Wildlife

African Wild Dog Pups / Taronga Western Plains Zoo

Taronga Western Plains Zoo recently announced the arrival of eleven African Wild Dog pups. The pups were born 25 August 2016, and they are the second litter for breeding pair Kimanda (female) and Guban (male), who produced their first litter in late 2014 — via ZooBorns

Design

Tanera Mòr / Scotland

Let’s be real: The whole point of having a few million dollars to spare is to wield them at critical times like this, when a dreamy Scottish island covering 307.6 hectares goes on sale for a reasonable £1.95 million. Besides an incredible cost-per-square-foot figure, you get a bunch of restored stone houses ready for permanent or holiday stays, broadband internet, self-sustaining electricity and freshwater treatment systems, and, of course, breathtaking Summer Isles views — via Curbed

Politics

Wayne Swan: we know how to stop Trumpism

You want to stop people from turning to divisive figures who peddle hatred? Ensure they have a decent standard of living, writes former treasurer Wayne Swan.

Far from history being over, it seems like the battle of ideas has only just begun. The election of Donald Trump, the UK’s exit from the European Union and the rise of nationalist parties such as the National Front in France, the AFD in Germany and of course, One Nation and their fellow-travellers in the Liberal and National parties in Australia have completely shattered the notion that support for trickle-down economics, particularly labour market deregulation and discriminatory trade agreements, is settled in Western democracy. Indeed, recent events suggest that a majority of voters have been stewing in ominous silence for the past two decades as their countries were transformed without their consent.

But while Brexit and Trump provide a stinging rebuke to major parties that cling to the trickle-down agenda in the US and the UK, the Australian experience has, so far at least, been more inclusive. While Australia can learn a number of lessons from what is happening overseas, our closest allies can learn some important lessons from us as well.

The first lesson is that rising inequality is the major threat to economic growth in developed countries. Unless economic policy is aimed at securing inclusive growth that delivers benefits to those outside the 1% it is now clear that a majority of voters will block that reform. The thing that now scares the working class the most is a bigger dose of free-market capitalism.

The second lesson for all politicians is that voters no longer fear the wrath of the markets if they refuse to swallow the bitter pill of trickle-down tax and trade policies. The idea that the cure for unemployment, poverty and regional decline is another dose of trade agreements and tax cuts is dead. Working-class voters now fear the medicine of neoliberal reform more than they fear the problem of slow growth — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Entertainment

Obituary: Leonard Cohen

Canadian singer, songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen has died aged 82.

The news was announced on his official Facebook page, but no details about the cause of death were given.

It is with profound sorrow we report that legendary poet, songwriter and artist, Leonard Cohen has passed away, the statement said.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau led tributes to the singer, who was known for hits including Hallelujah and Dance Me to the End of Love.

It is with deep sorrow that I learned today of the death of the legendary Leonard Cohen, Mr Trudeau said in a statement.

He will be fondly remembered for his gruff vocals, his self-deprecating humour and the haunting lyrics that made his songs the perennial favourite of so many generations — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Craft

Idiosyncratic Interior Design / Avon, Connecticut

Had Buffalo Bill escaped Clarice Starling and moved into a quaint suburban Connecticut home, his interior decor might have looked a little something like this. At 24 Brentwood Drive, an absolutely amazing colour palette in shades of dried blood, glistening internal organs and Exorcist vomit green adorns every available surface in the form of hand-painted designs. And the best part is — all of this could be yours for just $339,900. Believe it or not, this is an actual real estate listing on Zillow, described by listing agent Ernie Rossi as a unique one of a kind finishing completed by a professional. The agents provide a full 51-photo tour on the site, showing off room after room filled with decoupaged stair rails, musty-looking floral curtains, decorative stamped paint in rust red and squiggly designs in shiny copper — via Urbanist

Art

Isatis Tinctoria / Javier de Riba

Monte Palace was a 5 star hotel in Sete Cidades (São Miguel, Azores Islands) that open only for one year. It was a foreign investment that didn’t succeed and was unable to pay the suppliers. Soon after the closing became empty and now there’s only the skeleton left. These days it is a monument in the island against especulation and disproportion. From Javier de Riba on Vimeo

Design

Safe Cabinet / Scott Jarvie + DELUPO

Designer Scott Jarvie together with DELUPO, recently exhibited the Safe Cabinet during 2016 London Design Festival. The cabinet took hundreds of assembly hours and was created using 28 CNC cut aluminium moving parts, 164 hand cut wood joints, and 247 stainless steel mechanical fastening elements — via CONTEMPORIST