Popcorn Shorts is about the kind of things we think are really interesting but don’t really need a large article to explain them. From the sublime to the ridiculous, check in here for crunchy bits of info you’ll love to munch. By the way, much (but not all) of our delicious Popcorn comes from articles we’ve posted on our Facebook page. If you’re on Facebook, please stop by and “Like” us and we’ll keep a fairly-constant-but-not-frequent-enough-to-be-annoying stream of these coming to your virtual door!
What’s the difference between a Socialist and a Democratic Socialist?
There’s new winds blowing through Washington and across the country. Bernie broke the ban on “Socialism” in 2016, and now the Dems are running on his policies and the Reps have to at least explain why they want metastatic capitalism instead of just assuming the rubes will take it for granted. But the smear is on… Trump’s State of the Union dwelt on the unnamed evils of Socialsm by conflating it with Communism and Totalitarianism. It’s unlikely that the next year’s conversation on Socialsm will be carried out with balance and good will, but that doesn’t mean you have to be ill-informed. Here’s just one article to start you out on the REAL issues… the rest is up to you.
Time’s up for the insects
Another day, another dismal prediction about the looming environmental apocalypse. There’s so many stories like that, all of vital importance, but easy to get lost in the storm. But insects… “Insects are dying so rapidly, they could disappear within 100 years, according to the first global scientific review on their decline. A third of species are endangered and more than 40 percent face the threat of extinction in the next few decades.” “It is very rapid. In 10 years you will have a quarter less, in 50 years only half left and in 100 years you will have none.” “If insect species losses cannot be halted, this will have catastrophic consequences for both the planet’s ecosystems and for the survival of mankind.”
SNOW DAY at the Oregon Zoo
Weather reports called for a Portland Snowpocalypse with a foot of snow, layers of ice, and a shutdown of the city, but tt was pretty much a bust with only a couple spotty inches in Portland proper. The Oregon Zoo closed, but the animals couldn’t just stay home… they had to get out and play! We promise, no one will be able to view this video without one “Awww…”, no matter how involuntary.
Life… over the edge
Our Facebook feed has recently included several videos of amazing feats of parkour, bicycling, and outdoor adventure. These aren’t our usual content, but they’ve been some of the most popular vids we’ve shared and thought to group them here for you. Check out…
- Stunning staircase parkour
- Jaw-dropping building-to-building parkour
- Mountain biking on a 8” mountain ridge path
- Surfing a 100’ wave in Portugal
