Reading archive 2024-01-31

In Peru, a Mission to Save the Stingless Bee: Native to the tropics, these pollinators are taking a lead role in one of the latest efforts to conserve the Amazon rainforest.

Elmo asked how everyone’s doing and, um, they’re not great!

French tourist unearths 7.46-carat diamond at Arkansas state park: The lucky digger said he’ll turn his discovery into a wedding ring for his future wife

Everyone says trees are good for us. This scientist wants to prove it.: Nearly 8,000 trees and shrubs in southern Louisville and health data from about 500 residents fill out the urban science experiment

Opinion  If Trump wins, he will destroy the American-led world order - "The danger is that he would be more effective in his second term. The result could be the end of the Pax Americana. We would then enter a chaotic post-American world where rogue states committed aggression with impunity, democracies cowered and trade ties frayed. Sea lanes turning into shooting galleries would become the norm, not the exception, with the U.S. economy paying the price."

Michigan’s Arabs and Muslims push to defeat Biden in critical state: As the war in Gaza leads to the deaths of friends and relatives, anger at Biden’s refusal to call for a cease-fire has turned into political organizing - "The campaign’s organizers, who also oppose Donald Trump, have not yet coalesced around a strategy for the general election. They are still debating whether to encourage voters to support a third-party candidate or to skip the presidential contest altogether while still voting for other offices. Either way, the organizers are telling Muslim and Arab voters that they should show up and vote, rather than stay home, so it is clear that Biden specifically has lost their vote."

Inside Kyrsten Sinema’s reelection decision: Will ‘voters even care’ about her record?: As she pushes for another tricky bipartisan accomplishment, the deadline nears for the Arizona independent senator to decide on reelection

Gilded rage: Truman Capote’s vicious split with his ‘swans’: A new TV series revisits the real-life ‘Feud’ between the ‘tiny terror’ and his privileged pals after he penned malicious gossip about them

African production of natural gas poses a vexing climate challenge

Reading archive 2024-01-30

A Cyberattack Hits Software Used by Museums, Causing Online Collections to Go Down: The hack affected institutions including the Rubin Museum and Crystal Bridges Museum.

The uncomplicated, dumb engine driving political false claims about Taylor Swift: A team won a football game, which is obviously part of a devious plot for Democrats to retain power via a pop star

Police kill man after fatal carjacking spree in D.C., Maryland: A man was critically wounded in a second shooting, police say

Israeli agents disguised as doctors, patients kill 3 at West Bank hospital

Texas border city on edge as Gov. Abbott dials up battle with Biden: The border crisis has been reduced to a 2.5-mile stretch named after a Confederate general - "Despite the fearmongering of some politicians, crime rates have not gone up. But trauma is proliferating."

The dawn of the clean hydrogen economy — visualized

More than 100,000 trees to be planted in Devon to boost Celtic rainforest: National Trust says it hopes to establish 50 hectares across three sites close to surviving pockets of rainforest

Plug-in hybrids vs. electric cars: We did the math on which is better for you: Hybrids make sense for some people.

Iranian charged with hiring Canadian hitmen to kill exiles in Maryland

Congresswoman Cori Bush under investigation for alleged misuse of security funds

Reading archive 2024-01-29

Shooting hoops, changing perceptions: D.C. students face off vs. FBI: A long-time-in-the-making game was part of FBI officials’ efforts to build relationships with local communities — and recruit students to one day work at the the agency

Cross burning in South Carolina stirs debate over hate-crimes laws

Opinion  Sure, Trump and Biden are old. The similarities end there. - "This above-the-battle, “woe is us” posture makes those who adopt it look tough-minded, independent and clear-eyed. It puts Biden and Trump on the same level and then compares both with someone who doesn’t yet exist. Never mind that it’s far easier to imagine the perfect candidate than to find one."

Opinion  Want safer streets? Paint them.

Opinion  Gen Z might be the MAGA movement’s undoing - "A warning for those courting these voters: 'Gen Z adults (58%) and Millennials (60%) are significantly less likely than Gen Xers (70%), Boomers (80%), and members of the Silent Generation (85%) to agree that voting is the most effective way to create change in America.'

"Nevertheless, these younger Americans are hardly agnostic about politics. To the contrary, 'Gen Z adults are notably more likely than older generations to have signed an online petition (36% vs. 30% or less of older generations) or to have followed the social media profile of someone with different views (21% vs. 16% or less),' the PRRI poll found. 'Gen Z adults are also more likely than older generations (with the exception of millennials) to have posted on social media about an issue that matters to them (32% vs. 25% or less of Gen Xers and older generations) or encouraged others to be politically active on social media (18% vs. 12% or less of Gen Xers and older generations).'"

Lankford defends bipartisan border security bill after attacks by Trump, GOP: ‘We all have an oath to the Constitution and we have a commitment to say we’re going to do whatever we can to be able to secure the border,’ the senator from Oklahoma says. - "'So we actually locked arms together and said we’re not going to give you money for this. We want a change in law,' Lankford said. 'When we’re finally going to the end, they’re like, ‘Oh, just kidding. I actually don’t want a change in law because it’s a presidential election year.’ We all have an oath to the Constitution and we have a commitment to say we’re going to do whatever we can to be able to secure the border.'"

Trump brags about efforts to stymie border talks: ‘Please blame it on me’: The Republican front-runner slams bipartisan talks in the Senate for a deal as Biden calls for emergency authority to address surging crossings

Should I be taking collagen supplements? Here’s what the science says.: Brands claim collagen products can boost skin, nail and hair health. But there isn’t strong evidence behind these claims.

These GOP lawmakers hate federal spending, except for their own districts: Far-right Republicans who have pushed the government to the verge of shutdowns in recent months are set to win hundreds of millions of dollars for their districts in earmarks. - "Now a bloc of conservatives in the House — who have loudly opposed several measures to fund the government since the fall — are on track to direct a total of $371.8 million back to their home districts through individual requests. They stand to take credit for federal funding for projects important to their constituents even if they vote against the legislation that includes the money.

...

"'These projects are born of the most pure interests of the American people and I make no apologies for my success in the arena of [community project funding],' Higgins said in a statement. 'However, I will always oppose massive overspending in the federal budget that overwhelmingly does not meet those same standards, and for that principled opposition, I also make no apology.'" [ed. note: lol]

Russia projects confidence as it pursues alliances to undermine West - "'In terms of latent military power and economic strength, it is absolutely ridiculous that the West is being held hostage by something as relatively puny as Russia,' he said. 'Putin believes that if he is stubborn enough for long enough, we, the feeble West, will walk away — and he could be right. … That won’t just be shameful. That will be an act of strategic self-harm.'"

Falling inflation, rising growth give U.S. the world’s best recovery

Bayer ordered to pay $2.25 billion after jury links herbicide Roundup to cancer

Reading archive 2024-01-27

Frustrated by Biden, Black men ponder their options: Outside Detroit, some see little change from four years ago and have not decided how to vote in November

Ripples of hate: A chance encounter at N.Y. playground leaves a father asking, ‘What is justice now?’

Donald Trump is preparing for a massive new trade war with China: The former president has talked to advisers about imposing a 60 percent tariff sure to enrage Beijing

U.S. war plans for Ukraine don’t foresee retaking lost territory: The Biden administration is working on a long-term strategy for supporting Kyiv — despite the funding impasse in Congress. But those plans do not anticipate significant gains by Ukraine against Russia in 2024, officials say.

Reading archive 2024-01-26

Teamsters to meet with Trump, some members are furious The meeting comes as both Trump and Biden jockey for support of union members

Opinion  Push Israel now for a two-state solution? You must be kidding.

A H.S. wrestling evolution: Out with the vomiting, in with hydration: There’s a growing emphasis on feeling good rather than losing large amounts of weight

Maryland woman is charged in a blitz of stabbings and hit-and-runs

Reading archive 2024-01-25

Insect populations flourish in the restored habitats of solar energy facilities

What a hand-cranked drill just revealed about the West’s ‘megadrought’: A new study is part of an emerging field of tree-ring science that found the West’s two-decade drought is inextricably linked to rising temperatures

Jan. 6 rioter got his sentence thrown out. Then his prison time doubled.

Ukraine-for-border negotiations hit snag as Trump moves toward nomination: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell acknowledged that reality in a private meeting Wednesday - "Trump publicly encouraged Republicans on his Truth Social social media account to not accept any border deal with Democrats last week, pledging to get a better deal when he is president.

...

"'I think the border is a very important issue for Donald Trump. And the fact that he would communicate to Republican senators and congresspeople that he doesn’t want us to solve the border problem because he wants to blame Biden for it is really appalling,' Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) told reporters Thursday."

Apocalyptic Optimism Could Be the Antidote for Climate Fatalism

Trump’s White House clinic improperly handed out narcotics, report finds - "It also provides new context to systemic problems in a clinic that made headlines when Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Tex.), who was Donald Trump’s personal doctor until 2018, was accused by almost two dozen colleagues of improper activities, including providing prescription drugs without proper paperwork — a habit that allegedly earned him the nickname 'Candyman.'

...

"Aliases were used 'to provide free specialty care and surgery to ineligible White House staff members at military medical treatment facilities,' according to the report. Former staffers told the inspectors that an ineligible White House employee received free elective surgery and that 'the unit altered practices to cater to high‑ranking officials.'"

Opinion  We did not help build women’s tennis for it to be exploited by Saudi Arabia

Opinion  Vote for destruction in November - "This is insanity. Democrats are offering something Republicans have wanted for years, and might never be offered again: tougher border security without a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already in the country, including 'dreamers.' But Dear Leader Trump says no and, suddenly, GOP senators are afraid to say yes."

Dog detects underground gas leak at home, alerts owner :‘I always thought he was special, but I really have a newfound respect for his intelligence,’ Chanell Bell said about her pup Kobe

Whey, pea or soy: Which protein powder is right for you: Protein powders are one of the most sustainable ways to pack protein into your diet

Tesla shares tumble as analyst decries ‘train wreck’ investor call: In an earnings call this week, CEO Elon Musk failed to allay concerns over falling demand and persistent price cuts

Opinion  Trump would drain the South Carolina wallets that Haley helped fill - [ed. note: a George F. Will oped worth reading, who'd have thought it]

Biden to deploy CIA director to help broker major Gaza deal: William Burns is looking to close gaps between Israel and Hamas on a deal that includes the release of all hostages in Gaza and a two-month cease-fire

An abortion ban turned a grieving Allie Phillips into a candidate - "In Louisiana, which also prohibited abortion with few exceptions, Nancy Davis is planning to run for office because of what she went through in 2022 after learning that the fetus she was carrying had no skull. Doctors denied her an abortion despite the lethal anomaly, and she had to leave the state to terminate the pregnancy.

...

"The following June, Phillips arranged to tell her story to her legislator, Rep. Jeff Burkhart, at the Clarksville library. She hoped a face-to-face conversation might persuade him to sponsor “Miley’s Law,” a measure she was drafting to add an exception for fetal anomalies to the state ban. 

"Phillips recorded their two-hour meeting. When she described Miley Rose’s condition, Burkhart said he thought miscarriages could only happen with first pregnancies. If his own daughter had been in Phillips’s position, he said, he’d have wanted her to continue the pregnancy. Phillips remembers him not making much eye contact and repeatedly focusing on how much a pregnant woman’s life would have to be at risk to necessitate an abortion."

Reading archive 2024-01-24

Her dried-up yard won an ‘Ugliest Lawn’ award. She hopes it inspires others.

How a Vietnamese bakery built a king cake empire in New Orleans

Obamacare enrollment hits record level as Trump vows repeal

Opinion  Donald Trump is very confused

Biden endorsed by United Auto Workers, shoring up union vote in automaking swing states - "Trump has also called himself 'pro-worker,' positioning himself as an ally of the working class, while also supporting numerous policies as president that constricted union power. He has received few union endorsements outside of law enforcement unions. His visit to Michigan during the UAW strike featured a rally with autoworkers at a nonunion shop, as union leaders warned the former president to stay away."

Reading archive 2024-01-23

The plants used to make the world’s best mezcal are disappearing: Soaring demand is draining Mexico of its wild agave - "Foreign mezcal drinkers have adopted a taste for the wildest, scarcest agaves. And as in any gold rush, eventually the raw material will vanish."

Man who committed D.C. rapes in 1992 at age 16 must serve his prison term: Joshua Haggins, sentenced to up to 99 years, was denied clemency by a judge under a D.C. law meant to give young offenders a second chance - "The two were raped repeatedly outdoors and again overnight in a Maryland motel. Before being let go, they were forced to dig graves for themselves. Settles was sentenced to 99 years."

Why reviving a 2,600-year-old spiritual practice made my life better

Fairfax County moves to create smaller version of imperiled Lake Accotink

Reading archive 2024-01-22

Economic vibes are finally improving, consumer sentiment surges: Some Americans say they’re feeling better about the economy than they have in years. That could be good news for Biden.

Pressure mounts on Israel over its rejection of two-state solution

How meat and milk companies are racing to ease your climate guilt: A climate-friendly hamburger? A carbon-neutral glass of milk? As companies make bold claims, a heated debate erupts. - "'Eating a hamburger is always the worst choice for the climate — even a Hopdoddy burger — full stop,' said Scott Faber, who heads government affairs at the Environmental Working Group, which tracks the climate impact of food production. 'What is shocking is that regulators are just standing by while companies are making these misleading claims. There is no such thing as a climate-friendly hamburger.'"

Students tried to host a Palestinian culture event. Then a local eatery stepped in. [ed. note: the kids wanted a special night; the school offered them regularly-scheduled Culture Night or Arab History Month]

As carjackings rise, food delivery drivers navigate harrowing risks

Reading archive 2024-01-21

N.H.’s primary pushed the GOP to fix acid rain. Climate change is another story.: Climate activists say failure to focus on global warming is a missed opportunity

Loyalty, long lines, ‘civil war’ talk: A raging movement propels Trump: The former president has trounced GOP rivals offering similar policy agendas, boosted by a fervent base that treats him with singular veneration

Growing Oct. 7 ‘truther’ groups say Hamas massacre was a false flag: In city council hearings, protests and online, a growing movement with ties to Holocaust denial is effacing history in real-time

Reading archive 20024-01-20

Opinion  Conservatives want to unleash the courts. They might regret asking. [ed. note: Chevron deference]

As snow piles up in D.C., residents celebrate, sled and grumble: School closures, work delays, and treacherous roads won’t stop some residents from enjoying this week’s snowfall.

Reading archive 2024-01-19

Metro is falling short on critical safety practices, regulator says - "Metro workers responsible for maintaining key safety systems that help prevent collisions are not following internal procedures, and the engineers who are supposed to oversee them sometimes don’t notice because they aren’t looking at the data, according to an audit by the transit agency’s independent regulator."

Inside the breakup of Haley and Trump’s partnership over her U.N. role: Nikki Haley began her time as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations with diplomatic successes. Although she veered right on some issues to satisfy Trump, he attacks her as a ‘globalist’ in their primary fight. - "Haley talked with an array of experts to prepare for the role, but she later wrote that one of her most important pieces of advice came from her son, Nalin, who was then 15 years old and a foreign policy “buff.” He put together a chart split between countries that were and were not friends of the United States. The thinking behind the chart would guide her tenure."

The high-stakes diplomatic scramble to avert an Israel-Lebanon war

D.C. Lottery seeking new platform for troubled sports betting app: Officials said Thursday they were seeking to replace the GambetDC platform, which has underperformed and is marred with repeat issues

Science is revealing why American politics are so intensely polarized: Political psychologists say they see tribalism intensifying, fueled by contempt for the other side

Reading archive 2024-01-18

Why banning the practice of chopping off shark fins is not saving sharks: A study in the journal Science found that the number of sharks killed by fishing is going up despite government efforts to save the ocean predators - "When it comes to reducing overall shark mortality, there is good news: Though imperfect, entire bans on shark fishing — not just finning — over large swaths of ocean were the best regulations the group assessed, reducing mortality by nearly 40 percent compared with places without shark fishing prohibitions."

For truckers driving EVs, there’s no going back: Electric trucks still make up only a tiny fraction of trucks on the road in the United States

How Democrats undermine their own anti-Trump message [ed. note: saying all Republicans are as bad as Trump undermines the truth, that Trump is singularly dangerous to American democracy]

Haley sparks a 2024 debate: Whether the U.S. is (or ever was) a racist country

Reading archive 2024-01-17

Bird populations are declining. Some are in your neighborhood. - "Hunters kill millions of ducks every year, and still many — though not all — duck populations are growing because their habitats are protected. But the habitats that are conserved are the ones where the game is. Many ornithologists want to know whether birds that aren’t hunted, birds most people don’t notice or care about, can be saved too."

Doing your own research is a good way to end up being wrong

Trump’s unsubtle crusade to cast foes as less American comes for Haley

He hit three monster bets — and then the sportsbook wouldn’t pay: One bettor’s big payout was delayed for months because of a practice sportsbooks increasingly use as an insurance policy, according to industry observers.

Opinion  A crime-free D.C. starts with drug-free zones

White ‘gang’ of correctional officers controls Md. prison, lawsuit says - "The suit alleges that White officers created a “race-based gang” to block employees of color and others not part of the gang from promotion and to avoid punishment for smuggling contraband."

Asking people to “do the research” on fake news stories makes them seem more believable, not less: A new study asked thousands to evaluate the accuracy of news articles — both real and fake — by doing some research online. But for many, heading to Google led them farther from the truth, not closer.

MS-13 terrorized Northern Virginia by killing at random, witnesses say: In the first of two trials, prosecutors and former gang members say MS-13 murdered four people in Prince William County to enhance its violent reputation

Haley steps up attacks on Trump, but some in N.H. see her holding back

Biden and top lawmakers make last-ditch bid for Ukraine-border deal: President’s goal of aiding Ukraine remains in peril absent an immigration deal with Republicans - "But a significant faction of conservative House Republicans has expressed doubt about the need to continue spending money on a war that is so distant from American shores. And border security has proven a powerful issue for the GOP, leaving it unclear whether party leaders will ultimately see an advantage in reaching an agreement with Biden on the issue."

Fla. man sentenced to 5 years after attacking 6 officers on Jan. 6: Kenneth Bonawitz’s tackle of two officers forced one to retire; he had denied assaults when confronted

Reading archive 2024-01-16

The sermon where MLK spoke candidly on the Arab-Israeli conflict

Winter in Belgium: Fries, beer … and elite cyclists racing in the mud

U.S. forces recovered Iranian warheads in Navy SEAL mission gone awry: The U.S. military said the arms shipment, intercepted off the coast of Somalia, was destined for militants in Yemen blamed for attacks in the Red Sea

Opinion  The last remnants of the Republican Party died in Iowa - "Adding to the surreal environment, longtime Republican pollster Frank Luntz rose, praising Ramaswamy’s handling of the demonstrators and asking: 'How do we get civility? How do we get decency?' This from the man who, as Newt Gingrich’s wordsmith, was widely credited with persuading Republicans to label Democrats 'traitors,' 'sick' and 'corrupt.'"

Are induction stoves that much safer than gas? We tested them.: Scientists’ best answer, at the moment, to whether you should ditch your gas stove is: We’re not sure yet

Va. officials warn of possible measles exposure at Dulles, Reagan

First they tackled plastic bags. Now they’re taking aim at bottles.: Environmental activists are pressing for legislation that would allow people to return plastic bottles for a deposit.

Reading archive 2024-01-14

Opinion  France’s new prime minister walks a tightrope around his sexuality

Opinion  Donald Trump isn’t coming for us. The rule of law is coming for him.

‘Ordained by God’: Trump’s legal problems galvanize Iowa evangelicals - "'The support has gone from begrudging to enthusiastic. Many evangelicals now see Trump as their champion and defender — perhaps even savior,' said Barry Hankins, a history professor at Baylor University who is an expert in evangelicalism. 'Unwittingly, in my view, many evangelicals are welcoming authoritarianism and courting blasphemy.'"

The economy is improving under Biden. But many voters aren’t giving him credit.: Despite the statistics, the kitchen-table experience of Biden’s first term has meant that many voters have experienced the last few years as a time of relative economic hardship

Two Russian fathers backed army conscription. Only one son came home.

After attempts to meddle in Taiwan’s elections fail, China takes stock

Winter storm tests Texas green grid upgrades: This week’s storm is a big test for the state’s grid upgrades, which experts say can help avoid blackouts — and fight climate change

ANCIENT ELEMENTS OF COOL: I traveled in the hottest months to the hottest places, looking for ways to stay cool

Reading archive 2024-01-13

Which kind of reusable water bottle is best? We asked the experts.: Reusable water bottles can save carbon emissions and avoid plastic waste, but the material they’re made from can affect your health and the environment

DeSantis prepares to go down swinging — at Fox News

Belgorod, in western Russia, hit hard as Ukraine retaliates for airstrikes

How drug traffickers made the Galápagos Islands their gas station: The beloved UNESCO World Heritage site is being pulled into the booming cocaine trade that’s fueling Ecuador’s violence

Civil War talk in presidential contest reveals fresh divisions on race: The conflict that ripped the country apart 160 years ago has resurfaced as a campaign issue

During Storm, New Tunnel Kept 233 Million Gallons Of Sewage Out Of Anacostia River

Metro Budget Proposal Jeopardizes Efforts to Curb Truancy, Advocates Say

Population continues to grow as more people move back into the District

The D.C. Council Is Considering (Another) Massive Crime Bill. Here’s What’s In It

Reading archive 2024-01-12

Two Iowa counties an hour apart show America’s growing political divide: Rural Decatur County has moved sharply red, while suburban Dallas County has shifted the other direction

Opinion  GOP’s New Year’s resolution: Less legislating, more Hunter Biden porn

Opinion  The media’s worst lapse: Refusing to identify Trump as a cult leader - "The journey to Rust Belt diners became a cliché amid the newfound fascination with aggrieved White working-class Americans. But the theory that such voters were economic casualties of globalization turned out to be false. Surveys and analyses generally found that racial resentment and cultural panic, not economic distress, fueled their affinity for a would-be strongman."

Behind closed doors, Trump eyes second round of corporate tax cuts: Publicly, the Trump campaign is saying its priority is tax relief for working-class families and small businesses

Democratic group plans $140 million voter testimonial onslaught against Donald Trump: The effort will focus on appealing to working class women in the northern swing states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin

‘Okay, it’s done!’ Stranger floors parents, crochets their baby a hat mid-flight.: ‘We were totally shocked, as were the other passengers around us,’ said Kelly Levine

‘Anti-pope.’ ‘Blasphemous.’ Criticism of Francis comes in strident terms.

How the Biden administration helped avoid a coup in Guatemala - "On Sunday, Arévalo is to be sworn in, in what could be a turning point for a nation that’s hemorrhaged migrants to the United States. He’s reaching Inauguration Day in large part because of the determination of Guatemalan citizens fed up with corruption. But U.S. diplomats played a key role, in one of the Biden administration’s most aggressive campaigns to shore up democracy in the hemisphere."

Substack’s woes deepen as tech blog leaves over Nazi content: Journalist Casey Newton’s publication Platformer is cutting ties with the platform

Maryland hails ‘remarkable’ year for young oysters in the Chesapeake Bay

‘God & Country’ film spotlights Christian nationalism’s threat to democracy

Reading archive 2024-01-11

Why decades of progress in cars’ fuel efficiency is ending: In the U.S., gas-powered cars have stopped making big efficiency gains. Some automakers’ offerings have gotten less efficient as they swap out sedans for SUVs.

Why many coffee shops won’t let you bring your own mug

Opinion  Jack Smith’s case got stronger over the past month

Your bed is gross. Here’s how to clean it.: Expert advice on tidying up your bed — and the area around it — that will help you sleep with peace of mind.

How a Md. boy’s bout of Lyme led to a community tick research project

Humpbacks Rebound in 20th-Century Whaling Hotspot: In summer, South Georgia island’s Cumberland Bay now sees whale numbers that rival the early days of whaling.

Ancient DNA helps trace multiple sclerosis origins in European descendants

What we actually know about aliens, according to science

Reading archive 2024-01-10

Thousands of U.S. homes have flooded over and over again. Here’s where.: ‘What we are seeing is flooding is increasing faster than we are mitigating our risk,’ one analyst says of data from the National Flood Insurance Program

Lawmakers press FEMA for flood risk formula as some premiums soar

Why people don’t have to pay anything for electricity in this Florida community: In Hunters Point, Fla., the world’s first LEED Zero Energy certified residential development, every house produces more electricity than it uses

Republican governors in 15 states reject summer food money for kids

Rashida Tlaib gave Palestinian Americans a voice. Then came the war.: As Washington watches Israel execute a punishing campaign in Gaza, the Michigan Democrat confronts the limits of her influence - "'I was so uncomfortable,' Bush recalled in an interview. 'No one deserves to be told what they mean.'" [ed. note: holding people to account for the effect of their words and not the intent has been a part of the progressive project for years and years.]

Nine charged in brawl over attempt to close secret tunnel at NYC synagogue

Fox is airing a Trump town hall live. Can its moderators maintain control?: For anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, the challenge Wednesday night will be rebutting Trump’s expected torrent of false claims about the 2020 election in real time.

Hunter Biden makes surprise appearance at House contempt hearing: President’s son also made an unexpected appearance last December to blast House Republicans who have subpoenaed him

Trump rhetoric, Republican candidates’ ads frighten immigrants in Iowa

We can’t talk about crime in D.C. without talking about hunger: One D.C. woman, who has been trying to keep her neighbors fed, receives calls when moms get caught shoplifting

Reading archive 2024-01-09

Eric Clapton's Covid vaccine conspiracies mark a sad final act: Bigotry and ignorance, in the age of the internet, have a way of catching up with you. And Clapton’s racism and conspiracy theories can no longer be ignored. [ed. note: from 2021]

Opinion  How the best chance to win the Ukraine war was lost

Settlers killed a Palestinian teen. Israeli forces didn’t stop it.: A review of the deadliest settler attack in the West Bank since the war began shows how increasingly violent tactics have gone unpunished - "A Washington Post review of exclusive visuals of the attack, medical records and interviews with witnesses and first responders reveals that one of the Palestinians killed, 17-year-old Obada Saed Abu Srour, was shot in the back by settlers, probably as he was running from gunfire. 

"Israeli troops, meanwhile, did not forcefully intervene, despite their obligation under international and Israeli law to protect all residents of the West Bank, including Palestinians. Soldiers and police were photographed at the scene of the deaths only after the attack ended, even though troops stationed at nearby military outposts were within earshot of the gunfire and had views of an earlier attack by settlers, the visual evidence shows."

Bowser launches effort to reimagine Chinatown as loss of Caps, Wizards looms

How plastic hides in supposedly eco-friendly laundry products

Reading archive 2024-01-08

Mouse caught on camera cleaning a man’s shed, night after night

Business Insider story on Harvard antagonist’s wife draws owner’s scrutiny: The news site’s German owner, Axel Springer, plans to review a story about alleged plagiarism by former MIT professor Neri Oxman, whose billionaire husband, Bill Ackman, sought to oust Harvard’s president for similar academic transgressions. Its editor defends the story.

The race to save the Richneck teacher shot by a 6-year-old pupil: A year after the gunfire in Newport News, Va., parents and witnesses describe for the first time how the shooting unfolded and its lingering impact on young witnesses

Family of Ashli Babbitt, slain during Jan. 6 riot, sues U.S. government: Babbitt was shot by a police officer during the riot; officials concluded his actions were justified

Hoping to govern in 2024, House Republicans fear a repeat of last year: 2023 was marked by threats of a government shutdown, a speaker’s ouster and a messy fight to replace him. Now House Republicans are trying to make the case that they deserve to stay in charge.

Reading archive 2024-01-07

Trump’s promotion of debunked election report reveals divisions in his circle

Obama, worried about Trump, urges Biden circle to bolster campaign: The former president shared his thoughts about the reelection campaign during a private lunch with Biden at the White House

Trump mocks Biden over stutter: Making fun of Biden’s childhood speech impediment marks the latest crass form of politics that Trump has exhibited throughout his career

Trump is promising to reduce inflation. His plans may reignite it. - "Both proposals would almost certainly lead to a major expansion of trade hostilities, which would mean not only higher prices for U.S. consumers but also make it harder for domestic producers to sell into foreign markets."

Longtime Israeli-Palestinian friendships fracture after Oct. 7 attack - "'The occupation does not distinguish between the people who are throwing rocks and between the civilians like me who are living in their houses,' Abdelsalem said. 

"Friendly workplace interactions with Israeli civilians have no impact on the behavior of soldiers, his brother said: They treat Palestinians 'with violence and brutality.'

"'The punishment for Palestinians is collective punishment.'"

Family-friendly drag queen faces hate and threats in hostile Florida

Trump allies seek to co-opt coming election-security case to bolster 2020 lie: The largely left-leaning plaintiffs in the federal civil case going to trial this week in Georgia allege that the state’s voting machines are vulnerable to hacking — not that they have been hacked

Reading archive 2024-01-05

Opinion  Palestinian and Israeli cartoonists see the war differently (and the same)

Opinion  Arabs are forced to question our place in the world [ed. note: an example of learned helplessness, fatalism, and martyrdom]

Economists disagree on Biden’s polling. Even when they’re in love.: A brainiac couple find themselves on opposite sides of the hottest debate in economics, with crucial stakes for the 2024 election - "'Every indicator of sentiment other than public-source opinion polling is incredibly positive,' Wolfers said. 'That right there should lead you to ask: Are all those indicators broken, or is public opinion polling what is broken?'"

Opinion  I killed a deer in my bathroom

Opinion  I bought a gun — and I intend to use it - "The Nature Conservancy several years ago argued that deer might be 'a bigger threat to Eastern forests than climate change.' And things have only worsened. Doug Tallamy, an entomologist and wildlife ecologist at the University of Delaware, tells me that white-tailed deer in the East are now 'about 14 times over the carrying capacity,' meaning the ability of the ecosystem to sustain the species."

10-year study provides model for deer management strategies - "'Despite deer sterilization rates of 90%, our findings demonstrate that there is no hope for using fertility control to reduce deer populations or their impact,' Blossey said. 'Similarly, the findings from our study also demonstrate that recreational hunting does not control the deer population, and it does not help in reducing deer impacts.'"

Missing Chinese student was victim of ‘cyber kidnapping’ scam, Utah police say

Opinion  Want to know how real conservatives think? Read their brief on immunity.

D.C.’s poorest ward aims anger at Leonsis as Mystics eye move downtown

Dan Crenshaw has some harsh words for Fox News host Jesse Watters: After Watters implied the GOP congressman’s stock market success was unethical, Crenshaw called the Fox News star a ‘hack’ and a ‘clown.’

As Gazans return to destroyed homes, Israeli ministers push resettlement

When the starter home becomes the forever home: Amid high mortgage rates, soaring housing prices and a stubbornly tight market, here’s how families are stretching the space they have

Kim Davis, who denied gay marriage licenses in 2015, fined $260,000 - "'And we will argue that the 2015 case of Obergefell v. Hodges should be overruled. Only two of the original five justices remain on the bench. Chief Justice John Roberts filed a strong dissent to the case, along with Thomas and Alito. Obergefell is on very thin ice and lacks legal any legal precedent or foundation.'"

A quarter of Americans believe FBI instigated Jan. 6, Post-UMD poll finds: More than 3 in 10 Republicans have adopted the falsehood that the FBI conspired to cause the Capitol riot

He defended the Capitol on Jan. 6. Now he’s running for Congress.

Gay couple sells Virginia restaurant at center of small-town dispute: The Front Porch in The Plains, Va., has changed hands after the owners tired of fighting with their neighbors

Biden, in Valley Forge speech, hits Trump hard as threat to democracy: Address marks a new phase of the Biden campaign that will emphasize Trump’s efforts to overturn election.

Reading archive 2024-01-04

Mickey Mouse entered the public domain. Now he’s a horror movie villain.

Trump allies fixate on Jeffrey Epstein documents — despite few revelations: Trump partied with Epstein, but his supporters are convinced documents being released from a New York court may sully Democrats - "'Nobody who has even casually followed the story will learn a single fact from what is about to be unsealed. Not one,' attorney Brad Edwards said. 'The level of disappointment the world is about to get cannot be overstated.'"

Jimmy Kimmel slams Aaron Rodgers for suggesting Jeffrey Epstein connection

Fourteen killed in shooting at university in Prague: Authorities said the gunman was also dead, and 25 others were injured in the shootings at Charles University in central Prague

U.K. teens found guilty of murdering trans girl in brutal park stabbing

Reckless drivers in spotlight as D.C. hits 16-year high on traffic deaths: D.C. is struggling to slow carnage on the roads as it faces unmet goals in cutting traffic fatalities by next year

Kicking around a few ideas for my final column: This is the last ‘John Kelly’s Washington’

The case of al-Shifa: Investigating the assault on Gaza’s largest hospital - "None of the five buildings highlighted by the IDF appear to connect to the tunnels, and no evidence has been produced showing that the tunnels could be accessed from inside the hospital wards, as Hagari had claimed."

Reading archvie 2024-01-03

Ready to discard your Christmas tree? You could eat it instead.

Opinion  How the battle for democracy will be fought — and won

Opinion  They opened the door. The dictators were waiting. - "The GAO has also suggested pressuring perpetrators that benefit from U.S. arms exports by using a provision of the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 barring arms sales to countries engaged in a pattern of intimidation or harassment directed at individuals in the United States. Saudi Arabia and Egypt are among the top 25 arms-transfer recipients."

Opinion  Is this who we are?

Fentanyl super labs in Canada pose new threat for U.S. opioid epidemic

A sinking nation is offered an escape route. But there’s a catch.

Complaints about home birth midwives languish amid Maryland backlog: After their babies died, Maryland parents sought help from the state Board of Nursing, which regulates midwives. They’re still waiting. - "The Maryland Board of Nursing licenses certified professional midwives, referring to them as direct-entry midwives. Distinct from certified nurse midwives, who have graduate degrees and nursing credentials, certified professional midwives have no hospital privileges and primarily learn through apprenticeships. They attend the majority of home births in the United States.

...

"A physician had delivered Naomi Puckett’s first child via Caesarean section in 2012. When she became pregnant again in late 2014, she wanted 'bodily autonomy, and a natural birth.'" [ed. note: hey, dumbass: stillbirth and dying in childbirth is "natural"]

Florida teen kills sister during fight over Christmas gifts, sheriff says

A rare deer became legendary in Richmond. Then poachers showed up.

After Sandy Hook, they voted no. Now these senators want new gun laws.: Reflecting on a decade of mass killings and surging AR-15 sales, four current and three former senators recant some or all of their 2013 positions on gun laws in emotional interviews with The Post - "In the meeting with the families, Portman told the group that he would not support the background checks measure even though he believed it could save lives. 

"Hockley said that she responded with a piercing personal question: 'So, you can vote to protect your son, but you can’t vote to protect mine?'

"Portman, who retired from the Senate this year, declined to comment for this story." [ed. note: Portman is truly gutless]

Genetic engineering was meant to save chestnut trees. Then there was a mistake.: A potential labelling error was the latest in a series of concerns for the American Chestnut Foundation, driving the nonprofit to pull support for a genetically engineered tree meant resurrect an iconic American species.

Rep. Lauren Boebert switches Colo. districts, avoiding likely tough rematch

Long after violent arrests, Ocean City keeps reviews from the public: A police leader testified that he could not recall in his 18 years at the department a routine review finding a use of force improper

Her story fueled anti-trans bills. Now, she’s fighting them.: Carey Callahan was once a prominent critic of gender-affirming care for minors. Then she began to worry her words were leading to outcomes she didn’t support.

CAN FLOW BATTERIES FINALLY BEAT LITHIUM?: Nanoparticles may boost energy density enough for EVs

50 YEARS LATER, WE’RE STILL LIVING IN THE XEROX ALTO’S WORLD The Alto transformed computing. And the changes stuck - "As should now be apparent, how the Alto came to shape our lives with computers a half century later isn’t the story of any one individual. In our culture, however, the history of technology is habitually presented as a sequence of remarkable individual achievements. But this is wrong. Innovation is the work of groups, of communities." [ed. note: or, how Steve Jobs most assuredly did not create desktops, laptops, or tablets]

D.C.’s troubled crime lab wins back accreditation

Plan for new Caps, Wizards arena in Va. stirs up its would-be neighbors: Just weeks after an official announcement, the sports complex proposed for Alexandria’s Potomac Yard has become the city’s biggest source of debate

What China’s new defense minister tells us about Xi’s military purge

Russia is working to subvert French support for Ukraine, documents show - "For part of the French establishment, the vision of France leading a grand Europe together with Moscow is 'a dream which will never go away,' said Sylvie Kauffmann, editorial director at Le Monde and author of the recent book 'Les Aveuglés,' or 'The Blinded Ones,' about how France and Germany misread Putin in seeking to build close ties with him. 'In this dream we are a big power and Russia is a big power and we are two big nuclear powers treating each other on an equal footing,' she said."

Trump says Liz Cheney deleted evidence of Jan. 6 troops. There isn’t any.

Water-hungry golf courses plague Arizona’s native javelina-filled landscape: A herd of javelinas damaged a ritzy golf course in Arizona. Golf courses have done more damage.

A global synthesis and assessment of free-ranging domestic cat diet

Want to help birds this winter? Plant native berries.: Many birds turn to calorie-packed berries in autumn for an energy boost

Bird-Friendly Plants for Winter Forage

Pollen theft by honey bees from wild bees

Reading archive 2024-01-02

Elon Musk promised an anti-‘woke’ chatbot. It’s not going as planned." Grok, launched this month on X, has angered conservatives by endorsing diversity. Musk says he’s trying to fix it. - "Touting xAI to former Fox News host Tucker Carlson in April, Musk accused OpenAI’s programmers of 'training the AI to lie' or to refrain from commenting when asked about sensitive issues. (OpenAI wrote in a February blog post that its goal is not for the AI to lie, but for it to avoid favoring any one political group or taking positions on controversial topics.) Musk said his AI, in contrast, would be 'a maximum truth-seeking AI,' even if that meant offending people. 

"So far, however, the people most offended by Grok’s answers seem to be the people who were counting on it to readily disparage minorities, vaccines and President Biden."

Accused leaker Teixeira was seen as potential mass shooter, probe finds: Fellow airmen at the Massachusetts base where Teixeira worked warned superiors about his ‘fringe thinking’ and called him ‘the active shooter kid.’ Their concerns went unreported.

Biden’s economy vs. Trump’s, in 12 charts: Both presidents tout their contributions on the U.S. economy ahead of the 2024 election. But how do their claims stack up?

White House clean-energy spending boom puts Biden in the crosshairs: The rollout of a multibillion-dollar ‘green’ hydrogen plan may help the U.S. dominate the energy transition — and give critics another target