The Fabulousness of This Link Post Defies Titling

Or maybe it's that I suck at naming posts. I'm not lying about the fabulousness, though. There are at least two links in this collection that caused me to stare open-mouthed at my screen for several minutes.

I'm going to keep this list short, because you can easily spend an hour or more on the first link, and the second link gives you a lot to scroll through. The third link is awesome slash important, the fourth is heartwarming, and I think all together that's more than enough material for one Friday.

First: forty maps that explain the world. There's a map showing which countries are most and least welcoming to foreigners, one breaking down the world's writing systems, one showing where people smoke the most cigarettes every year, one rating the best and worst countries for being a mother, and one showing the earth as seen from space over a twelve-month time lapse. It is fascinating and way more than you can really take in in one sitting (each map has links to analysis of the data), but so worth the time you'll spend. 

Second: ballet dancers in random situations. This is just beautiful, at times funny, and so impressive. I tried to pick a favorite but couldn't, so then I tried for a top five and ended up with fourteen. We'll just go with one of my favorites, and you'll have to look for yourselves to see the rest.

Third: Hollaback! is a movement to end street harassment. You can document incidents, share your own stories (click that link to see why sharing stories is good), and learn how to safely intervene when you see someone being harassed (this can be as simple as a knowing look to the person being harassed, who will instantly feel less isolated). If you've ever needed somewhere to vent about being catcalled or are just looking for a cause that's easy to support, go check it out.

And, finally, your warm fuzzies for the day: this story of a ring, traded by an American POW in World War II for some food, that finally made its way back to the soldier's family seventy years later.

Happy weekend!