"It was an astonishing sight. Despite being buried for over 30,000 years, the baby mammoth found in Canada's Yukon territory still had hair, skin and tusks intact… The extinct animal was covered in mud and resting in a fetal position when gold miners discovered the remains this month. Geologists from the Yukon Geological Survey and the University of Calgary believe the mammoth calf was female and likely died in permafrost during the ice age."
"That's what Wang and his team tried to figure out in a series of experiments described in a new study published in today's edition of Cell. They blew air over two cohorts of mice — one infected with either dengue or Zika, the other not — and the mosquitoes flocked to the odor wafting off the infected mice… 'These two viruses can alter a person's body odor to be more attractive to mosquitoes,' Wang concludes. They do so by changing the skin's microbiome to get the bacteria to produce an aroma that — if you're a mosquito — is just intoxicating."
"Artemis 1 recently wrapped up its 'wet dress rehearsal,' a crucial series of tests and simulations designed to help determine a vehicle's readiness for flight. This wet-dress success was hard-won; the Artemis 1 team first tried to notch the milestone in early April but were thwarted by several technical issues, including a stuck valve. Team members ended up rolling the stack back to the VAB for repairs on April 25, then sent it to the pad for another attempt earlier this month."
"Reddit user sanfrannie posted earlier this month that about a dozen 8-inch silver fish 'rained down from the sky' onto their friend’s roof and back deck in the Outer Richmond. Several other users commented with similar experiences — one person said they 'heard a whoosh sound behind me and heard a massive splat' before seeing fish scattered on a nearby driveway. Another commented that they 'almost got hit by a fish waiting for a bus' in the Castro, and a third person said they assumed 'a band of roving kids were doing a Tik Tok sardine-throwing challenge on a roof somewhere' after seeing several fish fall onto an Outer Richmond sidewalk."
"Major legislation passed and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday aims to significantly reduce single-use plastic packaging in the state and drastically boost recycling rates for what remains. It sets the nation's most stringent requirements for the use of plastic packaging, with lawmakers saying they hope it sets a precedent for other states to follow." I'll give it about 2 years until the "and this is why prices are so high" stories start.
"One death and nearly two dozen hospitalizations are tied to a new listeria outbreak of unknown origin, health officials said Thursday… The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not identified a food that might be spreading the deadly bacteria, but officials said the public should be alert to symptoms and the possibility of infection."
"Consumers, employers and just about everyone else interested in health care prices will soon get an unprecedented look at what insurers pay for care, perhaps helping answer a question that has long dogged those who buy insurance: Are we getting the best deal we can?"
"If you're worried about incurring debt during a health crisis or are struggling to deal with bills you already have, you're not alone. Some 100 million people — including 41% of U.S. adults — have health care debt, according to a recent survey by KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation)… But you can inform and protect yourself. NPR and KHN spoke with patients, consumer advocates, and researchers to glean their hard-won insights on how to avoid or manage medical debt… 'It shouldn't be on the patients who are experiencing the medical issues to navigate this complicated system,' said Nicolas Cordova, a health care lawyer with the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty. But consumers who inform themselves have a better chance of avoiding debt traps."
"General Motors’ U.S. vehicle sales were down about 15% in the second quarter from a year ago as the automaker continues to battle supply chain issues, but showed improvement from earlier in the year."
"In one case, the coffee company's founder sat down with his staff, heard their grievances, and made significant changes. His cafés have remained union-free… In the other, an entrepreneur's long-cherished dream of owning his own café and running it his own way turned dark the day his employees voted yes to a union." A case study in how and why unions are formed. Part of it is compensation, but only part. The main thing is respect and giving the employees a say in how their workplace is run. And talk to them, tell them what is happening, tell them why you are making certain decisions.
"More than 1,200 Delta pilots and staff engaged in seven airport-wide demonstrations on Thursday calling for higher pay, among other things, all while flight cancellations continue around the U.S. on the eve of the holiday weekend."
"Passengers on a Delta flight from Michigan to Minnesota say that the airline offered them $10,000 cash to give up their seats on an oversold domestic flight."
"This has been the worst start to a year for stocks in more than half a century… A record-setting run fueled by cheap money has ended, and Wall Street is having a hard time adjusting to a new reality. With the Federal Reserve aggressively hiking interest rates to fight high inflation, the economic landscape has changed dramatically." Buy low, sell high. Or in other words, if you're eligible for a 401(k) type plan and you're not currently contributing, start now. At least put in enough to get the maximum match from your employer (if your employer matches at all).
"The (UK) Conservative deputy chief whip has resigned after admitting he had 'embarrassed myself and other people' following reports that he drunkenly groped two men at a private club… Chris Pincher wrote to Boris Johnson saying he was standing down after drinking too much. However, he did not address the allegations that he was reported to the whips by Conservative MPs who had witnessed his behaviour towards two men at the Carlton Club in Piccadilly."
"At about 8:23 p.m., the woman was walking with her 3-month-old in Manhattan, near the corner of East 95th Street and Lexington Avenue, when a man dressed in a black hoodie and black sweatpants shot her 'from very close range,' NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said… No arrests have been made yet. Sewell was unable to confirm if the shooting was a domestic violence incident."
"A Floyd County man is accused of killing two police officers and shooting six more people during a barricade situation… It all unfolded Thursday night in the city of Allen off US 23. The sheriff said deputies were serving a domestic violence order when a man opened fire. That man was identified as Lance Storz." I'm sure his facial wounds happened when he fell into a doorway, tripped down several concrete steps, and ran face first into the patrol vehicle all by himself.
"It has been 10 years since the Department of Justice filed a biennial report on the federal government's compliance with accessibility standards for information technology, a bipartisan group of concerned senators say. The reports are required by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act… On Thursday, a group of seven senators sent a letter to the department asking for the DOJ to once again issue these reports, and the lawmakers want to know why the agency hasn't filed them."
"In a setback for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republican lawmakers, a Florida judge has ruled that a new state law banning abortions at 15 weeks is unconstitutional and he intends to block it from taking effect on Friday."
"President Biden said he would support changing the filibuster rules in the Senate to ensure that privacy rights, including abortion rights, are enshrined into law in the wake of the historic Supreme Court decision reversing Roe v. Wade."
"In their appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, however, the Republican lawmakers argue that the U.S. Constitution's Elections Clause gives state legislatures the power to determine how congressional elections are conducted without any checks and balances from state constitutions or state courts… Based on this independent state legislature theory, they contend that the North Carolina state courts' decision to throw out and replace the legislature-drawn map violates the federal constitution — an argument that radically departs from the U.S. Supreme Court's historical record of deferring to state courts on how state constitutions and laws should be interpreted." Yes, this SCOTUS will strip you of whatever rights they have to.
"Republican Rep. Liz Cheney was able to find common ground with her four challengers for Wyoming's lone congressional seat on issues including voting against the bipartisan infrastructure bill, supporting America's energy systems and reprimanding the Biden administration during their first debate Thursday night… But when it came to topics such as the Jan. 6 committee's findings and the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election, she found herself an outlier. And Cheney's belief that the 2020 election was not stolen could cost her her seat." Whackaloon quotient ticking up.
"Hutchinson received a message from an associate of Meadows saying: '[A person] let me know you have your deposition tomorrow. He wants me to let you know that he’s thinking about you. He knows you’re loyal, and you’re going to do the right thing when you go in for your deposition.' The redaction was Meadows, the sources said, but the associate’s identity could not be confirmed on Thursday night."
"More and more white evangelical Christians are now talking about the U.S. as a Christian nation in ways that verge on or outright embrace Christian nationalism — the idea that the U.S. is a Christian nation and its laws should be rooted in the Bible."
A tweet with a handy info graphic on Christian (White) nationalism.
"Eleven people are registered to vote at this (Texas) address. One of them is Loving County Commissioner Ysidro Renteria, who has been in office since 2011 and listed this property in December as his permanent address on his application to run for re-election, signed under oath. He and at least three relatives used the address to vote in the March primaries… The secret?… 'No one lives there,' Loving County Sheriff Chris Busse, who also serves as the registrar of voters, said in May. 'I can attest that I’ve been here since 2008 and there has never, ever, ever been any of the Renterias — not even Ysidro — occupying it.'"
No comments:
Post a Comment