Just like it says, 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 necessarily 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!
Trickle-Down Economics… Science shows that’s not rain on your neck.
For about 50 years Republicans have been pushing ‘trickle-down’ economics with a straight face, but science comes to the rescue again as new research confirms the drizzle on your neck is not rain. “The Economic Consequences of Major Tax Cuts for the Rich” uses data from the last 50 years in the advanced economies to show that “…major tax cuts for the rich increase the top 1% share of pre-tax national income in the years following the reform. “..on average, each major reform leads to a rise in top 1% share of pre-tax national income of 0.8 percentage points. The results also show that economic performance, as measured by real GDP per capita and the unemployment rate, is not significantly affected by major tax cuts for the rich. The estimated effects for these variables are statistically indistinguishable from zero.”
It’s not too late to get YOUR $1 Italian house
from CNN Travel– “Castropignano — a village topped by a ruined medieval castle, 140 miles southeast of Rome — is the latest community to offer up its abandoned buildings to newcomers. It follows in the steps of Salemi in Sicily and Santo Stefano di Sessanio in Abruzzo, both of which have launched initiatives to encourage newcomers in the last month. However, unlike most of the schemes, which auction off dilapidated buildings from €1, or $1.20, Castropignano is doing things differently. There are roughly 100 abandoned buildings here, but rather than sell to the highest bidder, mayor Nicola Scapillati wants to match interested parties with the right house for them…”
The quick way to defrost your windshield
from LifeHacker.com– One of the more annoying parts of colder weather is all the extra work it means for those who drive. Between putting snow tires on, scraping snow and ice off, and waiting for your vehicle to warm up, everything takes a little bit longer. And even though not as many people are making their daily commute to work, that doesn’t mean everyone will escape the dreaded feeling of going to start the car and realizing their windshield is all fogged up. But if you find yourself in this position, it’s not as bad as it seems: a former NASA engineer has shared his science-based defogging technique, designed to get the job done faster. Here’s what to know..
Metro officials propose to bury toxic waste in a potential park as ‘cleanup’
from Willamette Week, 12/8/20– “The soil of Willamette Cove is soaked in dioxins, PCBs, heavy metals, and other toxic chemicals… In 1996, Metro bought the 27-acre parcel, home to a Port of Portland dry dock where ships were repaired. After 40 years lying fallow, the site is finally poised for cleanup… the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality in March recommended… leaving 23,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil buried onsite… That option would cost $8.8 million and keep much of the property, including the beach, fenced off from the public forever.” Good News Update? “Metro Will Now Consider Full Cleanup of Contamination at Willamette Cove”, Willamette Week, 12/10/20
