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Parrots and Humans Share Brain Mechanism for Speech: Study (Maria)
The author writes, “When it comes to speech, parrots have the gift of gab. And the way the brains of small parrots known as budgerigars bestow this gift is remarkably similar to human speech, researchers report in Nature. So far, budgerigars are the only animals known to have language-producing centers akin to those in humans, says Michael Long, a neuroscientist at NYU Langone Health. … Understanding how speech is created in budgies’ brains could help clarify what goes wrong in certain communication disorders in people.”
My Name is Mahmoud Khalil and I Am a Political Prisoner (Laura)
As dictated to In These Times: “My name is Mahmoud Khalil and I am a political prisoner. I am writing to you from a detention facility in Louisiana where I wake to cold mornings and spend long days bearing witness to the quiet injustices underway against a great many people precluded from the protections of the law. Who has the right to have rights? It is certainly not the humans crowded into the cells here. It isn’t the Senegalese man I met who has been deprived of his liberty for a year, his legal situation in limbo, and his family an ocean away. It isn’t the 21-year-old detainee I met, who stepped foot in this country at age nine, only to be deported without so much as a hearing. Justice escapes the contours of this nation’s immigration facilities.”
Trump’s Sister Declared The Immigration Law He Used Unconstitutional (DonkeyHotey)
From Forbes: “In a historical twist, Donald Trump’s sister was the federal judge who ruled unconstitutional the immigration law the Trump administration is using to deport a pro-Palestinian protester. In 1996, US District Judge Maryanne Trump Barry wrote an opinion that declared unconstitutional the part of US immigration law that Donald Trump has promised to continue employing to deport protesters. The current case has captured headlines and will test the Trump administration’s immigration authority.”
Last Surviving Pilot of WWII Battle of Britain Has Died Aged 105 (Al)
The author writes, “Group Captain John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway was born in Dublin in 1919. He enlisted in the British Royal Airforce in 1938 and went on to become one of the young pilots who fought in World War II’s Battle of France. The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense announced on St. Patrick’s Day that Group Captain Hemingway passed away peacefully, aged 105. … Upon hearing of Hemingway’s passing, Prince William said ‘I was sad to hear about the passing of John “Paddy” Hemingway this morning, the last of “The Few.” We owe so much to Paddy and his generation for our freedoms today. Their bravery and sacrifice will always be remembered. We shall never forget them.’”
Republican Who Introduced Trump Derangement Syndrome Bill Arrested for Soliciting a Minor (Sean)
The author writes, “A Republican state lawmaker in Minnesota who recently introduced a bill to create a mental illness category for liberals obsessed over Donald Trump was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly soliciting a minor for prostitution. Minnesota senator Justin Eichorn was arrested and booked on Tuesday. He believed he was talking to a 17-year-old female, but was communicating instead with detectives from the Bloomington, Minnesota, police department, police allege. Eichorn, a 40-year-old whose biography on the Minnesota Senate website says he is married with four kids, faces felony charges for soliciting a minor to practice prostitution.”
‘Segregated Facilities’ Are No Longer Explicitly Banned in Federal Contracts (Reader Jim)
From NPR: “After a recent change by the Trump administration, the federal government no longer explicitly prohibits contractors from having segregated restaurants, waiting rooms, and drinking fountains. The segregation clause is one of several identified in a public memo issued by the General Services Administration last month, affecting all civil federal agencies. The memo explains that it is making changes prompted by President Trump’s executive order on diversity, equity, and inclusion, which repealed an executive order signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 regarding federal contractors and nondiscrimination.”
What If Ancient Statues Smelled Wonderful? The Surprising Secrets of Greco-Roman Sculptures (Dana)
From Arkeonews: “A new study published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology has shed light on an often-overlooked aspect of ancient Greek and Roman art: the use of perfumes and aromatic substances in the adornment of sculptures. Led by archaeologist Cecilie Brøns, this research challenges the long-held belief that these iconic statues were merely visual objects, revealing a rich tapestry of sensory experiences that ancient audiences engaged with. For centuries, scholars have recognized that the pristine white marble statues we see in museums today were originally painted in vibrant colors and adorned with textiles and jewelry. However, Brøns’ study takes this understanding a step further by highlighting the significance of scent in the ancient world.”
