When the narrator says "less than 10 people are entrusted to carve the knights for world championship sets", one's mind may wander to the fact that chess authorities are among the most blatantly corrupt sporting bodies on Earth, so perhaps something hinky is at hand. But if anything the artisans are underpaid. The incredible refinement and detail of the championship sets (and how they differ from standard "tournament" sets, especially in their indifference to what's practical to accomplish on a lathe) seems worth more than $500 to me.
Short documentary about why championship chess sets are so expensive
India court moves to ban "cures" for sexual orientation
According to India's Bar and Bench, the Madras High Court has suggested a slew of comprehensive measures to remove prejudices against the LGBTQ+ community. Among these measures are suggestions for changes in school and university curriculum to include information on the LGBTQ+ community; outreach programs and seminars on the legal rights of LGBTQ+ people for… READ THE REST
Trans woman adopts 8 orphaned children after being abandoned herself at age five
Manisha, a trans woman in Pakhanjur, Chhattisgarh, India, has adopted eight children – seven girls, one boy. Despite struggling to make ends meet, Manisha is determined to provide them with the loving home she herself didn't have as a child. From Pink News: "I can understand the pain of not being loved and cared for.… READ THE REST
Intro to Gaganyaan ("Sky Craft"), India's first crewed mission to space
This seven minute video on the Astrum YT channel is a decent introduction to the Gaganyaan mission, the ISRO's (Indian Space Research Organisation) planned crewed mission to space. Two un-crewed flights are planned for 2021 and '22 with the first crewed flight sometime in 2022. Image: Screengrab READ THE REST
Need to learn CompTIA, AWS, Cisco, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud? This training can help.
When you're training in the fine arts of IT disciplines, there are many different masters to serve. You could load up on CompTIA certifications. As the world leader in IT preparedness testing, an armload of their credentials is impressive on any resume. However, many of tech's glitterati have their own premium proprietary testing standards to… READ THE REST
Plug in these smart home outlets to make any connected device web-enabled for just $17
With the proliferation of smart objects, most of us assumed it wouldn't be long before virtually every electrical device has a new, upgraded smart 2.0 version that's web-compatible, voice-controllable, and ready to enjoy as a cohesive part of your 2021 smart home of the future. And yeah, that's where we still seem to be heading.… READ THE REST
Here's a lightsaber that looks, sounds, and fights almost like the real thing for under $125
If you've ever wanted a lightsaber like a real Jedi, then you've pretty much had two choices. You could buy one of those cheap-o plastic Hasbro toys from Target. Or you could lay out serious green for one of those ultra-precious replicas that cost as much as a house payment. Well, there are three choices.… READ THE REST
