Reading archive 2023-02-05

China blames U.S. politics for ‘overreaction’ to suspected spy balloon

Trump Denies Pentagon’s Claim That China Flew Balloons Over U.S. During His Term: “China had too much respect for ‘TRUMP,’" the former president wrote, calling the Pentagon's claim of "at least three" incidents "fake disinformation."

The Colorado River drought crisis: How did this happen? Can it be fixed?

Land-dwelling rats are upending life for coral reef fish: When rats invade tropical islands, they can trigger a chain reaction that reverberates all the way to coral reefs, researchers say - "Bathed in smelly guano, algae around bird-filled islands is more nutritious, previous research has shown. Both coral and fish appear to grow faster around rat-free islands. Scientists have found the fertilizing effect of guano, too, from the Scattered Islands near Madagascar to Fiji in the South Pacific."

The deepening chill of Afghanistan’s second Taliban winter: Washing clothes in the snow, heating homes with scavenged trash, families struggle to survive

Meet Nimbee, the mascot who scorns bike lanes, development and change: Nimbee wants his hive, and yours, left alone — and he’s not afraid to sting (with words) anyone who disagrees with him - "'I dislike anyone or anything that threatens to change my neighborhood from what it was like the day I moved here. Any change that happened up until that moment is totally cool, though, and should be given historic preservation protection in perpetuity.' ...

"'I’m totally for affordable housing! I’m also for multi-family housing, density, public transit, and all kinds of things like that. I just don’t want any of it near me, on the way to where I’m going, or any place where I would have to even look at it. That’s all.'"

Comparing green funeral options, from composting to natural burial to water cremation: Throwing a funeral that leaves Earth a bit better off, maybe

Spending time in nature may protect against the risk of dementia: Older adults who lived in an area with more green space had a lower rate of hospitalization for Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, a large study showed

Opinion  Artificial light harms our bodies and souls. It doesn’t have to be this way. - "Too often, city planners assume adding more light is an effective way to address crime. Yet many lights are used in ways — unshielded and shining into the sky, blazing over empty parking lots through the wee small hours — that serve little purpose. While artificial light at night might make us feel safer, there is no clear evidence that it actually improves our safety."

Opinion  D.C. must address its crime issue - "We have funded violence interrupters and social workers for 30 years. This is not a new idea. Unfortunately, it has never worked. Let’s figure out why before spending more money. 

"At a recent meeting, Police Chief Robert J. Contee III said one young man told him people don’t commit as many crimes in Maryland and Virginia because 'they don’t play.' Well, if we want a safer city for our residents, we should create the same atmosphere here: We don’t play."