, encapsulating the idea of long-distance trade during the Viking Age.
#Archaeology
Probably made in the Swat Valley, the Buddha travelled some 5,000 km from its place of origin, encapsulating the idea of long-distance trade during the Viking Age.
#Archaeology
January 14, 2026 at 6:27 PM
A small and exotic Buddha found far from home in #VikingAge buildings on the Swedish lake island of Helgö.
Probably made in the Swat Valley, the Buddha travelled some 5,000 km from its place of origin, encapsulating the idea of long-distance trade during the Viking Age.
#Archaeology
Probably made in the Swat Valley, the Buddha travelled some 5,000 km from its place of origin, encapsulating the idea of long-distance trade during the Viking Age.
#Archaeology
Reposted by arlene
Today we’re looking back at Episode 165: ‘Dark Star’ by the Grateful Dead.
Cocking in at 4.5 hours long, Andrew delves into the career of the American rock band - but also the historical and cultural context.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and via the website: 500songs.com/podcast/epis...
Cocking in at 4.5 hours long, Andrew delves into the career of the American rock band - but also the historical and cultural context.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and via the website: 500songs.com/podcast/epis...
January 12, 2026 at 11:44 AM
Today we’re looking back at Episode 165: ‘Dark Star’ by the Grateful Dead.
Cocking in at 4.5 hours long, Andrew delves into the career of the American rock band - but also the historical and cultural context.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and via the website: 500songs.com/podcast/epis...
Cocking in at 4.5 hours long, Andrew delves into the career of the American rock band - but also the historical and cultural context.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and via the website: 500songs.com/podcast/epis...
Reposted by arlene
No, autistics do not “lack empathy”: “Where researchers had assumed impairment, they found autistic people applying moral principles more consistently—even to strangers, even when costly.” By Ludmila Pradlova.
**This includes non-speakers &/or peeps w/ID**
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/posi...
**This includes non-speakers &/or peeps w/ID**
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/posi...
What the World Got Wrong About Autistic People
For decades, autism research compared autistic people to animals, denied them moral sensitivity, and assumed autistic traits made them miserable. All wrong.
www.psychologytoday.com
January 9, 2026 at 1:45 PM
No, autistics do not “lack empathy”: “Where researchers had assumed impairment, they found autistic people applying moral principles more consistently—even to strangers, even when costly.” By Ludmila Pradlova.
**This includes non-speakers &/or peeps w/ID**
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/posi...
**This includes non-speakers &/or peeps w/ID**
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/posi...
Reposted by arlene
Best TikTok thing going is the two dudes trying food from every country without leaving NYC. If you haven’t seen them yet, it’s incredible. My favorite so far is last week’s. Legit got me emotional.
January 9, 2026 at 1:50 AM
Best TikTok thing going is the two dudes trying food from every country without leaving NYC. If you haven’t seen them yet, it’s incredible. My favorite so far is last week’s. Legit got me emotional.
Reposted by arlene
A Washington Post article suggests that, beyond a certain threshold, larger homes don't make people happier. Instead, well-being is correlated with affordable housing in walkable neighborhoods where they feel socially connected.
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
![Excerpt reads: "Prioritize your neighborhood
Neighborhoods drive our happiness (or unhappiness) more than we think.
When Lina Martinez, director of POLIS, the Center for Wellbeing Studies at Universidad Icesi in Colombia, studied the happiness of households in the city of Cali, she couldn’t find much difference between poorer and richer areas. “Their happiness is pretty much the same,” she said. But that changed when she isolated neighborhood conditions, such as access to transit, health care and parks. “The conditions of the neighborhood affect happiness,” she said. “I can’t link that to the space where [people] live.”
That aligns with findings from a 2023 study of the Vancouver metro area: Researchers found no significant differences in well-being between people living in single detached homes, duplexes, townhouses, laneway houses and apartment buildings (basement units smaller than 300 square feet were the only negative exception). What did people say they missed most in their neighborhood? Affordability, proximity to family and friends, and a sense of community. Home design was eighth on the list."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ks3gpa6ftoyaq7hmf6c4qx4c/bafkreicapfknasylzk2lqzaxxeb5mchgnru75obggn45dusda6j5zogvuu@jpeg)
January 7, 2026 at 4:29 AM
A Washington Post article suggests that, beyond a certain threshold, larger homes don't make people happier. Instead, well-being is correlated with affordable housing in walkable neighborhoods where they feel socially connected.
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
Reposted by arlene
The latest numbers are in: Congestion pricing cut 27M car trips in 2025.
Commutes got faster
Streets got safer
And business went up
See more exclusive analysis - and feedback from 600+readers - in our latest collab with @upshot.nytimes.com
Free link:
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Commutes got faster
Streets got safer
And business went up
See more exclusive analysis - and feedback from 600+readers - in our latest collab with @upshot.nytimes.com
Free link:
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Congestion pricing after one year: How life has changed. (Gift Article)
How life has changed in the New York area, according to data on traffic, transit and the responses of 600 readers.
www.nytimes.com
January 5, 2026 at 1:34 PM
The latest numbers are in: Congestion pricing cut 27M car trips in 2025.
Commutes got faster
Streets got safer
And business went up
See more exclusive analysis - and feedback from 600+readers - in our latest collab with @upshot.nytimes.com
Free link:
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Commutes got faster
Streets got safer
And business went up
See more exclusive analysis - and feedback from 600+readers - in our latest collab with @upshot.nytimes.com
Free link:
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by arlene
This annual marathon reading of Moby-Dick under giant actual whale skeletons in New Bedford is so awesome, if you ever get a chance to go
We are 16 hours into the Moby Dick reading marathon. It’s 4:44am and the coffee station ran out of cups. 😬 The read aloud session in the auditorium is piped in from a speaker.
January 4, 2026 at 2:40 PM
This annual marathon reading of Moby-Dick under giant actual whale skeletons in New Bedford is so awesome, if you ever get a chance to go
Reposted by arlene
We've been focused on childhood vaccination lately due to RFK Jr.'s crusade against them, but vaccines given in adulthood are crucial too. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/h...
Vaccines Are Helping Older People More Than We Knew
www.nytimes.com
January 4, 2026 at 11:03 AM
We've been focused on childhood vaccination lately due to RFK Jr.'s crusade against them, but vaccines given in adulthood are crucial too. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/h...
Reposted by arlene
Don't forget folks: allowing yourself a vision of the future you'd want for our country and planet - not the one you'd settle for, not the one you fear, but the future of your dreams - isn't naive, it's a vital cognitive skill. That's how we articulate what we most value. What's worth fighting for.
Instead of whatever this is, we should have a government getting lots of new homes and apartments built, lots of clean energy built, lots of high speed rail and transit and bike lanes built, human rights for everyone, economic & healthcare opportunities for all, & innovation that leads the world.
January 4, 2026 at 2:34 AM
Don't forget folks: allowing yourself a vision of the future you'd want for our country and planet - not the one you'd settle for, not the one you fear, but the future of your dreams - isn't naive, it's a vital cognitive skill. That's how we articulate what we most value. What's worth fighting for.
Reposted by arlene
Every major movement in history was built by people who didn’t fully agree with each other.
If someone’s with you 70–80% of the way, they’re not your enemy, they’re your ally.
If someone’s with you 70–80% of the way, they’re not your enemy, they’re your ally.
January 2, 2026 at 1:23 PM
Every major movement in history was built by people who didn’t fully agree with each other.
If someone’s with you 70–80% of the way, they’re not your enemy, they’re your ally.
If someone’s with you 70–80% of the way, they’re not your enemy, they’re your ally.
Reposted by arlene
“Double me!”
You know I can’t resist a good language development video, which is why this one from shshshayla on TT jumped right to the top my list for sharing this week.
Thread 🧵
You know I can’t resist a good language development video, which is why this one from shshshayla on TT jumped right to the top my list for sharing this week.
Thread 🧵
June 13, 2025 at 12:49 PM
“Double me!”
You know I can’t resist a good language development video, which is why this one from shshshayla on TT jumped right to the top my list for sharing this week.
Thread 🧵
You know I can’t resist a good language development video, which is why this one from shshshayla on TT jumped right to the top my list for sharing this week.
Thread 🧵
Reposted by arlene
This is such a clever idea on taking kids to museums/galleries
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
October 12, 2025 at 10:18 AM
This is such a clever idea on taking kids to museums/galleries
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
Reposted by arlene
Relaxing in somebody else’s home for the holiday.
January 1, 2026 at 1:41 PM
Relaxing in somebody else’s home for the holiday.
Reposted by arlene
My origin story is this collection that came with a set of encyclopedias we had since I could remember - read and learned so much from these - so many different stories.
December 28, 2025 at 10:20 AM
My origin story is this collection that came with a set of encyclopedias we had since I could remember - read and learned so much from these - so many different stories.
Reposted by arlene
Drinking water in plastic bottles contains countless particles too small to see. New research finds that people who drink water from them on a daily basis ingest far more microplastics than those who don’t. www.wired.com/story/people...
People Who Drink Bottled Water on a Daily Basis Ingest 90,000 More Microplastic Particles Each Year
Drinking water in plastic bottles contains countless particles too small to see. New research finds that people who drink water from them on a daily basis ingest far more microplastics than those who...
www.wired.com
December 28, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Drinking water in plastic bottles contains countless particles too small to see. New research finds that people who drink water from them on a daily basis ingest far more microplastics than those who don’t. www.wired.com/story/people...
Reposted by arlene
NEW: Without USAID funding to help buy food for refugees, the World Food Program rushed to prioritize families based on need, determining that only half the population would get food.
Refugees learned which half they were in from a number stamped on the back of their ration card.
Refugees learned which half they were in from a number stamped on the back of their ration card.
After Trump Officials Cut Food Aid to Kenya, Children Starved to Death
“Brutal and traumatizing”: Interviews and a trove of internal documents show government officials and aid workers desperately tried to warn Trump advisers about impending disaster and death.
www.propublica.org
December 17, 2025 at 12:00 PM
NEW: Without USAID funding to help buy food for refugees, the World Food Program rushed to prioritize families based on need, determining that only half the population would get food.
Refugees learned which half they were in from a number stamped on the back of their ration card.
Refugees learned which half they were in from a number stamped on the back of their ration card.
Reposted by arlene
the way to restart the worlds idea machine is to invest the ai money into creative arts programs in middle and high schools
America, you have spoken loud and clear: You do not like AI. But what if AI is the way to restart the world’s idea machine?
We’re running out of good ideas. AI might be how we find new ones.
What if the best use of AI is restarting the world’s idea machine?
www.vox.com
December 16, 2025 at 3:47 PM
the way to restart the worlds idea machine is to invest the ai money into creative arts programs in middle and high schools
Reposted by arlene
30 November 1899 | A Czech Jew, Valtr Pollak, was born in Liberec.
He was deported to #Auschwitz from #Theresienstadt ghetto on 19 October 1944. He did not survive.
---
Video about the history of Auschwitz: https://youtu.be/Fxnl5HTygrs
He was deported to #Auschwitz from #Theresienstadt ghetto on 19 October 1944. He did not survive.
---
Video about the history of Auschwitz: https://youtu.be/Fxnl5HTygrs
November 30, 2025 at 3:00 AM
30 November 1899 | A Czech Jew, Valtr Pollak, was born in Liberec.
He was deported to #Auschwitz from #Theresienstadt ghetto on 19 October 1944. He did not survive.
---
Video about the history of Auschwitz: https://youtu.be/Fxnl5HTygrs
He was deported to #Auschwitz from #Theresienstadt ghetto on 19 October 1944. He did not survive.
---
Video about the history of Auschwitz: https://youtu.be/Fxnl5HTygrs
Reposted by arlene
in Namibia
November 30, 2025 at 7:22 AM
in Namibia
Reposted by arlene
Well that's my evening sorted.
need something fun to watch? how about this: THREE MEN IN A BOAT (1975), dramatized by Tom fuckin' Stoppard and starring Tim Curry and Michael Palin
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgwk...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgwk...
"THREE MEN IN A BOAT" (1975 Jerome K. Jerome TV Adaptation-starring Tim Curry, Michael Palin)
YouTube video by Archive Media Vault
www.youtube.com
November 29, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Well that's my evening sorted.
Reposted by arlene
"I had always hoped that this land might become a safe and agreeable Asylum to the virtuous and persecuted part of mankind, to whatever nation they might belong."
~George Washington to Francis Adrian van der Kemp, May 28, 1788.
Image: Gilbert Stuart portrait of Washington, 1804. Public domain.
~George Washington to Francis Adrian van der Kemp, May 28, 1788.
Image: Gilbert Stuart portrait of Washington, 1804. Public domain.
November 28, 2025 at 5:38 PM
"I had always hoped that this land might become a safe and agreeable Asylum to the virtuous and persecuted part of mankind, to whatever nation they might belong."
~George Washington to Francis Adrian van der Kemp, May 28, 1788.
Image: Gilbert Stuart portrait of Washington, 1804. Public domain.
~George Washington to Francis Adrian van der Kemp, May 28, 1788.
Image: Gilbert Stuart portrait of Washington, 1804. Public domain.
Reposted by arlene
The water that submerged the church in Iznik for more than 700 years has receded due to climate change. 🥲
Basilica emerges from lake, illuminating early Church life in Turkey.
Known as the Basilica of the Holy Fathers, it marks the site of one of the early Church's most important gatherings which took place in Nicaea 12 years after the Roman Empire legalised Christianity in AD 325
u.afp.com/Sh5e
Known as the Basilica of the Holy Fathers, it marks the site of one of the early Church's most important gatherings which took place in Nicaea 12 years after the Roman Empire legalised Christianity in AD 325
u.afp.com/Sh5e
November 24, 2025 at 9:51 AM
The water that submerged the church in Iznik for more than 700 years has receded due to climate change. 🥲
Reposted by arlene
Reposted by arlene
seen on WT Harris in E Charlotte
November 23, 2025 at 3:35 AM
seen on WT Harris in E Charlotte
Reposted by arlene
Hmmm…what USAID wasn’t bad for America…what if getting rid of it only hurt us and everyone else?
What if the richest man in the world being responsible for ending aid to the poorest people in the world will go down as one of the most bizarre and disgusting acts of the 21st century?
What if the richest man in the world being responsible for ending aid to the poorest people in the world will go down as one of the most bizarre and disgusting acts of the 21st century?
November 22, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Hmmm…what USAID wasn’t bad for America…what if getting rid of it only hurt us and everyone else?
What if the richest man in the world being responsible for ending aid to the poorest people in the world will go down as one of the most bizarre and disgusting acts of the 21st century?
What if the richest man in the world being responsible for ending aid to the poorest people in the world will go down as one of the most bizarre and disgusting acts of the 21st century?