Reading archive 2024-02-29

“BETWEEN THE HAMMER AND THE ANVIL”: The Story Behind the New York Times October 7 Exposé

Teenager’s dreams cut short by fatal shooting in Northwest D.C.: Jabari Malloy, 17, was shot Sunday in an alley near Park View and Columbia Heights, according to police

D.C. Housing Authority officer shot in Navy Yard area; suspect in custody

How did life on Earth begin? The chemical puzzle just became clearer.

Reading archive 2024-02-28

How drinking coffee may lower your risk for diabetes

Over 100,000 Michigan primary votes were ‘uncommitted.’ What does that mean?

‘Dreadful’ Wonka-themed children’s event leads some guests to call police: The organizer behind ‘Willy’s Chocolate Experience’ apologized for the ‘sheer and utter disappointment’

South African city copes with climate change by chopping down trees - "More than two-thirds of South Africa’s 20,400 plant species are found nowhere else in the world, said Karen Esler, a distinguished professor of conservation at Stellenbosch University. Invasives have already driven at least seven of the Cape’s plant species extinct, and 14 percent are in immediate danger of extinction, she said, adding that if native species are lost, local ecosystems will be even more disrupted by climate change."

A simple way to get microplastics out of your water: New research found that boiling drinking water can remove up to nearly 90 percent of microplastics

How to hang art and photos to please the eye and the brain: Consider height, symmetry and balance for the most appealing result - "A more dependable rule of thumb, says Linda Kafka, founder of the Science in Design Academy in Toronto, is to hang pieces so that their centers are 56 to 60 inches above the finished floor. And if the art is going over furniture, aim to hang it eight to 10 inches from the top of the sofa or whatever piece is beneath it, she says."

Mike Johnson is again staring down a government shutdown — and his conference: The House speaker is juggling competing demands from his members while trying to strike a deal to keep the government open

Mitch McConnell to step down as Republican Senate leader in November: ‘I have many faults. Misunderstanding politics is not one of them,' McConnell said in a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday

The green revolution sweeping Sweden

Suspect in Md. toddler’s killing had been released despite ICE detainer: Montgomery County officials said Nilson Granados-Trejo was arrested last year on theft charges, which did not meet the threshold for county enforcement of ICE detainers.

Reading archive 2024-02-27

In Arizona, Biden’s handling of immigration fuels frustration among key voters: President Biden’s embrace of strict border measures has left some Democrats and independents wondering where he stands on immigration — adding to their lack of enthusiasm for a potential second term - "While many voters said they felt Biden has largely ignored immigration, his administration has taken more than 530 immigration-related executive actions in his first three years in office, outnumbering the 472 undertaken by Trump in his full term, according to the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute."

Whitmer navigates Michigan ‘minefield’ between Biden and Arab Americans: The governor’s outreach to the Arab and Muslim American communities is done privately, her allies say, and she has been in regular contact with people upset about the war and the Biden administration’s role in it

Opinion  Why an ex-congressman is living in a ‘safe house’ from Trump

Zelensky’s increasingly blunt comments about Trump

The reviled electric scooter is back. Does it deserve a second chance?

The economy is roaring. Immigration is a key reason.: Momentum in the job market picked up aggressively over the past year — all while Washington is deadlocked on a border deal - "In Dalton, Ga. — known as the 'Carpet Capital of the World' — Jan Pourquoi said the entire economy would collapse without immigrant workers. Pourquoi owns a rug company with a warehouse near the city’s railroad tracks and pays $11 an hour for jobs like cutting and sewing door and bathroom mats. He said that he doesn’t question anyone’s paperwork, and that he knows workers will reliably line up at his door looking for openings every morning."

After feds dismantle street gang, officials say crime in this DC neighborhood went down

Airman who set self on fire grew up on religious compound, had anarchist past

They renounced Trump. Will they get fellow conservatives to vote Biden?: Alyssa Farah Griffin, Cassidy Hutchinson and Sarah Matthews worked in Trump’s White House. Now they’re trying to keep him from getting back in.

Four maps explain how Sweden and Finland could alter NATO’s security

Sweden is set to join NATO: What to know about the military alliance

Vying for Commanders stadium, many Md. lawmakers will vote against RFK bill

FX’s ‘Shogun’ is what thrillers wish they were: In the glut of aimless period dramas, ‘Shogun’ keeps its poker face and hits every target

Slaying of Georgia student becomes part of U.S. immigration debate

Democratic operative admits to commissioning Biden AI robocall in New Hampshire: The incident highlights the ease and accessibility by which AI-generated technology is making its way into the 2024 campaign cycle

Reading archive 2024-02-26

How the ‘Who TF Did I Marry?’ series took over TikTok: Reesa Teesa’s story of marrying and divorcing a man she called a ‘pathological liar’ has had users on the edge of their seats

With abortion rights looming, Missouri GOP advances slanted ballot rules: The change would make amendments to the state constitution much more difficult to approve — at least for the left - "The proposal, which passed along party lines, would require amendments to receive not only a majority of the vote statewide — as is currently required — but also a majority in five of eight congressional districts."

Trump says Black voters like him more because of his indictments and mug shot: The GOP candidate tells a group of Black conservatives: ‘I’m being indicted for you, the Black population’

See the dozens of new species this deep-sea robot just discovered: Alien-looking lobsters, sponges, urchins, sea stars and sea lilies are among the creatures deep-sea explorers found off the coast of Chile

How Libs of TikTok became a powerful presence in Oklahoma schools: The owner of the far-right social media account, who sits on a state advisory panel, has drawn attention since the death of a nonbinary student near Tulsa

Opinion  Dim or disloyal? Republicans again ensnared in possible Russian plot.

Man found guilty of killing trans woman in historic hate crime verdict: A South Carolina man is the first person convicted by trial of a federal hate crime based on gender identity, federal authorities said

As Lebanon teeters on the edge, a war with Israel would be catastrophic

These giant, invasive spiders appear built to thrive in the U.S.: ‘I don’t know how happy people are going to be about it, but I think the spiders are here to stay,’ one researcher says

Alabama embryo ruling may have devastating effect on cancer patients - "'It’s the same stories that you’re hearing from lawmakers after Roe v. Wade, saying, ‘Oh, I didn’t think it would impact this or that’ … [but] they’re making decisions for others,' said Robin Watkins, 41, who underwent fertility treatments to have her twin boys."

Shane Gillis struggles in a 'Saturday Night Live' monologue that avoids the obvious - "Saturday Night Live made its reputation as a group of comedy rebels making fun of a stuffy political and media establishment, lampooning corrupt and inept politicians from Richard Nixon to Sarah Palin; in other words, punching up. 

"But today's comedy rebels see the insistence that comics lay off insulting slurs about marginalized people as the new establishment — building successful podcasts, standup tours and more on the mistaken notion that avoiding racism, sexism and homophobia is somehow shackling their free speech. Here, punching down is fair game and fairly lucrative."

Bowen Yang Deletes Instagram Post Mocking Nikki Haley ‘SNL’ Visit: The castmember's not-entirely-subtle protests, a history.

Hungary approves Sweden’s NATO bid, unblocking historic expansion

A nurse asked a friend to help her move. He later killed her, police say.: Patrina Best was beloved by her family and friends, traveling the country as a nurse with her dog, Luke

Bowser, business leaders pitch $400M plan to fix D.C.’s ailing downtown: A rise in violent crime across the city, coupled with the possible departure of the Wizards and Capitals, have added to a sense of urgency to stabilize downtown

Ex-Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson says photo refutes Biden impeachment witness's claims

Reading archive 2024-02-25

National Zoo ‘in discussions’ to bring pandas back to D.C.

Here’s why China is sending pandas back to the United States

Florida surgeon general defies science amid measles outbreak

An ectopic pregnancy put her life at risk. A Texas hospital refused to treat her.: The 25-year-old woman and her mother blame the state’s abortion ban for a delay in care that doctors say put her “in extreme danger of losing her life” - "When Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, the two had argued fiercely about what a near-total abortion ban would mean for women in the state — with Norris-De La Cruz fearing a loss of personal freedoms, and Lloyd welcoming new protections for babies who couldn’t speak up for themselves.

"Initially, Lloyd said, she thought the Texas abortion law would only affect people who decided they didn’t want to be pregnant — never imagining it could prevent women from accessing lifesaving care. Now, she said, she has completely changed her mind about abortion bans. 

"'I didn’t realize how far it had gone,” she said. “But it has happened to my life now, with my daughter.'

"'Her life has been in danger and affected by someone who was too afraid to help.'"

Netanyahu presents hard-line ‘day after’ vision for Gaza for the first time

Can tart cherries help reduce inflammation and pain?

Journalist indicted after accessing Tucker Carlson video footage: Federal prosecutors charged Tim Burke with wiretapping and conspiracy for accessing the Fox News outtakes, in a case that the journalist’s lawyers say has press freedom implications

He led an anti-gay Catholic site. Staffers say he sent them racy selfies.: At the far-right Church Militant, Michael Voris accused liberal Catholics and others he opposed of being gay until he resigned over unspecified ‘morality’ concerns. Staffers now say he had shared shirtless gym photos.

Deal to dodge government shutdown appears to stall amid GOP policy demands

Opinion  Biden gave $90 billion to red America. The thank-you went to spam. - "President Biden probably won’t be getting much thanks from the rural beneficiaries of his programs; nearly three-quarters of those in rural precincts voted for Donald Trump in 2020. Some Republican lawmakers condemned these bills as 'socialism' and even applied the label 'traitor' to those who supported the infrastructure bill. But the massive rural infusion makes good on Biden’s promise to be 'a president for everybody,' as he put it to a gathering of House Democrats this month. 'A lot of these things are happening in red states, but the Americans need help,' he said."

Reading archive 2024-02-22

How everything became a ‘psyop’ for conservative media: It’s not just Taylor Swift. Right-wing pundits are branding everything from climate change to the Hunter Biden case a ‘psyop,’ though the conspiracy-tinged phrase is losing grip on an actual definition

Recall effort targets D.C. Council member Brianne Nadeau over crime surge: Like a separate effort to recall council member Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), the effort to recall Nadeau centers on public safety concerns.

Mike Lindell must pay man $5M in ‘Prove Mike Wrong’ challenge, judge says - "Robert Zeidman, a computer forensics expert who voted for Trump twice, did just that, a federal judge in Minnesota determined Wednesday, upholding a previous ruling from a private arbitration panel. Zeidman is owed the $5 million payout plus interest, Judge John Tunheim wrote in his Wednesday ruling. The decision is the latest development in a years-long effort to claim the prize, after Zeidman found that the data was not related to the 2020 election."

What the Pentagon has learned from two years of war in Ukraine: With hundreds of thousands dead or wounded and still no end in sight, the conflict has revealed that U.S. battlefield calculations must evolve - "Taylor told the story of an Apache helicopter pilot who successfully avoided air defense systems during a simulated attack. Personnel portraying the enemy forces were unable to determine the path the helicopter took, but after examining commercially available cellphone data, they were able to map the journey of a device traveling across the desert at 120 miles per hour. It revealed where the Apache flew to evade the defenses."

The American citizens fighting and dying for Israel in the Gaza war - "The Washington Post talked to three families of U.S. citizens killed while fighting for Israel. They were united in their fierce commitment to the Jewish state, having found in their adoptive country an identity that largely transcended their American passport."

What might happen after another inauguration of Donald Trump

Why Viagra has been linked with better brain health

Another GOP Biden ‘informant.’ Another indictment and link to Russia.: It’s been the story of many of those from whom Republicans have sought information

Biden’s dog bit Secret Service agents about 24 times, new records show: One biting incident involving Commander, the presidential dog, briefly shut down White House tours due to blood on the floor

Tiny homes meant for displaced Maui fire survivors are sitting empty

Leaked files from Chinese firm show vast international hacking effort

They committed crimes when they were young. Do we owe them a second chance? A film examining three cases in D.C. makes the argument for mercy - "'These guys, we went to prison, we did multiple decades and came home,' said Downing, now 42. 'Now that you see how we are, are you telling me that we had to do multiple decades in prison to come home?'" [ed. note: he and three accomplices kidnapped a woman, put her in the trunk of her own car, used her ATM card, took her to the woods, and shot her to death when she ran. I bet they were going to rape her. So, yeah.]

Reading archive 2024-02-21

A Russian missile killed 59 Ukrainian villagers — and divided the survivors

A reporter investigated neo-Nazis. Then they came to his house in masks.: The chilling visit to Raw Story reporter Jordan Green’s home represents an increasingly common tactic by extremist groups

Stalked by Nazis: How extremists tried to stop me from reporting on their violence

How (and why) to peacefully coexist with squirrels: The case for learning to embrace one of nature’s best helpers

A ravenous black hole created the universe’s brightest object, study says

Shock, anger, confusion grip Alabama after court ruling on embryos

Biden administration cancels $1.2B in student loans with new repayment plan

Okla. nonbinary teen died after school fight amid reported bullying

Opinion  J.D. Vance goes all the way to Munich just to insult Ukraine - "Vance is thwarting the solution to the very problem he is complaining about, then pointing back to that problem to justify his real objective: abandoning Ukraine."

Opinion  Ukraine remains stronger than you might think

Opinion  Three crises that give Biden a chance to prove the doubters wrong

Second manager suspected in family’s serial Chinatown Walgreens robberies: U.S. prosecutors say manager was romantic partner of alleged ringleader of robberies that risked a shootout in one of downtown Washington’s most heavily trafficked stores

Opinion  Europe is panicking about Ukraine aid. Biden’s team should tell the truth. - "Crow traveled to Kyiv and met with Zelensky last week, along with Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.). Hill told me he is trying to educate his GOP colleagues about how the aid is spent and monitored.

"More than half of it goes back into the U.S. economy via weapons purchases or to replenish U.S. weapons stocks. European countries contribute more total financial aid than the United States and several give a higher share of their gross domestic product."

Trump and allies planning militarized mass deportations, detention camps: As president, Trump sought to use military planes and bases for deportation. Now, he and his allies are talking about a new effort that current and former officials warn could be impractical and dangerous.

How the housing industry is working to stop energy efficient homes: Home builders have used their political muscle to prevent states and cities from adopting the latest code, which would lower the climate impact of new houses - "A federal study found that North Carolina’s proposed code update would have added at most about $6,500 to the price of a newly built home, not $20,400. According to the analysis, these changes would have paid for themselves through lower power bills and, during the first year alone, reduced carbon dioxide emissions by the equivalent of taking 29,000 cars off the road."

Harvard condemns ‘flagrantly antisemitic’ cartoon posted by student groups

‘They just can’t take this kind of beating’: California mansions on the brink: Across Southern California, slope failures and ground movement after a series of storms have put homes in harm’s way

Opinion  Xi is tanking China’s economy. That’s bad for the U.S.

Tax records reveal the lucrative world of covid misinformation