So I read something...: Wisconsin

"The rationale for the disparity is that there should be some connection between how much a worker puts in and how much he takes out. But that link is pretty loose, and nearly all current retirees receive more than they paid. A middle-class worker who retires in the next decade will, on average, receive 47 percent more than the sum of what the person paid in taxes and the interest on that money. The skewed benefit structure means that even though Social Security paid out $1.6 trillion last year, around 6 percent of seniors still live in poverty.

"To get a sense of how perverse that is, consider another recent finding of the CBO: If everyone older than 65 were given a flat annual benefit worth 150 percent of the poverty line — that would be about $32,500 for a couple this year — the program would no longer be insolvent and senior poverty would be abolished."

Electric buses are passing a brutal cold-weather test in Wisconsin: Madison is proving that electric buses can run through frightfully cold winters, providing a blueprint for zero-emissions transit in other frigid locales.

Ukraine: Still Standing: Years after Russia’s invasion, Ukraine’s endurance is the story

‘I Genuinely Am Upset That Your Kids Are Vaccinated’: Del Bigtree, a longtime ally of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., isn’t just anti-vaccine. He’s pro-infection.

Why covid-19 is “a vascular disease masquerading as a respiratory one”

Monday, November 17, 2025

Reading archive 2025-11-17

Phillips Collection will sell O’Keeffe and other masterpieces, sparking backlash: After months of internal debate, the D.C. museum is forging ahead with an auction of artworks by Georgia O’Keeffe, Georges Seurat and others.

How the FBI’s massive search for the D.C. pipe bomber stalled: Agents on the Jan. 6 investigation scoured sales at Foot Locker, Home Depot, Lowe’s and other stores in a frustrating search for the culprit.

Federal agent shoots at car during D.C. chase, police say: The shooting marks the second time in a month that a Homeland Security agent has shot at a car while patrolling with D.C. police.

A great nation is reduced to fanciful hoping: America used to borrow for emergencies. Now it is mired in a perpetual debt emergency.

Trump faces heat from MAGA base on ‘America First’ agenda, Epstein: MAGA leaders erupted over the president’s assertion that the U.S. needs foreign workers. That rift and others have raised GOP concerns about enthusiasm ahead of the midterms.

The rise and importance of Secret Congress: (Shh, don't talk about it) [ed. note: from 2021] - "The core of the Secret Congress theory is that on highly salient issues, lawmaking is dominated by the question of which party controls which chambers and by how slim their majorities are. Under these circumstances, polarization is high and compromise is rare. Congress is prone to gridlock, and when solutions pass, they pass on a near party line."

GOP plans to replace Obamacare have failed. Here’s what lawmakers propose now. Lawmakers are racing toward a mid-December deadline, with Republicans hoping to present side-by-side legislation with Democrats’ plan to extend ACA subsidies. - "Many health economists have panned Trump’s plan, saying it is likely to create a 'death spiral' in the ACA marketplaces. Healthy people would be prone to drop coverage, using the subsidies to pay out of pocket for whatever limited health care they need, leaving sick people behind and causing premiums to skyrocket."

GOP-led Epstein probe in House creates political friendly fire for Trump: The Republican side of the committee investigating Epstein has kept pushing out troves of emails and documents, and Trump’s name keeps coming up.

On edge in small-town America: In a divided nation, one Wisconsin village feels everyday life begin to fray.

In shift, Trump says House should vote to release Epstein files: It is unclear whether the Senate would take up the measure if the House passes it. Trump would also need to sign the legislation to compel the release of the documents.

The first glimpse of post-Trump MAGA has arrived: With a push from Marjorie Taylor Greene, Donald Trump acquiesces over the Jeffrey Epstein files.

How the Epstein story keeps growing: Trump’s demand to investigate Democrats is political malpractice.

Trump defends Tucker Carlson for interviewing white nationalist Fuentes: “You can’t tell him who to interview,” Trump said about the former Fox News host and Nick Fuentes, a far-right activist who once called Adolf Hitler “awesome.”

Would your partner pass the ‘bird test’? It’s complicated, experts say: Two relationship experiments are flying high on TikTok — but they aren’t exactly foolproof.

Child poverty soars in Britain as working families struggle to keep up: Across Britain, families who once felt solidly middle class are losing their footing as rents, child care costs and food prices outpace wages.

Man fatally shot by D.C. police in Foxhall Road NW area: The shooting was reported in a house in the 4400 block of Reservoir Road NW.

Teen shot five people near Howard University during homecoming weekend, police say: Kaevaughn Dudley, 17, was arrested Friday and charged as an adult with assault with intent to kill.

The Right Is Now Transvestigating Charlie Kirk and His Wife, Erika: Transphobia truly impacts us all.

Japan tourism and retail stocks slide after row with China over Taiwan

Shocked by Trump’s profiteering? Here’s some perspective.: There are periods in American history when graft was the rule, not the exception.

How DHCD Forfeited $35 Million in Federal Assistance for Affordable Housing and Bailed Out a Well-Connected Developer: DHCD Director Colleen Green failed to disclose the loss of funding when asked during a D.C. Council hearing earlier this year.

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Reading archive 2025-05-06

Trump tariffs set off doubts — even in Rust Belt area he pledged to restore: Many people in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley — a major Rust Belt manufacturing hub in an election-deciding swing state — are skeptical that the president can deliver.

The group chats that changed America

Vulnerable Iowa Farmers Now Face Perils of Trump's Trade War: With high costs and low prices for their crops, soybean and corn farmers were already nervous as they planned for planting season this year. Tariffs aren't helping.

From prosperity to austerity: Trump’s tone shifts ahead of tariff impacts: Trump has long promised to unleash a “golden age.” Now he is warning that Americans may have to cut back. - "Former Rep. Justin Amash (R-Michigan), a longtime critic of Trump, posted on social media several weeks ago: 'GOP in 2010: Stop the socialists! GOP in 2025: the conveniences of modern life are overrated. We will reorder the economy and redistribute wealth. Your losses are a small sacrifice for the glory of the nation!'"

Trump demands wartime sacrifices — just not for himself: Americans likely do not have the stomach for such austerity.

Zuckerberg’s new Meta AI app gets personal in a very creepy way: Meta’s chatbot remembers everything, even what you might not want it to.

How do I get rid of my dark circles? Try these simple tricks.: A cold tea bag or spoon can help reduce swelling under your eyes.

Big brands distance themselves from Pride events amid DEI rollback: LGBTQ+ celebrations coast to coast are facing funding shortfalls as corporate sponsors cut back. And even backers are electing to be “silent partners.”

Bowser wants to repeal 2022 law passed by voters on tipped minimum wage: The budget proposal is part of a broader effort to make D.C. more business-friendly in the face of a struggling economy.

The future of Metro is the bus: Forget about expensive new train lines, officials say. Not everyone is happy. - "'We’re spending hand over fist more than other countries in similar economic circumstances, and that’s not purely about the cost of labor or the cost of materials. It’s that … we’ve created an industry of vetoes that are available to anyone who objects,' Dunkelman said. 'Should we lower our aspirations knowing our process is screwed up or should we change the process so we can get more optimal solutions?'"

If you haven’t been worrying about AI, it’s time to start preparing Yes, AI will disrupt society and work, but it’s not doomsday.

Real-Life Conclave Rivals Drama of Movie Version: Infighting, smear campaigns, papal letters from beyond the grave: The conclave is giving the film a run for its money.

"you're so NOT protecting the dolls": On the flattening of conversations like supporting the transgender community and a meditation on the incoming great Millennial pivot. - "But Pedro? That’s different. It’s very political to be photographed in 2025, days after a country rules out a group of people, to articulate support in ways that translates in multiple mediums at an event sponsored by Disney. That is using your platform effectively. That is the least one can do which, like Conner Ives, has resulted in raising tens of thousands of dollars to support the cause. Yes, it speaks to pretty privilege confusing bricks and dolls and, yes, more must be done than donning shirts or else we fall into black squares. Connect the dolls to their dreams! How and why is protection needed? Literally speak up for trans people. Defend them! Love them! Treat them as people! That is what the shirt aspires to but, somehow, it got caught in the modern trap of leftist infighting relating to everything from “Kamala is a cop. All politicians are bad!” to “Millennials are cringe and you should hate them.”: it cheapens intent and blunts action by focusing on purity over potential power, opting for very Democrat half-lifing of movements by over-intellectualizing plurality. “There’s room for everybody: let’s just say that,” Gia Gunn once said."

How M.L.M. world works on Instagram and TikTok - "The main difference between the in-person pitches of the 1970s and the video pitches of the 2020s is that technology makes it a lot easier to lie about the opportunity of a lifetime at scale."

U.S. Chamber of Commerce asks Trump for tariff exclusions to ‘stave off a recession’

Texas’s Crypto-Mining Racket: Public officials are propping up a Texas Bitcoin boom that’s threatening water and energy systems while afflicting locals with noise pollution.

Trump Will Regret Messing With Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers: The president’s bully politics are blowing up on him internationally, and threats to arrest a Midwestern governor will produce domestic blowback.

Just for a second I thought I remembered you: Being compelled to ask yet again, Are friends electric? - "The latest candidate for the canon is Zuckerberg’s claim on a podcast this week (detailed by 404 Media here) that 'the average American has, I think, it’s fewer than three friends, and the average person has demand for meaningfully more. I think it's something like 15 friends or something.' He says that 'people just don't have as much connection as they want,' and suggests technology can remedy the deficit by simulating it. The aim telegraphed by these inept statements is Meta’s hope to replace human friends with chatbot products under the auspices of combating 'the loneliness epidemic.'"

Will China Escalate?: Despite Short-Term Stability, the Risk of Military Crisis Is Rising - "The reelection of U.S. President Donald Trump did little to shake Beijing’s optimism that it can navigate continued threats from the United States, secure a lasting equilibrium, and vie for global supremacy. And Trump’s early second-term actions have strengthened Beijing’s conviction that the United States is accelerating its own decline, bringing a new era of parity ever closer. The perception that China likely does not face an existential threat from the United States has had a stabilizing effect on policy in Beijing, which has responded to Trump’s escalation of trade tensions in April with patience, anticipating that Trump will eventually lower U.S. tariffs in an attempt to reach an agreement."

How to Prepare for the Trumpcession: I don’t know what’s happening, but I’m stocking up on ibuprofen. - "Something stranger than a recession is brewing too. Fewer container ships are leaving Shanghai and Shenzhen. Fewer container ships are docking in Seattle, Tacoma, Los Angeles, and Oakland. The West Coast longshore union is warning of mass layoffs, given the decline in import volume. A link in the supply chain has broken, and I expect others to crack soon: freight haulers, trucking companies, last-mile contractors, delivery drivers."

Don’t Look at Stock Markets. Look at the Ports.: A drop in maritime traffic suggests that the worst is yet to come.

The ‘Significant Risk’ That Republicans Tank the Economy: How the GOP’s indecision in Congress could crash the markets

The U.S. Threat Looming Over Canada: The consequences if Trump followed through on his belligerent rhetoric about a “51st state” would be catastrophic. - "The definitive end of the status quo came with the president's casual comment that he would sell only deliberately downgraded F-47s to allies who purchased American military hardware, 'because someday, maybe they're not our allies.' From that point on, spending on equipment from the American military-industrial complex is a form of national suicide for any country in the free world. Canada could no longer comfortably sit within the American military sphere.

Monday, February 24, 2025

Reading archive 2025-02-24

Confirmed: Unions Squandered the Biden Years: Welcome to single-digit union density.

Checking in on the Party of the Working Class: How are the Republicans helping workers so far?

New EV batteries are making electric cars cheaper and safer: A chemistry change is coming to U.S. and European EVs, which could reduce costs and fires.

Cheering Kash Patel’s nomination: A group of ex-FBI agents turned critics: FBI director nominee Kash Patel has ties to a group of ex-agents who call themselves “The Suspendables” and have long called for firings and change.

After 10,000 years, let’s bury the plow: No-till farming reduces need for fertilizers and pesticides, and promotes soil health and biodiversity.

Can Zelensky salvage his relationship with Trump and save Ukraine?: Three years into the war with Russia, President Zelensky appears to have become embroiled in a personal feud with the leader of Ukraine’s most powerful ally. - "Inside Ukraine, even those opposed to Zelensky agree that the middle of a war is not the right time to hold elections."

As sales drop, artists weigh canceling Kennedy Center shows in protest: Ticket sales dropped roughly 50 percent week-over-week after Trump announced his takeover, sources said. Meanwhile, performers are mulling their options.

Musk’s DOGE says it has saved $55 billion. Not so fast.: A Washington Post analysis found that hundreds of the canceled contracts DOGE listed represent savings of $0 each.

DOGE’s Only Public Ledger Is Riddled With Mistakes: The figures from Elon Musk’s team of outsiders represent billions in government cuts. They are also full of accounting errors, outdated data and other miscalculations. - "David Reid, an environmental scientist in Michigan, was surprised to learn his contract studying invasive species in the St. Lawrence Seaway was included on the list. 'That contract wasn’t canceled by DOGE or anyone else,' he said. The contract expired on Dec. 31 and he decided to retire and not renew it, he said. 'If they took credit for canceling the contract, they’re lying.'"

Maryland driver who hit girl sued by D.C. for $27,000 in unpaid tickets: Three drivers who owe thousands in traffic fines are the first to face lawsuits from the city under a new law.

The right-wing media machine is hitting a wall: The right is doing a good job convincing the right that Trump is doing a good job. But only the right. - "We should also note the extent to which Musk has leveraged X to the right’s benefit. There’s his relentless cheerleading and amplification of false claims about his and Trump’s work, sure. But it might not be just boosting the right. In the past few days, videos of from a town hall event in Georgia during which a Republican legislator was confronted over Musk’s work were removed from the social media platform in recent days for unclear reasons."

US Rep. Glenn Grothman faces hostile crowd at Oshkosh town hall meeting: Constituents ask congressman about Medicaid funding, power of Elon Musk

Back in their districts, GOP lawmakers get an earful on DOGE and Musk: Town halls from Wisconsin to Oregon grew testy this week as concerned voters showed up to vent.

Trump announces conservative podcaster Dan Bongino as FBI deputy director: The appointment of Bongino, a former Secret Service agent and NYPD officer turned conservative radio host, puts a second Trump ally at the top of the agency.

In auto-centric Michigan, Trump’s proposed tariffs polarize a community: If Trump’s tariff threats materialize, this region of the country, dominated by the domestic auto industry, stands to take as big a hit as anywhere.

Could Ukraine keep fighting even without U.S. support?: Ukraine would face a grim but not impossible task if it chose to fight on without Trump’s backing.

How to find cleaning products that aren’t full of microplastics: (And why are microplastics in our cleaning products anyway?)

‘America’s tree’ is missing. Will we do what it takes to bring it back?: Genetic modification is the only credible path to restoring the blight-wracked American chestnut.

Developing Sterile Invasives (Why Bother?)

Sustainable Gardening Practices: Moving Away from Peat Moss in Potting Soil

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Reading archive 2025-02-11

What the Democrats’ Musk Whisperer Thinks Now: “We need to make sure that Elon Musk has an allegiance to the Constitution,” Representative Ro Khanna says.

California’s smart and vocal farmers are silent about Trump as he wasted their water | Opinion

‘We’ll all have to go vegan’: Wisconsin dairy farmers fret over immigration crackdown: Business groups warn agriculture sector will collapse without foreign labour

Trumper Who Could Lose Farm Says He Had No 'Time To Research' Before Voting

‘Devastating to my state’: Why Trump’s newest tariff threats promise catastrophe for Kentucky bourbon: Canada is the No. 2 export market for U.S. distillers, after the European Union.

Trump Enrages Christian MAGA By Naming ‘Heretic’ Pastor to White House

Proposal To Stop Minting Pennies Hits Home In Greene County - "Americans for Common Cents, a pro-penny group with Artazn among its backers, stated in a January news release that eliminating the penny will not save the government money.

"'In fact, such a move would have a significant negative impact on the U.S. Mint’s cost structure. Many overhead expenses at the Mint would remain and would need to be absorbed by other coins, increasing their per-unit costs. Additionally, without the penny, the demand for nickels would rise to fill the gap in small-value transactions,' the news release notes.

"'Since each nickel costs nearly 14 cents to produce, this shift would drive up overall production expenses for the government. Rather than saving money, eliminating the penny would increase and redistribute financial burdens,' the news release states."

U.S. Travel Association Warns of Economic Tourism Disaster After Thousands of Canadian Tourists Cancel Trips in Protest

Trump’s Gaza proposal frustrates his new Arab American supporters: Whether Trump can keep these new supporters could have implications for key statewide races, but also on the fragile coalition the GOP assembled to gain ground.

Trump administration plans for federal contracts stir worries across Kentucky - "Payments for indirect costs cover items that make basic research possible, Capilouto said, such as building and outfitting labs; research equipment; ventilation, heat and lighting; technology, and graduate students who work in labs."

The Rise of the Selfish Plutocrats: Instead of pursuing philanthropy, many now seek to evade social responsibility. - "In 2021, The Wall Street Journal broke the news that [da Vinci's Salvator Mundi] priceless painting had been kept on private display aboard bin Salman's superyacht, Serene, a 439-foot-long, half-billion-dollar boat that had recently run aground in a navigational accident. A fragile, irreplaceable object of significance to the shared cultural history of all humanity was being kept in a hot, humid environment for the private enjoyment of one royal billionaire and his ultrarich guests. (In another room, Serene was also equipped with state-of-the-art snow machines that could produce four-inch-deep flurries on demand.)"

The Government’s Computing Experts Say They Are Terrified: Four IT professionals lay out just how destructive Elon Musk’s incursion into the U.S. government could be. - "DOGE is many things a dismantling of the federal government, a political project to flex power and punish perceived enemies but it is also the logical end point of a strain of thought that's become popular in Silicon Valley during the boom times of Big Tech and easy money: that building software and writing code aren't just dominant skills for the 21st century, but proof of competence in any realm. In a post on X this week, John Shedletsky, a developer and an early employee at the popular gaming platform Roblox, summed up the philosophy nicely: 'Silicon Valley built the modern world. Why shouldn't we run it?'"

‘A Very Christian Concept’: The faith’s mandate is more arduous than J. D. Vance’s account seems to allow.

Tech layoffs reveal the unintended consequences of mass job cuts: After mass layoffs, tech workers lost trust in their employers. Federal employees may soon face the same fate.

D.C. managed to avoid return-to-office chaos over Navy Yard parking shortage: Local and military officials had been sounding the alarm about a potential parking shortage.

An ICE raid gutted a town in Trump’s first term. Now, fear of a repeat.: Tiny O’Neill, Nebraska, is still recovering from the 2018 raid. It forced some businesses to close and left many residents, especially immigrants, reeling.

In the Trump era, renewable energy isn’t green — it’s ‘dominant’: Clean-energy executives are tailoring their pitches for the president and his political allies. - "One trend the groups are planning to emphasize is that congressional districts that favored Trump in the 2020 election have seen three times as much investment as a result of clean-energy tax credits, according to a Washington Post analysis. In addition, over half of all new clean-energy jobs are in Republican-led districts, according to a separate analysis by Climate Power, an environmental advocacy group.

...

"Spokespeople for [Rep. Marjorie Taylor] Greene and 10 other Republican lawmakers with the most new clean-energy jobs in their districts did not respond to requests for comment."

19-year-old Musk surrogate takes on roles at State Department and DHS: The move illustrates that Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service aides are being asked to fulfill multiple posts at once.

The Chilling Consequences of Going Along With Trump

Trump’s NIH challenges the model that underlies U.S. scientific dominance: The 80-year-old partnership between the federal government and research institutions has made the U.S. the leader in scientific innovation. But now a proposed funding cut threatens the arrangement. - "'At a time of rapid strides in quantum computing, artificial intelligence, brain science, biological imaging, and regenerative biology, and when other nations are expanding their investment in science, America should not drop knowingly and willingly from her lead position on the endless frontier,' Harvard President Alan M. Garber said in a letter to the university community."

The Islamic State has regrouped in Somalia — and has global ambitions: The Post ventured to the front lines of an offensive against the Islamic State in northern Somalia, where foreign fighters are flowing in and cash is flowing out.

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Reading archive 2024-06-11

The ‘bottom whisperer’ will see you now. Back there.: Proctologist Evan Goldstein has made a life — and a fancy living — off anal interventions, drawing ardent fans and curious skeptics.

In Wisconsin, Biden tries to hold on to White voters without degrees: White non-college voters are Trump’s base, but Biden seems to be hanging on to them in this Midwestern swing state

Opinion MAGA Republicans tip their hand: They’re after contraception, too: There is no doubt that the GOP is waging war on women.

Moderates quit Netanyahu’s emergency government, call for elections: The resignations do not immediately threaten Netanyahu’s coalition, but they could lead to more defections and embolden the prime minister’s many critics.

Four U.S. college educators stabbed in park in China, officials say: Four educators from Cornell College in Iowa were stabbed during a trip to Beihua University in Jilin, China, authorities said. Police said they arrested a man.

The world agreed to ban this dangerous pollutant — and it’s working: For the first time ever, researchers have detected a significant dip in atmospheric levels of hydrochlorofluorocarbons -- harmful gases that deplete the ozone layer and warm the planet.

Hamas responds to cease-fire proposal, seeks timeline for end of war: Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Hamas to accept the current proposal “without delay” during talks with Middle Eastern leaders.

Battered by far right, France’s Macron bets big on risky snap election Macron may figure that voters are angry at him, but are not truly prepared to allow a far-right prime minister to head a new French government.

Republicans pitch tax cuts for corporations, the wealthy in 2025: Trump has asked wealthy donors for donations, promising large tax breaks in return if he retakes the White House. - "Now GOP lawmakers and some of Trump’s economic advisers are considering more corporate tax breaks — which could expand the national debt by roughly $1 trillion over the next decade, according to researchers at Stanford University and MIT — arguing that they would improve the U.S.’s global competitiveness."

THE PLASTICS WE BREATHE: Every time you take a breath, you could be inhaling microplastics. - "In laboratory tests on human cells, microplastics can cause tissue damage, allergic reactions and even cell death. The chemicals in plastics — like phthalates or bisphenol A — have also been shown to cause hormonal imbalances and disrupt the reproductive system. In mice, microplastics can cause behavioral changes and reproductive problems and can inhibit learning and memory. Researchers also recently discovered that certain cancer cells spread at an accelerated rate after exposure to microplastics; they are now looking into whether microplastics could help trigger early-onset cancer."

A dispute over direction upsets plans for D.C.’s popular holiday market: The management of the market has become the focus of an intense struggle between its longtime operator and the nonprofit that co-produces the event.

Man fatally shot in possible robbery in D.C.’s Takoma neighborhood: Victim, 28, was the son of the driver for the Turkish ambassador, according to his brother.

Modi’s election setback surprises Indian Americans in the DMV: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s and the BJP setback became clear, reaction from Indian Americans in the DMV ran the gamut: shock, hope, worry, resignation.

In Trump’s orbit, some muse about mandatory military service: Only 1 percent of the U.S. population serves in the armed forces. Some in the former president’s camp say it’s time more young adults put “some skin in the game.”

Socialite gets 15 years to life for L.A. hit-and-run that killed 2 boys: Grossman Burn Foundation co-founder Rebecca Grossman struck Jacob Iskander, 8, and his brother Mark, 11, with her car in a Los Angeles crosswalk.

Creating a throw-away culture: How companies ingrained plastics in modern life - "However, multiple investigations, including by NPR, have shown that plastics industry representatives long knew that recycling would probably never be effective on a large scale. Officials have said they encouraged recycling to avoid regulations and ensure that demand for plastic kept growing."

Surprising U.S. economy is powering better global outlook, World Bank says: High interest rates and trade tensions pose risks to a newly upbeat forecast, though.

Smartmatic seeks to depose four Fox officials as part of 2020 lawsuit: The voting technology company will also be able to obtain communications from Fox Corp. board members

The Post at a crossroads: Existential questions in a dire season for news: Critics raise concerns about the values of a new team of executives. Meanwhile, the business woes are real. What does Jeff Bezos want?

She sex-trafficked at least 11 women, police said. Then one turned her in.: Kenika Danielle Leach, 33, was indicted on 135 charges of managing a criminal organization, “the Pussy Kat Klub,” and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, threat, coercion or fraud.

What dead flowers tell us about the future of life on Earth: Amid an extinction crisis, dried plant collections capture how the world is changing. But Duke University is planning to shut down its world-renowned herbarium.

Tuesday, June 4, 2024

Reading archive 2024-06-04

Woman charged with murder, kidnapping after carjacked vehicle crashed: Police said the woman stole an occupied SUV at the hospital entrance after the victim’s daughter stepped out to bring her mother a wheelchair.

Yellowstone bison gores 83-year-old while ‘defending its space,’ park says: The woman was lifted a foot into the air by the bison’s horns and was seriously injured, the park said. Officials have long warned tourists to stay away from bison.

Never wait in the school car line again. Here’s how.: For the first time in decades, a small but critical mass of children are riding their bikes safely to school again.

Former U.S. soldier extradited from Ukraine over ‘international crime spree’: U.S. authorities said Craig Lang and another man robbed and killed a Florida couple in 2018 while trying to fund travel to Venezuela to fight the regime there.

Netanyahu strains to keep government together amid spreading rebellions: A string of standoffs, schisms and ultimatums have brought Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s emergency war cabinet to the brink of collapse.

Indian election delivers stunning setback to Modi and his party: The BJP is still poised to form a government in coalition with allies. But this is the first time Modi has failed to win a majority over a 23-year political career.

Former Trump aides charged in Wisconsin over 2020 elector plot: Attorney Kenneth Chesebro is among three aides charged in Wisconsin. Separate cases related to Trump’s 2020 efforts have been filed in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada and Georgia.

In a first, noncitizens are voting in D.C. Here’s what it means to them.: More than 500 noncitizen District residents have registered to vote, according to the D.C. Board of Elections.

Lawmakers expensed millions in 2023 under new program that doesn’t require receipts: Critics say the program’s lack of transparency and record-keeping opens it up to abuse. - "'I wish members would give themselves a raise that they probably deserve and then we’d all move on,' said a staffer involved with congressional accounting, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the program publicly. 'But they don’t have the backbone to do that, so [they gave] members a raise through this backdoor way that allows for abuse because there is no record keeping and there’s no receipts.'"

Opinion The Pentagon is learning how to change at the speed of war: The dynamic Ukraine battlespace has provided a needed jolt to a system that has long been too slow to change.

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Reading archive 2024-05-28

“The Only Moral Abortion is My Abortion”: When the Anti-Choice Choose

THE DROWNING SOUTH: A HIDDEN THREAT: Fast-rising seas could swamp septic systems in parts of the South

Mexico City and millions of its residents could run out of water in weeks: The metropolitan area of 22 million gets about a quarter of its water from a system that is running dry. Some say it could be unable to provide water by June 26.

The battle for the patio of College Court

Opinion The media and sullen nonvoters should listen to Ken Burns: The historian knows something about civil war — and moral responsibility in politics.

Opinion Nearly everything Americans believe about the economy is wrong: But it’s not just journalists’ fault.

Louisiana’s coast is sinking. Advocates say the governor is undermining efforts to save it.: A new Republican governor is taking aim at the state’s coastal protection agency.

What’s to become of the keepsakes left at Arlington Cemetery?: Thousands of mementos have been placed on the graves of those lost to America’s post-9/11 wars. The collection needs a new home.

How a simple fix could double the size of the U.S. electricity grid: Rewiring miles of power lines could make space for data centers, AI and a boom in renewables.

D.C. Council chair’s budget proposal further hikes taxes, staves off cuts: D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) said he sought to raise more revenue rather than greenlight the austerity of the mayor’s budget proposal.

Thursday, May 9, 2024

Reading archive 2024-05-08

Student who raised $400K for D.C. homeless man refunds money to donor:s In a series of TikTok videos, Sanai Graden says she lost touch with Alonzo Douglas Hebron, who became evasive and stopped returning her calls.

A TikToker raised $400K for an unhoused man. Then things got messy.: A viral fundraiser has become tangled in a crossfire of internet backlash and questions about who deserves help - "'No progress has been made, and that’s because of GoFundMe,' she said. 'I feel as though I am being targeted because I am African American and he’s African American, as well, and his criminal history,' she said."

Life boomed on Earth half a billion years ago. You can thank magnets.: The near collapse of Earth’s magnetic field coincided with a spike in oxygen levels and a boom in biodiversity, according to a new study.

How to avoid a contractor nightmare when electrifying your home: Seven steps to cut your energy bill, upgrade your home and bid farewell to fossil fuels.

Trump’s classified documents trial blown apart by Cannon: Judge Aileen Cannon, the Trump appointee in charge of the Florida prosecution, has repeatedly given Trump’s team exactly what it wants. His fans have noticed.

Opinion In court, Stormy Daniels pulled a Trump on Trump: As Stormy Daniels testified in the hush money case, Trump’s angry response was unmistakable.

Opinion GOP talking points are out of date. Border crossings have plummeted.: As it turns out, having good relationships with allies matters for immigration control.

Biden to tout Microsoft AI center on site of Trump’s failed Foxconn deal: The investment is expected to create 2,000 permanent jobs and 2,300 temporary union construction jobs.

In Arizona, election workers trained with deepfakes to prepare for 2024 “By the end of the second day, you’re like: Trust no one,” said one county recorder who completed the training.

D.C. Council overrides Mayor Bowser’s veto over housing program rules: The issue was another example of the power clashes between the lawmakers and executive that tend to surface in debates over housing.

Monday, August 28, 2023

Reading archive 2023-08-27

5,000 pilots suspected of hiding major health issues. Most are still flying.

Opinion We need more people learning trades. Something is finally being done about it.

Pentagon protested false Fox News report about fallen Marine, emails show: The network quietly removed the story based on false claims from a congressman but did not apologize or run a correction - "'The allegations originally published turned out to be false, which I suspect Mr. Lee knew in the first place, and was the reason he did not seek comment from the Marine Corps,' wrote Marine Corps spokesman Maj. James Stenger in an email to the Fox executives."

Wisconsin Supreme Court flips liberal, creating a ‘seismic shift’ - "For decades, the most senior member of the court served as chief justice, and under that system a liberal chief justice for years presided over a conservative court. In response, Republican lawmakers scheduled a ballot measure to change the state constitution and voters in 2015 approved allowing the justices to decide who would serve as chief justice. Conservatives on the court chose one of their own to serve in that post shortly after voters signed off on changing the rules. ...

"The decision on whether to step aside is up to Protasiewicz because conservatives on the court in 2011 issued a 4-3 decision that found justices cannot force one another off cases. If Protasiewicz remains on the case, the Republicans could ask the U.S. Supreme Court to remove her from it for having a conflict of interest. Protasiewicz has not signaled what she will do." [ed. note: my how the turn tables]

Thursday, June 8, 2023

Reading archive 2023-06-08

This county backed every president since 2000. What about 2024? [ed. note: Door County, WI]

Wednesday, August 3, 2022

Reading archive 2022-08-03

Kansans resoundingly reject amendment aimed at restricting abortion rights

Celebrities use private jets excessively. It’s a climate nightmare.

Phones of top Pentagon officials were wiped of Jan. 6 messages: The DOD is the latest part of the federal government to have deleted official phone communications relevant to investigations into the events of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol

Sen. Johnson suggests ending Medicare, Social Security as mandatory spending programs

Sandy Hook parents confront Alex Jones, say hoax claims created ‘living hell’

How Taiwan reacted to Pelosi’s visit, from ‘welcome’ to ‘American witch’

‘Corn sweat’ is making the air in the Midwest oppressively muggy: Corn contributes substantial moisture to the atmosphere during the heart of summer each year -- some call it “corn sweat.”

A TikTok rival promised millions to Black creators. Now some are deep in debt.: Triller made its name recruiting talent with lavish perks. Now, dozens of influencers are struggling to get paid. ‘We were made to look like fools,’ one creator said.

Sunday, April 17, 2022

Reading archive 2022-04-17

Opinion: Wisconsin’s Tom Nelson reminds Democrats how populists should sound

How war in Ukraine turned Sri Lanka’s economic crisis into a calamity: An island nation struggles with food and fuel as global prices soar

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Reading archive 2021-04-22

Foxconn's giant factory in Wisconsin sounded too good to be true. Turns out it was

Ma’Khia Bryant: Columbus police release body camera footage in shooting of 16-year-old

Police kill Ma'Khia Bryant, 16, who attacked 2 with knife

Fatal police shooting of Black teenager in Columbus sparks new outcry - "Hazel Bryant, who said she is Bryant’s aunt, told The Washington Post in a brief interview Wednesday that 'the body cam doesn’t show the truth of what occurred.' She said she didn’t personally witness the incident but arrived at the scene soon after. She described her niece as 'so loving and kind.'

...

"Another teenager, 13-year-old Adam Toledo, was shot and killed by police in Chicago last month, sparking protests and calls for an overhaul of policing. Authorities say Toledo had a firearm, and body camera footage released last week shows him tossing an object over a fence and raising his hands in the split-second before he was fatally wounded."

In Columbus, police killed a Black teenage girl. That fits a rarely discussed pattern.: Most White Americans think Black girls are older and more dangerous than their peers, new research finds. Police behave accordingly. - "On the same day that a Minneapolis jury declared police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murdering George Floyd, a police officer shot and killed 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant in Columbus, Ohio. Ma’Khia had called the police for help." [ed. note: cannot confirm that last in WaPo reporting]

A Hong Kong journalist exposed police failures. A court found her guilty of a crime.

Beijing won total control over Hong Kong. Now, the ‘brainwashing’ begins.

Conservatives have long embraced ‘cancel culture’: The right supports free enterprise, but only when businesses toe the line on its other political priorities

Opinion: The Big Lie has gotten so bad that even some Republicans are running from it

Opinion: We should soon stop catering to the vaccine holdouts

A new way of putting private money where the forests are: Western investors join governments to come up with a way to pay countries to protect forests

As Biden convenes world leaders, U.S. pledges to cut emissions up to 52 percent by 2030: ‘The stakes could not be higher,’ said one top administration official, as the White House presses other countries to make their own bold promises

Humanity’s greatest ally against climate change is the Earth itself: Ecosystems can draw down carbon and buffer us from the worst effects of climate change — but only if we protect them

Officers grabbed a Black librarian by her hair and tore her shoulder during traffic stop, lawsuit alleges: ‘That’s good police work, baby’

Ma’Khia Bryant’s family remember her as loving, affectionate: ‘She didn’t even have a chance to live her life’: Bryant’s family and others are mourning the loss of the 16-year-old, killed by police this week

Mormon sex therapist has been expelled from the LDS Church - "She said she will stop using “colorful” language when church leaders stop.

"'When will they stop calling homosexual people degenerate and perverse and unholy?' Helfer said. 'They’re upset that I called them patriarchal pricks. If they want me to stop saying bad words, they need to stop calling other people bad words.'

"Helfer said she and other Mormon therapists are often left to 'pick up the pieces' when Mormons are impacted by church teaching that contradicts evidence-based mental health recommendations."