The Oracle Declares Jeb Bush Done
Nate Silver, the statistician who famously predicted with startling accuracy the results of the 2012 presidential election, has declared that Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush is "toast." He came to this conclusion after watching Wednesday's Republican Presidential Debate on CNBC and backed his augment up with a look at why running a conventional campaign may be hurting the other Bush brother. [Five Thirty Eight]
Hurricane Sandy: Three Years Later
On the third anniversary of Hurricane Sandy’s devastation, WNYC spoke to people in the area whose lives are still being affected by the damage. Some are still in rentals, others complained that their homeowner’s insurance has tripled even though they filed no claim, others have gotten little to no help from their insurance companies. People also chimed in on social media — one Twitter user told WNYC that he is “still reeling from unexpected debts and bad financial decisions made under stress.” [WNYC]
All-Male Panel Says Women’s Leggings Aren’t Pants And We’re Supposed To Care
A group of men on Fox News thought it would be appropriate to stare at three women and comment on whether they should “parade” around in leggings. But since they’re an “esteemed panel of fathers,” it’s obviously O.K. [Mashable]
Neuroscientists Attempt to Explain Why People Are Sexist
And in more misogyny news... A new Japanese study claims to have found the brain-scan imprint of sexist views.
The researchers tested more than 680 people to see whether the brains of those who hold sexist attitudes are anatomically different from people who believe in gender equality.
Participants were asked to complete a survey presenting them with a set of statements about gender roles, such as: “Domestic chores should be shared between husband and wife” or “Bringing up children is the most important job for a woman.”
Those whose answers indicated that they support gender equality had different levels of gray-matter density in two brain areas than people who endorsed gender inequality, according to the study. [NY Magazine]
City, Sushi Mavens Square Off On Glove Rule
The city is getting sassy in its battle to get sushi chefs to wear gloves when they’re rolling. In a statement to Eater, the Department of Health argued that “If neurosurgeons can operate with gloves, sushi chefs can use gloves to roll teka maki.”
Burn.
Meanwhile, sushi maestros and celebrity chefs like Anthony Bourdain are firing back, arguing that the glove rule is an unnecessary impingement on the folks rolling up your raw fish. [Eater]
Monica Lewinsky on What It’s Like to Become a Halloween Costume (Spoiler: Pretty Awful)
Following news reports that some Halloween costume stores were refusing to sell Caitlyn Jenner costumes despite consumer requests, Monica Lewinsky has a short, compelling piece in Vanity Fair — the same magazine where Jenner made her first public appearance — about her uncomfortable experience seeing her own image used as a Halloween costume. “Cringe Factor: 10,” she writes. Fun fact: Lewinsky says she went as Schrodinger’s cat one year. [Vanity Fair]
The Tragic, Forgotten History of Zombies
Zombie stories hold a special, and seemingly more ubiquitous place in American pop-culture these days. But the origins of the scores of undead tales have a more complicated history than just our fascination with the ghoulish, and our own mortality. The Atlantic links the history of zombie tropes to the voodoo religoin of Haitian slaves — a belief that even if they killed themselves to find freedom, they’d be stuck. “Instead, they’d be condemned to skulk the Hispaniola plantations for eternity, an undead slave at once denied their own bodies and yet trapped inside them—a soulless zombie.“ [The Atlantic]
There’s Hope for Threatened Bees
Researchers and honeybee breeders have teamed up to breed bees that can amputate the legs of parasitic mites that have been decimating bee populations. This new “single, super bee” bites off the legs of mites, which kills them within 24 hours. These mite-biter bees have better survival rates and produce more honey, the researchers found. Go science! [Pacific Standard]
A Bracket to Pick the Best High School Show of the Past 30 Years
The writers at Vulture have put together a bracket of 16 teen shows to determine which drama about the dramatic antics of hormonal teenagers has been the best since the mid-1980s. So far, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” has already beaten out “Dawson’s Creek,” “Friday Night Lights” has laid waste to “Glee” and “Beverly Hills, 90210” has edged out “The O.C.” in the first round. The contest will end on Nov. 13 with a faceoff between the top two shows that will hopefully result in “Freaks and Geeks” taking home top honors.* [Vulture]
*Editor's Note: Clearly the reporter who wrote this is mistaken and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" should come out victorious.
A Desert Becomes a Psychedelic Wonderland
One of the world’s driest places has recently become one of the most colorful. Massive rains earlier this year — which caused mudslides and floods that have resulted in nearly 30 deaths and homelessness — have turned Chile’s Atacama Desert into bright pink, flower-filled fields which are expected to draw 20,000 tourists. [NY Post]
This column was compiled by DNAinfo staff members Lisha Arino, Julia Bottles, Emily Frost, Noah Hurowitz, Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska, Irene Plagianos, Eddie Small, Danielle Tcholakian, Shaye Weaver and Nikhita Venugopal.
