Odds and Ends

A university lab in Piacenza, Italy, equipped with aspirators to remove extra odors from the air, is often used by professional tasters to evaluate the origins and quality of olive oils, coffee blends, grappa, and chocolates. [NYT 8/21/21]


73% of college students say their school should implement a vaccine mandate for those on campus. 52% of these students say their schools are doing so.

And 86% of college students say they’re fully vaccinated while 6% say they definitely won’t get the shots. [Generation Lab/Axios poll]


An 80-pound cougar has been removed from a New York City apartment where she was being kept illegally as a pet. The owner of the 11-month-old female cougar surrendered the animal on August 26th. [Wide World of News 8/31/21]


The Obama administration prosecuted more government officials for leaking secrets to the press than all previous administrations combined, bringing Espionage Act charges against eight people in eight years and referring 316 cases for investigation. [NYT 9/5/21]


In 2020, New York City police recovered about 150 ghost guns – weapons that can be built from kits available for purchase online from gun manufacturers – as compared to 48 guns the year before. [NYT 9/11/21]