We may be laughing at what the Romans laughed at. Some Roman comedic techniques have survived to present day, one example being the “game” structure — the repeated disruption of mundane situations by weird happenings for comedic effect. Both Plautus’ “Rudens” and Key and Peele’s “Substitute Teacher” sketch use this device; the former makes a character say “licet” (“okay”) repeatedly to annoy another, while the latter makes the titular character mispronounce his students’ names while getting increasingly angry when they correct him. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
