The week of August 30 was: The Great Seat Recline Debate; discovering where Frank Sinatra found god; and loving this kid and his grandma. Don’t smoke with Miley Cyrus! Happy long weekend, all. We’re going to try and sleep off our sleep drunkenness. 

Mash-Ups in the News:

I Refuse to Say ‘Christ’ at the Dinner Table

What’s a Jewish girl to do when her Catholic in-laws say Grace before dinner? Co-founder Rebecca doles out advice in this week’s Forward about keeping an open heart and making new rituals based in traditions.

via Jewish Daily Forward

Craving Parsi Food? We Weren’t Either, Until We Read This

Mash-Up India! Some stories and recipes about the influence of Persians in Mumbai.

via Saveur

Hello Kitty is Not a Cat

It has been revealed that she is a permanent third grader from outside of London. Our response: Nope. She’s a cat in a dress.

 via LA Times

Three Quarters of Whites Don’t Have Any Non-White Friends

Co-founder Amy just now learned that she is so many people’s Token Asian Friend. We still have work to do Mash-Ups! Get cracking.

 via Washington Post

Zara Offers Striped Star of David Shirt

Zara is selling a striped shirt with a yellow fabric Jewish star on it. Um, how did not one person at Zara say, “Hey, that reminds me of the Holocaust.”

via Times of Israel

Body Beautiful: South Korean Female Bodybuilders

A story about Korean women that’s NOT about plastic surgery!

via BBC   h/t Full Disclosure 

Panda May Have Faked Pregnancy for Snacks

We are not mad at this panda who realized that she would get treats if she pretended to have all the symptoms of pregnancy.

via Sky

Arranging Your Own Marriage In America

Long Read: A Russian woman who made matches for Russian girls came to America in search of her own match…a Persian doctor in California.

 via LA Times

Second Languages Around the World

We love a good language map. Maybe we should learn Tatar?

via MoveHub