Links

Fandom:

Fandom is a tool using animal - http://idlewords.com/talks/fan_is_a_tool_using_animal.htm A really interesting (and unusually positive) look at fandom from someone outside of it. via nwhyte

History:

Growing up in a Japanese WW2 internment camp in China - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33709730

Burma POW's diary reveals suffering and starvation - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-34005331

Languages:

Letter of Recommendation: Uzbek - http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/16/magazine/letter-of-recommendation-uzbek.html?_r=2 via nwhyte Wonderful article.

Law and Order:
I looked at the best evidence for banning prostitution. It's absolutely terrible. - http://www.vox.com/2015/8/18/9166669/why-legalize-prostitution via nwhyte

Miscellaneous:

'Oldest' message in a bottle found more than 108 years on - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34020734

Here’s What Actually Gets Terrorists To Tell The Truth — And It’s Not Torture - http://www.buzzfeed.com/peteraldhous/torture-doesnt-work

sort of related

The Torch Has Been Passed - http://www.loweringthebar.net/2015/08/torch-has-been-passed.html Included not just because I agree with the general jist of the article, but also for zombie Founding Fathers.

How many national anthems are plagiarised? - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34052000

121-year-old time capsule found at bridge near Kingussie - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-34054847

Who, What, Why: Why do clocks like Big Ben's run slow? - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34048852

A visualisation of Earth's sea currents, wind currents and so on - http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=-345.00,0.00,292

Did French media put lives at risk? - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34071842 Despite the clickbaity title, it's more about media ethics when reporting on a "live" situation.

Lessons in statistical significance, uncertainty, and their role in science - http://flowingdata.com/2015/08/20/lessons-in-statistical-significance-uncertainty-and-their-role-in-science/

Lost road and bridges revealed at Highland loch - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-34113798

Chiara Vigo: The last woman who makes sea silk - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33691781 This one's another story that's worth a read even if you don't think it's your sort of thing.

HOW KUROBE, JAPAN BECAME THE ZIPPER CAPITAL OF THE WORLD - http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/how-kurobe-japan-became-the-zipper-capital-of-the-world Via @TwistedSifter on twitter

Jimmy Carter: “I’d Like to See the Last Guinea Worm Die Before I Do.” - http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/08/20/jimmy_carter_i_d_like_to_see_the_last_guinea_worm_die_before_i_do.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_tw_top

German entrepreneurs use business to fight hostility to refugees - http://news.yahoo.com/german-entrepreneurs-business-fight-hostility-refugees-152905118--finance.html

Politics:

College student would be sole voter in CID sales tax decision - http://m.columbiatribune.com/news/local/college-student-would-be-sole-voter-in-cid-sales-tax/article_6702c44b-0243-51f8-861c-1df0b462cd92.html Or when gerrymandering fails epically. via nwhyte

Decertifying the worst voting machine in the US - https://freedom-to-tinker.com/blog/jeremyepstein/decertifying-the-worst-voting-machine-in-the-us/ via nwhyte

Science:

I Asked 12 Scientists: What Is The One Fact Humanity Needs To Know? - http://www.buzzfeed.com/tomchivers/how-come-no-one-mentioned-evolution-by-natural-selection#.ot5MdvKP Via @TwistedSifter on twitter

Who’ll Freeze First? A Puzzle About Size and Staying Warm - http://noticing.co/on-size-and-warmth/ Via @TwistedSifter on twitter This is lovely and wonderful and sciency.

Science-Fiction

The empire kicks back: stormtroopers on their days off – in pictures - http://www.theguardian.com/film/gallery/2015/aug/20/star-wars-another-stormtrooper-day-off-in-pictures

Sport:

Athletics:

How does Usain Bolt run so fast? - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34089451

What makes a perfect heptathlete? - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/33853462

Football:

Martin Ling interview: Former Leyton Orient manager on seeking therapy for mental health issues and his return to football - http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/martin-ling-interview-former-leyton-orient-manager-on-seeking-therapy-for-mental-health-issues-and-his-return-to-football-10466664.html

How much has Champions League exit cost Celtic? - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34054771

FA Cup: Guernsey FC's very own Zico eyeing successful run - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33965635

PSV Eindhoven v Manchester United: Louis van Gaal goes up against old protege Phillip Cocu - http://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/champions-league/2015-2016/manchester-united-boss-louis-van-gaal-to-go-face-to-face-with-a-ghost-from-his-past_sto4882547/story.shtml This time, I'm going to have to ask you to ignore the not clickbaity enough title. Really interesting look into the ways of Van Gaal and Dutch football.

A Brief History of English Football transfers - http://www.bbc.co.uk/timelines/z3nvcwx

The 10 best football kits EVER - as decided by a panel of design experts - http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/10-best-football-kits-ever-6322656

Referee Michael Oliver replaces injured official at women's match - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34082210

Bhutan: Formerly the worst football team in the world - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33683375

Formula 1:

Motorsport must find a way to protect drivers - Allan McNish - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/34065061 I respect Allan McNish's views a lot more than most, not because he walked away from one of the worst crashes I have ever seen, but because he's not just bandwagonning onto the closed cockpit thing. I am unsure about having closed cockpits, because they need some way of getting the drivers out. I'm probably a little wonked in this view because Berger nearly burning to death is one of my first F1 memories.

Golf:

Jason Day: From drunk 12-year-old to US PGA champion - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/33957015

Technology:

Seven over 70 - http://www.technologyreview.com/fromtheeditor/540256/seven-over-70/ >>Every year we celebrate 35 innovators under the age of 35. We choose to write about the young simply because we want to introduce you to the most promising new technologists, researchers, and entrepreneurs.

But older people are, of course, just as capable of new thinking as the young. Below are seven innovators over the age of 70, still working.<< Via @TwistedSifter on twitter

Ways to think about cars - http://ben-evans.com/benedictevans/2015/7/27/ways-to-think-about-cars via nwhyte It's a fascinating article, even if you're not into cars.