Leap Day proposals, Swiss side with immigrants, Sanders’ lasting legacy
Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Irish women get down on one knee. Feb. 29 is leap day–which means that, in keeping with an Irish tradition dating back to the fifth century, some women will be proposing marriage to their boyfriends. Any man who declines is supposed to give the disappointed lover a pair of gloves to disguise her bare hand sans engagement ring.
Labs welcome pint-sized scientists. Today marks the start of “Take Your Child to Lab Week,” a new US initiative aimed at helping to kindle young people’s interest in science, engineering, technology and math. More than 50 labs in 20 states are expected to welcome some 5,000 curious kids over the course of the week.
Mexico’s national energy company reckons with low oil prices. Oil titan Pemex will discuss plans to cut $5 billion from its 2016 budget as well as fourth-quarter results.
Leonardo DiCaprio should practice his Oscars speech. According to professional odds makers in Las Vegas, DiCaprio, who delivered a gruesome performance in the film “The Revenant,” is a sure bet to win best actor in Sunday’s Academy Awards.
Over the weekend
Hillary Clinton won big in South Carolina. The Democratic presidential candidate scored 73.5% of the vote in the Feb. 27 primary, thanks in large part to the support of black voters. Analysts say this bodes well for Clinton heading into Super Tuesday.
Swiss voters sided with foreign immigrants. The Swiss turned out in large numbers on Feb. 28 to reject a plan to deport foreigners convicted of crimes. The proposal by the Swiss People’s Party, Switzerland’s largest political party, had been widely criticized as xenophobic. Fifty-nine percent voted against the plan in the referendum.
ISIL bombs Baghdad. The Islamic State launched several attacks in the suburbs of Iraq’s capital on Sunday. A twin suicide bombing in Sadr City, a Shi’ite district, was the deadliest of the assaults, claiming the lives of 70 people and wounding 100 others.
Republicans are scared of Donald Trump. The party establishment very much wants the GOP presidential nominee to be someone (anyone?) else. But a lack of coordination among the party’s leadership has made Trump’s nomination increasingly likely–so much so that his rivals are gearing up for a convention battle.
Quartz obsession interlude
Anne Quito on the benefits of being German. “Germans have the most powerful passports in the world, offering visa-free access to 177 countries and territories out of a total of 218, according to the 2016 Visa Restrictions Index compiled by the London-based citizenship and immigration firm Henley & Partners. Germans have held this distinction since 2014. Swedes were close behind, with visa-free access to 176 countries.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
For many women, female friendships provide more support than matrimony. The intellectual stimulation, encouragement and companionship that women share with one another can be hard to find in romantic relationships.
The black church helps African-American men thrive. Those with faith are far more likely to have jobs, avoid jail, and get married.
If Bernie Sanders loses, he’ll still have left a lasting legacy. His popularity, even among Clinton supporters, suggests that Sanders’ revolution could be a long, slow burn.
Surprising discoveries
Perfume advertisements speak to your subconscious. Beautiful women with heavy eyelids signal sexual satisfaction.
Facebook’s new emoji reactions ignore syntax. The reaction words (Love, Sad, Angry, Wow, and Haha) belong in completely different linguistic categories.
Barter economies never existed. There’s no historical description of such a system—though there is evidence of gift economies.
The brain’s GPS system can work by memory alone. So if teleportation ever becomes a reality, we won’t get lost on the journey.
Stay away from that hoverboard. An independent lab in the US is evaluating hoverboards’ safety, but so far none have passed.
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