Friday, December 29, 2023

Reading archive 2023-12-21

Aaron Rodgers Dangled Hope for a Historic Comeback. All the Jets Got in Return Was Failure.: Rodgers seemed to convince the Jets he could return from Achilles surgery faster than any player in NFL history. Believing him cost the Jets their season. - "To be clear, nothing about this is surprising. Since it will not happen this season, Rodgers will most likely return to football activities with no restrictions at offseason practices in April, which puts him almost exactly in line with the recovery timeline the medical community he so resents considers typical for athletes returning from Achilles surgery. The update here is that the 40-year-old quarterback is not a medical marvel, and the 1 little extra percent of inspiration, it turns out, was less relevant to Rodgers’s return than the rates at which fibroblasts release collagen proteins and at which those proteins organize themselves into the tightly packed bundles that make up a strong tendon. What a shock."

Is climate-friendly flying possible? Biden administration places a big wager.: Billions of dollars in new tax credits aim to cut jet emissions -- but experts worry the benefits are exaggerated

Wild ‘super pigs’ from Canada could become a new front in the war on feral hogs - "The wild pigs in Canada are unique because they were originally crossbred by humans to be larger and more cold-hardy than their feral cousins to the south. This suite of traits has earned them the name “super pigs” for good reason. Adults can reach weights exceeding 500 pounds, which is twice the size of the largest wild pigs sampled across many U.S. sites in a 2022 study."

Reading archvie 2023-12-29

Learning to sleep like a bear could save your life: Blood clots, bed sores, bone loss — there is a whole host of ailments bears and other hibernating animals appear to avoid. So doctors and veterinarians are probing their deep-sleep ability.

A terminally ill fan hoped to meet Dolly Parton. She surprised him with a call.


Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Reading archive 2023-12-20

Opinion  The dressing-room encounter that made me get real about aging - "We know by a certain age the great palace lies of the culture — if you buy or do or achieve this or that, you will be happy and rich.

...

"We are so physically vulnerable in older age. We have caught each other a lot, have come through some periods of darkness and unsurvivable losses, but friendship makes it all a rowing machine for the soul. We can take it, as long as we feel and give love, and laugh gently at ourselves as we fall apart."

A baroness’s lies bring Britain’s covid spending scandal to a boil

GOP voter-fraud crackdown overwhelmingly targets minorities, Democrats: Black and Hispanic people made up more than 75 percent of defendants and Democrats nearly 60 percent in a controversial push by Republicans to prosecute election cheating, according to a first-of-its-kind analysis by The Washington Post - "But the election integrity units established or expanded in six states after Trump’s loss obtained only 47 convictions during a period in which tens of millions of votes were cast, and the units overwhelmingly targeted minorities and Democrats for prosecution, according to a first-of-its-kind analysis by The Washington Post of nearly every prosecution.

...

"Of the 115 cases that have been resolved as of mid-December, 42 ended in dismissal, acquittal or dropped charges — nearly the same as the number of guilty verdicts. 

"All of the convictions occurred in Florida, Texas and Ohio, while units in Virginia, Georgia and Arkansas failed to obtain a single guilty verdict, despite allocating dozens of staffers and millions of dollars to ferret out voter fraud.

...

"One was Nathan Hart. Hart, a White man and convicted sex offender from Tampa, said he was at the DMV in March 2020, when a worker hired by the local county asked him if he wanted to register to vote. He explained he had a felony conviction, Hart said, but the worker encouraged him to apply, saying that the state would let him know if he didn’t qualify."

WRITTEN IN THE WOOD

ANCIENT WARNING OF A RISING SEA - "A recent report from the International Monetary Fund found that coping with global warming will cost the Seychelles about 30 percent of its gross domestic product. The country is wealthier per capita than any other African nation, thanks largely to an economy fueled by carbon-intensive international travel. But its small size still leaves it short on the resources and expertise needed to protect against rising sea levels, surging ocean temperatures, intensifying rainfall and escalating heat. 

"'We are suffering, but we are not the ones damaging,” Ernesta says." [ed. note: then ban tourism]

Milankovitch (Orbital) Cycles and Their Role in Earth's Climate

Why Milankovitch (Orbital) Cycles Can't Explain Earth's Current Warming

Watch ‘Failure at the Fence’: The Washington Post and ‘Frontline’ examine how Hamas breached Israel’s security barrier on Oct. 7

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Reading archive 2023-12-19

Release of five wolves in the Colorado mountains begins first-of-its kind state reintroduction effort: Paws on the ground come after three years of planning

Why does mold on my walls come back, even after cleaning with bleach?

It’s time to start planning for the next thousand years: Climate change desperately needs “cathedral projects.”

Egypt under growing pressure as displaced Gazans crowd the border

America’s best example of turning around a dying downtown - "Young professionals are the main group moving in, especially because all the units are rentals. But empty nesters, judges, athletes and even a few young families have also leased properties so they can be near museums and Cleveland’s sports stadiums. For the first time in years, a yellow school bus makes a daily stop at the square to pick up kids living there. 'We’re a neighborhood church again,' said Rev. Stephen Blonder Adams, senior pastor of Old Stone Church, which has been on the square since 1820. His blessing of the animals is a hit with all the dog owners living by the square.

...

"Some cities have not used this concentrated 'node' approach. D.C.’s map of buildings slated for conversion, for example, shows a scattering of sites. That should be reconsidered in 2024. A denser population attracts grocery stores, coffee shops and pocket parks, among other amenities."

The nation’s capital, built on water, struggles to keep from drowning - "The African American museum was built on the lowest and last spot then available on the Mall. Engineers had expected to hit water, but the forces of nature they disturbed put the project in immediate peril."

New D.C. police training aims to defuse crisis situations without guns

Running short on Ukraine air defenses, U.S. looks to Japan: Tokyo is preparing a significant policy shift in its defense export rules that would allow Washington to transfer additional Patriot missiles to Kyiv

Judge again turns over Rep. Perry’s phone records to DOJ Jan. 6 probe: A federal judge turned over 75 percent instead of 90 percent of records the FBI seized from Perry’s phone, after a U.S. appeals court set a new precedent defining limits on Congress’s immunity from criminal investigation

Monday, December 18, 2023

Reading archive 2012-12-18

How America's harshest immigration law failed: Alabama tried to kick out its undocumented immigrants with the harshest law in the country. Two year's later, the law's in ruins and the immigrants remain. [ed. note: from 2013]

He’s Deeply Religious and a Democrat. He Might Be the Next Big Thing in Texas Politics.: James Talarico confounds Fox News hosts, fights the culture wars by quoting scripture, and has fellow Democrats talking about his statewide future.

The Six Myths Kissinger Created About Himself — That Everyone Fell For: His actual record on China policy isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Israel finds large tunnel adjacent to Gaza, raising new questions about prewar intelligence: The army said Sunday that the tunnel facilitated the transit of vehicles, militants, and supplies in preparation for the Oct. 7 attack.

Opinion  Netanyahu is picking a fight with Israel’s best friend: Joe Biden - "'During World War II, Churchill would often howl over policy differences with FDR but never in public. Netanyahu is no Churchill,' Robert Satloff, executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told me. 'Biden may be the most Zionist president in American history and Netanyahu should be kissing his a--, not kicking it.'"

How a Capitals, Wizards move to Virginia could impact Alexandria, D.C.

Journalist who broke story on decomposing babies in Gaza is shot, injured

Israel’s assault forced a nurse to leave babies behind. They were found decomposing.: A nurse at al-Nasr hospital was caring for premature babies. Then he faced the most difficult decision of his life. - "Then the IDF delivered an ultimatum, al-Nasr director Bakr Qaoud told The Washington Post: Get out or be bombarded. An Israeli official, meanwhile, provided an assurance that ambulances would be arranged to retrieve the patients. 

"The nurse, a Palestinian man who works with Paris-based Doctors Without Borders, saw no choice. He assessed his charges and picked up the strongest one — the baby he thought likeliest to bear a temporary cut to his oxygen supply. He left the other four on their breathing machines, reluctantly, and with his wife, their children and the one baby, headed south.

...

"When Al-Mashhad aired the report, it blurred the remains. The channel gave an unaltered copy of the video to The Post, which verified that it was recorded inside al-Nasr’s neonatal intensive care unit by comparing it with images of the facility from before the war. 

"The remains, still hooked up to respirators, bear little resemblance to bodies. They appear as piles of rotting flesh, bones protruding, body parts difficult to make out. Soiled-looking diapers remain wrapped around their middles."

The issue isn’t Hitler. The issue is the right’s shift since 2015.

THE CHANGING FACE OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE SPORT: How race, politics, culture and money are shaping which kids abandon tackle football -- and which keep risking its toll.

Reading archive 2023-12-17

Meet the woman working to stop the far-right creator money machine: Nandini Jammi is fighting to defund right-wing influencers like Alex Jones

Opinion  Biden can go over Netanyahu’s head

Trump quotes Putin condemning American democracy, praises autocrat Orban: Trump also called Jan. 6 defendants ‘hostages’ and again demonized immigrants as ‘poisoning the blood of our country’ - "In the speech, Trump also repeated his own inflammatory language against undocumented immigrants, by accusing them of 'poisoning the blood of our country' — a phrase that immigrant groups and civil rights advocates have condemned as reminiscent as Hitler in his book 'Mein Kampf,' in which he told Germans to 'care for the purity of their own blood' by eliminating Jews."

Biden’s support of Israel could come at a cost to U.S. foreign policy: America’s partners and allies are increasingly frustrated that the United States isn’t using enough leverage to protect Palestinian lives - "In its efforts to woo the Global South away from Moscow and China, Washington has called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a colonial war of aggression. Yet for many, Israel’s war on Gaza looks virtually the same. 'Israel was attacked, and it has a right to self-defense,' Daalder said. 'But it is doing so in a territory it occupies, and which the entire world thinks is occupied territory. On the one hand, we’re trying to get other countries to oppose what Russia is doing in Ukraine, while on the other hand we’re trying to have them support what Israel is doing in Gaza.'"

Ron DeSantis wanted to change the way campaigns were funded. Then the fights started.: With just weeks to go before the Iowa caucuses, the GOP candidate’s bold strategy is now in tatters and its top architect has resigned

James Biden’s dealmaking caught on FBI tapes in unrelated bribery probe: While Joe Biden campaigned in Mississippi, his brother planned to build a powerful consulting business -- a deal that brought him to the periphery of a federal case

Opinion  In the West Bank, I saw how peace will require confrontation with Israel - "For settlers, obstructing Palestinian statehood is part of the mission, Yehuda Shaul, a leading Israeli expert on settlements, told me. He noted that back in 1980, Matityahu Drobles, who was then head of the World Zionist Organization’s settlements department, stated his goal bluntly in a broad plan. 'Being cut off by Jewish settlements, the minority [Arab] population will find it difficult to form a territorial and political continuity,' he wrote at the time. 'The best and most effective way of removing every shadow of a doubt about our intention to hold on to Judea and Samaria forever is by speeding up the settlement momentum in these territories.'

...

"The violent settlers almost always go unpunished. From 2005 to 2022, 93 percent of the 1,597 investigations opened by the Israeli police into cases where Israelis were said to have harmed Palestinians were closed without indictment, according to Israeli human rights organization Yesh Din; only about 3 percent led to convictions."

Saturday, December 16, 2023

Reading archive 2023-12-16

NATURE, UNDAMMED: The largest-ever dam removal is underway, a milestone in the nation’s reckoning over its past attempts to bend nature to human will

Klamath River reclaims its channel through a stunning canyon following dam removal

The Warriors tolerated Draymond Green’s fire. Now a dynasty burns.

Florida sex scandal tarnishes GOP power couple and party’s credibility

Opinion  There will be a day after in Gaza. Here’s what it can look like.

Congress approves bill barring presidents from unilaterally exiting NATO

Killing of USAID contractor in Gaza fuels internal protest: The death of Hani Jnena and his young family has intensified calls within the Biden administration to hold Israel’s military accountable for the war’s toll on humanitarian workers

Inside the mad dash to buy your Walmart and Amazon returns: Americans are lining up in parking lots around the country to dig through bins of returned Amazon, Target, Kohl’s and other goods

CIA admits to losing dozens of informants around the world: NYT [ed. note: from 2021]

Opinion  Could the local news crisis get any worse? Look at Scranton.

Reading archive 2023-12-15

Plan to move Capitals, Wizards to Virginia draws transportation worries

Opinion  Worst. Congress. Ever. - "Rep. Ralph Norman (S.C.) alleged that Biden is 'cognitively gone,' saying, 'The man is not there. ... He doesn’t know where he is.' And yet at the same time Republicans allege that he is the mastermind of the greatest political scandal in U.S. history."

Losing the NBA would be a stinging blow to Black D.C.

Government shutdown in January looms as Congress looks to head home: House Republicans are attempting to renegotiate a months-old financing deal with little time to spare before government funding expires

She miscarried in her bathroom. Now she’s charged with abuse of a corpse.


Friday, December 15, 2023

Reading archive 2023-12-14

Supreme Court accepts Jan. 6 case that could affect or delay Trump trial Former president would like to push back election obstruction trial in D.C. as he seeks another term in White House

These yard signs offer an inconvenient truth about sea level rise - "After Ike flooded Houston, city leaders placed 25-foot-tall signs in Clear Lake showing how high the water might rise in a Category 4 or Category 5 storm. Neighbors complained the signs would lower their property values, and the city removed them months later."

The brain loves a challenge. Here’s why.: New research suggests we can train our brain to value making an effort and not just the outcome

Why do ‘gate lice’ line up early for a flight? Psychologists explain.: We all know those travelers: The ones who line up before their boarding group is called

How Congress leaned on crime victims to pay for Trump-era tax cuts - "In a statement, the IRS said withdrawals from tax-deferred accounts get taxed, even in sad circumstances, and that questions on appropriate tax policy are better directed to lawmakers." [ed. note: I agree]

There’s a big gap in views on abortion in Michigan — among Republicans: Trump supporters in the state are far more likely to support bans on abortion than are supporters of other candidates.

House passes defense policy bill, a rebuke of GOP’s far-right fringe: Democrats joined Republicans to approve the $886 billion legislation after it was stripped of hard-liners’ demands targeting abortion, diversity and LGBTQ+ rights

Ted Leonsis makes wonderful promises. Ask D.C. what they’re worth.

Development has transformed D.C. These then-and-now pictures show how. - "Sabiyha Prince, a cultural anthropologist, chronicled the demolition and displacement of the Barry Farm community, in Southeast Washington, in a documentary called 'Barry Farm: Community, Land and Justice in Washington, D.C.' She said a city’s disappearing views can make longtime residents feel like a foreigner in their own city."

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Reading archive 2023-12-13

Two boys wore suits to school. Classmates joined for ‘Dapper Wednesdays.’

Teacher teared up reading kids’ wish lists, made sure all were granted: One student wanted slippers for their cold feet, another wanted a snack to stave off hunger, a third wanted a gift for their mom

Leonsis, Youngkin to make joint appearance as arena talks escalate: A Virginia plan to move the Capitals and Wizards to Alexandria could be moving ahead, as D.C. introduced an 11th-hour bid to keep the teams in the city.

Monumental, Youngkin announce deal to move Caps, Wizards to Virginia: Renderings show a 20,000-seat arena, practice facilities for the Wizards and Capitals, expanded esports facilities, a performing arts venue, “fan plaza” and more

D.C. sold properties for affordable housing. Half are still vacant.: The District launched ‘Vacant to Vibrant’ in 2018, but the city did not enforce deadlines.

Opinion  American progressives should advocate for Palestine. Why aren’t they?

Our kids have too much stuff: The emotional burden of childhood’s material clutter - "To understand how we got here — drowning in all those stuffed animals and Legos — it helps to look as far back as the late 19th century, he says, when the dynamics of an American family began to shift in significant ways. That’s when the line between family and work split: 'Parents were no longer passing their jobs on to the children, so there wasn’t the same bond over learning a trade,' Cross says. 'Instead, you connect across generations through the gifting process. From the early 20th century on, goods became the things that define relationships between family members, and the way of marking success as a family.' For those privileged enough to indulge, buying things became a love language of sorts."

What happens to Capital One Arena if the Wizards, Caps leave? Ask The Post.

Satanism comes to the 2024 Republican primary

D.C.’s longest-operating hotel, infamous and beloved, to close its doors

After cautious criticism by Biden, Netanyahu rallies Israel’s right wing - "'We respect and cherish the President of the United States,' said Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi in a post on X. 'But we live here … There will be no Palestinian state here. We will never go back to Oslo.'" [ed. note: that is a prescription for occupation and apartheid]

What not to say when people are being laid off: Job cuts are hitting a lot of industries, from media to tech to automotive; think carefully before offering words of comfort

Dow Jones hits an all-time high as investors cheer progress on inflation: Wall Street is hopeful that the Fed is done raising interest rates and that the economy can avoid a recession.

Bridget Ziegler, caught in sex scandal, refuses to quit Florida school post

When Republicans cast doubt on Trump’s intent — and ate their words: The GOP has shrugged at the authoritarian turn in Trump’s rhetoric. History suggests they downplay his provocations at their peril.

Supreme Court will decide access to key abortion drug mifepristone

Bowser’s negotiations draw scrutiny as D.C. could lose Capitals, Wizards

U.S. officials were ‘furious’ about leaks exposing Ukraine war concerns

Republicans grill 4th Circuit nominee on Justice Kavanaugh, ‘right to work’

With sports teams primed for move to Va., downtown D.C. frets its future: Residents and businesses fear a loss of civic pride and economic activity if the Wizards and Capitals depart for Virginia.

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Reading archive 2023-12-12

First-time author loses book deal for ‘review bombing’ authors on Goodreads

A man flew to the U.S. with no passport or ticket — and no idea how, he says - "The FBI affidavit said during boarding, crew members noticed Ochigava take a seat, 36D, that was meant to be unoccupied. But they did not see his boarding pass. Some crew members also did a head count for their sections, but did not tally the numbers up across the aircraft." [ed. note: Russian Israeli man, ffs people]

Zelensky warns of guerrilla war as Ukraine aid stalls in Congress: The country’s president is meeting privately with lawmakers before a strategy session with President Biden at the White House

Authorities in D.C. charge 10 people in sweeping carjacking indictment: Half of the defendants were younger than 18 at the time of alleged offenses, but they were charged as adults - "At a news conference with D.C. Police Chief Pamela A. Smith and Assistant Director David Sundberg of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Graves blamed the increase of juveniles involved in such crimes partly on a D.C. law known as the Youth Rehabilitation Act, which allows judges in Superior Court to sentence youths who were ages 15 to 24 at the time of their offenses to shorter prison sentences. And their convictions can be expunged after they are released from prison and don’t reoffend in a specified period of time."

There are reasons for Capitals and Wizards to move. They’re all sad.

Lawmakers vote in favor of plan to bring Capitals, Wizards to Virginia

Higher fares, fewer stations: Metro outlines proposed doomsday cuts: Metro is trying to close a $750 million deficit next fiscal year, saying radical cuts would be needed unless jurisdictions pump more money into the transit system

Ga. poll worker describes harrowing threats in Giuliani defamation trial: Wandrea ‘Shaye’ Moss said her life has never been the same since Rudy Giuliani, the former Trump lawyer, falsely accused her of stealing the Georgia election on behalf of Democrats

I tried, and failed, to install a heat pump. Here’s how to do it right.

D.C. does little when some in supportive housing behave dangerously: Landlords and neighbors say they need better solutions for a minority of permanent supportive housing tenants whose mental health or addiction struggles create problems

Monday, December 11, 2023

Reading archive 2023-12-11

Will going outside in the cold with wet hair make you sick?

How to promote good posture and avoid becoming hunched over Computer use may be accelerating our tendency to become more stooped over as we age

‘From the river to the sea’: Why a Palestinian rallying cry ignites dispute - "Other defenders of the phrase contend that even maximally interpreted, it conveys an inverse of the stated ambitions of leaders of the Israeli settler movement, which has ties to the current Israeli government." [ed. note: fair enough!]

China’s cyber army is invading critical U.S. services: A utility in Hawaii, a West Coast port and a pipeline are among the victims in the past year, officials say

Disney World abruptly starts banning third-party tour guides: Dozens of independent guides say they have been issued trespassing orders in recent months

Covert Indian operation seeks to discredit Modi’s critics in the U.S. - "Sumit Ganguly, an expert on Indian diplomacy and national security at Indiana University at Bloomington, said undermining foreign governments and their officials is “routine” work for intelligence agencies around the world. But if Indian intelligence is 'besmirching American critics and civil society organizations, it would be crossing a line reminiscent of KGB tactics during the Cold War,' he said. 'It would be part and parcel of the Modi government’s attitude toward dissent, whether at home or abroad.'"

Jack Teixeira got security clearance despite history of violent threats

Air Force disciplines 15 people in Discord leaks investigation: Jack Teixeira is alleged to have leaked secrets online alone, but superiors failed to stop ‘questionable activity’ they witnessed, investigators found

Sunday, December 10, 2023

Reading archive 2023-12-10

Opinion  Actually, people don’t hate the media as much as you think

Opinion  Here’s a realistic path to protecting the Amazon rainforest

Internet sleuths identify lost ‘X-Files’ song, solving 25-year mystery: ‘Staring at the Stars’ was an original country song written at the request of producers, fans discovered

They watched their husbands win the Heisman – then lost them to CTE: For years, Heisman weekend was a chance to remember their husband’s glory. Now it’s a reminder of a sport’s violent toll.

Some states spurn migrants. The Rust Belt wants them. - "In recent months, communities including Detroit; Dayton, Ohio; and Erie, Pa. — all places experiencing population loss — have been working with outside experts on how to transform city services to meet the needs of immigrants. One city, Topeka, Kan., is being even more aggressive, offering legal migrants up to $15,000 to move there."

Ukraine’s Zelensky appears increasingly embattled as U.S. backing wavers

The “Sickening” Story of the Sarah Lawrence Sex Cult: Director Zach Heinzerling on Hulu’s three-part docuseries Stolen Youth, which features firsthand footage and audio of Larry Ray and his young followers: “Each video seemed more horrible than the next.”

What the federal probe into antisemitism, Islamophobia at schools is about

The call of Tokitae: After half a century in a tank, a beloved orca was about to be freed. Then her life ended, and a moment of reckoning began. - "In the water near Tokitae’s pectoral fin, Davis pressed her hand flat against the orca’s side, the place where Davis had always loved to feel that massive heart pumping against her palm. She felt it beat for the last time. In the moment that followed, a low roll of thunder echoed through the stadium — 'as if the sky received her,' she would recall later — and a soft rain began to fall."

Update: Orca abandons body of her dead calf after a heartbreaking, weeks-long journey [ed. note: from five years ago]

Paris Hilton vs. the Crunchy Tradwives: A modern parenting story: There’s nothing unnatural about being a nervous parent who doesn’t know what they’re doing

How Democratic and GOP Senate veterans stopped Tuberville’s military holds: Military veterans from both parties spent months working to find a solution, frustrated over the blockade and its impact on military families

Opinion  The Trump dictatorship: How to stop it

Reading archive 2023-12-09

A harvest of memories: A family reunion. The annual corn harvest. An antique wedding dress. In rural Iowa, an aging couple with diverging politics reflects on the past and what people owe one another in the present. - "As Verna continued driving, now through farmland covered in drying corn crop, she passed solar panels, farm equipment and ethanol plants, all made possible by some combination of government grants, tax deductions, and subsidies. Sometimes she heard complaints about low-income families supposedly abusing safety-net programs like Medicaid. Verna wished her neighbors acknowledged what the government did for them, too. She thought about how the county wouldn’t even have an ambulance service if not for the now-maligned coronavirus relief funding. Nobody seemed to be making that case to voters here."

Trump camp escalates attempt to limit second-term talk from outside allies

Diminutive and mysterious, the Pentagon’s X-37B set to launch again: The space plane has spent the equivalent of 10 years in orbit over seven missions. But what those missions were remains unknown.


Friday, December 8, 2023

Reading archive 2023-12-07

D.C. announces 24/7 ‘real-time crime center’ to monitor CCTV cameras: Police departments across the region will be part of the effort, which comes as the city is experiencing a rise in homicides and carjackings

Penguin parents sleep for just a few seconds at a time to guard newborns, study shows

D.C. police charge two men in August triple shooting in Adams Morgan: Police on Tuesday arrested Renza Nieem Bryant, 37, and Jalonte Thompkins, 32, and charged them each with three counts of first-degree murder, according to court documents

Opinion  How an Ohio senator’s stunt proves the Trump dictatorship theory

Opinion  Liz Cheney reminds us of the stakes

Why extreme weather is making sugar more expensive around the globe

New research undercuts Republican views of racism: Republicans are more likely to say White people experience racism than Black people. That’s not true.

House censures New York Democrat Jamaal Bowman for pulling fire alarm - "'I find it terribly ironic that we are talking about censuring Mr. Bowman, and yet we never censured any of our colleagues who tried to overturn the election on January 6th,' McGovern said."

Washington Post staffers walk out in biggest labor protest in 48 years: The workers say they will cease work for 24 hours to protest deadlocked contract negotiations and the terms of a buyout offer. Management says it will keep the daily news report going.

Trump ‘dictator’ comment reignites criticism his camp has tried to curb

Monday, December 4, 2023

Reading archive 2023-12-04

Father arrested after missing Idaho baby and pregnant wife are found dead

Kari Lake struggles to court moderates, imperiling GOP Senate pickup: Lake’s outreach has been met with skepticism after her 2022 gubernatorial campaign resulted in deep-seated resentments

‘Everybody’s daughter’: The rape victim behind Kentucky’s viral abortion ad: Hadley Duvall helped Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear win reelection -- and she’s ready to campaign again in 2024

Howard University renovates affordable-housing ‘jewel’ with Amazon money

What home schooling hides: A boy tortured and starved by his stepmom - "Ginger, the family’s dog, watched the exchange from the living room, wagging her tail as she perched over a Joe Biden chew toy.

...

"But Brock, like his brother, still struggles with the memory of the person he did not help. Honesty is a trait Garvin encourages in his rescued sons, and they say the truth is that they bear some responsibility for what happened to Roman." [ed. note: encourages honesty, loves trump. Square that circle for me]

Trump attempts to spin anti-democracy, authoritarian criticism against Biden: The former president declared his 2024 campaign as a ‘righteous crusade’ against ‘tyrants and villains’


Reading archive 2023-12-03

Oil companies’ unexpected plan to tackle climate change: Saudi Arabia and other big fossil fuel entities sign onto initiatives to cut methane as they try to position themselves as part of the fix for climate change

Hard-right backtrack on spending levels leaves sour taste for colleagues: Fiscal fights have been at the heart of Republican conflict this year, including the debate over the top-line spending level for 2024

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Reading archive 2023-11-30

To protect kids, EPA wants total removal of lead pipes for the first time: The proposed rule, aimed at reducing exposure to a potent neurotoxin, would require water systems nationwide to replace lead pipes that carry tap water to homes, schools and offices

In downtown D.C., a long-vacant historic building could pose opportunity

In the world of sexual fetishes, crossing the political aisle is a kink: Does a forced ‘vote’ for the other side get your pulse racing? There’s a dominatrix for that.

A plane fueled by fat and sugar has crossed the Atlantic Ocean

It’s furry, it’s fierce — and in much of the U.S., it’s now protected: Wolverines in the Lower 48 are set to be protected under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Wednesday

Opinion  In Russia, the shift in public opinion is unmistakable

McCarthy privately recounts terse phone call with Trump after ouster: During the call, former president detailed the reasons he hadn’t intervened during the effort to remove McCarthy as speaker

As the nation’s largest landlord shifts its priorities, outrage ensues in Wyoming: The Biden administration faces a backlash in Wyoming as it puts more emphasis on conservation, recreation and renewable energy on public lands.

Opinion  A Trump dictatorship is increasingly inevitable. We should stop pretending. - "As for his followers, he doesn’t have to achieve anything to retain their support — his failure to build the wall in his first term in no way damaged his standing with millions of his loyalists. They have never asked anything of him other than that he triumph over the forces they hate in American society. And that, we can be sure, will be Trump’s primary mission as president."

Henry Kissinger, who shaped world affairs under two presidents, dies at 100: The diplomat exercised an unparalleled control over U.S. international affairs and policymaking. He was also the target of relentless critics, who deemed him unprincipled and amoral. - "In his comprehensive biography of Dr. Kissinger, journalist Walter Isaacson came to the conclusion that he 'had an instinctive feel for power and for creating a new global balance that could help America cope with its withdrawal syndrome after Vietnam. But it was not matched by a similar feel for the strength to be derived from the openness of America’s democratic system or for the moral values that are the true source of its global influence.'"

Federal inspector general to review FBI site selection process: Virginia officials pushed for an ‘investigation.’ The inspector general will do an evaluation instead. - "FBI Director Christopher A. Wray also criticized the decision, saying in a letter to the GSA’s top official, Robin Carnahan, that a former GSA official in charge of the process who previously oversaw land acquisitions for Metro made questionable decisions that ignored the panel’s recommendations. The 

"GSA defended that accusation when Wray made it earlier this fall, noting that it is not uncommon for the panel’s recommendations to be overruled by a senior official. It happened earlier in the FBI headquarters search when a senior official included Springfield as a finalist after a recommendation panel had ruled it out."

Reading archive 20231129

Opinion  How to end plastic pollution on Earth for good

Businessman accused of bribing Sen. Menendez had deep ties to Egypt: Wael Hana’s extensive ties to the Egyptian government included arranging the shipment of military equipment from the U.S., associates say

Trump tries to embrace Black Lives Matter, a group he previously said ‘hates our country’

Hunter Biden offers to testify publicly before House panel: Escalation of battle with House GOP comes in response to a subpoena for a closed-door session

CIA director pushes big hostage deal in secret meeting with Mossad chief: The meeting in Qatar comes as William Burns takes on a central role navigating the crisis for President Biden

U.S. prosecutors allege assassination plot of Sikh separatist directed by Indian government employee

Elon Musk boosts Pizzagate conspiracy theory that led to D.C. gunfire: The far-right theory motivated a gunman to fire multiple rounds inside the Comet Ping Pong pizzeria in Northwest Washington in 2016. Musk boosted the theory to his 164 million followers anyway.

A rural post office was told to prioritize Amazon packages. Chaos ensued.

How the suburbs could become 15-minute cities

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Reading archive 2023-11-22

A stranger asked me to take her photograph. It saved my life.: Today, I am alive because a pink-haired stranger stopped me for a picture

Reading archive 2023-11-21

Ladybugs are oddly vicious. Here’s how to keep them out of your house.: The cute beetles are voracious predators that may bite or leave smelly excretions

Musk’s X sues Media Matters after report shows ads next to pro-Nazi posts

Opinion  Why we’re borrowing to fund the elderly while neglecting everyone else

The far right toppled McCarthy over spending. What has it gotten them?: House GOP conservatives have demanded steep reductions to the federal budget, but have little to show for it thus far

A mysterious illness is sickening dogs in several states. Some are dying.

Opinion  A troubling split at my Thanksgiving table — and the nation’s

Many now see Haley as Trump’s top GOP challenger. She faces hurdles ahead.: Jockeying in a tier below the former president has moved, with Haley surging into a distant second place

A hungry beaver is chomping on the Tidal Basin’s cherry trees: At least one busy muncher has gnawed away at about 15 cherry trees near the Jefferson Memorial

She tried to save her troubled brother. Then came a horrendous assault.: Homeless and mentally ill, Russell Fred Dunkley III is accused of attacking teachers and terrorizing a preschool class in D.C.

Sunday, November 19, 2023

Reading archive 2023-11-19

From airlines to ticket sellers, companies fight U.S. to keep junk fees: An array of powerful moneyed lobbyists have warred with the Biden administration over its new regulatory crackdown as they scramble to protect their profits

In a swing Wisconsin county, everyone is tired of politics

The terrifying, true tale of ‘zombie ants,’ and what it teaches: Parasites exact a huge disease burden, so unlocking their secrets is important

A split emerges as Biden struggles to deter attacks on U.S. troops: Frustration is building within the Defense Department, officials say, over the surge in Iranian proxy attacks on American military positions

Why do trees have differently shaped leaves?

Biden campaign works to ease Democratic anxiety over reelection chances: The president and his team are facing calls to become more active and aggressive in highlighting the contrast with his most likely opponent, Donald Trump

What does the Kennedy name mean now?: RFK Jr., the fourth Kennedy to run for president, is clashing with myth and history — and his own family

Reading archive 2023-11-18

Opinion  How do you fight shoplifting? Not by locking down everything in CVS. - "Occasional, but unpredictable, bursts of strict enforcement can deter shoplifters at minimal cost to police."

Latino backlash grows over Donald Trump’s friendly Univision interview: Members of Congress plan to ask for a meeting with a company executive as a famous actor, a Univision founder and Latino rights advocacy groups speak out

After affirmative action, a White teen’s Ivy hopes rose. A Black teen’s sank.: Cole Clemmons aimed higher. Demar Goodman aimed lower. They both wrestled with feelings of fear, anxiety and self-doubt after the Supreme Court remade college admissions.

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Reading archive 2023-11-14

Ex-Trump allies detail efforts to overturn election in Georgia plea videos

Baby boomers are buying up all the houses: This year, the median age for a repeat buyer was 58, according to data released Monday from the National Association of Realtors

March for Israel fills National Mall, demands release of Hamas hostages

White House urges Israel to curtail settler violence in West Bank: Increasing attacks raise the prospect of a second front; critics say the U.S. should do more to head it off - "Nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in violent clashes in the West Bank over the past month.

...

"Jewish settlers in recent weeks have attacked and killed Palestinians without provocation, experts said, in an effort to drive them out of their communities through such tactics as burning property, tearing up land and destroying olive trees, which are a primary source of income for many Palestinians."

Scientists have discovered what may be the first ‘vampire’ virus: Dubbed MiniFlayer, the unusual microbe was found attached to another virus in a soil sample from Maryland

Invasive tick species is expanding its reach in U.S., researchers say

Opinion  Trump’s plan for giant detention camps points to a brutal 2024 reality

A home birth midwife faces scrutiny after a baby dies. It’s not the first time. - "Overall, full-term infants in the United States are more than twice as likely to die after planned home births attended by midwives as those delivered in hospitals by any providers, according to a Post analysis of CDC data over five years." [ed. note: this story is crazy]

AN INVISIBLE KILLER: A flesh-eating fungus is expanding its range in the American West - and scientists suspect climate change is driving the spread

Monday, November 13, 2023

Reading archive 2023-11-13

The Lego-like way to get CO2 out of the atmosphere: A company says that it has found a way to remove CO2 from the air for less than $100 per ton

David Cameron, who divided the U.K. with Brexit, is back in the cabinet

Should I take a magnesium supplement? Here’s what the science says.: There are some cases when a person might benefit from a magnesium supplement, but most of us can get the right amount from food sources

James Harden, Clippers skip the honeymoon and go straight to the mess

Supreme Court under pressure issues ethics code specific to justices

Trump calls political enemies ‘vermin,’ echoing dictators Hitler, Mussolini: On Veterans Day, the former president vowed to “root out” his liberal opponents, drawing backlash from historians who say his rhetoric is reminiscent of authoritarians

Opinion  Meet Israeli hostage families. It’ll change how you view Hamas apologists.

MAGA-dominated state Republican parties plagued by infighting, money woes: National Republicans fear the cash crunch could hamper field operations in key swing states come 2024

Reading archive 2023-11-12

Climate change is pushing American farmers to confront what’s next: Climate change, consumer choices and political pressures have forced many ranchers and farmers to rethink their purpose

Real estate industry trembles over commissions on home sales After jurors recently found that there was a scheme to inflate commissions, experts say changes could shake up the business

Opinion  A wasteland: Political coverage ignores the threat to democracy

Why companies are racing to build the world’s biggest bug farm

Why Silicon Valley billionaires like Peter Thiel turned against Trump: The right-wing titans of tech helped create Donald Trump. Now they’re alienated from politics and searching for allies.

Hamas envisioned deeper attacks, aiming to provoke an Israeli war: Evidence gleaned since Oct. 7 shows Hamas militants prepared for a ‘second phase’ of assaults amid hopes of inspiring violence in the West Bank and beyond

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Reading archive 2023-11-07

Joe Lieberman will not leave his fellow Democrats alone: With No Labels, the Democratic maverick is still trying to foil liberals and challenge the party — even if that means threatening to throw a wrench into the 2024 campaign - "When Lieberman endorsed Republican John McCain in 2008, Connecticut Democrats had stuffed his portrait into a closet at party headquarters. For his final act, he helped kill the public option in President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, closing the door on government-provided insurance." [ed. note: he says the party has moved too far left but fails to cite specifics because he's a self-important POS who simply craves limelight]

Speaker Johnson on GOP plan to avert government shutdown: ‘Trust us’: House Republicans have not decided on a strategy to keep the government funded with 11 days until federal funds lapse

These Miami-Dade voters want Ron DeSantis as governor, but not president - "As for DeSantis, he said the governor supported his campaign for city council and has been very involved in helping Hialeah prosper. But he said he felt a DeSantis win would divide the country more, whereas Trump could unite more people." [ed. note: these people are terminally stupid]

Trump as Jesus? Why he casts himself as a martyr, and why fans go along.: The former president has been saying for decades that he’s a victim and portrayed himself as a martyr. But Trump’s messianic rhetoric is mainly about feeling sorry for himself, analysts say.

Some Democrats worry Biden’s team is ignoring political warning signs: A series of recent polls shows Trump running even or ahead of Biden. His team says they don’t mean much a year before the election.

Opinion  What’s up with Speaker Johnson not reporting a bank account?

Why you should buy clothes to last (almost) forever

Police arrest man carrying long gun near Capitol

Can we solve homelessness? A program at Union Station is a huge step.: The Amtrak police chief and a program for homelessness are teaming up to help the unhoused at Union Station

The hidden power of China’s pandas — and why the U.S. is losing them all: The pandas’ imminent departure after more than 50 years in D.C. has diplomats and zoo-going children asking when — if ever — America will get them back

D.C. students will no longer need to vaccinate against coronavirus: The vote ends a long-running debate over whether students need to get shots or be barred from school

A month into devastating Gaza war, Israel’s endgame is no clearer

Sunday, November 5, 2023

Reading archive 2023-11-05

Space junk is out of control. Here’s why — and what to do about it.

Trump and allies plot revenge, Justice Department control in a second term: Advisers have also discussed deploying the military to quell potential unrest on Inauguration Day. Critics have called the ideas under consideration dangerous and unconstitutional.

White House frustrated by Israel’s onslaught but sees few options: U.S. calls for a bombing pause are having little effect, and the shape of the post-war Mideast is starkly uncertain

Opinion  Elite colleges failed to fight antisemitism. But these academics did.

Long before Elon Musk, Henry Ford went to war with Jewish groups

The retired pilot went to the hospital. Then his life went into a tailspin.: Many older people are one medical emergency away from a court-appointed guardian taking control of their lives

Reading archive 2023-11-04

Growing U.S. anger with electric utilities finds its epicenter in Maine: Maine residents will vote Tuesday on a ballot measure that would dissolve its investor-owned utilities and replace them with a nonprofit

How Speaker Mike Johnson’s plans for a Christian law school unraveled: Johnson vouched for the school -- and agreed to serve as its dean -- without seeing a key feasibility study, he would ultimately admit

Friday, November 3, 2023

Reading archive 2023-11-03

Famed climate scientist has a new, dire prediction: Some scientists question the new study, which asserts that Earth is warming faster than previously estimated

Students hated ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ Their teachers tried to dump it.: Four progressive teachers in Washington’s Mukilteo School District wanted to protect students from a book they saw as outdated and harmful. The blowback was fierce. - "Chaitna Deshmukh, a Mukilteo graduate, said she thinks 'To Kill a Mockingbird' fails to address the complex racial reality of 21st-century America." [ed. note: what single text does or even can?]

As Hong Kong stood up for democracy, a neighborhood was brutalized

Seriously, why aren’t millennials having kids?: Also, with birthrates plunging, why aren’t there more only children?

John Fetterman unleashed: ‘I’ve already been dead once’: After being treated for depression, the senator is finally having fun – and taking aim at some Democrats

Carjackings prompt finger-pointing and criticisms among D.C. officials: Mayor Muriel Bowser inaccurately described a youth’s criminal record, court records show

Grieving and angry, Maine residents demand change after mass killing

Opinion  Is the House GOP about to give Putin a pat on the back for his barbarism?

‘You just gaslit her’: How Dean Phillips’s first town hall went off the rails in N.H.

How Gaza’s tunnel network leaves Israel facing ‘three-dimensional’ war

Why Do Young Americans Support Hamas? Look at TikTok.: The app is digital fentanyl made by China. And it is brainwashing our youth against the country and our allies, argues Rep. Mike Gallagher.

Wild Horses Are Terrible for the West: They’re scourges, not symbols, of wilderness. - The herds are increasing at a fast clip, and the native biota has already suffered greatly. By shunning our responsibility to control feral horse herds like those found in the Salt River, we are delaying the inevitable, passing the difficult decisions down to the next generation, who will have to do the dirty work we refused, and without the chance to save the native species we abandoned. The Forest Service’s only mistake was waiting this long to attempt removal; anyone who truly values nature, the deserts, and their native species will support the relocation of feral horses from the Salt River Basin and everywhere else they are causing damage.

Thursday, November 2, 2023

Reading archive 2023-11-02

Australian woman charged in suspected mushroom poisoning deaths

As climate disasters mount, the world isn’t spending nearly enough to adapt: This so-called “adaptation finance gap” is between $194 billion and $366 billion per year, United Nations experts said in a new report

Scientists have found a ‘sleeping giant’ of environmental problems: Earth is getting saltier: Salt used to de-ice roads is the single biggest source of salt in the U.S. - "From 2013 to 2017, road salt made up 44 percent of the country’s entire salt consumption."

Beet it, beet it, beet it, beet it: Then the snow will be defeated (on D.C. roads)

Senate Republicans erupt in anger over Tuberville’s military freeze: A surprising public confrontation made clear that some of Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s colleagues have hit their limit as hundreds of senior military promotions remain stalled

Years into a climate disaster, these people are eating the unthinkable: In South Sudan, war and semi-permanent flooding have left people to scavenge for food, with long-term consequences for their health

Virginia parents are over Youngkin’s old classroom culture war playbook: They want to address teacher shortages, mental health and learning loss when they go to the polls next week

Critics blast plan to remove 1,200 trees from Rock Creek Park golf course: Proposal would seriously damage ecosystem, environmentalists say

Who's tracking the weapons and money the U.S. is sending to Ukraine? "60 Minutes" went to find out.

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Reading archive 20023-11-01

Speaker Johnson faces immediate backlash to first legislative move: Newly elected House GOP leader tries packaging Israel aid with cuts to IRS, but faces skepticism among Senate Republicans

Democrats quickly seek to make Speaker Johnson a boogeyman: The party has begun painting House Republicans’ new leader as ‘MAGA Mike’ but may face a challenge given his low profile and quiet tone

Why pharmacy workers at CVS, Walgreens are walking out: Drugstore employees are pressing for better working conditions and wages, in the second such labor action this month

This old-school building material could take over city skylines: Architects are in a proof-of-concept race to construct sustainable wood high-rises.

An owl got stuck in an iconic sculpture. After rehab, it’s free again.

10 truths about food that people don’t want to believe

‘Squad’ members face Democratic primary challenges over Israel stances: St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell, a Democrat, dropped his bid against a Republican senator to challenge a House Democrat. ‘I think we have to stand with our allies,’ he said.

Bootgate and the perils of drafting off Donald Trump

Rep. Ken Buck to retire from House, cites election denialism by others in GOP

Should anorexia ever be called ‘terminal’?: One doctor argued yes, igniting a furor over hope, self-determination and treatment in the world of eating disorders

Opinion  In Maine, a return of tribal land shows how conservation can succeed

Dozens of bird names honoring enslavers and racists will be changed: The American Ornithological Society says it will alter the names of North American birds named after humans, starting with up to 80 of them

Opinion  As carjackings spike, police need to be able to chase vehicles again

What’s the fastest way to kill your lawn? Science says forget the cardboard

'Miserable to people': Former Cardinals employees describe life under owner Michael Bidwill

Russia's dwindling 'Mountain Jews' in spotlight after Dagestan airport riot

Netanyahu may not last, Biden and aides increasingly believe: The Israeli prime minister’s political obituary has been written before. But U.S. officials are already gauging potential successors.

Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Reading archive 2023-10-31

A city banned teens from trick-or-treating. A tragic story was behind it.

The history of the drug-laced candy myth — and the real Halloween killer

A gay first lady? Yes, we’ve already had one, and here are her love letters.

As Israel pummels Gaza, the crisis in the West Bank comes into focus - "About half a million settlers live in the West Bank, in settlements that abut the lands and homes of a Palestinian population six times their number. For the Israeli right, their security concerns are paramount. For Palestinians, life under a relentless military occupation is only stoking further despair and radicalization."

Israeli settler kills Palestinian man harvesting olives as violence surges in the West Bank

Colleges braced for antisemitism and violence. It’s happening.: ‘I have Jewish blood on my hands,’ a Tulane student said after aiding a classmate who was assaulted at a pro-Palestinian rally

Opinion  The closer you look, the more Netanyahu resembles Trump

After Fury, Netanyahu Deletes, Apologizes for Post Blaming Security Chiefs for Hamas Attack: In a post overnight Saturday, Netanyahu asserted that he never received forewarning about Hamas' deadly attack. He earlier said ‘After the war everyone will have to answer to hard questions...Right now, my task is to save the country’


Monday, October 30, 2023

Reading archive 2023-10-30

Fear and anxiety can help. Here’s how to use them to your advantage. In the field of mental health, fear and anxiety are usually seen as pathologies. But there is necessary and appropriate fear and anxiety, which can be helpful.

Two ‘pristine’ deep-water reefs in Galápagos discovered

After setback, antiabortion forces struggle before key Ohio vote

Opinion  China’s naval provocations are getting too blatant to ignore

Russia and Ukraine intensify fight over Avdiivka, another ruined city

Colony Ridge reflects Texas conservative values. It gets bashed anyway. - "Silva voted for Trump twice, home-schools her three children, opposes vaccine mandates and abortion. She considers herself a Hispanic conservative. But in Texas, she’s no longer sure that makes her Republican. She now identifies as Independent. 

"'I told my husband I’m not voting red anymore,' she said. 'I’m not a Black Lives Matter person. And I don’t believe in structural racism. But do I believe there’s racism in towns like this? Yes.'"

Why is everyone so mad at Jada Pinkett Smith?: The actress has a theory about the backlash to her new memoir - [ed. note: unsupported accusations that the public thought/said things about Jada Pinkett Smith that I doubt and are not supported with evidence]

Slaying the vampire that is killing bats: How do you vaccinate bats living deep in caves — or, for that matter, stop any disease outbreak in wild animals?

A year later, Musk’s X is tilting right. And sinking.: The billionaire bought Twitter to revive its business and make it less ‘woke.’ He has succeeded at only one of those goals. - "Anika Collier Navaroli, a former senior policy official at Twitter who testified last year before the House Jan. 6 committee, said that Musk in many ways is taking Twitter back to its 'pre-2016' era, when the site took a laissez-faire approach to moderating user content. 'It seems a lot like Elon Musk’s version of free speech was for him and his friends to be able to do hate speech without getting in trouble,' she said."

Maine congressman reverses his opposition to assault weapons ban: Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat who had enjoyed an A+ rating from gun rights advocates, said he regretted his past opposition to an assault weapons ban and said he would now support a ban

Local nuts are forecasting a harsh winter in D.C.

D.C. youth fatally shot by victim of attempted carjacking, police say

Teen charged in fatal D.C. carjacking was freed after earlier arrest

12-year-old admits to robbing D.C. Uber Eats driver of his moped: The youth was initially arrested in June when he was 11 for assault and multiple robberies. Prosecutors later dismissed those charges.

Spurned by moderates and MAGA: How DeSantis’s coalition has deflated: Centrists have recoiled at DeSantis’s entreaties to the Trump base. At the same time, he has lost ground with Trump supporters.