via Interesting Literature
‘Come into the garden’, as the speaker of Tennyson’s ‘monodrama’, Maud, entreated that poem’s title character. That poem is included below, along with nine other classic garden poems from over six centuries of English (and American) literature. So, why not lift the latch and step through the garden gate with us and enjoy some of the greatest poems about gardens?
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Watch how an artist makes gorgeous watercolor patterns
via Boing Boing by Andrea James
Josie Lewis creates beautiful geometric watercolor paintings. In this video, she shows you how if you're ready to move past adult coloring books.
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10 of the Best Poems about Working
via Interesting Literature
The finest poems about labouring and jobs
Work is a big part of our lives – like sleep, and love, and eating – yet it doesn’t strike us, perhaps, as immediately ‘ripe’ material for poetry, perhaps because we like to view poetry itself (wrongly, in the main) not as ‘work’ but as a ‘calling’ or a ‘hobby’. Yet many of the great and the good from English-language poetry have treated the subject of work in their poems – below are ten of the best.
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Man orders a pizza using a talking computer (1974)
via Boing Boing by Mark Frauenfelder
In 1974 a man with a communications disorder made history when he ordered a pizza over the phone with a talking computer built by Michigan State University's Artificial Language Laboratory. He tried calling Dominoes four times, but they thought it was a prank and hung up on him. But another pizza delivery service took the order.
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Why Short-Lived Mayflies Have the Right Idea
via Big Think by Robby Berman
You wouldn’t suspect that Neil deGrasse Tyson would have such an unassuming role model, but there it is: The mayfly lives no more than 24 hours, and thinking about that helps the astrophysicist remain focused on his own here and now. It may be extra hard to maintain that focus when you deal with infinity every day at work.
Others scientists are devoted to extending the human life span, but Tyson’s more interested in spending his well. (Give the guy a pass: He’s already got the entire universe on his plate.)
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Spectacular New Crab Nebula Images Close In On Its Final Secrets
via Science Blogs by Ethan of Starts with a Bang
The Crab Nebula is one of the most interesting and compelling objects in the entire night sky. In the year 1054, a supernova went off in the constellation of Taurus, where it became brighter than anything other than the Sun and Moon in the sky. Some 700 years later, astronomers discovered the remnant of that supernova: the Crab Nebula.
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Unseen footage of the Beatles during filming of Help! emerges after 50 years
via the Guardian by Mark Brown, arts correspondent
Paul with a camera Photograph: Neil Pearson Rare Books
Unseen footage of the Beatles larking around as they filmed a movie in the Austrian Alps has emerged after being stored in a garage for more than 50 years.
The footage, entitled Snow Scenes, was taken by the late actor Leo McKern, best known as Rumpole of the Bailey on ITV between 1978-92.
In 1965, McKern was in the Richard Lester-directed film Help! along with the Beatles, playing a cult supervillain called Clang who is after the ring on Ringo’s finger.
A keen amateur photographer and filmmaker, McKern caught the Beatles relaxed and off guard as they prepared to film scenes in the ski resort of Obertauern.
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How Does Jesus Fit Into Islam?
via Big Think by Derek Beres
In his book, Western Muslims and the Future of Islam, Tariq Ramadan argues that too much dialogue between scholars and too few conversations between devotees has led to the religious extremism we are witnessing today. “It is precisely because people do not know one another,” he writes, “or reject one another, that dialogue is impossible.”
Theological rifts are manifold and chronic, a reality made more painful by the similarities between faiths. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Muslim treatment of Jesus, who was a revered figure and prophet in the Quran. Muslims might not agree with every facet of Christian tradition in this matter, but there are more similarities than one might imagine, while understanding social dynamics sheds light onto the differences.
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The Best Literary Facts about London
via Interesting Literature
We’ve recently been enjoying the wonderful book, Literary London, by Eloise Millar and Sam Jordison. It’s that rare thing: a book that includes something interesting on every page. There are many good books available about London’s literary heritage and its connections with famous authors, but Literary London is the best yet: it’s a raft of great trivia about the capital and the writers who have eaten, drunk, lived, and died there. If you enjoy books about London or books of literary trivia, we recommend getting hold of a copy, pronto.
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Here’s why sloths are so slow
via Boing Boing by Caroline Siede
TED-Ed host Kenny Coogan and animator Anton Bogaty offer a crash course on sloth evolution. Interestingly, it turns out we might not have avocados without them.
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