"A huge ancient city has been found in the Amazon, hidden for thousands of years by lush vegetation... The discovery changes what we know about the history of people living in the Amazon."
"Long before the advent of the Apple Watch, Levine began picking apart the energetic costs of daily activities, performing tightly controlled experiments involving body sensors and other technology to understand the implications for metabolic health."
"Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have published evidence that suggests the popular weight loss and diabetes drugs Wegovy and Ozempic may also reduce a person’s risk for colorectal cancer." Yeah, why don't we wait until we have a decade's worth of data first.
"A new generation of blood tests is poised to change the way doctors determine whether patients with memory loss also have Alzheimer's disease... The tests detect substances in the blood that indicate the presence of sticky amyloid plaques in the brain — a hallmark of Alzheimer's. So these tests have the potential to replace current diagnostic procedures, like costly PET scans and uncomfortable spinal taps."
"One key comment jumped out for those who follow health policy: Retton said she was uninsured, blaming that lack of coverage on 30 orthopedic surgeries that count as 'preexisting conditions,' a divorce and her poor finances... Nonetheless, her situation can be informative because the reasons she cited for not buying coverage — preexisting conditions and cost — are among the things the Affordable Care Act directly addresses." It's hard to reverse a lifetime of learning.
"Factory workers at Tesla have been told to expect pay raises this year, a move that comes as the United Auto Workers union tries to organize the electric vehicle maker’s U.S. plants." I'm sure it's just a coincidence. And just another example of how unions benefit all workers, even those not in unions.
"Inflation ticked up a little in December on the back of higher costs for housing and car insurance... The overall cost of living in December was up 3.4% from a year ago, a slightly larger increase than the 3.1% rate in November, according to data from the Labor Department on Thursday."
"The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits inched down to its lowest level in nearly three months last week as the U.S. labor market continues to flex its muscle in spite of elevated interest rates."
"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised Israeli citizens that the military offensive in Gaza will press on until reaching a 'definitive victory over Hamas' following its deadly Oct. 7 attack that killed more than 1,200 people in southern Israel... But skepticism is growing in Israel about the kind of military victory that can really be achieved." It's an impossible goal to achieve militarily, and with every strike, Israel strengthens support for Hamas and drives Palestinians into their arms. If you really wanted to disable Hamas, Israel would need to offer Palestinians a better option for their survival. Hamas is not generally loved among Gazans, but between one evil and the other evil killing you wholesale, there's not much of a choice there.
"Post-pandemic burnout is at worrying levels among Christian clergy in the U.S., prompting many to think about abandoning their jobs, according to a new nationwide survey." I would be interested to see a breakdown of this data with political activism from the pulpit.
"We won't prosecute women who have miscarriages," they said. "The Trumbull County prosecutor’s office said grand jurors declined to return an indictment for abuse of a corpse against Brittany Watts, 34, of Warren, resolving a case that sparked national attention for its implications for pregnant women as states across the country hash out new laws governing reproductive health care access in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned." Of course they will. Yes, there are different problems with this case, but seriously anyone paying attention these last 3 decades could have told you this will happen. And then it becomes a matter of "she didn't mourn properly or fully."
"The Transportation Security Administration says it found a record number of firearms at airport security checkpoints in 2023. A total of 6,737 were intercepted — or an average of 18 firearms per day — 93% of which which were loaded, the agency says."
See something, say something they said. "Sean Hodgson watched and worried as his best friend of nearly two decades unraveled. His former roommate and fellow U.S. Army reservist’s anger and paranoia were mounting, he had access to guns, and he refused to get help. So Hodgson did the hardest thing of his life: He sent a text about Robert Card to their Army supervisor."
"Shortfalls in required monitoring by American officials mean the U.S. cannot track more than $1 billion in weapons and military equipment provided to Ukraine to fight invading Russian forces, according to a Pentagon audit released Thursday." While they speculate on fraud and arms marketing, actually 59% is about in line with all of the Pentagon's budget that they can't account for IIRC. The Pentagon is notoriously bad at tracking materials and money.
"The mayor of a Texas border city at the center of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott ‘s aggressive measures to curb migrant crossings accused the state Thursday of a new escalation as state troopers closed a large public park along the Rio Grande without asking permission." Ah, I see the problem here. You think Texas' border "response" is about good governance and not about flexing military might with authoritarian rule.
"Tennessee House Republican leaders went on the defensive Thursday after surprising people who showed up to watch their lawmakers kick off this year’s work by asking some of them if they had a ticket to get in. The new and previously unpublicized requirement has only fueled lingering criticism that the GOP supermajority is unfairly flexing its ability to silence those with differing political views." JFC, just the peevishness of their responses.
"A Republican member of the Maryland State Board of Elections is resigning after being arrested by the FBI this week on felony and misdemeanor charges relating to his alleged conduct during the attack at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021."
"Hard-right House Republicans on Thursday met with Speaker Mike Johnson and pressured him to renege on the spending deal he cut with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., just days ago." Let's see, does the House still have that rule that one member can ask to unseat the speaker? Yep, I think it still does.
"Hunter Biden has been accused of nine felony and misdemeanor tax offenses. The charges stem from what federal prosecutors say was a four-year scheme to skip out on paying the $1.4 million he owed to the IRS and instead use the money to fund an extravagant lifestyle that by his own admission included drugs and alcohol."
"Bomb threats and false reports of shootings at the homes of public officials, state capitols and courthouses have surged in recent weeks, including some connected to court cases against former President Donald Trump."
"Trump spoke as the judge was trying to find out if the former president would follow rules requiring him to keep his remarks focused on matters related to the trial. Asked whether he would comply with the guidelines, Trump defied the judge and simply launched into his speech." If only we could cut him off during all his tirades.
"The Justice Department on Friday asked the Supreme Court to order Texas to stop blocking Border Patrol agents from a portion of the U.S.-Mexico border where large numbers of migrants have crossed in recent months, setting up another showdown between Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and the Biden administration over immigration enforcement."
"Former President Donald Trump was ordered Friday to pay nearly $400,000 in legal fees to The New York Times and three investigative reporters after he sued them unsuccessfully over a Pulitzer Prize-winning 2018 story about his family’s wealth and tax practices."
"While critics have been challenging what the Justice Department has called 'the most successful piece of civil rights legislation ever adopted by the United States Congress' since shortly after it was first enacted in 1965, many voting rights experts say the Supreme Court's current conservative supermajority has inspired new legal strategies."
"As a massive winter storm sweeping the United States threatens to impact the Iowa caucuses, Donald Trump supporter Laura Loomer suggests Republican challenger Nikki Haley is "using HAARP" to foment the cyclone and derail the former US president's campaign. This is false; scientists have repeatedly refuted the notion that the atmospheric research program can manipulate the weather." Here we go again.
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