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A new course at American University in Washington DC aims to put a new spin on the impact of Taylor Swift. A contest to create a new student-designed course resulted in a one-credit class called "Swiftonomics." The class will examine Swift's career through concepts such as supply and demand, market power and gender-based economics. It will be offered this fall and the course has already generated enough interest to raise interest in offering it again in future semesters.
https://www.american.edu/cas/news/swiftonomics.cfm
If the rhythm isn't gonna get you, perhaps a nuclear-powered attack submarine will. The US Navy announcing that Gloria Estefan will sponsor the sub called the USS Miami. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro made the announcement at the official kickoff concert for Fleet Week Miami. He says Estefan's sponsorship will represent a lifelong relationship with the ship and crew.
An orangutan in Indonesia has been spotted by scientists treating his own wound. The ape, named Rakus, had been bitten by another male and had an open lesion on his face. Researchers saw him approach a plant called Akar Kuning, known to locals as a pain reliever. They saw him pull off a leaf, chew it, spit it into his hand and rub it over the gash over several days. Eight days later, Rakus was good as new. One observer told the science journal Nature that this is the first study that demonstrates an animal using a plant to heal itself.
A new book by the daughter of Mamas & Papas singer Cass Elliot is debunking the myth surrounding her mother's death. Owen Elliot-Kugell was seven years old when Mama Cass died of a heart attack in a London flat in 1974 after what the book describes as "36 hours" of partying and performing. An uneaten ham sandwich was found on Mama Cass's nightstand and, according to the book, her manager came up with the story that she had choked on the sandwich so the public wouldn't think her death was drug-related. Unfortunately, the made-up story led to many cruel jokes, including one in the first "Austin Powers" movie. The book "My Mama, Cass" is out this week.
Pop superstar Taylor Swift's infamous feud with music mogul Scooter Braun is getting its very own docuseries. Discovery-Plus announcing that its series "versus" will take a deep dive into the battle. Titled "Taylor Swift vs Scooter Braun: Bad Blood," the two hour-long episodes will delve into Braun's acquisition of the rights to Swift's first six albums in 2019 to Swift re-recording those albums with her projects called "Taylor's Version".
Women's basketball superstar Caitlin Clark continues to move the needle. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney Plus will make its debut in live sports by airing Clark's WNBA regular season debut. The Indiana Fever will open the season next Tuesday night when they visit the Connecticut Sun. The Fever selected Clark with the top pick in April's draft after a stellar college career with the Iowa Hawkeyes.