Culture

In Short: Heat waves becoming more common, the cost of an Olympic medal

Posted by:

It’s not your imagination, says James Hansen’s latest paper — his analysis suggests heat waves are more common than they used to be. [The Economist] Watch Hansen’s TEDTalk: “Why I Must Speak Up About Climate Change.”

Janet Echelman has been named an Architectural Digest innovator for her giant billowing sculptures. [Architectural Digest] Watch her gorgeous talk from TED2011, “Taking Imagination Seriously.”

Good news for anyone inspired by this week’s “11 talks about the transformative power of vegetables.” Apparently, to ward off stagnation in the sales of non-perishables, supermarkets are quickly expanding their produce sections as well as upping their quality. [NY Times]

In the sad-but-true category — they may be returning home with medals, but many Olympians and their families are in financial straits after years of paying for expensive training. [The Daily Beast]

Why three weeks of mandatory vacation is not just better for employees, but also for employers. [Salon.com] (Heads-up: TED.com takes its annual summer hiatus starting August 18.)

A 9-year-old who set up a lemonade stand has raised $3,000 for Detroit’s Parks and Recreation Department. Why? So they could rehab his local park. [Good]

Beastie Boy Adam Yauch put a fascinating stipulation in his will, which was filed this week following his untimely death in May. It stipulates that no music or art Yauch created can be used in advertising, ever. Ditto goes for his image. [Newser]