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Science Diplomacy Visit to Cuba Produces Historic Agreement

Kathy Wren American Association for the Advancement of Science
The leaders of AAAS and the Cuban Academy of Sciences have signed a landmark agreement to advance scientific cooperation by Cuban and U.S. scientists, in key areas of mutual interest to both countries.

Should Spider-Man Swing or Run?

Rhett Allain Wired
A fun problem to work on before you take your child to see Spidey 2: Clearly it looks cool when Spider-Man swings around on his webs. However, does this really save him time?

Neanderthal Intelligence: A Reader's Response

Matthew Hallinan
A reader's response by Matthew Hallinan to "Neanderthals Were Not Less Intelligent Than Modern Humans, Scientists Find" read the original article at portside May 2, https://portside.org/2014-05-02/neanderthals-were-not-less-intelligent-modern-humans-scientists-find

Fate of Donetsk is Being Decided in Kharkov

Boris Kagarlitsky, translated by Renfrey Clarke Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal
The insurgents are convinced that all they need to do is to hold out for a certain time, and Russia will then come to their aid; if this does not take the form of direct military intervention, some other mechanism will be found. Unfortunately, every passing day since the beginning of the revolt has shown how illusory these hopes are.

5 players behind the Big Money attacks in NC Supreme Court elections

Chris Kromm Facing South
Big money groups like Justice for All NC could reshape how justice is carried out in North Carolina. This year, seven top state judicial seats are up for election, including four on the seven-member NC Supreme Court, which is now ruled by a narrow 4-3 conservative majority.

Transit Irony: The More You Rely on It, the More They Cut

Samantha Winslow Labor Notes
In 2011 the transit authority cut its budget by 15 percent, eliminating 29 bus routes. It laid off 180 workers and reduced hours for more. The cuts continued the following year, and the region lost tens of thousands of bus riders. Some switched to cars, if they had one, or carpooling. Others walk now.

There’s No Humane Way to Carry Out the Death Penalty

Eugene Robinson The Washington Post
There’s no reason to believe lethal injection is a more humane way to end a life than electrocution, poison gas, hanging, firing squad or even guillotine. Of course, we’ll never know. We can tell ourselves any story we want about how quickly and painlessly death arrived, and the one person who could prove us wrong will never speak again.