[BLOG] Some Wednesday links

• blogTO notes that Toronto has been ranked as the most liveable city in the world by the Economist.
• The Broadside Blog’s Caitlin Kelly talks about the allure of learning something difficult.
• Centauri Dreams describes circumbinary planet Kepler-453b.
• The Dragon’s Gaze links to an attempt to date the Gliese 504 system, reports on a new definition for planets, and suggests that the abundances of biologically necessary material on planetary surfaces and atmospheres is quite variable.
• The Dragon’s Tales notes the latest on the war in the Donbas.
• The Frailest Thing’s Michael Sacasas is trying to crowdfund the last four courses he needs for his doctoral degree.
• Joe. My. God. notes that it has moved to www.joemygod.com.
• Language Hat considers the third wave of Russian emigration to the United States.
• Language Log displays a decorative Japanese dialogue written in romaji, Roman script.
• Lawyers, Guns and Money notes who Tea Partiers think should benefit from bankruptcy.
• Marginal Revolution notes Singapore spends little on education as a proportion of its GDP, a consequence of its very low birth rate.
• The Power and the Money’s Noel Maurer notes that Uber does work better than traditional taxis in the outer boroughs of New York City.
• Strange Maps considers fire maps of old.
• Torontoist looks at the story of Toronto’s first parks commissioner, John Chambers.
• Towleroad quotes George Takei’s explanation why Star Trek did not feature gay characters and looks at a Swiss Catholic bishop facing jail time for inciting anti-gay violence.
• The Volokh Conspiracy considers if the lessons of ancient Greek democracy are relevant for us post-moderns.
• Window on Eurasia notes divisions on the Russian left over Crimea, suggests China is benefitting from Russia’s new dependence, notes that the United States did not recognize the Donbas in the Cold War, and quotes a Ukrainian writer who suggests that the Serb republics in the former Yugoslavia show the likely future of the Donbas states.