Women have been playing baseball in the U.S. for 150 years, with the first professional team, the Dolly Vardens, being formed in 1867. @TheConversationUS takes a look at how girls were gradually funnelled towards softball — seen as more suitable for the “weaker” female body — and why a new era in women’s baseball may be about to begin.

https://theconversation.com/women-are-reclaiming-their-place-in-baseball-252590

#Sport #Sports #Baseball #Women #WomensHistory #WomensHistoryMonth #Newstodon #NewstodonFriday #FollowFriday

Are we humans allocating our collective “genius” effectively, @Daojoan wonders? “Because when I look around at our vaunted technological progress, I can't help but notice that we're drowning in slightly better stuff while the rudiments of human flourishing remain stagnant or deteriorate and decay. There's progress here, but it's not science fiction. It's barely even science,” she writes in this essay that also covers how and why we’re trapped in a cycle of over-consumption.

https://www.joanwestenberg.com/the-future-is-more-stuff/

#Technology #Tech #Innovation #JoanWestenberg Consumption #Newstodon #NewstodonFriday #FollowFriday

What is the most inclusive film festival in the world? @thecontinent says it’s the Berlinale, which this year supported multiple African movies and auteurs. The Golden Bear — the festival’s grand prize — was won by Senegalese-French Mati Diop for her art reparations documentary, “Dahomey.” She is the first Black person to win that award.
https://continent.substack.com/p/the-berlinale-is-getting-it-right

#Cinema #Film #Movies #Africa #Senegal #Berlinale #Newstodon #NewstodonFriday #FollowFriday

And finally, new data from Nameberry says people in red states are giving their kids the classic Jewish name Cohen (sometimes with the spelling Kohen). Our @CultureDesk featured this Forward story by Benyamin Cohen and Mira Fox, who are trying to figure out why. Theories include that people are naming their children after the directing duo the Coen brothers, or that it’s a co-opting by Christians of Jewish traditions. Says Benyamin: “I think it’s clever to give pets human names. We have chickens and each one is named after an NPR broadcaster. We have Terry Gross, Yuki Noguchi, Nina Totenberg and so on. We’re actually on our third Melissa Block. The first two, alas, are in chicken heaven now.” Mira replies: “And they all, of course, have your last name.” Benyamin: “Yes, yes. We call them the Co-Hens. I wonder what Nameberry would think of that.”

https://forward.com/culture/707893/kohen-mira-baby-name-popularity/

#Culture #Lifestyle #Names #Judaism #Lifestyle #Parenting #RedStates #Christianity #Newstodon #NewstodonFriday #FollowFriday