Reading archive 2024-04-26

Is Southwest about to end its free-for-all seating?: The company says it is ‘very seriously studying’ alternatives to its signature open-seating system

How to deal with the 3 levels of gaslighting

Blinken warns China to address its support for Russia or ‘we will’

Asia’s next war could be triggered by a rusting warship on a disputed reef - "To buttress its claims in the South China Sea, the Philippines in 1999 deliberately ran aground a World War II-era landing ship on a half-submerged shoal, establishing the vessel as an outpost of the Philippine navy."

Opinion  This tiny flower teaches us all we need to know about growing old

Secret meetings, social chatter: How Columbia students sparked a nationwide revolt - "But unlike the protests of decades past, college administrators have fewer tools at their disposal to assuage demonstrator demands. Experts say student requests for divestment are not only impractical but also are likely to yield little if any real benefit. More broadly, the students could face a challenge in trying to build alliances. Some would-be demonstrators have been deterred by tactics and chants some view as antisemitic.

...

"'I think a difference with older generations is that for them college was a coming of age, whereas my class started elementary school in the financial crisis, started high school in the Trump presidency, and started college in the pandemic,' Vijayakumar said. 'We’ve never lived in normal times.'" [ed. note: there is no such thing as "normal times"]

Baltimore principal’s racist rant was an AI fake. His colleague was arrested.

D.C. officers who were previously disciplined won’t get renewed contracts

After decades of disinvestment, D.C.’s Anacostia welcomes new developments - "But as Bowser and others spoke Thursday on the roof of DHCD’s new headquarters, there was a shared understanding that these new developments were only a step toward rectifying decades of disinvestment. Local business owners who attended the celebration said that while they are excited about the rapid development, they expressed concern about what the new amenities could eventually mean for the neighborhood’s affordability." [ed. note: complain about disinvestment, complain about the effects of investment]

Reading archive 2024-04-25

The Morning: Chaos and oppression - "Arnold Kling, an economist, published a book a decade ago that offered a way to think about the core difference between progressives and conservatives. Progressives, Kling wrote, see the world as a struggle between the oppressor and the oppressed, and they try to help the oppressed. Conservatives see the world as a struggle between civilization and barbarism — between order and chaos — and they try to protect civilization."

Aid to Ukraine seemed dead. Then secretive talks revived it.: In one meeting, Biden and others sprang a surprise effort to persuade Speaker Johnson to pass the aid package

Meadows, Giuliani and other Trump allies charged in Arizona 2020 election probe

How cleaning product chemicals called ‘quats’ may affect the brain: A common ingredient in household disinfectants has been shown in lab studies to affect certain brain cells

In Australia, ‘Cats Are Just Catastrophic’: Feral cats take a heavy toll on the world’s wildlife, especially Down Under. The solution? Smarter traps, sharpshooters,

As bird flu spreads in cows, fractured U.S. response has echoes of early covid

Bird flu in humans, explained: How it spreads, the symptoms and more

Opinion  Why we shouldn’t panic if bird flu becomes the next pandemic

Some Jewish Students Are Targeted as Protests Continue at Columbia: After reports of harassment by demonstrators, some Jewish students said they felt unsafe. Others said they felt safe, while condemning antisemitism. - "Those demonstrations took a dark turn on Saturday evening, as protesters targeted some Jewish students with antisemitic vitriol that was captured in video and pictures, both inside and outside the campus. The verbal attacks left a number of the 5,000 Jewish students at Columbia fearful for their safety on the campus and its vicinity, and even drew condemnation from the White House and Mayor Eric Adams of New York City.

...

"In one instance, video captured a person holding up a sign that said, 'Al-Qasam’s Next Targets,' referring to Hamas’s armed faction, near several Jewish counterprotesters.

...

"A video posted on X shows a masked protester outside the Columbia gates carrying a Palestinian flag who appears to chant 'Go back to Poland!' One Columbia student wrote on social media that some protesters had stolen an Israeli flag from students and tried to burn it, adding that Jewish students were splashed with water."

The ‘Mother Tree’ idea is everywhere — but how much of it is real?: A popular theory about how trees cooperate has enchanted the public and raised the profile of forest conservation. But some ecologists think its scientific basis has been oversold.

Invading plants remain undetected in a lag phase while they explore suitable climates

Can Gardeners Learn to Love Snags? These Pros Think So.

Where the Pros go to Source Native Plants

Senior ‘skip day’ was an annual tradition. Then 5 teens were shot.: Greenbelt officials and community members are grappling with how to move forward after five teenagers were wounded at a “senior skip day” outing

Reading archive 2024-04-24

Yellowstone’s Wolves: A Debate Over Their Role in the Park’s Ecosystem: New research questions the long-held theory that reintroduction of such a predator caused a trophic cascade, spawning renewal of vegetation and spurring biodiversity. - "Yes, stands of aspen and willows are thriving again — in some places. But decades of damage from elk herds’ grazing and trampling so thoroughly changed the landscape that large areas remain scarred and may not recover for a long time, if ever.

...

"Richard Keigley, who was a research ecologist for the federal Geological Survey in the 1990s, has become an outspoken critic of the park’s bison management. 

"'They have created this juggernaut where we’ve got thousands of bison and the public believes this is the way things always were,' he said. 'The bison that are there now have destroyed and degraded their primary ranges. People have to realize there’s something wrong in Yellowstone.'"

These 150-foot-high sails could help solve shipping’s climate problem: Harnessing the power of wind could both reduce emissions from cargo ships and extend the life of these vessels

The robots are coming ... for your wedding: Congratulations. Your gift is a blast of cold fog to the face.

Opinion  So, 112 ignoble, infantile Republicans voted to endanger civilization - "Today’s Moscow-Beijing-Tehran axis is, as the 1930s Axis was, watching."

The debate about Sonia Sotomayor is not about sexism. It’s more dire.: Some want the Supreme Court justice to retire so that President Biden can name a replacement before... before what happens, exactly?

A homeless woman got an apartment. Then came conflicts with neighbors.

Arizona House votes to repeal abortion ban, advancing issue to state Senate

A global study just revealed the world’s biggest known plastic polluters: Coca-Cola and PepsiCo came in at the top of a global audit of plastic waste

Opinion  We have a radical democracy. Will Trump voters destroy it?

Reading archive 2024-04-23

NBA playoffs 2024: Why do so many players have beef with Rudy Gobert?

How a Tiny Inland Shorebird Could Help Save the Great Salt Lake: With half its surface area gone, the country’s largest saline lake is verging on collapse due to the region’s overuse of water and climate change, threatening the ecosystem, Salt Lake City and Wilson’s phalarope.

Restoring sight is possible now with optogenetics: People suffering from macular degeneration, along with other diseases that impair sight, may soon benefit from gene therapy

Your yard can help avert the insect apocalypse. Here’s how.: Welcome lacewings, sweat bees and lady beetles (back) into your life

Cornel West, focusing on Gaza, has harsh critiques for opponents, former allies

What happened to Tesla? Weak sales, layoffs and recalls weigh on outlook.: Just a few years ago, the company was flying high. Now, investors are contending with a grim earnings report Tuesday.

Australia’s prime minister calls Elon Musk an ‘arrogant billionaire’

Students rally, call for American University to divest from Israel

Here’s what happens when Formula 1 goes all-electric: Imagine an auto race with speed but no engine noise. That battery-powered vision is already here, with Formula E.

Reading archive 2024-04-22

Nine practices from Native American culture that could help the environment

Rooftop solar panels are flooding California’s grid. That’s a problem.: As electricity prices go negative, the Golden State is struggling to offload a glut of solar power

Smithsonian staff fear drag clampdown after GOP questioning, emails show: Secretary Lonnie Bunch says ‘LGBTQ+ content is welcome at the Smithsonian’ after comments at hearing, and canceled drag events draw concern - "'I think it’s not appropriate to expose children to drag shows,' Bunch said. 'I’m surprised and I will look into that.'"

Biden’s polls improve as Kennedy and third-party factor shifts: Two new high-quality polls show Robert F. Kennedy Jr. taking more support from Donald Trump than President Biden

Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at Yale

They fled Venezuela — and transformed D.C.’s food delivery scene

House Republican infighting getting worse after foreign aid vote: One GOP lawmaker said he serves with “some real scumbags,” while others fought over Speaker Mike Johnson’s strategy for bringing up the aid package

Opinion  Don’t waste your time recycling plastic

Reading archive 2024-04-21

Opinion  What it means when the mercenaries appear

A team of bitter rivals is making Israel’s most crucial war decisions

Opinion  The unspoken story of why Israel didn’t clobber Iran

Kennedy family members’ embrace carries deeper meaning for Biden: Biden has longstanding ties to the family of the only other Catholic president, sharing politics and tragedy

Don’t flush trees down the toilet. Use this toilet paper instead. - "Which one was softest? Winner: Simple Truth (Kroger) Our winner is made of out of 100 percent recycled paper with up to 60 percent post-consumer recycled content, or materials that would normally be recycled or wind up in a landfill."

Gaza aid flotilla plans to challenge Israeli blockade, organizers say

At Trump’s N.Y. trial, the jury pool spoke, and he had to listen: The potential jurors for Trump’s hush money trial acted as America’s ultimate focus group

The evolution of Mike Johnson on Ukraine: ‘How does it feel to be a RINO?’ one Republican asked the speaker last week after he decided to advance funding for Ukraine in its war with Russia

Trump’s legal bills drain millions more from his political committees: The former president’s legal bills account for more than a quarter of the spending by his political committees in March, new campaign finance filings show

Reading archive 2024-04-19

Bipartisan House coalition advances Ukraine aid: The latest news from the Middle East did not appear to change the likelihood that the House would pass more aid to Israel

Opinion  Here’s why Uri Berliner couldn’t stay at NPR

Turning Point Action official resigns after accusation of election-related fraud

The U.S. just changed how it manages a tenth of its land: The Interior Department rule puts conservation and clean energy development on par with drilling, mining and resource extraction on federal lands for the first time

Reading archive 2024-04-18

Massive Mt. Ruang eruption sends plumes nearly 70,000 feet high: Indonesian volcano’s explosion -- at least the third this week -- may have injected aerosols into the stratosphere

Watch an Icelandic volcano erupt below northern lights

Is Corporate America In Denial About Trump?: Despite his populist promises, many bigwigs are keeping the faith that it couldn't really happen here. - "'Be honest,' Dimon said, sitting against a backdrop of snow-dusted evergreens, dressed casually in a dark blazer and polo shirt. 'He was kind of right about NATO, kind of right on immigration. He grew the economy quite well. Trade. Tax reform worked. He was right about some of China.'"

Johnson’s plan to send aid to Ukraine moves closer to reality: “Democrats will not be responsible for this bill failing,” one Democratic lawmaker pledged on Thursday morning.

Rock Creek Park Golf Course to undergo major, two-year renovation: The National Park Service signed off on the plan over concerns raised by environmental groups and community members.

Inside the GOP reckoning over Arizona’s 1864 abortion ban: A deeply conflicted state House chamber did not repeal the Civil War-era law on Wednesday, highlighting the indecision of swing-district Republicans

Opinion  Here are the U.S. congressional districts benefiting from Ukraine aid - "If you knew that most of the military aid that Congress approves for Ukraine was being spent right here in the United States, quite possibly in your own congressional district — strengthening our defense production capacity and creating good manufacturing jobs for American workers — would you want your representatives in Washington to support it?"

Turmoil at NPR after editor rips network for political bias: The public radio network is being targeted by conservative activists over the editor’s essay, which many staffers say is misleading and inaccurate - "'Morning Edition' host Steve Inskeep, writing on his Substack on Tuesday, fact-checked or contextualized several of the arguments Berliner made. For instance: Berliner wrote that he once asked 'why we keep using that word that many Hispanics hate — Latinx.' Inskeep said he searched 90 days of NPR’s content and found 'Latinx' was used nine times — 'usually by a guest' — compared to the nearly 400 times “Latina” and “Latino” were used."

Reading archive 2024-04-17

Sasha Velour sashays into the culture wars: The champion drag queen — prepping a stage show and starring in a TV series — confronts the people who want to ban her - "The protests she encountered while filming the show felt 'like drag, in its own way,' she would say later. 'They dress up, they put on their red hats,' and put on 'demented, wrong drag, where it’s like you’re performing something, and there’s no acknowledgment that it’s a performance. And it’s really designed to make people feel unsafe and weak and small' — unlike real drag, which, at its best, makes the crowd (and the performer) feel joyful and empowered."

Biden’s handling of Gaza shakes his support in the Black community: Some Black activists want voters to reject Biden over his Gaza policy. Others see Trump as a far bigger threat. - "Biden is handling the Gaza war as best he can, they add. 'You can’t solve the problem of the Middle East as a purist or idealist,' said Marshall Mitchell, a pastor at Salem Baptist Church of Abington, a Black church in Montgomery County, Pa. 'They don’t understand the power of quiet diplomacy. And they’re going to force a hand, and then you won’t be able to turn Pennsylvania back.'

...

"In contrast, Rahima Abdullah, 67, a lifelong Philadelphia resident, said the events of the past six months have not deterred her desire to vote for Biden. Voting 'uncommitted' or staying home 'is a vote for Trump,' she added."

Ark. governor’s office might’ve broken law in buying $19K lectern, audit finds

Trump rails against wind energy in fundraising pitch to oil executives: At a Mar-a-Lago dinner, Donald Trump doubles down on promises to derail a key form of clean energy that competes with fossil fuels

Fact-checking Donald Trump's claim that wind turbines kill whales - "Many other areas with high numbers of wind farms have not seen an increase in whale mortality. 

"For example, the UK is home to the world's four largest wind farms, but no humpback whale strandings there have been conclusively linked to the impact of those farms."

Opinion  This defiant Ukrainian general has no smile — and surprising remarks on Trump

THE SURVIVOR SPECIES: Having lost many of their cattle, traditional herders are trying out a milk-producing animal that is more resilient to climate change - "The global camel population has doubled over the last 20 years, something the U.N. agency for agriculture and investment attributes partly to the animal’s suitability amid climate change. In times of hardship, camels produce more milk than cows."

Secret Russian foreign policy document urges action to weaken the U.S. - "The academic, Vladimir Zharikhin, called for Russia to 'continue to facilitate the coming to power of isolationist right-wing forces in America,' 'enable the destabilization of Latin American countries and the rise to power of extremist forces on the far left and far right there,' as well as facilitate 'the restoration of European countries’ sovereignty by supporting parties dissatisfied with economic pressure from the U.S.' 

"Other points in the policy proposal, which was also provided to The Post, suggested that Moscow stoke conflict between the United States and China over Taiwan to bring Russia and China closer together, as well as 'to escalate the situation in the Middle East around Israel, Iran and Syria to distract the U.S. with the problems of this region.'"

A Md. boy’s burns required 20 surgeries. Now his mother is headed to prison.: In Montgomery County, authorities said Kimberly Tyler set her 8-year-old son on fire after he spilled cereal, then ignored his grievous injuries for two weeks

'Voted off the island': Inside Bill Belichick's failed job hunt

Internet data centers are fueling drive to old power source: Coal

Reading archive 2024-04-16

A major US state just achieved a critical milestone for nearly two weeks: 'It's wild that this isn't getting more news coverage': "This has never happened before in history."

I went hunting for invasive iguanas in Florida. Not much went according to plan.: After traveling to South Florida to hunt green iguanas, maybe we’re thinking about them all wrong - "He’s most worried about Asian swamp eels. The species is now spreading through parts of the Everglades. In study areas, it has already eradicated more than 90 percent of several small fish and crustacean species, eroding the base of the food chain for other animals."

Momentum builds to oust Johnson from House speakership: One right-wing member called on the speaker to resign, which Johnson rejected

A tech-stock bubble and burst, all within three weeks: Behold the Trumpstockalypse

They criticized Israel. This Twitter account upended their lives.: Since Oct. 7, StopAntisemitism has flagged hundreds of people who have criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza. Many were swiftly fired. - "Celine Khalife, a 25-year-old therapist, says StopAntisemitism shut down her career just as it was getting started. A video posted by StopAntisemitism shows the Palestinian American tearing down a poster of Israeli hostages. She said Israel kidnapped its own citizens, a false conspiracy theory."

Police suspect custody battle linked to killing of two Kansas women

Amazon HQ2 was supposed to add jobs last year. It shed them instead.: The tech giant’s deal with Virginia had it adding more than 2,500 new employees at its new Arlington headquarters in 2023. But it lost more than 200 positions there last year.

Opinion  This might be Trump’s most inflationary, economically destructive idea yet - "Trump’s policy team is reportedly scheming to devalue the U.S. dollar. This might well be Trump’s most inflationary and economically destructive idea yet. That’s quite an achievement, considering everything else he and his advisers have cooked up (universal tariff hikes, deficit-financed tax cuts, huge reductions in the labor force, etc.)."

Opinion  Biden embraced Trump’s tariffs. It might be his undoing. - "The tariffs are the most egregious of all these policies. Despite Trump’s rhetoric to the contrary, they are a tax on American consumers. U.S. Customs and Border Protection estimates that so far Americans have paid more than $230 billion in these taxes. In addition, tens of billions of dollars have been handed out to farmers to compensate for their losses in agricultural exports (as a consequence of China’s retaliatory tariffs)."

Palestinian paramedics said Israel gave them safe passage to save a 6-year-old girl in Gaza. They were all killed.

Opinion  What was Iran thinking? Maybe not what you think.

How to revive hair that thins, grays or gets out of control as you age - "Minoxidil pills are FDA-approved for hypertension but used off-label at much lower doses for hair loss. At dosages of up to 2.5 mg per day for women and 5 mg per day for men, it achieves higher blood levels than topical, which can make it more effective, Olsen says. But, she cautions, there may be side effects (like changes in heart rate and blood pressure), so it’s wise to start with the lowest dose possible and take it under a doctor’s supervision."

Reading archive 2024-04-15

D.C. targets ‘porch pirates’ with sting operations and tougher penalties: Critics say new tactics and punishments aimed at package and retail thieves are disproportionate to the crimes

Girl, 15, fatally shot outside apartment building in Southeast D.C.

Opinion  A stunning victory with the shield creates an opening for Israel

A heat pump ‘petting zoo’? This fair helps Americans green their homes.

Johnson gambles on plan separating Israel aid from Ukraine funds: Marjorie Taylor Greene called the decision to put four different foreign aid bills on the floor a ‘scam,’ but it’s unclear whether she’ll try and oust Johnson for it

Ukraine, watching U.S. coalition protect Israel, feels alone - "Last week alone, Russia launched nearly 130 Shahed drones, 80 missiles and 700 guided aerial bombs at Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address on Sunday. Ukraine relied on its own troops and its dwindling supplies of ammunition. But the immediate international response to Iran’s attack on Israel proved that modern air defense can save lives and that such defense is possible, Zelensky said."

Lake Mead visitors caught on video destroying ancient rock formations: National Park Service rangers are looking for information on two male suspects in the vandalism incident

White House condemns ‘Death to America’ chants at rally in Dearborn, Mich.

Trump Wanted to See Crowd Outside Trial. He Got 50 Randos.: A couple of hungry Proud Boys, Laura Loomer, and some people from Queens.

What to do if you find a bird nest near your home: Birds make nests over front doors, on porches and patios, even on cars. Here’s how to keep one safe.

Opinion  What the United States needs to do after Iran’s attack on Israel

Reading archive 2024-04-14

Opinion  I was a wildfire fighter for six years. The reason they’re quitting is simple. - "An ordinary wildland firefighter will have a pay grade from GS-3 to GS-6. In 2024, the base rate for a GS-3 was $12.93 an hour. In 2014, it was $10.57. To keep up with inflation, this summer a GS-3 firefighter starts at $12.93. No step increases — you get laid off every fall. No matter how many years you work, each one counts as your first."

In the Arctic, American commandos game out a great-power war: The Post was granted a rare embed with Navy SEALs and Green Berets as the Pentagon, wary of a conflict with Russia or China, stress-tested its preparedness

Small-time investors in Trump’s Truth Social reckon with stock collapse: Some Trump supporters who invested in his social media company have seen their share values plunge -— and see it as a test of faith

‘WHERE DO WE PUT THE BODIES?’: Migration’s human toll overwhelms a border county in Texas

Reading archive 2024-04-13

DC police dealt thousands of guns; ATF demands answers after concerning number found at crime scenes - Eight years later as COVID-19 took hold in the District (and, as federal statistics show, gun purchases rose rapidly), D.C.’s longtime lone licensed dealer closed his business. A D.C. police spokesperson told the I-Team, 'MPD was required to operate as an FFL from April 3, 2020, until January 4, 2021, to uphold a constitutional right in the District.'"

Germany bars doctor who worked in Gaza, shuts down Palestinian conference - "The conference — and Salman Abu Sitta’s participation in particular — stirred controversy before it even began, with Germany’s antisemitism commissioner, Felix Klein, saying he was in favor of banning the author from entering the country. The furor related to a January blog post in which Salman Abu Sitta wrote that he 'could have been one of those who broke through the fence' if he were younger and still lived 'in the concentration camp called the Gaza Strip.'"

General warns House on Ukraine: ‘The side that can’t shoot back loses’: Within weeks, Russia will be able to launch 10 artillery shells for every one round fired by Ukraine without additional U.S. aid, Gen. Christopher Cavoli said

The joys and challenges of interracial friendships

A drone factory in Utah is at the epicenter of anti-China fervor: After struggling for years for survival, U.S. small drone manufacturers are getting a second shot, despite prices many times higher than China’s DJI

Opinion  How Gen Z took over incel slang - "Here’s how that can work: I like to watch videos on urban planning, and I recently got a TikTok complaining that 'it’s so hard being a walkpilled cardiomaxxer in a carcel gascucked state like Arizona.'"

Prosecutor will probe possible coverup in investigation of teacher’s shooting: Months after a 6-year-old boy in Newport News, Va., shot a first-grade teacher, authorities say they are still examining whether others are culpable - "Commonwealth’s Attorney Howard E. Gwynn, the top prosecutor in Newport News, Va., said his office will probe why one of the shooter’s discipline files disappeared and the other had material removed from it.

...

"The special grand jury wrote that police obtained a search warrant for the boy’s disciplinary files, but the documents were missing when investigators went to the school to get them. They were the only disciplinary files missing from the school. 

"LaQuiche Parrott, the director of elementary school leadership for the district, eventually returned one of the files, but the special grand jury said it was missing all of its disciplinary records, including documentation about the choking incident in kindergarten. The other file remains missing.

"Parrott said she could not recall how she got the disciplinary file, which the special grand jury called 'highly suspicious.' The panel questioned whether she might be engaging in a coverup and recommended Parrott be investigated for obstruction of justice. Parrott did not return calls from The Washington Post seeking comment."

Opinion  This is why Trump supporters will believe absolutely anything

A narco revolt takes a once-peaceful nation to the brink

Reading archive 2024-04-11

Inside the cheating scandal rocking D.C.’s trivia scene: Q: Why would someone cheat at pub trivia? A: Oh boy ...

D.C. nixes plan for Connecticut Avenue bike lane

Reading archive 2024-04-10

Former Richneck administrator charged in teacher’s shooting by 6-year-old

Gen Z workers can take criticism. You’re just phrasing it wrong.: Young workers want feedback and lots of it. But if you deliver it in the wrong ways, it could backfire.

This is the most consequential technology in America: It’s the most popular social app and music service, the healthiest economy on the internet and AI training fuel

Opinion  Jack Smith’s Trump immunity brief highlights the prosecutor’s mistake

Police fire 96 shots in 41 seconds, killing Black man during traffic stop - "COPA said its review of the footage and initial reports 'appear to confirm that Mr. Reed fired first,' hitting one officer while four others returned fire."

Mothers accused of child neglect will get cash in D.C. poverty study: Study will test whether cash payments alleviate problems that contributed to the neglect allegations

‘Catastrophic,’ ‘a shock’: Arizona’s abortion ruling threatens to upend 2024 races: Arizona Supreme Court rules that a near-total ban from 1864 can go into effect in a battleground state that could play an outsize role in the presidential election and help determine which party controls the Senate next year

Tradwives, stay-at-home girlfriends and the dream of feminine leisure: Some young women see patriarchy as a solution, not a problem. What in ‘The Feminine Mystique’ is going on here? - "The Wall Street Journal recently detailed a new paper to be published in the journal Social Indicators Research that found that, 'regardless of how the question is asked or what measure is used, women say they are more anxious, more depressed, more tired and more pessimistic than men,' the Journal said. At the same time, though, women are also more likely 'to say they are happy and satisfied with their lives.'"

Virginia militia member raised suspicion, then alarm with talk of bombs: A militia group’s rare public warning about a former member shows how concerns around Justice Department prosecutions is changing extremist organizing

Nuclear deal in tatters, Iran edges close to weapons capability: Six years after the Trump administration withdrew from the Iran nuclear accord, Tehran is rapidly accumulating enriched uranium, some of it very close to weapons grade. Experts fear that a bomb could be a short dash away. - "The collapse of the deal, meanwhile, has sharply curtailed the IAEA’s ability to monitor Iran’s activity or investigate any reports of secret weapons activity, the officials and experts said. A U.S. official with knowledge of internal discussions at the IAEA’s governing board conceded that the nuclear watchdog is less capable now of detecting a nuclear breakout by Iran. Such an event could bring cascading consequences, from a Middle East arms race to a direct Israel-Iran conflict that could unleash a wider regional war, said the official."

Reading archive 2024-04-09

The deeply silly, extremely serious rise of ‘Alpha Male’ Nick Adams: Meet the Trump-backed raconteur who is teaching America’s young men the art of being hard to deal with

D.C. police arrest 16-year-old in fatal shooting of teen at Metro station: The victim, Avion Evans, was the second of two 14-year-old boys slain within 33 hours in the District last week

How to (responsibly) let your cat outside: Giving your house cat a taste of freedom doesn’t have to imperil local wildlife

D.C. vacant-property owner to pay $1.8 million for tax evasion, AG says: The long-vacant property at 1000 C St. NE has been viewed as a nuisance to the surrounding community

D.C. Public Library’s HR director resigns after ethics probe into doula work - "According to BEGA, Graves earned $7,200 to $12,000 per year working as a doula and aided in three to five births per year. In 2021 and 2022, she made about $98,000 and $144,000 at Blackstone, a Los Angeles-based contractor providing such services as security and food service. She had a salary of $148,000 in her D.C. government job, records show."

The Arizona Supreme Court just upended Trump’s gambit on abortion: On Monday, Trump declined to support a national abortion ban, seeking to neutralize the political issue. A day later, Arizona’s ban gave it new life.

Opinion  I’m Jewish, and I’ve covered wars. I know war crimes when I see them.

She was fleeing with her grandson, who was holding a white flag. Then she was shot

Russian trolls target U.S. support for Ukraine, Kremlin documents show

Love the Tidal Basin’s cherry blossoms? Thank this guy and his team.

Opinion  The U.S. has a powerful new alliance — thanks to China

Opinion  Ahead of state visit, an ‘epic’ shift in Japan’s defense posture

Reading archive 2024-04-08

Opinion  In the shadow war with Iran, Biden just scored an unheralded victory

Speaker Johnson’s job is on the line as the House returns: Deep divisions on issues like Ukraine and border security may force the speaker to once again turn to Democrats to pass his priorities

Opinion  One woman’s story of agony shows why childhood immunizations are so crucial - "When she encounters people who express hesitancy about routine childhood immunizations, she asks them when they had polio. 

"'And they go, 'Oh, well, I didn’t have polio,'' she told me. 'And I’d say, 'Oh that’s right, because you had to get vaccinated to go to school.''"

Reading archive 2024-04-06

Opinion  How Ukraine’s tech army is taking the fight to Russia

Opinion  Trump swindles his followers — again

Opinion  How No Labels was thwarted — and a disaster for democracy was avoided

Opinion  Recriminalizing drugs, Oregon offers a cautionary tale

Column: The false centrism of political group No Labels

Inside Donald Trump’s secret, long-shot plan to end the war in Ukraine: Foreign policy experts and some Republicans warned that pressuring Ukraine to cede land would reward Putin

Montana GOP Senate candidate says he lied to ranger about gunshot wound in 2015: Tim Sheehy was cited for illegally discharging a weapon in a national park but says he made up the gunshot to cover up a bullet wound he received as a Navy SEAL in Afghanistan that he never reported to superiors

They were thought to be hostages in Gaza. Israeli raids found they were dead.

‘Increasingly chaotic’: Why House Republicans are heading for the exits: The decision by 21 Republican lawmakers to depart is indicative of the broader morale problem within the GOP conference

Top Republican warns pro-Russia messages are echoed ‘on the House floor’: The latest remarks come after another GOP member said Russian propaganda has ‘infected’ the Republican base

Ohio warns Democrats that Biden may miss deadline for November ballot

The unassuming material that could soak up carbon emissions: Researchers want to use the ultrafine rock particles left by eroding glaciers — called ‘rock flour’ — to suck climate-warming carbon from the air

Trump in ‘full sprint’ to close Biden’s money lead as legal bills mount

Opinion  Environmentalism could stop the clean-energy transition

Mexico breaks relations with Ecuador after embassy raid

With no way out of a worsening war, Zelensky’s options look bad or worse

Reading archive 2024-04-05

Opinion  Europe is finally cranking up its creaky defense factories

Opinion  There is still some life left in Turkey’s democracy

Opinion  Repeal the Comstock Act before the GOP tries using it to ban abortion

Employers added 303,000 jobs in March, soaring past expectations: The unemployment rate fell to 3.8 percent

Reading archive 2024-04-04

A Native American tribe once called D.C. home. It’s had no living members for centuries.: As the number of Anacostans dwindled, they merged with larger tribes in the region.

Trump urges Netanyahu to ‘get it over with,’ questions Israel’s approach to war in Gaza: The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has in recent weeks found himself increasingly at odds with the GOP’s unwavering loyalty to Israel.

RFK Jr. campaign describes Jan. 6 defendants as ‘activists,’ then disavows email: Candidate’s team later said the communication, which stated the defendants had been stripped of their rights, ‘does not reflect Mr. Kennedy’s views’

What is May-Thurner syndrome? Lauren Boebert’s diagnosis, explained.

Are walking pads worth it? Why I’m never leaving my desk treadmill.: Early studies show walking desks might improve mood and stress. For me, the tiny treadmill was a life-changer.

Far-right politics could hurt business in North Carolina, some fear. Again.

Republican candidate’s wife sentenced to prison for voter fraud

Truck crash hurls 77,000 ‘threatened’ salmon into wrong creek

Centrist group No Labels won’t field a ticket in the presidential election: The group said in a statement that it had not identified candidates “with a credible path to winning the White House.”

Trump defends Judge Cannon in fight over classified documents trial: Known for attacking other judges, the indicted former president calls Cannon ‘highly respected’ amid dispute over presidential records law

Judge Cannon shoots down Trump’s presidential records act claim: The ruling may avoid a potential showdown between special counsel Jack Smith and the judge

How a steel ball protected Taiwan’s tallest skyscraper in an earthquake

American killed in Israeli strike in Gaza was father, military veteran

Police identify 4 accused of attacking police officer’s cruiser

Opinion  Pay Ronna McDaniel

Israel risking being left holding bag for getting aid to Gazans, US warns

Opinion  The mournful isolation of Israel six months after terrorists attacked - "Here in Israel, my worries remain, but they are tinged by the understanding of how vulnerable this tiny country is and how present the threat." [ed. note: if Israel is small and vulnerable, what then of Gaza and West Bank?]

Opinion  Israel is at a crisis point: The world has had enough

Opinion  No, Big Pharma’s high prices don’t drive innovation - "Our research shows that the biggest drug companies largely fail to turn their enormous profits into discoveries. Instead, most innovation is taking place at small, unprofitable start-ups, whose drugs are largely excluded from Medicare’s new price negotiation system. When it comes to pharmaceutical innovation, smaller is better."

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate and the vaccine wars - "'Every piece of legitimate evidence we have suggests that the causes of autism are present in utero,' said David Mandell, director of the Penn Center for Mental Health at the University of Pennsylvania, in an email. 'To the extent that environmental factors are causative, they likely interact with genetic risk factors in the womb.'

"Of course, even if a link to air pollution is not yet proved, that does not mean it can be ruled out. 'It’s hard to disagree with the opinion that exposure to neurotoxins and air pollution is bad for our health and that we should be doing more to protect our environment and prevent these exposures,' Maureen Durkin, chair of the Department of Population Health Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said in an email. 'Credible research into the causal links of these exposures to autism specifically is difficult to do but should be done and critically evaluated to inform environmental policies.'

...

"Fears about a link between autism and vaccines started in 1998 after the publication of a genuine hoax — the Wakefield study, in the journal Lancet. Based on a supposedly random sample of 12 children, now-discredited anti-vaccine activist and former physician Andrew Wakefield suggested that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine led to gastrointestinal symptoms, which in turn put harmful proteins in the bloodstream that resulted in autism.

"Dozens of studies followed, including one that studied 1.8 million children over 14 years, all of which showed there was no link. Eventually, it was revealed that Wakefield had received secret payments from a lawyer seeking to sue MMR manufacturers and who supplied some of the patients, had filed a patent application for his own measles vaccine, and had misrepresented or altered medical histories of the 12 patients. In 2010, the article was retracted and Wakefield lost his medical license.

...

"'This is fearmongering,' Mandell said, noting that Wakefield first said autism was the result of the MMR vaccine and no link was found. Then 'RFK Jr. said that the thimerosal in vaccines caused autism. Then thimerosal was removed from vaccines, with no change in increasing rates of diagnosis. … Then they said that it was the number of vaccines or the timing of the vaccines.'"

Reading archive 2024-04-03

As obesity rises, Big Food and dietitians push ‘anti-diet’ advice: General Mills warns of ‘food shaming’; dietitian influencers promote junk foods and discourage weight loss efforts - Kevin C. Klatt, a registered dietitian and research scientist and instructor at UC Berkeley, says anti-diet advocates who deny the connection between excess body fat and chronic disease have 'made up stuff that is a fantasy and a total fairy tale.'"

Trump special counsel fires back at Cannon order that could disrupt case: Prosecutor says judge’s legal premise on Presidential Records Act ‘is wrong’ and urges her to rule in classified documents case so he can appeal

High-fat keto diet may help people with serious mental illness

Fairfax police academy bars Herndon officers in dispute over Chinese signature: The town police chief objected to a Chinese signature on county training academy certificates. Now her officers will be excluded from future classes.

Half a billion in cuts, targeted tax hikes shape Bowser’s D.C. budget plan

D.C. Council votes to spend $515 million to modernize Capital One Arena

Jack Smith puts Judge Aileen Cannon on notice

After terror attack, Russia sees U.S. role and claims it is at war with NATO

Bald eagle lands in D.C. decades after his dad helped revive the species: Clark, a 21-year-old bald eagle, is the offspring of Ronald Reagan’s eaglet

D.C. mayor’s bill targets truancy, mandates aggressive prosecution: The District’s deputy mayor for public safety and justice said she was ‘okay’ if the bill meant more youths would be locked behind bars

Reading archive 2024-04-02

RFK Jr. argues Biden is bigger threat to democracy than Trump, drawing criticism: Several experts and historians rebuked the independent presidential candidate for his comments in a televised interview

Texas woman charged with murder after having abortion sues county, DA

‘No help here’: Florida abortion ruling leaves women with few options: The law allowed to go into effect by Florida’s Supreme Court will affect more people seeking abortions in the first trimester than any other ban to date

HOAs are blocking solar panels and native lawns. Here’s how to fight back.: The law may be in your corner if you’re making environmental updates to to your home

Three arrested in armed robbery prior to officer shooting, police say: Prince George’s County police say an officer shot a person who was trying to rob a store in District Heights on Thursday

House Republicans seek to rename Dulles Airport after Trump

Trump said he spoke to murder victim’s family. The victim’s sister said it never happened.

What ever happened to QAnon?: The once-vocal group and its worldview have largely been folded into the broader Republican Party

U.S. told Russia that Crocus City Hall was possible target of attack: In an unusual move, U.S. officials shared highly specific information about a terrorist plot with an adversary country

Microsoft faulted for ‘cascade’ of failures in Chinese hack: The independent Cyber Safety Review Board’s report knocks the tech giant for shoddy cybersecurity practices, lax corporate culture and a deliberate lack of transparency

Condoms, campaign ads: The fight for Florida voters after abortion rulings begins

Reading archive 2024-04-01

Wait, does America suddenly have a record number of bees? - "But this may not be good news for bees in general. 

"'It is absolutely not a good thing for native pollinators,' said Eliza Grames, an entomologist at Binghamton University, who noted that domesticated honeybees are a threat to North America’s 4,000 native bees, about 40 percent of which are vulnerable to extinction."

Should I take a multivitamin? Here’s what the science says.: There’s some encouraging data on the benefits of multivitamins for healthy adults. But the supplement isn’t a cure-all.

Researchers Develop Self-Pollinating Almond With a Gold Mine of Tasty Traits

Opinion  What we have learned about the Supreme Court’s right-wingers

How Republicans texted and emailed their way into a money problem: Small-dollar donations to Trump and the GOP are way down since 2019 and 2020. But the former president’s team says they see a turnaround.

Democrats spar over registration as worries over young and minority voters grow: The rise in Trump support among nonregistered voters has run up against a long-held Democratic policy priority of growing the voter rolls

Conservatives shell long-standing White House Easter egg contest: Conservative outlets zeroed in on a flyer banning religious themes from an Easter egg decorating contest, though the policy has been in place for decades, according to the White House. - "'The American Egg Board flyer’s standard non-discrimination language requesting artwork has been used for the last 45 years, across all Dem & Republican Admins—for all WH Easter Egg Rolls —incl previous Administration’s,' the first lady's communications director, Elizabeth Alexander, said in a post on X."

Trump’s Truth Social stock plunges as 2023 loss put at $58 million: The new figures highlight the huge gap between Trump Media’s hyped market debut and his social network’s revenue.

Cellphone video shows girls fatally beating man in Northwest D.C.: D.C. prosecutor played cellphone video she said showed group of five girls stomping 64-year-old Reggie Brown’s head into the pavement

How Bowser played the long game to keep Capitals, Wizards in D.C.

School absenteeism rates in D.C. are alarmingly high. What’s the city doing about it?