Rainy Days 2016: Gear for Unpredictable Weather

Stay dry through April Showers and beyond with these waterproof products

Whether it’s dropping your phone into a puddle or getting stuck in the rain mid-ride, bad weather woes are universal (albeit trivial). The right gear, however, can change all that. True rain protection extends beyond a jacket or umbrella, and most certainly means keeping all devices safe. If you live in a rainy part of the world, are presently enduring seasonal transitions or just happen …

ListenUp

Aziz Ansari and Eric Wareheim dance to Kanye West, new Skepta, Korean folk-metal and more in this week's look at music

Skepta: Man Skepta’s world domination is imminent: 6 May sees the release of his LP Konnichiwa, which many have been eagerly awaiting since the London-based MC and producer dropped the single “That’s Not Me” (featuring his brother JME) back in 2014, and the riotous “Shutdown” the following year. Helming the resurgence of UK grime, the 33-year-old (born Joseph Junior Adenuga) doesn’t look like he’ll be …

Link About It: This Week’s Picks

Inventing transparent wood, saving a language, how emoji is changing the way we communicate and more in this week's look at the web

1. How Empowerment Became a Purchasable Product Originally used by social workers to encourage marginalized communities to rise up from poverty and oppression, the term “empowerment” has taken on completely different definitions in recent years. It’s been transformed into a mass-marketing tactic—especially when pertaining to women—flaunted by corporations (like the #StrengthHasNoGender campaign from Brawny paper towels, a company owned by Koch Brothers who have spent …